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Not burning the garlic on the line

2146 Views 10 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  redbeerd cantu
At my station, I am responsible for bok choy, carrots, haricourt vert, and broccoli, among other things. Each entree gets the veg. They are sauteed in clarified butter, garlic and shallots.

When the servers call for pick-up, i turn the fire on, toss on a bit of minced shallots and garlic, blanche the veg, then sautee. I have more responsibilities than just the veg, and my Chef demands that all items go out immediately after "pick-up" is called. Sometimes I scorch the garlic while waiting for the veg to blanche and handling my other responsibilities.

How to heat the pan so that the shallots and garlic cook, without scorching, AND be hot enough to properly sautee the veg?
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OK. Well if your blanching the veg to order then get your pan hot. Once the veg are done, had your clarifed butter, garlic, shallot, and blanched vegetable then season and toss. Cook for a minute or so and serve. Since you blanched it, the vegetable is hot so only needs to be infused with the flavors in the pan. Otherwise if you saute cold blanched veg, you can use a hot pan. Add oil garlic shallot vegetable, season. Before the garlic and shallot gets color add some white wine or a little stock to help heat the vegetable without burning the garlic. Water can be used as well I guess.
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I just throw the garlic in at the last minute or so of cook time. The garlic flavor still comes through. As Eobert mentioned, white wine helps with the cook also. I use it on all of my veg. It also brings the flavors out a tad more.
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i will always remember my first chef in the most sarcastic way possible reminding me that a burner has more options than HIGH and OFF
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Why don't you just make up a pan of pre-sauteed garlic and shallots, have it warm-ready on the side, and use it as you go. Take a look in a good Chinese restaurant kitchen. All the line guys have a whole set-up of stuff that they regularly use. That's why they're so fast.
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Awesome. Thank you all for your input. Ideas will be put to use starting tomorrow.

RedBeerd
All excellent points mentioned, worth confining the garlic so you can throw in last? And just warm through
i will always remember my first chef in the most sarcastic way possible reminding me that a burner has more options than HIGH and OFF
Me too. And being told to control my flame, and know my pan. Which I did not understand what he meant haha.
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icemans right in my opinion. In my restaurant we do this. i have onion, celery, garlic sauteed and deglazed with veg stock and seasoned . After the veg are blanched just toss them together for a minute or 2 and your done.
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Old topic, but forever valuable.

Top two ideas...whichever is acceptable with your chef/manager. Saute ahead/cool, blanch veg, toss in seasoning/aromatics, saute for another 30sec-1min, serve. OR...do as you already are, but toss raw garlic in at the last min-90secs. It only takes a little heat for garlic to release it's flavor/aroma. I would never start with it at the beginning.
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I agree with you. Will start on Monday.
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