Franchipan Apple Tartlet

The above photo is the mixing of cookie dough

This is the video of the production of Franchipan apple tartlet

This is a easy but delicious dessert that i enjoyed making. This was kind of hard for me to understand when my friend first treated me to this dessert. But when i tried out the recipe that is when i found that it was easy and great.

The production of Franchipan apple tartlet, begins with the making of the cookie dough. The cookie dough basically cosists of:

Sugar 1part

Fat/Butter 2parts

Flour 3parts

Egg 4ea

This needs a creaming method which involves mixing the sugar and fat, then add the eggs and then the flour. Once the dough is done, it needs to be rolled out flat and thin, cut them into rounds and lay them flat on tart moulds.

Once the dough is layed flat on the tart moulds, the franchipan can be piped onto the tarts.

(franchipan consists of almond paste, sugar, butter, egg and flour). Once it is piped it needs to be layered with sliced granny smith apples (good for baking). Once this is done it is baked in the oven and glazed with lemon jelly.

Expanding Poaching's potential

The above photos and the topic is taken from Food arts magazine

For many chefs, low-temperture cooking conjures images of vacum bags and avant-grade good,but one extremely classic technique well-suited to low temperature cooking is poaching in fat and it doesn''t require a bag.

Low-temperature cooking is often confused with sous-vide cooking. Sous-vide uses vacum packaging, regardless of cooking temperture. Boil in bag qualifies as sous-vide. Low temperature cooking is the technique with temperatures cloe to, or equal to, the food's final desired internal temperature, whether a vacuum bag is used or not. Only two things are required for low-temperature cooking: very accurate tmeperature control (in the world of low-temperature cooking, a single degree celsius can be a big deal; egg yolks go from liquid to creamy to set beteween 62 and 64*F or 144 to 147F) and a good heat ransfer medium, usually water or water vapor.

Immersion cirulators are fantastic little piences of equipment designed to do this job. Over the past year or so the price of ciruclators has dropped below $1,000, helping them to proliferate in kitchens across the country. They come in different varieites, but the type most chefs use plungs inot a normal 120 volt socket, takes up less space than a blender, and can be clamped onto any pot, bus tub or deep hotel pan. Essentially the cirulators consists of a 1,000 watt heating element, a temperature sensor, a stirring pump (to keep the temperature even throughout the cooking medium), and an electronic control cirucuit. Typically, these cirulators use water as the cooking medium, but water is not the only choice. They're designed to cirulate oil as well.

Circulators with oil has many advantages:

• No speical sous-vde HACCP permits are required.
• No expensive vacuum machine is necessary
• poaching in oil or fat can add flavor and mouthfeel without leaching out the flavor as water would.
• Oil paching and foods cooked a la confit are classic, respected, and customer accepted technique
• A circulator can heat a larger volume of oil than it can water because it takes less energy to heat oil than water.
• Treated properly, the oil can last a long time because it's not being overheated.
• Oil des not evoperate as water does.

Biriyani treat

The above is a marination for the chicken biriyani

As it was a long weekend, i came over to my brother's place. I had my family all exited when i told them that i was planning on cooking for them. It was a video i saw in youtube that had me going with the idea of preparing biriyani. I was planning for this occasion for quite a while.
There are different styles of making this wonderful dish biriyani and this is one of the ways that i like to make it.

This recipe serves 6 people

Ingredients:

For the Biriyani

Basmati rice – 2 cups (for each cup add 1cup water)
Chicken – 3 lbs (1½ kg)
Chilly powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1½ tsp
Cinnamon – 10 pieces
Cloves – 10 nos
Cardamom - 8 nos
Ginger – 1" piece
Garlic pods - 8 nos
Mint leaves – 2 - 3 stems
Coriander leaves - 2 - 3 stems
Cashews - 20 nos
Raisins - 15 nos
Ghee/Oil/Butter - As reqd
Curd – 3 Tbsp
Saffron – A pinch
Onion(big) - 3 nos
Tomato - 3 nos
Green chillies - 2 - 3 nos
Oil for frying

For marinating

Chilly powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - 1½ tsp
Turmeric powder - 1.2tsp
Black pepper - 1/2tsp
Garlic-ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Masala powder - A little for taste
(Cinnamon-Cardamom-Cloves powder)
Lemon juice - 5 - 6 drops
Curd - 5Tbsp

For marinating:

Have the chicken cut into equal sizes and in a bowl add the curd, coriender powder, ginger garlic paste and the masala powder, tumeric powder, black pepper and the powders together and marinate it for 4 hours. The mixture needs to be mixed well.

