This blog is usually written by my girlfriend. She loves French  food, she loves cooking and I love her, so as a birthday present I hijacked her blog to show you how to make a dish I made up just for her. You have to know I’m not a cook; I can’t take pictures or write and I have absolutely no training in the culinary arts, so what you’re about to see is certainly not going to be as good as what you usually read here. This is my birthday present and I hope it will make my foody girlfriend half as happy as she makes me every single day of my life.

I wanted to make a dish especially for her,  something that said something about her, what she likes and who she is. I wanted to create a dish that would feature one or her absolutely favorite ingredients of all time; that´s why I chose asparagus. Like all things French, asparagus have a basic contradiction about them: they´re subtle but at the same time very intense, , their flavor is delicate but powerful ,they’re simple (after all they are little more than a green stick) yet they hint at a sort of deep complexity hidden behind their apparently faint taste. Asparagus are contradictory, complicated and delicious in their simplicity; they can be one thing and simultaneously the complete opposite. The same can de said about both French people and French food. French cuisine is light, delicate and incredibly sophisticated, but you’ll struggle to find something with more onions, garlic or butter. And much in the same way French people can be contradictory: they can very rude (trust me VERY rude), even while they lecture you about manners and etiquette.

Since subtlety and contradiction is what we´re looking for here, white fish (I realize conger is an eel) -with its soft yet potent and suggestive taste- and Beurre Blanc –which is a traditional French sauce that is somehow delicate and light despite the fact that it’s basically melted butter- seemed to be the perfect accompaniments for the simple and complicated asparagus.

As I said, I’m not a cook so there was a lot of improvisation, guess-work and trial and error involved in the making of this recipe. There was also a lot of love at work here though, and since love is the only reason I am doing this, I can only hope love will correct the mistakes of well intentioned ignorance. So my birthday present will be a conger fillet with a French twist on a traditional French sauce. This seems to be the right choice to honor the woman I love, who happens to be of French origin, and who happens to love French food and subtle fish dishes.

You’ll need:

-A small  bundle of asparagus, with the ends cut off

-Two clean, thick conger fillets

-3 finely chopped shallots (shallots are impossible to find here, so I used these kind of little reddish onions called Ocañeras)

-1clove of garlic, finely chopped

- 1/8 cup white wine vinegar
-1/4cup white wine
-250 grams of cold unsalted butter, chopped into eight pieces

- 1/2 cup of cream

-A little bit of Nutmeg

- Salt and pepper

1. Start by cutting the heads off the asparagus and placing all of them in boiling water. Let them boil for about 3 minutes, remove the heads and place them in ice water. This will make the color bright and vibrant. Set these aside and let the rest the asparagus cook for about two more minutes. Remove the stocks when they’re cooked.
2. Blend the asparagus stocks with the cream, the chopped garlic and the nutmeg. Set aside
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine the shallots with the wine and the vinegar. Let is simmer until almost all of the liquid is gone. The shallots should be transparent, not brown. Salt to taste.
4. Remove the pan from the fire and add the first piece of butter. Whisk constantly and when each piece is almost melted, add the next. If it doesn’t melt, return the saucepan over very low heat until the butter starts to melt slowly. If it starts to separate or if the sauce looks oily, remove the pan from the fire. Keep adding the butter piece by piece, whisking constantly.
5. When all of the butter is melted, gently fold in the blended asparagus and keep over very low heat.
6. In a gently oiled saucepan sear the conger fillets on both sides. Salt to taste.  Before they’re completely done, transfer them to the saucepan with the asparagus beurre blanc and finish them in there over medium heat.
7. In another saucepan, with a little olive oil, sauté the asparagus heads with a little salt and pepper.
8. Serve the fillet with the sauce and garnish with the sautéed asparagus heads.
9. Enjoy with the person you love!

Filleting a fish is not easy  kids. There are sharp knives and bones and fins and a few scales involved.

Sigh, I’m gonna miss spending my Saturdays in the PS kitchen. Here fishy fishy fishy…

We started the class with no time to spare – olive oil is warmed in a pot with coriander seeds and crushed garlic. This will be the dressing for our prawn salad.

Seed and chop tomatoes, slice up some basil and chives and a little bit of onions. Add your salt, pepper, and strained olive oil and set the whole shebang aside.

Have you ever had fish mousse? It sounds kinda gross but came out delicious. We used salmon and threw in some of the sea bass we had filleted earlier. We threw in some ginger and – what I think made it yum – some lime zest. This all went into the blender and then wrapped up in the rest of the sea bass, roulade style.

We wrapped those up sausage like and put them into boiling water to cook. Once again my fears of plastic warp fumes were pushed to the wayside.

Mise en place for teriyaki sauce made from scratch. Apparently, you can do that. From the top row: soy sauce, garlic, carrots, ginger, sugar, onions, mirin, sake.

Bring it to a boil that has the sauce wafting around you like a warm blanket.

Everything but the sake goes into the pot to bring to a simmer. When the sake goes in, you set it ablaze with the stove flame. It seems that this step isn’t *super* important since our sake wouldn’t even light. Chef drizzled in a little bit of dark soy sauce and then added some flour slurry to thicken it up. Strain it and then ta da – teriyaki sauce.

Next to the teriyaki is the beurre blanc which is knock-your-socks-off-slap-your-mama-put-it-on-everything GOOD. Wow. To think all we did was reduce down some white wine, add butter (in chunks – I was whisking and one of the butter pats flew into the air and fell on the floor heh), salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Love you beurre blanc.

These are NOT ninja weapons. These.

Are for these. We learned how to shuck oysters. Then we slurped ‘em down.

The teriyaki was brushed onto cod pieces that were baked in the oven. They came out cooked perfectly with a nice glaze.

Some of the sea bass was sliced, battered, and fried up. Chef used San Miguel because he’s down with the Pinoys. One of the poor guys in class was relegated to deep fryer duty.

