caveman (after Banksy)

Man discovered alcohol thousands of years ago – without doubt as a result of a fortuitous accident with fermenting fruit.  But as sure as God made little red grapes, that man stumbled upon a hangover the following morning. And he’s been looking for a cure ever since…

As lows follow highs, after a night of alcoholic fun and frolics we inescapably suffer the consequences of our indulgences. A throbbing head that feels as if it has just been removed from the freezer..  sandpapery eyes.. a dry mouth with a despicable taste.. and an overall feeling of nausea..  are some of the ways our body warns us that the alcohol has delivered a toxic blow to our body’s key defence systems and to take things easy for a while.

To be technical about it, alcohol is broken down into a toxin which the liver’s enzymes turn into acetate – hence the horrid taste in your mouth. Secondly, alcohol causes serious dehydration, which is largely responsible for the headaches that form part and parcel of every hangover. Lastly (but not leastly) there are additives in alcohol called congeners that deliver the final blow. These congeners can be natural components (like phenols in grapes for instance) or colourings or flavourings.  But they can also be a by-product of the methods used in creating alcohol (like aldehydes which develop during ageing or distilling processes, or sulphites which are added later).  All of these additives however can produce unpleasant after-effects.

a hangover kind-of feeling...

Generally speaking: the fewer the congeners, the lighter the colour, the purer the drink and the milder the hangover.  Thus it is believed that red wine, brandy and port give worse hangovers than vodka.

Whatever the case, when a hangover hits us we need help.  Most of us have with experience developed a more or less successful way of dealing with it – the preferred method staying in bed all day.  Some of us try taking pledges never to get into such a state again but the problem with this cure is that somewhere in the back of our thumping head, a little voice reminds us that that’s exactly what we said the last time..  So what other options are there?

water and more water...

Best of course is to avoid a hangover either by drinking copious amounts of water or by drinking less alcohol at a slower rate – both methods help the body to keep up with metabolising the consumed alcohol (some say at a rate of about one measure an hour).  We can also try reduce alcohol absorption by lining our stomach walls with fats before a binge.  A generous helping of greasy fish and chips is effective but if that doesn’t appeal, try some Mediterranean fare that has been generously drenched in olive oil.  Honey too is good for boosting the ability to metabolise toxins, as is oxygen – preferably in the form of some vigorous exercise before or during the blowout. (I can think of a few exciting workouts besides a few laps around the block).  Don’t however reach for the coffee jar – while many believe that a few cups of the dark brew is not only sobering but also helps to reduce the feared morning-after symptoms – IT DOES NOT.  Coffee is a powerful diuretic and therefore only adds to the dehydration of an already dried-out body – all of which of course will make the hangover worse.

So much for trying to prevent a hangover.  But what to do when, having ignored the above advice, the hangover has struck?  Many experienced party animals swear by the beneficial effects of a sturdy fry-up (with plenty of strong tea), believing that it can soak-up the alcohol after the event.  Others consider a hamburger and chips with a large bottle of Pepsi a decent morning-after fix.  Plenty of citrus juice has its fans too – it does revitalise but if the hangover is targeting your stomach as accurately as your head, you may want to avoid a high-acid attack on an already delicate body part (in which case opt for milder fruit such as a fresh chunk of watermelon, or banana smoothie).

The fry-up

For many carbohydrates usually do the trick – lots of freshly made toast which (to keep the cellulite happy) should be dripping with melting butter and perhaps a lick of honey and marmite (together of course).  Alternatively, in winter, a big bowl of comfort porridge with a good slug of Baileys, might just do the job.  For ideas on more exotic cures Keith Floyd, a ex-veteran hangover-survivor himself, has lovingly compiled an entire book on potent pick-me-ups. It’s called Floyd on Hangovers and favours among others the ‘Corpse Reviver’ (recipe below) and ‘Lactade’ – a rather drastic solution used by vets to reverse the process of dehydration and depletion of salts and sugars in dogs that suffer from parvovirus (a potentially fatal form of dog-gastroenteritis).

