Ask the Culinary School Student!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

Honestly, my experience with carbon steel blades is non-existent, so I cannot give you fair and unbiased advise.

I do own a set of Messermeisters–my school kit–and these are pretty good knives. They are stainless steel, and have put up with several months of daily abuse–even the French Knife survived being run over by a car, with just a few scuffs on the handle. They are nicely balanced, with a full tang, and are a nice weight–not too light, not too heavy.

At home, I have Henkels, and I find them to be of the same quality as the Messermeisters, even though I like my school knives more now.

I’ll check out about the carbon steel blades–now I’m curious.

22

When you sharpen your kives, is it really that important what kind of oil you use, and do you sharpen them moving towards the blade or away from the blade? Finally, what makes a really good frying pan?

23

At the end of Iron Chef: New York Battle, Bobby Flay climbed up on the cutting board to get a rise from the crowd. Iron Chef Morimoto was visibly pissed, and decreed that Flay “is not a chef!”

What’s the dilly with the knives and cutting board being sacred?

Also, I almost went to culinary school last year, but I would have to take a SIGNIFICANT cut in salary. What courses would you recommend that would not necessitate me quitting my job and starting a whole new career from the bottom?

24

Since Ask Bi Guy isn’t taking up much of my time lately, and I used to run a Cooking Tips forum on another site that I miss doing, I thought I’d offer my assistance in here. (We’ll be a great fit, Java; I see you’re into baking, and that’s one area I’m not much for.) A few points about what’s been asked so far:

Knives:
Re: the carbon steel vs. stainless debate - in the old days, carbon steel was better because the early stainless knives had too much chromium in the mix and consequently were hard, brittle, and impossible to sharpen. Carbon steel, on the other hand, was supple and easy to sharpen - but tended to stain, and was prone to rust. Nowadays, the science of stainless has advanced to the point that it’s the better choice - IF you get a good brand. As our host mentioned, Henckels is a good choice, one of the top three IMHO (the others would be Global, a top-quality and very slick-looking brand from Japan, and Wusthof-Trident from Germany, which is the brand I use). They’re expensive, but they’ll last virtually forever and they’re a joy to use. Not in the same league but acceptable and much cheaper: Chicago Cutlery.

Re: sharpening - If you don’t want to go to the trouble of using an oilstone, the various ceramic rod-based sharpeners are great. I use a Crock-Stick, which uses two rods placed in a base at the correct angle, so the chef need merely hold the knife straight up and down when sharpening. What you shouldn’t do is use the knife-sharpening slot on your can opener. You’ll ruin your knives if you do.

hollandaise: You could use it to jazz up the doc’s broccoli! :wink: Seriously, I agree with our esteemed host that it’s not a good idea to reheat hollandaise. Better to make a smaller amount in the first place. Speaking of broccoli, I also love to use the stems; I wish it were possible to buy them without the florets still attached. They’re great in soup - I often replace the celery called for in a soup recipe with diced broccoli stems.

what makes a good frying pan:
The single most important quality a good frying pan must have is the same thing a girl in a rap video must have: a heavy bottom. :smiley: This promotes even heating and helps prevent scorching. (Yes, we’re talking about the pan.) Also, look for one with an oven-safe handle so you can pop the whole shebang into the oven if you need to. Anodized aluminum is my metal of choice (Calphalon pans are my beloved kitchen friends - boy, I sure wish I was getting paid for all these plugs). Copper is the ideal but VERY expensive; you can get similar results with a stainless-steel pan with a copper disk “sandwiched” into the bottom of the pan. Cast iron is great for heating evenly and holding heat well, but it’s heavy, brittle and more trouble to take care of.

25

I got a cast-iron pan (a skillet, about 10-11 inches across) awhile ago and seasoned it and love using it. My question is…how often am I supposed to re-season it? I mean, doing the thing where I spread Crisco all over it and stick it in the oven.

It is turning black and is pretty much non-stick. Also, washing it…do I use soap or not? Seems to be two schools of thought on that one.

