Chef Z (nicknamed "Chef Many Spoons" by one of the ranch guests)
cooking lunch out of cast iron Dutch ovens atop Shadow Mountain outside Jackson, Wyoming...an every Friday ritual for her. Thankfully, Chef Z knows how to build and awesome fire for her guests!
www.Cranford.com
July 2009
"A Day in the Life of a Chef at a real western Guest Ranch"
By Chef Suzan “Z” Gray
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to work at a real dude ranch, then line up right behind me, because it's just that level of curiosity that landed me the position of chef at a REAL western guest ranch in Wyoming!
As the only female of a 5-man chef team at a 5-star ranch, I can tell you with no uncertainty that it's exciting, hard work; always preparing our cuisine to suit a myriad of guest's tastes and desires.
And oh yes, we simultaneously feed the ranch staff, a whole other dynamic and demographic who desire a whole other type of food. So back and forth we go throughout the day, feeding our high end clientele and our "other end" staff....a daunting task to say the least.
As for myself, I am the A.M. CHEF, which simply put means that I arise at the crack of dawn, and even though it's summer, I still need to don two winter weight coats to hike up the hill to the Lodge kitchen and get a cookin' about 5:30am each day. A typical breakfast for the guests consists of Hot Cracked Bulgar Cereal with Cinnamon and Raisins and Spiked Nuts on the side, an array of cold cereals, a Lox and Cream Cheese Platter, Scrambled Eggs with "STUFF" in them, Bacon, Sausage, Potatoes of some variety, a hot entree such as Apple Crisp or Italian Doughnut Holes, Waffles to order, Pancakes to order, Omelettes to order, freshly baked pastries, muffins and breads baked that morning by our Pastry Chef, a fresh fruit bowl, and beverages aplenty.
It's a LOT of cooking,and all before 8:am, but someone's got to do it and I guess that someone is ME!
The good news is that I am residing right at the base of the Grand Tetons and it's so beautiful here that words fail to accurately describe it. And if I wish to go horseback riding in the afternoon or on my day off, then off I go.
Here's one of my favorite breakfast items that I serve at the ranch. They are easy to make and taste like very rich doughnut holes. Indeed, they have a secret ingredient in them which you will never taste. This ingredient gives the pastries a very hearty flavor and mouthfeel and goes so undetected in flavor that even my Executive Chef here at the ranch could not guess what the secret ingredient was, until I told him of course. He just grunted, though he had already told me he loved them, so I guess that's his way of approving. He's a man of few words.
ITALIAN DOUGHNUT HOLES with POWDERED SUGAR
Makes about 40 holes for 8 - 10 somewhat hungry folks, or 5 - 6 serious minded “DOUGHNUT HOLERS.”
Chef’s note: plump with protein, not empty calories, these are the creamiest centered and crispiest doughnuts imaginable, fried ever so quickly in coconut oil. Crowned with a nice healthy dusting of powdered sugar, these delectable nuggets keep well and reheat beautifully….and are indescribably delicious! Coconut oil is non-toxic when heated to high temperatures, so it is the oil I suggest using. You can substitute grapeseed oil, another oil that is non-toxic when heated. Never use canola oil in your diet or for cooking!
Chef’s variations: you can add 1 tsp. of finely minced lemon or orange zest or crystallized ginger or ½ tsp. cinnamon to the dry ingredients for an extra kick. Adding these to the dry ingredients will allow for easier incorporation when the wet ingredients are added.
For Mexican Chocolate Doughnut Holes, add 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder and ½ tsp. cinnamon to the dry ingredients before continuing.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup WHOLE MILK RICOTTA or PART SKIM RICOTTA CHEESE( do NOT use skim milk ricotta and do not use cottage cheese)
3 LARGE EGGS
¼ cup plus 1 tsp. SUGAR
1 cup ALL-PURPOSE WHITE FLOUR
4 tsp. BAKING POWDER, sifted
¼ tsp. SEA SALT
COCONUT OIL, unrefined for frying at high temperatures
POWDERED SUGAR for dusting or HONEY for drizzling
PROCEDURE:
Prepare a drying rack or flat pan with paper towel for draining the fried holes;
In a large bowl add ricotta and eggs and beat until smooth, add all the sugar and blend to a smooth batter;
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, sifted baking powder (to avoid nasty tasting lumps), and salt, using a fork to incorporate all the ingredients;
Add dry mixture to the ricotta mixture and use a rubber spatula to incorporate completely, making sure to get all the flour off the bottom of the bowl and incorporated into the batter;
In a heavy quart sized pot, add enough coconut oil to a melted depth of 1½” and slowly bring to just about smoking hot or 360F on a candy thermometer. Watch the oil closely and adjust heat as needed so it doesn’t get too hot. The batter should sizzle as soon as it hits the oil when the correct temperature is achieved;
Use two teaspoons to carefulyl scoop and drop 6 small teaspoon sized lumps into the hot oil, using a slotted spoon to turn them over after about 20 seconds, or when nicely browned. Cook for an additional 20 seconds until the second side is brown too. Transfer the holes, using the slotted spoon, onto the paper towel and repeat until all the batter is used up;
Dust your little gems with powdered sugar and serve immediately. If not consuming right away, cool completely without dusting with powdered sugar and refrigerate in an airtight container. To reheat and repuff the deflated refrigerated holes, place on a flat baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and dust with sugar. They will have puffed back up to the original shape. You can substitute with honey for the powdered sugar if desired.
