Lesson 22 - Seafood

Our final class of the Culinary Techniques course... :(  It was a bittersweet ending for us all, because after 110 hours of being together (10 hours a week for 11 weeks), we would not be together anymore.

But we all felt like we had accomplished and learned a lot! To celebrate, we made ourselves a huge, wonderful seafood dinner.

We made a bunch of different things, not much of which is in our book.

I believe this was for a broth to cook the lobsters:

Chef Bruno - pulling the lobster's leg???

Look, he's so giddy - probably relieved that this is the last time he has to put up with us!

Lobster guts (yum!):

Coba with one of the lobsters:

Aren't they beautiful?

I had to hold one too (one thing I wouldn't miss - that damn hat!):

We used some of the shells to make lobster bisque:

We added some vegetables:

Flambe!

We also learned to shuck oysters and clams.

Oysters and clams, oh my...

Twice, when I opened a clam, a tiny crab jumped out at me! Not kidding - see:

We made mussels in a tomato broth - they were fantastic!

Chef Bruno helping Amy push the lobster bisque though a sieve:

Chef Bruno made scallops baked in cream sauce (can you say heaven?):

We used the lobsters to make lobster salad:

This is the lobster bisque:

The spread - mussels, lobster bisque, lobster salad, scallops, clams, and oysters (AMAZING!):

Chef Bruno was taken by surprise when we gave him a gift card to thank him for being a great teacher and putting up with all of our fooling around.

At the end of the class, we were presented with certificates of completion.

Chef with me:

Chef with Coba:

Chef with Sheryl:

Chef with Amy:

Saying goodbye to the break room:

And Chef Bruno...

My certificate:

And that, my friends, is the end....

Until Saturday 3/3/12, when I begin the Essentials of Italian Cooking course!!! The class is from 9-2 Saturdays for 8 weeks. I may keep blogging ~ I will let you know. :)