Host Your Simcha at CKCA!

Did you know that CKCA hosts and gives awesome and memorable private cooking classes? We do this on evenings, Sundays, motzei shabbos and we are able to host classes in our location in Brooklyn or in shuls, private homes, community centers, or event rooms.

We give private culinary classes to kids, to professionals, for company team building events, and for synagogue sisterhoods and even men's clubs.

We have helped celebrate birthdays, bat mitzvahs, bar mitzvahs, engagement parties, bridal parties, anniversaries and many other types of simcha!

Call Jesse Blonder at 718-758-1339 to discuss how the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts can help you make a simcha even more fun!

Five Decadent and Delicious Dairy Recipes for Shavuot

Chag Samayach! To help you plan your meals this Shavuot, we are proud to share with you five stunningly delicious yet simple recipes that can be mixed and matched for delicious and filling fancy dairy meals!



Fettucini Alfredo





Creamy Potato Leek Soup (Vichyssoise)




Pumpkin Lasagna







Oreo Explosion Cheesecake







Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Shavuot Treat: Fettucini Alfredo

This decadent and delicious dairy treat is a household standard on Shavuot, but most people make the mistake of putting it together as a casserole, refrigerating or freezing it and then heating it all up later for serving. This dries out the pasta and makes for a much less decadent and creamy dish.

When serving this restaurant-quality Fettucini Alfredo this Shavuot, give yourself and your family an extra treat by heating the sauce separately in a large pot, and then add the cooked al dente pasta to the pot shortly before you are ready to serve. It makes all the difference.

1 pound dried Fettucini noodles, cooked according to package directions
2 ounces whole butter
12 ounces heavy cream
4 ounces grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
salt and white pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Combine butter, cream and cheese in a large saute pan. Bring to a boil and allow it to reduce slightly and thicken. Adjust seasonings. When ready to serve pasta, heat sauce again thoroughly and add pasta to the pan. Heat completely, fully covered. Garnish with extra cheese and fresh chopped parsley. This recipe makes four servings but the recipe doubles and triples easily.

Lentil Salad with Cilantro and Sweet Corn

It's Shavuot, and various members of your family has been out all night, who knows where, studying Torah. You don't feel like cooking, you just feel like pulling salads out of the fridge and bringing them straight to the table. Bring this high-protein, high-flavor salad and enjoy how the flavors get even better the longer it sits in the fridge!

One bag red lentils, cooked according to package directions with an onion and bay leaf, and drained (or, 2 15-Ounce cans Eden Organic Lentils with Sweet Onion and Bay Leaf [O-K certified]), drained
3 cans yellow or white corn niblets, or 10 ears of fresh boiled sweet corn
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 cup chopped red bell pepper, small dice
1 cup red onion, small dice
1 cup crumbled farmer's or feta cheese
3/4 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp celery salt
1 lime, juice only
salt to taste

Combine, refrigerate and enjoy.

Mexican Vegetable Soup and Corn Bread

If you love to serve soup on Chagim, you don't have to go without since you serve dairy on Shavuot. Just skip the chicken soup this year and serve this spicy and savory Mexican vegetable soup. Wow your guests with some corn bread on the side!

Corn bread:

3 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 sticks butter (1/2 pound), melted
3 eggs
2 cups half and half or whole milk
1/3 cup chopped chives (optional)

Sift together first five dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients and mix the dry and wet just until incorporated; do not overbeat. Pour into a square pan and let sit for 15 minutes before baking at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Warm slightly before serving.

Mexican vegetable soup:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, minced
1 box white mushrooms, minced
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 leeks, white parts only, sliced
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 small pinch cayenne
1 bay leaf
10 cups water
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Before serving: 4 oz. half and half or full cream, diced avocados, tortilla chips

Saute the onions, carrots and mushrooms in olive oil until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 1 hour. Puree if you wish. Before serving, add 1 ounce of half and half or cream per serving to add creaminess, and serve with tortilla chips, sliced avocado and of course, fresh warmed cornbread!

Shavuot Treat: Spinach and Pumpkin Lasagna

This recipe from comes from Liz Kratz at Classically Kosher. It's a sneakily healthy veggie lasagna (if you use low-fat cheese) and perfect for a dairy main course on Shavuot.

