Home cooks: Change it up with these tips and virtual classes

By now, even the most dedicated home cook might be running out of recipes. Or even motivation.

At least that’s what Chef Nicholas Skajewski, owner of Skajewski Catering, has been hearing.

“People are at this crossroad of wanting — needing — to cook more at home but also wanting to support local businesses,” he said.

“We see a lot of requests for things that they’ve never cooked before or have tried and failed!”

It led him to create a series of virtual cooking classes starting in March. Think of having a master chef at your side in the kitchen.

“We love how much people actually want to get into the details about how something is created, why ingredients are used and why technique is so important,” Skajewski said.

But we didn’t want to wait. So we took the focal dish of each class and asked for some early tips.

Salmon. It’s a go-to dish for many dining out but maybe not so much at home. What’s the first thing for beginners to know about preparing salmon? Or maybe a new take on it for the pros?

Sourcing fresh or properly frozen seafood is crucial to enjoying it at home. We really stress the importance of developing texture while not overcooking the fish. The goal is to have a beautifully caramelized surface while the salmon is so tender on the interior it’s just starting to flake. I would say that most people overcook salmon, and that can be a huge turnoff.

Beef Wellington. Be honest: How difficult is this for a typical home cook?

Beef Wellington can be a dish that really only requires a handful of ingredients. Think about it — pastry, beef, mushrooms, prosciutto, mustard and my preference: cheese. Beyond that, we obviously use pantry staples that almost everyone already has. I think the celebritization of the beef Wellington has created a persona of difficulty that truly doesn’t exist. The only real restraint to this dish would be the cost of the beef! Other than that, we plan on showing our attendees how easy such a classic delicacy can be!

Nashville fried chicken. It’s definitely a food trend. What’s the secret to a flavorful Nashville fried chicken?

Layers of flavor and technique! High quality and clean ingredients, brining the chicken, flavoring all steps of the dredge, using oil that’s already been used or flavored and frying twice.

Risotto: Overdone, underdone, what’s the trick to the right consistency?

We teach to create risotto in baby steps and trusting only one thing: your taste! The risotto must go to the finishing steps while it is al dente and with the knowledge that it can be a bit too creamy — is that even really a thing?! — as the grains will absorb as it holds and is plated.

Seriously, you can make sushi at home? What do you even need to start?

Seriously! Sushi is so fun, and everyone is surprised with how easy it is. Typically, no cooking is even involved. To start, we suggest one gets a rolling mat; however, a kitchen towel also really works. Other than that, some clean knife cuts on things that are super yummy, and you are good to go! Why pay $12 for a sushi roll that costs you $2.50 to make?

We’ve likely all had our share of pizza over the past year. What’s the secret to making it at home?

I would say the combination of the dough, the sauce and a hot surface. If you pull up the ingredients list of your typically jarred pizza sauce, you would see that 50 percent of the ingredients are not needed. Similarly with the dough — it’s only six ingredients! Fresh made and fermented dough will remind you of the pizza you love from all the amazing local pizzerias in town but with the satisfaction that you made it!

Learn more about the upcoming cooking classes here!