Episode 65: Wakefield
PAN SEARED DIVERS SCALLOPS W/“PETITS POIS A LA FRANCAISE” & WASABI CREAM
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion
6 leaves of Boston lettuce
2 ounces white vermouth
1 cup cream 35%
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 large scallops (U-10)
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
1 bunch of mesclun salad (mixed summer greens)
fresh herbs (thyme, tarragon, chives)
coarse salt and crushed pepper to taste
Preparation time is 30 minutes.
Ease of preparation is moderate.
In a Teflon pan, sauté gently in butter the finely sliced onion. Add finely sliced lettuce and simmer for one minute. Deglaze with vermouth and reduce. Add cream and simmer and reduce by 1/3. Add peas and simmer until tender. Season and set aside, keep warm.
In a Teflon pan with oil, season and sear the scallops on both sides (1 minute each side). Do not overcook.
Before serving, warm up the peas and add wasabi. Serve in deep plate and top with scallop. Garnish with fresh herbs and a cluster of summer greens.
Yield: 6 servings
GRILLED ALBERTA RACK OF LAMB WITH ONION TART PISSALADIERE AND SPRING VEGETABLES, ROASTED GARLIC AND HERB JUS
Pissaladière:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large Spanish onions finely sliced
2 garlic cloves crushed
water
12 to 18 black olives pitted
6 to 8 anchovy fillets (desalted – soak in water)
salt & pepper to taste
1 bottom pie shell or pizza dough
Rack of Lamb:
3 racks of lamb Frenched
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 carrot
1 stock celery
1 small onion
lamb trimmings if available
1 glass red wine
thyme, rosemary
demi-glace mix
coarse salt and pepper
Preparation time is 1 hour 30 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pissaladière:
In oil, sauté and caramelize the onion and garlic until very soft and brown. Add a little water as you sauté if it gets too dark. Add chopped olives and anchovies. Season and cool.
Place the onion mixture on pizza dough or pie shell and bake in medium oven, 350 degrees Fahrenheit, for about 1 hour. Serve hot or cold.
Rack of Lamb:
Rub racks of lamb with olive oil and sear in pan. Next, place lamb in a roasting pan with chopped vegetables and lamb trimmings, season and roast racks until medium in a 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove rack and keep warm.
On the stove top, continue cooking vegetables and trimmings until brown. Deglaze with red wine. Add herbs and demi-glaze with just enough water. Simmer sauce until it coats a spoon. Season and pass through a sieve. Cut racks into chops and serve with a portion of pissaladière. Garnish with a selection of vegetable of your choice and a sprig of fresh herbs.
Yield: 6 servings
RED BERRY FRUIT GRATIN
3 cups of assorted berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
1 cup sugar
½ cup Cointreau or crème de cassis
1 cup cream 35%, whipped
½ cup English custard (crème anglaise)
powdered sugar
Preparation time is 2 hours
Ease of preparation is easy
Pre-heat broiler
Combine the berries, sugar and Cointreau and refrigerate for a few hours. Whip the cream and combine with the English custard (Devon cream).
Fill each deep plate or bowl with fruit mixture. Top with cream mixture. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bake under broiler until golden (a few minutes).
Garnish with mint and tuiles or wafers.
Yield: 6 servings
SMOKED SALMON PLATE
240 grams of smoked salmon
1 small fennel bulb
2 oranges
1½ tablespoons freshly chopped dill
5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of sesame seed oil
160 grams of fresh salmon filet
½ tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
3 tablespoons freshly chopped chive
½ tablespoon freshly chopped shallots
½ tablespoon freshly chopped capers
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
½ of one lemon
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns
50 grams of pea shoots
Salt and pepper
Preparation time is 30 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Smoked salmon:
Thinly slice the smoked salmon. Place pieces side-by-side with about 1 centimeter overlapping. You now have a strip about 2 inches high by 12 inches long (60grams). Roll it up without applying much pressure. Place the roll up-right with the flat end on the bottom. Now spread apart the smoked salmon at the top and let the rose take shape. Do this 3 more times, so that you have 4 roses in total.
