Fish pastillas @ Bertrand Gueneron

Bertrand, I know him since I was a kid

He used to work in luxury gastronomy restaurants

now, he has his own restaurant in Paris : Le Bascou

\\ My review of the Bascou at the end of this post ! //

Guéneron, la volupté, la discrétion

C'est simple : en sortant, on a l'impression qu'on nous a confié une adresse fragile, 

noble et sentimentale (...). C'est comme un cadeau qu'on n'ose porter trop loin (...) 

douceur, compréhension et bienveillante volupté.

Le Figaro, François Simon.

Translation : Gueneron, subtility and sensual delight

It's easy to describe : once out, you feel as you've been entrusted a noble, sentimental and fragile address.  It's as a gift that you barely dare giving away. Softness, understanding and bright delight.

Préparez vos papilles, c’est la meilleure adresse du quartier

Depuis que Bertrand Guéneron, formé par Senderens, a repris ce restaurant basque un peu mou du béret, le Bascou a pris un sacré coup de piment sur la tête. C’est fête de Bayonne à chaque plat...

Le Fooding.com

Translation : Prepare your taste bud, it's the best address of the neighborhood

Since Bertrand Guerneron, trained by Senderens, became the owner/Chef of this uninteresting restaurant, the Bascou took a strong "chili on his head"/became of great interest. It's Bayonne's festival all around the menu, each appetizer, main course or desert... !

This recipe is light, savory and slighlty sweet. I made it 3 times 

(it took me 3 times to make it perfectly)

Though we enjoyed it every time :)

The first time it was after a quick chat over the phone, I interpretated it but I had some doubts.

Then Bertrand answered my questions for a second try, and finally, the 3rd was perfect !

  Réalisation    Easy when you know what to expect and how to manipulate Filo dough. I didn't have all the ingredients, butthankfully, they are easy to use in other recipes :) (Filo dough > appetizer or deserts, dry apricots > cakes or sweets, raw pine nuts > salads, savory muffins).In the USA, Filo dough are bought frozen, so you have to use them correctly, I'll explain it all. The folding of the pastilla can be tricky, the most important skill to have : be quick about it !

  Dégustation    Surprisingly delicious. The fish is amazingly tender.

I goes alltogether perfectly. It's a delicate, fresh and light combination of flavours. The filo dough are so light that you don't even taste these (only 2) But they bring a crusty + and maintain it together.

I loved the cinnamon and the suga on the top, but some don't like the sweet/savory blend, then it's optionnal.

- "Dinner is ready !"-

Serves 4

- 4 adults, or 5 smaller ones -

   You will need :   

for the pastillas

2/3lb of wild salmon (300gr)

2/3lb of catfish (300gr de cabillaud)

8 filo dough sheets

3tbsp fresh basil, sliced

- 6 to 8 leaves  -

2tbsp raw pine nutes

- 1tbsp coarsely choped, 1tbsp whole -

2tbsp dry apricots, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil (5cL)

1tsp cumin powder

cinnamon, powdered sugar

\\ I put a lot of basil, a bit more apricots, a bit less oil ! //

On the side

3 tomatoes, peeled and heart removed

2tbsp green olives, slices

1tbsp black olives, sliced

Green salad

Oil & Vinegar

"My" on the side

First, I did as Bertrand said, and the second time, 

I cooked some zucchinis in a pan, with pine nuts and cumin powder.

The day before, take the filo dough out of the freezer and put it in the fridge 

Prepare the "on the side"

Rinse and dry the salad and the tomatoes

Bring to a boil in a saucepan, water and 1 pinch of salt.

Cut the extremity of the tomatoes to remove the stem.

Put them in the boiling water for 10 secondes, them in cold water for 30 secondes.

\\ It's realy quick ! You don't want to cook the tomato //

Place the tomato on a cutting board, remove the skin with a knife, it must wear off easily.

Cut them in half (in the length) and remove the heart. Cut them in dices.

Serve on the salad.

Stirr olive oil and balsamic vinegar with your sliced olives, spread on the salad.

Refrigerate.

\\ Make an extra of salsa : 

in a ramequin, slices olives + 2tsp vinegar + 3 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper //

Prepare the pastillas

Preheat the oven at 410°F

Remove the fish's skins and cut them in dice (regular dice size)

Chop finely your dry apricots.

