Cooking class in London--if there's a whisk, there's a way!

What's not to love about eating great food and learning some cooking skills at the same time??

So, since I (pathetically) have still not figured out how to use my stove here, and because I am on a mission to try new things, I sign up for a lunchtime cooking class with Chef Debi Rubel and the wonderful ladies of the American Women's Club here in London. 

Debi has generously allowed me to publish a couple of her recipes here, so you too will be able to make this scrumptious meal!

The menu:

Salmon Leek Pie*

Brussel Sprout Salad

Kale Caesar Salad with Watermelon Radishes and Kohlrabi

Tiramisu*

(* recipes included at the end)

This is the amazing Debi Rubel, sautéeing leeks

Debi is herself an American, but has lived and cooked in London for a number of years.  She teaches groups and individuals to cook, so I'm quite hopeful that I will leave with a couple of new skills and a full belly!

      Chef Debi bargaining with a fishmonger at Borough Market 

                           (photo courtesy of Karen Levy)

Debi starts by telling us about the healthy ingredients which she has sourced from Borough Market, which happens to be in my Southbank neighborhood. 

At 1000 years old, Borough Market is London's oldest and largest. And most often, the stallholders are the actual farmers who grow the vegetables, the bakers who knead the bread and the fishermen who catch the salmon. 

Lovely ladies, in their aprons, all ready to get started!

We are each assigned a food prep station. One person cuts up the salmon, one person makes the tiramisu.....I have the illustrious job of tearing up kale, which I find oddly satisfying. 

Debi gives us a tip for ridding the kale of the tough center stem---Grasp the stem firmly with one hand, and with the other squeeze and slide your pinched fingers quickly down the stem. The leaf will separate in one piece from the stem like magic!

Here is my salad masterpiece.... I know you are super impressed.

The brussel sprout salad brigade!

The piéce de resistance is definitely the Salmon Leek Pie. First step, the Salmon is chopped into large bites, and the leeks are sautéed.

Then the mixture is sandwiched between two pieces of pre-made puff pastry, and the pieces are sealed together with an egg/water mixture.

Here is the salmon leek pie, just before it goes in the oven...

...and just after it comes out!

Chef Debi and hostess Karen enter with the finished product.  She slices it for each of us to try, and it's heaven!

As full as we are after the two salads and this beautiful pie, we aren't done eating yet! We still have tiramisu (surprisingly easy to make with such expert direction), so delicious!

I'm truly amazed at what we whipped up in just an hour. Debi tells us that you can make most of it in advance, refrigerating the pre-assembled salmon dish, and the tiramisu. 

As for me, I'm just trying to figure out how I can get 
Chef Debi to cook for me every night.  

And now for the mouthwatering recipes:

RECIPES

Here is Chef Debi's card for any of you who might want to have a cooking lesson. 

Just please invite me along:)

email: debirubel@gmail.com

A great big thanks to Karen for hosting this culinary delight!