If Kate's Gonna Go to School... We're Gonna Go to School!

We're not really that petty.  In fact, we didn't sign ourselves up for a class.  We were gifted a trip to a local kitchen store in Magnolia to attend a special class/demonstration.  Thanks to Bonnie, Rick, London and Leo for feeding our minds and our stomachs.

Dish It Up! has a full schedule of cooking classes and demonstrations.  Our particular class was a Winemakers' Dinner featuring the wine of Efeste and food from the Executive Chef of the Barking Frog.  Here's the description of the class:

Chef Bobby Moore from Barking Frog and Efeste Winery winemaker Brennon Leighton will pair up to present a delicious three course winemakers dinner featuring Efeste wines and signature Barking Frog dishes. Menu: Seared Scallops & Butternut Squash Soup, Braised Oxtails & Pappardelle, and Molten Chocolate Gateau.

The demonstration was pretty much what I've seen after watching countless hours of the Food Network. But, it was great to be able to see everything happen live and to get a better sense of how to make corrections and adjustments as you go along.

This was my favorite part of the meal by far:

That's the pan-seared scallop (a U-10) resting comfortably in a bowl of butternut squash soup.  These scallops were so perfectly cooked and it really seemed to sink in that I could successfully make scallops at home.  Someday...  The soup was infused with jalepeno, red pepper, and vanilla beans.

The main course was the braised oxtail served with pappardelle, mushrooms, and braising greens.

Unlike the SFO arm of Meals Across America, I've never made pasta before.  This was nice to see the whole process and take away some of the mystique.  Brennon, the winemaker, actually rolled and cut all of the pasta proving that you don't have to be a chef to prepare it.  Gina was a little put off by seeing the chef butcher some fresh oxtail, which I can understand, but at the same time I was fascinated.

It's a real shame, but I don't have a picture of the molten chocolate gateau dessert.  Chef served it with a chantilly cream, powdered sugar, and toasted hazelnuts.  Honestly, I was so anxious to try it that I ate it before I could remember to take a photo.

I am a huge fan of cooking classes and would love to take more...

Butternut Squash Soup
(serves 10)

• 2-3 butternut squash peeled, split, and seeded
• 1/2 bottle of white wine (any will do)
• 1 1/2 vanilla beans
• 3 carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/8 cup poached garlic
• 1/2 T. chili flakes
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and split
• 1/2 bunch thyme
• 1 T. black peppercorn, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 4-6 cups heavy cream

Spread 1/4 cup butter on the split side of the squash and start by roasting it split-side down on parchment paper.  Roast it at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.  Flip near the end of roasting so that the deges can develop a medium dark caramelization.

In a large stainless steel pan, caramelize carrots, deglaze with water, add celery and onion and lightly caramelize.  Add garlic.  deglaze with the white wine and bring to a full boil.

Add sachet (chili flakes, japaeno, thyme, peppercorn, and bay leaves), roasted squash, vanilla beans (split and scraped) and 4 cups of water to the pan.  Simmer until the squash is tender enough to blend.

Remove sachet and vanilla pods.  Blend soup (in blender or with an immersion blender) until smooth.  Add cream to taste and season with salt and pepper.

Seared Scallops

Add canola oil to a hot pan.  Dust U-10 scallops with salt and place salt side down into the hot oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Sear the scallops for about 4 minutes to develop a rich brown sear.  Remove from pan.

At this point, you can let them sit until you're closer to serving them.  Once you're ready, place them on a sheet pan and put them in the oven for about 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees.

They Meet

The scallops are then placed on top of the soup, drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil, top with grey salt and microgreens.