Cooking with George

It's really great to reconnect with a friend you haven't seen in forever. I'm very fortunate to have friends that share a lot of my interests, especially food and drink. It's been a long time since I've seen my friend Vivian. We met at church a good ten or more years ago and stayed in touch all these years through the wonders of social media. We've had kids grow up, lives take very unexpected and shocking turns, and the miracle of grandbabies, and here we are- two girls on the town with something really fun planned!

Vivian, Chef George, and me

I absolutely love taking cooking classes. Even if it's something I already make, I love it. Love meeting people, learning new techniques, seeing the food from a different chef's perspective and tasting new dishes. I was browsing the internet a couple weeks ago, visiting some of the many pages I follow all the time and read that my favorite new Latin restaurant, Malo (you've seen us visit Malo before and after opening), is hosting a series of demonstrations/classes called Cooking With George. 

George Formaro is the executive chef and restaurateur who owns this fantastic new restaurant and the menu sounds absolutely fantastic. I was fortunate enough to watch George do a demonstration at The World Food Festival a couple years ago and really enjoyed his presentation. He prepared barbecoa and HINTED at a new restaurant in the works with a Latin twist. 

So the series- four different menus on four different days; a four course dinner with wine pairings and George's expert tips and techniques. What were the options?

January 10- Mexican Bistro- Crab cake with chile and cilantro slaw; mixed greens with agave jalapeno vinaigrette with diced apple, crispy bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds and queso fresco; street style roasted chicken with tomatillo salsa, bacon, and corn relish and the Chef's Choice for dessert.

February 13- George's Latin Flavors- Chipotle shrimp with garlic sauce and mushrooms; mixed greens with cilantro lime dressing, corn relish, queso frescoand tortilla strips; short rib birria with salsa borracha, hominy, crispy prosciutto and spinach; and Chef's Choice dessert.

March 17- Modern Mexican- Lobster and Brie quesadilla with corn salsa; mixed greens with pumpkin seed crusted goat cheese, radish, onion, cucumber, honey, tomatillo and jalapeno vinaigrette; chile-rubbed ribeye steak with mashed potatoes, demi glace and smokey green beans and Chef's Choice dessert.

April 10- Old School Classics- Modern Manchego cheese dip "fondue" with Pacifico beer, chorizo, corn and green chiles; Mexican street snack with cucumber, mango, pineapple, papaya, jicama, chile and lime; Pork carnitas with salsa verde, cheddar grits and chioptle onion demi glace and Chef's Choice dessert.

Amazing, right? I want to go to them ALL really........but so far I have had to pick just one. So January 10 is my day. I'm super excited to see George's take on crab cakes, one of my very favorite foods, and I'm already hungry for dessert! 

The setup was great- a private room gave the group a lot of privacy and space and George had the perfect demonstration set up- even included an overhead camera with a television monitor so we could see the action in the pan or bowl. To kick off our evening of food and fun- a round of Malo house margaritas. Without a doubt, one of the best margaritas I have ever had. The recipe is a secret and I can understand why. This cocktail was just fantastic, made in a shaker and strained into a salt-rimmed glass, not on the rocks or blended. 

Chef George started off preparing the appetizer- Crab cake with chili and cilantro slaw. The slaw was the perfect blend of creamy, crunchy and a teeny bit of heat. He held back the heat a bit to make it more friendly for everyone in the group and I would use just a touch more chipotle and jalapeno. I'll definitely be making this slaw. George said it was a great topping for fish tacos, and I agree! The crab cake was plump with sweet crab and crunchy on the outside, flavorful and just perfect. 

The crab cake and salad course were accompanied by one of the best white wines I have ever tasted- a 2012 Txomin Etxaniz Getaria. I have never tasted this wine before but it was perfect. Very herby, citrusy and definitely acidic enough to easily sit next to a crab cake and light enough to stand next to the salad plate. I'll be hunting far and wide for this wine.

You don't normally think of salad when you go out for Latin food but George tossed simple salad greens with some inventive toppings and a fantastic dressing to make mixed greens with agave jalapeno vinaigrette with diced apple, crispy bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds and queso fresco. He made the dressing using an immersion blender and created this fantastic, thick and creamy dressing with citrus, cilantro, chilies. Delicious! 

For the entree George talked about brining and what kind of results you can get from this simple step or prep that a lot of people wouldn't think of. George prepared street style roasted chicken with tomatillo salsa, bacon, and corn relish. The skin-on boneless chicken got a nice bath in brine, then crisped in a hot skillet and finished in the oven. A quick fresh corn salsa and a bright and herby roasted tomatillo salsa finished the chicken perfectly, and made a fantastic sauce for the crushed and fried potatoes.

I was surprised to hear that George recommends cooking chicken, especially dark meat, to 200 degrees. I always thought that would be overcooked and dry but the brining helps prevent that. This chicken was so delicious and the skin- yes, I know it's not healthy but it is soooo delicious!

To pair with the chicken, we had a 2012 Tres Exilos Bonarda from Argentina. On the nose it was all grape, jammy and fruity. To taste, it was just slightly dry, very smooth and reminded me of grenache, one of my favorite red grapes. This wine would also be a perfect sangria wine.

