Alain Passard - Arpege Restaurant, Paris

Tonight on Masterchef Australia, George will be preparing a tomato dessert. For many people that will be a revelation, but for those fortunate enough to have eaten at Arpege Restaurant in Paris over the past 25 years, it may not seem so strange.

Alain Passard has been presenting his tomate confit farcie aux douze saveurs for over 25 years. An article in the American Express Centurion Magazine from January gives a little more insight into the chef and shows his tomato dessert.













The first time that I was fortunate enough to try the dessert was May 1988. It was an amazing finale to a superb lunch that began with another Masterchef favourite, the chaud-froid eggs that the contestants enjoyed, and then tried to recreate, when they were treated to lunch at Mark Best's Surry Hills restaurant Marque.



Arpege is a three star Michelin restaurant in the Invalides district of Paris near the Rodin Museum. In 1988 when I visited it was still only a two star restaurant, but Passard was winning praise and attracting much attention. Christine Manfield and partner margie visited in July 1989 to celebrate Margie's birthday and had a memorable meal, as recounted in Christine's book "Fire".


The restaurant attracted Mark Best, who worked there in 1998. It seems from the report in Australian Gourmet Traveller from August 1999, that it was a tough time and M. Passard was not of much assistance during his stay. Despite the apparent lack of interaction with M. Passard, Mark brought back two recipes in particular that have stood the test of time and appeared on his menus. The chaud-froid egg and the tomato dessert.

The tomato dessert became legendary and versions have appeared in many restaurants. At the Melbourne Food and Wine Masterclass in 1998, Alain Verzeroli, who had worked with M.Passard, presented his version of the dish, Confit of Tomato stuffed with dried and fresh fruit flavoured with star anise and vanilla, served with an orange syrup.

In 1999, while on a cheese tour of Italy and France, I returned to Arpege with a chef from Sydney. We had a fantastic meal that included a fondant of Perigord truffles and reggiano parmigiano. It was a memorable meal and of course finished with the tomate confit, finished at the table au geuridon. After the lunch, M.Passard took my partner on a guided tour of the small kitchen and explained their philosophy on food.

Earlier this year I returned for my fourth visit, and unfortunately, due to it being spring time, tomatoes were not on the menu. Still, we had the chaud-froid eggs and a superb meal, with the vegetables grown on M.Passard's three farms. The first asparagus of the season had just arrived and it was served simply with some olive oil and shavings of parmesan. Simple, but delicious. The meal was full of fresh, light vegetable combinations. With all the talk of restaurant kitchen gardens, M'Passard has really taken it to a higher level, with three potagers (farms).



The apple tart (Tarte aux pommes Bouquet de Roses©) has been made with long strips of apple that have been rolled up to give the appearance of a bouquet of roses. It is of work of art.






















Cheeses were of course good, including a 4 year old Salers.



It was a memorable meal and M.Passard spent 10 minutes with us discussing his food and farms. A true gentleman and a quiet achiever.

Thermomix Chicken Croquettes from Varoma

This is based on a recipe from Kate McGhie's book "Cook"

I am not into fried foods, but somebody is, and so I decided to try making up a batch in a form that could easily be frozen and then small quantities be thawed for a meal/snack.

I don't enjoy crumbing sloppy balls of croquettes, so thought that I would try par-cooking them first.

The logs of chicken mix can be steamed before they are sliced for the croquettes, but please don't overcook them, because they will be partly cooked again with the frying.

It is similar to the way my mum used to make logs of biscuits and freeze them, then cut off bits as needed. But this time, I cooked the chicken and then sliced it and froze the slices on trays before wrapping between pieces of foil for storage.

For a crunchier texture, use the Japanese Panko breadcrumbs rather than making your own and mix in the parmesan before coating.

You only need to shallow fry the croquettes, but I probably would not try to cook them in the oven, as they would harden up too much. I have coated and fried them, cooled them and then reheated them later in a slow oven for 10 minutes, and that works.

Have a play around and see if it appeals.



