
RECIPES:
Feel free to contact us if you any questions regarding the recipes below or need some help with cooking and baking. As a gift for your love ones or family members, private cookery lessons are available in the privacy of your own home. Thank you.
Velouté de Petits Pois aux Lardons
Ingredients
(12portions)
- 2 large onions finelychopped
- Butter
- 1kgfrozen peas
- 1kgpotatoespeeledandchopped into smallpieces
- 3 litreschickenstock orwater
- 2 slices of back bacon, diced
- Slices of bread,with crusts removedand diced, forthe croutons(optional)
Method
- Inalarge casserole/saucepan,sweat theonionsgentlyin butter on amedium heat
- Addhalf thepeas and halfofthebacon and continueto cookfor 5 minutes,stirringoccasionally
- Add the stock/water to the panand bringto theboil
- Add the chopped potatoes, bringback to theboil and simmer until the potatoesare soft
- Addremainingpeas to the panandsimmer for10minutes
- Liquidisein ablender (orusingahand blender)
- Season to taste and stirin a few knobs of butter toproduce avelvetytexture
Toserve,frythe remainingbacon in ahot pan until crisp.Remove andsetaside. Frythebread croutons in thesame pan until crisp.Warm thesoup and servein individualbowlswithadollop of crème fraicheordouble cream, asprinklingofthebacon piecesandseveralcroutons.
The veloutécan bestored in a sealedcontainer inthe fridge for several days.
Béchamel Sauce
Ingredients
- 50gbutter
- 50gflour
- 600ml cold milk
- Grated Cheese (e.g.Cheddar/Gruyere)as required
Method
- Melt the butter in a pan
- Stirin the flour andcookgently, stirringoccasionally, for2 Do not allow theflour to brown
- Remove the panfrom theheatandgraduallypourin themilk, stirringvigorouslyorwhiskingcontinuously
- Return the pan to theheat andbringto theboil, still stirringorwhisking
- Addgrated cheese and season withsaltandpepperto taste
Poulet Poché aux Legumes
(Thiswillserve 4 peopleas a broth, or willform the base fora chicken casserole andachicken consommé)
Ingredients
- 4 chickenlegs ora wholechicken
- 1 onion, peeledandquartered
- 2 large carrots,peeled and chopped
- 2 large leeks,cut into chunks
- 1 mediumswede (or 2 turnips) peeledand chopped roughlyinto chunks
- 1 bayleaf
- Thyme
- Parsley
- Water
- SaltandPeppercorns, totaste
Method
- Place all the ingredientsina largecasserole orstock pot and cover withwater
- Bringto boil andsimmerfor 1 to 1.5 hours until everythingis well cooked(the chickenlegswillfloat when cooked)
Serve immediately,as abroth, if desired.Alternatively, makeacreamychickencasseroleasbelow.
Ingredients
- 1 large shallot, finelychopped
- Smallhalf glass of whitewine
- Crème Fraiche or DoubleCream
- Butter
Method
- Gentlysweat the shallotinbutter until soft
- Add the white wine and simmeruntil reducedbyat leasthalf
- Add a couple of ladles oftheliquid from the chickenbrothandsimmer until reduced
- Addcrèmefraiche ordouble creamand stirin
- Reduce thesauceuntil it is aconsistencythatcovers the back ofaspoon
- Add knob of butter togive avelvetyfinish
- Remove the chickenfrom the brothandremove Ifit is a whole chicken, divideitinto portions
- Remove the vegetables from the brothandplace ina separate servingdishwith a smallamount ofthe broth
- Place the chicken portions in aservingdish and pourthe cream sauceover them
- Place afew sprigs ofparsleyon top and servewithRizPilaff (asbelow)
Riz Pilaff
Ingredients
- 1 large shallot finelychopped
- 1 cupBasmatirice
- 2 cupswater,chicken broth or stock
Method
- Gentlysweat the shallotinbutter until soft
- Stirthe rice into the panwith the shallot
- Add the wateror stock
- Cover withfoil ora tightfittinglid
- Cook in the ovenat 200 C for 20 minutes
Confit de Canard
Ingredients
- Several large ducklegs(typically6 to 8)
- Vegetable oil orduck fat
- Red onion, sliced
- Handful of freshthyme orrosemary(dependingontaste),chopped
- 1 bayleaf
- 2 clovesgarlic,chopped
Method
- Trim the ducklegsand season wellwithsalt on both sides
- Place in adish in the fridgefor 24 hours
- When ready,wash thesalt off the legs in cold runningwater and pat dry
- Sauté the ducklegs in asmall amount ofoil over ahigh heat in a non-stickpan
- Place the ducklegswiththeonion andallother ingredients in anoven proof casserole
- Cover withvegetable oilor duckfat, makingsurethe ducklegs arefullyimmersed
- Cook in 180 C for 2 to 2.5 hours
- When cooked,transfer the duckandall the fat into a well-sealed storage container (e.g.alarge plastic box)ensuringthe legsremain covered bythe fat
Ina fridge or cellar theduck confitwillkeep forup to 6 months.
