Friday, May 25, 2012

Vacherin aux fruits



Ingredients:
Yield 10
For Vacherin cup (Conticini):

75 g Egg Whites
75 g Sugar
75 g Powdered Sugar
2 pinches salt
---
Whipped Cream
Ice-cream
Strawberries or Raspberries



Procedure:
Make stiff peak Meringue with regular sugar and egg whites, plus the salt.
Fold in the powdered sugar.

Pipe to a hallow shape and dry in the oven at 200 F / 95 C until completely dry.

Fill with Vanilla Ice Cream, and garnish with Chantilly and strawberries or raspberries.

It’s the best summer Dessert made in the Market Class with Chef Alex !


Friday, May 18, 2012

Trout with Almonds

                                                       4 Portions

Ingredients:

4 Filets of Trout (De-Boned and skinned)
200 grams Sliced Almonds
400 grams Fresh Green Beans
1 stick of butter
1 lemon
2 Shallots
Salt / Pepper

Procedure:
  • Cut the fish filets in 2 pieces and reserve. In a large pot, bring 3 quarts and 3⁄4 of a cup of salt to a rolling boil. Cut the top and bottom off the green bean and cut in 2 pieces.
  • Add the beans to the boiling water and cook for about 3-4 mins. Checking by eating one or two in the cooking process. After about 4 mins they should be softer but still have some form and not mushy. Remove and put into cold icy water.
  • When cool, drain and reserve on a plate with paper towels. Peel and small dice the shallots. Juice the Lemon.
  • In a large wide pan, preferably cast iron or non- stick, heat over a medium heat. Season and add the filets to the oil (Skin side down) keeping a bit of pressure on the filets for the first 5 seconds.
  • Cook only on one side until skin is crispy, (5-8 mins) then flip and immediately remove from the pan.
  • Drain the oil out and add the stick of butter. Cook until foamy and brown (Beurre Noisette). Then add the shallots and almonds and cook for 1 min.
  • Add the Green beans and cook for 2 mins. Then finish with the lemon juice and serve with the filets.  

Friday, May 11, 2012

Zucchini provencal stuffed with Beefsteak tomatoes and fresh basil

Courtesy of Chef Brian Defehr


Ingredients:

6 Round zucchini 
3 Beefsteak tomatoes 
2 large onions 
1 clove garlic, 
minced 10 sprigs fresh basil 
Salt and pepper 
Optional fresh goat cheese, 
pine nuts


Procedure:

Hollow out zucchini, dice and reserve the pieces you've just removed. 
Fine-dice onions, and soften over medium heat in a wide saucepan moistened with olive oil, about 10 minutes.
Add zucchini bits, garlic, and saute over medium heat 5 minutes. Dice tomatoes, draining excess seeds or water, and add, simmering till mixture has thickened. Optionally add 1⁄2 C grated parmesan to increase thickening if veggie mix remains runny after 10 minutes simmering. Chop basil and add. Salt to taste and stuff hollowed-out zucchini.
Optionally enhance flavor with dry hot pepper or mix with leftover rice before stuffing. 

Another option is topping with fresh goat cheese, crumbled, before baking.

Bake at 375 F, 180 C, 20-30 minutes, depending on size.


Friday, May 4, 2012

Spring fish and seafood stew

                                                    7 Portions

Ingredients:

450 g/1 lb fresh firm fish filets such as salmon, monkfish, cod or sea bass 
2 leeks, trimmed 
2 stalks celery 
14 shrimp
14 scallops 
14 fingerling or other little potatoes 
14 baby turnips 
7 white, or 14 green asparagus 
1⁄2 C heavy cream 
1⁄2 C water, or light fish stock 
2 T. butter 
2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs thyme 
1⁄4 C dry white wine 
1⁄2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 
Optional chopped chives and tarragon 
Optional 2 cups washed clams or mussels

Procedure:

  • Cut all the vegetables to medium dice, preferably on the bias, or at least all the same size. 
  • Wash the leeks till free of soil. Melt butter in soup pot, and add leeks and celery. Stir in bay leaf and thyme, and sweat covered about 10 minutes over medium heat with no browning. 
  • In a separate pot, boil washed potatoes in salted water. Add wine to vegetables, simmer 5 minutes uncovered, then add turnips, asparagus, just enough water to cover, and simmer till vegetables are just under desired tenderness. 
  • Meanwhile, cut fish into large chunks. Discard heads from seafood, and remove feet, but leave shell on. Add cream, salt to taste, then all fish and seafood at the same time and bring to simmer. 
  • If fish pieces are not too large, they should take about the same time to cook through as the shell-on shrimp. 
  • Add potatoes, chopped in last minute of cooking to reheat, as well as the herbs. Avoid boiling or over-stirring to keep fish in pretty cubes... For thicker results, stir in 2 T flour to the leek and celery after softening in butter.



Wine Suggestions:

Medium dry whites: Sancerre, Pouilly-fumé, Chablis, Muscadet sur lie, dry Riesling