Change of Perspective

It's OK, I'm not dropping out yet!

But already I can see a different way of looking at, and treating, food. We've had 2 days of tuition now, one with Hervé (Thanks Pat, for explaining how to do an acute accent) and one with Lizzie. In both cases, their attitude towards the ingredients, however simple, has really opened my eyes. My current style of cooking is what might be called in cricketing terms "hit and hope". They, on the other hand, treat every ingredient with utmost respect, admiring, stroking, caressing and working out the best treatment in every case, depending on look, feel, flavour, usage, and required outcome. It's less science, more a sort of culinary love-in.

Yesterday we spent a happy 4 hours chopping vegetables. You might think this is a bit of a doss, but I now know 26 ways more than you to chop leeks. I can also cube an onion without tears, and sweat a perfect carrot. Not only that, but today I learned how to chop parsley at lightning speed, without incorporating any of my fingers. Its all about the action.

Today was roux sauces. I thought I was already quite decent at this, and to be honest I wasn't bad. But apparently disappearing to watch the telly for 10 minutes while it bubbles away isn't the best way of looking after it, as I'd previously thought.

The course has its characters, I'll introduce a few as we go along from the bunch shown (eating our lunch in the school, with Hervé at the back with the glasses). Lets start with Alex, the guy from Malaysia (in the black top, next to Hervé). He turned up 20 minutes late today due to "problems with buses". There is already a theory going round that Alex is some sort of underworld hit-man, and this was confirmed when he said goodbye to me at the end of the day by karate chopping me in the small of the back with both hands, much to my surprise. He alternates between talking very quietly, and suddenly bursting into life with an outburst such as "I need to know which oils to use for the dressing because I don't want my cooking to be CRAP!" (this to the chef).

So inspired by the day's work, I set off for Waitrose to buy some proper ingredients to cook at home (more than one of you I note has commented on my consumption of ready meals since I arrived here - give us a chance!). I put together a rather good stew, which even my toast-eating flatmate Click was tempted to try (and enjoyed).

STEAK AND KIDNEY STEW
Serves 2

1lb steak and kidney (3 parts steak to 1 kidney, usually sold together)
a few pancetta cubes
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot
1/2 parsnip
1/2 leek (all other veg cut into 1/4 inch cubes)
8 small new potatoes
1 pint stock (which should start with "first kill your cow..." but I used a nice stock cube and a few gravy granules, half a teaspoon of pesto and a squirt of tomato puree)

1. in a large pan brown the steak and pancetta in a little oil, remove from pan
2. brown onions, reduce heat and sweat all vegetables
3. add meat (including kidneys) and stock
4. Bring to boil then simmer for 1 1/2 hours
5. Thicken/reduce sauce as necessary 6. Serve on its own, or with chunks of bread to mop up

I have to say, it was delicious!