[Santofu]

Since people might be stuck at choosing some sides and/or sauces that goes well with protein.

I'll start first with a question. I have a competition coming up in 3 weeks. It's about pork steak and I can't think of the sides that goes well with apple stuffed pork steak. I tried to look it up on google but it didn't really help me.
So Revscene FOOD LOVERS, CAN YOU HELP ME? :)

[cho]

does the pork steak HAVE to have apples in it?

[Santofu]

Not really. It's just options. I'm open to ideas tho.
The competition take about 30 minutes to complete one meal.

[cho]

grilled pork steak /w roasted fingerling potatoes, stuffed red pepper with mushroom duxelle
some sort of tomato sauce?

tomatoes, red onion, white wine, seasonings if your choice, puree till smooth, brown sugar to cut the tartness


just a quick idea if thats all the time you have to work with

[Santofu]

Sounds good actually. But for presentation, I have no idea where to put the stuffed red peppers.

[cho]

the veg is up to you, i just threw it in there just for the sake of having a veg thats not cut up sauteed and put on the plate

[PJ]

Criss-cross sliced red and yellow peppers!
They did it at Cactus Club.. :troll:

[cho]

its winter time, yellow peppers aint gonna be that good =/

[Liquid_o2]

Recently I have fallen in love with brussel sprouts.

Best way to prepare them is cut them in half and fry them until they turn browned and crispy in some olive oil, salt, pepper and shallots. Near the end of the cooking I add a little freshly squeezed lemon juice and a bit of maple syrup for some sweetness.

I eat them like candy.

[Santofu]

Thanks, I'm gonna use brussel sprouts for the competition since it's in seasonal.
I am thinking of flavoring it with pork like panetta or bacon, but i can't pick which one. Panetta have a softer texture than bacon but bacon is smoked and crispy.

[Liquid_o2]

I've done them with bacon before and they turned out really good as well. Never done pancetta but probably would be even better!

[Great68]

Thanks, I'm gonna use brussel sprouts for the competition since it's in seasonal.
I am thinking of flavoring it with pork like panetta or bacon, but i can't pick which one. Panetta have a softer texture than bacon but bacon is smoked and crispy.

Try and find brussel sprouts on the vine. It makes a BIG difference in their flavour. When I lived on the mainland I used to get them from a farm on westminster hwy around #8 rd (Richmond).

[hamsup]

I found that boiling the brussel sprouts first and then frying them up in butter/oil mix with garlic and bacon to be the way to go !!! if its for a competition.. couldn't you precook the sprouts.. and then wrap them in a thin slice of bacon ??? (making it look like a flower??)

Since you only have 30 minutes or so.. that is going to be tough !! I would suggest mini potato latkes???

[impulseX]

instead of apples, i'd recommend apricots if its a possibility?

[Bonka]

I find that figs compliment pork well, either as some sort of sauce accompaniment with maybe port or roast them fresh. Bacon with brussel sprouts are good but I do find that depending on what kind of bacon you get it can overpower the natural flavour of the brussel sprouts.

[TekDragon]

Pork with a stuffing on the side. Ground pork sausage, apple, pear, cinnamon, nutmeg. Rough idea to get you started.

[Culverin]

Pork with a stuffing on the side. Ground pork sausage, apple, pear, cinnamon, nutmeg. Rough idea to get you started.

you're going to have him put pork in his pork?
:D

Ditto on the figs.
Mustard works well with pork too.

[unit]

apricots, figs, chestnuts, sultanas, pears..... all great pairings for pork

[Anakin]

shouldn't you know what goes with pork before you enter competitions?

i smell troll

[Santofu]

Oh, the only thing you smell is fire on your ass.
I'm a high school student who want to be a chef. I don't know anything about PORK. That's why i'm asking Revscene to help me to find ingredients that goes well with pork. Of course I did research about it, but I want some ideas from Vancouverites who love to eat. I like to hear compliments from customers when they eat my food. Anyways, I kinda made my menu but it's not really official. KEEP GIVING ME IDEAS PLEASE. THANKS :D

Spice rubbed Pork with apple stuffing pan-seared then roasted in the oven.
Puree Cauliflower or root vegetable with a few brussels sprouts on top so my steak can hold in place.
The sauce will be balsamic vinegar-figs reduction sauce. (I'm still thinking if I want to do 2nd sauce for colour and flavour.
The garnish will be cilantro leaves and roasted small dice potatoes for presentation.
Excuse me for my crappy grammars! Thanks! Happy Eating :P

[impulseX]

