Shepherd Pie

Ingredients:

The Filling:

Olive Oil (2 Tbsp)
Ground Lamb or Beef (about 1.5 lbs)
1 Large Carrot (grated)
1 Large Onion (grated)
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Thyme
Minced Garlic (I used 4 cloves)
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce (several splashes)
Tomato Puree or Paste (no more than a small can)
Red Wine (several glugs)
Chicken Stock (not sure, but it looks like about 1/4 cup)

The Mash:

Golden Potatoes (about 1.5 lbs)
Heavy Cream ( 1/4 cup)
Butter (3 1/2 Tbsp)
Salt
Pepper
Egg Yolks (2)
Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup, minimum)

Prep Work:

Dice the garlic
Separate your herbs from the stems
Separate your Egg Yolks
Peel and Slice your potatoes into even pieces
Open your wine if it’s not already
Open your can of Tomato Paste

Cooking the Potatoes:

This part is easy as pie (no pun intended), just boil some water, throw some salt and your potatoes in, and set a timer for 15 minutes – start on your filling. Upon the timer going off, take your potatoes out and strain the water off. Put potatoes back into the pan, or into a medium mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with their ingredients from above and keep warm (your filling should be about done by this point)
Cooking the Filling:

Pour Olive Oil into a hot, rather large pan, then add meat. Stir meat as if your life depends on it for a few minutes so it’s nice and brown, and broken into very small pieces. Add your Rosemary, Thyme, and Garlic, then stir some more. Quickly add your Carrot, and Onion, stir a little longer. The idea at this point is to get everything to a minced consistency.

Add Worcestershire Sauce, stir, add Tomato Puree, stir, add Red Wine and sweat down for a minute or two. Add chicken stock and cook for 3 more minutes. I made mine without the stock because I didn’t notice it the first time I watched the show. You can add it, or leave it out.
Final Instructions:

Scoop your meat mixture into a deep casserole or other oven safe dish and then spoon the mash over the top. Spread the mash over the top of the mix with the bottom of the spoon and then sprinkle a generous portion of Parmesan cheese over the top. Poke the top with a fork several times to give it a peaked look and stick it in the oven at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes to brown the potatoes and set the pie. Serve it up and watch people melt! Oh I love Shepherd Pie!

Continue reading “Shepherd Pie”

VICHYSSOISE

Más en http://elcocinerofiel.com/
Ingredientes:
1 cebolla, 3 puerros,
1 patata, ½ litro de leche,
50 ml de nata, 1 cucharada de mantequilla,
aceite de oliva virgen extra,
pimienta y sal.


Vichyssoise (play /ˌvɪʃiˈswɑːz/ US dict: vish·ē·swäz′) is a thick soup made of puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream, and chicken stock. It is traditionally served cold, but can also be eaten hot.

The origins of vichyssoise are a subject of debate among culinary historians; Julia Child calls it “an American invention”,[2] whereas others observe that “the origin of the soup is questionable in whether it’s genuinely French or an American creation”.[3]
Louis Diat, a chef at the Ritz-Carlton in New York City, is most often credited with its (re)invention.[4] In 1950, Diat told New Yorker magazine:

In the summer of 1917, when I had been at the Ritz seven years, I reflected upon the potato and leek soup of my childhood which my mother and grandmother used to make. I recalled how during the summer my older brother and I used to cool it off by pouring in cold milk and how delicious it was. I resolved to make something of the sort for the patrons of the Ritz.[5]

The same article explains that the soup was first titled crème vichyssoise glacée – then, after the restaurant’s menu changed from French to English in 1930, cream vichyssoise glacée. Diat named it after Vichy, a town not far from his home town of Montmarault, France.
Earlier, French chef Jules Gouffé created a recipe for a hot potato and leek soup, publishing a version in Royal Cookery (1869).[6]


Shepherd Pie

Ingredients:

The Filling:

Olive Oil (2 Tbsp)
Ground Lamb or Beef (about 1.5 lbs)
1 Large Carrot (grated)
1 Large Onion (grated)
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Thyme
Minced Garlic (I used 4 cloves)
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce (several splashes)
Tomato Puree or Paste (no more than a small can)
Red Wine (several glugs)
Chicken Stock (not sure, but it looks like about 1/4 cup)

The Mash:

Golden Potatoes (about 1.5 lbs)
Heavy Cream ( 1/4 cup)
Butter (3 1/2 Tbsp)
Salt
Pepper
Egg Yolks (2)
Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup, minimum)

