Créme Fraiche Potatoes

serves 6

Ingredients

250ml creme fraiche

2 eggs

salt and pepper

clove of garlic

half kilo of finely grated potatoes

6 foil cups

Method

Butter the foil cups well using with butter. Mix the creme fraiche, garlic and eggs together. Season with salt & pepper using more salt than normal. Bake for 30 minutes at 220 degrees. 

Carpaccio of Scallops with a Japanese twist

This dish developed in Kerrouet is an easy East meets West dish. No cooking involved and it can be served as soon as the ingredients are brought together. It’s a wow starter and very dramatic despite being fairly simple to make. 

Ingredients

4-6 medium sized clean fresh raw scallops per person 

pickled sushi ginger

Sashimi soy sauce

Fresh lime juice

Fresh Chives

Rose pepper 

Salt and pepper

Method

Slice the scallops into 4-5 millimetres / 0,2 inches

On four plates, cover the plates with the pickled sushi ginger, and then sprinkle a little of the Sashimi soy sauce but not too much as it is very strong and will overpower the scallops.

Sprinkle some chopped fresh chives, rose pepper and a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Finally squeeze some fresh lime juice on top and serve.

Serve with a dry white wine. 

Peruvian Potato Cake

Occasionally one comes across a dish from another country which causes a sensation. This is one of such dishes! It was introduced to me by Martha - a cook at the Peruvian Embassy in London. 

It took a lot of persuasion to get the recipe off her but I can recommend this dish as a starter for a large group of hungry guests. It is delicious. 

Ingredients 

For the potato cake: 

1 kg of potatoes peeled and mashed. 

4 tbsp olive oil

I garlic crushed

Salt & pepper to taste

4 eggs hard boiled

Sprig of parsley

Red pepper finely chopped

Tuna Filling

300g good quality canned tuna

3 tbsp fresh mayonnaise 

4 tbsp lime juice

One small red onion finely diced 

Dash chili pepper

Half red pepper finely chopped

Avocado Filling 

2 avocados peeled and mashed

3 tbsp of fresh mayonnaise 

4 tbsp lime juice

Dash chili pepper 

Salt & pepper to taste

Method

This is a potato cake constructed in layers in a cake tin. So use a good sized tin and line with cling film. 

Make the mashed potato and let it cool. 

Strain the tuna and break it up with a fork. Add the finely cut red onion, red pepper, lime juice and mayonnaise. Mix well adding a little chili pepper as desired. Set aside. Keep cool. 

Mash up the avocados. Add the lime juice and mix in the mayonnaise and season as desired. A little chili pepper as desired. Set aside Keep cool. 

To assemble your layered cake, start by adding some mashed 

potato to the bottom of the lined cake tin. Then a layer of tuna. Then another layer of potato. Then a layer of avocado. Then a layer of potato. Continue adding alternatively until you reach the top of the cake with a layer of potato. Quarter the hard boiled eggs and decorate the top adding the remaining red pepper and some parsley as in the photograph. Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours before serving. 

Keep cool to the point of serving. To serve, carefully remove  all the cling film, place the cake on a serving dish, cut into individual portions and serve. 

Wine tasting at the cellars of Joseph Drouhin.

To go on a wine tasting anywhere in France is serious business and it was thus so as we entered the famous cellars of Joseph Drouhin in the centre of the pretty Burgundian town of Beaune. You are left in no doubt you are entering a historical site and going deep underground. 

Our visit was scheduled for two in the afternoon and would take two hours including a tour of the original wine press still used for special occasions and a walking tour under the old city of Beaune passing by Roman walls,  the cellars of the 13th century parliament, the 13th century Notre Dame collegiate church, and the cellars of the 15th century Dukes of Burgundy and Kings of France. 

Our guide Elisa knew her history as well as her viticulture and we were in safe hands deep down underground in the semi darkness for the first thirty minutes of our tour. She recounted the extraordinary history and architecture and archeological interest of these 13th and 15th century cellars which sit on the relics of Roman cellars in the 3rd century and forward to their continued storage use in our present times. 

All wines are stored here for at least a year in oak barrels ( the oak forest is owned by the family and they make their own barrels even for their vineyards in Oregon Portland! 

As you walk through the labyrinth of almost 1 hectare you get an insight into what an extensive rare collection lies under the house of Maison Drouhin. They only account for 0.2% of the wine produced in France yet next week they will hold the most expensive wine auction here in the world!! 

Soon it was time for some actual wine tasting and we were in for a treat! We were offered three Chardonnay’s and then three Pinot Noirs all of course from the same wine house.

We started left to right. Our first was a Chablis premiere cru 2021. We were the first members of the public to taste this vintage! It was beautifully light and crisp. Would pair well with oysters and mussels. 

The second bottle was a Meursault 2019. It was exceedingly rich with intense oaky buttery flavours. Our third white was a 2019 Meursault Charme première cru. This was pure joy. Richer in flavour and more full bodied than the previous bottle and our favorite of the three. 