Avocados and tomatoes on the bottom, prawns on top, and the tomato-olive oil dressing drizzled all over. There was something slightly bitter in the mix but overall the result was fresh and tasty.

The sausage lookin’ things are unwrapped and then sliced. Yah they look a little weird but…

… slap on the beurre blanc and who cares what it looks like.

Daaaaaang. So good.

Elegant beurre blanc (French for “white butter”) involves “mounting with butter” which is the process of whisking in butter at the end of a sauce to add shine and flavor. Sounds a little like the scene in Last Tango in Paris? Paul (to Jeanne): “Get the butter…”

Debate exists about the origins of beurre blanc, one theory being that the Anjou region is the birthplace of this sauce having first been served at the restaurant La Poissonnière in Anger. The more favored version is that early in the 20th century, a chef named Clémence Lefeuvre first offered this shimmering sauce at her restaurant La Buvette de la Marine on the banks of the Loire near Nantes.

Beurre blanc does not reheat at all as it will break and separate. Do not allow the finished sauce to boil or even simmer and conversely do not allow the sauce to become so cold as to solidify. The whisking of the butter should take place shortly before plating or you can even keep the sauce in a thermos for a bit.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH WILTED LEEKS AND TARRAGON

4 leeks (white and pale green parts only), rinsed and cleaned well, sliced thin lengthwise
2 T unsalted butter
3/4 C chicken stock

Beurre Blanc
2 C dry white wine
1 C white wine or champagne vinegar
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground white or black pepper
3 shallots, peeled and finely minced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
12 T (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

8 fresh sea scallops (divers)
Sea salt and freshly ground white or black pepper
2 T unsalted butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T capers, drained, rinsed and patted dry
2 T fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
Fresh tarragon leaves to garnish

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and stock, salt and pepper and then simmer until leeks are very tender, almost wilted. Strain through sieve, transfer leeks to platter and tent with foil.

Boil wine, wine vinegar, salt pepper, shallots, thyme and bay leaves in small saucepan over medium heat until liquid is reduced to 4 tablespoons, about 15 minutes. Remove thyme and bay leaves and discard. Immediately whisk in half the butter, piece by piece, until it forms a creamy paste. Set saucepan over low heat and continue vigorously whisking in a piece of butter at a time just as the previous piece is almost fully incorporated. The sauce should have the consistency of a light hollandaise. Stir in capers and chopped tarragon. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, season scallops with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add scallops and sauté until cooked, about 2 minutes per side.

Arrange leeks as nests in shallow soup bowls, drizzle with a little sauce and then top with scallops. Spoon sauce over scallops and garnish with fresh tarragon leaves.

Here is a list of things that people at work thought was in mayo:
- sour cream (WRONG!)
- whipped cream (WRONG!)
- butter (good guess, but WRONG!)
- milk (WRONG!)
- yogurt (WRONG, WRONG, YOU’RE ALL WRONG!!)

And of course the ever-popular response, “What do you mean, ‘What’s in mayo?’ MAYO is in mayo!  It comes in a jar!  I don’t [expletive!] care what’s in it! [String of Expletives]!!!”.  Remember I work on a trade floor.

So, I did make mayo from scratch this week, and yes – it was as offensive as I remembered it.  I don’t know why, I’ve just always been disgusted by that gloopy white substance from the jar that smelled like old oily vinegar (which is what it is, surprise!).  In college, I began to eat things like ranch dressing and chicken salad in an effort to ween myself onto the stuff and learn to stifle that gag reflex.  I’d made progress over recent years, but this week set me back to dry heave mode.  I tasted, seasoned, and re-tasted PLAIN MAYO EWWW GROSS!!!:

Continuing on…

In case you were wondering, here’s how you actually make the stuff:

Mayonnaise (2 cups):
- 2 egg yolks
- 1.5 cups vegetable oil
- 1/2 oz. cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- juice of 1/4 lemon
- 1/2 oz. water (if needed)
- salt and white pepper to taste (BLAHHH!)
1. Whisk together egg yolks, mustard, & lemon juice
2. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk very quickly.  The mixture will start to emulsify and turn white (egg yolks and mustard both act as emulsifiers).
3. Adjust the flavor and thickness with vinegar and water.  Season with salt, white pepper, and lemon juice.

But moving on, this week was all about Sauces.  And in French cuisine, that boils down to (snicker snicker) the five Mother Sauces, so named because all other classic smaller sauces are made by starting with one of these:

Béchamel (~20 oz) – Milk-based sauce, used as a base for cheese sauces, cream sauces, Mornay sauce, etc:
- 1 qt cold milk
- 2 oz oil or butter
- 2 oz flour
- 1 oz diced onion
- salt and white pepper to taste
1. Heat the oil in  stainless steel pot.  Sweat the onions until translucent (do not let them brown).
2. Whisk in the flour to make a white roux.  Cook the roux for a few minutes while whisking it.
3. Add half the milk and stir vigorously until roux is fully incorporated and sauce begins to thicken.
4. Add rest of milk and continue to stir vigorously.  Simmer 30 min, then season with salt and white pepper and strain.

Velouté (~20 oz) – based on any light stock (chicken, beef/veal, or fish), used as a base for mushroom and other light sauces and soups:
- 1 qt chicken stock
- 4 oz blonde roux (2 oz. butter, 2 oz. flour)
- small sachet d’epices (1 bay leaf, 1-2 thyme sprigs, a few parsley stems, pinch of peppercorns)
- salt and white pepper to taste
1. Bring the stock to a boil. Meanwhile, make the roux by combining butter and flour and whisking together over med-low heat until it turns from white to blonde.  It will smell like popcorn when it reaches the blonde state:

2. Let the roux cool off, then whisk it into the hot stock and add the sachet.
3. Simmer 30-40 min, skimming as needed.
4. Season to taste and strain through cheesecloth.

