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| Hanging out with the students in the "winter garden" before class! |
This afternoon’s class at Le Cordon Bleu was #17 (of 30) in
the curriculum’s “superior cuisine” series – the fulltime students have just 13
(of 90) lectures & “practicals” to go before they graduate. So they’ve seen
all of the major techniques and learned about most of the history, regions,
ingredients, pairings, timings, what-to-look-fors, standard temperatures, ratios,
alternatives, etc., and the instructing chefs expect them to know it, quizzing
them rather than explaining things to them. Today the approximately 40 students
were a little less attentive than usual (quietly chattering throughout most of
the class) and Chef Christian Moine talked a bit less than instructors normally
do, expecting the students to watch and learn rather than listen and learn. He
also seemed to be having a bad day in general (some ingredients were missing or
different than he expected, some equipment was not at his fingertips, his
student assistant was not understanding everything he expected, etc.), and he
comes from a 40-year career in major kitchens (which I’m sure makes him more
taciturn than patient). So there were a few temper flareups! But his food was
glorious, which was a good lesson – no matter how bad a day you’re having, the
food can’t suffer!
1. Soft boiled eggs, shelled then dipped in egg wash and rolled
in breadcrumbs and finely chopped parsley, tarragon and leeks, then briefly
deepfried – green eggs (no ham)! They were served with sautéed wild mushrooms
and a wonderful sauce of chicken stock, chervil, cream and soy milk. Tasty!
2. Roasted guinea fowl breast with a deelicious sauce made from the bones & trimmings plus carrots, onions, shallots, lemongrass, chicken stock, and white wine. A separate “stuffing” (actually formed into a log and cooked, then sliced) made from the bird’s leg meat plus chorizo, mascarpone, basil and bread crumbs was spectacular. And a green tomato & spinach flan completed the plate.
3. Crisp “cookies” were made by rolling out a sheet of puff pastry (feuilletée) very thinly, dusting it with powdered sugar, then rolling it up tightly into a log, slicing it thinly, dusting the medallions with more powdered sugar, rolling them into very thin oval shapes, and then baking them between two baking sheets. They were served with a variety of fresh citrus fruit segments, a sauce made from reduced juices, redcurrant jelly, sugar and Muscat, and some Chantilly cream. Wow!
The courses:
2. Roasted guinea fowl breast with a deelicious sauce made from the bones & trimmings plus carrots, onions, shallots, lemongrass, chicken stock, and white wine. A separate “stuffing” (actually formed into a log and cooked, then sliced) made from the bird’s leg meat plus chorizo, mascarpone, basil and bread crumbs was spectacular. And a green tomato & spinach flan completed the plate.
3. Crisp “cookies” were made by rolling out a sheet of puff pastry (feuilletée) very thinly, dusting it with powdered sugar, then rolling it up tightly into a log, slicing it thinly, dusting the medallions with more powdered sugar, rolling them into very thin oval shapes, and then baking them between two baking sheets. They were served with a variety of fresh citrus fruit segments, a sauce made from reduced juices, redcurrant jelly, sugar and Muscat, and some Chantilly cream. Wow!
So, amateur chefs everywhere, remember the lesson: no matter
how bad a day you’re having, the food can’t suffer!
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