I now live the dream of my past by standing up in front of a group of foodies, giving cooking classes. I started this cooking class passion when a friend of mine was trying to raise money for her city’s public school system. I thought why not rent a kitchen, devise a menu and teach all of our friends to cook while we all enjoy wine? We love getting together and each of us gives to some sort of charity, why not combine them? My girlfriend and I donated the food, I put together a menu and recruited my cooking partner in crime (who is still my Vanna White to this day) and back in the early 90’s we started a tradition. I patterned my cooking classes (demonstrative style) after the series I take every year in our local mountain resort. Yes, standing in front of my audience, teaching, I am in my glory! That first class featured the dinner I made the other night, grilled goat cheese stuffed chicken breast but for the cooking class I did it more traditional, with a Chardonnay mustard sauce. For dessert we did Rene Verdon’s flourless chocolate cake with crème anglaise. The ONLY mishap we had that first night was curdling the eggs for the crème anglaise but we transformed that mistake into a learning lesson, channeling Julia Child!
I have now done cooking classes for all my kid’s school (every year as an auction item), for Catholic Charities, for our local refugee house and all the various charities my children are supporting. I LOVE getting the kids involved; having them prep cook with me, being in the kitchen when we are madly plating for 20 paying guest and then hustling them out the kitchen door to serve the waiting guests. The kids LOVE the energy of the night and hopefully I not only teach them a thing or two in the kitchen but instill a lifelong love of cooking. A gift that has brought me complete pleasure throughout my life.
The wildest cooking class I gave was a Mexican themed class for my kid’s elementary school. I had 20 women sign up for the night and greeted them with margaritas while I taught them a few appetizers to start. I usually serve wine but this was the first time I served a true cocktail. After we sampled the appetizers and began on the heart of the meal, I realized that no one was listening to me. Everyone was having a blast, talking to each other, laughing and paying no attention to me. This does happen when I am teaching 20 people but it usually is easy to round everyone in. This was different. I made a bit of an experiment and left the class (I set everyone up in a enclosed patio area with a makeshift kitchen), joined my helpers in my kitchen to see when they would notice. Five minutes later I came back in and started up the class again, NO ONE noticed! I should have placed them at their tables at that time and gave up on teaching the class, they probably would not even realized I never demonstrated the entrée!
Here is a few recipes from the Mexican cooking class and the beautiful flourless chocolate cake from Rene Verdon, the chef of Le Trianon and chef to President Kennedy.
Braised Duck with Ancho-Ginger Mole
This recipe will make a duck lover out of you. Many think duck is hard to cook, but this is just a simple braise that creates a duck confit type texture to the meat. The mole is a true taste sensation and freezes easily so I always make a double batch. Please do not be put off by the long list of ingredients, it is easy to put together once you clean and rehydrate the ancho chilies’. I developed this recipe from Donna Nordin’s Duck Eggroll recipe. She shredded the meat and then made an eggroll to fry and used the sauce for dipping. It is so wonderful on its own, I omit that step!
Enjoy this dish with our favorite Zinfandel or peppery Syrah.
Serves 8
For the Duck Legs
- 8 duck legs
- 1 cup white onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon each ground cloves, cumin and cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups tomato juice
For the Mole
- ¼ cup grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 ancho chiles, seeded and stems removed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ¾ cup orange juice
- salt to taste
In a large Dutch oven or roaster with a lid, combine all the ingredients for the duck legs except the legs. Mix thoroughly and add the legs. Cover and cook in a 325-degree oven for about 2 hours, until the legs are completely tender but not falling off the bone. Could take longer than 2 hours. Check after an hour and a half.
After they are cooked, take out of liquid and place on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. This can be done in advance.
For the ancho-ginger mole, take the first 6 ingredients and place in a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool and strain.
Soak the chilies’ in hot water for one hour. Drain and save the water. Puree the chilies’ with the remaining ingredients except the orange juice until smooth. Add orange juice and if not sauce consistency, add a bit of the water of the chilies’. Combine the chili mixture with the ginger mixture and cook until reduced to a nice consistency.
Bring the legs to room temperature. Heat in a 400-degree oven until skin is crisp and the meat is warm about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with the wild rice a bit of vegetable of your choice and garnish with the sauce. Pass the sauce separately, everyone will want more!!
Gateau Nancy Flourless Chocolate Soufflé Cake
I would serve this with a glass of port or my true preference, a dry Champagne.
Serves 10-12
- 14 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, cut up
- 7 ounces (1 ¾ sticks) sweet butter
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon almond powder (finely ground almonds
- 10 eggs, separated, room temperature
- 9 ounces (1 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon) sugar
- Confectioners’ sugar for the top
- crème anglaise
- Two 10-inch round cake pans, buttered and floured and lined with circles of parchment paper.
1. Put chocolate, butter, Grand Marnier, vanilla and almond powder in double boiler. Melt over hot water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat as soon as chocolate is melted.
2. Beat egg yolks with 5 ounces (3/4 cup) sugar until thick and a slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beater is lifted, about 6 minutes. Blend into lukewarm chocolate mixture using a large rubber spatula.
3. Whip egg whites until foamy, then gradually add 4 ounces (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon) sugar, whipping until soft peaks are formed. Using large rubber spatula, blend lightly into chocolate-egg mixture, as if it were a soufflé.
4. Divide batter between two prepared pans and bake in preheated 275 degree oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
5. As soon as cakes test done, loosens sides with a sharp knife and unmold on cake racks to prevent sogginess. Cakes will have a crisp “sugar bloom” on the outside, and will sink very slightly. The top surfaces will probably crack, which is normal. Let cool, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Serve with Coffee Crème Anglaise
Crème Anglaise
Makes five cups
- 8 egg yolks
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 quart milk
- 1 vanilla bean to infuse milk, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Instant espresso
1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together, or beat in an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored.
2. Mix cornstarch with a little cold milk and add to quart of milk. Scald milk with vanilla bean, and pour hot milk into egg yolks, whisking constantly. (Rinse and dry vanilla bean and store buried in sugar. It can be reused a number of times and will flavor the sugar also!)
3. Pour custard sauce into a heavy tin-lined copper pot or a porcelain insert of a double boiler. (Do not make Crème Anglaise in aluminum, which discolors it, or in a flimsy pan, which tends to scorch the mixture.)
4. Stir with wooden spoon over low to medium heat, or over hot water until custard starts to coat the spoon. In a double boiler it will take about 15 minutes to thicken, and must not be cooked at too high a heat or the eggs will curdle. To test, dip clean wooden spoon in mixture, turn it over and run finger across back of spoon. If the two sides remain separate, it is ready. Or, if you blow on the back of the custard covered spoon, it should “make roses”.
5. Strain into a bowl, stir in vanilla essence if used, and let cool. Stir from time to time to prevent a skin from forming.
6. To make a coffee flavored crème anglaise make a strong mixture of coffee from instant espresso and add to taste.
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