Day 3 Dim Sum March 10

Here are the links I promised for the Modernist Cooking reviews:
Michael Ruhlman's Blog Post:
http://ruhlman.com/2011/03/modernist-cuisine.html

NYT Review:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/dining/09modernist.html?_r=2&ref=dining&pagewanted=all

OK - Now, Day 3:

Prepping for Day 3 means being comfortable enough with the regular menu items that you can step up and add an extra item to your routine and still be on time. Everything must be ready by 10:45.

Sous Chefs - You'll need to have a new service diagram for the Dim Sum. We don't have space on the steam table, so we usually set up two chaffing dishes with sterno on table 5. Think about how you would lay it out and draw a detailed diagram with each item in place and labeled as what it is, the diagram should be well thought out for work flow - if everything is in it's place? Can one person efficiently plate fast enough to keep up with service?Two chaffing dishes with three 1/3 pans in each. You'll need a pan for the steamed dumplings, the pan-fried dumplings, the spring rolls, the ribs, and the stuffed peppers and an empty one to fill the space and keep the heat in. Everyone who comes to K1 will get a Dim Sum plate on Day 3. Presentation will be on 6" round plates with a ramekin of ginger-soy dipping sauce in the center. The five dim sum items will be positioned around the dipping sauce and a dab of spicy mustard will go on the plate next to the spring roll. Make sure that you know who will be doing what during service- figure it out ahead of time and tell the people involved what their duties are well before service, everyone will need to multi-task and hustle.

Draw a diagram of what's been described above on a six inch plate and show it to me first thing in the morning along with your station diagram so we can make sure you're on the right track.

Station 2 - Braises PLUS Steamed dumplings (Shao Mai) know which are the proper wrappers. Make sure to remember that you are responsible for each dim sum plate getting a 1 oz ramekin of the ginger soy dipping sauce (only fill each ramekin 1/2 way).
The dumplings can be steamed ahead using the wok steamer and then re-heated as needed during service. They are brought to the service line in 1/3 hotel pans.

Station 3 - Moo Shu PLUS Pan Fried Dumplings. The dough should have been made on day 2. The dough must be kept cold. As soon as it's rolled and cut, it should be stacked in single layers- with parchment paper between each layer - in a 1/2 hotel pan, covered and kept in the cooler. After they are shaped and filled, they should be held in similar fashion. When brought to the cooking line, the pan containing the dumplings shod be nested on another pan of ice. If these dumplings become warm before cooking they stick like crazy and are very difficult to work with.

Station 4- Spring rolls - filling should be made and cooked on Day 2, rolls filled on Day 3 . There's an extra recipe for a different spring roll available, if you're ahead and want to take on something extra, ask Chef. Once they are rolled, they should be kept cold - layered between parchment paper sheets in a 1/2 hotel pan. Set up a proper fry station and fry them in batches as needed for service. Remember - you're responsible for the spicy mustard that's served with them.

Station 5- Ribs may be put in Chinese oven with the Roasts early in the day. When they are cooked through you can cut them and hot-hold them, covered, until service. Bring them to the line in a deep 1/3 pan.

Station 6- In addition to the Grandmother's bean curd, you'll need to fill, cook, and finish the stuffed peppers. They can all be steamed ahead and held at room temp - covered - for service. At service they should be sauteed in small batches as needed, 15-20 at a time, and brought to the service line in a 1/3 pan.