First Lesson in LCB Paris

Some of you may have waited for this post with bated breath. Well, it's here, I officially had the first day at the LCB school in Paris.

To start off, we have 4 days of "International Influences".

Day One

1) Guinea Fowl "Ban Ban Ti" (poached and cold cut) with Sesame and Green Papaya

2) Tangy Jumbo Shrimp and Crunchy Seasonal Vegetable Soup (sorta like a French version of Tom Yum - er, I like Thai version better! Sorry!)

3) Sea Bream Fillet with Black Spices, Wok Fried Vegetables, Creamy sauce with Spicy Chorizo

(er, this is really a mix of everything... am not too fond of it)

4) Bitter Cocoa and Matcha Green Tea Cappuccino and Crisp

Ok, back in LCB Bangkok, Chef usually demo 1 starter, 1 main (which we do for our practical class) and 1 dessert. Here, in the same frame of time, Chef did 2 starters, a main and a dessert. Fair. And for our practical class...... it is compulsory to do 2 dishes, and the 3rd one when we have time!! 3 dishes in 2.5hrs!!! My hands, pots, tools were all over the place!! You're seriously juggling!!

I seriously lack practice after my last class in Superior, and what a way to start!!

In the end, Chef liked my Tangy Shrimp soup very much (hey, I've been drinking Tom Yam like water in BKK!), the cold cut Guinea Fowl was very good too, but for my Fish, I forgot to strain the sauce, so it had some bits of chorizo in it, and it had to reduce a bit more.

Ok, first steps, baby steps!!

Fish and more fish!

Yeah, about half of superior cuisine's mains has to do with fish, I am guessing the chef who is in charge of us this term likes them a lot.

Starters:

a)  Foie gras terrine.  Cooked in a bain marie, it needs to rest for a few days, followed by..

b)Presentation of the foie gras terrine.  Foie gras should be eaten with something sweet and a little sour, it should work well with chutney, like this beetroot and red onion.  The pink swirls are tuiles made from rice flour colored with beetroot juice.  Also on plate, fig bread.

c)  Haddock and Potato Terrine

Mains:

a)  Red Mullet with Tapenade sauce.  We made the fresh egg pasta ourselves in class, it's so easy, I'll never pay for over-priced pasta at Da Paolo Gastronomia ever again!

b)  Herb crusted salmon supremes with mushroom flan and red wine sauce.  Delicious!  Who knew red wine can be paired with a fish!  You actually can, for fatty fish, e.g. tuna.

c)  Sea bream sauted, squid filled with cilantro flavored langoustine risotto.

Desserts:

a)  Frozen choc parfait, orange cream and citrus fruits and basil

b)  Inversed peach melba, red currant jus flavored with hibiscus (rosella)

c)  Crisp sweet puff pastry with berries