Week 5
Only a couple weeks in but we already need to start thinking about and planning our budget lunch.
OCTOBER 17TH DAY 19 AM: COOKING
TODAY WAS TO FINISH OFF THE BEEF AND GUINESS PIE, WHICH MEANT MAKING THE PASTRY AND SHAPING IT ON TOP OF THE FILLING. I THOUGHT THE PIE WAS TASTY HOWEVER I WOULD HAVE ADDED CARROTS OR MUSHROOMS INTO THE PIE TO GIVE IT MORE DEPTH, AS IT WAS ONLY BEEF INSTEAD. YES THERE WERE CARROTS ON THE SIDE BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICER TO ADD IT INTO THE PIE. WITH THE LEFTOVER PASTRY TRIMMINGS WE MADE SOME COOKIES WHICH WERE QUITE DELICIOUS. AND I REALLY ENJOYED THE PEARS IN RED WINE, ACTUALLY QUITE AN EASY AND SIMPLE DISH TO MAKE BUT VERY TASTY AND GREAT TO HAVE DURING THE FALL, WINTER AS THE SAUCE HAS RED WINE AND CINNAMON. puff pastry
Beef and Guinness pie
Carottes Vichy
Compote of pears in red wine (Compote de poires au vin rouge)
Palmiers
Sacristains
Beef and Guinness pie
Palmiers
Pear in red wine
Day 19 PM: Demonstration (Budget lunch)
A LOOK INTO WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE DONE FOR OUR BUDGET LUNCH, WHICH IS TO CREATE AND COOK A 3-COURSE MEAL FOR 4 PEOPLE FOR JUST 8.50. THIS IS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGING TASK BUT THE FACT THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO INCLUDE VARIOUS SKILLS AND COOKING METHODS WILL BE INTERESTING. THE WHOLE TIME I WAS THINKING WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO AS WE NEED TO DO SOME BAKING, PASTRY, MEAT/FISH PREP, AND GELATIN, USE BOTH OVEN AND THE HOB. HOW AM I GOING TO DO ALL THAT FOR 8.50 AND UNDER 3 HOURS. VERY SCARED.
Bengali gram lentil soup
Masala Puris
Creamy chicken curry
Butternut squash and chickpea curry
Stir fried spiced cabbage
Pilau rice
Lime creams with spiced shortbread biscuits
October 18th Day 20 AM: Cooking
FRUIT TART! I WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE IT AGAIN, IT WAS DELICIOUS, I REALLY DO LOVE FRUIT TARTS. PLUS IT ISN'T TOO COMPLICATED OF A DESSERT TO MAKE BUT LOOKS VERY NICE. THE CHICKEN WAS ALSO QUTIE TASTY, A BIT TIME CONSUMING AS YOU NEED TO BROWN MEAT ON THE HOB THEN FINISH IT OFF IN THE OVEN BUT IT WAS DELICIOUS, I MEAN THE CHICKEN PIECES ARE WRAPPED IN BACON. BUT DIDN'T REALLY GET THE POINT OF HAVING CROUTES, POTATOES OR RICE WOULD HAVE BEEN A NICE ACCOMPANIMENT TO THE CHICKEN.
Poulet saute a la Provencale
Rosemary potatoes
Tarte aux fruits
Day 20 PM: Demonstration
Haddock souffle
Twice baked smoked haddock souffle with mustard cream
Seared scallops with crispy bacon and baby spinach
Baked monkfish with Parma ham and herbs on mushy peas
Butternut squash and sage risotto
Apfel strudel
Baked monkfish
October 19th Day 21 AM: Cooking
THE PORK DISH WAS QUITE A LOT OF WORK, THE TASTE WASN'T BAD BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY DRY. DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD TO LET IT SIT IN THE WARMING OVEN WHILE WE WERE GETTING OTHER FOOD PREPARED OR IF IT'S JUST DRY. BUT THE TOMATO SAUCE THAT ACCOMPANIED IT WAS DELICIOUS, DEFINITELY WOULD MAKE THIS AGAIN FOR ANY DISH THAT NEEDED A TOMATO SAUCE.
Filet de porc roule dans d'epinards
Pommes de terre rotie au Parmesan
Lime creams with passion fruit sauce
Spiced shortbread biscuits
Day 21 PM: Cooking
ROLLING OUT THE STRUDEL DOUGH WAS TOUGH, AS YOU NEED TO ROLL IT OUT QUITE THINLY WITHOUT MAKING TOO MANY HOLES IN IT. ALSO SHOULD HAVE CUT OR LAYERED THE APPLES NICELY AS IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO ROLL IT UP. Thought it was tasty but nothing greatly special, but maybe i need to try the real thing in germany and then can make a final judgement.
Apfel strudel
Home cured bacon and ham
Chorizo style sausage.
October 20th Day 22 AM: Cooking
PROFITEROLES ARE SO SO DELICIOUS, EVEN BETTER IF THERE WAS ICE CREAM IN THE MIDDLE. I WILL TRY THAT VERSION AT HOME. but they were definitely liked by many and they were gone quite quickly. never really made risotto at home but do order it and enjoy it when im out. it is a bit time consuming as you constantly need to stir it so that all the liquid is absorbed into the rice. UNFORTUNATELY mine was slightly underdone, will need to practice making risotto again so i can get it the right texture. but i enjoyed the taste as you get a bit of the sweetness from the butternut squash but a bit of spice from it as we covered it with chilli flakes and cinnamon on it when it was baking in the oven. and finally a simple salad, something green that isn't covered in cheese or cream.
Butternut squash and sage risotto
Mixed lettuce salad
Pate a choux (choux pastry)
Profiteroles au chocolat
day 22 PM: Cake 1
Another cake class, now you can slowly see some elements of everyone's cake. others more obvious and many still figuring out what to do and how to do it.
October 21st Day 23 AM: Cooking
Seared scallops with crispy bacon and baby spinach
Avocado and soured cream relish
Beef fajitas
Cheese and onion enchiladas
Chilli and tomato relish
Guacamole
Re-fried beans
Rice with red peppers
Salsa Mexicano
Spicy vegetable tacos
Hot Mexican chocolate
Mexican chocolate chip cookies
MEXICAN FEAST, YES WE DID COOK ALL THAT FOOD BUT WE SPLIT UP THE WORK AMONG OUR PAIRS, SO some FOOD WAS DUPLICATED AND SOME WE JUST MADE ONE PORTION. Still DONT REALLY KNOW WHY WE ALSO HAD TO COOK SCALLOPS WITH THIS MEAL AS IT DOESN'T REALLY GO WITH THE MEXICAN THEME BUT THEY WERE QUITE GOOD. i guess as someone who grew up in la, you tend to know what authentic mexican food is and how good it can be and unfortunately was a bit DISAPPOINTED. it was just missing spice and certain elements or maybe just some mexican love.