Cooking Classes

CURRENT CLASSES

Chili and Mac-n-Cheese! Offered Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 7-10pm in Kirkland. Learn how easy it is to make great chili and mac-n-cheese. Chili is surprisingly easy to make from common ingredients – if you know the secrets. We’ll explore classic and contemporary styles including spicy beef or turkey, white chili with chicken, and robust vegetarian chili that even meat eaters will love. A classic accompaniment for chili (at least in some parts of the country) is mac-n-cheese. Forget the blue box, Chef Carole Cancler will show you a foolproof way to make a cheese sauce and turn out restaurant-quality mac. Recipes for HOT CHILI AND MAC: Spicy Beef and Sausage Chili; Turkey Chipotle Chili; White Chicken Chili with Jalapeno; Hearty Vegetarian Chili; Classic Mac-N-Cheese; Four Cheese Mac with Seafood. For more information or to register for this class, visit Bon Vivant, and select the single class: HOT CHILI AND MAC

Pasta - One Dish Meals. Offered Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 7-10pm in north Seattle. SHAPE IT, FILL IT, AND LAYER IT! Chef Carole Cancler introduces you to stuffed pasta dishes, homestyle meals that are filled, stuffed, layered, and fabulously delicious. Join Carole to make several different dishes, each with a unique filling and sauce. Many of these one-dish-meals can be made ahead and frozen, making weeknight dining as easy as it is delectable. Recipes for: Canneloni filled with chicken and served with Wild Mushroom Sauce; Sardinian Agnolotti filled with eggplant, served with Zucchini-tomato Sauce; Tuscan Cappelleti stuffed with sausage, served in broth; Tortellini stuffed with winter squash, served with butter and cheese; Calabrian Carnival Lasagna layered with meatballs and vegetables; Seafood Lasagna layered with Garlic Cream Sauce. For more information or to register for this class, visit Bon Vivant, and select the single class: STUFFED PASTA ONE DISH MEALS

CUSTOM CLASSES

Custom cooking classes are available for private parties of 6-12 people. Custom classes are $75 per person ($60 without wine) with a minimum charge of six persons. Classes last 3 hours and include generous tastes and a packet of recipes for each person. Instruction includes a mix of hands-on practice and instructor demonstration of techniques. Classes are held in a small commercial kitchen in south Seattle. We are also happy to bring the class to your home. You may choose from the list of classes below, mix-and-match recipes from different classes, or you may request a menu designed around Pacific Northwest ingredients. You may also request any of the following techniques to be incorporated into your class: smoking salmon, making goat cheese, making pasta, or filling and shaping ravioli.

For details about custom cooking classes, view or print the custom class information: CUSTOM CLASS INFORMATION (PDF) , or call us at 206-999-7292 to discuss your needs.

PREVIOUS CLASSES

Breads. FUN FAST FLATBREADS. Learn how fun and easy it is to make tortillas, pitas, foccacia and the accompaniments that go with them for family pleasing meals and fabulous entertaining. Flatbreads are quick to make and wonderful for casual parties as well as family dinners where everyone can get involved. In this class you will enjoy using several different types of flours to make flavorful flatbreads from several cultures around the world. We'll make delicious braised and stewed meats, and salads to stuff inside our breads for delicious eating. Recipes for FLATBREADS CLASS: Armenian Lavosh Crackers with Seeds; Savory Asian Pancakes with Shrimp and Onion; Greek Pitas with Vegetables and Garlic Sauces; Mexican Corn Tortillas with Pulled Pork; Ethiopian/Eritrean Injera with Spicy Chicken; and New Mexican Sopaipilla with Honey.

Cakes. Fabulous, easy, showstopping cakes. More about assembly and presentation than traditional cake baking or decorating, this class includes preparation of five cakes that are easy, stunning, and delicious. Even if you are an inexperienced baker, you can knock the socks off your guests with the great presentation these cakes create! If you are an experienced baker, you will love adding these delightful cakes to your repertoire. Good baking does not have to be complicated to be fabulous. Recipes for Showstopper Cakes include: Hazelnut Torte, Ricotta Nutmeg Cake, Strawberry Bavarois, Zucchini Spice Cake Roll, and Chocolate Demise.

Canning and Preserving. Preserve local bounty for future enjoyment after summer ends. Learn the best ways to can, freeze, and dry locally grown fruits and vegetables for a year of good eating. Then use those preserved foods to help you make quick, easy, and delicious meals your family will love. In class you will practice methods for preserving fruits and vegetables, including canning, pickling, jamming, freezing, and drying and learn about safe storage and use of home preserved foods. Recipes for PRESERVING CLASS: A packet of USDA tested instructions is included for Canning, Freezing, and Drying Fruits, Tomatoes, Pickles and Vegetables Salads, and Canning Jam with/without pectin. In addition, we will use preserved foods in recipes such as: 5-Minute Homemade Salsa, Smoked Salmon and Corn Salad, Hearty Vegetable Soup, and Peach Melba Smoothies.

