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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 6 Issue 55 - March 19, 2004 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Mussel Soup with Aïoli and Saffron Makes 6 servings If you like mussels, this is one of the most delicious soups to prepare for family and friends. Some years ago, my friend Mark Williamson, had a beautiful restaurant, "La Moulin de la Village," in a pedestrian alleyway near the Place de la Madeleine in Paris. His chef served this soup to start my dinner on a chilly March evening. Mark paired it with an incredible Don Zoilo Fino Sherry. These days, you can find Mark at Macéo at 15 rue des Petits Champs. I recommend EVERYthing on their menu! Ingredients:: 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 medium carrots, peeled, chopped 3 leeks (white and pale green parts only) chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 1 1/2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped 1 bay leaf 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 3 cups dry sherry (Fino) 2 cups fish stock (make your own, or use More than Gourmet) 1 1/2 cups Aïoli (recipe follows) 3 pounds mussels steamed and removed from their shells Preparation: Heat oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, leeks, celery, bell pepper, bay leaf and saffron to the skillet and sauté for 5 minutes. Add wine, fish stock and salt to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Purée mixture in batches in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Then force it through a tamis or fine sieve. You may wish to process the vegetable mixture a second time and again work the resulting liquid through the tamis. [Soup can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Return to the simmer before continuing.] Stir aïoli into the soup. Add mussels to the soup and simmer until just heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf from soup. Serve the soup in large shallow soup plates with crôutes (see below). Teacher's Tip: Scrub and debeard mussels just before steaming. If done too far in advance, the mussels may die. Discard any mussels which do not close after tapping. Wine Tip: Serve an excellent Fino Sherry with this soup. It makes a fabulous first course as well as a luscious luncheon or Sunday night supper entrée. Aïoli Makes 2 cups Ingredients: 1 tablespoon fine, dry, unflavored breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 6 garlic cloves, chopped 3 large egg yolks 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/8 teaspoon white pepper 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil Preparation: Soak the breadcrumbs in 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar for 5 minutes, then squeeze the crumbs dry in the corner of a towel. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, chop the garlic, then add crumbs and combine with garlic to make a smooth paste. Add egg yolks, and all the other ingredients except the oil and combine. Scrape down sides. Now, with the motor running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. When all the oil is in, you have aïoli. Voilà!! Crôutes There are several ways to make crôutes. Following are two slightly different ways to achieve this crispy end. Method #1 1 baguette or thinly sliced white bread Extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt 1 garlic clove, peeled and cut Preheat the oven to 200 to 250 degrees F. Slice the baguette Melba-toast thin, or cut 2-inch rounds of thinly sliced sandwich bread (there should be at least 2 per person). Generously coat a baking sheet with olive oil. Place the slices in this very slow oven for an hour, or until the toasts are crisp, dry and slightly golden. Rub each crouton briefly with the peeled garlic clove. These can be made the day before and stored in a tight-lidded container, then reheated slightly before serving. Method #2 12 to 16 one-inch thick diagonal slices of French bread 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled and cut Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spread the slices of bread in one layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. With a pastry brush, lightly brush both sides of each slice with olive oil. Then turn slices over and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the bread is completely dry and lightly browned. Rub each slice with the cut garlic clove and set aside. -------------------------------------------------- BulkFoods.com Spices, Nuts, Chocolates, Candy, Dried Fruits, Trail Mixes, Supplements and so much more. You can also find grains and cereals, beans and seeds, pasta, sugar-free chocolates and old-fashioned candy. Free shipping on all orders in the continental US! http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=142 -------------------------------------------------- Roast Leg of Lamb with Parsley Crust Makes 8 servings This easy-to-prepare "company" main dish is adapted from one prepared at Taillevent, the famed 3-star restaurant in Paris. Ingredients: Extra trimmings and bones from lamb upper leg Bouquet garni: several parsley stems, celery leaves and sprigs of fresh thyme, wrapped in the green part of a leek and tied with cotton twine 2 whole heads garlic, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally 1 leg of lamb (about 5 pounds) bone in, trimmed of fat and tied (ask your butcher to do this for you) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste Parsley Topping: 2 slices firm white bread, crusts removed 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves Sea salt to taste 1 1/4 cups cold water Preparation: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a 9 x 