Thursday we spent a bit of time reading aloud from the chapter again. LOUD SIGH. Air Force and I voiced our displeasure to Chef and hopefully we will not be doing this again. We spent time identifying different types of oysters and clams, talking about the difference in opening them (oysters through the hinge, clams through the front), going over the recipes, etc. The usual Thursday night activities. We went down to GMC's class where they were working on pates, which...ew.
Friday we had GMC in our class most of the evening because he sent his class home within five minutes due to them not being prepared. Mark my words people. If that happens when I'm there I will be VERY angry and every one of my classmates will know it. So their lack of preparation was our gain as we went through making crab cakes, baking red snapper, and sauteing halibut. I love Chef, he's awesome, but there is a marked difference between him, who is teaching his first class, and GMC, who knows everything. Seriously everything.
At the end of class Friday, after we'd cleaned up everything, we busted out five huge salmon and broke them down into 3-5 ounce portions. I do believe my years of handing the fish over to my dad for cleaning after catching them is now catching up to me. I managed to get it done, but it was not the prettiest filet of salmon ever seen, that's for sure. It did, however, taste delicious (see above. Note: that is an omelette pan, so those are two 3 oz pieces of salmon. Also, I didn't take the time to clarify the butter, which is why it's puffed up like that. Please don't think I have my salmon swimming in butter.) Since there was no way we were going to be able to use all the salmon on Saturday, whoever wanted to took some home. I came home with a bunch and have been feasting on Omega-3s all week.
Saturday we grilled some salmon, boiled some lobsters (we ended up with 9), but spent the majority of class (which was short) shucking oysters and clams. Do you shuck clams? Well, doing whatever the proper term is for opening clams. Oysters are much more difficult, at least the Blue Point ones we were working with, than the Littleneck clams we had. I was the master of the clams. Hold on. The Master of The Clams. I'd love to let you think it was a feat to obtain that title, but it's really not that hard once you get the hang of it. That said, I still don't enjoy clams or oysters. We prepared Clams Casino and Oysters Rockefeller. Very similar, both something you would serve if you were Joan Holloway having your husband's Chief of Staff and his wife over for dinner. The oysters used fennel and Pernod, both of which have a distinct anise flavor. Being a non-fan of black licorice you can guess my opinion of the dish. The clams were much more popular - I'm basing this on the fact that bacon was one of the ingredients. I
am still not loving oysters and clams, well really bi-valves of any sort. I'm now finding this odd since I generally have an issue with eating anything that still looks like it did when it had eyes...and since bi-valves don't I would think I'd be all over them. Hrm. I will disclose that I had nothing to do with the lobsters. Once I saw them move I just couldn't.
We were out of class and on the road by 9:15 (yay!) which was great because Cake Lady and the Moroccan and I had made plans to go to dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant by my house. Yay ride home!
This coming week we have Eggs and Breakfast - Lecture and lab Thursday and lab Friday, no class Saturday (Chef was told he's being thrown a surprise retirement party that night). Saturday day is my final for Sanitation, so I have pretty much a free weekend. Which is a bit ridiculous to say since I have free weeks as well, but it will be nice to actually socialize outside of school people.
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