"Catch"- It's about Salmon

Cooped in a pastry kitchen for the past 6 months, i was itching to work the pots and pans back at home again.

Cooking for the family is such a joy ♥

Salmon is one of my all-time favorites. Not only for its appealing orange & pleasurable oily character, it reigns in versatility too. Steamed, baked, seared, smoked, cured, raw... anything does it for me. Really. When salmon is at tiptop freshness, minimal preparation is required.

My simple menu is entitled "Catch".

unprofessional handwritten menu...

Focaccia, olive oil & balsamic vinegar

Because every step from Mise en place to cooking to plating to service is done by one little soul alone, it is always wise to provide warm bread to coax any growling tummies.

"Garden"

Sashimi, lime zest, white balsamic jelly, chocolate balsamic sauce, citrus mesclun, roseapple, caviar, crisp

I believe au naturel was the best way to begin. A slice of top-grade sashimi garnished with lime zest, a potent balsamic duo for acidity, roseapples for textural effect. We all agreed dollops of caviar won't hurt.

"Brulee"

Belly aburi, miso cream, truffle baby potatoes, avocado lemongrass pudding, chanterelle, yogurt

Blowtorches come in mad handy to flash-burn slices of belly flesh into heavenly aburi-ed morsels. I draped mine over miso cream & roasted truffle-fragranced potatoes, alongside a lovely avocado custard scented with calming lemongrass.

"Wild"

Capellini, truffle butter sauce, marinated salmon, ikura, toasted quinoa, yuzu sorbet

Get zany. Get wild. Get ready to experience how texture & temperature integrations can enhance pasta.

1) Taste the basic (bottom) pile

2) Approach the second with smoky toasted quinoa

3) Enjoy the third with quinoa crunch and refreshing kick of yuzu sorbet

elaine's crazy pasta

*just imagine*

"Violette"

confit of salmon, vanilla beans, beetroot veloute, yuzu foam, grapefruit, sea asparagus

A compilation of my faves: salmon, vanilla beans, beetroot, yuzu & grapefruit (:

The fish was marinated with lots of potent vanilla extract, steeped into Vpod-infused olive oil, then slow-cooked in very stingy oven heat for 45 minutes. Looking mi cuit, it flakes comfortably into warm veloute & yuzu scented foam. Sea asparagus lends a perfect salty touch.

Citrus sorbet

Palate-cleanser to rid any traces of lingering oil.

"Flora"

Strawberries, bitter jasmine panna cotta, strawberry yogurt icecream, balsamic glaze, caramelized nuts, chocolate pearls

I kept dessert extremely simple. With short planning time i had to prioritize (savories or dessert?) and i chose to focus on the former. I realized the difficulty in overseeing both aspects in such tight timing, so hey! that's what pastry chefs are for right? hehe ;)

Promise more efforts into dessert next time!

Apprenticeship

Alas, the hiatus is over.

I know i took an incredibly long post-work recovery break, and i ought to get back on the flogging track.

This 6 months flew past in a wink. So swiftly it seemed, i completed my stint at Swissotel the Stamford & Fairmont Hotel Singapore. Tough times engulfed, fun times streamed by, mistakes made, lessons learnt... and it ends with a fullstop.

To all the Equinox staff & pastry department colleagues who's been great in any way (& many ways), thank you so much for coloring my experience. The hotel line may have been proven to be tedious and time-occupying, but you guys provided the smiles & laughters to subtract some weariness. It all counts.

Updates. After the attachment, i embarked on a leisure revisit to Kyushu -Cakes & Ramen Wonderland- for 6 days, and feasted on almost 5 kg worth of sugary weight. The food scene there is so awesomely crafted; from delish cakes to exotic sushis (think Kumamoto horse meat sashimi) to fabulous market deals (rack of uni sashimi at S$6.50!) to slurpalicious ramen (notches higher than Ippudo) to hearty handmade soba & tofu... Every Yen & calorie lives up to its value. I dare say indulging in Japan is the most worthwhile of all (:

Await the brief pictorial entries coming up...

Right now i am every bit looking forward to enrolling into school this November.

2 months to eat Singapore up!