Portrait of a Line Cook, James

I have a friend who vanished.  I don't know if he still lives in Illinois or even cooks any more.  But he may've been one of the most brilliant chefs I've ever had the opportunity to cook with.  His name is James Katos.  If anyone knows where he currently hangs his toque, I want to know.

James and I worked together through a few kitchens.  His training was extremely classic and technique driven, having been mentored by Bernard Cretier of Le Vichyssois, among other great restaurants.  (Check out the website http://levichyssois.com/) My style is more playful & spontaneous, so the two of us approached ingredients differently and then discussed the best way to present them.  After a while, we didn't need to talk much. 

Now I think of myself as a quick cook, but I *react* more than think really far ahead.  James can think 6 steps ahead to my 4, if you can understand what I'm trying to say here.  In other words, I learned a lot about time management, technique and focus... just watching Katos working an hour on the line.  He is/was that good.  Every time I think of menu development, I have to remember working with him.

So James, if you ever read this, I'm sorry if I ever offended you (as to your not returning calls or keeping in touch).  I understand we both cooked through some tough times and I've never lost respect for you and your style of cooking.  I still remember that night we all got drunk and I kissed a frozen bass out of your freezer (was it me, or was it in a black garbage bag too?).

Anyways, keep kicking ass and give Bernard a call every once in a while.  He and his wife miss you too. 

Blood in the Water

I went out to eat tonight, with my wife and a good friend.  The restaurant was part of a chain and in the 'burbs. 

I smelled blood in the water.  This place wasn't going to be open for long.  You could just feel it.  Tangible hints of a restaurant bleeding money, more than it was bringing in. 

Hints such as a ticket board that never held more than six tickets at any one time during our visit, but not long enough to hold an entire room's orders if the place were packed.  New orders were being placed on the right or left depending on who decided to expo at any given time.

Too many FOH employees on board on a slow night.

Cooks not stabbing tickets on their end, and at least one too many cooks on the line.

The menu wasn't balanced, the pricing wrong.  With beef prices going up and their location, losses would be taken soon if not currently.

No one asked us if we wanted desserts, or offered to upsell on water, or anything else for that matter.

They did have Jolly Ranchers instead of mints in a bowl as we left. 

I do like Jolly Ranchers.



Current Culinary Preoccupations...

I haven't had the chance to blog as often as I'd like... and most of that has to deal with work.  It's been busier than anyone expected post New Year's.  Which is good.  I take it as a sure sign the economy isn't doing as bad as we'd like to believe.  It's been a good year.  I hope that 2012 continues in that vein.

Lately, I've had the opportunity to do a lot more dried salumi work.  Quartino is one of the few restaurants to actually have a FDA approved room for sausage work.  And a chef who knows his stuff.  I've dealt with mostly the other end of charcuterie work the last fifteen years and it's a refreshing change of pace as far as (re)learning older techniques.

I've also been making all the ricotta in house.  We estimate 50 gallons of milk a week.  During the slow season.  20% yield is considered awesome.  But the end product is phenomenal.  You really have to come in and eat. 

I'm going to make a resolution to post more frequently now that things have settled down a bit, but if my posting is sporatic, please continue to stop on in.  There's plenty more to talk about.

Chester Copperpot

Anne & I's new toy.  Sur La Table had this baby on sale, coupled with a coupon and our professional discount, dropped this bowl into a *very* affordable range.  As you can tell, I'm excited.  Zabaglione, sabayon, and candied nuts are now within our grasp at home.

Wheeeee!

Happy New Years! Buddah's Palm Info & Stuff.



First off, Happy New Years!  Today I'd like to highlight a little used ingredient that I enjoy to cook with.  Buddah's hand or Buddah's palm citron is a traditional asian ingredient that has come to represent happiness, wealth, and longevity during the New Year.  I'm thinking these are all things we could use a little more of, right?

I found this hand at Meier in the 'burbs.  They aren't too hard to find, they're just one of those things that makes you wonder how you're going to eat it.  Hell, it has tentacles or something.  For those who read H.P. Lovecraft, it looks like a cross between Cthulhu & Big Bird from Sesame Street fame. 

Oh, and by the way, these suckers are fragrant.  Beautiful to look at, they'll last out at room temp. for a few weeks if fresh, perfuming the room you keep 'em in with a natural lemony scent.  My wife says it reminds her of Fruity Pebbles.  Strangely, that's how I feel about lemongrass.

