A Day in the Country with Alix

Alix de Lauzanne is a young woman I have known for 13 years since I attended her Uncle Charles-Henry de Valbray’s wedding in Morocco.  She is now married, the mother of four delightful young children, and lives happyily one hour outside Paris in the tiny village of Jonquieres, near Compiegne.  Alix started a business several years ago, Private Kitchen, giving cooking classes to friends and neighbors in her large, well-appointed country kitchen.

Alix de Lauzanne in her kitchen

I have been wanting to attend one of her classes for several years and yesterday, my new culinary buddy and good friend, Toni and I took off in the early morning sunshine for Jonquieres.  We arrived a little after 10am and enjoyed tea in the kitchen while we waited for the rest of the group to arrive.  We were five plus Alix, and as we donned our aprons, Alix explained how she likes to teach.  Because she and her clients all live far from a big or even middle size city where shopping is easy, she likes to show people how to create delicious meals using only ingredients which can be bought in a supermarket (Carrefour is where she goes).  Our class and lunch for the day was to be Mille-feuilles de canard au gorgonzola et au chutney, Osso Bucco and Tarte tout chocolat facon “Laduree”.

We began with the Osso Bucco because it needed to cook for one hour.  All of us worked at preparing the carrots and the garlic.  Alix had quite a few short cuts and tricks to share.  She said she always uses frozen (Picard) chopped onions, as onions freeze well and this reduces kitchen tears!  BUT, she never uses frozen garlic or shallots as they don’t freeze well and the bitter germ in the garlic is never removed.  She further added that browning the veal first does not add that much to the flavor, so she did not do it and the dish was put together in 15 minutes, and the result was indeed delicious.

Osso Bucco served with tagliatelle

Then we attacked the chocolate tart, which is Alix’s lighter version of Laduree’s celebrated tarte tout chocolat, with considerably less butter and chocolate.  The quality of the chocolate is important here – it must be 65-75% cocoa, and the butter must be sweet butter, but Alix throws in a pinch of fleur de sel for a little salty bite.  We made the pate sablee (short pastry) and then the chocolate ganache, put the two together and refrigerated the tarts for two hours.  When we were ready for dessert, we decorated our tarts and they looked as good as they tasted.

The last dish we made was our first course, the mille-feuille with duck breast, gorgonzola and chutney.  We made the chutney first, then cut filo dough into rectangles and buttered and cooked them for our pastry layers, and finally we assembled the dish and then enjoyed it immediately.  It was lovely to look at, and the combination of the pear chutney, gorgonzola and smoked duck breast was heavenly.

Mille-feuille with duck breast and gorgonzola
served on a bed of chutney

We enjoyed lunch and conversation around Alix’s dining room table with the sun streaming in and a good time was had by all.  I recommend a trip to Private Kitchen (www.privatekitchen.com) for all of you who live in Paris.  Alix will pick you up at the train station if you don’t have a car and she speaks excellent English, so if you put together your own group, she can teach the class in English.

P.S. There is a great brocante (bric-a-brac shop) where we went after lunch, which should be a part of your day if you go!

Alix’s Adaptation of Laduree’s Famous Chocolate Tart (serves 8-10 people)

Pate Sablee au Chocolat

200g (3/4 cup) flour (T45)

120g (8 tbsp) sweet butter (cold)

75g (1/4 cup) powdered sugar

25g (2 tbsp) ground almonds

12g (1 tbsp) cocoa

Pinch of fleur de sel

Chocolate Ganache

300g (1-1/2 cup) chocolate, 65-75% cocoa (Alix likes Nestle Corse Noir)

300g (1-1/2 cup) heavy cream

50g (3-1/2 tbsp) butter, room temperature

Instructions

Pate Sablee:

1. Mix all the ingredients by hand or in a mixer.  Note, this is a very dry mix.
2. Fill individual moulds or a large tart mould with a thin layer of the dry mix.  Press down firmly and evenly.
3. Cook in a 180C (350F) oven for 25 minutes – cool.