Espagnole aka “Brown sauce” (~20 oz) – based on brown stock, used plain or as a base for Port/Madeira wine sauce, demi-glace, Bordelaise, etc:
- 1 oz oil
- 3 oz. mirepoix
- 1 oz. tomato paste
- 1 oz flour
- 1.5 qts brown beef/veal stock
1. In a saucepot, heat the oil, add mirepoix and caramelize it (cook until browned and soft).  Add tomato paste and sauté 3-5 minutes more.
2. Add flour and whisk to combine until absorbed by the oil.
3. Add brown stock and bring to simmer.  Cook until reduced by half.  Strain.

Tomato Sauce (1 qt) – Used plain, or as a base for Creole sauce, Spanish sauce, etc:
- 1 Tbs salt pork, small dice
- 4 oz. mirepoix
- 16 oz. fresh or canned tomato
- 10 oz. tomato puree
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 sachet d’epices
- 3/4 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
1. Render (sauté until fat is released) salt pork over med. heat.  Add mirepoix and sauté but do not brown.
2. Add all remaining ingredients & simmer 2 hours or until thick.
3. Remove sachet and pass sauce through a food mill to puree:

Hollandaise (1 cup) – butter-based, used plain or as a base for Bérnaise and similar sauces :
- 3 egg yolks
- 8 oz. warm clarified butter
- lemon juice, salt, and white pepper to taste
1. Prepare clarified butter: Heat butter over very low heat and wait for the solids to separate and sink to the bottom.  Ladle out the clarified butter on top and dispose of the solids.
2. In a stainless steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks until frothy.  Put bowl over a double boiler (“bain marie”) and whisk until yolks reach “soft ribbon” stage and have a thick, creamy consistency.
3. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the clarified butter.  Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

The signs of a good sauce are color, shine, smooth texture, taste, and thickness.  The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but not gloopy (the term we use for this is nappé, which should always be said with your pinky up).  How did I do?

9/9/09 Update:  I have had several people tell me that the “mayo-tasting pic” is the ugliest picture of me they have ever seen.  Thanks for the feedback guys, you’re the best!

Un grand cuisinier, Gérard Clor, plusieurs fois étoilé, avait sur sa carte au restaurant L’Escale à Carry le Rouet avant de se consacrer à d’autres activités, un plat mythique qui n’a jamais quitté sa carte et qui portait cette appellation. Je fus fasciné par la présentation et la délicatesse de ce plat. Le dos du loup était surmonté d’une fine couche de je ne savais quoi gratinée, du velours qui fondait dans la bouche avec la chair du loup qui était, vous vous en doutez, cuit à la perfection, entouré d’un beurre blanc acidulé et accompagné simplement d’une pomme de terre vapeur coupée en deux.
J’ai réussi dernièrement à réaliser ce plat,malheureusement j’ai oublié de prendre des photos. Je ne sais pas si la technique que j’ai utilisée est celle utilisée par Gérard Clor, mais je vous la livre telle quelle.
Cette recette demande une préparation et une attention toutes particulières. Mais le résultat est fantastique et mérite l’effort de préparation.

• 2 loups( bars) de 800g chacun
• 10 cl de fumet de poissons réalisé avec les têtes et arêtes des loups comme dans la Bourride + 2 càs
• 2 échalotes émincées très finement
• 10 cl de vin blanc sec + 2 càs
• 1 càc de vinaigre blanc
• 150g de beurre frais
• 4 jaunes d’oeufs
• 10 cl de crème liquide entière
• sel, poivre

Lever les filets de loup et les désarêter. Réserver.
Avec les têtes et arêtes des loups, préparer le fumet de poissons. Une fois chinoisé et réduit d’un quart vous devez obtenir 1/2 litre de fumet environ.
Préparer le Beurre Blanc : Dans une casserole réunir les échalottes , 10cl de vin blanc et 10 cl du fumet de poissons ,la càc de vinaigre, poivrer et mettre sur feu moyen. Amener à ébullition, réduire le feu, couvrir et maintenir un frémissement. Le liquide doit réduire des 2/3, et l’échalote doit être cuite donc il ne faut surtout pas pousser l’ébullition.
Couper le beurre en petits dés et le mettre au congélateur le temps de la réduction. Une fois la réduction terminée ajouter le beurre et ne cesser pas de fouetter. Le beurre doit entrer en ébullition et en fouettant vous devez obtenir une émulsion lisse. Enlever du feu, goûter et rectifier l’assaisonnement,chinoiser sans fouler. Garder cette sauce dans un bain marie au chaud.
Dans une casserole mettre les 4 jaunes d’oeufs avec 2 càs de fumet de poissons et 2 càs de vin blanc, commencer par fouetter pour casser les jaunes et porter sur un feu moyen doux, et là avec le fouet ne pas arrêter de faire des 8 en fouettant. Votre Sabayon va augmenter de volume et s’épaissir. Attention de ne pas cuire les jaunes, la température du mélange doit rester inférieure à 80°C . Cette étape est délicate, si vous n’êtes pas sûr, il est préférable de faire cela dans un bain marie cela prendra plus de temps mais le résultat sera assuré.
Quand en fouettant, et que le Sabayon a triplé de volume, vous voyez nettement le fond de la casserole, alors votre Sabayon est fini et stabilisé, goûter et saler. Laisser refroidir dans un saladier, fouetter de temps en temps pour aider à refroidir.
Monter la crème fraîche en chantilly bien ferme.
Sur une plaque chemisée de papier sulurisé allant au four, huiler les loups à l’huile d’olive, saler et poivrer  et poser les la peau au dessus et enfourner à 230°C four/Grill pendant 4 minutes. Sortir la plaque,  les loups ne sont pas encore cuits et à l’aide d’une spatule retourner les dos de loup avec la peau posée sur la plaque cette fois.
Réunir la chantilly avec le Sabayon, cela vous donnera une crème légère et qui a de la tenue. Avec une poche couvrir les loups avec cette crème sur une épaisseur de 4 mm (soit les tartiner avec une spatule). Mettre le four au maximum de Grill et enfourner la plaque pour 2 à 3 minutes au 1/3 supérieur du four. Surveiller la coloration.
Dans une grande assiette chaude, poser le dos de loup velours et entourer de beurre blanc. Ajouter une pomme de terre cuite vapeur coupée en deux. Et déguster .