For the Biriyani:

Make a fine paste of the fresh coriender, mint leaves and ginger garlic. Heat oil/butter/ghee in a pan, once hot add the cinnamon stick, clove, cardamom and fry it until the cloves start to crackle. Add the coriender powder, chilly powder and just release the flavor. Then add the rice and cook until the rice gets translucent. Add the paste to the rice, in another pan add little oil and saute the onion until it changes color and then add the tomatos transfer it to the rice and then add water to the rice. Allow the rice to just simmer and then add the marinated chicken to the rice and mix up making sure not to break up the rice. Pour the soaked saffron liquid to the rice. Bring it up to a boil. Once it is come to a boil, reduce the flame, cover the pan tightly and finsihed in a oven at 300*F for 30 minutes.

For the Garnish:

Fry cashewnut and Raisins in ghee and sprinkle on top of the rice.

Pepper glazed pork chop with Apple chutney

This is a recipe for serving 4 people

Ingredients:

For the Pork

Olive Oil 1Cup
Garlic Chopped 5ea
Sage leaves 4ea
Salt to taste
Pork chops

For the Glaze

Apple Juice 2Cups
Honey 1/4cup
Cracked black and white pepper 2Tbsp
Grated zest of Orange 1ea

For the Chutney

Green apples chopped 8ea
Raisins 1/2cup
Cider Vinegar 1.5cups
White Sugar 1/2cup
Brown Sugar 1/2cup
Garlic peeled and chopped 2ea
Nutmeg 1/2tsp
Cinnamon 1/2tsp
Cloves 2ea
Pinch of Salt

For the Potato Pancakes

Small onion minced 1/2
Grated Potato blanched in lemon water and dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg beated 1ea
All-purpose flour 3Tbsp
Baking powder 1tsp
Clarified butter

For the garnish

Pork jus
Curry oil
Fried sage leaves

Directions:

For the pork: Heat the olive oil in a saute pan, add the garlic and sage and cook until the garlic is softened. Cool and pour over the pork. Marinate at least four hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

For the glaze: Combine the juice, honey, pepper and zest in a saucepan and reduce to a coating consistency. Set aside and keep warm.

For the Chutney: Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened; stir to prevent scroching. Col to room temperature and set aside.

For the potato Pancake: Combine the onion and potatoes and season. Beat the egg, flour and baking powder together in a seperate bowl and stir inot the potato mixture. Form eight, one-inch thick pancakes, about two-inches in diametre, refirgerate.

To assemble: Heat two tablespoon of the pork marnade in a saute pan. Remove the chops from the marinade, cook on both sides to medium doneness and season. Pour off the excess oil and spoon some of the glaze onto the chops, rolling the chops over to coat them well with the glaze. Let rest and keep warm.

To finish the pancakes: Heat a half-inch of clarified butter in a saute pan. Add the pancakes and brown, about three minutes on each side until crispy and then drain.

To serve: Place the chop on a plate and garnich with the potato pancakes and chutney. Drizzle the pork jus and any leftover glaze on the plate. Dot with the curry oil and top with the fried sage.

Cherry clafouti

This is a recipe that serves for 4 people

For the clafouti

Eggs 6ea
Sugar 3oz
Vanilla bean Split and scraped 1ea
Salt 1 pinch
Brown Rum 2Tbsp
Milk 3/4cup
Flour 3oz
Butter for greasing
Fresh Cherreis pitted 1.5#

For the Cherry Sauce

Fresh Cherries pitted 1Cup
Confectioners sugar 1Tbsp

For the Garnish

Fresh Cherries
Melted White chocolate
Confectioners Sugar
Cookie twirls
Mint

Directions:

For the clafouti: Crack the eggs into a bowl, and sugar and whisk together until foamy. Add the vanilla bean and salt, whisk in the rum and milk, then fold in the flour. Liberally grease four oven-proof remekins with the butter. Fill each ramekin 1/4 full with the batter. Divide the cherries evenly among the remekins, and fill to the top with the remaining batter. Bake in a 325* oven for 40 minutes. Remove, allow to cool slightly, then turn the clafoutis out of the remekins.

For the cherry sauce: Place the cherries and sugar together in a blender and puree to a smooth consistency.