Ganache:

1. Cut the chocolate into small pieces.
2. Warm the cream until just boiling and pour over chocolate pieces and whisk gently, being careful not to touch the bottom of the bowl (otherwise the chocolate will congeal into a large mass, and it is very difficult to break up at that point).
3. Whisk in the pieces of cold butter until smooth.
4. Pour the chocolate into the moulds and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Decorate with chocolate shavings and cocoa.

Restaurant Le Dauphin - 75011, Paris

We were very eager for our lunch today at Le Dauphin after meeting chef Franck and his team at Le Verre Vole. And, their food more than lived up to our very high expectations!

The menu at lunch is simple, an entrée/plat or plat/dessert for 23 euros or an entrée/plat/dessert for 27 euros. There are only two choices in each category and we sampled both first and main courses and loved every bite.

My foie de volaille avec salsifis (chicken livers with salsify; photo below) was rich, warm and tremendously satisfying.  The chicken livers were perfectly cooked and the salsify was served both sautéed and as chips, adding flavor and a nice crunchy texture.  Thinly sliced mushrooms were also served two ways, raw and marinated in a vinaigrette.  All of this was sprinkled with fresh tarragon and chervil, and the result was divine. 




The macquereau and betterave (mackerel and beet; photo below) first course was also a delightful mixture of flavors and textures.  Very succulent fish with crispy skin and red and yellow beets, which were served two ways, roasted and pickled, was a real treat. A small amount of a soy foam added just the right amount of salt.  Yummy!

When our main courses arrived we were blown away by the beauty of the food.  Both the bar (sea bass; photo below) and the veau (veal) were served with the most colorful and flavorful carrots I have ever tasted, again prepared two ways, cooked and marinated.  Another burst of flavor and color was the pumpkin puree, which was a nice complement to the carrots.  This kitchen truly has a way with vegetables, which take center stage here and are not offered as decoration only, although they are beautiful.

We enjoyed a fruity Cotes du Rhone, La Sagesse 2009, Domaine Gramernon with just a hint of spice which went perfectly with our meal.  I’ll be back again soon, as Le Dauphin is truly another little gem. 

Recipe for Tarte Fine aux Sardines

My husband, Kent, adores sardines, and when I saw them at my fishmonger’s yesterday, I bought them and Kent created Louis Le Roy’s sardine tart which he learned to make a few years ago on one of my culinary trips to Brittany.  It brought back many delicious memories.

Tarte Fine aux Sardines

Recipe from Louis Le Roy (Le Goeland)

Serves 6-8

4 sheets Brick, available in any Middle Eastern market (or Filo)

1/2 lb zucchinis, sliced very thinly

6 fresh sardines, filleted (or mackerel)

Seal salt, or a Fleur de Sel, or Brittany seal salt if you can find it

Fresh minced thyme

Juice from 1/2 lime

6 leaves fresh basil, or purchased pesto sauce

Olive oil

4 medium, firm tomatoes, sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 spring onion, finely sliced

Grated Parmesan cheese

Small Nicoise olives

Warm the oven to 400F.  Brush the sheets of Brick on each side with olive oil.

Cook the zucchini slices, for about 5 minutes in olive oil with a little salt and pepper.  Do not overcook as they should remain crunchy.

Drain well on absorbent paper.

Sprinkle the sardine fillets with sea salt, thyme and lime juice.  Set aside to marinated for 20 minutes.

Puree the basil leaves along with the 2 tbsp of olive oil in a small food processor (or replace with good quality store-bought pesto sauce works well).

Line a round ovenproof tarte pan with 4 sheets of Brick coated with olive oil.

Cover with a bed of zucchini and top with a layer of tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the sardines, skin side up in a circle over the tomatoes.  Sprinkle with salt and fresh thyme.

Opional – sprinkle the onion and cheese over the top and finish with a few olives.

Bake at 400F for 15 minutes. 

Sprinkle generously with basil puree, or pesto sauce, just before serving.

