The First Time I Really Liked Fish

Halloween! Irish brought true Chef hats for us to wear as a joke for Chef Z. He thought it was really funny. But man they itch! I've gotten so used to the baker's cap, I don't like anything else on my head. Yep, that's all the people we had Halloween - everyone else took the night off!

Bisque de Crevettes

In a small pot, melt butter and add bruinoised onions and carrots - sweat. Add shrimp shells and cook until they turn pink. Add herbs (bay leaf, thyme, parsley stems) and sweat until fragrant. Add tomato paste and pincer. Add flour and gently cook a white roux. Deglaze with brnady and wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add 12 oz water and simmer until you achieve a full shrimp flavor. Remove bay leaf. Puree in belnder until smotth and pass through a fine chinois. Reheat and add cream, adjust consistency and seasoning. Garnish with sauteed shrimp. Never never cut up shrimp. Put in the whole shrimp. I didn't really like this - to me, it didn't seem to have any flavor. Maybe I messed up, but Irish said the same thing about her's - she says it wasn't a very good recipe.

We plated Paupiettes de Sole au Vin Blanc a la Nage and Pommes de terre Duchesse

Chef actually did this part: [Process samon until smooth in a chilled food processor. Add the egg white adn pulse to incorporate. Scrape the bowl. Add cream slowly while machine is running. Pulse in cayenne and season with salt and white pepper.]

Place fillets skin side up on plastic wrap - cover with another sheet and gently pound to flatten evenly. Season the fillets with salt and white pepper. Spread a portion of almon mousseline on the fillets and roll starting at the tail end. in a small saute pan, rub 2 tsp of butter on the bottom. smrinkle with minced shallots and place the Paupiettes atop. Add the vermouth and stock to the pan bring the liquid to a simmer adn cover with a parchment round rubbed with the remaining butter. Gently poach until cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Add cream to pan, and simmer. Monter au beurre. Serve "swimming" in sauce.

Puree a Russet potato and fold in butter. Add egg yolk and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Pipe out in desired shape. I think Duchesse potatoes are a waste of perfectly good potatoes to eat as mashed. But that might just be me.

Sole meuniere, Beurre Noisette

Season halibut (because we can't possibly get the ingredients we are supposed to) and dredge in flour. Saute in clarified butter until lightly brown on both sides. Drizzle with lemon juice and finely chopped parsley. Pour out remaining clarified butter, and add whole butter cubes to hot pan. Without heat, it should turn noisette. Pour immediately over fillets and serve with lemon supremes/slices and chopped parsley.

This was fantastic! I wish we had made so many more pieces... the halibut was a great batch, Chef said - some of the best fish they've gotten at the school.

Here's Chef T - he's so fun! I'm going to miss seeing him.

Lessons Learned: To make an herb broth, use equal parts mirepoix (as opposed 2:1:1 onion:carrot:celery) and sweat. Add salt and white pepper. Add small amount of herbs then 8 oz water. Simmer 10-15 minutes.