Update 18: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

So, this week I tackled Session 10, Methods of Cooking Meat: MIXTE Cooking and Cooking Lamb. Mixte cooking combines extraction and concentration elements and is used primarily for small cuts of meats and poultry.  The item is first sautéed (concentration) and then moistened with liquid (extraction).

My first Demonstration was Navarin Printanier (Lamb Stew with Spring Vegetables), which is an example of mixte à brun. I love lamb chops and have made my own lovely leg of lamb once or twice, but I wasn't sure about lamb stew, as I was afraid it could be quite gamey prepared that way. But, I learned from my book that the "wooly" taste of lamb is always in the fat and removing the extra fat gets rid of that strong taste. So, that was of course my first step. I trimmed the fat from about a pound and a half of rinsed/dried lamb shoulder and cut the meat into cubes. Then, I added some vegetable oil to a rondeau (dutch oven/stew pot) over medium heat and when hot (but not smoking), added the lamb and seared for about 5 minutes until the meat had browned on all sides and sucs (those brown, meaty bits) had formed on the bottom of the pan. I seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and with a slotted spoon, transferred the meat to a small bowl and set aside.

Then, I drained some oil from the pan and added my mirepoix of carrots and onions, along with 1.5 cloves of garlic (peeled and crushed) and sautéed for about a minute until they started to soften. The meat went back in with the vegetables and I stirred in a bit of flour with a wooden spoon. This was all sautéed for a few minutes, until the raw flour taste disappeared and everything started to caramelize. I stirred in some tomato paste (I love the kind that comes in a tube -- the best idea ever! Get some.), added water to cover it (about 4-6 cups), and also some coarse salt to taste. I think next time I would add more water as with all the skimming that came next, the liquid content was reduced a bit more than I would have liked at the end.

I raised the heat to a boil and skimmed off any fat that came to the surface. There wasn't much because I had done a good job of trimming earlier, but I did spoon up a bit of it. (I learned that lamb fat has a high water content that causes it to melt quickly. Ick.) Then, I put the lid on my pot and put it in a 350 degree preheated oven to braise for 60 minutes. I uncovered and stirred it every 15 minutes to make sure it wasn't boiling or sticking to the bottom of the pot. (And yes, I used pot holders this time.)

In the meantime, I prepared the Spring Vegetables garnish. I had to use that fancy French way of cutting vegetables again (tourner) and this time it was referred to as cocotte, which is a turned cut of vegetable that is about 2 inches long. I did this (and not very well) with boiling potatoes, carrots and parsnips, and then cooked them each separately. By the way, I'm not totally off base by thinking this tourner thing is annoying and a bit unnecessary. I went to a Knife Skills class earlier in the week and the teacher was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. I asked her if she uses the tourner method and she said when she was in school she used to do it all the time, but in the real world it takes up a lot of time, and wastes food, so she just cuts the pieces diagonally or uniformly so they still look nice. (Humph. Told you so.)

I also learned that my 8-inch chef's knife is too big for me and that most women use a knife that is too big/long. So, I'll be looking for a 5-6 inch chef's knife this weekend...yay!

The potatoes were blanched, the carrots and some pearl onions were both cooked separately glacer à brun (caramelized to a rich brown via glazing with butter, sugar, salt, a bit of water, and covered with parchment lid), the parsnips were cooked glacer à blond (lightly caramelized), and then I also needed to cook some string beans and peas à l'anglaise (boiling in salted water until just tender, then putting in ice water to stop cooking).

Once the meat was done, I strained the liquid through my trusty chinois, reserving the sauce and the meat separately and tossing out the mirepoix and garlic. The meat went into a bowl and was set aside, the sauce was put into a sauce pan and again, I removed any fat that came to the surface. (There was just a wee bit.) I put the liquid on medium heat, stirring for about 10 minutes until it thickened and could slightly coat the back of the spoon (called nappant). Mine thickened correctly, but if it didn't, the book suggested adding some beurre manié (softened butter kneaded into uncooked flour and formed into pea-sized balls) until it was the correct consistency. I added some salt and pepper to the sauce which was a medium, rusty brown (from the tomatoes and browned bits of meat). It tasted rich and meaty, with a hint of garlic.

