French Dinner Class Menu
Cooking Class Menu & Recipes
(French Bistro-Inspired Edition)
First Course: Quick French Onion Soup
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar (helps with caramelization)
- 1 tbsp flour
- 4 cups beef broth (or mix of beef + chicken broth)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional, for depth)
- ½ tsp fresh thyme (or ¼ tsp dried)
- 1 small baguette, sliced
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
-
Caramelize the Onions:
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add onions, salt, and sugar. Stir occasionally and cook for 15 minutes until deeply golden.
-
Make the Soup:
- Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in white wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Let simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Simmer for 15 minutes.
-
Toast the Bread:
- While the soup simmers, toast baguette slices in a dry pan until golden.
-
Assemble & Serve:
- Ladle soup into bowls, top with baguette slices, and sprinkle Gruyère cheese.
- Broil for 2 minutes (if using an oven) or cover with a lid for 3 minutes to melt the cheese stovetop.
Main Event: Stovetop Coq au Vin Blanc
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 oz pancetta or bacon, diced
- 8 pearl onions, peeled (or substitute ½ a small yellow onion, diced)
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (optional, for extra richness)
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
-
Sear the Chicken:
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear chicken skin-side down for 5 minutes, flip, and cook another 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
-
Cook the Vegetables:
- In the same pan, sauté pancetta/bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside.
- Add pearl onions and mushrooms. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until browned.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
-
Simmer the Dish:
- Pour in white wine, scraping the pan to deglaze. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Stir in broth, Dijon mustard, and thyme. Add chicken and pancetta back.
- Cover and let simmer on medium-low for 25 minutes, flipping chicken halfway.
-
Finish & Serve:
- Stir in heavy cream (if using) and simmer 2 more minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Side Spotlight: Haricots Verts Almondine
Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 12 oz haricots verts (thin French green beans)
- 1 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
-
Blanch the Green Beans:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 2 minutes.
- Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain again.
-
Toast the Almonds:
- In a dry pan over medium heat, toast almonds for 2 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
-
Sauté Everything Together:
- In the same pan, melt butter. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add green beans, lemon juice, and salt. Toss to coat and heat through.
- Sprinkle toasted almonds on top and serve.
Sweet Finish: Quick Chocolate Pots de Crème
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Chill Time: 30 min (in freezer) | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
-
Heat the Cream:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, warm cream, milk, and sugar until steaming but not boiling.
-
Temper the Egg Yolk:
- Whisk egg yolk in a bowl. Slowly pour in a few tablespoons of warm cream while whisking.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
-
Melt the Chocolate:
- Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth.
-
Chill Quickly:
- Divide into ramekins and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to set.
- Serve with whipped cream or berries.
Timing Guide for Class
⏳ Total Time: 90 min
- Start caramelizing onions for soup (0-15 min)
- Marinate chicken & chop veggies (15-20 min)
- Begin soup broth (20-30 min)
- Sear chicken & start coq au vin blanc (30-40 min)
- Make chocolate pots & freeze (40-50 min)
- Sauté haricots verts (50-60 min)
- Finish coq au vin blanc & toast soup bread (60-75 min)
- Plate & serve (75-90 min)