Whether you’re planning a casual dinner party at home or a lavish affair for a large group, Maison is a great new way to elevate your next event with the experience you have come to expect from Marcel’s!
Champagne Punch
January 23, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Champagne Punch
2017-01-23 19:12:25
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Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 mesh teaball with mulling spices
- 1 bottle champagne or sparkling wine
Instructions
- Combine apple cider, sugar and teaball with mulling spices in pan and bring to the boil. Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Chill.
- Just before serving, add champagne.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
LFK “Rub It Right” Bloody Marys
September 15, 2016 by Leave a Comment
LFK "Rub It Right" Bloody Marys
2016-09-15 11:43:45
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Ingredients
- 4 Kalamata olives
- 1 tablespoon LFK "Rub it Right" spice blend
- 2 cups tomato juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon creamy horseradish sauce
- salt and Pepper to taste
- ½ cup vodka
Instructions
- Combine the first five ingredients plus the vodka in the blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour over ice and garnish with your favorite accoutrements.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Grilled Flatbreads
August 3, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Grilled Flatbreads
2016-08-03 21:51:48
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Ingredients
- 2 t. dry yeast
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- ¼ cup white flour
- ¼ cup rye or whole wheat flour
- 3 ¼ cup flour
- 1 t. salt
- ¾ cup cold water
- ¼ cup olive oil
Topping ideas
- Pesto and Parmesan or Ricotta
- Za’atar
- Onion and sage
- Rosemary and thyme
- Tomato
- Various cheeses
- or serve with hummus or other dips
Instructions
- Stir together the yeast and lukewarm water.
- Add the ¼ cups of white and rye (or whole wheat) flours and mix well. Allow this mixture to sit until bubbly.
- Mix the 3½ cup flour and 1 t. salt together in another bowl. Stir this into the yeast and flour mixture with ¾ cup cold water and ¼ cup olive oil. Mix together thoroughly and knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is soft and elastic (5 minutes). Add more water or flour as needed.
- Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (1-2 hours). Or refrigerate overnight, then remove from refrigerator 2 hours before shaping.
- Heat grill until hot.
- Divide dough into 8-10 pieces. Roll each piece into 1/8” thick round or oval. Lightly brush with olive oil and place the rounds directly on the grill grates, oil side down.
- Grill the flatbread until golden brown, flip, add oil (and toppings, if desired) and grill other side. About 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and add salt and pepper or additional toppings.
Notes
- Makes 8 - 10 flatbreads or 2 10-inch pizzas
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Provençal Potato Salad
June 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Provençal Potato Salad
2016-06-08 11:03:34
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French Potato Salad
- 1 pound small white boiling potatoes
- 1 pound small red boiling potatoes
- 2 T. good dry white wine
- 2 T. chicken stock
- 3 T. Champagne vinegar
- 1/2 t. Dijon mustard
- 2 t. kosher salt
- 3/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
- 10 T. good olive oil
- 1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
- 2 T. minced fresh dill
- 2 T. minced flat-leaf parsley
- 2 T. julienned fresh basil leaves
Provençal Potato Salad
- 1 recipe French Potato Salad
- 1/2 pound haricots verts, stems removed
- 1 6-ounce can Italian tuna, drained and flaked
- 1/2 cup capers, drained
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
- 1/2 cup black olives, pitted
- 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered, optional
- 6 anchovy fillets, optional
French Potato Salad
- Drop the white and red potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in half (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.
- Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Provençal Potato Salad
- In a pot of boiling salted water, blanch haricots verts for 3 to 5 minutes, until barely tender. Drain and immerse into ice water for 5 minutes. Drain again.
- In a large bowl, combine the haricots verts with the potato salad, tuna, capers, tomatoes, onions, olives, eggs, and anchovy fillets. Serve at room temperature.
Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Cucumber-Feta Toasts
May 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Cucumber-Feta Toasts
2016-05-23 16:03:01
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Ingredients
- ½ baguette
- 6 t. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 ounces feta
- ½ t. fresh lemon juice
- coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise
Instructions
- Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees.
- Split baguette lengthwise and lightly brush cut sides with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Bake until golden around edges, 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash together feta, 4 teaspoons oil, and lemon juice with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread feta mixture evenly over toasted baguette and top with cucumber slices. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a drizzle of oil. Cut into pieces to serve.
Adapted from Martha Stewart Appetizers
Adapted from Martha Stewart Appetizers
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Jam Jar Cocktail
May 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Jam Jar Cocktail
2016-05-18 18:41:49
Serves 1
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Ingredients
- 3 oz. vodka
- ½ a lime, squeezed and dropped into cocktail shaker
- ¼ oz. Luxardo Maraschino Originale
- 1 t. American Spoon® Blueberry-Lime Preserves
- lemon-lime soda
Instructions
- hake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, pour over ice, and top with a splash of lemon-lime soda.
