Chef Pham is slowing us how to de-bone and prepare red snapper. Look at those big fish. Their eyes were really clear and they had such a fresh smell. These chefs get better stuff than we do. We have two ladies from Mexico in the class. Our class only needed one of the fish and they volunteered to make ceviche with the other one. This was the best ceviche I have ever eaten. It was so good that Chef (Pham) brought in the head chef at Nao (The CIA Restaurant) and another instructor who teaches latin cuisine to taste it. YUM!
These are the four demo dishes. Ours is the one on the right and the bread pudding in front of it. I made the Chicken Tarragon and shared making the sauce. I was terrified of over cooking the chicken breasts since I am guilty of sometimes making chicken jerky at home. I can't stand under-cooked chicken. Blech! Then I was worried about it being undercooked. I think it was just right...at least the tiny piece I tried. It is a little intimidating to be judged. I had my first war wound today, if you discount my stabbing myself with my pencil. These chefs don't use oven mitts and all we had were tiny towels. I was trying to get something very hot and very heavy out of the oven, using two towels the towels spit and I ended up with the base of my thumb on the hot handle. At least I didn't drop it. I have a blister. Turns out two of the other people on my team have blisters. Robert out did me... his was about twice as big.
A look at our banquet from the end. My favorites included Forty Clove Chicken, Ossobucco (veal) Milanaise, Saffron Risotto, Goat Cheese Croquettes and on and on,
Another view with the class standing hungrily waiting.
On the first day we chopped and sliced mounds of onions. Yesterday one of the groups caramelized them and today we made french onion soup. I had a part in making the soup. It had the traditional beef stock (homemade). Yum. Chef made me place all the little bread toppings in exactly the same direction.
Behind is a Challah Bread Pudding with Rum Creme Anglais. Our team made this and everyone loved it. I was too busy burning myself and making chicken to assist very much.
These goat cheese croquettes were divine. No one seems to care about healthy or butter or fat or salt or fried. We have all just thrown caution to the wind. Hope no one is having their cholesterol checked next week. They will get a severe scolding...maybe hospitalization.
The heavy-set man is French and he is the head chef at NAO where we are having our class dinner tonight. He is not only French by birth of classically French trained. He is supposedly preparing a special meal for us tonight. Just what I need...more food. Not likely that I will pass it up.
This is out class of wanna-be chefs. It is a fun group and we have pretty close to as many men as women. We were looking directly into the sun so we are all squinting.
I UPS'd my chef tools home tomorrow because I have knives and such... $53.00 worth of postage. The backpack they were in weighed about thirty pounds. I will have sharp knives when I get home. The ones at home would be better used as hammers. Then I walked back to the hotel...about 3 miles or so. That river walk is beautifu and the weather is perfect today. The wind has picked up and a cold front is blowing in. I don't get home tomorrow night until 10:00. Say a prayer that the weather holds for me to get home.
Bon Appetit!
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