Chicken Croquettes

Ingredients:
100 g Parmesan cheese in pieces
200 g bread, crusts removed and
cut into chunks
1 clove garlic
500 g chicken thighs cut into
2cm chunks and partially frozen
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt
Another egg, beaten (for crumbing croquettes)

Method:
Place the cheese in the TM bowl and chop for 15 seconds on speed 8. Add bread and chop for another 10 seconds on speed 7. Remove crumb mix to a bowl and set aside.

Place garlic in the TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 7, scrape down the sides as needed. Add 250 g of the chicken to TM bowl. Chop the chicken by hitting Turbo 4 or 5 times. It should still have some texture and not look like a paste. Remove and place in a bowl. Place remaining chicken in TM bowl and chop the chicken by hitting Turbo 4 or 5 times.

Place the chicken and garlic; half the breadcrumb mix; and, one of the eggs and seasoning into the TM bowl. Mix for 30 seconds on Reverse + speed 5, using the spatula through the lid if needed to push the mixture down.



Place some of the mixture onto greased aluminium foil and roll up into sausage shapes, about 3cm diameter, of lengths that will fit into the Varoma.

Place 1000 m l water in the TM bowl and set the TM for 30 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2. Place the Varoma on top and steam the “sausages”.

After the sausages have cooked, remove the Varoma and leave aside to allow the sausages to cool. Once cooled, slice into 1 cm slices, dip in the beaten egg and reserved crumbs. Shallow fry.

You can make up larger amounts, cook the sausages; cut into discs; and then freeze with silicon paper between, thaw and crumb as needed.

One year of blogging - Sugar Cane Prawns from the Thermomix

Well, thanks to Ed over at Tomato,
I suddenly realised that this blog has been going a year. A little haphazardly, but still, it has helped those poor Thermomix users who have needed some inspiration at times.

Ed's blog is having its fourth birthday and has a request for BBQ recipes, so here is a Vietnamese recipe that is perfect in the Thermomix and can be finished on those little Vietnamese charcoal braziers for a tasty finish.

You can just eat them after they have been steamed, but the charcoal finish helps give them a lift.

Sugar Cane Prawns

Ingredients:

1 stem sugar cane, peeled
3 garlic cloves
2cm piece of fresh ginger
1/2 small bunch coriander, including roots and stalks, washed and roughly chopped
1 red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
30g palm sugar
60g pork back fat, chilled and chopped into 1cm cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
500g peeled, deveined green prawns
1 egg white
10g cornflour
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Dipping sauce:

1 clove garlic (from above)
1/2 teaspoon chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
pinch salt

Method:

Cut sugar cane into 10 cm lengths, and then cut into sixths lengthways. Place in water to soak while preparing mixture.

Place garlic cloves into TM bowl and then peel the cloves for 5 seconds on Reverse + Speed 4. Remove the papery coating from the bowl and remove one clove and keep aside for the dipping sauce. Add the ginger and chilli and chop for 10 seconds on Speed 7 (remember to take it off Reverse). Next add the palm sugar, pork fat and salt to the TM bowl and process for 15 – 20 seconds on Speed 6, until nearly smooth.

Finally, add the prawns, egg white, cornflour, fish sauce and pepper and mix for 30 seconds on Speed 6. The mixture should be sticky.



Remove sugar cane sticks from the water and dry well. They must be very dry on the outside to hold the mixture. With oiled hands, wrap mix around sugar cane.



For ease of eating outdoors, place the mixture at one end of the stick. If you are going to remove the prawn mixture and wrap in lettuce leaves or roll in rice paper, then place midways along the sticks.

Place some oiled baking paper with holes cut in, to allow better steam penetration, into the Varoma tray. Place the prawn skewers into the tray. Put 600ml water into the TM bowl and position the Varoma tray on top. Set the TM to cook for 10 - 12 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1, until the prawn mixture has changed to be opaque and firm to the touch.



They may be served as they are in rice paper or lettuce leaves (remove from the sugar cane before wrapping!) , or for a more authentic flavour, place between Vietnamese metal grill and grill over charcoal until charred on the outside.







Serve the sugar cane prawns surrounding a small bowl with dipping sauce.


