2014 Resolutions Project: Thomas Keller's Dog Treats

 

I don't know wat prompt me to attempt this dog treats....not just any dog treats but one from Thomas Keller's baking book - Bouchon Bakery. Having not much experience in baking, I proceeded with the ingredients, snapped a pic of the ingredients list and went out shopping.

First of all sautee about 453gm of bacon slices which have been cut into 1 inch wide pieces... U just need to do this at medium fire and have some patience. While it's cooking, go and cut some chicken livers.

I see that those bacon slices are being nicely sautee there. So much of fats came outta it, and the smell was so yummy and good. Can't believe this gonna end up being parts of dog treats.

Wahhhhh I couldn't help but stole a few pieces...oh well when u are cooking u need to TEST TEST first right? And the taste test came out fine...crispy and crunchy and definitely not oily at all because all of the oil has been rendered out.

While sautee-ing the bacon slices, I had been busy cutting the chicken livers into half an inch pieces. I don't eat chicken livers, and preparing them was no fun either....the texture, the smell...oh yucks!!!!

So u'll need about 370gm of these....
throw away most of the oil rendered from the bacon and leave only a bit for the livers.


So u fry them for about 8 minutes, and continuously smashing the livers with your spatula. Now I understand why I don't eat livers...the smell is something that I don't like. ARGHHHH

Next you'll need to blitz the fried bacon slices....
I was like O.O!!! another machine to clean...arghhhhhh....why oh why didn't I read the full instructions before attempting this...but there's no turning back. I had to go on with it.

so after pulsing the bacon pieces for a bit, add in the chicken livers and 130gm of fine cornmeal...

Ohhhhh it looked and smelled like DOG GOOD at this juncture.....
I was rather pleased bcoz it didn't turn out to look/smell like something else...bahahahaha

Next use your mixer with with a fitted paddle to mix the above with 450gm of all purpose flour in 3 batches with 235gm of chicken stocks. Just inter-add the flour and chicken stock

I was -_-"
more things to wash after this....ARGHHHHH

Next roll it up to your desired thickness. Because of the texture and stickiness, u'll need a silpat at the bottom and a cling wrap at the top....

 

JS was busy sniffing around my stuffs and said...he could see the bacon pieces....he even complained the whole house smell of chicken liver

-_-"
then u dun come so close to me....

Bake the dog treats at 120*C for 1.5 hours if u are using a convection oven like mine.....or for 3 hours if u are using a standard oven.

The work didn't end there.....T.T

Prepare a ketchup glaze of 3 tbsp of ketchup *I used Heinz*, mix them with 1 tbsp of egg whites.

Soon once the treats are out....glaze each and every piece carefully...
lower the oven temperature to 95*C and bake for 15 minutes, or until the glaze has set

Ta-DA!!!!!
phewwwwwww
Wat kind of hardwork is this!!! baking macarons is so much easier!!!

Let them cool and transfer to air tight containers. These treats can be kept for one month long. Soon the treats were delivered to the LUCKY REALLY LUCKY SUPER LUCKY DOGS!!!!

Taffy sticked out her tongue...I don't know if that's an approval or wat?

Hardee looked terrified of the dog treat. Don't worry doggie, I won't poison u despite wat u did to your momma last week...by running away and the entire squad had to be deployed in a search and rescue effort to retrieve you......all while u were busy sniffing at the bus stop waiting for a bus.
-_-"

and finally Bambi....who looked like a lion now...so much of fur!!!! Can u see the treat???

I don't know how these owners, made their dogs wait before they can chomp chomp nom nom on their treats. According to owners, the dog did not reject it but they say pleaseeeeee don't do this anymore!!! don't bake for their dogs anymore!!!!!

me :"(((( why????? I lurve ur dogs!!!
"BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GONNA EAT THE NORMAL DOG TREATS ANYMORE, DAMN YOU!!!!"
:"(((((((

okie the list of ingredients are as below again:
453g of sliced bacon, cut into 1 inch wide pieces
370g of chicken livers, cut into 0.5 inch pieces
130g of fine cornmeal
450g of all purpose flour
235g chicken stock

the Glaze:
3 tbsp of ketchup
1 tbsp of egg whites

Good LUCK!!! and lemme know ur results :)))

Roast Chee-Kent :-)

JS decided he wanna master chicken :P

pppffffttttttttt and I was like YIPEEEE bonus for me

wuahahahahahhaha

another recipe from Thomas Keller

it was a simple roast chicken on a bed of root vegetables

and the first step was to clean and cut ur root vegetables 

dunk some olive oil, thyme, salt n pepper

we bought these Le Creuset stoneware during the Great Singapore Sale a few years ago

it costed like errrr less than SGD 10 each?