Oh, the only thing you smell is fire on your ass.
I'm a high school student who want to be a chef. I don't know anything about PORK. That's why i'm asking Revscene to help me to find ingredients that goes well with pork. Of course I did research about it, but I want some ideas from Vancouverites who love to eat. I like to hear compliments from customers when they eat my food. Anyways, I kinda made my menu but it's not really official. KEEP GIVING ME IDEAS PLEASE. THANKS :D

Spice rubbed Pork with apple stuffing pan-seared then roasted in the oven.
Puree Cauliflower or root vegetable with a few brussels sprouts on top so my steak can hold in place.
The sauce will be balsamic vinegar-figs reduction sauce. (I'm still thinking if I want to do 2nd sauce for colour and flavour.
The garnish will be cilantro leaves and roasted small dice potatoes for presentation.
Excuse me for my crappy grammars! Thanks! Happy Eating :P

I can sort of see your plate presentation, so let me just say this... you will need some colour within your veg component. Also, you will need some form of starch (assuming the small dice potatoes will only be a garnish)
The balsamic fig reduction is a nice idea, but unless it's in the form of a demi, it will be way too sweet for the pork.
^this is all assuming you're plate has to be presented like a dish at a fine dining restaurant.

[Santofu]

^ Well I want to make a steak dinner with different ingredients!
does Celery root or turnips have enough starch?
What vegetable should i go for? I heard brussels sprouts are too strong for pork.
Nah. Just balsamic vinegar, simple syrup and some fresh figs mix together...

[cho]

you might be careful of the spices burning as you're searing it off, i might suggest on the chargrill

the garnish should try be accompany the dish, i dont see any cilantro in the dish(maybe in the rub?), i dont think it will be a good garnish, perhaps maybe a candied fig?

and if the meat is spice rubbed, but the sauce is sweet/acidic so i think sauce will overpower the spices and/or make the sauce taste different

more doesn't always mean better, just a couple imos
sorry if i sound like a douche

[Culverin]

The balsamic fig reduction is a nice idea, but unless it's in the form of a demi, it will be way too sweet for the pork.

That is exactly what I was thinking. I mentioned the figs to give you some sugar and a bit of tang.

Nah. Just balsamic vinegar, simple syrup and some fresh figs mix together...

You're going to want to be careful about that. Balsamic vinegar (even the cheapest costco stuff) get's crazy sweet when you reduce it. It's also hella dark and has the potential to make your dish uber-ugly.


Here is an alternative you might consider instead.
Marinate up your Pork steak with cooking wine, salt and pepper.

- Caramelize some onion slivers, make it a dark caramel, like a good 15 minute caramelization). About 1/4 to 1/3 of an onion per steak. Reserve

- Fry steak at high heat to brown. Pop it in the oven to finish.

- Deglaze with a touch (just a touch) of white wine
- Orange Juice (fresh)
- a touch of white wine vinegar
- and fresh figs instead.

If you balance it right, the vinegar will give you a bit of tartness, the OJ some much needed brightness to a pork dish, then by cooking it down with the fresh figs, you'll be able to reduce that down into a pretty good sauce without destroying all the color of the figs.

Plating:
Onions as base, pork steak on top, drizzle with reduction. Starch on the side.

As for garnish, consider the zest from your orange. Tastewise, it'll be an added dimension. Plus, purple and bright orange color on your plate? baller presentation points.

How'd I do?
:fullofwin:

[TekDragon]

you're going to have him put pork in his pork?
:D

Ditto on the figs.
Mustard works well with pork too.

Fail to see the problem. :P

[impulseX]

I can sort of see your plate presentation, so let me just say this... you will need some colour within your veg component. Also, you will need some form of starch (assuming the small dice potatoes will only be a garnish)
The balsamic fig reduction is a nice idea, but unless it's in the form of a demi, it will be way too sweet for the pork.
^this is all assuming you're plate has to be presented like a dish at a fine dining restaurant.

^ Well I want to make a steak dinner with different ingredients!
does Celery root or turnips have enough starch?
What vegetable should i go for? I heard brussels sprouts are too strong for pork.
Nah. Just balsamic vinegar, simple syrup and some fresh figs mix together...

Alright, start off with... Plating presentation. Are you after a presentation like the keg where everything is everywhere (ie. steak at 4 oclocl, starch at 8, and garnish/veg at 12) or are you after a more fine dining look where everything is all nice and close together (you will get more marks for this one)
an example of this would be ...
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs032.snc6/166290_10150379455520173_779510172_16783654_571435 9_n.jpg
^dont mind the presentation so much, but its just for an idea. Notice how tight the components are? That will score you high marks.