Winter Delights from Perigord – Salade Perigourdine

It is quite cold today in Paris with only a few hints of spring to come, so my cooking continues to focus on delectable winter foods. 

Chef Pierre Corre (R) cooking Duck Confit

Remembering my truffle and foie gras trip to Perigord with chef Pierre Corre (click here for a complete description of the trip), I put together a Salade Perigourdine for lunch today with slices of smoked duck breast which Pierre had given me. 

Smoked duck breast, foie gras and walnuts - a perfect blend of flavors

Sadly, I had already eaten the black truffle I brought back, found by Rosalie the pig, and the confit de canard we made in one of our cooking classes. 

Rosalie the truffle pig

This is a simple recipe to put together if you live in France, where it is easy to find walnut oil and slices of smoked duck breast. In the States both of these items can be found at Whole Foods. A fresh black truffle is another story but the salad is really quite wonderful without the truffles. Enjoy!

Salade Perigourdine (serves 4 people)

Recipe from Chef Pierre Corre, Auberge de la Truffe

4 cups mesclun salad (or your choice of mixed salad greens)

2 tbsp best quality red wine (or balsamic) vinegar

1/2 cup fresh walnut oil

Salt

Thin slices of smoked duck breast, cut into strips

1/2 cup fresh walnut halves

Bite size morsels of foie gras, seared on both sides (can substitute cubes of foie gras from a prepared terrine)

Slivers of truffles on top (optional!)

Place the salad greens in a large salad bowl.

In a saucepan, warm the vinegar, oil and salt.  Bring to a simmer.  Whisk and toss gently with greens.

Divide the greens among 4 plates.  Arrange the duck slices on top, like the spokes of a wheel.  Sprinkle with walnuts, foie gras, truffles and serve.

Fricassee of Pork Cheeks Recipe

Pork Fricassee with Mushrooms and Carrots (serves 8)

Adaptation of original recipe from Gourmet Magazine, November 1992

Note: This fricassee may be made up to 2 days in advance (in fact, it tastes better if made ahead), and kept covered and chilled until ready to heat and serve.

3 tbsp vegetable oil

3-1/2 lbs pork cheeks (or if unavailable, use boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2” pieces)

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs of celery, chopped

1 bay leaf

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups dry white wine

8 large carrots, cut diagonally into 1” thick pieces

1 lb mushrooms, sliced thin

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and brown the pork, patted dry, in batches, transferring it as it is browned to a large bowl. 

Pour off the excess fat and return the pork to the pot with the onion, celery, bay leaf, broth, wine, and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 2 hours, or until the pork is tender. 

Add the carrots, simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are tender, and transfer the pork and the carrots with tongs to a bowl. 

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, return the cooking liquid to the pot, and boil it until it is reduced to about 3 cups.

In a large heavy skillet cook the mushrooms in the butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid the mushrooms gives off is evaporated, sprinkle the mixture with the flour, and cook it over moderately low heat, scraping up the brown bits, for 3 minutes. 

Stir in the cream, stirring until the mixture is combined well, add the mushroom mixture to the cooking liquid, and simmer the sauce, stirring until it is thickened. 

Stir in the lemon juice, pork, carrots, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with rice.

Fricassee of Pork Cheeks

Restaurant Le Verre Vole - 75010, Paris

You know that you are eating at a very good place when you see chefs on their day off eating beside you!

Le Dauphin staff enjoying their day off

Such was the case last Sunday, when we had lunch at Le Verre Vole, a fabulous little wine shop and bistrot near the Canal Saint Martin. Franck (chef), Sebastian (sommelier) and Aaron from the new restaurant Le Dauphin were at the next table tasting several different bottles of wine, which they shared with us! And, they tried nearly every first course on the menu critiquing positively as they tasted each delectable morsel.

The walls in the shop are shelves filled with an amazing selection of vins natures, which you can select to accompany your meal for a corkage charge of 7 euros. We learned that for these wines, the process is natural from start to finish with no preservatives or additives ever. Whereas organic wines are grown without pesticides but are not controlled at all during the vinification process. We selected a red Minervois 2008, Les Bois des Merveilles, Domaine Jean Baptiste Senat, and at 18 euros plus the corkage, it was perfect. It had a very deep, dense red color and was rich and velvety with hints of wood and spice.

