Beginners cooking classes 

We all have to begin somewhere, having the desire to learn is a great place to start.  To be able to cook is a very important life skill, very much underated in the modern world.  But here’s the thing – we all have to eat, in fact we eat several time a day and knowing what to eat to the greatest knowledge of all. 

The Cooking Academy is the home of learning to cook; we teach people to cook,  providing a range of cookery classes for beginners, cooking classes for children as well as cookery classes for adults.   We embrace the desire to cook and teach you how to enjoy food at its best. Whether you’re an accomplished cook and want to learn different skills or learn the basics right the way through … our cookery school in Hertfordshire is ideally placed broaden your confidence in the kitchen.  

Our beginners cooking classes will begin will some basic knife skills to get you working efficiently in the kitchen.  Then we will begin to show you some simple techniques to make light of sauces and the bases for many dishes.  We will show you how to cook everyday simple dishes that will help you to eat healthily yet tasty delicious food for you and your family.   Its not just survival food ….. it will inspire you to go on and make a wide range of dishes to keep your taste buds coming back for more. 

Take a look at the class information on our website http://www.thecookingacademy.co.uk/cookery-classes-for-beginners.php

If you would like to book a place please contact us on 01923 778880 or email cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk.

Cookery classes for beginners at The cooking Academy in Hertfordshire

As Autumn sets in now is the time to start the soup recipes and there is no better place to start than with this delicious Cauliflower and Cheese soup.  It is a favourite of mine and made regularly in my home, served with some delicious crusty bread.   It keeps in the frudge for up to 4 days so make a little extra for later in the week.  Alternative, get into the habit of freezing soups in portion sizes, it become quite cost effective too.

Cauliflower & Cheese Soup  

 Serves 4

 Ingredients

 1 Cauliflower – Florets separated and cut down if very large pieces

4 or 5 charlotte potatoes – peeled and cut in half

1 litre of vegetable stock

4 sticks of celery – finely diced into ½ cm cubes

5 bay leaves

25g unsalted butter

1 tsp salt or to taste

5 black peppercorns fresh or dried, add in whole

50 g cheddar cheese or Manchego cheese is delightful

Splash double cream or crème fraise 

Cooking Instructions: 

1. In a large stock pan, melt the butter then add the bay leaves, celery, and black peppercorns garlic.  Stir well and cook with the lid on for 15 minutes  on a low heat, you want to soften the vegetables without colouring.   Now add the cauliflower and potatoes, Stir in, replace the lid and continue to cook on a low heat for a further 15 minutes, stirring gently from time to time.   
2. Now add the stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, return the lid and cook for 15 minutes. 
3. Remove from the heat and liquidise the soup very gently; or if you prefer a little more texture then use a potato masher to mash the solid vegetables.   
4. Return to the heat; now add the cheese and cream and check the seasoning after the cheese has disintegrated (cheese can be salty and will therefore add its own seasoning).  Sprinkle a little cheese on top and grill for a few minutes to develop a little crust … garnish with a few strands of rocket if desired or trying to show off your culinary skills to your family and friends …..

 Serve with some fresh crusty bread  - Enjoy

 Cooks tip 1: Use broccoli instead of cauliflower if desired

Cooks tip 2: Manchego Cheese or stilton cheese is delightful

Cookts tip 3: Everytime you add another ingredients to the pan increase the heat to bring the contents back up to temperature, However remember to return the heat back to the correct cooking temperature once you’ve got the temperature back up.   Most dishes cook better ‘low and slow’.

Health tips 1: Cauliflower is from the same family as broccoli.  It is rich in folate, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene. 

 Folate helps in making and stimulating blood; Folate is also essential for growth of body tissues and can prevent severe diseases like cancer and heart disease.   Vitamin C, acts as anti-oxidant; Vitamin E and beta-carotene, makes our immune system strong.

Learning to cook a dinner party menu. The Cooking Academy - Cookery school in Rickmansworth - Hertfordshire

Learn to Cook Locally - Cookery school in Hertfordshire

Looking for cooking inspiration?  look no further.  Come along to The Cooking Academy – a unique cookery school right here in Rickmansworth, that specialises in teaching the nutritional value of ingredients and puts the beneifical properties of food at the heart of everything they teach.  As well as learning the mechanics of how to cook and you will receive expert advice of the nutritional benefits of the ingredients being used to highlight why the recipe is good for you.  

