CULN 130 Intermediate Cookery

3/31/10

This week Cory, Philip and I were given the salad station with aunty Momi. Aunty Momi is really what you think an Aunty Momi would look and be like. She's a big (not fat) Hawaiian lady, that's soft spoken and kind. She doesn't apply the "hotel walk" in the kitchen because there's no need to - everything she does is well ingrained and meticulous.
Our first day was strange for me. We got into class at 8am, she gave us a list of thing that had to be done, and sent us of to do it. No designations, no recipes. Just go and do it, and have it done by 10 am. Of course whenever I had a question she would answer it, but after the first couple of tasks, I realized I was on my own. The tasks I took on was to make a roasted vegetable pasta salad and a simple potato salad.
So I went on to steam off a hotel pan of russets, as well as 6 eggs, cook my penne, and roast off some peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, and onions. Aunty Momi gave me some frozen pea's and imitation crab for the simple potato salad - "Jus add dis. Make um simpo wit eggs, celery for crunch, and mayonaise. Simpo, but people just love um, yeah." Mmm, okay...
I played with the oven roasting like I saw the crew over at Downtown did with a lot of their vegetables. Just watched and learned. A good trick I learned by watching Jimmy, the pastry chef at Downtown, was a quick outline of pan spray on the sheet pan before laying down the parchment paper. Much quicker and cheaper than using butter. I also learned to use the timer. Why chance forgetting about the oven? And lastly, turning the pan during the roasting process because the oven fan will sometimes brown one side faster than the other.
Anyhow, the first day was a little odd in that I wasn't exactly sure about what we needed to do, but our little 3 man crew got through it. For the next three days we would have to prep the salad bar, make 5-6 salad specials, and produce 40-50 simple boxed salads.
Sometime in the middle of Monday, Momi got a visit from some man who was probably DOE employee telling her that she needed to take Tuesday off. So, on Tuesday team #5 would fly solo. No prob...
I brought up an idea to my team mates Cory and Philip. What do you think about doing regional themed salads for the next three days (Friday would be a Good Friday holiday)? Mediterrannean, South-east asian, and American? I already new I wanted to play with Mediterrannean flavors that I experience at Downtown and the Persian theme we did at the Art After Dark, my spicy lemongrass vinaigrette dressing, and maybe some BBQ type salads or cole slaw.
After some discussion and confussing comments from Chef Eddie I gave up the whole regional theme idea and just did what ever.

On Tuesday I made Roasted Vegetables in a tomato vinaigrette over mixed greens, and a Tomato Cucumber Provolone salad with a Basil Vinaigrette.
Before leaving on Tuesday however, I made my spicy lemongrass vinaigrette dressing (lemongrass, shallot, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, sambal, dijon mustard, and salad oil). At home I've made it with some almost ripe mango, tomato, cucumbers and red onions. But because we had left over chicken mango penne that Cory made, I didn't want to add more mango to our spread. I figured something else would be just as good - roasted eggplant, tomato, and onion (Jodi's favorites) and crispy fried tofu. I think it was the first to sell out at lunch. I didn't get to take any home to Jodi so I'll have to make her some at home. Sure thing hun...
We needed one more salad for our salad spread so I quickly made a potato salad again. This time I baked off a quick sheet of bacon! Despite the imitation crab, it was quite delicious - mayo, garlic powder, dijon, s&p, red potatoes, imitation crab, bacon, and hard cooked eggs.
Chef Eddie told us today that he wants us to practice making dressings, so since I need the practice in making blue cheese dressing for the Wellspring fundraiser I just knocked out a third pan of dressing (recipe from Chef Eddie's book), thank you! And it was delicious! I downed two spoons fulls! Tomorrow, I wanna do some cole slaw, so before leaving class I made a cider honey vinaigrette from Chef Eddie's recipe book and added a pint of mayo. Tomorrow I'll cut some white and a little red cabbage, julienned carrots, snap peas, and granny smith apples. Hope that comes out. I'll also be doing another tofu salad since we need to get rid of the tofu before the weekend, so we're doing some crispy tofu salad with spicy peanut dressing. Chef Eddie said this is a favorite of Chef Leakes.

Lastly for the day, I have to mention this. First off, when Chef Leake and I first started talking about the idea of me going to CIA he told me to start planning now (then) because everything I did, everyone I'd speak to was going to affect my future. That couldn't have been truer to the "T"! (what's "t" stand for??? tip? top?) In speaking with Chef Leake, I've landed a gig with Downtown restaurant, a job opportunity with Town restaurant, working with Mark Noguchi (a CIA grad), a tax refund that will allow me to check out CIA's May 21st orientation, other thing's with Wellsprings fundraiser (donations, volunteer help, etc.), and now...
... during class Mark Noguchi left me a message saying that his friend Lance Nitahara wanted to get my number to have a chat. I was wondering, do I know Lance? Why does that name sound so familiar? I called Mark back and said sure. How awesome is it that someone in New York happened to see this blog and wants to get intouch with me?! What about? I don't know, but it seems like, as Jodi said, I'm still on the right path.
By the way, Lance Nitahara is a Chef from CIA that has a quote in Chef Leakes book Coaching Culinary Champions. His words of wisdom are very significant to me. Jodi and I were actually at Lanikai beach one afternoon reading the book and discussing this. It was something that I decided to reflected on in my writings:
"... A line that sticks out from Chef Nitahara’s writing is, “Every conscious decision I make has behind it a face from my past, which calls to me to make the right decision.” This relates to me personally because I have always thought that I am a culmination of every one I have had a relationship with - whether it be family or friends, good or bad. And one day I can only wish that my food is both inspired by my past, as well as an inspiration to others in the future."
Until this very moment, and I'm sure there will be may moments like this in the future, I feel that I'm living within this very concept of life moving, living, learning, experiencing, and reflecting.