Obviously, there are as many hangover cures as there are alcoholic drinks on this earth – many of them as obscure as they are outrageous and many boasting the common denominator that they may not always stand up to rigorous scrutiny.  For who would voluntarily try the Puerto Rican favourite way of dealing with the after effects of alcohol excess – calling for a lengthy rub of a citrus fruit into both armpits?  Argentinian cow-hands apparently like nothing better than a plate of fried bull’s testicles to vanquish the demons after a hard night, whilst some Haitians recommend sticking thirteen black-headed pins into the bottle(s) from which you’ve been drinking (the concentration required to manipulate twenty-six pins if you’ve drunk 2 bottles, may take your mind temporarily off your suffering).  The Fins are perhaps the most determined in their hangover treatment (first a sauna to make the body sweat and thus rid the system of toxins, followed by a roll in the snow to shake off any residual tiredness) while the Russians tend to be the most resigned about their situation – feeling no need to restore themselves to a state of grace – they simply go on drinking..  The Japanese however who show the most scientific approach – they simply top-up on complex vitamin B supplements (the vitamins most depleted after a night of boozy merriment) in the form of calves’ liver – chopped, spooned out of a glass, and exceedingly raw.

Milk Thistle extract

The simple truth is that there are thousands of ‘cures’ some more worthy than others and it’s a matter of experimenting to find out what works best for you – being kind to your liver being the essence.  Medical studies have shown over and over again that the herb milk-thistle (available from health shops) efficiently helps your liver to survive an alcohol battering – few drops taken with water before you go to sleep and then again the following morning is probably the soundest method to fix a hangover.  Tea made from dandelion root also helps the liver to recuperate and has been used for centuries in France to treat overdoses of alcohol and rich food.

Having said this, there is still another popular way of dealing with a hangover.  Rather than fighting it, you’re advised to ‘go with it’ (the so-called hair-of-the-dog) – the main objective being to get you back on that horse before you spend too much time reflecting on your early morning pledge.  These will either easy your suffering instantly, or send you back to sleep…

Further Effective Hints to help with Hangovers

A sensual massage (neck and temples) may soothe a pounding head, especially if executed with a few drops of aromatherapy oil of lavender, clary sage or rosemary.  Or drizzle a few drops of thyme oil in cold water and dab gently on your thumping temples with a face cloth.  Then there’s the old reliable Alka Selzer or Solpadene…

Clarins’ Beauty Flash Balm – the ultimate miracle worker – can always be relied upon to lift bags that look baggier when you least need it. Use as a 10-minute mask to rejuvenate or under make-up.  Or for morning-after puffy eyes keep a supply of stainless steel teaspoons in the fridge and apply as needed. Alternatively Clinique eye gel is refreshing and ‘de-puffs’.

Make sure you own some Cesaria Evora music – her sensual Sodade rendition on the Miss Perfumado CD is one of life’s great soothers.

From DIY stores – a total black-out blind.

Tuck a few ready-bought smoothies into the fridge for emergencies.

Combine all of the ingredients, stir well and serve in tall, ice-filled glasses. Garnish with a celery stick.

PRAIRIE OYSTER

The remedy favoured by P Wodehouse’s butler Jeeves, to revive the young Bertram Wooster after his regular beanos at his club the Drones.  Not for the faint-hearted but the kind of cure you have to try at least once!  For 1.

•  few drops of olive oil
• 1 egg yolk
• large dash of Worcestershire sauce
• large dash of Tabasco
• pinch of salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp vinegar

Rinse a cocktail glass with olive oil and without breaking, slide in the egg yolk. Sprinkle on the seasoning and serve. This cocktail is best drunk quickly in one – for obvious reasons! Alternatively, serve it on a large spoon.

CORPSE REVIVER

Enough for 1 corpse.

