Oysters, a cook's day off.

Imagine my delight to be at the market trying to decide what supper will be, when the fish monger offers 50% off a new shipment of P.E.I. Oysters because she knows I'll take such a bargain and clean them myself.
Well.
I was delighted.
I took home 33 of Canada's best Malpaques. I purchased a lemon for seasoning, but better still, at home I have a bottle of home-made Kressi Vinegar Mignonette for just this sort of an occasion.

That's how I spent my night off recently. I had the place to myself; conditions where perfect. For the record, it's never fun to eat oysters around people who don't like them (the annoying majority). Most have never tried one, rather, at some point, they were offered one, looked down at it, and without accepting the offer to try it, made a snap judgment. BAM! Just like that, they abstained from ever knowing the pleasures of an oyster... Well, it's a form of hate, and it's wrong.
This goes deeply against my philosophy of trying everything at least once before making snap judgments.
I have always liked the saying "The bravest man to have existed is the first person to have tried an oyster raw". It's a primal, tasty food, best kept simple.
It's a great self-indulgence, best enjoyed with a steely Chardonnay, Champagne or Still Water and something great on tv - (say like, The Matrix Trilogy), which you would not normally get away with while being around non-oyster eating people such as your wife.

Kressi Mignonette

Yield: 500ml

Ingredients:

500ml Kressi Vinegar (Or Apple Cider, Champagne, Red Wine Vinegars will all do great!)

2 Shallots - very small, perfect brunoise (As small as possible, don't rush)

1 Tbs. Toasted, pan crushed Whole Black Peppers

Method:

1) Add everything together in a dressing bottle.

2) Store in fridge for at least 24 hours before using. Will last easily 6 months.

3) Shake the mixture and pour a tsp. worth on the oyster. Don't get carried away, try not to annoy the neighbors with the volume of the tv.

-Jerek

If you are a cook and reading this, why aren't you at work right now?

5:35pm

The beginning of the evening service.

2:23pm

Prep. Cooks not paying attention to the one cook not prepping (me!). As you may tell from their postures, this is not a good time to be taking pictures for a blog.

4:00pm
Gnocchi being prepared.

Autumn Salad
(Featuring House-made Granola, Heirloom Beets, "Fifth Town" Chevre, and Apple)

De-Constructed Hot Chocolate

(From back to forefront) Steamed Milk, Dark Chocolate Ganache (on a stick!), Chantilly Cream, Couverture Shavings

I have taken a noticeable absence from this blog for the past ten days. Christmas season is here. All cooks know what that means. No excuses. Busy is busy is busy. We all know it, we're all prepared for it. I love this time of year. Usually, you can expect a full service, being called in early and working multiple stations on a daily basis from late November to mid December. To me, this is what Christmas is all about. Forget the tv specials and decorations. Christmas rush is where it's at. It's typically busy with a lot of pressure, but what makes it great is everyone (BOH) tends to be in high spirits and it's reflected in the food.

Having said this, during the Christmas rush, days off do not happen as much, and the time to take quick photos and detail a blog every few days temporarily falls down the priority scale. Everyone is in a positive mood, as long as everyone else keeps busy. Such is the rhythm of a tight kitchen crew.

So, today I have posted some random shots from the past ten days which shall have to do until the final Christmas rush of this decade comes to a close.

-Jerek

Duck Confit (and the impatient side of me using this unappealing photo)

Duck Confit (aka Flavour a la Canard)

To keep this short and sweet; I, as every cook I know, holds duck confit to the same level as Paula Deen holds onto butter, or Rachel Ray holds onto the stupid term "EVOO". You never turn down an offer to taste duck confit. It's great with everything. When in a slump for ideas creating a dish, add duck confit. Problem solved.

This is my take on the recipe. I enjoy it's natural salinity (after the curing of course). Hope it works for you!

Duck Confit

Ingredients:

Salt Rub (Enough to fully cover the duck legs); 1 lb Kosher Salt, 1 tsp. Juniper Berries, 1 tsp. Allspice, 1/2tsp. Chinese Five Spice, 2 Tbs. Fennel Seeds, Rind of 2 Oranges, 2 Stems of Rosemary, 1 Tbs. Black Peppercorns ->Toast the Seeds, Mix everything together, buzz in a food processor

Duck Legs (Skin on)

Duck Fat (Enough to comfortably cover the legs)

Bay Leaf (1 for every 4 legs)

Garlic Clove (1 for every 2 legs)

Black Peppercorn (3 per leg)

Method:

1) Rinse the legs under cold running water. Pat completely dry. Using a hotel pan, put a layer of the salt cure down. Place the legs on top of the cure, and cover the remaining meat with the rest of the salty mix. All aspects of the legs should be covered. Cover with cling-film and let rest for 3.5 hours in a fridge.

