CF2 Term 2

So here we are at the beginning of the second term.  Today we made Veal Stock/Brown Stock.  After doing our usual line up for inspections we went thru a review of all things past for a refresher then they went into the walkin and pulled out about 75 pounds of veal bones.  The process is all fairly simple and home made stock is a lot better than the stuff you buy in the box at the super market. 

We begin by putting the bones on a sheet tray (cookie sheet), turn the oven to 400° f.  You don't do anything to the bones except put it in the oven for 25 mins.  Now while you're waiting you can cut up your mirepoix.  What in the hell is that?  Rewind....

Ratio:  In your stock pot you want 50% Bones, 100% water and 10% Mirepoix.  So...for 5 #s of Bones you want 1# of Mirepoix.  

Mirepoix is 50% onions 25% carrots and 25% celery cut into appx. 1/2 dice.  Then you can also make a bouquet garni to go in there and that is celery leaf, thyme, parsley,  bay leaf, peppercorn wraped in a leek and tied off with butchers twine.

Now, for brown stock you want to Roast the bones first.  So, 25 minutes us up, Ding, you take out the tray, flip the bones and put it back into the oven for appx 10-15 mins.  Ding, tray out, add carrots and onions and back in oven for about 10 mins.  Ding, tray out and you take tomato paste and mix it all up with your bones, carrots and onions.  Roast for 5 more minutes.  All is nice and brown, not burnt... onions may be just a wee bit on the edges but that's okay, then you take the bones and put it into your stock pot.  Add the celery, bouquet garni and fill up your pot with cold water.  Put the tray with all the dark crusty stuff on the bottom on the stove top, turn on your stove top and add water or red wine to the tray and you're going to deglaze that tray, scraping the bottom to losen up the "suc".  Now you take all that yumminess from the bottom of the tray and pour it into the stock pot.  Bring the pot to a simmer, not a boil,  and you'll want to simmer for 6 to8 hours.  If you're not crunched for time 24 to 36 hours is the best.  Do not stir or cover the pot.  Just let it sit and simmer and do it's thing.  Please don't put a lid on the pot. 

5#s of Bones should yeild 1 gallon of stock for you to make your sauces.

So team work is the name of the game now and our teacher gave us a little getting to know you excercise.  We had to pair up with somebody and interview each other, goals, experience, and find out something that nobody in the class knows about that person.  So I got Nikki.  She is a Filipino with a long ass Greek name lol Thessalonikka so we call her Nikki.  So we sit in this circle and tell everyone in class what we've found out about each other.  So... Nikki, used to be a travel agent back in the Phillipines, no prior cooking experience, and her goal is to one day work as a Chef in the White House.  And the big mystery box unfolded revealing that she was once a Runway Model in the Phillipines.  I also told the class that she spent late nights porn surfing.  I got a good laugh out of them and a blush from Nikki but I don't think they believed me.

That's my blip for my BFFs today.