Well I was asked to try some recipes with some friends (luckily not me who paid for the expensive ingredients) as they are newcomers to dining French-styled.
So here's the pictorial result of the experiment (went well) ...
Table set the way I like it - pure and simple lines
Something to chew on while waiting: Serrano ham on indian mango
A trio of amuse-gueule - sauteed mushroom with bacon and highlighted with piment d'Espelette, canard confit (duck) on orange segment and fresh tomato and roquette salade with octopus in garlic oil.
First course: a twist on quiche Lorraine - salted cod (called Morue salée in French) is used, a traditional brandade ingredient and the filling is mixed with wilted onions and leeks, topped with Comte cheese and baked to golden brown. The cod must be soaked 24 hours before hand and the water changed a few times to reduce its saltiness as well as to rehydrate the fish. Always good served with a tangy salad (lemon-honey dressing).
Decadent: braised Wagyu ribs with wild cèpes and red wine stock. The Wagyu is served on a bed of gratin dauphinois. A crowd pleaser, especially the meat lovers!
The cheese and salad was kept to a bare minimum for first timers - kind of initiating them to this part of the dining with an easy to eat cheese - petit camembert.
Crêpe Suzette made easy. The orange sauce was made by squeezing six oranges, reduced to half by boiling down with sugar and flavour with Grand Marnier and eau de fleur d' oranger (orange flower water). Blanched orange peel is mixed in to get the candied bits in the sauce.
