Pan Seared Sole with Potato Scales and more...

A few weeks ago I learned that my apartment complex holds cooking classes once a month for its residents. There is a nice big gourmet kitchen in the clubhouse for just this occasion.

I'll admit it, the reason I signed up for the cooking class this month was because the chef was making crispy tempura squash blossoms stuffed with herbed goat cheese. However, as I suspected, the squash blossoms weren't available in the markets (both grocery and farm) so he made a Fried Chevre with Arugula and Pea Shoot Salad instead. While I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to try squash blossoms for the first time, the fried chevre was very satisfying. The recipe is very easy. Just cut up a log of good quality goat cheese into small logs. Coat with a few herbs, flour, egg, and dried breadcrumbs. Then chill in the fridge for at least a half hour. Then fry them up until golden brown. Place on top of a salad made with arugula, pea shoots, a few cherry tomatoes, and drizzle with a scallion dressing (made with sour cream).


For the main dish our chef, Michael Hampton (from BigCityChefs), whipped up a pan seared sole with potato scales and a quick lemon-parsley sauce. The "scaly" sole is quite simple. Slice a russet potato on your nifty mandoline (I like my Kyocera slicer for anything super thin) and place on the filet of sole so that it looks a bit like fish scales. Place in the fridge for a few hours and you're ready to fry. This dish has inspired me to make a similar dish later this week or whenever I feel better. (Stay Tuned.)

The reason I went to the class today despite my nausea was that for dessert our chef was making a Ginger Peach Cobbler. Anything ginger is #1 in my book right now (to help with the nausea).

GINGER PEACH COBBLER
Presented by Chef Michael Hampton of BigCityChefs

makes 8-10 servings

8 Peaches, peeled and sliced
3 T. grated ginger
3/4 cup sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. kosher salt
3/4 c. heavy cream (or water, if you're lactose intolerant like me)
2 sticks of cold butter

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (He set the oven to 350 tonight and it turned out fine.)

2.) In a large bowl, add the peaches, ginger, 1/4 c. sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon and mix together.

3.) For the dough: Into a bowl sift together the flour, 1/2 c. sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut 12 T. into small pieces. Add it to the flour mixture and cut it with a pastry cutter or crumble with your hands until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Pour in the cream or water and mix just until the dough comes together. Don't overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

4.) In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 4 T. of butter. Add the peaches and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the warm peaches. There can be gaps, the dough will puff up and spread out as it bakes. Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with some sugar; put it into the oven on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling.