Le Homard Cardinal (Le guide culinaire Escoffier)

   Le Cardinal Mazarin qui veilla à l’éducation du jeune roi Louis XIV, a laissé dans la gastronomie son nom à une sauce dite « Cardinal ». Elle se compose de sauce Béchamel, de corail de homard, de crème et de pâte d’anchois. Elle peut aussi être relevée avec des champignons voire quelques copeaux de truffes pour ajouter davantage de parfum à la sauce.

Court-bouillon A, cliquez pour la recette

1. Plonger le homard, vivant, dans un court-bouillon A bouillant.
2. Aussitôt cuit, le fendre en deux dans la longueur ; retirer les chairs de la queue ; les escaloper et les tenir au chaud dans quelques cuillerées de sauce cardinal.
3. Détacher les pinces, et en retirer les chairs, par une large ouverture pratiquée au couteau, ou avec de forts ciseaux, sous les pinces, sans briser ou déformer celle-ci.
4. Couper en dés les chairs retirées, ainsi que celles qui se trouvent dans les coffres ; y ajouter le même poids de champignons cuits et moitié de ce poids de truffes, également coupés en dés ; lier ce salpicon avec quelques cuillerées de sauce homard.
5. Avec une partie de celui-ci, garnir les pinces vidées et étaler le reste, en couche bien égale, au fond de chaque demi-carapace de homard. Sur ce salpicon, dresser les escalopes de homard tenues au chaud, en les alternant de belles lames de truffe. Les deux demi-carapaces étant ainsi garnies, les poser sur un plat et, pour les maintenir d'aplomb, disposer les pinces de chaque côté.
6. Napper escalopes et pinces de sauce cardinal ; saupoudrer de fromage râpé ; arroser de beurre fondu et glacer vivement, à four vif, ou à la salamandre.

Sauce Cardinal
     Ajouter à trois quarts de litre de sauce Béchamel : 1 décilitre et demi de fumet de poisson et d'essence de truffe (moitié de chaque), réduits d'un quart ; 1 décilitre et demi de crème.
     Mettre à point, hors du feu, avec 100 grammes de beurre de homard, bien rouge, et relever d'une pointe de Cayenne.

En hommage à Auguste Escoffier

 

Brandade de morue (Le guide culinaire Escoffier)

   

                  Il est à remarquer que la véritable morue d'Islande ou Terre-Neuve, est à peu près inconnue en Angleterre, en dehors des maisons françaises d'approvisionnement.
                  Le poisson qui en tient lieu est le Cabillaud salé (Salted cod), qui est excellent, mais dont le goût diffère absolument de celui de la véritable morue.

1. Couper 1,250 kilo de morue en gros carrés ; la pocher seulement pendant 8 minutes, comptées de l'instant où l'ébullition se prononce, pour l'avoir vert cuite. L'égoutter aussitôt sur un tamis et retirer toutes les peaux et arêtes.
2. Chauffer dans un sautoir 2 décilitres et demi d'huile. Lorsqu'elle est bien fumante, jeter dedans la morue effeuillée en y joignant une gousse d'ail écrasée. À l'aide d'une spatule, la travailler vigoureusement sur le feu jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit en pâte assez fine.
3. Retirer le sautoir du feu et faire absorber à la pâte 5 à 6 décilitres d'huile ajoutée en petit filet, sans cesser de remuer fortement avec la spatule. De temps à autre, rompre le corps de la pâte avec 2 ou 3 cuillerées de lait bouillant, et ce, jusqu'à ce que 2 décilitres et demi de lait aient été absorbés.
4. Lorsque la brandade est terminée, elle doit être très blanche et avoir la consistance d'une purée de pommes de terre. Rectifier l'assaisonnement en dernier lieu ; dresser en timbale en montant la brandade en rocher pyramidal ; piquer dessus de petits triangles en pain de mie, frits au beurre clarifié, au dernier moment.

BON APPÉTIT

En hommage à Auguste Escoffier

 

Best Loved Lemon Bars (The Great American Bake Sale)

     

       Next to brownies, lemon bars are probably the most popular bake sale item. For interesting variations on a classic, try Orange bars or Coconut Key Lime bars.

