Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
This course is less about recipes than the core techniques that underly them and which form the basis of all western cooking. Just as Latin is the basis for most Western languages, French technique is the foundation for most Western cooking. Innovators such as Carme and Escoffier codified these methods, breaking down cooking into distinct actions such as "saut," "julienne," and "braise." This gives chefs everywhere a unified vocabulary and a common understanding. As a student, once you master these skills, you can apply them to any cuisine, whether it be Thai, Italian, Indian or Spanish. Thus, when you have learnt how to cook a steak to a pink-centred, seared perfection, you will not need special lessons for grilling a lamb chop; when you have learned to make half a dozen key sauces, you will be able to make hundreds more without extra effort. Indeed, chopping an onion or boning a chicken require the same skills regardless of the style or origin of dish one is cooking. A solid background in any discipline must precede proficiency and inventiveness. This course is designed, quite simply, to teach you how to cook. Knowledge of basic culinary skills is so rewarding as it allows you to understand and tackle any kind of recipe or follow any inventive urge because you are familiar with the procedure, method and mechanics behind it.
Stocks Knife Skills Vegetable Cuts Tournage Vegetable Cooking Methods Emulsion Sauces
Oeuf Mayonnaise, Macdoine de Lgumes Steak with Barnaise sauce Chicken Liver Pt Plat de Crudites Salade Nioise Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce Brandade de Morue
White Sauces
Vegetable Gratin Blanquette de Lapin, Riz Pilaf Tarte aux Pommes Tarte au Citron Poulet Roti au Jus Coq au Vin Consomm Brunoise French Onion Soup Crme Brule Crpe Suzette Poisson en Papillote, Julienne de Lgumes Sole Bonne Femme Tournedos de Beuof Bordelaise, Pommes Anna Ctes de Porc Charcutire, Pommes Pure Magret de Canard a lOrange Omelette Roule Oeuf en Cocotte Oeuf Poch Fricasse de Volaille Printanire
Pastry 1
Poultry 1
Soups 1
Classic Desserts 1
Fish 1
The Egg
Omelette Basquaise
Mediterranean Classics
Bourride Bouillabaisse
Unprepared Vegetables
Prepared Vegetables
Cutting Board
Peelings
The importance of cleanliness and order in the kitchen cannot be overstressed. Always clean and wash up as you cook. One of my teachers said: If you have time to lean, clean. I would add: Before you cook, look. and Before you sauter, put away. When the finished dish goes out to the table, there should be nothing left to wash up until the dirty plates come back. At no stage during the cooking process should there be any dirty equipment lying around. Cleaning, washing and order are the prime concerns in the kitchen. Consistently great dishes are dependent on these high standards.
Basic Stock
White veal stock (or chicken) White chicken stock
Basic Sauce
Veal Velout Chicken velout
Derivatives
Allemande (or Parisienne) Poulette Suprme Ivoire Albufera Aurore Bretonne Mornay Sobise
Fumet
Fish velout
Milk
Bchamel
SESSION 1
BROWN STOCK
Escoffier said Les fonds sont pour la cuisine, ce que les fondations sont pour la maison. (Stocks are to cooking what foundations are to a house) Ingredients for 6 litres 2.5 kg veal bones 2.5 kg poultry bones 1 kg veal or veal on the bone 2 large onions, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 branches of celery, chopped 1 leek, chopped 3 tomatoes, chopped 50 g tomato paste 1 head of garlic, crushed 1 bouquet garni Procedure 1. Preheat the oven to 400C. Coat the bones and meat lightly with oil and brown in a 200 degree oven. 2. Place them in a stockpot. In the fat left over from the bones, roast the onions, carrot, celery and leeks until golden, turning them frequently. Strain off the fat from the roasting tray and put all these vegetables along with the remaining ingredients into the stockpot and cover with cold water. 3. Simmer 8 to 12 hours, keeping it topped up with water and skimming regularly. Strain and reduce until 2 litres remain. (However, if the stock is to be used for soups, no reduction is required.) 4. If the stock is being used to make brown sauces, it should be farther reduced until just a litre remains. Note: Roughly speaking a Demi-Glace can be considered as 15 percent in liquid of the initial weight of bones and meat used to make the stock. Therefore, ten kilos of bones would yield 1.5 litres of DemiGlace.
CHICKEN STOCK
Ingredients for 5 litres 6 L cold water 3 kg poultry bones 1 onion, chopped 1 small leek, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 stalk of celery, chopped 5 cloves of garlic, crushed a bouquet garni Procedure 1. Trim the bones of any fat and place in a stockpot and cover with cold water. 2. Bring to a simmer and skim well. Then add the vegetables and bouquet garni. Simmer, skimming often, for about 3 hours. 3. Strain and refrigerate.