I wanted to carry the whole Le Creuset counter home coz everything was from 60% to 80% off!!!!

if only I live in Spore >_< 

then the whole counter is MINE MINE MINE!!!!!

JS used red skin potatoes, normal chat potatoes, LEEKS, sweet carrots and local green chilis 

u know chilis are damn sedap when grilled???

next clean the chicken

hmmmm why is the chicken looking so pretty smooth and fair?

wat chicken is this?

she looks all ready for miss pageant

clean its cavity with some fresh thyme and garlic

I was trying to capture the flakes of salt's fall....

but was quite difficult -_-

think capturing snow flakes falling is easier

euuuuuwwwww disgusting!!!!!!

then it's time to TRUSS the chicken

and I was asking the most silly question ever

"Do u know how to TRUSS a chicken?????"

JS threw me the slitted eyes look

without answering my question, he trussed the damn chicken in 10 seconds...

so action speaks louder

I tell u, he very very arrogant :P

Monkey blinked her eye in amazement and like a kid got JS to do it all over again

"again again again...!!!!"

Damn he's fast!!!!!

or prollie an idiot like me just dun get it :P

I dun know how he did it in less than 10 seconds

maybe he should consider a job trussing chicken Ayamas kitchen?

the chicken looked so pretty :D

heheheheheeh

I dunno why I was so amazed....prollie just too excited coz I get to eat chicken again

kuak kuak kuak

then get a good quality baking tray

it is one of the must have in any kitchen

a good one will last u for years and it will not warp after numerous torturing, abusive usages

JS got his baking tray from Royal Doulton by Gordon Ramsay Collection

in stainless steel

u can also use stoneware and enamel ones from Le Creuset

spread the root vegetables nicely and leave a space in the middle for Miss Chicken

the chicken must not touch the baking tray

so pretty teee heee heee :D

with the colors fr the vege

dun waste all the olive oil fr the root vege marinate

just drizzle over Miss Chicken

slap some butter on its skin

:)))))))))

bake it at 475 fahrenheit for 25 mins

then change the temp to 400 fahrenheit for another 45 mins

that's like damn long for a small chicken

and check the temperature between the thigh and breast

it has to reach at least 160 fahrenheit

aiyo so ma fan next time i buy Ayamas lar!!!

also u need to check that the juice that comes out fr the chicken 

the moment u pull out the temperature prob....the juice has to be clear

-_-"

finally!!!! wuahahahahhahaha

and I got the honor to carve it :P

then JS said we need to let the chicken rest for 20 minutes

WATTTTT another FREAKING 20 minutes?!?!!?!?!?

I'm hungrrrryyyyyyy :"((((((

aaaaAAaaaaaaaa

very juicy and moist

very very moist

the leeks were outstanding

super sweet

JS oso opened a bottle of white burgundy

"Wat's the occasion???"

JS: "No occasion, just enjoying a quiet evening with u :)))"

and we had a quiet Candlelight dinner hehehehehheeh

this tealight was given to me by Jen

she didn't want it and she had it for years!!!

"heyyy but it's Bernardaud porcelain!!!!!!"

Jen: "I just know it's expensive and I dun appreciate it."