Thanks! :slight_smile:

26

This one’s for both Chef Troy & JavaMaven1. And whoever else wishes to comment, I suppose.

Yesterday I ventured into the making of Gnocchi. My problem is that it’s been a while since I’ve had it at a restaurant, and I’m not quite sure of how they’re supposed to turn out, texture-wise. Mine turned out slightly gummy. Good, but very soft, not nearly as al dente as well cooked pasta.

According to the recipe I was following (Cook’s Illustrated, which is usually pretty good), you cook 'em until they float. Just as they said, when I added them to the boiling water, they sunk, and a few minutes later they floated. So did I do it right?

As an aside, my Panna Cotta with raspberry sauce turned out incredibly good. Damn, that stuff is yummy. 'specially with the fresh raspberries. As my SO said, “restaurant-quality.”

27

Moonshine: On sharpening knives, you’ll sometimes find oil that is made especially for sharpening knives–all it is is mineral oil, which is the best for oiling your stone. I think a neutral vegetable oil, such as canola could be used in a pinch–just don’t use stuff like olive oil. The best direction to drag your blade on the stone is going towards the blade. That will help create the angle for the blade.

Mr.Cynical: The whole thing about knives and cutting boards is that these, along with our hands, are the tools of our trade, and should be used respectfully. You wouldn’t expect a programmer to do the bossanova on his keyboard or a mechanic to play ring toss with his wrenches.

Good News/Bad News about Culinary School. Bad News: even with school, you’ll take a pay cut. That’s part of it, and yes, you will start at the bottom–but that’s what our externship is supposed to take care of–getting those first few months out in the real world while we’re still in school and covered by our student loans.
Good News: in the industry and with an education backing you, you will climb very quickly. You will start at the bottom, but, with some hard work thrown in, it’s easy to find yourself in a high position within two to three years. Chefs are notorious for moving around quite a bit in the restaurant world, which leaves *you * to slide into the spots they have left behind.

Be prepared, if you take this challenge, for 14 hour days, 6 days a week–and not having a Saturday night for yourself for *years *.

Chef Troy: I’m glad to have your assistance–you can fill in any blanks that I leave behind.

I have to differ with your opinion on Global knives–they’re all style, and if you have big hands, they do not fit well when you’re using them. I tried one once, and found the heel of the blade too short–my knuckle hit the board before I had cut all the way through the onion. But, Wusthofs are great knives–I’m angling for a set as a “graduation gift”.

You are right about the pans, even though I’m more of an All-Clad girl, when I can afford it. I go to Smart & Final and buy the $15.00 sauté pans–they’re made for restaurant use, and can handle the abuse I dish out. (I have been banned from using a friend’s All-Clad set–he couldn’t bear to see what I did to them when they were actually used)

28

how do you get nuts in toffee without burning them? How do you get toffee in nice square pieces?

I make toffee in the microwave and then puor it over a buttered cookie sheet. It breaks into shards. It is very good, but i want some with nuts.

29

JavaMaven1 sez:

Well, that puts me right out. I can deal with the challenges of culinary school, but I could never give up on the masturbation. :smiley:

30

Kinsey: I love cast-iron pans–especially for items that have to be started on the stove and finished in the oven. This is how I handle mine: After scraping it down, I use just hot water and a clean rag to clean off any sauce. If anything is sticking to it, I rub the area with some salt–no soap! Afterwards, I put it on the stove, crank up the flame to get the pan hot, and rub it down with some vegetable oil, wiping any excess off with a paper towel. I season my pan after every use.

Athena: My first question would be, on your potatoes that you used. Did you use a potato like a Yukon Gold, that tends to have more moisture, or a Russet, that can cook up dry (think of a baked potato)? Second, how did you cook off your potatoes before making the gnocchi? Did you bake them, or boil them? How long did you let them sit to steam out after cooking?

From what you said, you boiled them right, since you do want to pull them out of the water when they float. Homemade gnocchi is not going to be perfectly al dente, but shouldn’t be gummy. I’m thinking that you probably didn’t let your potatoes sit long enough after the first cooking–you want to let them sit in a hot pan for a little while to remove the excess moisture.