Cooking classes  - Led by Food Scientist – Kumud Gandhi – Founder of The Cooking Academy’s says her approach to teaching is a combination of how  and why, making learning much more of a inclusive experience.  Furthermore, all the classes are entirely hands on, which means you get so much more out of the learning and more likely to be able to repeat the recipes in your own kitchen.  

 There are a wide range of cookery classes available run by different chefs from all over the world and with different expertise.  To discuss a suitable cookery class for you please speak to Cara Brummitt on 01923 77 8880. or email cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk.  

Cooking Courses in Rickmansworth

Cookery classes with Family and Friends at The Cooking Academy

Cookery Classes for family and friends

 I can’t think of a better way to spend my weekend leisure time doing something I enjoy with my family and friends. Throw good food and wine into the mix and that’s even better.  Finally add in the fact that you don’t have to do any preparation for a big get together or clean up afterwards, just walk away, heady from laughter, wine and over indulgence! Where do I sign  I hear you say.  The answer is book a closed cookery class with your family/friends here at The cooking Academy in Rickmansworth.  

 Today we have the Hennessy family doing just that, all attending a fish cookery class together. Actually the class has been tailored especially for them, so we’ve taken elements of both our Nutritional cookery class and Fish cookery class and created a cookery class for healthy eating.  The Hennessey’s’ are all in a bid to eat well, live well, and spend the day together in someone else’s space.  I can definitely see the advantages of that.    

 This is a very popular trend and one we are increasingly selling, with combinations of family and friends, just a group of friends or work colleagues enjoying a favourite past time.  It usually starts with one person expressing an interest, followed others wishing to join them and before too long they’ve created their own group to enable a closed cookery class.  The minimum requirement is 5 people for a one day class and 7 for a half day event. The style of cuisine is entirely of your choosing and dates can be agreed to suit you.

 If you would like more information of how to facilitate a group class or about our range of cookery classes in Rickmansworth & Amersham please contact Ronnie@thecookingacademy.co.uk or call us on 01923 778880.

Cookery classes in Hertfordshire

If you’re looking for a cookery school and ways in which to learn to cook Asian food great food then you’ll find us on your doorstep. 

The Cooking academy is based in London and in Rickmansworth, Ideally placed to access from all directions.  We buy local products, employ local people and want local customers to learn to cook and be enthused about cooking – just as we are.   Our food values are simple.  Great food that is easy to cook, looks good, tastes divine, as natural and as organic as possible.  We want to share our cookery techniques hints and tips to make cooking simple and easy and encouraging. 

We have a range of classes from Indian cookery classes to nutritional cookery classes, Cookery classes for Kids and Thai cooking classes, all the classes teach you tecnhiques, skills, and the recipes to make great authentic cuisine within 30 minutes. 

Classes are available as gift vouchers to buy for your loved ones, friends, and family or as corporate cookery team building events.  for more information call us on 01923 778880  or email cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk

Indian cookery classes at the Cooking Academy.co.uk

Today we’re running the advanced Indian cookery class at our location in Hertfordshire.  This Indian cookery class is designed for the die hard Indian cook and curry lovers and is a follow up class from the one-day Indian class and so enables you to hit the ground running.  

Delegates will already be comfortable with their environment from their previous experience and ready to roll their sleeves up and COOK.  

Menu

Coconut Chicken grills in caramelised onions

Cinnamon lamb finished with Ginger juilienne

Peshwari Rice

Monkfish with Star anise and lemon zest

Pan fried Okra with a hint of mango

Butternut squash with french beans

Tadka Daal

Sorry did I say cookery class – I mean’t cookathon. 

To find out further information about this Advanced Indian cookery class or our other classes please contact cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk

If you want to learn to cook real Indian food, or how to make curries look no further.

Today, chef Amrit Panesar will be teaching the essence of authentic Indian cuisine.  In this class he will be teaching his student how to blend spices to create mouthwatering flavours and how to change one to two ingredients to get a completely different flavour.   This class is a one stop shop for Indian and Asian cookery classes, giving you the mechanics of cookery as well as the subtle art of discovering your palette and learning why to as well as how to.  

The classes are small, the tuition is direct and entirely hands on, you touch , your feel, you smell, you do and you learn. 

For an amazing day of cookery, book now for our cookery classes with a very big difference.  Tel 0845 0 68 58 48 or contact cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk