Just before 11 a.m., folks begin gathering, grabbing a glass of wine and finding a seat at the bar that wraps around the kitchen.
There’s small talk until Janie Jacobson begins greeting everyone, welcoming them to her home.
But today it’s more than her home, it’s also her cooking school.
Classes take place at the home of Jacobson in the Croatan neighborhood of Virginia Beach, just south of the resort area.
On the menu: eggplant parmesan meatballs, salt and pepper brick mushrooms and orange tiramisu.
With assistant Caryl Felty, Jacobson moves about the kitchen with aplomb. She pulls out a pan of roasted eggplant cubes, passing them under the noses of the 10-or-so participants, before placing them in a food processor.
“You just want to give it a few pulses,” Jacobson says. “It should come together, but there should still be some chunks in there.”
Folks scribble notes on the recipe sheets that are placed in front of them.
“How many pulses would you say,” asks one. Jacobson says five or six.
It goes like this for a little more than an hour as the meatballs are spooned out onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (“I love parchment paper,” Jacobson tells the class) then in the oven to bake.
Courses are done, demonstration style, in stages so the entire meal comes together at the same time. Each class includes an entree, side and dessert.
Jacobson started teaching at the stalwart Kitchen Barn, located in Hilltop, more than 30 years ago and has been teaching in her home for the past 10 years.
“My love of teaching comes from first my love of food which started when I was a child,” she says.
“I was always in the kitchen with mom and the housekeeper, my second mom, growing up. I got into healthy cooking when I was a teenager and continued my education in New York City at The Natural Gourmet Cookery School in the 80s. I took a teacher’s training course there as well.”
When she moved back to Virginia Beach, she started teaching locally.
“I always was a visual learner and, now, to be with my students, sharing and showing them each step in the recipe gives them the confidence to make the recipe at home,” says Jacobson.
“I love it when students come back and share with me what they made for their family and friends. I feel a real sense of accomplishment to contribute in that way.”
In this class, the eggplant meatballs come out of the oven, their arrival met with oohs and aahs. Folks pull out smartphones and take photos just as the mushrooms finish on the stovetop. The orange tiramisu is pulled from the refrigerator where it has been chilling.
Everyone moves to a large table and the dishes are presented family style. Jacobson continues to answer questions, and folks make small talk. Each bite was delicious, the meatballs flavorful and tender, the mushrooms delicious and smoky, and the orange tiramisu creamy and decadent.
Classes are held on select Wednesday mornings from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and are priced at $70 a class, with a discount for a series of three classes.
There are two additional cooking classes in the spring schedule, one on June 7 that features shrimp and scallop scampi over orzo and one on June 14 that showcases turmeric chicken salad.
The summer schedule starts on July 12 with an entree of spaghetti with corn carbonara and clams, and continues on July 19 with roasted chicken with tomato butter and romaine pecorino salad; July 26 with lobster salad; Aug. 9 with summertime chicken salad with blueberry vinaigrette; Aug. 23 with warm pickled shrimp on watermelon steak; and Aug. 30 with swordfish salad.
Classes on the summer schedule continue Sept. 13, Sept. 20, and Sept. 27. Contact Jacobson for full details.
For more information on Cooking with Chef Janie Jacobson, call or text Jacobson at 757-513-5435 or email [email protected].
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Recipe
Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs
From Janie Jacobson
Ingredients
2 medium globe eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon bomba calabrese, an Italian spicy Calabrian pepper spread
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
3 garlic cloves, minced
24 ounces favorite marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt
Method
Roast the eggplant: preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the eggplant cubes to the sheet pan. Toss with 6 tablespoons olive oil and salt. Roast the eggplant for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Place the roasted eggplant in a food processor, pulsing until chunky in consistency.
Prepare the meatballs: raise the oven temperature to 425F. In a large bowl, add Italian breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, grated pecorino cheese, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, bombs, egg and egg yolk, and garlic. Mix until incorporated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop up the mixture and place the formed balls onto the baking sheet; you should have about 20 balls. Drizzle balls with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, place in oven, and bake for 16 minutes.
Prepare the dish: add the marinara sauce to a baking dish and evenly place the roasted meatballs on top. Sprinkle meatballs with the mozzarella cheese.
Reduce the oven to 375F and bake 15 minutes or until sauce is heated and cheese is melting.
Serves 6-8.
Patrick Evans-Hylton, [email protected]
