Braxted Park Cookery School

My OH and the kids clubbed together to buy me a "Seafood Extravaganza" cookery course at Braxted Park for my Christmas present in 2010. I've been looking forward to it since Christmas, and yesterday was the day!!! I've always been a bit scared of fish and seafood - I love it, but have never felt confident in preparing/cooking it.
Yesterday's course was fantastic. I can't believe how much we covered in six short hours of intense hands-on work. The icing on the cake was a sit down meal where we ate all the food we had cooked. We started by making three kinds of rustic bread to eat with our fish and seafood (putting some dough aside to make quick pizzas for our lunch). The pecan and oregano foccacia was unbelievable - and so simple to make! We learned to open (and eat) oysters - something I had never done. We learned how to fillet fish and prepared Sea Bream, Mackerel and Salmon in several different styles. We made a delicious crab gratin and a wonderfully tasty Moule Mariniere. All the ingredients were incredibly fresh and locally produced and it was one of the best days out I remember. There were only ten people on the course, so everyone got plenty of opportunities to learn.
The chef running our course was Mark David and he was brilliant and made the day so much fun.
I'm definitely going to book myself on some more courses down there.
http://www.braxtedparkcookery.co.uk/index.cfm

Mick

Re: Braxted Park Cookery School

That sounds like a terrific day. I am just the same love sea food but have not the knowledge or the confidence to prepare it so it ends up that we only eat one of our favourite fish dishes when we eat out.

So much better than a book hands on learning must be great, and it sounds like fun.

Will you pass on the pecan and oregano foccacia which sound lovely.

Re: Braxted Park Cookery School

Sounds brill MickB

I hate fish and seafood which is a wee bitty awkward as Hubby is a keen fisherman ( LOL ) ......... But he is a dab hand at gutting , cleaning and cooking them

All the same its sounds like a great pressie and one you enjoyed and appreciated

Re: Braxted Park Cookery School

[B] Here you go:

Pecan, Oregano and Parmesan Foccaccia

Ingredients

Ikg of strong bread flour (can be white, brown or any combination to taste)
2 sachets easy bake yeast
5tbs Olive Oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
22fluid oz/600 mls warm water

2tbs roughly chopped pecans
2 tbs freshly grated parmesan
1tbs dried oregano or a small handful of chopped fresh oregano
8 cloves garlic finely chopped

Method

Combine flour, salt sugar and yeast together in a large bowl. Stir well. Add the liquids, stir with a wooden spoon until a dough ball is formed.
Remove from the bowl and scrape any debris onto the dough. Work with hands on a floured surface until a clean ball is formed. Knead for about 8 minutes until the ball is soft and elastic.
Place back in the bowl and prove in a warm place until double in size (about an hour). Knock back, add nuts, cheese and oregano and knead again until these ingredients are incorporated into the dough.
Line a normal roasting tin with greased bakewell parchment or bacoglide. Roll or stretch dough to fit and place in tin pushing the dough out to the sides and corners.
With a finger, poke holes about 2" apart all over the dough. Pour over some olive oil until the holes are full and sprinkle the garlic over the top. Sprinkle some rock salt over the top if desired.
Prove again in a warm place for about 3/4 hour until doubled in size.
Bake 180C for about 20 minutes. Turn out onto a rack.
Test it by tapping on the bottom. If it is done it will sound hollow - if it gives and is still squashy, return it to the oven for a period.

Good Luck

Mick

Re: Braxted Park Cookery School

Thanks Mick sounds delicious.

Over the week-end I tried Olive and Goat's cheese Fougasse, it is really simple but tastes amazing.

What fish dishes have you been preparing at home? I just do a mean fish chowder, I must say a course such as you went on would be just the thing.

Re: Braxted Park Cookery School

I haven't had a chance to do much yet, but I do a mean Fish Pie and a brilliant Salmon Coulibiac (I think that's how you spell it) that I saw on the Hairy Bikers Show. It is basically salmon, rice, lemon and spinach cooked in a puff pastry case - it is gorgeous!!!!!
I'm hoping to do Moule Mariniere with a squid starter later in the week!!!

Mick

Re: Braxted Park Cookery School

I saw the Hairy Biker's do that. Also they did rather a nice seafood pie on Saturday Kitchen it was scallops and vegetables (green peas) in a white sauce in a scallop shell, covered with home made puff pastry then served on a bed of spinach it looked absolutely the bees knees.

Keep us up to date with your cooking, I certainly wouldn't attempt squid as you can so easily over cook it and turn it into elastic bands.

Best of luck and good to hear from you.