Orange Fennel Salad:
Take one small fennel bulb and thinly slice julienne. Segment two oranges and then cut each segment into 6. Press juice out of the remains of the oranges into a bowl. Place the fennel and orange pieces into the bowl with the juice. Season with salt, pepper and one tablespoon of fresh chopped dill. Mix well, then add one tablespoon of olive oil, one tablespoon of sesame seed oil and mix well again.
Salmon tartar:
Cut 160 grams of fresh salmon in small cubes and place in a bowl. Stir in half a tablespoon each freshly chopped dill, parsley, chive, shallots, capers and sesame seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the juice from half a lemon. Add one and a half tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and mix.
Presentation:
Lay out 4 small plates. Place one salmon rose on each plate, slightly off to one side. Place two spoonfuls of the fennel salad on each plate, opposite to the roses. Shape the fennel salad into a little circle on each plate. Using two tablespoons make four quenelles (small ovals) of the salmon tartar to place atop of the fennel salad on each plate. Sprinkle overtop of each plate the freshly chopped chives, the pink peppercorns and the sesame seeds. Place your thumb over the top of the olive oil bottle to control the amount of oil you will drizzle over each plate. Garnish by angling pea shoots in the center of each plate.
Yield: 4 servings
DUCK CONFIT PLATE
Confit:
4 x 350 grams fatty duck thigh
coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 bundle of freshly chopped thyme
2 litres of duck fat
2 ounces of Chemineaud Brandy (optional)
Cassoulet
450 grams of navy beans
150 grams of smoked lardon (slab bacon) cut into small pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 large ripe tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped)
1 litre of chicken stock
¾ cup of Chorizo sausage
¼ cup of chopped parsley
salt and pepper
Shiraz (red-wine) sauce
1 tablespoon of butter
2 shallots, peeled and very finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic very finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 cups of Shiraz
2 cups of veal stock
Vegetables
12 small patty-pan squash
1 teaspoon of butter
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
12 cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon of freshly chopped basil
salt and pepper
Preparation time in advance: refrigerate duck for 24 hours & cook for 3 hours, 5-6 days ahead.
Preparation time day of event: 1 hour
Ease of preparation is easy.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Duck confit:
24 hours before cooking put the duck skin side down on a rack and place the rack on a baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the coarse salt over the duck legs. Sprinkle the cracked black pepper and the chopped thyme over the duck as well. (Optional) drizzle the Chemineaud on the duck legs. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Rinse and dry the duck. Place the duck legs in a casserole dish and cover with duck fat. Cover and bake at 250º Fahrenheit for 2½ to 3 hours until very tender. Leave it covered with duck fat for 5 to 6 days before eating.
Cassoulet:
Soak the beans overnight in cold water, change water and rinse often.
In a large saucepan combine the beans, lardon, onion, garlic, tomatoes and enough chicken stock to just cover the beans. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are soft, around 50 minutes. Add the Chorizo sausage, parsley, salt, pepper and stir.
Shiraz sauce:
In a saucepan melt the butter, add the shallots, garlic and thyme. Cook until they start to brown. Add the Shiraz and reduce by ¾. Add the stock and reduce until it becomes the right consistency for a sauce.
Putting it all together:
Lay out four plates. Cut the patty-pans in half and steam for 3-5 minutes. In a frying place about four tablespoons of duck fat and heat. Place the four legs of duck and brown so that the skin becomes a little crispy. Place in the oven at 200º while you get the rest of the plate ready.
Heat the Cassoulet and place in the center of each plate. Place the butter and olive oil in a hot frying pan. Add the steamed patty-pans, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, cook for 1 minute and then place around Cassoulet on each plate. Place the duck confit on top of the Cassoulet on each plate. With a small ladle pore the Shiraz sauce on and around the duck confit, place a fresh basil leaf on top for garnish.