1 and 1/2 boxes lasagne noodles
6-8 ounces grated low-fat mozzarella, muenster or white cheddar cheese

Lasagna sauce layer:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 bag Morningstar Farms vegetarian "recipe crumbles" (O-K-Dairy)
1 large can (35 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 small can (5.5 oz or similar) tomato paste
1-2 cups pasta sauce or 1 can tomato sauce with salt, pepper and garlic powder added to taste
2 cups pumpkin puree
4 tsp garlic, minced
4 tsp fresh basil, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-2 dashes cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)

Spinach layer:

3 cups cooked chopped spinach (such as Bodek frozen chopped spinach), defrosted
4 eggs or the equivalent egg substitute
1 and 1/2 cups low fat or low moisture part-skim Ricotta cheese
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp granulated garlic
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Sweat the onion with the olive oil until browned. Add the vegetarian recipe crumbles and keep flame on medium until fully warmed. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from flame.

Defrost or prepare spinach and mix with spices and Ricotta. If you microwaved the spinach, wait until it has cooled slightly before adding the egg, to avoid scrambling.

Layer lasagne sauce first followed by uncooked noodles, then spinach, then cheese. Finish with noodles, the additional pasta sauce on top and finally cheese. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until noodles are fully cooked.

Date Night Fave: Caesar Salad

The ladies (and the gents too!) love a good Caesar Salad. We share with you our best recipe for a special evening first course with your special someone.

Ingredients:

2 ea. Hearts of Romaine lettuce
1 ea. whole egg
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
5 large cloves garlic, finely minced
3 ea. Anchovies filets
½ fresh squeezed lemon
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
to taste Reggianno Parmesan grated
to taste ground black pepper
White (or Sourdough) bread for croutons

Procedure:

Cut the Romaine lettuce into 1 ½ inch squares and wash well. Spin dry. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 325.

Bring a small sauce pan of water to a boil.

Trim bread crust and cut bread into small dice. Place on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in hot oven for 5-10 minutes until bread is lightly toasted. Remove from oven. Drizzle croutons with ¼ cup olive oil and 3 cloves of chopped garlic.

Replace in oven and continue toasting until garlic is golden brown. DO NOT BURN GARLIC! Reserve the croutons.

Place one raw egg in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to coddle for 60 seconds. Remove egg and reserve.

In a large wooden salad bowl finely smash garlic and anchovies. (Two serving forks work well). Work garlic and anchovies around entire surface of bowl to coat. Add mustard and mix. Add lettuce, and break the coddled egg over the Romaine and add all other ingredients except croutons. Toss well to coat.

Serve on cold plates. Garnish with croutons. Serve immediately.

Rabbi BLECH METHOD: Make the dressing in a food processor . Place the egg, anchovies, garlic, Wortershire, lemon, mustard,vinegar and pepper in a food processor. While running the machine slowly add the oil. Save for up to 48 hours, then discard as the dressing has raw eggs, which can spoil, in it.

Plan Your Summer at CKCA: Full Summer Recreational Class Listings!

The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts summer class listings are online and starting to fill up! Now's the time to reserve your spots in the new and exciting classes being offered at CKCA as well as our tried and true classic recreational culinary classes! Visit the CKCA Website at http://www.kosherculinaryarts.com for full class listings and descriptions. Below is a listing of all the classes and dates being offered:

Father's Day BBQ Class -- June 19

Steak Night -- June 23

Melon Carving with Chef James Parker -- June 26

Master Class in Miniature Decorative Pastries -- June 20, 21, 27 and 28

Intro to Cake Decoration -- four Tuesday evenings, beginning July 15

Cake Decoration: Fondant -- four Monday evenings, beginning August 1

Cake Decoration: Flowers -- two Sundays, beginning July 10

Date Night: Summer Feast -- Choice of three Wednesdays: July 13, Aug 10, 17

Date Night: Cocktail Party -- Choice of three Wednesdays: July 6, Aug 3, 24

Date Night: Couples Competition -- July 27

Culinary Boot Camp -- 5 Thursday nights, July 7, 14, 21, 28, Aug 4

The Main Course -- 3 Thursday nights, Aug 18, Aug 25, Sep 1

Classic French Pastry --5 Sunday mornings, July 31, Aug 7, 14, 21, 28

Taste of Asia -- July 11

Cuisine of India -- July 18

Knife Skills -- July 25

Summer Pies & Tarts -- July 24

Cuisine of Mexico -- August 11

Summer BBQ -- August 16

Sephardi Party --August 23

Summer Fun at June Recreational Classes!

Father's Day BBQ Workshop (Sunday June 19, 10:30-1:30)

Father’s Day means BBQ at CKCA. Join Chef Avram Wiseman for this exciting hands-on class in which we learn how to create mouth watering BBQ style dishes both inside and outdoors. Topics covered include, bbq technique, indoor smoking with woodchips, stovetop grilling, outdoor bbq, slow cooking meat, classic bbq sides and sauces, and more. Father and sons (or daughters) are welcome as well as anyone else interested in learning how to make great BBQ.

$75 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

Steak Night (Thursday, June 23, 6:30-10:30)

Chef Avram Wiseman teaches the secrets to a truly great, homemade steak dinner. He’ll start off by showing you what you don’t see at the supermarket—an entire rib section of beef—and butcher it down to something more familiar—a juicy rib-eye steak. Then you’ll learn the best way to cook it at home, along with the all the traditional sides: crispy roast potatoes, “creamed spinach”, beer-battered, thick-cut onion rings, Caesar salad and more. This is a serious class for serious meat eaters!

$75 -- CALL TO REGISTER -- 718.758.1339

Melon Carving with Chef James Parker (Sunday, June 26, 9:00am-1pm)

Take your fruit carving skills to the next level! Guest instructor James Parker (veggyart.com) is an award-winning, nationally renowned chef who travels the world teaching the subject of fruit & vegetable garnishing to the novice and expert alike. In this class he will teach the art of carving melons and fruit, and presenting them on decorative platters. Learn these advanced techniques and take home your very own exquisite creations.

$200 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

Master Class in Miniature Decorative Pastries (Mondays and Tuesdays, June 20, 21, 27, 28, 6:30–10:30 pm)

Miniature decorative pastries have the dessert of choice at parties and events large and small. Few desserts make for a better presentation than a tidy arrangement of carefully constructed miniatures. In the language of classic culinary arts they are known as petit fours and include any small cake or pastry item small enough to be eaten in one or two bites. Most petit fours are comprised of many distinct components and require a steady hand and sharp eye for detailed decoration.

In this four-day hands-on workshop, classically trained French pastry chef Philippe Kaemmerle will teach the class to make all the components of a variety of petit fours.

$375 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

This Summer: Seven Nights of Date Night!

Before you start making plans this summer, make sure that you reserve spots in one of our sell-out summer Date Nights! We have three series' going on, all of which are fun and interesting in different ways. Culinary Date Nights are a great night out and they make a wonderful birthday or anniversary gift to your special someone.

Choose from three different classes: Summer Feast, Cocktail Party, and Couples Competition. The classes and dates are described below. All classes are on Wednesdays, from 7:30pm-10:30pm.

DATE NIGHT: Summer Feast

Choice of three dates: July 13, Aug 10, 17

Work together with that special someone to create a delicious, 4-course, upscale dinner. Special attention will be paid to teaching how to plate and present each course so that they appeal to the eye as well as to the palate. At the end of the evening we will sit down to enjoy the fruits of our labors, complete with wine and all the other trimmings of a meal to remember. New menu for summer.

$150 PER COUPLE – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

DATE NIGHT: Cocktail Party

Choice of three dates: July 6, Aug 3, 24

Join us for a festive evening of creative cocktails, finger foods and fun! Couples will cook together to create a cocktail hour inspired menu that will include a special selection of tasty bites and signature drinks.

$150 PER COUPLE – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

DATE NIGHT: Couples Competition

July 27

Calling all competitive couples, show us what you’re made of! Six couples will be given an identical basket of secret ingredients and 2 hours to work together to create an entrée and two sides. The most appealing dish, as judged by a CKCA panel of judges, will win a gift certificate of $150 towards classes at CKCA. Let the games begin!

$150 PER COUPLE – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

Heavenly Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

CKCA Senior Chef Instructor and Dean of Student Avram Wiseman acts as a Pesach chef each year at a hotel. He cooks, bakes and thinks Pesach for weeks ahead of time, developing recipes with potato starch and all the different kinds of ingredients one must use on Pesach, being mindful of the restrictions. One of the widespread Eastern European restrictions is the use of rice or rice flour, because it looks similar to wheat or the other restricted seven grains. With that in mind, Chef Avram shares with us a delicious fried rice recipe this week, now that we are free to utillize this fine ingredient once again in our cooking.

Thai Heavenly Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients: SERVES: 4

1 whole pineapple
3 cups cooked rice
3-4 Tbsp. chicken stock
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
1 red or green chili, thinly sliced
1 egg
½ cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp. currants
½ cup peanuts
3 spring onions finely sliced
1/3 cup fresh coriander (cilantro)

STIR-FRY SAUCE:

2 Tbsp fish sauce, OR 3 Tbps. soy sauce
2 tsp. curry powder


Procedure:

Cut pineapple in half, Scoop out the flesh and cut into 1 inch dice.

Mix 1 Tbsp. oil with the rice, using your fingers to separate any chunks into grains. Set aside.

In a cup, stir the soy sauce/fish sauce together with the curry powder.

Drizzle 1-2 Tbsp. oil in a wok/large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and chili, stir-frying until fragrant (1 minute). Whenever the wok/pan becomes dry, add a little stock (1/2 to 1 Tbsp. at a time to keep the pan sizzling).

Crack the egg into wok and stir quickly to cook (like making scrambled eggs). Add the peas and cashews. Stir-fry 1 minute in the same way, adding more stock if needed.

Now add the rice, pineapple chunks, and currents. Drizzle the fish/soy sauce mixed with curry powder over and gently stir-fry to combine over medium-high to high heat until the rice "dances" (begins to make popping sounds) - about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat. Do a taste-test for saltiness, adding a few shakes of salt or up to 2 Tbsp. more fish sauce or soy sauce, as needed.

To serve, scoop rice onto a serving platter or serve into the pineapple shell, hollowed out. Top with spring onions and fresh coriander.

Evening Culinary Boot Camp Starts May 10th!

CULINARY BOOTCAMP
EVENING: 5 Tuesday nights, May 10, 17, 24, 31 June 14, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

An intensive culinary experience designed for everyone from the frustrated home cook who finally wants to learn to “really cook,” to the budding chef looking to take his or her kitchen prowess to the next level. Learn some of the same basic culinary fundamental skills taught to chefs in the finest cooking schools. Topics covered include: knife skills, principles and application of all the major cooking methods, how to cook poultry, meat & fish, plating & presentation, and more. This program is a must for anyone who is tired of ruining dinner or conversely, dares to call him or herself a good cook!

$375 -- CALL TO REGISTER -- 718.758.1339

A Great Mother's Day Gift! Bring Your Mom to Mother's Day Brunch!

CKCA is hosting an awesome Mother's Day Brunch class on Sunday, May 9th. This class makes a great mother's day gift.

Sunday, May 8, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm


Join us this mother's day for a very special mother/daughter (mother/son) brunch menu. Chef Avram Wiseman, Dean of Students at CKCA will lead us through a full menu of classic breakfast and brunch dishes.

Moms and kids of all ages welcome!

$75 per person – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

Jicama Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

There's nothing like a colorful salad to make a springtime dinner complete. Enjoy the gorgeous crunch of this fresh, healthy recipe by our own Chef Avram Wiseman.


Salad Ingredients:

Jicama 12 oz.
Red onions 10 oz.
Naval oranges 3 ea.
Poppy seed dressing 1 cup

Dressing Ingredients:

Honey 3 oz.
Paprika 1 Tablespoon
Ketchup 2 Tablespoons
Dijon mustard 2 Tablespoons
Orange juice 2 Tablespoons
Ground black pepper 1 Teaspoon
Kosher salt 1 oz.
Wine vinegar 3 oz.
Onion chopped 2 oz.
Canola oil 1 cup
Poppy seed 1 and 1/2 tablespoons



Dressing Procedure:

Place all ingredients except the oil into the bowl of a food processor.
Slowly drizzle in the oil while running the machine. Season to taste.


Salad Procedure:

Using a sharp paring knife, peel the jicama. Cut the jicama into a fine julienne cut measuring 1/8” by 1/8” by 2 inches. Place into a clean bowl.

