5 minute read
Food & Drink
Fresh & Miam Miam! Yummy
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Emma and John Gilchrist
Spring is definitely here and with it comes the the enjoyment of eating outdoors with delicious fresh flavours and scrumptious desserts. This combination of a mushroom tart and puffy profiteroles from Emma, and sweet wines from John is sure to please. Miam miam? It’s French for yummy!
Mushroom Tart with Poached Egg & Hollandaise Sauce
(Serves 6)
Mushroom Duxelles
1 tbs Mild olive oil 300g Mushrooms, cleaned and finely diced 1 Shallot, finely diced Small bunch of fresh tarragon, finely chopped 50cl Dry vermouth or wine Salt and pepper Heat the oil in a frying pan over a gentle heat and then add the mushrooms, shallot and tarragon. Sauté these gently, until all the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated (this will take about 25 mins, depending on the width of your pan). The best way to test that it’s ready is to trail a wooden spoon through the middle of the pan. If juices appear in its wake, keep cooking for five more mins and try it again. The spoon should leave a clear path behind it. Add the vermouth and cook until dry. Season to taste. Allow to cool and refrigerate until needed.
Basic Pastry Cases
For the pastry cases please see the recipe for Basic Short Crust Pastry at www.thelocalbuzzmag.com/ articles/basic-shortcrustpastry-cases/
Easy Hollandaise Sauce
250g Unsalted butter 4 Large egg yolks 1 tbs Freshly squeezed lemon juice ¼ tsp Salt Pinch cayenne pepper (optional) Cut the butter into a few large pieces and microwave in 30-second bursts until the butter is completely melted. Use the butter when it is no longer piping hot, but is still very warm. Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt in a blender and pulse to combine. Slowly trickle in the warm butter, starting with a few drops, then a thin drizzle. Once you’ve added about half the butter, check the consistency. Continue pouring the butter and occasionally checking the sauce until the sauce is as thick or thin as you would like it, or until you have added all the butter. When done, the hollandaise should be light yellow with a smooth, uniform consistency. Add the cayenne and a little more salt and lemon juice if needed. If the sauce seems a little too thick, blend in some water, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is at your preferred consistency.
All the sweet stuff
We are blessed with award-winning, lusciously sweet wine throughout our region. John explains why these are three of his favourites.
Château Doisy Daëne is a super smart offering from the Denise Dubourdieu wine stable and excels as a very rich, modern Barsac wine with a coppery gold colour and floral notes. Pale peach and pears on the nose, with a pineapple acidity and a honey finish. Available in many good supermarkets. 35.00€ www.denisdubourdieu.fr Just south west of Bergerac, near the village of Saussignac, Château de Fayolle produces the stunning Saussignac vin, Liquoreux in 50cl bottles. Sweet Caribbean lime and Madagascan vanilla on the nose give way to sweet ripe apple acidity then pure cleanness on the palate. Simply beautiful! 15.00€ www.chateaufayolle.com In the Côtes de Duras, the large co-operative of Berticot have produced 1er Frimas. A late harvest, handpicked and barrelaged sweet wine that is 100% Semillon. Candied mango and limes on the nose with dried apricots and lots of honey on the palate. 9.50€ www.berticot.com
To assemble
You will also need 6 fresh eggs. Place the pastry cases on a baking sheet, fill with the Mushroom Duxelles and heat gently in the oven until warm. Poach 6 eggs and place one egg on each tart. Spoon over the hollandaise sauce and place under the grill or use a blow torch to brown the hollandaise and serve.
Profiteroles
(Makes 30) 140g Plain flour, sifted 1 tsp Golden caster sugar 115g Unsalted butter, in small pieces 225g Eggs (about 4 large or 5 medium) 200g Melted chocolate 250ml Whipped cream ½ tsp Fine salt 240ml Water Put the sugar, butter and salt into a large pan with the water. Heat very gently until the butter has melted, then increase the heat and bring the liquid to the boil. As soon as it’s bubbling, lower the heat, tip in the cream and beat it in with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth dough that clumps together, leaving the rest of the pan clean. Carry on beating and cooking over a low heat for five mins (steam should continue to rise from the mixture). Cool for five mins, then add the eggs one at a time, beating in completely between each egg, until the dough is smooth and glossy but still thick. It should drop very reluctantly from the spoon, too runny and you won’t be able to pipe it, too thick and the buns won’t puff up in the oven. Dampen a sheet of baking paper and use it to line a large baking sheet (or two small ones). Heat the oven to 200°C fan /180°C/gas 6. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle, and pipe 30 walnut-sized balls, spaced apart for rising. Dip your finger in a little water to smooth out any bumps or peaks in the dough, then put the tray or trays in the oven and bake for 30-35 mins until they are puffed, golden and crisp. Turn off the oven but leave them in for another 30 mins before transferring the profiteroles to a wire rack to cool. Make a hole in the bottom of each with a knife and allow to cool completely. Pipe in whipped cream, dip in melted chocolate and serve.
