Cooking brings people together; food a universal language. We can experience one’s culture with food and we can share our culture by teaching how to cook. Whenever I travel abroad, I always add a cooking class to our itinerary because we learn more than just how to prepare a dish. You get to discover new techniques and flavors, plus you have the opportunity to interact with a chef and meet new people. The best part is that you get to bring authentic recipes home with you so you can cook amazing dishes for your friends and family. We were excited to put on our apron when we booked a Tapas Cooking Class with MIMO Sevilla. Everywhere we dined, we ordered tapas, they are essential on any Spain trip. Now it’s our turn to be cooks in the kitchen!
The newest MIMO cooking class is nestled in the luxurious Hotel Alfonso XIII, a classy and known landmark in Seville. We met Javier in the hotel lobby at the MIMO gift shop, and then we were escorted to the cooking class that was right by the pool deck. When we entered the space, our aprons and notepad sat on the bar top. Javier offered us some coffee and brewed up a Café con leche.
To the right were the kitchen and a large dining table. White decorative walls and black marble gave the space a modern and clean feel. It was a gorgeous kitchen, a perfect place to prepare our Spanish feast!
It was time to take our positions in the kitchen and whip up a 4-course meal with Chef Mateus.. First, we started to prepare Berenjas con miel de cana, eggplant with molasses. We cut the eggplant into thinly sliced discs and then deep-fried them to make them crispy. Then we drizzled honey and sugar on the eggplant for a sweet appetizer. Then we boiled Gamba de Huelva, boiled shrimp flavored with just seawater. Perfectly cooked in just 40 seconds, the shrimp was ready to serve. Then we prepared Pescado Frito, a traditional fried fish dish from South of Spain, We cleaned the fish, breaded it with flour and deep-fried it in a boiling pot of oil. Then we made Tortillas de Camarones, shrimp fritters made by frying batter in a pan of olive oil. Next, we grilled sardines with sea salt and added some garnish that made a simple dish into a fancy meal!
Next, we seared our sous vide pork and enjoyed it with a complementing sauce. For dessert, we infused strawberries with yuzu sauce using a vacuum chamber. A scoop of mint and rum sorbet with vanilla slush with the strawberries on top was delicious! We basically created a strawberry mint mojito in solid form. This dessert was so unique and refreshing, I’ve never tried anything like it!
Each person had different tasks in order to complete the dish. So while one person was prepping the fish, someone else was cutting the eggplant. We all worked together to create family-style servings to share at the dining table. Each course was paired with either a wine or sherry, we were able to drink our beverages while cooking too!
The class took about 4 hours, but time flew by as we drank, ate and told stories around the table. It was so fun tasting new dishes and getting a chef’s perspective on Spanish cuisine. It was an immersive hands-on experience and after the class, they emailed us all the recipes so we can try making them at home.
Thank you MIMO Sevilla!