Then, I added the fork-tender meat back in, along with the potatoes and let them lightly simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes were softened, but not overcooked. After that, in went the carrots, pearl onions and parsnips. I reheated the beans and peas in a small pot of simmering water for a few seconds until heated through and then drained them on paper towels. The book suggests ladling the stew in the center of four warm shallow soup bowls and then garnishing with the beans and peas, and some chopped parsley. Since it was 10:30 p.m. when I finished this dish, I tossed the peas and beans into the pot instead (the picture in the book shows them mixed in, too).  I had a few bites, and was surprised that the lamb almost didn't taste like lamb at all. There was just a slight hint of it, but nothing overpowering or "wooly" at all. It was pretty tasty --  like a luxe beef stew and the vegetables were so bright and colorful, it was like Spring in a bowl.

When we ate this for dinner last night, I think Chris was surprised too. He took a bite and raised his eyebrows and said something like "Wow, this is really good!"  He also agreed that it didn't really taste gamey like he thought it would. The stew was hearty and full, but light at the same time -- I would make it again. The Carmenere wine from Chile we had went really well with it too, and I made a simple green salad with a vinaigrette. A nice spring meal on a Thursday.

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The second and final Demonstration for Session 10 was Fricassée de Volaille Printaniére (Chicken Fricassee with Spring Vegetables), which is an example of mixte à blanc. According to my book, Chicken Fricassee is a classic example of mixte cooking.

I quartered a chicken for the third time this month (I'm getting good at this!), separated into leg/thigh and breast pieces, manchonnered the ends of the bones and rinsed the pieces with cold water and patted them dry. I seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and then added 2 TBS of butter to a pan over medium heat, putting the chicken in skin side down and cooking for a few minutes, until the skin was seared, but not browned.

Using some new tongs (with soft ends to keep skin from tearing) I turned the pieces over and lightly seared the other sides, making sure the meat didn't take on any color. Then, I removed the chicken and set aside.  Into the hot pan went some onion mirepoix, which I sautéed for a few minutes, until they were transluscent and fragrant. I stirred in 2 TBS of flour with a wooden spoon, until the flour was absorbed into the onions, but took on no color (equal parts butter + flour = makings of a roux). After that, I whisked in some white chicken stock, whisking until the liquid had thickened into a velouté (thick white sauce made from white stock and a roux--we did this for the veal stew, too).  I put the chicken back in and lowered the heat, cooking at a low simmer for about 20-25 minutes, until it was cooked through. Every once in a while, I skimmed off any fat that came to the top, and I also took the initiative and decided to kind of baste the meat with the sauce every once in a while to keep it moist.

While the chicken cooked, I prepared carrots, turnips, string beans, and peas all à l'anglaise (see first recipe above). I had looked ahead the day before and saw that I would need the same ingredients cut the same way for this dish, so I tournered the carrots and parsnips needed for this one ahead of time.  I cooked some pearl onions glacer à blond for this recipe (they were glacer à brun in the other one) and then added the carrots, turnips, beans and peas to boiling salted water  (in separate pots), until just tender and then dunked them in cold water to stop the cooking process, and then set aside.

Once the chicken was done, I removed from the pot and set it aside, keeping warm. I skimmed off any fat from the sauce and ran through my chinois into a clean pan. I added 7 TBS of heavy cream and brought to a simmer, adding salt and pepper as needed, and cooking until it had thickened a bit. It had a lovely smell that reminded me of chicken noodle soup and pot pie, and it tasted the same. Chicken-y and creamy. Like a pot full of cream-of-chicken goodness. Mmmmm.

I removed any extra fat from the chicken, cut the pieces in half (after removing the breast bones, etc.) and returned to the sauce. The book recommends reheating all the vegetables in a pan with a bit of butter and a bit of water before serving, so I did that. It then said to put the chicken in the center of the plate, nap with sauce, garnish with an equal amount of vegetables, and sprinkle with parsley. So, I did.  Then, I tossed everything together in the same pot.  

So, I think I have mixte cooking covered ... and I've learned some great tips on cooking lamb, which opens up a whole new world. There wasn't too much butter in these recipes, either, so I didn't feel as guilty eating them. Just simple ingredients for beautiful, tasty food. (I like it!)

Next is Session 11: Methods of Cooking Meat: Poêle, Breading and Sautéeing, Cooking Pork


Happy Spring!

xoxoxo

Update 17, Part 2: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

I tackled the second and final Demonstration in Session 9, Methods of Cooking Meat: Beef and Veal, and I must say this is one of my favorites so far, right up there with the Ratatouille. The recipe was for Blanquette de Veau à l'Ancienne avec Riz Pilaf (Old-Fashioned Veal Stew with Rice Pilaf).

