So I have finally launched my new "business only" site this week formally. Here you can find my business contact info, photos and more. Check it out for my complete services.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Pajo's Fine Dining & Catering
For those of you that are interested in obtaining my services, please view the following address for further information. http://www.pajoscatering.wordpress.com
Here you will find my services offered, contact information and a photographic portfolio.
Bon Appetit!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Transglutaminase, Applying a bit of Science for Technique
Now I have spoken about Transglutaminase in prior blogs, even given photo examples of dishes where I put this to good use. But I wanted to elaborate a bit more, especially for the guests of the last dinner and cooking class. The last dinner featured Activa in a few dishes; Chicken Rouelles; Shrimp Chorizo; Filet Mignon. We did a great demonstration and explained the stuff and how it works. The class members all got 2 100g bags of the RM and GS to play with at home. None of this would have been possible if for the amazing customer support of Ajinomoto.
I contacted them a few months back to inquire about their products directly. I mean the stuff is a whopping $82 + for a 2 lb bag online. I thought I would start buying in bulk at a cheaper rate. They were kind enough to send me some samples to play around with to see which I liked best. My first experiment was pretty basic, playing with scraps and trying to form a bond.
When I decided that the next cooking class would venture outside of some peoples comfort zone and feature cooking sous vide with the immersion circulator, I decided to bring in some additional techniques as well. I added a few dishes to exhibit the Activa, some NZorbit, Agar and more. When Gary Boell of Ajinomoto heard about my class, he contacted me directly.
Gary was asking to meet me personally and work on a few techniques. I happily obliged and he arrived to my house one afternoon with 20 lbs of terres major, a lab jacket, arm length gloves, a power drill, a 2 feet extension with a fan blade, a few rubber totes and many packages of Activa RM, GS, TM and YG. We had a blast. He demonstrated some of the possibilities of the stuff. He brought along some great plastic molds in the form of perforated plastic casings that we used to stuff the meat into perfect rounds. I had previously used the old standby of plastic wrap!
We spent the better part of 3 hours playing around with the stuff and discussing the possibilities. I immediately wanted to try a seafood application and was thinking lobster. However, after examining "Ideas In Food" I found they successfully made a shrimp chorizo. That would be perfect for my next dish. So I used their idea and created my own formula and recipe for spicing the chorizo. Angie's Mother, being such an amazing Mexican cook inspires me to use chiles and spices that are not known by many.
Anyhow, we used all the terres major, and we discussed bonding seafood, chicken, and even dairy or dessert applications. Gary was kind enough to get Alex Talbot and I in contact on the phone. We discussed some options for activa YG in dessert and cheese applications. It is amazing stuff as well.
After this was all said and done, a few days later 2 boxes arrived. One box was full of samples of all the activa products, enough for all the class members. The other box was full of detailed folders on the use of their products. What an amazing company. The care and consideration they put into their product is something else. With all the huge accounts they have, the meat packers, world known chefs and more, they took the time to advise me on their product personally. Amazing. Special thanks to Gary Boell and Alex Talbot for taking the time to speak with me regarding the Activa products.
Activa is a protein binder or glue if you will. It contains salts, carbohydrates and enzymes that catalyze the bonds between proteins. Once the meat has absorbed the activa, it is undetectable in any trace. It is a natural product, some contain gelatin and others do not. It is a product that is helping Chefs to achieve results before impossible. It needs credit for its place in the advancing science of food industry. I like the possibilities that it brings to the table. It enables me to think outside of that standard box, to create and manipulate form and shape, and to combine ingredients not commonly combined. For instance, Filet Oscar, or a scallop molded into the center of a steak, just for instance. Also the ability of the YG allows us to transform common ingredients into uncommon forms, such as a warm mousse that holds shape, or a hot panna cotta.