•  25ml brandy
• 25ml Fernet Branca (or vermouth rosso)
• 25ml calvados

Shake the ingredients over ice and strain into a frosted martini glass. If you think your corpse will be cheered up by this, garnish with a slice or twist of orange.

STORMY WEATHER

Serves 1.

•  25ml Fernet Branca
• 25ml dry white vermouth
• large dash of crème de menthe
• sprig of mint

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint then serve.

Calendrier Lunaire

You may not know this about the French but many (well here in the Languedoc anyway) strictly abide by the rules laid down in the enduring  Calendrier Lunaire (which still sells some 210.000 copies annually at an accessible €7.50 as opposed to a pricier €36.29 for the Farmers’ Almanac in Ireland.)  No need to spend the money though – it’s downloadable for free.  And the simplified English version of the lunar calendar on the website of  Domaine de la Vougeraie in Nuits-Saint-Georges is worth a look.

But here in the Languedoc, older generations that have grown vines for as long as they, their grandparents and their great-great-great grandparents can remember, have no need for the book.  They know it all by heart.  Nobody would dream of pruning or planting at the wrong end of the moon, and they shake their head in resignation and acceptance when they see an entire peach orchard being planted at a time it shouldn’t. Then shrug their wise shoulders when the trees remain sickly…

Another thing you may not know about the French is that they consider themselves not quite as far removed from the animal kingdom as we do perhaps ourselves.  They think that this not only explains but also excuses most of their thinking and behaviour patterns.  And again the moon is sometimes involved…

dung beetle

Every French-man and woman knows that in order to explain the nightly tossing and turning and general unease we experience during a waxing moon, we only need to look at nature.  Animal behaviour changes radically during this time – marine organisms move up and down in the sea depending on the level of

moonlight and crabs migrate when the moon tells them so. On land, nocturnal animals come out on a well-lit night to hunt (think whooping owls and howling werewolves!), others stay hidden to avoid predators, while males can become more aggressive.  Even African dung beetles, oddly, have been proven to walk in a straighter line when the moon is full.

Thus the French believe that other behaviour patterns can easily be explained by these two facts. Cheating on your mate is common in societies all over the world, but only the French blame it on the moon and our analogy to animals.   “Have you ever seen a male impala refuse the advances of one of his neighbours’ wives?” they ask as if this a simple fait accompli.

But that, dear readers, is another story for another day…

     *) Photographer: Laurent LAVEDER : http://www.pixheaven.net/livre/crbst_6.html

my trophies...

A VIDE-GRENIER  is a sort of amateur flea market. They have them all over France every Sunday – most villages offering just one in spring and one in autumn.  It literally means empty-the-attic and that is exactly what people do, displaying everything they no longer have a need for, in the hope that someone else does – from obscure farm equipment and blackened silvery preciousness, to outgrown toys, ancient embroidered sheets and granny’s last shoes.  Because of its randomness (and the fact that IKEA is more in vogue nowadays) you risk finding all sorts of goodies – many of which you’ll recognize as props in my food photography!

old madeleine baking moulds...

Last Sunday, it was the village of Olargues that caught my eye – situated high up in the Black Mountains above St Pons, the weather is not always predictable, but we dared and won.

Olargues is as typical a French village as you get – nestled into a mountain side with its steep streets running towards the church in the centre. These mountain people don’t seem to joke and laugh quite as much as ‘chez nous‘ (no doubt due to constant fog and rain) but we loved our visit and roamed around for a while, discovering at least one more bridge built by Gustav Eiffel (there’s lots of them here).

perfect retro restaurant LAISSAC

When tummies started to rumble we decided to stop for lunch at the one-and-only hotel/bar/restaurant in town.  Typically too it was run by Dad (kitchen), Mum (diningroom) and their 14-year old son who was in charge of the bar (no one worries much about under-age slavery or exposure to alcohol-abuse in French and Irish country pubs).

nuf said...