Prep Work:

Dice the garlic
Separate your herbs from the stems
Separate your Egg Yolks
Peel and Slice your potatoes into even pieces
Open your wine if it’s not already
Open your can of Tomato Paste

Cooking the Potatoes:

This part is easy as pie (no pun intended), just boil some water, throw some salt and your potatoes in, and set a timer for 15 minutes – start on your filling. Upon the timer going off, take your potatoes out and strain the water off. Put potatoes back into the pan, or into a medium mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with their ingredients from above and keep warm (your filling should be about done by this point)
Cooking the Filling:

Pour Olive Oil into a hot, rather large pan, then add meat. Stir meat as if your life depends on it for a few minutes so it’s nice and brown, and broken into very small pieces. Add your Rosemary, Thyme, and Garlic, then stir some more. Quickly add your Carrot, and Onion, stir a little longer. The idea at this point is to get everything to a minced consistency.

Add Worcestershire Sauce, stir, add Tomato Puree, stir, add Red Wine and sweat down for a minute or two. Add chicken stock and cook for 3 more minutes. I made mine without the stock because I didn’t notice it the first time I watched the show. You can add it, or leave it out.
Final Instructions:

Scoop your meat mixture into a deep casserole or other oven safe dish and then spoon the mash over the top. Spread the mash over the top of the mix with the bottom of the spoon and then sprinkle a generous portion of Parmesan cheese over the top. Poke the top with a fork several times to give it a peaked look and stick it in the oven at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes to brown the potatoes and set the pie. Serve it up and watch people melt! Oh I love Shepherd Pie!

Pommes de Terres Soufflées

Emmanuel Renaut, chef 2 étoiles, nous dévoile la recette des pommes soufflées

La recette des pommes soufflées est une des plus difficiles qui soit. Découvrez la vraie technique avec un cuisinier du restaurant d’Emmanuel Renaut à Megève : il faut tailler les pommes de terre en tranches fines avec de les plonger 10 minutes dans un bain de friture à 130°C. Lorsque des petites bulles apparaissent autour des pommes de terre, le cuisinier explique qu’il faut les sortir de la friture et les tremper dans un second bain à 180°C pour produire un choc thermique et faire souffler les pommes de terre.


Pommes Souffles (puffed potatoes or souffleed potatoes)

According to Larousse Gastronomique, the story goes that they were accidentally discovered in 1837 at the inauguration of a new railway line from Paris to Saint-Germain-en-Lay. There was to be a lunch for the dignitaries at the restaurant in the new station. The train was had problems making it up a steep slope at the final approach to the station. The chef prepared some sliced fried potatoes at the appointed time, but when the guests didn’t arrive on time, he had to remove the half cooked potatoes and allow them to drain and cool. After several attempts the train finally made it, and caught by surprise at the unexpected arrival of the guests, the chef plunged the potatoes quickly into very hot oil and to his amazement, saw them puff up.

Souffle potatoes must be cooked twice. Once at a low temperature (325) and a second time at a high temperature (375).
At the second high temperature cooking the surface of the potatoes crisp instantly and form a waterproof skin, which will cause them to swell as the moisture inside turns quickly to steam causing the slices to puff up.

The age of the potatoes is important. New potatoes have too much moisture and will not puff, and old potatoes that are soft will not puff.

Cut potatoes in slices 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick, and soak the sliced potatoes in ice water for at least 25 minutes.

Drain them thoroughly and dry them thoroughly.

Have 2 pans with oil on the stove, each with about 3 inches of oil. Heat one to 325 degrees and the other to 375 degrees.

Carefully drop the slices into the 325 degree oil and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, either shaking the pan or moving the potatoes around with a long handled utensil The potatoes should begin to blister after about 5 minutes and rise to the top – continue cooking for an additional 1 minute.

Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, remove the potatoes and drain on paper towels until they begin to soften.

At this point the potatoes may be cooked the second time or held at room temperature for several hours for later service.

To cook the second time, return the potatoes to the 375 degree oil – they should swell instantly. DO NOT PUT TOO MANY POTATOES IN THE 375 degree oil at once – the oil MUST remain very hot for the potatoes to puff. Cook until golden brown, moving them around in the oil – remove and drain on paper towels, discarding any slices that have not puffed.


