Learn to cook at the same time as you buy the ingredients.
A new concept from Jawad Supermarket offers shoppers the chance to try out products first-hand at in-store cooking classes run by French chef Alexandra Mariot.
After 16 years in Bahrain, Alexandra is renowned on the island for her traditional macaroons. She started a business from home selling cakes and macaroons as well as catering and is now the face of Jawad supermarket.
“We have a theme each month — the cuisine of a country each month and a city or region from that country each week,” says Alexandra. “Mr Faisal Jawad decided it would be a good way to showcase the products to customers and how they could be cooked.
“All ingredients are from Jawad Supermarket, so each time we have a region or a country, we try to have the best products in order for me to work better and for clients to appreciate the novelties and products that you cannot find anywhere else.
“Jawad has a very good range of local vegetables, dropped off fresh at the supermarket by the local farmers. This is something we really want to continue promoting because we think it is the best way instead of having the imported ones that grow in the trucks.”
All the recipes are cooked right in front of you and people attending the class also get to taste the food at the end of each recipe. Alexandra makes it fun for all — questions are welcome and she gives cooking tips as she goes along.
Alexandra’s classes are held every Tuesday at Jawad Supermarket in Barbar from 10am to 12 noon and from 6pm to 8pm. Anyone can join in, no advance booking is required and they are free for all. There are also recipe cards available for the customers to take home.
Each week features a different region with different recipes at the morning and evening classes.
Alexandra’s recipe for a classic French dish: Tarte Tatin
Serves 8
Ingredients
For dish of 20 cm round and 4 cm high
• 1ltr water
• 1kg ANCHOR butter
• 1kg SIS caster sugar
• 8-10 apples, Royal Gala or Golden or Grey Canada
• 200g SIS caster sugar for the caramel
• 1 pastry disc 20cm in diameter (about 200g)
• 1 jar of apple jelly
• 1 jar of thick crème fraiche, or a very good ice cream
Method
• Peel, core and cut apples into four.
• Boil 1ltr of water with 1kg of butter and 1kg of caster sugar in a large saucepan.
• Poach the apples for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
• Cook slowly 200g of caster sugar in a dry pan until dissolved and caramel colored.
• Pour into a mold or better a tatin dish (but it is quite expensive).
• Let it set.
• Roll out the dough to the shape of your dish and prick with a fork, then let it rest in the refrigerator covered by plastic wrap.
• Place the apples inside the mold or dish.
• Cover the apples with the pastry disc and pinch the dough on the rim of the mold to prevent it retracting.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees C.
• After cooking let it rest for 10 minutest then unmold.
• Melt the apple jelly and Brush over the pie.
• Serve warm with a very cold whipping cream or with ice cream as I mentioned above. The contrast is amazing!
