Flambéing; 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)
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.
![Jo_thumb[2]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwI1p5EeRcr8mv76evq0Jso2Cy-hDCfwyDAhnBtmFfCPJgyVr3rm0QtRn10eW2PMNxCAlAIGOYYuFTWibN8YcsaSKxZbL2A47ghTXW-cbtxAeS_5yRsOXhq6IDGW7ARaRoZ4554qum_4g/s1600-h/Jo_thumb24.png "Jo_thumb[2]")
FLAMBE is a FABULOUS word. And now, I am very very hungry. loved this.
ReplyDeleteThanks Melissa. Its also a fabulous way to finish off a dish.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am hungry just reading the sauce recipe. Re Flambe... would love to try it.... but very timid,... maybe later!!Great post!
ReplyDeletePatricia, Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice
No need to be timid. Don't use to much brandy the first time and then it won't burn much or for long.
DeleteOh 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)
ReplyDeleteLike 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.
DeleteI like curry and garlic. This must be really tasty and flaming things is always fun to me! :D
ReplyDeleteSo easy for a dragon, all you have to do is blow on the brandy. Meanwhile us poor mortals have to use a lighter.
DeleteYes, the flames makes for an exciting effect. We don't eat a lot of mushrooms around these parts.
ReplyDeleteWe love mushrooms, especially wild mushrooms. Think my favourite is oyster mushrooms, yummy.
DeleteWe have small little restaurant up the road that makes omelets forestiere. They are sooo good. I love mushrooms.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds good, I should try that. Can't go wrong with mushrooms. I love Steak Diane too.
DeleteSauce sounds lovely but I'm too scared to set things alight.
ReplyDeleteIs Anyone There
You have to take your courage in both hands. You really don't get that high a flame.
DeleteThat mushroom sauce sounds heavenly.
ReplyDeleteYup it is. Not sure how you would use it, but I have no doubt you will find something.
Deleteooooh that looks so good! I bet it'd be good over Bison.
ReplyDeleteI want to try this method, your post is very encouraging.
Never eaten bison, but Forestière is good over most meats.
DeleteI'm one of those who won't try that at home.
ReplyDeleteIt's okay, though. I'm still thinking of the eclairs.
Barbara
F is for Fiction, Freedom, and Flagman's Folly
The Daille-y News
Well make eclairs and flambé them LOL.
DeleteSounds good, and fun to make!
ReplyDeleteVisiting from the A-Z challenge. ~<a href="http://www.erikajean.com>ErikaJean<a>
It is good.
DeleteRe 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.
I won't try it. I can see me burning dinner in less than a minute.
ReplyDeleteWhat no guts Alex? It's easy unless you put too much brandy in the pan.
DeleteYummy stuff! I'm writing about food for this year's A to Z at my blog.
ReplyDeleteI post recipes all the time.
DeleteI've always been impressed with people who can flambe. Me, I'm too chicken. I'd be afraid I would burn the house down.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how many people are scared to do this. A shot of brandy burns off very quickly.
DeleteYikes, 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.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a neat theme. Your recipes are wonderful!
Sue CollectInTexasGal
AtoZ LoneStar Quilting Bee
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.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I can get those ingredients here in New Zealand, I hope so.
ReplyDeleteRhonda @Laugh-Quotes.com
Visiting from AtoZ
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.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Jo ... I didn't know that you have moved. Flambe is such a showstopper on a restaurant ... but very few does today.
ReplyDeleteThe sauce is my favorite .. I put a bit of chopped bacon into mine.
I have make a new follow.
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.
DeleteThanks for the follow.
YUM! Visiting your blog is like hitting the jackpot :) I love this A to Z challenge...
ReplyDeletehttp://dgwordworks.wordpress.com
Thanks, that's a nice compliment.
DeleteI've nominated your blog for a Liebster Award please see for details on acceptance.
ReplyDeletehttp://dgwordworks.wordpress.com
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).
ReplyDeletethank you for your kindness --- APRIL
You don't need to republish it, just make sure Tuesday is H.
DeleteYUMMMMMMMM! I printed this recipe out. YUMM!!! My family will be thanking you too next week.
ReplyDeleteConnie
A to Z buddy
Peanut Butter and Whine
Hope they do enjoy it. It's a classic recipe but I like the suggestion of adding a bit of bacon to it.
DeleteI'm not particularly adventurous in the kitchen, but this is quite an enticing idea to try ;)
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about flambéing or making the sauce?
Delete