Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #4

Huh?!!?

Is the reduced veal stock for the red mullet or lamb sweetbread terrine? Does the fumet get reduced after it’s been strained? How are the carrots prepared again? Was that course or fine salt? Where did the carmel-ly stewed fennel go?

Overall. This was the feeling after lesson #4’s demonstration. Chef Caals – in rare form – whisked through our three recipes in the most confusing logic possible. Even losing his self in the end. Substitution, sequence variations, and omissions namely made for today’s disorientation.

Somewhere there were three recipes. And. Somehow. Three recipes plated by the end of class.

Instruction #4

• Marbled terrine of langoustines and lamb sweetbreads in a lightly tart sauce
• Red mullet served whole with a black olive tapanade gratin, savory onion Royal custard, emulsified star anis and parsley sauce
• Roasted pears stuffed with dried fruit. Lace tile biscuits (tuiles)

Sweetbreads – thymus glands of young lamb and calves – were paired with langoustines. Enveloped by a mousseline made of whipped whiting fillets and scallops. Bonded with egg whites and cream. Similar to past forcemeat stuffings.

Once the terrine was baked and plated, it was passed with a simple sauce. Coarse-grained mustard, sherry vinegar, cream, and Tabasco made up the primary ingredients. Finished with fresh chives and tarragon. Coloring and lightening the condiment.

Red mullet is a fish. Not some dated hairdo of the step-child who lives next door, as I previously thought. A small fish – red, naturally – with two fillets. Indicating that it swims vertically.

Filleted with the tail-end section attached, and butterflied. Stuffed with a typical tapanade of olives, garlic, breadcrumbs, anchovies, pine nuts, parmesan, and freshly ground pepper. Quickly pan seared. Served with a savory onion custard. And drizzled with a dramatically reduced star-anis infused fumet. Blended with parsley and olive oil.

Dessert was extremely disjointed today. Some of the preparation work by the chef’s assistant was not to his liking. So, I think he sort of gave up on the final presentation. In theory. Pears are poached in lemon syrup. Stuffed with dried apricots, dates, figs, and fresh ginger. Baked in butter and honey. Topped with pistachio crumbles. And passed with a tuiles – a baked sugar biscuit of sorts.

The delay of my practical for today’s lesson – not until Monday – allows me to review my notes and hopefully get things in order. I will more likely forget the lesson all together over the weekend. Leaving myself at a complete loss come Monday morning.