Chili and Mac-n-Cheese! Learn how easy it is to make great chili and mac-n-cheese. Chili is surprisingly easy to make from common ingredients – if you know the secrets. We’ll explore classic and contemporary styles including spicy beef or turkey, white chili with chicken, and robust vegetarian chili that even meat eaters will love. A classic accompaniment for chili (at least in some parts of the country) is mac-n-cheese. Forget the blue box, Chef Carole Cancler will show you a foolproof way to make a cheese sauce and turn out restaurant-quality mac. Recipes for HOT CHILI AND MAC: Spicy Beef and Sausage Chili; Turkey Chipotle Chili; White Chicken Chili with Jalapeno; Hearty Vegetarian Chili; Classic Mac-N-Cheese; Four Cheese Mac with Seafood.

Clay Pot Cooking. Clay pots are one of the oldest cooking vessels. However, if you do not want to buy another kitchen tool, each dish can be prepared in a “modern” pan that you probably already own. Join us for this fun and useful class as we explore cuisines and cooking methods from China, Morocco, and Chile. Recipes for Clay Pot Cooking include: Yosé-nabé (A hearty meal with meat, fish, egg, tofu and vegetables, prepared in a Japanese donabé), Herbed Salmon and Potatoes (roasted in an unglazed clay baker), Chicken with vegetables (braised in a Moroccan tagine), Porotos (Beans simmered in a Chilean bean pot), Clafouti (a French fruit flan baked in a glazed clay dish).

Hawaiian Luau--Northwest Style! A Hawaiian luau is a feast to celebrate the special occasions in life. Chef Carole has selected the best dishes found at a traditional luau, with some contemporary touches. No poi here! Recipes for A Hawaiian Luau: Taro fritters with pineapple sauce, Lomilomi salmon appetizer with tomatoes and sweet onions, Oven-roasted Kalua pork (Hawaiian style pit-smoked pork), Chicken luau (Chicken and taro leaves in coconut milk sauce), Seafood laulaus (Fish steamed in ti leaves with Hawaiian salt), Haupia with Bibingka (Coconut pudding with Filipino coconut cake).

Julia Child: Dinner with friends. Join us for a dinner party inspired by the life of Julia Child. To quote Julia: “Dining with one’s friends…is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.” (from Julia Child’s, “The Way to Cook”). Prepare dishes using some of Julia’s favorite foods: crab, asparagus, oysters, and chocolate. You will love sharing this menu with good friends. If you have mastered Steak au Poivre, you will enjoy learning to make Steak Oscar. We will also review an exciting restaurant technique: foams. Recipes for our Julia Child party include: Huitres á al merguez (oysters gratinéed with spicy sausage); Les Asperges vinaigrette d’orange (roasted asparagus with orange foam); Steak Oscar (filet mignon with crab and béarnaise sauce); and Reine de Saba (Queen of Sheba: a chocolate, rum, and almond cake).

Julia Child: Memories of Provence. Julia spent many winters at La Pitchoune, her residence in Provence next to Simone Beck. Julia and her husband Paul built their home using royalties from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Their home is situated in the hills of southern France, between Nice and Cannes. Your chef Carole Cancler spent a week there in 1999; you can still visit the residence today to take cooking classes. Recreate Julia’s love for southern France through her recipes. Recipes for Julia Child/Provence include: Provençal platter (a platter of regional specialties, to serve as hors d’oeuvres, including roasted peppers & onions, and seasoned olives); Fouace (a flat yeast bread that can be made in about 2 hours; Seafood Paupiettes (rolled fish fillets with smoked salmon and prawns); Crème Catalan (custard flavored with lemon, cinnamon, and fennel); and Vin d’Orange (white wine flavored with citrus)

Lemons. Go wild with lemons in this Italian menu! Explore Italy’s love affair with lemons! We’ve arranged a menu of courses to be enjoyed together, or added to your daily repertoire as exciting accents. Recipes for Wild About Lemons: Lemon-Herb Ricotta Ravioli with cherry tomatoes, Cold Seafood Salad with herbs and lemon garlic vinaigrette, Grilled Endives with tangy lemon sauce, Prosciutto-wrapped Chicken marinated with lemon and rosemary, Limoncello (Italian Lemon Liqueur from Sorrento), Limoncello-Pinenut Biscotti with homemade limoncello.

