lunch at cafe culinaire

Lunch picture at Cafe Culinaire

Good job guys, you guys work so hard and I know how it feels. It's great being in alumni and coming back to see great food and how far you guys have gone. Good luck with capstones, here are some shots I took during lunch! Don't take anything for granted! You guys have such a great opportunity and the supplies that the chefs provide! Don't waste it! Again every has there own opinions these were just mine. I hope I wasn't to brutal ;) 

Lentil and Goat Cheese Gratin 

(I remember making this and there was not "meat" product hence vegetarian but there was bacon or possibly ham-hock in it, who knows maybe recipe changed) 

easy with the balsamic reduction, take time and plate, check your chive garnishes. A clean less complex plate is always better than a crowded scribbled mess. 

Kahlua Pork Pizza 

Good crust, nice chew. Crust needed salt but overall pizza was a success. 

Thats a really nice oven to be trained on don't be afraid of it! There great. 

Spot Prawns

Seasoned Correctly, beans were cooked nice and crunchy onions were soaked to relieve the raw bitterness. Prawns were cooked nicely, thats one thing about spot prawns especially when you tempura them if you over cook them they turn to mush because so they are so delicate. 

Cedar Planked Salmon 

Smoked Sturgeon Crust 

Morel sauce, Sea Beans

My friend ordered this, honestly the texture of the fish was stringy. It was amazing how hard it was to cut through it, we were both surprised. The salt level on the "fish" itself was a little much. Salmon was cooked to a nice Medium-rare but again very odd texture. The dish itself was well thought out the sauce was nice and not to salty the sea beans added the natural salt to the dish. But once eaten with everything it became a little salty, but thats sea beans they are naturally super salty! 

I ordered the duck special. Ordered it medium-rare and it was cooked medium and end pieces were pushing medium well. Was still tender though. Seasoned nicely. The skin needed to be rendered and crisped up, just had the texture of uncooked fat (not to pleasant). At first our server told us this dish was stuffed with the rice  and nut mixture but in the end it was not. The rice was dry and the carrots were over cooked. Was very confusing having marcrona almonds, pistachios and walnuts all on one plate. I'd prefer less sauce, not a big fan of things swimming in jus, but again thats just me. 

I was told this was a Capstone dish, so I wanted to be as thorough as possible. If I was in your shoes 3 years ago and had the opportunity for someone to rip my dish a new one I'm all for it, because then you can learn and critique and improve! 

Dessert first my friend ordered the lemon tart and they ran out so he went with, 

Buttermilk Pana Cotta 

Texture was a little thick for our liking but was smooth. Excellent job on the tempered chocolate leafs, I suggest not hiding them with the tuile, plate it so you utilize and show off your intricate detail work! The pana cotta I think would have more successful with a little more tart or acidity to it, I understand the kumquats were there but eating candied kumquats and the sweet figs a little more assertive tart pana cotta would have hit it out of the ball park, maybe add cream fraiche. 

overall great dish. 

This is how you plated it. 

This is how we plated it. 

SHOW OFF YOUR CHOCOLATE SKILLS!!! 

Deconstructed Cinnamon Toast Crunch 

Its very hard to deconstruct something and make it good. You either have to be spot on, on every aspect or it will fail. I personally did not enjoy this dish, concept was fun I understood it but each component on their own had flaws. 

The ice cream, was very thin and watery. By the time our server took our plates it was a pool of cinnamon ice cream. The toffee was good, little sticky still maybe add some nuts into it to add a more luxurious crunch. Basically i've learned my lesson when deconstructing dishes, especially desserts. 

Just a thought you could plate this in a large bowl, center of the plate. 

go back and fix your ice cream recipe and scoop mini balls and arrange layering with toffee appropriately and then create your "rum" sauce into a rum carmel anglaise and you can have the server pour table side to really recreate, the sense of pouring milk into a  "bowl of cinnamon toast crunch" 

just a thought...

Overall guys in the end I'm here to help you succeed. I was in your shoes and to hear a full on description about your courses was unheard of use this write up and critique yourself and don't knock yourself down. Keep working on the dish and then in 2 weeks look back at these pictures and then look at the dish you created then you will see a tremendous amount of technique and skill. I wish you all the best of luck with Capstone, if you have an extra seat I'm always hungry.

Andy Nguyen 

Mushroom Arancini

Mushroom Arancini 

basically it was to use day old risotto and recreate a simple dish that was served with some type of ragu or red sauce, arancini comes from the italian word for arancia

obviously the italians back in the 10 century did not have such an amazing mushroom farm at there fingertips, at the restaurant we incorporate Cascadia Mushrooms into our arancini's and we serve them along side hazelnut romesco. 