"HELLOOOO it's legend!!! it's Bernardaud!!!!"

and quickly snatched the delicate turquoise box fr her hands

:P

Sorry I very tak malu one

kakakakkaka

Mr. JS I want to try the next chicken recipe by Thomas Keller :D

he wanted to pengsan >_<

hehehehhee

Thomas Keller amazing Buttermilk Fried Chicken

been craving for a good fried chicken aka KFC but JS told me there's something WAY WAY WAY better than those genetically modified chicken with totally modified reconstituted starch or watever that's innit

and we parked ourselves into KinoKuniya to get Thomas Keller's book

his 1st recipe was Thomas Keller's amazing Buttermilk Fried Chicken 

-_-"

to those who are new to Thomas Keller

he would be the Main Reason that I'll step foot to America :P

yeah that exaggerating!!! kekekekeekke

after all he's the Best American Chef :)))))

yeah u must b wondering wat the hell was the pic above...looked like some leftover food

or worse....leftover that's "living" and breeding and errr....yikes

anyway Thomas Keller's amazing Buttermilk Fried Chicken 1st step requires u to prepare this chicken brine

of herbs lemon peppercorn garlic salt etc

yeah the so called leftover pot :P which was not of coz...

need to marinate the chicken in this for 12 hours

really...I dun like to wait....I'm not a person with patience but for good food....it's totally worth it

later u clean the chicken...off its brine

yeah only drumstick and 1 pc of upper thigh *not shown in this pic*

coz Monkey only eat those parts + wings...

goodie that these days supermarket pack separate parts of a chicken for sale.

dun ever recall I've ever bought ONE WHOLE CHICKEN before???

at the same time clean some broccolinis 

well we all need some greens at each meal rite? 

prollie not breakfast :P

but then we all must eat some form of fruits during breakfast

while my breakfast for the past 24 years = coffee

go figure at wat age I started my caffeine addiction :P

next step is to dredge your chicken into the flour

make sure it is well coated evenly but not too much

then dredge it again into the buttermilk

u can get buttermilk at Village Grocer, Bangsar Village

yes also make sure it is coated well

wat's the chopstick doin there?

I dunno wat's with Chinese and Chopsticks....

it has become such a versatile tool that Tongs has been non-existent in a chinese kitchen

anyway Thomas Keller said STAY AWAY from Tongs coz u tend to pinch ur food with it and it is a NO-NO

after the buttermilk it is time to dredge it again into the flour

and it has to be coated evenly

then time to dunk em into the hot canola oil

*oooo I just noticed JS's stove is so clean!!!!*

well not just any hot oil

it has to be heated to precisely 320 degrees fahrenheit

-_-" so ma fan.....

when u put the chicken in....the temp will drop so u really do have to ctrl the fire

JS said for process like this an automated electronic fryer would be great

sigh.....pls no more gadgets/stuffs at home....I have a feeling he is gonna shop for one soon >_<

different parts of chicken requires different temperature and time

so for a drumstick u need to fry em for 2 minutes then u move it a bit

and fry for a further 11 to 12 minutes until it turned golden brown

so fr the pic above, u can see his stove is getting not-so-spanking-clean anymore

hiak hiak hiak

after 12 minutes

Oh My Gawd~~~~~~~~~~

so so so crispy.......

JS hit it with his most amazing tool aka Chopsticks

and it gave such crunchy thok thok sound

I can almost feel it in my mouth already

but he needed to let the meat cool

-_-

coz u need to let the meat to "rest" or else it will be tight and tough

so while waiting for that long few minutes for the chicken to cool

JS sauteed some brocolinis

notice the burns on the stalks?

yeah require some good fire and the secret is......hehehhehe Japanese SAKE

oppssss no longer secret anymore :P

and whipped up a simple double cream mash

with some freshly ground black pepper!!!

deep fry some stalks of thyme

then sprinkle it all over and some kosher salt

yeah those white flakes were the salt

not just any salt....it has to be kosher -_-

killer pic of the day

u drooling yet? :))))))

I AM!!!!!!!

the technique was very well applied

chicken meat was well marinated in its brine

juicy succulent and tender ...

it's almost like steamed chicken on the inside

while its skin was like the crunchiest thing ever!!!!

and no extra peripherals were used on its skin

just flour and buttermilk!!!

amazing huh?

yeah I know...

I really have got a HUGE MOUTH

and even bigger APPETITE!!!

and the BIGGEST STOMACH!!!!

since no wines can be paired with fried chicken -_-

I had an unfiltered white beer.

eh didn't ur mom teach u never ever take pic of ppl chomping on food?

that's so rude!!!!

anyway fr the facial expression it was really satisfying :P

hehehheehe hahahahah

oh Buttermilk Fried Chicken~~~

how I love thee....

pls gimme sumore~~~~~~~

anyway do take the time to visit Thomas Keller's website

www.frenchlaundry.com