Second, like others have mentioned in response to your balsamic reduction. No. Sorry but if you're only reducing the vinegar with figs, then you will find that the sauce will completely overpower your pork with sweetness. If in anyway you can make a demi, then that would be ideal.

For starch, you want either grains or potatoes. Anything from Rice, Risotto, Quinoa, Couscous, and almost anything potato (mashed, scalloped, rosti, gnocchi...)

Since Root vegetables are in season now.. why not do a mix of that? Carrots, Parsnips. And even add in squashes of all sorts.

I'm throwing a lot of stuff at you, but keep in mind how much time you have for your competition (assuming it's something along the lines of.. you have 1 hour to complete your dish) and plan out from there.

[Santofu]

you might be careful of the spices burning as you're searing it off, i might suggest on the chargrill

I'm not really sure if they actually have a grill at the competition because most of us need to bring our own equipments.

the garnish should try be accompany the dish, i dont see any cilantro in the dish(maybe in the rub?), i dont think it will be a good garnish, perhaps maybe a candied fig?

Oh alright, thanks for heads up. I think candied fig might take too much work since I on'y have 30 mins to cook one dish.

and if the meat is spice rubbed, but the sauce is sweet/acidic so i think sauce will overpower the spices and/or make the sauce taste different

So I gotta find a new sauce or season the pork with S&P

more doesn't always mean better, just a couple imos
sorry if i sound like a douche
Ah no problem! I'm not offended!

That is exactly what I was thinking. I mentioned the figs to give you some sugar and a bit of tang.

Maybe I should find a premium balsamic vinegar no?

You're going to want to be careful about that. Balsamic vinegar (even the cheapest costco stuff) get's crazy sweet when you reduce it. It's also hella dark and has the potential to make your dish uber-ugly.

I ain't going to Costco to buy food. I just go to somewhere good like Gourmet Warehouse or something if you catch my drift.





- Caramelize some onion slivers, make it a dark caramel, like a good 15 minute caramelization). About 1/4 to 1/3 of an onion per steak. Reserve

- Fry steak at high heat to brown. Pop it in the oven to finish.

- Deglaze with a touch (just a touch) of white wine
- Orange Juice (fresh)
- a touch of white wine vinegar
- and fresh figs instead.

If you balance it right, the vinegar will give you a bit of tartness, the OJ some much needed brightness to a pork dish, then by cooking it down with the fresh figs, you'll be able to reduce that down into a pretty good sauce without destroying all the color of the figs.

Plating:
Onions as base, pork steak on top, drizzle with reduction. Starch on the side.

As for garnish, consider the zest from your orange. Tastewise, it'll be an added dimension. Plus, purple and bright orange color on your plate? baller presentation points.

How'd I do?
:fullofwin:

What is onion silvers? I never heard of it before. Maybe i should use some green vegetable, bacon and onions cuz the onion silvers you mentioned may take a lot of my time.
I'll try that sauce someday! Hopefully it'll taste great.
I'll let you know when i taste the sauce :P


Alright, start off with... Plating presentation. Are you after a presentation like the keg where everything is everywhere (ie. steak at 4 oclocl, starch at 8, and garnish/veg at 12) or are you after a more fine dining look where everything is all nice and close together (you will get more marks for this one)
an example of this would be ...
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs032.snc6/166290_10150379455520173_779510172_16783654_571435 9_n.jpg
^dont mind the presentation so much, but its just for an idea. Notice how tight the components are? That will score you high marks.

I never eat at Keg before...
It's more like a fine dining.
Something like this by layer.
Some of the sauce on top and around the plate
Protein
Vegetable
Starch

Second, like others have mentioned in response to your balsamic reduction. No. Sorry but if you're only reducing the vinegar with figs, then you will find that the sauce will completely overpower your pork with sweetness. If in anyway you can make a demi, then that would be ideal.

How do i exactly make a demi?

For starch, you want either grains or potatoes. Anything from Rice, Risotto, Quinoa, Couscous, and almost anything potato (mashed, scalloped, rosti, gnocchi...)

Since Root vegetables are in season now.. why not do a mix of that? Carrots, Parsnips. And even add in squashes of all sorts.

I guess i could do a mix celeriac and potatoes pureed with a food mill?


I'm throwing a lot of stuff at you, but keep in mind how much time you have for your competition (assuming it's something along the lines of.. you have 1 hour to complete your dish) and plan out from there.

Yeah I know. I need to find a perfect sauce match with pork that can be made under 30 minutes, but I'm gonna give a orange sauce a try.

[cho]

^
demi,

brown stock + espaniogle ( i can't spell) , reduced by half

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demi-glace



is this a level 1 test/competition?
im sure you can do a pan sauce instead of making a demi and stuff

[Santofu]

Oh that one, Yeah I can't do that LOL. I can't bring prepared food except stocks to competitions which that sucks.

