Dish Description: Red snapper fillets are marinated in freshly made harissa, the awesome spice mixture of the Mediterranean and points east, and are then gently simmered with chopped tomato, lemon and cilantro. We will use the traditional earthenware vessel called a tajine (“Tah-zsheen”) to steam the fish, but any deep heavy pot with a tight-fitting […]

Dish Description: This class is for those bored with the usual St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage or fascinated by the Celtic influence on the European Continent (remember: the Celts settled France before they sailed to the Emerald Isle of Ireland). This dish is a classic across northern Europe, translated in many languages to “pot […]

Salmon fillet is broiled or grilled (ideally over a wood fire) and then sauced with a sweet-and-sour compote of shallots, red wine vinegar, honey and lardons (pieces of slab bacon, in case you’re wondering). Weather permitting, we’ll grill the salmon outdoors. We recommend garlicy mashed potatoes or oven-roasted potatoes as an accompaniment, and pairing this […]

Dish Description: Pommes de Terre translates to “apples of the Earth” but is understood to mean potatoes, which are celebrated wonderfully in this dish and whose origin is debated with the Italians, who call it Strata, for reasons that will become obvious.  Potatoes are thinly sliced with a mandoline and arranged in concentric circles whose layers […]

Dish Description: Fricassee means to slowly cook meat – in this case, pieces of chicken – by browning and then braising it in a bit of wine with seasonings, resulting in a light-colored sauce.  It is a one of the fundamental techniques of French cooking that everyone should know.  Why?  Once you get the hang of […]

Welcome to Italy. Swordfish steaks are broiled, pan-seared or grilled and then generously sauced with stimpirata, comprising finely chopped onion, celery, olive oil, white wine vinegar and capers. Weather permitting, we’ll grill the swordfish outdoors. We recommend green asparagus (steamed al dente, of course) with a freshly made whole grain boule or comparable bread, and […]

“First you make a roux”, the initial step in so many American creole dishes, and so we do: flour and bacon drippings stirred over low heat until transformed to nutty paste, to which the trinity of creole cooking – celery, onion and green pepper – is added to form the base. Garlic, bay leaf, tomatoes, […]

This dish has become a Mount Salem classic, often requested for private catered events here:  ground lamb mixed with Provençal seasonings before roasting, and then finished with a fresh tomato sauce like no other.  We usually pair it with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal green vegetables.  In this hands-on class, you will prepare the lamb […]

A favorite class we offer each year is Easter Lamb, which is made in the style of Lombardy, the northern province of Italy where French, Swiss, German and Austrian influences echo in the region’s foods.  In this hands-on class, you will learn how to butterfly a leg of lamb, pan sear it and then braise […]