Anyways, I immediately cut this baby into quarters, while I got a batch of 2:1 sugar to water simple syrup up to a simmer.  When you cut the palm into quarters, you'll notice that the rind isn't too thick and the middle is almost all pith.  Some varieties are more bitter than others, luckily mine wasn't too bad.  If you have a more bitter fruit, I suggest pre-blanching in water before adding to the syrup.  This baby didn't need it though.

I took a Japanese mandoline and shaved the quarters into thin pieces (a little less than half a julienne width or so), and then added them to the syrup.  I cooked them gently until they turned translucent, before they'd lose any structure.  I then turned off the heat, and let them rest in the liquid for a few minutes.



Oh crap!  We had to get to a party last night and I wanted to get these done before leaving.  So I used my ghetto dehydrator to speed shizznit up.

Yes.  You heard me right.  My ghetto dehydrator.  That's my microwave, suckas.  Word. 

I dried off the cooked pieces on paper towels and placed 'em in a single layer on a dinner plate.  Microwaving in 30 second bursts, until they dried and before they burned, I flipped them once to dry both sides.  On average, it was taking about 3-4 minutes to dry them out enough to have the zest stiffen. 

Then, all I did was toss 'em in some granulated sugar and serve them to our friends.  I think they liked it, since they were gone in about half the time it took me to make them.  Wishing y'all happiness, wealth and longevity in 2012.

That's assuming the Mayan prophecies aren't real.  Considering the strange snowless weather we're having in Chicago, the End may already be here. 

 

My Favorite Cookbooks, Pt. 8, White Heat & The Devil in the Kitchen



Today is a Christmas homage to Marco Pierre White.  The first book, White Heat, was one of those cookbook legends when I started cooking.  It wasn't easy to find.  Most head chefs worth their salt had a copy, and you could steal a glance at it when things were slower or at the end of your shift.  A few things made this book and their author different from most other cookbooks.

He was the first British chef to achieve 3 Michelin stars and the youngest chef anywhere to gain 'em.  He had an epic temper as well, chain smoked, and pretty much invented the concept of a rockstar chef.  Gordon Ramsey came out of his kitchen as well as tons of broken cooks (and some successful ones).  He also peppered his book with quotes & kitchen pictures that suggested a hard professional intensity.

'I've worked for over ten years for recognition, and now I've got it. I've got money now, but I'm no happier. It's not material things that bring me happiness. Perhaps that's why I work with food, with growing things. ... My respect and admiration for life has come from food, through food.'

- White Heat, Marco Pierre White

His second book, The Devil in the Kitchen, is more autobiographical in nature and equals Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential in culinary/literary bad-assery.  The pictures in both books are to be blamed for how they inspired a generation of young tyrants (I'm recovering, I swear).  It's hard to explain how evocative these books are until you've seen them.  They contain an obsessed passion that makes you want to cook, and cook at the top of your game for as long as you can mentally and physically do it.



Also, search his cooking demos on YouTube.  They're awesome.  Many of the preparations are now even more rare, since the style of cooking he does is quickly becoming a footnote in the current dining scene.  But you'll learn that technique & passion are every bit as important in the recipe for a successful culinary career.





Christmas Menus, Chestnuts Especially

I love cooking this time of year.  Any time after Halloween and through Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's.  Hearty, fun, family food.  I was cooking on the line today and thinking of chestnuts.  You see, this year is the first year in many that I haven't used them on a menu this time of year.  Rapidly my brain thought of all the preparations I've done, and the other foods I've paired with them.  For fun, I'm going to list as many as I can remember.



- Chestnut soup, Jean Louis Palladin-influenced.  Onion, garlic sauteed in butter and duck fat, deglazed with white wine.  Chestnuts, a few potatoes for body, veggie or duck stock, cream.  Little orange zest.  Fix acidity with sherry vinegar.  Few drops truffle oil.  Finished with foie gras butter.

- Le Francais style puree.  Cook in syrup until falling apart.  Puree (little butter & cream never hurt here), dry out.  Pipe into small mounds.  Pair with venison or other game.

- Chestnut mousse for desserts, often piped onto something crispy (puff paste or fillo crisps).  Plenty of powdered sugar.  Pair with blood orange or similar citrus.

- Sauteed in a mix of veggies like brussel sprout leaves, dried cherries or cranberries, and/or roasted squash to accompany duck or other protein.

- Candied as garnish.



- Roasted, minces & then sauteed with bacon or panchetta as a potato soup garnish.  Adding chopped parsley & citrus zest makes this even more awesome.

- Paired with... pears!  All types, really, most preparations.  Apples & quince too!