When I say we were whisked straight back to the late 60′s, this is an understatement – some of it harked back to the 50′s, complete with authentic 50′s furniture, styrofoam ceiling tiles, plastic Poinsettia decorations,  well-used vinegar/salt/pepper sets and cheap metal breadbaskets. How cool is that?

There was only one other couple well in their 80′s who probably never noticed that time had moved on. They looked as if they seriously enjoyed their cozy Sunday lunch – tucking in with gusto, still dressed in coats and scarves, dentures clicking in cheerful unison…

Mountain Pheasant with Chestnuts

Admittedly, the décor from years hence was more interesting than the menu (even the normally spectacular Chateau Gourgazaud Minervois had seen better times).  The ‘mountains’ are known for their great but seriously unhealthy charcuterie.  And their FABULOUS rye bread (which tastes like rye unlike most commercial specimens).   Thus, a copious plate of exceedingly unhealthy mountain charcuterie for himself and a salad with hot crunchy duck innards (called gésiers) for me.  This was followed by Pheasant with Chestnuts and Mountain Ceps (ugly but delicious) and an entrecote (which was more like a tough ould piece of boil-in-the-bag brisket).

...retro steak...

And then there were retro spuds… served of course in retro baskets…

... retro spuds, in retro dishes...

And here’s more retro furniture…

.... more retro furniture....

…. and then another super-retro Gustav EIFFEL bridge….

.... another Pont Eiffel....

…. and how about a retro rainbow…?

…. and a retro view of Olargues...

retroview of Olargues...

…. and the retro co-diners, the sound of whose dentures I’ll never forget…

And finally….. more retroprops saved from oblivion…..

....more props 'saved' from oblivion....

.... retro co-diners....

.... and a good old-fashioned mountain rainbow....

plain potato and onion tortilla

In summer when there’s time for a picnic, I always think of TORTILLA as one of the dishes to bring along… There’s lots of ways to embellish the basic recipe – adding cheese perhaps, or parsley (or other coarsely chopped fresh herbs), or sliced peppers or thin chorizo circles – the ideas are really endless…

In fact it’s not even necessary to stick to potatoes and onions – why not try making an simple omelette using gently fried courgettes mixed with crumbled feta cheese… Or make last night’s left-over pasta dish into an amazing FRITTATA by stirring in a few beaten eggs and gently frying in a frying pan.

They’re all delicious eaten hot, luke-warm or cold. Go on, experiment!

Here’s the basic recipe:

TORTILLA of Potato and Onion

Serves 4-6 (depending on appetites)

frittata of leftover pasta

Not just perfect for picnics and great for lunch but try even for breakfast after a boozy night!  The amount of oil used may seem ludicrous but most of it will be strained off and tastes so wonderfully of potatoes and sweet onions that the oil can be used to fry other dishes afterwards…

• 200ml olive oil
• 4-5 large potatoes, sliced thinly
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 6 large eggs
• salt and pepper

Heat the oil over medium low heat in a large frying pan and add the potato and onion slices, layering them as you go,  Fry gently, lifting and turning regularly, until the potatoes are cooked but not browned (about 20 minutes). In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork and season.  Drain the oil from the potatoes and set aside. When the potatoes have cooled down a little, add them to the eggs and gently mix.

courgette and feta omelette

Heat 2 tbsp of the used oil in the pan until very hot, add the potato/egg mixture in one go and spread out quickly, flattening the top and pressing down firmly.  Lower the heat and continue to cook very slowly.  When the bottom is browned and the omelette is set in the middle (you can gently lift the omelette with a knife to check this.  If the surface is still a little runny, put the frying pan under a hot grill for 4 minutes. Then invert a plate on the pan and flip over.  Add another tablespoon of the oil to the frying pan and slide the omelette onto the pan again, top-side-down.  Fry the other side until it too is brown and turn out onto a platter.  Serve cut in wedges at room temperature.

Raspberries and meringues

Take a spoonful of sugar.  Take two.  Or even three.  Nice?  Not really.  Or not even at all.

