Another day in the commercial kitchen cooking for the food photographer. I now have an assistant (first-year culinary school student). I gave her the Chef's recipe for a curry dish using smoked haddock, with curry risotto, poached pears, and scallops. I want to mentor her, so gave her the more interesting recipe today. Next week, she'll get to decipher the recipe that needs additional steps, etc. She found it to be a challenge to "pause" for the photographer as she was cooking. It takes time getting used to doing that.
I tackled the quinoa zucchini fritters, salad, and smoked (dry) trout. I made that with gluten-free bread crumbs and flour so that the boss could eat it. A grilled flat iron steak with a tomato "salsa" and orzo and spinach side. That dish got a thumb's down. That one I didn't leave for the boss--except for a bit of steak and the "salsa." I finally realized I could make the dishes that use flour/wheat gluten-free by faking things for the photographer so he can taste them, too.
The salsa was way too salty (sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers) and the meat was borderline tough even though the butcher had cleaned it for me and we cooked it on the rare side of medium rare. I have leftovers. But I'm not hungry. Kicked the steak back to the recipe developer and gave the other two dishes a thumb's up, even though I don't like pears (pears in the curry dish). Interesting flavors, addictive.