Stir-fry & Miso

Tofu + Vegetable Stir-fry
Silken tofu cubes + Lotus roots + carrots + bell peppers + onion + brown sauce & sesame seeds.


Soba & Tofu Miso Soup
Shiro miso in dashi stock with soba (buckwheat noodles) + tofu+red bell peppers and spring onions.

Tarte tatin à l'oignon (France)

Tarte tatin à l'oignon - or - Red Onion and Thyme Tarte Tatin (France)


This recipe is so simple yet SO, so DELICIOUS! You start by quartering 3-4 red onions depending on their size. Then melt about 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skilled (Le Creuset). Cover and sweat onions. Turn once and season with about 3 tablespoons or so of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt+pepper to taste.



Roll some Pâte Brisée or pie dough (savory) cover the onions and place in the oven for about 25-30 min. until golden.



This is how it looks out of the oven the dough shrinks a little from the sides and the dough becomes crispy and golden. MMM!



Once you invert the pan on to a sheet pan it should look like this.


Garnish with spring onions for a little green! MMM...The balsamic juices dripping on the crispy crust OH YUM! You've got to try this at least once in your life! It might not sound very appealing to have an onion tart but makes a light and delicious lunch! Just pair it with a good salad with some yogurt dressing and VOILA! Vive la France!

Culinary Arts Graduate & Alumni Dinner (04/10/07)

No this Blog is not dead nor it will end with Graduation...
This is only the beginning! Keep posted!
Many more to come!!!!


Exquisite table setting. / Bird of paradise napkin fold.



HEY! got seated on table #7 . Seven my lucky number!!!



LOL my very limited view of the table but you get the idea!
I wasn't going to get up and take panoramic pictures of it since this was a nice formal dinner I decided to behave! LOL



Starter: Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette & glaced pecans!
DELICIOUS way to entice the palate!



Steamed Salmon Filet with Lemon Beurre Blanc / Rustic Red-skinned mashed potatoes / Garlic roasted green beans with shallots.
LOVED the Beurre Blanc sauce and the rustic potatoes YUMMY!!!



Sherry on fire! Here is Miss Sherry flambéing the bananas foster dessert below.
Can you se the blue flame?



THREE-CHOCOLATE BAVAROISE!!! MMM with a creme anglaise and raspberry coulis.



I had BANANAS FOSTER with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream



Group picture






Me and my brother Sergio



Me and Jose



Evelyn, Dolores Kearney and Jose Munoz
... Dolores feels like yesterday when you taught me about flakiness, mouth feel, foams and so much more!


Evelyn, Chef Katrina Warner and Jose
CHEF!!!! Thank You! for all the fun and words of advice! Cheers to you and to the many more years to come as head of Culinary Arts!



Evelyn, Karima, Jose and Chef Bryant Currie.
Chef Currie's Class prepared the dinner! KUDOS!



Me and Sergio!

Sweet Latin America

=ALFAJORES from Argentina=

Alfajores "Tapas" in all sizes mini, medium and giant! LOL



A HUGE dollop of caramel "dulce de leche" MMM!!!



"Closing the gap" LOL just another excuse to add more caramel!
Well it really helps so the coconut sticks to the alfajor or if dipping it in chocolate so it has a smooth edge.



The little ones :)



=EMPANADAS=

EMPANADAS!!! like my mom thought me!
This cute little way to seal them is called a "repulgo" in Spanish it means "fold". Because of the wavy folds to seal and decorate.
My mom taught me to make 'repulgos' as a toddler! of course the only reason I cared to learn back them was so I could get my hands on the fillings usually caramel as soon as she turned here attention elsewhere!



Strawberry Empanadas with sugar diamonds, sealed with a fork to differentiate the caramel ones from the fruit ones.



Pineapple empanadas



Caramel (Dulce de Leche) Empanadas with cinnamon sugar topping.




Giant Empanadas! Left to Right... Pineapple, Caramel, Strawberry and Apricot.



=Tres Leches CUPCAKES=

Golden Moist perfection! MMM!



Some pipped meringue.



different presentations



EAT ME!!!!



Mini alfajor covered in Milk Chocolate and decorated with white chocolate



drizzled alfajores



MMM! the picture speaks for itself!



White Chocolate covered alfajor!!!!

Éclairs!

MMM want some? YUMMY! so as many of you know "April 9" or "Abril 9" is my Birthday! Hence the name of the Blog!!!! SO what is one to do? Bake whatever your heart desires! OF COURSE!!!! It was Éclairs this year.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of those of you that remembered and for all the gifts and wonderful time!

Ukrainian Borshch

a very colorful base kind of like a Matignon


The cabbage!


OH! the color on these beets! unbelievable!!! Roasting them in the oven in stead of steaming or other method renders them almost a deep red-purple-black color packed with all the flavor depth and juices needed for the soup! MMM!


The secret to the color? Well roast your beets and a splash of vinegar and VOILA! Blood Red Borshch!

Indian Potato Saagu

Indian Potato Saagu or Samosa filling...
It is a spicy potato delicacy in a thick curry.




One of my favorite things to eat!! MMM

Bulgur with Tomatoes, Scallions and Herbs

BULGUR: eaten in countries of the Middle East and North Africa.
Bulgur is wheat that is parboiled, dried (usually by spreading in the sun) and then de-branned.
Bulgur is often confused with cracked wheat, which is made from crushed wheat grains which have not been parboiled.
In the end it is a whole-grain, high-fiber food! It has a light and nutty flavor.
Bulgur can be used in pilafs, soups, bakery goods, or as stuffing, but is best known as a main ingredient
in tabouli salad and kibbeh. Its higher nutritional value makes it a good substitute for rice or couscous.

Yet another Stir-Fry! LOL

Mise en Place


Seasonings Mise en Place


the COLOR!!!!!!!!! YUM!


Sesame seeds the perfect garnish for color depth and contrast!