VEGETABLES
Methods of Cutting (Taillage)
The traditional nomenclature for standard cutting procedures are as follows: mincer: To thinly slice. Ciseler: To finely dice onions and shallots. Mirepoix: Unshaped large chunks, 1 to 2 cms in size. Usually used as an aromatic element and strained out of the sauce at the end of cooking. The term is often applied to a mixture of 50% onion, 25% carrot and 25% celery. Jardiniere: Thin sticks, 5 mm square and 5 cm long. Paysanne: Tile shaped squares or triangles, cut from Jardiniere, 1 to 2 mm thick. Macedoine: Small cubes, 5 mm square. Julienne: Very thin sticks, 1 to 2 mm square and 5 to 7 cm long. Brunoise: Minute cubes, 1 to 2 mm square. Chiffonade: Thin strips or of herbs or leafy vegetables, made by rolling stacked leaves into a cigar shape and cutting crosswise to form thin ribbons. Concass: To coarsely chop vegetables, usually tomatoes. Hacher: To finely mince small bunches of herb leaves. Julenne Brunoise
Jardiniere
Macdoine
Paysanne
POTAGE CULTIVATEUR
Potage Cultivateur is an example of a potage taill in which the vegetables are cut into a paysanne or brunoise and served with the soup. They are not pured so they must be properly cut. The potatoes are added towards the end of cooking to prevent them from breaking down and clouding the broth. Ingredients for 4 servings 40 g butter 4 slices bacon or salt pork (80 g) 1 leek (120 g) 1 carrot (120 g) 1 turnip (60 g) 1 stick of celery (60 g) 2 or 3 leaves of cabbage (60 g) 1 potato (200 g) 30 g string beans 30 g peas 1.5 litres light chicken stock 50 g Gruyre cheese, grated slices of baguette Procedure 1. Peel and wash the vegetables. 2. Finely slice the leeks and celery. Dice the beans. Cut the carrots, potatoes and turnips into paysanne.
Slice the cabbage in chiffonade. 3. At this point, in order to add to the flavour and avoid waste, the leek, carrot and celery trimmings can be simmered in the stock for 20 minutes and then discarded. 4. Remove the rind from the bacon. Cut it into lardons. Sweat it in the butter without colouring. 5. Add the leeks, carrots, celery and turnips and continue to sweat, without allowing them to colour for about 10 minutes. 6. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. 7. Add the cabbage and cook 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes and lastly the beens and pees. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the beans are just done. 8. Serve with toasted slices of baguette, topped wth melted Gruyre cheese.
RATATOUILLE
The French touiller means to toss food. Ratatouille originated in the area around Nice in Provence.The Catalan samfaina and the Mallorcan tumbet are versions of the same dish. Ingredients (for 4 servings) 5 large, ripe tomatoes, mondes 100 ml olive oil 1 medium onion, cisel 1 small green pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1.5 cm dice 1 small red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1.5 cm dice salt, pepper 4 cloves of garlic, chopped bouquet garni 1 small eggplant ,150g, cut into 1.5 cm dice 1 small courgette, 150 g, cut into 1.5 cm dice fresh thyme, rosemary and oregano Procedure 1. Sweat the onion in 40 ml olive oil. When soft, add the tomatoes and garlic and cook for 20 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated. 2. Meanwhile, saut the other vegetables in separate pans in the remaining 50 ml oil, until just soft and golden. 3. Add the vegetables to the onion and tomato mixture and season. Add the fresh herbs. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. 4. Remove the bouquet garni and, if necessary, adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.
A l'tuve
This method slowly cooks raw vegetables in a covered pan with there own juices, just a touch of fat, and salt. Just enough liquid (water or stock) is added to allow the vegetables to exude their own moisture as they cook. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Place the properly prepared vegetables in a pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add water to come halfway up the vegetables. Add the desired amount of fat and a pinch of salt. Fold a piece of parchment paper to make a lid. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer to maintain constant steam. Watch carefully so that the liquid does not evaporate before the vegetables are cooked. 6. If the water is evaporating too quickly, lower the heat. Ideally, the liquid should have evaporated just as the vegetables are fully cooked. 7. Cook until the vegetables are tender when pierced with the sharp point of a small knife. 8. Taste and, if necessary, adjust the salt and add pepper. Glazing (Glacer) Glazing is similar to to cooking a l'etuve but a little sugar is added and the cooking liquid is reduced so that the butter and sugar form a shiny, slighly sweet coating on the vegetables.There are two methods of glazing, glacer a blanc and glacer a brun. For glacer a blanc, follow all the steps for cooking a l'etuve, allowing all the liquid to evaporate and a thin syrupy liquid to coat each piece with a shiny glaze. To glacer a brun, allow the sugar to cook until it caramelizes on the the vegetables, turning them golden brown. Rissoler This is a common method to cook 'tourned' potatoes. 1. Cover the peeled and shaped potatoes with just enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Drain and let air dry 2. Heat a little oil in a pan large enough to hold all of the potatoes in a single layer. 3. When the oil is very hot, add the potatoes and sauter rapidly over high heat. 4. When the potatoes are almost cooked and golden brown, drain off the oil and toss in a little butter to coat the potatoes. Finish cooking in the oven at 200C or until the point of a knife penetrates the potato with no resistance. 5. Finish the potatoes by tossing in a pan with butter.
BOUQUETIRE GARNITURE
A bouquetire garniture is composed of various vegetables and is is used primarily to accompany meat dishes. It always contains carrots and turnips but all the other vegetables may vary according to the season, such as broccoli and cauliflower. Ingredients (for 4 sevings) 3 or 4 large carrots, cut bouquetire, glacer blanc and kept warm for service 2 or 3 turnips, cut bouquetire, glacer blanc and kept warm for service 2 or 3 potatoes, cut cocotte, rissoler and kept warm for service 4 artichoke bottoms, tourner, cooked l'anglaise 200 g pearl onions, glacer blanc and kept warm for service 100 g string beans, cut into 5-cm lengths, cooked l'anglaise 100 g peas, cooked l'anglaise 20 butter lemon 20 ml olive oil salt, pepper Procedure 1. Prepare and cook all the vegetables. 2. Combine the water and the butter in a large pan over medium heat. 3. Add the artichokes, beans and peas and cook for a minute until hot. Season and drain well. 4. Transfer all the vegetables to a serving platter, filling the artichokes with vegetables and surrounding them attractively with the remaining vegetables.
