In My Element

For the past few weeks I have been anticipating my very first professional cooking class through Sur La Table's culinary program. For years I have been involved in culinary classes throughout middle school and high school but never in a professional setting. This is one of my dreams that I can now cross off my list. 

The day had finally come. I was so antsy the night before that I spent an eternity just trying to pick out the perfect outfit. It's a must to look fabulous when you're cooking. Just look at the lovely Julia Child; She never was found in the kitchen without her precious pearls.

As I entered Sur La Table, I noticed I was the first student there. Perfect. I needed to make sure I had the best seat in the house. 

The kitchen was beautiful. The mise en place (ingredients) were all set up in stations and the butcher block top was impeccably clean. As I looked up above I noticed a mirror over the island to help the students study the chef's every move. One could only dream of being in a setting such as this everyday. The comforts of the kitchen left me feeling like I was at home.

Six-thirty came around and the other students started to arrive. There were four total in the class; One married couple and another gal and I. Chef Ben split us into two groups and went over all of the dishes that we were going to whip up for the evening. First on the agenda was of course my favorite meal, dessert. The apple tart tatin. This classic caramel apple dessert is said to have originated at the Hotel Tatin in central France. Legend has it that the dessert was created by accident when the filling for an apple pie was allowed to cook and turn caramel brown. I knew this was going to be my new favorite dessert. Combine caramel and apples and you have won my heart over. 

Apple Tart Tatin


While our tarts were in the oven, we started prepping the pan seared chicken breast with orange tarragon butter. Now I'm going to be honest. I get a little nervous when I am cooking any type of protein, whether it's chicken, pork, steak, etc. I am always afraid I am going to have an incident like in Christmas vacation where they cut the bird and a poof of smoke comes out, leaving something that looks like it should have belonged in the movie ALIEN. I was determined to perfect this chicken breast. I was not going to end up with a dry chunk of cardboard...not on my watch! 

Griswold Christmas dinner scene. CLASSIC.

What you don't want. The Grizwold turkey.

First thing I learned was that when cooking with proteins, always oil the meat first, not the pan. This creates that delectable crispy skin that we love so much. We seared the meat until we achieved that nice golden brown color, but still leaving the inside a little raw. For the perfect juicy breast you want your temperature to reach 150 degrees and then after 10 minutes resting, a final temp of 155. Do not, I repeat, do not cut that breast until it has rested! You will lose all those yummy juices. While the chicken finished cooking in the oven, we prepared the sauce. Nothing better than pairing the bright floral flavors of orange and tarragon with creamy butter. 

Pan Seared Chicken Breast with Orange Tarragon Butter

Next up was the side dish of butternut squash with shallots and sage. So simple and within 10-15 minutes you have a dish that tastes like it's been slow cooking all day. Perfect for those hectic weeknights or alongside your Thanksgiving turkey. The slow cooking allows for the natural sugars with the vegetable to caramelize, creating that candy like sweetness. 

As we were waiting on the rest of the dishes to finish cooking we started on our last dish of the evening. The steamed clams with chorizo sausage and fennel. Now fennel is one of those veggies that I have always been a little hesitant about cooking with. I never know what to pair it with or  how long to cook it for, but this dish changed all that and helped me appreciate the delicate flavors. The clams make for a wonderful warm and comforting meal. Just serve with rustic loaves to absorb all of the wonderful flavors of the broth. 

Clams with Sausage and Fennel

After two hours of cooking the time finally came to taste all of our delicious creations. I cannot even describe the feeling of eating something that you have put so much heart and soul into. It makes the dish taste that much better. Each one of these creations that we made that night, was one of a kind. The flavors were incredible and unlike anything I had had before. 

My full plate. And yes I did have two slice of the tart.
I could not reist. 

French cooking is absolutely beautiful. You are taking simple ingredients and enhancing their flavors. Do not let the skill sets of professional chefs intimidate you. Takes these words to heart from the famous Julia,“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!” 

And I did exactly that. I took advantage of every opportunity that came my way in the class. Not only did I master the art of flipping the frying pan and creating the best darn apple tart tatin you have ever seen, but the chef even compared my cooking style to the famous Julia Child. BEST COMPLIMENT EVER. I was fearless with flipping that tarte! I guess the fact that I love taking risks in the kitchen makes for an excellent chef in the making. Who knew. 

That night one of my dreams came true. I was the star pupil in a professional cooking class.I am so incredibly blessed that I was given this opportunity and now I can check one more thing off my list. Thank you Jesus! 

Can't wait for next month's class, Cooking with Julia! Stay tuned. 

In my element.