2) Remove the legs from the hotel pan. Under cold running water, rinse off the residual salt cure. Pat dry. Place the legs neatly in a high-walled hotel pan or sauce pot. Add the duck fat, bay leafs, and peppercorns. Cover with tin foil.

3) Using an oven set at 250F, cook for 2.5 hours before checking the tenderness of the legs. Once finished, remove and chill the legs in the duck fat right away. Cover when chilled and store as is until ready to serve.

-Jerek

Chai One On

Chai Mise'

One great thing about working in one of the most culturally diverse kitchens I have seen is the constant learning of authentic preparations. Today, I write about chai. I say authentic, and what I mean is, this is how the Indian cook I work with makes his chai at home. It's simple, and fantastic. I have been known to make a brew and am proud to say that I have gotten both the approval of the Indian and Pakistani cooks I deal with. This gives me an idea about global peace...

Chai Tea

Yield: 2 Cups

Ingredients:

500ml 2% Milk (Or a 1:1 ratio of Whole Milk and Water)

2Tbs Loose Leaf Earl Grey Black Tea

1 Tbs Chopped Ginger

8 Pods of Cardamon

Sugar tt

Method:

1) Steep everything, minus the sugar on med/low heat for 30 minutes.

2) Strain through a fine chinois. Season with the sugar. Serve.

WARNING! While this is a great recipe, always be prepared to hear a differing opinion of it's original ingredients. I have rarely seen more contentious debates in the kitchen (That are clean enough to repeat here) to what truly makes up an authentic chai. However, this recipe alone seems to have struck a medium for all to enjoy!

Though, the Pakistani Cook would love to have seen a Cinnamon Stick thrown in for good measure...

-Jerek

Epic's winter menu roll out!

Top-Cured/Bottom Seared Artic Char

Celeriac Puree, Onion/Thyme Jam

Tangerine Froth

Roasted Corn/Fois Gras Soup

Duck Confit, Sherry Gastrique

Gnocchi
Braised Rabbit, Northern Woods Mushrooms
Aurora Sauce

(From Back to Front) Maple/Spruce Glazed Salmon
Wild Rice, Rhubarb-Truffle Foam

Guanciale Wrapped Diver Scallops
Chobai Lentils, Heirloom Beets
Arugula Pesto, Riesling Froth

Arugula Pesto


This has been somewhat of a crazy week. It's both really exciting and challenging to turn a menu over to a new season. The logistics are massive. The new products have to be brought in, everyone has to be educated about the menu, everyone has to start fresh at their seasoned stations, and no one is familiar with the initial start-up. You often pray for a soft-opening night that first service to the culinary gods. Knock on wood that they are gentle towards you. However ask any cook, and they'll tell you (If they are not Culinary Atheists/Agnostic) that the Gods - Problably a trio of Escoffier, Antonin Careme, and Julia Child - must have a dry, dark sense of humour.

Fun example! My first year wearing whites, during the first menu roll-over service I participated in, a Sous Chef at the mediterranean bistro I worked at caused a fire big enough to deploy the fire retardant system - ruining all the Mise En Place... 20 minutes before the booked service. So as of that first year in whites, I have seen this day get almost as bad as it can get.

However, this week has been much MUCH smoother. I am truly excited for the new menu. My personal opinion is that it offers customers a more welcoming local (Canadian) menu without losing the fun technical side of it for the cooks. In terms of BOH, it's a progression in the quality and sophistication of the daily minutia required for service.
Prime examples are the implementation of making the Gnocchi daily before service, all Char is cured 2.5 hours before service, we are bringing in whole rabbits to braise, and the veg station is being finessed more then any other station.

I am leaving off with a simple but lovely recipe from the new scallop dish.

Arugula Pesto

Yield: 1 Cup

Ingredients:
1 Cup Compressed Arugula
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove
2 Tbs. Pine Nuts
1/4 Cup Parmesan Reggiano
Salt/Pepper TT

Method:
1) Blend until mealy. Taste for goodness.
-Store, covered in fridge. It will remain intensely green for for 72 hours.

