GREEN PEPPER PORK (SAUCIER x2)

The midterm dominates our culinary horizon but we're very much cooking. Our return to Saucier means I got to do Côte De Porc Au Poivre Vert, Pork Chop With Green Peppercorn Sauce. I've enjoyed it when other students have made it and looked forward to cooking it myself. The other dish was Poulet Sauté À l'Estragon, Sauteed Tarragon Chicken.

DISH: Poulet Sauté À l'Estragon, Sauteed Tarragon Chicken

DUE: 8:10 p.m. SERVED: 7:45 p.m.

COOKING NOTES: Like the Poulet Rôti À La Grand-mère but this is first butchered (not trussed) then seared. We were told that because the chicken is whole the Grand-mère might be juicier. After the pieces are golden brown they're put in the oven, 18 minutes for the breast, the legs, 21.

The dish is accompanied by mashed potatoes (2 potatoes per 4 plates) with a tarragon sprig, sauteed mushrooms and napped with a sauce made of shallots sweated in butter, sherry vinegar, white wine, reinforced and reduced brown chicken or veal stock, and finally chopped tarragon.

CHEF'S CRITIQUE: Good job and early. Chef B. saved me from prematurely browning the wing trimmings reminding me that unlike the Grand-mère, early butchering provides more bones to reinforce the stock with.

DISH: Côte De Porc Au Poivre Vert, Pork Chop With Green Peppercorn Sauce

DUE: 9:45 p.m. SERVED: 9:20 p.m.

COOKING NOTES: Chef B. suggested we complete the mise en place for both dishes before cooking either. So we had both stocks enriching and most everything done early. We tied the chops with butcher twine before-hand to create a rounded shape. I made sure to turn the heat up when flipping for a good sear and to not burn the sucs or over-oil the pan (we'd seen the pork overcooked so we were careful). I believe in using less oil on the sear and adding butter later on to crisp and flavor the chop.

My teammate made Pommes Darphin and Chef D. suggested slicing each in two to rest against the chops, the edges of which were napped with a sauce unintimidated by green peppercorns. Moist pork chop with bite, yeah.

CHEF'S CRITIQUE: The pork was cooked correctly, moist, and the sauce had bite which Chef B. liked. The potato pancake was good and thick too.

OVERALL: I'm confident with most Level 2 dishes and with Friday's upcoming Poule Au Pot I'm getting close to having done all of them. It's important to know all the chef's recipe changes and to figure out the process order for dish combinations. I need to get cream puffs down next.

At the end of class we did a wine tasting: Kendall Jackson's Chardonnay xx and their Riesling xx. I love wine but it's a jumbled mess in my head as "Wine." I need to do some flute-tastings and reading to truly educate myself.