Course description

Course Description:

Many recipes sound complicated, simply because the name sounds fancy or unfamiliar.
This course will provide you practical advice enabling you to learn a range of basic cooking skills, allowing you to produce tasty and healthy dishes from scratch. You will develop confidence through hands on guidance and demonstration. By the end you will be well capable of cooking delicious meals, surprising yourself with the ability to impress family and friends with your cuisine. Work as an individual or team up with someone, what works best for you ?

Recipes for each class:

1. Chicken Fricassée

A French chicken stew made by gently cooking a traditional mirepoix of vegetables (finely diced carrot, onion and celery) with the addition of browned chicken, mushrooms, stock, white wine, cream. A touch of fresh tarragon and a liaison (a mixture of egg yolks and cream that is used to enrich a sauce at the end of the cooking process). This dish can be served with mash and roast potatoes, rice or simply with some crusty bread.

2. A Tarte Flambée

A speciality of the region of Alsace–Lorraine & German-speaking Moselle. It consists of a bread dough rolled out thinly, topped with Crème fraîche, thinly sliced onions, lardons of bacon and baked This is a tasty light snack which goes very well with the local Alsatian Riesling, a light, dry and crisp wine.

(dough will be made in advance – demonstration and recipe will be provide)

B. Tart Tatin

As he legend goes this dessert has its origins in the Hôtel Tatin in in Lamotte-Beuvron. Essential an upside-down apple tart. Apple are cooked in a simple caramel, topped with puff pastry finished in the oven resulting in a delicious, rich and butter taste. Served hot with cream or ice cream.

3. Homemade Bolognese or Lasagna (Vegetarian Option)

An Italian favorite for many. Learn to make a rich meat-based sauce known as a ragú to be served the traditional way Ragù alla Bolognese with tagliatelle, not spaghetti. If you are adventurous why not go for the lasagna with its layers of pasta, ragú and béchamel sauce topped with cheese.

4. Cream of Vegetable Soup with Homemade Bread Rolls.

An enjoyable simple healthy homemade soup full of flavour and richness. This class will also demonstrate the making of tasty bread rolls to accompany the soup.

5. Parsi Kheema with Bombay Aloo

This dish is popular in north India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh and with the Parisi people and has possible Persian origins. Parsi spiced minced lamb (beef) topped with runny eggs and served with Bombay Aloo.

6. The Ultimate Texas Style Beef Burger.

Perfect for home cooking or a summer BBQ. This recipe combines a beef burger, red onion marmalade and BBQ sauce topped with crisp bacon and smoked cheese. All homemade and served on a brioche bun.

7. Pear and Almond Tart (or Bakewell Tart) – You choose.

Both tarts start with a pastry base and have a frangipane / almond cream filling. The Bakewell has a layer of jam between the crust and the frangipane, whereas the pear and almond contains poached pears instead. Each one is classic treat, best served warm with custard and ice cream.

8. Risotto or Paella – You choose.

Risotto is a dish that originates from northern Italy. This is a primo piatto or first plate, a rice, soup or pasta dish served after the antipasti and before the second plate, the main course of meat, fish or poultry. Choose from mushroom (porcini), chicken, leek or another ingredient.

Paella, Originally from Valencia and takes its name from the pan used to cook it. There are many version to this dish from seafood to chicken, vegetables, or rabbit.

9. Shepherd’s Pie / Cottage Pie or Seafood Pie – You choose.

Shepherd’s pie, cottage pie, or in its French version Hachis Parmentier is a savoury dish of cooked minced meat topped with mashed potato and baked. Shepherd’s pie uses lamb mince whereas cottage pie contains beef mince.

Seafood or Fisherman’s Pie. For this dish very lightly cooked fish is coated in a béchamel sauce, sometimes with the addition of cheddar or smoked cheese. It’s topped with creamy mashed potato and baked in the oven.

10. Student Choice

If we have not covered something you like in classes above, we can discuss recipe options at the beginning of the course. Ingredient availability and time taken in class will dictate what is possible. Feel free to discuss any ideas or question you may have.

Course Day & Time: Thursday 7.30 – 9.30pm

Start Date: 21/09/23

Cost: €150 Note: Course fee includes all ingredients for each night of the course

Course Format: In class with tutor

Duration: 10 weeks – Maximum of 10 students in class

Enrolment: Online – Click on the Enrol here with Easypayments. Enrolment will open on the 9th of August at 10am.

Tutor: Roland Lambe

When I left school I worked in the travel business and it was from there my interest in food grew. After 8 year, despite enjoying the work, I packed it in to train as a chef. At my first interview, the owner of the restaurant asked me if was I mad leaving an office job to work the hours in hospitality, to which I replied, possibly. Despite never working in a kitchen and with no prior training he gave me a start and I never looked back.

Fast forward 15 years, I went back to college, achieved a BSc. (Hons) 1st in Culinary Arts Management and then a PG in Further Education. I have been teaching both adults and young people for 12 years, from QQI Level 3 Cookery up to Level 6 Professional Cookery / Culinary Arts.

I maybe a qualified chef and teacher but I’m still learning and get great enjoyment out of trying new cuisines and recipes. Although the recipes in this class sound fancy or complicated, they are not and you will settle right in. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, but teamwork and with hands on participation from myself, you may even surprise yourself how adept you are. I look forward to cooking with you, hearing and discussing your ideas, culinary experiences and take on the different recipes we will be cooking.