Uh I think it's sorta like based on categories competitions
High School
Post-Secondary
Apprentices
Chefs

[impulseX]

I never eat at Keg before...
It's more like a fine dining.
Something like this by layer.
Some of the sauce on top and around the plate
Protein
Vegetable
Starch

reverse that order and you'll score top marks. starch on bottom, veg to accompany on side in a tight presentation, starch overtop of that but still shows the starch and veg, and sauce to pool just around the protein slightly

How do i exactly make a demi?

shortcut in this case, bring a brown beef stock or something meaty, and reduce the shit out of it and once its thickened a fair amount, add your flavouring agent. you're only way of making a "demi" in your time restraint

I guess i could do a mix celeriac and potatoes pureed with a food mill?

you could. simple mashed potatoes still works. just my suggestion


Yeah I know. I need to find a perfect sauce match with pork that can be made under 30 minutes, but I'm gonna give a orange sauce a try.

try reducing if that tickles your fancy :)

[Santofu]

Can you make a diagram please? haha D:
Flavouring agent like what? If i don't have time, I'll just make a quick pan gravy... can't go wrong with that.
I guess i'll pansear the steak for now. Thanks guys!
Yeah mashed potatoes would be more easier.

Should i marinate the pork with cooking wine (what kind of wine tho?), salt, and pepper like from the last page? Or something else?

[impulseX]

haha. well just take a quick look at the pic i posted... i know its an off angle, and the fact that i had zucchini for dinner didnt make the pic any easier on the eyes. but for that i started with putting the mashed right in the middle. if you have like an ice cream scoop, or if your good with Quenelleing, then you can do that for a nicer presentation of the mash.

next i arranged the zucchini slices (i cut on a bias so i got ovals out of them for nicer presentation) like a spiraled stairway but tightly packed with the mash which helped keep it from sliding around and kept the height of my stairway.
after i plated my chicken breast, and poured sauce near the bottom of it. (you can also put the sauce first as your base, and put the protein over top, that works fine as well.

by flavouring agent, i meant figs or any sort of wines to add and develop the flavour of the demi.

what cut of pork are you using? depending on whether or not it's really tough, marinating isn't really necessary. For instance, if you have tenderloin, since it isn't a tough cut to begin with, marinating it would be pointless and would make searing more difficult when the moisture bleeds out from the heat.

i personally think salt and pepper is fine.

[Santofu]

Alright that's kinda help me a little haha.
So do you add 2nd starch on top of the vegetable or no?

Ohh interesting. Kk, I'll try my best then :P

The competition will offer us pork steak. I believe it's from the boston butt cut

[impulseX]

Sorry haha. Ill try and upload a picture to help you out when i get home.

As for the cut, you will want to marinate that since that is a hard working muscle and will be very tough unless marinated or brined.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Santofu]

Alright thanks
I've been thinking for few days.
I'm gonna do a roasted garlic & herb mashed potatoes topped with 1 carrot, 1 asparagus, one something (need to think a different colour of vegetable).
The pork steak will be marinated in white wine and S&P (Unless you have some ideas to marinate?)
The sauce will be sorta semi demiglace sauce with figs or pan gravy with figs. (Either way, both still work.)

[cho]

mash sounds good, if you have time i'd suggest making them into a duchesse potato

asparagus isin't really in season right now i'd stay away, maybe tourned carrots/zuchinni
perhaps roasted?

straight white wine and sp wouldn't work so well i dont think
olive oil, s+p, lots of rosemary?

sear off chop in pan, deglaze with stock/redwine, add more rosemary, spices/herbs accordingly, thicken up quick styles

keep it simple, clean they'll love it

[Santofu]

I want an acidity marinate to tenderize the pork steak because of it's tough muscle.

[cho]

Meat hammer lighty flatten?
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[impulseX]

alright. sorry for late response. just been busy with work and such. here are the links because i think the pics will be huge if i posted here (taken from dslr)


i have one more that i took of my staff meal on my phone. i'll have to get that up later on but basically
-mash in center
-veg top right (1 to 2 oclock position)
-protein on top of starch
-sauce just below protein
-garnish on top (mine didnt have one)

edit - links arent showing up properly. will pm you

[F1]

you don't have enough time to marinade your protein bro.
anways, i've done plenty of comps and you have to show them your skill and how much you can in 30 minutes. instead of doing mash, you could have done a flavoured spaetzle. maybe even a butter sauce instead of a glace such as a apple grainy mustard beurre blanc.
i know that its for the food expo this weekend so good luck bro.