This is a wonderful dish for a dinner party because both the terrine and the dressing can be prepared a day in advance so you have plenty of time to be with your guests.
Serves 6
Ingredients
15 small young leeks trimmed
10 chicory leaves
75g Feta cheese crumbled
50g walnut halves chopped
salt & pepper
Salad leaves (radicchio).
For the dressing
4 tsp olive oil
2 tsp of walnut oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp of French mustard
Method
Split the leeks horizontially to within 5cm of the root end and wash thoroughly in running water. Boil the leeks in salted water for 10 minutes or until tender.
Layer a 450g loaf tin with the leeks laying head to tail alternately sprinkling each layer with salt and pepper to taste. Place another tin inside the first, pressing down the leeks. Invert both tins allowing the liquid to drain out. Chill for four hours with a 1kg weight on top.
To make the dressing:
Mix together all the ingredients seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside until required.
Carefully turn out the leek terrine. Using a sharp knife cut into 6 thick slices.
Let it come up to room temperature before serving. Place each slice on a serving plate and surround with salad leaves. Scatter the walnuts and feta cheese on top of the salad. Spoon over the dressing and serve.
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Friday, 1 July 2011
Scallops with French Beans and Morels
Brittany is a great place to buy scallops and here you have one of my best loved dishes. Add fresh green beans and some tasty morels and you have dinner fit for a queen! For 4 you will need:
10 Fresh scallops
300g French Beans
2 shallots, finely chopped
60g morel mushrooms
4 wild garlic flowers (to garnish)
10tsp vegetable oil
100ml vegetable stock
50g butter
Sea salt and black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
4 pennyworth flowers (to garnish)
Method:
To make the green bean puree, sweat some shallots in butter in a pan until soft, add half the beans, a little vegetable stock and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Puree in a blender until smooth, then set aside and keep warm.
Blanch the remaining beans, in boiling salted for 2 minutes; refresh them under cold water . In a small pot, reheat the beans in 50ml of vegetable stock for several minutes, set aside and keep warm.
Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth.Place a pan on a medium heat and add 2 tsp of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the morel mushrooms and cook until tender adding a little butter and vegetable stock to keep moist.
Season the scallops on both sides with salt and white pepper. Place a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tsp of oil and add the scallops. Let the scallops caramelise for a couple minutes then turn over, add a knob of butter to the pan and finish cooking the scallops in the butter foam.
To assemble the dish, place a spoon of the bean puree in the middle of the plate, place the scallops, French beans, and morels around and sprinkle with lemon juice or lime. Garnish with wild garlic and pennyworth flowers and serve immediately with a nice cool glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
10 Fresh scallops
300g French Beans
2 shallots, finely chopped
60g morel mushrooms
4 wild garlic flowers (to garnish)
10tsp vegetable oil
100ml vegetable stock
50g butter
Sea salt and black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
4 pennyworth flowers (to garnish)
Method:
To make the green bean puree, sweat some shallots in butter in a pan until soft, add half the beans, a little vegetable stock and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Puree in a blender until smooth, then set aside and keep warm.
Blanch the remaining beans, in boiling salted for 2 minutes; refresh them under cold water . In a small pot, reheat the beans in 50ml of vegetable stock for several minutes, set aside and keep warm.
Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth.Place a pan on a medium heat and add 2 tsp of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the morel mushrooms and cook until tender adding a little butter and vegetable stock to keep moist.
Season the scallops on both sides with salt and white pepper. Place a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tsp of oil and add the scallops. Let the scallops caramelise for a couple minutes then turn over, add a knob of butter to the pan and finish cooking the scallops in the butter foam.
To assemble the dish, place a spoon of the bean puree in the middle of the plate, place the scallops, French beans, and morels around and sprinkle with lemon juice or lime. Garnish with wild garlic and pennyworth flowers and serve immediately with a nice cool glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
Thursday, 16 June 2011
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Watercress Soup
Potage de Cresson as it is called in Brittany is excellent served hot or cold. It is so easy to make and so tasty we often get asked by our students to include it in our cooking classes! Here is a nice recipe.
You will need:
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion chopped
1 bunch of scallions chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 medium potatoes peeled and sliced
2 quarts chicken stock
1 bunch of watercress chopped
1 egg yolk
1 cup double cream
salt, pepper and nutmeg
Method
Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the onions and scallions and sauté for a few minutes. Stir in the flour and add the potatoes. Stir in the stock a little at a time and and bring to the boil. Season with the salt pepper and nutmeg. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the watercress keeping a few leaves to garnish. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and purée in a blender. When ready to serve reheat the soup. Combine the egg yolk and cream. Remove the soup from the heat and stirr in the egg cream mixture. Add the minced watercress leaves as a garnish and serve.
