Cooks Academy Week 4

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It's the final countdown!

General School Shots - I'll miss this place

Monday

So this is the last post for this series. Can't believe it's the last week, though to tell you the truth I'm knackered and judging on today the rest of the class are pretty tired too. I won't start into my conclusions and summaries until the end of the week.

Today we made ice-cream in the manual method, even though there were a few ice cream machines on hand too. I'll see how it came out tomorrow. The rich chocolate ice-cream we made was just that - cream, sugar syrup, chocolate and some eggs! Licking the spoon was amazing, frozen it will be divine I'm sure. So any doubts about the fat content of ice-cream is long gone

We prepared a lemon tart, my pastry was a little dry and crumbly, must be brave and add more water. I'd even practised over the weekend, practice pastry! Didn't bake the case blind for long enough so it was a little soggy - all good constructive criticism.

This dish could prove to be 'very important'

Steak with Bearnaise sauce was up next, sauce Bearnaise requires plenty of whisking. The steaks meanwhile were cooked to perfection by my pattern and they were delicious - score! Though I forgot to add the chopped tarragon to the finished sauce. You can never read the recipe too many times it seems.

We got to sample the pork and chicken terrine that was made on Friday over lunch as well - now I can say I'm a fan of terrine, really nice recipe spiked with bright pistachios. 

I called the afternoon demo - Masterchef afternoon - as two of the contestants favourite desserts were up, Chocolate fondants and Tarte Tatin. Chocolate fondants should have a slightly gooey centre and be served straight away. Tarte Tatin comes with serious burns potential due to the high volume of liquid hot caramel you'll be throwing around. You have been warned! 

We were also shown how to bone, butterfly and stuff a leg of lamb, and prepare a salsa verde to serve with it.

Tuesday

The day of roasts. Now you know how a roast Sunday lunch with your parents is the best lunch ever. Well the second best lunch ever is 6 different roasts with your Cooks Academy class mates! We all prepared different roasts and sides today. Racks of lamb, rack of pork, lamb shanks, roast beef on the bone and we made moussaka (not too sure how that fits in?) There was also tarte tatin and thin apple tarts.

This disappeared fairly speedily

Every meat was also served with appropriate sides and a few big bowls of roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and gravy. I was in heaven. The meat was great quality and all very well cooked - aren't we all getting very accomplished.

I did manage to burn my first ever bechamel sauce - very embarrassing! I've made it many is the time before.

Thin Apple Tart

The afternoon lecture was from a butcher with over 50 years experience. He brought in an entire half pig and showed us the various cuts and demonstrated some of the most effortless and impressive knife skills I've ever seen. I learned a lot about how animals are raised, slaughtered, bred and processed. I didn't know that every carcass leaving the slaughterhouse has to be inspected and approved by a veterinary surgeon.

WE learnt some very important fundamentals on how the animal is treated prior, during and after slaughter relates to the quality and tenderness of the meat. You'll be pleased to hear that a happy relaxed pig will make for more tender meat!

When the entire pig had been divided up - there was very little waste. Skin and some big bones. In all there were four and a half trays of meat to one and a half trays of 'waste'. When the cuts of meat are being made there are small bits of meat (maybe the size of a small fist) that don't get used up - these bits of meat would go into sausages along with a lot of meat from the fore shoulder, not scrapings from the floor!

He did tell us that all pork in Ireland is raised indoor (the vast majority of it) which I didn't realise, as well as most chicken too. Not sure where I thought they were hanging out..... hmmmm that's embarrassing too! 

I'd highly recommend attending a butchers demo like this as you'll really get an appreciation for the different cuts and techniques used, it's an incredible skill. I know I'm more determined to use some different cuts of meat in the future and to think about whereabouts they come from can determine how they are to be cooked. I'm loosing the power to articulate things now because I'm tired - will try to add more on the butchery section later!

Wednesday

All in a mornings work

Sole (flat fish) to be filleting. Now I found this easier than the round fish in week 1 - maybe because I'm more confident. The bones are found in a very definite area in the centre of the fish.

Crispy Sole was prepared by dipping in egg then breadcrumbs and lightly frying. These were beautiful served alongside some minty pea puree - a definite for the future. Though you get surprisingly little meat from a big flat fish.

Seared tuna and avocado salsa was a tasty dish, love avocados, love tuna - enough said.

Fresh and Healthy - will make this again

Also made in the class were tarte with pate sucre (very hard apparently) rhubarb meringue and more that I've forgotten but eaten!

First thing this morning we also had to make our pastry for Fridays exam - and I'm nervous! Haven't taken any exams in years - I'm likening it to stage fright, which I do get!