SESSION 2
SAUCE MAYONNAISE
Ingredients 2 egg yolk 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon vinegar a pinch of salt and pepper 250 ml sunflower oil lemon juice Procedure 1. Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. 2. Combine the yolks, salt, mustard and vinegar in in a bowl and whisk for 20 seconds. 3. In the beginning, add the oil drop by dropuntil you have a thick emulsion, whisking all the while. 4. When thick, add the rest of the oil in a thin, steady stream. 5. Add lemon to taste and adjust the seasoning. Chill in the fridge. Note: If the sauce should curdle, break another yolk into a clean bowl and gradually beat the broken Mayonaise into it.
SAUCE HOLLANDAISE
Ingredients 3 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons water 200 g butter, cut into 10 portions lemon juice Procedure 1. In a thick bottomed pan, whisk the yolks and water continuously over gentle heat. To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, add a few drops of cold water to cool the mixture and continue). The mixture should cook slow enough to first become frothy and then steadily thicken to produce a foamy yet thick mixture. 2. When the pan bottom is visible through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat. 3. Whisk in the portions of butter one or two at a time, always whisking until fully absorbed. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a few drops of lemon juice. Keep warm to prevent it from separating.
SAUCE BARNAISE
Ingredients 100 ml white wine 100 ml white wine vinegar 2 shallots, finely chopped a few cracked black peppercorns 2 sprigs of tarragon 3 large egg yolks 200 g butter, cut into 10 portions a tablespoon of chopped tarragon leaves lemon juice Procedure 1. Combine the wine, vinegar, shallots, pepper and tarragon in a small, heavy based saucepan. Over low heat, reduce the mixture until about three tablespoons remain and strain. 2. Return the reduction to the pan, removing it from the heat for a minute to cool. Add the yolks to the reduction and whisk the mixture continuously over gentle heat. To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, add a few drops of cold water to cool the mixture and continue). The mixture should cook slow enough to first become frothy and then steadily thicken to produce a foamy yet thick mixture. 3. When the pan bottom is visible through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick, airy and smooth. Remove from the heat. 4. Over extremely low heat, whisk in the portions of butter one or two at a time, always whisking until fully absorbed. Add the chopped tarragon. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
SESSION 3
PT DE FOIE DE VOLAILLE / CHICKEN LIVER P T
Ingredients (for 4 servings) 4 chicken livers 200 g butter 1 or 2 shallots, or half a small onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, chopped a few sprigs of thyme and oregano a bay leaf 4 tablespoons Cognac a pinch of 4 pices Procedure 1. Gently cook the shallots and garlic in 50 g of the butter until soft. 2. Add the livers and the herbs. Season well and cook steadily until the livers are lightly browned on the outside but still a little pink inside. Let the whole mixture colour a little. 3. Flamber with the Cognac and add the spices. 4. Remove the herbs and blend until smooth, adding the rest of the butter in small pieces as you go. A drop of water may help. 5. Pour the mixture into ramekins, shake to smooth the top and pour over just enough melted butter to cover. Leave to cool and set in the fridge. 6. Serve with toast or baguette.
Procedure 1. To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar with salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, until the mixture has emulsified. 2. Slice the mushrooms very thinly. 3. Place in a mixing bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for an hour at room temperature 4. Just before serving, stir in the tarragon and toss to incorporate.
SALADE NIOISE
Ingredients for 4 servings For the vinaigrette 3 tablespoons wine vinegar 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed salt, pepper 100 ml olive oil For the salad 300 g waxy potatoes, such as small red potatoes 4 medium tomatoes, mond coarse salt 100 g green bell pepper 150 g canned tuna head lettuce, pulled into leaves, washed and dried 200 g thin green beens, cut into 5-cm pieces and cooked l'anglaise 2 hard-cooked eggs 4 anchovy fillets chopped parsley 20 pitted black olives Procedure 1. Make the vinaigrette by combining the vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl and whisk vigourously. Let stand for about 2 minutes, the whisk in the oil. Check the seasoning. 2. Scrub the potatoes under cold running water to remove the dirt. Place them in a saucepan and cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the point of a small knife. Remove and set aside until cooled slightly. Peel them while still warm into 3-mm slices. Place them in a small bowl and add enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Toss to combine. 3. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and remove the seeds. Place them in a colander and salt lightly. Place the colander over a bowl and allow the tomatoes to drain for about 15 minutes. 4. Peel the green pepper. Cut in half lengthwise and remove the core, membrane and seeds. Cut the pepper into 5-cm julienne strips. Set aside. 5. Drain the tuna in a colander and break into chunks. 6. Place the lettuce in a large bowl, add enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Toss to combine. Line a salad bowl, plate or serving platter with the seasoned lettuce. 7. Place the tomatoes, beens and peppers in separate small bowls. Add just enough vinaigrette to each bowl to lightly coat the vegetables and toss to combine. 8. Place the tuna in the centre of the lettuce on the plate. Arrange the rest of the ingredients around the tuna. Crisscross the anchovy fillets on top of the tuna. Sprinkle the salad with the parsley and place the olives around the edge. Serve immediately.
SESSION 4
SAUCE BCHAMEL
Perhaps dull by itself, this sauce can be used for many dishes, such as vegetable gratins, a croque monsieur or lasagne the list is endless. It also forms the basis of innumerable other sauces which are infinitely more interesting. Ingredients 50 g butter 50 g flour 750 ml milk (or 500 ml milk, 250 ml chicken stock) a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme (optional) half an onion (optional) fresh ground nutmeg Procedure 1. In a saucepan, melt the butter slowly, then add the flour over a low flame, stirring all the while. Cook for a minute or two as the paste (the roux) becomes a frothy mass of bubbles and begins to have a pleasant, toasty smell. 2. Over a higher heat now, add the milk a little at a time, whisking so that the mixture becomes perfectly smooth again before the next addition. Upon this initial operation depends the success of the sauce, for once the butter, flour and milk are amalgamated and smooth, the sauce is unlikely to turn lumpy. 3. Bring to a simmer, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add a bay leaf and half an onion if using. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring and rubbing the bottom of the pan often. Strain. Note: A good bchamel is of creamy consistency and even a little thicker if used for a gratin.
