“So you want to be a chef, huh?”

Well, we can help. Here at The Culinary Academy of Long Island, we’ve been guiding the future chefs of America since 1997. Being a chef is about passion & commitment, method & procedure and of course, food.

Our Pro Programs are taught progressively, one lesson builds on the next. You’ll be mentored through every step of the curriculum At the end of your time with us you’ll develop your own multi-course menu, run the kitchen for that day & feed the student body.

Our Recreational Programs are fun & laid back. Your Chef Instructor will act as a tour guide, steering you through various cuisines of the world. You & your classmates will prepare & enjoy a gourmet six course meal at the end of every lesson.

So no matter what type of program you choose, bring your passion & commitment, we’ll supply the method & procedures, together we’ll create some great food.

What follows are samples of some of the types of recipes you’ll be making at C.A.L.I.

Thai Lemongrass Shrimp Cocktail
Serves 6

For the poaching broth:

1 # lemongrass stalks, cut into 1 inch bias
1 red onion, small dice                   
1 rib celery, small dice                                                     
1 carrot, small dice
2 scallions, chopped
2 ounces fresh ginger, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs mint
2 sprigs cilantro
1 tblsp. Green curry paste
1 14-oz. can coconut milk
8 ounces ginger ale
12 peppercorns
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups water

2# 16-20 shrimp, peeled & deveined

1. Combine all ingredients, except for shrimp, in stainless steel pot.
2. Bring up to a boil, reduce to a simmer & cook for 45 minutes.
3. Strain out all ingredients through a fine sieve, then bring liquid back to a full boil.
4. Add shrimp, reduce flame by half.
5. Cook shrimp until bright pink & slightly firm, apx. 5 minutes.
6. Remove shrimp from broth, reserve liquid, plunge shrimp into ice water to stop the cooking, overcooked shellfish is rubbery.
7. Serve with Thai chili mayonnaise.

Semolina Focaccia Bread with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Oil
Serves 12

For the bread:

1 # bread flour
1 # semolina flour
2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil ( + 2 ounces later for baking )
½ ounce salt
½ ounce sugar
½ ounce dry yeast

1. Combine all ingredients in mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix on low speed until a soft dough is formed.
2. Increase speed to medium & kneed for 8-10 minutes, dough should be smooth & elastic.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl that is at least 3x the size of the dough, cover tightly with plastic wrap.
4. Put bowl in a warm spot in the kitchen & let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
5. Brush a 9x13 sheet pan with 1 ounce of the olive oil, evenly push the dough into the pan, do not tear. Brush the top with the remaining oil.
6. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for apx. 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
7. Let cool slightly before cutting, serve warm with pesto.

For the pesto:

1 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in extra virgin oil
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup pine nuts
6 leaves of basil
4 cloves garlic
4 large pitted green olives
¼ tsp capers
3 grinds fresh black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor & puree to desired consistency.
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 week

Roasted Garlic, White Bean & Fennel Soup
Serves 6

For the soup:

½ cup olive oil
4 heads of garlic, peeled

1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium leek, diced, white & light green part only
1 bulb of fennel, tops trimmed & diced

½ # cannelloni beans, soaked overnight in cold water & drained
2 quarts homemade chicken stock
1 ham hock
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme

1 quart day old French bread, diced
1 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tblsp. chopped chives

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot, add garlic & “fry” on medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown.
2. Add the remaining vegetables & cook for another 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
3. Raise heat to high, add beans, stock, hock, bay, thyme & bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to a simmer & cook until beans are soft, apx. 1 ½ hours.
5. Add bread & cream, simmer for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove hock, bay & thyme, puree soup with an immersion blender or a standard blender in 2 cup batches.
7. Adjust seasoning, serve in warm bowls, garnish with chopped chives.

Salad of Endive, Beets, Gorgonzola, Apples & Walnuts
Serves 6

For the salad:

2 large beets
6 heads of endive
2 Granny Smith apples
½ # crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1 large carrot, grated
12 sprigs watercress, chopped
¼ cup walnuts, lightly toasted
2 ounces olive oil
1 ounce sherry vinegar
Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Peel the beet & cut into ½ inch, put on a greased baking sheet & roast in a preheated 425-degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until semi soft.
2. Remove beets from pan, place in a bowl & cover tightly with plastic wrap so they continue to steam, set aside to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
3. When ready to assemble the salad, cut the bottoms off of the endives, remove the larger spears & use those to line the chilled serving plates, there should be at least 6 per head.
4. Chop the rest of the endive cores, cut the apples the same size as the beets, place both in a large mixing bowl (endive & apples turn brown very quickly, so this step cannot be done a head)
5. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the beets, gently toss together, adjust seasoning.
6. Arrange the spears on the plates in a starburst pattern, place a mound of the salad in the center of the spears, serve immediately.