It was time to taste the reds. We started with a light 2018 Cote de Beaune. Fruity and delicate it was a natural wine for drinking anytime. We moved on to the 2019 Clos dés Mouches ( Enclosure of the Honeybees)! This was a much more powerful wine with structure and finesse. Finally our third red was the 2019 Nuits Saint Georges premier cru. This was an extraordinary wine which held its fragrance in the mouth long after we had imbibed! A winner and the best red but of course the most expensive too! At €61 it was one for Christmas. Funnily enough thé clos des mouches was more expensive as it is much more limited in production ( at €91). The Cote de Beaune was €41. 

We were also offered an opportunity to taste the Marc de Bourgogne, the house eau de vie! This is made once the grapes are pressed and distilled in oak barrels. It was more like a brandy than a snaps and I will definitely be on the look out for another glass of Marc de Bourgogne later this evening! 

All in all an exceptional wine tasting experience and we have no hesitation recommending this house wines for your collection. They deliver all over the world free for accounts over €400! Email elisaerrier@drouhin.com. 

www. drouhin-oenotheque.com

 

A trip to Beaune in Burgundy

A trip to Burgundy is a must for anyone interested in French foods and wines and the town of Beaune is the epicenter for most visitors. Not only is the town full of beautiful medieval buildings and churches, it is a full of little cobblestone streets with lots of bars and restaurants. Some of the worlds most expensive wines are sold here and we were not surprised by the bottle of Romanée Conti on our adjoining  table at a cost of €13000 euros! It made our bottle of Puligny Montrachet very cheap indeed at €197! Our wine was outstanding but Poul ( who has tasted the wine years ago as a sommelier) said the Romanée Conti was a religious experience and the six young men imbibing  were obviously from the local cénobite community! 

It was our first night in Beaune so we decided to dine at a little Michelin one star restaurant called Le Benaton. We were not disappointed! 

An appetizer- tempura fried mussels in a herb crust on a hot potato soufflé in a mussel sauce.

A scallop carpaccio with blue crab, passion berries and sweet corn.




Pan fried scallops in a cauliflower foam and  ratafia syrup.





Cep tart with a maderia sauce and barberry pulp.



Sea bream with a wine sabayon sauce on a bed of white beans.






 Breast of pigeon with beetroot, black current and gingerbread.

A selection of cheeses from Burgundy -  Brillat-Saverin, Crotton du Morvan and a Vacherin du Haut-Doubs

www.lebenaton.com

Mussel soup

One of my favorite dishes in Brittany is mussel soup. It is a bit of effort but I think we’ll worth it. 

serves 6

ingredients

1kg of fresh mussels

3 tbsp of olive oil

bottle of dry white wine

For the stock: 

1 shallot onions

1 small carrot (keep half and use as julienne vegetables)

1/2 leek ( keep half to use as julienne vegetables)

2 cloves garlic1 sprigs of thyme

1 sprigs of parsley 

10 black pepper corns

sprinkle of saffron

150 ml  of fresh cream or coconut cream 

chives

juice of 1 lemon

salt & pepper

Method

Rinse the mussels in cold water removing all beards and algae. Discard any lifeless mussels which refuse to close. Store in a cold place.

Chop up the vegetables for the stock. 

In a large pot sauté the vegetable for a few minutes, then and white wine and boil for 5 minutes .

Then add the mussels and boil for another 5 minutes. Discard any which have not opened.

Remove the mussel shells from the stock and then remove mussels from their shells. Discard shells. Set aside. Reduce the stock, add the saffron and  cream, bit of lemon juice (if necessary) and salt & pepper to taste. 

Using the half portions of leek and carrot saved cut as julienne vegetables, blanch them and add it to the soup. 

Reintroduce the shell-less mussels to the stock and keep warm.

Sprinkle with chives and serve in a warm soup bowl. 

Option: 

Serve linguini and top up with the mussel soup and chives for a main dish. 

Queen Ingrid’s Parmesan Cookies

These cookies are fit for a Queen! 

Take equal measure of flour, butter and parmesan 

75 gram of flour

75 gram of butter

75 gram parmesan cheese (finely graded)

Pinch of salt

Mix the ingredients together and roll out sausage style.

Place in fridge and chill for three hours. 

Cut sausage in thin slices (2 mm) and bake at 200 degrees for 6 minutes.

Serve with appropriate aperitifs.

BBQ Stuffed Oysters

We are always saying we learn new ideas from our students and this dish was introduced to us by Gloria from Chicago. She had discovered it on a trip to New Orleans and so we just had to try it out!

Ingredients 

18 large oysters, freshly shucked in the half shell.

120g unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic 

Pinch of oregano

50g Parmesan cheese grated

50g Pecorino cheese grate

2 sprigs of finely chopped parsley 

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Method

Place all the prepared oysters on a tray ready for their filling. Pour the oyster juice into a suitable mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Using a small spoon, carefully add a portion of the mix to each oyster topping up as appropriate. 