17/11/2009

Depuis que j’ai rédigé cette recette, j’ai cherché à percer le secret de la farce d’origine qui était sur le loup et gratinée. Le sabayon fait l’affaire mais trop de tracas et de surveillance sous la salamandre .
La chance m’a souri quand j’ai croisé quelqu’un qui travaillait sous les ordres de monsieur Clor et qui m’a mis au parfum de la farce . C’était beaucoup plus simple que ce que j’avais imaginé.
La farce se compose de mie de pain hachée mélangée à une persillade et le tout imbibé dans un mélange de lait et de crème , sel et poivre. Cette farce doit être très souple mais non trempée.
Elle est placée sur le loup ,qui a déjà subi une partie de cuisson comme expliqué dans la recette plus haut , sur une épaisseur de 3 à 4 millimètres puis le tout passe sous la salamandre pour être gratiné et servi avec le beurre blanc et la pomme de terre.

Deep Plate’s third “Challenge” submission is a three way competition:  Potts vs. Richards vs. Lord

“Not only did we use the same plates for the challenge, we all used the same “market basket” of ingredients that one of our Sous Chefs put together.” – Keith Lord

Please remember to vote on for your favorite in the poll featured on the right through June 4th (midnight).

A special thank you to the chefs for their ongoing support.

Jessica Potts, Event Site Culinary Trainer, Festivities Catering, San Diego, CA

Crispy Skinned Black Cod, Puttanesca Sauce, Sweet Connelly Farms Basil, Capers, Balsamic Syrup

 Tuna & Cucumber Cebiche, Honduran Style with Coconut, Jalapeno, Ginger & Red Onion, over Grilled Pears & Blood Oranges

Pepper Crusted Beef Chateau, Shaved Delta Asparagus, Roasted Hon Shimije & Oyster Mushrooms, Red Onion & Truffle Oil

Blake Richards, Lead Chef, Simcha San Diego Kosher Catering, San Diego, CA

Seared Tuan Nicoise Salad, Herb Vinaigrette

 Mini Sirloin Burger with Black Truffle Shavings, Horseradish Cream, Kumquat Jalapeno Marmalade & Caramelized Onion

Brown Butter Poached Sablefish, Veggie Hash, Crispy Leeks, Beurre Blanc Foam

Keith A. Lord, Corporate Executive Chef, Food & Beverage Head Festivities Catering & Special Events, TK&A Custom Catering

Surf & Turf Maki Sushi – Ahi, Grilled Asparagus & Truffle Oil, Seared Chateau, Micro Cilantro, Bubu Arare, Ginger-Hoisin-Scallion Butter

 Roasted Alaskan Black Cod, Teppan Carrots & Summer Squashes, Roasted Hon Shimije & Oyster Mushrooms, Sweet-Chili Sunomono

Grilled Sirloin Chateau, Dashi Braised Heirloom Carrots & Icicle Radishes, Grilled Asparagus, Mirin-Shoyu Reduction, Charred Scallions

The plates used in this exercise:

http://deepplate.wordpress.com

We stopped by Local Ocean and picked up some fresh dover sole.  I seasoned them with white, red, and black peppers, ground ginger, and vanilla salt, and chopped mint.  I rolled the fillets up, secured them with toothpicks, and poached them in white wine and Bruce’s veggie stock.  I made a beurre blanc sauce with shallots, green garlic, and green onion and we served the fish with shaved, pickled fennel, and sauteed Swiss chard and spinach with lemon juice and garlic.  We enjoyed a bottle of Trimbach Pinot Gris 2004.

Sorry!!

I fell behind again and need to catchup on some meals. <that’s ok, honey. no rush > It’s so hard keeping this up daily . <tell me about it..sigh> This one’s gonna be a quickie… gotta pick up Dee from work in 5 minutes! <he wasn’t late >

Teriyaki Braised Shortribs

That one was nothing fancy…< > just taking what we had in the pantry and make a yummy meal of it.  <had to finish the leftover before it goes bad> Dee cooked this one while I was away for the day.  <i had no idea what i was doing…> She’s become quite the expert on braising stuff in the oven . <aww thank you>

The next one was a planned dish (meaning its not from stuff in the pantry) so of course it’s gonna be super yummy . <and of course, it was!>

Panko Crusted Salmon with Dill Beurre Blanc and Roasted Fingerlings

I loved how this dish turned out, minus the artichoke heart not having a clean cut trim off the top (Dee was doing the trimming of the artichokes ).  <hey!..those artichokes were hard to cut > I would have prefered to use rice flakes over panko crumbs, but we<you mean , I > had a hard time finding rice flakes at the stores. <damn asians, they need to learn english!>   I also wish I had bigger plates… I don’t like plating entrees on the medium size dinner plates we have. *sigh*. It just looks so much better on a big plate.
Someone get us plates! <please >

Heute haben wir Gäste.

Es gibt gedünsteten Bachsaibling mit Kartoffelvariationen und Beurre blanc.

Wir brauchen:

1 frischer Bachsaibling (z.B. vom Volksdorfer Wochenmarkt, Fischmann Maaß), ausgenommen ca. 700g
festkochende Kartoffeln (Linda)
glatte Petersilie
Schnittlauch
ein Bund Suppengrün
Ölivenöl
Balsamicocreme
Fischgewürz aus der Mühle (z.B. von Cannamela)
Zitronen
Schalotten
Weißwein
Weißweinessig
Butter

Wir bereiten vor:
Der Bachsaibling wird gründlich unter fließend kaltem Wasser gewaschen und trocken getupft. Mit Zitrone leicht säuern und mit dem Fischgewürz würzen. Alufolie mit etwas Olivenöl beträufeln, den Fisch darauf platzieren, glatte Petersilie und Zitronenscheiben in die Bauchhöhle legen und die Folie hochziehen wie ein Paket. Den Fisch mit etwas Olivenöl besprenkeln und bei hoher Hitze mit zuerst leicht geöffneter Folie garen. Nach 10 Minuten die Hitze reduzieren, etwas Weißwein angießen und die Alufolie schließen.

