My “first” job

May 11, 2012 Blog postings 4 comments

After 7+ years of being self-employed/unemployed, I finally have a job. And it’s with my dream company, the place I consider as my culinary beginning: FareStart.

Years ago, I ate there with Denise and I was totally enamored of the chef portraits on the wall. I thought that was the coolest thing (I still do!) to have you picture in your chef’s coat hanging on the wall for everyone to see. It’s a great tribute to the work these chefs have done for their own businesses and for FareStart. I wanted that for myself. Chef Gabe was the Guest Chef that night, so I got in touch with him, and the rest is history.

Then I was back as the Guest Chef myself, a couple years later, and I got my own picture on the wall. It felt great, just like I imagined. FareStart is a fantastic place, focused on food, teaching, and self-improvement – Everything that I value. I got to cook as the Guest Chef four times, and participate in their summer fundraiser Guest Chef on the Waterfront four times as well.

So as Starry Nights comes to an end, I have to figure out what my next step was going to be, and FareStart was at the top of my list. I reached out to my contacts there, just to test the waters, and they seemed very excited about the possibility. I found myself having to put together a chef’s resume for the first time, and going in for my first interview ever as a chef. I was nervous! But they asked me back for a practical interview a couple days later, so I must have been close to what they were looking for!

The interview was JUST like the apprentice lunches that Nadia and I used to do for Chef Gabe, way back when. I had to serve a starter, main, and dessert, two portions each.

For the starter, I did my version of Salade Lyonnaise, but with a fried egg on top instead of a poached egg. Better texture, and Chef Tamas seemed to agree with my choice. Nit-pick on the salad was that I completely forgot to include my carefully pickled red onions!

The main was a duxelle-stuffed chicken breast with wilted kale and a veloute sauce. The chicken was just a tiny bit over-cooked (it needed to come out a little earlier and rest a little longer), and the veloute was actually a vegetable sauce, no chicken stock available. But Chef Tamas seemed to like the sauce (no flour grit, yay for long simmer times on that!).

Dessert was delicious, but the plating left a lot to be desired. I served chocolate, vanilla, and raspberry mousses, with a caramel sauce. I tried quenelling the mousses, but just couldn’t get it right. Another chef there casually demoed a one-spoon quenelle technique that I’m going to have to pick up for next time. He made it look beautiful; presentation worthy of my mousse!

After the interview, the HR manager said things went well and that the Chef had already put my name on the schedule. And so now I’m going to be an employee at FareStart! The position is part-time as-needed, which means 15-40 hours per week. This is perfect for me now, especially as I sort through the remaining contracts with Starry Nights clients, as well as other cooking opportunities.

I’ll be working as a catering chef, helping with weekly production and catered events, just like I did here at Starry Nights. There will be a strong component of instruction, since I’ll be working with students, but the goal will be production and tangible results, so it’s a perfect combination. I may even get to do some pastry work at some point.

I’m really looking forward to this new stage of my career. I feel very lucky to have been able to meet FareStart’s expectations, and I’m excited to be part of the team!

Smoked salmon cakes

May 1, 2012 Recipes No comments

Warning about recipes. Read this first!

SMOKED SALMON CAKES
Yield: About 25 ea

INGREDIENTS
6 oz Smoked salmon (not cured salmon)
3 oz Bread crumbs
1 ea Egg
2 tbl Heavy cream
2 tbl Mayonnaise
1 ea Red bell pepper, brunoise
1 tbl Chives, minced
2.5 oz Red onion, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbl Lemon juice
.25 tsp Black pepper
COATING
2 C Panko bread crumbs
2 ea Eggs, beaten

METHOD
1. Carefully flake the smoked salmon apart and remove any pinbones. Set aside.

2. Combine all the rest of the ingredients (except those for the coating) and mix thoroughly. Add the flaked salmon and mix until the salmon has really broken apart and the whole mixture nearly resembles a chunky paste.

3. Pull out about a tablespoon of the mixture and fry it in a pan as a tester. Adjust seasoning as necessary.

4. Once the seasoning is good, scoop mixture into balls, about the size of a golf ball. Arrange on a sheet pan.

5. COATING: Place the panko in one container/bowl and the beaten eggs in another container/bowl. Drop a salmon cake into the eggs, coat evenly, transfer to the panko, coat evenly, and then shape into a thick disc by flattening the top and bottom. Place on another sheet pan. Do this for all the salmon cakes.

6. The cakes can be held like this for about 12 hours in the refrigerator before the panko gets too soggy. When ready, bake at 375F for about 20 minutes until the panko is nicely golden. Serve immediately.

NOTES
Smoked salmon – There are two types of smoked salmon, hot smoked and cold smoked. Cold smoked salmon often isn’t even smoked, it’s cured which means it’s still technically raw. Cured salmon is also known as lox and is usually made with Atlantic salmon, which isn’t even real salmon. Hot smoked salmon is cooked and smoked, which sets the proteins firmly and allows the fish to flake, which is what we need for this recipe.

