The Black Sheep Cooking Club

New Recipes on Black Sheep Cooking Club site!

I've finally finished creating all the recipes so that you can easily print them out. Now I'm back to work and I've got about a dozen new additions to the site. You'll notice a number of sausage recipes and ideas. Participants in our cooking classes have just loved making them so we'd thought we'd add a few suggestions to the site. Here's some of the new additions;

A word about summer truffles.

Great French Toast from last night's French Bread!

Hollandaise Sauce (from an experiment using frozen egg yolks.)

Eggs Benedict

One Potato Two Potatoes

In a kitchen time is precious, do two things at once.

Peeling Shrimp and using the skins for...!

Super Bowl Sunday's Ravens Kisses for dessert.

Something to do with Chocolate Mousee.

Sausages made in a Food Processor.

Sausages made by hand.

A quick Spanish style sausage.

Fresh Beets

A lot of people think they don't like them till they have them fresh!

Turkey Liver Mousse

I shot this at Thanksgiving and it's something I love to do every year.

My guests look forward to it also, so don't throw out the liver!

Member's Update

The addition of new videos has slowed a bit because I'm currently in the process of adding full printable recipes with a picture to go along with all the video recipes on the Member's site. Now you'll be able to view the entire process on the video to see exactly how it's done, then print the recipe and take it into the kitchen with you to continue to guide you to a successful creation!

For information on how to join this one of a kind online cooking club and school, see;

The Black Sheep Cooking Club

News on Guest Chef Dinners

Great fun! My time at Nieuport 17 in Tustin has been has been a post Black Sheep over the top good time. Many regulars, and some who never made it to the Black Sheep Bistro have become regulars for these events.

Here's a fun video Jaryd Lucero at the OC Register did at one of the events. Look at the room Nieuport 17 has given us and notice it's one long table, and the setting reminds me of the hunting lodges we saw in Europe that the royal families used to entertain in!

Pop Up dining in Orange County

Cooking Class Update!

Some of the greatest memories of my time at the Black Sheep Bistro was the cooking classes we offered on Saturdays. Hours spent just destroying my kitchen, then sitting down and eating everything we made, getting to know our customers and their friends from a whole new perspective was beyond words and emotions.

Through the Black Sheep Cooking Club, we started offering our cooking classes in January and from my experience they surpass what I was able to do at the restaurant. Why? Well let's just say most people were somewhat intimidated by being in a professional kitchen. Not that they didn't like it, they did, but most were a little apprehensive about diving in and giving it all they got. Not only that but I kind of got the impression that, "yeah I can do that here, in a kitchen like this, but I couldn't do this at home." That is not what we're finding now that we're doing the classes in your homes. Most of the classes are set up to be more of a "participation party" where some cook and some are served the results. Not only do we find most everyone is not only excited to participate, sometimes it's a round robin as to who gets to cook and who's being served!

We've just begun!

We are just beginning to get samples of the classes up on the Black Sheep Cooking Club website in both picture and video form. Take a moment and check them out and then use this Contact Form if you'd like to book your own class with us.

Long time customer Dave Plotkin and family!

Dave loved the Roli Roti truck in San Francisco so much he'd fly his family up there for Porchetta sandwiches. He finally decided to design his own rotisserie and signed us up for Porchetta class!

You can see the fun on our You Tube Channel. Here's some pictures;

Sooo good and way too much family fun!

Here's a few samples of currently available classes!

The Confit of Duck & Cassoulet Class! The Grand Aioli Class

(the ultimate in grilling!)

Soups & Potage

And I love giving them the bill at the end of the night, and watch as they survey all the did, all they ate and they calculate how may were served what, and they say, "is that all, and you did the dishes too?"

I never dreamed not owning a restaurant would be so satisfying and fun!

New for February!

Here's some new recipes for our members!

A salad made with fresh Lima Beans The Basic Beef Stew

Dishes for large group entertaining!

A saffron rice dish, sort of paella like for a second or side dish.

Making a Pork Stew Expanding on the Stew

Get these and so much more when you join The Black Sheep Cooking Club!

New for January!

Here's our newest videos we added in January. For a full listing see:
The Black Sheep Cooking Club's Current Content page.

