David Ross

Did a test run tonight on the dishes I'll be doing for an April 15 cooking class. Five-Spice Rack of Lamb with Litchee-Plum Conserve, Steamed Rice with Dried Vegetable Seasoning, Braised Baby Bok Choy-

Did a test run tonight for my April 15 class. The recipes are an updated version of some dishes I did on MasterChef USA on PBS. I need to up the spice quotient for the rub on the lamb, maybe a bit of cayenne. Other than that, I think things are ready to go. The menu will be Five-Spice Rack of Lamb, Steamed Rice, (yes, there are some people who don't know how to properly steam rice), and Braised Baby Bok Choy. The sauce for the Lamb is a Litchee-Plum Conserve. It has the beautiful fragrance of fresh rose petals. My classes have been selling out at 16 students and the fee for this class will be $35.00. A bargain really, considering the menu and personalized instruction.

The only thing that impressed me about that insipid reunion show was the gracious, calm, professionalism displayed by the "Top Chef"--Paul.

Looks nice. I bet that pork was fork-tender.

Did you mean the report about oysters is from 1912? Yes. Each day the local newspaper runs a "From our archives, 100 years ago" feature and the "oyster" problem was one of the items in the archive section yesterday. The piece originally ran in the paper on March 5, 1912 and they brought it back yesterday, 100 years later. Sorry, I could have been more clear.

Tommorrow, March 6, 2012, the Oreo turns 100. In celebration of innovations, inventions and foods that were born 100 years ago, I thought it would be interesting to start a rolling history log. I'm sure many of the food customs and technologies that were introduced in 1912 are long gone, yet many live on--like the Oreo. I'll start with this tidbit in my local newspaper this morning- From the archives of the Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), newspaper, March 5, 2012- "The Humane Society in Spokane has been asked to launch a campaign of kindness in favor of the lowly oyster, which is "ruthlessly torn from its shell and eaten alive!"

The difference is that you are dining with Chef Savoy in the kitchen--something that he only does about 3 or 4 times a year. And you are exposed to all the other great Chefs at Uncork'd. They rarely come to Las Vegas at all let alone in one setting. And although the meals are expensive, you are dining on the finest products executed perfectly, the service is A+ and you are drinking vintage wines that if you bought the bottles yourself would cost as much as a fleet of Mercedes. In terms of how I pace myself, as you can read from my previous reports I take a lot of naps and drink gallons of water. That helps me take on the gluttonous feasts each night that stretch into the next day. I've done all the shopping and tourist things, so during the day I'm perfectly satisfied to lay out by the pool with a newspaper and dream about the food I'll be eating that evening.

Sounds quite appealing. I did not recall you being a sweets person. Must pay more attention. I like the spice combination on the pineapple with the chocolate background. I love sweets, but I'm not much of a pastry cook. I do make a mean ice cream though and I love experimenting with fruits and exotic spices. Pineapple and chocolate is a lovely marriage.

My take on a Brownie Sundae. Malted Chocolate Ice Cream, Pecan Brownie, Caramel, Spiced Pineapple Relish, (the spices are vanilla bean, cardamom and ras el hanout)-

My preferred flour is potato flour. I think it adds a hint of potato flavor that accents the onion. Since Wondra flour is so finely ground, it probably gives a different finished texture on the onion ring than what you'd get with more coarsely ground all-purpose flour. I use a ratio of about 60% flour to 40% cornstarch. The cornstarch is what gives my onion rings the crispness. If I'm using a beer batter, I don't add baking soda as the beer is the activator and so soda isn't needed. I only fry the onion rings for about 2-3 minutes so I don't think a double-fry would work in terms of practicality--and the onion rings are fantastic with only one fry.

Wow, we share an onion-ring eating history! Actually, these onions were pretty encased in the coating so each bit had a nice thick piece of onion, no sliders in the bunch. And eating homemade onion rings reminded me of why I hate those frozen, processed onion rings made with "pieces of onion." Basically they chop the off onions and mush them up then process them into "rings." Yuck.

I got a hankering for some onion rings a few days ago. Couldn't find any local Walla Walla Sweets, so I just used a basic sweet yellow onion. I prefer a beer batter, but didn't want to go to the trouble tonight. I prefer soaking the onions in the thick consistency of buttermilk over regular milk, and the buttermilk does give a bit of tang. Then into a seasoned flour mix with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, then egg, then panko--a 4-step process. Then into canola oil at 350. Pretty darn tasty but I still prefer a Beer-Battered Walla Walla Sweet.

I prefer a poached egg on top of hash. It's a matter of texture. Yes, a fried egg can have a runny yolk, but the white is set and browned on the bottom. I prefer the softness of the white enveloping the yolk of a poached egg.

You can get an idea of what to expect from my review of e' here from last year when I was at Vegas Uncork'd. It's truly a unique experience and I felt it was worth the time and cost. Due to the intimacy of the setting, I chose not to take any photos.

Hmm. Is that what I prophetically said on December 2?

Chris-I remember the sous vide egg we had at brunch at the Heartland Gathering this past Summer. I wasn't really a fan. I thought the white had a gummy texture and the yolk didn't have the same texture as an egg poached in water. Do you have a special technique for sous vide eggs that you feel comes close, or is better, than a traditionally poached egg?

Looks like a nice texture to me. I'll try your technique.

Well, if anyone really thinks they actually sell the salmon they throw, then I have a Top Chef cookbook I'll sell ya.

And I might add a dish worthy of a place at any fine dining restaurant. Gorgeous.

I agree Chris, the frozen Pepperidge Farms puff pastry is really not good. It lacks flavor and never really "puffs" up very well. Trader Joe's has a decent frozen puff pastry and Dufour Kitchens sells their frozen puff pastry at Whole Foods and on the web. I personally don't care to spend the time and effort to make it at home, so I'll buy the frozen stuff--but I imagine the freezing process has an impact on the interaction that takes place between the butter and flour when it's baked.

Did they serve the Langoustine Fritters at L'Atelier with that intensely green parsley sauce? That is probably on my list of the Top Ten Dishes I've ever tasted. So simple, so stark, yet so delicious.

Roasted Marrow Bones with Curly Parsley Salad-

This is one fine blog Chris. I would imagine your peers at work are quite jealous of the lunches you bring in.

I'm sure I missed it somewhere along the way, but did you put any cream or milk in the Bolognese for the Lasagna?

Looks like a delicious bacon hash to me!