Tony Astle is still in France, and this week he last ate at Mazette! in Annecy, which offers seasonal cuisine in the French Bistro tradition.

He sampled the Carpaccio de langue de boeuf, a “sensational” dish of thinly sliced beef tongue with capers, spring onions, celery, and toasted croutons, as well as the ris de veau grille, and le pate en croute, among other things.

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Recipe of the Week: Braised Lamb Shanks in Red Wine and Rosemary

Ingredients: Lamb Shanks

2 carrots, peeled, rough chopped 2 onions, peeled rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped fine
50 ml oil
4 lamb shanks
3 tsp flour
1 l brown stock
275 ml red wine
2 ½ Tbsp tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 rosemary sprig
salt & pepper

Method

1. Brown the carrots, onion, and garlic in a little oil, then place in a deep pan or casserole dish.

2. Dry, then brown the shanks in a hot pan with a little oil.

3. Add the shanks to the vegetables.

4. Drain off any oil. In the pan, add the tomato paste.

5. Over a low heat, ‘cook-out’ the tomato paste, stirring regularly, for 2-3 minutes. Doing this step sweetens the tomato paste, by partially caramelising its sugar content.

6. Stir in the flour. Add the wine and stock to the tomato paste. Stir and bring to a boil.

7. Add the liquid to the shanks and vegetables. Add the rosemary and bay leaf. Season.

8. Cook in a preheated oven (160-170 deg C) for around 2 hours, or until the shank meat is tender.

9. When done, remove the shanks and keep them warm.

10. Strain the cooking liquid and discard the solids.

11. In a pan reduce the cooking liquid until it thickens. Check seasoning.

Assembly

1. Having prepared your favourite potato dish and vegetables, plate the potato.

2. Lean the shank on the potato, add sauce and your vegetables.

3. Eat and enjoy!

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Tony Astle is still in France, and this week he ate at Chez Fonfon in Marseille, a classic French bistro that has been operating for more than 70 years.

He sampled la Poutargue, a fresh and citrusy fish dish, and the specialty of the house: la Bouillabaisse du Vallon.

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Ingredients:

120 g short or medium grain rice

1.2 l milk

120 g raw sugar

½ tsp vanilla essence

1 Tbsp butter

pinch salt

nutmeg, ground, to taste

8 or 12 moist prunes

250 ml boiling water

1 tea bag

1 Tbsp raw sugar

Method:

1. Wash off the rice in cold water.

2. In a saucepan, heat the milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and nutmeg.

3. Drizzle in the rice. Heat to simmering point.

4. Transfer to the oven (preheated 180C), add butter in cubes, and bake for approximately 1 hr 15 min. Baking without a lid allows a caramelised rice skin to form.

5. Toward the end of the rice cooking, boil the water.

6. In a bowl place the prunes, raw sugar and tea bag.

7. Pour over the boiling water. Stir to dissolve sugar. Steep for 10 minutes.

Assembly:

1. When the rice pudding is cooked, portion into bowls.

2. Remove the prunes from the tea-infusion and add them to the portioned rice.

3. Add a dollop of cream. Dust with icing sugar.

4. Eat and enjoy!

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This week Tony Astle was in France, sampling the dishes at Boutary in Paris.

He sampled the Amuse Bouche, the Pomme de terre Boutary, the Homard a la Nage, the line-caught Turbot, and the Allegria Fresa, among other dishes.

The overall meal was a mixed bag, with some excellent dishes and some that were less than stellar, Tony noting the Chef’s passion for strong orange zest flavours.

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Serves 5

Ingredients: Panna Cotta

225 ml cream
400 ml coconut cream
110 g raw sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
10 g powdered gelatine
1 Tbsp boiling water
salt, large pinch

Ingredients: To Finish

200 ml cream icing sugar, to taste
vanilla essence, to taste
2-3 tamarillo, blanched and peeled with sugar to sweeten
mint leaves for garnish

Method

1. Combine cream, coconut cream and sugar. Heat to dissolve the sugar.

2. Remove from heat, add the vanilla essence. Allow to stand, cooling slightly, so the flavours can infuse.

3. In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatine in the boiling water. Add to the cream mixture.

4. Strain, and fill the 5 containers.

5. Cover. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (overnight is best).

6. To plate, run a sharp paring knife around the inside edge of the mould. Invert onto your plate and shake with a horizontal motion until the panna cotta comes away from the mould.

7. Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla, use to top the panna cotta.

8. Rough chop the peeled tamarillo, add sugar and reduce until syrupy. Let cool.

9. Add a spoonful of stewed tamarillo to each portion.

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