Week 1 - Cuisines of Spain
04/01/2013
Squid with Caramelized Onions
Objectives: Explore the delicious cuisine of Spain.
Menu: Green Olives filled with Piquillo Peppers and Anchovy, Cheese with Fresh Herbs, Squid with Caramelized Onions, Tomato Toast, Garum, Serrano Ham Fritters, Potato Omelet and Sizzling Garlic Shrimp.
Tools: Food processor, grill and large saute pan.
Summary: Although today was the first day of World Cuisine, I felt very comfortable under the supervision and teachings of Chef Alissa. She is very knowledgable, caring and seems to truly want to help each and every student personally. Today I made Squid with caramelized onions, Garum and tomato toast; all of which I have never made before. Most of the recipes seemed pretty straight forward and simple except fr the Garum, as I did not know what it was. Garum is a very salty Spanish spread of black olives, capers and anchovy. Although very salty on its own, it pairs well with tomato toast. Tomato toast is as simple as it gets, toast smothered with the flesh side of a freshly sliced tomato. Very simple, very delicious. Lastly, the squid with caramelized onions took a bit more concentration as you can easily overcook squid, making it very rubbering and, in turn, inedible. The trick is to saute the squid at a very high heat for a short period of time or, at a very low heat for a longer period of time.
Personal Observations: Overall, today was a great start and sparked my curiosity to see what else Chef Alissa has in store for us this quarter.
Menu: Green Olives filled with Piquillo Peppers and Anchovy, Cheese with Fresh Herbs, Squid with Caramelized Onions, Tomato Toast, Garum, Serrano Ham Fritters, Potato Omelet and Sizzling Garlic Shrimp.
Tools: Food processor, grill and large saute pan.
Summary: Although today was the first day of World Cuisine, I felt very comfortable under the supervision and teachings of Chef Alissa. She is very knowledgable, caring and seems to truly want to help each and every student personally. Today I made Squid with caramelized onions, Garum and tomato toast; all of which I have never made before. Most of the recipes seemed pretty straight forward and simple except fr the Garum, as I did not know what it was. Garum is a very salty Spanish spread of black olives, capers and anchovy. Although very salty on its own, it pairs well with tomato toast. Tomato toast is as simple as it gets, toast smothered with the flesh side of a freshly sliced tomato. Very simple, very delicious. Lastly, the squid with caramelized onions took a bit more concentration as you can easily overcook squid, making it very rubbering and, in turn, inedible. The trick is to saute the squid at a very high heat for a short period of time or, at a very low heat for a longer period of time.
Personal Observations: Overall, today was a great start and sparked my curiosity to see what else Chef Alissa has in store for us this quarter.
Week 2 - Cuisines of Spain (cont.)
04/08/2013
Braised Pork with Dried Fruit
Objectives: Further develop Spanish cooking techniques.
Menu: Gazpacho, Mesclun, Figs and Pomegranate Salad, Chicken in Almond and Saffron Sauce, Hake in Green Sauce, Braised Pork with Dried Fruit, Rice and Milk.
Tools: Large stewing pot, large saute pan, food processor, oven.
Summary: Today was the second week of exploring Spanish cuisine and was just as delicious as the last. My menu consisted of the braised pork with dried fruit and the mesclun, fig and pomegranate salad. Braising is one of my favorite cooking techniques. It is simple, yet there is plenty that can go wrong, especially with pork. Pork can be overcooked very easily and tends to dry out. Dry pork is no good. While making the braised pork, I noticed there was an abundance of sweet elements going in such dried cherries, apricots and even red wine. The finished product was very tasty, pork cooked well, but the reduction sauce was simply too tangy and sweet for my liking. Chef Alissa pointed out that the dried cherries were the culprit. Next time, adjustments will be made. The fig and pomegranate salad was a different story as those flavors blended perfectly to create a very refreshing and tasty salad. I had never tried figs prior to today and I can safely say that I am hooked.
Personal Observations: When braising any meat, it is very important to properly brown the meat before adding the braising liquid, wine, herbs, etc. Not only does this add a beautiful brown color, appealing to the eye, but it also adds a deeper flavor in the meat and throughout the entire dish.
Chef's Remarks: Either discard dried cherries from braised pork, or substitute with a more subtly sweet fruit.
Menu: Gazpacho, Mesclun, Figs and Pomegranate Salad, Chicken in Almond and Saffron Sauce, Hake in Green Sauce, Braised Pork with Dried Fruit, Rice and Milk.
