Baja California Culinary Class

Our instructor, Chef John Ochse and sous chef Wei

 This week I took a class with Chef John Ochse (from www.athomecookingNYC.com) at Whole Foods Market Culinary Center on East Houston Street in New York City. I find it funny that I had to travel all the way to New York to cook Baja, California style. The class was really enjoyable and the menu was great. For the first two hours we spent learning how to cook different dishes and heard Chef John's tips and suggestions for in the kitchen. The last hour was the best of course, eating the meal that we just created. On the menu was Corn and Poblano Soup, Shrimp with Citrus, Cilantro and Pasilla chilies, Red Potato Hash with Roasted Corn, and Chocolate-Jalapeno Truffles. My personal favorite were the soup and the shrimp entree dish.

Corn and Roasted Poblano Soup

The Corn and Poblano Soup had a lot of flavor and had a creamy texture without any added cream. The soup had a nice smooth texture due to the blending of ingredients and I believe the creamy came from the small addition of rice and the starch of the corn. The poblano added a kick to the soup and you can adjust how spicy you would like the soup based on the amount of chilies that you place in the soup. The Shrimp were also delicious. They were cook just right and the flavor of the sauce made from citrus and chilies provided lots of flavor. The added tomato gave the dish a nice fresh touch. Personally I would have like to see more fresh flavors such as herbs or more vegetables. We also strain out many of the ingredients that had flavor the sauce, but I think a nice blend might have provided some needed texture to the sauce. Overall the flavors were good and I would recommend trying this dish.

The Corn and Poblano soup with a dash of chili powder.  

Ingredients:
3 Poblano chiles
4 ears fresh sweet corn (3 c frozen, defrosted and drained)
2 Tbs Olive oil
1/4 White onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
8 c. Chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
2 Tbs uncooked rice

Garnish
2 Tbs Creme fraiche
2 Tbs pumpkin seeds, toasted

Preparation:
1. Char at 400 F, peel, and seed the poblanos. Cut them into 1 inch pieces
2. If using fresh corn, scrape the kernels from the cob being sure to catch any corn "milk"
3. Heat the oil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another few minutes until the garlic is fragrant, but not burning. Add the corn, corn juice, roasted poblanos and 2 cups of broth. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the cover and add the remaining broth, salt and rice. Stir to combine, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let the soup cool for 15 minutes. Puree in batches, adding more broth as needed. The shoup should be the consistency of heavy cream.
6. Serve the soup in individual bowls, garnishing with a drizzle of creme fraiche and a few roasted pumpkin seeds.

Seared Shrimp with Citrus, Cilantro, and Pasilla Chile

Shrimp with Citrus, Cilantro, and Pasilla chilies

Ingredients:
2 Tbs butter
1 1/2 Tbs shallots, minced
1 tsp garlic, chopped
2 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 c. orange juice
1 Tbs olive oil
2 lb shrimp, peeled
8 grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp crushed red chile flakes
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 c. cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 lemon
1 tsp pasilla chile powder (Replace with ancho or guajillo)

Preparation
Sauce
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. When it stops foaming, add the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Cook until softened, but not browned.
2. Mix the cornstarch with 1 cup of orange juice until dissolved. Add to the shallot mixture and cook. Stir until the sauce thickened. Add the remaining juice and do not let boil.
3. Remove pan from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Returned the strain sauce to a clean saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Shrimp
1. In a large skillet or saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Pat the shrimp dry and add them to the pan. When the shrimp are curled and pink, but not cooked through, add the tomatoes, crushed chile powder, and salt. Stir to combine and cook until the shrimp are cooked through.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the strained sauce and half of the cilantro. Squeeze the lemon over the shrimp.
3. Serve the shrimp and tomatoes in individual bowls, topping with some of the remaining sauce, cilantro, and a sprinkling of the ground chile.

The last two dishes we made were decent. The hash was good, but I felt had too much potato and lack seasoning. I would have like to seen more seasoning added to give the dish some depth. The blackened corn that was added to the hash though gave this dish that extra delish factor. The truffles were good, but I find that I prefer to make my truffle with cream over butter. I think the texture is better with cream. The jalapeno added a kick, but I couldn't really taste it since truffles are usually served cold. I can't really say if the jalapeno added or took away anything to the truffle.

Red Potato Hash with Roasted Corn and Onions

Red potato hash with blackened corn

Ingredients:
2 large red potatoes
3 Tbs olive oil
2 c. corn (3 ears if fresh)
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 white onion, finely diced
1/4 c. red pepper, diced
1 large poblano or Anaheim chile, charred, peeled, and seeded
2 green onions, finely sliced

Preparation:
1. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes and submerge them in a bowl of cold water. If using new potatoes, halve then quarter them.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn, spreading it evenly over the surface. Do not stire the corn, let it cook and blacken on one side, about 15 minutes. When the corn is blackened, transfer it to a plate. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
3. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry. Add them to the skillet in a single layer, season with salt, and cook until browned on all sides. Add the onion, red pepper, poblano, and corn and cook until the potatoes are cooked through.
4. Season the potatoes with salt to taste and stir in green onions before serving.

Chocolate-Jalapeno Truffles

Making truffles. It is best to shape with the tips of your finger since they are not as warm as the palm of your hand

Ingredients:
1 Tbs instant espresso
1/4 c. boiling water
10 oz high-quality semisweet chocolate
10 Tbs cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
2 jalapeno peppers, roasted, peeled, and finely chopped (add 1 more for additional heat)
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

Preparation:
1. In a metal mixing bowl dissolve the coffee in the water. Add the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. When the chocolate has softened, but not hot, remove from the heat and stir until smooth.
2. Using a hand-mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat in the cold butter, one stick at a time. Beat until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add half the jalapenos and taste. Add more to get more heat.
3. Scrape the mixture into a deep container. Surface cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight until the mixture is completely firm.
4. Remove the plastic wrap and scoop out small chocolate balls with melon baller. Roll the balls in cocoa powder and refrigerate until ready to serve.

My overall experience was very enjoyable and I have already signed up for two more courses with the Culinary Center. I'll be giving you updates after those courses which are South African and Korean Home Cooking. Below are the recipes that were shared during the course. If you are from the New York area, Chef John is available for in-home or private party courses. I would recommend him. He's a very nice gentleman who was very patient, easy to communicate with, and knowledgable. If I lived permanently in New York I would consider hiring him for functions.

My mother-in-law, Linda, and I after slaving away in the kitchen are ready to eat our meal