The Fundamentals – Foundation 4 Week Series – Week 1 Knife Skills

Want to be a better cook? Wondering where to start? Our Cooking Fundamentals – Foundation Series classes are designed to give you just that for everyday cooking. Equipped with the techniques offered each week, your cooking confidence and inspiration in the kitchen will soar.

Each week we will concentrate on a key technique, and sprinkle more skills and methods throughout the classes –Knife Skills, Incredible Eggs Cookery, Sauce Making and “Fat, Salt, Acid, Heat” are all important to understand in order to create  delicious meals. These “cooking fundamentals,” along with additional techniques will be covered, in each of our Cooking Fundamentals – Foundation Series classes, taught by Chef Drew Flanders, a culinary instructor at Seattle Culinary Academy! This class meets for 4 weeks on May 3rd ,10th, 17th, 24th

                                                               Week 1 – May 3rd – Knife Skills:

Settle in and get comfortable with the most important tool in the kitchen. You will learn the proper grip and motion to gain speed and confidence while practicing on every shape, size and texture for this menu. Knife cuts and techniques you will learn and use in this menu:

Red Thai Coconut Curry Chicken

Jasmine Rice

Citrus, Arugula, and Herb Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette

Knife Skills: Proper Grip, Parts of the Knife, How to Find/Buy a Good Knife, Sharpening and Honing Technique

Knife Cuts:

• Citrus Supremes
• Chiffonade
• Rondelles
• Batonet
• Julienne and Asian Julienne
• Bias-Cut
• Dice (Sm, Med, Large)
• Mince

 Additional Skills/Fundamentals:

• Sauces: Vinaigrette, Curry Pan-Sauce
• Flavor-building and balancing sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami
• How to handle fresh herbs
• Sauteeing
• Timing and organization/mise en place
• Starch cookery

                                                         Week 2 – May 10th – Egg Cookery:

A quick and easy staple in most diets, Eggs are as delicious as they are affordable – not only a cornerstone of breakfast, but great anytime! You will practice the egg basics of poaching, scrambling, frying and baking. As a bonus, you will get an introduction into blanching and learn an easy Blender Hollandaise (one of the mother sauces) – adaptable for service over limitless veggies and proteins. This Fundamentals class will work on:

“Brunch Tapas”

PNW Eggs Florentine — toasted English Muffin, Sautéed Spinach, Smoked Salmon, Poached Egg, Hollandaise Sauce

“‘Green’, Eggs and Ham”– Sourdough Avocado Toast with Crispy Prosciutto & Fried Quail Egg

Scrambled Egg, Chorizo, & Potato Mini-Tacos with Pico de Gallo and Queso Fresco

Toasted Brioche with Rhubarb Curd

Green Salad with Apple Vinaigrette and Berries

Egg Cookery Techniques: Poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, Fried eggs, Scrambled eggs, Custard/curd

Additional Skills/Fundamentals:

• Sauces: Vinaigrette, Hollandaise, Pico de Gallo, Custard
• Flavor-building and balance
• How to handle fresh herbs
• Knife skills: dice, chiffonade, mince
• Sauteeing, Starch cookery
• Timing and organization/mise en place
• Plating & presentation

 

                                            Week 3 – May 17th – Basics of Sauce Making:

What’s the difference between béchamel and veloute? How do I make a pan sauce without lumps? What is roux and how do I make it? Knowing the basics of sauce making is like having a secret power.  Sauces can transform any dish to restaurant quality, in minutes! In this class, we will not only learn the basics of sauce making but build on them for limitless variations, for what good is a sauce if there is nothing to smother? This week we will focus on Sauce Making while creating this menu:

Pan-Seared Steak with Mushrooms & Red Wine Demi-Glace

Cauliflower Gratin

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Beurre Blanc

Dark Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla Crème Anglaise

Sauces:

• Red Wine Pan-Sauce (Demi-Glace – reduction-thickened)
• Bechamel/Mornay (roux-thickened)
• Beurre Blanc (emulsified butter sauce)
• Crème Angalise (custard/egg-thickened)

Additional Skills/Fundamentals:

• Flavor-building and balance
• How to handle fresh herbs
• Knife skills: dice, chiffonade, mince
• Pan-searing, vegetable cookery, grilling,
• Timing and organization/mise en place
• Plating & presentation

                                                  Week 4 – May 24th – Fat, Salt, Acid, Heat:

Understanding the application of these four things will make you a better cook. Adjusting seasonings, how to balance flavors and the affect these have on your palate will be examined and explained in details this week. They we will put your understanding into practice as Chef Drew guides you in the preparations of food, adjusting as we go. Fundamentals this week will focus on Fat, Salt, Acid, Heat as we make:

Olive Oil Tuna Confit with Salsa Verde

Fagioli ala Fiasco (Tuscan Cannellini Beans)

Caesar Salad with Grilled Romaine

Crusty Country Bread

Fresh Berries and Masala Zabaione

Additional Skills/Fundamentals:

• Sauces: Herb-based sauce, zabaione (egg-thickened dessert sauce), egg-emulsified dressing
• Flavor-building and balance, using cured and pickled items to add depth of flavor
• How to handle fresh herbs
• Knife skills: dice, chiffonade, mince
• Curing, confit, grilling,
• Timing and organization/mise en place
• Plating & presentation