Oreganought

I own a bron and a berringer.I've used them most of my cooking life...25 years, and have no visable scars left...well, maybe one. Personally I consider them invaluable. I think I might have used the guards for about 10 minutes> I know the gloves have gotten alot better over the years,but I still go bareback. My personal favorite is the berringer. The secret to low personal injury is common sense,concentration and direct eye contact for the task at hand.Of course you must develop a technique that is pretty much fool proof as well. It seems common sense is the tough one most people have trouble with.

Nick I haven't seen judy's recipe but I'll bet it tastes like corn chowder with a shrimp flavour,which is not a bad thing,it's just not shrimp bisque. If for some reason you don't want to use cream,you might try a fish veloute, the taste and texture will not be the same,but it might work satisfactorily. Keep us posted on your decision and outcome.

Rachel I'm one of those people that uses chicken stock to make a sauce for most seafood,but I do like an intense fish sauce for some applications. One that comes to mind is a poaching liquid for lobster,shrimp any shellfish really where I use a sauteed sticky rice cake base,the poached shellfish lingini vegetables,carrots,parsnip and beans and a reduction of that poaching liquid with a chili gastrique drizzled throughout the sauce and over,sparingly. Generally my poaching liquid will be lobster,shrimp shells,veg,white wine and some white fish frames and I usually through in a little heat nam plah thai fish sauce that kind of thing......I would most definately add leftover shrimp bisque to this. Heartier fish like mackarel and salmon would probably stand up well to a more robust sauce.It's mostly about balance,if it sounds logically acceptabe then that's half the battle,and with a little experimenting I'm sure you'll have it used up in no time.

Just a suggestion Nick.........I would remove the eggs before you saute and then add them back into the pan after you have deglazed,this will give the bisque a richer and deeper flavour.IMO.

Sounds like SPA slang. slkinsey definition is the one I have always known.

Agreed,I don't like to cut/flatten tenderloins of any description.For pork tenderloin I always cut to portion size and use my index finger,it's easier to feel your way through and maintain the "centre" and then widen using another utensil,like the wooden handle of my potato masher and then use a piping bag for the stuffing.I find this method of stuffing maintains the integrity and look of the tenderloin,which is my preference.I prefer to use cast iron for the initial searing and then pop into a hot oven to finish.

It is as simple as "supply and demand"I don't know if this number is still correct but 1% of this business is "fine dinning"and just about every budding cook in culinary school wants to work at the FL or a similar place.This market is flooded with skilled labour at every level. These are the glory days,the proverbial gold rush,and only a chosen few will get rich.Those that have the "GIFT" will flourish and business will be built around that talent,the rest will do the mise en place.JMO

Your wearing gloves and I've never heard of this. I've peeled and diced many an acorn squash and I've come out unskaved everytime.I feel jipped.

I feel your pain Ladybug. Orange Roughy is acceptable and you might want to try something from the flounder family.Usually I'll just saute in some brown butter with a splash of lemon.The orange roughy...try dredging in flour on a med-high heat for a nice crust.

You might want to try steaming the potatoes as well.I'll do this for small quantities and I find the results excellent.I add the butter cold and the cream hot.Otherwise I boil,no simmer whole with the skin on.

Could something as simple as a qenelle of mashed potato be art,I believe it can be.In there lies the conundrum.Then I must believe a craft can be considered art in some forms.No reason to leave food out of the equation,IMO. EDIT:sometimes I pluralize without thinking.

Conservative,I agree,not to mention notoriously cheap.

It's hard to hold mashed potatoes for more than an hour without an adverse effect on the taste.The mashed would be the absolutely last thing prepared before service and I would leave them in the pot they were made in and left in a water bath which worked very well.A second and third batch would be made up during the evening if required. Reheating mashed would be a last resort,and could probably count on 1 hand the times we did that.But that is a pet peeve of mine.I don't know about anyone else here but I can detect reheated and it's totally unacceptable...for me.But it's seems to be common place everywere...too bad. Why would you want to make up the mashed a few hours ahead of time and then try and hold them for service?