Mis En Place 

2 cups risotto, cooked cooled 

1/4 cup marsala wine 

1/2 cup parmesan

1/2 cup gruyere 

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1/2 cup deeply caramelized onions 

2 cups Cascadia Mushrooms, finely sliced

2 tbsp. fine herbs (chives, parsley, chervil) 

2 tbsp. Drizzle White Truffle Oil 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

3 eggs 

1 cup flour 

1/2 cup milk

2 cups panko bread crumbs 

1 tbsp. chopped parsley 

1. Sweat garlic and 2 cups of mushrooms until tender and cooked down. Deglaze with marsala. 

2. Add the mixture of mushrooms and garlic in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and softly incorporate do not over mix the mixture. 

3. with a 2 oz cookie scoop, scoop out portions and shape into balls lining them on a plate or pan with parchment. Place in the refrigerator or even better freezer for about 20 minutes until they firm up nicely to handle. 

4. Once firm, set up a breading station one bowl with flour, one bowl with egg wash and one bowl with bread crumbs. Bread and coat each until nicely coated. 

5. To eat: obviously if something is deep fried its going to be sinfully fantastic! However you can pan fry these little balls of joy as well just make sure to keep your eye on your oil temp and flip them. 

6. serve with a homemade ragu or grandmas famous tomato sauce and your done! A sure treat for dinner next week! 

JUNE 5th FARMERS MARKET DINNER RETURNS

as the title states, on June 5th we be the return of Farmers Market Dinners at Chuckanut Manor. 

The whole story behind it is simple, go to the market grab the freshest ingredients you can get your hands on and bring it back and prepare a 3 course meal. 

It really is great to have such great local farmers here in Whatcom/Skagit county. I am very fortunate to have such great chèvre down the road @Gothberg Farms. Beautiful, organic garden @Morgan Farms, the best tasting mushrooms you'll ever have @Cascadia Mushrooms, lovely produce @Rabbit Field Farms, wonder bread @BreadFarm the list goes on and on and on. Stay tuned for more updates! 

You can also follow my facebook page facebook.com/aplace4food 

Have your dessert, and Mimosa TOO!

May's Special Dessert at the Manor. 

Lemon Cake

Acme Strawberry Ice Cream

Salted Meringue

Rhubarb - Moscato Di'Asti "Consomme"

Ingredients

4 whole large eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

¾ cup fresh lemon zest

½ cup fresh lemon juice

½ cup Drizzle Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

¾ cup buttermilk

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

1.     Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Slowly add 4 eggs, one at a time making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next. Fold in flour, baking powder and soda. Add lemon zest, juice, vinegar and buttermilk. Add salt and mix until combined.

2.     Place in preferred baking dish and bake until golden brown. (The time to bake will depend on which type of pan you decide to use)

3.     I use a half sheet pan at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Salted Meringue

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup water

Kosher salt

2 egg whites, room temp

¼ cream of tarter

1.     in a sauce pot add sugar, corn syrup and water and bring mixture up to soft cracked stage (242degrees)

2.     Once mixture is at 235 degrees you can add 2 egg whites room temperature and cream of tarter and a pinch of salt to a stand mixer and slowly mix.

3.     Once you have achieved 242 degrees turn the mixter on medium speed and slowly incorporate the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites (be very careful it is very hot at this point)

4.     Once incorporated turn mixter on high and let run for about 6-7 minutes until nice glossy meringue has formed. Cool for 5 minutes before using.

SPRING. Consommé. YUM. DO IT.

Consommé

a consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavored stock or bouillon that has been clarified, a process which uses egg whites to remove fat and sediment

Okay so rarely these days you see Consommé's on menus, unless your at a high end french restaurant. Consommé's are very simple if you really look at it: clarified stock, garnish pretty simple right? Not so much. To clarify a stock takes a tremendous technique and skill. This would be the time to shine with your knife skills to really wow your guests. 

Most important rule once your "raft" is created do not let your consomme boil! 

Fennel Consommé

garnished with pearls of carrots, zucchini, sunchokes, asparagus 

Mis En Place 

1 cup carrots, brunoise 

1 cup celery, brunoise 

1 cup yellow onion, brunoise 

2 cups fennel bulb, brunoise 

1 shallot, sliced thin 

2 cups, chopped mushrooms

1 cup, tomatoes chopped 

1 tbsp. chopped garlic 

4 quarts of Vegetable Stock 

1/4 cup Madeira 

S&P to Taste 

4-5 Egg Whites 

Mix your vegetables in a bowl with egg whites and stir. Bring stock up to a simmering boil, turn down to a simmer. Place vegetable/egg mixture into simmering broth and stir until a "raft" forms. The tomatoes act as in acid and will help pull impurities up along with the egg white "raft" 

Once your "raft" is formed gently stir and turn down to a simmer for the next 45minutes. 

create a small well or whole to discard of impurities. Keep a key eye on the broth and do not let it boil. 

Garnish World

zucchini, sunchokes and carrots 

Plate Up: 

fresh garden chives, nice chilled champagne glass

You can serve the consommé hot or cold I prefer cold on a hot sunny day it is very very refreshing. 