Toserve, removethequantityof legsrequired from the container and placeon abakingtrayin ahot oven(200 C) for15 to 20 minutes until the skin is crisped.Servewith a green salador French beans and Gratin Dauphinois(asbelow).
Gratin Dauphinois
Ingredients
- Potatoes(KingEdwardor MarisPiper work best)thinlysliced
- Milk
- Double Cream
- Garlic clove,chopped
- Saltandpepper to taste
Method
- Butter aPyrexorovenproofdish
- Place thethinlysliced potatoes, arranged in layers, in thedish
- Put equalquantities ofmilk and double cream in asaucepan(enough to just reach thetopofthe potatoes in the dish),add thegarlic,salt and pepper andbringto theboil
- Pourthemilk mixture over the potatoes in thedish
- Place thedish on abakingtrayorin a larger roastingtin (tocapture spillage) andcook for 1.5 to 2 hoursat 180 C
Filet de Sole aux Champignons
Ingredients
- Lemon Sole fillets (allow2 per person)
- Finelychopped shallot
- Slicedmushroom
- White wine
- Crème Fraiche ordoublecream
- Butter
Method
- Season thesole fillets, roll themandwrapeach oneindividuallyin a smallamount ofclingfilm
- Steam the fillets usingasteamer overa panofboilingwater for 10 to 15 minutes, untilcooked
- Gentlysweat ateaspoonof choppedshallotsand 2slicedmushroomsper person in butter
- Add a dash of whitewine andhalfa cup offish or vegetable stock per person andsimmeruntil reducedbyhalf
- AddCrème Fraiche ordouble creamand bringto consistency(where it covers the back ofaspoon)
- Season to taste
Toserve, placethesolefillets on a bed of cookedspinachleavesand coverwithsauce
Gratin de Jambon, Poireaux et Choux fleur
Ingredients
- Béchamel Sauce (asabove)
- Ham,cut into julienne strips
- Leeks, cooked andcut into chunks
- Cauliflower,cookedandcut into florets
- Grated cheese (e.g.Cheddar/Gruyere) to sprinkleon top (optional)
Method
- Butter theinsideofan ovenproofdish
- Arrange the ham, leeks and cauliflower in thedishandseason to taste
- Pourthe Béchamel sauce over thecontents ofthedish
- Topwithgratedcheese ifdesired
- Cook in ahot over (200C) for approximately20minutes oruntil the sauce is bubblingand thetop is nicelybrowned
Tartine de Chevre Grillé aux Poivrons
Ingredients
- Slices of goat’scheese (allow2 per person)
- Mixed peppers
- Olive oil
- Half acloveofgarlic finelychopped(optional)
- Assortedsaladleaves
- Bread(agoodqualitysourdoughor Frenchcountryloafis recommended)
Method
- Core,deseedand thinlyslicethe peppers
- Gentlysweatthem in asmall amount ofoliveoil with the garlic (if desired)until soft
- Slice andtoast the bread
- Pilesomeofthe cookedpeppers on eachslice of breadand topwith agoats cheeseand adrizzleofoliveoil
- Return to the grill orplacein ahot oven(200 C)until the cheese is softened andbrowning
- Remove from thegrill/ovenand serve with aselection of saladleaves
Apple and Summer Fruit Crumble
Ingredients
- Bagoffrozensummer fruit or equivalent
- Smallglass of redwine
- Bramleyapple,peeled,coredand diced
- 140goats orchopped nuts oramix
- 200gplainflour
- 80gbrown sugar
- 160gbutter
Method
- Place the apple ina panwith a20gof butter,halfa cup of water (to prevent it stickingtothe pan) and sugar (to taste) andcookgentlyuntilthe apple is soft,thensetaside
- Place the frozen fruit in apanwith the redwineand sugar (totaste)and cook gently
- Combinethe flour and sugar
- Add the remainder ofthebutter and the oats/nutsand mixto a crumble consistency
- Butter aPyrexdish andspread asmall layer ofapple across it, placealayerof redfruit ontop, then a layer of apple
- Topwith the crumble mix
- Cook at 180 C for 30 to 35 minutes until the crumble is nicelybrowned
Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- Severalslices ofmedium slicedwhite bread
- 1 or2 cupssultanas
- Half a cupofchopped dried fruit(e.g.apricots orprunes)
- 500ml milk
- 500ml double cream
- 250gsugar
- 6 eggs
- Vanilla essence
Method
- Soak the sultanas in hot water to softenthem
- Cut the crustsoff the breadandcuteachslice into4 pieces
- Butter aPyrexdish
- Layer the breadand thefruit into thedish
- Boil themilk andcreamtogether with a dashofvanilla essence
- Beat theeggsand sugar together
- Add thehot milk andcream to the eggsandsugar
- Pourtheliquid mixture over the breadandfruit and press the breaddown with a spatulato ensure it is wellcoveredLeave to soakfor 5 to10 minutes
- Cook in the oven in a BainMarie (a dish of water)at 180 C for 40 minutes
Thiscan be served immediatelywhen cooked orcan be kept in thefridgefor4 to 5 daysandcan be reheated in a microwave (wholeorin individualportions).