To Serve: Cut a wedge out of the clafouti, positon together on the plate, and spoon the sauce onto the plate beside it. Place fresh cherries on the plate and drizzle the chocolate over them. Garnish the dish with the confectioner's sugar, cookies and mint.

Culinary Creations the Pastry way

BLOW SUGAR CREATION

Though you may not understand what they speak in the video, it is worth the art and the skill in which it is done.

CREME BRULEE

A days experience shared

As the day begins, at 5.00am in the banquets, there are three cooks and one supervisor who does the breakfast. The breakfast includes, hash brown potatoes, scarmbled egg, crispy bacon and burritos. On a typical day, there is one cook handling the scrambled eggs and potato and another handling the crispy bacon and burriots. This is in co-ordination with the garde manger which has its mis-en-place ready for the sandwiches which are soft tortilla's applied with mayonnaise and filled with mixed lettuce and then it is drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. They are individually filled with turkey and ham. They are tightly rolled inside the tortilla flour. It is cut into two equal pieces in a bias and place in to go container's. This is generally depend on the amount of order placed from for the day from the management.
Once the breakfast is picked up there is a total sanitization process that takes place. Two cooks are generally assigned the task of sanitization. Once cook goes around with a soap filled red bucket and a scrubber to clean away the residues that is left on the tables and counter tops. The next cook has a sqeeze to clean away the soap and the residue into another container. Once the tables are ridden of any soap and residue it is then cleaned with sanitizing solution, this process is repeated every tow hours. The buckets are labeled with time that the last sanitization process took place. So everybody, is well aware of the time and when the next cleaning is due. Once the cleaning is complete the supervisor checks the parties (booking) for the shift, he get's what is called as a master sheet. Once he is confirmed about the parties that are gooing to take place that afternoon, he assigns duties for the cooks on a chart. This includes the timing and the amount of people. It also indicates the no of people for the party. If the party is going to be plated or buffet style (including the special requests). Once this is put up on the chart then the supervisor, calls all the cooks of the banquets which includes the garde manger to attend the standup (briefing). The supervisor explains the layout of the party for the shift and the mis-en-place that needs to be ready.
He also makes sure to explain individual jobs and the deadlines for the job to be done. Once everybody is ready with their assigned duties and it's ready for service, the supervisor makes sure all the utenesils and equipments are working and the cooks would not have any problem once the service flow starts. If the party is a pre-plated request, the hot boxes are bought to each station and also there is a count on the hot boxes that goes for each party, in the cold kitchen there are cold boxes provided by the steward's. Once the hot boxes are ready it is plugged in and the conveyer belt is turned on. The hot plates are placed individually on the conveyor belt, there are about five cooks assigned for one conveyer belt. Each cook has assigned duties when the plate comes to them, it is differentiated by starch, protein, vegetable and sauce. Each person is assigned each duty. Once the plate is all set, it is placed on the table so that every other plate that follows are the same as the one approved by the chef. At the end of the conveyor belt there are stewards, who clean the plate and cover them, and they are counted. These are then staked in four's and then set in the hot box with labels on the door of the hot box telling how many plates are in one hot box. Once the day is come to a close the fridges and walk-in's are cleaned thoroughly and labeleld individually with the date and also the time. There are HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) being followed in all steps of operation on a day to day basis. The final job of cleaning and labelling has to be approved by the chef who, walks through the kitchen and makes sure that it is according to the health standards.

Grilled Tenderloin of Pork

Pigs are raised for the market in 5 to 6 months. They are much leaner now than in the past. Mainly due to their diet, in the farms. There is a huge difference between a farm raised pig and a domesticated pig. Storage time for pork cannot be extended because it is not suitable for vacuum packaging. Pork can be frozen only for a period of 3 months.
Here is a recipe for a spicy treat of pork.

