Ask any questions about Day 5, but REALLY look ahead at the Japanese menu and the advice given to past groups for Days 6+7. Day 6 can really kick you butt if you're not prepared. PLEASE believe me, I want to have FUN.
BTW - we'll be coming up on Vietnam on Wednesday and Thursday....my GF is traveling and eating her way through VN for 6 weeks. You can follow her trip on her Blog
http://www.cookeatfret.com/
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Korean Menu days 4+5 October 29 + November 1
Hi, everyone. Here's the heads up for typical questions and common problems for the first day of the Korean menu. Read all of the recipes, watch all of the videos, make a bunch of notes, distill them down into a few questions and post them here. PLEASE feel free to try to help each other answer questions and give advice. If it's inaccurate, I'll chime in between 8-9 and let you know.
Please try to consolidate your questions into 1 post. I understand that there will always be times when you need to add something on later, but receiving 4 or 5 separate posts from the same person takes a lot of my time and does not display organization on your parts. If you look back at the September + October posst for this section, you'll see some photos that might help you visualize things.
Sous chefs:
Spicy Beef Soup - broth is already made and beef is already cooked. Make sure we have enough for 2 days - we make the same soup both days this menu, talk to me if you don't have enough broth or meat on Day 4 so we can order more ofr Day 5.
Rice - Medium Grain rice. The tracking schedule says to make 12 cups, but you should make 16. Teams 4 + 6 will need rice, they will use some of the stuff that you soak.This needs to be soaked for one hour before cooking, other wise, treat it like the Chinese rice. The result will be a lot more sticky than the Chinese rice - so don't freak out when you see it. You still have to fluff it and rest it.
Salads/Kimchi - This will be a 6" round plate like we used for the Dim Sum, with small portions of each item on the plate - a "sampler".
Sous Chefs should make the daikon salad and delegate the spinach salad and soy bean sprout salad to teams 2+4, 1x the recipe for each salad. Team 5 should make the scallion salad - 3x the recipe for that with the expectation that 1/2 will go on the salad/kimchi plate and the other 1/2 will be served with their grilled beef.
The Kimchi is already made and in the cooler. Last class made it for you and you'll make it for the next class. There should be cucumber, radish, and cabbage kimchi in the cooler. The teams assigned to "set" the kimchi will take some out, allow me to show them how to cut/prep it for service/ All salads and Kimchis should be in individual 1/6th pans, together on one sheet tray, ready to plate by 10:30. They can be plated ahead and held at room temperature without suffering in quality.
Sous chefs will only need to draw a diagram for the salad/kimchi station and the steam table. The steam table set up will be minimal - only the Rice, the Stir Fried Noodles, and the Braised Short Ribs will go there. All other items will be plated from the stations producing them.
Station 2 - Half of the short ribs coming from the meat room are for you and the other half for team 5. Let T5 have the most meaty ones. the recipe on this dish works well, all you need from me is a demo on how to cut them - it varies from week to week, depending on the ribs, so ask first thing in the morning. "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early.
Miso pickles - the recipe n in the Japanese section, if you don't have time on Day 4, it can be done on Day 5 - BUT IT MUST BE DONE.
Station 3 - Be prepared to make both the trout and the glass noodles. A solid time line, ingredient list, and equipment list will be an important part of your job., you have two different entrees to set up stations and coordinate service for. You take care of ALL MEP for the trout and Glass noodles. Be ready to plate fish from the fry area, cooking the fish ala minute during service. Make sure to watch the video on fish fabrication and to draw a complete and detailed physical diagram of how your fry station will be set up. Show where everything will be in place and label each item. The trout is served on an oval late. The noodles served from the steam table in a deep noodle bowl, have a separate diagram for how your noodle mise en place will look when you begin to stir fry. What ingredients will you need? tools? Remember that the noodles are Stir Fired - that means dividing MEP into 4 batches for firing for family meal and through-out service.
Station 4 - You will get 6 small Cornish hens. Make your liquid early, make sure it's very flavorful. choose the right sized pan to cook them in - a rondo just big enough to fit the hens. Hens must be poached between 165-180F - no boiling! Get rice to stuff you r hens from the sous chefs, they will rinse and soak it, you need to par-cook it. Make the your poaching liquid,par cook the rice, cool and mix with other ingredients, stuff and truss hens, start cooking them by 9:30. While hens are cooking, make poached garlic heads and other garnishes. It works best to poach the hens on top of the regular range and, when they hit 165F internal temp, hold them in a water bath in a wok of hot water. You can set up your plates, utensils, and garnishes nest to that wok and plate from there. "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early. Pickled ginger recipe is in the Japanese section. Make it on either Day 4 OR Day 5 - but make sure it gets made.
