Diary: August 25, 2002

[Malawry]

Thursday, August 22

Tomorrow is test day, so tensions are somewhat high at the school. I’m trying not to worry too much about making my train to NY tomorrow, and to focus on the information I need for the tests. I spent a lot of time last night going over beef and veal cuts. I suspect we will be asked about what cuts come from the tenderloin of beef (chateaubriand, filet mignon, tournedor, medallions, and of course tips from the tip). The meat information is very hard for me to absorb (perhaps because I tuned it out for so many years) and so I have to make more of an effort to “get” it.

We’re still feeding the Albert Uster people, and today’s menu includes the spring rolls we learned yesterday, kung pao chicken, a vegetable stir-fry with shrimp, and jasmine rice. Chef Somchet demoed the chicken, the stir-fry and the rice this morning, and then shooed us into the kitchen to get started. I joined my pal Drew and Jonathan at a table and got cracking on the chicken dish.

Jonathan has the distinction of being the only member of my class with facial hair; he keeps a well-trimmed, handsome beard and mustache. Jonathan is a big fan of all things Anthony Bourdain, and he’s got some of the same bourgeois-bored-bad-boy attitude. We’ve been chatting about movies for the past few days. He disliked a lot of the movies of the past few years that I adored, such as Memento and Fight Club. “Oh, Fight Club was great for the first hour or so, and then it just went all weird…” I stared at him in horror when he said this.

We started in by cutting some boneless skinless chicken breasts on the bias for stir-frying. As we were chatting about music and movies, I started thinking about the chicken I’d cut as goujons…a word I think is normally applied to fish, describing something a little smaller than a fish stick cut of flesh. I mentioned this aloud, and Jonathan immediately said, “You think a lot, don’t you?” “Uh, I guess so.” “Yeah, that’s why you liked Memento and Fight Club and all those movies. I bet you liked Being John Malkovich, too.” I started laughing. I tried to explain that stories that I like are complex and cover emotional territory that I find unfamiliar, but he sorta tuned out my explanation. Figures.

Once the chicken was cut, we whipped up the marinade and poured it on. We heated four saute pans and stood at the stove together to saute the chicken off. It took us a good 25 to 30 minutes to get the chicken done, and we all enjoyed the sensation of standing at the stove actually doing something. Some days we stand around feeling somewhat useless, cutting up parsley or whatever, while somebody else stands over the stove or grill finishing things a la minute. Drew said later that working on the chicken was one of the most fun things he’s done at school so far. The finished dish was one of the tastiest things we’ve made to date. I’m still a bit squeamish about chicken most days, but I snarfed an incredible amount of the kung pao today. It was damn good!

After lunch I was so wiped out that I took a brief catnap at a table in the demo kitchen. So did a few other students. It was great to run around doing stuff all this week but between the work and the pre-test anxiety I’m getting worn out.

I am concerned that I have not yet cut up a chicken. I was hoping to be assigned to work on the coq au vin we will serve Albert Uster tomorrow, but I was on the kung pao team instead. I bought two chickens on my way home and asked Edemuth if I could cut them up in her apartment (my kitchen is vegetarian) in return for allowing her to keep the cut parts. She kindly agreed, so I went down to her place and cut them up late in the evening. I planned to push myself to finish within 45 minutes, but it turned out I was done with both birds in about 20. It’s relatively easy. At least if it’s on the test, I know I can get it done right and get it done quickly.

Friday, August 23

I arrived at school around 9:20am this morning, after a good workout and a quick breakfast. I went into the main kitchen almost immediately and grabbed a styrofoam cup for my daily coffee. The menu for the test had already been erased from the whiteboard in the kitchen, but I saw profiteroles cooling, people working on julienning carrots for glazing, tourneed potatoes, and chicken breasts laying about. No whole chickens. Also no egg dishes at all. I heard that we were producing onion soup from those who had shown up earlier.

Once I had my coffee, I went and wrote out a list of mise for the test menu, both equipment and foods. (I didn’t write out tasks like I did last time, especially since most of the things we were making I’d made at least twice before.) After that I hung out with my classmates until the written test was administered.

I don’t think I did as well this time as I did last time. There were a number of questions on which I could only make educated guesses, which I don’t like admitting. I didn’t study veal as much as I should have; I focused mostly on beef in my studies. Also, things that I was convinced would be on the test, such as the difference between a blanquette and a fricassee (blanquettes have their meat blanched, while in a fricassee you seal the meat without color in butter before using) or the enemies of chocolate (heat and water) did not appear on this exam. I did the best I could and checked over my responses before handing the test in, and then I went to help Chef Peter get things together for today’s Albert Uster lunch.

