Cool, Calm and Collected AHS Students Showcase Culinary Talents
Meta Newell West
Abilene
High School students are busy wielding knives and skillets as they prepare for
the Kansas ProStart Invitational® competition being
held in Wichita March 3-4. Despite the fact that they’ll face opponents
from 21 other schools across the state, the four
culinary team members appeared to be cool, calm and collected during a
recent practice session in the FACS department at the high school.
As student
chefs Teia Potter, Addie Alvarez and Issaih Lopez focused on the preparation of
their signature recipes, Stephanie Mikulecky served as their sous chef, helping
out, assisting as needed, and adding words of encouragement. Although students
compete individually, their recipes and menus all reflect an Asian-inspired
team theme.
Plans for
this event began in January with the start of a new semester. That’s when students
began selecting and testing recipes, putting together restaurant quality menus
that include their selected recipes, calculating ingredient costs and then
projecting the final cost of their restaurant style menus.
Their
culinary training actually started with a series of prerequisite classes, a “career pathway” designed to prepare them for working
in the foodservice industry. Competing in the
Kansas ProStart Invitational®, a competition that is focused on restaurant
management and culinary arts skills, is a chance for students to showcase what
they’ve learned over several semesters of class work.
Teia,
the only sophomore in the group and the “new kid on the block” when it comes to
culinary competitions, has received lots of advice and encouragement from the
juniors in the group. She even pointed out that Addie was instrumental is
helping her put together the recipe for potstickers that she’s making for the
competition.
As students shop for and transport needed
ingredients, they are expected to follow restaurant quality standards for
purchasing and handling food. Issaih pointed out
that upon arrival in Wichita all cold ingredients, such as meats and dairy
products, must be submitted for testing to determine if proper temperatures
have been maintained during travel. This is the first of many checks to make
sure that safety and sanitation standards meet those set by state health codes
and of the foodservice industry.
Once the competition
begins students have just 20 minutes to set up and prep, and then 60 minutes to
do the actual cooking (there are no ovens or stoves; all cooking is done on
butane burners), and plating. When the time is up, they meet with teams of
judges who will critique their time management, cooking skills, attention to
safety and sanitation standards, and their ability to attractively plate and
garnish the final dish. Each participant must also submit a portfolio they’ve
prepared in advance; this consists of their menus with prices and a photo of
their selected recipe.
Despite many
hours of preparation and practice, the students willingly agreed to share their
prized recipes. They’ve also shared some details about the origin of their
recipes, a few preparation tips, and their thoughts about competitive cooking.
Teia Potter’s POTSTICKERS Makes 2 portions
Pan frying is the
technique employed in this dish. It’s a shallow frying method where the food is
only partially covered in oil. Teia drops her potstickers in oil that is hot enough to ensure that the moisture in them
can escape in the form of steam. The force of that steam also keeps the oil
from soaking into the potstickers. Concerning the origin of her recipe,
she explained, “It’s a mix between what I found online and my mom’s family
recipe for egg rolls.”
Ingredients
Potsticker Filling
¼ lb. ground pork
⅛ cup (2 tablespoons)
chopped scallions (green onions)
1 ⅛ teaspoon grated
ginger root
3 tablespoons
vegetable oil
2 tablespoons
finely chopped cabbage
1 tablespoon soy
sauce
---
6 wonton skins
---
Sauce
1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rice
vinegar
1 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon sesame
oil
--
Additional vegetable oil for pan frying
Directions
Potsticker Filling: Brown the pork in a skillet. Combine
cooked pot with remaining ingredients.
To Assemble Pot Stickers: Brush
edges of the skin lightly with water; place about a rounded ½ teaspoon of the
pork mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold, shape and seal edges.
Pan Frying: Heat just enough
additional vegetable oil to partially cover pot stickers as they fry.
Sauce: Mix together sauce
ingredients and serve as an accompaniment to pot stickers.
 |
| Teia works on plating her potstickers. - photo by Sarah Geiger |
 |
| Teia’s offering includes three potstickers with dipping sauce. - photo by Sarah Geiger |
Teia’s comments about the competition: “I’m nervous
about competing since it’s my first time, but I look forward to having fun with
my teammates.”
Issaih Lopez’s KUNG
PAO BEEF Makes 4 servings
After consulting with
Mrs. Farr, his culinary instructor, Issaih decided to use a cookie cutter to
mold the rice that accompanies his Asian entrée. He also noted, “I combined two
recipes but the first time I made this dish, we determined it was too salty.”