SAUCE MORNAY
Sauce Mornay is usually used as the base for gratins or souffls. Ingredients 1 litre Sauce Bchamel 60 g grated Parmesan cheese 60 g grated Gruyre cheese Procedure To a litre of hot Bchamel, add about 60 g of grated Parmesan and 60 g of Gruyre. Stir the sauce just long enough for the cheese to melt.
BLANQUETTE DE LAPIN L'ANCIENNE / WHITE RABBIT STEW WITH MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS
A Blanquette is a stew which is finished with cream and gets its name from its white colour. The most famous version is made with veal but rabbit and chicken are also common. The meat is poached in water or stock which is then thickened with a roux, making a velout, and finished with cream. The blanquette is garnished with pearl onions and mushrooms, and traditionally served with rice. Ingredients for 4 servings 1 rabbit, cut into 12 serving pieces 1 litre chicken stock Aromatic ingredients for poaching the rabbit 1 onion, quartered 1 carrot, halved leek 1 branch of celery 1 bouquet garni 2 cloces of garlic 2 cloves a few peppercorns Garniture 16 pearl onions (four per person) 15 g butter a pinch of sugar 16 button mushrooms 15 g butter lemon For finishing the sauce 30 g butter 30 g flour 100 ml white wine 100 ml cream 1 or 2 egg yolks lemon juice nutmeg chopped parsley Procedure To poach the rabbit 1. Put the pieces of rabbit and all the aromatic ingredients in a pot and just cover with cold water. 2. Bring to a simmer, skimming off any fat and skum that comes to the surface. 3. Keep at a very gentle simmer for an hour. Preparing the garniture 1. Peel the pearl onions by blanching them them in boiling water for a couple of minutes and cooling in iced water. 2. Prepare the onions glacer blanc with the butter, sugar, salt and water. Cover with a disk of parchment paper. The water should not completely cover the onions. By the end of cooking there will be no water left but the onions should not be left to caramelise. Reserve. 3. Wash and halve the mushrooms, cook in butter, a little lemon juice and a bit of water. Preparing the sauce 1. When the rabbit is cooked, pour it in a colander and save the poaching liquid. Remove all the aromatic ingredients. 2. Add half a cup of white wine to the poaching liquid and reduce by . 3. Prepare a white roux by melting the butter in a pan, adding the flour and stirring round over a medium heat for a minute or two. Add the poaching liquid to the roux, slowly at first, whisking to ensure that the mixture is smooth after each addition. Cook for 10 minutes after it starts to thicken.
To finish the sauce 1. Add the cream to the velout, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add all the reserved ingredients to the sauce and bring to a simmer to heat through. Check the seasoning and remove from the heat. 2. Temper the egg yolks by removing a ladle of sauce from the pot and mixing it with the yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pot and shake the pan over a medium flame until the sauce thickens. Do not let the sauce boil.
SESSION 5
TARTE AU CITRON / LEMON TART
Ingredients (for one 8 inch (20 cm) tart) For the Pte Sable (Sweet Shortbread Dough) 125 g flour 75 g butter, very cold 45 g icing sugar pinch of salt 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon water, if needed Procedure For the Pte Sable 1. Sift the flour, sugar and salt directly onto the work surface. 2. Dice the butter, then work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips. 3. When the mixture is well mixed, form a well in the centre and add the yolk. Gradually draw in the flour and mix until completely amalgamated. 4. Briefly knead the dough by removing walnut-sized pieces from the dough and crush against the work surface with the heel of your hand (fraiser). 5. Gather all the pieces together and knead lightly to remove any cracks. 6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 7. When well chilled, roll out. Transfer to an 20-cm tart ring. Blind bake at 190C with beans for 10 minutes, checking that the pastry is not browning too quickly. 8. Remove the beens and paper, lower the oven to 160C and bake for a further 5 minutes or until completely golden. Keep an eye on the colour as it will burn quickly as soon as soon as it starts to change colour. For the Crme de Citron (Lemon Cream) 175 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 150 g unsalted butter 200 g sugar 2 large eggs 3 large egg yolks Procedure 1. Heat the lemon juice, butter and 150 g sugar over low heat until the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. 2. Using a whisk, beat the eggs, egg yolks and remaining 50 g sugar until the mixture is pale and light (blanchir), about 4 minutes. Slowly pour some of the hot lemon mixture into the egg/sugar mixture to temper, beating until blended and creamy, about 3 minutes. 4. Return the mixture to the saucepan containing the remaining hot lemon mixture and cook over a fairly low heat, stirring constantly with a spoon, until the mixture nearly starts to simmer. Lower the heat and cook for a couple 3 minutes longer, being careful to keep it below boiling point. 5. Cool in the fridge or over ice. 6. When completely cool, spread the lemon cream evenly into the pastry shell. Smooth the top with a spatula. Return the tart to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer which will set the filling slightly without colouring it. 7. Remove the tart ring and cool the tart on a wire rack. Refrigerate the tart until the filling is firm.
12. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 13. To make the glaze, combine the apricot jam and water in a small pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly until well melted and combined. Remove from the heat and, using a pastry brush, lightly coat the the top of the tart. 14. Let stand until completely cool. 15. Cut into wedges and serve.
