Cook'n With Class

Seared Duck with glazed orange Turnips

2012-01-20T16:08:00.000+01:00

Ingredients:

3duck breasts

1big turnip or 3 small round turnips

Sherry Vinegar (vinagre de Jerez)

Orange juice
Honey
Meat stock (chicken or beef)

Olive oil
Salt,pepper

Procedure:

1. First peel and with the mandolin, slice the turnips thencut them with a round cutter to make a circle shape.

2. Blanchthem in hot water to take out the sourness and when they are soft take them out.

3. Preparethe sauce by making a reduction of orange juice and honey. When reduced add thevinegar, let it reduce again then add the chicken stock and let it reduceagain.

4. Preparethe duck with salt & pepper, take out the tendons and score the skin side. Sear the duck in afrying pan with no fat skin side down for about 4 minutes. Flip breastsand cook for another 2 minutes. Let it rest and then finish cooking itin the oven.

5. Finishcooking the turnips in a frying panwith some orange juice, let the juice reduce until the turnips are glazed shiny.

Boeuf Rossini

2012-01-06T18:13:00.000+01:00

First of all, a little history :

Boeuf Rossini orTournedos Rossini is named after the Italian composer Gioachino ROSSINI.

Rossini was born in Pesaro, Italy and he died in Paris in 1868.He was a “bon vivant”, lover of fine food and rarewines had his regular table atthe Tour d'Argent, Bofinger, and the Maison Dorée, where Chef Casimir Moisson dedicated this creation: Tournedos Rossini.

They say he composed his musicmainly in bed, but also inrestaurant kitchens, where he spent muchof his time, he also wrote a cookbook…

Ingredients:

1.5 Kilos (3.5 lbs) whole Sirloin

600 grams (1.25 lbs) Foie Gras Terrine

50 grams Dried Morel mushrooms

10 grams Truffles chopped

1 bunch Chives

2 Shallots

1/4 cup cognac

4 ounces butter

Vegetable Oil

Salt and Pepper

Procedure:

- First,Clean all extra fat off the sirloin. Tie the sirloin with butchers twine 4- 5times lengthwise and 1 time top to bottom. Make sure that it’s tight.

- Ina small pot, add the morels and 2 cups of water and boil the mushrooms to re-hydrate them. Add water if needed to keep the mushrooms just covered and simmerfor 30 mins.

- Mincethe shallots as small as possible with a sharp knife. Chop the chives as smallas possible as well.

- Cutthe foie gras in 7 pieces with a hot knife and reserve the pieces in thefridge.

- Heata large pan, preferably cast Iron, on high heat. Season the beef with salt andpepper on all sides. Then add a few splashes of oil to the pan, and place themeat inside.

- Youshould hear it sear. Caramelize the beef on all sides. Then remove and place itinto a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees. Cook it until the center temperature isbarely warm. 30-40 mins. Internal temperature 125 F.

- Inthe pot, remove the burnt oil then place one of the slices of foie gras in thepot on medium heat. Sautee this until it has decreased by half its size.

- Addthe shallots and cook in the foie gras fat. Cook until soft and tender, 5 mins.Then take the pot off the heat and add the cognac.

- Beingvery careful, put the pot back near the Flame and “Flambé” When all alcohol isgone, add the mushrooms and it’s jus and cook this all together.

- Reducethe liquid on medium heat until there is only about 1/2 a cup left. Add thecold butter and whisk it in until smooth. Add the chives. Season with salt andpepper to taste.

- Letthe meat rest for at least 20 mins. Slice the meat into 6 slices on an angle.Put this back on a tray and place the foie gras on top and heat in the oven for2 mins, or until the foie is just warm. Serve immediately with its jus.

Mille Feuille with Best wishes for New Year!

2011-12-30T16:59:00.001+01:00

5 Portions

Ingredients:

600g Puffpastry, cold - store bought is ok if butter based

250g crèmelegère

Icing sugar

Procedure

Preheat oven at 160C/320F. Roll puffpastry to a thickness of 3mm, place on a tray lined with parchment paper andbake for about an hour until crunchy and golden in color.
Take out of the oven, raise the oventemperature to 200C/390F and while you wait for the oven to reach the new tempdust the cooked puff pastry with plenty of icing sugar.
Bake again for about 5 minuteschecking that the sugar caramelizes without burning. Remove, let cool. Cut intorectangles, chose 6 ones without any cracks, dust them with sugar on the flatside.
Heat up a knife that you will beusing as a branding tool to mark the sugared pieces. Put creme legere in apastry bag fitted with a round tip (a star tip is a nice alternative).
Pipe a few dollops of cream on a rectangle of puff pastry, place asecond rectangle, more cream and finally the last rectangle of puff pastry thathas been branded on top.

PastryCream for Mille Feuille:

Ingredients:

450g wholemilk (2 cups, 1lb)

50gheavy/whipping cream (about 2oz)

2 vanillabeans

---

4 egg yolks(should weigh 90g/3oz)

90g sugar(3oz)

25g cornstarch/corn flour (about 1oz)

25g flour(about 1oz)

---

4 gelatinleaves or 8g of powdered gelatin dissolved in 40g of water. ( Forget ounces,here you are better off thinking in grams)

50gunsalted butter (about 2oz)

30g cocoa butter, optional (about 1oz)

---

30g mascarpone cheese,optional (about 1oz)

Procedure:

Sift together flour and starch, set aside. Place milk and cream in a sauce pot. Scrape vanilla beans, place seeds and scraped pods in the milk+cream pot.
Bring to a boil, turn off, cover and let infuse for 20 minutes. Few minutes before the infusion is ready place egg yolk and sugar in a bowl, start whisking until the mixture is light in color, then gradually add flour and starch.
Place gelatin leaves in cold water for a couple of minutes, when soft squeeze well to remove excess water and keep aside (this step is called blooming).
Remove scraped vanilla pods from infused milk (don’t discard them, you can use them to make vanilla sugar by first washing them, then drying them well in a low temp oven and finally grinding them with sugar in a food processor).
Pour hot milk over the eggs, sugar and flours mixture while whisking. Return mixture to the sauce pan and cook over low heat constantly whisking. When the mixture starts to boil it will also start thickening.
Keep whisking for about two minutes, the cream will be very thick. Take the pan off the heat, add the bloomed gelatin and whisk well until completely dissolved.
Add butter in three additions and then cocoa butter, if you have it. With an immersion blender puree the mixture until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
Place the cream in a shallow dish, cover with plastic film and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes. In the refrigerator it will take almost an hour to be completely cold.
When the cream is cold, place it in the bowl of a stand mixer (if you don’t have one a hand- held mixer will also work) and whisk at medium high speed for 5 minutes.
Gently mix in the mascarpone cheese, if you have it. Place cream in a piping bag and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Shelf life is 2 days.

Season's Greetings

2011-12-23T13:48:00.002+01:00

Special Strasbourg Bredele Cookies

This is is a traditional recipe from Chef Luc Dimnet, of Brasserie in New York City who was born in Strasbourg Alsace, where the Christmas traditions are alive and strong.

Ingredients:
3 ¼ cups flour
18 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
1 egg yolk

Procedure:
Place flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the butter. With your fingers, mix the butter with flour until sandy. Add the sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest and the whole eggs. Mix well to obtain a smooth dough. If the dough seems too dry, add another egg.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
When ready to bake the bredele, preheat oven to 355 degrees. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 3/16-inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies on a buttered cookie sheet.
Beat the egg yolk with a fork, and brush cookies with egg wash.
Bake for 15 minutes, then let the cookies cool.
Remove from cookie sheet and enjoy this Christmas!

VICHYSSOISE (French leek and potato soup)

2011-12-16T16:12:00.000+01:00

Althoughthere is some debate about who invented this famous soup, the story goes thatFrench Chef Louis Diatinvented it while working at the Ritz-Carlton New Yorkin 1917.

In 1950, Diat told the New Yorker magazine:

"During thesummer of 1917, when I was seven years at the Ritz, I thought about the soup with leeks andpotatoes from my childhood thatmy mother and my grandmother wouldalways make. I remembered how,in the summer, my older brother and I put cold milk in tocool it and how delicious itwas. I decided to do something similar for patrons of the hotel Ritz."

Traditionally, vichyssoise is served cold but many people find it enjoyable served hot as well as cold.

Ingredients:

2 large leeks, trimmed, chopped and washed

2 T. butter

7 small Charlotte potatoes, peeled and chopped, or equivalent non-waxy potato

4 C. whole milk

4 C. water

1 carrot, whole

1 stalk celery,

finely chopped 2 bay leaves,

2 sprigs thyme, or 1⁄2 t. dried

1⁄2 C. fresh chopped chives and/or parsley

Salt and pepper

Procedure:

Heat soup pot and melt butter, then add leeks, celery, bay leaf and thyme.
Sweat covered over medium heat about 10 minutes without browning.
Add carrot, chopped potatoes, and cook covered another 5 minutes.
Add water, 2 t. salt and bring to simmer.

Simmer lid on till vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes, then add milk and wait just till it returns to simmer. Remove carrot and bay leaf and purée with hand blender, or transfer to food processor to purée.

Add more salt and pepper to taste, then fresh herbs just before serving. Adjust amounts of liquid to obtain the consistency of soup you prefer, either thicker or thinner. For a richer soup, replace some of the milk with cream.

Crispy Pecan and Cocoa Nib Cookies

2011-12-09T12:58:00.001+01:00

Ingredients:

12 oz (360 gr) pecans
4 oz (120gr)cocoa nibs
6   oz 180gr) allpurpose flour
1   oz (30gr) cocoa powder
8   oz (240gr)butter
3   oz (90gr) honey
10 oz (280gr) sugar
2 pinches salt
2 tsp espresso powder
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Have2 parchment paper sheets ready on 2 baking pans.
(Youcan also use 2 silicon-baking sheets)
1large round cookie cutter

Procedure:

Making the dough
Chopthe pecans and cocoa nibs until no large pieces remain, don’t make powder...Alternately, you can do this in a food processor. In either event, toss thechopped pecans and nibs with the flour and cocoa and set aside.
Ina medium pot, melt the butter and honey together. When they’ve liquefied, addthe sugar, salt, and espresso powder. Bring this mixture to a boil; stiroccasionally to insure the sugar dissolves completely. Once is begins to boil, turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and dry ingredients. Stirwell, reserve for one hour at room temp.

Preheat the oven to 350°(180°c)
Usea small ice cream scoop or Tablespoon to measure out even, rounded portions ofdough. Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, bearing in mind they willspread considerably; leave about 4 centimeters between each cookie. Bakefor 12 to 15 minutes or until they have spread thinly and turned uniformly darkand lacy. You may find some of the cookies spread enough to assimilate their neighbors. Don’tWorry. You can cut them free later. Removethe cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for about a minutebefore trying to cut them out with the cookie cutter.

Cutting the cookies
Tocut the irregularly shaped cookies into clean rounds, you’ll need to use thelargest round cookie cutter you have. Thegoal here is not to “cut out” the cookies like you would with an unbaked cookiedough, but rather to stamp “perforations lines” onto each soft, semi-moltencookie. Don’t worry about trimming away the excess. Just stamp.
Oncethe cookies have cooled completely, simply pick up each cookie and snap off theragged edges. The excess will break away cleanly, leaving you with a perfectlyround cookie. (Do not, under any circumstance throw away the scrappy crumb typebits! You must save them, in a zippy bag, to sprinkle over ice cream orpossibly breakfast cereal. You will thank me for this reminder someday.) Ifat any stage in the game, the cookies become too hard to stamp, just pop themback in the oven for 30 seconds or so, then try again. Youcan keep these cookies in a glass jar or in a metallic box for a few days.