Tools: Large stewing pot, large saute pan, food processor, oven.
Summary: Today was the second week of exploring Spanish cuisine and was just as delicious as the last. My menu consisted of the braised pork with dried fruit and the mesclun, fig and pomegranate salad. Braising is one of my favorite cooking techniques. It is simple, yet there is plenty that can go wrong, especially with pork. Pork can be overcooked very easily and tends to dry out. Dry pork is no good. While making the braised pork, I noticed there was an abundance of sweet elements going in such dried cherries, apricots and even red wine. The finished product was very tasty, pork cooked well, but the reduction sauce was simply too tangy and sweet for my liking. Chef Alissa pointed out that the dried cherries were the culprit. Next time, adjustments will be made. The fig and pomegranate salad was a different story as those flavors blended perfectly to create a very refreshing and tasty salad. I had never tried figs prior to today and I can safely say that I am hooked.
Personal Observations: When braising any meat, it is very important to properly brown the meat before adding the braising liquid, wine, herbs, etc. Not only does this add a beautiful brown color, appealing to the eye, but it also adds a deeper flavor in the meat and throughout the entire dish.
Chef's Remarks: Either discard dried cherries from braised pork, or substitute with a more subtly sweet fruit.
Week 3 - Cuisines of the Middle East
04/15/2013
Humus Bi Tahini
Objectives: Explore the cuisines of the Middle East.
Menu: Triangle Spinach Pies, Hummus, Cracked Wheat and Herb Salad, Wholemeal Flatbread, Fish Omelet, Lamb and Okra Casserole, Rice with Lentils, Dried Fruit Compote, Arabic Coffee.
Tools: Oven, rolling pin, food processor, large pot.
Summary: Today I prepared Fatayer Sbanikh, or triangle spinach pies as well as one of my favorite snacks, Hummus. I have made hummus plenty of times in the past, but today I chose to make my task a bit more difficult by using whole, uncooked chick peas (or garbanzo beans), instead of the prepared and canned beans. Upon attempting to complete this dish on time, I had to remove the beans before fully cooked, which made the finished product a bit more gritty than it should have been. Although it still tasted great, it wasn't as smooth as a proper Hummus should be. Next time, I will get those darn beans on a little sooner and make sure they are fully cooked. The triangle spinach pies were a different story and turned out quite delicious. For this recipe, we had to make a dough from scratch. I have done this many times and feel confident in my baking, however, forming the triangle pies well was a different story. Needless to say, I do not have the gentle touch to make beautiful looking triangle pies like Chef Alissa does. Oh well, a learning experience nonetheless and I can't wait to make these at home.
Personal Observations: Don't take the easy route, push yourself every day to learn something new. If you fail, you know why you failed and can make the necessary adjustments the next go around. This is a learning experience, not everything will go perfectly and you will learn from your mistakes. Learn from your peers, learn from your mistakes and you will flourish.
Menu: Triangle Spinach Pies, Hummus, Cracked Wheat and Herb Salad, Wholemeal Flatbread, Fish Omelet, Lamb and Okra Casserole, Rice with Lentils, Dried Fruit Compote, Arabic Coffee.
Tools: Oven, rolling pin, food processor, large pot.
Summary: Today I prepared Fatayer Sbanikh, or triangle spinach pies as well as one of my favorite snacks, Hummus. I have made hummus plenty of times in the past, but today I chose to make my task a bit more difficult by using whole, uncooked chick peas (or garbanzo beans), instead of the prepared and canned beans. Upon attempting to complete this dish on time, I had to remove the beans before fully cooked, which made the finished product a bit more gritty than it should have been. Although it still tasted great, it wasn't as smooth as a proper Hummus should be. Next time, I will get those darn beans on a little sooner and make sure they are fully cooked. The triangle spinach pies were a different story and turned out quite delicious. For this recipe, we had to make a dough from scratch. I have done this many times and feel confident in my baking, however, forming the triangle pies well was a different story. Needless to say, I do not have the gentle touch to make beautiful looking triangle pies like Chef Alissa does. Oh well, a learning experience nonetheless and I can't wait to make these at home.
Personal Observations: Don't take the easy route, push yourself every day to learn something new. If you fail, you know why you failed and can make the necessary adjustments the next go around. This is a learning experience, not everything will go perfectly and you will learn from your mistakes. Learn from your peers, learn from your mistakes and you will flourish.
Week 4 - Cuisines of the Middle East (cont.)