Makes 3 dozens

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 5 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• Powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
2. Blend butter, salt, ½ cup powdered sugar and 2 cups flour to make soft dough.
3. Press evenly into ungreased 9 x 13-inch pan ; bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden.
4. Meanwhile, combine eggs, lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar and ¼ cup flour and blend until smooth.
5. Pour over baked crust ; reduce heat to 325F (160C) and bake 25 minutes until firm.
6. Cool ; dust with powdered sugar and slice into bars.

Variations

1. Orange bars : Substitute orange juice and peel for lemon juice and peel. Omit powdered sugar topping. Melt 2 ounces semisweet chocolate with ¼ cup butter. Spread over bars as a glaze.
2. Coconut Key Lime bars : Substitute lime juice and peel for lemon juice and peel. After pouring filling over crust, sprinkle with 1 cup shredded coconut.
3. Almond Amaretto bars : Substitute Amaretto liqueur for lemon juice. Omit lemon peel. After pouring over the crust, sprinkle with 1 cup sliced almonds.
4. Cherry Bon Bon bars : Substitute marashino cherry juice for lemon juice. Omit lemon peel. Chopped about 2 dozens well-drained cherries and add to filling. Omit powdered sugar topping. Melt 1 ounce semisweet chocolate and 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate with ¼ cup butter. Spread over bars as a glaze.

HAVE A GREAT BAKE SALE
 

Another Afternoon Tea Cajun shrimp sandwiches (SpecialTeas)

Makes 12 pièces

• One-eight teaspoon onion powder
• One-eight teaspoon garlic powder
• One-eight teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• One-eight teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup fresh tiny shrimp, peeled, cooked, and drained
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 6 thin slices white bread
• Unsalted butter

1. Combine all the seasonings and set aside.
2. Heat the butter in a skillet until hot and foamy.
3. Pour in the seasonings and cook at medium-high heat for 1 minute ; add the shrimp and orange peel and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Cool at room temperature.
5. Spread each slice of bread with a thin coating of butter.
6. Divide the shrimp mixture between 3 of the bread slices ; top the sandwiches with the remaining bread.
7. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 pièces.

Note : If you cannot find fresh tiny shrimp, it is best to buy them frozen rather than canned.

HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON TEA

Afternoon Tea Fruit Tarts (SpecialTeas)

Makes 6 tarts

Sweet pastry

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 5½ tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse 2 or 3 times ; process in butter until the dough is crumbly.
2. Add enough of the egg, approximately one half, to form a dough ; wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for one hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350F.
4. Roll out half of the dough on a lightly floured surface ; cut out 6 4-inch circles. (Freeze the remaining dough, well wrapped. It will last 3 months.)
5. Place a dough circle in each 6 fluted tart pans, 3 inches in diameter and ½ inch high ; press down and around gently, remove any excess and gently prick the dough with a fork.
6. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 30 minutes or until starting to brown ; cool in the tin until ready to use.

Lemon curd

• 1¼ cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 4 lemons)
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Grated rind of 2 lemons (optional)
• Fresh raspberries (for final step of assembly)

1. Beat the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy ; blend in the lemon juice.
2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat over a low flame until hot.
3. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until completely melted and blended.
4. Raise the heat to medium and cook until thick ; stir well as it thickens to prevent sticking and burning, fold in the rind, if desired, and cool.

Assemble the tarts

1. Fill each shell with 2 tablespoons of lemon curd ; starting in the center and working outward, cover the top of the tarts with fresh raspberries.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note : These tarts are best if made within 24 hours of serving.

HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON TEA

More Afternoon Tea sandwiches (SpecialTeas)

 

Roast Beef sandwiches with horseradish sauce

Makes 16 pièces

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 8 thin slices white bread
• Unsalted butter
• 4 ounces thinly sliced roast beef
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Combine mayonnaise and horseradish in a small bowl ; set aside.
2. Spread each slice of bread with a thin coating of butter.
3. Put 1 ounce of roast beef on each of 4 slices of bread, folding it to conform to the size of the bread ; season with salt and pepper and spoon a teaspoon of the horseradish sauce over the beef on each sandwich.
4. If you would like a sharper taste, use 1½ teaspoons of the sauce.
5. Top the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices ; trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 pièces.

