Cooking Lamb with Chef Kerry Heffernan at Sur La Table

Just days before I left New York for my California vacation I was lucky enough to finally get into the brand new Sur La Table kitchen on West 57th Street. Even better than being in the kitchen was the occasion- a celebration of American Lamb with South Gate Restaurant's executive chef Kerry Heffernan. As you may remember from Lamb Jam 2011, I depend on the American Lamb Board for my constant sheep-a-licious education. Chef Kerry's class was yet another lesson for me on my way to becoming a master of lamb. My fellow classmates and I were not only fed dishes using lamb in extremely fresh ways, we also had the shepherdess, Lisa Webster, in the house to tell us more about the animal we were eating. 

Chef Kerry Heffernan

All of the lamb was provided by Lisa's farm, North Star Sheep Farm, in Windham, Maine. Chef Kerry broke down whole sides of lamb that had been harvested Thursday and delivered to Sur La Table on Monday for use in our Wednesday night class. Lisa told us the animal is never cut within forty-eight hours of being harvested. She noted that unlike beef, lamb doesn't taste better with aging. Her philosophy for those shopping at the market for lamb is that if it looks good, it is good. I learned that with lamb comes quite a bit of terroir, that is to say there are changes in the meat depending on where it is from. Lisa and her husband Phil will graze their sheep on grass and finish them on barley and oats, since these grains easily grow in Maine. Finishing on grain is what maintains the color of the meat- hence why if it looks good, it is good and was well tended. If you are completely sold on Lisa's lamb and you live in the Maine/Boston area just check out your local Whole Foods and ask for meat from North Star Sheep Farm. Lisa also welcomes visitors to the farm.

Lamb Loins

After learning about the product, it was time to get cooking. Just a note, Sur La Table classes are mostly hands-on, however because of Chef Kerry's renown the class was taught as a demonstration without class participation. I was personally happy to sit back and watch as three delicious courses were prepared and served to me while  I sat back learning new techniques and about new ingredients along the way.

Marinated Lamb Loin Chops with Grapefruit
and Rutabaga Gratin

The first dish was an adorable t-bone lamb steak (yes, lamb is cute when its alive and cute on the plate!). Chef Kerry and his crew marinated the loin chops with grapefruit zest, thyme, garlic and olive oil overnight. The t-bones were seared in a grill pan and served with a pistou of parsley, marjoram, basil, garlic, grapefruit and olive oil in a dark green swipe across the plate. A sweet, creamy stack of rutabaga gratin complimented the chew of the tender lamb pieces and everything was brightened by the verdure of the sauce. The plate was finished with a little reduced veal stock and a sauteed scallion. I'm not sure I'd ever eaten such a simply flavored and enticing piece of lamb. At Lamb Jam I enjoyed some real winners, certainly, but this was different. The marinade infused the meat with subtle flavor and there was not a hint of gaminess in the meat itself. Also, rutabagas are highly underrated. It is one of those ugly, winter vegetables that is easily over looked- but when paid a little attention is more intriguing than our well loved potato. Chef Kerry likes to serve rutabaga puree beside mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving and it is always the rutabaga his family and friends go to for seconds. It gets sweet and has a clean bite without being fibrous or grainy when cooked. Try it out- remember to cut off the (likely) waxed outer layer. 

On the Sixth day of Christmas... Six Cooking Classes

Education and hands-on learning have always been serious loves of mine. This is no different when we get in the kitchen. I remember taking a cooking class at my elementary school as an after school program. One of my best friends mom's was the teacher and I think we made little apple crumbles. Cooking classes teach us something about ourselves, help show us our abilities and give us confidence that we can then share with others. There are so many great cooking schools and instructors giving small private classes. The gift of a cooking class will be a present that will stretch far beyond Christmas day and further beyond the day of the class. A gift certificate for classes is the perfect gift for the gourmand who has everything. Here are six places/instructors I like, but look into cooking schools locally - think gourmet food shops, kitchen supply stores, and your community colleges, too.

Alejandra Ramos (New York, NY) - the author of the blog Always Order Dessert has been offering some great cooking classes over the past year. I have yet to attend one, but hope to in the New Year. She offers really fun ideas like 1960s cocktail parties, couples cooking (around Valentine's day) and "Cook Once - Feast All Week." She has a great flair and the photos after her classes always show a great time was had. She is offering gift certificates online with a special running through December 20th: NYC cooking class gift certificates.

Tante Marie's (San Francisco, CA) - I'm really not sure how I learned about Tante Marie's but I know I was attracted to the name, especially after my niece was born and I became an aunt Mary myself. I'm hoping I will have the opportunity to check out the school when I am in the Bay Area and maybe even take a 1-day class. They offer evening, one day, and even weekend long courses in addition to their professional culinary programs. Gift certificates here would be great for friends in San Fran who want to brush up on their skills or learn something new. Call to order a gift certificate: 415-788-6699.

Institute of Culinary Education (New York, NY) - In the past year I've found myself at ICE for a number of reasons. The cooking school offers the largest selection of recreational classes in NYC ranging from basic cooking to how to make macarons (with Les Petits Macarons author Kathryn Gordon), classes on food media/writing, and even wine courses and city food tours. Gift certificates here are a great idea for anyone in the NYC area (or anyone who visits regularly and finds themselves with free time) who love to cook and learn. Order your gift cards here. 

Silver Whisk (Austin, TX) - I learned about Silver Whisk thanks to a bit of a crush on Brad Sorensen, one of the contestants on the sixth season of Next Food Network Star. I haven't had the chance to visit Austin or the school yet but their classes are always appealing. They offer both hands-on and demonstration classes, perfect for suiting the needs of any food lover. Order gift certificates online here.

The Brooklyn Kitchen

The Brooklyn Kitchen (Brooklyn, NY) - Melissa Clark had her pre-release book party at The Brooklyn Kitchen at the end of September. I don't get to Brooklyn much because it is a bit of a trek, I always get lost and my little adventures are usually solo. The Brooklyn Kitchen, however, is a really excellent reason to visit. They have a stunning open kitchen perfect for demonstrations and teaching classes (and private parties, too). I plan on getting back here a few times in 2012. They offer some unique classes and have both a grocery and kitchen supply store all in the same spot- so after your "Pickling with McClure's" class you can get your pickling supplies and raw ingredients! Call 718-389-2982 to order gift certificates and also consider their Frequent Flyer program if you think your giftee would love taking multiple classes.

Sur la Table (Nationwide) - I wanted to offer an idea for a store offering cooking classes nationwide. If you have a local Sur La Table look into the classes and demos they offer. The offerings will vary store to store. Get your gift cards here. Williams-Sonoma also offers cooking classes but I called to ask if their regular store gift cards can be used for cooking classes and was told it depends on the store- so if you have a local Williams-Sonoma stop in and ask if a gift card would be good for their classes. 


These are just some cooking schools I know of and like, definitely look into local options. Some of stores listed in my Shopping resource offer classes, so check them out if they are near you. If you give the gift of cooking classes this year be sure to give the class schedule (or link to it) to your gift recipient as well to get them excited about the possibilities!