Pulled Beef Sandwich

Sandwiches are a definite pub classic. Burgers in the menu is a rule. Pulled beef however, is not as common. I think it's a burger that is just taken up a few notches. I mean, its still beef that has been physically altered by pulling it apart. In the case of burgers, the beef is just grounded. But pulled beef has so much more flavour because of the braising process. Also, you can reduce the braising liquid and add it to the pulled meat to heighten its succulence.

Haddock fingers and Pickled Fennel Salad

It's a really nice contrast in flavours, with complementing textures. The haddock tastes as it should, and the pickled fennel pairs wonderfully with the haddock. It also tastes good on its own. However, the pickled flavour also cleanses the palate quite well. So by alternating which one you eat, your mouth takes longer to adapt to the flavours, and therefore each bite still gives its full flavoured impact. Both the fingers and fennels have a nice crunch to them, with the fingers leaning a bit more towards crisp than crunch.

Rib Eye - 3 ways

The Rib eye is most defintely my favourite cut of beef. It has great balance in flavour, tenderness and richness due to the different parts. The cap is the most succulent part, tender and rich with marbling. The eye is flavourful and still tender. Then there is that small piece of meat attached by the eye and the bone. I like to call it a chuck, though I'm sure butchers probably have an official name for it. The idea really came started with the thought that these 3 parts cook in different rates, and should have varying doneness. The cap, having much more fat should be cooked closer to medium in order to render and melt as much fat without sacrificing the tenderness. The eye, having less fat content, and can be lean in some instances, should be cooked at medium rare. The chunk should take advantage of all the connective tissue and bone; I think this part should be braised or slow cooked. So here, The rib eye is separated into those 3 parts.


The cap is rolled and cooked sous vide to medium, and then lightly seared.


The eye is grilled to medium rare, and...


the chunck, which is the most flavourful, is poached in butter for 20 hours, then broiled to obtain a crust.

Back from Culinary School

It's been a month well spent at the French Culinary Institute in NY. I love that place. Well-equipped kitchens! Also a massive thanks to Chefs Jessica and Ryan. They were great instructors. I also got an opportunity to do an short internship there. They have a small group that cooks using all sorts of newer, 'scientific' methods. Hopefully I get the cookbook done in time for that before I start at George Brown.

I definitely learned a lot of hints and tricks during my stay at FCI. Those tricks will be showing up in my future dishes...ahem bacon...ahem butter.

First week back and I couldn't wait to get back to playing around the kitchen. So I made some cream puffs and panna cotta. For the panna cotta dish, carrageenan was used as the gelling agent, as well as the thickening agent for the white and dark chocolate sauces.

it's been a while!

Well, with the initial draft, recipes and all else done, I can start posting again. To start things off, here's a risotto tempura nugget. Mixed mushroom risotto, truffle oil, balsamic reduction.

The Day Draws Near

My deadline to create this cookbook for the company is nearing, so for the past week or two, I've been busy creating as many recipes as I can, about 1-2 a day. So not as much write ups on each of my posts, but I'll still be sharing the photos :). Enjoy!

Shrimp Terrine - avocado puree, garlic and chive cream, bacon bits


Pulled Ox Tail - pan-toasted bread, arugula salad, onion tempura (Think of pulled short ribs, only more succulent)


Porkchop with Asian Flavours - smoked soy sauce, sriracha, grilled scallions, fried onion and garlic, cripsy vermicelli with ginger



Strawberry and Cream Crepe - assorted fruits, maple syrup (The strawberry and the cream ARE the crepes)

Almond cream, marinated strawberries

A play on the classic strawberries and cream. The classic version is simple and oh so decadent! This dish attempts to improvise the tried and true and add a few more components. The strawberries are marinated in grappa, then sprinkled with some sugar. The cream, which usually used full fat (35%), is made with table cream (18%). Using carrageenan, we can achieve a texture that is just as creamy if not creamier than full fat cream. The carrageenan also helps to allow the flavour to linger just a bit more. I also added pure almond extract to the cream and just enough sugar to enhance the almond flavour without making the cream too sweet. Some chocolate and blueberries to complement and colour the dish. The people who tried it said the sweetness was just right. Just enough to be considered desert sweet, but not too much to be the dominant flavour.