Hi! i’m a student in the Philippines and i’ll be joining a cooking competition here in Manila. We were given 2 main ingredients for the competiton: 500 grams Lapu-lapu( grouper ) fillet and 2 pcs chicken breast, and the cooking technique that should be done is poaching. The thing is, i’m not familiar with the cooking technique that we were task to do and I can’t make my recipe. Can someone help in making my recipe? :) thanks!

note:each dish must have an appropriate sidings. :)

I would suggest not joining the competition! Poaching is a basic cooking technique. Open a book and learn it. Sorry, just have a hard time that you were tasked to use a particular technique w/o instruction. You need to take it upon yourself to figure it out!

Poaching is a moist heat cooking method used primarily for very tender items. Correct temperatue of the liquid should be 185 F. Since there is no flavor development, the liquid you use is what determines the flavor. Also the poaching liquid can be reduced and used as a sauce if you like. You can poach in a Court Bouillon, milk, wine, stock, even oils. Re4member to keep the liquid low, if you “boil” those items it will destroy them.

I would say most poached item would need some kind of a sauce nappe.

matt12, I must say that I agree with blacksheep in that you (as a student), need to study the technique. 10 minutes with a decent cooking text (Professional cooking by Wayne Glissen, CIA Textbook, etc) would have given you instruction, techniques and pictures to go by.

That being said, (If you havent already had your competition), you have two ways of going with the grouper in my opinion. First, light and fresh. Mango salsa, fruit compote, chili-papaya chutney are all types of light, fruity and sweet pairings that will accent the neutral flavor of the mild white flesh of the fish. David Wasson is correct in that your poaching liquid will not bring out any natural flavors from the fish, but also leach out any flavor, so you must flavor your liquid with wine, white pepper, or even make a court boulion for the base. If you are adventurous, a nice huckleberry buerre blanc will pair nicely with the white flesh and give you a good bodied sauce. But as with most good stuff, less is better. Float your fish, don’t smother it. Use lighter amounts of product so that you do not overpower, and again, as a student, study what you are doing.

It is always good to ask questions, but it is better to drive the bus than to sit in the seat and let someone else dictate your direction. (Just an opinion). That is one of the atributes that makes the difference between a qualified cook and a chef.

@Matt12: Just wondering how it went?