Delicious
THE COOKERY SCHOOL
WHERE Cactus Kitchens, London (cactuskitchens.co.uk/classes)
THE COURSE Cooking the Roux Way: Alfresco Dining, £298 for a full day
TESTED BY Rebecca Brett
ROUX’S RIGHTHAND MAN Steve shows the class how to up their al fresco game
WHAT IT’S LIKE Cactus Kitchens cookery school is in the same building as Cactus TV, where the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen is filmed, so keep your eyes peeled for top chefs and celebs. It’s in a converted chapel that’s like a Tardis: through the small entrance is the studio, and upstairs is the cookery school and a dining room with a huge square table for a 12-strong class to sit round. But more on that later…
Cooking the Roux Way: Alfresco Dining is a course designed by cookery legend Michel Roux Jr and uses recipes from the Roux family archive. I arrived giddy at the prospect of such an exclusive insight into the ways of the cooking dynasty.
Our teacher was Steve Groves, Michel’s head chef at Roux at Parliament Square. Steve was crowned MasterChef: The Professionals winner in 2009 and has been working alongside Michel since 2010. As you’d expect from such a high flyer, he’s talented and his passion for teaching is evident from the off, though not in a strict headmaster sort of way. He’s chatty and makes you feel at ease in the professional kitchen even if, like me, you ask a lot of questions (he’s patient too).
WHAT I LEARNED Al fresco dining at my house would usually mean chucking a burger on the barbie. Steve showed us how to create an impressive yet do-able menu. First, we peeled prawns and marinated them in a simple lemon dressing, then used the heads and shells to infuse oil for a sauce vierge.
Next, we seared an iberico pork chop before cooking it in the oven with garlic, thyme and butter. While the pork was resting, we used the meat juices to make a dressing, plus a peppy romesco sauce and grilled spring onion salad.
Dessert was a vanilla cheesecake with raspberry jelly and candied pistachios (see recipe, right). It sounded like it was going to be complex to make (and it was), but once Steve broke down the components – thin biscuit base, simple mascarpone mixture topped with jelly and served with raspberry sorbet – it seemed less daunting. After everything was cooked, and while the cheesecake was setting, we sat around the dining table and enjoyed our feast and some excellent matching wines.
THE VERDICT The experience gave me new confidence with techniques I’d previously deemed tricky (candying pistachios) or downright scary (using a blowtorch to skin a pepper). It taught me that outdoor eating doesn’t have to mean a basic barbie; we learned how to put together a special yet achievable menu. Most importantly, the day was relaxed – just as catering for friends and family should be. The only downside is the price, which is high for a one-day course.