URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Today's recipe is inspired by guest chef's recent trip to France. Guest chef Paul Young returns to the CI kitchen with a French favorite, cod with white wine sauce and pea puree, on the menu.
Fresh cod in white wine sauce Pea puree:
material:
1/2 cup thawed peas
2 cod fillets (about 6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons of ghee
2 tablespoons red onion (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
2 teaspoons lemon juice (separated)
1 tablespoon agave syrup, plus more if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay or similar)
¼ cup heavy cream (or half and half)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley or chives (optional)
Upcoming events:
Urbana Park Neighborhood Summer Cooking Class Series
Greek Classics (July 11, 2024)
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Thursday 6-8pm ($55-$99 per class)
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Explore the fantastic Mediterranean cuisine and learn how to make almost anything taste Greek. Enjoy a vegetarian Greek meze dinner with wine and ouzo tasting.
Bio: https://www.cooking-with-paul.com/about.html
Resume: https://www.electric-pictures.com/paul/
Cooking classes: https://www.cooking-with-paul.com/classes.html
Pop-up Dinners: https://www.cooking-with-paul.com/popups.html
Recipe: https://www.cooking-with-paul.com/recipes.html
Blog: https://cooking-with-paul.blogspot.com/
Cooking portfolio: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2KvFpYiM16x5CKVZ9
Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin
FAQ
You travel a lot, what is the connection between food and travel?
Now that I'm retired, I have the privilege of traveling long distances more frequently. I love the culture shock that comes with visiting a foreign country. Everything feels different, strange, and new, especially food. It heightens all of my senses and makes trying new things fun. For me, one of the most exciting things in life is trying a new dish that I've never had before.
I heard your last trip was to France. How was the food there?
It was absolutely amazing. I'm not a huge cruise fan, but this time I booked a 6-day riverboat cruise with a French company. They had an amazing chef on board. We had the best gourmet French cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for the week. We also had wine with lunch and dinner. We had unlimited champagne and cognac. It was foodie heaven!
What makes French cuisine so special?
For me, it's simplicity: quality ingredients, simple cooking methods, and presentation. Every meal I had in France was artistically presented, inventively decorated, and beautifully presented. And the sauces! The French have always loved sauces infused with great flavor. In France, every meal is an aesthetic experience for the eyes and the taste buds.
Do you also teach French cuisine?
Yes, and many other ethnic cuisines too. Last summer, I did a “Deep Dive” French cooking series at Common Ground Food Co-op. We visited three different regions of France and cooked local specialties from each. That was before I even went to France. I learned a lot on that trip. I will probably do things differently next time. In fact, I am currently scheduling dates to teach the new and updated “Deep Dive” French cooking series at Harvest Market.
What makes your cooking classes unique?
I think of my classes as “dinner party” style classes. There will be lots of food and drink, so I ask students to come hungry and thirsty. Depending on the cuisine, I also like to pair wine, beer, and cocktails with each dish. For example, last week I had a Jamaican cooking class and we served Red Stripe beer and rum punch. In my French cooking class, I plan to serve more wine, and maybe some aperitifs and digestifs.
What else do you have planned for the future?
I also love hosting pop-up dinners. My next pop-up will probably be a Persian dinner for 10 special guests at Harvest Market's demo kitchen, “The Nook.” I'll be trying something new called “Dinner in the Chef's Kitchen.” I'll be cooking and serving the dinner at the kitchen counter. This way all the diners will have a front row seat to the food, right there and then. And because it's a “dinner party,” we'll have wine pairings throughout the evening. We're currently discussing the details and they'll be available on the website soon.
