Couple Cooking Class (CCC)

This north downtown neighborhood was completely desolated as we entered a Manhattan-styled loft for our first cooking class. A completely open space with the kitchen as its center piece, we spent the next 3 hours learning, cooking, and eating!

Kabocha Squash Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients

Kabocha Squash
yellow onion, diced
garlic, crushed
olive oil
thin prosciutto, julienned
chicken or vegetable stock

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut Squash in half and remove seeds. Rub with olive
oil and salt and place flesh down on a roasting sheet. Roast until tender, about 30
minutes.

Heat a large stock pot on medium. Add olive oil and saute the onions and garlic, about
5 minutes until lightly browned. Add stock and continue to cook onions and garlic in
stock.

Heat a medium skillet, add olive oil and fry pancetta until crispy. Set aside.

When squash is cooked, cool slightly and scoop out flesh into the warm stock. Cook
another 10 minutes until well incorporated into the broth. Puree and season to taste
with salt and pepper.






Romaine Hearts Salad with Buttermilk Herb Dressing

Salad Ingredients:

romaine hearts, cut into 1” strips (just before serving)
radishes, thinly sliced into half moons
bread for croutons
feta cheese

Dressing Ingredients:

fresh herbs
mayonnaise
buttermilk
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Puree all dressing ingredients together in a blender. Season to taste with salt and
pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bread into cubes. Toss with olive oil and salt. Toast
until crunchy, about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl toss romaine lettuce and dressing together. Pour onto a platter
and garnish with croutons, radishes, and feta cheese.




Roasted Vegetables with Garlic Toum

Roasted Vegetable Ingredients:

carrots
onions/shallots
potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop vegetables uniformly and toss with olive oil and
salt. Arrange on a roasting sheet and roast for about 20 minutes or until tender and
browned.

Toum Ingredients:

5 cloves of garlic
1 egg white
1 cup of neutral oil (sunflower is fine)
Juice of 1 lemon
pinch of salt

Method:

1. Put the garlic cloves along with salt and lemon juice in the blender
2. Blend on medium and scrape the sides down when the garlic goes flying
everywhere
3. Add the egg white and blend on medium
4. Add half the oil in bit by bit. A thin stream is not necessary, but don’t go
crazy. A reasonable, fine, steady pour is good

Red Wine Rosemary Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

1/2 cup red wine plus extra for deglazing

approx. 4 cups stock

2 cups arborio rice

1 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 bunch rosemary, chopped

olive oil for sauteeing

parmesan cheese, grated

shallot

Method:

Sweat shallots and rosemary in olive oil until translucent. Add rice and coat in oil and

toast for a few minutes. Add 1/2 cup red wine. Allow liquid to absorb and then add

stock, one cup at a time after the previous cup has been added. Repeat until rice is

cooked. Only stir in between adding liquid and maybe once in between to make sure

rice isn’t cooking too much on the bottom.

While risotto is cooking heat olive oil in a saute pan and add mushrooms. When they

become brown deglaze with a splash of red wine, cover and continue to cook until

tender.

When risotto is finished fold in 3/4 of the mushrooms. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Garnish the risotto with the remaining mushrooms and parmesan cheese.

Black Pepper Brined Pork Chops with Roasted Grapes and Pan Sauce

Brine Ingredients:

3 lb. pork chops
9 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup salt
3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 bunch grapes on the vine, the smaller the better

Pan Sauce Ingredients:

1 shallot, finely chopped
red wine
chicken stock
parsley, chopped

Method:

Bring water to a simmer and add sugar and salt. Dissolve the sugar and salt and add
black pepper. Cool completely and and submerge the pork chops overnight.

Heat saute pan on medium and brown the chops. Finish in oven until internal
temperature reads 145 degrees.

Roast grapes until slightly pruned and browned.

When chops are finished, remove the pan from oven and remove chops from pan.
Add shallots and cook until translucent, then deglaze with wine and add chicken stock.
Reduce to sauce consistency. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve
sauce over the chops and garnish with roasted grape vine.





Caramelized Apple Crepes with Bourbon Chantilly

Crepe Ingredients:

1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 yolk
3/4 cup AP flour
2 oz. melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch salt

Method:
Combine the flour, sugar, salt, milk and eggs. Mix in the melted butter.

Heat a crepe pan and add a little butter. Pour a thin layer of batter and swirl the pan to
make sure the batter reaches all of the edges. Flip when first side is finished cooking.

apples, thinly sliced
butter

Method:
Heat a large skillet on medium. Add butter and apples. Don’t stir too often. Cook on
low heat until dark brown, about 30 minutes.

Chantilly Ingredients:
heavy cream
vanilla
bourbon
confectioners sugar

Method:
Combine all ingredients together and whisk cream to firm peaks.

Special thanks to Taste of Pace, Los Angeles!