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fandomhigh2013-11-05 01:01 am
sharp_as_knives) wrote in fandomhigh2013-11-05 01:01 am
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Beginning Gourmet Cooking Techniques | Tuesday, 1st Period
Hannibal had the students beginning gathered around the stove at the front of the class this week.
"Last week we attempted the mother sauces; unfortunately, it seems I may have overestimated the simplicity of the task. So, further into the basics first. In order to make the béchamel sauce, we must first make a roux. In order to make the roux, we start with clarified butter. So."
He pulled out a square block of butter and heated the pan. "Butter contains butterfat, milk solids, and water. Clarifying butter removes the water and milk solids. This means it can get much hotter without burning, so it's very good for frying." He demonstrated how to skim the butter as it cooked, leaving only the part they wanted. He hoped they could follow along; it seemed absurdly simple, but he was learning things he thought were, not everybody else did.
"Once we have that, the roux. A good roux is essential to many sauces. It helps to thicken them and adds some flavor. It's important not to burn it, and to make sure that the fat and the flour mix evenly." He showed them the rest until he had a nice, pale roux.
"Once you have the roux, the next challenge is avoiding lumps." Or so he gathered from watching last week's class; he hadn't had such a problem in decades. "You must add the milk slowly, and it helps if it is cold. If you add it too quickly, or too much at once, you will have a disaster on your hands."
After he'd demonstrated the proper technique, he nodded to them all. "There, you see? Now, only one sauce for today, but you'll be clarifying your own butter and making the roux. Please let me know if you have any questions." Self-sufficiency was admirable, but some of these children raised it past an art form and to extremes.
"Last week we attempted the mother sauces; unfortunately, it seems I may have overestimated the simplicity of the task. So, further into the basics first. In order to make the béchamel sauce, we must first make a roux. In order to make the roux, we start with clarified butter. So."
He pulled out a square block of butter and heated the pan. "Butter contains butterfat, milk solids, and water. Clarifying butter removes the water and milk solids. This means it can get much hotter without burning, so it's very good for frying." He demonstrated how to skim the butter as it cooked, leaving only the part they wanted. He hoped they could follow along; it seemed absurdly simple, but he was learning things he thought were, not everybody else did.
"Once we have that, the roux. A good roux is essential to many sauces. It helps to thicken them and adds some flavor. It's important not to burn it, and to make sure that the fat and the flour mix evenly." He showed them the rest until he had a nice, pale roux.
"Once you have the roux, the next challenge is avoiding lumps." Or so he gathered from watching last week's class; he hadn't had such a problem in decades. "You must add the milk slowly, and it helps if it is cold. If you add it too quickly, or too much at once, you will have a disaster on your hands."
After he'd demonstrated the proper technique, he nodded to them all. "There, you see? Now, only one sauce for today, but you'll be clarifying your own butter and making the roux. Please let me know if you have any questions." Self-sufficiency was admirable, but some of these children raised it past an art form and to extremes.
Talk to the TAs!
Re: Talk to the TAs!
He was going to kind of get lost in the butter-clarifying step, and sort of zone out on it as he mechanically skimmed away the milk solids. Yeah, butterfat was super fascinating. Wasn't it?
He was going to have a pretty decent roux when he was done, considering how intensely he was paying attention to it.
Re: Talk to the TAs!
Re: Talk to the TAs!
She was dorkily excited how much an affect it had on her roux!