Corey gave me an idea for this when he said- "too many short cuts are used in the buffets, Feed em and weep" in the pastry cream discussion.
What is the worst, or best shortcut you have ever had to use?

To start with- The "Chinese Microwave" or deep frier. That last 8 top cleaned out your bacon, need an order on the run, into the frier the bacon goes... I've seen everything from steaks to green beans "cooked" in one.

There are a million of em, give us one!

By Corey (Corey) on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 08:36 am: Edit

Baking Bacon, We do it all the time.

By Chefgbs (Chefgbs) on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 09:09 am: Edit

Here's a nasty one-

You need a well done steak on the fly. What do you do? Mark it on the grill, place in a blasting oven, cook it to medium, them place it in a CLEAN rag and squeeze out the juices until it is dried out.

By Pastrycrew (Pastrycrew) on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 06:34 pm: Edit

Have to thicken your sauce on the fly?

Make a slurry, stir it in your sauce and off to the microwave you go. You don't have to worry so much on burning your sauce in the microwave since its harder to caramelize in it but it will heat it enough to thicken the starch. Guess 180 cooks starch if you take a temp reading but if it boils for sure it's hot enough.

Laters,

bt

By Esjay (Esjay) on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 09:11 am: Edit

These are shortcuts???????, bloody hell, I thought I was just fast in the kitchen!!!!. Just joking folks........
I remember a "chef", (we call them cowboys in Australia)ran short of French Onion Soup, halfway through service.......... deep fried sliced onion, boiling water, a handfull of Beef booster, a splash of red wine, in to the bowl, all in under 1 minute.........., the customer sent his compliments to the "chef", hhhhmmmmmmm, makes you wonder how intelligent the punters really are????

By Corey (Corey) on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 05:24 pm: Edit

and some cooks think ketchup is tomato soup base.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 02:39 am: Edit

it's not?
someone better tell chefgbs.

By Chefgbs (Chefgbs) on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 08:20 am: Edit

If it's not, then I wasted a whole bunch of money on a second rate school!!!

And who among you has not used ketchup to flavor their Sauce Choron? For you pastry pukes, Choron is a tomato bernaise. A bearnaise being a tarragon hollandaise. A hollandaise being what real chefs do with eggs. We put it on top of more eggs for that instant artery clog.

By Corey (Corey) on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 11:13 am: Edit

I think tomato is a mother sauce.
I thought ketchup was not soup starter thou.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 11:24 am: Edit

Sauce Choron was the 3rd sauce I ever made.
It's one of my favorite sauce's.
Of course, finding a chef who won't screw it up is difficault.
Even the one's from those so called "good" schools.
Wow. Talk about a long time ago.
Yummmmm, Big Boy Hollendaise and ketchup.
Culinary Arts at it's best

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 11:34 am: Edit

shortcut.
I put 3 sheets of puff pastry together.
baked it, drizzled Cinn. fondant on top, cut and served for petit fours.
I still have nightmares about that.
Window's on the World, 1981.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 08:35 pm: Edit

PIG!!!!!

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 09:32 pm: Edit

I still carry the shame, til this day.