A Second Course

When you ask most people to name their favorite things about summer, what typically comes to mind is: the beach, outdoor happy hours, fireworks,  flip flops, picnics, the park… If you asked me, on the other hand, about the best part of summer, my answer would be: grilling, corn on the cob, tomatoes, rose wine (all day, any day), peaches, watermelon, dinner parties on my patio, stoli doli’s, and the list goes on and on….

Speaking of grilling, here’s a quick and delicious grilled summer dessert:

1) Heat up grill to about 350 degrees.

2) Halve peaches and brush with a little clarified butter.  Place on grill cut side down for just a few minutes until peaches begin to soften and grill marks are visible.

3) Using tongs, turn the peaches skin side down and place some chocolate chips in the well. Cover the grill for just a minute until the chocolate melts. You can even add a dollop of creme fraiche and enjoy!

What are some of your favorite things about summer? Please share with the rest of us!

What in the heck is Garde Manger you are definitely wondering?  A term they don’t always explain on Top Chef.  It’s the classical french name for the cold kitchen or cold food department and it sums up the last two weeks of my first semester at culinary school. Time does fly when you’re having fun!!

I bet you are thinking what I was when I read the course schedule. Cold kitchen = simple….salads, sandwiches, dressing. Those Deans at culinary school save the easiest for last? Decide to give students a break the last 2 weeks…….think again!  A salad is anything but simple.  And what about aspic, cured salmon, shucking oysters?All of this takes place in the Garde Manger kitchen.

The stove might be off but the heat is on.

The first five days were intense –  dozens of eggs cooked a million different ways. (Almost) perfectly poached and rolled french omelets.  Baked eggs with Canadian bacon, cream & Gruyere.  Have  I died and gone to heaven? Quiche with a crust so flaky and buttery I will avoid getting my cholesterol checked all summer.  And that was just day 1!

Day 2 was my most challenging and it didn’t even involve fire!  Fruit plates & carving…not my forte…need to work on that  a bit as you can see to the right:

Days 3-5: Sandwiches/Canapes. I felt like a worker in a sweatshop, churning out piece after piece, platter after platter. How am I supposed to get 300 done in an hour, when I can barely get 12 done all day?  After 3 days of practice, however, I have to admit that what turned out looked pretty great and tasted delicious. My favorite by far was the house cured salmon canape with dill cream cheese, capers and a red onion garnish. Check out some highlights below:

Monte Cristo with house made chips and mango chutney

Ratatouille tartlet with goat cheese

Canapes

No this posting isn’t about sweet and succulent ribs (although I did have some tasty ones a few days ago)… I’d like to send my sincerest apologies to all my loyal fans for patiently awaiting my new postings. The last few weeks of class really kicked my a#%. But I’m back and back with a vengeance. So grab a pencil and paper and get ready to learn more great food tips over the coming weeks!

Sunday was the first time I brined a chicken and I can honestly say that I will never make a whole roasted chicken again without first completing this step.  It was more tender, more succulent and more flavorful. For those of you who have had tasty Kosher chicken meat, this is the closest you will get in terms of flavor. It’s as simple as this:

Bringing chicken

1 Gallon water: 1 cup kosher salt

Soak the chicken for 1.5 hours and pat dry.

Season with white pepper only (no excess salt is necessary) and stuff the cavity with your favorite herbs (please see my earlier posting in The Daily Dish about a cooking a perfect roast chicken).

And definitely let me know after you try to brine, I’m sure you will agree this makes the world of difference.

Poaching, simmering, roasting, grilling, frying – you name the method we’ve covered it these last two weeks. I certainly have not perfected all these methods of cooking just yet, so I’m gonna have a ton of fun practicing over the next few months.

Once you check out my pictures below, it shouldn’t surprise you why I didn’t eat dinner all week at home. Here’s just a sampling of some of my creations and 4 pm “snacks” in class.  For all of you wanting to live vicariously through me, here’s your chance. Now if there was only  a way for you to taste everything…..  hmmm….i’ll have to get on that with Apple. If anyone can invent smelloputers or computasters, its the geniuses behind the new iPad.

Fear not, when I’m on break in a couple weeks I will post lots of these recipes for you to try at home. And in the meantime, summer is finally here – fire up the Weber and get on grilling!  If you live in the North like me, there are only a few months we can grill. Don’t stay inside. Marinate some lamb chops in olive oil, crushed garlic gloves, rosemary. Season with salt just before cooking.  Squeeze a little lemon. Perfection.

Slow Braised Beef

Braised Endive

Mixed Grill (lamb chop, beef tenderloin, pork sausage & shoestring friesVeal Fricasse

Onion Rings