Shrimp Chorizo
Adapted from Ideas in Food
2 lbs raw shrimp cleaned
5 grams cumin
10 grams smoked paprika
10 grams chile de arbol
10 grams guajillo chile
5 grams sweet paprika
2 grams oregano
20 grams pressed garlic
10 grams salt
Olive Oil
7 grams activa rm
Roughly chop about 1/2 of the shrimp. Puree the remaining shrimp with all ingredients except the activa. Puree to a paste. Remove paste to a bowl and combine with chopped shrimp. Add the activa in 2 sessions, folding each into the batter.
Pipe the mixture into perforated bags forming sausage shape. Cook sous vide at 58* Celsius for 20 minutes then cool in ice bath immediately.
Slice the chorizo and sear briefly in olive oil and serve.
The above recipe was my own creation based on the existing one that Alex Talbot and Aki Kamozawa had previously created. I added quite a few more ingredients and this chorizo had a nice bold and smoky flavor. Perfect compliment to my dish. (Pictured Below in previous post.)
I have also used the activa to form the chicken logs if you will. Cooked sous vide makes for a perfect shape and the chicken turns out moist and tender, like nothing you would imagine for a traditional breast. Here are a few photos! Enjoy!
I contacted them a few months back to inquire about their products directly. I mean the stuff is a whopping $82 + for a 2 lb bag online. I thought I would start buying in bulk at a cheaper rate. They were kind enough to send me some samples to play around with to see which I liked best. My first experiment was pretty basic, playing with scraps and trying to form a bond.
When I decided that the next cooking class would venture outside of some peoples comfort zone and feature cooking sous vide with the immersion circulator, I decided to bring in some additional techniques as well. I added a few dishes to exhibit the Activa, some NZorbit, Agar and more. When Gary Boell of Ajinomoto heard about my class, he contacted me directly.
Gary was asking to meet me personally and work on a few techniques. I happily obliged and he arrived to my house one afternoon with 20 lbs of terres major, a lab jacket, arm length gloves, a power drill, a 2 feet extension with a fan blade, a few rubber totes and many packages of Activa RM, GS, TM and YG. We had a blast. He demonstrated some of the possibilities of the stuff. He brought along some great plastic molds in the form of perforated plastic casings that we used to stuff the meat into perfect rounds. I had previously used the old standby of plastic wrap!
We spent the better part of 3 hours playing around with the stuff and discussing the possibilities. I immediately wanted to try a seafood application and was thinking lobster. However, after examining "Ideas In Food" I found they successfully made a shrimp chorizo. That would be perfect for my next dish. So I used their idea and created my own formula and recipe for spicing the chorizo. Angie's Mother, being such an amazing Mexican cook inspires me to use chiles and spices that are not known by many.
Anyhow, we used all the terres major, and we discussed bonding seafood, chicken, and even dairy or dessert applications. Gary was kind enough to get Alex Talbot and I in contact on the phone. We discussed some options for activa YG in dessert and cheese applications. It is amazing stuff as well.
After this was all said and done, a few days later 2 boxes arrived. One box was full of samples of all the activa products, enough for all the class members. The other box was full of detailed folders on the use of their products. What an amazing company. The care and consideration they put into their product is something else. With all the huge accounts they have, the meat packers, world known chefs and more, they took the time to advise me on their product personally. Amazing. Special thanks to Gary Boell and Alex Talbot for taking the time to speak with me regarding the Activa products.
Activa is a protein binder or glue if you will. It contains salts, carbohydrates and enzymes that catalyze the bonds between proteins. Once the meat has absorbed the activa, it is undetectable in any trace. It is a natural product, some contain gelatin and others do not. It is a product that is helping Chefs to achieve results before impossible. It needs credit for its place in the advancing science of food industry. I like the possibilities that it brings to the table. It enables me to think outside of that standard box, to create and manipulate form and shape, and to combine ingredients not commonly combined. For instance, Filet Oscar, or a scallop molded into the center of a steak, just for instance. Also the ability of the YG allows us to transform common ingredients into uncommon forms, such as a warm mousse that holds shape, or a hot panna cotta.
