ChefJB

I would use a pastry bag(plastic) with an appropriate sized hole and squeeze them out into simmering fumet, stock or water.

Seared Foie Gras on Brioche with braised cabbage and rhubarb Jus. If I remember correctly the Rhubabrb Jus was made by sweating rhubarb, celery, and shallot(not much shallot) in butter, degalze with a bit of riesling reduce Au Sec(almost dry) and simmering in Veal stock(Brown chicken stock would work) until desired flavor and viscosity are met. If you get flavor before viscosity tighten up with a bit of arrowroot. It was served last year, so I may have added or forgotten something, I really need to start writing stuff down.

I just think that when they were writing thier menus they had to think that they were going to be cooking one of them soon and with a twist. It is reality TV, and the pattern so far has been to make them try to do the impossible with no time or money. If I remember correctly Dave even made mention of trying to make a menu that could be executed easily, due to the thought that the wedding would be soon.

Sorry about not contributing earlier to this discussion, had to work my second job today(taking care of an 8 month old ). For the demonstration we had students cook sirloin steaks, one salted before it was seared, one not salted until it was seared and resting. The difference was noticable in both the quality of the sear, and the flavor of the rested sliced beef. If you try the same thing with scallops you get a nice contrast as well. There is a big split in all of us chefs at school as to when to season, I prefer after some prefer before unless it is a roast. Then I am roasting at such a low temperature that I want a good seasoned crust because a 180*-200* oven doesnt do much browning, but you get such a better yield and juicier meat, it is worth not having the nice crispy snacks on the outside of the roast. In the case of brining or a marinade it is a totally different ballgame, and in the case of any moist heat or combonation cooking methods it is not the same. I am only refering to dry heat cooking methods, ie; saute, grill, frying, and really were are splitting hairs here, the difference is minor. It is however those little things that keep people coming back to eat our food, and for me a perfect sear is a beautiful thing.

I had a great discussion and demo today with a fellow instructor regarding this, I am a proponent of sesoning meat after it gets cooked unless it it a large roast. I feel that the salt draws out moisture, and inhibits the carmelization that your looking for, as does he. He set up a demo to show the difference in finished product and the difference was very noticeable. My question is this, is this known in home cooking or away from the sometimes protective bubble that culinary school provides? Also please not that there are many who have the exact opposite opinion. JB

I have to weigh in here in defense of Tom Coliccio, I am a chef-instructor at one of the big culinary schools in the banquet department. I do weddings for 100 all the time in les than 16 hours, with students who sometimes have little or no experience. We dont like to do it but sometimes the situation of being a school that provides hands on cooking experience serving the public makes it necessary. The mistake in this challenge was on the chefs, they had to know that they were not going to be given alot of time, and they had to know that they were going to have to carry it out. They did IMO what my more inexperienced yet eager students do when handed a mystery basket.... they chose a menu that looked nice on paper, but was too hard to execute to perfection. I also just need to speak my mind on the pastry chef topic too, if you can't make a dessert or a cake you dont deserve to be running a kitchen, and I am sure any of the other chefs that peruse the boards will agree. If your pastry chef quits are you going to just 86 the desserts? Most culinary programs have basic pastry classes. Rant off.... Thank you all for listening, my wofe wont anymore hehehehehe I do like the show it is somewhat of a guilty pleasure.

I serve oysters with rose water mignonette, simply make a normal mignonette and add a splash to scent it with rose water to perfume it. Meyer lemon, champagne and orange blossom sorbet as an intermezzo Carrot cardamom and orange blossom water sauce. My favorite use is to splash a few drops of orange blossom water in my lemonade I love the stuff.

I think this is one of those things that is a best practice (for food service) but not something I would do at home. I'm sure it would stabilize and extend the shelf life but doggone it, I want that fresh flavor and can't imagine that blanching, even if you shock it after, wouldn't knock it down about 50%. As a foodservice professional I usually blanch and shock herbs going into compound butter only to set the color, shelf life is moot because they get used up or frozen. I did a cumin, lime, and cilantro butter today to put on my pork tenderloin as it rested. It was S.W. day in my kitchen

The one that I fall back on alot is to rub the pork with 5 spice powder, salt, and pepper. Roast it at 275* to an internal temp of 135* tent with foil and rest for 30 minutes, serve with a ginger scented cider veal reduction. mmmmmmmm.