DINNER WITH THE CULINARY STUDENT

Here is Tracie's dinner plated: Asian Pork Tenderloin, Asian Hot Cabbage slaw and Sushi-Roll Rice salad





The Asian Pork
Tenderloins
from Saturday nite.

(these are the wontons we had Saturday nite - I can't get pictures posted where they are supposed to be....)
--------------------------

Arrived at Tracie's Friday afternoon and had dinner at her culianry school headed up by Chef John Gregson and his (full-time) students. The menu:

Baked Brie en Croute ~
the puff pastry was baked perfectly, no doughiness at all! (Almost unheard of with students) The napping sauce was some type of champagne vanilla sauce (I'm guessing) and very tasty. The only fault with the dish was there was so little Brie, it was hard to say what might have been the filling.

Roasted Corn Chowder ~
another winner, flavor was very good and the corn was roasted almost too much as a lot of the kernals were very tough, but the consistency and flavor was there!

Rogue Valley Salad ~
the plating of this salad was spot on - the pear slices thin enough for easy eating and the balance on the other side by a tomato slice. The only problem with the salad was so little dressing we could not get a taste of it.
There were only three of us and four entrees offered - so we could not taste everything, damn it. But, we did well with what we could!

Cicken Chasseur ~ the breast was so moist and tender, I asked if they had brined, but they had not - they had just cooked it perfectly. The Chasseur (or Hunter sauce) was the classic hunter-style brownsauce wih mushrooms, shallots and white wine. This sauce is usually served with game and other meats, but their rendition of it did not overpower the dish at all. Very good. The potatoes could have been a little larger servings, but very flavorful. The veggies perfrectly crisp tender and the asparagus nicely shaved on the tough ends. Everything on this plate was as good as it can get.

Caramelized Salmon ~ again, perfectly cooked - removed at exactly the right moment, still moist, just beginning to flake, wonderful! Same plate garnish and same tastiness!

Rack of Lamb Persillade ~ This was not my choice dish (it would have been if Roy hadn't beaten me to it...), so maybe that's why I missed the 'persillade' - I did taste a bite of the lamb and the sauce, which was perfectly (how many perfects can we have with these entrees??) cooked and the sauce complimented the lamb - with not a mint leaf in sight! But, the persillade, which is a garnish mixture of chopped parsley and garlic similar to a gremolata (parsley, lemon zest and garlic) I completely missed out on - that would have been a nice finish to this dish to taste.

the desserts - things kind of fell apart at this time in the dinner. The Banana Foster was a dish of vanilla ice cream and the bananas were flambeed at the table. But, they were slices rather than one banana sliced in half lengthwise, don't know the reason for this, but it did affect the presentation. The taste was there, but not the ambience.

I'm not sure who was responsible for the alternate dessert, Green Tea Creme Brulee, but we were told it was a last minute addition and I was sorry to say, it should have been left off the menu completely. The brulee should be a crispy burnt sugar topping to a creamy smooth custard beneath. There was no crispiness, nor was the custard the least bit creamy - it was the consistency of an overcooked pudding. I won't comment on the flavor because I am not a tea fan in any form, so it would not be fair for me to judge that, but neither Roy nor Tracie cared for the flavor.

Overall, I was very impressed with the dinner - the students were at all levels in their classes and they all worked together as a kitchen team should and needs to.
---------------------------

The next night, Tracie had a dinner menu all planned out for us to cook together and I was finally able to be her sous for the night. Her menu -

Thai Curry Shrimp - this is a purchased item that she has been wanting us to try so we can figure out how to make it ourselves. It is a great tasting hors and I think with a little of Kelly Johnson's seasoning -
(ratio 2/1/1) Kosher Salt (grind in spice grinder ~30 sec., so it's not so obtrusive & sticks better.), madras curry powder, sugar plus some red chili flakes and panko - we could get a start on these little goodies.