Die Kartoffeln schälen und waschen. Kleine Kugeln ausstechen und in Salzwasser garen. Die zerlöcherten Kartoffelreste mit einigen Würfeln aus der Sellerieknolle in Salzwasser weich garen. Abgießen und mit Muskat, Salz und Pfeffer, sowie etwas Sahne und Creme fraiche pürieren. Beide Kartoffelvariationen warm halten.

Das Suppengemüse in kleine Würfelchen schneiden (Brunoise genannt) und kurz blanchieren, in Eiswasser abschrecken.

Für die beurre blanc, zwei Schalotten häckseln und mit Weißwein und Weißweinessig in einer Pfanne erhitzen. Auf ca. 2 EL reduzieren. Kalte Butter (ca. 75g) stückchenweise unterheben.

Die erwärmten Teller mit Balsamicocreme verzieren. Den Bachsaibling portionsweise anrichten und die Kartoffelvariationen anlegen. Die Gemüsebrunoise über den Fisch geben und die beurre blanc darüber träufeln. Mit Schnittlauchröllchen garnieren.

Fertig !

Guten Appetit wünscht der Hamburger Fishkopp.

This was dinner tonight!

The recipe sounds like it would be difficult. What is a beurre blanc (prounouced “burr blahnk”) anyway? It is a classic French sauce meaning “white butter” and it is traditionally made with white wine, vinegar and shallots that are reduced to intensify their flavor and then chunks of butter are whisked in until the sauce is thick and smooth.

This variation included lime juice instead of vinegar, and an addition of grated ginger. It is not difficult to do, but the trick comes at the end, after reducing the wine, you add butter in chunks, whisking over very low heat to incorporate. If the sauce is too hot, it will separate and you have a mess!

The scallops were very fresh and tasty, and they are a favorite thing to prepare because they cook really quickly. Scallops need a quick sear (2-3 minutes) on each side in a hot pan and they are done to perfection. I prepared the beurre blanc and seared the scallops in just about the same time it took to cook the pasta that I served with them.

Sea Scallops with Cilantro Gremolata and Ginger Lime Beurre Blanc

Gourmet | April 2002

For gremolata:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Finely grated zest of 1 small lime (3/4 teaspoon)

For beurre blanc:

• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine + 2 Tb.
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
• Salt and pepper

For scallops:

• 24 sea scallops (1 1/2pounds), tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
• 1 tablespoon olive oil preparation

Make gremolata: Stir together cilantro, garlic, and zest in a small bowl.

Make beurre blanc: Simmer shallot and ginger in lime juice and 1/4 c wine in a small heavy saucepan until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time, adding each new piece before previous one has completely melted and occasionally lifting pan from heat to cool mixture. (Sauce must not get too hot or it will separate.) Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl (discard solids), then return to cleaned pan. Season with salt and white pepper and keep warm while cooking scallops.

Sauté scallops: Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté scallops, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total. Deglaze pan with remaining 2 Tb. wine and add to the beurre blanc.

Sprinkle scallops with gremolata and serve with sauce. (The sauce is very rich so add over top.)

For our dinner I served this over pasta, with oven roasted asparagus and some fresh pineapple. Delish!

Daurade Roti at Cafe du Soleil - Photo by Philippe Touitou

I love roasting fish whole. The preparation is simple and the results outweigh the minimal effort. You just need to have a willing audience – willing to stare their dinner in the eye, and willing to tackle the bones as they eat.

It’s relatively easy to find whole fish at most fish markets. Ask them to scale the fish for you, trim the fins and tail, and remove the gills. This dish will work well with many kinds of fish. Pictured is a Daurade (Sea Bream) imported from the Mediterranean. These fish have become more common in recent years with the rise in aquaculture. They are farm raised in Greece and shipped here quickly so they are usually very reliably fresh. Another excellent imported farm-raised fish is the Branzino which is a Mediterranean Sea Bass.

Other fish to try are Red Snapper, Black Sea Bass, Farm-Raised Striped Bass, and Domestic Sea Bream, also known as Porgies.

The preparation is the same for all. Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper, and a light drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Stuff the cavity with fresh or dried herbs (I like thyme and fresh bay leaves if you can find them) and slices of lemon and tomato. Place on an oiled baking sheet or baking dish, and roast in the oven at 400F for about 10 to 15 minutes.

The best way to tell if it’s done is an old trick I learned in restaurants over the years – you pull on the finbone closest to the head of the fish. You should just barely be able to pull it away from the flesh. This makes alot of sense since if you can’t pull it away it means the flesh is still raw at that point (try pulling a bone from a raw fish and you’ll see what I mean), and if you can pull it away too easily it means the resistance is gone and it’s overcooked.

Drizzle the fish with some more EVOO and you’re ready to serve. You don’t really need a sauce with this, but here are a couple suggestions:

When you remove the fish from the oven and transfer it to your serving dish, pour a little white or rose wine into the baking dish, place it on a burner, and scrape up any bits that may have stuck to the dish while letting the wine reduce a little. Add a knob of butter if desired and serve on the side or pour over the fish.

Alternately you could prepare a light beurre blanc (see my beurre blanc post of March 15, 2008 for a recipe) and flavor it with capers and lemon, or whatever else strikes your fancy.

