DC Cooking School: The L'Academie de Cuisine Blog

Here's one of recreational cooking school instructor Sandy Patterson's quick all-year-round recipes. It combines the freshness of oranges with the crunch of baby spinach and almonds and the smokiness of bacon. The secret to a great salad is no secret at all—the freshest ingredients and homemade dressing. It's great as a side salad, or a course by itself.

When Neal Wilson isn't teaching recreational cooking classes at L'Academie, he's a Certified Personal Chef. He's learned that what delights his discerning cientele isn't always the most complicated cuisine—fresh and flavorful, especially in the heat of summer, usually wins the day. Here's a recipe that's as fresh and flavorful as can be. Healthful, too! Pair it with a simple grilled meat or fish.

This rich dish is definitely not an every night staple. But when Chef Francois prepared it for our recreational cooking school students at one of his famous French Great Meal classes, it became a hit. Remember to add the Roquefort butter to the reduced stock in smallish increments, stirring constantly, so it emulsifies into a smooth sauce.

This recipe is so simple, it would be embarrassing, if it weren't SO refreshing. It's the sort of thing we make first in one of our summertime recreational cooking classes, so the students can enjoy it while we work on the next items. Imagine it as course #1 for a lunch or dinner al fresco. It doesn't even require cooking!

Here's a Creole classic, with robust flavor and stick-to-your-ribs attitude. We love to teach it in our Louisiana Cooking classes in our recreational cooking school, because—aside from being delicious—it's a perfect lesson in braising. One of the typical Creole touches is browning the roux, which imparts a rich, nutty flavor to the dish. 

Serves 8 

When asparagus is in season, we're always looking for new ways to enjoy it. Our recreational cooking school students love preparing this cool & velvety cream soup, because it really delivers the asparagus flavor. And it's so refreshing. Here in Maryland, adding crabmeat just seems natural.

One thing we try to impress on recreational cooking school students is that it's OK to keep it simple. And there's no simpler way to prepare fish than steaming, which really brings out the flavor of a delicate fish like cod. Pair it with a simple carrot puree and you have a very elegant—and healthful—meal.

A culinary school recipe doesn't have to be fancy or classic. It just has to be fresh and delicious. Here's an appetizer that's good on both counts. No true shrimp lover can pass it by.