You will need:
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion chopped
1 bunch of scallions chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 medium potatoes peeled and sliced
2 quarts chicken stock
1 bunch of watercress chopped
1 egg yolk
1 cup double cream
salt, pepper and nutmeg
Method
Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the onions and scallions and sauté for a few minutes. Stir in the flour and add the potatoes. Stir in the stock a little at a time and and bring to the boil. Season with the salt pepper and nutmeg. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the watercress keeping a few leaves to garnish. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and purée in a blender. When ready to serve reheat the soup. Combine the egg yolk and cream. Remove the soup from the heat and stirr in the egg cream mixture. Add the minced watercress leaves as a garnish and serve.
Monday, 6 June 2011
People and Food Magazine Summer 2011
From People and Food Magazine (Dorset UK)
Summer 2011
The French Dining School
Kerrouet Brittany
There are no signs for the French Dining School at Kerrouet House in
Brittany, so Danish born chef, Poul Erik Jensen, strolls up the road in his
chefs whites to find me and show me where to go. He has left the other
students chopping vegetables for the court bullion in which we will soon
boil lobsters for tonight's lobster bisque. A combination of road closures
and bad map reading has made me late and I make my apologies but quickly
realise that the French Dining School is a very relaxed affair. Within
minutes I'm learning to hold a chopping knife like a pen to create star
shaped carrots to use in one of our lunch courses - Artichoke Hearts in a
Citrus Sauce with Crispy Pancetta. We quickly make a French dressing to go
with the salad that will accompany our second course of fresh salted cod,
smoked for 7 minutes in a small oven top smoker. As we work Poul talks
genially with his students, demonstrating techniques and helping them to
prepare the food themselves.
After a lifetime in the food industry he is no longer driven by the need to
create cutting edge dishes and now concentrates on imparting his cooking
knowledge to students in an unpressurised and relaxed environment. Poul
caters for English speakers from all over the world, showing a wide range of
recipes that include a strong Danish influence. Over a three day course
students can cook dishes ranging from Mussel Soup with saffron, Veal fillet
with basil sauce to Pan fried Skate Wing, Asparagus Risotto or Panna Cotta.
On my visit we learned to bone chicken and compile and cook a delicious
Langoustine stuffed Chicken Leg with Tarragon Sauce, followed by Caramelized
Strawberries served with Cinnamon and an extraordinarily delicious poppyseed
ice cream. He is hoping to build his cookery school slowly and organically
and allow students to enjoy his courses without fuss or stress.
Although as a youngster he tinkered with the idea of becoming an electrical
engineer, the strong influence of an aunt, who had shown him the joy of
cooking, led him to decide instead to pursue a three and a half year
apprenticeship learning to become a chef. As his goal was to run his own
restaurant he decided to further his education in the industry by completing
another two and a half year apprenticeship, learning the art of restaurant
administration, from waiting tables to designing interior layout, before
opening the Ane Kkirstine in Ebeltoft near Arhus in Denmark. Over eight
years he built it up to a Michelin star standard. He has also worked for a
time on the QE2 as well as a spell in Melbourne, Australia at Mietta’s
before moving to England where he worked at Noble Rot in London and the
Wallbrook Club with Albert Roux. He is a member of Eurotoque, International
Federation Cuisinier Exclusive d'Europe and the Confrérie de la Chaîne des
Rôtisseurs.
At Kerrouet House, (the Bretons pronounce the 't'), Poul has opened his home
to allow students the opportunity to get a hands on cookery experience in a
holiday atmosphere. Unlike other residential cookery schools the focus is
not on certificates or qualifications but on the enjoyment of cooking
delicious food as simply as possible, whilst exploring the local area. Poul
runs five day and three day courses for a maximum of eight people, or will,
where possible, tailor make a course for a group if requested. Students can
find their own local accommodation or stay in one of two gites nearby.
The day begins at 10am with a run through of the day’s menu and the
preparation of lunch and anything that needs to be done in advance for the
evening meal. After lunch students are free to explore the local area and
usually on Thursday Poul will arrange a visit to the nearby market in Dinan.
At 6pm students gather again in the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous four
course dinner to enjoy together at Poul’s kitchen table. The atmosphere is
warm and friendly and strangers, brought together by a common interest, can
soon become friends. On my visit I met the delightful Nishimuras, a Japanese
couple now resident in California who booked their cookery course as part of
a ten day trip to explore Northern France. By the third day Mr Nishimura
seemed to have perfected the vegetable chopping equivalent of playing air
guitar, constantly practising his chopping technique without knife or
vegetable.