SESSION 6
POULET ROTI AU JUS / ROAST CHICKEN WITH JUS
Roasting a chicken sounds easy. However, despite its apparent simplicity and due to the number of tricky techniques involved, this is possibly the hardest dish on the course. The bird must be trimmed, trussed, seasoned, stuffed, browned, roasted, rested and carved. Meanwhile, a jus de roti and a vegetable garnish must be prepared. The whole procedure should take no longer than 75 minutes to complete. A jus de roti is a natural and integral sauce obtained by deglazing the caramelized juices (sucs) from the pan in which a roast was cooked with stock, water or wine. It should be kept simple and remain faithful to the flavour of the roast. The resulting juice is served unthickened and degreased. Because of the lack of sucs left on the bottom of the pan due to the short roasting time of a small chicken, it is advisable (but not entirely necessary) to prepare a jus de roti separately (see bottom). Any extra scraps of chicken that can be added to the roasting pan are very useful. Ingredients for 4 servings 1 chicken, about 1.3 kg 15 g butter 30 ml olive oil Fresh herbs.(thyme, bay and tarragon are best) 1 bay leaf salt, pepper 1/4 onion a slice of lemon a clove of garlic, crushed For the Jus de roti / Gravy 1 shallot chopped 50 ml dry white wine 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme 500 ml unreduced brown veal stock, chicken stock or best of all, 250 ml chicken jus. (see recipe below) 1 tablespoon flour (optional) 1 tablespoon butter Procedure 1. Pre-heat the oven to 230C 2. Remove and reserve the giblets from the chicken, remove any excess fat from the carcass, chop off the wings at the second joint, sprinkle the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. 3. Stuff the chicken with the herbs, onion, garlic and lemon. 4. Truss the chicken with or without a needle. 5. In the butter and the oil, brown the chicken on all sides in a heavy-bottomed pan. Surround the chicken with the wings and the giblets (neck, gizzard and heart, but not the liver). All these additions should be chopped into 1-cm pieces. If a few extra trimmings or bones from other chickens are available, add them as well. 6. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear from a hole poked in the thigh.To determine if the roast is done, check the internal temperature of the thigh which should be 60C 65C. 7. When removing the chicken from the oven, tilt it so the juice that has accumulated in the cavity can drain out into the roasting pan. Keep the chicken warm in the cooling oven. 8. Heat the roasting pan on the stove until the juices caramelize on the bottom and the fat separates. Do not stir. 9. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan. Stir in the chopped shallot and stir around for a minute. 10. Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Reduce by half. Add the stock and thyme and reduce until fullflavoured. 11. Optional: Thicken the jus with a slurry of cornstarch (10 g) and water or stock (10 ml). Stir into the jus, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. 12. Strain and reheat. Off the heat, swirl in the butter. Season if necessary. 13. Remove the thighs and then the breasts from the chicken. Manchonner the ends of the wings and the drumsticks. Cut each breast in half on the bias. Cut the legs in half at the joint. Remove the thigh bones. 14. Assembling one leg piece with one breast piece on 4 warm dinner plates, taking care that only one of the pieces on each plate has a bone. Spoon the gravy around the chicken pieces.
14. Serve with potatoes and carrots cooked l'anglaise or a bouquetire garnish. Simple roast potatoes are perhaps best of all. 15. Alternatively, present the whole chicken on an oval dish with a tuft of watercress at each end and the jus in a separate sauce-boat. For the Jus de roti, if preparing in advance. 300 g chicken trimmings (wings, necks, backs etc) onion, chopped fine carrot, chopped fine 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme 50 ml white wine 750 ml chicken or veal stock 1. Chop the chicken trimmings into 1 cm pieces and brown them steadily in olive oil for about ten minutes. 2. When they are golden, add the vegetables and continue to brown the whole mixture. 3. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce, without stirring, until the liquid caramelizes on the bottom of the pan. 4. Add 200ml of the stock, reduce and caramelize once more, taking care not to burn around the edges of the pan. 5. Add the rest of the stock and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Strain, cool and remove any fat from the surface. 6. Use this flavourful jus instead of regular stock to make the sauce whilst the bird is resting. Note: A simpler jus can be prepared by browning the bones and vegetables, adding the wine and reducing by two-thirds, adding the stock and simmering for 20 to 30 minutes. This doesn't have quite the roasted flavour of the above, yet, when used in conjunction with the natural juices from the roasted bird and its trimmings, the result is excellent. Indeed, even a simple brown stock would do the job. Carving the Chicken 1. Let the chicken rest after taking it out of the oven. This lets the juices flow through the entire chicken 2. Placing the bird with its tail towards you, plunge a chef's fork directly into the left leg from the side (holding the knife and fork as if eating) and, with a very sharp knife, start to slash the skin between the leg and breast, turning the bird on its side to give extra leverage for the fork. 3. Apply pressure with the flat of the knife against the carcass in order to pull the leg off with the fork. (Press with the knife, pull with the fork.) Cut the leg in two and remove the thigh bone. 4. Reposition the bird in order to perform the same action on the other leg. The knife and fork remain in the same hands. 5. To remove the breast portion, turn the bird so that the tail end is facing away, and then, with the knife and fork in the same hands, plant the fork into into the left-side area towards the tail in order to stabilize the carcass. Remove the left breast by cutting and wiggling the knife along the carcass, eventually reaching the shoulder joint and cutting through so that the wing remains attached to the breast.The breast is thus removed and cut into two pieces on the bias. 6. Without repositioning the bird or the fork in any way, perform the same operation on the other breast.
