Shoprite - Fall 2010 Culinary Workshop

Faith Alahverdian, chef and veteran culinary educator, directs ShopRite’s Culinary Workshop™ program, offered in select stores. Our customers learn from our communities’ best and brightest executive chefs, who share their skills and talents each week at their local ShopRite® stores. For as little as $20, guests in small classes prepare meals alongside a working chef who is also the entertaining host for the evening.

Chef Faith’s passion for good food began at an early age in her family’s kitchen. Her credentials include a culinary apprenticeship with Master French Chef Philippe Chin; formal chef training at Le Cordon Bleu Paris as a James Beard Scholar; and chocolate, pastry and regional French culinary classes at L’Ecole de Cuisine Le Ritz Escoffier on an IACP scholarship. She also attended The Greenbriar’s Symposium for Professional Food Writers in Greenbriar, West Virginia, and The Blue Elephant Thai Cooking School in Bangkok. She honed her skills alongside some of Philadelphia’s greatest chefs, including Chef Jim Coleman of the PBS cooking show, Flavors of America, Master Chinese Chef Joseph Poon, and Master French Chef Jean-Marie Lacroix.

Chef Faith personally selects each
instructor and each recipe for our wildly
popular hands-on workshops. These
recipes, incorporating the finest ShopRite®
meats, seafood, produce and specialty
foods, make our cooking classes some of
the most sought-after in our area.
CHEF FAITH ALAHVERDIAN
Executive Chef
ShopRite’s Culinary Workshop™

Hungarian Goulash*

*By Chef Faith Alahverdian

1 carrot, halved

1 celery rib, halved

1 Simply Organic® Bay Leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh marjoram ⅓ cup minced Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

1 tbsp. Simply Organic® Caraway Seeds, crushed (not ground)

1 cup ShopRite® all-purpose flour

1 tsp. kosher salt ¾ tsp. ShopRite® all-seasoned salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper ½ cup Simply Organic® Paprika

1 tsp. hot paprika or Simply Organic® Chili Powder

3 lbs. Certified Angus Beef® Top Sirloin or Sterling Silver® Premium Pork Roast, cut into cubes

3 tbsp. ShopRite® Imported grapeseed oil, divided

1 tbsp. bacon fat rendered from ShopRite® thick-sliced bacon

5 large sweet onions, sliced

3 elephant garlic cloves, quartered

1 tbsp. ShopRite® tomato paste

4 cups ShopRite® beef broth

2 cups hot water plus 1 tbsp. Organic Better Than Bouillon Beef Base

1 cup dry red wine (optional)

Cooked egg noodles (optional)

Sour cream, chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

1. Make a bouquet garni by placing the carrot, celery, fresh herbs, and caraway seeds in a large piece of cheesecloth. Tie tightly; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine flour, kosher salt, seasoned salt, pepper and paprikas. Line a large baking sheet with PaperChef Culinary Parchment™. Place flour-spice mixture in a resealable plastic bag. Add meat cubes; seal bag and shake well to coat. Shake off excess flour. Remove meat cubes from bag and place on baking sheet in a single layer.

3. In a large, heavy stockpot heat 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and 1 tablespoon bacon fat over medium heat. Add one layer of meat cubes, and brown on all sides. Transfer to another baking sheet. Repeat until all meat is browned.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions and garlic to pot; sauté until light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add meat cubes and remaining flour mixture to pot; cook and stir over medium heat 3 minutes.

5. Add tomato paste, broth, bouillon mixture, reserved bouquet garni and (if desired) wine. Bring to a simmer; cover and cook 1 hour or until meat is fork-tender. If desired, serve with egg noodles and garnish with sour cream and chopped parsley. Serve with fresh La Brea Bakery® Bread from our ShopRite® bakery.