Also in the photo you can see a lovely row of baked Provencale Vegetables on the platter with the Daurade. This makes an excellent accompaniment. Rather than give an exact recipe I’ll just describe how they’re made:

Saute some sliced onions and red peppers in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and chopped garlic to tatse, and spread over the bottom of a baking dish. Slice zucchini, yellow squash, tomato, and eggplant into uniform slices, then layer (alternating the colors) on top of the pepper onion mixture. Season the whole with salt and pepper, drizzle generously with EVOO, and add some chopped fresh thyme. Cover with foil, and bake at 350F for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Uncover the foil and bake another 10 minutes or so until they are slightly browned on top.

I hope you’ll try these dishes – and if you do, I hope you enjoy them. Comments and feedback are always welcome.

Bon Appetit!

As promised, tonight’s repast is Pan Seared Scallops and Walnuts in a Lemon Beurre Blanc,  served over a bed of field greens and fennel:

Came out purddy guuud!

Une journée un peu particulière. Après la théorie sur la recette du jour, évaluation de chaque élève selon une grille détaillée. Ensuite, test sur le dressage d’une table deux personnes. Rappel du service du vin en salle et démonstration du débarras dans les règles de l’art. Ce 20 janvier est le jour d’anniversaire de notre Mireille bis. Occasion rêvée pour déguster une pissaladière: tarte à l’oignon, parée d’olives noires et d’anchois, une des gloires de la cuisine niçoise. Délicieux à déguster chaud ou froid.

C’est doublement un grand jour car nous allons travailler un produit unique: le homard. Grand crustacé décapode (10 pattes), c’est un voisin redoutable pour son entourage. La femelle est plus goûteuse et se caractérise par une carapace plus grosse afin de contenir les œufs.

Un homard bien frais doit être vivant, avec toutes ses pattes. Il a généralement une pince plus forte que l’autre. Prudence si vous décidez d’enlever les élastiques, il a une sacrée poigne. La bestiole s’attrape toujours par le dos et se plonge la tête en premier. On peut insensibiliser le crustacé par un coup de grâce porté sur le haut de la tête. Contrairement à la rumeur, le crissement lors de la cuisson n’est pas un cri de souffrance ultime mais le frottement de ses pâtes contre la casserole. Faut-il encore rappeler que le homard est en voie de disparition.

Chargée jusqu’aux oreilles, c’est encore Mireille bis qui se colle à la décoration. Heureusement, le précieux coup de main de Mireille (la première) a donné un petit bijou de toute beauté.

Joining James Martin in the Saturday Kitchen are Rick Stein and Stephane Reynaud.

Rick Stein’s recipe

• Fish tacos with guacamole from Baja California – suggested wine: Castillo De Molina, Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2007, Majestic, from £5.99 

Stephane Reynaud’s recipe

• Rabbit and rosemary terrine with chutney – suggested wine: Cave De Turckheim, Gewürztraminer 2007, Waitrose, £7.99

James Martin’s recipes

• Heaven dish: Pan-roasted partridge with creamed Brussels sprouts and chestnuts – suggested wine: Olarra Clasico, Rioja Crianza 2005, Sainsbury’s, £5.99
• Hell dish: Salt and pepper chilli squid with pak choi – suggested wine: Grove Mill Riesling 2007, Wine Rack, from £6.66
• Classic cottage pie

 Archive recipes

• Oysters with beurre blanc and spinach by Rick Stein from Fruits of the Sea
• Sautéed red mullet with parsley, garlic and spaghettini by Rick Stein from Fruits of the Sea

 Unfortunately we are unable to provide any of the recipes from Celebrity MasterChef Goes Large series three or Rachel Allen: Bake.

Culinary school has picked up in intensity, meaning we’ve turned on the stoves. Its funny to watch people in general, but its especially funny to watch people react to fire. Couple the heat with the fact that their are 16 students and 12 front burners. There are 12 at the back of each range as well, but only 12 people can cook at once, shoulder to shoulder. Blanching broccoli? No problem. Making hollandaise, bernaise, and beurre blanc… not so much.

I have two additional problems plaguing me. First, the nerve that runs down the index finger of my knife hand is bruised and holding my knife gingerly results in irregular cuts and lack of control over a 10″ blade, or whisk. Holding any tighter results in the funny-bone sensation smarting through my hand. Clenched teeth is my current best option.

Second, I have inadvertently partnered with a retired NYPD sergeant whom, on her best days pops 6 Aleve by 10am and lets me call the shots. Most days, however, I end up fixing lots of absent-minded professor mistakes and feeling twice the anxiety I would if I was the only one I had to be concerned for.

On Friday, we made emulsions. Familiar emulsions are mayonnaise and vinaigrette. These require no heat, but must be whipped together to create a smooth blend of fat and acid. No heat means your chances for success are pretty high. Add heat, and if you’re lucky and talented, you get Hollandaise, Bernaise and Beurre Blanc. The beurre blanc is pretty easy, considering you make a dry reduction of shallots, white wine, white wine vinegar (your acid,) peppercorns and a bay leaf. Then whisk in 1 pound (yes, pound) of butter in small lumps. Bring to a boil and strain, resulting in a savory, buttery milk.

Hollandaise and Bernaise. Oh how I loathe thee. Perhaps “loathe” is too strong a word. Perhaps “broken” is the best description of how I feel towards thee.

Hollandaise Sauce
1 T lemon juice (or lime, or tangerine, I actually used blood orange purée) (your acid)
1 T vinegar (I used champagne) (your other acid)
3 egg yolks
2 T water, with a measuring cup of cold water at the ready, in case your sauce begins to break
1 T salt
1 cup (or more, or less) clarified butter (your fat)
extra egg yolks, just in case you break your sauce

I’m going to be as non-editorial as possible here, but you can see by the ingredients what you are up against. The thing is, recipes and proportions go out the window and are replaced by technique, which right now, I have none of.