Antoine’s Cookbook:
Antoine’s Restaurant since 1840 Cookbook

by Roy F. Guste, Jr., Reissue 1989, W. W. Norton & Co.
(our copy –  Roy F. Guste, Jr., 1979, Carbery-Guste, Legacy Publishing)

“The most famous of all our vegetable dishes is Pommes de Terres Soufflées, or Puffed Potatoes. The story of their creation and the secret of their preparation was given to Antoine by the great chef Collinet, during Antoine’s apprenticeship at the Hotel de Noailles in Marseilles.

The story goes that the occasion was the first run of the railroad from Paris to St. Germain-en-Laye. Louis Philippe, then king of France, was going to ride the train on its inaugural run to St. Germain-en-Laye, where there would be a great celebration and feast.

Chef Collinet, who was preparing the feast, had a messenger waiting for the train’s arrival. As soon as the messenger could see the train approaching, he rushed to Collinet to inform him. The great chef threw his potatoes, which he had cut for frying, into the oil to cook. Louis Philippe had a penchant for fried potatoes and insisted on having them at every meal.

Unfortunately for Collinet, the king was not on the train. The king’s advisors had at the last minute forced him to ride in a carriage alongside of the train as they feared for his life on this unproven track.

When Collinet realized that the king was not on the train, he removed the potatoes from the oil and set them aside. What a dilemma! There were no more potatoes to cook and the king would be furious!

So, Collinet waited, and some time later Louis Philippe finally arrived, and the banquet began. Collinet’s only chance was to reheat the cooked potatoes. Back into the grease, which had become extremely hot from sitting on the fire, they went, and to the amazement of everyone, they puffed up into small balloon shapes. The king was both thrilled and amazed and showered Collinet with compliments.

Antoine brought the recipe with him to New Orleans and Pommes de Terres Soufflées have been served here ever since.”

2 pounds large potatoes
Oil
Salt

Wash and peel the potatoes and cut lengthwise into slices 1 1/4 inches wide and one-eighth inch thick. Soak the potato slices in cold water to remove excess starch.
Have two pots filled with oil, one at a moderately hot temperature (275 degrees F) and the other at a very hot temperature (400 degrees F). Drain
the potatoes and dry them carefully. Put a single layer of potatoes into a frying basket and lower the basket into the moderately hot oil. Keep
moving the potatoes around, dipping the basket in and out of the oil until
the potatoes begin to brown and to puff. The partially cooked potatoes
may be set aside for awhile before the second stage, or may be finished immediately.
Put the partially cooked potatoes in a basket and dip the basket into the pot
of very hot oil. Again be careful to cover only the bottom of the basket with potatoes and to keep them moving around in the oil until they are golden brown, well puffed and crispy.
Remove from the oil, drain on absorbent paper and sprinkle with salt for seasoning. Serves 6.


1 Large Starchy Potato

1 Mandolin

Canola Oil (high smoke point)

Deep Fry Thermometer

Sea Salt

Choose a Starchy Potato, (Long starchy potato, Idaho, russet,baker)

Peel and wash potatoes.

Using a mandolin slice potatoes in circles, like potato chips, store in lemon cold water to prevent oxidizing.

Dry potato slices on clean kitchen paper towel/tea towels.

Heat Oil on medium blanch potatoes at 130 Celsius 6 minutes , keep oil temperature constant.

heat oil to 160 and fry till souffle and golden, done.


Maakuda

4 patatas, 2 huevos, perejil y cilantro picados, 3 dientes de ajo, 1 cucharada de comino, sal, pimienta y harina.

Cocer las patatas en agua con sal, escurrir y hacer puré. Añadir un huevo batido, perejil, cilantro, ajo machacado y comino. Salpimentar y mezclar.

Formar albóndigas con esta mezcla y aplastar ligeramebnte. Batir el huevo restante y rebozar las maakudas una por una, primero con huevo y luego con harina, eliminando el exceso de ésta golpeando suavemente cada maakuda.

Calentar el aceite y freir hasta que estén doradas por ambas caras.

To view written recipe, click here: http://cookingwithalia.com/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id…

Maakouda is the ultimate Moroccan comfort food. Forget hash browns and french fries, these well-seasoned patties flavored with cumin, parsley and cilantro are going to become your favorite snack! This dish is a popular street food in Morocco, sold in a sandwich with bread, lettuce, tomatoes, and hot sauce; but can also be served as an appetizer or as a side. Enjoy!