I find the fall to be the most romantic time of year,so here goes. the teasing course Individual gorgonzola souffle with poached pears on frise and baby spinach salad with a port reduced vinaigrette. foreplay Thickly sliced calves liver,seared rare with caramalized leeks and cepes then poached briefly in a demi,red wine jus draped across marcarpone mashed with roasted parsnip/turnip pave. retire with Napoleon of deep fryed wonton with lemon curd and fresh raspberries dusted with icing sugar in a pool of coulis.

In a nutshell.

Didier Leroy formally of the fifth.Isn't he working out of his apartment,small dinner engagments with a tall price tag? Where is he now? Just found this:Restaurant Profile Still dazzling them at The Fifth, on his days off master chef Didier Leroy opens his home to guests who pay from $125 to $200 (price varies with menu, B.Y.O.B.) per person prix fixe for French classical cuisine. The setting is a gorgeous downtown condo loft outfitted with a six-burner gas Vulcan range and an industrial Hobart fridge -- built into the entrance hall. Comfortably seating 12, a traditional blond beechwood Parson's leg dining table is set with Hermes placemats and Limoges dinner service. The exquisite silver-plated Ercuis cutlery weighs as much if not more than the plates themselves. One thing is clear: Leroy takes great care when it comes to the details of these intimate affairs.

Just proceed to north 44,the food isn't in the same league,but it sure is pretty.No mud for 20 miles.

I have both of the ones Suzanne mentioned and I'm sure the SS will last a lifetime,had mine 12 years.The benriner gets more use though,lighter,easier to lay over a bowl and slice away.I will say the benriner seems to be sharper than my SS one.I use to do alot of veg in long strands like lingini and the SS was better. I would probably recommend the benriner because of it's ease of use and price.Stay away from the TV models (cheap),I don't know how many I've been given that fell apart after 2 potatoes.

I know a few times that I have eaten meat that has been marinaded too long,can have a liverish texture. Did you marinade the beef,if yes,what did you use and how long did you leave it. Aiming at a longshot. Edit: nevermind,I just re-read your original post.

bripastryguy I can relate to that statement.I had a new waiter come into the kitchen to let me know about a customers dissatisfaction on the doneness of the salmon,apparently undercooked.I said not a problem, bring me the plate and I will correct the problem and cook it a little more. My waiter said,no no the customer has eaten all the salmon,they would like a new order,because it wasn't to her liking.Some customers you just can't please,and some are freeloaders.And trust me your ex-boss,is trying you on for sure.IMO

How about using a minature lemon baller. It sounds like a science experiment for sure.The first thing that comes to mind is a hot jelly solution and a very cold liquid,akin to hot wax and water. But it sure sounds like a lot of work to have a pectin solution that resembles caviar.If the culinary world was a Circus this surely would be found in the bigtop.

He also notes, "Slice the lamb thickly . . . " From the above, I assume that we're dealing with ~ 1/2 inch cuts of meat. (The little 2 oz loins would be too charred for the above method.) Thoughts? Now that I've read the recipe,the terminology "a whole fillet of lamb"I'm sure he's not refering to the actual filet,but the loin,which has been confused more than once,or possibly Carlovski's explanation.What is for certain is the heat and cooking time,this would lead one to believe the piece in question is at least 1 and 1/2 inces thick,possibly more. 5 to 6 minutes on high heat then turn and brown until crusty,then rest,is a thick cut for sure,just a quess but at least 14 to 18 ounces.

Matthew,possibly didn't bother mentioning because they are part of the rack and they only become a cut if you seperate the bone from the loin.Anyway in a lamb rack they are only about 2 ounces.

alanamoana,the old joke in the restaurant business is,if you won the lottery what would you do....simple,keep my restaurant open I retired from the restaurant business,but still working...alas.