NotaBene:

Cocoanibs are basically raw chocolate, pieces of cacao beans that have been roasted,hulled and prepped to the point where all that there is left to do is processthem into bars. Nibs, on their own, taste vaguely similar to roasted coffeebeans. Nibs are a bit crunchier than coffee beans, since some coffee beans canbecome quite delicate after roasting, but give primarily the same textural effectwhen covered in chocolate. Cocoa nibs are always found insmall pieces, rather than coffee bean-sized pieces. The flavor is slightlynutty and, while there are definitely some chocolate notes in there, they areprimarily going to contribute texture and a hint of bitterness (the same as rawcocoa powder).

Fig Financier

2011-12-02T17:03:00.001+01:00

Financier is a delicious, buttery cake, a lovely Dessert with tea or coffee. History tells us they were created by pastryChef Lasne in 1890 to feed his clients working at the Paris stock exchange. Lasne had the idea (marketing aheadof time) to change the oval shapeof the original cake to evoke that of a goldbullion and so the financier wasborn!

6 portions

Ingredients

187g / 6.5Oz butter

187g / 6.5Oz egg white

63g/2.25 Ozflour

125g/ 4.5Oz almond powder

212g/ 14 Ozicing sugar

2 boxes or1/2 pound Figs

The juice of 1 lemon

Procedure

Put the butter in a sauce pan andlet it melt till it turns brown.
Meanwhile mix all the ingredientstogether in a bowl (the flour, the almond powder, the icing sugar and the eggwhite ).
When the butter is brown let it cooldown, then add it in the bowl.
Fill the batter into your molds such as financieror muffin molds. Add 3 fig quarters on top of each cake.
Cook in molds at 190°C/350 F for 15minutes.
In a bowl blend the figs left with lemon juice and caster sugar tomake the coulis.

Tips: You can also make with other fruits you like.

Tian Provençal of Sardine with Tomato Confit

2011-11-25T13:58:00.001+01:00

6 Portions

For Sardines:

Ingredients:

6 pieces or 150g/ 5oz sardine filets

Salt

Ground pepper

Olive oil

Procedure:

Take out the fish bones with a tweezers
Pre-heat a sauce pan with a spoon of olive oil. Season the fish both sides.You can add lemon peel, ginger, and any flavors you like.
Sear the fish skin side first until you can see on the edge a nice brown color.
Finish cooking in the oven 350f ( 190°C) for 5 minutes depending how thin the flesh is.

For Tomato confit:

Ingredients:

6 large tomatoes

Salt pepper olive oil

Garlic, thyme, bay leaves

Pine nuts

Onions

Procedure:

First, slice the onions without crying ;)
Sweat them with olive oil at low heat, add salt and pepper.
Peel the tomatoes by blanching them in boiling water in order to take off the skin.
Cut them in 4 take out the seeds and dice them.
Cook the tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper, bay leaves and thyme , garlic, drain the excess water. When cooked, add roasted pine nuts to the tomatoes and add the onions.

For serving use a ring mold and fill up with the tomato confit. Then you may add on a Parmesan tuile which is made by baking thinly grated parmesan on a non-stick tray. On top place the sardines and serve.

Bœuf Bourguignon

2011-11-18T17:07:00.001+01:00

A traditional Sundaydish, beef bourguignon is a recipe from Burgundy, France. Burgundy is a region renowned for the quality of its cattle farms,especially the Charolais cattle and itsvineyards such as the Côtes deBeaune and Côtes de Nuits-Saint-Georges. Along with “pain d’epices” or “oeufs enmeurette”, beef bourguignon isemblematic dish of Burgundy and its terroir.

Ingredients:

900 g/ 2lbs. stewing beef (Beef cheeks when in arush, otherwise chuck, rump, or round)

450 g/1lb. veal bones, or 2 cups reduced veal/beefstock

2 thick slices bacon

2 T flour

1/4 C cognac

1 bottle dry red wine (not too dry, not too sweet)

2 cloves garlic,

6 carrots peeled

2 bay leaves,

3 sprigs fresh thyme

20 pearl onions, or 4 large white onions,

1/4ered 360 g (13 oz.) button mushrooms

2 T. butter 450 g,

(1 lb.) fingerling potatoes

1 bunch chopped parsley

Procedure:

Trim silver skin off meat, and brown with bones in oven 1 hour at375 F/190C. Cut meat into large dices. Dust well with flour but shake offexcess Meanwhile, chop bacon and brown in wide sauté pan over medium heat.Careful not to burn oil, remove and reserve bacon once browned.

Place beef pieces in bacon fat and brown on all sides, thendeglaze with Cognac, which can be flambéed if desired. Reduce 3 minutes, andthen add the herbs and wine, which should cover about 1/2 way up the meat.

Salt lightly, and bring to the simmer over medium heat, carefulnot to ever boil. (Best not to put on a lid, as the steam build-up can quicklytoughen the meat.) Add bones once browned, or make quick stock on the side byboiling bones and trimmings in wide skillet covered with water, till 2 cupsliquid remain – then add to wine and meat.

Meanwhile, unless you have a huge pan, you'll have to cook thevegetables in a separate sauté pan. Melt 2 T. butter brown the mushroomsuncovered, about 10 minutes. Then add onions and carrots with light browningabout 10 minutes, covered. Add garlic cloves for last 2 minutes, salt, andreserve till last 30 minutes of meat cooking.

Leave the meat immersed in the wine, and pour veggies overtop, continue cooking uncovered so that sauce can thicken. If sauce remainsmuch too thin to coat the back of a spoon, but meat is already tender,optionally pour off the sauce into another wide pan and boil to reduce sauceuntil it's thick enough to coat the meat.

Check for seasoning, toss in parsley the last minute, and servewith fingerling potatoes, which have been boiled about 30 minutes, salted, tilltender.

Pan Seared Foie Gras with Echalots Confites

2011-11-11T10:47:00.001+01:00

6 portion

For Foie Gras

Ingredients:

1 whole duck or goose foie gras, deveined, cold - serves 6 people

1 cup of corn starch (a.k.a. corn flour)

coarse salt

pepper

Procedure:

Slice foie gras using a warm chef’s knife. Dredge slices of foie gras in starch, brush off excess starch, arrange on a cold plate.
With the tip of a paring knife score une side of the steaks mimicking grill marks.
Preheat a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Pan is ready when smoking.
Arrange slices of foie gras, scrored side down first. Sear for about 1 minute, then gently flip and sear other side, for about 1 minute.
Serve immediately on warm plates. Season with salt and pepper.

Tips:

Keep the slices cold until ready to cook them. Don’t crowd the pan with too many pieces, it’ll drop the temperature of the pan preventing a nice brown color and it’ll make it difficult to flip the steaks. Clean the pan if you see burned starch particles. Drain the excess melted fat in between batches.

For Echalots Confites

Ingredients :

9 shallots

100g unsalted butter (about 3oz)

1 tablespoon raw sugar (or white table sugar, or brown sugar)

Salt

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

60g/2oz sugar

1⁄4 of a glass of water

Procedure:

Trim the root end of the shallots but don’t cut it off completely or the shallot will fall apart during cooking.
Cut the shallots in half, peel them. In a deep small pot over medium heat add butter and let melt, add shallots, sugar and a pinch of salt.
Stir to coat then lower the heat and cook slowly until shallots start to brown, without caramelizing. Stir occasionally during this phase.
Turn off set aside.
Prepare caramel: in a small pot over high heat (on a small burner!) add about 2 tablespoon of the 60g of sugar. Wait until sugar starts to melt then add another tablespoon at the time until all sugar is in the pan. Cook the sugar swirling the pan occasionally until dark in color (like coffee or coca cola). At arm length pour the water, swirl the pan to dissolve the caramel then pour the obtained caramel syrup over the onions. Let mixture cool then taste to adjust seasoning (salt), add balsamic and stir gently.
Strain the shallots and save the juices that can be boiled down to a syrupy consistency and served as a sauce (duck, foie gras, seared lamb chops, pork chops etc).

The Ultimate Hot Chocolate

2011-11-04T15:18:00.001+01:00

SERVES 4 PEOPLE

2 ½   cups whole milk
1 ½   cups whipped cream {35 %}
¼       cup granulated sugar
¼       cup Cocoa powder, unsweetened
1        Pinch of salt

1 TeaspoonVanilla extract

Method:

In a saucepan, warm 2 cups of milk with 1 cup of cream. In the mean time mix sugar, cocoa, salt, the vanilla extract and the restof the milk (1/2 cup), mix well until you obtain a paste with no lumps. Turn the stove on low, then add the paste slowly to the warm milk; whiskwell to get a foamy creamy chocolate. Reheat until it is hot but don’t let the liquid boil! Whip the left over cream (1/2 cup) until you have a smoothwhipped cream. Pour the hot chocolate into the serving cups, pour the creamon top….

Serve immediately.

(To have a Mexicantwist, add a cinnamon stick to the milk when warming)

(If you are “lush”or it’s very cold outside, add ¼ cup of Frangelico (hazelnut liquor) beforepouring in the cups.;)

Halloween Pumpkin & Pear Risotto

2011-10-28T17:20:00.001+02:00

Preparation:10 mn

Cooking time:2 hours

Serves 6:

Ingredients:

6cl/3 tbs sunfloweroil

100g/3 oz yellowonion

400g/14 oz riceArborrio or Carnaroli

25cl/1 cup whitewine

½ Lbs pumpkin

1 tsp cinnamonpowder

2 pears

1ltr/2,1 pint vegetablestock

70g/2,5 oz butter

115g/4 oz freshlygrated Parmesan cheese

To taste seasalt and freshly ground black pepper.

Procedure:

1. Peel and cut the pumpkin into chunks and sautee in a pan with 1 Tbsp of oil, salt & pepper and cinnamonuntil tender than reserve. Peel and cut one pear into into small dices andsave in water. Heat the stock. In a separate pan heat the sunflower oil, addthe onions, and fry very slowly for about 3 minutes without coloring. When theonions have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat.

2. The rice will now begin to lightlyfry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Addthe white wine and keep stirring — it will smell fantastic. Any harsh alcoholflavours will evaporate and leave the rice with a tasty essence.

3. Once the white wine has cookedinto the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock. Turn down the heat to asimmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladles of stock, stirring and almost massaging the creamy starch out of therice, allowing each ladle to be absorbed before adding the next. Add thepumpkin.This will take around 15 minutes. Add a good pinch of salt .Taste therice — is it cooked? Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with aslight bite. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully. If you run out ofstock before the rice is cooked, add some boiling water. Add the pear 5 mnbefore the end.

4. Remove from the heat and add thebutter and Parmesan. Stir well. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2minutes. This is the most important part of making the perfect risotto, as thisis when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be. Eat it assoon as possible, while the risotto retains its beautiful texture.

5. Serve in a hot plate and put 3slices of pear for decoration.

(Youcan use comte instead of parmesan)

Cook’n With Class partners with Valrhona Chocolate....Mmmm

2011-10-21T15:15:00.000+02:00

Itlooks promising when the week of the Salon du Chocolat in Paris coincideswith Cook’n With Class’ partnership with Valrhona, one of leading Chocolateproducers in the world.

Foundedby Alberic Guironnet in 1922 in the town of Tain l’Hermitage, South EasternFrance, Valrhona has grown to be the reference for Chef’s worldwide when itcomes to luxury chocolate.

