4-Week Culinary Basics Series

The Culinary Basics Cooking Series is designed for the novice cook with little or no culinary experience. Starting with essential knife skills, Chef Eric will help you learn to be comfortable and confident in the kitchen. Using easy-to-prepare recipes and basic cooking techniques, you’ll learn about the importance of advance preparation to save you time and reduce stress in the kitchen.  When possible, we use ingredients that can be purchased ready-to-cook to make things easier for you. 

This class meets once per week over a 4-week period. You will be able to create delicious and varied Meals and Dinner Parties by the end of this Series.

• Classes designed for the novice cook with little or no culinary experience
• Basic Cooking Techniques  - Roasting, Sautéing, Grilling, Baking, Poaching
• Chicken, Fish, Beef, Pasta, Shellfish, etc….
• Knife Skills Instruction and Practice

Class #1 - Basic Knife Skills and Meal Preparation Learn how to Chop, Slice, Julienne and Dice vegetables quickly and efficiently.  Explore the more complicated Brunoise, Paysanne, Batonnet and Tourne knife cuts to get confident and create variety for your dishes. Learn many cooking techniques for easily-prepared meals with chicken and beef:

• Parmesan Risotto-Style Orzo Pasta
• Carne Asada with Oregano Lime Chayote Squash
• Ajieco Stew (Chicken, Potato and Corn Stew)
• Spiced Peruvian Chickpea Cakes

Class #2 – This class shows students how quickly and easily Meals can be prepared from start to finish using organizational techniques, knife skills, and cooking techniques learned during the previous class.

• Pan-Seared Chicken with Fresh Tomato-Herb Sauce
• Kalamata Lemon Orzo Pasta
• Salmon Steamed in Wine and Herbs
• Mixed Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Asian Chicken Skewers with Spicy Peanut Sauce
• Thai-Style Cucumber Rice Noodles
• Seared Spice-Crusted Ahi Tuna with Sesame Dressing
• Brown Rice and Soy Edamame 

Class #3 – Hearty Potatoes and Homemade Pastas and Sauces are added to the menu with delicious accompanying Sauces - lighter versions of these hearty dishes are discussed.

• Bolognese Meat Sauce Tagliatelle
• Fettuccine Alfredo
• Roasted Red Pepper Potatoes au Gratin
• Pasta with House-Dried Herbs
• Herb and Cheese Spaetzle with Cream Sauce
• Garlic Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Class #4 – Final class covers cooking techniques with Beef, Fish and Shellfish recipes. Feel free to bring some wine for the end of the last class.

• Grilled Carne Asada with Guacamole, Rice Pilaf, Sour Cream, Olives and Tortillas
• Mint Basil Pesto Bass Vegetable Packets
• Mom’s Meatloaf Cupcakes with Smashed Potato Frosting
• Seared Chipotle-Spiced Shrimp
• Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with French Dressing
• Shiitake Asparagus Sauté