SESSION 7
CONSOMM BRUNOISE
Consomm is nothing other than a meat broth with all traces of fat and impurities removed through the use of egg protein. The result is a beautifully clear and sparkling soup. The most common consomms are made of beef stock (marmite). There are many traditional garnishes for consomme. Here we use a simple brunoise of vegetables. Ingredients for 4 servings For the Marmite 1 unpeeled onion, halved 500 g beef bones 500 g lean beef 1 kg chicken bones 200 g carrots 200 g leeks 100 g celery 1 bouquet garni 4 cloves of garlic 1 teaspoon black peppercorns Procedure 1. Place the split onion, cut sides down, in a wide pan and place on medium heat. 2. Let cook until the onion is burned and very black. (Use no oil.) This will give the typical amber colour to the consomm. 3. Place all the ingredients in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and skim the skum that forms on the surface. When boiling, lower the heat and simmer slowly for 6 hours. Strain through a fine sieve and let cool. When the stock has cooled, remove all the fat that has risen to the top. For the Consomm 1 litres marmite 250g lean beef, turkey or chicken breast, ground 50 g carrot, finely chopped 50 g leek, finely chopped 25 g celery, finely chopped 100 g tomatoes, finely chopped 3-6 egg whites (2 egg whites per litre of stock) 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon 1 tablespoon Sherry or Madeira (to taste) For the garnish 40 g carrot, brunoise, l'anglaise 40 g turnip, brunoise, l'anglaise 20 g diced string beans, l'anglaise 20 g peas, l'anglaise Procedure 1. Put all the solid ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 2. Add the egg whites and keep mixing. Add this mixture to the warm or cold stock and bring to a boil, stirring as often as possible. As it comes to the boil a raft will form and should not be broken. Stop stirring as soon as the raft forms and reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cook for an hour. 3. Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the clear consomm through a chinois lined with a damp napkin. (The napkin will have been boiled previously to avoid any unpleasant taste). Care should be taken to avoid disturbing the raft. Chill the stock, removing any solidified fat. If the consomm is to be served
immediately, most of the fat can be removed with a spoon and then the remainder skimmed off the surface with paper towels. 4. After the clarification, a couple of tablespoons of Sherry or Madeira may be added. 5. When ready to serve, place the consomm in a pan over medium heat. Add the brunoise garnish and heat through for a minute.Place equal portions of the hot consomm and its garnish in 4 warm, shallow soup bowls and serve immediately.
SESSION 8
CRME BRULE / CUSTARD WITH CARAMEL CRUST
Ingredients for 4 servings 500 ml cream 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped 75 g granulated sugar 5 egg yolks 60 g sugar for caramel Procedure 1. Warm the cream with the vanilla been and its pulp. 2. Remove from the heat when bubbles start to appear around the sides of the pan. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and yolks until well blended and starting to lighten in colour. Add the hot cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Strain 4. Fill six molds and set them in a bain-marie. Fill halfway up the sides of the moulds with hot water and cook at 150C for 30 minutes or until set yet still trembling in the centre. Remove and cool. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over the tops of the crmes and caramelize with a blowtorch. Serve immediately.
CRPES SUZETTE
Ingredients for 4 servings Pte Crpe 250 g milk 125 g flour 2 eggs pinch salt 20 g sugar 20 g melted butter 20 ml clarif ied butter for cooking the crpes Orange Butter 125 g butter 50 g sugar cubes 1 orange juiced 25 ml Grand Marnier 15 ml Cognac Garniture 1 orange, zest and sections 1 tablespoon Grenadine additional freshly squeezed orange juice (optional) Procedure 1. Place the flour in a well in a bowl. 2. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, whisking constantly in the middle of the well until the mixture is smooth. 3. Add milk as needed. 4. When the mixture is smooth add the remaining milk. Let rest for an hour without adding melted butter. Make the Orange Butter 1. Wash the orange. Rub the skin with the sugar cubes. The oil in the zest will penetrate and flavour the sugar cubes. Juice the orange. 2. Crush the sugar with a rolling pin between parchment paper and add the softened butter. Beat until fluffy and smooth and add the Grand Marnier, then the orange juice, a little at a time until the butter can't take
any more. Make the Garniture 1. Zest the remaining orange with a vegetable peeler and julienne the zest. Blanch in simmering water for 3 minutes to soften. 2. Cook in Grenadine for 8 minutes, adding water if necessary. Remove from the syrup and spread the zest out on parchment paper. Section the orange and reserve. Make the Crpes 1. Add clarified butter to the pan to get hot, then pour off excess. 2. Add 50 ml of batter, tilting the pan to evenly and thinly spread. Cook over medium heat. Flip and cook the second side. Lay out to cool; do not stack when hot. To serve 1. Heat the orange butter in a sauter pan until it melts. Add the additional orange juice if necessary, for proper consistency. 2. Add one crpe, coat with butter, fold in half and then in quarters. Move to one side and procede until all crpes are in the pan. Flamber with Cognac and serve 2 per plate with the sauce poured on top and the zest and orange sections as garnish.
