Private summer cooking classes, part 1

A couple of weeks ago, I taught my first private cooking class. The hostess Monica had a fabulous kitchen and the 4 hours flew by, culminating in a delicious lunch. The menu included stuffed fresh grape leaves, made from Syrah grape leaves growing in my back yard. My special ingredient was a couple of salt preserved lemons added to the golden raisins, fresh mint and pine nuts. I demonstrated roasting a whole chicken in a terra cotta clay pot, and used the preserved lemons, chopped home grown fresh parsley and garlic, slipped under the skin. The 'students' made a fresh slaw with the last of the purple cabbage, fresh pineapple, orange bell pepper and celery. The simplest of dressing was balsamic syrup, and fresh ground pepper and salt. They grated several varieties of squash, we squeezed the water out and then stir fried in local olive oil, garlic and chopped fresh basil and thyme. We used the Donvier hand crank ice cream maker to freeze a delicious lemon buttermilk ice cream, served over Alice Waters' amazing almond cake and fresh berry coulis. I hope you enjoy these recipes and maybe we can cook and learn together in a private cooking class in your home.

Roasted Chicken in Clay w/ salt preserved lemons

3-4 slices of salt preserved lemons
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1+ teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4 to 5-pound) roasting chicken

1. Chop the lemons slices. Combine lemon with all other ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

2. Immerse the top and bottom of a 2-quart clay cooking pot in water for 15-20 minutes. Empty pot, and drain well.

3. Remove and discard the giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

4. Rub lemon garlic herb mixture under and over the loosened skin. Tie ends of legs together with cord.

5. Place chicken, breast side up, in bottom of clay pot, and cover with top of clay pot.

6. Place clay pot in cold oven, and set to 450°.

7. Bake chicken for 20 minutes breast side up. Turn and cook breast side down for 20 minutes. Turn once more to breast side up and remove top. Leave the cover off and cook uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. The chicken is done when a meat thermometer registers 180°.

9. Carefully remove clay pot from oven. Remove chicken from clay pot. Cover chicken loosely with foil; let stand for 10 minutes. Discard skin.