One surprise after the other one

Posted on December 8, 2012

Talking about parties & menus before Christmas

The ideal party when all guests feel themselves at home. We may achieve this for example with an abundant choice. My suggestion is the next excellent dinner what is ready at a glance.

Starters:   Espuma of celery with truffle oil

                Goose liver terrine créme brulée

                Prawn with lemon mellisse

Main course:Tajine of duck with fresh figues, with ginger and green pepper

Dessert:  Hazelnut cream with gold leaves

Espuma of celery and truffle oil

Ingredients: half of a celery, 1 chicken stock, 30 cl milk, 30 cl cream, 2 teaspoons truffle oil, salt and pepper you can prepare cream one day ahead.

Directons: 1. Peel the celery and cut into cubes. Let it cook for 15 minutes in the chicken broth. Purée with a blender or food processor, add milk and cream to it. Salt and pepper. 2. Pour over truffle oil. Spoon mixture into the professional creative whip maker. Screw on the iSi cream charger with the charger holder and shake it vigorously. 3. Cool cream in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Espuma is ready for dispensing after the cooling time. 4. Press celery cream into nice glasses. Gild with shaved truffle pieces.

Wine suggestion: Crémant Alsace Bru 2002

Goose liver terrine créme brulée

Ingredients: 6 egg yolks, 50 gr sugar, 40 cl cream, 4 chestnut (candid), 1 gooseliver terrine, pepper and salt

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven for 150 grades. Whisk the egg yolks with sugar until stiff. Add cream to egg. Flavor with salt and pepper. 2. Cut 3 chestnuts into four, slice the goose liver terrine, place into small baking forms, bestrew them with candid chestnut. 3. Pour egg mixture over goose liver portions and place the baking forms into the oven for 10 minutes. When it’s ready adorn with shredded chestnut. You can consume it cold or warm.

Tiger prawn with lemon melisse

Ingredients: 2 lbs large raw tiger shrimp (18), in their shells, thawed if frozen, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 6 garlic cloves, smashed, 2 limes, juice and zest of 1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped warm tortilla, to serve, lemon slice, lemon melisse, for the finger bowls

Directions: 1. Chop the onion and cut the melisse fine, salt and pepper. Put into a blender squeeze some lemon over it and make a pesto. Put aside. Rinse the prawns in a colander, remove their heads and leave them to drain. 2. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and fry over a low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. 3. Add the lime rind and juice. 4. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or more. 5. Add the prawns and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn pink. 6. Remove them from the heat, sprinkle with coriander and serve with the warm tortillas and the melisse pesto. (Give each guest a finger bowl filled with water and a slice of lemon, for cleaning their fingers after shelling the prawns, and provide also of paper napkins).

Ingredients: 8 small potatoes, 6 fresh figues, 15 cl ginger syrup, 30 gr green peper, 2 duck filets, pepper and salt

Directions: 1. Cook the peeled potatoes for 15 minutes until tender. Wash the figues and cut into four. Place figues into a casserole, pour over ginger syrup, and let it cook for 15 minutes. Stir it time to time in order to protect from burning. Season with green pepper. 2. Prepare the duck. Salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes in a bit of butter on high temperature. Reduce heat (onto medium temperature), flavor duck with thyme and let it simmer for two more minutes. Slice filets nicely. Place them onto figues with the juice, season with salt and pepper and arrange potatoes nicely on the plate.

Wine: Clos de la Grande Boissiere 2001

Hazelnut parfait with gold leaves

20 minutes+4 hours rest

Ingredients: 4 egg yolks, 50 gr sugar, 5 gr vanilla sugar, 20 cl milk, 13 cl cream, 100 gr nuts, decorate with 4 leaves of gold

Directions:1. Beat eggs with sugar and with vanilla sugar until stiff. Heat the milk and the cream together, add egg mixture. 2. Cook everything together on medium heat until dense. When it’s ready place into deep freezer. 3. Take cream off from the freezer and put into blender. Add grated nuts to crunchy cream. When it’s ready divide cream into glasses and keep in the fridge until serving.

Wine: Santa Carolina 1996 Late Harvest