04/22/2013
Baked Fish with Chile Sauce
Objectives: Continue to explore the varying cuisines of the Middle East.
Menu: Red Pepper and Walnut Dip, Broad Bean Puree, Kibbi Soup, Toasted Bread Salad, Baked Fish with Hot Chile Sauce, Flat Bread, Apples in Orange Sauce, Yogurt Drink.
Tools: Oven, blender, food processor, sauce pan.
Summary: Continuing with the cuisine of the Middle East, this week we cooked and served a whole fish, something I have never done before. Obviously, I wasn't upset at the idea of serving the fish whole, as there was minimal fabrication to be done. Happy Chef. However, although most of these dishes had a multitude of ingredients, spices and flavors, the Yogurt Drink seemed bland and lacking a lot, it was not my favorite.
Personal Observations: Although we had a very large menu today, with the help of a great team including Orlando, Kara and myself, as well as Chef Alissa, we completed on time and without fail.
Menu: Red Pepper and Walnut Dip, Broad Bean Puree, Kibbi Soup, Toasted Bread Salad, Baked Fish with Hot Chile Sauce, Flat Bread, Apples in Orange Sauce, Yogurt Drink.
Tools: Oven, blender, food processor, sauce pan.
Summary: Continuing with the cuisine of the Middle East, this week we cooked and served a whole fish, something I have never done before. Obviously, I wasn't upset at the idea of serving the fish whole, as there was minimal fabrication to be done. Happy Chef. However, although most of these dishes had a multitude of ingredients, spices and flavors, the Yogurt Drink seemed bland and lacking a lot, it was not my favorite.
Personal Observations: Although we had a very large menu today, with the help of a great team including Orlando, Kara and myself, as well as Chef Alissa, we completed on time and without fail.
Week 6 - Cuisines of Turkey
05/06/2013
Stuffed Mussels
Objectives: Explore the cuisines of Turkey.
Menu: Zucchini Fritters and Patlican, Eggplant Fritters Stuffed Mussels, Fish Balls, Tomato Salad, Flat Bread, Skewered Lamb and Vegetables, Braised Carrots, Figs in Syrup.
Tools: Deep fryer, sauce pan, steamer, large pot, saute pan, metal skewers, grill, large saute pan.
Summary: Moving into Turkish cuisine was exciting to say the least; any menu listing dishes that are deep fried or grilled is fine with me. Today I stuck strictly to a seafood diet and made the Stuffed Mussels and fish balls. Learning about Turkish cuisine and its ingredients, preparation and flavors reminds me a lot of Greek cuisine in the fact that they use plenty of lemon and both have their specific types of kebobs, or grilled skewered meats and vegetables.
Personal Observations: There are plenty of dishes where if you do not have the best, most fresh ingredients, you can still mask those flavors and keep the dish pleasant. However, when it comes to very simple dishes, flavored with fresh fish or seafood, if that specific ingredient is on its way out or has been frozen in the past, it will drastically impact the overall flavor of the finished dish. Buy fresh, buy often, and buy the best.
Menu: Zucchini Fritters and Patlican, Eggplant Fritters Stuffed Mussels, Fish Balls, Tomato Salad, Flat Bread, Skewered Lamb and Vegetables, Braised Carrots, Figs in Syrup.
Tools: Deep fryer, sauce pan, steamer, large pot, saute pan, metal skewers, grill, large saute pan.
Summary: Moving into Turkish cuisine was exciting to say the least; any menu listing dishes that are deep fried or grilled is fine with me. Today I stuck strictly to a seafood diet and made the Stuffed Mussels and fish balls. Learning about Turkish cuisine and its ingredients, preparation and flavors reminds me a lot of Greek cuisine in the fact that they use plenty of lemon and both have their specific types of kebobs, or grilled skewered meats and vegetables.
Personal Observations: There are plenty of dishes where if you do not have the best, most fresh ingredients, you can still mask those flavors and keep the dish pleasant. However, when it comes to very simple dishes, flavored with fresh fish or seafood, if that specific ingredient is on its way out or has been frozen in the past, it will drastically impact the overall flavor of the finished dish. Buy fresh, buy often, and buy the best.
Week 7 - Cuisine of North Africa
05/13/2013
Tagine of Chicken, Preserved Lemon and Olives. Kara's creepy long arm.
Objectives: Explore African cuisine.