Adapted from American Spoon
Adapted from American Spoon
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Potato Skins with Smoked Cheddar & Bacon
April 27, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Potato Skins with Smoked Cheddar & Bacon
2016-04-27 15:28:25
Serves 8
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Ingredients
- 8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
- 4 slices (4 ounces) thick cut bacon
- 2 T. canola oil
- fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup (3 ounces) grated smoked cheddar cheese
- 2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 F.
- Wrap each potato in a layer of aluminum foil. Put the potatoes in a baking dish and bake until tender when squeezed through the foil, about 1 hour. Unwrap and let cool a bit. Raise the oven temperature to 400 F.
- Slice the bacon crosswise into narrow strips, and fry them in a skillet over medium eat until chewy and slightly shrunken but not crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and reserve.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise. With a large spoon, scoop out the potato flesh (reserve it for another use), leaving a 3/8 inch thick shell. Rub the shells evenly, inside and out, with the oil*, and sprinkle the insides with a little salt and pepper. Arrange the potato skins on a large baking sheet and bake until the edges begin to brown, 25 minutes.
- Divide the bacon and cheddar among the hollowed-out potato skins, and bake until the cheese has melted and the edges of the potato skins have crisped and turned brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Garnish each potato skin with a few pieces of sliced scallion and a small dollop of sour cream, and serve immediately.
Notes
- *With potato skins, the crisp edges are everything so be sure to coat that part with plenty of oil.
Adapted from The New Midwestern Table
Adapted from The New Midwestern Table
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Blooming Brie Bowl
November 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Blooming Brie Bowl with Caramelized Pears
2015-11-10 17:40:06
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Ingredients
- 2 T. butter
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 pears, peeled, cored and diced
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 t. brown sugar
- 1/2 t. chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1 (8 ounce) round loaf sourdough bread
- 1 (8 ounce) round Brie cheese, rind removed and cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a skillet, melt 1 T. butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the pears and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, brown sugar, thyme, salt and pepper. Increase the heat slightly and simmer the mixture until all of the liquid has evaporated and the pears have caramelized, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Cut top third off loaf of bread; hollow out enough bread from bottom to make room for cheese.
- Cube removed bread; set aside.
- Using a knife, make 2-inch cuts into loaf around edge of bread at 1-in. intervals. Spread inside of bread with 1 Tbsp. butter. Place ½ of cheese into bottom of bread bowl, top with 1/2 of the pear mixture. Place the remaining brie half on top, spread with the remaining pear mixture and sprinkle with remaining slivered almonds. Replace bread top and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated 350° F. oven for about 30 minutes.
- Serve with reserved sourdough bread pieces and crackers.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Make it an Event by Jill Foucré
August 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
A number of years ago when the first twinklings of Marcel’s started to emerge in my mind, the part that I was in love with was the prospect of having cooking classes. I love to cook and entertain, I love to try new things, experiment with new recipes and techniques and make as many of the ingredients as possible from scratch. When I would attend classes at recreational cooking schools, I always learned something, had fun, had a great meal and was in the company of those who also shared my love of cooking and great food.
Marcel’s clearly evolved into both a cooking school and a beautiful retail store and I am so glad we can offer both and that they complement each other so well. I love everything about Marcel’s but my heart is in the kitchen. Since we opened almost two years ago we have held 368 classes and have had 113 private events – and have had over 6,000 students in our kitchen! The private events have been something I didn’t fully anticipate when we were initially planning Marcel’s. I thought we would do some events like this but not nearly the scope and quantity.
For private groups we have done everything from kid’s birthday parties to bachelorette parties and bridal showers to corporate groups (including some fun competitive formats!) to couples to friends to families. We like to tailor to the customer’s needs so we don’t have predetermined menus — we set a date, I book a chef, we plan menus, and then we’re ready for a great event! From personal classes for two people to cocktail party-style events for 60 and everything in between, we can format something for everyone. We also love to do add ons like favors or flowers or personalized aprons.
Recently we held our first ever open house for event and meeting planners to spread the word about Marcel’s and we have joined the Dupage Convention and Visitors Bureau so we can become a destination for those looking for the best venues in the area. And in the process, so many people are also discovering downtown Glen Ellyn — we regularly hear “I had no idea Glen Ellyn had such a great downtown!”
I am excited to be the host site for so many fun, memorable events – it truly embodies our quest to help everyone cook, create, and celebrate.