SESSION 9
POISSON DU MARCH CUIT EN PAPILLOTE / FISH COOKED IN A PAPER POUCH
En Papillote is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from parchment paper but other material such as aluminium foil may be used. The parcel holds in moisture to steam the food. The moisture may be from the food itself or from an added moisture source like wine or stock. En Papillote is most often used to cook fish and also poultry. It is best to serve this dish, bag and all, directly to the guests and to cut it open before them. In this way the diner gets to breathe in all the aromas that would have been lost with other cooking methods.The juices enclosed in the bag may serve as sauce enough, but it is also agreeable to serve a sauce on the side. Ingredients (for 4 servings) 4 fillets of fish (bass, salmon, bream etc) (150 g each) 25 ml olive oil fresh thyme sprig parchment paper an egg white, beaten For the Duxelles 250 g mushrooms 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter a few drops of lemon juice salt and pepper For the Vegetable Garnish 50 g carrots, julienne 50 g leeks, julienne 50 g celery, julienne 1 tablespoon butter salt and pepper Procedure Preparing the Tomato Concasse 1. monder the tomatoes by plunging them into boiling water for 30 seconds, rinsing with cold water and removing the skin with a paring knife. 2. Sweat the finely chopped shallots and garlic in the oil. Cut the tomatoes in half sideways and squeeze out the seeds over a bowl. Coarsely chop them and add them to the sweated shallot mixture. Add a little sugar (only if the tomatoes are under underripe). Cover with parchment paper and cook until all excess water has evaporated. Remove the garlic clove and adjust the seasoning. Preparing the Mushroom Duxelles 1. Chop the mushrooms quite finely. Sweat the shallots in the butter for five minutes and add the chopped mushrooms and lemon juice. 2. Cover with parchment paper. Cook gently until there is no liquid left in the pan. Adjust the seasoning. Preparing the vegetables 1. Lightly cook the vegetables separately in boiling water, making sure they remain a little firm as they will continue to cook in the oven. 2. Chill them in ice-water if not using immediately. Toss them in melted butter and season. Or, over low heat, sweat them in butter, covered with parchment paper ( ltuv) Assembling and cooking the Papillotes 1. Cut the parchment paper into hearts. On one side of each piece place a layer of Duxelles and / or concasse. Place the fillet on top of this and place the vegetables on top with a sprig of thyme and a few
splashes of white wine. 2. Brush the edges of the paper with the beaten egg white. Seal the edges by making a series of straight folds. Brush the edge again and repeat the folding process. 3. Brush the Papillots lightly with oil to promote browning. Cook in a 200 degree oven for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
SESSION 10
SAUCE BORDELAISE
Ingredients (for 4 servings) 2 shallots, finely chopped a sprig of thyme a bay leaf 300 ml red wine 300 ml demi-glace 80 g bone marrow a few drops of lemon juice pepper 10 g butter Procedure 1. Poach the marrow by plunging it into simmering water for 15 seconds. Immediately remove from the heat and refresh in an ice-water bath. Cut into macdoine and set aside. 2. Place the wine, shallots and herbs in a saucepan and reduce by 8/10. 3. Add the demi-glace and cook for ten minutes or until it reaches sauce consistency. 4. Pass through a chinois and check the seasoning, being generous with pepper. 5. Bring back to a simmer, remove from the heat and swirl in the butter. 6. Stir in the reserved marrow and use immediately .
30 ml vegetable oil 250 g duck or chicken bones and trimmings 50 g onions, chopped 25 g carrots, chopped 25 g celery 500 ml brown stock bouquet garni For the Gastrique 80 g sugar 120 ml vinegar For the Sauce juice of two oranges (200 ml) 400 ml duck jus gastrique (to taste) 15 g butter Procedure For Duck Jus 1. Lightly brown duck (or chicken) bones and add the vegetables. Continue to colour. 2. Throw out the excess fat and moisten with the stock. Add the bouquet garni and cook for about 45 minutes, adding water if necessary. 3. Strain and degrease. To Prepare the Sauce 1. Combine the duck jus and the orange juice and reduce until almost sauce consistency. 2. Add a little gastique to taste and cook a little longer. 3. Off the heat, swirl in the butter and check the seasoning. To Cook the Magret 1. Score the skin and fat of the magrets. 2. Season them and place in a cold pan. Heat the pan slowly, allowing all the fat to render out and the skin to gradually brown. This should take 10 minutes or more over a low heat. 3. Turn the magrets over and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches about 110C for rare.
SESSION 11
OMELETTE ROULE
1. Clean and season a small pan or use a nonstick omelette pan with a nonabrasive utensil to protect the
nonstick surface. Break 3 eggs into a bowl. Heat the pan over medium heat and melt 10 g of butter. Season the eggs and beat them with a fork. When the butter foam subsides, add the eggs and allow to cook for 10 seconds. In one action, shake the pan and stir with the fork until the mixture starts to thicken and set. The omelette should be soft but not runny in the center. 7. At this point, tilt the pan forward to allow the mixture to pool a little in the curve of the pan. 8. Run the fork around the circumference of the omelette to ensure it is not sticking. 9. Fold the nearest edge over to create a semi-circular shape. 10. Bang on the pan handle to move the omelette slightly over the far edge of the pan. 11. Bring back the overhang with the fork to form a nice cigar shape. 12. Carefully roll the omelette onto a warm plate, seam side down. Note: Once the eggs are in the pan, the whole process should be completed in less than a minute. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
OMELETTE BASQUISE
Ingredients for 2 omelettes 2 tablespoons lard, olive oil or duck fat 1 small onion, thinly sliced 1 large red pepper, thinly sliced 4 tomatoes, halved and grated, the skin discarded 4 cloves of garlic thyme a bay leaf 6 eggs a pinch of cayenne pepper or Tabasco Procedure 1. Saut onion, pepper and herbs and cook very gently in the fat until the mixture is very soft. 2. Add the tomato and chopped garlic and cook down gently until the mixture is fairly thick and dry. Season with salt and pepper. 3. For one omelette, beat 3 of the eggs with salt and cayenne pepper and stir in 3 or 4 tablespoons of the pepper mixture. 4. Heat a pan with some olive oil. Add the eggs and let cook for 5 seconds. Then repeatedly bring in the sides of the omelette, tilting the pan and allowing the uncooked egg to run to the outside to cook. 5. Turn the omelette with the help of a plate and cook for 10 seconds on the other side. 6. Place on a hot plate and brush lightly with olive oil. Place a tablespoon of the vegetable mixture in the centre, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
8. Remove the dish from the oven and place a cocotte on each of four small plates. Sprinkle with parsley and place with two toast points on each plate.