But combine the sugar with something bitter (say coffee) and its sweetness is transformed into something delicious.  Take meringues, decidedly sickly on their own, but add something tart like raspberries and both the sweet and sour tastes explode in your mouth.  Serve sweet peaches with salty feta, add a little peppery bitterness in the form of rocket, a little sourness in the form of vinaigrette, and you’ve discovered a gem.

failed jelly bean flavours...

How does this work?  Well, it’s all because of the way we taste. Our taste buds perceive five basic flavours - sweet, salt, sour, hot and bitter. Six if you count the more recent umami, a flavour perhaps best described as savoury – the intense ‘mouth-filling’ taste you get from reduced chicken-stock, dried porcini and soy sauce, or Parmesan and Roquefort. Umami causes us to salivate, which in turn magnifies our tasting ability.

Signac's Palais des Papes, Avignon

It was the Chinese who discovered long ago that when a dish contains a harmonious balance of some (or all) of these tastes, we perceive it as delicious because each flavour is intensified by the next and all our taste buds are satisfied at once (a bit like an Impressionist painting where complementary colours put side-by-side, create a vibrant effect… or the melodious bond of different notes that intensify each other in a piece of music).

Each of these flavours also affects our perception of the other – even a tiny amount of one can enhance the other in a miraculous way. Try some bread topped with jam – it’ll taste of bread and jam.  Now butter your bread generously with salted butter and then add the jam… a delicious mingling of salty, sweet and crunchy has turned it into a delicacy.  A little squeeze of lime turns a relatively dull-sweet papaya instantly into a juicy fruit that oozes fresh sweetness.  Think also of the currently fashionable way of serving crème brulée with fleur de sel.

Perfect Marmalade...

Experiment with other classics: see how salty ham accentuates the sweetness in a melon, or how the ubiquitous combination of sweet-and-sour (the above mentioned meringues with raspberries, tomato ketchup, a Chinese takeaway, gooseberry jam or a lemon tart) makes our mouths water… and how a glass of fragrant sweet Muscat wine or sweet juicy pears bring out the delicious umami-saltiness of blue Roquefort cheese.  How come orange marmalade is such a winner? Because it combines the bitterness of the orange rind, the acidity of its juice with sweetness of sugar – it cannot loose.

salty Serrano and blue cheese with sweet figs and bitter chicory

Since flavours affect one another, they can also be used to alter a dish.  Add zest to an overly rich creamy pork dish by adding the juice of a lemon.  The ‘mouth-puckering’ sensation of drinks that are high in tannin, like red wine or strong tea (cranberries, unripe bananas and walnuts are other examples) also have a refreshingly ‘cleansing’ effect by cutting right through the richness of something that might otherwise be cloying.  See how the squeeze of a lime lifts a bland papaya or how a dull sponge cake is brought to life with some lemon or orange juice.  Bitterness both suppresses and balances sweetness (as bitter chocolate does with rich vanilla ice-cream) whereas saltiness on the other hand has the effect of sweetening its partner – as salty Serrano ham is to a sweet fig, or salty anchovies achieve with a sweet pepper.

Needless to say that if we apply some of this knowledge to our daily cooking, our meals would be a great deal more exciting.  And if this flavour-combining becomes our intuitive way of ‘putting a dish together’ we could follow the seasons more easily, as we would simply buy what’s at its best and match it with its perfect ally.

I shall be adding more notes, thoughts and ideas about flavours and how to use them best… In the meantime, for more information about cooking with flavours, check out Petra’s cookery weekends on www.petracarter.com.

Narbonne food market

These are no ordinary cookery courses. We do not cram 30 people into a tightly structured week and the courses are not about following recipes.   They are not about mastering complicated techniques either (who has time nowadays to spend days in the kitchen recreating chefs’ masterpieces?) and there’s no ‘competition’ (though showing off a little is permitted!).

