French Cookery Demonstration

The delicious recipes, as well as some clips of the cookery demonstration by Executive Head Chef, Scott Williams at Ragdale Hall’s recent French Week are shown below.

Classic Provençal cuisine (with a healthy twist)!  We hope you give it a go and if you have any questions or feedback, or even want to send us in a piccie of your masterpiece once you have created it, we’d love to hear from you!  Email tracylawrence@ragdalehall.co.uk

Video clip of Scott's demo

Recipes can be found below or alternatively you can download them below for a printable version

St. Nicholas Goat's Cheese

Vermouth Poached Chicken with Morel Mushrooms, Leek, and Asparagus

White Peach and Lavender Panacotta

St. Nicholas Goat’s Cheese
with artichoke, pancetta, and a beetroot-port dressing.

1 x St Nicholas goat’s cheese 
3 x long-stem violet artichokes (cooked and split length ways)
2oz blanched lardons of pancetta
Mixed leaves for garnish
Salt & Pepper

For the dressing:
100ml port
50ml red-wine vinegar
1 tbsp muscavado sugar
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small sliced red onion
1 raw beetroot (peeled and sliced into julienne)
Sprig of thyme
Salt & Pepper

Method:
1. First, make the dressing, reduce the vinegar by half then add the port and sugar and reduce to a syrupy consistency.
2. Add in the remaining ingredients bring back to the boil, season and set aside.
3. In a pan sear, the artichokes flat side down until golden brown and remove. Sauté the pancetta until golden and crispy.
4. Now arrange the ingredients on your plates, leaves first, then cheese and artichokes, then spoon over your dressing, and finish with a sprinkle of pancetta.

Vermouth Poached Chicken with Morel Mushrooms, Leek, and Asparagus

4 x French trimmed chicken breasts
20 x dried morel mushrooms soaked in ¼ pint of water
6oz sliced blanched leeks (green part)
16 x cooked asparagus spears
1 x small carrot (cut into brunoise)
½ x white onion (cut into brunoise)
3oz white leek (cut into brunoise)
1 x celery stick (cut into brunoise)
1 x crushed garlic clove
1 x sprig thyme
3 x bay leaves
2 glasses of dry white wine
1 x glass of vermouth
100ml whipping cream
3 tbsp chopped tarragon
Salt & Pepper

Method:
1. First sear off the chicken breasts, skin side down to give the chicken a golden brown colour, then remove the chicken and set aside.
2. Now sweat without colour the brunoise of vegetables, garlic, and herbs. Pour in the white wine and reduce by half.
3. Add in the vermouth and reduce by half again, now add in the juice from the morel mushrooms, setting aside the mushrooms. Reduce for a further minute.
4. Strain the liquor from the vegetables. Discard the brunoise vegetables.
5. Place the chicken breasts in a pan and pour over the vermouth stock, poach the chicken for approx 12 minutes or until just cooked. Remove the chicken and set aside to rest.
6. To finish the sauce, add in the asparagus, leek, tarragon and mushrooms, bring to a simmer, season and set aside.
7. Slice the chicken into a bowl with 4 asparagus spears per portion, and ladle over the sauce equally between the 4 bowls.
8. Serve with some boiled new potatoes.

White Peach and Lavender Panacotta
served with an almond cream and praline crusted figs.

(6 portions)
50ml almond cream
6 x fresh ripe figs (sliced in ½ lengthways)
Praline

For the panacotta:
½ pint cream
½ pint semi skimmed milk
¼ pint white peach coulis
1 x vanilla pod
4 x gelatine leaves
4oz caster sugar
¼ tspn dried lavender

Method:
1. First make the panacotta, scrape the vanilla into a heavy based saucepan then pour in the milk and cream, add the sugar and lavender then gently bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Leave aside to infuse for 10 minutes.
2. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft, place in a pan with the peach coulis then gently heat until the gelatine melts.
3. Strain the cream mixture through a sieve into the Peach coulis and pour into the dariole moulds, place into a refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hrs.
4. Next, sprinkle your praline onto your figs and place into an oven for 5 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius. 5. Smear some almond cream onto your plate, then arrange your panacotta and figs on the plate and serve.