Prepare the BBQ. I added Irish turf for extra effect. Once hot and smoky, carefully add each stuffed oyster to the BBQ. Leave for 10 minutes or until cooked. Serve sizzling hot with a dry white wine or champagne. 

Villa 2 - A Country Farmhouse in Kerrouet

The traditional Breton stone farmhouse has three double bedrooms and one twin bedroom. 

A large kitchen and dining room are on the ground floor.

There are three double bedrooms and one twin bedroom on the first and second floor.

There are three WC handbasins on thé ground, first and second floor and two bathrooms with shower facilities on ground and first floor. 

There is a large outside garden with the property

Won-ton Ravioli a la Xuan-Minh

We were very fortunate to have a lovely Swiss lady of Vietnamese origin on our cooking course a few years ago. She kindly offered to teach us how to make a couple of Vietnamese classic dishes and one Ravioli recipe from her grandmother is very special indeed: 

Won-ton Ravioli a la Xuan-Minh

serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 pack of Won ton skin from an Asian shop 

500 gram / 1 pound of finely minced prawns and/ or chicken/ rabbit/ turkey 

1 onion finely chopped

Coriander ( Cilantro) leaves

10 gram / 0.35 oz dried black mushrooms (asian shop) soaked and chopped

3 dried shiitake mushrooms (asian shop) soaked and finely chopped 

Pepper

Salted Soy sauce

sesame oil

Fish sauce ( asian shop). It taste much better than it sounds

Chicken stock  (clear, only cooked on chicken for 2 hours)

Method

Soup: cook the chicken for at least 2 hours in 3 litres of water. Skim off the foam until the soup is clear. Strain and flavour it with fish sauce and pepper , quite a lot of fish sauce.

Stuffing: mix the onion, the mince meat, coriander and finely chopped mushrooms, season with pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil and a bit of fish sauce.

Assemble the ravioli by placing a teaspoon of the filling on each wonton skin. Brush the edges with egg white, then fold them diagonally . Then glue the pointy ends together . Let the ravioli dry for an hour in room temperature .

Bring the soup to a boil and cook the wonton for 2-3 minutes. Place them in a serving bowl, 3-4 per person.

Cover the soup with finely chopped coriander ( cilantro ) and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and serve.

Carpaccio of beef with Harry’s Bar dressing

Carpaccio of beef with a Harry’s Bar dressing is a wonderful summer lunch menu. Easy to make and exceedingly tasty. It never fails to impress. It helps if you know your butcher as the quality of the beef fillet should be first rate.

Ingredients ( serves 6 )

For the beef 

400g of top quality beef finely sliced.

For the dressing 

185 ml home-made mayonnaise

1-2t sp Worcestershire sauce, to taste

1tsp fresh lemon juice

2 to 3 tbsp milk

salt, freshly ground black pepper

Serve with shavings of Parmigiana cheese and  fresh sunflower shoots ( or sweet pea shoots) . 

Method

Put the mayonnaise in a bowl and whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Whisk in 

enough milk to make a thin sauce that just coats the back of a wooden spoon. Taste the sauce and 

adjust the seasoning with some salt and pepper adding more Worcestershire sauce as required. 

The dressing should be poured over the beef just before serving along with parmigiana shavings and green sunflower  shoots on top. 

Wine - serve with a nice rosé or white  muscadet. 

We are on Danish TV

We feature on one of Denmark’s most popular television programmes from today. Hère is the link: https://www.dr.dk/drtv/se/anne-og-anders-i-europa_-nabostrid-i-nordfrankrig_322240?fs=e&s=cl

A visit to a traditional Provençal wine maker

It’s the small organic traditional wine makers which are so hard to find in the south of France. The big wine companies dominate the market and the media. However once in a while you meet someone who is both knowledgeable and generous and it was Peter Ware, (azurewinetours.com) who let us in on the extraordinary story of Georges & Mathias Rasse of Le Domaine des Hautes Collines.

The tiny vineyard is located at Saint Jeannet just north of the town of Vence. What is interesting here is they make the wines the traditional way and use no nitrates or filings so the wines are organic. All their wines are stored in 5 litre glass salmanazars and are left exposed to the Azur sun for three months. Then they are transferred to oak barrels and left to age for 12 months. Apparently this is how the Romans made their wines over 2000 years ago in this very spot and so it has stood the test of both time and palette! 

If you are lucky you will find their wines in some of the local restaurants and supermarkets but it’s much better to visit the vineyard where you will be very well received. They even have a camping site on the vineyard so you don’t have to drive if you drink too much!! We recommend you contact Peter and take one of his tours. He will pick you up from your home, take you on a interesting wine tour and get you back home safe without difficulty. His details are below (peter@azurwinetours.com) ( +33777963388).

Further details on the vineyard may be obtained from their website: http://vignoblestjeannet.fr/vins/vin-rouge-cuvee-pressoir-romain/