Station 5- You will be sharing the grill with Station 6, space will be tight. You will be grilling thin pieces of marinated beef and plating them ala minute onto 12" round plates with rice, a small ramekin of Korean pepper sauce, scallion salad, and placing 3 pieces of beef onto leaves of cabbage lined with shiso leaves. Since you'll be plating from the grill station, set up a chaffing dish to hold your rice. You can share this chaffing dish with station 6 -1/2 hotel pan for your rice - 1/2 hotel pan for their "mixed grains". I don't have a good photo of your plate yet, draw a diagram of what your station will look like - where everything will be - and a picture of what you imagine the plate will look like so I can help y adjust in the morning. Be as detailed as possible with you drawing - label everything so I can see how you think. "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early.
Station 6 - You will be plating from your station. the recipes are all pretty detailed and the videos are accurate, except, when making the pancakes, you will use a flat griddle set over the left side of the grill instead of the cast iron pan shown in the video. Since you'll be plating from your station, set up a chaffing dish to hold your "mixed grains". The rice you need for this will come from the sous chefs, they are soaking enough for everyone. . You can share this chaffing dish with station 5 -1/2 hotel pan for your grains - 1/2 hotel pan for their rice.
Please try to consolidate your questions into 1 post. I understand that there will always be times when you need to add something on later, but receiving 4 or 5 separate posts from the same person takes a lot of my time and does not display organization on your parts. If you look back at the September + October posst for this section, you'll see some photos that might help you visualize things.
Sous chefs:
Spicy Beef Soup - broth is already made and beef is already cooked. Make sure we have enough for 2 days - we make the same soup both days this menu, talk to me if you don't have enough broth or meat on Day 4 so we can order more ofr Day 5.
Rice - Medium Grain rice. The tracking schedule says to make 12 cups, but you should make 16. Teams 4 + 6 will need rice, they will use some of the stuff that you soak.This needs to be soaked for one hour before cooking, other wise, treat it like the Chinese rice. The result will be a lot more sticky than the Chinese rice - so don't freak out when you see it. You still have to fluff it and rest it.
Salads/Kimchi - This will be a 6" round plate like we used for the Dim Sum, with small portions of each item on the plate - a "sampler".
Sous Chefs should make the daikon salad and delegate the spinach salad and soy bean sprout salad to teams 2+4, 1x the recipe for each salad. Team 5 should make the scallion salad - 3x the recipe for that with the expectation that 1/2 will go on the salad/kimchi plate and the other 1/2 will be served with their grilled beef.
The Kimchi is already made and in the cooler. Last class made it for you and you'll make it for the next class. There should be cucumber, radish, and cabbage kimchi in the cooler. The teams assigned to "set" the kimchi will take some out, allow me to show them how to cut/prep it for service/ All salads and Kimchis should be in individual 1/6th pans, together on one sheet tray, ready to plate by 10:30. They can be plated ahead and held at room temperature without suffering in quality.
Sous chefs will only need to draw a diagram for the salad/kimchi station and the steam table. The steam table set up will be minimal - only the Rice, the Stir Fried Noodles, and the Braised Short Ribs will go there. All other items will be plated from the stations producing them.
Station 2 - Half of the short ribs coming from the meat room are for you and the other half for team 5. Let T5 have the most meaty ones. the recipe on this dish works well, all you need from me is a demo on how to cut them - it varies from week to week, depending on the ribs, so ask first thing in the morning. "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early.
Miso pickles - the recipe n in the Japanese section, if you don't have time on Day 4, it can be done on Day 5 - BUT IT MUST BE DONE.
Station 3 - Be prepared to make both the trout and the glass noodles. A solid time line, ingredient list, and equipment list will be an important part of your job., you have two different entrees to set up stations and coordinate service for. You take care of ALL MEP for the trout and Glass noodles. Be ready to plate fish from the fry area, cooking the fish ala minute during service. Make sure to watch the video on fish fabrication and to draw a complete and detailed physical diagram of how your fry station will be set up. Show where everything will be in place and label each item. The trout is served on an oval late. The noodles served from the steam table in a deep noodle bowl, have a separate diagram for how your noodle mise en place will look when you begin to stir fry. What ingredients will you need? tools? Remember that the noodles are Stir Fired - that means dividing MEP into 4 batches for firing for family meal and through-out service.