NO SALT! – Notice the lack of salt listed in this recipe. That’s because true smoked salmon is already pretty salty. Make a batch of this recipe and fry a tester before you decide if it needs salt. It will vary based on the salmon you’ve selected, but chances are you won’t need it.

Panko bread crumbs – Available in any Asian grocery store. It’s barely even real bread, but flakes of bread-like dough sprayed out of a machine and dried/baked. Because of the large flake size, they afford a nice crunchy texture as a coating.

COMMENTARY
This recipe was a fairly popular item on menus at Starry Nights. We didn’t always do them as often as the chicken satay with peanut sauce, but nearly so. There’s no real secret to this recipe, just make them as written.

When we’d serve these, we’d top with a little red bell pepper aioli. I’ll post that recipe another time. Until then, you could serve these with a standard tartar sauce for dipping.

You can substitute crab for the salmon in equal parts (which will now require the addition of a little salt, to taste). Crab meat is fairly bland in flavor compared to smoked salmon, so try this alternate once and I can almost guarantee you’ll go back to the salmon version!

Tasting notes from Willamette Valley, Oregon

April 14, 2012 Reviews No comments

Dobbes Family Estate
2010 Grenache Blanc, 2009 Gewurztraminer, 2009 Grand Assemblage Pinot Noir, 2008 Meyer Pinot Noir, 2009 Grand Assemblage Syrah, 20008 Syrah Fort Miller Vineyard.
The guy in the tasting room talked and talked and talked and talked, but it was kinda entertaining. The ’09 Gewurz was nutmeggy on the back. ’09 was the year of the high heat, but ’08 was the best year for pinot noir in the valley. The ’08 Meyer was very good. ’09 Assemblage used grapes from southern Oregon – more fruity, less earthy. ’08 syrah was very good.

Methven Family Vineyards
2009 Pinot Gris, 2009 Riesling, 2007 Citizen’s Cuvee Pinot Noir, 2007 Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir, 2008 Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir, 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Reserve.
Denise liked the ’09 Pinot Gris, and I thought it was pretty nice, too. The ’09 Riesling was a bit sharp, but nice. Would have been great with a cheese platter. ’07 Estate was very good! the ’08 Estate was young and reminded me of the last syrah we had at Dobbes. ’06 Willamette was on oak for 8 months and the Reserve of this vintage was on oak for 22 months. I liked the Reserve version better. I also bought a jar of honey here! Yum!

Yamhill Valley Vineyards
2008 Pinot Gris, 2008 Pinot Blanc, 2008 Pinot Noir Estate, 2008 Pinot Noir Reserve, 2009 Pinot Noir Tall Poppy, 2009 Riesling.
This winery had a DeLorean parked out front! the ’08 Pinot Gris was “sparky”; their word and I agree. I liked the 2008 Pinot Noir Estate better than the Reserve, and I bought a bottle for Seth.

Maysara
2011 Autees Pinot Blanc, 2011 Roseena Pinot Noir, 2008 Jamsheed Pinot Noir, 2008 Asha Pinot Noir.
When we were there, they were in the middle of building a new processing building and tasting room. It was HUGE and felt like something right out of the Lord of the Rings. The ’11 was VERY grapefruit and acidic. The ’11 rose was good to drink. The ;08 Jamsheed was good too. The ’08 Asha was like a syrah but with extra fruit.

I love dolphins

March 12, 2012 Blog postings No comments

Not to eat, of course.

I just got done swimming with bottlenose dolphins in The Bay of Islands (Paihia) in New Zealand. I got so close I could have easily touched them. But I didn’t. I was able to restrain myself. So while it’s not a food-related thing, I just wanted to note it. It was very exciting and I’m glad I got the opportunity!

New Zealand lamb chops

March 11, 2012 Recipes No comments

Warning about recipes. Read this first!

New Zealand lamb chops
Yield: Serves about 2

INGREDIENTS
1/2 # New Zealand lamb chops, frenched
Garam masala
Salt
Ground white pepper

METHOD
1. Go to New Zealand. Buy lamb chops. Cut into sections of two chops each. Season with garam masala, salt, and pepper.

2. In a shitty saute pan provided by a hostel that clearly knows NOTHING about cooking, drizzle a little oil, and heat over high heat.

3. Sear each side of lam chop, turning with fingers, since it’s a shitty hostel without proper cooking tools like tongs.

4. Reduce heat to medium and cover pan with a pressure-cooker lid, since there are no other proper lids for shitty saute pan. Let chops cook through until desired doneness has been reached. Medium rare might be about 5 minutes, but your shitty cooking tools might be different than mine were.

5. Remove lamb chops and let rest for about five minutes. Eat chops like a caveman by holding the bone, since there are no proper steak knives available.

COMMENTARY
OK, snarky comments aside about the lack of decent cooking circumstances, these simple lamb chops were the best I’ve ever had. The lamb here in New Zealand is amazing, and truth be told, I nailed the cooking technique on these little things. Results may vary, but I would highly recommend flying the 18 hours to NZ for the chops.

« Older Entries