Menu: Lamb and Vegetable Soup, Fava Bean Salad, Tagine of Chicken, Preserved Lemon and Olives, Couscous, Harissa, Carrots with Black Curants, Fish Chermoula, Chapatis (Flat Bread), Date Cookies.
Tools: Tagine, oven, large stew pot, mixing bowls, blender or food processor, large sauté pot, oven.
Summary: I enjoyed exploring Northern African cuisine this week by making the couscous, carrots with black currants and the Harira, or Lamb and Vegetable Soup. Couscous is a native North African dish that looks a bit like rice but is actually made of durum wheat and is traditionally steamed. However, as couscous does not have much flavor on its own, pairing it with meats and vegetables or incorporating it with a flavorful stew or soup is recommended. We also got the chance to cook with a tagine, or a clay pot used widely around Africa. There are two parts to the tagine, the base which is relatively wide with very low sides that also serves as a serving dish, and the top which resembles a wide cone with an a large opening on the bottom and smaller opening on top to let steam escape. Tagines have been used throughout Africa for hundreds of years and are great for stews.
Personal Observations: I need to ask Chef Alissa where she gets all of her fun cooking gadgets and equipment.
Menu: Lamb and Vegetable Soup, Fava Bean Salad, Tagine of Chicken, Preserved Lemon and Olives, Couscous, Harissa, Carrots with Black Curants, Fish Chermoula, Chapatis (Flat Bread), Date Cookies.
Tools: Tagine, oven, large stew pot, mixing bowls, blender or food processor, large sauté pot, oven.
Summary: I enjoyed exploring Northern African cuisine this week by making the couscous, carrots with black currants and the Harira, or Lamb and Vegetable Soup. Couscous is a native North African dish that looks a bit like rice but is actually made of durum wheat and is traditionally steamed. However, as couscous does not have much flavor on its own, pairing it with meats and vegetables or incorporating it with a flavorful stew or soup is recommended. We also got the chance to cook with a tagine, or a clay pot used widely around Africa. There are two parts to the tagine, the base which is relatively wide with very low sides that also serves as a serving dish, and the top which resembles a wide cone with an a large opening on the bottom and smaller opening on top to let steam escape. Tagines have been used throughout Africa for hundreds of years and are great for stews.
Personal Observations: I need to ask Chef Alissa where she gets all of her fun cooking gadgets and equipment.
Week 8 - Cuisines of Africa (cont.)
05/20/2013
Sosaties - Lamb and Pork Skewers atop Yellow Rice with Raisins
Objectives: Explore the remaining regions of African cuisine.
Menu: Banana and Chile Fritters (Western Africa), Congo Chicken Soup, Sosaties (South Africa), Yellow Rice with Raisins (South Africa), Grilled Tilapia, African Hot Sauce, Irio (Eastern Africa), Chapatis (Flat Bread).
Tools: Grill, large stew pot, blender or food processor, deep fryer.
Summary: Finishing off African cuisine this week was a pleasure as we had a wonderful menu with very flavorful dishes. Among these flavorful dishes was quite possibly the best grilled skewers I've had. The spicy and tender grilled meat paired very well with the sweet and tangy dried, then rehydrated apricots. I will be making these again during summer barbecues. I decided to pair the grilled meats with the yellow rice but ended up having some difficulties cooking the rice properly. Although the flavors were there, I made the crucial mistake of panicking and mixing the rice too much while in the cooking pot. When you do that, mixing the rice will cause the starches to break down and it will leave you with very mushy and sticky rice, not that fluffy and tender rice we all know and love. Perfecting rice cookery is something I will need to work on in the future.
Personal Observations: Have more patience when it comes to cooking rice. If left alone, rice can be cooked through fully and left to sit while the other dishes are being completed. If rushed, there are many things that can go wrong.
Menu: Banana and Chile Fritters (Western Africa), Congo Chicken Soup, Sosaties (South Africa), Yellow Rice with Raisins (South Africa), Grilled Tilapia, African Hot Sauce, Irio (Eastern Africa), Chapatis (Flat Bread).
Tools: Grill, large stew pot, blender or food processor, deep fryer.
Summary: Finishing off African cuisine this week was a pleasure as we had a wonderful menu with very flavorful dishes. Among these flavorful dishes was quite possibly the best grilled skewers I've had. The spicy and tender grilled meat paired very well with the sweet and tangy dried, then rehydrated apricots. I will be making these again during summer barbecues. I decided to pair the grilled meats with the yellow rice but ended up having some difficulties cooking the rice properly. Although the flavors were there, I made the crucial mistake of panicking and mixing the rice too much while in the cooking pot. When you do that, mixing the rice will cause the starches to break down and it will leave you with very mushy and sticky rice, not that fluffy and tender rice we all know and love. Perfecting rice cookery is something I will need to work on in the future.
