What better way to start the Love Month but to get ourselves busy doing what the hubs and I love doing — eat! While that does not sound out of the ordinary, let alone ultra romantic, the actual prelude was learning how to cook together! With no less than Chef Martin Algarra of Chateau 1771, at that! That’s what we exactly did on the first day of February as we attended The Maya Kitchen’s Just You & Me Couples Cooking Class.
The menu that we were told to learn and to later cook ourselves kinda intimidated me all with their French tongue-curling names. Haha! It was a good thing that Chef Martin made them easier to pronounce as he told us how to exactly say the words and how he made those complicated recipes seemingly easier still to prepare.
Vichysoisse (Leek cream soup)
——
Hand-made Parmaggiano Reggian Ravioli,
Napolitaine sauce, grilled vegetables
——
Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass
Balsamic reduction
Provencal tomato, chorizo and lentils, squash puree
And
Seared U.S. beef tenderloin
French beans, mushroom Marsala sauce
——
Strawberries mille feuille
As Chef Martin jumpstarted the cooking demo, all couples were served with a plate of lavash crackers with chicken liver pâte. It was so good I had to ask where we could buy it! We were told that this isn’t available yet and we are actually guinea pigs of this product! Boy will I be an ever willing guinea pig if first dibs are always this good! The pâte was heavenly! I can totally do away with foie gras if chicken liver pâte can actually be this good. Like seriously! 🙂
With our aprons, chef toques and name tags, we are ready to rock the kitchen! 🙂
Chef Martin trying to convince us that what we are about to do is actually not as nerve wracking as they sound. He really was the man! He made it all seem so easy!
Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass
Balsamic reduction
Provencal tomato, chorizo and lentils, Seared U.S. beef tenderloin, French beans, mushroom Marsala sauce
Boy, was I ready to call it a day when it was our turn to do a repeat of what he did! As enticed as my olfactory senses sending those yummy messages through my brain, I was uncertain if we will be able to pull it off.
Ready to cook our Valentine meal (Almost!) That smile on my face is actually internalizing Chef Gusteau’s “Anyone Can Cook” mantra. Haha!
It was a good thing that the hubby was game as he got his hands flour “dirty” as he kneaded away the flour for the Ravioli! And we did some serious hand washing before we actually cooked, for the record. 🙂
As dear hubby was kneading away our dough for the ravioli, I took shots of the other couples cooking together at the next counter.
Gotta love seeing those accidental interlocking fingers of this couple married for 14 years. 🙂
Jim and Aibeemae, this sweet couple who are dating for 2 years are both hands on with every recipe on the menu.
I originally mimicked how Chef Martin plated his Hand-made Parmaggiano Reggian Ravioli, Napolitaine sauce, grilled vegetables but I figured, I’d make ours a little differently. 3 Raviolis for I love you! 🙂
The hubby plated our Main course plates and answered my ravioli plating with hearts on both using the balsamic reduction sauce.
Vichysoisse
Chef Martin made us our dessert – Strawberries mille feuille. It delightfully capped our Valentine meal.
Before digging in, a photo op with the celebrated Chef Martin! 🙂
These recipes will be part of Chateau 1771’s Valentine menu. Now you know where to go if you’re looking into having this 4-course upscale Valentine dinner. My husband and I loved and can’t stop talking about how good everything was. How the Sea Bass totally went well with the squash puree and the latter’s texture being perfect. Everything complimented together in our mouths. We were delighted to the brim that we were still talking about it until the next day and we were kinda really proud of ourselves that we started googling where to find a Chilean Sea Bass. Convinced as well that we have to find place that sells good U.S. beef tenderloin. 🙂
It was an intimate and lovely Couples Cooking Class we had with Chef Martin Algarra last week. There will be a repeat this coming Saturday, February 8, 2014. The class fee is only P2,500/couple and you are totally getting more than what you will pay for. I totally vouch for it.
Email contactus@themayakitchen.com or call The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290 to check if they can still accommodate you. Only 12 couples for Just You & Me Couples Cooking Class. Reserve your slot now! 🙂
