Street Food with L'atelier des Chefs

Can we really have had Glastonbury again already? Where does the time go! We’ve already given you some top tips for festivals in another post last week and it got our juices flowing. Recent times have seen us all try to be more self sufficient, making more things for ourselves and going back to basics. RLD staff kept up the theme with a visit to our partner L’atelier des Chefs recently, to try out their street food cookery class. We share their experience and give you some great recipes too, read on!

LDCLT – Street Food Experience with Wine for Two at L’atelier des Chefs

Gemma and Zerrin took themselves off to St. Pauls in the city of London recently to join some other eager lunchtime foodies who were there for a fast and furious introduction to South East Asian street fare. Our girls loved the open and airy venue, with its welcoming glass front which enticed passers by. Being just a stone’s throw from the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral, L’atelier des Chefs attracts plenty of city workers and many a busy professional had joined this lunchtime class as a treat and an escape – it’s certainly a different way to spend a lunch hour!

One of the main takeaways from the experience was the speed of the class, with cooking taking just half an hour. Everything was prepared and laid out ready for budding cooks, and it was simply a matter of keeping up with the instructions of the main chef. He was assisted by a couple of hosts but was singled out by Gemma for his special thoughtfulness, since she is a vegetarian and he was scrupulous about keeping her ingredients and equipment away from any meat or fish.

Here are the recipes that the girls made in just half an hour. Enjoy…

Steamed Asian dumplings with prawns, chicken and wild mushrooms

18 whole won ton wrappers
24 raw prawns
2 red chillies
3 spring onions
20g fresh ginger
50g dried wild mushrooms
6 pinches of salt
2 skinless chicken breasts
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp soy sauce
50g wakame seaweed
1 Chinese cabbage

Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water and the wakame in cold water. Then drain each separately and blitz in the food processor. Peel and blitz garlic, ginger and chillies separately. Thinly shred cabbage leaves. Roughly cut chicken and the prawns and blitz (again separately). In a bowl mix all ingredients together. Lay out won ton wrappers and add a spoonful of filling to each. Brush the edges of each dumpling with water and fold in half to seal, pressing firmly. Line the base of the steamer with baking parchment to prevent sticking, add the won tons and steam for 3 minutes.

Jasmine rice

300g Jasmine rice
600ml water
4 pinches of salt
6 lime leaves
1 stick lemongrass
2 spring onions

Rinse rice under cold water. Bruise the lemongrass stick by crushing with the back of a knife. Place rice, lemongrass, lime leaves and salt in a pan. Boil and cook with a lid on for 5 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to steam for another 5 minutes to complete cooking. Garnish with finely sliced spring onions to serve.

Chilli, coriander and lime sweet dipping sauce

100g rice wine vinegar
100g caster sugar
30ml soy sauce
1 red chilli
quarter of bunch coriander leaves
1 lime

Finely chop chillies and coriander leaves and squeeze in the lime juice. Heat vinegar and sugar together until sugar dissolves then add the soy sauce and let it cool. When cool, add in the chopped mix.

With all this and the second half of the experience consisting of sitting down together to eat the delicious creations, with a dessert and a glass of Prosecco included, we think you will agree that this L’atelier des Chefs cooking experience is a fantastic way to spend an hour learning a delicious new skill. Both Gemma and Zerrin are confident to intend making these dishes again at home. We just hope they bring some into the office for us next time!