Stock, Soup and Sauces: Beurre Blanc Seared & Roasted Chicken.

Wednesday was the start of my new unit, Stock, Soups and Sauces. My practical unit started today, but we had an elective apparently started last week. Hence, it is no longer James Collins who is my chef now, but a new guy called Scott H. (Cant remember his last name...)

There was a mix up, but it was all good. Though I mixed today's and last week's class, the chef wasn't too worried about it after I told him that I had come in after completing Patisserie.. (I only have one theory elective to complete, apart from Cost and Menu).

After a while, you pretty know which among the students are new in the kitchen.. seems like I am no longer the one who is the slowest in class. LOL.. My classmates comprised from a range of students who are new, as well to one who is running and managing his own restaurant. ^^

So for today's unit, we worked on making the most basic of white, and brown stocks. Using those stocks, we made our main dish of the day which was Beurre Blanc Seared & Roasted Chicken with Parsley.

Most of the time we use powdered stock.. but making stock the old fashioned way will ensure you have good tasting sauces, finger licking good to the very last drop! (to paraphase Heston Blumenthal....)

washing chicken in water to get rid of impurities.

The first step in making stocks is to ensure that the particular item is free and clean of impurities. The includes soaking and rinsing chopped up chicken bits and bones, fish bones of all  the blood, and etc. 

In making a clear and white stocks, say like chicken and fish, the ingredients used must not contain any browning ingredients, say charred vegetables or charred onions. 

browning mirepoix mixture for brown stock. 

Mirepoix is the celery, carrot, onion , peppercorn and thyme pack that is used to flavour soups in a stock. 

The mirepoix on the left (say for example) which is not browned would be suitable for a white stock. Whereas a browned stock would be useful to flavour and colour brown stock like veal or beef stock. 

To make a brown stock the French style, however you need to first brown and seal the bones. Whether it is in the fry pan or combo oven, which performs the same function. 

Then it is added into a pot and covered with water and left to simmer. As the water boils, there will be at least two skimmings of the fats that rise to the top. The browned mirepoix will be added in the last hour of its cooking.

The Chinese style to making a brown stock is a little different but as this is a French method way of cooking, I would discuss it in this post. 

remove pan from fire when you add butter to the beurre blanc mixture. 

The chef added butter to the sauce when making beurre blanc. 'Beurre Blanc' means white butter from french. 

When using butter in any cooking, ensure that the pan is not on high heat as it will burn the butter and make it useless..

Chef Scott demonstrating to students. 

Chef Scott's Beurre Blanc Chicken Seared & Roasted

My version.. notice mine doesnt have a bone!

That's coz I cut it off... LOL.