Waldorf chicken salad sandwiches

Makes 12 pièces

Salad

• 3 cups cooked chicken, medium diced
• ¾ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup Granny Smith apples, small diced
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup celery, small diced
• 2 scallions, finely sliced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey

• 6 thin slices whole wheat bread
• Unsalted butter

1. Place the salad ingrédients in a large bowl, tossing to combine.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk the dressing ingrédients together ; pour the dressing over the salad and mix well ; season with salt and pepper and chill about 2 hours.
3. To assemble the sandwiches, spread the bread with a thin coating of butter.
4. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons Waldorf Chicken Salad on each of the 3 slices of bread ; top the sandwiches with the remaining bread.
5. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 pièces.

Curried tuna salad sandwiches

Makes 12 sandwiches

• 1 3¼-ounce can solid white tuna, drained
• 1 tablespoon finely sliced scallion
• 3 tablespoons currants
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1½ teaspoons curry powder
• 3 thin slices white bread
• 3 thin slices whole wheat bread
• Unsalted butter

1. Put the tuna in a small bowl, flaking with a fork to separate the meat ; add the scallion, the currants, the walnuts, the mayonnaise and the curry powder, and mix well.
2. Making it the day before allows time for the flavors to meld ; this salad will stay in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3 days.
3. To assemble the sandwiches, spread the slices of bread with a thin coating of butter.
4. Divide the curried tuna salad between the 3 slices of white bread, spreading it evenly ; Cover each sandwich with the whole wheat bread slices.
5. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 pièces

HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON TEA

Afternoon tea sandwiches (SpecialTeas)

Of the many wonderful gifts the British have given us, Afternoon Tea is clearly a favorite.

Smoked salmon and dill sandwiches

Makes 12 pièces

• 6 thin slices wheat bread
• Unsalted butter
• 3 ounces smoked salmon, sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1. Spread each slice of bread with a thin coating of butter ; divide the smoked salmon evenly between 3 slices of bread and sprinkle evenly the chopped dill over each sandwich.
2. Cover the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices.
3. Trim the crusts ; cut each sandwiches into 4 pièces.

Curried egg-mayonnaise sandwiches

Makes 12 pièces

• 4 thin slices of white bread
• 4 thin slices of wheat bread
• Unsalted butter
• Curried egg salad

1. Spread each slice of bread with a thin coating of butter.
2. Divide the curried egg salad between the 4 slices of white bread and spread evenly.
3. Top the white bread with the wheat bread ; trim the crusts and cut the sandwiches into 3 parallel pièces.

Curried Egg Salad
Makes ¾ cup

• 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon curry powder

1. Finely chopped the eggs ; mix in the mayonnaise and curry powder, making sure all the ingrédients are combined.
2. This will keep in the refrigerator, well covered, for 3 days.

Cucumber sandwiches

Makes 12 pièces

• ½ medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Unsalted butter
• 6 thin slices white bread
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Combine the cucumber and the vinegar in a bowl ; tosse to blend ; let sit for ½ hour, drain off excess liquid.
2. Spread a thin coating of butter on each slice of bread.
3. On 3 slices of bread, place the cucumber slices, making sure the bread is well covered.
4. Salt and pepper each sandwich ; cover with the remaining slices of buttered bread.
5. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 pièces.

Roquefort, walnut and Cognac sandwiches

Makes 12 pièces

• ½ cup walnuts
• ¼ pound Roquefort cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons Cognac
• 6 thin slices white bread
• Unsalted butter

1. Toast the walnuts under the broiler for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown ; cool and finely chopped.
2. While the walnuts are toasting, blend the cheese with the Cognac.
3. Spread each slice of bread with a thin coating of butter.
4. Spoon the cheese mixture, dividing evenly, on 3 slices of bread and spread over each slice.
5. Sprinkle a full tablespoon of nuts over the cheese.
6. Top each sandwich with the remaining bread slices, pressing down firmly.
7. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 pièces.

Prosciutto and Explorateur cheese sandwiches

Makes 12 pieces

• 6 thin slices white bread
• Unsalted butter
• 3 ounces Explorateur cheese, at room temperature
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, approximately

1. Spread each slice of bread with a thin coating of butter.
2. Spread a thin layer of cheese on 3 slices of bread ; lay a slice of prosciutto on the cheese, folding the prosciutto to conform to the size of the bread.
3. Cover the 3 sandwiches with the remaining bread, trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 pièces.

HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON TEA