Tips from the Pros: Cooking 101 The Catholic University of America Alumni Association invites you to the final session of the spring series of soft skills. Hear from an expert chef on how to cook delicious meals within a slim budget. Attendees will be shown how to prepare and cook a meal and then eat the meal that evening. Roasted Beet Salad 3 medium beets, washed and trimmed 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon minced red onions 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4 cups baby spinach 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Directions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wrap the beets in foil packets and roast in the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Open the foil packets and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel using a paper towel, then dice. In a medium bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, honey, red onions and Dijon and whisk together. Add the beets and spinach to the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the goat cheese and walnuts. Chicken Scampi Vegetable oil 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons 3/4 pound linguine 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves) 1 pound boneless Chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves 1/2 lemon, zest grated 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons) 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes Directions Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the chicken is cooked, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine. When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the chicken mixture, toss well, and serve. Cream Anglaise with Berries 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup whipping cream 1 2-inch piece vanilla bean, split 3 large egg yolks 3 tablespoons sugar Directions Combine milk and cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring milk mixture to simmer. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return custard to saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain sauce into bowl. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)