Shrimp Chorizo
Adapted from Ideas in Food
2 lbs raw shrimp cleaned
5 grams cumin
10 grams smoked paprika
10 grams chile de arbol
10 grams guajillo chile
5 grams sweet paprika
2 grams oregano
20 grams pressed garlic
10 grams salt
Olive Oil
7 grams activa rm
Roughly chop about 1/2 of the shrimp. Puree the remaining shrimp with all ingredients except the activa. Puree to a paste. Remove paste to a bowl and combine with chopped shrimp. Add the activa in 2 sessions, folding each into the batter.
Pipe the mixture into perforated bags forming sausage shape. Cook sous vide at 58* Celsius for 20 minutes then cool in ice bath immediately.
Slice the chorizo and sear briefly in olive oil and serve.
The above recipe was my own creation based on the existing one that Alex Talbot and Aki Kamozawa had previously created. I added quite a few more ingredients and this chorizo had a nice bold and smoky flavor. Perfect compliment to my dish. (Pictured Below in previous post.)
I have also used the activa to form the chicken logs if you will. Cooked sous vide makes for a perfect shape and the chicken turns out moist and tender, like nothing you would imagine for a traditional breast. Here are a few photos! Enjoy!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Success! Another One Bites The Dust...
The Class After it was all Done!
The Dinner Tables
The Homemade Shrimp Chorizo
"Alinea" Inspired AmuseFuji Apple, Horseradish Infused White Chocolate, Celery
"Three Bites" 
Mary's Organic Chicken
"Three Bites"Kurobuta Pork Belly 12 hour Sous Vide, Cider Reduction finished with whole grain mustard, homemade sauerkraut, Vanilla-apple puree
Hereford Beef Filet Mignon Sous Vide, Black Chantrelles, Bordelaise, Fleur De Sel
Chilean Sea Bass, Homemade Shrimp Chorizo, Potato Confit, Salsa Verde
Mary's Organic ChickenRouelle of Organic Chicken breast, Bonded with Activa, Filled with prosciutto di parma & Bellwether Farms "San Andreas" raw sheep cheese, Kurobuta applewood smoked bacon wrapping, kurobuta applewood smoked bacon emulsion, braised swiss chard with same bacon, caper relish, meyer lemon confit, upland cress micro greens
so delicious
Local Farmed Lamb, "Flying Mule Farm" Lamb Chops, Potato Mille-Feuille over 4 hour caramelized onions, Rainbow baby carrots, purple cauliflower, baby fennel, bagna cuada
so delicious
Local Farmed Lamb, "Flying Mule Farm" Lamb Chops, Potato Mille-Feuille over 4 hour caramelized onions, Rainbow baby carrots, purple cauliflower, baby fennel, bagna cuadaThe sauce was out of this world fantastic!
Redwood Hill Farm "Crottin Chavignol", Dried Cherries, Nicoise Cracker, Baby Mache in Blood Orange Vinaigrette, Pickled Pearl Onions, Walnut Glazed with Maple Syrup, Sauce Soubise cooked sous vide 
The Dessert.... 
Redwood Hill Farm "Crottin Chavignol", Dried Cherries, Nicoise Cracker, Baby Mache in Blood Orange Vinaigrette, Pickled Pearl Onions, Walnut Glazed with Maple Syrup, Sauce Soubise cooked sous vide
The Dessert....
Brioche Citrus Doughnuts, Filled with Citrus & Ricotta, Rolled in Citrus Sugar
Blood Orange Sorbet, to die for....
Dark Chocolate Mousse, Salted Chocolate Shortbread, Caramel Powder, Fleur De Sel, Passion Fruit
Red Beet Parfait, Chocolate Pastry, Blood Orange-Beet Coulis thickened with agar and pureed smooth, Vanilla Infused Olive Oil Powder, Bulls Blood Micro Greens
The class was fantastic! We had a tremendous group this time, excellent people! We were really able to focus on specific techniques, as I prepared much of the work in advance as to leave us some time to focus on important techniques. I think overall this was the most rewarding class for the attendees with the amount of material we covered.