I started with about 1.5 lb of boneless veal shoulder, trimmed the extra fat, cut it into cubes and rinsed it in cold water. Then I added it to my stew pot (rondeau) and covered it with about an inch of cold water. I brought it to a simmer and skimmed any muckity-muck that floated to the surface until it came just to a gentle boil. Then, I drained and rinsed the meat and set aside and was instructed to rinse out the rondeau as well.  I returned the veal to the rondeau and added a liter of veal stock (again covering by an inch) and some coarse salt, and brought it to a simmer, again skimming any scum that floated to the top. I added an oignon clouté (which was basically a half of a white onion with a whole clove stuck in it ) along with the separate bundles I had tied of carrots, leeks, thyme, parsley stems, and celery. My bouquet garni included 7 peppercorns and 2 cloves of garlic. I lowered the heat to a gentle simmer where it cooked, uncovered, for about an hour until the meat was tender.  (Don't let it boil or the meat will disintegrate -- and, to check for doneness, meat should crush between your fingers and not spring back).

Can I just say that this dish smelled absolutely WONDERFUL -- and it wasn't even complete. My mouth was watering the entire time I worked on this. While the veal cooked, I got to work on the garnish, which included cooking 16 pearl onions onions à glacer blanc (lightly glazed with butter/sugar so they wouldn't take on any color) and also cooking button mushrooms tossed with a bit of lemon juice in butter with a parchment lid for a few minutes -- again, not taking on color. When those were done, I seasoned to taste with salt/pepper and set them aside and kept them warm.

While I was still waiting for the veal to finish, I started the rice pilaf. I melted about 1.5 TBS of butter in a medium pan, and then some ciseléd onion (finely dicing in a way so juices stay inside). I let the onions sweat but not take on color, and then added in 1/2 cup plus 1/2 tsp of white rice, stirring until the rice was opaque. Then, I added in some warmed white chicken stock (13 TBS) and a bouquet garni. I added some salt/pepper and then covered with a buttered parchment round and a lid and put in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the rice had absorbed all the liquid and was cooked through. (If rice hasn't finished cooking and all liquid is gone, add a bit more in.)

Once the veal was tender, I drained it in a colander and reserved the cooking liquid. I set the meat aside in a covered small bowl and tossed out the vegetables and bouquet garni. I was also supposed to clean out the rondeau again. Then, in another pot, I made the sauce -- first, I made a velouté (white sauce thickend by a roux).  I made the roux with 2 TBS of butter, and 2 TBS of flour and cooked for about a minute before whisking in the poaching liquid from the veal. I whisked that over a low simmer for about 10 minutes until it had thickened, and lowered the heat and added in 3.5 TSP of heavy cream and whisked for about 5 minutes more. I then added in a mixture of one egg yolk and 3.5 TBS of heavy cream that I had tempered in a separate bowl with a few spoonfuls of the sauce mixture. I whisked in the egg mixture and stirred with a wooden spoon until just about simmering, then ran the mixture through my chinois and into the clean rondeau. In went the veal, onions and mushrooms, and I returned it to the heat to balance all of the flavors, adding more salt/pepper to taste. I wanted to just stand over the stove and eat the whole thing, it was that great.

The rice was removed from the oven, and then I was to toss some diced butter (1-2 tsp) into the rice and fluff with a fork (called engrainer).  I was then supposed to put it in the middle of the dish and surround it with the stew and sprinkle with fresh parsley. As I was reaching for the pot to move the rice into a bowl, I forgot it had been in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes and grabbed the handle, burning the inside of my left hand in the process. There was a sizzle and a big welt on the inside of my hand so the plating was delayed until I could find some Burt's Bees Res-Q Ointment and some ice. I treated it for a few minutes, then ignored the pain and moved on. (Ouch, though.)

By the time I had cleaned up the kitchen and was ready to dig in, Chris came home. I can only imagine the homey feeling he felt when he walked in the door and smelled all this goodness. (He asked for a bowl soon after and declared it was REALLY good.)

