When I first started working at The Chopping Block almost 23 years ago, our class recipes looked a lot different than they do today (and I'm not just talking about our old school Comic Sans font!).
If you got printed recipes for classes, they were more of an outline than a precise guide. Multiple chefs contributed their own recipes, so consistency wasn't always a priority. Steps could be out of order, serving sizes were often missing, and if we ran out of an ingredient (which happened often), chefs improvised on the spot. Students would copiously jot down notes to capture what was happening in the kitchen.
Fast forward to today, and we've come a long way. We now have a chef dedicated to our curriculum, Chef Sara Salzinski - who, like me, is celebrating 23 years at The Chopping Block this year. Since she took the reins of curriculum in 2008, our recipes have been meticulous tested, written and refined. They are now cookbook-quality, and that's a good thing - especially since we focus on hands-on cooking classes rather than the demonstration-style classes we held at our first location on Webster Avenue in Lincoln Park.
Here's an example of a recipe I recently pulled out of my files while putting together my menu for my annual summer party where I feed approximately 40 adults and their kids - all on my own.
I remember this recipe being so good! It used to be in my regular party appetizer repertoire but sometimes recipes end up at the bottom of this massive pile, and I forget about them. (I really should get to that organization project one day!) I knew I wanted to bring this one back for this year's beach bash. And when I looked at the recipe, it got me thinking how far The Chopping Block has come since then.
We were always meticulous with certain recipes like our Building Blocks Series because those were designed for serious home cooks. But for classes like Girls Night Out (which I believe this recipe was created for by one of my favorite chefs and friend Siobhan Straka) or Festive Appetizers, they could be more of an outline rather than a true guide.
A few things stook out about this recipe:
- No yield! I estimated and doubled the recipe, thinking it would make two dozen (spoiler alert: it made even more!).
- No prep or cook times, so I had to estimate and add them to my prep list.
- We no longer carry the garlic grapeseed oil we loved back then, but a spray of olive oil works just as well.
- The recipe calls for polenta, but cornmeal is a better choice. (Fun fat: polenta and cornmeal are essentially the same thing—polenta is just more coarsely ground, giving a firmer texture, while cornmeal is finer and can turn mushy if treated like polenta.)
- And no step to preheat the oven! But a good home cook knows to read the recipe before starting, so I added that too.
Here's the recipe I revived for my party - and it was a huge hit!
Prosciutto Cups with Corn Custard
Yields: about 40 mini cups
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Inactive time: 5 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
12 oz prosciutto (2 6oz packages)
2 cups corn kernels (either fresh from cobs or frozen)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup scallions, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
4 eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, to prepare pans
Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray or brush mini muffin tins with olive oil.
3. Cut prosciutto packs in half to make four sections.
4. Wrap one piece around the bottom and sides of the muffin tins.
5. Pulse corn in the food processor a few times.
6. Add cream, cornmeal, scallions, Parmesan cheese, eggs and salt and pepper. Pulse until just combined.
7. Fill prosciutto cups with custard.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes until set.
9. Cool in pans until the cups can be easily removed from the pans (about 5 minutes) and plate. You can garnish with fresh basil at this point. I opted to skip that since I liked the way they looked in my fun Louisiana serving dish (that's where I'm from).
These were a crowd-pleaser at my party, and I know they’ll be a hit at your next summer gathering too. With fresh corn in season, it’s the perfect time to try them!
We have some classes coming up that feature fun, seasonal appetizers or small plates that you will want to add to your party repertoire. I'm sure some of these will one day become classics like these corn cups! Don't miss:
- Venetian Nights Monday, June 2 6pm featuring cicchetti (chee-KET-tee), tantalizing noshes that line counters of tucked-away wine bars, favored by locals.
- Mediterranean Mezze Monday, June 30 6pm featuring savory snacks full of the bold and bright flavors of the Mediterranean
Our July classes are now live, so check out that calendar and reserve your spots for your favorite classes now!
