Culinary Lab, Veal Marsala and Thoughts

I am still deciding what I want to experiment with today. But I thought in the mean time I would share a picture from last night's class. We made Veal Marsala (what makes it marsala is the weird funky bourbon colored wine and a demi glaze to create a sauce), Green Beans Almondine (just means you saute butter, garlic and almonds and add it to blanched, steamed or sauteed green beans), and Rice Pilaf with red peppers cooked in an oven (Ooooo la la!).

Green Beans Almondine, is a fancy way to make something that is extremely simple. Plus, a lil protein and a lot more taste added to your veggie. You can substitute with broccoli, or whatever obviously.

My rice was overcooked because we ended up finishing the rice in the oven. It was my first time ever cooking rice in this fashion, not sure I like it. I mentioned it before, we've been cooking a LOT of things in stocks. Instead of water when cooking rice, use a stock (this instance we used chicken stock). See stock post below for a brand that I prefer. Rice cooked in stock = Tastier rice.

I'd like to also share is the power of FLOUR. Man, we've be very lightly, and I mean lightly, flouring out meats before we saute them (chicken cutlets, veal cutlets...) and it makes a huge difference. There is something it does with holding the flavors in when it cooks (specifics I know not) and not to mention, the slight breading that happens on the outside of the meat is DELISH. Also, it has been just been a smoother operation since flour has entered my sauteing of the meat repertoire.

I could do without the marsala sauce one, because it requires a demi glaze (which is insanely reducing a brown sauce, so you are simmering it down and adding a sherry or wine, until its a syrupy consistency). And two, it is a lot of work, for something that does not stand out, in my opinion. I am sure French cuisine enthusiasts would combat me here. My chef in class makes an AMAZING demi glaze and loves demi glaze.

Veal Marsala

Green Beans Almondine 

Rice Pilaf

*note the puffy swollen rice, it's overcooked ya'll!