We use their chocolate for all our cooking classes because of its outstandingquality. There is no comparison when you taste their dark & milk chocolatemade from the purest cocoa beans. All of the great Pastry Chefs use this brandfrom Christophe Michalak to Jean Paul Hévin and even the pastry Chef to the President of France. What’s good for the President is good forCook’n With Class Clients!

Weare supplied with 70% guanaja cocoa beans and 35% ivory cocoa beans, cocoapowder, praline and a sumptuous gianduja. In the Desserts & Market Classesthis high grade chocolate is used to make the mousse, the soufflés, thetarts even the crème brulee.

Andfor all you serious Chocolate lovers we are pleased to announce the Creation ofour new 100% Chocolate Class.

Learn how make your ownexquisite chocolates, truffles, chocolate feuillantine, & éclairs with our Chef in 4 hours. These Michelinstar recipes we will be teaching you are guaranteed to take you to another leveland impress those whom you wish to share with (or not;)…More details coming soon~!

BonDegustation as they say!

Raspberry and Lemon Curd Gratin

2011-10-14T16:15:00.000+02:00

Ingredients:

460 g (1 lb.) trimmed fresh raspberries

Lemon curd: The zest and juice from 2 lemons

200 g /7 oz caster sugar
120 g /4 oz butter at room temp

2 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

Procedure:

Beat 2 whole eggs, 3 yolks and 7 oz. sugar with silicone whisk in non-stick fry pan.

Whisk constantly over low heat till light, creamy and thickened, but without any solid bits, about 5-7 minutes. Pour in the juice and zest of 2 lemons, cook, whisking till re-thickened, then whisk in warm butter in 8 cubes, off heat.

(Leave out 30g/1 oz. butter for lighter version. Cool to room temperature while occasionally whisking.)

Place raspberries in individual gratin dishes, cover with lemon curd, and brown lightly under broiler on high heat, 1-3 minutes before serving warm, not too hot.

Serve with dollop of crème fraîche and optional tuile cookie:

Mix 2 oz./60 g. soft butter with 2 oz./60 g. sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat in 1 egg white, then fold in 2 oz./60 g. flour. Spoon onto non-stick buttered cookie sheet, 1 T. per cookie, swirling with back of spoon till thin and even.

Optionally, sprinkle with shaved almonds and bake at 400F for 3-5minutes,or until cookieis half brown,half white. Remove from pan while warm with thin spatula and cool on flat surface or on rolling pin for basket effect.

The Only Kitchen Knives You'll Ever Need...

2011-10-07T15:13:00.000+02:00

Photo: François Roy, La Presse

You cook alittle, a lot, passionately? Make sure you look for quality before quantity.Before investing, know that your needs are probably easier met than you mightthink: you can cook everything with five knives. Take a look here:

1-The Chef's Knife

The name says it all, it's the Chef’s best friend. Thisone comes out when we have a recipe that involves cutting vegetables intojulienne strips, dicing, slicing, and chopping herbs. This is the one where youwill lose more time if the blade is not sharp and will probably invest themost. "It’s the purchase of a lifetime!” Always try before you buy: Makesure the handle is comfortable and appropriate for the size of your hand, itsweight is well balanced and the tip height is sufficient enough to avoid yourfingers touching the board at each movement. If your budget allows, take a forged knife that continues into thehandle. This knife will be stronger and better balanced (from 100 euros).

2-The Bread Knife
This knife goes up against the worst offenders: fat(pastries) and hardness (frozen bread). You can afford to save - a bit - but tosave your fingers, we would choose a blade firm enough not to deviate from itspath when cutting a crusty loaf, or worse, out of the freezer. Largerounded teeth are also a measure of quality. Small teeth do not sharpen enough.Count about 40 euros.

3-The Fillet Knife
It's a must for all fish lovers. Its blade is long enough(about 20cm), narrow and very flexible to gently lift the filets without losingan ounce of flesh. But carnivores will appreciate it too. Its flexibilityallows you to go along the bones and make very precise cuts, such as rack of lamb.If you plan to use it for meat, opt for a model with a shorter blade and lessflexible. In any case, if you have wet hands using it, make sure the handle ispolycarbonate.

4-The Boning Knife
Jonathan Garnier, of the Culinary Guild, recommends thetraditional Boning Knife, with a rather short blade (15 cm maximum) slightlyflexible and easy to handle. "We can save money by buying a piece of meatand preparing the parts yourself." We must therefore have a certain know-how ."Unless you are a hunter or like towork with whole game, we can do without,". You can also opt for a slicer,a reduced size copy of the Chef's Knife.

5-The Paring Knife

The Chef’s "second" best friend ? With its smallsharp blade of about 10 cm, fairly thin and rigid, the paring knife helps allmanipulations too precise for the Chef's Knife: peel an apple, remove core, cutinto quarters. Prefer a water resistant, plastic handle. "And not too long a blade, advises JonathanGarnier, the Culinary Guild, which allows you to handle the knife from thecenter for the more accurate work." From 10 euros.

TheTradition

Customsdictates that one does not offer a knife so as not to "cut" the bonds offriendship or love with the person who receives it. But one can easily ward offbad fate by offering some money to buy the knife. One cent is enough!

Sharp Advice!

To keep those blades sharpened:

- Never use a knife to push food on the cutting board.

- Never place knives in the dishwasher.

- Never cut bone or frozen products. Instead,keep an "old" knife of poor quality for such tasks.

- Never wait to clean theblade - especially if it was used to cut acidic foods - with a little hot waterand soap (as needed).

- Never use a glass cutting boards and granite that aretoo hard. Prefer wood, not too firm or too soft, and very resistant.

- Never use to cut cardboard, plastic or Styrofoam.

Cod in Papillote

2011-09-30T16:06:00.000+02:00

Cooking in parchment paper, en papillote in French or al Cartoccio in Italian is a method in which you seal the food in a pouch and bake. The food essentially steams in the oven in its own juices.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

6, 4 ounce (115grams) pieces of Cod (De-Boned and skinned)

4 Carrots

2 Onions

6 Cloves Garlic

1 Leek

1 Fennel Bulb

4 Branches ofCelery

1 bunch each Thyme,Dill, Bay leaf, Tarragon

2 lemons

1.5 sticks butter

Salt / Pepper

8 sheets baking parchment paper 9” by 14”

Procedure:

- Peel carrots and slice thin into circles.Peel onions and slice thin. Peel Garlic and slice thin.

- Cut bottom and top off leek. Slice thin andwash well. Cut bottom and top off the Fennel bulb. Slice thin. Slice Lemonsinto thin circles, keeping intact.

- Cook all the Vegetables in a large, coveredpot with the butter salt and pepper until tender (15 mins) then refrigerate.

- Keeping the lemons for later. Place the filetsin the center of their parchment paper. Season with the salt and pepper. Placea bit of each herb on each filet to taste.

- Place 2 slices of lemon on each filet andcover the rest with 1/6th of the (cooled down) cooked vegetables.

- Repeat until all Filets are covered. Foldthe paper in half leaving the fish at the crease and the extra facing you.

- Fold and roll the paper from left to rightuntil the paper is closed and tight.

- Should look like a half moon. Bake at 300degrees for 10 mins or until just cooked (when the flesh flakes and is soft.)

Serve immediately and open paper in front of guest to perfume the table.

Blanquette de Veau (Creamy veal stew)

2011-09-23T14:50:00.000+02:00

Ingredients:

700 g (25 oz.) veal flank
3 large onions or 18 pearl onions
18 button mushrooms
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
2 sprigs thyme,
2 bay leaves
2 T. butter
2 T. canola oil
1 Cup heavy cream
1 C veal stock (chicken if necessary)
1⁄4 C dry white wine
1⁄2 C chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:

Large-dice the veal and toss evenly with flour, discarding excess. Heat wide, deep frypan or cast iron stewing pot and add oil, then veal without crowding in pan. Brown lightly all sides about 10 minutes, rotating. If pan bottom holds dark brown bits, but nothing burnt, remove meat from pan to bowl, pour off excess oil if necessary (0r blot out with paper towel) and add wine. Simmer 2 minutes, then replace meat in pan and cover with cream, herbs, and stock. If you have veal bones but no stock and no time, at least brown the bones and simmer with the meat. Salt meat lightly.

Start simmering veal while beginning vegetable preparation:

Large dice large onions or trim pearl onions, leaving whole. In another wide saucepan, melt the butter and add onions. Start sweating over low heat, covered. Meanwhile, dice celery and add. Trim carrots into large dice or wedges and add. Quarter mushrooms and add. If pan is dry by this point, sprinkle with a little olive oil. Salt lightly and bring all vegetables to simmer. Pour veggies over meat and cover, simmering on low heat with lid about 20 minutes, then lid off to thicken sauce another 20 minutes. If pot is getting dry, add a little cold water. If meat and veggies are tender, but sauce is too abundant and too runny, remove all solids from pot and simmer sauce down till thick enough to coat back of spoon. Add parsley during last couple of minutes of cooking, and season with more salt and pepper before serving.

Optionally, serve with boiled fingerling potatoes.

Wine Suggestions:

Light reds: Brouilly, Moulin-a-Vent, Anjou-villages

Chanterelle-stuffed artichokes

2011-09-16T15:19:00.000+02:00

3 portions

Ingredients:

3 Globe artichokes

2 cloves garlic

Juice from one lemon

1⁄2 onion
2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs thyme

1 carrot

1⁄2 stalk celery

-----
15 chanterelles, cleaned and chopped

3 large mushrooms, diced

1⁄2 leek, small dice

2 T. olive oil
2 T. fresh chopped chive

2 T. cream

6 T. grated cheese

Procedure:

Trim artichokes and simmer in salted water with crushed cloves of garlic, bay leaves, sprigs fresh or dried thyme, juice of one lemon, and onion, carrot and celery till cooked through but firm, 20 - 30 minutes.
Remove from water and let cool while sprinkling with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.
Heat a wide saucepan, add 2 T. olive oil, then chopped leeks and mushrooms. Stir, cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Then continue cooking uncovered to evaporate all water, 5 more minutes.
Add heavy cream, and simmer till thickened. Toss in chives and fill mixture into pre-cooked artichoke hearts.
Top with optional grated cheese and brown under broiler 3-5 minutes at 400 F/ 180 C.

Wine Suggestions:

Brouilly, Saumur-Champigny, Sancerre rouge, Coteaux-de-Languedoc rouge, Provence rosé, Corbières rosé, Rully white, Limoux white, Condrieu white

Chocolate lava cake

2011-09-09T13:03:00.001+02:00

6 medium ramekins

Ingredients:

7.5 oz.(210 g) dark chocolate (60 %)

5.5 oz.(150 g) Butter

4 Large eggs

4 oz.(120 g) White sugar

1.7 oz. (50 g) Flour

Procedure:

For a real lava effect, stir in a tiny pinch of clove and cayenne into the center
of each ramekin before baking.

Melt chocolate and butter together over steaming water till just melted, and cool enough to touch bowl bottom without burning fingers.
Beat the eggs and sugar about 3 minutes till light and creamy, and sugar is dissolved. Pour warm chocolate mix into egg mix and mix till homogenous. Stir in sifted flour and mix gently till all flour is incorporated.
Butter and dust with icing sugar medium size ramekins, fill with batter 4/5, and bake at 225 C, 425 F, about 6-8 minutes, or until sides have fully risen, but center remains concave.
Cool 2-4 minutes before removing from ramekins if using porcelain or cakes will break. Free sides with paring knife and invert onto plate. Ideally, use silicone or disposable aluminum ramekins for an easy release. If too cool, and center is raw but not running, try a few seconds in the microwave to reheat them just before serving.
Keep practicing till you've got the timing down with your oven! Dust with icing sugar;; serve with dollop of crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.
Also served with optional in-season berries.