The afternoon saw us cover tempura batter, squid and rocket salad, calamari and finally an entire lobster - wow! It was a first for me - very tasty still not beating my Galway Crab Claws though! Now home to study for tomorrows theory test - I think if we fail this then we haven't been listening much - all common sense questions I hope.

Thursday

Was feeling pretty sick and rotten today - but came in because we had our theory exam. Cooked chowder, made bread, and practised our fish filleting. Had a bit of a feeling sorry for myself break down - handled very well by my partner and tutor - who sat me down and made me tea! Sorry guys  and thanks much appreciated.

Had a food costing lecture which was invaluable to anyone starting into a food business, including formulas to calculate what to charge for your product.

Afternoon was our theory exam - a little harder than I had expected. Included theory, health and safety, ingredient recognition and menu planning.

Home to bed

Friday

Practical Exam day. We had to prepare lemon tart and sea bass with beurre blanc, roasted potatoes, carrots and spinach. I bet any professional are laughing at this now. Proved a pretty busy morning for me - though thankfully avoided any major catastrophes. I did spill some of my tart as I put it in the oven - but I got a slice out for presentation ok. Made me think a lot about working as a professional and the pressures that kitchen staff must be under. PRESSURE!! I held up fine though - thank god I didn't have to do this yesterday.

Anyone for Sea Bass and Beurre Blanc?

By lunchtime I was glad to be finished. We all ate our sea bass and swore never to make lemon tart again!

Valentine Themed Presentation

There was a presentation with glasses of prosecco. We all received our certs - of varying levels - distinction, merit and pass! I won't tell you what I got - you'll just have to guess. With that we said our good byes to our tutors and went off for a few well deserved pints.

Somehow I feel it's a bit too soon to write  conclusion to the course, I feel a little too close to it to stand back and anaylse my experiences. There is no doubt I learned a hell of a lot of skills, and picked up heaps of valuable advice on all subjects that we covered. Always rest your meat - wrap fresh herbs in kitchen towel and put in tupperware in the fridge - how to fold a meringue without breaking it - I could go on and on.

I have an extensive shopping list of things I need to buy for my kitchen (prob not a good thing) I will confidently tackle fish, shell fish and sauce unlike before. I have cooked far more desserts than I have in the last 3 years, I'll confidently take on any kind of sweets from now on.

I'm pretty happy with the photos that I've taken of the food we've produced, though I at no time wanted to get in any ones way and impare their enjoyment of the course, so for those reasons there's maybe a photo or two less than I would have wanted.

Over and out!!! 

Cheffactor

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Win the once in a lifetime opportunity to study at Ballymaloe cookery School with Rachel Allen and become a super fantastico Chef extraordinaire!

I was at the launch of Cheffactor this week in the Westbury - sponsored by the lovely Cully & Sully, who were there in person. We watched a cookery demonstration by Ivan Whelan - the chef behind most of the Cully and Sully recipes. He cooked some lamb steaks with saffron and pink pepper cous cous - served with Bernnaise Sauce and rainbow chard and white turnip. Lots of great exotic ingredients - also an amazing chocolate mint - that tasted like an after eight. Ivan informed us that these amazing herbs were all grown in the organic farm that is part of the Ballymaloe School - I was impressed to say the least.

This video pretty much explains it all

Whilst sampling this great food the competition was explained to us. It's pretty simple, you have to upload a beautiful picture of you and your signature dish - photo to include the Cully and Sully logo. Then write a small paragraph about your dish and another paragraph about your dish. Then there will be a public vote - 2 finalists are chosen this way  -and another finalist is chosen by Cully & Sully.

The final sees the three contestants cook their dish for the panel which included Darina and Rachel Allen - gasp! Then somebody is crowned champion and goes to live at the cookery School for 12 weeks. They also get a set of professional knives to help them on their way.

So what a prize - I'll def be entering -I was thinking of using this photo to enter?

Me & Sully! Now I'm a great fan of the giant ham sandwich, but it may not be enough to impress Darina Allen, so it's back to the drawing board I guess!

Steak Bearnaise

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Lets French!

or 
Mastering the Art of Butter

A few months ago Lu and I dragged my long suffering fella Colm along to see the ultimate foodie/chick flick Julie and Julia. By the end of the film he had to grudgingly admit that, actually, it was a pretty enjoyable film. So for Christmas this year Colm bought me a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and inside was a ticket for two to Paris! Awww. So we are heading off on Thursday which had finally pushed me to blog this recipe, which I cooked from said book over a month ago for my friend Stuart.