Dinner went off great. My only complaint is that plates went out slower then I liked. Unfortunately, I created a menu that really required some skilled plating technicians to execute in a timely matter.... next time I will consider that! Everything was great!
I did manage to burn myself pretty good however. For the chicken course, I had about 6 pots going. Some were in the over warming at 350*. I had pulled a pot out and placed on the burners and removed the handle. In the mad rush to plate, I grabbed the pot with my bear hands and managed to transfer it about 3 feet prior to lowering it then finally letting it go! Luckily I was able to lower it close enough to the floor to land upright, and salvaged any loss that may have been. I did suffer greatly through the next 2 courses however!
I did find that Irma had the most amazing remedy, and I am still shocked. What appeared to almost immediately blister and shrink on my skin, has been no more of a problem since the night. With the thick application of a very gelatinous cream covered by a powder of ambertose, all wrapped with saran wrap overnight, my skin has almost immediately healed. Of course the burn is somewhat evident, but I cannot believe the effect of these two ingredients.
I will post the full info on both soon. I have had some good burns in the past and thought this would be right up there, however Irma has saved my hand, this week!
Thanks to you all who support me and take part in these events. Without willing patrons these things would never get off the ground, and it is our love of food that keep these events alive. Keep eating good people! Until next time!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Activa RM & Sous Vide
In my upcoming class and dinner I will introducing some new ingredients and techniques to our guests. Over the weekend I played with them to test their abilities and results. I must say I was pretty amazed at well the two components can work together.
Being my first time working with activa, I wanted something a bit easy if you will. I cooked dinner for my family who came to visit the little one. We grew up eating chicken cordon bleu so I decided I would throw my twist on our family's dish.
I used the activa to bond thinly sliced and pounded organic chicken breasts. I layed out two long sheets of plastic wrap side by side and formed a rectangle shape with the meat. I put prosciutto and a beautiful raw milk cheese, in the center and rolled the breast meats into rouelles, or logs.
I let them bond overnight in the fridge, the next morning taking them out, cutting them in half as the original logs were about 24" long, then wrapped them with bacon, secured the ends of the bacon with more activa and cryo-vacked them with a few pieces of garlic and some lemon thyme.
I let sit in fridge about 8 more hours. I cooked sous vide at 62 degrees for about 45 minutes, took them out and seared the bacon crisp. The result was great. The shape remained beautifully in tact. The flavor and texture was amazing. I paired with a 12 hour sous vide pork belly which I cured and served with a honey whole grain mustard emulsion and a salad of crisp apple and celery tossed with lemon and olive oil.
In the center there is a great potato mille-feuille, layers of potato brushed with clarified butter and salted, I seared them off and basted them with lemon thyme and garlic. It sits on a bed of sweet carmelized onions. Then the chicken, applewood bacon wrapped, served with a broken bacon vinaigrette, meyer lemon supremes and a caper relish with garlic, parsley and shallot.
The dish was really good! For dessert I molded chocolate mousse in my new molds, unfortunately the mousse was too set up already when I piped it into the molds, therefore all the air was not released, causing pockets. Next time I will pour the batter in when still fluid and give them a few good bangs on the counter. Served with a salted chocolate shortbread, a vanilla bean and olive oil powder, raspberry coulis, fresh raspberry and fleur de sel which really made the chocolate pop.
Overall I am impressed at how well the two components, activa and sous vide can be used together to achieve a particular shape. I have many ideas in mind now, and will try and bring them into the light. JP from preferred recommended Chicken skin on Tuna, "tuna of the sea"; I am thinking wrapping a whole piece of Halibut or Sea Bass with Chicken Skin to appear as a Thigh, sear it and call it chicken surprise! Ha! So many possibilities.
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