Peta Unplugged: Culinary Adventures in the South of France

Episode 6 — Recipes

Episode 6
Episode 6
Episode 6

Courgette Flowers Stuffed with Fish Mousse

SERVES 4

  • 16 courgette flowers
  • For the stuffing
  • 500g fileted white fish
  • 300ml cream
  • 1 tbsp Pastis or aniseed flavoured alcohol
  • 4 slices of white bread, crusts cut off
  • 100ml milk
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • ½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • a lump of parmesan cheese in a grater
  1. Soak the bread in the milk.
  2. Cut fish up and place in food processor with all the other ingredients. Blend till very smooth.
  3. Remove pistils from flowers then spoon in the stuffing generously. Tuck in the ends and lay flowers side by side in a large steamer.
  4. Steam for ten minutes and serve with grated parmesan.

Pissaladiere

This pungent olive, onion and anchovy tart is found everywhere in France and especially in Provençe. The name comes from pissala, a purée of tiny fish preserved in brine, which is sometimes used instead of anchovies. Perfect for lunch with a salad and a bottle of rosé, it looks like a game of edible checkers.

SERVES 10

  • For the dough
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 tbsp dried yeast or 25g fresh
  • 1 tsp honey or sugar
  • 2 cups (270g) flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the honey, warm water and yeast. Leave to start bubbling — about ten minutes.
  2. Mix in sifted flour and salt. Add more warm water if necessary to make the dough fairly sticky. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for five minutes.
  3. Oil the bowl, place the dough back in, cover with a damp tea towel and leave for an hour to double in volume. Make the topping.
  • For the topping
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 kg onions sliced into thin rounds
  • 4 large garlic cloves sliced thin
  • couple of sprigs of fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 20 anchovy fillets
  • 20 black olives, pitted
  • freshly ground pepper
  • baking tray approx 36cm × 22cm
  1. In a large fry pan heat the oil and throw in the onions, garlic and thyme. Cook on low heat until onions melt into a light, golden colour — about 30 mins.
  2. Make a ‘pissala’ by grinding 5 of the anchovies and 5 of the olives to a paste with a bit of olive oil in a mortar and pestle. Alternatively smash with a fork.
  3. Turn dough out onto floured surface, punch down, add a flat tsp of the pissala, knead a little and roll out into a square or oblong shape about 0.5cm thick or even thinner. Place on an oiled baking sheet.
  4. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Mix the rest of the pissala into the onions and spread this over the dough. Grind on some pepper and sprinkle a bit of fresh thyme. Make a lattice of anchovy fillets, filling the spaces with olives.
  5. Bake the pissaladiere for about twenty five minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature cut into oblongs.