Picardie

Friday brought another regional menu: Picardie.  While it's not the most celebrated culinary region of France, it actually was one of my favorite regional menus so far.  The food was very good and the more relaxed atmoshpere in which we enjoyed the food with different wines was much needed after the long week we had. 

My group was in charge of the dish that focused on Kippers, which is a whole smoked Herring split down the middle.  Smoked fish is never my favorite and believe me when I tell you that after almost two hours of picking out all the tiny bones from the Kippers, I was NOT excited to eat it.  Yet, it turned out really well.  Although, how could it be bad when we sandwiched it in between two layers of mashed potatoes and then topped that with equal amount of breadcrumbs and butter that was popped under the broiler to get crispy?

Kippers.

I roasted them in order to get the skin off.

Meanwhile, my partner Cason got after some scallops. 

Then I made the mashed potatoes with this centuries old grinder.

It makes the potatoes look like this at first.

Carleta was busy in the Garde Manger making my favorite: puff pastry!

How good does it look?

Prepping the leek tart.

Gorgeous.

Cooking the meat in the Staub.

This is what the meat looked like after being in the Staub.  Similar to roast beef back home.

Chef also cooked the same piece of meat in the sous-vide machine for 70 hours.  Look at how different it looks!  It was cool to see and taste the difference between the old school method and the new school method.

Leo plating his cauliflower soup.

Table is set.  We even have the luxury of little balls of butter to complement the freshly baked bread.

The Meal:

Goyeres et Mini Flamiches (puff pastry stuffed with morailles cheese and a leek tart).

Creme de chou-fleur aux moules (Cream of cauliflower soup with mussels).

Parmentier de Kippers et Coquilles St. Jacques (Kippers with potatoes and scallops).

Sorbet a la biere crick cerise (cherry beer sorbet). Yum!

Carbonnade de boeuf a la flamande (slow cooked beef with braised endives and leek mashed potatoes).

Having a good time or maybe just too much wine.

I leave the kitchen and come back to find Carleta on the floor due to an overdose of food and drink.

Leo got her attention, though.

And then all good things must come to an end.  That is me with the razor sharp cabinet that inexplicably wanted to slice off my finger. Boo.