-Jerek

Toblerone Spiced Hot Chocolate, Kaluha Marshmallows (and how to woo your spouse).

The End Result: A very happy spouse.

The Marshmallow Mise:

1/4 Cup Cornstarch
1/3 Cup Confectioners Sugar
1 Envelope Gelatin
1/3 Cup Burnt-off Kaluha
2/3 Cups Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Corn Syrup
Pinch of Salt
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Step 1

Sift the cornstarch and confectioners sugar into a bowl. Lightly grease on an 8X8-inch pan and sprinkle 1 TBS of the cornstarch-sugar mixture into it. Tilt the pan to coat the sides and the bottom. Leave any excess in the pan.

Step 2

Sprinkle the gelatin into the alcohol-free kaluha in a small saucepan and let soak for five minutes. Add the granulated sugar and stir over low heat until the gelatin and sugar dissolve.

Step 3

In the large bowl of a mixer, combine the gelatin mixture, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla. Beat for 15 minutes on high speed until peaks form.

15 Minutes Later (and aren't you happy you invested in a mixer?)
This has the consistency of sticky silly puddy.

Step 4

Spread the fluffy mixture in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Leave for at least 2 hours until it sets. (4 hours is better)

What it should look like for Step 5.

Step 5

With a hot, wet ring mold, cut the marshmallow into individual shapes. Dredge the pieces into the cornstarch-sugar mixture. Note: This part really sucks because of how sticky the situation is. Use lots of hot water and clean the mold for every cut!

Step 6

Place the marshmallows on a cake rack covered with paper towels and let them stand over night to dry the surface slightly. Store airtight; they will keep for a month.

Toblerone Spiced Hot Chocolate

Yield: 2 Mugs Full

Ingredients:

145 gr. Toblerone

1 Cup 35% Cream
1 Cup 1% Skim Milk
1 Tbs. Honey
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Method:

1) Make a double boiler, add the chocolate and melt it.
2) At the same time, in a separate pot, bring the cream to heat, add to the chocolate when heated. Mix well.

3) Next add the milk and rest of the ingredients. Turn up the heat of the double-boiler and let it go for 20 minutes to allow for the cayenne to be fully absorbed. Otherwise, you will not be able to taste the heat right away!

4) Serve to anybody who you really, really like.

-Jerek

Froths (and why the learning curve on it was enough to give me scoliosis of the back)

Diver Scallop Wrapped Guanciale

Morel Mushroom Risotto

Sweet Pea Froth

Port-Truffle Froth (L)

Sweet Pea Froth (R)

Froths, (aka: foams) were a big deal about 4-5 years ago.

Today it's passe to use them as a main selling point of a plate. However, they still serve a great purpose. In contrast to a regular cream sauce, there is no competition. Froths will fit anywhere, on any plate. They lift the presentation, and show skill. Versatility of their use is wide-ranging. I enjoy them best as a finishing garnish.

There are two ways that are reasonable to make a proper froth in the kitchen, one is using a CO2 gun, which I tend to steer away from. They can work well, but the temperature and specific cartridges are too needy. I prefer the handblender method. It's rather simple if you remember some steps.

A) Make a 35% Cream base sauce.

B) Using 2 cups of the sauce, heat the small pot (not a pan) up to high temp. but not close to boiling, just enough to see steam rising.

C) Remove from heat, hit it with 1/4 Cup Skim Milk, a knob of Butter and a pinch of Salt to compensate. It will be hot enough if the Butter begins to melt.

D) Using a handblender, tilt the pot to the side and blend in the Butter/Skim Milk. This will create a froth at the surface which you can spoon onto the plate.

This takes a little practice. There is a lot that can and will go wrong to prevent a great frothing. The sauce can be too hot, too cold, not enough milk, the viscosity is crap... Play with it and learn what the best method is.

-A note, Xanthan Gum is an option when you need to thicken a sauce base. I have used it in the past for Coconut Milk and the like, but generally, if you can avoid using it, it's to your benefit. It requires a very little (1-2gr per 1 Cup base) amount to thicken. If you over thicken with Xanthan, your sauce will become irrepressibly gloppy. Stick with Cream/Skim Milk/Butter to feel better about yourself.