SESSION 12
BOURRIDE
Bourride is one of the great dishes of Provence. There are various ways of presenting it but the essential characteristic is that aioli or garlic flavoured mayonnaise is added to the stock in which the fish has cooked to make a smooth pale yellow sauce - and there must be plenty of it as it is the main point of the dish. Commonly monkfish is used but other varieties of fleshy white fish are fine. Ingredients (for 4 servings) 1 monkfish (head attached) 4 potatoes 12 slice of baguette chopped parsley For the fish stock olive oil 1 onion, sliced half a leek, sliced 2 cloves of garlic, whole 100 ml white wine 700 ml water a bouquet garni For the Aioli 3 egg yolks 200 ml olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped lemon juice For the sauce 30 ml cream Procedure To prepare the stock 1. Sweat the onion, leek and garlic in a little olive oil. 2. Meanwhile, remove the fillets from the fish and reserve. Chop up the bones and head into several pieces. Add all this to the pot and cook a little longer, stirring a few times. 3. Pour in the wine, allow it to reduce somewhat and then add the water. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain. To prepare the aioli 1. Put the yolks and garlic in a bowl and add the oil as for a Mayonnaise. Season and add lemon juice to taste. Reserve To prepare the garnish 1. Peel and slice the potatoes and cook in boiling water. Keep warm. 2. Lightly fry the slices of baguette in olive oil and reserve. To cook the fish 1. Bring the stock to a simmer. Cut the fillets in half and poach them for about ten minutes in the stock. Remove them and keep warm. To make the sauce 1. Reduce the stock as quickly as possible until about a third of the original volume remains. The volume of reduced stock and that of the aioli should be roughly equal. 2. Add a the cream and continue cooking for a moment longer. Pour this slowly into the bowl containing the aioli, stirring continuously and them return the mixture to the pan. Set it over a very low heat, still stirring, so that the mixture gradually thickens. It must not boil or the eggs will cook and spoil the sauce. It should turn out about the consistency of thick cream.
To serve Arrange the fish, potatoes and croutons on a plate and pour over a generous amount of sauce.
BOUILLABAISSE DGUSTATION
Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provencal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille. Recipes for bouillabaisse vary from family to family in Provence, and local restaurants dispute which versions are the most authentic. Bouillabaisse is usually made for large gatherings; the more people who share the meal, and the more different fish that are included, the better the bouillabaisse. A good selection of Mediterranean rock fish is recommended, though by no means essential. A fantastic soup can be prepared using any variety of white (non-oily) fish. However, purists say that the secret of a successful bouillabaisse is a large variety of brilliant-hued Mediterranean rock fish, amongst the most desirable being scorpion fish (rascasse), angler fish (baudroie) sea robin (grondin or galinette), conger eel (congre), weaver (vive) and John Dory (St Pierre). Small-fry of the same or similar varieties, being considerably cheaper, are used to make the broth and discarded. The larger fish are poached in the broth and served whole. This version is based on the more refined version of bouillabaisse served at the famous Restaurant du Bacon in Cap d'Antibes. It is called Bouillabaisse Dgustation, or Tasting Bouillabaisse, because fish fillets, rather than whole fish, are served with the fish broth. Everything else about this version is the same as the traditional bouillabaisse. If these varieties of Mediterranean of fish are not available, simply use any combination of white fish (cod, haddock, bass, hake etc), using the bones and heads to make the soup. Alternatively, a previously prepared fish stock can be used to moisten the vegetables, in which case, cross-cut slices of fish can be served. Ingredients (for 4 servings) 1 kg small rock fish 1 kg larger Mediterranean fish, the same varieties as the rock fish, or any other white fish 250 g conger eel, if available 8 mussels, (optional) 8 prawns, (optional) 2 small crabs, if available 50 ml olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 small leek, white only, chopped 1 small bulb fennel, chopped 3 tomatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon tomato pure 50 ml Ricard or Pastis (optional or more to taste) 100 ml white wine a bouquet garni 1 star anise, crushed 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon saffron threads teaspoon dried chilli flakes, or cayenne pepper to taste 2 potatoes, thick chunks 16 slices of baguette, lightly toasted 150 ml aoli Procedure 1. Gut the smaller fish. Scale, gut and fillet the larger fish, cutting the fillets into large slices. Reserve the heads and bones. Clean the mussels. 2. Heat the olive oil in a deep, roomy pan and toss in the onion, garlic, fennel and leek. Cook steadily until starting to colour and then stir in the tomatoes and the tomato pure. Cook until the mixture starts to brown on the bottom of the pan and then tip in the rock fish, conger eel and reserved heads and bones. Stir around until the fish starts to break up somewhat. 3. Turn up the heat and pour in the Ricard or Pastis. Set light to it. Once the flames have died down, pour in the white wine and let it boil for a couple of minutes. Add the bouquet garni, the crushed star anise, the fennel seeds and the chilli flakes. Just cover with water and simmer 45 minutes. 4. Tip everything into a colander over a clean pan. Press the liquid through with a ladle. Check the
seasoning. Bring the soup back to a gentle boil and toss in some thick slices of potato. When they are almost cooked, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer and drop in the fillets of the larger fish along with the saffron. Poach them for a couple of minutes. Add the mussels and cook until they open fully. Taste and adjust the seasoning. 5. Pour the broth into a tureen. At table, ladle the stew into soup bowls making sure that each bowl has an equal assortment of fish, mussels and potatoes. Serve with the slices of baguette topped with aoli.