Station 4 - You will get 6 small Cornish hens. Make your liquid early, make sure it's very flavorful. choose the right sized pan to cook them in - a rondo just big enough to fit the hens. Hens must be poached between 165-180F - no boiling! Get rice to stuff you r hens from the sous chefs, they will rinse and soak it, you need to par-cook it. Make the your poaching liquid,par cook the rice, cool and mix with other ingredients, stuff and truss hens, start cooking them by 9:30. While hens are cooking, make poached garlic heads and other garnishes. It works best to poach the hens on top of the regular range and, when they hit 165F internal temp, hold them in a water bath in a wok of hot water. You can set up your plates, utensils, and garnishes nest to that wok and plate from there. "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early. Pickled ginger recipe is in the Japanese section. Make it on either Day 4 OR Day 5 - but make sure it gets made.
Station 5- You will be sharing the grill with Station 6, space will be tight. You will be grilling thin pieces of marinated beef and plating them ala minute onto 12" round plates with rice, a small ramekin of Korean pepper sauce, scallion salad, and placing 3 pieces of beef onto leaves of cabbage lined with shiso leaves. Since you'll be plating from the grill station, set up a chaffing dish to hold your rice. You can share this chaffing dish with station 6 -1/2 hotel pan for your rice - 1/2 hotel pan for their "mixed grains". I don't have a good photo of your plate yet, draw a diagram of what your station will look like - where everything will be - and a picture of what you imagine the plate will look like so I can help y adjust in the morning. Be as detailed as possible with you drawing - label everything so I can see how you think. "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early.
Station 6 - You will be plating from your station. the recipes are all pretty detailed and the videos are accurate, except, when making the pancakes, you will use a flat griddle set over the left side of the grill instead of the cast iron pan shown in the video. Since you'll be plating from your station, set up a chaffing dish to hold your "mixed grains". The rice you need for this will come from the sous chefs, they are soaking enough for everyone. . You can share this chaffing dish with station 5 -1/2 hotel pan for your grains - 1/2 hotel pan for their rice.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Day 3 Oct. 28 - Dim Sum
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 11:00.
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. 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. 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.
Station 2 - Braises PLUS Steamed dumplings (Shao Mai) - make sure to remember that each dim sum plate gets 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 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 are two recipes for filling - we can do the stir fried pork and vegetables or the raw vegetable one with the BBQ pork and Shrimp - or both, ask Chef if you want to do that. 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.
Questions?
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. 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. 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.
Station 2 - Braises PLUS Steamed dumplings (Shao Mai) - make sure to remember that each dim sum plate gets 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 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 are two recipes for filling - we can do the stir fried pork and vegetables or the raw vegetable one with the BBQ pork and Shrimp - or both, ask Chef if you want to do that. 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.
Questions?
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Day 2 China Oct 27
You will all need to pick up the pace a little and make time for prep for Day 3 on top of what you did today. Read the tracking schedule and look ahead at the recipes for the various Dim Sum you'll be prepping tomorrow/Finishing on Thursday. I'm not going to walk yo through each station like I did for Day 1, so you need to investigate and analyze with your team mates and then post questions back here.
Sous Chefs - Soup and Salad are different today and you need to draw up a kitchen plan for the service line which includes a space on the team table for the fried rice
Everyone else - think about what you did today and how you can do it a little bit more efficiently and a little bit better. Every day should be a step up from the previous one. Today's good start will become a quick train wreck if you slack off now.
Questions?
Sous Chefs - Soup and Salad are different today and you need to draw up a kitchen plan for the service line which includes a space on the team table for the fried rice
Everyone else - think about what you did today and how you can do it a little bit more efficiently and a little bit better. Every day should be a step up from the previous one. Today's good start will become a quick train wreck if you slack off now.
Questions?
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Welcome to K1 Day 1 October 26
Hi, This is where you should look each day for information about the course in general and instructions specific to your class and station. It's VERY important that you read and analyze your recipes, watch all videos AND read the daily information posted here. A significant part of your grade hinges on being prepared for class and these are the tools to prepare with.Day 1 begins at 7:00 AM on Tuesday Oct. 26. Please be prepared as instructed in advance.