Kerrout House is about an hour’s drive from St Malo and can be reached from
the UK on Brittany Ferries to St Malo from Portsmouth or Plymouth to
Roscoff. For information visit www.frenchdiningschool.com
or telephone Poul direct at +33 2963
44 381.
Editor Fergus Byrne
Summer 2011
The French Dining School
Kerrouet Brittany
There are no signs for the French Dining School at Kerrouet House in
Brittany, so Danish born chef, Poul Erik Jensen, strolls up the road in his
chefs whites to find me and show me where to go. He has left the other
students chopping vegetables for the court bullion in which we will soon
boil lobsters for tonight's lobster bisque. A combination of road closures
and bad map reading has made me late and I make my apologies but quickly
realise that the French Dining School is a very relaxed affair. Within
minutes I'm learning to hold a chopping knife like a pen to create star
shaped carrots to use in one of our lunch courses - Artichoke Hearts in a
Citrus Sauce with Crispy Pancetta. We quickly make a French dressing to go
with the salad that will accompany our second course of fresh salted cod,
smoked for 7 minutes in a small oven top smoker. As we work Poul talks
genially with his students, demonstrating techniques and helping them to
prepare the food themselves.
After a lifetime in the food industry he is no longer driven by the need to
create cutting edge dishes and now concentrates on imparting his cooking
knowledge to students in an unpressurised and relaxed environment. Poul
caters for English speakers from all over the world, showing a wide range of
recipes that include a strong Danish influence. Over a three day course
students can cook dishes ranging from Mussel Soup with saffron, Veal fillet
with basil sauce to Pan fried Skate Wing, Asparagus Risotto or Panna Cotta.
On my visit we learned to bone chicken and compile and cook a delicious
Langoustine stuffed Chicken Leg with Tarragon Sauce, followed by Caramelized
Strawberries served with Cinnamon and an extraordinarily delicious poppyseed
ice cream. He is hoping to build his cookery school slowly and organically
and allow students to enjoy his courses without fuss or stress.
Although as a youngster he tinkered with the idea of becoming an electrical
engineer, the strong influence of an aunt, who had shown him the joy of
cooking, led him to decide instead to pursue a three and a half year
apprenticeship learning to become a chef. As his goal was to run his own
restaurant he decided to further his education in the industry by completing
another two and a half year apprenticeship, learning the art of restaurant
administration, from waiting tables to designing interior layout, before
opening the Ane Kkirstine in Ebeltoft near Arhus in Denmark. Over eight
years he built it up to a Michelin star standard. He has also worked for a
time on the QE2 as well as a spell in Melbourne, Australia at Mietta’s
before moving to England where he worked at Noble Rot in London and the
Wallbrook Club with Albert Roux. He is a member of Eurotoque, International
Federation Cuisinier Exclusive d'Europe and the Confrérie de la Chaîne des
Rôtisseurs.
At Kerrouet House, (the Bretons pronounce the 't'), Poul has opened his home
to allow students the opportunity to get a hands on cookery experience in a
holiday atmosphere. Unlike other residential cookery schools the focus is
not on certificates or qualifications but on the enjoyment of cooking
delicious food as simply as possible, whilst exploring the local area. Poul
runs five day and three day courses for a maximum of eight people, or will,
where possible, tailor make a course for a group if requested. Students can
find their own local accommodation or stay in one of two gites nearby.
The day begins at 10am with a run through of the day’s menu and the
preparation of lunch and anything that needs to be done in advance for the
evening meal. After lunch students are free to explore the local area and
usually on Thursday Poul will arrange a visit to the nearby market in Dinan.
At 6pm students gather again in the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous four
course dinner to enjoy together at Poul’s kitchen table. The atmosphere is
warm and friendly and strangers, brought together by a common interest, can
soon become friends. On my visit I met the delightful Nishimuras, a Japanese
couple now resident in California who booked their cookery course as part of
a ten day trip to explore Northern France. By the third day Mr Nishimura
seemed to have perfected the vegetable chopping equivalent of playing air
guitar, constantly practising his chopping technique without knife or
vegetable.
Kerrout House is about an hour’s drive from St Malo and can be reached from
the UK on Brittany Ferries to St Malo from Portsmouth or Plymouth to
Roscoff. For information visit www.frenchdiningschool.com
or telephone Poul direct at +33 2963
44 381.