Sweet Pea Froth

Yield: 1lt. Sauce

3 Shallots Rough Chopped
2 Cups Light Chicken Stock
Aromatics (Thyme, Bay Leaf, Peppercorn)
1 lt. 35% Cream
1/2 Bag frozen Sweet Peas
4 Cups Compressed Spinach
Honey, S&P to taste

Method;

1) Gently sweat shallots, do not add colour, deglaze with the stock and bring to a simmer (don't use wine as the acid will hinder the colour) until the shallots are broken down.
2) Add the cream and thicken to a sauce consistency.
3) Next add the sweet peas and bring up to temperature.
4) Immediately remove the pot from the stove top and transfer to the food processor. Stuff a fist full of spinach with half the sauce mix per batch (2 Batches total)
5) Strain through a fine chinois into a container held in an ice bath. COOL OFF IMMEDIATELY!!
Season.

-Jerek

How to prepare Lobster (and ruin your Karma for life).

The general standard of throwing helpless lobsters (sea bugs) into a vat of boiling water is completely wrong. You must poach the helpless lobsters in a courtbouillion with the heat turned off, then sous-vide their meat in homemade butter! -Delicious!

Here is how I prefer to cook lobster;

LOBSTER

1) Make a courtbouillion with lemons and season it salty like the sea. Make enough to both thoroughly cover the lobsters, and enough to set aside to make an ice bath with. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes.

2) Final Hour for the lobsters. Remove the rubber bands from their claws, be aware of any retribution at this point, they are opportunistic creatures who will pinch your fingers as a last act of defiance. It has the potential to be funny if it didn't hurt so much...

3) Turn off the heat. With some of the courtbouillion, make an ice bath, set aside. Without thinking about the lobster's family, throw them into the pot. ...tell yourself you are using the entire carcass, nothing is going to waste, you are a good soul...etc...

4) Poach for 5 minutes, lift the lobsters from the pot, remove the claws and arms, place them in the ice bath. Throw the body back into the pot for 3 more minutes to cook the tail, remove and put into the ice bath right away.

5) Leave the lobster in the ice bath for no more then 3 minutes. Remove the lobsters. Using an area which is cool to get messy, remove the meat from the shells (I save the upper body for garnish) and place the meat on towels to dry. The shells are saved to make amazing stocks with.

6) From here, you can finish off in butter on a pan, but what I do is take home-made grapefruit butter, maldon salt, and a sprig of tarragon and sous-vide the lobster. I bring it to temp. and in Epic we serve it with a choron sauce.

-Enjoy,

(and forget the fact you had named your lobster before cooking...)

-Jerek

Vacuum Infusions (Do not use a Dustbuster for this)

Cold Smoked Sea Bass, Gin/Tarragon Cherry Tomato,

Frisee, Pink Peppercorn Salad

The Process (with Pineapple and Dark Rum)
The Mise: Pineapple, 2:1 Ratio of Dark Rum to Simple Syrup (ICE COLD!), Pinch of Salt


Put everything in a container and make sure the Pineapple is fully covered with the rum/syrup mixture. Put said container in vacuum sealer (ask your chef nicely for one if you do not yet have it at your disposal.)
Set vacuum setting to max, turn off the gas and wielding settings.


Run the process. In 30 seconds, the Rum mixture and Pineapples will start to go bananas crazy because the pores of the Pineapple are opening and the air is being sucked out, while the Rum is being sucked in. Let it run it's full cycle (about 2 minutes).

When the cycle is over, close the lid and start the process again, THIS TIME, bring the vacuum pressure up all the way (about 30 seconds into it) and put the process setting on hold so that the Pineapples may rest in a vacuum state for 10 minutes.

This is Pineapple Rum Spears resting in a vacuum state. Note the random carbonated looking bubbles. This is infusion doing it's thing.

After 10 minutes of vacuum, release the pressure, remove the Pineapple from the fluid (reserve the fluid for all sorts of reasons), pat dry and serve as a drink garnish.


I love learning anything and everything new in cooking,

and new techniques are at the top of the list.

The Executive Chef approached me and asked me to fire off this seemingly simple Pineapple garnish recipe (originally from a couple of instructors at the French Culinary Institute in New York) because the procedure looked new and pretty cool.

Indeed, it is cool. There are other ways of infusion, but this stood out because of it's effectiveness in a short time span. 10 minutes fully infused the Pineapple.