This recipe serves 4
INGREDIENTS

For the barbecue sauce:

Peanut oil 1Tbsp
Mangoes, peeled and diced 2ea
Carrot peeled and diced 1ea
Habaneor Chili pepper minced 1ea
Champagne Vinegar 1/4cup
Ketchup 1/4cup
Sugar 1Tbsp
Salt to taste

For the Chutney

Peanut oil 1tsp
Shallot peeled and minced 1ea
Ginger root grated 1tsp
Mango peeled and diced 1ea
Sugar 1/2cup
Chili caribe 1tsp
Champagne vinegar 1/4cup
Chives finely cut 1Tbsp
Salt to taste

For the Posole Gratin

Cooked poslole 2Cups
Heavy cream 1/2cup
Green chillies, seeded and diced 2ea
Parmesan Cheese grated 2Tbsp
Bread Crumbs 2Tbsp
Salt to taste

For the Pork

Chili Molido 1Tbsp
Ground allspice 1Tbsp
Thyme 1/2 Tbsp
Salt 1/2 Tbsp
Pork Tenderloins 2ea (large)

For the Garnish

Wilted greens 1cup
Habanero peppers split 2ea
Black bean sauce 1Tbsp
Red chilli ground 1tsp

Directions

For the barbecue sauce: Heat the peanut oil in a saucepan and saute the diced mangoes with the carrot and the habanero chili, just long enough to bring ou the natural sugars. Pour in the vinegar and the ketchup: and in the sugar and add the salt and simmer until the mangoes, carrots and chilli are softened. Puree in a blender, and reserve.

For the Chutney: Heat the peanut oil in a saucepan and sweat the shallot with the ginger until softened; toss the diced mango in with the shallot and then add in the sugar, the chili and the vinegar. Simmer just long enough for the sugar to dissolve and reduce with the vinegar into a light syrup. Add the chives, season to taste and reserve.

For the posole gratin: In a heavy saucepan, heat the posole with the cream and the green chilies, allowing the posole to absorb the cream as it reduces; bind with the parmesan cheese and the bread crumb and season to taste.

For the pork: Combine the chili molido with the allspice, thyme and the salt. Coat the pork tenderloins with the seasoning mixture and sear them, on all sides, in a hot, lightly oiled skillet; finish cooking to the desired temperature in a hot oven.

To serve: Make a bed of the wilted greens in the centre of each plate and top the greens with the posole; slice the tenderloins and arrange the slices on top. Dribble the barbacue sauce over the sliced pork loin and around the plate with the chutney mounded on top of the sliced pork and in tlittle mounds around the sauce. Top the dish with the split peppers overflowing with more chutney and garnish the plate with drops of the black bean sauce and a sprinkling of ground red chilli.

Citrus glazed lobster with Ravioli

This morning was great with a this new idea that came to my mind of having a few recipe's costed to include in the menu that i was working on. This was one of the recipes, that i had high food cost on, this is recommended for household surprises for your families. I found this recipe to be great. I just loved it.

This recipe is for 4 people
INGREDIENTS

For the lobster and glaze:

Lobster 4ea 1.5#
Lemon 1ea
Turmeric 1Tbsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Ground white pepper 1/8tsp
Butter softened 2Tbsp

For the Ravioli:

Fennel 1bulb
Mascarpone cheese 2tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Ravioli Pasta 16ea
Egg Wash 2ea
Olive oil for brushing
Reserved Lobster claw meat

For the sauce:

Fennel Stock 3Cups
Olive Oil 1tsp
Garlic minced 2ea
Tomato Juice 6oz
Tarragon Chopped
Butter 1Tbsp
Salt and pepper

For the Fennel stock:

Fennel Scraps, coarsely chopped 2 Cups
Fennel seeds toasted 1Tbsp
Burgundy wine 1/4 cup
Chicken stock 1.25Cups
Olive oil 1Tbsp

For the Greens:

Lemon juice 1ea
Olive oil 2Tbsp
Shallot minced 1ea
Chives chopped 1tsp
Assorted Vegetables 1/2 cup

For the Fennel oil:

Fennel Stock 2Cups
Extra Virgin Olive oil 1Cup
Fennel stalk 1Cup

For the Garnish :

Fennel oil
Thinly sliced fennel
Toasted fennel seeds
Paprika powder

Directions:

For the Lobster and glaze: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the lobsters for five minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool. Combine the butter, lemon juice, turmeric, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Remove the claws of the lobster and remove the meat. Dice them for the ravioli. Split into half after removing the tail. Brush with lemon butter and set aside until ready to serve.

For the Ravioli: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the fennel until soft. Remove the fennel from the water and separate the leaves. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill (barbecue grill) and cook until charred. Remove fennel from the grill and place in a food processor with the mascarpone and puree until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh, fold in the claw meat and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cool. Lay pasta squares onto a flat surface. Place 1/2tsp of the filling on eight of the squares and brush the edges with the egg wash. Cover with the other eight squares and seal the edges well.
Refrigerate until ready for service.