Editor Fergus Byrne
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Cucumber and Ricotta Mousse
All the talk about dangerous cucumbers and to think millions of absolutely safe vegetables and delightful salads have been wasted because of misinformation and euroglobal malpractices*. If ever there was a case for growing and consuming locally produced food products this is it. Of course I feel sorry for the farmers who depend on the markets for their income but the good news is that cucumbers have never been cheaper and there are lots of wonderful things you can do with them! Reminds me of the Nigerian lady who visited my family's vegetable shop in London some twenty years ago. She ordered 50 cucumbers and my sister, who was working during her student holidays, innocently inquired whether a party was being planned , got the shocked response "Good God they are far too good to eat"! She went on to explain of the medicinal properties of the simple cucumber and how she was planning to squeeze their suculent juices into her bath water!
Well I am sure there are health properties in cucumber but their taste and texture are also of benefit to humanity so here is a lovely unusual recipe which will delight your guests at the next summer lunch in the garden:
Make this dish the night before your lunch!
Ingredients
1 organic cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced small
1 tbsp of sea salt
3 tbsp tarragon vinegar
1 leaf gelatin
1 cup organic fresh double cream
2 cups of fresh ricotta
Black pepper
Handful of fresh chopped parsley, chives and scallions
Method:
Mix the cucumber, salt and vinegar in a bowl. Remove into a colander, put a plate on top and leave to drain for 1 hour. Remove plate and press down gently with a cloth. Soak the gelatin leaf in cold water for 5 minutes. When disolved, mix in the cream leaving a smooth mixture. Add the ricota and cucumber gently mixing all together including the taragon vinegar. Add the herbs, scallions and pepper to taste. Remove to an oiled mold and leave to set in the fridge overnight.
Turn out the mousse onto a large plate just before you wish to serve it. Serve with freshly baked bread rolls and a crisp cool glass of muscadet.
*Of course, clean all vegetables before eating, follow local health guidelines and always use a reliable source.
Well I am sure there are health properties in cucumber but their taste and texture are also of benefit to humanity so here is a lovely unusual recipe which will delight your guests at the next summer lunch in the garden:
Make this dish the night before your lunch!
Ingredients
1 organic cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced small
1 tbsp of sea salt
3 tbsp tarragon vinegar
1 leaf gelatin
1 cup organic fresh double cream
2 cups of fresh ricotta
Black pepper
Handful of fresh chopped parsley, chives and scallions
Method:
Mix the cucumber, salt and vinegar in a bowl. Remove into a colander, put a plate on top and leave to drain for 1 hour. Remove plate and press down gently with a cloth. Soak the gelatin leaf in cold water for 5 minutes. When disolved, mix in the cream leaving a smooth mixture. Add the ricota and cucumber gently mixing all together including the taragon vinegar. Add the herbs, scallions and pepper to taste. Remove to an oiled mold and leave to set in the fridge overnight.
Turn out the mousse onto a large plate just before you wish to serve it. Serve with freshly baked bread rolls and a crisp cool glass of muscadet.
*Of course, clean all vegetables before eating, follow local health guidelines and always use a reliable source.
Friday, 27 May 2011
Lemon & Honey can save your Money & Tummy!
I noticed yesterday when visiting the lovely market at Dinan that Brittany now has its own Coke Cola under the title Breizh Cola! It struck me as strange given what we now know about coke. Drinking soft fizzy sweet drinks regularly is known to damage consumers and to be a major cause of obesity in western cultures. Visit any supermarket and see for yourselves the enormous quantity of soft fizzy drinks available in two litre bottles often going on a buy one get one free basis! Given that they are not good for your health or your wealth why not make your own soft drinks at home and benefit your family's health as well as your purse. It is also a great way to get the kids involved in thinking about nutrition and getting out into the countryside for some active exercise collecting plants and berries for home consumption. There are an enormous variety of wonderful options available at different times of the year and now is the season for elderflower cordial (a recipe was included last month). I am going to give you a recipe now for Lemon & Honey with Ginger as it makes a delightful easy soft drink which is healthy and refreshing too. This one you don't need to collect wild berries or fruits but if you have a bee keeper near you do get your honey from her or him!
You will need:
1 cup boiling water
1 x tablespoon of raw honey
Juice from 1 organic lemon
1 x small piece of fresh ginger very thinly sliced
Method
In a long glass place 1 tablespoon of honey (with the spoon to avoid glass cracking). Add the boiling water. Add the ginger and juice from 1 lemon freshly squeezed. Mix with the spoon. Leave for infusion 3 minutes. Drain the ginger ( if desired) and serve.
You will need:
1 cup boiling water
1 x tablespoon of raw honey
Juice from 1 organic lemon
1 x small piece of fresh ginger very thinly sliced
Method
In a long glass place 1 tablespoon of honey (with the spoon to avoid glass cracking). Add the boiling water. Add the ginger and juice from 1 lemon freshly squeezed. Mix with the spoon. Leave for infusion 3 minutes. Drain the ginger ( if desired) and serve.
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