UNDERSTANDING FOOD

[ 6 Week Course: Monday 7pm – 9pm ]

This course will look at 6 basic food elements. Each week we will look at the origin and traceability of food and how best to prepare it. The course will also look at the seasonality of food, wild foods, and foraging in one’s own local environment.

Week 1: Bread

Students will learn the basics of bread making and participate in making four different types of bread – white, olive oil, brown, and sweet.

Week 2: Beef

Topics will include: from farm to fork—sourcing and traceability of beef; choosing cuts and using the whole animal; preparation and cooking—the perfect steak; matching beer and wine with beef.

Week 3: Pork

This week will look at the whole pig and using every element—from the nose to the tail. You will learn how to make your own pancetta from belly and other cooking techniques such as how to confit different parts of the animal. Dishes prepared will include: braised pork cheeks; confit of pork belly;
ham hock terrine.  All our pork is free range and comes from Castlemine Farm in Roscommon.

Week 4: Fish

This week, we’ll be learning about the seasonality and locality of fish; also which fish we should be buying more of and which fish we should buy less of; students will all learn how to fillet fish, cook it to perfection and match it with various different food stuffs. Wine paring will also be discussed.

Week 5: Poultry

Our chicken comes from the Friendly Farmer in Athenry, while our duck comes from Dromoland Castle in Clare. In our discussion of poultry students will learn about filleting a whole chicken and duck, and again, as with our nose to tail policy, students will learn how to use every part of the animal.

Week 6: Vegetables

How do you make the perfect mash? What potatoes are good for what dishes? What vegetables are in season? How do I cook them? What fish or meat will I put them with? With reference to the farms of Green earth Organics (our organic vegetable supplier), students will learn about the vegetables that grow in our own local environment.

NOTE:
This course is a combination of demonstration and discussion but will include some hands-on experience and participation.
Students will get to see a minimum of three dishes each week.
Contemporary cooking as well as traditional methods will all be discussed during the course.
A folder including all recipes will be issued to the student.