Peel the red onions and trim out the root ball. Cut the onion into similar 1/8” by 1/8” strips. Add the onion to the Jicama.

Using a sharp paring knife, peel the oranges very carefully. Remove the segments (supremés) without any seeds or membranes. Add to the cut salad.

Toss the cut vegetables with enough poppy seed dressing to lightly coat. Let seasoning penetrate for at least 15 minutes. Serve cold!

Congratulations, Graduates!

Congratulations to the Winter 2011 graduates of the CKCA Culinary Arts Professional Program. May you go from strength to strength!


Below is the spring schedule!


PROFESSIONAL TRAINING Program in Culinary Arts
DAY HOURS, SPRING
May 2 - June 30, 2011
Monday - Thursday
9 am - 1 pm
NO CLASS SHAVUOT, JUNE 8, 9
THERE WILL BE CLASS ON THE FOLLOWING 4 FRIDAYS MAY 6, 13, 20, 27


PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM IN BAKING & PASTRY ARTS
DAY, SPRING
MAY 2 - JULY 1, 2011
Monday - Thursday
2 pm - 6 pm
NO CLASS SHAVUOT JUNE 7, 8, 9
THERE WILL BE CLASS ON THE FOLLOWING FRIDAYS FROM 9 AM - 1 PM, June 3, 10, 17, 24, July 1

For more information, contact CKCA at 718-758-1339. You can also download an application at http://www.kosherculinaryarts.com.

Cooking Up a Storm at CKCA Alumni Competition

Jasmine Einalhori and Lauren Maddahi

Gitty Lowinger and Hillel Kober

David Shatzkamer and Dena Borsand

(below) Esther Mendelevich and Liz Kratz
















Wildly different interpretations of Jerusalem artichoke, basmati rice and a whole chicken were the order of the day at CKCA's first alumni competition event, held last Saturday night. The three items were part of the Iron Chef-style "market basket" challenge, which was to cook a full meal using the protein and the two additional secret ingredients.

Competing were two-person teams Gitty Lowinger and Hillel Kober, Liz Kratz and Esther Mendelevich, Dena Borsand and David Shatzkammer, and Lauren Maddahi and Jasmine Einalhori.

Chef Avram Wiseman and CKCA Director Jesse Blonder served as judges for the event. Chef Avram said his personal highlights of the event were a salad made by the winning team of Lauren and Jaz, of raw Jerusalem artichokes marinated with red onion, citrus and spices, and a basmati rice ball ("genius") made by Esther and Liz. Chef Avram also applauded the creative plating of Shatzi and Dena's team as well as Hillel and Gitty's inspired use of roasted red pepper to add color to their dish. Jesse particularly enjoyed the pesto made by Shatzi and Dena and Esther's hoisin-glazed chicken.

In the end, Lauren and Jaz were crowned the winners, and they won $150 to put toward CKCA recreational or master classes. A great time was had by all. Everyone, by the end of the night, was ready to schedule a rematch!

Upcoming Master Classes!

Did you ever want to completely master pickling, sausage making, french pastry or petit fours. Is it your life goal to open a restaurant focusing on Sephardic cuisine? Then these special one-week master classes at the end of March are for you!

Master Class in Garde Manger
March 21-24th, 9am to 1pm
Click here for more info!

Master Class in Miniature Decorative Pastries
March 21-24th, 2pm to 6pm
Click here to learn more!

Master Class in Sephardic Cuisine
March 28-April 1st, 9am to 1pm
Click here to learn more!

Master Class in French Pastry
March 28-April 1st, 2pm to 6pm
Click here to learn more!

Master Class in Sephardic Cuisine

Explore the rich and varied food heritage of the Jews from the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia in this truly unique class. Standing in sharp contrast to the meat and potatoes tradition of the Ashkenazic Jewish communities, Sephardi cuisine reflects the fertility and warmth of these regions and is often characterized by the use of fragrant herbs and spices, fresh and dried fruits and nuts, ground meat, rice, lentils, ...chickpeas and other interesting grains.