Serve withCrème Anglaise (asbelow).
Crème Anglaise
Ingredients
- 500ml milk
- 250gcaster sugar
- 8 eggyolks
- Vanilla essence
Method
- Put themilk andvanillaessence ina panand bringto theboil
- Beat theeggyolksand sugar together
- Addhalf ofthemilk to the eggsand sugar
- Mixwelltogether
- Put the mixture back in panwith the rest ofthemilk andcook slowly(itmust not boil)
- When it is atconsistencyto cover theback ofaspoon, put it in a containerandcool itdown in a bowl orsink of coldwater
Toserve, pourthe CrèmeAnglaiseoveryour desert.
The Crème can bekept in a fridge forup to 4 days. Do not reheat.Ifit curdleswhen it isbeingcooked, placethemixture in a blenderandblastatfullspeed!
Tarte Tatin
Ingredients
- Butter
- Caster sugar
- Several largeBraeburnorCoxapples
- 500gpack ofpuffpastry
Method
- Cover the base ofadeepovenproof panwith athin layer of softbutter(make sure thepanwillfit inyouroven!)
- Add athin layer ofcastersugar
- Peel the apples,cuteachapple into 4 piecesandremovethe core
- Arrange the apples pieces in circles to fill the pan
- Place the pan ona high heat tocaramelisethebutter and sugar
- Whilethis is happening,roll out thepastryand prick it allover with a fork
- When the apples are ready,remove from theheatandplace thepastryon top, makingsureto tuck the edges in andensure allgaps are filled
- Place in anovenat 200 C for 15 to 20 minutes until thepastryis cooked. Removethe panfrom the oven
- Get alarge flat trayorplate (larger than thepan).Place it, face downwards, over the topofthe Carefullyturnthe whole lot over and turn out the Tarte Tatin onto the tray.Takegreatcareas the contentswill beveryhot and the caramelwill beliquid
- Slice andservewith Crème Fraiche or Caramelice-cream
Granité au Champagne
Ingredients
- 500gcaster sugar
- 500ml water
- Zest of1orange
- Zestandjuice of1 lemon
- 1 bottleof Champagne orsparklingwine (French!)
Method
- Place the sugarandwaterin a panand bringto theboil
- Remove from theheat and place 650ml oftheliquid in a large container which can becoveredandsealed
- Add the Champagne to the containeralongwith the fruit zest andjuice, mixandplace inthe freezer
- After 24 hourswhisk themixture andreturn it to the freezer where it willkeepfor 3 to 4months
- Toserve,scrapea smallamount into a smallglass, dish or plate
Crème Anglaise
Ingredients
- 500ml milk
- 250gcaster sugar
- 8 eggyolks
- Vanilla essence
Method
- Put themilk andvanillaessence ina panand bringto theboil
- Beat theeggyolksand sugar together
- Addhalf ofthemilk to the eggsand sugar
- Mixwelltogether
- Put the mixture back in panwith the rest ofthemilk andcook slowly(itmust not boil)
- When it is atconsistencyto cover theback ofaspoon, put it in a containerandcool itdown in a bowl orsink of coldwater
Toserve, pourthe CrèmeAnglaiseoveryour desert.
The Crème can bekept in a fridge forup to 4 days. Do not reheat.Ifit curdleswhen it isbeingcooked, placethemixture in a blenderandblastatfullspeed!