The diner

As I had promised it was a very special evening 

During the the afternoon we prepared the Tart Tatin using the St Remy apples was a great idea they where delicious . I made a flat Tart Tatin this time not like I usually do in the Cuisine .

Place the butter and sugar, about 100g of each,  in a good thick bottomed frying pan, I of course had mine with me in Pattys wagon. Peel and slice the apples, if small use quarters  .Heat  the butter with the sugar until the sugar  begins to colour a light caramel . Arrange a layer of the apples overlapping on the bottom of the pan, take care with your fingers or ley it cool slightly. Place on the rest of the slices , than can be a bit higgedy pigeldy, What a great word ! Press down. Take a round of that easy to use French Pastry !!! Fieullette of Brise available in all supermarkets . AH wake up . Or make or roll out your own to make a lid.

Place this on the apples , tuck in the edges . I brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar but that is not really necessary. This time I used the feuilette lovely and crispy. Bake in the oven . 190 until golden brown - about 20 minutes . Leave to cool then DROP on the floor. No do not do that , but it is the origin of the tart! 2 ladies Tatin made a tart burnt it and dropped it !! There is even a hotel Tatin in France Jan told me. Turn it out and eat preferably slightly warm. Hunt loved it 

The cepes where cleaned , the courgettes de seeded and cut in chinoise by Annie . The magrets sat waiting for Jan.!!

The potatoes washed to steam and saute with rosemary I had in the van of course, with my olive oil from St Remy and the the venkel seeds . one of my favourite herbs also used in the lamb. 

We talk a walk around the 10 hectares of land . I spotted some almonds. Corinne liked this. We had had such fun scouting the market together that morning, that she knew my eyes would be open for anything for the pan.

As I expalined to her on the market one first scouts out , sightsees the market then one returns to buy .!!! They like many buy most of their food at Le Clerq or the equivalent . All good quality but the farmers also have to survive. The market in Agen was very real not like St Remy almost all tourists , a pity really. There where many stalls, 2 selling Magret de Canard real style not vacuum packed and huge. One stall appealed to us more so there we bought them. Much to much I cannot get used to small numbers. How am I ever going to be able to cook just for me. 

The guy on the cepes store said  I had a good eye when choosing . Flattery gets you every where frenchman!!

Jan and Wilhemijn arrived on time , it is in the middle of nowhere but the instructions where clear. 

Champagne on the terrace, just beautiful a bit cool, so Hunt got out a sort of fire thing with a big chimney, I would love one in my garden. 

The cooks , retired to the kitchen and the fun began. Jan was the chef lovely I had hoped so. Hunt was in his element watching and opening my wine from St Chinian. 

I had bought 3 bottles for home , one for Ellen but sorry Ellen we drank it that night. 

The magrets scored in the fat seasoned well and fried fat side down very slowly Please note !!!!!! Normally they are fried quickly . Then after about 15 minutes they are turned seasoned , again over a low heat and cooked for about 7 minutes. Remember these where very big 500 g or more per magret. They should be rose. 

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one of my recipes

Spicy duck breast Sichuan

Ingredients:

3 to 4 magrets “tame duck breast” they normally weigh 350 grams so 2 is enough for three servings

2 tbsp Sichuan peppers

Rough sea salt

4 pieces of chicory cut in diagonal strips

50 g sugar

A little balsamic vinegar 

Method:

Sichuan pepper-salt

1.     Put equal quantities of peppercorns and rough salt together in a pan and roaster on a high heat until the salt begins to color and the peppercorns give of an aroma. Turn immediately out of the pan so that they do not burn.

2.     Make them fine in a pestle or in a coffee mill or place in a pepper or herb mill and grind as needed.

3.     Keep in an airtight pot.

The duck

1.     Remove any excess fat from the edge of the breasts

2.     Cut the fat of the duck breasts in with a diagonal pattern, rub the peppercorn mixture into the fat. Leave for a time to absorb the flavors ,

3.     Fry the duck breast on the fat side first in a hot pan until the fat begins to run, and has become golden brown, approx 3-4 minutes.

4.     Turnover and fry for a few minutes (2-3 minutes) on the skin side.

5.     Remove from the pan pour off the excess fat and set aside to fry the chicory.

6.     Place the duck on a baking sheet. Skin side uppermost.

7.     Place the tame duck breast in the oven at 160 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

8.     Remove from the oven and allow to rest.

9.     Heat the frying pan with the remaining duck fat in and fry the chicory, add a little sugar and allow to caramelize. Pour over the balsamic and season to taste.

10.  Cut the duck breast into thick slices and place on the plates, garnish with the chicory and pour over the sauce.

Notes

A good sauce if you want it.

Ingredients sauce:

2 shallots finely chopped

1 dl white wine

1 glass calvados

2 dl jus de veau

100 g butter

Method:

1.     Place the shallot, the wine and the calvados in a saucepan.

2.     Reduce to almost a glaze.

3.     Add the stock and reduce to the half, just before serving swirl in small pieces of butter to enrich and thicken the sauce season to taste.

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Allow to rest for more than 10 minutes, then slice. We served this with the potatoes mashed with olive oil and the cepes sauted with a bit of ham , pancetta would have been better !

The starter was Hunts sald delicious and the courgettes as Jan did not want them with the main course. I sauted them with venkel and bayleaf and then when we served them jan chopped a tin of sardines (basic rations from the van ) and stirred them into the warm courgettes. Sounds awful but it was delicious 

It was lovely to be with old Gers friends and new friends too. The next day Jan and Corinne where going to golf together. Little did he know how good she was. I cannot wait to hearthe stories.

After a lovely breakfast . Fresh croissants we began our journey home.

2 stops on the way, in the ANWB guide great the first was in the woods near Chateroux the 2 in Chalon en Champagne not so but near the highway . Our diner Annies specialities from London. Chicken Tikka and rijst , the next day Pumpkin soup all out of packets. yummy 

We had a discussion  with our last hosts "some live for food and some have food to live" !!!! 

Guess ?