Week 6: Tuesday, concert for kampachi

This day found us playing with duck confit and kampachi (an aquaculture fish from the shores off Kona) the fish guy told us that it is the new super fish (no toxins, very high in omega 3 and sustainable). So we decided to give it a shot.

Chef Lexie went into a lecture on custards and soufflés, then Chef Dale lectured on cooking methods for different fish and then we went into production.Chef Dale used cabbage, duck confit and rabbit confit to put together the appetizer and served it with a cherry sauce.

I followed with taking the vegetables common in a pistou and putting a twist on the Kampachi by wrapping it in potato that had been put through the Japanese turning slicer to create a long thin strand of potato. This is a great way to add texture to a fish filet and to keep in moisture.

I had the students try to think through what they would do with the potential problem of the fried potato coming in contact with the nage and getting soggy. They opted for pureeing some cooked flageolets and having them act as a base. This idea worked in the context of a pistou recipe which can often include coco beans.For dessert we had a frozen lemon soufflé with a blueberry filling. Very refreshing ending to a full meal. Wine for the day was a Meursault (one of my favorite white Burgundies, thus a Chardonnay).

Week 6: Monday, Fish tails

This is the first day of fish week and I was up with a big fish lecture. Categories of fin fish, fish issues, aquaculture, fishing practices, sustainability etc. A huge topic. On Friday of the previous week we had a representative come in from Seattle Seafood in Denver (our fish distributor) to do a fish tasting. I felt that it was a pretty weak effort on his part and he told the students that the only fish that are being over fished are Bluefin Tuna.  I guess that you have to sell fish to believe that.

The menu for the day was Leek soup with salmon mousseline.  A thin but flavorful leek broth with nicely poached salmon quenelles.  Our new admissions representative, Marisa,  joined GM for the day to get a better feel for our program.

Hot line was responsible for putting together the Sole en Papillote.   First we had real Dover Sole (often Flounder when you go to Safeway) and Chef Dale demoed how you can pull the whole skin off in one go.

We assembled all the elements that went into the papillote.

And then 7 minutes at 500° and voila:

We served it with a little saffron Beurre Fondu (which means melted butter) which one of my students took quite literally. I was looking for an emulsion.  We made another one in plenty of time. The meal was paired with a muscadet sur lie from the Loire valley

The meal ended with a beautifully cooked Crème caramel, even though the caramel could have been taken a little further and allowed another day to further dissolve the caramel.