7 minute read
Spring Recipes
from The Local Buzz - May June
by Buzzing
Fresh ideas for Outdoor Entertaining
Eating outside is one of the great joys of life here in France, as is the fabulous apéro tradition.
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From a young age Mayana Elbaz has developed her passion for cooking through different experiences in gastronomic restaurants such as La Maison Kammerzell and L’Amuse Bouche in Strasbourg. Backpacking around Asia for a year, she took a cooking class in every country; what better way to understand a culture than learning about its food and cooking techniques. Today, she offers an authentic French cooking class and personal chef services in Bordeaux. Mayana shares some of her favourites. All recipes serve 4.
https://mayanacookingclass. webnode.fr/
Garden Fresh Quiche
Garden Fresh Quiche
https://mayanacookingclass.webnode.fr/
1 Shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée) 20g Butter 250g Fresh spinach 100g Peas (frozen or fresh) 10 Steamed green asparagus 2 Eggs 1 Yellow onion 20 cl Heavy cream Salt and pepper Olive oil
Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C /350°F. Finely dice the onion and caramelize it in a hot pan, drizzled with olive oil, until translucent. Add the asparagus, cut into bite size pieces, and the peas. Cook for 5 min on medium high heat and deglaze with water if needed. Add the spinach and cook until reduced.
Roll out the dough, place in a greased pie dish and prick with a fork, sprinkle with thin butter slices. Beat the eggs and cream in a bowl, salt and pepper to taste. Spread the vegetable mix evenly over the pie crust and pour the cream mixture on top. Bake for 30 to 40 mins until the crust is golden brown.
Roasted Lamb Roulade with Mint Pesto & Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Lamb Roulade
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1kg Butterflied leg of lamb 400g Potatoes 50g Mint pesto Olive oil, salt and pepper
For the Marinade: 125 ml Pomegranate juice 125 ml Low sodium soy sauce 30 ml Nut oil 20 ml Apricot jam 2 Cloves of garlic 2 cm Minced ginger 1 tbs Honey
For the Mint Pesto 15g Fresh mint 1 Clove of garlic 2 tbs pine nut 50ml Olive oil 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Pepper
Method: Mix all marinade ingredients and coat the lamb with it, leave overnight. Blend or chop the pesto ingredients into a creamy consistency.
Dry the meat with a paper towel, lay the lamb flat, fat side down, and spread with the pesto. Roll the meat and secure with butchers twine.
Coat the potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in an ovenproof dish to surround the lamb. Bake for 40 mins at 160°C/ 320°F.
Remove the lamb from the dish and leave to cool for 10 min before slicing. Serve with mint leaves on top.
Apricot Clafoutis
Apricot Calfoutis
https://mayanacookingclass.webnode.fr/
500g Fresh apricot rinsed and cut in half 50g Melted butter 4 Eggs 25 cl Milk 100g Flour 125g Sugar Salt 1 Pack vanilla sugar
Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, sugar and a pinch of salt until a creamy color, slowly mix in the flour. Mix in the melted butter and milk to form a smooth, creamy batter.
Grease an ovenproof dish with butter, place the apricots in the dish and pour the batter on top. Bake for 35 min then sprinkle vanilla sugar on top and bake again for 10min.
Cocktails & Apéros
A former UK Sommelier of the Year and winner of the Mondavi award for the best wine list in the world, John Gilchrist has been in the hospitality industry for 30 years and now runs a gîte and cookery school in SW France with his wife and chef, Emma. He writes: “There aren’t many things better than sitting in the sun with some good food, great friends and a drink or two.
beginning with fizz or wine cocktails.
For a bit of fun we often let our guests make their own “Kir Royals” by filling a large bucket with ice and bottles of white Crémant de Bordeaux, and letting them choose from different flavoured syrups or crèmes.
Other cocktails which are good on a hot day are wine fizzes or spritz. For a Rosé Spritz fill a large jug with ice, pour in a bottle of local rosé, add sparkling water or lemonade to taste and garnish with lots of lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary. I
also love the very refreshing and quaffable Passion fruit Aperol spritz. Here’s my version: A large jug filled with ice and local rosé, 75ml Passoã, 75ml Aperol, 100ml Passion fruit juice and a bottle of sparkling water.
For a “grown up Champagne cocktail” my go to drink is the citrusy, fizzy wine and gin classic cocktail, French 75. In frozen Champagne glasses, add a splash (10ml) of lemon juice and the same of gin and sugar syrup (syrup de canne from most supermarkets) topped up with sparkling wine and garnished with a thin strip of lemon peel. This does pack a bit of a punch but is a great drink that really gets your appetite going.
Enjoy the sun. Bonne santé
www.lescaulins.com
A fresh approach to flavour
This month’s guest chef specialises in local dishes with a modern twist.
Innovative creations and pure flavours represent the original style of Dutch Chef, Bas Holten, at the Château Les Merles. Using seasonal products, which are mainly grown in the Château’s own vegetable garden, he strives for the perfect balance on and off the plate.
www.lesmerles.com
Asparagus with smoked salmon and beetroot caviar
www.lesmerles.com
For 4 persons: 4 White asparagus 20 gr Butter 50 gr Barley 200 ml Fermented beetroot juice 200 gr Smoked salmon 12 Small salad leaves from the core of a lettuce Salt Vinaigrette: 1 part Mustard 3 parts Vinegar 5 parts Sunflower oil Pepper and salt
Method: Peel the asparagus and cut the tough ends off. Cook them for 2 minutes in water with butter and some salt. Turn off the heat and let the asparagus cool down in the cooking liquid.
For the beetroot caviar slowly cook the barley in the beetroot juice for approximately 20 minutes. If there’s not enough liquid add a little water. Drain and season with salt.
Mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette. You can “spice up” the vinaigrette with garlic, fresh herbs or shallots. Season the salad leaves with a little vinaigrette.
Presentation: Cut the asparagus in 5 pieces and dress them on a plate. Cut the salmon in slices and add to the plate. Finish with the beetroot caviar and the salad leaves seasoned with the vinaigrette.
The Les Merles restaurant is located in the courtyard of the luxury 4-star Hotel Château les Merles and is surrounded by nature, yet still close to Bergerac. Enjoy a candle lit courtyard dinner in the summer, or a fireplace setting in winter. Next to the restaurant and hotel, Les Merles also offers rental villas, a bistro and a 9-hole golf course. www.lesmerles.com
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Interested in hearing more about our kitchens and services?
Michael Staines began installing kitchens in the UK in 1990. He opened his first showroom in Mielan, France in 2008 and in 2013, a second showroom in Marciac.
With many years of experience, Mike and his son, Tim, can offer you a complete design and installation service, taking your initial ideas through to the reality of a beautiful and functional fitted kitchen.
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