In a bowl, stir the fish, with the fresh basil, cumin powder, raw pine nuts, apricots and olive oil.

Stir, divide in 4

Unroll the filo dough

\\ You have to use them quickly, because they get dry and fragile in the air //

Place 1/4 of the mix on a filo sheet, spread a little bit in a disk shape.

Fold the sides on the top to obtain a round shape. Put a second sheet on the top and return the pastilla upside down. Fold it before the first one breaks.

\\ To make a nice fold, I turn clockwise, doing small triangles from the center //

Place the pastilla in a plate before cooking it.

Fold the 4 pastillas.

Heat your pan at medium/high heat, grease it with an absorbent paper dipped in oil.

Place the pastilla and let them get golden 1min30 on each side.

Be careful they don't burn. They must be golden, not black !

\\ The filo dough burns too quickly ! //

Place the pastillas in a oven-dish or on a tray covered with parchment paper.

Cook in the oven (it must be real hot ! 410°F) for 6 minutes

As soon as the pastilla are out of the oven, spread cinnnamon and powdered sugar on the top.

Place the pastilla in the center of the plate, surrended by the salad.

Ready to serve !

Thanks to Bertrand Gueneron who entrusted me with that recipe !

Elue Ambassade du pays Basque : Au Bascou

Un sympathique établissement qui présente un rapport qualité prix des plus avantageux.

Derrière une devanture discrète se cache une véritable vitrine de la côte basque, (..), et même si le chef, Bertrand Guénéron (ancien second au Lucas carton), est breton, les nourritures toutes en saveur et en nuances, elles, sont bien du sud-ouest.

Le Journal du Parlement 

Translation : Elected embassy of the Pays Basque (Hinterlands) : the Bascou

A nice and charming place with a great value for money. Behind a shy storefront is hidden a true window to the Pays Basque. Even if the Chef  Bertrand Gueneron (ex 2nd at the Lucas Carton) is from brittany, the flavours, are savory and delicate as the ones of the south-west.

"Dans cette auberge basque, ensoleillée de piments suspendus... la cloche sonne gaiement pour signaler que les plats sont prêts. On propose ici des nourritures sensuelles et gourmandes, de quoi en tout cas se faire plaisir sans prendre un gramme. Un vrai bonheur..."

Le Journal du Dimanche, nov 06

In this basque Inn, enlightned by hanged chili... the bell happiy rings to announce a new dish coming up. Sensuality and generous food is proposed... you can discover and enjoy without gaining any weight... a real pleasure !

! The Bascou Website !

So, the Bascou :) 

In this brassery/restaurant, Bertrand is always here and he contributes to the warmth and the jolly atmospehere of the place. He comes out of the kitchen at the beginning and at the end of his service. He speaks and learns something about each of his client. He listends, advises, compliments or critics.

They are aways booked, no surprise :)

In the menu, you'll find a lot of basque-dishes, but not only.

He has succeded to make the place a romantic and inimate restaurant as much as it's a family one.

The room is deep and narrow, each table has its own vital space.

As soon as you get in, you know you will spend a marvelous evening.

The design is also really interesting : each chair has its story, from a theater, an opera, a bistro etc.

The Bascou in a restaurant with a lot of character.

I really love it :)

Double Chocolate Muffins

100% Dark chocolate Muffins

To celebrate our return to ths USA, I tried a 100% chocolate muffin recipe.

This recipe is from the Figaro's cookbook "Tendances gourmandes #02 "Intense chocolate"... My mum was probably in the need of some chocolate when she bought it :)

It's Syvie Girard-Lagorce's recipe. The picture were really bad but I wanted to try a chocolate muffin recipe :)

  Preparation    Easy, well explained, for a beginners

  Tasting    Good but nothing exceptionnal, they lack of tenderness, even if they are really soft.

Maybe it's the baking powder, or the cocoa instead of melted chocolate. They were better on the morrow.

  Ton conclude    I'm opened to other recipes.

For 2 dozen muffins

   Il vous faut :   

1 3/4c flour (200gr)

1 14 cup light brown sugar (250gr)

17 tbsp softened butter (190gr) 

3 eggs at room temperature

1 cup unsweetened cocoa (125gr)

2tsp baking powder (10gr)

1/2 tsp salt

1cup mik (25cL) 

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chip (175gr)

Preheat the oven at 370°F

Prepare your muffin tins with cooking spray or with butter

Soften the butter with the electric beater, beat in the sugar in 3 times.

