Knife Skills' Masterclass

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• Servings
  0
• Prep
  120 m
• Cook
  120 m

Recipe By: Otao kitchen

Knife Skills Masterclass Series

Combined Learning Recipes & Simple Dishes

Format: Hands-on flash course
Duration: 3 hours approx. per class
Location: Otao Kitchen
Series:

• Class 1: Foundations Knife Work & Poultry Breakdown
• Class 2: Fish Fabrication & Shellfish Butchery

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Class 1: Foundations Knife Work & Poultry Breakdown

Class Learning Outcome

Students learn safe knife handling, essential vegetable cuts, poultry breakdown, spatchcocking, trussing, and waste reduction. Each skill is connected to a simple dish so students understand how knife work improves cooking results.

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Recipe 1: Mirepoix Vegetable Soup

Learning Focus: Slicing, Dicing & Consistent Knife Cuts

What Students Learn

Students practise basic knife grip, claw hand, posture, and controlled cutting. They learn how even vegetable cuts improve cooking time, flavour, and texture.

Ingredients

• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Leek, optional
• Garlic
• Thyme or bay leaf
• Chicken stock or vegetable stock
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Knife Skills

• Peeling and trimming
• Slicing
• Dicing
• Chopping
• Keeping trim for stock

Method

1. Stabilise the chopping board with a damp cloth.
2. Dice carrot, celery, onion, and leek into even pieces.
3. Finely chop garlic.
4. Heat olive oil in a pot and gently sweat the vegetables with salt.
5. Add garlic and herbs.
6. Add stock and simmer until vegetables are tender.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Teaching Point

Even cuts cook evenly. This is why knife precision matters before heat is applied.

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Recipe 2: Herb & Leafy Green Salad

Learning Focus: Chiffonade & Delicate Knife Work

What Students Learn

Students practise handling soft herbs and leafy greens without bruising them. They learn how a sharp knife preserves freshness, colour, and aroma.

Ingredients

• Leafy greens
• Basil, parsley, mint, coriander or mixed herbs
• Lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Knife Skills

• Washing and drying herbs properly
• Stacking leaves
• Rolling leaves tightly
• Chiffonade slicing
• Gentle handling

Method

1. Wash and dry herbs and leaves thoroughly.

2. Stack larger leaves neatly.
3. Roll leaves into a tight cylinder.
4. Slice finely using a smooth knife motion.
5. Dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
6. Toss gently and serve fresh.

Teaching Point

A sharp knife cuts herbs cleanly. A dull knife crushes and bruises them.

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Recipe 3: Roast Spatchcock Chicken with Lemon & Herbs

Learning Focus: Spatchcocking, Poultry Shears & Even Cooking

What Students Learn

Students learn how removing the backbone and flattening a chicken helps it cook faster and more evenly.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• Olive oil
• Lemon zest or lemon slices
• Garlic
• Rosemary or thyme
• Salt and pepper

Knife Skills

• Safe poultry handling
• Removing the backbone
• Using poultry shears
• Flattening the bird
• Trimming excess fat
• Reserving backbone for stock

Method

1. Place chicken breast-side down on a stable board.
2. Use poultry shears to cut along both sides of the backbone.
3. Remove the backbone and reserve it for stock.
4. Turn the chicken breast-side up.
5. Press firmly on the breastbone to flatten.
6. Rub with olive oil, lemon, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper.
7. Roast at 200°C for 40–50 minutes, or until cooked through.
8. Rest before carving.

Teaching Point

Spatchcocking creates an even thickness, which helps the chicken roast evenly.

Recipe 4: Pan-Seared Chicken Pieces with Garlic Butter

Learning Focus: Whole Chicken Breakdown & Portion Control

What Students Learn

Students learn how to break down a whole chicken into usable portions and understand where the natural joints are.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks or wings from breakdown
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Parsley or thyme

Knife Skills

• Identifying joints
• Separating wings
• Removing legs
• Separating thighs and drumsticks
• Removing breasts from the carcass
• Trimming and portioning

Method

1. Break down the chicken into classic portions.
2. Pat chicken pieces dry.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat olive oil in a pan.
5. Sear chicken pieces until golden.
6. Add butter, garlic, and herbs.
7. Baste the chicken as it cooks.
8. Finish with lemon juice and chopped herbs.