Sous Chefs:
All China and dish ware must be stored (hot or cold) as soon as you come in and the carts taken back to the dish room. This is standard every day. A supplemental sheet should be started on a clean sheet of paper. The supplemental will list Item, Quantity, and Station ordering the item. Usually the supplemental is due to me no later than 7:30 AM, but on day one 8:00 AM is acceptable.
Rice should be prepared according to the video demo and ready to put into the steamer by 9:30.
The soup Mise en place should be assembled on a sheet tray and set near a large wok so that I can help you start it no later than 9:00.
The Bean Starch Sheets for the salad should be rehydrated early, cut, and the salad assembled by 9:30 as well.
Sous Chef's Paper Work, each day you receive a clip board with these papers. It's your responsibility to know how to use them and do so. If not sure - ask in advance.
Sous Chef's Paper Work, each day you receive a clip board with these papers. It's your responsibility to know how to use them and do so. If not sure - ask in advance.
Early Morning Supplemental. Note "Item-Quantity-Station Requesting"
Sanitation Supply Ordering Sheet, based on par-stock system. Amount we SHOULD have on hand is listed, order what we need to get UP to that amount. If we have enough already, fill in blank with an "X"
Flip Side of the Sanitation Sheet. This is the end-of-the-day cleaning check list to make sure everything is left clean and orderly
Daily inventory sheet. While the rest of the group cleans, the sous chefs inventory what we have for the following day's menu.This allows me to order more if we are short, or back something out of the next morning's order if we are over stocked. Important to do this accurately - it shortens early morning supplementals and keeps our cooler from getting over crowded.
Station #2:
You should plan to start the lamb braise no later than 8:30 and the cabbage no later than 9:30, they need to be finished, hot held, and the woks clean before other teams can step in to stir fry at 10:45. Analyze your recipes and let me know if you have questions. Common mistakes are : Not knowing how much cornstarch is used to thicken a set amount of liquid, cutting ALL MEP and garnish for the lamb BEFORE braising begins(you should start the lamb cooking and THEN start working on the vegetables and garnish) and not asking for help with unfamiliar ingredients or appliances.
Station #3:
You should plan to prep the vegetables and other MEP for the Moo Shu as quickly as possible - watch the Vegetable prep video and work in a clean, organized fashion. As you prep, break the MEP for the stir fry into 4 batches so that we can fire them as needed during service. The sauce should be made and pre-portioned into 15+ 1 oz. white china ramekins, these will be held on the side to accompany each plate. The Pancakes need to be rolled out as early as possible - the prep table under the spice rack near the prep sink is a good place t work on that. As me to help you get started, but see if you can walk yourself through the procedure and get all of the necessary equipment i place before you ask me for a demo. Remember to pre heat the cast-iron skillets while you prep the pancakes so that the skillets are hot when the pancakes are ready to cook. The dough for Day 2 needs to be made as well, but leave that until last - it's no use being prepared for Day 2 if you can't be ready for 11:00 on day 1. Common mistakes - not cleaning bean sprouts properly or cutting vegetables properly, pre heating the cast iron skillets too hot and burning the first batch of pancakes, not watching videos closely enough to understand the procedures.
Station 4:
Set up the wok steamer and stake out the large wok next to it as "yours" for Bok Choy. The fish is fairly simple, I can demo how to cut it. Make sure know all of your ingredients and how the steaming process works. All of the Bok CHoy we receive tomorrow is for you to prep - cut as directed, cleaned, blanched in heavily salted water, shocked, gently squeezed dry, divided into 4 batches for service. Garlic should be sliced into thin "chips". Please ask me to help you with the first batch of Bok Choy - the garlic can burn very easily if you don;t control the wok heat. The prep for Fried Rice must be done, but don't get bogged down on prep for Day 2 until Day 1 is well in hand. Yo should cook the rice, cool it and store it and you may cut the vegetables, etc and store them for use on Day 2. On Day 2 be completely ready to start the fried rice by 10:00 AM in the same large wok you will later use for Bok Choy - you'll need to be finished with the fried rice by 10:30. Common mistakes are - not understanding how the fish is cut or garnished, not knowing what type of ham to use, burning the garlic for the bok choy.
