Culinary Boot Camp Starts July 7th!

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!

5 Thursday nights, July 7, 14, 21, 28, Aug 4, 7:30 – 10:30 pm

$375 -- CALL TO REGISTER -- 718.758.1339

Banquet Starter: Green Gazpacho

Chef Avram Wiseman shares a fancy and delicious appetizer for the upcoming banquet to celebrate the latest graduates of CKCA's Professional Culinary Arts program, which by the way, you can attend (learn how here). The students make all the food for the banquet, and now you can make one of the dishes -- Green gazpacho -- a cool and refreshing fresh vegetable starter.

Ingredients:

Bibb lettuce leaves, chopped 2 cups (4 oz)
Fresh spinach 2 cups (4 oz)
3 scallions, diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz) pareve (tofu-based) sour cream, plus extra to garnish (or if using vegetable stock, feel free to use regular sour cream)
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz) mayonnaise
2 cups (16 fl. oz) chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Preparation:

In a blender, combine the lettuce, spinach, scallions, cucumber, and parsley until the mixture forms a pureé. Gradually add in the chicken broth, sour cream, mayonnaise, mint, white pepper, and salt. Pureé the mixture until it reaches an even consistency. Refrigerate the soup until you are ready to serve.
Serve the soup chilled in individual bowls, with a spoonful of sour cream over each serving, if desired.

Join Us for CKCA Culinary Arts Open House/Graduation Banquets!

On the last days of each CKCA Professional class, we invite future prospective students and parents to join us to celebrate the graduation of our students, and we invite everyone to share in the delicious food created for the event.

The next such event for the Culinary Arts Program is June 30th at 12 noon. You will have the opportunity to meet your chef instructor, and ask questions to him as well as to the graduating students and the school director. A wonderful time is always had by all, but you must RSVP to attend.

To attend, please call 718-758-1339, and speak to CKCA director Jesse Blonder. You may also email him at info@kosherculinaryarts.com.

Chef Avram's Whole Grain Veggie Burgers!

Fighting the bulge battle or just looking for some light summertime meals? You are sure to enjoy Chef Avram's fancy and fresh whole grain veggie burger, which is made of all sorts of healthy things (not that you would know it)! Enjoy!

1 cup barley, boiled and drained
1 cup chickpeas cooked, slightly
1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal, raw
1/8 tsp Salt
1 tsp Paprika
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1/4 tsp Black pepper, ground
4 oz. Celery, minced
5 oz. Onions, minced
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
3 oz. Canola oil
2 tbsp Flour
1 Eggs, whole
6 Hamburger buns
6 oz. Mayonnaise
4 oz. Sun Dried Tomatoes
3 cups Bean sprouts, fresh
other toppings (cheese, tomato, etc) to taste

Procedure:

Puree the sun-dried tomatoes with the mayonnaise and season well with salt and pepper. Reserve and refrigerate.

Heat a medium sized sauté pan and add the canola oil. Sauté the onion, garlic and celery briefly until wilted (about 5 minutes). Reserve.

Combine the barley, chick peas, oatmeal, salt, paprika, pepper and soy sauce in a large mixing bowl. Add the sautéed minced vegetables, egg and flour and mix well. Season to taste.

Form the mixture into six burgers. Use oil or margarine to pan fry the burgers in a hot pan for about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Keep in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve. Serve on a toasted burger bun with sundried tomato mayonnaise and top with sprouts.

A Special Evening: Steak Night at CKCA

The Brooklyn Paper says this class means that "Now Kosher eaters can get in on the snout-to-tail movement." Read the full article here. We don't know much about snouts, but we do know that butchering down a primal cut of beef to its individual parts and then cooking them expertly, makes for a great class.

Thursday, June 23, 6:30 - 10:30 pm

Chef Avram Wiseman teaches the secrets to a truly great, gourmet 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!

Thursday, June 23, 6:30 - 10:30 pm
$75 -- CALL TO REGISTER -- 718.758.1339

Summer BBQ Class August 16th!

Don't miss 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.

August 16th, 7:30pm-10:30pm
$75 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

Avram's Famous Barbeque Sauce

Lots of people have spent time after their graduation from Chef Avram Wiseman's Pro Culinary Arts Class going through their notes, trying to find the recipe he wrote on the board for his special barbeque sauce.

Yes, it is that good! And until now, you couldn't find it in a book or written down anywhere. Now, Chef Avram is providing it to us in honor of our sold out Father's Day Barbeque class, June 19th! . But never fear, we have another Summer BBQ recreational class scheduled for August 16th (7:30-10:30pm)! Click here for details or call(718)758-1339 to reserve your spot now!

Ingredients:

8 oz. onion, small dice
4 oz. garlic, finely chopped
1 Serrano Pepper, finely diced
3 oz. vegetable oil
3 oz. red wine vinegar
3 oz. white vinegar
4 oz. molasses
3 oz. brown sugar
4 oz. honey
8 oz. veal stock
4 oz. Dijon mustard
10 oz. ketchup
6 oz. tomato paste
1 oz. dry mustard powder
2 oz. Worcestershire (or, if sauce is to be used on meat, low sodium soy sauce)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoke flavor
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Procedure:

Sweat the onions, Serrano Pepper and garlic in the oil until tender. Do not color the vegetables.

Add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to a low simmer. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Yields one and a half quarts.

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!