Dipping Sauce
Place garlic clove and chilli into TM bowl with sugar and chop for 10 seconds on Speed 7. Add remaining ingredients and mix all together for 5 seconds on Speed 4.

Stuffed Mushrooms in the Varoma

This recipe is based on a recipe that I first saw in Antonio Carluccio's book "The Complete Mushroom Book". I have since seen a version in a little Murdoch book called "Steam It".

Fresh shiitake mushrooms are best for this dish, but mushroom caps of a similar size will do.

The great thing with this dish is that you can cook it all in the Thermomix and that you steam the mushrooms while making the sauce. You have a wonderful aroma filling the kitchen while this is all happening.







Stuffed Mushrooms


Stuffing:

2 cm piece of fresh ginger
1 clove garlic
1 large spring onion, cut into segments
30 g ham or Chinese sausage (optional)
60 g water chestnuts
300 g chicken thighs cut into
2cm chunks and partially frozen
150 g raw prawns, shelled (or an extra
100g chicken and 30 g breadcrumbs)
1 egg
1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine (or sherry)
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt

300 g mushrooms (preferably shiitake), suitable to be stuffed as in the picture

Sauce:
700 ml chicken stock
1 star anise
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp sake, Chinese rice wine or sherry

Method:

Place the ginger and garlic in the TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 7. Add spring onion, ham/sausage and water chestnuts and chop for another 10 seconds on speed 7. Remove mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Place chicken in the TM bowl and hit Turbo 5 or 6 times. It should still have a little texture and not look just like a paste. Remove and place in the bowl with the ginger/garlic mixture. Place prawns or remaining chicken in TM bowl and chop the chicken by hitting Turbo 3 times (prawns) or 5 times (chicken).

Place the chicken, ginger and garlic mixture together with the remaining stuffing ingredients into the TM bowl and mix for 30 seconds on Reverse and speed 3 or 4, using the spatula through the lid if needed to push the mixture down.

Remove the mixture to a bowl and clean out the TM bowl.

Place the sauce ingredients into the TM bowl and place the steamer basket over the lid, rather than the MC. Cook the sauce for 15 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1 while stuffing the mushrooms.

Remove the stalks from the mushrooms, these can be added to the sauce mixture to give extra flavour.

Place the mushrooms, with stuffing uppermost, into the Varoma dish and tray. Once they are all stuffed, position the Varoma on the TM lid. Steam for 15 - 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2.

It is best to check the mushrooms after 10 minutes and possibly swap some of the ones in the Varoma base to the tray and vice versa to ensure even cooking (but not essential)

After the mushrooms have cooked, remove the Varoma and leave aside to allow them to cool.

Strain the sauce into a bowl through the streamer basket and rinse the TM bowl. Return the strained sauce to the TM bowl and cook for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 4 with the basket over the lid. This will help thicken the sauce.

Once cooled, place the mushrooms on a serving platter or individual plates and spoon over some sauce.

Thermomix Asparagus and Crab Soup

This is a simple soup with flavours that remind me of Viet Nam. Simple, but so tasty, and it somehow makes me feel good when eating it.



Crab and Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:

2 bunches fresh asparagus
2 cm piece of ginger
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp sugar, preferably palm sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 Tbsp water
200g crab meat, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method:

Peel the asparagus stalks (starting from just below the tip and going towards the base) and break off the hard part from the base of the stalks. Keep the woody sections and chop into 2cm sections. Wash the asparagus in cold water. Chop into pieces to go into the TMX basket. Preferably stand the pieces with the tips up if you wish to use them for garnish.




Place ginger in TMX bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down as needed.
Place the woody stems and stock into the TMX bowl with sugar, salt and fish sauce. Place the basket in the TMX and cook for 20 minutes at 100°C on reverse + speed 1. Remove the basket with the asparagus and take out the pieces. Cool in iced water. Take the asparagus infused stock and strain, using the basket, into a bowl.

Place the asparagus pieces in the Varoma. Return the strained stock mixture to the TMX bowl with the cornflour mix, position Varoma and cook for 4 minutes at 100°C on speed 1. Add the crab and reposition the Varoma on top and cook for 3 minutes at 90°C on reverse and speed soft. Remove the Varoma, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Set the TMX to reverse and speed 1 and drizzle in the beaten eggs.