Method:
In a small sauce pan, simmer the vinegar and the citrus together until reduced to 1 tablespoon. Set another sauce pan 1/3 full with water over a burner and bring to a simmer. In a non-reactive (glass or stainless steel) mixing bowl, whisk together the first three egg yolks, water and salt. Set the mixing bowl over the simmering water and slowly dribble in the clarified butter. The eggs cannot pass 140°F so be ready, willing and able to stop drizzling butter, pull a hot bowl of stressed out egg yolks off the simmering water and continue to stir, holding them in the air until you can touch the bottom of the bowl. Both hands are occupied, one with whisk, one with bowl, and yes, you have to touch the bottom of the bowl. You have to whisk constantly, in one spot. If you pull off the heat and the mixture comes down in temperature, you can incorporate any lingering yolk that hasn’t found its way into the clarified butter mixture. 

So, back and forth, back and forth off the heat until all the clarified butter is incorporated and you have a shiny, beautiful puddle of egg yolks at the ribbon stage (140°) meaning you can lift the whisk out of the yolks and what drizzles back into the bowl stands up briefly (or creates ribbons) before melting back into the sauce. Now your sauce is fully emulsified and off the heat, gently fold the citrus-vinegar reduction.

Ok, so that sounds easy. Not. (Sorry, I came of age Wayne’s World.) Its especially not easy when your sauce breaks, which every single one of ours did. A broken sauce looks like curdled milk and there’s absolutely nothing but nothing you can do to rescue it, so stop whisking. Pour the broken sauce into a cup/bowl/vessel of some type. Put a new egg yolk, a dash of salt and a dash of cold water into the mixing bowl and whisk over the simmering water. Drizzle your broken sauce back in, then continue with the clarified butter. If it breaks again, repeat.

Did I mention that my sauce broke after all the butter was incorporated?? Apparently It was too hot, or not hot enough, or I whisked too much or not enough… whatever, I saved it on the THIRD try and turned to my partner, expecting that she was prepping for bernaise, a reduction of tarragon, white wine and white wine vinegar. I was ready to start fresh, same process, different seasoning and when I said “You ready??” She said “I have everything we need for the hollandaise right here.”

Blurg.

Mayonaisse
You’ll never buy jarred again.

3 egg yolks
juice of 1/2 lemon (or acid of your choice)

Ideally, in a non-reactive bowl with a non-reactive whisk (glass bowl and plastic coated whisk) begin whisking together the egg yolks, lemon, mustard, and salt. If you only have stainless steel, that’s fine, just work fast so as not to discolor your mayo. Slowly drizzle in your canola oil and whisk until the mayo is  stiff and looks like, well… mayo.

After grilling fresh Coho salmon fillets over cedar planks, its hard to enjoy salmon prepared any other way.  My building’s facilities manager, Bruce, generously shared his catch from a recent trip to Alaska.  This recipe combines the rustic, smoky flavor of the cedar planks with the subtle, sweet butteryness of the beurre blanc.  Its a great combo, as I hope you will soon discover.

Total kitchen time: 1 hr
Makes: 4 1lb fillets

Shopping list:

• 4 1lb. salmon fillets (with skin is fine, without is fine also)
• 2 large (or 4 small) cedar planks for grilling
• 2 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 2 tbsp. orange-muscat vinegar (honestly, any white wine vinegar will work, this one just adds a little flavor and a lot of adjectives.  Available at Trader Joe’s.)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into teaspoons
• fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

1. Soak the cedar planks, completely submerged, in cold water for at least 1 hour.  Preheat your grill over medium-high heat before grilling.
2. For the beurre blanc, heat a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the diced shallot and about 1 tsp. of olive oil and cook until the shallot smells great, about 3 minutes.  If it looks like the shallot is starting to brown, reduce the heat.
3. Add the white wine vinegar (in this case, orange muscat vinegar) and stir to deglaze the pan.  Continue to cook until the vinegar has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and 2 teaspoons of butter.  Continually whisk the butter until it is completely melted.  If the butter starts to foam, place the bottom of the pan on a cold surface (like a stone countertop) to cool it.  Add the remaining butter, 2 teaspoons at a time, whisking continually.  If the butter refuses to melt, hold the pan over very low heat for a few seconds and then remove. 
5. Once all the butter is incorporated, taste the sauce and adjust with a fine-grain salt and freshly ground white pepper.  You can use black pepper if you want, but white pepper will make the sauce look prettier.
6. Prepare the salmon fillets by patting them dry and coating with salt, pepper and fennel seeds on the flesh side.  Rub the fillets on all sides with olive oil. 
   
7. Make sure your grill has been preheated over medium-high heat.  Arrange the cedar planks on your grill and place the fillets, skin side down (if they have skin) on the cedar planks.  Close the lid and grill for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked.  The planks will give off a lot of smoke which adds to the excellent flavor.  However, if your planks should catch fire, simply spray them with a small amount of water (I recommend San Pellegrino ) until the flames dissipate. 
8. When the salmon is cooked to your preferred doneness (let’s face it, either it’s undercooked, done, or overcooked), use a long spatula or a chef’s knife to remove them from the planks.  Top with a spoonfull of the beurre blanc and serve!

Look for more cedar plank recipes this summer.  I’m now a big fan of this cooking method and it deserves some further exploration.  Do you have any favorite wood cooking recipes?  Leave ‘em in the comments below.

Admittedly, this is probably not a recipe that you’ll bring to your next block party (depending on the block).  Nor will you see this dish arranged on a paper plate alongside baked beans and an Oscar Meyer Wiener.  Nope, this is a different kind of grill fare, made for epicurean ambassadors of outdoor cooking who aren’t afraid to cook a beurre blanc over the coals of a kettle grill.  If your next outdoor party calls for something a little more delicate than frozen burgers, give this recipe a shot.

