Saturday, April 6, 2013

F = Flambé and Forestière Sauce

f
flambeFlambéing; not many people are willing to try this at home. However, with care, it can be a very successful way of giving a great finish to your dish as well as impressing your guests. One of the main things is to have the liquor (usually brandy) ready, and a large spoon to pour it into as well as a method of ignition. I remember my father used to warm the brandy first. I use a barbeque lighter then you don’t have to get too close to the flaming food. You really don’t need a lot of brandy to get a good flame going but it does help to tip all the liquid to one side of the pan (away from you) in order to light it. I also find it helps to get Matt to light it once I have added the brandy and tipped the pan, then you can spoon the flaming sauce over your food. Go on, give it a go, but don’t burn the house down.

One of the classic sauces which has been prepared by top chefs for many years is a Sauce Forestière. Once you have made it, this sauce can be served with all kinds of different things. Beef and chicken both come to mind. A fillet steak with a Forestière sauce is delicious.

 

Sauce Forestière (Woodland sauce with mushrooms)Forestiere


Ingredients
  • 2/3 pound fresh mushrooms
  • 2/3 pound wild mushrooms
  • Salt to taste if desired
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons puree of shallots and garlic (see instructions)
  • 1 cup crême fraîche, available in specialty shops
  • 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
1.
Rinse mushrooms and pat dry. Trim off ends.
2.
Bring 5 cups of water to boil and add salt to taste. Add mushrooms and let simmer about 1 minute. Drain thoroughly and squeeze to extract excess fluid.
3.
Put mushrooms into container of food processor or blender and blend thoroughly. There should be about 1 cup or slightly more.
4.
Heat butter in saucepan and add puree of shallots and garlic. Cook briefly and add mushroom puree and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add crême fraîche and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add curry powder, salt and pepper. Cook over very low heat about 10 minutes.


YIELD
6 servings

And so ends my first week of the A to Z Blog.
Have a great weekend
Jo_thumb[2]

43 comments:

  1. FLAMBE is a FABULOUS word. And now, I am very very hungry. loved this.

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  2. Thanks Melissa. Its also a fabulous way to finish off a dish.

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  3. I, too, am hungry just reading the sauce recipe. Re Flambe... would love to try it.... but very timid,... maybe later!!Great post!

    Patricia, Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice

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    Replies
    1. No need to be timid. Don't use to much brandy the first time and then it won't burn much or for long.

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  4. Oh my word, that dish looks FABULOUS. My eleven year old daughter Faith, wants to be a chef. I've been a little reluctant about allowing her to flambe. But seeing this, I may have to reconsider. (I'll just have to keep the fire extinguishers handy, lol)

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    Replies
    1. Like I just said, don't use too much brandy the first time and get a lighter that's easy to manage. We have the long kid proof lighters which I can't light LOL.

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  5. I like curry and garlic. This must be really tasty and flaming things is always fun to me! :D

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    Replies
    1. So easy for a dragon, all you have to do is blow on the brandy. Meanwhile us poor mortals have to use a lighter.

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  6. Yes, the flames makes for an exciting effect. We don't eat a lot of mushrooms around these parts.

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    Replies
    1. We love mushrooms, especially wild mushrooms. Think my favourite is oyster mushrooms, yummy.

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  7. We have small little restaurant up the road that makes omelets forestiere. They are sooo good. I love mushrooms.

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    Replies
    1. That sounds good, I should try that. Can't go wrong with mushrooms. I love Steak Diane too.

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  8. Sauce sounds lovely but I'm too scared to set things alight.
    Is Anyone There

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    Replies
    1. You have to take your courage in both hands. You really don't get that high a flame.

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  9. That mushroom sauce sounds heavenly.

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    Replies
    1. Yup it is. Not sure how you would use it, but I have no doubt you will find something.

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  10. ooooh that looks so good! I bet it'd be good over Bison.
    I want to try this method, your post is very encouraging.

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    Replies
    1. Never eaten bison, but Forestière is good over most meats.

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  11. I'm one of those who won't try that at home.

    It's okay, though. I'm still thinking of the eclairs.

    Barbara
    F is for Fiction, Freedom, and Flagman's Folly
    The Daille-y News

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  12. Sounds good, and fun to make!

    Visiting from the A-Z challenge. ~<a href="http://www.erikajean.com>ErikaJean<a>

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    Replies
    1. It is good.

      Re your hyperlink, you don't need the www in the line and at the end where the a is, there should be a bracke then a forward slash then a bracket.

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  13. I won't try it. I can see me burning dinner in less than a minute.

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    Replies
    1. What no guts Alex? It's easy unless you put too much brandy in the pan.

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  14. Yummy stuff! I'm writing about food for this year's A to Z at my blog.

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  15. I've always been impressed with people who can flambe. Me, I'm too chicken. I'd be afraid I would burn the house down.

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    Replies
    1. I can't believe how many people are scared to do this. A shot of brandy burns off very quickly.

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  16. Yikes, I should stick to the Letter E...Eclairs, but wow, you make this sound safe and something most anyone could pull off. I'd for sure have a loooooong match put in the hands of someone else.

    This is such a neat theme. Your recipes are wonderful!
    Sue CollectInTexasGal
    AtoZ LoneStar Quilting Bee

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  17. Thanks Sue, I try. When we flambé I use one of those long barbecue lighters as I mentioned. My father always used to warm a tablespoon of brandy, light it and then add it to the food.

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  18. I wonder if I can get those ingredients here in New Zealand, I hope so.

    Rhonda @Laugh-Quotes.com
    Visiting from AtoZ

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  19. I would think crème fra0238che might be the only problem and if you look on the internet there are all kinds of recipes for a substitute.

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  20. Great post, Jo ... I didn't know that you have moved. Flambe is such a showstopper on a restaurant ... but very few does today.
    The sauce is my favorite .. I put a bit of chopped bacon into mine.
    I have make a new follow.

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    Replies
    1. That's a new one to put bacon in, would be good if you are not a vegan as a couple of my readers are. I think it would really add to the flavour.

      Thanks for the follow.

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  21. YUM! Visiting your blog is like hitting the jackpot :) I love this A to Z challenge...

    http://dgwordworks.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I've nominated your blog for a Liebster Award please see for details on acceptance.

    http://dgwordworks.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Jo, its been a long time since i have seen anything "flambeid" ... your post brought in good memories :) and thank you so much for looking after my back, this is regarding my post for the prompt "G" ... i overlooked the schedule. i hope it will be okay to repost it for Monday (which is today my time).

    thank you for your kindness --- APRIL

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    Replies
    1. You don't need to republish it, just make sure Tuesday is H.

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  24. YUMMMMMMMM! I printed this recipe out. YUMM!!! My family will be thanking you too next week.

    Connie
    A to Z buddy
    Peanut Butter and Whine

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    Replies
    1. Hope they do enjoy it. It's a classic recipe but I like the suggestion of adding a bit of bacon to it.

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  25. I'm not particularly adventurous in the kitchen, but this is quite an enticing idea to try ;)

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    Replies
    1. Are you talking about flambéing or making the sauce?

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