Day 53: Projects, Tests, Black Boxes

I start the week with handing in my finished project. The last of for semester. My last two weeks are going to be so busy with tests and black boxes. Today is not an exception.

We start the day off with a test on fish. Last week was fish week and Chef wants to know how much we learned, and the easiest way to find out is to give us a test. It's a good thing I like fish, and this helps me in passing my test.

With the test over, we're back in the kitchen and Chef gives us our assignment. We can make whatever we like as long as we have one protein, one starch and two vegetables. Chef has pork and chicken. Our group is assigned chicken and we get a bit of a break to think about what we will be making today for Chef to taste and/or critique.

I've checked over the black box filled with ingredients and plan out what products I want to take advantage of. When we get the go ahead, I pick up a butternut squash and some long beans. I'm thinking pasta and start off with gathering the ingredients to make fresh pasta. As I leave my dough to sit for a bit wrapped in cling wrap, I get the pasta dryer and set up the pasta maker.

It's all about timing today. We have about two hours to complete a main dish. I do my mise en place with my vegetables by first cutting the butternut squash in large dice cuts. I am sauteing the squash in a pan over the stove seasoning with thyme, sage, salt and pepper and then put it in the oven to finish off.

I have a pot of boiling salted water and blanch the long beans. I will be sauteing them in butter just before serving. I do the same with the julienne red pepper.

The pasta dough has sat enough and I work on running the dough through the pasta machine five times to achieve the proper thickness. Then put it through again cutting the flattened dough into fettuccine and hang them to dry.

I'm ready for the chicken and clean my station making sure that I do not have any of my other ingredients nearby. It's important to not cross contaminate my meat with my other products. I've got half a chicken to work with and I decide to work with a half breast. I debone the chicken breast with skin attached and season it with salt and pepper. I've got a hot pan on the stove with oil in it and I put the chicken skin side down. I need to brown the skin and as soon as it has browned, it easily separates from the pan. I flip it over and put the pan in the oven to finish off cooking.

Now I'm ready for to cook the pasta in a pot of boiling hot water. Fresh pasta doesn't take too long. It's about 5 minutes and it's done. While the pasta is cooking the chicken is now ready. I remove it and let it rest on my cutting board. With the pan and it's chicken juices, I make a cream sauce for the fettuccine. I've put shallot in the pan to sweat seasoned with salt and pepper, I add in the garlic and then deglaze with some white wine. As soon as it has reduced, I add in the cream. I let the cream reduce and I'm ready for the pasta to be added and the roasted butternut squash and toss lightly.

All ingredients are cooked and ready to be plated, long green beans have been coiled to look like the fresh pasta before it's cooked. The pasta is plated in the other corner opposite. I have sliced the chicken on an angle and plated it between the long beans and pasta. I coil my red peppers and my plate is complete. I'm ready for Chef to taste and critique.

Busy day... and at the end Chef tells us that we're in for another black box day.