Culinary photos #5

Hello everyone! As promised my weekly photos in my 6-month culinary program, but this week I wasn't feeling myself, so as a result, I completely forgot to take a photo for one entire day. The day that I didn't take a picture was when my class was working Forcemeats (aka stuffing fillings into raw meats and making chicken liver pate). The dishes looked great, but I didn't feel like myself when I stepped into the kitchen that day. For some reason, it felt like I was behind the entire time while I was cooking with the class, but I can assure that I haven't fallen to any illness yet. Knock on wood I hope that doesn't happen!

Well enough talk, I will show the pictures with the accompanying details underneath the pictures.

Rabbit Ragout with Vegetable and Pommes Puree

Braised Lamb Shank with Couscous 

Seared Calf's Liver in a Onion Sauce

Pan fried Sweetbreads with Polenta and Sauteed Spinach

Lamb Tongue Salad served with Potato Salad and Vinaigrette (made with hard-boiled eggs)

First Pastry Day! Made Creme Caramel (aka Flan). 

I hope everyone likes the picture. I will have more next week. If you'd like what you see, Subscribe and stay tune for more updates next week. 

Just a heads up, Next weekend I will be very busy so there is a slight chance that I won't have an update, but you can get up to date post by subscribing to me! 

My Culinary Work

As of today, I've advanced to Level 2 of my school's Culinary Program. Completely awed by how fast a month went by. It felt like it was just yesterday that I was in Level 1 learning how to slice vegetables into different shapes.

Now that I'm in Level 2, soon there will be Pastry. I'm going to LOVE this section of the course. I hope I can get decent photos of the desserts I'll be making.

For now, I'll show you the pictures of what I've done. Unfortunately I didn't post one of the dishes from a few weeks ago I'll put in the details below, which one I forgot to post.

(Roast Chicken, "Grandmother style" with Bacon Lardons, 

Potatoes, Pearl Onions, and Mushrooms)

(Bread Crumb-Coated Flounder with Remoulade,

 and Sauce aux Poivrons Rouges)

This was the dish I forgot to post a few weeks ago. I'm sorry!

(I'M SORRY!; This was Pork Chops with Sauce Charcutiere,

This looked so good that forgot to take a picture)

(Ginger-Marinated Pork Fillet with Sweet and Sour Sauce)

(Marinated Lamb Chops with Vegetable Ragout)

(Lamb Stew with Season Vegetables)

Sauteed Venison Loin with Sauce Bordelaise

and Pommes Darphin (Potato Pancake)

(Simmered Beef Short Ribs with Horseradish Sauce)

(Veal Blanquette with Rice Pilaf; Garnished with Pearl Onions and Mushrooms

in a Cream Sauce)

This time the photos aren't as appealing, but the dishes are very classic and delicious. Stay Tune for more weekly food porn! Subscribe and please share if you like the photos! 

This week's Culinary Works

I have to apologize at the beginning, for take ugly photos this week. I'm not totally proud of most of the dishes appearance, but I did promise that I'd post the photos.

Steamed Mussels in a White Wine, Shallots, and Parsley

(I'm sorry to say, but I ate the whole plate)

Seared Scallops with Parsley Coulis

Poached Whole Lobster in a White Wine Court Bouillon with a Baked Potato

Most Expensive Lunch I've had in this school.

Chicken Poached in Mediterranean-Style Broth

Sauteed Chicken, Hunter Style

(This was delicious, must recreate it at home)

Pan Roasted Quail with Rice and Sausage Stuffing. 

(The sauce wasn't reduced enough)

Hope you like the pictures, I will have more by Friday and I'll post them in the weekends.

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Classic Sponge Cake

One day, I came back home and my Father brought home 2 dozen duck eggs. He wanted me to make a Duck Egg Cake for him, so I decided to make it with a certain ratio, which I will talk about it later on. Now the recipe for Classic Sponge Cake is from Woodland Bakery in Chatham, NJ. The recipe is written by Gretchen Price.

Here's the recipe: http://www.woodlandbakeryblog.com/vanilla-sponge-cake/

Please check out her website, it has everything for aspiring Pastry Chefs or Home Baker!

Now for the details to making the cake; In today's cake, I've used 3 Duck Eggs instead of the 4 Chicken Eggs the recipe called for. That ratio is perfect as long as the weight of the Duck Eggs is around 200g, when cracked opened. I lowered the amount of sugar to 1 1/4 cup and then I followed the recipe with the other ingredients. Those are my changes to this cake and the result is PERFECT!

The cake is Moist, Soft, Light, and perfect Sweetest! Just the perfect harmony for the Classic Sponge Cake! With some Swiss Vanilla Buttercream from Gretchen Price, this is the best harmony of flavors!

I'm sorry about my pictures being ugly today, but it's the perfect picture to explain my next tip.

In the past I've tried this recipe using Chicken Eggs and it was also great, but it was really dry. One cool tip to keeping your Sponge Cake from drying out while it cools, is to place the sponge cake into a plastic bag and close it shut so the cake stays moist. In this case, I've used a Hefty Plastic Ziplock Bag to keep the cake moist. Once you are ready to frost, take the cakes out of the bag and stack the cakes on top of each other. When you cut into this cake, it will be moist! 

Hope you enjoy the tip, I will make another post later tonight to highlight my work in Culinary School. Subscribe and Stay tune for more upcoming pictures!

This week's work in Culinary School

Hi Everyone! Starting from today, I think I will post weekly photos of all the work I've done and the dishes I've eaten. So I'm going to stop myself from writing a large paragraph and show the pictures with it's respective names:

Beef Consomme with Finely Diced Carrots, Turnips, Haricot Verts, and Green Peas

This was the lunch I've had one day, it was a buffet. From left bottom to right bottom going around the plate;

Grilled Bacon Polenta, Deviled Eggs, Shredded Cabbage in Sweet Dressing (Don't remember Sorry), Parsnip Gratin, Parsnip Tart, Apple and Bacon Croquette, Apple Butter, Mixed Sauteed Vegetables, Carrot Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (In the little cup), Smoked Trout spread, and Roasted Ham! 

During a Chef's Demonstration: Baked Shrimps 3 different types (Simply Seasoned with Salt and LOTS of Pepper) Very Tasty!

During a Chef's Demonstration: Salt Cured Red Snapper, and Amberjack Ceviche with Mangos, Supereme of Blood Oranges, and Pistachios. 

Salade Nicoise

Crispy Duck Confit with a Bitter Green Salad 

Macadoine de Legume

(or Carrots, Turnips, Haricot Verts, and Green Peas dressed with a Basil Mayo 

and topped with Tomato Fondue)

My Chef Instructor's Graxlax! So good with a piece of toast and Lemon Juice!

I had leftover Challah bread so I decided to make my own French Toast with Eggs, Milk, Sugar, Salt, and Cinnamon! Drizzled with Condensed milk.

Poisson en Papillote

(Fish baked in Parchment Paper)

This just came out of the oven, such a Wow factor.

Poisson en Papillote

This was the inside of the parchment paper. Very Delicious and Healthy too!

 So I ate the whole thing by myself.

Sauteed Trout, Grenoble Style

This was pan seared Trout with a Lemon Butter sauce. Garnished with Lemon Supreme, Capers, Housemade Croutons, and Cocotte New Potatoes.

"Cocotte" refers to the shape of the potatoes in this photo.  

Thank You everyone for their support! And I keep rewarding with more Food Porn! I hope you like it! Stay Tune next week for more! I hope..