Tian Provençal with Plum and tarragon-stuffed chicken

2011-09-02T15:32:00.001+02:00

TIAN PROVENÇAL (6 portions)

Ingredients:

2 small eggplant

2-3 Heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes (low on water)

2 small zucchini

1 small white onion 1 clove garlic

Olive oil

Fresh thyme or rosemary

Procedure:

Oil individual round baking ramekins, or a large earthenware baking dish, and rub with raw garlic.
Slice vegetables to suit the shape and size of your baking dishes, toss all but tomatoes with 4 T. olive oil, salt and 2 T. fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary, or basil.
Arrange in an alternating pattern in baking dish, make top layer only tomato to prevent drying, and bake about 45 min. at 375 F, covered with aluminum foil, then 15 minutes uncovered to evaporate excess water.
Using metal tongs, turn out on plate, place meat or fish against side of tian, spoon some sauce around plate, and serve.

Plum and tarragon-stuffed chicken (6portions)

Ingredients:

6 free-range chicken breasts
2 minced shallots

2 T. olive oil

1 t. apple cider vinegar

1 bay leaf

4 sprigs fresh tarragon

Salt, pepper

2 C. pitted, halved plums

Procedure:

Start by making a simple chicken stock to deepen the flavor of the sauce: sauté 1 carcass or 5 wings and optional 1/2 onion, carrot and celery in a non-stick pan till browned on all sides.
Drain excess fat and deglaze with 1/4 C dry white wine. Cook 2 minutes, then cover with cold water. Add 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of thyme and reduce over high heat till 1-2 cups liquid remain. Strain and reserve stock.
For the plum filling, gently cook shallots covered in 2 tablespoons olive oil, about 10 minutes with no browning.
Add all other ingredients except for tarragon and simmer 5 minutes covered, 5-10 minutes uncovered to evaporate some of the liquid.
Add chopped tarragon at the end of cooking. Be sure to test for a good balance of sweet and sour before using.
Place 6 skinless chicken breasts skin side down, flatten fatter half if necessary for rolling with meat tenderizer, and tuck cooked plums and shallot into cavity between filet and underside.
Reserve more plums for sauce. Season, roll up and place in smallish oiled baking dish that will only snugly hold all the rolled breasts.
Cover with sauce. Meanwhile, make a sauce with 1 C. cream, 1 C. chicken stock and extra chicken stuffing.
Bring to simmer, season, and pour over chicken, and place in oven to bake, about 15-20 minutes at 350 F. Sauce should be simmering in dish, but not boiling or chicken will start to unravel.
Remove chicken from sauce and cool 3 minutes before slicing and placing back in hot sauce (check a piece from the center to ensure doneness).

Wine Suggestions:

Muscat sec, dry Riesling, young Chardonnay.

Loire valley Chenin Blanc or light fruity reds : Moulin à vent, Bourgueil, Anjou-villages, Burgundy Pinot noir.

Beefsteak tomatoes with garlic and basil & Sole stuffed with leeks and mushrooms

2011-08-26T17:12:00.000+02:00

Beefsteak Tomatoes stuffed with garlic and basil

Ingredients:

6 Medium beefsteak tomatoes
3⁄4 C dry bread crumbs and optional parmesan
30 leaves basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 t. piment d’Espelette or 1⁄4 t. Cayenne pepper
1 t. salt

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375 F (180 C). Trim top 1/3 off tomatoes, and save for another dish.
Scoop out seeds and water with teaspoon handle, but leave tomato ribs intact for structural support during baking.
Mix all other ingredients, sprinkle a bit of salt into bottom of tomatoes, and stuff till piled up on top of tomato.
Optionally replace 1/3 of the breadcrumbs with ground parmesan.
Bake in oiled pan on bottom rack about 30 minutes, using top heat at the end if bread crumbs have not yet browned.

Sole stuffed with leeks and creamy mushrooms:

Ingredients:

12 small filets of flatfish such as sole, flounder or plaice Or 6 medium filets

2 leeks

6 large crimini or button mushrooms
6 small sprigs fresh dill

1 C heavy cream

1 C fish stock

Procedure:

Count 3 fillets of sole or flounder for a main course, 2 small or one large for starter.
Rinse saved fish bones, cover with cold water and 1/2 C. dry white wine, and bring to boil with one onion, 1 bay leaf, 2 thyme branches, 1 stalk celery and 1 carrot chopped. Reduce to 1-2 cups liquid, strain, and reserve.
Trim leeks and slice thin rings, then rinse out grit under cold water. Drain well. Melt 1 T butter in a wide saucepan and add leeks. Cover and soften over low heat about 10 minutes with a bay leaf and 4 sprigs fresh thyme.
Finely slice the mushrooms after cleaning, and add to leeks with 1 T olive oil. Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Stir and continue cooking till mushrooms are tender and the pan is quite dry.
Add 2 T. chopped fresh dill, chives or tarragon, the cream and stock and bring to simmer. Season with sea salt. Either scoop out leek mix with a slotted spoon, enough to stuff the fish, or pour all through a sieve, saving the sauce.
Season filet and place 1 T of leek/mushroom mix at small end of filet, rolling around it, and securing with toothpicks. (Cut large filets in half to have 2 rolls from each.)
Add extra leeks to cream sauce, season with salt and your choice of chives, tarragon, parsley or dill, and pour all into baking dish just big enough to hold sole rolls. (After rolling fish in following step and placing in dish.)
Count 15-20 minutes oven time at 375 F, depending how crowded the baking dish is. Before serving, remove one from center and cut open to be sure they've cooked through. Serve with their cooking liquid as sauce.

Enjoy!

Red Mullet Broiled With Roast Garlic, Fennel And Sweet Onion Confit

2011-08-12T17:12:00.001+02:00

yield: 6 portions

Ingredients:

1 bulb garlic

6 red mullet, fillets only, skin on

2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and quartered

4-5 large sweet onions

1⁄4 C. dry white wine

Olive oil

Chives,reserved fennel fronds

Procedure:

Brush garlic with oil and place on a pan in a pre-heated oven (350F) for about 30 min., till soft, browning, and oozing. While warm, squeeze out flesh of garlic and reserve.
If using mortar and pestle, grind garlic cloves with pestle. Add olive oil a little at a time until you have consistency of moist paste. The oil should all be absorbed. If using a hand mixer, purée the garlic in the mixing tumbler, then add olive oil with as little mixing as possible to avoid developing bitterness.
For the red mullet, rub flesh-side with garlic paste, and place skin-side up on oiled cookie sheet or baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and place under broiler in preheated oven at 400 F for about 5 minutes, till skin is crispy and fish just cooked through.
For the fennel confit, place quarters in bottom of wide saucepan in a single layer, cover half way with cold water, and bring to simmer. Add 1 t. salt. Flip after 15 minutes simmering, and continue another 10, lid off. All liquid should be evaporated, so watch closely to avoid burning, adding a bit of water if necessary. Fennel will be tender at this point.
To finish, sprinkle liberally with olive oil and optional drizzle of honey, then sauté over medium high heat to brown all sides (ideally in non-stick pan.) If you want enhanced licorice flavor, add 2 T. aniseed liqueur or the chopped fennel fronds in the last minute of cooking. Or simmer a piece of star anise alongside for the entire length of cooking.
Peel and thinly slice 3 sweet white onions (red will make a nasty grey colour when cooked. If you only have red onions, try to finish the cooking with red Porto instead of white wine) Heat medium pot, coat generously with olive oil, and cook over medium heat, stirring, covered, about 30 minutes, with 1 bay leaf and 2 sprigs thyme.
After onions are completely soft and reduced in volume, simmer with lid off a few minutes to evaporate extra water. If intended with red meats or oily fish, feel free to brown the onions, and add honey or sugar for increased caramelisation.
For poultry or delicate fish, keep onions from browning. Add 1/4 dry white wine and simmer 5 minutes till evaporated, or simply add 2 T. lemon. Salt lightly and plate in a cylinder to give a little mound for your fish to lean against. Sprinkle with fresh chive and olive oil.

Cook'n With Class Boutique

2011-08-09T18:01:00.000+02:00

We are pleased to announce a new addition to our Boutique – The Cook’n With Class professional Knife set.

Used in all our cooking classes, the set is composed of a 20cm Demi-Chef knife and 10cm Paring knife, you can take them home to continue cooking like a grand Chef or offer them as a gift!

We chose K SABATIER as they are one of the most reputable French knife manufacturers for quality, endurance and hygiene.

Some information about the knives:

“K SABATIER" knives are 100% forged stainless steel knives and are all hand-made by artisans in FRANCE. 100% forged means that the knife is made entirely from one piece of metal/ No joints, welds or sintering means that no food can get trapped and every knife is very hygienic. Each K SABATIER knife is truly 100% French- from the metal through the manufacturing process.

Many world renowned chefs' very first knife was a K SABATIER knife; including Chef Eric Fraudeau head of Cook’n With Class.

We are proud to work with a family owned business with a truly genuine product and we hope that you will enjoy many cooking hours with them too!

If you would like to purchase a set please don’t hesitate to contact us:

info@cooknwithclass.com

or drop by our boutique at the school where they are on sale.

Pork Tenderloin with Fig Sauce

2011-08-05T17:42:00.002+02:00

Preparation for pork tenderloin:

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 head of Swiss chard (or spinach, bok choi, etc)
4 slices of jambon (prosciutto), or ham or cured lard
optional: raisins, pine nuts, chunks of aged cheese
---
salt/pepper
canola oil/butter
cooking twine

Procedure:

Wash, blanch and shake the chard leaves. Pat dry.
Cut the meat lengthwise to obtain a thin rectangular shape, pound the meat to make it as thin as possible.
Season lightly with salt and pepper, then cover the meat with the leaves, add at this point raisins/pine nuts/cheese if you like, then add the prosciutto slices.
Roll the meat to form a long, compact log-shaped roast and secure with cooking twine at regular intervals.
Preheat a skillet with oil and butter, season with salt and pepper and then sear well. Remove from the pan, slice to portion it (cut in between the twine loops so that the individual portions don't fall apart) and then return to the pan to sear the flat sides of the portions.
If the slices are thick you can finish them in the oven while you complete the side- dishes and srat plating them.
Cook until inside is only slightly pink, do not overcook or it will dry out.

Preparation for Fig Sauce:

Ingredients:

4 or 6 ripe figs, washed, chopped

1c red wine (chianti, bordeaux, cote du rhone...)

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp black peppercorn

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

2 bay leaves

1 cup Heavy cream (35%)

Procedure:

In a small saucepan add figs, wine, cinnamon and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Let alcool evaporate, then reduce by half.
Off heat, remove cinnamon stick.
Puree in a blender (add a bit of water if too thick), then strain through a fine mesh.
Add balsamic vinegar and honey. Adjust thickness with water if necessary.

Serve Pork Tenderloin and Fig Sauce with potato puree or other seasonal vegetables.

Peach Clafoutis

2011-07-28T17:28:00.000+02:00

This is a traditional French (southwestern France) dessert and at the origin, "CLAFOUTIS" was made with cherries, but now it is also appreciated when other fruits are added to the recipe. We like to bake it with seasonal fruits such as peaches for a nice summer recipe but you can also choose other fruits as you like.

