Last October I went to see my brother in Switzerland where he has a cookery Master class at the local Catering College. He gave me some of his recipes, based on French Cuisine of Escoffier, the Master of modern Cookery. I made a few small alterations so will be able to adapt the recipes for the winter season in Cranleigh.
SALADE DE SAISON AUX ST. JACQUESI (Scallops with winter salad)
Ingredients
120g scallops, without the corals & sautéed in butter
40g potato cubes, cold boiled
40g carrots, grated
40g cucumber, cubed
40g celeriac, grated
½ red capsicum, thinly sliced
40g white leek, sliced
20g capers
Also
1 Belgian endive, separated leaves
1 egg, cold boiled
4 fanned gherkins
60ml Italian dressing: (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper mill)
Preparation
1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the scallops and ingredients under ‘Also’
2. Place the endive around the edges of four suitable dishes
3. Divide the mixed salad onto the endives
4. Distribute scallops neatly on top
5. Crush the shelled boiled egg with a fork and sprinkle onto the four dishes
6. Pour the dressing on top and place the fanned gherkins
Serve with small brown rolls
LONGE DE PORC FARCI AUX ABRICOTS (Pork Loin, filled with apricots)
Ingredients
800g boneless loin of pork, no skin.
200g mirepoix (onions, carrot, celery, chopped medium)
100ml dry white wine
100ml strong vegetable stock
Some thickening agent (not in the original recipe)
For the Stuffing
100g dried apricots, chopped finely
60g white bread crumbs
30g shallots, finely chopped
60g fat from the pork, minced
10ml balsamic vinegar
15g sage and rosemary, finely chopped
30 ml sherry of Madeira
Salt and peppermill
Preparation
1. In a large bowl, mix all the stuffing ingredients until a paste is formed
2. Cover and leave to rest for half an hour
3. Place the pork, fat side down, on a board and make a large cut from the thin side, the whole length of the joint to about 3cm from its end
4. Lift the top part and put as much stuffing in as you can
5. Fold, roll, and tie with kitchen string
6. Place the mirepoix on an oiled metal oven tray
7. Place the pork on the mirepoix, fat side up
8. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the joint
9. Cook in a hot oven at 180ºC until the centre of the rolled pork reaches 75ºC
10. Take the pork from the tray and place it onto a dish covered with foil
11. Place the roasting tray and mirepoix on a very hot ring, once it stars sizzling, add the wine and reduce by half.
12. Add the stock, reduce by half again, then place the lot in a metal bowl and liquidise
13. Correct the seasoning, and if necessary add either some liquid or some thickening
14. Discard the string from the pork, slice to taste and serve with the thickened sauce
My brother suggests serving spinach and roast potatoes and I agree!
TARTE AU CITRON (Lemon tart)
Ingredients
500g short pastry (available ready made in supermarkets)
100g sponge cake, crumbed
½ jar lemon curd
2 lemons, juice and grated rind
50g soft brown sugar
1 egg, beaten with a small amount of milk to make an egg wash
Preparation
1. In a suitable bowl, mix all the ingredients setting aside the pastry & egg wash
2. Roll the pastry as thin as you like it and line an oiled 15cm loose bottom tin (6 inch round tin)
3. Keep the trimmings and fork pastry in the base of the tin
4. Fill the case with the cake mix
5. Roll the trimmings and make some 1cm ribbon strips, twist then crisscross on top of the tart
6. Brush the ribbons with the egg wash
7. Bake in a hot fan oven at 160ºC for 30 minutes
8. Take the tart from the tin and rest for 30 minutes
9. Serve with thick cream (clotted) or whipped
BUON APPETITO – Giovanni Fontebasso
