not my strong suit.
Stepping out of a comfort zone that is more like a hermit zone is really my style.
Yesterday, my principal reached out to the staff looking for a sixth team member to participate in a district version of Chopped. I volunteered.
Now, if you know me, I tend to hibernate whenever I am not a work. I can spend the entire weekend in my house without regretting it. Some feel I am just rejuvenating. I think I am lazy. Either way, I am ready to face another week. But, I volunteered. Go figure.
Around 10 PM, I was accepted as a team member and received a list of parameters as well and pantry items. Then I obsessed over potential recipes for about an hour and a half.
Dessert was the real trick. Never being a cook prone to create sweet dishes and now living in a high altitude environment, this brought about visions of gooey baked goods or hockey pucks. I perused instructions for cobblers, fools, brownies and cookies and then made the weak effort of memorizing portions of baking products.
The entree was less stressful because I tend to gravitate towards savory items. I looked up recipes for chicken, chili, enchiladas and beef.
I finally decided to go to bed and just envision the experience as a time of fun with a couple of knowns and a few strangers.
The entree mystery items were escarole, rutabaga, savory and turmeric.
Dessert mystery items were pomegranate, mango, mace and and some other obscure spice that is not even on the tip of my tongue.
A guest chef was assigned to each team and the cooking began. We all had different levels of experience and worked at different paces. Some were leaders and others followers. A few were determined to complete things their way no matter what the clock revealed.
Pressure was on. Cooks and sous chefs dispersed and reunited. Knives chopped. Discussions ensued. Plans changed. Guest chef interceded, a great deal. Something burned. Chicken had to get cooked. What do you do with rutabaga? Got to cook that chicken. Don't cross contaminate! The pomegranate sauce isn't thickening. No oats or pastry cutter. Use almonds for the crumble. We don't have enough fruit. You've got to cook the chicken! Add more pears. Slaw sauce is too lemony. Don't overseer the chicken. Add flour to the pom sauce. Get the chicken in the oven. We forgot the rutabaga! How do we make a pan sauce? Put cream in everything. Don't overcook the chicken. The pom sauce looks gray. Guest chef added flour. UGLY!!! Did we use all the mystery items? Add food coloring. 2 minutes to plate. Wait, it has to be cut perfectly. The plates are dirty. Don't forget the pan sauce. Turn the chicken. We need another plate. Hot and cold on the same plate??? Time! Sweat dripping. Eyes scanning. Plates speckled. Who is going to speak? Guest chefs taste. Judges question. What is our theme? Bright colors. Perfect seer. Ideal seasoning. Combination of textures. Summer!
Roll-up chicken with a stuffing of mixed bell peppers, escarole, spinach, leaks and onions.
Mixed bell peppers, rutabaga, bock choy, carrot slaw with a cream, honey, lemon juice dressing.
Mixed fruit crumble with a pomegranate sauce.
It was killer. All three dishes were seasoned perfectly. The doneness of the chicken was ideal. The mix of veggie and dressing offered brilliant color and crunch. The sweetness of the fruit, only enhanced by honey, was fresh. The almond crumble had the perfect texture.
Time to present.
Lets choreograph our service. :)
It was tiring, heated and engaging. We placed 2nd out of 3 teams, but served the best food.
Would I branch out again?
Maybe.
Am I glad I stepped up to the plate?
Of course, but I am more thankful that I am now in the cave I call home.
No comments:
Post a Comment