Nowadays, modern "CLAFOUTIS" can contain different exotic spices and can even be served as a savoury dish with vegetables and meat.

Ingredients:

- 5 Big yellow peaches

- 4 cups of water

- 2 cups sugar

- ½ cup whole milk

- 2 eggs

- 2 TBs corn starch (corn flour)

- 2 TBs flour

- 3 TBs sugar

- 30g/1oz flaked almond (optional)

- Icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

In a large saucepan, add water and sugar and the peaches, let cook on a simmer for 10 minutes, let the peaches cool down in the water.
Pre-Heat your oven at 350 F.
Peel the peaches, and cut them in 8 pieces or quarters.
In a pie or clafoutis mold, butter and flour the bottom, place the peaches.
Mix the eggs with the corn flour, the flour, the sugar, then add slowly the milk, like you do for the pancakes.
Pour on top of the peaches and cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
When it is cooked you can leave it outside to chill.
Serve it warm or cold, your choice...sprinkle with flaked almonds and dust with icing sugar.

Morning Market Class with Chef Constance

2011-07-22T15:35:00.001+02:00

1st Class menu created and prepared from scratch by Chef Constance and her students.

All of the fresh ingredients bought at the market in the morning and brought back to the school in our faithful green shopping cart;) Back to the school everyone got to work on this delicious 4 course meal and had great fun while learning the secrets to fine french cooking.

Menu of the Day

Seared Shrimp with Piment d'Espelette and Orange & Fennel Salad

Veal filet mignon, Grandma’s sauce garnished with green beans and

Baby potatoes

Cheese board (5 varieties)

Raspberry Financier with coulis

Coffee, Tea

White Wine: Sancerre, Les Demoiselles

Red Wine: Cote du Rhône, Guigal

Dessert Wine: Banyuls

-----------------------------------------

Here is the main course recipe:

Veal filet mignon, Grandma’s sauce

Ingredients

150g/ 5Oz Veal filet mignon (1 per person)

150g/ 5Oz lardons (pieces of pork)

6 very thin slices of smoked bacon

Baby potatoes 5 each

Chanterelle mushrooms 6 each

2 onions, 1 carrot

Garlic, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper

Bone of veal ( ask your butcher shop)

White wine, flour

Method

1. First roast the bones in a deep frying pan. Make a nice coloration. Then chop the onion and add with the carrots. Add 1 clove of garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Add a tablespoon of flour. Deglaze with the white wine. Cover with water and let it cook slowly.

2. In a frying pan roast the potatoes to have a nice brown coloration then cook them in a small saucepan cover with butter in very low heat. Add garlic thyme and bay leaves let it cook for 15 min.

3. Wash your mushrooms and sauté them with olive oil in order to take out the water. Keep the water and add it to your sauce.

4. Cut the pork in little pieces and sauté them

5. Cook the thin slices of bacon in the oven to make them crispy (150C°/ 65F°)

6. Prepare the veal with a string to make a nice round shape. Season it and sear them in a frying pan, finish cooking them in the oven.

7. When you are ready strain your sauce and reduce it, sauté the mushrooms a second time with butter and add parsley at the end.

8. Plate your meal; spread the sauce with mushrooms all over the plate, the potatoes and the lardons. Cut the veal mignon in 2 pieces and cover it with the crispy bacon.

ENJOY!

Roasted Lamb Provençal

2011-07-15T18:11:00.000+02:00

Ingredients

4 Lamb Porterhouse Steaks

2 large Tomatoes

1 onion

3 cloves Garlic

1/2 cup Niçoise Olives pitted

1 spicy Pepper (Bell for mild, Jalapeño for spicy)

1 bunch Basil

Olive oil

Salt, Pepper, Sugar

Procedure

- Take the tomatoes and make a small “X” on the bottom just piercing the skin. Then in boil enough water to cover the tomatoes. Drop them in the boiling water just for a few seconds, until the skin starts to blister.

- Then plunge them in ice-cold water. Peel and dice the tomato with the seeds / juice and all.

- Peel and small dice the garlic and onions. Dice the pepper. Pit the olives. In a saucepot, heat up 1/4 cup of olive oil and cook the onions gently on medium heat for about 15 mins, or until soft.

- Then add the chopped tomatoes and bring just to the boil. Add the olives and keep to the side of the heat. In a large ovenproof pan, Roast the lamb steaks on both sides then add the tomato sauce to the pan and place whole pan in the oven. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the lamb is just warm in the center.

- Serve with the basil at the last minute just ripped over the top.

Rum Baba

2011-07-08T18:08:00.000+02:00

A delicious party dessert, the original form of the baba was similar to the babka, a tall cylindrical yeast cake (babka is still cooked in Poland and in Polish communities over the world). The name means 'old woman' or 'grandmother' in the Slavic languages; babka is a diminutive of baba. The modern "Baba au Rhum" (Rum Baba), with dried fruit and soaking in rum, was invented in Paris in 1835 or before.

DOUGH
63g/2.2oz butter, melted, cooled
7g/0.25oz dry yeast
30g/1oz cold water
250g/8.8oz flour (high gluten, at least 10.5% protein content)
4 large eggs
23g/0.8oz sugar
3g/0.1oz salt

SYRUP
1 vanilla bean
895g/32oz water
500g/18oz sugar
zest of 2 lemons+2 oranges

GARNISH
100g/3.5oz dark rhum
whipped cream if desired, or pastry cream
=======================================================
PROCEDURE

DOUGH

Dissolve yeast in cold water. In a stand-up mixer with paddle attachment place flour, sugar, salt and eggs. Mix 5 seconds to combine then add the water+yeast mixture and mix at medium high speed for 2 minutes.
Add cooled butter, keep mixing another 7 to 10 minutes.
Let rest, covered for 20 minutes, not more.
Pipe mixture in individual molds, ⅓ of the height of the mold.
Let rise, covered, in a warm spot until dough is about ¼ of an inch (6mm) from the top, then uncover and let rise to the top of the mold. The whole proofing can take up to 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 190C/375F and bake individual babas for about 15 minutes. A large savarin can take up to 40 minutes to bake. Unmold while still hot, place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes before soaking in syrup.

SYRUP
In a large pan add water, sugar, vanilla seeds and zests, bring to a boil then let cool for 30 minutes.

GARNISH

Place the babas on a cooling rack with a tray underneath and ladle the warm syrup on top or soak the babas for 3 minutes then let drain the excess syrup for 10 minutes. Ladle the dark rum and let drain the excess. Serve with whipped cream or with pastry cream and in the summer with slices of fresh fruit.

Salmon Beurre Blanc / Petit-pois purée / Tomato concassée with Chorizo

2011-07-01T18:26:00.000+02:00

Step 1 - Petit-pois purée

Ingredients

500g / 17oz Petit-pois

1 clove of garlic

Salt and pepper

Method

First prepare the petit-pois, bring to boil in a saucepan with a large spoon of salt. The salt will help the peas to stay green, add one clove of garlic. When they are cooked, soft, strain them and let them cool down in cold water. Mix into a purée and add a little stock, water, wine (!) or liquid cream. Then strain the purée in order to have a very soft texture. Keep it in a small saucepan to heat it up before serving.

Step 2 - Tomato concassée with Chorizo

Ingredients

3 large tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

Piece of chorizo

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Basil

Method

First bring to boil some water in a saucepan and plunge the tomatoes in order to take out the skin off. Cut them in 4 and scoop out the seeds, cut them in small cubes. Cut the chorizo the same size. In a sauce pan with olive oil cook the diced tomatoes until they become dry, add the garlic, the basil, salt, pepper, and then add the chorizo, in order just to heat it up but not to cook it. Serve it warm.

Step 3 - Beurre Blanc

Ingredients

190g / 7 Oz butter

1 shallot

5 tablespoons of vinegar (any kind)

Salt/ ground pepper

2 spoons of cream

Method

Dice the shallot as small as you can. In a saucepan put the shallot and the vinegar together with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it cook slowly. Add the cream. When the shallots are cooked, add the butter little by little, while whisking at the same time. (Make sure your butter is kept cold before adding). This classical French sauce is very good with any kind of fish.

Step 4 - Seared Salmon

Ingredients

6 pieces or 150g/ 5oz fish

Salt and ground pepper

Olive oil

Method

Take off the fish bones with a tweezers. Pre-heat a saucepan with a spoon of olive oil. Season the fish both sides. You can add lemon peel, ginger, and any flavors you like. Sear the fish skin side first until you can see on the edge a nice brown color. Finish to cook in the oven 350f (190°C) for 5 minutes depending how thin the flesh is.

SERVE all together with some fresh salad and some open clams.

Round zucchini stuffed with mushrooms and spinach

2011-06-24T17:09:00.000+02:00

6 portions

Ingredients:

6 round zucchini (try substituting wide cylinders of normal zucchini)

10 large button or crimini mushrooms

1 clove garlic

1⁄2 C grated aged cheese

Approx. 6 oz./175g spinach (enough to reduce to about 1 cup when cooked)

1 onion

20 leaves fresh basil

Procedure:

Hollow out zucchini and dice bits you've just removed. Rub insides with clove of garlic.
Clean, finely slice and sauté the mushrooms in 2 T melted butter, about 10 minutes, till soft, much reduced in volume and no liquid is left in pan. Season and empty into food processor.
Use the same pan to sauté the diced onion and the zucchini bits in 1 T olive oil also about 10 minutes, lightly browned, reduced in volume and dry. Salt lightly and add to mushrooms. Pulse a few times until you have a homogenous mix but stop before you get a purée.
Clean the spinach, spin dry if necessary, and wilt in a covered saucepan, stirring occasionally. Once wilted, continue cooking over medium heat without lid till water has evaporated.
If necessary. Lift spinach mass onto cutting board and chop. Add to mushroom mix with handful of chopped basil and grated cheese. Check seasoning and stuff hollowed-out zucchini. Optionally enhance flavour with lemon zest and juice, and thyme, or garlic.
Bake stuffed zucchinis about 30 minutes at 375 F. If desired, top with more grated cheese when cooked, and place under broiler 2 minutes to melt the cheese.

Wine Suggestion:

Dry Rosé from Provence, Corsica or Languedoc. Young reds from the

Mediterranean.

Raspberry Crème Brûlée

2011-06-17T17:48:00.000+02:00

Ingredients

1⁄2 litre (2 cups) of whipping cream

6 egg yolks

120g (4oz) of sugar

1 vanilla pod or 2 tbsp vanilla extract

30 raspberries

6 tbsp of sugar for torching, if desired.

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 100C/220F.

Distribute the raspberries between the 6 ramekins; your goal is to submerge them completely in the crème brulee mix before baking. If your ramekins are too shallow place the berries on their side and press them gently to remove the air pockets that make them float. In a bowl gently whisk (without incorporating too much air) the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Bring cream and the scraped vanilla pod to a boil and then pour it slowly over the egg+sugar mix while continuing to slowly whisk. Strain mix if it seems uneven in texture.

Ladle mixture into the ramekins.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until set. Crème brulee is ready when completely set. Be careful not to over bake as this will result in a rubbery texture. If after one hour the crème is still runny, increase the oven temperature to 120C/250F.

Once set, let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then transfer in the fridge for 2 hrs (up to 2 days). To speed things up you can also place the crème in the freezer for 1 hr.

If desired sprinkle a heaped tablespoon of sugar on the crème and with a torch caramelize the sugar until dark amber. Serve immediately after.