What these courses ARE about is learning to create delicious, non-fussy food ‘intuitively’ by using a simple ‘method’ of combining flavours and textures that complement each other. Once you have mastered this simple idea, you can go on to create an unlimited range of vibrant and original dishes that in turn can be adapted and re-invented according to the changing ingredients of each new season – ultimately leading to the point where no recipes are needed.

goatscheese on toast with tomatoes and pesto

This means that instead of shopping with a pre-written list (and finding some items are unavailable or not up to scratch) you simply buy what is fresh and at its best, and create your own unique dish at home.  (That said, cookbooks and recipes will of course always remain a source of inspiration and you will return home with all the information, checklists and recipes you need to create this new personal cuisine.)

The emphasis is on simplicity and enjoyment and the dishes focus on honest, straightforward, seasonal and widely available ingredients. Whilst the food itself is quick and eclectic enough to appeal to those with busy lifestyles, it is also pretty and delicious enough to serve at smarter occasions. Every recipe is a winner, tried and tested, and I promise that you shall want to use them again and again…

We will be serendipitous of mind – as the French have been for centuries. We will forage the markets for the best produce of the season and turn it into fabulous, modern food that is good to eat and pretty to look at.

The Canal behind the house...

There will be plenty of communal eating both at home and in nearby restaurants and excursions may include visits to local markets, vineyards and artisan producers of olive oil, goats cheese, honey and/or oysters.

As we have to fit in lots during a weekend course, there is not so much scope for personal relaxation. But participants may make the week courses as relaxing or as active as they wish.  There will be plenty of opportunity to explore the shaded paths along the Canal du Midi (by boat, bike, foot or on horseback).  Or to visit a beach or go sightseeing and shopping in stylish Roman towns 20 minutes away.

I cannot think of a nicer way to spend a holiday can you?

All courses include:

• all meals and wine
• all transport (including airport transfers and excursions)
• all cookery demonstrations and tutored wine tastings
• and all accommodation. 

To serve 10 you need:

•  2 very thick centre-piece slices of salmon
• 100g gros sel (the course sea salt found in France)
• 100g demerara sugar
• large bunch of dill, chopped
• 2 tbsp juniper berries, crushed

Run your fingers across the surface to feel for any bones and remove with a pair of tweezers if there are any.

You need an oval ceramic dish which fits one piece of the salmon as tightly as possible…

Method:

Mix the salt and sugar and sprinkle two tablespoons on the base of the dish. Place one piece of salmon skin-side-down on top. Now scatter half of the remaining salt/sugar mixture on top, and sprinkle

generously with half of the bunch of dill and the crushed juniper berries. ‘Sandwich’ the second piece of salmon skin-side-up on top and scatter the remaining salt/sugar mixture on top. Cover with clingfilm then weigh down with a plate that holds something heavy (I always use a second oval dish that is one size smaller and then put two tins of chopped tomatoes in it for weight, but you may of course place to full bottles of wine on it too!!).

Leave like this for 24 hours then carefully tip remove from the fridge (by now it will be filled with water that the salt has extracted from the salmon). Pour off the liquid then rinse the fillets under cold running water to wash off the salt mix. Dry with kitchen paper and place the fillets skin-side-down on a board. Now scatter with more chopped dill, pressing down to stick to the salmon.

Using a sharp carving knife cut the salmon slightly at an angle in thin slices – arrange on individual plates and serve with a side salad. Or arrange the slices on one large plate and let people help themselves.

