PUFF PASTRY

Ingredients: serves 8 

500 gm (3 1/3 cups) plain flour
125 gm butter, coarsely chopped
2 x 250gm blocks of butter, each thinly sliced lengthways into 10 slices
250 ml Iced acidulated water - add juice of half a lemon to 1 cup of water

Method:
Using a food processor, process flour, chopped butter and a pinch of salt until fine crumbs form. 

Add 250ml iced acidulated water and process until just coming together. 

Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth. 

Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Roll out pastry on a floured surface to 25cm x 60cm, with short edge facing you.
Arrange half the butter slices in a single layer over middle third of pastry, then fold down top third of pastry.
Arrange remaining butter slices over folded pastry, fold up bottom third. 

Turn anti-clockwise so opening is on the right, then turn over pastry, keeping opening to your right.
Roll out pastry to 25cm x 60cm with short side facing you, fold down top third, then fold up bottom third. 

Turn pastry anti-clockwise, turn over and repeat. 

Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate until pastry is firm (2-3 hours). 

Repeat again four times, allowing the pastry to rest in between.

Pastry can be frozen, it's time consuming so make a double batch.

THIN APPLE TART WITH SAUCE CARAMEL

SAUCE CARAMEL

Ingredients:
250 ml Cream
250 g Sugar
150 ml Water

Method:
Bring cream to the boil
In a separate, very clean, dry pot mix the sugar with the water and boil until it is a deep golden brown.
Add the caramel to the cream, slowly - be cautious here!
Whisk gently and return to heat until all the caramel has dissolved.

Once cooled, store in the refrigerator.

MM.

ON OLIVE OIL

There are about 104 different Olive Oils available.  ( New ones coming into supply all the time ).  The Main global producers and consumers are - Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, U.S.A, Tunisia, Turkey, Portugal, Lebanon, Morocco, France.  And now also Australia and South Africa. Here are a few things to consider when selecting yours.

One of the reasons we use Olive Oil, is to reap the health benefits, but large scale commercial enterprises offer a product almost devoid of taste and nutrition.  It is very important that Olives be picked ripe, and optimally pressed within 48 hours, and then stored correctly.

• OLIVE OIL ADOPTS OTHER AROMAS EASILY, SO STORE MINDFULLY. 
• OLIVE OIL SHOULD STORED, LIKE WINE, IN A COOL AND DARK PLACE.
• IDEAL TEMPERATURES  for storage 10-12 DEGREE CELSIUS 
• OLIVE OIL IS BEST STORED IN DARK BOTTLES 
• IF OLIVE OIL IS STORED TO COOL IT CREATES FLAKES AND LOSES SOME OF IT'S DELICATE FLAVOUR. 
• DON’T OVERHEAT OLIVE OIL - THIS WILL CAUSE IT TO LOSE FLAVOUR AND NUTRIENTS VERY QUICKLY. WARM OVER GENTLE HEAT, OR ADD AFTER COOKING. 
• AFTER USE SEAL THE BOTTLE - INTRODUCING OXYGEN CAUSES DETERIORATION. 
• ONLY VIRGIN AND EXTRA-VIRGIN OILS ARE PRODUCED SOLEY BY MECHANICAL MEANS. BE AWARE THAT THE TERMS 'PURE', '100%', 'LIGHT' MOST LIKELY REFER TO CHEMICALLY REFINED OILS. HOWEVER, EVEN THE TERMS 'EXTRA-VIRGIN' AND 'VIRGIN' ARE OPEN TO MISUSE. 
• 'HAND PICKED' GIVES AN INDICATION THAT RIPE OLIVES ARE BEING USED, NOT UNRIPE OR OVER-RIPE ( and possibly mouldy!)
  

STEAK TARTARE

I have a beef with the way Steak Tartare has been discombobulated!

Any old ground beef with a raw egg on top is passed off as Steak Tartare these days. I even suffered the misfortune of being presented with the raw ingredients and expected to 'cook' it myself. Really!! Would you ask a costumer to prepare anything other dish themselves?

This dish is supposed to reflect, in a more sophisticated fashion the raw steak which, it is said, Tartar horseman placed between the saddle and their mount's back to be pounded and crushed during a fierce ride. The modern version is commonly assembled and prepared from the gueridon, ( a small round table).

It is true that there are different versions, from different countries. What I am talking about is what is being presented as a sophisticated dish. The steak in Steak Tartare must be that .... fillet of beef, not mince, not ground beef, not a mixture. The steak must be chopped into a fine dice. This is the art in it. There is a huge difference between chopped and minced, in both taste and texture.

Ingredients: Mise en place
Finely chopped raw fillet steak
Finely chopped raw onions and onions rings
Anchovy fillets
Capers
Other flavourings to choice - e.g. Tabasco or Worcestershire sauce
Chopped hard boiled egg
Virgin Olive Oil
Vinegar
Brandy
Salt
Milled pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Raw egg

These ingredients should be chilled or very cool.

Tartare Steak is simply the pounded raw meat seasoned, lightly dressed with oil and vinegar, and then shaped before the guests, manipulating into a neat roundel with two forks.
Chopped onions may be incorporated or served as an accompaniment. Commonly a small well or depression is made on the top of the shaped steak, to receive a garnish of raw egg yolk.
Final garnish may include onion rings, anchovy fillet in julienne strips, capers and chopped hard boiled egg (yolk and white).
Oil and vinegar and other condiments are placed on the table.
A green salad is customary accompaniment, together with thinly sliced black bread and butter ( Danish rye or pumpernickel ).

SOMETHING I PREPARED EARLIER ....

PAN-FRIED SALMON ON HORSERADISH MASH and CREAMED SPINACH

Menu Course: Main

Reference: M Muellers

Cooking method: Pan-frying

Ingredients: 4 portions
4 x 200 g fresh salmon fillet
4 g salt
4 turns white milled pepper
5 g fresh ginger grated
5 ml teriyaki sauce
40 g butter
40 ml olive oil
Asian green, olive oil and balsamic vinegar for garnish

Mise-en-place:
Horseradish mash, creamed spinach (recipes en route)

Method:
Season salmon with salt, mill pepper, ginger and teriyaki sauce
Heat the olive oil and butter in a pan
Place salmon portion into hot oil/butter mixture, just to seal
Place in pre-heated oven(200 degree C) for about 4 minutes
Remove salmon from pan and dry on a paper towel
Place on piped mashed potatoes and creamed spinach
Top salmon with Asian greens and a few drops of olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Enjoy!

IMAGE M.Muellers

JEAN ANTHELME BRILLAT-SAVARIN

Those persons who suffer from indigestion, or who become drunk, are utterly ignorant of the true principles of eating and drinking. 
Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)


In 1996, I did a post graduate course through the University of Adelaide, Australia.   My thesis was to  'Examine the validity how Gastronomy,  (as a practice),  has been presented as a middle path reconciling health and pleasure and,  to highlight both contemporary and earlier writers on Gastronomy'.  
His is a very interesting perspective and I would encourage students of Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts to get a copy of  Brillat-Savarin's 'Physiologie du Gout'.