Mastering Culinary Arts: A Week of Lamb, Seafood, and Classic French Pastry

Apologies for the brief hiatus since my last update! The past week has been a whirlwind of activity, blending both anticipated challenges and unexpected stresses. We’re now just two short weeks away from embarking on our highly anticipated restaurant externships, a significant milestone in our culinary journey. This week also marks our final, and arguably most crucial, practical exam, pushing our skills to their limits. Adding to the intensity, last Friday saw us tackling our toughest Market Basket challenge yet, a true test of improvisation and technique under pressure. But enough about the stress – let’s dive into the delicious creations!

Our culinary week began with a delightful start in Wednesday’s class, featuring freshly baked **homemade croissants**. These flaky, buttery pastries were the culmination of an extensive demonstration by the Phase I pastry chef the previous afternoon. We carefully proofed them throughout the morning, ensuring their perfect rise before baking them off just as class commenced. The aroma alone was intoxicating, a true reward for our diligent efforts in mastering the intricate art of viennoiserie.

This particular week was brimming with an array of diverse dishes, but it was unofficially dubbed “lamb week” for a very good reason. We found ourselves consistently working with and preparing various cuts of lamb, a protein I initially felt least comfortable with due to limited prior experience. This intensive focus, however, proved to be an invaluable learning opportunity, allowing me to develop greater confidence and proficiency in preparing this often-misunderstood meat. From understanding different muscle structures to mastering appropriate cooking temperatures, “lamb week” was a crucial step in expanding my repertoire as an aspiring chef.

Our first culinary exploration on Wednesday led us to a beautifully executed **braised calamari** dish, elegantly served alongside creamy soft polenta and a vibrant, house-made tomato sauce. Working with calamari is a skill we’ve only touched upon once or twice throughout the entire program, so the opportunity to revisit and refine this technique was incredibly exciting. Eager for extra practice, my partner and I eagerly volunteered to clean all the calamari ourselves. While it’s undeniably a messy process, the steps involved are quite straightforward, and the hands-on experience was invaluable. We meticulously stuffed the calamari tubes with a savory mixture of finely sautéed onions, spicy chorizo sausage, and perfectly cooked rice, all bound together with fresh eggs and delicate breadcrumbs. These delectable parcels were then quickly braised in a rich yet simple tomato and basil sauce, allowing the flavors to meld harmoniously and the calamari to become wonderfully tender.

Following this delightful seafood course, we delved into a creative twist on a culinary classic: the **Caesar Salad**. We had tackled the traditional version earlier in Phase I, but this iteration offered a refreshing, almost deconstructed perspective. Instead of serving the romaine hearts raw, we quickly grilled them, imparting a subtle smoky flavor and a pleasing char. The usual anchovy and parmesan were not incorporated directly into the dressing; instead, we elegantly placed whole anchovies atop the salad, celebrating their distinct briny flavor. For a playful and refined touch, we crafted charming parmesan “lollipops” presented on skewers, each featuring a tiny spoonful of rich olive tapenade at its dark center. This innovative approach transformed a familiar dish into an elevated, multi-textured experience.

For our main course, we prepared **moussaka**, a quintessential Mediterranean casserole renowned for its comforting layers of flavor and texture. This classic dish traditionally features tender eggplant, robust tomatoes, savory ground lamb, and a luxurious béchamel sauce. Our rendition involved assembling individual portions in soufflé molds, adding an elegant touch to the presentation. To intensify the flavor profile, we took the extra step of sautéing both the eggplant and tomatoes before layering them, ensuring each component contributed maximum taste to the final dish. The moussaka was served with a rich lamb jus, to which we added a touch of grainy mustard for a delightful piquant note. While incredibly delicious, the individual soufflé molds presented a unique challenge during service – flipping them out and achieving a perfectly inverted, aesthetically pleasing plate required considerable care and precision, a valuable lesson in plating under pressure.

Finally, our exquisite dessert for the day was a true masterpiece, a special courtesy from Chef Michel himself. This particular cake held legendary status, serving as a bestseller for over two decades at the revered restaurant Lion D’Or. Though the Lion D’Or is no longer in operation today, it was once celebrated as one of the finest restaurants in the world during its illustrious tenure. The mere mention of its legacy filled our kitchen with a sense of awe and anticipation as we embarked on recreating this iconic dessert.

The preparation of this magnificent cake is an undertaking that spans approximately three days, a testament to its complexity and the meticulous attention to detail required. Its foundation lies in exquisitely candied hazelnuts and almonds. These nuts demand a patient drying period of about two to three days, allowing them to fully crisp and develop their profound nutty flavors. Once perfectly dried, they are carefully ground and incorporated into two crucial components: the light and airy sponge cake batter, and one of the luscious whipped cream fillings that form the heart of the dessert. Even on their own, these candied nuts are an absolute delight, showcasing the magic of simple ingredients elevated through precise technique. The finished cake was truly outstanding – incredibly delicious, rich in flavor, and perfectly balanced. Its appearance and taste strikingly reminded me of the Marjolaine cake we had the pleasure of creating in Phase I, a testament to the enduring principles of classic French patisserie and the interconnectedness of various complex dessert structures.

This week’s diverse menu, from challenging lamb preparations to inventive salads and a legendary dessert, truly highlighted the breadth of skills required in the culinary arts. It underscored the importance of not just learning recipes, but understanding techniques, flavors, and the historical context behind great dishes. As we navigate the final stretch of our program, each day brings us closer to becoming confident, adaptable chefs ready for the demands of a professional kitchen.

I’ll be back soon with a brief recap of the rest of the week’s culinary adventures! It’s hard to believe, but do we really only have eight more days of school left? The culmination of months of intense learning and relentless practice is almost here, and the anticipation for our next chapter as culinary professionals is palpable.