Peta Unplugged: Culinary Adventures in the South of France

Episode 1 — Recipes

Episode 1
Episode 1

Brouffado (Beef Stew With Anchovies and Capers)

SERVES 6

  • For the stew
  • 1.5kg paleron (shoulder or topside) cut in 6 thick slices
  • a large onion, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • a strip of fresh or dried orange zest
  • 2 bayleaves
  • 6 cloves
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • For the paste
  • 6 anchovies soaked in milk
  • clove of garlic
  • tbsp olive oil
  • For the garnish
  • 6 anchovies
  • little gerkins
  • chopped flat leaf parsley
  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C. In an ovenproof dish layer the slices of beef, onion, garlic, capers, orange peel, bayleaves, cloves, pepper, nutmeg, olive oil and vinegar. Cover and cook in the oven 3½ hrs.
  2. Pound the anchovies, garlic and olive oil to a paste. Add a little hot water and combine well.
  3. Remove beef to a warm platter and stir the anchovy paste into the sauce. Heat through and pour over the meat. Put gerkins and anchovies on top and sprinkle with a little parsley.

Fennel & Goat Cheese Tartlettes

MAKES 6 TARTLETTES

  • 150g flour
  • 80g butter, diced
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 egg yoke
  • cold water
  • 8cm pastry ring

To make the pastry, pile the flour on the bench, make a well in the centre, add the egg yoke, salt, butter and 1 tbsp of water. Using fingertips, gradually work in the flour, moving quickly and methodically till all flour is incorporated. Add more cold water if necessary. Form into a ball and rest in the fridge for half an hour before rolling out.

  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 400g cherry tomatoes
  • a fennel bulb — about 200g
  • 150g soft goat cheese
  • anis or cumin seeds
  • ½ a preserved lemon
  • freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
  • chopped fresh basil leaves
  1. Roll the pastry out and cut out 6 rounds with the pastry cutter. Lay out on greased tray and place in fridge while you are preparing the topping. Preheat oven to 175°C.
  2. Slice ends off cherry tomatoes and halve.
  3. Slice fennel very finely.
  4. Remove flesh from preserved lemons and use the skin only. Chop skin into tiny dice.
  5. Brush olive generously over pastry rounds. Place tomatoes in a circle all around the edge. Pile up sliced fennel in the centre and dot with little pieces of goat cheese. Sprinkle all with anis seeds and preserved lemon. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  6. Bake tarts for half an hour.

Pistou Soup

 

In summer this unforgettable soup is based on fresh white coco beans and courgettes and the the pesto is fresh. In winter it’s equally delicious to make it with dried beans,  other vegetables and frozen pesto. Sometimes little pasta like orzo or tiny macaroni is put in it.

SERVES 6

  • 200g dried white beans 
  • bouquet garni
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 medium, waxy potatoes diced 
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 leek, trimmed of the green part, washed and chopped
  • 750g small courgettes, diced
  • 125g baby green beans
  • 500g tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 200g shelled peas
  • 125ml pesto
  • parmesan cheese
  1. Soak the beans overnight then drain. Put them in a large pot, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for half an hour. Drain.
  2. Put the white beans back in the pot with the bouquet garni and all the vegetables, except the peas. Cover with water, add a little salt and pepper, bring to the boil and simmer for half an hour.
  3. Add the peas and continue simmering for 15 mins. Discard the bouquet garni. 

To serve: Remove the soup from the heat, stir in the pesto and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately in deep bowls and pass around the parmesan in a hand grater.

Tart au Chocolat et aux Amandes (Chocolate and Almond Tart)

FOR 6 PEOPLE

  • 130g Valrhona chocolate
  • 100g butter
  • 1 tbsp cognac
  • 1 tbsp made coffee
  • 100g sugar
  • 100g ground almonds
  • 3 eggs
  • pinch salt
  • 23cm tart tin with removable base
  • baking paper
  1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease and flour tart tin and line base with baking paper.
  2. In a double boiler melt together the chocolate, butter, cognac and coffee. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and almonds.
  3. Separate eggs. Add yokes to chocolate mixture.
  4. Whisk egg whites with salt till they form stiff peaks. With a rubber spatular gently fold the whites into the chocolate mixture.
  5. Pour mixture into tart tin and bake for 45 mins.

To decorate: Melt a little chocolate with milk and splash over cake like a Jackson Pollock painting.