Potato Crusted Red Snapper over Wilted Spinach & Lemon Caper Brown Butter
Serves 6

For the fish:

4 large Yukon gold potatoes, washed
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups of flour for dredging
6 small red snapper filets
vegetable oil for pan frying
Salt & pepper

2 # spinach leaves

1. Using a French mandolin slicer or similar, quickly & carefully cut the potatoes into 1/8 matchsticks, lay out on 6 separate plates.
2. Working in an assembly-line fashion, dip the fish in flour, then egg, then press into potatoes. 1 fish per plate.
3. Heat enough oil in a sauté pan to a depth of apx. 1/3 inch. Test to see if oil is hot enough (375 degrees) by dipping 1 strand of potato in pan to see if it immediately starts to fry.
4. When oil is hot enough, carefully slide potato/fish into the pan in one swift motion.
5. Do so in a way that any oil may splash away from you.
6. Cook until potatoes are crispy, about 8-10 minutes, adjust flame as necessary.
7. Remove potato-crusted fish from oil, carefully flip over onto a sheet pan, season potatoes with salt & pepper at this point.
8. Repeat the process for remaining fish, make sure to remove any potatoes from a previous frying, strain oil if need be. If oil begins to burn or smoke, discard & start with fresh.
9. Once all fish are cooked & seasoned, place in a preheated 400-degree oven to finish the cooking, apx. 10 minutes depending on size of filets.
10. Divide the spinach between the 6 plates, leave at room temperature until ready to assemble.

For the sauce:

¼ pound whole butter, room temp
2 tblsp. chopped scallions
2 tblsp. chopped parsley
1 tblsp. chopped garlic
3 lemons, juice & chopped or micro-planed zest
2 table spoons capers
2 grinds fresh pepper

1. Melt butter in same sauté pan that fish was done in over high heat until it melts, then gets frothy, then continue to simmer until starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
2. When the butter starts to get a “nutty” smell it is ready.
3. Remove from heat & the rest of the ingredients.
4. Pour equal amounts of the warm butter sauce over the spinach, than place the hot fish on top of that, serve immediately.

Rosemary & Black Olive Roasted Rack of Lamb, Feta Cous Cous, Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Serves 6-8

For the lamb:

1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup black olives, chopped
4 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves removed & chopped
6 grinds black pepper
¼ tsp. kosher salt

2 packs Frenched New Zealand lamb racks
4 tblsp. Dijon mustard

1. Mix crumbs, olives, rosemary, salt & pepper in a large bowl
2. Pat lamb dry if necessary, brush the meat portion, not the bones with the mustard, then holing the mustard coated racks by the bones, over the crumb bowl, push the crumb mixture on to coat the front & back.
3. Place lamb, fat side up, on a pan with a roasting rack so the lamb is not touching the pan directly.
4. Place in a preheated 425-degree oven & roast for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 degrees to finish cooking to desired doneness, the firmer the meat is the more well done it is.
5. Remove from oven & let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.

For the sauce:

2 English cucumbers, seeds removed
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups plain yogurt
½ cup sour cream
juice of 1 lemon
6 mint leaves
fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Toss cucumbers with salt & place in a strainer set over a bowl. Let cucumbers drain for at least 1 hour.
2. Place cucumbers & rest of ingredients in a blender & process until smooth.
3. Refrigerate  for 2 hours prior to platting.

For the Cous Cous:

2 cups cous cous

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
4 sprigs parsley chopped
2 cups chicken stock

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
3 grinds black pepper

1. Place cous cous in a 2-quart bowl, set aside.
2. In a heavy bottom sauce pot, heat the oil on medium flame, then add garlic & shallots, sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, parsley & stock, bring to a boil.
4. As soon as liquid boils, pour over cous cous, stir in, then cover tightly with plastic wrap, let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Remove plastic wrap, fluff with a fork, add feta & pepper, mix in, leave at room temperature until ready to serve.
6. To serve, place a small mound of cous cous in center of the plate, ladle apx. 2 ounces of sauce around cous cous, slice lamb into individual chops after resting & lean up against cous cous so bones are vertical, garnish with fresh rosemary or mint sprig & serve.

