October 2005

Autumn Recipes from the Bonham

Discover the Taste aficionados enjoyed a cookery demonstration with Michel Bouyer at the Bonham, followed by a meal of the dishes shown.

Michel Bouyer in the demo kitchen at the Bonham.

Starter:Roasted East Coast Langoustine, Lamb sweetbread and wild mushroom fricassee (for four people)

8 large live langoustines
1 kg lamb sweetbread
250 gr wild mushrooms, preferably 100 gr each of black trompette and giroles and 50 gr cepes
75 gr butter
1 tbs olive oil
Half a stick of celery
2 shallots
1 tbs chopped chervil
Langoustine butter (optional)
Chicken stock
Sea salt

Wash the sweetbread under cold water and peel off the rubbery membrane and separate into walnut size pieces. But them in cold salt water and bring to boil very slowly, simmer for 5 minutes and refresh with cold iced water. Dry them well and reserve in fridge

Prepare and brush the mushrooms, wash under running water very briefly and dry quickly.

Tear off the tails of the langoustines and remove intestine

Melt some butter in a frying pan and start to roast the sweetbread slowly until they turn a golden colour. Remove the sweetbreads and put them on one side to rest. Using the same pan, sweat the shallots and add giroles, then cepes and at the last minute the black trompette. Cook for 3 minutes.

Warm some olive oil in a frying pan and put in the langoustine, add some butter and cook for 2 minutes.

Remove the langoustine and set aside. Using the same pan, saute the celery and deglaze the pan with two tbs of chicken stock and beat in the langoustine butter. Finish with chopped chervil and assemble and serve.

Main Course: Red Leg Partridge, wilted Savoy Cabbage, Fig Tarte Tatin and Elderberry Jus

Ingredients for 4

4 Partridges
1 savoy cabbage
4 slice pancetta
chicken stock
4 figs
4 discs puff pastry
sea salt
thyme
game stock
100 gr elderberries
1 tbs quince jelly
sunflower oil
200 gr butter
100 ml fig vinegar
2 tbs brown sugar
1 clove garlic

Wash the elderberries, put them in a dry saucepan with 2 tbs water and cook until they burst. Pass the berries through a sieve, add quince jelly and reduce by half.

Put the vinegar and sugar in another saucepan and reduce to get a syrupy texture. Add a teaspoon of butter and salt. Divide this into four molds or tart cases. Top and tail the figs and place on top of the mixture and cover with the lid of puff pastry. Bake in a moderate oven (200C) for 15 minutes.

Wash and shred the cabbage and dry well. In a frying pan, add butter and fry the pancetta gently (do not crisp). When it colours, take it out of the pan and ad the cabbage and the crushed garlic. Wilt down with a little chicken stock and finish off with some double cream.

Take the legs off the partridge and bone the thigh. Cook the remaining partridge in some butter in an oven proof dish until they are browned. Add the legs to the pan and place in the open for 10 minutes at 200C. Allow them to rest 10 minutes before serving. Deglaze the pan add some elderberry jus, reduce a little, then add the game stock and reduce again. Finish the sauce with little butter. Serve.