Recipes from the Professional Culinary Institute

New Tastes from the PCI
by Jacklyn Wilferd

November is the time of year when I love my work even more than usual because invitations to irresistable holiday wine events arrive by surprise in my email. This year I was especially delighted to be asked to the Professional Culinary Institute in the Silicon Valley for a extraordinary Holiday Food & Wine Tasting led by Master Sommelier David Glancy and Chef Randy Torres.

The wine department chair, David Glancy is one of only 76 Americans and 142 people worldwide ever to achieve the designation of Master Sommelier (MS). He is also a gifted educator and communicator. He leads the PCI's Certified Sommelier Program, the first in the world ever to be approved by the Court of Master Sommeliers, the world's foremost authority on wine.

Chef Randy Torres is also a rock star in his field. Honored in many culinary competitions, he is currently Team Captain for the Western Region Culinary Olympics Team, with whom he won Gold and Silver Medals in the 2000 Olympic competitions. Chef Randy is also coaching the PCI Apprentice Team USA for the next Culinary Olympics in Germany in 2008.

We have Chef Randy to thank for these exciting new recipes for the holiday table. I've tasted them all and they are all outstanding. My favorite has to be the Mushroom Bread Pudding but I was equally taken with the Turkey Roulade with Port Sauce. Even the Cranberry Sauce, served to us over sautèed Foie Gras, was special. All the recipes are simply delicious and designed for wine lovers.

Chef Randy Torres' culinary creations were paired with three excellent wines chosen by Master Sommelier David Glancy for their compatibility with all the sweet, tart, bitter, fatty and savory elements of the dishes. The wines paired beautifully with the menu:

• Moet et Chandon White Star Champagne NV
• Domain Weinbach Gewurztraminer Cuvee Lawrence Alsace 2004
• Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing Santa Rita Hills 2004

The combination of a quality champagne or sparkling wine, a white Gewürztraminer, and a delicious red Pinot Noir wine solves the perennial predicament of choosing "the" right wine for Thanksgiving feasts with so many rich and varied flavors. Glancy's choices are an excellent example to follow and should satisfy the palette preferences of all your guests.

Another idea is to serve the champagne or sparkling wine throughout dinner, as it about the only wine that can stand up to nearly all courses from appetizers through dessert. Our favorite sparkling wine is the Richard Grant Wrotham Pinot, a Blanc de Noir with an exquisite taste, a beautiful peachy-pink color and an amazing story behind it for conversation with your guests. Alternatively, a frizzy well-chilled Italian Prosecco will pair quite well with most Holiday dishes and will be easy on the budget.

Whatever your wine preferences, consider serving one or all of these delicious dishes from the Professional Culinary Institute at your next Thanksgiving or holiday celebration. Above all, enjoy!

Roasted Roulade of Turkey

• ¼ cup of cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 T parsley
• 1 lb turkey dark meat
• 1 each turkey tenderloin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 sheet caul fat (request from your butcher)
• ½ lb pork butt

1. Trim turkey tenderloin and have ready.
2. Break down pork and turkey dark meat and cut meat into 2” pieces
3. Grind up dark turkey pieces and pork in a food processor
4. Add cream, chopped parsley, and eggs one at a time until the smooth consistency to form farce meat. Mixture should be smooth but not runny.
5. Season with salt and pepper
6. Spread a piece of caul fat onto plastic wrap and then spread an even layer of the farce meat over caul fat.
7. Place a strip of turkey tenderloin into the center of the farce meat and begin rolling the roulade using the plastic wrap for assistance.
8. Using a new sheet of plastic wrap, firmly roll the roulade and twist each end to hold in place. Roulade should be taut.
9. Place finished roulades into a pan with water and boil for about 20 minutes at 170 degrees
10. Unwrap plastic wrap and finish roasting in the oven until inside temperature is 155 degrees F.

Port Sauce

• 4 each large shallots
• 2 small carrots
• 4 cups of rich brown veal stock
• 1 cup port wine
• Oil as needed
• Salt as needed
• Pepper as needed
• ¼ T whole butter

1. Heat small sauce pot with oil
2. Add shallots and carrots; cook until caramelized
3. Deglaze with port wine; reduce by ½
4. Add veal stock; reduce down to one cup
5. Turn off heat; add whole butter and whisk.
6. Season with salt and pepper and serve

Cranberry Sauce

• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup of orange juice
• 1 cup of water
• Zest from one orange
• One orange
• 2 cups sugar

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Simmer until berries start to pop
3. Reduce about half way
4. Cool and serve

Yam Puree

• 2 lb of yams
• ½ lb of potatoes
• 1 cup of cream
• ¼ cup butter
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Simmer yams in water until fork tender and drain
2. Simmer potatoes the same as yams
3. Place potatoes and yams in a food mill; mix smooth
4. Heat cream add to yam mixture
5. Add butter and mix
6. Season with salt and pepper (also nutmeg and cinnamon can be used)

Mushroom Bread Pudding

2 lb mixed wild mushrooms
1 each onion
7 eggs
1 qt half and half
1 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic
1 loaf of potato bread

1. Mix eggs and half and half
2. Cut bread in medium size pieces
3. Sauté mushroom and onions and garlic
4. Deglaze mushrooms with wine; let cool
5. Mix mushrooms and bread together
6. Place into oven proof dishes
7. Pour ½ egg mix over bread mix; let sit for 1hour
8. Pour rest of egg mix over bread
9. Bake in water bath for 25 minutes at 325 degrees
10. let stand for 15-20 minutes

© 2007 Chef Randy Torres, Professional Culinary Institute. All rights reserved. Recipes courtesy of Chef Torres. Recipes courtesy of Chef Torres.

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