Over the course of 5 days, CKCA Dean of Students Chef Avram Wiseman will explore the traditions and tastes of the Jewish people from several countries including Syria, Morocco, Persia/Iran, Yemen, and more. Chef Wiseman has been a professional chef for over thirty years during which time he has cooked in many of the traditional Sephardic communities around New York. We're looking forward to having him as our tour guide for this exploration of the flavors and fragrances of one of the richest culinary traditions in the world.

$600 -- CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339
March 28-April 4th, 9am to 1pm

Master Class in Garde Manger (Smoking, Curing, Sausage Making and more)

Smoked salmon & whitefish, pastrami & corned beef, sausage, pickles...

What do these items have in common (besides from being foods that we love to eat)? All of them are made using techniques of preservation that go back centuries but that unfortunately very few of us are familiar with today.

However, the last few years have seen an incredible resurgence of interest in the art and science of these special techniques. People are brining their own pickles, curing their own meats, stuffing their own sausages, and making all kinds of garnishes and condiments from scratch to accompany them. And it's not only well-trained chefs in fancy restaurants. Many people are doing it themselves, from the home kitchen.

Our goal of this intensive workshop is to teach the career cook or culinary enthusiast how to use the classic preservation techniques of the professional kitchen to create outstanding, contemporary items that will impress even the most discerning guests. Chef Avram Wiseman, Dean of Students at CKCA, will teach the class to cure, smoke, grind, and brine different types of fish, vegetables and meats in order to craft a variety of high quality, hand made items.

The menu for the week will include a variety of different fresh sausages, house-made pastrami, house-made salmon gravlox, a selection of terrines, galantines, and pates, house made pickles, and more.

On the 5th and final day of the course, students will invite guests to attend a graduation banquet featuring the fruits of their labors. Those who successfully finish the course will receive a Certificate of Completion from CKCA.

$600 -- CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339
March 21-24, 9am to 1pm

CKCA and Emunah Presents Cooking Class for Men

Emunah and CKCA have teamed up to do a series of cooking demonstrations for men, with Chef Avram Wiseman teaching how to prepare a special beef dish from beginning to end. The proceeds earned from the event will go to support the children and programs of Emunah, and men who take the course will learn valuable kitchen skills for the future as well as an easy way to prepare an entire meal.

In February, the demonstration was given in Teaneck, and it will be given at CKCA on March 27th. The event will also be given in the Five Towns then moving on to other cities across the United States.


Cooking Class for Men: Preparing a Special Beef Dinner
Sunday, March 27th, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Center for Kosher Culinary Arts (1407 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn)
Cost: $75 per person, $180 to sponsor event
Proceeds to support the children and programs of Emunah.
To sign up, please contact Matthew Herenstein at 201-317-2000 or by emailing emunahmenscookingevent@gmail.com.

Chef Avram Makes the New York Post and the Jewish Week!

We all love Chef Avram Wiseman, and the New York Post does too! Check out this awesome article from last week's paper! Chef Avram's so famous now!

We also love the coverage in the New York Jewish Week!

ServSafe Food Safety Certification Workshop

Open new professional doors by learning how to manage a commercial kitchen in accordance with the National Restaurant Association's Servsafe -- A nationally recognized and accredited food safety manager certification.

The class will also include a review for the NYC Department of Health Food Protection Certification. Both certifications are a valuable resume-builder as restaurants must have at least one ServSafe-certified employee.

Wednesday to Friday, March 16th-18th, 9am-1pm

All coursework will be completed on days 1 and 2. A brief review followed by the ServSafe exam will be given on day 3.

The cost of class includes all materials and the Servsafe training manual.

**The ServSafe certification is no longer offered as part of the CKCA Pro Culinary Arts program, but the workshop is offered free of charge to current students who wish to earn it.

$175 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

Next Great Kosher Chef's Mustard Grilled Chicken with Mango Mint Salsa

Coordinated with the release of the trailer of The Next Great Kosher Chef, we are happy to share a recipe from the winner of the contest, Next Great Kosher Chef Jasmine Einalhori. She is now known all over the internet as a "Jewess with Attitude!"

By winning the contest Jasmine secured herself a spot in the Professional Culinary Arts Program at Center for Kosher Culinary Arts. She is currently a student here. Learn more about the program by visiting us here.