Teaching Point

Good butchery gives evenly sized portions, which cook more consistently.

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Recipe 5: Simple Chicken Stock

Learning Focus: Waste Reduction & Flavour Building

What Students Learn

Students learn how bones, trim, and vegetable scraps can become a useful kitchen foundation.

Ingredients

• Chicken carcass and bones
• Carrot trim
• Celery trim
• Onion trim
• Bay leaf
• Parsley stalks
• Black peppercorns
• Cold water

Knife Skills

• Saving usable trim
• Separating carcass from meat
• Rough chopping vegetables
• Organising bones and aromatics

Method

1. Place chicken bones and vegetable trim in a stockpot.
2. Cover with cold water.
3. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer.
4. Skim impurities from the surface.
5. Simmer gently for 1.5–2 hours.
6. Strain and cool quickly.

Teaching Point

Good knife work reduces waste and improves kitchen efficiency.

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Class 2

Fish Fabrication & Shellfish Butchery

Class Learning Outcome

Students learn safe seafood handling, fish filleting, skinning, pin-boning, shellfish preparation, prawn breakdown, calamari cleaning, and seafood waste reduction.

Recipe 1: Pan-Seared Fish with Lemon Herb Butter

Learning Focus: Round Fish Filleting & Skin-On Cooking

What Students Learn

Students learn the structure of a round fish and how to produce clean fillets for cooking.

Ingredients

• Whole round fish, such as snapper, barramundi or kingfish
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Lemon juice
• Parsley
• Garlic, optional

Knife Skills

• Cutting behind the head
• Following the backbone
• Removing side fillets
• Trimming belly bones
• Removing pin bones
• Portioning fillets evenly

Method

1. Fillet the fish using long, smooth strokes.
2. Trim belly bones and remove pin bones.
3. Cut fillets into even portions.
4. Pat dry and season.
5. Sear skin-side down until crisp.
6. Turn and finish gently.
7. Add butter, lemon juice, parsley, and garlic if using.

Teaching Point

Clean filleting improves yield, presentation, and cooking quality.

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Recipe 2: Poached Flat Fish with Light Fish Broth

Learning Focus: Flat Fish Filleting & Gentle Cooking

What Students Learn

Students learn the difference between round and flat fish and practise delicate filleting from the centre line.

Ingredients

• Whole flat fish, such as flounder or sole
• Light fish stock
• Lemon slices
• Parsley or dill
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil or butter

Knife Skills

• Identifying the centre line
• Filleting from centre to edge
• Removing delicate fillets
• Trimming lightly
• Keeping fish cold and intact

Method

1. Fillet the flat fish from the centre line outwards.
2. Trim gently and check for bones.
3. Warm fish stock in a shallow pan.
4. Add lemon and herbs.
5. Slide fish fillets into the broth.
6. Poach gently until just cooked.
7. Serve with a little broth and herbs.

Teaching Point

Delicate fish requires delicate knife work and gentle heat.

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Recipe 3: Oysters with Shallot Mignonette

Learning Focus: Oyster Shucking & Fine Dice

What Students Learn

Students learn safe oyster handling, controlled shucking, and fine shallot cutting.

Ingredients

• Fresh oysters
• Shallot
• Red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
• Black pepper
• Lemon wedges
• Crushed ice, for serving

Knife Skills

• Fine shallot dice
• Oyster knife safety
• Opening from the hinge
• Releasing the oyster cleanly
• Checking for shell fragments

Method

1. Finely dice shallot.
2. Mix shallot with vinegar and black pepper.
3. Keep oysters chilled until ready.
4. Hold oyster securely with a towel or cut-resistant glove.
5. Insert oyster knife into the hinge and twist gently.
6. Release the oyster from the top shell.
7. Serve over ice with mignonette and lemon.