Yield: 4 servings
GÂTEAU FONDANT
Cake
250 grams butter
150 grams dark chocolate
100 grams milk chocolate
4 egg yokes
4 eggs
125 grams sugar
125 grams flour
pinch of salt
cocoa powder
Sugar decorations
1¼ cups sugar
1 cup water
Caramel sauce
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of water
pinch of salt
1½ cups condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish
icing sugar in a shaker
four springs of mint
Preparation time is 40 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit .
Cake:
Melt butter and chocolate in a Bain-Marie. Place egg yokes, eggs and sugar in a mixer and mix. When the chocolate and butter mixture is completely melted, add it into the mixer with the egg and sugar mixture and mix. Add the flour and a pinch of salt to the mix. Mix well. Using butter at room temperature grease four ramekins, dust well with cocoa powder and add the cake batter almost to the top of each ramekin. Bake in 475 degree Fahrenheit oven for 8-9 minutes. Remove from ramekins with care.
Sugar Decorations:
Spread a square of parchment paper on a flat surface. Place sugar, water in a saucepan and heat to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not stir. While it is still hot, dip a spoon into it. Hold spoon over the parchment paper and allow the syrup to drizzle off the spoon. Move the spoon to create patterns and let set. Do this until you have four nice patterns.
Caramel Sauce
In a saucepan make a dark caramel with the sugar and ? cup water. Add ? cup water and a small pinch of salt to arrest the cooking. Once cooled, add the condensed milk and the vanilla.
Putting it all together
Lay out four plates. Place a small spoonful of caramel sauce in the center of each plate. Place the warm cake atop of the caramel sauce on each plate. Using a spoon drizzle around and on the cake some more caramel sauce. Using a knife cut a small slit atop of each of the four cakes. Place one sugar decoration into the slit in each cake. Sprinkle icing sugar over top and around each cake. Place a spring of mint on top of each cake.
Yield: 4 servings
FOIE GRAS WITH CRACKED CARDAMOM AND CALVADOS
2 escalopes foie gras (3 ounces each)
1 teaspoon oil
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon calvados
8 pods cardamom, slightly crushed
2 teaspoons maple syrup
Preparation time is nil
Ease of preparation is easy
In a very hot frying pan, sear foie gras in oil (maximum 30 seconds). Reserve and keep warm.
Melt butter in pan and deglaze with Calvados. Add cardamom and maple syrup. Bring to a quick boil. Drizzle over foie gras and serve immediately.
(Can also be served over blanched spinach, Swiss chard, etc.)
Yield: 2 servings
CARAMELIZED BABY BEETS
12 scrubbed baby beets
1 sprig lavender
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
Preparation time is 55 minutes
Ease of Preparation is easy
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Put all ingredients in an ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
Uncover and boost oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.
Yield: 4 servings
CONFIT OF MUSHROOMS
3 large Portobello mushrooms
8 button mushrooms
6 cepe mushrooms
8 oyster mushrooms
1 bunch fresh rosemary (5 or 6 sprigs)
1 bay leaf
4 garlic cloves
4 shallots
Vegetable oil
Preparation time is 2 hours
Ease of preparation is easy
Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit
Put first eight ingredients into a 13-inch x 9-inch Pyrex baking dish or any other non-reactive ovenproof dish. Cover completely in vegetable oil. Cover with foil and cook in a 225 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 2 hours. Be extremely careful when removing from the oven.
Remove mushrooms from oil and serve warm or cold.
MILLES DÉLICES FILET DE SANGLIER
2 sanglier (wild boar) filets (6 ounces each)
2 teaspoons oil
2 teaspoons brandy
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup whipping cream
Preparation time is 15 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
In a frying pan, sear filet in oil. Transfer to shallow pan or baking sheet and place in 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 8 minutes.
Deglaze frying pan with brandy. Add balsamic vinegar and cream. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and pour over sanglier.
Yield: 2 servings