Chef's tip: make extra!!!! They have a way of disappearing!
Enjoy!
www.Cranford.com
April 2009
Artful Garnish!
How to Garnish Like a Pro
By Chef Suzan “Z” Gray
Hooked on the artful use of garnish since I was a young girl, I learned how those “gems” add sudden sophistication to even a simple childish creation. Garnishes add color, aroma, pizzazz, and texture to each dish they adorn, as well as important information for those with food sensitivities. Simply put, they are the jewelry that completes the dish and the picture that’s worth a thousand words.
Simple garnishes can be created with just a few fresh ingredients and a modicum of thought and preparation. One of my favorite garnishes is a mini-bouquet of like-colored herbs with textural differences: two sprigs of curly parsley nestled upon a larger Italian (flat) parsley sprig is a simple yet elegant garnish for a savory dish. Add a single edible flower to create a bold and colorful display to a simple dessert, or, create a bouquet of the herbs used in the dish. To anchor the garnish to the food or the plate, spear the stem end through a small hole (created with a toothpick) in the center of a lemon or lime slice.
Professional chefs understand the responsibility they accept when preparing food for the public, especially those with sensitivities, and this is when garnishes become more than just decoration. The garnish gives important information about certain ingredients contained in the dish, taking some of the mystery out of foods that have an unidentifiable mix of ingredients, such as dips, spreads, breakfast breads, soups, stuffing or bakery items. For example, adorning a seafood dip with a whole shrimp, one parsley sprig, and a slice of lemon will alert a person with an aversion to seafood that they may wish to reconsider.
For the buffet table, rest several stems of wheat, a few dates or dried apricots, and whole nuts alongside slices of breakfast bread containing these ingredients, again, alerting those eaters sensitive to nuts or dried fruit to stay clear.
The beauty of a dish enhances our appetite and enjoyment. Artful garnish helps transform a simple meal into a visual feast.
Try these tips to garnish like a pro:
- Make sure it’s edible! Garnishes should be safe to eat and of an organic origin (nothing synthetic should touch food, and florist’s flowers are not edible)
- Use only fresh items that are clean and attractive.
- Keep it simple. A sprig of herbs or a colorful slice of fruit can do wonders.
- Try garnishing the rim of the plate or platter. Rub a stick of cold butter around the edge to act as glue, and then sprinkle a combination of finely minced herbs or edible flowers over the rim.
- Stick to an odd number of ingredients (1, 3, or 5) to create the garnish.
- Use restraint, particularly with strong-flavored items such as edible flowers. Garnishes should enhance, not detract from, the food.
- Consider food temperature. Avoid items that will melt or wilt when placed on hot food. An exception is the use of herb-flavored butters, which intentionally melt away to leave a flavorful legacy of herbs.
- Keep color, texture, and shape congruent with the food being adorned. Use savory herbs on savory dishes, and sweet herbs such as mint on sweet dishes.
- Always use whole components of suspect ingredients as garnish, especially when preparing dishes containing seafood or nuts.
CITRUS SEAFOOD CEVICHE
Serve this “citrus cooked” soup in a martini glass topped with a dollop of sour cream and a whole cooked shrimp, finished off with a fresh slice of lime as a sidecar garnish
CEVICHE for 4:
Combine in a non-reactive glass bowl, mix well and allow to “cook” in the citrus juices in the refrigerator for about 1 hour (add cilantro just before serving).
1 SCALLION, thinly sliced
1 fresh ORANGE, remove colored zest and bitter white pith, cut the flesh into small dice
2 fresh LIMES, remove colored zest and bitter white pith, cut the flesh into small dice
½ ENGLISH SEEDLESS CUCUMBER, peeled and minced
pinch dried HOTT PEPPER FLAKES or ½ tsp. minced JALAPENO PEPPER
1 perfectly ripe Haas AVOCADO, peeled, pitted and diced
pinch SEA SALT
dash freshly cracked BLACK PEPPER
1 tsp. raw SUGAR
2 tsp. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), organic preferred
4 large SCALLOPS, halved horizontally then sautéed quickly in butter on both sides, then chopped into ½” dice
8 large SHRIMP, peeled, deveined and quick sautéed in butter, then chopped into ½” dice
¼ cup packed CILANTRO leaves, chopped coarsely and stirred into the ceviche just before serving
GARNISH:
4 tsp.SOUR CREAM, 1 tsp. per serving
4 whole cooked SHRIMP, cook in butter just until pink and opaque
4 lime slices, cut halfway into each slice and straddle on the side of each martini glass as a sidecar garnish
Dollop sour cream into middle of each serving, then lay each shrimp on the sour cream so the tails stand upright, serve with long handled spoons.