Wontons in Hot-and-sour chili sauce (w/pork & shrimp -we made these New Year's '04 and are they ever good!!!) See picture above -

Asian Pork Tenderloin
Spicy Asian Slaw
Sushi-Roll Rice Salad


Five Spice Banana Pineapple Splits

Asian Pork Tenderloin
(Cuisine at home, December 2006) Makes: 2 Tenderloins

Combine; Rub and Sear:
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed (1 - 1/2 to 2 lb. each)
2 T. Chinese five-spice powder
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. ground black pepper
2 T. peanut oil

Simmer:
1/3 cup Chinese plum sauce
2 T. honey
1 T. tomato paste
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. fresh ginger, minced
1 T. pineapple juice
1 t. chili garlic sauce
Garnish with: Fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400°.
Trim tenderloins of silverskin and excess fat. Combine five-spice, salt, and pepper, then rub over both tenderloins.

Heat oil in an ovenproof saute pan over medium-high; sear pork on all sides, 5 minutes. Simmer remaining ingredients (except chives) in a saucepan for 1 minute; pour over pork. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 140°. Remove pork from pan; let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh chives.


Spicy Asian Slaw (Cuisine at home, December 2006)
Makes: 5 Cups

Whisk Together:
2 T. pineapple juice
2 T. rice vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 T. chili garlic sauce
1 T. Chinese plum sauce
1 t. cornstarch

Saute and Add:
6 cups green cabbage, cubed
1 cup red bell pepper, julienned
2/3 cup carrot, julienned
2 T. fresh ginger, minced
1 T. peanut oil
1/2 t. kosher salt

Stir in and Cook until Thickened:
Reserved sauce

Whisk first 6 ingredients together in a bowl; set aside. Saute cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, and ginger in oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. After 1 minute, add the salt. Continue sauteing for 2 minutes, or until cabbage starts to wilt.Stir in reserved sauce; cook 1 minute, or until slightly thickened.



SUSHI-ROLL RICE SALAD

Wonderful toppings for this salad (recipes follow): Sweet Chile Sauce and Wasabi Oil

1 1/2 cups short-grain sushi rice
1 3/4 cups plus 1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium carrot
1 1/4 teaspoons wasabi paste (Japanese horseradish paste)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 large seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored, and chopped (1 cup)
3 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
3 tablespoons drained sliced Japanese pickled ginger, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 firm-ripe California avocado
8 fresh shiso leaves (optional) (can sub a combination of mint, cilantro and basil leaves)
1 (6-inch) square toasted nori (dried laver), cut into very thin strips with scissors

Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water is almost clear, then drain in a colander 30 minutes.

Bring rice and 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then simmer, covered, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand, covered, 10 minutes (do not lift lid).

While rice is standing, bring vinegar, sugar, and salt just to a boil in a very small saucepan, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved, then cool 2 minutes.

Spread rice in a large shallow baking pan, then sprinkle with vinegar mixture and toss with a wooden spoon. Shave thin lengthwise slices from carrot with a vegetable peeler, then cut slices diagonally into 1/4-inch-wide strips.

Whisk together wasabi, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons water, and oil in a bowl, then add rice, carrot, cucumber, scallions, pickled ginger, and sesame seeds and toss gently. Halve, pit, and peel avocado and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Arrange 2 shiso leaves (if using) on each of 4 plates. Top with avocado and rice mixture and sprinkle with nori strips.
Makes 4 servings.


SWEET CHILE SAUCE*****
Recipe By :Food & Wine magazine

1 red bell pepper - corred, seeded & finely chopped 1 red jalapeno or other small red chile, seeded & minced -- (I used 2 Jalapenos-seeds & membrane)
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c water
1/2 c honey
2 T. soy sauce

Combine all ingred. in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Simmer ovr moderate heat, stirring occasionally, till the sauce is thickened slightly & syrupy, ~20 min.
Serve at room temp.Sauce can be refrigerated and kept for up to 1 week.
Yield: "2 c"


WASABI OIL*****
2 T. hot wasabi paste
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 T. mirin
Cold water
1/4 c canaoloa oil

In a bowl, combine wasabi paste, sugar & mirin.Quickly whisk in oil.A purée consistency is ideal.
Description: "This is wonderful and not overwhelmingly hot!"

---------------
We were so full after the entree we could not have dessert - will fix it another time - it's so good!!

So, another wonderful dinner at Tracie's - but with a difference, she's feeling more comfortable in the kitchen with me now!!! and that's a real good thing. Thanks Trace, for a great day!