Mother's Day Cooking Class with Sur La Table
If you're still wondering what to make for the special moms in your life this weekend, why not try the delicious spring meal I shared during my latest Sur La Table Cooking Class.
Earlier this week, I hosted another LIVE virtual workshop with our own Culinary Director and host of "Kitchen Conundrums," Thomas Joseph. During the 90-minute Zoom lesson, I showed the class how to make individual cheese souffles, green salad with vinaigrette, pea soup, and a rhubarb raspberry crisp with homemade ice cream. The class was done from my newly renovated kitchen at my Bedford, New York farm. We all had such a great time - I also shared lots of cooking tips and answered a variety of interesting questions from class participants.
Enjoy these photos and look out for more online cooking classes with Sur La Table in the months ahead.
-
- These cooking classes for Sur La Table are conducted from the studio kitchen in my Bedford, New York farm guest house. This kitchen was recently redone – from a creamy yellow to black and white. The space is roomy, filled with light, and has a large counter for prepping and showcasing all the finished dishes. I also installed this stovetop in the center island – a total game changer for my cooking demos.
-
- All the exposed shelves are now black and filled with gorgeous copper pots.
-
- On one wall above a counter, I hung this giant antique plate holder to display copper and brass chargers. The whole kitchen has a brand new look – and everyone loves it.
-
- Thomas and I welcome the class – hundreds of participants joined us via Zoom.
-
- We started preparing the rhubarb for our crisp. Rhubarb is versatile and well-suited to pies, crisps, jams, and chutneys. But it’s important to know: never eat the leaves – they’re poisonous!
-
- This crisp tempers rhubarb’s tartness with sweet raspberries. Here I am adding a half pint of fresh raspberries to about a pound and a half od rhubarb cut into one inch pieces. I also added 2/3 cup sugar, and the zest and juice of one orange.
-
- For the topping, I combined a cup of all-purpose flour, a half cup of brown sugar, a half teaspoon of cinnamon, a stick of butter cut into small pieces, and a half cup rolled oats. I cover the top of the rhubarb with the crumb topping. Then – it’s ready for the oven.
-
- For the souffles, first I buttered four 8-ounce ramekins with butter and Parmesan cheese. This helps to give the souffle something to hold onto while it is cooking and puffing up.
-
- For this recipe I used a variety of alpine cheeses – Emmental, Comte, Appenzeller, and Gruyere. Alpine cheese, also known as mountain cheese or alpage cheese, refers to a style of cheese making rather than one variety. The name applies to Swiss, French, Austrian, or Italian cheeses made in the Alps with unpasteurized cow’s milk. It includes hundreds of different cheeses.
-
- The cheeses were cut into small 1/4-inch cubes – one cup in all.
-
- In a saucepan, I melted some butter and then added 1/4 cup flour, a cup of whole milk, the cheeses, chives, salt, pepper and three large egg yolks. Egg whites are folded in separately after they are whisked until stiff peaks form.
-
- Finally, the mixture is divided into four ramekins and placed in a pre-heated 400-degree Fahrenheit oven. They bake for 15 minutes, then the temperature is reduced to 375-degrees Fahrenheit and cooked for up to 10 minutes more until puffed.
-
- I have done several souffle stories in our magazine, “Living.” One in particular is in the 1992-1993 February/March issue. Do you remember this early edition? Click here for “High Rise“
-
- Everyone always loves my salad dressing. My daughter, Alexis, always asks me to make the dressing whenever our family dines at home. And my grandchildren also love it – they eat lots of salad. This dressing recipe calls for vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, 1/4 teaspoon sugar and 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
-
- I also made a spring pea soup. This soup can be enjoyed warm or served chilled for a refreshing spring dinner. Here I am pouring in the chicken stock.
-
- Next, I add the peas and eight-ounces of spinach. They’re cooked covered until the spinach has wilted.
-
- The soup mixture is pureed in a blender – look at that gorgeous green color.
-
- And here’s a tip – I prefer to use these 12 by 12 inch bar towels instead of sponges and rags in my kirchen. They’re easy to wash and can be used instead of paper towels.
-
- The soup is served garnished with a few micro greens.
-
- And here’s our salad. Use a mix of greens such as radicchio, chicory, endive, and red leaf Boston lettuce.
-
- Here are the souffles. A soufflé is a baked egg-based dish originating in France in the early 18th century. Combined with various other ingredients it can be served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. And be sure to always serve them right away before they deflate.
-
- This one is perfect. The same recipe also makes two larger souffles in 16-ounce ramekins.
-
- Here’s our rhubarb crisp served with homemade vanilla ice cream. The entire meal was delicious and was all cooked in less than 90-minutes.
-
- I hope these quick and easy recipes help to make your Mother’s Day gathering a bit more special for the moms in your life. Happy cooking! And be sure to check the Sur La Table web site for more classes.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