Having read a good few of the recipes over the Christmas period, I came to the conclusion that Julia Child's main philosophy of cooking is as follows: 'First melt some butter. Then sauté some slices of butter in some more butter. Then add some chopped cubes of cold butter. Finish with some melted butter'

Anyway, Stuart is a good Naval man so I figured he would appreciate a steak. He arrived brandishing two bottles of Ruby port and proceeded to show Lu and I how to make the perfect Hot Port on the high seas. Then we drank them all. Oh dear.

Julia Child's sauce Bearnaise (straight and unedited from the horses mouth)

(NB- I recently invested in a set of American Cup measurements and teaspoon/tablespoons. They are invaluable and only cost 3 euro in Allrooms on Liffey st!)

(NB 2- I have used square and curley brackets to try to make a bit more sense of her extremely complicated recipes)

Ingredients

1/4 cup wine vinegar

1/4 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth

1 Tb minced shallots or green onions

1 Tb minced fresh tarragon or 1/2 Tb dried tarragon

1/8tsp pepper

pinch of salt

a small saucepan

3 egg yolks

2 tb cold butter

1 Tb cold water

1 Tb lemon Juice

big pinch of salt

1 Tb cold Butter

1 [another] Tb cold butter

1/2 to 2/3 cup melted butter

2 tb fresh minced tarragon or parsley

For 1 1/2 cups

Boil the vinegar, wine, shallots or onions, herbs and seasonings over a moderate heat until the liquid has reduced to 2 tablespoons. Let it cool.

Then proceed as though making a hollandaise, page 79 [cut the butter into pieces and melt it in a saucepan over a moderate heat. Then set aside Beat the egg yolks for about a minute in the {other medium enamel or stainless steel} saucepan until they become thick and sticky. add the water, lemon juice and salt and beat for half a minute more.

Add a tb of cold butter, but do not beat in. Place the saucepan over very low heat or barely simmering water and stir the egg yolks with a wire whip until they slowly thicken into a smooth cream. This will take 1 to 2 minutes. If they seem to be thickening too quickly, or even suggest a lumpy quality, immediately plunge the bottom of the pan in cold water , beating the yolks to cool them. {I did this, it works!} Then continue beating over the heat. The egg yolks have thickened enough when you can begin to see the bottom of the pan between strokes, and the mixture forms a light cream on the wires of the whip.] Strain in the vinegar mixture and beat

[Immediately remove from the heat and beat in the cold butter [1tb, I presume] which will cool the egg yolks and stop their cooking. Then beating the egg yolks with a wire whip, pour on the melted butter by droplets or quarter-teaspoon-fuls until the sauce begins to thicken into a very heavy cream. Then pour the butter a little more rapidly. Omit the milky residue at the bottom of the butter pan.]

Correct seasoning and beat in the tarragon or parsley

Phew!!!

I know, a bit of a palaver but actually it wasn't that bad when I actually did it. I got the vinegar mixture done ahead of time, and beat up the eggs well before I cooked the steak. then when the steak was cooking I made the sauce. At the end, I de-glazed the steak pan with one Tb white wine, which technically makes this a sauce Colbert, according to Julia.

I served with sauteed potatoes cooked in a stupid amount of butter, another Julia recipe, and some steamed asparagus. It was really super delish. It would want to be after all that butter.

Here's my translation of the potato recipe into modern day parlance, I cant take any more of those brackets!

Sauteed Potatoes
2 lb small new potatoes, peeled

3 - 4 tbs clarified butter (melted and milk solids skimmed off so it can't burn)

pinch salt

Peel the potatoes but don't wash them after or during peeling. Dry them in a clean tea towel. Pour the butter into a heavy skillet or frying pan which has a tight fitting lid. Heat until very hot but not coloring, or until it begins to foam. Then ad the potatoes. Leave for two minutes. Then give them a shake every now and then so that they sear on all sides. Cook for another 5-8 mins. Sprinkle them with salt. Lower the heat, cover the skillet with the lid and cook for about 15 mins, shaking every now and then to prevent sticking and ensure even coloring. They are done when they yield slightly to the pressure of your finger, or when a knife pierces them easily.

Ok, so now on to the
Hot Ports

Stuart reckons that the only way to make a good hot port is as follows

1) In a large wine glass heat the glass with some boiling water (make sure you have a metal spoon or similar in there so you wont break the glass)

2) Pour in a double measure of ruby port

3) Get a teaspoon of muscavado sugar (it has to be muscavado)

4) Hold it over the glass while you pour boiling hot water over it and into the glass, this way the sugar melts into the port.

No cloves or lemons need apply

Voila!

Here's a pic of the book itself with its best friend, a big load of butter. {I had a full 500g package of butter before I started cooking this meal so this gives you an idea of how much I used!}