Pasta: How to make pasta like an Italian Nonna (grandmother). . This workshop provides detailed instructions and hands-on practice for making several types of pasta by hand and by machine. Varieties include pasta from 100% durum semolina and all-purpose flour in several styles and flavors, including egg, eggless, and flavored pasta. We taste our creations using quick, simple, and classic serving ideas. Each student will get one-half pound pasta to take home to wow family and guests with your new skill! Recipes for Make Pasta like Nonna: Spinach Pasta with Garlic Cream, Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Carbonara, Egg Pasta with Pesto Sauce, Saffron Pasta with Butter and Parmesan, Mushroom Pasta with fresh herbs, and Herb pasta with Dijon Velouté.

Pasta Dumplings: International comfort foods. Have fun with filled pastas from several cultures, including ravioli and pot stickers. The class includes a brief introduction to making your own dough, as well as sources for buying ready-made wrappers. We make several fillings and spend time learning how to form each type of stuffed pasta, and eat our flavorful creations while we learn about the countries and cultures that prepare these wonderful dumplings! Recipes for Pasta Dumplings: Italian Seafood Ravioli with Red Pepper Sauce, Uzbek (Russian) Manti with Lamb and Cilantro-Yoghurt Sauce, Croation Strukli with Spinach and Cheese, Chinese Potstickers with Chicken and Vegetables, Polish Pierogi with Cherries (a dessert).

Pasta: One Dish Meals. SHAPE IT, FILL IT, AND LAYER IT! Chef Carole Cancler introduces you to stuffed pasta dishes, homestyle meals that are filled, stuffed, layered, and fabulously delicious. Join Carole to make several different dishes, each with a unique filling and sauce. Many of these one-dish-meals can be made ahead and frozen, making weeknight dining as easy as it is delectable. Recipes for Stuffed Pasta: Canneloni filled with chicken and served with Wild Mushroom Sauce; Sardinian Agnolotti filled with eggplant, served with Zucchini-tomato Sauce; Tuscan Cappelleti stuffed with sausage, served in broth; Tortellini stuffed with winter squash, served with butter and cheese; Calabrian Carnival Lasagna layered with meatballs and vegetables; Seafood Lasagna layered with Garlic Cream Sauce.

PIZZA! Homemade pizza with fresh flavors. From your hands to your grill or oven, pizza delivered in a box can never compare to the delicious creations you can grill or bake at home. Become a pizza chef at home with Carole, a master baker, who will coach you through blending, kneading, and rolling out dough. You will explore three major doughs: classic Italian, Sicilian and French. Wake up your imagination and get introduced to an enormous range of toppings and New Wave combinations. Best of all, the class is so small you can get your hands into the process, express your creativity, and enjoy eating the fruits of your labor. Recipes for Pizza: Pissaladiere (French Onion Pizza): Classic Pizza with Tomato Sauce, Meats, & Vegetables; Eggplant Pizza with Fresh Tomato, Mozzarella, & Basil; Southwest Calzone with Corn & Black Beans; and New Wave Pizza: Smoked Salmon with Leeks and Crème Fraiche and Pear, Caramelized Onion and Gorgonzola.

Soup that warms your heart and feeds your soul. Good Soup is the one gift we all want to have and share with those we love, especially through the fall and winter months, when the winds blow and cold rainy days are here to stay. Making flavorful soup easily is an art that experienced chef and caterer Carole Cancler will create with you. Cooking the ingredients to perfection, exploring variations, learning about thickeners and garnishes, storing for future meals; all will be possible as you prepare and dine on these nourishing and delicious soups. Recipes for Soup: Russian Beef and Barley Soup with Mushrooms, Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken (Tom Kha Gai), Northern Thai Chicken and Red Curry Soup, Smoked Salmon Chowder, Red Quinoa Chowder with Feta and Spinach, Chilean Style Bean and Pumpkin Soup (Porotos Granados), Red Lentil and Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons.

Vegetarian Thai/Chinese Menu. An assortment of interesting recipes to use as a menu, or add to your repertoire as interesting accents. Recipes for Thai/Chinese Vegetarian: Crispy Cashew Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce, Vegetable Salad with sesame dressing, Vegetarian Mussamun Curry, Stuffed Tofu, Spicy Long Beans, and Cucumber Relish.

Winter Weekend Adventure. Great ideas for an easy menu of "do-ahead" dishes that are easily transported, leaving plenty of time for skiing, hiking, or even time to complete special projects at home! Includes a Shopping list and preparation schedule to get you out of the kitchen. There are recipes for breakfast, a hearty lunch, a light supper, and a portable snack to provide nutritious meals to satisfy your soul and replenish your energy. Recipes for our Winter Weekend include: Oven-baked Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal, Tex-Mex Style Pan-baked Shredded Beef Tamale, Tuscan Vegetable Soup with roasted garlic and sage, Linguine with Braised Radicchio, Pancetta, and Balsamic Sauce, and “Fannypacks” - soft, spicy trail-mix cookies!