Once the first group finished their tests and the Uster people were fed, Chef Peter wrote up our menu and let us get to work. Here is what appeared on the test:

Onion soup

Emince of chicken with cream-mushroom sauce

Glazed julienned carrots

Cocotte (tourneed) potatoes

Profiteroles

I got started on the profiteroles right away. I felt fairly confident about my ability to turn out a proper profiterole, since I have done both them and eclairs before. For some reason, though, my pate a chou stayed floppy. It was so loose that I couldn’t even pipe it, it just flowed out of the pastry bag as soon as I filled it. I couldn’t shape it properly, and the resulting puffs did not split and rise properly. This is the first time I have had problems with pate a chou. Chef Somchet said during the evaluation that I added my eggs too quickly, which was why the dough was too soft.

Once my profiteroles were ready I got the soup going and started on mise for everything else. Nothing took me too long, and I worked at a solid clip since I wanted to finish in time to make my train. Unfortunately, my attention to detail wavered somewhat. My potatoes were a little overcolored, and my carrots were overcooked. The chicken was all right. The soup was perfect except for a piece of garlic I accidentally left floating in the bowl.

I don’t think I’m still on top of my class at this point. The midterms are our next tests, and supposedly they will separate us into those who are getting it and those who are dilettantes. I’ll try to focus more and be more ready for my test next time, and I won’t go out of town for the weekend the minute the test is over if I can possibly help it. I know I can do better in general than I did today.

[Jason Perlow]

Rochelle:

Can you supply us with a recipe for the Kung Pao? Its one of my favorite Chinese dishes, if done well. By far my favorite rendition is the "freshly killed" one at Grand Sichuan International Midtown in NYC, which uses a lot of fresh ginger, dried chiles, Sichuan peppercorns and really good peanuts.

How was your trip to NYC? Sorry Rachel and I couldn't meet up with you guys, we were pretty beat this weekend.

[Fat Guy]

Mmmmm. Kung Pao chicken.

[southern girl]

Rochelle...don't get down on yourself...you are doing great...everyone has what they perceive as lapses in the road to their goals...you needed a break and the trip to NYC...onward!!!

Edit to say: Hope that doesn't sound too Rah Rah...just trying to be supportive

[Malawry]

Hey, Rah Rah is good.

Here is my notebook recipe for Kung Pao. I will try to post a more usable version later. Heat level depends on the type and quantity of chiles; we used sweeter Thai ones.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Kung Pao Sauce

Chicken breasts

Ginger

Garlic

Sea salt and white pepper

Cornstarch

Sweet cooking rice wine

Peanut oil

Thai chilis

Uncooked peanuts

Rice wine vinegar

Sesame oil

Hoisin sauce

Oyster sauce

Sugar

Soy sauce

Chicken stock

Tahini

Cut chicken free of blood and fat and cut on bias. Marinade briefly in mixture of ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, cornstarch, and sweet cooking rice wine. Saute in peanut oil until browned. Break apart chiles and shake out seeds; cook in peanut oil for about a minute and drain. Roast peanuts in oven until lightly browned. Combine sesame oil, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce, chicken stock, tahini, ginger, and cornstarch and heat to meld flavors. For service, heat chicken and add sauce. Remove from heat and add peanuts and chiles when bubbly.

[jhlurie]

Mmmmm. Kung Pao chicken.

Yeah, I had that Grand Sichuan International version recently. Yum.

[Kim WB]

I don’t think I’m still on top of my class at this point. The midterms are our next tests, and supposedly they will separate us into those who are getting it and those who are dilettantes. I’ll try to focus more and be more ready for my test next time, and I won’t go out of town for the weekend the minute the test is over if I can possibly help it. I know I can do better in general than I did today.

Certainly, you don't need to be concerned about being labeled a dilletante! I admire your determination, and give you credit for your study habits...for example, you knew that knowledge about how to butcher the chicken is different than actually doing it, and you took the initiative..even having to borrow a kitchen...to practice. And I'll bet that a good portion of your educated guesses on the written test were correct...tahns again for repoprting so thoroughly, and timely, about your experience. I found myself wondering how you were doing on Friday...co-dependenly wondering if you'd miss your train!!

