The Basic Cooking Series is designed to provide beginner cooking classes 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.
Class #1 – Introduction – Knife Skills/Sauté Techniques
A good knife is essential in any kitchen, from the professional to the home cook. Today we will discuss the various parts of any knife, including how to care for them. You will learn how to Chop, Slice, Julienne and Dice vegetables quickly and efficiently. We will use these skills to gain confidence and cover different cooking techniques for easily-prepared meals including:
- Parmesan Risotto Orzo Pasta
- Latin-Style Carne Asada
- Oregano Lime Chayote Squash
- Ajieco Stew (Chicken, Potato and Corn Stew)
- Spiced Peruvian Chickpea Cakes
Class #2 – Meal Preparation/Organization
In the second class, students explore International Meals and learn how the organization, cooking and knife skills acquired in the first class will make these new dishes easy to make. These recipes will quickly become favorites and impress your friends and family with your newfound cooking confidence.
- Pan-Seared Chicken with Fresh Tomato-Herb Sauce
- Kalamata Lemon Orzo Pasta
- Salmon Steamed in Wine / Herbs
- Mixed Greens w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Asian Chicken Skewers with Spicy Peanut Sauce
- Thai-Style Cucumber Rice Noodles
Class #3 – Fresh Pasta, Sauces, and Potatoes
Making pasta from scratch adds a powerful personal touch to your meal. Chef Eric will show you how easy and versatile pasta is. Specific cuts of pastas will be made and the types of sauces to pair with these cuts will be taught. Homemade Pastas and Sauces are added to the menu and we discuss lighter sauce options, too.
- Bolognese Tagliatelle
- Tagliatelle Pasta
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- House-Dried Herb Pasta with Sauce
- Herb /Cheese Spaetzle with Cream Sauce
Class #4 – Beef and Fish Meals
The final cooking lesson addresses sanitation, safety, and cooking techniques with Fish and Shellfish. You learn to create full meals and plate them beautifully with this exciting class. Together students will enjoy great food and conversation with their new foodie friends as they celebrate the culmination of this series. Feel free to bring your favorite wine for this final class.
Recipes include:
- Grilled Carne Asada with Pilaf-Style Rice
- Homemade Guacamole, Sour Cream, Tortillas
- Mom’s Meatloaf Cupcakes with Smashed Potato Frosting
- Seared Spice-Crusted Ahi Tuna with Sesame Dressing
- Brown Rice and Soy Edamame