It was really good.The whole dish gives off a comforting clean feel and it tastes wonderfully rich, with all of those aromatics I put in the poaching liquid shining through, as well as the onions and butter in the rice pilaf (I'll never make plain rice again!). Served over the rice in a big bowl with a simple salad and nice glass of wine, this could be a knock-out dinner party item. Or just cozy comfort food for a chilly spring day.


So, that's it for Session 9. (Are you as excited as I am? We've made it to double digits!) Session 10, Methods of Cooking Meat: MIXTE Cooking and Cooking Lamb here we come!

xoxoxo

P.S.  Rocco was helping me, and decided he wanted to live with the pots for awhile.

Veal

Update 17, Part 1: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

It was a lovely spring day yesterday, so I thought I'd use the leftover duck breast and try my hand at replicating one of my favorite Thai dishes -- Duck Salad.

I sliced a Granny Smith apple into thin, bite-sized pieces and then I diced some pineapple, chopped some scallions, and added all of it plus a handful of cilantro leaves to a bowl of lettuce and julienned carrots. I heated the duck until warmed through and added it to the bowl, too. Then, I made my dressing: a dash of soy sauce, some chile paste, some honey, lime juice, grated ginger, pinch of salt, pinch of brown sugar, until I had a citrusy, spicy, sweet mixture. I added to the salad bowl, tossed everything together and served it up with a bowl of mixed berries on the side. I thought afterwards that a handful of chopped peanuts thrown in at the end would have been nice on the salad, too -- next time!

A lovely light dinner -- and it tasted very close to the one served at my favorite Thai restaurant -- the one that I have a craving for every couple months.

Another thing I crave every so often is a lovely beefy, medium rare hunk of meat. Luckily for me, the first Demonstration for Session 9, Methods of Cooking Meat: Beef and Veal was Faux Filets Grillés avec Sauce Choron (Grilled Beef Steak with Choron Sauce). My book says that Choron is a béarnaise sauce reduction that has a tomato fondue added for color and flavor.

The Choron was the first thing I had to make-- and the first part of the Choron was the tomato fondue. That involved heating a pan over medium heat and adding 2 tsps of butter. Once the butter was melted, I added crushed garlic and shallots and sautéed them until they had softened and sweated out all of their juices. Then, I added in some coarsley chopped tomato and cooked for about 10 minutes, until almost all of the liquid had evaporated. I seasoned to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Then, was the béarnaise reduction -- if you remember, I wasn't a huge fan of this sauce when we were in Session 4, Sauces. It is a sister sauce of hollandaise and they both use a ridiculous amount of clarified butter (14 TBS). Anyway, I made the reduction by combining water and white vinegar in a pan with shallots, dried tarragon and cracked pepper. I brought to a simmer and let reduce to 1/5 the original volume (remove from heat right away, or it will continue to evaporate and you won't have enough liquid). Once it cooled, I put through my chinois and then added two egg yolks (room temperature) and whisked them together to combine. (When I made this sauce last time, I didn't run through chinois, but I guess that's why this is a different version.) I continued to whisk over a small pot of boiling water on the stove, until I had created a sabayon that was thick and light. I took it away from the heat, and then whisked in the clarified butter in a slow, steady stream. Once all the butter was mixed in I added the tomato fondue, some fresh tarragon, chervil, and salt and pepper and set it aside on warm surface. The sauce was very rich and the tomatoes and tarragon added a nice lightness/brightness to it, but still not a taste that I really enjoyed. Also, the book has the sauce looking very light yellow -- mine was much darker, so not sure why -- maybe the tomatoes?  It thickened up, but when I put it on the hot steak, it got a bit runny...but didn't really take away from the overall flavor/appearance.

I used my handy dandy grill pan and heated it on the stove. I trimmed the fat off the steak (I bought a boneless strip loin), rubbed some vegetable oil on both sides and salted and peppered both sides as well. I put the steak on the grill, quadrillered it (the grill lines) and cooked until medium rare, burning my hand a few times in the process (of course). The book had some technique called the "touch test" where you can tell the doneness of meat by how similar it feels to the fleshy part of your palm. A relaxed hand is rare, and then as you open your hand and tighten that area, it equals medium, well done, etc. But it depends on the type of meat, the age of the meat, etc. so I think it is still a matter of sensing when it's ready, or using a thermometer.

I served the steak with some homemade french fries and the sauce on the side. I still like my own horseradish, butter and herb sauce better, but who am I to question the pros at the FCI?