13 inch oval baking dish (just slightly larger than the lamb), scatter the trimmings, bones, bouquet garni and garlic, cut side down. Place the lamb on top and rub with the butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast about 50 minutes to 1 1/4 hours (10 to 12 minutes per pound for medium rare, 15 minutes for medium). Turn the lamb several times while it is cooking and baste occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Place the bread in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process to fine crumbs. Add the parsley and process until well blended. For an even finer texture, force the crumbs through a tamis or fine mesh sieve. Season with salt and white pepper and set aside. Remove the lamb from the oven and again season generously. On a large platter, place a salad plate upside down on a dinner plate. Transfer the lamb to the platter and set it, exposed bone side in the air, at an angle on the upside-down plate. Cover the lamb loosely with aluminum foil. Turn off the oven and place the lamb in the oven with the door ajar. Let it rest for at least 25 minutes and up to 1 hour. Prepare the sauce. Remove the trimmings and garlic from the roasting pan and place the pan over moderate heat. Cook to caramelize the drippings, 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Spoon off any excess fat, and add the 1 1/4 cups cold water to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits that cling to the bottom. Lower the heat and cook until reduced by half (5 to 7 minutes). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Taste for seasoning and pour into a warmed sauceboat. Set aside and keep warm. Preheat the broiler. Finish the lamb by spreading a thin, even layer of the parsley-crumb topping all over the lamb with your hands. Place the meat about 3 inches from the source of heat in the broiler and broil, turning, until the crust is golden brown, about 6 minutes total. Watch carefully and DO NOT let it burn! Remove from the oven and carve. Serve with the sauce. Wine Tip: This is just the celebratory meal to serve my favorite Bordeaux - Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, a Saint-Julien (and unfortunately, very expensive!). -------------------------------------------------- Pepper-Passion.com "Pepper-Passion is a source for gourmet Sea-Salt and Peppercorns including our exclusive "Talamanca De Caribe" organic Black Pepper. We are also the creator of the Aphrodite Salt & Pepper Mill and other unique signature designs handcrafted from rare and exotic tropical hardwoods. A perfect gift with lasting value for any occasion." http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=401 -------------------------------------------------- Coffee Parfait Makes 8 (or more) servings This is my adaptation of the Hotel Ritz's famous (and almost unbearably delicious) signature dessert. When we made it in class at the cooking school, we molded it in flan rings and finished it in an elaborate preparation with the chocolate, but I think it tastes just as good piled into a parfait glass. Don't forget the clouds of Crème Chantilly, though! Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk 3 tablespoons instant coffee (for the milk) 8 large egg yolks 1 cup cane sugar 2 cups heavy cream, whipped until stiff 1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee (for the cream) To finish and serve: 3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate Chantilly Cream (see below) Preparation: Put the bowl of an electric mixer into the freezer to have it ready to cool the parfait mixture. Boil the milk in a saucepan with the instant coffee. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until they lighten and form a ribbon. Whisk a little of the boiling milk into the eggs to warm them so they will not scramble, then whisk the remaining milk into the mixture. Pour back into the saucepan and beat over a moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes. The mixture will expand like a Sabayon. Transfer the parfait mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat it until it has cooled completely. Whip the cream with the instant coffee, then fold it into the egg yolk mixture. Set 6 to 8 white wine glasses or parfait dishes out on a tray. Fill each one about 2/3 full. Place in the freezer for about 4 hours, or in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. [You can also put the parfait mixture into an oiled (and lined with oiled plastic wrap) bombe mold, and serve it that way from the center of the table or buffet.] Whip the cream and have it ready. Melt the chocolate, being careful not to overheat. Allow it to cool a little before drizzling some over the top of each parfait. (Sometimes it's fun to put it in the freezer for a few minutes to let the chocolate harden on top the parfait.) Fill the glass the rest of the way with the Crème Chantilly. Teacher's Tip: You could make a mocha parfait by using half coffee, half unsweetened, Dutch-process cocoa. -------------------------------------------------- Crème Chantilly Makes 6 servings Ingredients: 1 cup heavy cream (preferably not ultra-pasteurized) 2 tablespoons cane sugar 1 pinch vanilla sugar (made by storing a vanilla bean in your sugar container) Preparation: Whip the cream with both types of sugar in a stainless steel mixing bowl until very stiff. Chill until ready to use. Teacher's Tips: The cream must be very cold to keep it from turning to butter when whipped. If the temperature of your kitchen is very warm, it is best to whip it over ice. Chantilly cream is used in decorating many desserts, often using a pastry bag equipped with a star tip. -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |