Chef Kevin's Cooking Classes: November 2015

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Sicilian Citrus Almond Cake, Christmas Bazaar, My Next A.C.E. Class

Post Date: 18 November 2015

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and a wonderful start to the holiday season.

SICILIAN CITRUS ALMOND CAKE

This recipe was from my friend and mentor in the chef business, as well as being an excellent chef in his own right, Chef Roberto Forgione. It was one of many Italian dessert recipes he had given me several years ago but I had not tried it out. Looking for something new to try out, I found it in my dessert folder and made it last Friday. The citrus part of the cake is lemon and orange juice and zest. The almonds are finely chopped; I put whole unsalted almonds in a coffee mill. When serving, I sprinkled powdered sugar on top. For the spring I am planning a one day “Holiday in Sicily” class and will most likely feature this cake as the dessert.

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

This coming Saturday, November 21, I will have a table at the Christmas Bazaar held at St. John’s Catholic Church in McLean, at the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Linway Terrace. I will be selling cups of one of my signature dishes, Chicken Sepzzatino, an Italian Chicken Stew. I will also have Cannoli for sale whose filling will be prepared with Ricotta Cheese which I will be making.

MY NEXT ACE CLASS

My last A.C.E. class for 2015 is Cooking Basics 101 on Thursday evenings December 3, 10, and 17 at Herndon High School. My winter class schedule is now set; please see below for classes and dates/times.

Reminder - Instagam

Follow me on Instagram at #senseichef. I look forward to your comments on my posts.

Upcoming Classes

Here are my upcoming classes for the rest of the fall and for the winter term.

December 3, 10, and 17 – Thursday Evening - Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

January 14, 21, and 28 – Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

January 23 and 30 – Saturday Morning – Delectable Desserts – Plum Center

February 12, 19, and 26 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

March 1, 8, and 15 – Tuesday Evening – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

March 4, 11, and 18 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

To register for this class, or any ACE cooking classes, please go to:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/ace/specialinterest.shtml and scroll down to the Culinary section

While there, be sure to check out the other culinary courses offered by ACE’s excellent chef instructors.

Till next time, keep cooking.

Contact Chef Kevin at: KJBrady@fcps.edu

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Twilight in Tuscany Class; Baked Tilapia; Roasted Vegetables

Post Date: 5 November 2015

Next Class - Twilight in Tuscany

Penne with Bolognese Sauce

This one session class meets this Sunday afternoon, November 8, at 12:30 PM at the Plum Center in Springfield. I have a very ambitious menu planned, with the featured item being a Bolognese Sauce with Penne (pictured above). We will also be making a Tuscan White Bean Salad with Cannellini Beans, Roasted Vegetables (see below), and a Hazelnut Cake. To accompany the vegetables, we will be quick frying very thin Eye Round Steaks.

Baked Tilapia Oreganata

This is one of my favorite dishes, and I often prepare it for the holidays to go along with the turkey or roast beef. The Tilapia Filets are topped with salt, pepper, olive oil, Italian Panko bread crumbs, capers, minced garlic, fresh chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese, oregano, and red wine vinegar. After prepping the fish, I let it rest in the fridge for a few hours before baking. The wait really enhances the flavors. And for big meals, it is one of those dishes you can prepare in advance and then just put into the oven when it is time.

Roasted Vegetables

In prepping for Sunday’s “Twilight in Tuscany” class, I ran through the Roasted Vegetable recipe. I decided to add a sprig of fresh Rosemary to the pan and it really seemed to pick up the overall flavor. I used Red and Green Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Yellow Squash, and Zucchini. For seasoning, I used just salt, pepper, and garlic powder.