Add eggs 1 by 1, beating each time until homogeneous.

In a bowl, stir flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in that dry mix to the previous batter.

Mix until homogeneous.

 Little by little, stir in the milk 

 

When your batter is homogeneous, add in the chocoate chip.

Fill 2/3 of your tins,  slighty higher in the center.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of your tins.

At halftime baking, turn the tray front to back.

Mine were done after 15 minutes.

Use a toothpick to check moist.

Cool down on a wire rack before turning out.

Keep under a plastic film :)

! See all the muffins recipes !

Coconut Macaron, Christophe Felder's recipe

I was looking for macaron recipes... my first try was the Pierre Hermé's macarons, delicious but their shape was not perfect ! I still have to work on them :)

In Christophe Felder's "Exquises pâtisseries pour les fêtes"

He proposes these coconut macarons.

  Preparation    Really quick and easy, in 20 minutes top they are out of the oven, already cooling down to be eaten !

  Tasting    So good ! You can fill them like usual macarons with a custard, but they are also delicious by themselves. Moisty, and chewy and coconutty :)

  To conclude    My mum and I loved them, they were all eaten in on evening !

For 3 dozen of macarons

  You will need :   

7.8 oz (220gr) shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup white sugar (3.5oz/100gr)

1/2tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil (3.4fl.oz./10cL)

5tbsp powdered sugar

 + cooking spray

Preheat the oven at 360°F

In a bowl, stirr all ingredients but powdered sugar,

Mix 1 or 2 minute until a bit foamy

Use a cooking spray on your cooking tray or use a parchment paper to cover it

Pour powdered sugar in a bowl and drop a small golfball-size of dough in it, 

roll it in sugar until covered. 

\\ Use a spoon to drop it in it, the batter is too moisty to handle by hand //

 Make a ball by hand, reroll in the powdered sugar and place it on your cooking tray.

Place each macaron 2 inch apart

Bake 12 minutes to 15 minutes until golden and cracked.

Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before tasting

These macarons are better when fresh, the day they are made

If you're less than 5 to eat them, divide all proportions by 2 !

Lemon Tart with lemon french custard

Lemon tart with mandarines, it's a season dessert by the French Pastry Chef Christophe Felder.

I love citrus fruits and his recipe sounded great ! Who doesn't have a few lemons and mandarines ?

This recipe comes from the book "Exquises pâtisseries pour les fêtes" of Christophe Felder. 

 There is a lot of amazing recipes in it, even some muffins :)

I did my own cookie dough and I flavored it, but I followed all his steps for the lemon cream.

My cookie dough is mandarine flavoured, with the zests and a bit of juice.

I divided all the proportions by half and did 2 medium tarts instead of a big one.

  Preparation   I tried to follow his instructions, but it got harder than it is supposed to be... I felt like I lost a lot of time. But there is no difficulty in the recipe. It lacked of details, but I'll explain it clearly on this post. Still, it took me about 1 hour to prepare... mainly because of the mandarines.

  Tasting   I've never been disappointed by Christophe's recipes ! That cream is absolutely delicious, though too buttery for some people. It's a fresh, rich and buttery cream... it's an all-season dessert actually. A lot of flavor with a hint of sugar... I really don't think I could find better, unless there is less butter in it ahah. For the mandarines, I'm not convinced, it seemed like a nice touch but it's not worth it !

  Conclusion   I keep the recipe, without the mandarines :)

For a 9 inch pie : serves 6 to 8

Christophe Felder gives a recipe for the cookie dough :

Same as mine but +2tbsp of butter and no zests. Softened butter mix everything with a wooden spoon.

Keep 1 hour in the fridge, then cook at 350°F for 15minutes. Turn out when cooled.

   You will need :   

For the cookie dough

1lb of cookie dough with :

2 mandarine's rinds, shredded finely

3tbsp of grounded almond
1/2 cup white sugar

- instead of 2/3 cup -

For the lemon custard

5 meyer lemon's rind, finely shredded

1 1/4 cup sugar (270gr)

3 sticks of butter (350gr)

- it hurts ! -

5 eggs

2 mandarines
1/3 powdered gelatin bag (0.07oz/2gr)

Turn the oven on at 325°F

Making the dough

Finely peel the mandarine's zests with a cheese grate. Chop them.
Add it to the flour with grounded almonds and sugar. Then follow the recipe of cookie dough.

