Culinary Competition: First Day

After a long, tiresome, nerve-racking, life changing, Iron Chef Metro competition, here I am managing to join the main culinary competition team, the team Nebraska. I have no idea what I am up to this time. I’ve been thinking about it since the first time I know about the competition. I talked to the coach team, Chef O’malley and he’s very supportive about it. Unlike him, my employer doesn’t want me to join any extra curricular activities in school. I won’t say any bad things about my work place because I love working there. All I’m saying is that they want me to focus in my job-no request days off, no tardiness, and most of all they want me to gain skills and speed behind the stove. I understand that. But they have to know that I’m the one who make decisions for myself, not them.

My first day was a little bit boring. I came to school at 6 am (I really hated the fact that its too early but oh well). I met some of the team members and so far, they are nice towards me. The first thing I did was folding the towels. Not bad. And then all of us went outside to ballet, it’s their exercise routine, I guess. It was freakin’ cold. I’m the only one wearing gloves and coat and the rest, they wore chef coat. What can I say? Nebraskans. I wish I could stand the cold like them. Anyhow, I served as a commis (assistant) of one of the team members. He is a pastry student and he joined the team last week. I have no idea what were doing but I’m sure I will figure it out later. Like I said I was a bit bored because I don’t know what else to do. I guess that’s the challenge of joining the team. I still don’t know where to stand and what I do. I think they’re going to put me in the cold platter since new comers usually go in that particular area.

the hardest thing to do is leaving your comfort zone, but you have to let go of the life you’re familiar with and take the risk to live the life you dream about.

Definitely we won!

No we didn’t as far as technicality is concern. But if you asked me, I would say, yeah, definitely. The experience itself is quite amazing that you wouldn’t think its a competition. The fact that we joined the competition is already an achievement for me because it takes a lot of courage to join and compete with all these talented students. I think all of us deserves to be winners. We did great.

But still, I wish we won. I wish we have a lot of time to prepare and think what dish we are going to serve. And I wish I can choose the region I’m going to compete in (absolutely Asian pork). But we have no choice but to get the New Orleans shrimp since that’s the last one left, and we are the last group to join in. Now, what do we do with the shrimp?

We first came up with barbecue shrimp new orleans style but we realized that it’s not as tasty as we expected it to be and the sauce is watery. So we end up with shrimp remoulade. Think of chip and dip, its kind of like that. The dish is very simple, has nothing with it. Just the shrimp and the remoulade sauce. And that’s where I got scared and I think that’s why we didn’t win. It’s too simple and laid back. What do you expect with an appetizer? I would say the rest of the contestants (except us) have all these over the top artsy dishes that I have no idea what it is. I felt so ignorant.

But you know what its our first time. At least I know what its like to be in a competition. I’ve learned a lot. I made new friends. Some of the Chef instructors kind of recognizes me now (they call me by my name). I get to know my partner, William and our commis Pedro, who keep calling me rich (in spanish, rica means rich). We have a lot of fun. If you asked me if I want to join next year, My answer is I don’t know. It’s not that I’m scared, it’s just that I still need to work on with my skills. And if I join, I will definitely choose the Asian cuisine. No need to ask why.

Thoughts about Metro Iron Chef Competition

Yes, I joined a cooking competition. What was I thinking? I can’t believe I have the guts to join such competition. To think this is my first semester as a first year Culinary Art student, and here I am challenging myself as if I have something special to show.

The teachers are very nice. They didn’t have this are-you-really-seriously-going to join-the-competition type of look. Sure, they maybe strict but they show full trust and believe that the students can show their exceptional abilities in their own fields. And this, I am scared.

I am scared because I might violate things or ruined the entire show. I have fear of losing but why join in the first place? Maybe because I want to measure myself of how high I can fly and to be out of my comfort zone. Or maybe I have some deeper reasons. I don’t know. All I know is that there is a desire within me that I want to do something. Maybe that’s why I decided to join or even go to culinary school for that matter.

The competition is four days from now and I still don’t have any idea what to do with our dish and what to expect in the event. Well, I expected 100 people to come and then what? I think I should really stop worrying here. It drives me nuts.

Whether we win or not, I think what matters is that we show competitiveness and full effort in what we’re doing. My partner and I take this thing very seriously (like literally serious) and we are really into this. We want this. We want to win. But winning is not everything but the will to win is.

Boston Cream Pie (chrm 1030 recipe 6)

What can I say? Hooray for my first real cake I baked! The first time I heard Boston Cream Pie, I thought I will be making a pie, but when I saw photos from google images, it’s actually a cake. I chose this recipe because I know its going to be challenging for me. I never bake a cake before (except those cake mix you found in grocery store). Everytime I tried to bake, its always unsuccessful. Maybe because I’m very stubborn following the recipe step by step and measurements are pain in the ass. But measurements are very important in baking. I can’t wait to take my basic baking class next semester.

According to wikipidea, boston cream pie is a round cake that is split and filled with a custard or cream filling and frosted with chocolate. Although it is called a Boston cream pie, it is in fact a cake, and not a pie. Created by French chef M. Sanzian at Boston’s Parker House Hotel, this pudding and cake combination comprises two layers of sponge cake filled with vanilla custard or crème pâtissière. The cake is topped with a chocolate glaze (such as ganache) and sometimes powdered sugar or a cherry. The texture of a Boston creme pie is just like that of a cake filled with a pudding-like creme.

Baking this is in fact very challenging, at least for an amateur like me. I have to ask help from my husband to explain to me some english words that for some reason I don’t understand (like batter, what the hell is a batter? batter of what?). And then here comes the parchment paper. I sprayed the round cake pans with oil and I put the parchment paper on top and then poured the flour mix on the paper. What an idiot! I realized that after I tear up the paper from the sponge cake, leaving ugly hole spots (kung sa bisaya pa na pahak). Good thing I have to flip it and put the cream in the middle, so its all covered.

The taste is good according to my husband, classmates and chef instructor. I will surely bake this cake again. Maybe tomorrow.

Get the recipe from joy of baking.

Arancini Di Riso (chrm 1030 recipe 5)

My 5th recipe for my extra credit in Culinary Foundation is Arancini Di Riso. This dish is originated in Sicily. The name arancini derives from the food’s shape and color, which means orange. It is a rice coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried. Usually it comes with mozarella, peas and meat sauce but there are hundred of ways to cook this dish. I didn’t put meat sauce and peas on mine. I put green olives, melted cream cheese and chopped onions.

As far as the cooking goes, it was easy. It took me a total of one hour, from cooking the risotto rice and deep frying the rice balls. This dish is good for appetizer. I recommend to deep it with ranch for more flavor.

4 cups boiled risotto rice,
1 roasted red pepper, diced,
1/3 cup sliced olives,
1 tbsp. “Italian Herbs” mix,
1/2 cup grated mozzarella,
1 large pinch garlic powder,
1 tbsp. chopped onion,
3 large eggs,
1/2 cup flour,
2 tbsp. softened cream cheese or goat cheese,
1 cup each, Italian and panko breadcrumbs,
salt to taste.

Mix all the ingredients, except the eggs breadcrumbs and flour, in a bowl and season to taste. Make golf-sized balls from the rice mixture. Beat the eggs lightly in a bowl. You can add some heavy cream to the eggs. This way the egg will be more sticky. Pour the flour and the breadcrumbs in two separate mixing bowls. Bread all arancini balls by dipping them in the flour first, then egg and breadcrumbs. Deep-fry the arancini until golden and crispy on the outside. I served the Arancini di Riso with roasted red pepper and garlic mayo for dipping.

This recipe is from chef maestro.