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Last week I was in France and Spain

August 2, 2010 by ericriveracooks

Well, not really but I made a bunch of food from those two countries last week in class. Here are a few pictures for you to drool over. The picture above is a chicken and rabbit paella….it was pretty amazing. Walked Tyler through the process and he made an amazing Paella! This is a Filet de Porc Farci Lyonnaise a.k.a. Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Ratatouille. Give a Puerto Rican some Pork…..this is what happens! Look at those rings […]

Categories: World Cuisine • Tags: Cooking Blog, Culinary School, Dinner, Food, France, recipe, Spain

World Cuisine Week 1: Spain

July 15, 2010 by ericriveracooks

School is back in session. Here are a few pictures from the week. Pictured above is a Gazpacho Sevillano. Mixed Green Salad with Caramelized Figs, Roquefort Cheese, Toasted Pine Nuts, and a Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Pollo en Pepitoria……….Chicken in Almond and Saffron Sauce for all of you English speakers. Merluza en Salsa Verde………….Hake with Green Sauce Cerdo Cocido Con la Fruta Fresca…………Braised Pork with Dried Fruits Arroz con Leche……….Rice with Milk 2 more weeks of Spain on the way…..next week Tapas!!! […]

Categories: World Cuisine • Tags: Blog, Cooking, Cooking Blog, Culinary School, Dinner, Food, recipe, Spain, World Cuisine

Dairy Tasting 101

May 21, 2010 by ericriveracooks

Aw yes, my sometimes least favorite friend, dairy. I’m lactose intolerant but that won’t stop me from eating/drinking dairy products….I just eat/drink small amounts. When I was presented 30 cups I was a little scared but I fought through it and ended up finding a couple favorites! There were people in the class that didn’t even try one thing because of their issues, me, I’m up for it and I’ll pay for the consequences later…. again, I found some […]

Categories: Random Rants • Tags: Blog, Cheese, Cooking Blog, Cow, Culinary School, Dairy, Dairy Tasting, Food, Milk, recipe, Sheep

Southern Cuisine

October 26, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Rough Draft (I wasn’t in class for this last week so I’ll be making some of these recipes at a later time) Shrimp Perloo Ingredients: 1/4 cup bacon, 1/2 inch pieces 1 1/2 cups onions, 1/2 inch 2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped 1/2 tsp. red pepper flake 3/4 cup long-grain rice 2 cups clam juice 16 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice Salt and pepper, tt Procedure: Render the bacon Drain all […]

Categories: American Regional Cuisine • Tags: Catfish, Chicken, Cooking Blog, Culinary School, Dinner, Food Blog, Fried, recipe, Southern Cuisine

First Quarter Review

October 15, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Here is a collection of recipes from my first quarter that made it into the notebook I had to turn in at the end of the quarter. The two copies I have will probably be the only ones I make but I want you to have access to them in the order they are in the notebook with the exception of the course syllabus, lesson plan, notes, and quizzes. I hate paper…….I hate paperwork……….and I hate doing mass print jobs; […]

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Random Rants • Tags: Beef, Chicken, Cooking Blog, Culinary School, Food Blog, Fry, Roast, Sauce, Saute, Soup

Beef Roast Bourguignon

September 9, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Another fantastic meal made in class! Equipment: Large high sided pot, rondeau, or dutch oven Tongs Ingredients: Sirloin (it is cooked way too long for my liking in the picture, I like my meat pink but we cook to certain temperatures) Tomato Provencal with fresh tarragon, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Topped with an almond panko crust Fluted Mushrooms sauteed in butter, salt, and pepper Lardon Pearl onions blanched, then sauteed in butter, salt, and pepper Green Beans anglaise style […]

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Beef • Tags: Beef, Beef Roast Bourgignon, Bourgignon, Cooking, Cooking Blog, Culinary School, Food, Food Blog, Roast

Saute/Pan Fry/Pan Sauce Week Recap!

September 4, 2009 by ericriveracooks

The individual pieces are starting to turn into meals! Pan Fried Trout with a Lemon Fines Herbs Sauce (Click for recipe) Trout Saute with a broken Duxelle Provencal Sauce (Click for Recipe) Spicy Fried Chicken (Click for Recipe) Saute Airline Chicken Breast with Fines Herbs Sauce (Click for Recipe) Steak Robert (Click for Recipe)

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Beef, Chicken, Seafood • Tags: Chicken, Cooking Blog, Culinary School, Fish, Food Blog, recipe, Steak

Blanching

August 19, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Always blanch your vegetables!!!! It will keep the color in your vegetables, make your vegetables taste better, and make them easier to peel if you need to peel them. DO IT NOW!!! Equipment: Stock Pot Strainer Bowl filled with ice water Ingredients: Salt Water Vegetables Procedure: Boil water then throw in salt. The water should taste salty…….not enough and there is no point….too much and well you’re on your own. Place vegetables in salty boiling water then remove. Each vegetable […]