Flatten it on 0.2 inch (5mm) and place it in your buttered mold. Press gently on the sides so it won't fall.
Put 20 minutes in the oven.

Turn out when cooled.

Prepare the custard

Prepare the gelatin by following the instructions on the package.

While your dough is cooking, peel coarsely your lemons to get the rinds.
They may be thick, it doesn't matter... do as peeling an apple.

Cut the butter in dices, set aside.
Press lemon juice in a saucepan, with zests, gelatin, sugar and eggs beaten, whisk.

Turn the stove on at low/medium heat while stirring.

- ingrédients non battus - après battage - après cuisson -

After a "while" (15 to 20 minutes) the cream will thicken and start simmering.
Turn the stove off, add the diced butter and stir until homogeneous.
Use a strainer to pour in a bowl and remove the zests.
Once filtered, beat with an electric beater at medium speed for 1 minute.

Making the tart

Remove all the thin white skins from your mandarines.

- it takes a while ! -

Cut them in dices if too big. 

On your pre-cooked dough, Pour half of the custard, then the mandarines.

Keep the center of the tart without mandarines (circle of 2inches) so it will be beautiful when served. 

Pour the end of the custard, flatten it.

Decorate with a vanilla bean and a few mandarines... a rasperrie or whatever you have :)

Refrigerate 2 hours before serving !

The French Flan - Custard Tart

A Home-made flan like in french bakery shops. A touch of vanilla, it's a really fresh dessert.

That's the first flan I have ever made, and I really think it was perfect... not too heavy, 

not too much flour, great colour and shape... this recipe convinced me !

I've looked in many books and magazines, finally it's Sébastien Gaudard's rcipe that I've chosen, 

But I followed others advices and tips (Françoise Bernard's) and I've added vanilla.

The book it comes from : "Le meilleur des desserts"/"The best of desserts" lacks of details...

Honestly, if you follow it word by word, you won't succeed....

Well, I already knew the tricks so I haven't had any problems, here is the detail recipe :)

Enjoy that delicious flan !

  Preparation   There is a few tricks but I explain everything carefully in the recipe

  Tasting    Amazingly good, at least as good as in the french pastry shops !

  To conclude    I'm not looking further for a flan recipe right now, I'm happy with this one :)

For a 9inch mold

For 8 people

   Il vous faut :   

1 cookie dough, vanilla flavoured

3 cups + 3tbsp of milk (75cL)

4 eggs

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

3,5tbsp of Maïzena (2.1oz)

- cornstarch -

1 vanilla bean, grated

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Turn the oven on at 320°F

Making the dough

Follow the recipe of pâte brisée

Add in 1 tsp of vanilla extract with the water

Place some parchement paper in your pie-mold so you can unmold it easily afterwards.

Flatten you dough (2mm) place it in your mold, pressing gently on the edges.

Use a rolling pin to remove the excess

- roll toward the exterior of the mold -

Create an alluminium circle so the dough won't go down. 

Do that only if the edges are vertical like mines.

Put in the oven 15 minutes

Set aside at room temperature.

Put the oven on at 375°F

Prepare the vanilla bean

Open he bean in half, remove the seeds and set them aside for another recipe.

Doing the pastry cream

Bring the milk to a boil with 1tbsp from the sugar in a saucepan

- putting sugar avoids milk burning/sticking on the sides -

In the meanwhile, whisk the eggs with what's left of sugar. Stirr in the maizena until homogeneous.

- that's quick -

When the milk simmers, put in the vanilla bean and pour the half of it on the previous batter, whisking !

Whisk for 15seconds and put it all back in the saucepan at medium heat, whisk well.

Leave it 2 to 3 more minutes, whisking continuously especially in the corners of the sauce pan !

It will thicken quickly. Remove from the stove and pour in a bowl. 

You have made a french pastry cream :)

Remove the vanilla beam, and beat with an electric beater 1 minute at low speed.

Pour the cream in the mold, flatten the top.

Put in the oven 45 to 50 minutes in the middle of the oven until real golden on the top.

 

- it's alive ! -

- After cooling down, it flattens and creates a thin layer of dough :) -

Let it cool down at room temperature, 

then refrigerate at least 3 hours

Serve cold !