Teaching Point

Shellfish knife work is about control, not force.

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Recipe 4: Modern Clams Casino

Learning Focus: Clam Handling, Aromatics & Topping Preparation

What Students Learn

Students learn shellfish inspection, safe handling, and precise chopping for a simple baked clam dish.

Ingredients

• Fresh clams
• Butter
• Garlic
• Shallot
• Breadcrumbs or panko
• Parsley
• Lemon zest
• Black pepper
• Optional chilli flakes

Knife Skills

• Checking shellfish
• Fine chopping garlic and shallot
• Chopping parsley
• Preparing even topping
• Handling cooked clams safely

Method

1. Check clams and discard cracked or unsafe shells.
2. Steam briefly until opened.
3. Remove top shells.
4. Gently loosen clam meat.
5. Mix butter, garlic, shallot, breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon zest, and pepper.
6. Spoon topping over clams.
7. Bake or grill until golden.

Teaching Point

Good preparation turns simple ingredients into a polished seafood dish.

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Recipe 5: Garlic Prawn Scampi

Learning Focus: Prawn Peeling, Deveining & Quick Cooking

What Students Learn

Students learn how to peel and devein prawns cleanly while reserving shells for stock.

Ingredients

• Raw prawns, shell on
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Butter
• White wine, optional
• Lemon juice
• Parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Optional chilli flakes

Knife Skills

• Removing prawn shells
• Deveining prawns
• Keeping tails on or off
• Slicing garlic
• Chopping parsley
• Reserving shells for stock

Method

1. Peel prawns and reserve shells if suitable.
2. Devein prawns with a shallow cut along the back.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan.
4. Add garlic and cook gently.
5. Add prawns and cook briefly until just opaque.
6. Add wine if using.
7. Finish with butter, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Teaching Point

Prawns cook very quickly. Good preparation helps prevent overcooking.

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Recipe 6: Quick-Seared Calamari with Lemon & Parsley

Learning Focus: Calamari Cleaning, Scoring & Fast Cooking

What Students Learn

Students learn how to clean calamari, remove membrane, score the flesh, and cook it quickly over high heat.

Ingredients

• Calamari tubes and tentacles
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Parsley
• Salt and pepper

Knife Skills

• Removing quill and membrane
• Opening calamari tubes flat
• Light crosshatch scoring
• Cutting even pieces
• Chopping parsley

Method

1. Clean calamari and remove the quill and membrane.
2. Open tubes flat.
3. Score lightly in a crosshatch pattern without cutting through.
4. Cut into even pieces.
5. Season with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
6. Sear quickly over high heat for 1–2 minutes.
7. Finish with parsley and lemon juice.

Teaching Point

Calamari should be cooked either very quickly or very slowly. For this class, quick high-heat cooking keeps it tender.

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Recipe 7: Light Fish Stock

Learning Focus: Fish Frames & Seafood Waste Reduction

What Students Learn

Students learn how fish bones, frames, and trim can become a light stock for soups, sauces, and poaching.

Ingredients

• Fish frames and bones
• Onion
• Celery
• Fennel, optional
• Parsley stalks
• Bay leaf
• Black peppercorns
• Cold water
• White wine, optional

Knife Skills

• Cleaning fish frames
• Removing bloodline
• Rough chopping aromatics
• Saving usable trim
• Organising bones and scraps

Method

1. Rinse fish frames briefly if needed.
2. Remove visible bloodline.
3. Place fish frames and aromatics in a pot.
4. Cover with cold water.
5. Bring gently to a simmer.
6. Skim the surface.
7. Simmer for 20–30 minutes only.
8. Strain and cool quickly.

Teaching Point

Fish stock cooks quickly. Overcooking can make it cloudy, bitter, or too strong.

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Printed From otaokitchen.com.au 06/12/2026