[stellabella]

Hi, Malawry, Rochelle, old buddy, old pal,

I am just tuning in and catching up on your diary. You are doing a terrific job. It doesn't surprise me that you are still finding the energy, after long days at school, to write this up--and writing so well, at that.

I am fascinated by your experiences with meat. I am impressed by your open-mindedness. I am humbled by your talent.

Keep up the good work,

Stellab

[slarochelle]

Malawry, I don't mean to return you to old posts, but I made Kung Pao Tofu last night and remembered you had done the same (well, chicken at least) a few weeks ago, and loved it. I can't say I was as excited about my result. Even though our ingredient list was similar, somewhere our paths must have diverged. If you have a chance can you review my process and give me any pointers? I'll try to be brief. (FYI, I tried to follow the recent Cooks Illustrated Kung Pao Shrimp if you have that handy, modifying it for me and my vegetarian wife)

1 lb tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes and pressed/drained on paper towels for ~15 minutes. Marinated in 4 Tbsp rice wine, 4 Tsp soy sauce for 10 minutes. Pan fry (correct term?) in ~1/4 - 1/2 inch veg oil till golden brown, turning over when a side browns. When all is done (2 batches), drain on paper towel and salt.

Sauté 1/2 cup peanuts in 1 Tbsp oil, with chili peppers. I wish I knew what kind they were.....got them at the Takoma farmers market (thanks for recommending it btw). 3 peppers were ~2 inches long, red, and a litter fatter then a pencil. They were halved and seeded. After a minute or two, remove peanuts and peppers, and save w/tofu.

Tbsp veg oil back into non-stick 'wok'. Add 2 chopped red peppers, 1/2 inch pieces. Sauté for ~2 minutes. Add 2 tsp each minced garlic and ginger, and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Sauté another minute.

Push peppers to sides of wok and add sauce mixture: 6 oz vegetable broth (from Whole Food veg powdered broth), 2 tbsp Hoisin (was supposed to be 1, and 1 of Oyster sauce, but I could not find vegetarian Oyster sauce, so I doubled up on Hoisin), 2-3 tsp corn starch, 1 tsp rice wine vinegar. Let that heat up a minute and mix with red peppers. Add reserved tofu, peanuts and chili pepper. Mix and cook another couple minutes till sauce has thickened. Add 3 sliced scallions. Serve with rice.

What I didn't like about it was that it didn't have a "unified" taste The sauce was a little weak, and the dish tasted like everything was thrown together, yet still separate. It wasn't like take out Kung Pao, although maybe that was the point of the recipe, to replace the sauce drenched standard. Maybe that's what I wanted; Kung Pao sauce drenched tofu and peppers.

Does my sauce sound like yours? You listed sugar, maybe I needed to sweeten mine up, or maybe it just wasn't enough for 2 peppers and 1 lb tofu (recipe in magazine was for 1 lb shrimp and 1 pepper). How would you have handled the same dish differently?

Thanks for any input.

Steve

[Malawry]

Hey Steve, I don't mind new questions in old threads at all.

I know next to nothing about Asian cookery, and can't offer much advice for your kung pao tofu. I also don't much care for Cook's Illustrated, and my experience with their recipes is that they're okay but not as outstanding as they're hyped to be.

I should have mentioned that the Thai chiles we used were dried. These are not the tiny superhot ones, they are sweet and mildly hot, about 1/2-3/4" wide, and long like a fresh lima bean. They sound like the dried version of what you purchased at the Takoma market. We used a LOT in the dish, and you probably need a lot of the fresh just like we did of the dried.

In my experience, tofu needs a lot more than 10 minutes in a watery marinade to take on some flavors. I've had better expreiences with rubbing tofu than marinating it, and if I marinate it I use a very strong flavored mixture. Try pressing the tofu to drain it overnight, tossing on a strong marinade in the morning, and then following your written procedure in the evening when you're starting dinner.

I think sugar helps. Also "sweet rice wine vinegar" is helpful and a great favorite of Chef Somchet's. She also told us that the best kind of plain rice wine vinegar to use is labeled "seasoned."

When we made it at school, the finished dish was definitely sauced but not drenched in sauce as you mention. It wasn't super-hot and it had a sweet aspect from the sugar and hoisin and so on.

I hope this helps. You may want to take your question to the Cooking forum, where people who know a lot more than I do about Asian style cookery and Kung Pao in particular can give you some advice.