Station #5:
Put 2 pork butts in the Chinese roasting oven at 325F as early as possible. Make sure you know how to use the 0ven, if you do not - ASK. Once that's started, begin prepping the chicken. Cut and clean the chicken thighs and get them into the marinade, preheat the fryer,make the sauce in a small wok, and cut all of the vegetables, fry the chicken pieces ahead of service - Make sure you understand what type of frying you are doing and how to best accomplish it. All of the MEP for the chicken should all be divided into 4 batches for firing as needed during service except the sauce. Sauce can be held in a bain marie with a ladle on your wok station. You are also responsible for setting up a pork carving station for service on the end of Station #5 near the oven. The pork should be held on the conventional oven at 200F on a sheet tray with a rack. When you get an order, the steam table line will pass you a plate with rice and cabbage on it - you will take a pork butt from the oven, slice a portion, plate it, and put the pork butt back in the oven to keep it warm. Common mistakes are - not knowing how to fry battered items properly or how to set up a fry station efficiently, not knowing how to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, not following directions and getting flustered as service approaches.
Station #6:
Follow the recipes, divide the MEP into 4 batches to be fired as needed during service, assist the sous chefs through out the day - Early in the morning you should assist/delegate the putting away of plates, etc and return the carts to the dish room/store room, complete sanitation supplemental supply order, be involved and aware of the Sous Chef duties - you will be sous chefs in the next menu. On Day 2 you will be responsible for setting up the class tasting, please talk to me about this before the end of class on Day 1 so you understand what you need to do.
OK, I expect lots of posts from you between now and Monday 8 PM. Prep well.
BTW - if you posted early under the previous heading, please re-post here as well so that everyone can read what you wrote and no one gets left behind.
Station #3:
You should plan to prep the vegetables and other MEP for the Moo Shu as quickly as possible - watch the Vegetable prep video and work in a clean, organized fashion. As you prep, break the MEP for the stir fry into 4 batches so that we can fire them as needed during service. The sauce should be made and pre-portioned into 15+ 1 oz. white china ramekins, these will be held on the side to accompany each plate. The Pancakes need to be rolled out as early as possible - the prep table under the spice rack near the prep sink is a good place t work on that. As me to help you get started, but see if you can walk yourself through the procedure and get all of the necessary equipment i place before you ask me for a demo. Remember to pre heat the cast-iron skillets while you prep the pancakes so that the skillets are hot when the pancakes are ready to cook. The dough for Day 2 needs to be made as well, but leave that until last - it's no use being prepared for Day 2 if you can't be ready for 11:00 on day 1. Common mistakes - not cleaning bean sprouts properly or cutting vegetables properly, pre heating the cast iron skillets too hot and burning the first batch of pancakes, not watching videos closely enough to understand the procedures.
Station 4:
Set up the wok steamer and stake out the large wok next to it as "yours" for Bok Choy. The fish is fairly simple, I can demo how to cut it. Make sure know all of your ingredients and how the steaming process works. All of the Bok CHoy we receive tomorrow is for you to prep - cut as directed, cleaned, blanched in heavily salted water, shocked, gently squeezed dry, divided into 4 batches for service. Garlic should be sliced into thin "chips". Please ask me to help you with the first batch of Bok Choy - the garlic can burn very easily if you don;t control the wok heat. The prep for Fried Rice must be done, but don't get bogged down on prep for Day 2 until Day 1 is well in hand. Yo should cook the rice, cool it and store it and you may cut the vegetables, etc and store them for use on Day 2. On Day 2 be completely ready to start the fried rice by 10:00 AM in the same large wok you will later use for Bok Choy - you'll need to be finished with the fried rice by 10:30. Common mistakes are - not understanding how the fish is cut or garnished, not knowing what type of ham to use, burning the garlic for the bok choy.
Station #5:
Put 2 pork butts in the Chinese roasting oven at 325F as early as possible. Make sure you know how to use the 0ven, if you do not - ASK. Once that's started, begin prepping the chicken. Cut and clean the chicken thighs and get them into the marinade, preheat the fryer,make the sauce in a small wok, and cut all of the vegetables, fry the chicken pieces ahead of service - Make sure you understand what type of frying you are doing and how to best accomplish it. All of the MEP for the chicken should all be divided into 4 batches for firing as needed during service except the sauce. Sauce can be held in a bain marie with a ladle on your wok station. You are also responsible for setting up a pork carving station for service on the end of Station #5 near the oven. The pork should be held on the conventional oven at 200F on a sheet tray with a rack. When you get an order, the steam table line will pass you a plate with rice and cabbage on it - you will take a pork butt from the oven, slice a portion, plate it, and put the pork butt back in the oven to keep it warm. Common mistakes are - not knowing how to fry battered items properly or how to set up a fry station efficiently, not knowing how to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, not following directions and getting flustered as service approaches.
