Week 3 Tuesday

Vegetable soup 

Vegetable soup purée 

 French onion soup

Week 3 Monday

Today we were asked which came first the chicken or the egg. Siri's  answer 

We focused on different types of cooked eggs.  In total i say i consumed eight egg not recommended 🙊

First was basic poached egg then a cheese omelette 

 

After a Spanish omelette using potato and peppers did not bother with picture with this one because it was a disaster due to using an unsuitable pan.

We the went back to the poached egg to make Eggs Benedict with smoked haddock and bernaise sauce.  Had better success with this one. 

In the afternoon with a dodgy tummy we moved on to potatoes and the different ways you can do potato. 

Week 2 wednesday

Today was all about emulisified sauces.  We made hollandaise sauce first and a bernaise sauce which were lovely and made simple. 

2nd week Tuesday

Today we focused on salads and had to produce 3 types,  a tomato salad, mixed leaf salad and finally more appetizing salad nicoise.  

The tomato salad i had to skin, desseed and cut in wedges and sprinkle vinagarette over. 

The mixed leaves salad is as sounds a small selection mixed leaves with vinagarette.

The salad nicoise consisted of mixed leaves a hard boiled , blanched green beans and pan fried tuna steak. With of course vinagarette.

In the afternoon we were taken forresting for apples, wild mushrooms, mint, blackberries and sloes.  We had great success with apples and mint but due to the weather and season did not prosper with much else. 

Week 2. Monday

Today in class we learnt about micro organisms in food production. There are 3 types particularly used in food production.  These are bacteria, yeasts and moulds.

After covering the facts behind these we instructed to make a Bechamel sauce. This is a basic sauce that can be used for other sauce such as monray, mustard, cheddar chesee , vegetable and seafood. It is important to cook the roux, which is basically melted butter and flour combined to a smooth mixture, (see photo) as with leave a flour taste in your sauce.

Using the same type of roux when then made a chicken velouté sauce which is the foundation of sauces like supreme sauce, mushroom sauce and chicken sauces.  When roux is removed from heat and cooled slightly just add boiling chicken stock gradually stirring continuously to sooth out lumps.  And bring to boil and then simmer.  I made mushroom sauce so i pan fried some mushrooms in non salted butter and added to sauce.  As per recipe it says to add lemon juice but becareful because if too much you will over power the mushrooms.  This is a mistake i learnt the  hard way.  So to help recover i pan fried more mushrooms and seasoned.  Still tasted the lemon but was not over powering.

1st week

This is the 1st week of my course, was both nervous and excited.  Felt a little out of my depth due to the fact some many of the class knew so much terminology , but everyone was helpful. On Tuesday got to do some practical work on techniques of dicing. There were so many different ways i never knew how to do before and know now. Very pleased just need to practice more.  Today we did stocks and saw how simple but important stocks are. No more bouillon for me.  Though do have a dodgy tummy  now from too much taste tasting. Definately would recommend eating something before hand