An adventure in Molecular Gastronomy

2011-06-09T17:50:00.002+02:00

Siphons and syringes to the ready and a large dose of imagination Chef Alex and his avid students carried out a fun Molecular Gastronomy Class using fresh market ingredients.

We created an elaborate menu to cover techniques such as Spherification [controlled jellification of a liquid which forms spheres when submerged in a bath] and gelification to make all sorts of gelified shapes and we created foams and emulsions.

And the results? Well after getting familiar with handling the siphon and managing the precision of ingredients the following menu was tested and approved:

Aperitif: Mojito Espuma

Tomato Water Consommé with Cucumber Gelée

Poached Quail Eggs with Parmesan Foam

Carrot flavored Ravioli filled the fresh pea puree served with Orange Caviar

Pistachio Chocolate Microwave Cake

Chocolate Mousse with fresh Mint Caviar

For a taster here is the Pistachio Chocolate Cake Recipe, which was made at light speed:

Ingredients
80 grams Sugar
80 grams Pistachios
20 grams flour
4 Eggs
100 grams Chocolate
5 - 2.5 inch ramekins
1 Siphon, Gas cartridge

Procedure

In a food processor, add the sugar, flour and the pistachios and blend until even. Add the eggs and blend until smooth. Add this to the Siphon and charge it with one cartridge. Add a few pieces of chocolate to the bottom of the ramekins. Foam in the batter into the ramekins about half way up. Microwave them for 30 seconds, then flip on the plate and serve immediately.

The Adria brothers may have closed their famous molecular restaurant El Bulli but you can still buy your chemicals on-line:

http://www.solexpartners.com/media/texturas/texturas-spherification-line.html

and take a class with Cook’n With Class to get you up and running!!

Mastering French Cheese & Wine

2011-06-03T16:32:00.001+02:00

Cook’n With Class - Wednesday ‘s - Cheese & Wine Master Class

Life is endless tasting experience when living in France! There’s so much to learn about French Cheese and Wine. With 400 varieties of cheese and thousands of wineries it can be daunting (yet fun) trying to explore it all.

However most people know what they like and in the Cheese and Wine Master Class we guide you to understand better the tastes and the flavors you like and "bien sur" discover new ones.

Perhaps you’ve always liked Burgundy wine but didn’t know the grape or you are always drawn to Chardonnay white wines but don’t know the region?

What about cheese? – not sure if goat cheese is your favorite or perhaps a Roquefort is more to your taste? The amazing part is when pairing the Cheese and Wine noticing and understanding why these flavors combine to delight your palate. The French concept “terroir” is fascinating and in the Cheese & Wine Class we dig in and explore the finest that French culture has to offer while enjoying delicious produce from our sommelier and Chef.

This Wednesday we tasted one champagne, 2 white wines, 2 red wines and a fortified red wine with accompanying cheeses.

The Cheese List

- Sainte-Maure de Touraine

- Crottin de Chavignol

- Gratte Paille

- Mimolette/Boule de Lille (mi-mou)

- Roquefort + Roquefort/Gingerbread

The Wine List

- Champagne Demilly De Baere, Brut

- Domaine de Blanes 2010, Muscat Sec

- Château Coutinel 2006, AOC Fronton

- Château Taffard 2003, Médoc Cru Bourgeois

- Domaine du Mas Rouge 2008, AOC Muscat de Rivesalte

- Banyuls

"Tchin, tchin" :)

Risotto With Shrimp

2011-05-20T12:49:00.000+02:00

Recipe for 6 people

Ingredients

18 to 24 shrimp, shelled, save the shells (and the heads if available)

4 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

3 shallots, minced

1 cup (1/4 liter) of dry white wine

fish trimmings, heads, bones, etc.

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

few peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 thyme sprig
---
1 onion, finely minced
1 oz butter
salt
---
2 oz butter
2 cups arborio rice (also Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
1 cup dry white wine, room temperature
4 cups (hot) shrimp or fish stock
salt

4 tablespoon of finely minced flat parsley

Procedure

1. fish stock

In a large pot add fish trimmings, head, bones, 2 onions, chopped, 2 carrots, chopped, few peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 thyme sprig. Cover with water and bring to a simmer.
In a medium size pot with high sides add oil and preheat on medium heat. Add shrimp shells and heads, shallots and stir until well colored (almost brown), about 5 minutes. Lower the heat if it starts to burn. Add the white wine and stir well to scrape the bottom of the pan. When the alcohol has evaporated add some water, bring to the boil then transfer everything in the large pot that you started before. Let simmer for 45 minutes, keep hot for the risotto.

2. precook the shrimp

Lightly season the shrimp with salt. In a skillet with a dab of butter cook quickly the shelled shrimp on medium heat. Do not overcook as they will be incorporated in the risotto at the end and will cook a bit more. Save one shrimp per person for garnish, slice the rest in small rounds. Set aside.

3. cook the Rice

Start by melting 2oz of butter in a deep skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent, add a pinch of salt to make the onions sweat. Add the rice, make sure that the grains are well coated with butter. Let cook until the grains are partially translucent and there is a faint smell of nuts. At this point add the cup wine, stir well and let the alcohol evaporate entirely. When the rice starts to look dry lower the heat and start adding the stock, one ladle at the time (through a strainer to avoid adding shells and other solids from the stock). Taste the rice and adjust the seasoning. Keep adding stock until the rice is almost al dente. Use hot water if you run out of stock. At this point take the pan off the heat, add the cooked shrimp and the parsley. Stir and cover for few minutes.
Serve immediately with the saved cooked shrimp on top for garnish.

Note: For a deeper gold color add some saffron powder or threads during the cooking phase.

Duck a L’Orange

2011-05-06T15:38:00.000+02:00

Ingredients:

2 Magret de canard or Duck breasts

6 Organic Oranges

20 threads Saffron

2 tablespoons Butter

Sugar and Water

Salt and Black Pepper

Method:

Juice:

Juice 3 of the oranges and reduce their juice with the saffron.
Zest the other oranges and make the zest into fine julienne, or thin strips.
Blanch these at least one time on boiling water for 10 seconds, then cooling it down in ice-cold water.
Then make a simple-syrup (equal parts sugar and water by weight).
Bring to the boil and add the blanched Zest and simmer for 30 mins.Reserve on the side.
Segment the other oranges making sure there is no pith. When the bubbles of the orange juice start getting bigger and sticky, add the butter and whisk until it is incorporated.

Duck:

Remove all silver skin and small filet.
Score the Fat-side half way through the skin about 1/2 an inch apart whole length on a bias, and repeat to make the skin look like a grid.
Make the skin look like a grid.Season with salt and pepper.
Place into a warm / dry pan and cook on one side until skin has reduced in size but about a third and is golden brown.
Place duck breasts in a pre-heated oven @ 300 until desired internal temperature. (5-10 mins)
Let rest out side the oven for 5 mins.

Slice and serve with sauce:

To finish the sauce, add just the zest (not the sugar syrup) and the segments to the reduced orange sauce and glaze the duck.
Spoon a bit on the plate as well.
Enjoy your meal.

Sautéed scallops, chunky leeks with sorrel cream

2011-04-29T13:27:00.001+02:00

Recipe

Step 1: Chunky leeks

For 6 servings, trim 3 large leeks.

Slice small cylinders a touch larger than your scallops, and rinse out grit under cold water. Drain well.
Melt 1 T butter in a medium pot (with a thick base) and add leeks, standing on end. Crowd together in a single layer.
Cover and soften over low heat about 20 minutes with a bay leaf and 4 sprigs fresh thyme, with no stirring (breaks up the shape of the leeks.)
Add a couple spoons of water or dry white wine if necessary to keep from burning on pot bottom.
Once leeks are tender and cooked, add 2 T. chopped fresh dill, chives or tarragon. (We used chives.)
Optionally add 1/4 C cream. Bring to simmer just before serving, thinning with a little water if necessary. Season with sea salt.

Step 2: Sorrel cream

Finely mince 1 shallot and place in small pot with 1 T. melted butter.
Soften over low heat, covered, 5 minutes with no browning.
Add 1 C. heavy cream, 1 bay leaf, and bring to simmer.
Meanwhile, slice finely about 20 fresh sorrel leaves and add to cream, simmering 5 minutes.
Season and add a sprinkle of water if sauce is too thick.

Step 3: Sautéed scallops

Clean and trim the scallops, 3 per person.

Heat 1 T. butter in a non-stick pan until foaming stops, but before smoking, and place scallops in pan. (Be careful to leave space between each scallop to allow for better browning)
Optionally, toss in the zest from one lemon during last minute of frying.
Depending on size, sauté about 3 minutes first side to brown nicely, then 1/2 minute on the other side.
Season with coarse sea salt, and a squeeze of lemon, and serve.

Step 4 : Ready to eat

Arrange 3 leeks standing up on plate, faced by 3 scallops, and between the two rows, some sorrel cream.
We dressed up some lamb's lettuce with olive oil to add some freshness to the plate.

Easter Dinner / Seven-hour Lamb

2011-04-25T12:00:00.000+02:00

Slow and steady, soft and succulent

This traditional French way of dealing with mutton or tough lamb is increasingly finding its way into the urban bistros and homes of today, cheered on by a generation reared on fast grills and snappy salads. After two hours, the most wonderful smell starts to waft out of the kitchen. After seven hours, the meat will be so soft that the bone will literally fall out as you gently lift it from the pot. Just make sure that the leg of lamb you buy will fit into your heaviest lidded casserole.

Serve the lamb with its carrots, onions and garlic alongside a dish of white beans, puréed potatoes or Potato Gratin.

Ingredients

Serves 6

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 to 7 hours (5 hours if you have a younger lamb)

1 leg of mature lamb, about 2.5kg
2 whole heads of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
3 medium onions, quartered
8 smallish carrots, peeled
Few sprigs thyme
250ml dry white wine
250ml water
Handful of flatleaf parsley

Method

Heat the oven to 120C. Coat the lamb with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Place in a large, lidded, ovenproof casserole, and scatter with thyme. Add the wine and water, cover tightly, and bake for 4 hours, then remove the casserole carefully from the oven and skim the fat from the broth.

Cut the heads of garlic in half across the cloves. Place the garlic, onions and carrots in with the lamb, and bake for another 3 hours (for younger lamb, cook first for 2 hours, skim and add the vegetables, then cook for a further 3 hours). Gently remove the lamb, and transfer the vegetables to a warm platter.

Strain the juices and bring to the boil in a small pan, skimming. Carve the lamb thickly and serve on warm dinner plates with the vegetables, garlic, parsley and some of the broth.

Very Berry Verinnes

2011-04-20T17:17:00.001+02:00

Serves 4

250 grams of fresh Raspberries

250 grams of fresh Strawberries

150 grams of fresh or frozen raspberries

100 grams of sugar

500 grams of Natural yoghurt (or Vanilla Icecream)

Honey to taste

Recipe

You will need 4 large clear glasses or clear plastic cups

1 . For the coulis, place frozen raspberries and sugar into a blender and mixer together until you have a smooth thick red juice.

2. Mix half of the coulis with with 250 grams of the natural yoghurt and keep the rest of the coulis for later.

3. Place some fresh raspberries and strawberries in the bottom of your glass

4. Cover the berries with 2 or 3 tablespoons of yoghurt that has been mixed with the coulis.

5. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of Natural yoghurt to your glass.

At each stage you are building up the layers in the glass

6. Cover the Natural Yogurt with 2 tablespoons of Coulis

7. Add more berries to fill the glass

8. And drizzle with Honey to taste.

DID YOU KNOW ?

