OUR FIRST COOKERY COURSE WITH ONE OF ITALY'S TOP TUTORS WAS TOTALLY DELICIOUS!

Mid-March 2011 at Los Piedaos. The kitchen was a hive of frantic activity as Mediterranean cookery course got under way. Under the firm but fair guidance of the charming Carmelita Caruana (who runs Cook Italy "one of the six best cookery schools in Italy" according to Jill Dupleix in The London Times) the three days were filled with fun and the satisfaction of turning out (and eating) some fantastic food!
DAY 1 WAS ABOUT MOROCCAN COOKING

Day 1 was was given over to the cuisine of Morocco and the menu went like this:
Salad Platter: Carrot Salad with Orange Zest and Cumin + White Radish and Orange Salad + Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Olives
***
Essaouira Chicken Tajine: The special feature of this braised chicken tajine was a topping of baked egg with fresh coriander.
***
Fruit Platter: Cinnamon and Orange Flower Scented Oranges with Borage Blossoms
***
Rose Scented Pistachio stuffed Dates
***
Moroccan Mint Tea and kaak (Moroccan spiced cookies)
Here are some images of the group preparing that remarkable Moroccan feast and some of the dishes:

DAY 2 FEATURED CATALAN COOKING

This was the Catalan menu:
Entrantes: Xatò - Winter Salad of Salt Fish, Escarole and Olive & Squid with Artichokes
***
Primer Plat: Spinach a la Catalana - with toasted pine nuts and currants
***
Plat Principal Mar Y Muntanya: Meatball and Cuttlefish stew with peas enriched with toasted saffron and almonds, and finished with parsley and garlic.
***
Postres: Mel i Matò - An unsalted goat's cheese drizzled with honey & Postre de Mùsic Dried fruit and nuts accompanied by a glass of Moscatel
Here are some images from the Catalan session:

FINAL DAY: BOLOGNESE COOKING
Here's the Italian menu which, of course, was from Carmelita's home base of Bologna:
Antipasto: Sformati di Carciofi - fluffy baked artichoke mousse with Parmiggiano cheese and cream
***
Primo: Garganelli, Speck & Asparagi - handmade soft wheat egg pasta quills from Bologna with smoked bacon from the Alto Adige and fresh asparagus
***
Secondo: Polpettone alla Bolognese con Cipolle su Purea di Patate - lemon zest and cinnamon scented pork meatloaf on a bed of caramelized onions with potato puree and tomato sauce
***
Dessert: La Panna Cotta con La Amarene Fabbi - Pana Cotta with wild cherries in syrup from Bologna.
Here are some images from that memorable session:

STAY TUNED FOR MORE COOKERY COURSES AT LOS PIEDAOS