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fandomhigh2014-10-03 11:34 am
sharp_as_knives) wrote in fandomhigh2014-10-03 11:34 am
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Beginning Gourmet Cooking Techniques | Friday, 3rd period
Class was back in the Danger-Shop-as-kitchen-stations again today, and Hannibal nodded at the students. "Last week, we learned about knives, how to choose them, how important they are for cooking." Greenly. He'd been searching for better versions of Baltimore for the future.
He picked up his own knife, which was not a creation of the room. "But there is more to using them than just hitting things with the sharp edge and hoping they cut," he told them a bit dryly, his thumb skimming lightly over the blade.
Hannibal playing with knives Cutting Techniques
"This week, I'm going to show you the difference between mincing, dicing, chopping, slicing, julienning, and a few other cuts you may encounter. There are many different types of cuts. You can use them to add visual distinction to your work, but they are also important to ensure everything cooks at the proper rate. If you have large and small pieces, you'll end up with some overdone and some underdone." Which was a bad thing. You could probably guess that from his frown.
He waved his knife to gesture them closer. "We will also learn proper technique, as I'd prefer no-one lose a finger." He smiled briefly at Elsa, who'd gotten a bit of this last week. "When to start with the tip on the food," he demonstrated on a potato, "when to start with the tip on the board," there went a bit of celery, "and when to use it as a pivot." And that was garlic.
"Later, we will learn about different cuts of meat. For today, we will only cover slicing, as that is a common mistake that can make a very big difference in your food." He pulled a fairly rare piece of meat over to demonstrate. "Meat is muscle fibers. Muscles travel in a specific direction; like wood, they have a grain." He showed them the long side of the meat.
"Because they're designed for strength, pulling muscle with the grain - or chewing it - is very difficult." He sliced a bit with the grain and tugged on it to show them. "So, when you're slicing meat, you should always cut against the grain." He did a bit of that. "This makes it much more tender." He pulled that piece apart fairly easily.
"So, you all have various vegetables and some meat at your stations. Today you'll be making an autumn-vegetable bisque and pan-frying the meat to go with it. If you've made it before, you'll be trying a vegetable biryani in a pumkpin shell; your challenge is to have everything finish cooking at the same time; pay attention to the size each vegetable should be."
He picked up his own knife, which was not a creation of the room. "But there is more to using them than just hitting things with the sharp edge and hoping they cut," he told them a bit dryly, his thumb skimming lightly over the blade.
"This week, I'm going to show you the difference between mincing, dicing, chopping, slicing, julienning, and a few other cuts you may encounter. There are many different types of cuts. You can use them to add visual distinction to your work, but they are also important to ensure everything cooks at the proper rate. If you have large and small pieces, you'll end up with some overdone and some underdone." Which was a bad thing. You could probably guess that from his frown.
He waved his knife to gesture them closer. "We will also learn proper technique, as I'd prefer no-one lose a finger." He smiled briefly at Elsa, who'd gotten a bit of this last week. "When to start with the tip on the food," he demonstrated on a potato, "when to start with the tip on the board," there went a bit of celery, "and when to use it as a pivot." And that was garlic.
"Later, we will learn about different cuts of meat. For today, we will only cover slicing, as that is a common mistake that can make a very big difference in your food." He pulled a fairly rare piece of meat over to demonstrate. "Meat is muscle fibers. Muscles travel in a specific direction; like wood, they have a grain." He showed them the long side of the meat.
"Because they're designed for strength, pulling muscle with the grain - or chewing it - is very difficult." He sliced a bit with the grain and tugged on it to show them. "So, when you're slicing meat, you should always cut against the grain." He did a bit of that. "This makes it much more tender." He pulled that piece apart fairly easily.
"So, you all have various vegetables and some meat at your stations. Today you'll be making an autumn-vegetable bisque and pan-frying the meat to go with it. If you've made it before, you'll be trying a vegetable biryani in a pumkpin shell; your challenge is to have everything finish cooking at the same time; pay attention to the size each vegetable should be."
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Listen to the lecture, watch the technique
Make your food!
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She suspected that this was going to be a running theme from this point on.
She was still a little slow while cutting, but didn't seem to mind. She did have to set her knife down and walk away from her onion for a minute, though. Goodness, those things were brutal.
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"I've always heard stories about how overpowering onions can be," she shared, blinking hard, "but it's really difficult to appreciate the stories until you've felt it for yourself. I think this is one bit of life experience I could've happily passed up."
It was very difficult to sniffle daintily, but she was giving it her best try, patting at her eyes again before looking down at the handkerchief.
"Thank you," she added, sincerely. "Would you like me to have this cleaned for you?"
Re: Make your food!
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Re: Make your food!
Oh, Elsa. This would end well.
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"I would like that very much," she replied. Because of course she did. "Thank you, Doctor Lecter."
Re: Make your food!
"You're very welcome." Hannibal bowed slightly to her.
Eat Hannibal's food
Talk to Hannibal!
OOC!
I made vegetable biryani once. Most frustrating cutting experience of my life. Enjoy!