An individual raspberry weighs about 4 g, on average and is made up of around 100 drupelets , each of which consists of a juicy pulp and a single central seed. Raspberry bushes can yield several hundred berries a year.

Cook'n with Paddy - Delicious Irish Stew

2011-03-17T17:10:00.002+01:00

While we're talking about comfort foods, there's nothing more comforting than a nice hearty stew on a cold winters night. I've found that adding ale or Guinness not only makes the meat more tender, but it also gives the gravy a richer taste.

It's a classic British / Irish food that has been passed down for generations, and will continue to be a staple for years to come. It is easy to make, but delicious and very fulfilling.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2 pounds lean beef, cubed. (Generally you would use stewing beef, as the Guinness helps tenderize it).
3 Tablespoons oil (I tend to use plain vegetable oil).
2 Tablespoons flour (to thicken).
Salt and pepper.
2 large chopped onions.
1 large clove garlic crushed.
2 Tablespoons tomato puree combined with 4 tablespoons water (you can replace this with any Tomato Sauce.
1-1/4 cups Guinness.
2 cups chopped carrots. (Note, you can add mushrooms, or any other vegtable you like).
2 cups of chopped potatoes.
add thyme and oregano).

Cooking instructions
Ensure the beef is cubed in 1-1/2 to 2 inch cubes, and has most of the fat cut off.
Mix the flour, salt and pepper together.
In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of oil and stir in the beef all surfaces are filmed with oil.
Place the beef in with the flour and mix so all surfaces are now covered with flour.
Heat the remaining oil on medium-high heat and brown the meat.
Add onions, garlic and tomato and simmer for four to five minutes.
Remove the meat from the frying pan and place in a casserole dish.
Add a little Guinness to the pan and boil so that the juices from the frying pan are not wasted.
Pour the contents of the frying pan, the remaining Guinness, the carrots and the potatoes over the meat.
Cook in an oven at 325 degrees for 2 to 3 hours. (Note this can be simmered on a stove for two to three hours)

Serving Suggestions:
There are many ways you can eat this wonderful stew:
In a bowl with a dollup of Sour Cream.
Mixed with some Egg Noodles.
With Mashed Potatoes.

Anyone for Quiche?

2011-03-11T18:16:00.000+01:00

Quiche Lorraine is an all-around French classic that is easy to make and appreciated by all!

Chef Anne-Sophie Pic, the only woman Chef to hold a three-star Michelin rating shares a quick recipe adding mustard to give a delicious hint of acidity.

Fill the shortcrust pastry dough with 100g of thin strips of bacon, 50g of grated Comté or Gruyere cheese, then pour on a mixture of 12.5cl milk, 12.5 Cl cream, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 2 whole eggs and an egg yellow.

Put it in a hot oven at 180° for 35 minutes, then let it rest for 10 minutes out of the oven before tasting.

Small practical trick: Prick the bottom of the pastry dough & then place it in the refrigerator 30 minutes in order to prevent the pastry inflating while cooking; then fill it with the trimming and place in the oven.

Bon Appetit!

Perfect tart for a great Valentine's evening (from Chef Pino Ficara)

2011-02-12T11:54:00.003+01:00

TARTE BOUQUET DE ROSES

Dough

250g flour (all purpose)

150g butter, room temperature

70g icing sugar (superfine sugar)

2 yolks

1 pinch of salt

Frangipane filling

75g pistachios (or almonds, walnuts etc)

75g sugar

70g butter

40g thick yogurt (greek style)

1 egg

1 pinch of salt

Apple rosettes

700g water+350g sugar (for syrup)

1kg of red stark delicious (or other sweet apples)

icing sugar

pistachios chunks

=============

Dough (pate sucree)

Cream butter sugar and salt, add eggs and flour. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.

Filling

15 minutes before rolling the dough mix in a food processor nuts and sugar, separately mix butter and yogurt then add it to the nuts+sugar mix, add egg and salt and mix until very smooth.

Apple rosettes

Make a syrup by boiling water and sugar. Slice the apples (without peeling them) and put them in the boiling syrup, when syrup comes back to a boil drain the apples, let cool a bit then cut the slices in half. It'll take about 3 slices for each "rose".

===

Baking

Roll the dough to 4mm thickness and line a 26cm tart pan, fill with frangipane and bake for 35' at 170C. Let rest 5 minutes then arrange the apple roses, sprinkle with icing sugar and bake again for 10 minutes. Let cool and then serve with chunks of pistachios.

An ancient tradition – The Galette of Kings

2011-01-07T16:46:00.000+01:00

Yesterday we celebrated the Epiphany, or the Feast of the Kings with a delicious Galette des Rois. In France the tradition of serving this frangipane-filled tart can be traced back to the 14th century. A small bean, coin or porcelain fève is baked inside the cake and whoever receives the little favor is then crowned king or queen for the day. Tradition also dictates that the cake be cut into as many slices as there are people present, plus one extra. The extra piece is called either la part du Bon Dieu (God's piece), la part de la Vierge (the Virgin Mary's piece) or la part du pauvre (poor man's piece) and it is given to the first poor person who stops at the home.

Who will become king or queen for the day at your house? Bake a galette and have a little fun with the family. Make a foil crown to place atop the cake before eating it.

Et voilà:

Ingredients
---
1/2 lb (250g) almond paste
5 oz (150g) sugar [to be added only if the almond paste is unsweetened]
4 eggs
1/2 lb (250g) room temperature butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
2.5 oz (75g) all purpose/plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

You will also need 2 discs of puff pastry (fresh or frozen)

1 egg yolk beaten with 1oz of whipping cream (egg wash).

Procedure
---
1. Combine almond paste [sugar, if needed] and 1 egg in a mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth.
2. Beat in butter and vanilla until smooth. Scrape bowl.
3. Add remaining eggs, one at the time, keep beating.
4. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the mixer at low speed and work just until absorbed.

Put cream in a pastry bag and refrigerate if too soft or runny.
---

On one disc of puff pastry, pipe a spiral of filling leaving about 2 cm border. Brush the border with the egg wash and place the second disc of puff pastry on top. With a fork seal the edges gently. Glaze the top of the cake with egg wash, cut a few vents and then with the tip of a paring knife draw some decorations (try not to cut through the dough).

Bake at 200C/420F until fully puffed and golden brown. Serve warm or cold, never hot.

Foie Gras au Torchon

2011-01-05T17:06:00.000+01:00

Au torchon means "in a towel"

Eat a slice of this foie gras cold with an old fashioned country bread and a black cherry marmalade or a spicy fig jam…No toasted brioche and please, don’t drink a sweet wine with it. I know it's a tradition but it's not really the best. Have a glass of champagne, a glass of chardonnay or a Cabernet Sauvignon. The best match is to have a 3-5 year old glass of Chateau Neuf du Pape.

Recipe
Serves 8

1 Duck liver (1 pound)
Fine ground salt 7 gr (1 tb spoon)
Black pepper 5 gr (1 ts spoon)
2 tbs cognac or armagnac or port

Procedure

Soak the liver in luke warm milk to drain blood.

Let it rest at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours.

Dry it with a paper towel, then you take off all the nerves.

Add the salt and pepper and the alcohol of your choice.

Leave overnight (if possible) in the refrigerator, at least 3 hours.

Then roll the liver in cling wrap, 2 or 3 times, to be sure you don’t have any leakage. Tie a knot at both extremities.

Leave it in the fridge, for 2 hours again, and then cook it in simmering water for 7 minutes. Plunge the foie gras in cold water to stop the cooking and leave it in the fridge for at least one day before you serve it. (3 days is even better for the flavour)

Walnut Coffee Christmas Log

2010-12-17T16:13:00.004+01:00

STEP 1 - Coffee Cream

Ingredients

450g/8oz whole milk

120/4oz sugar

60/2oz corn starch

60/2oz unsalted butter, cold, cube
1 egg + 4 yolks

1 tbsp vanilla extract or dark rhum

1 tbsp instant expresso powder

---

Procedure

Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 of the milk,
combine rest of the milk with sugar and bring to boil,
while waiting whisk eggs in the cornstarch mixture,
pour 1/3 of the boiling milk over the eggs, then return milk and milk+egg mixture to the heat. Boil for about 1 minute whisking.
remove from the heat and whisk in butter, vanilla and coffee.
transfer to a cold container, press some plastic film directly on the cream and chill immediately.

STEP 2 - Chocolate Ganache

prepare this while the log is chilling

Ingredients

180g/6oz heavy cream

180g/6oz 70% chocolate (bittersweet),

grated or cut into small pieces

Procedure

Bring cream to a boil, pour onto cut chocolate,

let sit for about one minute, then whisk to incorporate

the cream into the chocolate.

STEP 3 - Walnut Sponge Cake (biscuit au chocolat)

Ingredients
6 large eggs, separated
4oz (120g) light brown sugar
8oz (320g) walnuts
2oz (60g) all purpose/plain flour
4oz (120g) sugar

Procedure
Preheat your oven at 350F (390F). Butter and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Ground nuts and flour until powder but not oily.
Whip yolks with brown sugar until very light (about 5 minutes).
Whip whites with sugar until firm peak.
Fold whites into yolks and then the nuts/flour mix in three additions.
Spread on the cookie sheet and bake immediately for about 12 minutes.
Release from the pan as soon as possible. Remove carefully parchment paper.

---

ASSEMBLING

If the cream is set and hard to spread whisk it before starting this step. Spread (or pipe) all the coffee cream onto the sponge cake. Roll the sponge cake into a log shape, use the parchment paper to keep it closed and refrigerate until the log is completely set and cold. At least 1hr.

Unwrap the log over a cooling rack and cover with the warm ganache. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, then use a fork to draw grooves in the chocolate to imitate a tree bark.

Gâteau Basque au Fraise

2010-11-02T17:45:00.000+01:00

A Basque specialty that has pastry cream encased in a light shortdough pastry

(will make a 20cm square tart)

Ingredients for dough
260g/9oz butter

185g/6.5oz sugar

zest of a lemon (better if organic or not treated)

1 pinch of salt

125g (1/4lb) almond meal

1 egg + 1 yolk, cold

325g/11.5oz all purpose flour (T45 in France)

Ingredients for strawberry cream
150g/5oz of strawberry puree

75g/2.5oz whole milk

35g/1.5oz sugar

25g/1oz corn starch (Maizena in France)

25g/1oz butter

Ingredients for quick strawberry jam

150g/5oz fresh or frozen strawberries

40g/1.5oz sugar

Glaze

1 egg yolk

Procedure

Prepare the dough: in a standup mixer, cream butter, sugar, zest and salt until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix until well incorporated. Stop and scrape at least once while incorporating the eggs. Add the almond meal and mix until well incorporated. Stop the machine, add the flour and mix by hand until just incorporated and homogenous. Do not overmix!
Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Prepare the strawberry cream: dissolve well the corn starch in the milk and bring strawberry puree and sugar to a boil in a small pan, add the corn starch mix while whisking vigorously until the mixture is thick and smooth, take off the heat, add the butter, mix well then spread the cream over a cold plate. Put plastic on top and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

Prepare the quick jam: mix strawberries and sugar in a small pan, bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes. Strain the berries, keep aside and boil down the cooking juices until very dense. Mix with the cooked strawberries and set aside to cool.