Mustard Grilled Chicken

4 large chicken breasts, scalloped or butterflied
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup dry sherry wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, pressed
Olive oil
1 Tablespoon of dried thyme (oregano, basil, or dill can also be used)
Ground peppercorns and salt, to taste

Drizzle olive oil on chicken to lightly coat. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and marinate the chicken for one hour to overnight. The longer the chicken marinates, the better results you will get, though it can be grilled immediately. Use a grill pan or bbq and grill the chicken on a high heat. For a nice grill-marked chicken breast lay your chicken breasts on the grill and then after about 2 minutes without flipping the breast turn the chicken 90 degrees to the right for the classic cross-hatch look. Top with mango mint salsa and serve hot.

Mango Mint Salsa

2 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and diced
¼ cup chopped(1/4 inch) red onion
1 cup red, orange, and yellow baby peppers (regular bell peppers are also ok)
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
2 teaspoon finely minced jalapeño pepper, seeds removed (for spicier salsa leave seeds)
1 ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ¼ teaspoon cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Over your stove top or oven, roast the whole peppers, just enough to give it a grilled marks and a slight roasted flavor. Set aside to cool, then chop and add them to all the other ingredients.

Serve salsa either with the chicken or as a side dish with a nice bowl of tortilla chips.

Chicken Alla Olive

Ingredients:

1 medium size chicken

1 large blond onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp. fennel seeds and/or fennel herb

1/2 lemon grated and/or pieces of the rind

2 tbsp. fresh Mediterranean herbs (sprigs of rosemary, leaves of sage, thyme, marjoram)

1/2 cup dry white wine vinegar

1/2 cup green olives pitted and crushed

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper


Heat the oil in the pan, add the onion and gently cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile wash and clean the chicken and then cut into quarters, then into eighths without breaking the bones.

Add the garlic and fennel seeds to the soffritto. Add the chicken and sear it. Pour the vinegar. Add the herbs and the rind of the lemon. Allow the flavors to seep constantly stirring. Add the pepper. Add the olives then cook, covered, on low heat for about 40 minutes. When it is ready, let it rest for a few minutes and then serve. Serves 4.

The Next Great Kosher Chef Movie Trailer

Here's the long-awaited trailer for upcoming film The Next Great Kosher Chef! This is the televised version of the contest that was written up in The New York Times, The Forward, The New York Jewish Week, The Jewish Press and elsewhere!



The Next Great Kosher Chef, coming soon! Are you ready??!

CKCA Pro Program Alumni Competition!

Calling all CKCA pro class alumni -- Now's your chance to show us how far your skills have come! Alumni competition night will pit six teams of two alumni each against each other in an "Iron Chef" style market basket challenge. You and your alumni teammate will have one hour to cook an entree and two sides from a basket of surprise ingredients. Judges Chef Avram Wiseman and school director Jesse Blonder will score each team on taste, presentation, creativity and most important, teamwork!

Which team will win? The Class of Spring '09? Summer '10? Winter '11? We'll find out soon enough. The winning team will receive $150 towards classes at CKCA and the title of Reigning Alumni Champs!

The event will be Motzei Shabbos, March 12th, from 8:30pm to 10:30pm. The cost to participate is $140 per team.

For more info, visit the event here.


Call Jesse at 718-758-1339 to register your two-person team in the competition!

Ok, You Asked For It: More Culinary Date Nights!

Due to the runaway success and our community's increasing demands for Culinary Date Nights, we've scheduled several more evenings for this sell-out class for the months ahead. We're glad to be able to provide such enjoyable classes to all our CKCA couples!

Call early to secure your reservation, at 718-758-1339. The cost is $140 per couple.

Upcoming Culinary Date Night Events:

January 29th
February 12th and 26th
March 5th and 12th

Culinary Date Night includes a short class followed by each couple working together to create a delicious four course, upscale dinner. Special attention will be paid to teaching how to plate and present each course so that the foods appeal to the eye as well as to the palate. The evening will finish with a white tablecloth dining experience complete with wine, flowers, candles and all the other trimmings of a meal to remember.

Hungarian Cabbage and Apple Soup

For these cold winter evenings, our own Chef Avram Wiseman once again shares one of his comfort classics, a sweet and spicy cabbage and apple soup that is sure to warm you down to your toes.

