Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Tasting Menu Chez Moi




Mini quiches with gorgonzola and red onion confit.











Parsnip and honey soup shots with spicy crisps.













Celeriac Remoulade*













Tuna ceviche in corn cups.










Baked mini-potatoes with horseradish creme fraiche and smoked salmon.











Mini-corncakes with avocado and lime salsa.










We also at some point had "Cannellini bean bruschette with capers and slow roasted tomatoes" but they were all snaffled up before I could take any pictures.








Blancmange with Basil Coulis*











Mojito Cheesecakes










Both the Remoulde and the Blancmange came from the Chocolate and Zucchini cookbook by Clotilde Dusoulier (author of the food blog of the same name). It's a great book with very original recipes and flavour combinations - including chocolate and zucchini cake.

Celeriac Remoulade
serves 6 as a starter

700g celeriac
200g plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp string Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
S+P
  • grate the celeriac - easiest way is in a food processor
  • mix immediately with the yogurt, mustard, lemon juice and garlic in a large bowl
  • season, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour min but ideally for a day
  • I used old beans cans as my mould - simply use a can opener to remove the bottom and you have a cylindrical mould
  • Spoon the remoulade into the moulds and serve immediately

Blancmange with Basil Coulis
serves 4 - or 8-10 of my small servings

Basil Coulis
20g basil leaves
2 tbsp icing sugar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth
  • keeps for 1 day in the fridge
Blancmange
125g whole blanched almonds, chopped to small chunks
125g whole hazelnuts, chopped to small chunks
375ml milk
250ml cream
70g sugar
1 1/2 sheets gealtine (I used 3 as the sheets I bought were 1/2 the size of my normal ones, it gave a just barely wobbling set).
  • soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for about 10 minutes
  • add the nuts (minus 2 tbsp for decoration) to the milk in a saucepan
  • bring to a simmer, remove from the heat leave to cool (covered) for 10 minutes
  • whisk together the cream and the sugar in a mixing bowl
  • set a sieve over the mixing bowl and strain the milk mixture into the bowl
  • press on the nut to extract as much of the liquid as possible
  • rinse the saucepan and return the milk/cream mixture to it
  • squeeze dry the gelatine leaves and add to the saucepan
  • cook until the mix just starts to simmer
  • strain through the sieve into a mixing bowl and leave to cool for 5 mins
  • transfer to ramekins/glasses and chill until set in the fridge
  • remove from the fridge 5 mins before serving and top with basil coulis

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