A fantastic selection of wines line the walls

For the first course, two of us enjoyed the first green asparagus of the season in France from the Vauclause in Provence.

Premieres Asperges Vertes

They were lightly cooked, still a bit crunchy and bursting with flavor. An herb vinaigrette and an egg yolk on top added to our pleasure. My husband Kent dared to have a Cheval Tartare aux Champignons (which for those of you who don’t know, is horse!) 

Cheval Tartare

The sizable, tender chunks of meat were mixed with cornichons and herbs and topped with thinly sliced raw mushrooms, all of which worked perfectly together and it was surprisingly delicious. Our fourth dish was Saint Jacques Poelees aux Agrumes.

Saint Jacques

The scallops were sautéed with citrus and served with caramelized endives. This dish was fresh, light and the acidity of the blood oranges was a superb complement.

We moved on to two different main courses. Two of us had the Lotte de l’Ile de Yeu (monkfish) served with sauteed cabbage and citrus butter.

Lotte de l'Ile de Yeu

The lotte was cooked through but still moist and the caramelized cabbage and julienned orange and lemon peel made the dish a standout! The second main course was a Saucisse au Couteau d’Auvergne.

Saucisse

This beautiful sausage from the center of France was tender and brimming with flavor. It was served with mashed potatoes and a nicely dressed green salad.

After all this most delicious food, we were quite full but we shared two desserts.  A Crème Brulee au Zestes de Kumquat.

Creme Brulee

It was creamy with just a hint of kumquat and melted in our mouths.  In one word, yum!  The Gateau Breton St Pierre was a buttery slice of pastry on a bed of apples, topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with orange zest and specks of vanilla beans. 

Gateau Breton

All of this marvelous food is created in a tiny open kitchen by a team of 3 chefs who rotate, since the restaurant is open 7 days a week for both lunch and dinner. 

The Sunday team with chef Ryotaro

We were completely satisfied and enjoyed the company of our chef neighbors enormously.  A must address!

Le Verre Vole, 67 rue de Lancry, 75010 Paris.  Tel 01 48 03 17 34.

A Delicious Cauliflower Soup Recipe

My good friend, Toni Fyvie, who originally hails from New Zealand but lives in Paris full-time, is helping me with my blog.  We share a passion for great food and wine, both in restaurants and at home.  Since I know that most of you like to cook (as well as eat out), I have decided that every time I post on my blog, I will share a recipe with you.  Last night I made a truly wonderful cauliflower soup from Betty Rosbottom’s new soup cookbook, Sunday Soup.  I am giving Toni a taste of it today, and the recipe follows.  

Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Prosciutto and Parmesan (Serves 6)

4 tbsp unsalted butter

3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (4-5 medium leeks)

12 cups cauliflower florets (from 2 large heads; about 2 lbs each)

8 cups chicken stock

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 cup crème fraiche

Kosher salt

4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy deep-sided pot (with a lid) set over medium-high heat.  Add the leeks and sauté, stirring, until softened for 4-5 minutes.  Add the cauliflower florets, chicken stock, and cayenne pepper.  Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cover pot.  Cook until vegetables are very tender, for about 20 minutes.
2. Puree the soup, whisk in 1/2 cup of the cheese and the crème fraiche.  Taste soup and season with salt, as needed. (The soup can be made 2 days ahead; cool, cover and refrigerate.  Reheat over medium heat.)
3. Cut the prosciutto into julienne strips 3-4 inches long and 1/4 inch wide.  Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat.  When hot, add the prosciutto and sauté, stirring constantly, until crisp and brownded, for 4-5 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, transfer prosciutto to paper towels to drain.
4. Sprinkle each serving with some prosciutto, parsley, the remaining Parmesan and a touch of piment d’espelette.

Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Prosciutto and Parmesan

Enjoy!