Speaking of sangria, might as well start off the evening with a
glass of Malo's house sangria. Fantastic!

A quick word about the potatoes- they were a surprise! Cooked baby Yukon gold potatoes got a little smash under the chef's palm and then a few minutes in the fryer to create these crispy "raggedy" potatoes with crispy skin and tons of flavor.

Dessert was "Chef's Choice" and of course, since Malo is a Latin restaurant I was hoping and hoping it would be.....and YES it was...... FLAN!! So creamy and delicious, bathed in caramel, not too rich and not too light- just the right finish, paired with a fantastic Mexican coffee- coffee, rum, Tia Maria, a fluff of whipped cream dusted with cinnamon. I'm not a big coffee fan but I chugged that coffee! I wish I had another cup right now......

We all received a copy of the recipes George prepared this evening, to take home and recreate (and you bet I will!). After dinner was finished, and questions asked and answered, George spent time with the guests, talking about all sorts of things- how he got his start, where he went to school and where he likes to eat when he is not working. He and I had our Cookbook Conversation and Vivian and I had a great time catching up and talking about life. With three more Cooking with George events and four Malo Wine Classes coming up....... I just might be very busy!

Cooking Class- and I need a secretary!

I'm a dingbat. I have been excited for weeks over tonight- a cooking class at the Vom Fass store in Des Moines. But not just any cooking class, this one is presented by my friend and fellow-foodie Wini Moranville. If you live in Des Moines you probably know Wini. For many years she was the Datebook Diner- the restaurant critic whose official photo was basically a paper plate and a hat with some eyes peering out. Very hilarious. You can tell we're talking sense of humor here. She is also a celebrated cookbook author, with the publication of Chez Bonne Femme in 2011. She blogs and has a website, www.chezbonnefemme.com, and since she has nothing else to do (giggle giggle) she also hosts Great Food every Friday on Des Moines' only local morning show, Great Day on KCWI Channel 23. Heck I am exhausted just writing all that!

Long story short, Wini and I became friends through Facebook, as many people do these days, and shared many conversations online and in blogger groups. It wasn't until I read that she was hosting a cooking class at the local Vom Fass store that I thought we'd finally get to meet in person. I can't understand how Des Moines managed to have a Vom Fass store for over a YEAR and I didn't know? I've been driving to Minneapolis for this!! However..... I heard about it too late. Class is full. Darn. One day I get an email from her asking if I'd like to come as her guest- with all the happy dancing and jumping around singing and having my own little happy party, brain dead ME forgot to verify THE TIME. Had the date alright, but my mind was fixed on 7 pm. You know where I'm going, right? It was not 7 pm. It was 5:30. Ugh. STUPID ME !!!! Not all is lost. I've made it in time for the dessert course, pictures of the group and a little chat time with Wini and the other folks from the class.

I learned several lessons this evening. 1- Wini is awesome! She is very kind, personable and very caring about people. 2- Always double check and then extra-verify date and time. 3- Summer Stone Fruit Clafouti is DIVINE, especially with boozy whipped cream. 4- Cerises Rouge Brandy packs quite a warming punch!  

So what did I miss? The first three courses!!!!  Bummer! Wini started off with her recipe, Caprice Salad, using heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and Vom Fass' Cru Cravenco Olive Oil and Champagne White Wine Vinegar.  (No.......I'm not giving out the recipes- you need to BUY THE BOOK) I'm sure it was absolutely amazing, as it's prime time in Iowa for amazing heirloom tomatoes, and that incredible olive oil - just yum.

The second course was Silky and Light Potato Soup. I'm especially saddened at missing this one. I have a newfound love for soups, especially potato, and with leeks and heavy cream and fresh herbs... let's just say tears are forming because I missed out. Thank goodness I have the cookbook! The next course was a fresh and light pasta dish- Market Day Tagliatelle with Goat Cheese. Pasta with goat cheese. More fresh herbs. And goat cheese. Dry white wine. And goat cheese. You might think I like goat cheese or something. 

I WAS able to try the dessert course, and so so so glad I was. Wini's Summer Stone Fruit Clafouti with a boozy whipped cream was just so decadent. So perfect, yet eggy and light. Big slices of fresh juicy peach and halves of sweet dark red cherries, oh my gosh......just........oh my gosh!!!  I also got to sample Vom Fass' Cerises Rouge brandy. Wow. I'm cheating a little, reading from their brochure: made from French Guigne cherries with a touch of sugar to emphasize the intense cherry notes. Intense is spot on. It really warms the mouth and I can only imagine that with a piece of dark bittersweet chocolate, sitting on my comfy couch with a blanket, a pile of animals on my lap, sipping while the snow blows outside. Even without the brandy, I am definitely making this clafouti this weekend.

As the class came to an end and we finally got a chance to chat, "talking shop" so to speaking- blogging, using Facebook efficiently, the Datebook Diner days. Wini signed my book and I came home to sit down for a good long read. You can count on some French cooking going on here. I'll share lots and lots of pictures, but if you want the recipes, please get a copy of her cookbook. You won't regret it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."