Day 55

Today we learned about forcemeat (lean ground meat that is emulsified with a fat), ballontines, and galantines.  A galantine is a dish made from boned meat (usually fish or poultry) that is stuffed in its own skin, rolled into a cylindrical shape, poached in stock or water and served cold in its own jellied aspic (gelatin made from a meat stock). A ballontine is basically a galantine that has been roasted or braised instead of poached and it is usually served hot with an appropriate sauce. 

All of these methods sound a bit medieval (believe me, I know) but they are classic French dishes and so they deserve some of your respect. ok? 

If you are having a difficult time envisioning a galantine ...

this is for you....

We spent the day setting up our mise en place for tomorrow's production. We broke down whole chickens and prepped the galantine and ballontine. We also made whipped potatoes and a fruit salsa that will be needed for tomorrow's dishes. My favorite item of the day was the fruit salsa. I chopped up some mango, red onion, jalapeno, red bell pepper, and tomato. I squeezed some fresh orange juice over the mixture and added a dash of vinegar, salt, and pepper. I might add some avocado into the mix tomorrow as well...we will see...but I loved how bright and fresh the flavors were. good stuff.