Day 23

I had my first bad day at school.

I pretty much kept a steady stream of fuck ups all day long. I have scars to prove it. I even wept a little on my drive home.

It started with my burning the bacon.
I made bouef bourguignon today. Its just brown stew. Its good brown stew. But still...brown stew. Not so exciting to look at. Not even super appetizing to look at. But taste is GREAT. I was too distracted by my misery and pity to take pictures of it. I had not made a beef Burgundy before. I seared well and made sure to season heavily when I browned my beef. Then I put in my bacon. I like crispy bacon. I didn't think it was even bad. But chef was not pleased. He reminds me of it, often. So as my beef stewed, so did I. For like hours. And amidst my stewing I made some other awesome screw ups. So after you don't burn bacon you add mirepoix (carrot/onion/celery) and saute it. Add back in the beef marinade and deglaze. Add meat back in and cover with demi glace to loosen up the stew. Simmer about 3 hours. At the end you can add in any manner of sauteed vegetable that you like. We used button mushrooms. Serve over buttered rice noodles. Next dish was Poulet Chasseur (a braised chicken dish with mushrooms).
That's my little chicken looking as good as ever. I took him apart and sauteed his major pieces. I then sliced some shallots and added them to the hot fat in the pan. After them went mushrooms (domestic and wild) (dried porcini and morel, fresh shitake and button). A white wine deglaze and then stock 1/2 way up the sides. We used 1/2 chicken stock and 1/2 demi glace. Bring to simmer and cover with lid of parchment paper. Bake until chicken is cooked. About 25 minutes.
Here' s where I was awesome again. My cooking neighbor took his pan out and set it next to me. I turned and just brushed my forearm across his pan handle. that had been in the oven. for 30 minutes. It burned all day and now I have an inch long red stripe on the underside of my arm probably forever. Thanks douchebag.

I do know that it was really my fault but at this point someone else is going down with me. The chicken was not enough sacrifice for my bad day. When I took out mr. chicken I removed the meat and thickened the sauce. A little too thick for my taste, but that was a given, right? I was sure at this point that I was not meant to be in cooking school at all. I only have potential to be a crabby lunch lady with zits and a hairnet.

I did perk up a little bit when we started making the escargot.
Escargot come in a can from France, duh. They are meaty and nothing to be scared of. Not slimy or stinky. You should try them somewhere reputable, though. Above they are sauteed with a little garlic, shallot and white wine. Just to add a little flavor to them. Then you begin to make the butter.
I can't even imagine how much better this would be with really good french butter. I will have to try. So in the bowl above is unsalted butter, parsley, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper. Make sure to taste and test it for seasoning before baking. I chopped some of the shallots. And managed to chop into my thumb while doing it. I was ready to leave at this point. I'm sure I had not spoken to anyone for at least 2 hours. I held together if not just to taste the wine we were going to taste at lunch. You can stuff the butter into actual snail shells or just on top of a bunch of snails in ramekins. Bake until bubbling and lightly browned.
That's my really cute snail plate that I carried back from France in its virgin state. Le sigh...
Snails were great. Just try not to soak up all the butter with bread. I dare you.