The Blockpad of the Commis : Ideas & Tips (6)

1) Blinis : the quickest way to prepare for canapés

Use the Bisquick pancake recipe. Once mixed, pour the liquid in a squeeze bottle. In a non-stick pan (on medium heat) where you brushed clarified butter, press the squeeze bottle to form tiny dots allowing enough space in the pan between each of them. It will make it easier to flip them with an offset spatula without having them touched. You have to work fast!. When you have finished to form dots in the pan, it is most likely time to start to flip the first blinis you have previously formed.

2) Pairing tip : cheese...

Use fresh grape with Roquefort cheese (the sweet acidity of the grape balances the strength and the saltiness of the blue cheese)

3) Cooking tip : fish...

To avoid a thin fish fillet (e.g. red mullet, rouget) to curl, start the cooking with the fat in a cold pan

4) Cooking tip : frozen canapés...

With frozen items (e.g. for the samosa we prepare in advance and then freeze), do not allow the product to defrost before baking it (otherwise it will cracked)

5) Recipe for cooking foie gras

Remove the nerves from a fresh fois gras then reshape it in a log
Allow it to soak for a night in cold half water, half milk in the fridge

For a mass of 1 kg, add 3 gr salt, 5 gr sugar and 15 gr pepper. You can use a special blend of spices (4 to 10 gr) from Le Jardin Des Epices (Mace, Coriander, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamome, Marjoram, Basil, Thyme, Piment, Leaf, Rosemary, Clove) and a few drops of a secret alcohol (I am not allowed to mention it...). Fold tight the foie gras in plastic wrap forming a sausage shape then fold in with aluminium hermeticely. Heat to 80ºC/175ºF enough oil to cover the log in a pan. Add the log and let it cook until cool.

By the way, I found that very complete site about spices,

toildepices.