Still, the steak tasted great, and the fries were good, too.

The next Demonstration is: Blanquette de Veau à l'Ancienne avec Riz Pilaf (Old-Fashioned Veal Stew with Rice Pilaf)

Fun!
xoxoxo

Update 16, Part 4: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

Chris was away on a business trip this weekend, so it was just me, the cats, and two 5lb ducks. The cats and I are lounging around -- the ducks have been roasted and/or braised and are swimming quietly in the fridge in some lovely orange sauce. (We are all awaiting his return.)

My first duck Demonstration was Canard Rôti à l'Orange (Duck with Orange Sauce). I prepared the duck -- salt and pepper in the cavity, removed the wishbone and wings at the 2nd joint, and trussed for roasting. I rubbed with a bit of vegetable oil and salt and pepper and put in a 500 degree oven for 20 mins, then lowered to 400 degrees for about an hour and fifteen minutes, basting the duck with the pan drippings every 10 mins or so.

While the duck was roasting, I chopped up all of the trimmings and giblets (except for the liver-which I believe adds a strong flavor/odor and color to the stock, so shouldn't be used) and put in a pan on the stove with a bit of vegetable oil. I sautéed them until nicely browned and then added my mirepoix of carrots and onions for another 5 minutes. Then, I poured off the excess fat from the pan (into a container -- not down the drain!) and added about 2 cups of stock to the pan and simmered for 15 mins. I poured it through my chinois and then skimmed off any fat that was floating on the surface. I put it in a sauce pan and brought to a simmer for about 20 minutes, until slightly reduced, skimming any fat every few minutes or so and then set aside.

Then, I zested an orange (the book suggests running the orange under very hot water and patting dry before zesting -- seemed to work well) and added it to a small pot of boiling water for about 4 minutes until blanched. I removed the zest with a slotted spoon and put on paper towels to drain (the orange zested water smelled a lot like orange tea--very cozy!) Once the zest was well drained, I added to 1 TBS of orange liquer and set aside.

I tried my hand at the technique called peler à vif -- and removed the white pith from it and cut into sections, called "suprêmes." I thought this would be trickier, but I guess I had a good knife, as was pretty easy considering my first time. I then took another orange and juiced it, and added it to any juice I had caught in a bowl while removing the pith.

Then, I made a gastrique by putting 1/4 cup of sugar in a small pan over medium heat and letting it start to carmelize (don't stir). I then stirred in 1/2 cup of white vinegar and cooked about 5-6 minutes, until syrupy. To stop from cooking, I added a ice cube, but then fished it back out once the temperature dropped.

By now, my duck was looking nicely roasted and smelled great -- there is a lot of fat in a duck and there was no shortage of basting liquid. I gave it about five extra minutes, checked that it was 180 degrees in the fattest part of thigh and set on a pan to rest.

While it was resting, I added the reinforced stock I had made earlier, along with the orange zest, the orange liquer, and the orange juice. I added the gastrique a bit at a time, until I had a sweet/sour sauce. I then heated it all together in a pan for about 3 mins, and added a bit of salt to taste, and then swirled in some butter (monter au beurre) right before serving. The duck came with a packet of its own orange sauce -- I opened it and heated it up just for kicks. It was orange like Duck Sauce you get at Chinese food restaurants and tasted heavily of cloves and was very sweet. Not terrible, but then I had a spoonful of my sauce and there was no comparision. Mine was richer and darker, and you could taste the meaty stock and tang of the oranges and the vinegar, but it wasn't overly sweet like the neon orange stuff in front of me.

Theirs

I carved up the duck -- and put a piece of leg meat on the plate surrounded by breast meat I had cut into long slices called aiguillettes. I added the sauce and garnished with my orange suprêmes and some watercress. The duck was buttery and salty and the sauce was sweet and tangy -- definitely a nice combination. Go duck!

I was a bit annoyed at my second Demonstration: Suprêmes de Caneton Sautée et Cuisse Braisée à l'Orange (Breast of Duckling with Braised Leg, Orange Sauce) -- because it was practically the same thing I just made. Isn't there something else I can serve duck with besides Orange Sauce? Oh well.