He tried two more adjustments, and after his third try, he said, “I got it just
right this time!”
Ingredients
1 ½ lbs. boneless beef sirloin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine or
sherry
1 egg white, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons peanut or corn
oil
4 dried red chiles, split
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ tablespoon grated ginger
root
1 teaspoon Szechwan pepper,
toasted and crushed
2 scallions (green onions),
cut in ½” pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut in
pieces
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine or
sherry
2 tablespoons Chinese black
vinegar or balsamic
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch,
dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
⅓ cup roasted peanuts
Directions
Trim fat from the steak and
cut into 1” cubes. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine/sherry, egg
white and salt in a glass bowl. Add the beef and stir to coat. Marinate for 1
hour, covered in the refrigerator.
Place peanut/corn oil in a
wok, swirling to coat the sides, and place over high heat. Add the chilies and
cook until they begin to darken. Add the garlic, ginger and Szechwan pepper;
continue to cook to infuse the oil. Add the scallions and bell pepper. Remove
the steak from the marinade and add it to the wok. Stir-fry the beef for 3
minutes until brown. Blend in soy sauce, rice wine, Chinese vinegar, sugar and
chicken broth. Dissolve the cornstarch slurry and add it to the sauce,
stirring, to thicken. Sprinkle in the peanuts and stir to coat. Serve over
rice.
 |
| Issaih Lopez stirs the ingredients for his Kung Pao Beef as Stephanie Mikulecky assists in the background. - photo by Sarah Geiger |
 |
| Rice accompanies Issaih’s entrée dish that is garnished with a carrot flower. - photo by Sarah Geiger |
Issaih’s comments about the competition: “I feel like
we have a stronger chance on placing higher this year as well as making our
town of Abilene proud for something we’ve accomplished.
Addie Alvarez’s STRAWBERRY-FILLED
WONTON CUPS
Addie found the
strawberry filling recipe online but had to tweak it to adjust the sweetness.
She adds that filling and chocolate sauce to squeeze bottles for ease in
dispensing, and to create the eye-catching chocolate designs on her dessert
plate. She put her own spin on this dish by creating flower-shaped wonton cups
that hold the sauce.
Strawberry Filling (this makes enough for several
serving)
1 cup fresh strawberries
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons
cornstarch
Mix ingredients together on a stovetop in a pan, mashing the
strawberries. Cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes a thick paste.
Wonton Cups (ingredients & instructions for 1
serving of 3 wonton cups)
3 wonton skins
1 tablespoon
vegetable oil
1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Using a cookie cutter, cut each wonton skin into a flower
design. Lightly fry the skins in a pan with a small amount of hot oil. Remove and
place them in the bottom of a small bowl (the bowl of a measuring cup works,
too), allowing the skins to form into a cup shape. Mix sugar with cinnamon and
sprinkle this mixture over the cup shapes.
Garnishes
Chocolate plating
sauce
Whipped cream
(made by whisking ½ cup heavy whipping cream with 1 tablespoon
granulated sugar)
Whole
strawberries, partially cut lengthwise and fanned, then dusted with granulated
sugar (1 per
dessert plate)
To Assemble: Decorate dessert plate with chocolate sauce.
Arrange 3 wonton flower cups on plate and fill with strawberry mixture; top
each with a dollop of whipped cream. Add a fanned and sugared strawberry to
each plate.
 |
| Addie sprinkles cinnamon sugar over a lightly fried, flower-shaped wonton dessert cup. - photo by Sarah Geiger |
 |
| Pleasing to look at, delicious to eat—Addie’s Strawberry-filled Wonton Cups. - photo by Sarah Geiger |
To
win in Wichita, students must impress judges from leading industry corporations
and colleges with the skills they've developed in culinary and hospitality
based classes. However, no matter the final outcomes at the Kansas ProStart
Invitational®, I’m impressed with the skills, knowledge, dedication and winning
attitude that Teia, Addie, Issiah, and Stephanie displayed during their
practice session. In my book they have what it takes to compete in this premier
high school competition. Their instructor, Mrs. Deb Farr, should also be
commended for spurring her students to take this challenge, as should the USD
435 administration and Board of Education for supporting such a worthwhile
project.
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