Jamie Oliver is most probably the best known TV chef to come out of England. In his books he has created a fool-proof repertoire that is simple to use. He cuts the jargon, giving people confidence and getting them to feel easy in the kitchen.

At Wickedfood Cooking School, we have re-interpreted some of the more exciting recipes from his various books to share with our students. From Jamie’s Italy, we have put together a mouth-watering selection of dishes for a cooking class as part of a cookbook-of-the-month series, based loosely on how Italians would serve a meal.

For starters, we have a delicious variety of antipasti:

• Two scrumptious toppings for brushette, marinated eggplant and roasted vegetables.

• Grilled mushrooms with melted thyme flavoured mozzarella.

For first course, we again cooked two dishes.

• We walk students through the steps of making the perfect risotto and give tips on how to expand the dish to incorporate a variety of imaginative flavours:

• As an alternative pasta dish we have a hearty baked spaghetti pie, filled with creamy chicken and mushrooms.

For second course, in true and Sicilian style we look at fish, grilled with a herb and garlic salsa, simple to prepare, relying on the freshness of the fish, a recipe perfect for any gamefish.

To go with the second course as well as the two first courses the students get the opportunity of preparing two simple vegetable dishes:

• Fried baby marrows, with a hint of chilli and garlic a perfect light summer vegetable dish which would go perfectly well as a topping for pasta;

• Jamie’s take on a caprese salad, complete with baby tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, but with a twist.

What would a meal be without dessert, and this one is a real treat, a fruit and almond tart, utilizing the best that summer fruits can offer, baked in a sweet sticky frangipane, with a hint of grappa.

We had a very good response to this class, which we ran on Sunday afternoon. The students arrived in small groups, two brothers, a few couples and a group of friends. To begin with they were all a bit nervous, eagerly taking notes with regards to tips given by the head chef. Everybody quickly relaxed with a glass of wine, once the real preparation work began and soon new friendships were formed, while the food sizzled away. At the end of the evening they all sat down with new found friends to enjoy the fruits of their labour, sharing the inevitable food story.

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Wickedfood® Cooking school runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built cooking studios. Classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these classes are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

Since the renaissance, France has been in the forefront of European food trends. As tastes became more refined, quantities characteristic of medieval banquets were succeeded by a sense of elegance. The demise of the French royalty stated a boom of Parisian restaurants when the royal courts chefs suddenly found themselves out of jobs. Food was rich and ornate, often highly sauced, often hiding the food’s natural taste.

Composition of courses

•    Poultry has always played a major role in French cuisine and is prepared for all palates, from simply boiled, to rich herb-infused cream sauces.

•    The French love their meat, and it was they who originally created steak and chips – steak frites. Other famous cuts include chateaubriand and tournedos. Lamb however is also important, especially the salt marsh lambs of Normandy.

•    France is often referred to as one large garden with each region having its specialities – marrows, peppers and olives in Provence; artichokes and potatoes in Brittany; and asparagus in Alcace.

•    The country produces hundreds of different cheeses and most main meals are broken with some cheese, before desserts are eaten.

•    Desserts are also incredibly popular, from cakes and pastries, to flans and ice-creams.

What’s on the menu?

See  the following articles on French food:

Our six Normandy restaurants

Gastronomic tour of Normandy

Roast pigeons in liqueur

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built cooking studios. Classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these classes are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.