If you’re just learning how to cook or you want to review the basics, then here is the class syllabus for the Free Culinary School Basic Skills Course.

Free Culinary School Podcast Episode 1| Basic Knife Skills

In this class you will learn:

• What kind of knives you really need in your kitchen
• How to pick out the right kind of knives for you
• Basic knife skills such as how to dice, julienne, brunoise and batonnet.

Related Articles

• How to hold your knife like a professional chef
• How to use your guide hand
• How to dice and batonnet
• How to julienne an onion
• How to properly slice an avocado
• How to hone your knife
• Chef knives that I recommend

Free Culinary School Episode 2| Stocks, The Foundation To Great Cuisine

In This Class You Will Learn:

A good stock has three distinguishing factors:

• A good stock is devoid of fat
• It will have nice body, and good mouth feel; it will not be watery
• It has a good, clean, rich color that is appropriate to the kind of stock made

Related Articles

• How To Make Veal Stock
• How To Make Chicken Stock
• How To Make Vegetable Stock
  
• How To Make Fish Stock (Fish Fumet)
• How To Make Consomme (AKA Clarified Stock or Broth)

Free Culinary School Podcast Episode 3| The Basics of Blanching

In This Class You Will Learn:

The basics of blanching and par cooking, including the difference between blanching root vegetables and leafy greens.

Related Articles

• The Basics of Blanching
• How To Properly Blanch Garlic

FCS Episode 4| Basic Starches – Risotto, Polenta and Mashed Potatoes

In This Class You Will Learn:

• The Components of a Standard Entree
• How To Cook Risotto
• How To Cook Polenta
• How To Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Free Culinary School Episode 5| Sauteing, Searing and Pan Roasting

In This Class You Will Learn:

• How to Saute
• How to Sear
• How to Pan Roast (Roti)
• How to Properly Season a Cast Iron Pan

Free Culinary School Episode 6| Braising, Poaching and Roasting

In This Class You Will Learn:

• How To Braise (Lamb Shank & Beef Short Ribs)
• How To Poach (Recipe for Poached Fillet of Sole)
• How To Roast (Technique for Roasting a Whole Prime Rib)
• Court Bouillon Recipe
• How To Properly Make Clarified Butter

Related Articles

• Harissa Braised Lamb Shank
• Braised Beef Short Ribs
• Poached Fillet of Sole
• How to Roast a Whole Prime Rib
• Braised Chicken Thighs

Free Culinary School Episode 7| Frying, Confit and Deep Fat Poaching

In This Class You Will Learn:

• How to deep fat fry like a professional chef
• How to make duck confit
• How to deep fat poach

The Five French Mother Sauces

To finish off our basic skills course we do a five part podcast series on the Five French Mother Sauces. These five sauces are the base for more than 90% of all modern sauces out there. Understanding these fundamental sauces is a huge part of basic culinary skill. Click on the link above to go through the French Mother Sauce Course.

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]]> http://freeculinaryschool.com/basic-cooking-course-class-syllabus/feed/ 3 http://freeculinaryschool.com/meditating-on-stock/ http://freeculinaryschool.com/meditating-on-stock/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:41 +0000 Jacob Burton http://freeculinaryschool.com/?p=551

Ahhh, the beautiful simplicities of stock. There’s nothing more calming, more centering, then walking into my kitchen in the wee morning hours, smelling that rich broth, and getting lost in its gaze. I lean my head over the stock, smile and say good morning, and then I start to lovingly skim.

That nice little fat layer that built up overnight while the world was asleep; that’s my therapy.

For those first brief moments in the morning, when I have a hectic day ahead that’s sure to be in constant battle with Murphy’s Law, I clear my mind I and start to skim.

It’s amazing how you can be exposed to some of the best food in the world, and still the simple things are what truely give you joy, what truley keep you grounded. To me, there is nothing more beautiful, more sexy, and more gratifying then bringing a  gorgeous stock into the world.

More Resources

• FCS Episode 2| Stocks
• Test Your Knowledge On Culinary Stocks: Take The Stocks Quiz

In this episode of The Free Culinary School Podcast we continue our Garde Manger Course with a lesson on creamy and emulsified salad dressing, and talk about some classic salads such as the Caesar, Cobb and Louis.

In the Discussion Segment you will learn:

• How to make an emulsified creamy dressing.
• How to make classical creamy dressings such as Ranch, Blue Cheese and Thousand Island.
• When you should and should not use creamy salad dressings.

In the Technique Segment you will learn:

• The components of Caesar, Cobb and Louis Salad.
• The history of the Louis, Cobb and Caesar, and how they were developed.
• How to make these classical salads your own!

And in the Culinary Quick Tip:

• Secrets ingredients used by professional chefs in their creamy salad dressings!

Related Articles

• Understanding Emulsions and How They Work
• Check out this article on the use of MSG in Cooking.