Personal Observations: Have more patience when it comes to cooking rice. If left alone, rice can be cooked through fully and left to sit while the other dishes are being completed. If rushed, there are many things that can go wrong.
Week 10 - Cuisines of India
06/03/2013
Chicken Korma, Kashmiri Style
Objectives: Combine two weeks of Indian cuisine in one week. Explore all aspects of Indian cuisine.
Menu: Menu 1: Pineapple Smoothie, Vegetable Samosas, Chicken Korma Kashmiri Style, Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Katchumber, Garam Masala, Green Chutney, Spinach with Curd Cheese, Red Kidney Bean Dal, Mango Chutney, Flatbread, Mushroom Rice. Menu 2: Banana Erccherry, Tamarind Sauce, Shrimp Curry, Kerala-Style Lamb, Cauliflower Fritters, Tomato Chutney, Basmati Rice, Yogurt with Cucumber and Mint, Deep-Fried Puffed Bread, Spiced Tea.
Tools: Large pot, small sauce pan, large sauce pan, oven, deep fryer, blender, food processor, stove.
Summary: Today I ate the eyeball of a pig. Shall I contnueThis weeks class was conducted a bit differently than usual. Usually, we are tasked as an entire class to complete one menu with your specified group. However, as there was a holiday and we missed a week, Chef Alisa decided to combine two large weeks into one. Half the class were instructed to do this weeks menu and the other half the past weeks menu. With that said, it was assumed to be more hectic than usual but I was only to complete two dishes on menu one; the vegetable samosas and the cucumber, onion and tomato katchumber. What is Katchumber, you ask? Katchumber is a very light and fresh salad made with crisp cucumbers, tomato and red onion and is accompanied with a very flavorful vinaigrette. The second dish I made was the vegetable samosas. A vegetable samosa is very similar to an empanada as they are comprised with almost identical doughs. However, the main difference between them is the shapes they are formed into and, of course, the ingredients stuffed into them. These samosas were surprisingly stuffed without any meat but still packed a punch of Indian flavor. Spicy, bold and fulfilling.
Personal Observations: In regards to making dough for samosas, you must keep the dough relatively moist. If the dough becomes too dry, you will not be able to properly secure the crease. If the crease is not properly secured, the insides will burst out during deep frying.
Menu: Menu 1: Pineapple Smoothie, Vegetable Samosas, Chicken Korma Kashmiri Style, Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Katchumber, Garam Masala, Green Chutney, Spinach with Curd Cheese, Red Kidney Bean Dal, Mango Chutney, Flatbread, Mushroom Rice. Menu 2: Banana Erccherry, Tamarind Sauce, Shrimp Curry, Kerala-Style Lamb, Cauliflower Fritters, Tomato Chutney, Basmati Rice, Yogurt with Cucumber and Mint, Deep-Fried Puffed Bread, Spiced Tea.
Tools: Large pot, small sauce pan, large sauce pan, oven, deep fryer, blender, food processor, stove.
Summary: Today I ate the eyeball of a pig. Shall I contnueThis weeks class was conducted a bit differently than usual. Usually, we are tasked as an entire class to complete one menu with your specified group. However, as there was a holiday and we missed a week, Chef Alisa decided to combine two large weeks into one. Half the class were instructed to do this weeks menu and the other half the past weeks menu. With that said, it was assumed to be more hectic than usual but I was only to complete two dishes on menu one; the vegetable samosas and the cucumber, onion and tomato katchumber. What is Katchumber, you ask? Katchumber is a very light and fresh salad made with crisp cucumbers, tomato and red onion and is accompanied with a very flavorful vinaigrette. The second dish I made was the vegetable samosas. A vegetable samosa is very similar to an empanada as they are comprised with almost identical doughs. However, the main difference between them is the shapes they are formed into and, of course, the ingredients stuffed into them. These samosas were surprisingly stuffed without any meat but still packed a punch of Indian flavor. Spicy, bold and fulfilling.
Personal Observations: In regards to making dough for samosas, you must keep the dough relatively moist. If the dough becomes too dry, you will not be able to properly secure the crease. If the crease is not properly secured, the insides will burst out during deep frying.