We give you our recipes to make your own "gifts." This is a great way to welcome in

a new neighbor, say thanks, or just to have on hand for a quick "just add water" dish.

A Split Pea Soup Risotto with dried mushrooms!

Packing up a Paella, Fideo, or a Couscous is easy!

Pizza Dough?

A fast and far better Chocolate Sauce

than anything pre-made!

Spent some time with my nephew cooking up some snails!

The classic "escargot" appetizer. Second course is made with pasta and vegetables.

The Main Course!

And then we also added;

Italian Squash the way we did it at the Black Sheep. A fish "Brik."

A lamb loin with chanterelle mushrooms!

To get these and other fun how to recipes joinn us at;

The Black Sheep Cooking Club!

Cooking Classes and a Favorite for February!

January 29th, 2012

It seems all but one of our first takers for cooking classes in January choose a Spanish theme! No surprise as Tapas and Paella were some of the more popular items at the restaurant. There was one exception and that was the Plotkin family who choose to do a Porchetta roast on a brand new rotisserie that Dave Plotkin had designed himself! It was great success and you can see the the fun we had through some short videos we've posted on Our BlackSheepCooking You Tube channel.

To celebrate the Grand Opening of the Cooking Class section of the Black Sheep Cooking Club, we'll begin by offering one of our unique all time favorites for a special price. Our featured class for February 2012;

Confit of Duck & Cassoulet!

We’ll start with whole ducks, bone them, then make appetizers, salad, main course, render the fat, marinate the duck pieces for confit, crisp up the legs all the while making a cassoulet. For this class I recommend up to 6 participating in the class but as many as 12 eating! (So up to six cook and serve and the other six get to be served! Perfect Valentines party?) Oh, I'd should also mention a good appetite!
Regular price starts at $500 but our special February booking* price is only $400 inclusive.
You can send the date and time you want through; Our Contact Page Or call and leave your message at 949-642-5922.

*Class must be set up and booked in the month of February but the actual class itself can be for a later date.

Another Next Dinner at Nieuport17

The first Spanish dinner sold out so we are adding another Thursday, January 19th.

Same menu as below, again call Nieuport 17 at (714) 731-5130 for reservations!

Next Dinner at Nieuport17

January 8th, 2012

Our next dinner at Nieuport 17 in Tustin is set for Thursday, January
12th. This time we’re doing favorites from Spain!

First Course - Assorted Tapas

Second Course - Mixed Salad with Jamon Serrano, Sobrasada and Dates

Main Course - Grilled Lamb Loin Catalana

Dessert - Assorted Spanish favorites

The cost is $75 (+ tax and gratuity) and includes selected wines.
Those interested please call Nieuport 17 (714) 731-5130 (be warned, our
past 2 dinners there sold out very quickly) for reservations and more
information .

News for December

December 20th, 2011

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Check out some of the fun videos new this month!

For a current listing see;

http://www.rickndiana.com/CurClubCont.html

Lamb additions include:

Roasting a bone-in Leg Enjoying the Marrow

Using the bone for Cassoulet Trimming a Lamb Rack

Using the Trim Meat for Gnocchi Roasting a Rack of Lamb.

Also new this month you'll find;

Roast Quail with a Far East Feel A Fast easy Salza

Salmon and Whole Wheat Capellini

And check out what Diana got me for my birthday from the D'Artagnan people.

For those of you doing turkey this season, check out the Turkey & Avocado Tacos for a "leftovers" idea. (That was an employee favorite! Better yet follow the recipe as given but then smear the tortillas with Aioli sauce, then finish as shown.)

For those who of you who still need quick (and inexpensive) gifts that give all year long, there's still time to either join or to add friends, family or co-workers at our "Grand Opening" prices. You can find more info here;
http://www.rickndiana.com/index.php?page=join

Well, the New Year is almost here also, and we have a huge 2012 planned! Guest Chef-ing, Cooking Classes, Pop-ups here and there and hundreds of recipes and ideas to add to all the sites!

We are so happy to have you aboard, and ask you to please tell your food loving friends about us too!

Love to you, your families and especially your kids!
Rick & Diana Boufford