Hi all,
So I’ve recently decided that I should be updating this blog more often – like, daily often, or at least three times a week – with stuff that’s going on in this crazy culinary world. So, let’s start with what I learned today.
Chicken Galantine
Now this stuff is interesting. (And I mean interesting as in “the sea cucumber was interesting”). We’re doing Pate and other cold hors d’oeuvres this week, and I can’t say they’re my favorite. But still, I’ve learned some interesting skills because of it. Like how to skin a whole chicken, for example. (Hint: make a slit down the back like the zipper of a dress, cut away any connecting membranes, and presto, naked chicken.)
We took those whole chicken skins and laid them out flat on a cutting board. Then we seasoned fresh-ground chicken with our choice of herbs, spices and vegetables, flattened it on the chicken skin, rolled it up like a sushi roll, wrapped it tight in saran wrap and aluminum foil, and then boiled the whole thing. Most students put down blanched spinach or prosciutto slices on the skin before adding the chicken. To grind the chicken meat, we used a meat grinder attachment for a kitchen aide mixer, which worked just dandy. Tomorrow we will cut the cooked rolls and coat them in aspic, or a gelatin coating.
The fun part of today was taking the extra ground meat mixes and making burgers out of them! We had fresh baguettes from the bake shop, so it made for a heavenly sandwich. I made my chicken mix with garlic, minced shallots, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and parsley.
Speaking of sandwiches, today one of my sandwiches was featured on our sandwich bar. It’s an old recipe from my first restaurant, but it was always my favorite thing to get there. It starts with a herb-butter grilled bun. Then you add salami, ham, provolone, and roasted artichoke hearts. (Coat the hearts in olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and your choice of herb, then roast in a hot oven.) Now take the sandwich and toast it under a broiler or salamander, or even microwave it if you want. Whatever melts the cheese. Add romaine and/or your choice of veggie, and you have yourself one mean sandwich.
That’s it for today’s report. I promise I’ll do better on posting up pictures from now on! Email me if you have any questions, recipe requests, etc.