The gospel according to…

Let's take a coupla minutes and review these competition tips from C-CAP central.  We've adapted these for simpler reading.

1.  You have two hours to prepare two plated chicken dishes and two plated dishes of dessert crepes (with pastry cream and chocolate sauce).  Practice each step of each recipe until you can do this in two hours or a bit less than two.

2.  A written prep list and plan will guide you through competition - yes, you need to write these yourself!  (See C-CAPinc.org for a sample timeline!)

3.  Decide on your plate presentation BEFORE you get to the competition!  If you keep it simple/easy, you'll have time to spend where it counts - on knife sills, organization and your cooking techniques (the judges will be all over the kitchen during competition).

4.  KNOW sanitation and food handling techniques.  Use gloves when needed (handy rule:  uncooked food that will be cooked - no gloves.  Ready-to-eat (count salads and/or garnishes!) or cooked food - gloves.  And remember to wash your hands.  Often.

Chicken

1.  Press down on the thickest part of the breast to test doneness.  Chicken should be firm with a slight bounce back.  Overcooking dries the meat - and undercooking means the judges won't eat it.  (HINT:  Use a thermometer!)

2.  Don't let the sauce thicken too much - it will be gummy.  If it starts to jell, thin it with some stock. 

3.  Butter helps thicken the sauce, but it must be added correctly.  Once you've added it. do not let your sauce boil or it will break and look separated and curdled.

4.  Make sure that sauce is balanced in flavors.  There's a rich flavor from the stock and glace, the mushrooms make it kind of earthy, there's a whisper of tomato taste, a little hint of licorice or anise from the tarragon, a rich and soft feel from the butter and a little zing from the parsley.

5.  This is a sauce in which you also need to see the elements (except for the butter - duh!) - means don't cook your tomatoes to invisible mush and don't mince that tarragon to tasty and unseen dust.

6.  If your pan isn't hot enough or you've put the chicken into the pan meat side down or if the chicken skin is too damp, that chicken's gonna want to stick to your pan.*

7.   Make sure your potatoes are cooked through - throw a couple of extra, similarly sized pieces of potato into the pot so you can taste these as you cook.  Make sure your water has enough salt!

Crepes

1.  Give your batter enough time to rest; it will be easier to work with and your crepes will taste better, too.

2.  You'll be given strawberries, but if you choose to garnish with them, be sure you have somehow incorporated them into your crepes!  (If it's on the plate…and don’t forget: strawberry leaves are NOT edible!)

3.  Be sure your chocolate sauce is silky, not chunky.  Have enough not just for "decoration," but a judicious amount  - enough to taste with the dessert, but not overpowering the delicate vanilla cream.


*A small amount of oil added to a very hot pan almost instantly becomes very hot oil. The oil quickly sears the outside of the food and causes water to be released from the food. This layer of water vapor ("steam") lifts the food atop the oil film and keeps it from touching the hot pan surface. If the oil is not hot enough, the steam effect will not occur and the food will fuse to the (too) cool pan surface. Source: Ask a Scientist