The Pisces Kitchen Gang!

Chaine des Rotisseur Dinners are perhaps some more “prestigious” events any kitchen can measure up but really no one is after that group as it means lots of work for a bunch of middle aged “connoisseurs” who breast them self with funny colored medals. Until now I had some respect for this organisation which by the way are in most larger city’s around the world. But since my last e-mail conversation with a so-called and Ahh-so-important Charge des Press of the Chaine UAE I lost all my admiration of even come close to this club. It seems to me there is an all secrecy about their activity; almost like Illuminati of Angels and Demons.Mind you; conversation and style is all in French but perhaps 90% not even understand that language! During the dinner they even had a photographer and we where told we can access the images true their website. When I did this and accesses the gallery I was prompted to sign up to gain access which I did. Surely enough I received an e-mail of the Charge des Press that I was activated. Looking at the images I noticed there where only two or three food shots and rest showed some grim looking old group of people on the pisch wearing some brightly colored medals, like champions of the night! As I was asked if I was a member of the Chaine I replied that I was not a member and seconds later received this: “Sorry – I have deactivated you. All information on the CHAINE website is ©.”  What did you think Mr. Shepley; that I will download any of this group photos and paste it in my Resume?? WOW, that would be cool.

Anyway; this had to be said, this was my five minutes of rant. After all that work which went into this evening. Enjoy my pictures; without the retiree’s!

Willi and his foam, notes from Hilary

Quail Eggs and some Fois Gras

Tuna and Service on a fly

Kitchen action and the Main Course

Dessert preparation and Petite Fours

Supporting Dubai Autism Center, a Charity Organisation, held yesterday a Cake Auction at Mercato Shopping Mall. All proceeds of this auction where donated to this Charity. We produced 3000 cakes! over the past few days, piled up in a huge pyramid to be sold for AED 30.00.

Chef Sebastiaan, the flying Dutch! organized all the logistic and production. Due to the huge logistic task we had to produce the cakes well in advance; after all, we still had to pack all those cakes in our specially made cake boxes produced by SystemPack in Adjman.

It’s really getting hot here in Dubai; hot and humid. One just does not like to get out of the house that hot it is! In such a climate I do not like to eat too heavy, more fruits and fruit based dishes. Luckily there where some great Pineapples from South Africa in the market, fantastic pink Grapefruits and ripe Bananas. I love bananas, ripe to over ripe yellow bananas. I prepared therefore Financiers with Pineapple, Bananas, ground Almond and burned Butter. Taking those out of the oven the entire house smelled wonderfully of fresh baked Financier. Cooking the Pineapple in a broth of white wine, honey, sugar and lime zest underlined the Pineapple junks with a prickly zest of the wine and Lime.

Ingredients for Financier:

400 gram Almond Powder
150 gram Icing Sugar
100 gram Banana Puree
120 gram Pineapple cubes
140 gram Egg white
050 gram Flour
035 gram Baking Powder
110 gram Butter, burned brown

Method:

Combine the Almond powder with Icing sugar, flour and baking powder. Add the purees and egg white and mix smooth. Fill into small muffin moulds and bake at 180 Celsius until golden brown. Immediately when taking out of the oven pour the browned butter over the Financier until all is absorbed. Set aside to cool completely. Dust with some icing sugar.

Ingredients for Salad:

1 ripe Pineapple
2 Pink Grapefruits
1 Lime
300 gram White Wine
200 gram Water
125 gram Sugar
100 gram Honey
Vanilla

Method:

Bring the wine and water to the boil, add sugar, honey and lime zest with vanilla and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the Pineapple junks and simmer for 20 minutes until tender. Add the Grapefruit segments when cold.

Serve with Ice Cream