Cooking School

Last Friday night, April 30th, Matt and I enjoyed a date night with some of Matt's co-workers. We had a very fun evening together at Seattle's Blue Ribbon Cooking School! Our menu theme for the evening was Rustic Italian.

When we first arrived we enjoyed pre-made appetizers and drinks. It was a treat to enjoy their non-alcoholic Lavender Lemonade and Cranberry Ginger Iced Tea (my personal favorite of the two). They had a delicious antipasti platter that had gourmet cheeses and cured meats. I really enjoyed the Trio of Crostini: Chickpea and Mint Crostini, Anchovy Bruschetta: Brushetti di Alici (Anchovies and Garlic), and Traditional Caprese (Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Bruschetta). The recipes for the trio of crostini's (and all the dinner menu recipes) were provided in a little booklet for each participant to take home. I hope to make the chickpea and mint crostini again...the combo of mint and chickpeas was different and really yummy. Matt and I love caprese salad - a frequent favorite of ours especially in the summer months when it is too hot to cook.

After some good fellowship time our group was led into the kitchen and we learned a bit of history about our chef teacher for the evening. He was terrific! We split into four teams, each team choosing a particular part of the evening's meal to prepare with chef's oversight. Matt was on the team that learned how to make Gnocchi al Romana (Semolina Gnocchi with Italian Salami and Bechalmel Sauce). I was on the dessert team. We learned how to make the Fig, Honey and Pine Nut Tart with Lemon Infused Creme Fraiche. The other teams prepared the remaining dishes...Tossed Green Salad with Lemon and Chives, Artichoke and Proscuitto Stuffed Chicken Breast with Romano Cheese, Roasted New Potatoes, Grilled Italian Vegetables, and Homemade Basil Pesto.

Here I am slicing up the candied figs that went on top of our dessert tarts

Chef showing us how to make delicious homemade basil pesto

The spread!

Upper left going counter clockwise:

Tossed Green Salad w/ Lemon and Chive dressing

Roasted Rosemary New Potatoes

Gnocchi al Romana w/ salami and bechamel sauce

Artichoke and Proscuitto Stuffed Chicken Breast w/ Homemade Pesto

Grilled Vegetables

(Asparagus, Red Bell Peppers, Yellow Squash, Zucchini,

Eggplant, Cremini Mushrooms, Green Onions)

Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of the beautiful finished Fig, Honey and Pine Nut Tarts before we consumed them. As I'm typing this up tonight, I just now realized our dessert team was also supposed to make the Lemon-Infused Cultured Cream Dessert Sauce, but we ran out of time. The tarts were delicious all on their own, but I can see where the dessert sauce could put them over the top.

Once everything was ready, we all sat down and enjoyed the sumptious feast. I'm looking forward to using these recipes again for special home feasts of our own in the coming year/years.

It was a very fun evening - right up this cook's alley!!