Week 2's topic was soup. Chef showed the class how to make four soups: butternut squash, French onion, Thai Coconut soup, Potage cultivateur. He also showed the class how to make consommé. Learning to make these soups would help develop our knife skills, help us practice the technique of "caramelizing" and "sweating" an onion. Sweating is dry heat cooking that drives moisture out, but maintains color. The key is to stir frequently, but not constantly.
What I learned
There are two types of soups:
- clear soup - ingredients are suspended in a liquid (e.g. chicken noodle soup)
- smooth soup- ingredients are blended/pureed together (e.g. butternut squash soup)
Consommé is in a group by itself (my words, not Chef's). Consommé begins with a stong stock. Traditionally trimming would go into the pot with the stock. The stock mixture is reduced and then passed through a chinois (a sieve). A "raft" (ground meat, veggies, and herbs mixed with egg whites, chilled) is added to the stock and simmer over low-medium heat. When the raft starts to crack the consommé is passed once again through the chinois and then served a. I now understand why consommé can be price - it's labor intensive to produce
Each soup was delicious. I promised to try to make the Thai coconut soup and the French onion soup at home. I liked the butternut squash soup, but I now realize I prefer a more savory butternut squash soup. I think I will continue to make butternut squash soup using the recipe I tried at the start of this year.
The class size has grown since week 1. Two additional men have joined the class, but it appears one of the men in class.
I thought I'd cut my nails short enough for class. I spoke to the class sous chef after week 1, she recommended cutting them down even further. I suspect I have less than a centimeter of nail beyond my nail bed- the shortest my nails have been that I can ever recall. I've accepted the fact that I won't be getting manicure until the class concludes in May.
I also tried the French onion soup recipe. I was especially excited to try this recipe because I am a big fan of French onion soup. While my soup looked good, it was an epic failure. My onions had gone beyond caramelizing and were bitter in taste. In addition the soup was too salty. This is ironic because historically I use little salt in my cooking ( growing up the household style of cooking was when my father began undergoing kidney dialysis three times a week). I brought a sample of the soup in Chef and the class assistants to taste. My analysis of the soup was correct. I threw the soup out.
On a more upbeat note, the first night of class I discovered the wrong name was embroidered on my jacket. Tonight, a jacket with the name the majority of readers (Techdinegirl) was given to me. I queried the class assistants about the best way to keep the jacket and accompanying apron clean. The majority suggested putting the jacket and apron in the washing machine and dryer. One person irons their jacket. I'll launder and air hang my jacket and apron to dry.
I didn't get to make the potage cultivateur before the week 3 class. Week 3's topic: salad and greens.
Be well,
Technicolor girl
I also tried the French onion soup recipe. I was especially excited to try this recipe because I am a big fan of French onion soup. While my soup looked good, it was an epic failure. My onions had gone beyond caramelizing and were bitter in taste. In addition the soup was too salty. This is ironic because historically I use little salt in my cooking ( growing up the household style of cooking was when my father began undergoing kidney dialysis three times a week). I brought a sample of the soup in Chef and the class assistants to taste. My analysis of the soup was correct. I threw the soup out.
I suspect a number of variables impacted the French onion soup outcome, but top of the list was the pot I used to cook the onions. My long time stock pot had a dark interior- this was not the type of pot suggested for making French onion soup. I would have to look for a stockpot that fit my budget.
On a more upbeat note, the first night of class I discovered the wrong name was embroidered on my jacket. Tonight, a jacket with the name the majority of readers (Techdinegirl) was given to me. I queried the class assistants about the best way to keep the jacket and accompanying apron clean. The majority suggested putting the jacket and apron in the washing machine and dryer. One person irons their jacket. I'll launder and air hang my jacket and apron to dry.I didn't get to make the potage cultivateur before the week 3 class. Week 3's topic: salad and greens.
Be well,
Technicolor girl
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