Nearly at the end of February and approx. 5 weeks since I started my “extra” work at the franco-japanese restaurant in Paris. Well tonight, for the first time, I felt as though I was part of the “machine” and that I had finally started to “feel” the rhythm of the service…..and the really good thing is that I was also able to be in touch with the food…that is, choose the attractive fillets of Black Cod and colour them nicely in the hot sesame seed oil before finishing them in the oven, cook the Scallops so that they’re nicely coloured on the “presentation” side and still soft in the centre…..
It really is quite some time since I have felt this, and bugger me if it doesn’t feel good ! I was “dancing” again tonight.
When working in a professional kitchen, the 2 most important things are
work quickly and get things on the “pass” (or complete your prep work) in the time required
cook the produce “correctly”
The second point is maybe obvious, but in my brief experience, the basic “currency” in the kitchen is be able to work quickly and efficiently. This is where you gain (or lose) respect in the kitchen amongst your peers. Deal with the unexpected quickly and efficiently. Have a “Plan B” and a “Plan C” when things go “tits up”. Know your products in your set-up / mise en place so that you know how to take short-cuts when things aren’t going to plan.
Anticipation, keeping a cool head and listening are also key aspects of being able to cook food for a living.
Anyway, tonight I felt as though I was much more in control of the service than ever before, even if I still missed certain things that the chef called out when announcing the order…….I said a “good night” and not a “perfect” one !
J’ai découvert il y a qqs jours des vidéos de Marco Pierre White (c’est LA référence de cuisine British du début des années 90 – Gordon Ramsay était chef de partie dans son équipe) en train de réaliser des recettes pour des autres cuisiniers en Angleterre. Une série magnifique de films qui montrent l’énergie et l’exigence de l’homme.
Si cela vous intéresse, cliquer ici pour en savoir plus.
En tout cas, il a réalisé un ravioli de homard et saumon qui m’a donné envie d’en faire moi-même, sauf que je voulais en faire avec ce que je trouverais au marché de Bastille (c’était jeudi) chez Jacky Lorenzo.
Je commencerai avec une photo du résultat final – le retour de ma femme ?….”excéllent !!”
Pour préparer 30 raviolis, il y a plusieurs choses à réaliser :
les pâtes à ravioli : 250g farine type “00″, 4 jaunes d’oeuf, 1,5 oeufs entier, 1 c à soupe huile d’olive, sel (ceci fera un peu moins de 400g de pâte, dont on aura besoin de 200g pour les raviolis. Il faut pétrir la pâte pendant un bon 10 minutes. Ce qui reste peut se garder au frigo pendant 2 jours max)
la farce : 4 langoustines (90g per lango), 150g de noix de St Jacques (approx 700g avec la coquille), 50g épinards, 50g betterave jaune, 40g échalote, 20g radis, 1 botte cerfeuil, sel, poivre
les Raviolis : avec 200g de pâte et 400g de farce on peut préparer 30 raviolis de 13g chacun, avec une emporte-pièce de 6cms de diamètre.
la Velouté de Fruits de Mer : il faut réaliser d’abord le fond…….faire sauter les 4 carapaces de langoustine (écrasées avec le bout d’un rouleau) dans du beurre et de l’huile, déglacer avec du cognac et flamber, puis ajouter la barbe des st jacques, 1 oignon, 2 carottes, 1 branche de céleri, de l’eau (à couvert) et qqs anis étoilé. Laisser mijoter pendant une 30aine de minutes et puis passer. Il faut réduire à moitié / à un tiers le fond pour concentrer le gôut. Pour terminer ma sauce j’ai ajouté qqs cuillières de sauce tomate (passée par un chinois) que j’avais réalisé la veille, mais vous pourrez simplement ajouter de la crème ou du beurre.
….et les-voilà les raviolis…mais il faut garder en tête la perte de 75% sur les langoustines et presque 80% sur les St Jacques !
D’ailleurs, j’ai calculé que chaque ravioli coute 0,70€ (langoustine 10€/kilo et st jacques 16€/kilo….j’ai acheté des très bons, mais j’aurai dû acheter celles de 6€/kilo).
It’s been quite some time since I last wrote, and to be honest I really don’t have the “juice” to tell my story at the moment. But just to bring you all up to date with where I’m at and where I’m going, here’s a quick update.
On the work front I’m doing 3 or 4 days a week at a franco-japanese restaurant in the heart of Paris – very trendy, decent food, loads of customers (150+ per service) and I’m doing the fish. The main thing that I’m learning is how to go quicker (more on that in another post), but there’s also some new products (Black Cod, various seaweeds, japanese-style vinaigrettes and sauces) and, it has to be said, a good team of experienced chefs who have been very helpful and supportive (”cheers, lads”).
To complete this steady flow of work I’ve done some temp work for Adecco Prestige, as well as working in a small café / bistro next to Science Po in Paris, running an afternoon training course about cooking fish and even working in a fishmonger’s shop !
Up until now I haven’t fancied doing another “Dom for One Night Only” menu in a local restaurant,….that said, I’ve started today thinking about a theme for a new menu (something concerning fish)….I already know where it will be (Zoé Bouillon in the 19th), and maybe even with whom I might share the cooking.
Basically, I’m doing lots of different stuff, which is great in general, but I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, as Bono would say. I’m pleased with the fishmonger stuff, and I know that whatever I do in future will involve fish. But I’m also most probably going to go back to capgemini at the end of April (April 27th to be exact) so that I can get back to earning decent money and put some of it aside to help us to buy a house. I think that it is important to spend even a short time back in my old job to see really where I’m at. I “feel” 100% sure that I’m made to cook, to work with beautiful food and products, and to welcome and look after people. But before I throw myself totally into this, I need to focus a bit on the overall family project of buying a house.
So, 9 weeks before I come to the end of this current phase in my cooking apprenticeship….let’s make it an interesting time with as many experiences as possible !
Dom – 2:15 am