Task 42 - Take a Cooking Class (Modern Sauces)

This class was originally scheduled for earlier in the month when I was in Hawaii but I asked Clarissa the executive chef if she would run another session. She said yes I couldn’t have been more pleased to have had the opportunity to take this class. Sauces are one of those things that can really transform a dish from the mundane into the extraordinary.

The class roster was all store employees and as such it qualified as a private event and we were able to bring a bottle of wine to compliment out meals.Once we were all in class and hands washed we wasted no time getting right to it.

We started with the smoked-salmon Benedict bites with hollandaise. Hollandaise was our first sauce and it was a classic but lemony hollandaise. She had already clarified the butter for us and put us to work mixing the egg yolks, lemon juice, water, and salt. She taught us how to get it whipped to the perfect thickness. Next we added the clarified butter slowly without it breaking.  She taught us how we might rescue a broken sauce by either adding another yoke or by emulsifying the mixture with a vitamix. Once all the butter was mixed in we added the lemon zest.

Once the sauce was done we added our smoked salmon, cheese and chives and seasoned with salt and pepper. We then put a healthy serving on baguette slices and lightly broiled until the mixture was bubbling.

Once change to the menu was the addition of a Mac and Cheese. We put our pasta in the water to boil while we made our sharp cheddar cheese Mornay sauce.  We made a roué or butter and flour over medium heat which we then added milk too. Once wisked smooth we added the sharp cheese and parmigiano-reggiano cheese to the mix until everything was melted. We salted and peppered to taste. Once donw we combined with our cooked pasta and poured it into a casserole dish. We sprinkled it with more parmigiano-reggiano and baked.

Next we worked on our vinaigrette. We took our vinegar, oil, whole kernel and regular Dijon mustard and mixed it together. The key is 1 part acid to 3 parts oil. We also finely sliced apples and fennel and mixed with our dressing before mixing again with our spinach. The result was a light and refreshing fall salad.

Before moving on to the main course of Pork Tenderloin we prepped our desert.  Our dessert to cap off a great meal is a warm chocolate cake with a vanilla bean anglaise. We started by combining the cocoa and flour. This we used to coat our buttered ramekins. It is very important to make sure that when done you cannot see the white of the ramekin.

Next we worked on the anglaise. We took our milk and heated it almost but not to a boil. We added to this warm mild out vanilla seeds. Once added we removed from the heat and let steep for a while. Once done reheated the now vanilla-infused milk on medium heat until it began simmering.

In a separate bowl we mixed our eggs, sugar, and salt. The key was to mix well without it becoming frothy. Next we took a ladle of our vanilla milk and combined it with out egg and sugar mixture. Once acclimated we then poured the egg and sugar and ladle of milk mixture in the simmering milk. We continued to stir until the it thickened.  We then used a chinoise to strain the mixture to remove any egg that might have cooked.

In a stand mixer we added eggs and sugar and beat on high until it was thick and yellow. We added out Liquor and then using a spatula fodled in out chocolate until well combined. We then folded in the flour. Once done we spooned the mixture into our ramekins leaving about ¾ of an inch empty.

We set all that aside and began our final sauce a orange-rosemary balsamic butter sauce we would later add to our port tenderloin.

In a saucier we reduced our vinegar and orange juice and rosemary by half. Once boiled down we removed it from heat and took our stick of butter and began stirring it into our balsamic reduction until gone.

Next we seasoned our pork and seared it in a pan creating a nice golden crust before putting it in the oven to finish cooking. If there is a lot of fat in the pan pour it off but do not rinse. Drop a good amount of rinsed but not dried spinach into the pan and toss it around to encourage it to wilt. It will incorporate the flavors from the pan and a little water on the spinach from rinsing it.

Next we plated the spinach and put sliced pork on top and drizzle with the butter sauce.  As we ate our salad, mac and cheese and pork while our ramekins of chocolate cake were now in the oven backing. The salad was light and refreshing and the pre-made candied walnuts added a little something extra. The mac and cheese was creamy and golden on the top and is definitely one of those comfort foods I’ll be sure to make this winter.

The pork was tender and the balsamic reduction sauce complimented the pork perfectly.  The only mistake I made was eating too much and nearly forgot about the chocolate cakes baking in the oven.

When the cakes came out I knew I was going to have to have one. We placed the cakes in the center of our plates and drizzeled our anglaise sauce around it and accented with powdered sugar and raspberries.

It was a great experience and Clarissa treated as she treats all her students. She kept us focused on the tasks at hand while ensuring that we all had a good time in the kitchen. We all left stuffed to the gills and I think we all learned a few things. I know I did. As a added bonus we each took home an autographed copy of Martha Holmberg's Modern Sauces cookbook.