So, this one started with me removing the wishbone and wings from the duck and quartering it like I did with the chicken last weekend. I removed the breast from the rib cage, to create suprêmes (nope, not oranges this time -- this time it means "boneless breasts"). I set those aside and then used my new meat cleaver to chop up the carcass and the trimmings/giblets (except the liver) into small pieces. Julia Child was right -- it is great fun to "whack the hell out of a chicken" or in this case, duck.  I added those to an ovenproof pan with some vegetable oil and sauteed until brown and then added the carrots and onions just like the previous dish. While the mirepoix was browning, I put a second pan on the stove with some oil and added the duck legs, searing them and turning until all sides were nicely browned. Those went on top of the browned duck pieces/mirepoix along with about 2 cups of stock and a bouquet garni and some salt/pepper. I then covered all of this with some parchment paper cut to the exact size of the pan and then on went the lid. This went in a 325 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until tender.

While that was happening, I scored the breast skin and the fat under it in a crisscross pattern and set aside.

Then, I made the Orange Sauce (again) -- but worked kind of in reverse as I needed the liquid from the pan that was in the oven. I zested the orange (but put 1/4 of it into the pan in the oven), blanched the zest, drained it and added to the liquer. I removed the pith from the orange (peler à vif) and cut it into suprêmes. I juiced another orange, made the gastrique and waited for the duck in the oven to be done.

When it was, I moved the duck legs to a plate and separated the thighs from the drumsticks and removed the thigh bones from the thighs and set aside. I put the liquid through a chinois and then put in a pot and brought to a simmer, for about 20 mins, skimming off any fat. I stirred in the orange zest and liquer, the orange juice and then added the gastrique a bit at a time -- and finished making the same sauce as above. It was really great this way too -- a bit smokier perhaps, but tasted just about the same as my previous attempt.

I then salted and peppered the breast and put it in a pan over medium high heat, skin side down. I lowered the heat and let it cook slowly for about 15 minutes until the skin crisped up and the fat came out (there was a lot!). Then, I turned the breast over and increased the heat and seared the breast for a few minutes, until it was cooked medium (just the way I like it!)

The steps after this were the same -- serve on a plate with a piece of leg meat, nap with sauce, add oranges and watercress (see photo #6 above).

Done and done.
xoxoxoxo

Update 16, Part 3: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

I squeezed in the third and final Demonstration using chicken last night after a quick girls night out. (Pretty ambitious for a Monday!)  I also had a couple Gin & Gingers beforehand, but Poulet Grillé à l’Américaine, Sauce Diable (Mustard-Crusted Grilled Chicken with Devil Sauce) still turned out pretty well, and it tasted heavenly.  And yes, I still have all of my fingers.

I started by putting the devil sauce (I wonder why they call it that?) components on the stove.  One pot had some chicken stock that was to reduce over about 30 mins, and another pot had shallots, water (added for better infusion), white wine and white wine vinegar, and ground peppercorns.

While they reduced, I took a 3.5 lb whole chicken and removed the wishbone, the breastbone, and the thigh bones, and then pushed down on it to flatten it, tucking the drumsticks into the skin near the breasts, making a sort of frog shape.  This was a bit tricky as the drumsticks kept slipping – and I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t just quarter the bird and move on, but I followed the directions nonetheless. (I also manchonnered the drumsticks again, for presentation.)  I put the weird shaped chicken on the grill (I used a grill pan on the stove, as our grill isn’t ready for the season yet--and it worked just fine) and quadrillered it (made criss-cross lines on it) and then put in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. 

By this time, my sauces had pretty much reduced, and I combined them, ran them through a chinois, and returned to a pan to keep warm. When it was time to serve, I added some herbs (tarragon, chervil) and swirled in some butter to finish (monter au beurre).  The sauce had a dark brown color and a sweet, peppery, herby flavor with a bit of a tang/bite (from the vinegar).

Once the chicken was in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, I removed it, quartered it,  and brushed on a mixture of Dijon mustard, oil, thyme and pepper on each piece.

I topped them with breadcrumbs (great use for stale bread!) that were mixed with a bit of the fat from the pan and put back in the oven, now at 500 degrees until the breadcrumbs were golden brown.

While the chicken finished, I had to put together the “garnish.”  I put some bacon on the grill, and also some halved tomatoes and whole button mushrooms brushed lightly with oil.  I grilled them until they had a nice color (and grill marks) and then kept warm until ready to serve. Everything went on a plate with some watercress for some green, and voilà! (Just like the picture in my book!)

