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Joanne Weir is Always Home in the Kitchen
By C.J.Schexnayder
Chef Joanne Weir |
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So,
although she was more than 3,000 miles from her San
Francisco residence, the kitchen at Le Cordon Bleau
was perfect for her to demonstrate her culinary skills.
Weir,
an award winning chef and cookbook author, gave a demonstration
for more than 70 people at Le Cordon Bleu Peru on Nov.
19. The two-hour-long event was punctuated with her
constant conversation, cooking tips and some divine
dishes for all that attended.
“This
was really a lot of fun,” she said. "The
people enthusiasm and excitement were wonderful.”
Weir
is best known for her PBS show “Weir Cooking in
the Wine Country.” She has also authored several
award-winning cookbooks. Weir cooked for several years
at Chez Panisse in Berkeley California, but now she
travels worldwide offering cooking expositions and collecting
more material for her books.
“My
food is very simple,” she said. “I
tend to like food you don't have to spend hours in the
kitchen to make but you get good results.”
Earlier
this year, Weir decided to accompany a friend of hers
to Peru. She tracked down ACAP officer and chef, David
Jesson, through the International Association of Culinary
Professionals, who jumped at the chance of having her
put on a demonstration.
“She
is one of the most acclaimed chefs in the world,”
he said. “It's a lot of fun to be able
to learn from someone with so much knowledge.”
The
demonstration was organized with Le Cordon Bleu and
ACAP.
Weir,
with the able help of the Le Cordon Bleu students, produced
three stunning dishes. The first was a pissaladiere
a light pastry pizza topped with caramelized onion,
olives and anchovies. The next offering was a shrimp,
papaya, and avocado salad with a vinaigrette sauce.
The exhibition ended with warm chocolate cakes with
soft centers and covered with crème anglaise.
Weir
punctuated the demonstration with tips and techniques
that one simply cannot learn from a cookbook. Her narration
touched on important kitchen subjects such as knife
selection and care as well as what to look for to find
the best olive oil.
Although
the demonstration was a success, it didn't come off
without a hitch. Several of her planned recipes for
the evening were scrapped when she found the key ingredients
were not available in Peru. Although adversity continued
during the event as Weir faced obstacles that ranged
from a dearth of wooden spoons to doses of mild electric
shock, she soldiered on.
“You
have to be flexible when you teach cooking,” she
said.
Although she had only been in Peru for a week, Weir
said she was struck by the robust cuisine of the country.
She confessed to have eaten ceviche each day of her
visit.
“I
may have to come back and do a show from here,”
she said.
Joanne
Weir's website
http://www.joanneweir.com/
Le Cordon Bleu Peru
http://www.cordonbleuperu.edu.pe/
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| Shrimp,
Avocado and Papaya Salad
Serves 6
1
1/4 pounds large shrimp
1 medium papaya (about 1 ½ pounds)
2 avocados, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch
slices
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup whole fresh cilantro leaves as a
garnish
Lime wedges as a garnish Place
2 cups of water in a frying pan and bring
to a boil. Add the shrimp and simmer for
30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let
the shrimp sit in the water for 30 minutes.
Peel the shrimp and discard the shells.
Reserve the shrimp in a bowl.
With
a paring knife, peel the papaya. Cut in
half and remove the seeds. Cut the papaya
into slices and place the slices on a serving
platter in a single layer. Place the avocado
slices on top of the papaya overlapping.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive
oil, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Season
with salt and pepper.
Combine
half of the vinaigrette with the shrimp
and place the shrimp on top of the papaya
and avocado. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette
onto the papaya and avocado. Garnish with
the cilantro leaves and lime wedges and
serve.
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