Salads, Sandwiches and Hors d'oeuvres

Classic Caeser Salad with Croutons, Crispy Bacon and Anchovies topped with an easy-over Poached Egg

Third week into the course and I have already made major progress moving from stocks, soups and sauces, learning to put together classical salads, compound salads also known as mixed salads and composed salads - where the salad is deconstructed and elements plated seperately without being tossed or dressed together.

Nicoise Salad served up as a composed salad - Grilled Tuna Steak with Mayonnaise over rings of boiled egg and red onion, latice of split haricot verts, finished with Kalamata Olives, Yellow Grape Tomatoes and Red Wine Vinegrette Dressing

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The week entailed making favourite sandwiches like the Club Sandwich and Pullman Sandwiches as well as an array of cocktail appetisers and canapes.

Tuna-Cream Cheese and Asparagus Pinwheel Sandwiches and Rye Open-Faced Sandwich with Chive Butter, Romaine Lettuce, Pastrami and Potato Salad

Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese topped with Caper Flowers



Ham and Olives with Cream Cheese

Roast Duck with Confit Orange Zest and Blackcurrant Jelly, garnished with Chevril

Cocktail Platter - Smoked Salmon Sushi, Spinach, Feta and Ham Filo Triangles, Scrambled Egg and Smoked Salmon Puffs, Curry Puffs, Spring Rolls, Grilled Meat Balls, Fried Pork and Prawn Wontons
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I am lucky to have a Vietnamese Chef that teaches my class as this means that while we are learning classical French cuisine - the basics of culinary arts we are also previed to interesting South East Asian conconctions and delcacies. We tried Chef Jimmy's take on Chinese 100 year old eggs, Tom Yam Soup and most recently a refreshing tangy, sweet and sour seafood salad with chunks of grapefruit through it.

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Chef Jimmy whips up a South East Asian Inspired Salad

Seafood Salad with Grapefruit and Mint