Ingredients:

3 oz. Clarified margarine
1 medium head Cabbage, finely shredded
1 large Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Apples peeled cored, grated
10 cups Chicken stock
6 cloves Garlic, minced
3 tbsp. Brown sugar
1 cup Fine noodles, cooked
1/2 tsp. Caraway seed
1-2 tbsp. Hungarian sweet paprika
1 tbsp. White vinegar
1/4 tsp. Sour salt
Salt and pepper to taste
sour cream or pareve sour cream for garnish

Procedure:

In a large heavy bottomed sauce pot melt the margarine. Add the cabbage, onions and grated apple and cook for 10 minutes, mixing frequently .Add the garlic, sugar, caraway and paprika and continue to cook. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Season with salt and white pepper. Add vinegar and sour salt. Add the cooked noodles. Boil and serve very hot. May be garnished with a dollop of sour cream.

Wonderful Article About the Next Great Kosher Chef by Jewish Week's Amy Spiro

Amy Spiro, a former intern and occasional writer for the NY Jewish Week and also an expert baker in her own right (she blogs over at Baking and Mistaking, one of our favorite blogs!) covered CKCA's Next Great Kosher Chef All-Kosher Culinary Competition that took place in Long Island City this past Sunday.

Amy's article really provides an amazing play-by-play of the events that took place, so we are happy to pass it along to you here. The article is called "Out of the Kosher Frying Pan, Into the Fire." And congrats again to all the participants! Happy reading!

Congrats to our Next Great Kosher Chef Winner and Participants!!

We wish a hearty congratulations and Yasher Koach to all the participants today's NEXT GREAT KOSHER CHEF competition at the Entrepreneur Space in Long Island City. Thank you for everyone's support of CKCA! Special congrats to our NEXT GREAT KOSHER CHEF JASMINE EINALHORI!

We will report on the event as soon as we have all the details, but for now, we invite you to enjoy our coverage in today's NEW YORK TIMES! Click here for the article!

Korean Short Ribs

Here is another delicious appetizer from Chef Avram Wiseman. Bulgalbi, or Korean barbequed short ribs, are easily made by roasting in the oven, even in the dead of winter. These flavorful savory ribs are a sure winner and perfect for eating both winter and summer.


Ingredients:

4 Lbs. beef short ribs
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup water
4 Tablespoons finely chopped scallion
2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger root
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ tablespoon garlic chili paste
2 tablespoons toasted, crushed sesame seeds


Procedure:

Cut the beef short ribs into 1 ½ inch cubes. Wash and drain well. Pat dry. Score the beef along the bottom of the bone as to allow marinade to penetrate.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and allow to marinade at least 4 hours.

Oven roast the Bulgalbi in a moderate oven 325* for 1 and ½ hours. Turn the ribs frequently. Then, pour the remaining marinade over the ribs and continue roasting another 20 minutes.

Place on serving platter and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving. Yields 8 to 10 appetizer portions.

Sweet Potato and Leek Latkes

During this year's Festival of Lights, we invite you to try CKCA Culinary Arts Alum (Spring '09) Liz Kratz's recipe for Sweet Potato and Leek Latkes. This savory pancake is fantastically delicious and is sure to brighten up your Chanukah table this year and every year to follow. Sweet potatoes are a nice departure from regular white potatoes, so after you have made classic latkes for a few nights, you might enjoy this gourmet twist on a well-loved favorite.

Ingredients:

6-7 large sweet potatoes, peeled and grated, or chopped fine in food processor
6 leeks, white and very light green parts only, washed carefully and chopped fine in food processor
3 eggs
1 and 1/2 to 2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste, 2 tsp makes a very savory latke)
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
vegetable oil for frying (I recommend Mazola Corn Plus!)

Preparation:

Let grated or chopped sweet potatoes drain in a colander or squeeze dry with a clean towel. Combine with other ingredients. If mixture is too moist, add slightly more flour. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a wide bottomed pan until very hot, and fry latkes approximately 3 minutes on each side until brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a 300 degree oven to keep warm until ready to serve. It's best not to keep latkes in oven longer than half an hour, otherwise they will get soggy. To make in advance, cool latkes immediately after frying and then heat in oven a half hour prior to service.

Serve latkes hot, with applesauce, smoked salmon or sour cream. Yields 12 large or 24 small latkes.