Marilyn November 15th, 2008
Like producing your own bread, making a terrine, ballotine or even a simple pate gives great satisfaction. I’m not sure why this is … maybe it’s a tactile thing or just the pleasure of stepping back in time to when people actually made everything they ate.
When I first married I couldn’t cook at all but having married a Frenchman that situation had to change, and fast. It was also the era (is it returning?) when the dinner party was was the thing to do when it came to entertaining friends. We didn’t go out to restaurants that much in those days. You spent a full day prior to “the big night” laboriously preparing tricky (over-worked) dishes, was most of the evening in the kitchen and then the next day cleaning up. Nothing was spontaneous and freshly cooked – couldn’t cope with that!
But one of the things I did learn to do well was a French terrine. There are endless varieties, they are better made ahead of time (the flavour develops) and make great left-overs. Here is a classic recipe from Stephanie Alexander’s The Cook’s Companion: Continue Reading »
Marilyn August 1st, 2007
This is (Baguette’s Head Chef) Bruno Loubet’s version of a classic French veal casserole. It never disappoints but you will need to source top quality, young veal. It is easy to make at home and serves 6:
700gm veal shank and 800gm veal breast
200gm carrots & 100gm each of leeks, onions, celery
3 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1/4 lemon
250ml cream, 30gm butter, 30 gm plain flour & celery salt to taste
Cut veal into chunks & cover with water in a pot with 4 pinches of salt – bring to the boil, lower heat to simmer, skim.
Add vegs cut into lg pieces and tie up herbs into a bundle with the leeks (easy to lift out). Simmer for about 1 hr or until tender.
Strain the stock and reduce by half. Melt butter and when foamy add the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Pour the stock over the butter and flour mixture, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Add half the cream. Simmer for 15 minutes, add a squeeze of lemon. Taste for seasoning and then add remaining cream and the meat.
Serve with rice or baby vegetables. Garnish with chervil.
Marilyn June 10th, 2006
Many food blog
s detail personal recipes. With so many great cookbooks available, I frankly can’t see the point because it is rare that someone comes up with a unique recipe — it’s all been done before.
However here is one recipe that you wont find readily. My husband is French Catalan and this quite distinct race of people occupies an area from Barcelona in Spain to Perpignan in the south of France. They consider themselves distinct from either the Spanish or the French. They have their own language, customs and a very ancient culinary history — the first Catalan gastronomic manuscripts appeared in 1324, and was born out of the cooking of the Romans (who occupied the area for 700 years) and was enriched in later centuries by invading Visigoths and the Moors.
This recipe for Suquet is a personal favourite and can be reproduced very well in Australian given our superb seafood. However, if it all seems too much trouble the Chefs at Baguette will cook it for you. Continue Reading »
Marilyn March 16th, 2006
Most well known restaurants have what we call ’signature dishes’ — dishes that customers ask for over and over again. The one that Baguette can never take off the menu is our Creme Brulee. Here is the recipe for you to try at home:
1 litre of thickened cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
12 egg yolks
250 gms caster sugar
Boil cream and vanilla.
Whisk yolks and sugar together.
Pour cream slowly over yolk mix and whisk to combine.
Strain mixture through fine strainer.
Skim the scum off the top with a spoon.
Pour into moulds.
Cook in a hot water bainmarie @ 140 degrees C for 40-50 minutes or until set.
Cool on trays and set in fridge. Makes 6-8 brulees
To serve: sprinkle even layer of caster sugar over each pot, then caramelise using a blowtorch (now available at kitchen shops) or heat up the back of a big metal spoon and use like an old brulee iron.
Chef’s tip: make the custard a day ahead, allowing for a bubble-free surface for even caramelisation.