Support Forum

• Question’s or comments? Post them to this thread.
• Take the FCS Episode 15 Quiz!
• FCS Episode 15 Homework Assignment
• Take the Episode 15 Poll

In the Free Culinary School Podcast Episode 15 we discussed three classical salads that are commonly found in U.S. restaurants. These salads are the Caesar, Louis and Cobb salad. Here is a quick break down on each salad’s components and their corresponding salad dressings.

Caesar Salad Components

• Romaine Lettuce, usually just the hearts. The romaine can be chopped, but was traditionally left whole and eaten with the fingers instead of utensils.
• Garlic Croutons: Don’t over think this one. Croutons are nothing more than toasted bread, in this case tossed with crushed garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper after being toasted. My favorite way to toast croutons is to fry them in oil, but you can also bake, pan fry or toast in a toaster oven.
• Anchovy Fillets (Optional): Not a part of the traditional Caesar salad but is now a common component in modern versions. I like to personally use whole, white anchovy fillets called Boquerones.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: This can really be any hard, aged cheese that you desire. Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Asiago, and Pecorino Romano are all good choices.

Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe and Technique

To better understand the process of making Caesar Dressing, first review this post on Understanding Emulsions. To make Caesar Dressing you will need:

• 2 Egg Yolks
• 6 Anchovy Fillets (Optional)
• 2 Cloves Raw Garlic
• 2 Lemons Juiced
• 2 Tbl Worsteshire Sauce
• 1 1/2 Good Olive Oil
• 2-3 Ozs Grated Parmesan Cheese (Optional)
• Water to Thin

Process

1. Combine egg yolks, anchovy fillets, garlic, lemon juice, and Worsteshire Sauce in a blender and blend until smooth (about 10-15 seconds).
2. Add in grated Parmesan Cheese and blend until incorporated.
3. Slowly start stream in olive oil to for an emulsion. If the dressing becomes too thick before all oil is emulsified, thin out with a little splash of cold water.
4. Continue to emulsify olive oil until it is all incorporated. The final consistency should be that of a thin mayonnaise.

Louis Salad Components

The components of a Louis Salad will change from chef to chef. Really what makes it a Louis Salad is the dressing and the addition of either cooked crab or shrimp. Here’s I like to use in my Louis Salads.

• Cooked Crab Meat (dungeness is the best)
• Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• Sliced Avacado
• Thinly Sliced Red Onion
• Iceberg or Romain Lettuce: It’s important to use a sturdy, crisp salad green that will stand up to the weight of the Louis dressing.

Louis Salad Dressing

• Two Cups of Mayonnaise
• 1/2 Cup Chilli Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 oz Minced Onion
• 1 oz Finely Minced Green Onion
• 1 oz Drained Pimento, Minced
• 1 oz Celery, Finely Minced

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix together until are ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Tip: To make sure the salad isn’t overpowered by the dressing, place all salad ingredients in an appropriate sized bowel, add a little bit of the Louis dressing, and gently toss with your hands. Add more dressing until desired flavor is reached, and then season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Cobb Salad Components

• Chopped Chicken or Slices of Turkey
• Bacon, Cooked to Desired Doneness
• Hard Boild Eggs
• Tomatoes
• Avocado
• Cheddar Cheese
• Crumbled Bleu Cheese (Traditionally Roquefort)
• Lettuce (Iceberg, Red Leaf or Butter Lettuce all work well)

Cobb Salad Dressing

1. 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
2. 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3. 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
4. 1 Clove Garlic, minced
5. 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6. Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to Taste

• Combine all ingredients 1-4 in an appropriate sized mixing bowl and whisk together.
• Continue to whisk while streaming in olive oil.
• Once olive oil is combined, season with salt and pepper to taste

Assembling Your Cobb Salad

Toss your salad greens of choice with the vinaigrette above. Place dressed greens a a salad bowl, and arrange ingredients from the component section in straight lines, side by side, across the top of the salad greens.

For more information, listen to The Free Culinary School Podcast Episode 15.

For me, beets and goat cheese are one of the best flavor combinations out there. This is the beet napoleon that we are currently serving at the restaurant:

Beet Napoleon, Honey Goat Cheese Mousse, Golden Beet Vierge, Beet Oil and Dust.

First, review this post on How To Roast and Peel Beets.

• Once your beets are roasted and peeled, cut off the root end making it flat.
• Next, slice on the thickest setting on a Japanese Mandoline, to insure nice, even slices.
• Take a ring mold and cut out the center of the beet slice. This is more for visual appeal than anything else. Cutting out the beet with a ring mold will insure that all the beet slices are the same size.

For the Beet Vierge

Review this post on how to make vierge if you’re not familiar with the process. For the golden beet vierge you’ll need:

• 4-5 Oz/110-140g of Roasted Golden Beet Trimmings.
• 1 Oz/28g Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2-3 Oz/55-85g Cold Water
• 1 Clove Raw Garlic
• Pinch of Xanthan Gum (If available)
• 1-1.5 Cups/240-360ml Canola Oil

The Process

1. Combine all ingredients except for the oil in a good blender. Blend on medium speed, until a medium body puree is achieved. Add an extra ounce or two of cold water if the puree is too thick.
2. Although the addition of the Xanthan Gum isn’t necessary, it will make the emulsification process much more forgiving.
3. Slowly start to stream in the Canola Oil, a couple of drops at a time, until the emulsion starts to form.
4. Once the emulsion starts forming, turn the blender speed up to high, and continue streaming in oil until a thick consistency along the lines of coleslaw dressing is achieved. The higher the rotation speed of the blender blade, the tinier the oil droplets will be, and the more stable your emulsion will become.
5. If you have incorporated all of your Canola Oil into your vierge and it’s still not as thick as you would like, you can add in a small amount of Xanthan Gum to bring it to the desired consistency without diluting the flavor with more oil.
6. Finish by seasoning with kosher salt, and then pass through a chinois or a fine strainer to insure a smooth consistency.

For the Beet Oil

• Take the outer trimmings from the roasted red beets, and combine in a blender with canola oil at a 1:2 ratio of beets to oil. Blend on high for about 60 seconds, or until the beets are broken up into a fine particle size.
• Pass through a chinois. I prefer the look of beet particles in the oil, but if you would rather have a thin, evenly colored oil, let the oil sit overnight to infuse color, and then squeeze through a dinner napkin.

For the Beet Dust

• Dehydrate beet scraps in a dehydrator for about 12 hours, or until all their moisture has evaporated. If you do not have a dehydrator, you can bake the beet scraps in a 175 F/80 C oven for about 3-4 hours, or until crisp and dehydrated.
• Take dehydrated beets and grind in a clean coffee grinder until a fine powder is reached. Pass through a tamis if available to insure consistent “dust” granules.

For Goat Cheese Mousse

It is important to note that the word mousse is a very loose interpretation as used here. Classically speaking, a mousse is a light foam that is made “airy” by folding in either whipped cream or egg whites and is stabilized with gelatin. The goat cheese mousse used here is nothing more than Chevre Goat Cheese slightly sweetened with honey and seasoned with salt and pepper. The basic recipe is:

• 8 Oz/227g Goat Cheese
• 2-3 Oz/55-85g Honey
• Salt and Black Pepper To Taste

This is simply a guide line. If you want your goat cheese a little sweeter, add more honey. If you prefer it more on the savory side, then add less honey.

Putting It On The Plate

• Start by spreading one ounce of the vierge in a cirucular motion in the center of the plate with a one ounce laddle.
• Place a little dollop of your goat cheese mousse in the center of the vierge.
• Center two slices of the red beets on top of the goat cheese. It’s important to put this layer on the bottom, so that is does not bleed down onto the other layers of beets.
• Season the beet layer with Fleur de Sel or a good sea salt, top with more goat cheese, and repeat layering process until the napoleon is three layers high.
• Garnish two opposing corners with the beet oil, and the other opposing corners with the beet dust.
• Garnish with a chive and serve.

Beets are one of my favorite food products to work with during fall and winter. They are extremely versatile, come in all different shapes and sizes, and have an earthiness that just screams “winter comfort food.” Although there are many different ways to prepare and serve beets, one of my favorites, and most classical methods, is roasting.

To Roast Beets:

• Start by wrapping each beet individually in foil and then group by size.

• Roast in a 500 F/260 C oven until you can easily poke a wooden skewer into the center. (For approximate roasting times, see below).
• Once beets are done roasting, let cool in foil until cold enough to easily handle.
• Unwrap the foil and peel off the beet skin by rubbing with a clean kitchen towel until the skin is completely removed.
• Note: If peeling different colored beets at the same time, start by peeling the lightest colored beet and working your way up to the darkest, (the red beet). This will prevent the darker beets from staining the lighter beets.
• Note #2: When handling red beets, it’s advisable that you wear plastic gloves so you won’t stain your hands, and be conscious that the beet will stain just about anything it comes into contact with.

Approximate Roasting Times For Beets @ 500 F/260 C Oven

• Baby Beets (Golf Ball Size):  0:45 min-1:30 hours
• Medium Beets (Baseball Size): 1:30-2 hours
• Large Beets (Softball Size): 2-2:30 hours
• Note: These times are just approximations and everyone’s oven is different. For true accuracy, use these times as a guideline and check for desired tenderness with a wooden skewer.

OK, Now What?

Now that you’ve successfully roasted and peeled your beets, here are some ideas of what you can do with them. First, check out this post that I did on a Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleon that I serve at the restaurant. Some other ideas are:

• Dice up and use as a salad garnish.
• Beets go great with cheese, especially Goat Cheese, Gorgonzola, Ricotta and Queso Fresco.
• Beets also go great with Dijon Mustard, Sea Salt, Walnuts, and Tarragon.
• Try combining some of the flavors and ingredients from above, and adding your own spin on presentation and flavor structure.