Restaurant Tips from Today's Shift!

Thought I'd provide a few tips that were utilized during today's shift:

STUFFED PEPPER SOUP

We ran stuffed peppers on a buffet in January. Although the stuffed peppers were a big hit, we over produced, leaving us with three full 2" hotel pans! Well, we wrapped and froze the three pans. This morning, a little over a month later, the stuffed peppers were thawed in the steamer, then diced. The line cook then simmered the mixture in a light beef base broth seasoned with granulated garlic, granulated onion and black pepper. SOUP DU JOUR.

The soup was a big hit. We actually had patrons buying seconds. A great way to use leftovers.


CROUTONS

We save the heals of our breads (eight grain, rye, white) as well as stale rolls and outdated bread.

Use this simple recipe:

I'm only listing ingredients, as we don't really measure them, due to the fact that bread quantities vary so much.

Cube bread, half inch cubes.

Drizzle generously with canola oil.

Add these dry spices: Oregano, thyme, basil, granulated garlic, granulated onion, black pepper, celery salt, kosher salt.

Toss to combine.

Spread in an even, thin layer onto papered sheet tray.

Bake in convection oven, 325 degrees, fan on "low."

Watch closely, stirring every five minutes.

Approx. cooking time: 15 minutes.

Total prep time: 30 minutes.


PREP FOR YOUR BUFFETS ONE TO TWO DAYS AHEAD

Pull frozen products so that they may thaw safely in the walk-in. We pulled IQF shrimp this morning for tomorrow evening. Pulled items should be broken out of boxes and arrainged on sheet trays (not touching each other, for uniform thawing) stored on a speed rack.

Items such as IQF chicken breasts will take 48 hours to thaw properly.

Dressings can be bowled ahead. Other mise en place may be prepared ahead (vegetables cleaned, cut or diced; cheeses cubed or sliced; pastas and rice cooked and chilled). We'll even prepare cheese trays a day ahead.

When preparing pastas and rice ahead, cook products as you normally would, then: with pastas, drain in colander, lightly oil, spread on papered sheet trays and chill on speed rack in walk-in. With rice: spread in an even layer (while still hot) on papered sheet trays and chill in walk-in. once product is chilled, transfer to Lexan containers (with lids). Pastas and rice can then be reheated in minutes in a steamer! Steam rice uncovered in a hotel pan for around ten minutes. Pasta, in a perforated hotel pan for around five minutes. Pasta can also be reheated using a strainer and a pot of simmering water.

That's about it for today....