I wanted to play around with the concept a little further, so for my 'bouche the following day I devised a Salty/Citrus Brine for Sea Bass, and a Gin/Tarragon Simple Syrup for some skinless Cherry Tomatoes and used the technique on both to see what would happen.

For the Salty/Citrus brine, generally, I was impressed. I made a basic brine and used the vacuum technique to infuse it into the Sea Bass before patting dry and cold smoking it. The outcome was good but mixed. While the salt was present, there was no indication of Citrus. This is likely my fault as I used Lemon Juice and discarded the zest - thus not allowing enough Citrus flavour to begin with.

The Cherry Tomatoes worked out well. There was definitely an intense infusion, however, next time I would change the Gin/Simple Syrup ratio to ease up on the sweetness.

All in all, this is a beneficial tactic towards quickly infusing liquid into highly permeable products. Something I have wanted to try but haven't gotten to it is weather or not compressing the product after vacuuming will significantly intensify the flavours.

Loving the possibilities...

-Jerek

The Stop Community Food Centre

Cooks from "Canoe" restaurant prepping for the fundraiser in Stop's Community Kitchen.

At Wychwood Farms, Stop not only educates and promotes healthy cooking but also grows a great variety of plants in their large green house to educate on the source of products. Here, I was shown Pink Oyster Mushrooms. ...if you are into mushrooms, this is frigging cool.

A view of the Green House.

When I first met Chef Chris Brown (for someone of his pedigree, I found him to be amazingly positive and down to earth - very passionate about his work), the first thing he offered me was a tour of the place and made a bee-line towards this plant: a Crocus Flower. Being a cook, he knew I would have much appreciation for this flower. This is where Saffron comes from... and then I turned geeky within 2 minutes of meeting the guy and whipped out my camera to take this shot...

Meyer Lemon Tree.

Honey-Bee doing his (or her?) thing.

The Stop Community Food Centre is a wonderful entity in Toronto. Their idea to tackle hunger head-on is met through many different avenues, but with an emphasis on education.

From school day trips, after-school programs, green-house programs, cooking courses that emphasize an approach on real ingredients, hunger is dealt with in a way to teach people how to deal with it within their community and on their own.

It's encouraged as a place for community members to organize and build mutual support networks and as their mission statement reads "find their voices on the underlying causes of hunger and poverty."


I had the opportunity this past week to be part of an event held there and was blown away by what I saw. Chef Chris Brown runs the kitchen and it was immediately evident why he would be so happy being there. It's a great feeling being able to share your passion in a professional kitchen by serving high-end diners day-in, day-out, but it's an altogether other higher gratification to teach and educate people who will use this knowledge for the rest of their lives. I cannot imagine a position more respectable in my profession when it's your mission to eradicate hunger.



-Jerek

Callebaut Chocolate Demo Nov.3rd

I made this.

OK.

I didn't.

Plantation specific Chocolate. Probably the coolest thing I tried. Much like wine, the "Terroir" plays a big role in the nuances of the flavours. My favorite was the Peruvian, which had a ripe banana undertone.

The demo took place at Humber College. It was hosted by Master Chocolatiers, Julian Rose (Chicago), and Derrick Tu Tan Pho (Montreal).

Our first selection (Left to Right Clockwise) "Callebaut Crispearls", "Assam Tea Ganache Dome", "Tanzania with Orange Praline", and "Port Wine Ganache, Cocoa Pod".

Our second selection (From Left) "Exotic Chocolate", "Bubble Chocolate Log", and "Cafe Praline".

Sampling of different garnishes. The one I enjoyed the most was the spaghetti garnish (front, right in the pic) which is done by mixing 250gr. salt into 1lt. water, chilling to just before freezing and pouring chocolate into the solution. It will take on a little salinity which is ideal for a dessert with nuts.

Truffles... and the chef is looking the other way...

A Thermomixer. This is relatively new, and I am sure it will be standard in most professional kitchens soon. Here, the Chef demonstrated how to make a White Chocolate Mousse in 3 MINUTES. ...weird.

An A La Carte presentation of "Exotic Chocolate".

A Cake with a "Skeletal Garnish" on top.

There, 3 hours of intense lecturing and demos has told me that chocolate is not only addictive and a meaning of life (which, honestly, I knew before going in), but also, an entire profession of it's own.

-Jerek