food-loversJames' Interview Part 2- including his Crème Brûlée recipe!
March 17th 2009 00:28
So here's part 2 of the interview I did with James ages ago. (still haven't recieved the answers from the other chefs I sent questions to). Check out my last post for part 1 (I'll post part 3 tommorow).
James:
[I]I started out at the tender age of 14 working at a small local Middle Eastern restaurant, I began by washing dishes, but within 6 months, I was cooking up a storm. I then started my apprenticeship in Ballarat at a cafe dubbed 'L'espresso', great place - check it out... I found that it was a great stepping stone to chef-hood. After a couple of years there, I headed to 'Donovan's' in St Kilda, where I completed my apprenticeship... Donovan's was the major springboard of my career, the foundation of all my skills and knowledge. L'espresso was a foot in the door, while Donovan's took me through and beyond said door. I then worked around a few other places in Melbourne and elsewhere, until about 2 years ago when I went to... (my current position).
If ever there was a eureka moment (about wanting to cook), it would have been somewhere between the ages of 7 & 10. My mother was far too busy to put excessive amounts of time and energy into cooking (single, studying and 3 kids - what do you expect really?). So very early on I realised that if I wanted to lick the cake bowl on a semi regular basis, I would have to dirty it on a semi regular basis... And when I say dirty the bowl, it was probably more like the entire kitchen! So from such a young age, I took to cooking, more to fulfil my stomach, than any real passion for the process. However, gradually, that passion for process did develop, and I got a bit more creative. By 12 I was making complicated cakes for family members birthdays', cooking dinner every now and then and making even more mess in the kitchen. By 14 I was working 35 hours a week in a local restaurant (on top of high school), washing dishes, cooking, cleaning - as long as I was in the kitchen, I was happy.
Forgive me if I sound a bit like a wanker, but for me, the simple things are most enjoyable, therefore, I'll have to go with the Crème Brûlée. Lovely 'just set' custard, topped with a nice,
dark - almost burnt - toffee, served with a simple shortbread. I can't top it.
750ml thickened cream
250ml milk
12 egg yolks
150g castor sugar
2 vanilla beans
extra sugar for the brûlée
Carefully slit open vanilla beans with a small sharp knife and scrape out seeds - these little black grains are precious, don't waste any.
Place seeds, scraped pods, milk, cream and a handful of the measured sugar into a heavy based saucepan and bring up the boil. In the meantime, put another pot, half filled with water, on the stove to boil.
In a stainless steel or ceramic bowl (large enough to hold all the ingredients, and fit nicely over the pot of water) whisk together the yolks and remaining measured sugar. Continue whisking until mixture is pale and smooth.
Once cream mix comes up to the boil, add a small amount to the egg yolk mix - whisking constantly. Continue adding small amounts of hot cream to egg until fully combined.
Place bowl (containing all ingredients) over boiling water and immediately turn heat down to a simmer.
Stir gently, but thoroughly, until mixture thickens. If you have access to a probe thermometer you'll have a bit more confidence at this part as judging how thick to take your mix can be difficult - simply heat until 72c.
Now pour mix through a fine sieve, and cool mix down as quickly as possible - but do not put in the fridge yet... The easiest way to do this is to pour mix into a large, flat tray - which will increase the surface area...
Once mix is cooled down to below body temp (or close to anyway) you can it pour into your mould(s) and place in fridge to set. I usually give it 12 hours to set completely, although you could probably get away with less.
When it is set, it's time to 'brûlée' it! My favourite way is to sprinkle sugar evenly over the top and attack with a blow torch until you create a lovely, dark toffee. You can also do this under a grill if you don't have access to a blowtorch. Another method which produces a slightly different toffee (but equally good) is to place sugar in a small pan, melt down, then caramelise, while hot, carefully pour it over the custard.
Leave for a minute or two, and then serve with fresh shortbread.I]
James:
[I]I started out at the tender age of 14 working at a small local Middle Eastern restaurant, I began by washing dishes, but within 6 months, I was cooking up a storm. I then started my apprenticeship in Ballarat at a cafe dubbed 'L'espresso', great place - check it out... I found that it was a great stepping stone to chef-hood. After a couple of years there, I headed to 'Donovan's' in St Kilda, where I completed my apprenticeship... Donovan's was the major springboard of my career, the foundation of all my skills and knowledge. L'espresso was a foot in the door, while Donovan's took me through and beyond said door. I then worked around a few other places in Melbourne and elsewhere, until about 2 years ago when I went to... (my current position).
If ever there was a eureka moment (about wanting to cook), it would have been somewhere between the ages of 7 & 10. My mother was far too busy to put excessive amounts of time and energy into cooking (single, studying and 3 kids - what do you expect really?). So very early on I realised that if I wanted to lick the cake bowl on a semi regular basis, I would have to dirty it on a semi regular basis... And when I say dirty the bowl, it was probably more like the entire kitchen! So from such a young age, I took to cooking, more to fulfil my stomach, than any real passion for the process. However, gradually, that passion for process did develop, and I got a bit more creative. By 12 I was making complicated cakes for family members birthdays', cooking dinner every now and then and making even more mess in the kitchen. By 14 I was working 35 hours a week in a local restaurant (on top of high school), washing dishes, cooking, cleaning - as long as I was in the kitchen, I was happy.
Forgive me if I sound a bit like a wanker, but for me, the simple things are most enjoyable, therefore, I'll have to go with the Crème Brûlée. Lovely 'just set' custard, topped with a nice,
dark - almost burnt - toffee, served with a simple shortbread. I can't top it.
750ml thickened cream
250ml milk
12 egg yolks
150g castor sugar
2 vanilla beans
extra sugar for the brûlée
Carefully slit open vanilla beans with a small sharp knife and scrape out seeds - these little black grains are precious, don't waste any.
Place seeds, scraped pods, milk, cream and a handful of the measured sugar into a heavy based saucepan and bring up the boil. In the meantime, put another pot, half filled with water, on the stove to boil.
In a stainless steel or ceramic bowl (large enough to hold all the ingredients, and fit nicely over the pot of water) whisk together the yolks and remaining measured sugar. Continue whisking until mixture is pale and smooth.
Once cream mix comes up to the boil, add a small amount to the egg yolk mix - whisking constantly. Continue adding small amounts of hot cream to egg until fully combined.
Place bowl (containing all ingredients) over boiling water and immediately turn heat down to a simmer.
Stir gently, but thoroughly, until mixture thickens. If you have access to a probe thermometer you'll have a bit more confidence at this part as judging how thick to take your mix can be difficult - simply heat until 72c.
Now pour mix through a fine sieve, and cool mix down as quickly as possible - but do not put in the fridge yet... The easiest way to do this is to pour mix into a large, flat tray - which will increase the surface area...
Once mix is cooled down to below body temp (or close to anyway) you can it pour into your mould(s) and place in fridge to set. I usually give it 12 hours to set completely, although you could probably get away with less.
When it is set, it's time to 'brûlée' it! My favourite way is to sprinkle sugar evenly over the top and attack with a blow torch until you create a lovely, dark toffee. You can also do this under a grill if you don't have access to a blowtorch. Another method which produces a slightly different toffee (but equally good) is to place sugar in a small pan, melt down, then caramelise, while hot, carefully pour it over the custard.
Leave for a minute or two, and then serve with fresh shortbread.I]
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