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Technique • Tags: Blanching, Cooking Blog, Culinary School, Food, Food Blog, Technique

Rice (3 recipes)

August 18, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Rice, one of my favorite things to cook Steamed Rice Linguica with Black Beans and Rice (click here for recipe) Equipment: Tall sided pot with lid or rice maker Bowl Ingredients: Pearl rice Water……………..use a 2 cups water for every cup of rice Procedure: Wash rice 4-5 times with water in a bowl Heat up 2 cups of water in pot then stir in rice Cook rice until holes start forming in rice then cover with lid Reduce heat to […]

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Rice • Tags: Cooking Blog, Cooking Rice, Culinary School, Dinner, Food Blog, recipe, Rice

Potatoes (11 ways)

August 18, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Rough Draft! Mashed Potatoes (Picture) Equipment: Stock pot Metal Bain Marie Food Mill Spatula Piping bag Ingredients: Russet Potatoes Salt Heavy Cream Salt and White Pepper, to taste Warm butter Procedure: Boil the potatoes in salty water, peeled, for 40 minutes. Reduce to simmer for the majority of cooking. Test the doneness of the potato by dropping a pairing knife into a potato, goes in easily then it’s done Remove potatoes from water then run through food mill. Season potatoes […]

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Potatoes • Tags: Baked, Culinary School, Fried, Mashed, Potato, recipe, Russet Potato, Technique, Tourner

Tourner: If this knife skill had a face then I would punch it

August 16, 2009 by ericriveracooks

(Click each picture to make it larger) I’m not a violent person but after trying this knife skill I wanted to go to the grocery store and punch potatoes. A football shaped cut…..only for presentations purposes…………you have got to be……….wait, I think I have the hang of this………nevermind. I’ll just keep practicing. Eric

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Technique • Tags: Cooking Blog, Culinary School, Food Blog, Knife Skills, recipe, Tourner

Vegetable Week

August 12, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Very Very Rough Draft……Just act like this isn’t here…….Yeah……….. Green Bean Anglaise Equipment Needed: Saute Pan Bowl filled with ice Tongs Ingredients: Green Beans Minced Parsley Butter Salt and White Pepper to taste Procedure: Blanch Beans Once cool saute beans in butter, parsley, salt, and white pepper Serve Warm Broccoli Hollandaise Equipment Needed: Saute Pan Tongs Bowl with ice water Ingredients: Broccoli Hollandaise (click for recipe) Procedure: Blanch Broccoli Saute with butter, parsley, salt and white pepper Top with warm […]

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Vegetarian • Tags: Cooking Vegetables, Culinary School, Deep Frying, Ratatouille, Roasting, Tempura, Vegetables

Cover Page

August 12, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Every week our recipes for the previous week are due on Wednesday before class. Mine include a cover page as well as an accompanying picture, it’s not required. Call it a kiss A$$ or whatever you want. This is the attention to detail you will see from my food and restaurant in the future. When does it start and when does it end? Exactly… Eric

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School • Tags: Culinary School

VEGETABLE WEEK!!!!!!!!!!

August 11, 2009 by ericriveracooks

Here are the recipes you will be seeing this week in no particular order Green Bean Anglaise Broccoli Hollandaise Carrots Vichy Boiled Beets Cauliflower Gratin Mixed Grilled Vegetables Tempura Vegetables Stir Fry Vegetables Pan Fried Zucchini Oven Roasted Vegetables/Tomatoes Ratatouille Yes yes yes! Eric

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School • Tags: Cooking, Cooking Vegetables, Culinary School, Food, recipe, Vegetables

Hard Boiled Egg On Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Eggs: Hard Boiled, Fried, Over Easy, Scrambled, Brouille, Omelette, Poached, Fritatta, and Crepe

August 4, 2009 by ericriveracooks

EGG WEEK EGG WEEK EGG WEEK EGG WEEK EGG WEEK!!!!! Hard Boiled Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Click Here For Recipe) Prep Time: 1-2 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Equipment Needed: High sided pot Ingredients: Grade AA Large Egg Procedure: Pour cold water into pot Place egg in pot then turn heat up to high Once you have reached a boil (2-3 minutes) cook egg for 6-7 minutes. 10 minutes total cooking Remove egg from heat then place in cold water […]

Categories: Becoming A Chef: Blogging about Culinary School, Eggs, Technique • Tags: Breakfast, Cooking, Cooking an egg, Culinary School, Egg Technique, Eggs, recipe, Technique

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Eric Rivera's Cooking Blog

Food, because I just want an excuse to cook.