Want to be a better cook? Wondering where to start? Our Cooking Fundamental – Foundations Series, of four classes, is 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 Mondays:  June 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th

 Week 1 – June 5th – Knife Skills:

Join us for chopping, mincing, dicing and slicing as we prove that knife skills are an essential skill in your kitchen, and not just for professionals. You’ll learn knife care and safety; the difference between sharpening and honing and about different knife styles. Led by Chef Drew Flanders you’ll 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:

Chicken Fajitas

Pico De Gallo

Guacamole

“Taqueria-Style Pickled Carrots”

Caramel Flan with Fresh Supremed Oranges

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

Knife Cuts:

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

Week 2 – June 12th- 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 Fundamental class will work on:

PNW Eggs Florentine -Toasted English Muffin, Sautéed Spinach,Poached Egg, Smoked Salmon, Hollandaise 

“Green Eggs and Ham”- Sourdough Avocado Toast with Crispy Prosciutto & a Fried Quail Egg

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

Toasted Brioche with Seasonal Fruit Curd

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
• Sauteing, Starch cookery
• Timing and organization/mise en place
• Plating & presentation

Week 3 – June 19th – 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

Potato 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 Anglaise (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 – June 26th – 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 effect these have on your palate will be examined and explained in details this week. Then 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