Canadian Skills Competition Culinary Silver

I was at the Canadian Skills Competition a few weeks ago, adviser to Sebastien and judge for the post secondary culinary competition. It's a great event, a great opportunity for kids from across Canada to show us all what they can do.And show us they did. Skills and talent permeate the arena as these people from all provinces and territories compete in trade and technology career areas from cooking to welding. Sebastien came away with Silver and culinary and AJ took the gold in welding. Both of these guys attend St Patrick High School and put everything they had into the competition.
These are some pics of the food Sebastien produced. Eggs Benedict, Minestrone Soup, Beef Rouladen, and Chocolate Mousse. This is the chocolate mousse recipe that Seb used on day 2 of his competition. He sandwiched the mousse between 2 slices of brownie and served it with chocolate ice cream and raspberry sauce. A very nice dessert indeed. Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for AJ's welding project!
If you ever come across a Skills Competition, national, provincial or territorial, check it out. You will be amazed with what these kids can do!

Dark Chocolate Mousse

6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

1 tbsp butter

2 large egg yolks

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup sugar

11/2  tsp vanilla

1 cup chilled whipping cream

·         Melt chocolate and butter in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water.

·         Remove bowl from over saucepan, add the egg yolks mixing in well, then cool to lukewarm.

·         Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form.

·         Fold into chocolate mixture.

·         Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat cream and vanilla in large bowl.

·         Fold into chocolate mixture.

·         Pipe onto brownie slices.

Cute Shrimp Cocktail

One of my favourite lessons to do at the Open Kitchen Studio is the Cocktail Appetizer Lesson. I've done it a few times and really like how everything turns out. One of my favourites is this little shrimp cocktail. Nicely poached shrimp with a garlic aioli and a few mini vegetable sticks. If you skewer the shrimp starting at the tail end and running through the body, you have a straight shrimp that sticks out of the glass nicely. We used skewers last night but they're a bit too big. A tooth pick might work a bit better. Make sure you don't overcook the shrimp. I bring the poaching liquid to a boil, turn it off, add the shrimp and let them sit for just a few minutes. It doesn't take long at all to cook them. Plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking process and make sure you dry them off before you assemble the cocktail.

Shrimp with Garlic Aioli

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 large egg

Zest and juice of ½ lemon 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

¼ teaspoon salt

pinch freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

12 large shrimp, 21/25

12 wooden skewers, 6”

½ lemon, sliced

½ onion, sliced

1 tsp salt

12 pieces asparagus

12 strips red pepper, about ¼ of a pepper

12 parsley sprigs

1. Combine the garlic, egg, lemon juice and zest parsley, salt, pepper and oil in a tall cylindrical container and buzz with a hand blender until the sauce forms.
2. Set aside.
3. Peel and de-vein the shrimp, being careful not to cut too the back too deeply. Also try to leave the tail intact.
4. Slide the skewer into the shrimp from the tail end almost all the way to the head of the shrimp.
5. Fill a small pot with enough water to cover the shrimp. Add the onion, lemon and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the skewered shrimp. Let the shrimp poach until they are just cooked. Remove them from the poaching water and place them in cold water to cool. When they are cool, drain them and dry them completely.
6. Remove the stem end from the asparagus. Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water just until cooked, about two minutes. Remove them from the boiling water and place them in cold water to cool. When they are cool, drain them and dry them completely.

7. Place about 1 tbsp of garlic aioli in the bottom of a shot glass or small wine glass. Add the shrimp, (skewer up) asparagus (tip up) and the red pepper slice. Add a sprig of parsley.