Panna cotta is one of my favorites–and it’s perfect for the summer. Yummmmmmmmy.

31

I’ve never tried candy-making in the microwave–I like having more control over the process, and do it on the stove. When I’ve done almond brittle, I stir in the nuts at the last moment, before I pour it out on the cookie sheet. If you want the nuts to be toasted, toast them before you put them in the syrup, by either tossing them in a hot sauté pan for a minute, or putting them in the oven for a few minutes.

This stuff breaks into shards because of what has happened to the sugar–you’ve taken it to the hard crack stage, which means you’ve changed the molecular structure of the sugar so the mass you now have will hard, and will break into shards–like glass. If you want nice squares, I think the best way to go around it is to make little molds for squares to set on top of the cookie sheet (maybe foil-wrapped cardboard?) and pour your syrup into each of the molds.

32

So you’ve made me hungry–I’m going to try a ratatouille tonight. Any suggestions on the process?

Dr. J

33

JavaMaven:

Here’s the recipe I followed. In typical “Cook’s Illustrated” style, they tried 700 different kinds of potatoes, and 2,500 different cooking methods before coming up with this recipe.

2 pounds russet or baking potatoes, washed
1 1/4 cups flour, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for cooking liquid

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes until a metal skewer slides easily through them, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size.

  2. Hold potato with a pot holder or kitchen towel and peel it with a vegetable peeler or paring knife; rice peeled potato into a large bowl. Peel and rice remaining potatoes. Cool until potatoes are no longer hot, about 15 minutes.

  3. Sprinkle 1 1/4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt over warm potatoes. Using your hands, work mixture into a soft, smooth dough. If dough is sticky (which is often the case), add more flour as needed, up to 1 1/2 cups total.

  4. Roll about one-quarter of dough into a long 3/4-inch-thick rope. If rope won’t hold together, return it to bowl with remaining dough and work in more flour as needed. Repeat until all dough is rolled.

  5. Cut rope of dough into 3/4-inch lengths. Holding butter paddle or fork in one hand, press each piece of cut dough against ridged surface with index finger to make an indentation in center. Roll dough down and off ridges and allow it to drop to work surface. (Gnocchi can be placed in a single layer on a baking sheet and refrigerated for several hours. Or, baking sheet can be placed in freezer for about 1 hour. Partially frozen gnocchi can be transferred to plastic bag or container, sealed, and frozen for up to 1 month.)

  6. Bring 4 quarts of water to low boil in large pot. Add 2 teaspoons salt or to taste. Add about one-third of the gnocchi and cook until they float, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes (about 3 minutes for frozen gnocchi). Retrieve gnocchi with slotted spoon and transfer to warm, shallow serving bowl or platter. Repeat cooking process with remaining gnocchi, following specific topping and tossing instructions in recipes below

34

Considering the chefs I know… you’d fit right in. Just stay away from the mayonnaise.

35

Artichokes. Yikes. Please help me. I love them, but I don’t know how to clean out the choke and cook 'em.

I tend to stuff them and bake them, but I don’t ever seem to get out enough of that darned choke!

36

My daughter has decided to attend culinary school when she graduates from high school. Are loan and grant programs set up for culinary school the same as any other college? We have a school in our state which is only 2 hours away. I haven’t looked into it’s curriculum yet but I will. What kind of grades will my daughter need in order to be accepted? I noticed that at many schools the first year is made up of a lot of business courses. I’ve also seen that some schools will be expanding their curriculum to four years instead of the tradtional two.