Place asparagus sections in soup bowls or serving dish and pour soup over top. Garnish with coriander leaves or spring onions(shallots).

White Cooked Chinese Chicken

This recipe is based on a recipe from Stephanie Alexander’s “The Cook’s Companion”.

There are many versions of this recipe, and it is very easy to cook without the Thermomix, but for anybody who doesn't have a stove, this shows the potential of this wonderful machine.

You need to try not to allow the skin to be damaged - you can see the tear in the leg of my first attempt - keep the speed at soft and you should be able to avoid this mistake.



White Cooked Chinese Chicken


Ingredients:

1 size 13 (1.3kg) chicken with
parson’s nose removed
3 litres boiling water
60 ml Shaoxing rice wine or sherry
3 spring onions, sliced into 2 cm lengths
2 cm fresh ginger, cut into slices
1 tsp sesame oil


Method:




To start, clean as much fat away from inside the cavity. Then carefully pour half of the boiling water into the cavity of the chicken to blanch and clean the blood from inside. Drain the chicken and carefully place it in the TM bowl, bottom end down over and around the blades. Push chicken down carefully so it is firmly set on the blades. Do not tear the skin.



Put the wine, spring onions, ginger and oil into the cavity through the opening at the neck. Position the lid on the TM bowl and then carefully pour about 1500 ml boiling through the hole in the lid to barely cover the chicken. It may want to float, but it should still be OK. There should be about 1 cm clearance from the top.

Set the Thermomix for 10 minutes at 100°C on speed soft. Keep a check on the chicken. It should slowly rotate in the bowl without problems. Place the steamer basket over the opening in the lid.

Then set the Thermomix for 30 minutes at 50°C on speed soft. Place an inverted cup or bowl over the opening in the lid to help keep steam in.

After the time has been reached, turn off the Thermomix, and leave the chicken in the bowl for another 30 minutes. Then, very carefully remove the chicken to a bowl with some iced water being careful not to tear the skin. Cover the chicken with ice cubes and, let the chicken sit for another 60 minutes to thoroughly cool.

When the chicken has cooled sufficiently, drain the water away. Remove chicken to a board and cut into serving pieces. You should find that a delicious jelly forms between the skin and the flesh. The bones may look a bit pink, but it should have a velvety and soft flesh.

Traditionally the chicken is served with slices of spring onion and ginger covered with very hot vegetable oil (it spits as it hits the onions and ginger so beware) and some sesame oil drizzled over.

Drunken Chicken Version 1 in Varoma

My sincere apologies to Anonymous of Singapore, but finally I am getting around to writing up the recipes for some of the Asian dishes that I photographed last year.

This is for the first version of drunken chicken that I will present. White cooked chicken and another drunken chicken will follow.


Drunken Chicken in the Varoma

Ingredients:

1.5 kg chicken
150 ml Shaoxing rice wine
3 Tbsp Chinese spirit (or brandy, grappa)
3 slices fresh ginger
3 spring onions, cut into 2 cm lengths
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Coriander leaves and/or
finely-sliced spring onion to garnish

Preparation:

Rinse the chicken, drain and remove any fat from the cavity and around neck. Cut off and discard parson’s nose. Joint chicken and cut into approximately 8 pieces. Place into a bowl and cover with boiling water, leave for 2-3 minutes, then refresh in cold water.

Place the chicken pieces into a bowl that fits into the Varoma. Add the wine, spirit, ginger and spring onion. Place 1000 ml water into the TM bowl and position the Varoma with chicken. Cover and steam for 30 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2.

After the time has been reached, set Varoma aside still covered and leave for 20-30 minutes to cool in marinade. Baste chicken pieces from time to time to moisten.

For service, strain the marinade from the chicken pieces and place into the TM bowl, add the salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2, with steamer basket replacing the MC. Strain marinade into a bowl.

Then, either use a cleaver to cut through the bones into bite-sized pieces, or bone the chicken and slice pieces across the grain. Place chicken pieces into a serving dish and cover with the marinade.

Garnish with coriander and/or spring onion.