COCONUT CRÈME BRULÉE
Serves 6

For the custard:

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups coconut milk
1 vanilla bean, split
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
5 whole eggs

1. Combine the milk, cream, bean pod, salt & ½ the sugar in a stainless steel pot, bring up to a boil then shut off heat
2. Remove bean pod & scrape out the seeds, add seeds back to liquid, reserve pod for a second use.
3. Beat the remaining sugar with the eggs & yolks, then continue whisking slowly & ladle some of the hot liquid into the egg/sugar mixture 1 ounce at a time, so as to heat the eggs up, but not scramble them. This is referred to as tempering.
4. Once it is all combined, strain through a fine sieve then pour into 6-8 ounce oven proof dishes.
5. Place dishes on a sheet pan that has sides of at least ½-inch depth, put pan in a preheated 325-degree oven, then fill pan with warm tap water.
6. Bake for apx. 40 minutes, or until custards are just set, they should be “jiggley” without being still liquid.
7. Carefully remove the custard dishes from the hot water pan, let cool at room temperature, then place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

For serving:

2 ounces granulated sugar
1 propane blow torch

1. Evenly sprinkle the sugar over the chilled custard.
2. Begin to caramelize sugar with the torch, moving the flame around to burn consistently.
3. Continue until sugar reaches a dark brown color, let sugar cool & harden apx. 5 minutes, before serving.
4. Garnish with fresh berries & serve.
   

FLOURLESS BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH MILK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Flourless Chocolate Cake

8 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons cognac
6 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

Chocolate Glaze

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey

Assembly

1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Garnish

3 oz. milk chocolate, melted

Make the flourless chocolate cake

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper; butter the paper.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the chocolate and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the chocolate and butter are melted. Gently whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the cognac. Let cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and ½ cup of the sugar until well-blended. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture.
4. In the 4½ quart bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer, using the wire whip attachment, beat the egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium high and beat the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. One tablespoon at a time, beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.
5. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Do not overmix.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is puffed and a tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, cut around the sides of the cake to loosen it. Release the pan side. Invert the cake onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment paper and cool the cake completely. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.

Make the chocolate glaze

1. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a gentle boil. Using a wire whisk, stir in the honey. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let mixture stand for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Cover the surface of the glaze with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Assemble the cake

1. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap from the cake. Place the cake on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a metal spatula, spread the raspberry preserves evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake, covering it completely; spread evenly with a metal spatula. Drizzle the top of the glazed cake with the melted milk chocolate. Serve the cake immediately, or refrigerate. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

Yield: 12 Servings

PEANUT BRITTLE

½ lb. salted peanuts chopped
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp. water
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups light corn syrup
¼ cup water
3 tbsp. butter

1. Combine baking soda, vanilla and the 2 teaspoons water in a cup. Lightly oil a sheet pan and set aside.
2. Combine sugar, corn syrup and ¼ cup water in heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil. Cook stirring occasionally to 270 degrees. Add butter; cook stirring constantly to 300 degrees.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in a soda mixture; add nuts. Stir about ½ minute. Scrape out onto the tray. Spread out to thickness of ¼ inch or less with a greased spatula. When cold, break into pieces.

Yield about 2 lbs.

COCONUT MACADAMIA TRUFFLES

8 oz. fine white chocolate
1 cup salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts (5 oz.)
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. dark rum
1½ cups finely shredded unsweetened desiccated coconut

Finely grind white chocolate in a food processor and transfer to a bowl. Pulse nuts in food processor until finely ground (be careful not to grind to a paste).

Bring cream to a simmer in a medium skillet. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Whisk in white chocolate until melted and ganache is smooth. Stir in nuts. Pour ganache into a plastic-wrap—lined 8 inch square baking pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 4 hours.

Invert ganache onto a work surface and remove plastic wrap. Cut ganache into 64 squares and roll each piece between your palms to form a ball. When all balls are formed, roll in coconut to cover completely, then chill truffles, covered, until ready to serve.

Makes 36 truffles