===

Preheat the oven at 180C/350F.
Butter and flour a tart pan about 4cm deep. Roll about 250g of dough to fit the bottom of the tart pan. It should be about 1cm thick. Make a border all around the bottom by making small "ropes" with pieces of dough. The edge should also be about 1cm deep. Spread the cream inside leaving a "well" in the middle for the jam. Add the cooled jam in the middle, then top with another 1cm thick layer of dough. Brush the top with a beaten egg yolk and draw decorating patterns with the tip of a sharp knife, without cutting through the dough.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.

The Healthiest Choice: Top 10 Alkaline Foods for Your Diet

2010-10-01T17:28:00.000+02:00

Acids are mostly used for home cleaning and certainly your stomach is not your kitchen sink. The modern diet, which is greatly influenced by today’s hyped up media and enslaving consumerism, is very acidic. Has there been any ad on TV, in magazines or on the internet that encourages buying vegetables and fruits? No, because they all push-sell packed or bottled products that do not match the natural processes in our body. Enterprising and consumerism has gone overboard in destroying our health.
Everything, living or non-living, is either acidic or alkaline. However, humans are creatures made to consume alkaline foods and stand as an alkaline organism in the food chain. Our blood’s pH level is pretty much determined by the food we eat. And with our blood being non-alkaline, or simply, acidic, our body will poorly perform and will have difficulty in resisting the harsh effects of oxidation and disease-inflicting viruses.

Here are the Top 10 Alkaline Foods that will give your mind and body more health and energy:

Top 10: Avocados, Bananas (ripe), Berries, Carrots, Celery, Currants, Dates, Garlic.
These foods are very high in antioxidants. They have a pH value of 8.0. They chemically react to acidic foods of pH 5.0 and elevate them near the alkaline levels. Berries, dates and especially garlic have special properties that regulate blood pressure as well.

Top 9: Apples (sweet), Apricots, Alfalfa sprouts.
These ones are super digestible foods, which are high in fiber and have a pH value of 8.0. They are also rich in enzymes that are helpful in maintaining the body’s hormonal balance. Surely, an apple a day keeps the doctor away! Don’t forget to include apricots though. For those who do not know, Alfalfa sprouts are those sprouting seeds of beans that are commonly mixed in salads and sandwiches.

Top 8: Grapes (sweet), Passion fruit, Pears (sweet), Pineapple, Raisins, Umeboshi plum, Vegetable juices.
At a pH of 8.5, this group is also high in antioxidant and vitamins A, B and C. Grapes, raisins and plums are blood-regulating, which lowers blood pressure and risks of getting heart disease. Pineapple, on one hand, is rich in L-Carnitine, which uses body fat as an energy source and is good for trimming that growing waistline. Vegetable juices, on the other hand, are high in iron and good for cellular detoxification.

Top 7: Chicory, Kiwifruit, Fruit juices.
They have natural sugar that doesn’t form acidic compounds during digestion. Rather, these foods have alkaline-forming properties that give more energy to the body. Still at a pH level of 8.5, this group is rich in flavonoids, a chemical compound in natural foods that have antioxidant properties. Kiwi fruit even has higher Vitamin C content than oranges. Chicory, a bitter-tasting close relative of the lettuce, also has insulin that supports the pancreas and aids the body in preventing diabetes.

Top 6: Watercress, Seaweeds, Asparagus.
With a pH level of 8.5, this group is unique as a powerful acid reducer. Watercress, for example, is called the natural super food. It is the first leaf vegetable consumed by human beings and is commonly prepared as part of a healthy salad. It is best eaten raw and it contains lots of iron and calcium like seaweeds. Asparagus is even more special for its highest content of asparagines, an amino acid important to the nervous system.

Top 5: Limes, Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley.
This food group has a pH of 8.5 and is best at cleansing the kidneys. Papaya is even the healthiest laxative that promotes defecation and colon cleansing. Parsley, the most popular herb, is the best dirt sweeper of the intestines when taken raw. It is also a diuretic, which is necessary in cleaning the kidneys. Limes, mangoes and melons are vitamin-rich fruits that are alkaline-forming during digestion.

Top 4: Cantaloupe, Cayenne (Capsicum).
The group with the most alkaline reactive properties among the foods with the pH of 8.5, they are high in enzymes needed by the endocrine system. Cayenne has antibacterial properties and is also high in Vitamin A, which is essential in fighting free radicals that causes stress and illnesses. Cantaloupes, a relative of melons, is very low in sugar but high in fiber.

Top 3: Agar Agar (Organic Gelatin)
Still with a pH of 8.5, Agar Agar is a gelatin substitute made from seaweeds that is high in iron and calcium as well. It is very digestible and has the highest fiber content among all foods.

Top 2: Watermelon.
At a pH level of 9.0, Watermelon are very alkaline. Because of its high fiber and water content at 92% of its entire weight, watermelon is a mild diuretic and a great source of beta-carotene, lycopene and vitamin C. This thirst-quenching fruit is the most life and energy supporting food when used in a week-long fasting and colon cleansing.

Top 1: Lemons.
At the top of the list is the Amazing Lemon. With its electrolytic properties and a pH level of 9.0, lemons are considered the most alkalizing food. It is the most potent and most immediate relief for colds, cough, flu, heartburns, hyperacidity and other virus-related ailments. Lemons are natural antiseptic that disinfects and heals wounds. It is also the best liver tonic that detoxifies and energizes the liver.

French Fries….are they really French??

2010-08-06T16:28:00.000+02:00

Ah the French Fry, who doesn’t like them? Delicious and tasty (and slightly unhealthy yes I know), but whether they are drenched in salt, vinegar or tomato sauce and mayo, they are a very very popular fast food!

We all know the Dutch love their fries, it is like a national treasure to them. Known as "patat," Dutch fries are prepared fresh and not frozen at a number of stalls. The fries you order there will be the thick, steak fry variety, and they'll be served to you in a paper cone and topped with a dollop of creamy mayonnaise. Fries are so commonly served this way that to order them one simply asks for patat "met", or "with."

The Dutch, however, cannot take responsibility for inventing the fry. Neither can the French. That honour goes to the Belgians where fries are cherished even more than they are in Holland. The fry culture in Belgium is similar to that of Holland—fries are everywhere, the thick slabs of potatoes are freshly fried and served in paper cones, and they are offered with a variety of toppings, the most popular being mayonnaise—but the Belgians have also developed a wide variety of specialized fries shops, called, in Belgium "frietkots" or "fritures". These range from small stands, to sheds, busses and caravans, to shacks or quaint chalets.

The story goes that fries date back to 1680: the inhabitants of Namur, Andenne and Dinant in Belgium used to fish in the Meuse River and fry the little fish they caught to improve their diet. However, when rivers and streams froze over and it was dangerous to fish, people used to cut potatoes into the shape of little fish and fry them.

As for the name "French fries", it is alleged to come from either the Irish "to french", meaning "to cut", or from the American allies who, when they landed in the Belgian Ardennes, tasted the incomparable fried potatoes and called them "French fries", French for the language spoken by the inhabitants and fries because of the way they were cooked. Whenever the case may be, fries are definitely Belgian!

http://www.lutosa.com/uk/products/the-origin-of-french-fries/

The Pavlova Debate

2010-07-21T17:23:00.000+02:00

According to the Australians, the chef of the Hotel Esplanade in Perth, Western Australia, Herbert Sachse, created the pavlova to celebrate the visit of the great Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. According to the New Zealanders, a recipe was recorded in 1919, long before the ballerina came to dance.

"A symphony of silence! So Pavlova has been described," began the report in the West Australian on Tuesday, July 9, 1929. "But who, seeing the famous ballerina for the first time as she stood on the deck... at Fremantle yesterday, could apply the description? It was Babel itself!" The reporter managed to share her cab into Perth... "They are funny, these Australians," she pronounced in the cab... The next night she gave the first of 11 evening... performances... "Exquisite Pavlova!..." began the West Australian. It was her only Perth season, on her second Australian tour. She died two years later. Yet her memory survived at her hotel, the Esplanade, because there six years later the chef whipped up the meringue and cream cake which perpetuates her name....

One person who had been researching the NZ claims had the librarians of the National Library of New Zealand consult their collection of cookery books. “In fact, they found a recipe for "Pavlova cakes" ... published in 1929. The ingredients were roughly those of a pavlova, but it was not the pavlova as we know it, because the mixture was baked into three dozen little meringues. It seems a coincidence that the NZ cook was impressed by the ballerina's lightness and whiteness.

But there is more to the NZ claim than this. Even earlier, in "Terrace Tested Recipes", collected by the ladies of Terrace Congregational Church, the second edition published in Wellington in 1927, there was a recipe submitted by a Mrs. McRae for Meringue Cake [He then describes the recipe]. From similar recipes published in 1933 and 1934, I think it is fair to say that the Meringue Cake was common in NZ in the early 1930s. Its form varied, but it was to all intents and purposes what we know as a "Pavlova", sometimes even complete with passionfruit on top.

"Bert Sachse said in a magazine interview in 1973 that he sought to improve the Meringue Cake. There was a prize-winning recipe for Meringue Cake in the "Women's Mirror" on April 2, 1935. It contained vinegar, but no cornflour and was of two parts filled with whipped cream. The recipe was contributed by "Rewa", who happened to be of Rongotai, NZ. If Sachse read the "Women's Mirror" and other magazines for ideas, as his widow told me, he might have seen this recipe. We can concede that New Zealanders discovered the secret delights of the large meringue with the "marshmallow centre", the heart of the pavlova. But it seems reasonable to assume that someone in Perth attached the name of the ballerina...

"In the "Good Food Guide" to British Isles restaurants in 1977, a glossary of food terms referred to the pavlova as a NZ offering, which changed the next year to Australian. Hilary Fawcett, who compiled the glossary, wrote to me about the change: "There does seem to be some controversy as to whether the wretched thing originated in NZ or Australia and I was reduced to doing a straw-vote count."

"It is possible, if ungenerous, to deride the pavlova for culinary innocence. It was adopted from New Zealand. Yet Herbert Sachse made a genuine, crystallising contribution. The pavlova served its original purpose admirably. It then caught the popular imagination. Distilling the Australian concept of sweet living, it is the single great discovery thus far of our cooking."

Extract taken from http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART/reference/Pavlova.html

Whether you are from Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere, this is truly a delightful dessert to eat at any time of year.

Pavlova
Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 30 mins
Cook 1 hr 30 mins
Plus time to cool

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 225g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• ½ vanilla pod
• 284ml carton double cream
• 1 lemon , zested
• 450g berries , raspberries, strawberries, or
blackberries or a mixture
• 1 tbsp icing sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cover a baking sheet with baking parchment. Whisk the egg whites with electric beaters until they just form stiff and shiny peaks. Gradually add the sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time and whisk really well between each addition. When all of the sugar is used up continue whisking for 3-4 minutes or until the meringue is stiff and glossy and stands up in peaks, then whisk in the cornflour and vinegar. Spoon the mixture onto the baking parchment and use a palette knife to make a circle about 20cm in diameter. Put in the oven, turn the temperature down to 120C/fan 100C/gas ½ and cook for 1½ hours. Turn the oven off and leave the meringue inside until completely cold (you can make this the day before and leave to cool overnight).

2. Carefully peel off the baking parchment and put the pavlova on a serving dish. Don't worry if it cracks. Scrape the vanilla seeds into a mixing bowl, add the cream and lemon zest and softly whip, then spoon onto the pavlova. Mix the berries, spoon the fruit on top of the cream, dust with a little icing sugar and serve.

Tips:

* Make the pavlova the day before and then whip the cream and prepare the fruit at the last minute.

* You can use whatever fruits you want…get creative!