Now, on to DUCK!
xoxoxo

Update 16, Part 2: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

Today's Poultry Demonstration was Poulet Sauté Chasseur (Chicken Chasseur), which began with me quartering a whole chicken. It was tricky, but I did it--it took a long time, but I think next time it will be much easier. I even manchonnered the thigh bones and wings. (Helps to have a good knife. Btw, Chris bought me a meat cleaver today.)

Then, I made an enriched stock with the bones and trimmings and gizzard, etc. left over from the bird. I browned those parts in a pan on the stove and then added my mirepoix of carrots and onions, a bouquet garni and some stock and let it simmer for 40 minutes on low heat until reduced to a thick sauce. I then removed from heat, ran through my chinois and put in a clean saucepan.

I salt and peppered my chicken quarters and browned the pieces on the stove in clarified butter until the skins were golden, and them moved to a pan in the oven to roast for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

While the chicken roasted, I made the chasseur sauce (a slightly different version of the Hunter sauce from Session 4). I sautéed mushrooms in the chicken pan's leftover butter and then added shallots. Once those were soft I removed any fat that was in the pan and added cognac and flambered it. Then I added some white wine and simmered until it was reduced by half. Once that was ready, I added back in my enriched stock and brought to a simmer again. Then, I added coarsely chopped tomatoes and simmered until the sauce was nappant (coated the back of a spoon). I turned down the heat, swirled in some butter (monter au beurre), and then added some fresh tarragon and chervil, salt and pepper, and then left it to warm on the stove.

By this time, the chicken was done, and I removed the breastbone and served the thigh and breast pieces with the sauce and a green salad.

Chris said he liked this even better than the last chicken dish. I must say, it was rather rich and divine.

Yum.

xoxoxoxo

Update 16, Part 1: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

Sorry for the delay but it has been unseasonably warm here this week and, as they say, "If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen." I know real-life restaurant kitchens are very hot-broiling, probably, but I didn't feel up to roasting a chicken in the oven when it was over 85 degrees outside, plus have been  working late, so that was a factor too. But now we're back to reasonable, seasonable April weather, so I got started on Session 8: Working with Poultry.

I first took a stab at trussing the 3.5 lb. chicken (organic, young, giblets removed but reserved) with twine via the book's instructions -- pretty slick. Just start under the tail, bring it up and over the drumsticks, cross, slide under the ends of the drumsticks and pull tight. Then, bring it along both sides of the bird, between the legs and the breast, then turn the bird onto its breast and bring one end above the wing and under the bone of the neck, securing the loose neck skin as you go. Tie tight and you're done!

My first Poultry Demonstration was Poulet Rôti Grand-mère (Grandmother's Roast Chicken). Once I had cleaned and trussed the chicken, I then browned it on top of the stove in its roasting pan in vegetable oil and butter (of course!) until all sides were well browned and the breast was lightly browned. It was a bit tricky to do this without messing up the skin -- I think plastic or wooden tongs would be ideal. I then put the browned chicken on its back and added the neck, gizzard, and heart into the pan and then placed it in a 450 degree oven for 10 mins. Then, I added the carrots and onions mirepoix and tossed them around the pan until they were coated with the fat.  You then put it back in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the skin was golden brown and juices are running clear. (Temp should be about 140-150 degrees F). Mine took about 45 mins. The bird was all golden and lovely -- browning it before roasting really is something I will do from now on.

During that 45 minutes, I was busy preparing the garnish. I sautéed lardons, then removed them and sautéed mushrooms in the bacon fat. Then, I cooked pearl onions à l'étuvé with some salt and sugar and made potatoes Pommes Rissolés style (both from Session 2: Working with Vegetables). I had to tournée the potatoes -- I'm really not that good at it, but I don't think I've ever eaten a potato that shape in my life and I've been to some of the best restaurants in the country, so maybe there's hope for me yet. When I took the chicken out of the oven to rest, I combined the mushrooms, lardons, potatoes and onions in a bowl and added fresh chopped parsley and salt/pepper. I kept warm in a bowl in the oven.

Also, while the chicken was resting, I put the roasting pan on the stove and scraped up all the sucs and deglazed the pan, adding white wine and some of my very own stock and simmering for about 10 mins. I used my chinois to strain the liquid and set aside.

