'Wow' Your Guests This Holiday With Dishes From Chef Eric Jacques Crowley

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — Chef Eric Jacques Crowley, founder, owner and chef instructor at his cooking school, Chef Eric's Culinary Classroom, visited KCAL9 Thursday to show off different holiday dishes to wow your guests.

Chef Eric's Culinary Classroom is a top-notch cooking school that offers hands-on experience and technical education.

Founded in 2003 and located in West Los Angeles, it provides students with access to a professionally designed kitchen, furnished with high-end equipment, and a diverse calendar of professional programs and recreational classes.

Crowley shared the following recipes:

Banana-Rum Crepes with Chocolate Drizzle Yield: 4 Servings

Butter 5 Tablespoons
Bananas, ripe and sliced 2 cups
Sugar 2 Tablespoons
Crepes 8 each
Heavy Cream 1/4 cup
Dark Rum 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Butter a large heatproof serving dish with 1 Tablespoon of butter and place the dish in a warm oven.

2. Melt 4 Tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the bananas, cream and 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Sauté briefly until the bananas are hot, gently stirring frequently. Add the rum and flambé (ignite the rum). Be sure to step back when you are doing the flambé.

3. Using a slotted spoon, divide the banana mixture evenly among the crepes. Roll the crepes up and place them in the serving dish. Once all the crepes are filled, drizzle the melted chocolate over the crepes and serve.

Beef Bourguignon Yield: 6 Servings
Sliced Bacon 3 to 4 Slices
Olive Oil 1 Tablespoon
Beef Stewing Meat, cut into 2 inch pieces 3 pounds
Medium Carrot, peeled and sliced 1 carrot
Medium Onion, peeled and sliced 1 onion
Salt 1 teaspoon
Pepper 1/4 teaspoon
Flour 2 Tablespoons
Red Wine 3 cups
Beef Stock or Broth 2 to 3 cups
Tomato Paste 1 Tablespoon
Garlic Cloves, mashed 2 cloves
Dry Thyme 1/2 teaspoon
Bay leaf, crumbled 1 bay leaf

Method:
1. Bring a small pan of water to a boil. While the water is heating, cut the bacon slices into large squares. Simmer the bacon in the water for 10 minutes, then drain the bacon pieces on several layers of paper towels. While the bacon is simmering, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a Dutch Oven or similar heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, heat the olive oil and bacon over medium heat. Brown the bacon lightly, then remove the bacon pieces and reserve them in a medium bowl.
3. Increase the heat under the Dutch Oven until the oil is almost smoking. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Working in batches, brown the beef in the hot oil on at least two sides and add the browned beef to the bacon. Continue with the remaining beef.
4. Once all of the beef has been browned, add the carrot and onion to the same pot. Brown the vegetables, then add the beef and bacon back to the pot. Lower the heat to medium, and add the salt and pepper. Stir gently to mix, then add the flour and stir gently. Cook, uncovered, for about 3-5 minutes.
5. Add the wine to the pot and enough stock to barely cover the meat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the tomato paste, garlic cloves, thyme and bay leaf. Cover the pot and place in the lower third of the oven for 3 to 4 hours. The dish is done when a fork pierces the meat easily. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Bon Appetit!

Caramel Ginger Bread Pudding with Crème Anglaise

Ginger Bread Pudding Yield: 16 Large Portions or
Muffin Tin Portions

Half and Half 1 ½ cups
Brown sugar, light or dark 1 cup + 2T
Eggs, large 3 each
Cinnamon, ground 1 teaspoon
Ginger, ground 1/2 teaspoon
Clove, ground 1/2 teaspoon
Nutmeg pinch
Vanilla extract 1 ½ teaspoons
Dry bread, small dice (French or Challah) 10 oz (about 1/2 #)
Currants or raisins 1/2 cup
Candied ginger, chopped 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the half and half, sugar, eggs, spices and extract. Mix well. Gently fold in the bread, candied ginger, and currants.
2. Pour the mixture into a 11" x 7" pan. Bake in the center of the oven until a cake tester comes out clean, about 30-45 minutes. Or bake in muffin tins for 20-25 minutes for individual serving plating.
3. Serve with caramel sauce or crème anglaise.

Caramel Sauce Yield: 1 Cup
Butter 4 oz (1 stick)
Light brown sugar 1/2 cup+2 T
Cream, room temperature 1/2 cup
Vanilla 1/2 Tablespoon

Method:
1. Melt butter and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly until the mixture melts. Once the mixture melts, stop stirring and let the mixture cook until it is light golden brown.
3. Remove from the heat and add the cream (mixture will bubble,) and vanilla.

Vanilla Sauce (Sauce Anglaise or Crème Anglaise) Yield: 1 Pint
Cream or half & half 1 Pint
Sugar 4 ounces
Eggs, room temp 3-4 each
Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon

Method:
1. In a 2-quart pot, heat the dairy and half of the sugar until it just comes to a boil. This technique is called scalding. The sugar helps keep the dairy from burning.
2. In a bowl, put the eggs and blend the remaining sugar until smooth. Do not add the sugar until the dairy has been scalded!
3. Temper some of the hot liquid into the egg and sugar mixture. Return the tempered mixture to the pot and cook over low heat.
4. Add the flavoring and stir constantly, until the mixture is nappe. Remove from heat.
5. Strain through a chinois into a clean container. Chill in an ice bath.

Note: The more eggs you use, the richer the sauce will taste. Also, you can alter the flavor of your sauce with a variety of liqueurs.