Grandma's Carrot Cake

Grandma's Carrot Cake

super super moist carrot cake, macerated pineapple, carrot ginger puree, carrot powder, cream cheese ice cream, walnut brittle, candied carrots. 

Okay so the whole story behind this carrot cake was my next door neighbor growing up, (Gloria) told me her secret to the best carrot cake ever. She told me and I remember to this day kind of weird but to use the "cheapest" can of crushed pineapple you could fined. 

Anyways I've perfected what I think is my perfect carrot cake recipe, so I guess i'll let you all steal this recipe and pass it on to your family & friends :) but remember "cheap" pineapple. It can't be fresh either 

Carrot Cake Recipe 

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted 

2 cups white granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar 

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon 

1 tbsp. chopped ginger, fresh 

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. all spice (not all the spices in the pantry, funny story) 

2-1/2 cups shredded carrots 

3 large eggs, whole 

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup shredded coconut 

1/2 cup crushed pineapple 

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup grapeseed oil

1 tsp. kosher salt 

*raisins optional I leave them out* 

POP UP DINNER PALEO STYLE

Pop Up Dinner at Drizzle Olive Oil Room 

Paleo CrossFit Group 

Paleo Menu 

Cantaloupe 

Dungeness Crab, Mache, Arugula, Fennel, Radish 

Peach Balsamic & Cayenne Infused Olive Oil 

Paleo Theme so used "rocks" as plates :) 

Scallop Ceviche 

avocado, bell pepper, cilantro, onion, "cucumber fog" 

Cilantro Roasted Onion & Persian Lime Olive Oils 

Plating Ceviche 

"Cucumber Fog"

132.5 Degree's

Sous Vide Lamb Chops, "orange hash", pea puree

Tuscan Herb & Harissa Olive Oils 

Plated Lamb Course (perfect medium doneness throughout) using Sous Vide 

Twenty Dollar Popsicles

Mango Puree, Pineapple Puree, Saffron 

Mango & Pineapple Balsamic 

Drizzles Expansion 

Pasta from Papperdelle's 

Behind the Scenes 

My big huge amazing "kitchen" oh yeah! 

1 burner, 1 cutting board and a 3 compartment sink oh yeah. 

garnishing 

awaiting last minute oil garnishes 

Thank you all for coming to the event and I hope I created a meal that was up to your dietary standards. It was a true challenge and I hope the creativity paid off. It was a pleasure and my honor to cook for you all! See you all soon! 

St. Patricks Day Beer Dinner

Pictures from last night's brewers dinner featuring 

all courses were riffs and plays on traditional irish fare and then some 

"Rarebit" Souffle 

dublin irish cheddar, dry english mustard, rye bread 

So traditionally rarebit is more or less a cheesy, beer(dark), mustard sauce served over toasted bread. In this case took all those ingredients and incorporated them into a soufflé hence "rarebit" soufflé. And as a serving utensil a rye crostini. 

angled shot. 

"Fish Stick" and Chips

lingcod brandade, 27 day sauerkraut, 

preserved meyer lemon curried tarter, pickled onion, chips 

Okay when fish and chips came to mind I knew I couldn't just batter fish and cut chips. So we made a lingcod brandade mousse and shaped and breaded to resemble a fish stick. A riff on those frozen fish sticks your mom used to throw in the oven for you for 15 minutes ahhh! 

And if that wasn't enough I made the sauerkraut which took 27 long hard days, okay 27 days yes long hard not so much just had to check it every few days! 

Irish Egg "Reuben" 

house corned beef sausage, perfect egg, russian dressing, braised cabbage 

This course was very fun. Basically we took the traditional "scotch" egg and turned it into an "irish" egg. However we took all the components and made it into a "reuben" it was pretty awesome. 

Banh Mi-ck 

house corned beef, pork belly, pickled vegetables, apricot jalapeño mustard

kumquat "peppers", cilantro on a "rye-guette" 

 yeah pretty crazy S.E Asian meets Ireland all I can say about that, BAM!!!

"Shepard's Stew" 

So had fun with this basically taking and combining the potato in Shepard's pie into butternut squash potato gnocchi. And then the stew was a lamb jus that took a very long time to perfect poured table side. Served with root vegetables and squash. 

Plating "Shepard's Stew" 

Poured Table-side (sorry for the ugly picture) 

Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread 

So I turned the stale, irish soda bread into dessert. 

 Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread 

pistachio semifredo, caramel granola, chocolate shavings, pistachio powder 

Owner and Brewmaster Tom and David talking to guests 

 

this piece of paper was printed and reprinted many times. 

 

Trail of gold. 

Pics from Sushi Class at Gretchens

Here are pictures from last weeks Sushi Simplified class 

at Gretchens Kitchen in Mount Vernon

I will also be teaching to upcoming classes in April on the 15th and 30th 

Stay tuned!