KETCHUM - Vinaigrette never smelled so good at 9 a.m.

Dozens of local foodies sacrificed their Saturday morning to see Food Network chef Cat Cora's cooking demonstration at Ketchum's CIRO Restaurant &Wine Bar. Presentations by visiting and local chefs followed at the second annual Sun Valley Food &Wine Festival.

California-based Cora, an Iron Chef on Food Network's "Iron Chef America:The Series" and headliner for last weekend's festival, showed the crowd how to make three dishes:Tricolore Salad with Beets and Toasted Pistachios, Pan-Seared Filet of Beef with Zucchini Green Bean-Feta Salsa Verde (medium-rare filet, of course), and Black & Blueberry Clafouti with Candied Ginger and Dark Chocolate Shavings.

Cora didn't share her recipes, but participants tasted the goods after the presentation, making little bites of colorful salad and succulent beef their breakfast. Cora lifted up finished dishes to applause, oohs and aahs.

Don't assume this is ordinary salad. The tricolore salad, made from beets, arugula and endives, was "composed," not tossed, Cora said. She piled the vegetables side-by-side and encouraged the audience to try them separately.

Cora, with her hair in a youthful half-ponytail, gave the crowd tips on how to get the most from their ingredients. With a slight Southern accent, she described how to roast beets on a bed of salt to preserve the juices, color and flavor. And don't prepare the endives in the same bowl as the beets, she said, or the endives will turn pink.

"You work on so many different techniques to find the best flavor," Cora said.

Cora also emphasized "cooking from the hip,"or improvising ingredients if you don't have what the recipe calls for. Don't have arugula on hand for your tricolore salad? Use baby spinach. No blueberries for the clafouti? Try raspberries.

Some questions from the audience were specific to her recipes, others general. Can you reuse frying oil? (As long as there is no debris, Cora said.) Are gas stoves really better than electric?(It's a matter of preference.) Does The Chairman on "Iron Chef" really do his own flips? (Yes, indeed.)

After the presentation, Cora autographed cookbooks and chatted with guests as they munched on tasty berry clafouti, a baked custard that a cook can pull together quickly for visual appeal.

"It was wonderful,"said Linda Tylka of Twin Falls. "She's kind of down-home about cooking." Tylka came to the festival with a Boise friend for a girls' weekend.

The ladies were excited to test their new knowledge in the kitchen, which is exactly what Cora hoped for.

"Cooking should be fun,"she said. "You should enjoy it. It shouldn't be a chore."

Melissa Davlin may be reached at 208-735-3234 or melissa.davlin@lee.net.

Tips from an Iron Chef Some delicious bites of advice from Iron Chef Cat Cora's presentation in Ketchum on Saturday: • Fancy food isn't so fancy. Wow your guests by slipping in hoity-toity food terms that describe everyday eats. Top your dessert with chantilly cream, which is really just whipped cream, Cora said. Garnish your beef with salsa verde, which means "green sauce"and can be made with any green vegetables - asparagus, zucchini, you name it. Don't be afraid to show off your culinary know-how by tossing these terms around. • Get the good stuff. Quality ingredients don't have to be improved on, Cora said. If you start out with high-grade beef, you don't have to worry about fancy marinades or complicated recipes. The food speaks for itself. And, she added, great food doesn't have to cost a fortune. Good quality extra-virgin olive oil can be bought at any store. Just look for "cold pressed" on the label. And toss out your iodized salt. Kosher salt, sea salt and other types are more flavorful and have fewer additives. • Serve local, organic, sustainable foods. It's a not-so-secret weapon of chefs around the world: For the best flavor, use local foods that are in season. Cora acknowledged that many of her fans can't afford to go all-organic, so she encouraged folks to go as natural as their budgets allow. Pick one part of your diet - produce, meat, dairy - to eat organic. Some is better than none, she said. Organic or not, farm-to-plate is the best way to eat. • Looks are everything. Part of the impact of fine dining is the presentation, and a little effort will make a big difference to your dinner guests. After plating the food, wipe the dish of excess sauce and add a garnish. Even a decorative drizzle of olive oil around the plate will fancy-up the dish, Cora said. • Get your guests involved. Need to chop veggies or stuff pirogi?Serve your guests some wine and make them earn their dinner by putting them to work. Make cooking fun and social, Cora said, so it doesn't become a chore. Don't have extra hands to help shell the pistachios?"Do what the chefs do,"Cora said. "Buy them shelled." - Melissa Davlin