A la Carte

Last night's class was entitled A la Carte. The term "a la carte" means to cook off of the menu or cook in the minute. It involves completing some preparation of foods in advance and finishing a dish when the guest orders it "in the moment." A cook's "mis en place" must be complete, meaning everything must be ready and in its place. This involves pre-portioning seasonings and dry goods, gathering all necessary equipment, cutting all produce, and preparing anything that can be made in advance. To better understand this vital concept and how it relates to the restaurant industry, we set up simulations of typical restaurant cooking stations, such as the garde manger station (cold prep-aka salads) and the saute station. Below are a couple of the recipes we created.

Spinach Salad with Pears and Vanilla Balsamic Vinaigrette: Yields 6 Servings
1 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt, to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 + 1/4 tsp vanilla
8 to 10oz spinach, washed and dried
2 pears, thinly sliced
Parmesan cheese, sliced with a vegetable peeler (optional-omit for vegan)
2 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle (bias)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the pine nuts, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and salt. Spread out onto a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, or until golden brown and have a nutty aroma. Cool and set aside until ready to use.
2. To make the dressing, combine oil, vinegar, Dijon, vanilla and salt to taste in a blender.
3. Assemble the salad by tossing the spinach with the dressing. Arrange on salad plates and top with pine nuts, pears, Parmesan cheese and scallions.


Tempeh Bolognese: Yields 6 Servings
1 8oz pkg tempeh, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, peeled and small diced
1-2 tsp(s) salt
1 and 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dry basil
1 cup red wine
1 28oz can tomato puree
ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp rice syrup or honey, OPTIONAL if tomatoes are too acidic
1 lb pasta, cooked al dente (with a slight bite)
broccoli florets, blanched in boiling salted water for 30 seconds-1 minute
grated Parmesan cheese to garnish (optional-omit for vegan)
1. Saute the tempeh in 3 Tbsp olive oil until browned. Add remaining olive oil and the onion, along with 1 tsp salt. Cook until onions are soft.
2. Add garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper, and basil and cook 2-3 minutes more. Stir in wine and cook until reduced and almost dry.
3. Pour in the tomato puree and cook covered for 15-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and rice syrup, if needed.
4. Top cooked pasta with a ladle full of warm sauce. Garnish with broccoli florets and Parmesan cheese.

These were pretty tasty recipes. The other vegetarian item that we made were apple phyllo cups, but I think that the apple tart recipe that I posted yesterday is a bit yummier :) Happy Cooking!