Then, I carved up the chicken (the twine came off easily) into equal portions of drumsticks, breasts and wings, and I even used the Manchonner technique on the ends of the drumsticks and wings to make them look pretty (basically scraping the top and cutting off the cartilage). While I was waiting for Chris to get home, I put everything in a dutch oven in the oven to keep it warm. (The pic below was before I carved the bird.)

I served a thigh and a breast on each plate along with the veggie garnish and the gravy. Chris said it was really light and good and "comforting."

Just like Grandma.

xoxoxo

Update 15, Part 6: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

The final potato Demonstration went off without a hitch. Gratin Dauphinois (Cream and Garlic Scalloped Potatoes) was very tasty and relatively easy to prepare. Peel some potatoes, use mandoline to make 2-3mm thick rounds, put them in a pot with some heavy cream, fresh grated nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste and bring to medium-high heat. In the meantime rub a garlic clove on the bottom of a casserole dish, and then dump the potato mixture into the dish, arrange into even layers and top with grated gruyère cheese. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes until bubbly and melted and cooked through. Yum.







I served with a slow-cooked ham (brown sugar, maple syrup, thyme, cinnamon stick, and garlic marniade), roasted root vegetables (celery, red potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, bacon) and steamed asparagus (with a balsamic/goat cheese dressing and toasted almonds) and a glass of Vin Gris.

Farewell spuds. Hello, birds! (Session 8: Working with Poultry is next!)

xoxoxo

Update 15, Part 5: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

Tonight I tackled Pommes Dauphine (Potato Croquettes), which involved making Pâte à Choux (Choux Pastry) which is actually not taught until Session 20: Pastry Doughs. I took water, butter and a pinch of salt and sugar and heated in a pan on the stove until just boiling. Once boiling, remove from heat, add in the flour and beat with a wooden spoon. Return to heat and continue beating until mixture is very dry. Remove from heat and mix in 2 eggs (room temperature), one at a time until mixture is shiny and smooth. In the meantime, I peeled and boiled the potatoes, and then drained them and heated in a 300 degree oven until very dry. They were then put through the food mill and then into a stainless steel bowl. Mix the choux paste into the potatoes and then out comes the deep fry pot! Using two tablespoons, I formed them into quenelles (or, rough ovals) and then fried them in 350 degree oil until cooked through and golden brown.

I drained on paper towels and added a bit of salt, and voilà! They taste pretty amazing-crispy outside and a fluffy, potato cloud inside. Would be a great party food, but you'd have to keep them warm, because no one likes cold potatoes.










Drum roll please...one more potato Demonstration to go: Gratin Dauphinois (Cream and Garlic Scalloped Potatoes). I think I'm saving those for Sunday -- they'd go great with an Easter ham, no?

xoxoxo

Update 15, Part 4: New Year's Goal: Become an "official" Gourmess by August 2010

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

Tonight I tackled two potato dishes that involved searing on the stove and then moving to the oven: Pommes Darphin (Potatoes Dauphin) and Pommes Anna (Potatoes Anna). What must one do to have a potato dish named after her, I wonder?

Pommes Darphin involved julienned potatoes that were well-drained (put in a towel and twist out the moisture) and then seasoned with salt and pepper and added to an ovenproof pan whose bottom was lightly coated with vegetable oil, and then heated on medium-high until not quite smoking. The julienned potatoes are then arranged neatly in the pan into a circular shape and pressed down until about 2.5 cm deep. You cook them for about 7 minutes until bottom is seared and won't stick (heat is important) and then you flip them and return to the stove and run soft butter around the edge with a wooden spoon. Then, you put in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes until browned and crisp. Seems easy enough until you get to the flipping part. I didn't do so well, but when you realize the not-so-pretty side is the bottom, it's all good. I think this would be a nice "plate" for sunny-side up eggs and bacon.





Pommes Anna involves layering 2mm thick potato slices that have been tossed in clarified butter and are then layered in an ovenproof pan on low heat, in slightly overlapping concentric circles until a full layer covers the pan. Then, you add more butter and salt and pepper, and more potatoes, until they are about 4 cm deep. You then increase the heat so the potatoes sear on the bottom and then move, covered, to a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Then, you drain the butter from the pan, flip it and return back to the oven, uncovered for about 20 more minutes. Mine slid a bit before the flip, so kind of looked like a dahlia...I think I might end up trying this one again, if I have time.

Anyway, just two more potato dishes to go and then on to Poultry!

Sweet potato dreams, xoxoxxo