Family meal help

Hello:

I'm a relatively new pantry cook, and my job includes cooking the family meal. I think I'm actually luckier than most when it comes to this task because a) I actually really like doing it, always did even throughout culinary school, and b) our operation is large enough and run in such a way as to include fresh ingredients specifically for family meal, wonder of wonders.

As in, one day the sous chef asked me what I'd like ordered (!) for family meal. I said a bit uncertainly "More chicken?". And lo and behold, the next day there were some whole freerange birds for me to cut up and cook.

Anyway... yeah, I know I have it easier than most but I'd still like to hear about your ideas of what to quickly make with proteins that have already been cooked, especially roasted pork loin, big hunks of roasted lamb and flank steak.

Sad as it sounds, I struggle with utilizing the cooked protein leftovers, in part because I kind of missed out on the American childhood growing up food experience. You know, things like sloppy joe and hot dish, that kind of thing. Yeah, boo hoo lame-assed me, right? :D No seriously, coming from a Chinese family where we also had a local butcher shop and fresh produce all the time, I have no palate for that kind of American food, so consequently I have a hard time cooking it correctly.

Things I have made: variations on roasted chicken thighs and legs using different spice rubs, blanched or sauted veggies, different rice pilafs, Thai and Indian inspired curries, tempura, basically Asian things. One time I got a half package fresh pork butt, and I seared that with five spice powder and some green onions, then braised in soy sauce, mirin, lots of minced ginger, star anise and brown sugar. Asian inspired again!

People love it of course, but I'm being pressured to come up with things less elaborate and in a faster time. I understand why, and I would like to do this. I am just hoping I can without sacrificing the food itself to memories of institutional school lunch or pasta with cream of blat.

So, good ideas for non-school lunch family meal which are fast? Especially those which make use of leftover cooked proteins?

Thank you. :D

:lol: Gravy!

I think you're right though, as far as gravy gravy gravy is concerned. People really love gravy, and as a bonus, it hides all manner of sin!

I always forget about fried rice because I associate it with using up leftover rice, which we never have at the restaurant. The thought of cooking up a fresh batch of rice just to make fried rice is weird to me, but I should just get over that and do it, hehe.

Got a quickie recipe for mole? The only one I know is the old 'n' slow all day method!

Also, for pot pie, can I really just make a pie crust, line a full hotel pan with it, then pour in the cubed leftovers with veg and gravy gravy gravy :lol:, plop another sheet of pie crust on top, crimp around the edges to seal, and bake until done? Would that work?

Thank you. :D

Today's family meal: tempura made from halibut scraps, carrots, cauliflower and red pepper. Rice with seaweed and sesame seasoning sprinkled over the top. "Tempura dipping sauce" of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, minced ginger. Salad provided by the other pantry worker.

Well, the last two cocina familia have been gravy gravy gravy!

Though I also got lucky with the gravy, because the day before's meal included the use of this creamy bacon and cheese soup, so it was no problem to add cubed chicken and potatoes to it. We have a bakery/pastry kitchen connected to the restaurant, so loaves of bread sliced up served as the starch.

Then today, there was a big pot of chicken demi reducing over one of the burners, so I ladled up some of that and simmered it with shallots, thyme, sage, and thickened it with stock and flour whisked in. Strain, season, and that was gravy for thinly sliced and reheated leftover pork loin and lamb, plus mashed potatoes, and sauted pea vines for the veg. I'm glad we get leafy greens in massive quantites each day.

I need to try the biscuit crust pot pie idea next time. And we also have a mysterious can of pizza sauce that showed up one day, nobody knows who ordered it, so perhaps pizza as well.

Thanks everyone. :D

So I'm curious, what did you all make or have for family meal today?

I know tomorrow when I go in, there will be four overcooked lamb roasts waiting for family meal conversion.