For the sauce: Place the fennel stock in a sauce pan over medium heat and reduce by 3/4th. Heat the olive oil in a separate saucepan, add the garlic and saute until soft. Add the reduced fennel stock and tomato juice and reduce by 2/3. Add the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Remove saucepan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Set aside and keep warm.

For the fennel stock: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the fennel scraps and lightly saute for ten minutes. Add the fennel seeds and deglaze with the burgundy wine. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for one hour. Remove saucepan from the heat, strain and cool the stock.

For the greens: Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Add the shallot and chives and season with salt and pepper. Coat the greens with the vinaigrette and set aside.

For the fennel oil: Place the fennel stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce to 1/4 cup, remove pan form the heat and cool. Whisk the olive oil into the fennel reduction, transfer to a blender, add the fennel stalk and puree. Strain and set aside.

To assemble: Steam or gently boil the ravioli until cooked. Heat a saute pan, place the lobster tails, buttered side down, in the hot pan and cook until well browned. Remove the lobster from the pan.

To Serve: Place the charred fennel at one end of the plate and place the greens beside it. Cover with the split lobster tail. Place two ravioli at the other end of the plate and spoon the sauce over them. Drizzle the fennel oil onto the plate and garnish with the raw sliced fennel, fennel seeds, paprika powder.

Tamarind Shrimp with pan Roasted Coriander Seeds

I guess it's the same everywhere. If you are a asian, you find it very interesting about the spices and the ingredients that go into the making of a dish. My brother and sister-in-law had taken me to a Malaysian restaurant (Penang). I had two some memorable dishes the roti canai which is a combination of Indian and local malaysian cuisine. The seafood tom tom yum mee hoon, may sound had to spell but it was a delightful experience. Inspired by this experience i would like to share with you a asian dish which tastes great.

This serves 4 people

For the tamarind marinade:

Tamarind paste 5 Tbsp
Honey 1 Tbsp
Water 1/2 cup
Lemon juice 1/2 cup
salt to taste
cumin seeds roasted and ground 1/2Tbsp
Coriender seeds roasted and ground 1/2 Tbsp
Fennel seeds roasted and ground 1/2 Tbsp

For the Shrimp

Shrimp peeled and deveined 4ea
Coriender seeds 1 Tbsp
peanut oil 1/4 cup


For the Vegetables

Golden beets (cooked, peeled and minced) 4ea
Roma tomato, finely diced 1ea
Papaya peeled and Julienned 1/4
Carrot peeled and Julienned 1/4
Fennel 1Tbsp
Fresh Cilantro 6ea
Couscous 3Tbsp
Thai Chili julienned 1/2
Chives Chopped 1/2
Corn oil 2Tbsp
Rice Vinegar 2Tbsp
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sugar to taste

For the Curry Vinaigrette

Corn oil 2Tbsp
Shallots peeled and minced 1 inch
Ginger peeled and minced 1 inch
Lemon grass 1/2 inch
Curry powder 1 tsp
Rice wine vinegar 1Tbsp
Egg Yolk 1 ea
salt to taste

Garnish with Lemon grass and Cilantro

For the Tamarind Marinade- Combine the water, lemon juice, salt, honey and tamarind paste in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue cooking over medium heat, until the mixture has reduced to a syrupy texture. Add the spices and cook for about 4 minutes and refrigerate.

For the Shrimp - Add the coriander seeds and shrimp to the tamarind marnade, cover and marinate for 4 hours in the refrigertor.

For the vegetables - Combine all the ingredients except the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and gently toss to combine.

For the Curry Vinaigrette - Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a saute pan, add the shallot, ginger, lemon grass. and curry powder, and sweat until softened. Deglaze with vinegar, remove pan from the heat, and set aside to cool. Add the egg yolk and emulsify with a hand mixer. Gradually add the remaining oil with the mixer still running to emulsify the vinegrette. Season with salt.

For Presentation - Add oil and vinegar to the vegetables, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, and set aside. Heat the peanut oil ina saute pan, remove the shrimp from the marinade, add them to the hot oil. Pan-fry the shrimp, basting them lightly with the tamarind marinade as they cook. Remove shrimp from the pan and drain on paper towels. Spoon the curry vinaigrette onto the side of the plate and place one shrimp in it. Spoon the vegetables onto the other side of the plate and drizzle a ring of the tamarind marinade around them. Garnish with lemon grass and coriander leaves.