Bonjour everyone,
Here again with another class review for you all about Chef Janon’s brand-new Modern Mexican class!
I have to say, I’ve been looking forward to this new class for quite a while now and am so excited it’s finally here. About 3 months ago it was mentioned to Chef that we didn’t have a Mexican course. Now after much prepping and testing, it’s finally time to unveil it! Coming from a home that grew up with these recipes, I can’t wait to try Chef Janon’s twist on the classics. Always great when the premier class is sold out too! (view our calendar to find the next opening)
In this class we make a few modern versions of Mexican food staples:
- Guac and Homemade Chips
- Sweet Potato with Black Beans & Pickled Onions
- Beef Empanadas with Blueberry Tomatillo Salsa
- Grilled Ceviche
- Chicken Taquitos
Now I know you’re thinking “grilled” ceviche? But how? You’ll have to come to class to find out the secret!
Right off the bat though I can tell my favorite will be the Beef Empanada with Blueberry Tomatillo Salsa. What’s not to like about that! If you’ve done our in-person Savory Pies class you may be a familiar with Chef Janon’s Beef Empanadas, but she mixes up the recipe a bit for this class. Almost as important as the flavor of the dish is what’s served accompanying it. Simply by changing a side dish or sauce on an entree, you can rewrite the flavor profile to something completely different. By pairing the empanadas with a Blueberry Salsa, the heavier cumin and chili powder flavors are balanced with the tartness of the bright blueberries and tomatillos. Take a look…
I had to get in a bit closer so you can really appreciate the colors of that salsa!
You’ve just been seated at your favorite Mexican restaurant. What’s the first thing you order?
Aside from a margarita – it’s normally chips and guacamole! I mean, what Mexican outing could be complete without this staple appetizer. Here we mix it up by adding in some Pomegranate for a pop of beautiful color and flavor. A simple addition that really livens up a dip that runs the risk of being bland without the right seasoning.
Whew, and be sure to watch the heat when you toast those jalapeños! We had to open the doors and get some fans going after it was a bit too high. The flavor that toasting peppers brings out can be so transformational. Roasting out that moisture leaves behind a more concentrated punch of jalapeño flavor to really spice things up.
Overall, the class was such a great success. Even though I personally only got a couple recipe samples, what I had was absolutely amazing. The flavors all melded in ways you wouldn’t have thought and I’ll even have to try making taquitos her way now! As always, please be sure to check our class calendar so you don’t miss out on any upcoming fun.
Au revoir for now all!
