Culinary School Chronicles: Mastering Doughnuts, Consommé, and Surviving Liver Day

Welcome back to the kitchen chronicles! Wednesday’s menu was a true test of our culinary skills, packed with a diverse array of dishes that ranged from utterly delightful to profoundly challenging. While some creations left us craving more, others were… well, an experience in themselves. Today, I’ll walk you through the highlights and lowlights of a demanding day in culinary school, starting with the undisputed star of the show.

The Sweet Escape: Perfecting Traditional Fried Doughnuts

Let’s kick things off with the dessert of the day: doughnuts. I recently made an impulse purchase of a doughnut pan, thinking I’d delve into the world of baked doughnuts. However, this day marked a significant first for me – finally learning how to make traditional yeast-leavened fried doughnuts from scratch. And let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like a freshly fried doughnut.

The journey began in the kitchen, meticulously assembling our dough. We combined bread flour for structure, rich eggs, just the right amount of sugar for sweetness, shortening for tenderness, water, active yeast for that essential rise, and a delicate touch of mace to impart a unique, warm spice. After kneading the ingredients until a smooth, elastic dough formed, we wrapped it tightly and set it aside to proof. This crucial stage allowed the yeast to work its magic, causing the dough to double in size over approximately 45 minutes to an hour – a clear sign it was ready for the next step.

Right before service, the moment of truth arrived: frying. Achieving the perfect golden-brown exterior while maintaining a light, airy interior requires precise oil temperature and careful handling. Once fried to perfection, my partner, Hadley, and I eagerly experimented with coatings. Some were simply tossed in sparkling granulated sugar, offering a classic, irresistible sweetness. Others received a generous dusting of a fragrant mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon, adding a warm, aromatic depth that was absolutely divine. The verdict? These homemade fried doughnuts were unbelievably delicious, a true testament to the joy of making something from scratch.

The Art of Clarity: Demystifying Consommé

Another significant dish on our menu was consommé. Don’t let its seemingly simple appearance fool you; consommé is a crystal-clear, amber-colored, fortified stock that is anything but easy to prepare. It’s a hallmark of classical French cuisine, revered for its depth of flavor and pristine clarity, achieved through a laborious, multi-stage process.

Our journey to consommé began the previous afternoon, Tuesday, with the creation of the petite marmite. This initial stage involves searing chicken bones and lean meat to develop a rich foundation of flavor, alongside a classic mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions) and onion brulee. Onion brulee, essentially thick discs of onion charred on both sides, adds a beautiful color and a subtle smoky sweetness. These ingredients are then combined with chicken stock and left to gently simmer for about five hours, allowing all the flavors to meld and deepen into a robust base.

The second, and perhaps most crucial, step is the clarification process. After straining and chilling the petite marmite, we incorporated a “clearmeat” mixture consisting of equal parts finely ground lean beef, ground mirepoix, and fresh egg whites. This mixture is then slowly brought to a very low simmer. As it gently heats, the proteins from the meat and egg whites, along with the solids from the mirepoix, gradually rise to the surface, forming a dense mass known as a raft. This raft acts as a natural filter, trapping all impurities and solids as the stock continues to cook underneath it, slowly clarifying the broth.

Once the raft became super thick and firm, we carefully and slowly ladled out the now-crystal-clear broth from underneath, straining it through a chinois for a final polish. The result was a stunningly clear consommé, possessing an intensely flavored, full-bodied essence. We served ours with delicate chicken mousse (yes, it made another appearance!) and sautéed shiitake mushrooms, which added an earthy contrast. While the kitchen was quite warm that day, making a hot bowl of soup less than refreshing for lunch, the consommé was undeniably good – especially when compared to our less-than-appetizing main course!

Savory Bites: Crafting Gougères

In addition to these intricate dishes, we also prepared gougeres. These delightful savory pastries are essentially *pâte à choux* dough (the same dough used for éclairs and cream puffs) enriched with Gruyère cheese. Once baked, they puff up beautifully, creating a light, airy, and cheesy bite. Gougeres are incredibly versatile, allowing for various flavor enhancements. To our dough, we incorporated a pinch of cayenne pepper for a subtle kick, a small amount of Dijon mustard for tang, and freshly grated nutmeg to complement the cheese.

