Friday, 25 October 2013

Hook And Ladder cooking with Michael Quinn PART 3: Beef

This Thursday at the Hook and ladder cookery school Michael Quinn showed us how to make beef wellington (something that puts fear in the heart only at a mention) and gartin dophinois. Beef wellington has been something i have always wanted to try but honestly been to scared to get wrong. Micheal showed us a very simplified version of this dish with a mushroom duxelle that ties it together beautifully. The gratin dophinois is on the other had a dish i have eaten many times and have made my own versions of. But it was very interesting to learn his way and by golly was it a tasty way. Growing up in France the only real spud you eat is a spud in a gratin or tartiflette even in the school cantine we got patate dophinois. They are creamy garlicky goodness pipping hot and full of yum its easy understand why it is such a popular side. The fact that it is very easy to make is just an added bonus. The star of the night had to be the beef wellighton but if i told you the secrets to this amazing dish you would be missing out on these amazing classes. So I will talk to you tonight about the mushroom duxelle. It can be used a stuffing or a side and is just super tasty. I had mushroom duxelle in fancy places before but i had no idea how easy it would be to prepare. Its allot of chopping into tinny pieces sure but its really well and truly worth the prep for the burst of taste.Micheal got the beef this time from O'Flynns butchers in waterford. They have their very own abattoir and I'm told they have the best meat around. and from what i tasted I cannot disagree with this statement

Mushroom Duxelle :

you will need

1 onion

4 or 5 mushrooms ( any old mushroom will do. of course if your using dried willd ones youll need more than one or two)

3 garlic cloves

parsley

thyme

butter

oil

salt n pepper to season

First chop up that onion a thinly as you can tiny tiny little cubes. then heat up the oil and butter. Pop the onions in there let them cook away till translucent. while the onions are getting there, simmer on ,chop up the mushroom again as thin as you possibly can. Pop in the mushrooms add fine garlic add the thyme and you guessed it thinly chopped parsley. Leave this all cook up until nice and soft taste it and see do you need salt and pepper??? leave it simmer away until you feel it is soft enough and then use it as a stuffing or a side as i advised. You will not regret it.

As usual i will pop up photos of the nights cooking class.

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