School Holidays Cooking Program - Workshop 12
Workshop 12: Final Challenge Thursday · September/October Module Scan to view this recipe online This is a menu-planning and execution challenge rather than a...
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Classes:
Format: Hands-on cooking class
Duration: 3 hours approx. per class
Location: Otao Kitchen
Months: Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov
Chicken Part | Class Use |
Carcass, wing tips, trim | Chicken stock and vegetable soup |
Breast fillets | Sous-vide chicken salad and roulade |
Thighs and legs | Fried chicken or roulade |
Skin and fat | Rendering, flavour, pan work |
Offcuts | Stock, soup, mince or filling |
Learning Focus
Whole-bird breakdown, knife safety, joint identification, yield optimisation.
Chef Note
Do not force the knife through bone. Find the joint and let the knife pass through naturally.
Learning Focus
Waste reduction, stock preparation, vegetable cuts, flavour building.
For the stock
For the soup
Chef Note
A gentle simmer gives a cleaner stock. Hard boiling can make the stock cloudy and greasy.
Learning Focus
Knife skills, chicken mince preparation, aromatics, fast stir-frying, balance of sweet, salty and fresh flavours.
Serves 2–4
Chef Note
The filling should be savoury, glossy, and not too wet. Lettuce cups should stay crisp.
Learning Focus
Chicken breast cookery, gentle cooking, salad preparation, chilli oil dressing, texture control.
Serves 2
Chicken
Salad
Chilli oil dressing
Chef Note
Sous-vide chicken should be tender, juicy, and evenly cooked. Slice cleanly with a sharp knife to avoid tearing the meat.
Learning Focus
Deboning, flattening, rolling, tying, seasoning, even cooking.
Serves 2
Optional filling
Chef Note
The roulade must be rolled firmly but not overfilled. Resting helps it slice cleanly.
Learning Focus
Chicken portioning, seasoning, crumbing, frying station workflow, safe frying.
Serves 2–4
Chicken
Crumb coating
To cook
Chef Note
Use a shared frying station for class workflow. Keep raw and cooked chicken trays clearly separated.
Months: Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec
Class Menu
Whole Duck Use
Duck Part | Class Use |
Breasts | Pan-seared duck breast with gastrique |
Legs | Confit cassoulet or rillettes |
Trim and offcuts | Duck ragù |
Bones and carcass | Duck stock |
Skin and fat | Rendered duck fat and roast potatoes |
Confit meat | Cassoulet and rillettes |
Recipe 1: Whole Duck Butchery
Learning Focus
Duck anatomy, fat management, breast removal, leg removal, whole-bird utilisation.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Chef Note
Duck has more fat than chicken. Teach students to see fat as a cooking ingredient, not waste.
Recipe 2: Duck Rillettes with Thyme & Tarragon
Learning Focus
Slow cooking, shredding, seasoning, fat preservation, pâté-style preparation.
Ingredients
Serves 4 as a starter
Method
Chef Note
Rillettes should be rich but balanced. Herbs, mustard, and acidity help cut through the fat.
Recipe 3: Duck Breast with Gastrique
Learning Focus
Rendering duck fat, pan-searing, resting, sauce balance.
Ingredients
Serves 2
Duck
Gastrique
Method
Chef Note
Start duck breast in a cold pan. This gives the fat time to render and the skin time to become crisp.
Recipe 4: Duck Confit Cassoulet with Garlic-Parsley Crumbs
Learning Focus
Confit preparation, braising, bean cookery, crumb topping, French comfort food technique.
Chef Preparation Before Class
Ingredients
Serves 4
Garlic-parsley crumbs
Method
Chef Note
Cassoulet should be hearty and rich, but not dry. Add extra stock if needed during baking.
Recipe 5: Duck Ragù with Pappardelle
Learning Focus
Duck trim utilisation, slow cooking, sauce building, pasta finishing.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Method
Chef Note
Ragù is a good use for trim and tougher pieces. Slow cooking builds flavour and tenderness.
Recipe 6: Duck Fat Roast Potatoes
Learning Focus
Rendered fat use, potato preparation, roasting technique, texture control.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Method
Chef Note
Rough edges create crunch. Hot fat gives the potatoes a crisp exterior.
Recipe 7: Quick Duck Stock
Learning Focus
Whole-bird utilisation, bones and trim, sauce foundation.
Ingredients
Makes approx. 1 litre
Method
Chef Note
Duck stock is excellent for sauces, ragù, cassoulet, soups, and reductions.
Final Student Learning Summary
Class 1: Chicken Essentials
Skill | Dish |
Whole chicken butchery | Chicken portions for multiple recipes |
Stock and waste reduction | Chicken stock and vegetable soup |
Fast aromatic cooking | San Choi Bao lettuce cups |
Gentle chicken breast cookery | Sous-vide chicken salad with chilli oil |
Deboning and rolling | Chicken roulade with Herbes de Provence |
Crumbing and frying | Southern comfort fried chicken |
Class 2: Duck Demystified
Skill | Dish |
Duck butchery | Breasts, legs, trim, carcass and fat allocation |
Slow cooking and preservation | Duck rillettes |
Fat rendering and sauce work | Duck breast with gastrique |
Confit and braising | Duck confit cassoulet |
Trim utilisation | Duck ragù with pappardelle |
Rendered fat cookery | Duck fat roast potatoes |
Stock and sauce foundation | Quick duck stock |
Core Teaching Message
Poultry cookery is about using the whole bird with confidence. Chicken teaches the foundations: butchery, stock, roasting, frying, and practical family cooking. Duck builds on those skills with richer flavour, rendered fat, confit, sauce work, and refined presentation.
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