Cooking Classes at Dine by Design

Thursday, 15 April 2010 14:18

Learning to cook at home can be daunting. But at Dine by Design, where we recently got to try a cooking class, the only heat in the kitchen comes from the delectable dishes.

By Victoria Phillips; Photos by Andres Farfan

Owner Darleen Randall uses some of the freshest local ingredients and keeps the process simple and easy. Each class focuses on a particular technique and a different menu, from the five mother sauces to cookie decorating.

During our almost three-hour lesson, we helped whip up roasted garlic and tomato soup, a vegetable tortellini pasta salad and crunchy pecan pie bites. Throughout, the staff explained every detail along the way.

Before the lesson begins, Darleen walks over with a tray of mouthwatering tomato and pesto crostini’s straight out of the oven. She wants to take the edge off of everyone’s hunger while we prepare the meal, she says. Starting the night off with this simple appetizer makes us salivate.

After we’ve started to settle in, Darleen shows us around the kitchen, full of stainless steel appliances and jars full of multi-colored spices and ingredients.

The inspiration for tonight’s lesson came from recipes in a magazine, she says. Instead of following the recipes exactly, however, she has mixed-and-matched different ingredients to create dishes catered specifically to the kind of taste and feel she wants to create this evening. As long as you keep the same colors, and thus food group, you’re good to go, Darleen says.

She starts by placing a large glass baking dish with 12 garlic cloves on the island in the middle of the kitchen and begins her demonstration. She launches into the lesson by explaining the difference between shallots and onions, and then has us chop some up.

Three girls from a University of Florida sorority, also taking the class with us tonight, dive right into dicing, slicing and mincing garlic, onions, asparagus and broccoli. The key, Darleen says, is to be multitasking at all times—working on all the recipes simultaneously in some way or another. The next step is to make sure everyone is measuring correctly. Darleen explains that liquids and solids should be measured in separate containers. She also notes that adjustments to recipes are common and it’s okay if you don’t follow the steps exactly.

Soon, the kitchen fills with the sweet aroma of garlic, tomato, onions and balsamic vinegar. We don’t use measuring cups for some of the smaller ingredients in the soup, so the tomato and garlic soup ended up slightly spicier than the recipe, because one of the girls added a bit too much sriracha, a type of chili sauce. I like spicy things, so it was still delicious.

After putting the soup on the stove to fester, we begin mixing together the ingredients for the pecan bites while letting the tortellini boil. A mix of pecans, sugar, corn syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla and salt, the crunchy pecan pie bites are the size of mini-quiches. Once everything is mixed together, we spoon the mixture into Mini Fillo Shells and set it aside as we begin sautéing the vegetables for the pasta.

Once the broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, grape tomatoes, asparagus and red onion all melded into a mix of vibrant colors and flavors, it’s time to pop the filled fillo’s into the oven and strain the tortellini’s.

As all the dishes come together, we begin to feel a sense of immense pride, knowing we helped create this delectable feast. Finally, we sit around a small dining room table in the middle of the room. Acting as food critics, we digest and discuss until all of our plates are licked clean. In the end, the pecan bites are a little burnt, but we are so busy enjoying the different flavors that we don’t mind.

We left the cooking class with a sense of purpose and accomplishment, as well as a ton of to-go food. (Our roommates thoroughly enjoyed the fruits of our labor.) We can’t wait to go back and try the second installment of Cooking101!

Dine by Design is located at 3345 SW 34th St. on the corner of Archer Road and 34th Street. Classes are scheduled for almost every night of the week from 6pm to 8:30pm, and a light appetizer is provided. To sign up, call 352-374-4433 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Go to takeawaygourmet4u.com for more info.

Roasted Garlic-and-Tomato Soup
Servings: 2
Type: Soup

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, slightly flattened
1 3 oz. shallot, peeled and halved
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 14 1/2 oz. can(s) stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup(s) vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon(s) hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon(s) balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1/8 teaspoon(s) black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) basil, fresh, minced

Place garlic and shallots in an 8-inch square pan lined with aluminum foil; drizzle with oil.

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes, stirring twice; cool.

Process garlic, shallots, tomatoes, half the chicken broth, and next 5 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Do in stages, if necessary.

Cook tomato mixture and remaining broth in a saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Stir in basil just before serving. Serve with Basil Pesto Toast, if desired.