These were surprisingly easy and quick to make, proving to be a fantastic addition to any menu. Not only are they delicious, but they are also incredibly cost-effective, making them a “money maker” for many restaurants. They are a superb appetizer, especially since they can be prepared in advance, frozen, and then simply reheated in the oven right before serving, offering convenience without sacrificing quality.

The Culinary Challenge: Facing Pan-Seared Calf’s Liver

So far, everything on the menu sounds pretty appealing, right? Well, prepare yourselves, because here comes the less glamorous part of our culinary adventure. Our main dish was pan-seared calf’s liver, served with an elegant echalote sauce. This sauce, a delicious combination of finely diced shallots, red wine, and a touch of red wine vinegar, is traditionally used to cut through the richness of proteins, especially organ meats.

Truth be told, I haven’t consumed much organ meat in my life, primarily because it has never appealed to me in the slightest. However, one of my personal rules at culinary school is to try everything, even the dishes that sound theoretically disgusting. I found myself genuinely wondering if I might actually like it, watching Chef Brian’s demonstration in class. Perhaps, like escargot, it was one of those things that sounds unappetizing but tastes surprisingly good? NO! Not at all! I bravely took a tiny bite, hoping for a pleasant surprise, but I absolutely detested it. While the echalote sauce was commendable, the texture of the liver – not to mention observing its preparation – was incredibly unappetizing and, to be frank, rather gross.

I think the chefs were well aware that many plates would go largely untouched during lunch. Preparing the liver involved a few unsettling steps: first, meticulously removing the outer membrane, then excising the inner vein. Once cleaned, we sliced it thinly – a process that revealed its peculiar, jelly-like consistency. Finally, each piece was lightly coated in flour and pan-seared in clarified butter until cooked. It certainly didn’t help that my particular piece on the plate bore an unfortunate resemblance to a sad, withered banana peel!

Accompanying the Main: Celery Root Puree and Pommes Croquettes

To accompany the calf’s liver, we prepared two side dishes. The first was a delicate celery root puree. Celery root was gently cooked until tender with a touch of chicken stock, butter, salt, and pepper. It was then pureed in a food processor until silky smooth and finished with a hint of cream, creating a subtly earthy and creamy accompaniment that was quite enjoyable.

We also made pommes croquettes, which are a fancier take on a familiar potato side. This involved ricing cooked potatoes, binding them with egg yolks, then piping the mixture into logs. These logs were chilled until firm, cut into small, uniform pieces, breaded, and then fried until golden. While essentially a sophisticated form of a tater tot, I found them somewhat uninspiring, especially after the culinary highs and lows of the other dishes.

The Realities of Culinary School: Kitchen Chaos and Camaraderie

Tackling such an extensive menu with just one partner was an immense challenge. Yet, against all odds, we somehow managed to serve everything on time. However, the immediate aftermath of plating revealed a scene of utter culinary chaos. The kitchen was, as usual, a complete mess – pots, sauté pans, and various utensils strewn across every available surface. Then came the “fun” part: cleaning it all up.

Fortunately, our small class has grown significantly faster and more organized when it comes to the daily cleanup routine. What once felt like an endless task now proceeds with impressive efficiency, even though we are responsible for scrubbing down the entire kitchen, assisting the dishwashers, cleaning our classroom, and tidying the commissary. As our chefs frequently remind us, “the kitchen is my gym.” While I can’t definitively say that all the labor burns off every bite of food we taste, it truly is a rigorous workout, physically and mentally.

By the end of the day, everyone felt pretty exhausted, not to mention quite overheated from the constant activity in the bustling kitchen. Despite the fatigue, there’s a strong sense of accomplishment and camaraderie that comes with navigating such demanding days.

A Sweet Diversion: The Art of Pulled Sugar

On a more delightful note, we had the opportunity to admire one of the pastry program instructor’s exquisite creations: a beautiful pulled-sugar flower. Witnessing such delicate and intricate artistry is always an inspiring reminder of the diverse skills and creativity fostered within the culinary arts. It was truly stunning and a brief, sweet escape from the day’s more strenuous tasks.

Looking Ahead

We’ll be back soon with another update on Thursday’s class! Luckily, the menu for tomorrow does not involve any more calf’s liver, which is a small victory I am very much looking forward to. Stay tuned for more culinary adventures!