Makes: 6 elegant endive bites
Total kitchen time: 40 minutes

Shopping list:

• 3 heads of Belgan Endive (or try Escarole)
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped lemongrass
• 3 tbsp. champagne (or sweet white wine)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cold
• 1/4 lb. smoked salmon
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• sea salt, to taste

1. Preheat your grill over low heat.  If your grill has multiple zones, set the front zone to medium high and leave the back zone off.  You can also make this recipe in the oven, but you’ll miss all the sunshine flavor.
2. Slice each head on endive lengthwise and coat all sides with olive oil.  Lightly salt both sides of the endive. 
3. Place the endive, round side down, on the cool area of your grill and close the lid.  Grill, turning once, for 15 minutes per side.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add the lemongrass and sweat it for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.  Add the champagne or wine and boil for another 1-2 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency.  Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 1-2 minutes.
5. Working 1 tsp. at a time, add the cold butter while constantly whisking.  The butter should not melt right away and at no point should it start to bubble.  Wait until each tsp. of butter is completely absorbed until you add the next one.  If the butter stops melting in to the sauce, put the pan over low heat for just a moment.  Just don’t stop whisking!  Once the butter is completely added, your sauce is done. 
6. Crumble some of the smoked salmon over the cut side of the endive and top with a small amount of the beurre blanc.  Season with a sprinkling of sea salt, to taste.

These elegant treats are sure to turn heads at your next back yard party.  They pair very well with dry white wine, or white wine sangria.  So, don your finest linen pants and get eating!

When I was 18 I spent a year in Devon, England studying music at Dartington College of the Arts. If you are ever in that part of England you should pay a visit to this beautiful part of the UK. The college was located at Dartington Hall which is now run as a conference center and bed and breakfast. You can visit the estate without staying there. The college has apparently moved out of the estate. It has a fascinating history.

Dartington Hall Homepage

Dartington College of Arts Homepage

Dartington Hall on Wikipedia

 My family had a long history at Dartington. My fathers’ mother taught piano there at the grade school, my mother was a voice student at the college, and it was there that my parents met. So it was an amazing experience for me to be there for a year before going to cooking school at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. I took lessons in oboe, voice, and classical guitar. I sang in the choir in the amazing Great Hall, and I took music theory classes and the like. All of this is a prelude to the story of my spring break trip of that year abroad. While my fellow students were partying hard I took my trusty moped and hopped the Channel ferry to France arriving in Roscoff, Brittany. I cut a diagonal swath through France (I’ve never calculated the distance but boy was my ass sore!) ending up in the Alps. From there I took a night train to Rome arriving on Good Friday. Not being a very religious person I was oblivious to the ramifications this holiday had on accommodations in Rome!! I finally managed to find a shared room in a pensione through the help of a guide at the train station who amazingly did not rip me off.  But I digress…… The point is, while I was traveling through France I was finally tasting all the exciting and fabulous flavors of French cooking firsthand. I had read about many of these dishes and tried to cook some of them at home from Julia Child’s books. But here was the REAL DEAL. Being a student I was on a very tight budget. I stayed at Youth Hostels whenever possible and I chose restaurants mostly based on their low priced menu. But when I got to Lyons (which was the first big city I had come upon – I saved Paris for later) I had trouble finding a restaurant that met my budget. So I wandered around and finally found a place that had a main course listed for 28 Francs or so. That was about $6.00 then (1980) which seemed a little low, but I actually didn’t even know what the item was. Well it turned out to be a Daurade and it was served with the most delicious sauce I had ever tasted (even better than hollandaise which was my favorite up to that point). I figured out when I got to cooking school that it had been a beurre blanc (white butter sauce). And I learned how to make it for myself!!The funny ending to the story is that the Daurade actually cost me about 128 Francs (they must have left off the 1 on the menu in front). After recovering from the sticker shock (I could have gotten several full meals elsewhere for the price of that one fish), I figured, Well it was worth every Franc!  So here is a basic recipe for Beurre Blanc.Make it. Memorize it. It seems rich but you don’t need a lot on your plate.It lends itself to many variations of flavorings. Change the wine, change the vinegar, add herbs, add purees, do what you want with it.  

Beurre Blanc – White Butter Sauce – Yield about 1 cup sauce which will serve 4-6 as an accompaniment to grilled fish.

 Reduction:

½ cup White Wine                                                       

½ cup White Wine Vinegar                                   

½ cup   Shallots, Peeled and Chopped              

½ # Butter, Unsalted,                                                               

the best you can afford                                                 

Seasonongs:

Salt and Pepper to taste           

Method:

Combine wine, vinegar, and shallots in small saucepan, bring to boil, reduce until almost dry. Cut butter into small cubes, whisk into reduction off heat a few pieces at a time. Season to taste

Heavy Cream can be used as a stabilizer if you need to hold the sauce for a time before serving. I like the purity of the sauce without it. For ½ # butter you would use about 2 Tbsp. cream, add it to the reduction, bring to a boil, then add the butter as above.

Now that I’m Parisian (ha), I’ve starting eating things like the French do. Oysters. Cheese. Foie gras. Blood sausage (ick). And this from someone who used to be RAW and VEGAN!

For New Year’s Eve dinner, Dman took over cooking duties. He is, in fact, quite the kitchen hog and rarely lets me cook anything. I’m sure I’m crazy to complain, but we have a nice kitchen and I’d like to be able to make dinner sometime, whip up a soufflé or something… someday…

Anyway, D. created the menu:

• A 4-part salad with shrimp, mozzarella and tomato, mixed lettuce and groseilles (red currants)
• Coquilles St. Jacques (scallops) with beurre blanc (white wine butter sauce) and rice
• Homemade apple and clementine crumble

I have to hand it to the Dman—he can cook! I used to hate scallops, too, coming from the time my parents forced me to choke them down during dinner when I was ten years old. I’m still a little scarred by the experience, but I’m starting to appreciate scallops as long as there aren’t too many of them and they’re not overcooked. Here I am setting the table and our fancy salad:

So how long until I’m really Parisian? Does it take seven years like they say it does to become a New Yorker? Do I have to joyfully eat copious amounts of stomach-turning food? Anybody know?