Food Preparation for Management at Tamboekie Tent Camp

11, 12 May 2011

Preparing food for menu at Tamboekie Tent Camp

My team was in charge of the dessert and sushi on the menu. We made a court bullion to poach pears in afterwards the core was removed and  it was stuffed with crushed tennis biscuits that was mixed with butter and almond essence. We also made welcoming drinks which included glue wine where we used the liquid in which the pears was poached and added a good matured red wine. This was to be served hot. 
There was also eggnog which consists of French custard with banana liquor. 

The pears were served with the custard and flambé goose berries with brandy. There were petit fours that consisted of strawberries dipped in white and brown chocolate with goose berries and chocolate fudge. A cheese platter with different types of cheese and rice cakes was served. 

The sushi that I prepared was for a starter and consisted of impala fillet that was marinated with truffle olive oil, balsamic vinegar and rosemary. I cut julienne of carrots and cucumber to put as filling in the sushi and also pieces of avocado. Some of the sushi rice was mixed with biltong as a variation.  The sushi roll was cut into bite size piece and served with pickled ginger, soya sauce and wasabi paste. 

Setting up the kitchen at Tamboekie Tent Camp

10 May 2011

 Steps taken for setting up the kitchen at working station:

Today all the chefs went to Tamoekie tent camp to set up our station where the different groups will be preparing parts of the menu. We compiled a stock list and made sure we were using safe and fully maintained equipment. We discussed where all the equipment and utensils would be placed for plating to be more efficient. We carried out appropriate cleaning procedures for a hygienic working environment. We also made economic use of materials and energy by setting up gas burners to prepare the food on. Finally ensuring materials involved in food preparation are hygienically cleaned.

Apple Marmalade Jam

7 May 2011

Apple Marmalade Jam

Ingredients

Poached pear stock        3 L

Apple skins                        as preferred

Brown sugar                       ½ cup

Method

1. Place the poached pear stock into a stock pot and bring to a simmer.

2. Add the apple skins and brown sugar and stir to let sugar dissolve

3. Reduce stock to a syrup consistency

4. Remove from heat and pour into glass jars.

Chef Tips

As stock reach syrup consistency check when it is ready by adding a bit of it onto a plate and putting it into the refrigerator for a perfect jam consistency.

Sushi Rice and Lasangne

6 May 2011

Sushi Rice

Ingredients

Sushi Rice             1 kg

Water                   1 kg

Rice vinegar          ¾ cup

Method

1. Rinse rice with water once before cooking (chef tips)

2. Place sushi rice into a pot and add water

3. Bring rice to the boil and leave for 15 minutes to boil

4. Take off the heat and leave rice in pot with lid on for another 15 minutes to cook more

 5. Add rice vinegar for flavor and shine to sushi rice

Chef tips

·         Always rinse rice once before hand to remove excess starch otherwise it will be too sticky and have a porridge type consistency.

·         Do not over rinse as you will need some starch to make the sushi rice still stick together and keep it workable

Lasangne

Ingredients

Lasangne Sheets              400 g

Mince                              3 kg

Onions                             2

Green Pepper                  1

Red Pepper                     1

Yellow Pepper                 1

Tomato                            4

Cheddar Cheese              200 g

Bechamel sauce               2.5 L

Sunflower oil                    10 ml

Method

1. Place lasangne sheets in a serving dish and cover with boiling water add oil to water and leave to soften

2. Brunoise onion, green, yellow and red pepper and sauté in a large pot with a little oil

3. Add the mince to the pot and cook until brown

4. Spice mince with salt and pepper to taste

5. Place a few sheets of softened lasangne in another serving dish to cover the bottom of the dish.

6. Add a layer of mince over the lasangne sheets to cover them.

7. Add a layer of béchamel sauce over the mince to cover it.

8. Repeat the layering process.

9. Slice tomatoes into wheels and place on top of dish.

10. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over dish.

11. Place dish into a preheated oven and bake until brown on top.

Chef Tips

·         Make sure your béchamel sauce is not to runny to make it set properly.

·         It is preferred that the lasangne stand in the fridge for a while before serving.

Hot smoked chicken breasts

5 May 2011

Hot smoked chicken breasts

Ingredients

Chicken breast              500 g

Ginger rooibos tea         5 bags

Fresh Oregano              3 twigs with leaves

Method

1. Place defrosted chicken breasts into a perforated serving dish.

2. Tears open the teabags and add leaves to bain marie insert

3.  Place oregano twigs with leaves into bain marie insert with the tea leaves

4. Place the perforated serving dish into the bain marie insert

5. Seal the top of the bain marie insert with aluminum foil

6. Place lid on bain marie insert and cover again with aluminum foil to create an air tight seal

7. Place dish into preheated oven and let it smoke for 1 hour

8. Remove dish from oven and wipe the chicken with damp cloth to remove white froth.

Chef Tips

·         You must not use any liquid to smoke with otherwise it might burn and it will spoil the flavor of the smoked chicken.

·         You can use different dry spices to smoke with for a variation in flavors.

Caravan Breakfast at the Boma

2 May 2011

Farmhouse Breakfast

For 1 Breakfast Plate

Bread     2 slices of toast
Eggs       2
Bacon     2 rashers
Tomato   1 slice

Method

Preheat the flattop gas burner. Fry bacon on flattop until cooked and remove from heat and put into serving dish to keep warm. Slice tomatoes on green chopping board into thick slices and fry on flattop for a few seconds on both sides and put aside. Heat up oil in saute pan on a separate gas burner. Break eggs into pan and fry and put on plate. Toast slices of bread in toaster and put on plate. Add 2 rashers of bacon on plate with a slice of tomato for a single breakfast serving.

What I learned from this exercise was that each person must stay at their station and work in a system. The stations must be kept clean at all times for more hygienic practices. The food will also be prepared quicker if a system is put into place otherwise there would only be chaos and no time efficiency.