Station #6:
Follow the recipes, divide the MEP into 4 batches to be fired as needed during service, assist the sous chefs through out the day - Early in the morning you should assist/delegate the putting away of plates, etc and return the carts to the dish room/store room, complete sanitation supplemental supply order, be involved and aware of the Sous Chef duties - you will be sous chefs in the next menu. On Day 2 you will be responsible for setting up the class tasting, please talk to me about this before the end of class on Day 1 so you understand what you need to do.
OK, I expect lots of posts from you between now and Monday 8 PM. Prep well.
BTW - if you posted early under the previous heading, please re-post here as well so that everyone can read what you wrote and no one gets left behind.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
India Days 13+14 PLUS link to Tour of Vietnam + India
I've got nothing new to add.Post any questions or use this to communicate with your team mates. Good luck..
A friend of mine is touring VN for 6 weeks...1st time there. She's a food blogger, a good writer, and she takes a lot of pictures, if you'd like to see and read about what it's like , check it out at:
http://www.cookeatfret.com/
And here's my Blog- journal of a trip to Southern India in 2008, if you're interested in where some of the food you're cooking came from:
http://ahungerartist.bobdelgrosso.com/2008/08/preface-i-promised-everyone-that-i.html
A friend of mine is touring VN for 6 weeks...1st time there. She's a food blogger, a good writer, and she takes a lot of pictures, if you'd like to see and read about what it's like , check it out at:
http://www.cookeatfret.com/
And here's my Blog- journal of a trip to Southern India in 2008, if you're interested in where some of the food you're cooking came from:
http://ahungerartist.bobdelgrosso.com/2008/08/preface-i-promised-everyone-that-i.html
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
India Days 12-14 October 20-22
On Day 12 You'll need to be well organized before coming to class so you know what to start first and how you'll fill in the blanks. If you don't plan how to make every minute count it can get away from you really easily.
Sous Chefs-
Have someone Drain 2 quarts of yogurt for Day 12...
All entrees will be served on a 12" round plate LINED WITH A BANANA LEAF CIRCLE. traditionally, Indian diners will not eat from plates, they use banana leaves to hold the food, this presentation acknowledges that. We will receive several packets of banana leaves, they need to be cut into circles which fit into the 12" plates. Ask me early and I'll show you how.
Menu is divided into "North" and "south" - everything will be in 1/2 hotel pans on the steam table except for the accompaniments. Draw a detailed diagram of where everything will go on the steam table. There won't be enough space on the steam table for the rice - put rice in chaffing dish at end of steam table near plates.
Lamb Shorba - broth is made and shoulder is cooked already - soup itself is simple, check flavor with me before serving.
Salad - 1x recipe. This salad is served with the accompaniments on a small, round "condiment" plate
Rice - Saffron rice Pilaf - make SURE you know everything there is to know about rice Pilaf METHOD -this is where people fall down. Make 16 cups raw rice. Use Basmati. Serve from a chaffing dish in shallow, full hotel pan.
Mango lhassi - the yogurt is being made overnight - should be ready in the morning. You will receive frozen Mango Puree from the store room. Don't plan to make mango lhassi both days - look for some other flavors or talk to me. Serve in 10 oz milk glasses - see me early if stewarding doesn't supply.
Set up "accompaniment" station on Table 5. small, uniform containers of each item + salad. You can keep any back-up in the cooler if you need it. It's ok to make a lot of plates in advance and hold them on the shelf under Station 5.
Station 2:
Lamb Khorma - start early, braise in small rondo on top of stove - keep covered, stir often, don't scorch. You will receive 5# lamb cubes for this. Cashew paste is made by soaking cashews in hot water and then pureeing in food processor. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Samoosas- Dough needs to be made, filling should be prepped, then they need to be assembled and finished. Let me help you toast the spices, they burn easily. The samoosas should be fried in small batches as needed for service and served from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Dal Tadka is easy to make, but consider starting very early. Toasting the spices for this can be tricky - get chef to help you start so you don't burn them.The lentils should be mushy - falling apart -and the "tadka" added at the end. Bring to the steam table in a 1/2 hotel pan.
