In this episode of The Free Culinary School Podcast, we start part one in a three part series on basic hot side cooking technique. First up: sauteeing, searing and the art of roti (pan roasting).

In our discussion segment we revisit stocks, and discuss the “dark side” of haute cuisine, including the use of bullion cubes and stock bases.

In This Episode

• Stocks revisited - Comments and questions from Caponemang, Old Fat Sailor and Homecooker are discussed.
• How to Saute
• How to Sear
• How to Pan Roast (Roti)
• How to Properly Season a Cast Iron Pan

Plus listener questions get answered and the true meaning of mashed potatoes is debated.

Books Referenced In This Episode

• The Escoffier Cookbook - Auguste Escoffier
• On Food and Cooking - Harold McGee
• The French Laundry Cookbook - Thomas Keller
• Food Lover’s Companion - Sharon Tyler Herbst

Also, check out Home Brewer Brian’s Website to learn all about brewing at home, one of my favorite pastimes.

Do you have any questions or comments about the show? Simply click the comment button below to let me know!

 

 Standard Podcast [52:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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In this episode of The Free Culinary School Podcast we go over three basic starches that every chef must master: Risotto, Polenta and Mashed Potatoes. If you can master these three starches, then you will be opening up endless possibilities for putting together a finished dish.

In this episode you learn the basics of mastering these starches so you can begin to put together your entrees. In the discussion segment we go over why Risotto, Polenta and Mashed potatoes are so important, and the components of a standard entree.

In This Episode

• The Components of a Standard Entree
• How To Cook Risotto
• How To Cook Polenta
• How To Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Also, in the Culinary Quick Tip, I give you a top secret tip that I’ve never told anyone before on how to make potato puree with any viscosity that you desire.

Plus, listener questions get answered!

Tools Mentioned In This Episode

• Food Mills
• Kitchen Aid Mixer
• Cuisinart Food Processor

What did you think of this episode and what is your favorite technique for making the starches we discussed? Let me know by clicking the comment button below.

 

 FCS Episode 4| Basic Starches [52:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Popularity: 45% [?]

Understanding the art of blanching is probably one of the most important basic techniques that any cook or aspiring chef can know. In this episode of the Free Culinary School Podcast, we go over the basics of blanching and the science behind the method.

We talk about why you really add salt to the blanching water, and some of the folklore surrounding it.

Discussed in this Episode:

• The Bizarre Foods tasting menu we did at the Big Water Grille.
• What is your death row meal, (mine is braised chicken thighs).
• The basics of blanching.
• And how to build your pallet.

Books Referenced For This Podcast

• My Last Supper - 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals, by Melanie Dunea
• What Einstein Told His Cook, by Robert L. Wolke
• What Einstein Told His Cook 2, by Robert L. Wolke
• The French Laundry Cookbook, by Thomas Keller and Michael Rhulman
• The Whole Beast - Nose To Tail Eating, by Fergus Henderson

If you would like to play along in the “Death Row Meal Game,” click here now to tell us what your last supper would be.

 

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In this episode of the Free Culinary School Podcast we talk all about culinary stocks, the foundation to great cuisine. Stocks are probably one of the most important assets that any chef can have at their disposal. If you can’t make a great stock, then you can’t make a great soup, and you can’t make a great sauce.

In the discussion segment we go over in detail the qualities of a great stock. These qualities are:

• A good stock is devoid of fat
• It will have nice body, and good mouth feel; it will not be watery
• It has a good, clean, rich color that is appropriate to the kind of stock made

In our technique segment, we go over the four major stocks that are out there including:

• Veal
• Chicken
• Vegetable
• Fumet (fish stock)

And in the culinary quick tip, I give you a couple of tips that professional chefs use while making stocks in a restaurant kitchen.

Also, as I mentioned in the podcast, there are a couple of tools I recommend you use to make a stock. These are:

• Heavy Bottom Sauce or Stock Pot
• Heavy Bottom Roasting Pan
• China Cap (Conical Strainer)
• Chinois (Fine Conical Strainer)

To get started, listen to the podcast below, then head over to the “How To Cook” section of Free Culinary School.com and read the blog post on How To Make Great Stock.

 

 FCS Episode 2: Stocks, The Foundation to Great Cuisine [49:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Popularity: 70% [?]

In this, the very first episode of the Free Culinary School Podcast, you’ll learn the very first thing that all students learn in a traditional culinary school, and that’s knife skills. If you want to be a great chef, or even just a good home cook, you first need to learn the basic fundamentals for a good foundation. The most basic fundamental that all great chefs must have is knife skills.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What kind of knives you really need in your kitchen
• How to pick out the right kind of knives for you
• Basic knife skills such as how to dice, julienne, brunoise and batonnet.

And don’t forget to sign-up for our free e-mail newsletter, because as a special gift, I’ll send you a free copy of our Knife Skills E-Book which contains lots of full color photos that show you how to:

• Sharpen your knife like a professional chef
• How to dice and julienne an onion
• How to properly dice and seed a tomato
• How to cut bell peppers like a pro
• How to chiffonade
• And much, much more

And if your looking for photos on how to hold your knife, how to use your guide hand, and how to dice and batonnet, just click on the corresponding links.

Do you have any questions or comments regarding the show or knife skills? Just click on the comment button below to ask that burning question that you need answered.

 

 FCS Episode 1: Basic Culinary Knife Skills: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Popularity: 100% [?]