Simple Beginnings: Beading. Aiden Byrne

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СКАЧАТЬ parfait. Remember: the younger the onions, the sweeter the soup.

      White Onion and Parmesan Soup

      SERVES 4

      3 kg new season white onions

      3 large sprigs of thyme

      25 g butter

      2 litres boiling white chicken stock (see page 199)

      200 ml double cream

      50 g very finely grated Parmesan

      juice of 1 lemon

      PEEL AND SLICE the onions as finely as possible, ideally using a mandolin. (The thinner you slice the onions, the quicker they will cook and the fresher the soup will taste.)

      IN A WARM, covered pan slowly sweat the onions and thyme in the butter for 20–30 minutes until the onions are transparent and very soft. If you cook them too quickly they will not taste as sweet as they could, and if you cook them too slowly they will taste stewed. The idea of sweating is to cook them as quickly as possible to retain the freshness. So keep tasting every 5 minutes or so. Add the boiling chicken stock, bring back to the boil and add the cream. Return to the boil again and then blend in a blender.

      WHILE THE SOUP is in the blender add the Parmesan. Be careful when you reheat the soup because the cheese tends to catch on the bottom of the pan. I add the Parmesan as if I’m adding salt, literally using it as a seasoning. Also be careful about adding salt to the soup because Parmesan is often very salty.

      PASS THE SOUP through a fine sieve, then chill immediately to retain the freshness. If like, add a dash of lemon juice to finish the soup. Reheat gently to serve.

      This is a perfect recipe for Christmas, which also works as a sauce for pheasant, turkey or even a firm piece of fish, such as turbot or Dover sole. The foie gras ravioli are simply for garnish – pan-fried ceps also work well. I like the soup as it is because it’s so moreish. Fresh chestnuts are definitely best. You can use precooked vacuum-packed ones, but they tend to be a bit sweet, so reduce the amount of Madeira to counterbalance the sweetness.

      Chestnut Soup with Foie Gras Ravioli

      SERVES 4

      RAVIOLI

      120 g raw foie gras, diced

      10 ml sherry vinegar

      2 tablespoons shallot confit (see page 210)

      2 tablespoons finely shredded flat leaf parsley

      75 g chicken mousse (see page 214)

      100 g fresh pasta (see page 208)

      SOUP

      150 g fresh or vacuum-packed chestnuts

      75 g shallots (peeled and sliced)

      3 sprigs of thyme

      25 g unsalted butter

      75 ml white wine vinegar

      100 ml Madeira

      600 ml hot white chicken stock (see page 199)

      200 ml double cream

      salt

      FIRST MAKE THE RAVIOLI. Season the diced foie gras with salt and fry in a hot pan until golden brown. Transfer to a plate, drizzle over the sherry vinegar over and put in the refrigerator until chilled. Mix together the diced foie gras, the shallot confit, the parsley and the chicken mousse and leave in the refrigerator for a couple of hours until it is firm. Put a large pan of boiling water with a dash of olive oil on the stove and have a bowl of iced water ready and a slotted spoon.

      FEED THE FRESH PASTA through a pasta machine a couple of times on each setting, gently pulling the pasta as it goes through the machine. Take the machine down to the very finest setting and feed the pasta through at least three more times. Dust your work surface with flour, cut the sheet in half and brush half with some water. Spoon the mixture onto the wet sheet and then lay the dry sheet on top. Use a pastry cutter to cut out 4 ravioli and seal with your fingertips, making sure that all the air is forced out. Cook the ravioli for just a couple of minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and plunge into the bowl of iced water. Drain, then drizzle with a little olive oil and refrigerate.

      MAKE THE SOUP. Peel the chestnuts by piercing the dark husk. Run the point of a small knife along one side, then simply peel back the husk. An easy way to remove this is to dip the chestnuts, one at a time, into boiling water and then scrape it off while the chestnut is still warm. Slice the chestnuts as finely as possible.

      IN A WARM COVERED pan sweat the shallots and thyme in the butter until the shallots are soft and transparent; do not let them colour. Season with salt, add the sliced chestnuts and cook, covered, for a further 5 minutes over a low heat; again, do not let them colour. Add the white wine vinegar, increase the heat and reduce until almost dry. Add the Madeira, reduce until dry then add the boiling stock. Bring the mixture back to the boil, then add the cream. Return the mixture to the boil, remove the thyme and then blend in a blender. Pass through a fine sieve and into a bowl over iced water to chill. Check the seasoning.

      REHEAT THE SOUP and pour it into four soup bowls. Reheat the ravioli in a pan of boiling water and drop them into the soup.

      The two main ingredients in this soup are in season at exactly at the same time. It is an old Spanish classic, Ajo Blanco, which can be served hot or cold. Fresh almonds can be difficult to source, even when they are in season during the summer months (July to October). When they are available I like to make the most of them. The apple jelly gives a good acidic undertone, but you could, if you like, garnish the soup with white grapes.

      Chilled New Season Garlic and Almond Soup with Granny Smith Jelly

      SERVES 4

      2 kg new-season green almonds

      2 kg new-season wet garlic

      1 litre full-fat milk

      100 ml single cream

      50 ml sherry vinegar

      100 ml dry sherry

      150 ml Greek yogurt (optional)

      sorrel or oxalis leaves, to garnish

      salt

      APPLE JELLY

      7 granny smith apples

      juice of 1 lemon

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