Chili Chutni - we should have enough for the rest of the block - see Eleanor for details.
Station #3:
Fish curry - read recipe, know all ingredients, watch video and ask chef to help get started, This is an unusual and unique dish. Fish should be portioned into 5-6oz portions, see chef depending on type of fish. Make sauce ahead, hold hot, poach fish in sauce a few orders at a time, just before serving. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan. You will receive enough fish on Day 12 for the rest of the block, so take 1/3 for day 12 and ice the rest.
Pooris(puris) bread - Make dough FIRST thing in the morning. check with chef for proper consistency, let it rest, ask chef for advice on rolling and cutting. Watch demo on frying and pre-heat cast iron pans about 20 minutes before you plan to fry. These should be fried before service and held warm on paper towels to absorb extra fat. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan lined with paper towels.
Station #4;
Pork Vindaloo is marinating for all 3 days. Take 1/3 pork and other MEP and let chef help you get started early with this.. You can make it in a large wok, but you have to be very careful about heat control and evaporation - keep the flame low and keep the wok covered. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Dal Sambar - also start very early.Toasting the spices for this can be tricky - get chef to help you start so you don't burn them. Lentil should cook until mushy. Keep heat low, stir often, keep pot covered. If lentils start to stick, change pots and add a bit more water. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Bondas - Filling for this can be made a day ahead, but if it wasn't, cook potatoes early, let chef help with spices toasting. combine potatoes and spices and let chef demo how to size and shape. Dip in batter and fry only as needed for service. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Pachadi - Crack open fresh coconut and remove flesh - chef can help. Toast in oven, stir occasionally to keep coconut from scorching. Toasting chick peas - they must be toasted until they are cooked through and REALLY crunchy - if they're soft in the center, they're not done. Check with chef.
Station #5:
make dough for naan first thing - it needs to rise, be divided, and rise again. If it's already been made from the day before, remove from cooler and divide and let rise. Naan should go into the tandoori oven between 10:30-11:00. Watch the video
Tandoori chicken - should already be marinating. Remove from marinade and put on skewers early in the day. The meat will cook more easily if it's not cold right out of the cooler. Skewered meat can be held on plastic lined sheet trays at room temp. Be ready to put skewered chicken in oven by 10:00 AM. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Raitha is made with drained yogurt - if the yogurt did not get drained the night before, drain it in a chinoise lined with cheese cloth for a couple of hours before making. put in small container for sous chefs.
Station #6:
Paneer Saag - make cheese as early as possible, it can be made a day ahead, but if it's not- 7:15 or so on Day 12. Let drain and firm until cool, then cut into small dice. Spinach is braised - meaning a longer, slower, moist heat method. Have all MEP near a wok and be ready to start cooking slowly by 10:00. Let simmer on low heat, covered, until spinach is very soft. Then finish with cheese and yogurt. The paneer saag is a braised veg dish, it needs to be started in a large wok no later than 10:00 in order to cook slowly and gently and should be finished no later than 10:45
Vegetable Curry - Also a braised veg dish. Long, slow, moist heat, covered. All MEP ready by 10, cook slowly until cauliflower is very tender.
Both dishes served from steam table in 1/2 hotel pans.
I'll take questions a little later tonight, til 9:00.
Sous Chefs-
Have someone Drain 2 quarts of yogurt for Day 12...
All entrees will be served on a 12" round plate LINED WITH A BANANA LEAF CIRCLE. traditionally, Indian diners will not eat from plates, they use banana leaves to hold the food, this presentation acknowledges that. We will receive several packets of banana leaves, they need to be cut into circles which fit into the 12" plates. Ask me early and I'll show you how.
Menu is divided into "North" and "south" - everything will be in 1/2 hotel pans on the steam table except for the accompaniments. Draw a detailed diagram of where everything will go on the steam table. There won't be enough space on the steam table for the rice - put rice in chaffing dish at end of steam table near plates.
Lamb Shorba - broth is made and shoulder is cooked already - soup itself is simple, check flavor with me before serving.
Salad - 1x recipe. This salad is served with the accompaniments on a small, round "condiment" plate
Rice - Saffron rice Pilaf - make SURE you know everything there is to know about rice Pilaf METHOD -this is where people fall down. Make 16 cups raw rice. Use Basmati. Serve from a chaffing dish in shallow, full hotel pan.