Needs2know

37

**Doc: ** Here’s my $30,000 recipe for ratatouille:

Use a skillet that can go from stove to oven, and have a slotted spoon.
1 zucchini, sliced
1 eggplant, medium dice
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper–green is good, but a yellow one really adds nice color to the mix
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil (more as needed)
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon of fresh thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste
Chopped parsley

  1. Heat pan and add some olive oil. Sauté the zucchini for a minute, then remove with slotted spoon.
  2. Sauté the eggplant for a minute, then remove with slotted spoon. Eggplant loves to soak up olive oil, so add more oil as needed.
  3. Add onions and bell pepper, and sauté until onions begin to go translucent.
  4. Return the zucchini and eggplant back to the pan, and add tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and salt & pepper. Note: do not fear the salt! In this recipe, you should be using around a 1/2 tsp. You need to add salt for the flavors to marry and come out.
  5. Cover with foil and bake in 350° oven for about 15 minutes. Your vegetables should be fork-tender, but not mushy. Good way to check is if the eggplant has held its shape. You want to be able to identify all those vegetables.
  6. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
38

Java, thank you for letting me tag along…I really missed inflicting my culinary know-it-allness on people.

BTW, when I read your description of yourself as an “All-Clad girl,” I had this mental image of you in that disturbingly anatomical body armor they wore in that movie “Lost in Space.” harmless leer

I admit I’ve never used Global knives myself, but a Scottish chef friend of mine swears by them. I also forgot to mention the top French manufacturer, Sabatier; of course, I’ve never used any of their knives, either. It’s Wusthof all the way for me. I actually have TWO 8" Wusthof chef knives, because I bought one from open stock and then later bought a block set with tax refund money. I’m going to give the spare one to Chef Jr. when he grows up enough.

Mmmmmmm, gnocchi. I like to nap them with a light sauce of uncooked, pureed tomato and fresh herbs. I also like to roll them against the tines of a fork to make those ridges on them and then gross out Chef Jr. (age six) by pretending they’re grubs.

I second the idea of stirring the nuts into toffee at the last minute. One way to make the pieces more regular is to score the surface of the cooled candy with the tip of a very sharp paring knife. The candy will tend to break along these “fault lines” when you break it up. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll work pretty well.

And DoctorJ…I make ratatouille with eggplant, onions, tomatoes, green bell peppers, black olives, yellow squash, and zucchini (say, two parts onions and eggplant, three parts tomatoes, and one part each of the rest). Dice everything except the eggplant, removing the seeds from the squash and zucchini before dicing. Thickly slice and salt the eggplant, then layer it in a colander and weight it to draw out the bitter juices (about ten minutes). While the eggplant is draining, sauté the diced onion and bell pepper until soft; add the olives, tomatoes, squash and zucchini, along with a couple of shots of Tabasco and perhaps a tablespoon of worcestershire sauce; stir to combine, reduce heat to medium, and cover. Rinse the salt off the slices of eggplant and dice them the same size as the rest of the vegetables; add to the pan and stir to combine. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. You could eat it at this point, but it’s better to put it into the oven in an uncovered baking dish and bake it until the juices reduce and the flavors intensify. Serve at room temperature, and use the leftovers as a pizza topping.

39

Yup, by far the best part (besides the actual eating) of the gnocchi was rolling ‘em off the fork and making the lil’ grub-creatures. Very fun. I could get a job as a gnocchi former and be happy for the rest of my life. Which brings up the question - why is seemingly dull work you do while cooking (ie, forming gnocchi) so much fun while dull work I do at work (ie, editing make files to reflect a new directory structure) so #@!#! boring?

The fresh tomato sauce sounds good. I was also thinking they’d go good in a tomato/butter sauce - y’know, that one where you throw a can of diced tomatoes, half an onion (peeled) and a stick of butter in a saucepan and let it cook for 30 minutes or so until the tomatoes get all mushy. As it was, I was jonesing to make use of my garden, and had to have the first pesto of the year.

40

Mmmmmm gnocchi…

My favorite sauce is making a brown butter and sage sauce by just melting down a stick of butter with a few leaves of sage, and letting the butter get brown, and tossing in the gnocchi for a minute.

One of the best ways I get rid of my excess tomatoes from the garden is a slice them in half, put them in my cast iron skillet (I have a huge 16" one), drizzle them with olive oil and tuck a few garlic cloves in between the tomatoes. I put that in the oven at 225° and let those go for about 4 or 5 hours. After that, I just run them through the blender, and I have a wonderfully sweet tomato sauce base that I can reheat and throw all kinds of stuff into.