Mango lhassi - the yogurt is being made overnight - should be ready in the morning. You will receive frozen Mango Puree from the store room. Don't plan to make mango lhassi both days - look for some other flavors or talk to me. Serve in 10 oz milk glasses - see me early if stewarding doesn't supply.
Set up "accompaniment" station on Table 5. small, uniform containers of each item + salad. You can keep any back-up in the cooler if you need it. It's ok to make a lot of plates in advance and hold them on the shelf under Station 5.
Station 2:
Lamb Khorma - start early, braise in small rondo on top of stove - keep covered, stir often, don't scorch. You will receive 5# lamb cubes for this. Cashew paste is made by soaking cashews in hot water and then pureeing in food processor. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Samoosas- Dough needs to be made, filling should be prepped, then they need to be assembled and finished. Let me help you toast the spices, they burn easily. The samoosas should be fried in small batches as needed for service and served from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Dal Tadka is easy to make, but consider starting very early. Toasting the spices for this can be tricky - get chef to help you start so you don't burn them.The lentils should be mushy - falling apart -and the "tadka" added at the end. Bring to the steam table in a 1/2 hotel pan.
Chili Chutni - we should have enough for the rest of the block - see Eleanor for details.
Station #3:
Fish curry - read recipe, know all ingredients, watch video and ask chef to help get started, This is an unusual and unique dish. Fish should be portioned into 5-6oz portions, see chef depending on type of fish. Make sauce ahead, hold hot, poach fish in sauce a few orders at a time, just before serving. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan. You will receive enough fish on Day 12 for the rest of the block, so take 1/3 for day 12 and ice the rest.
Pooris(puris) bread - Make dough FIRST thing in the morning. check with chef for proper consistency, let it rest, ask chef for advice on rolling and cutting. Watch demo on frying and pre-heat cast iron pans about 20 minutes before you plan to fry. These should be fried before service and held warm on paper towels to absorb extra fat. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan lined with paper towels.
Station #4;
Pork Vindaloo is marinating for all 3 days. Take 1/3 pork and other MEP and let chef help you get started early with this.. You can make it in a large wok, but you have to be very careful about heat control and evaporation - keep the flame low and keep the wok covered. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Dal Sambar - also start very early.Toasting the spices for this can be tricky - get chef to help you start so you don't burn them. Lentil should cook until mushy. Keep heat low, stir often, keep pot covered. If lentils start to stick, change pots and add a bit more water. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Bondas - Filling for this can be made a day ahead, but if it wasn't, cook potatoes early, let chef help with spices toasting. combine potatoes and spices and let chef demo how to size and shape. Dip in batter and fry only as needed for service. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Pachadi - Crack open fresh coconut and remove flesh - chef can help. Toast in oven, stir occasionally to keep coconut from scorching. Toasting chick peas - they must be toasted until they are cooked through and REALLY crunchy - if they're soft in the center, they're not done. Check with chef.
Station #5:
make dough for naan first thing - it needs to rise, be divided, and rise again. If it's already been made from the day before, remove from cooler and divide and let rise. Naan should go into the tandoori oven between 10:30-11:00. Watch the video
Tandoori chicken - should already be marinating. Remove from marinade and put on skewers early in the day. The meat will cook more easily if it's not cold right out of the cooler. Skewered meat can be held on plastic lined sheet trays at room temp. Be ready to put skewered chicken in oven by 10:00 AM. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan.
Raitha is made with drained yogurt - if the yogurt did not get drained the night before, drain it in a chinoise lined with cheese cloth for a couple of hours before making. put in small container for sous chefs.
Station #6:
Paneer Saag - make cheese as early as possible, it can be made a day ahead, but if it's not- 7:15 or so on Day 12. Let drain and firm until cool, then cut into small dice. Spinach is braised - meaning a longer, slower, moist heat method. Have all MEP near a wok and be ready to start cooking slowly by 10:00. Let simmer on low heat, covered, until spinach is very soft. Then finish with cheese and yogurt. The paneer saag is a braised veg dish, it needs to be started in a large wok no later than 10:00 in order to cook slowly and gently and should be finished no later than 10:45
Vegetable Curry - Also a braised veg dish. Long, slow, moist heat, covered. All MEP ready by 10, cook slowly until cauliflower is very tender.
Both dishes served from steam table in 1/2 hotel pans.
I'll take questions a little later tonight, til 9:00.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)