A Marcelle painting without name

But life to her had always been a bit of a struggle.  School was not her strongest point, and leaving at an early age she had tried her hand at various uncomplicated careers.  To start she had made an attempt at cleaning people’s houses but was fired on account of several disasters that involved flooded bathrooms and arson without intent.  She subsequently proposed to iron clothes for people who were too busy to do this themselves, but after an indiscriminate amount of burns (both inflicted on herself and clients’ properties) this job too was ditched.  Next followed a period of looking after elderly villagers which, with her lovely caring personality, she was good at – until she tripped up 84 year old Cécile, broke Corinne’s TV and allowed Joséphine (Fifi to the privileged) to walk around the village with her dress tucked into her knickers…

After this, Marcelle repeatedly left notes in people’s letterboxes that she would be happy to cook for anyone who didn’t have the time to do this themselves, but somehow people decided not to try out these skills…

Then out of the blue, poor Marcelle was diagnosed with a brain tumour.  A year of operations, chemo treatment and rest followed, but Marcelle never lost her smile.  Because of her perseverance and good humour Marcelle soon got better.  Then a miracle happened.  Someone during the superb rehabilitation and aftercare that she received, had the foresight to put a paintbrush in her hand.  It changed her life.

Marcelle turned out to be a natural artist with (I believe) a talent that surpasses most of us.  Her ability to perceive and interpret light is quite extraordinary.  It puts her on a par with the very greatest…

gariguette strawberries

As part of breakfast in La Souqueto we always offer yoghurt with fresh seasonal fruit (right now we’ve been adding the strongly perfumed, early cropping, slightly elongated Gariguette strawberries).  And sometimes, we add homemade compote (of cherries or apricots or peaches).

No need to add anything to these sun-ripened fruits but I do always sprinkle a little homemade granola on top for texture.

Today’s guests asked for the recipe, so here it is.

The quantity may seem a lot but remember that you can store granola for upto 1 month in an airtight container…

• 

  Souqueto breakfast yoghurts

  2 tbsp sunflower oil

• 100ml maple syrup
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g rolled oats
• 60g sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 20g pumpkin seeds
• 100g flaked almonds
• 100g pecans
• 50g hazelnuts

Heat the oven to 180′C.

In a large bowl combine the oil, maple syrup and honey, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix well.  Pour the mixture onto two baking trays and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes but keep a watchful eye and stir from time to time, as it can burn around the edges.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

WINE and ART?

This recipe is for Sally Anne, Stephen, Andrea and Marc  who attended our first ARTandWINE course last week.  ART and WINE? Funny combination you may say, but allow the mind to broaden a little… you LOVE WINE and would like to know how to articulate why you like one particular wine and not another… And somewhere in the past (though of course you do not have or give yourself the time for it nowadays, you LOVED ART.  Why not combine the two during one weekend in a place that has it all!

Wine guru Wendy Gedney shares her vast knowledge on the subject (during tutored tastings, visits to wineries and vineyards and food-and-wine-matching dinners) whilst Petra takes participants on an whirl-wind tour around the world of art… Needless to say all participants turned out to be talented genii (or geniuses for the less fussy), each taking home at least one masterpiece…   But because here we are in the South of France, there was lots of eating as well – 3 splendid restaurant meals plus another 4 meals at home.  The following recipe was part of the outdoor picnic, but don’t forget it’s a great standby for canapés, starters for fancy meals or to make a delicious sandwich.

preparing gravlax

To serve 10 you need:

•  2 very thick centre-piece slices of salmon
• 100g gros sel (the course sea salt found in France)
• 100g demerara sugar
• large bunch of dill, chopped
• 2 tbsp juniper berries, crushed

Run your fingers across the surface to feel for any bones and remove with a pair of tweezers if there are any.

You need an oval ceramic dish which fits one piece of the salmon as tightly as possible…

Method:

Mix the salt and sugar and sprinkle two tablespoons on the base of the dish. Place one piece of salmon skin-side-down on top. Now scatter half of the remaining salt/sugar mixture on top, and sprinkle

'sandwich' the pieces together

generously with half of the bunch of dill and the crushed juniper berries. ‘Sandwich’ the second piece of salmon skin-side-up on top and scatter the remaining salt/sugar mixture on top. Cover with clingfilm then weigh down with a plate that holds something heavy (I always use a second oval dish that is one size smaller and then put two tins of chopped tomatoes in it for weight, but you may of course place to full bottles of wine on it too!!).

Leave like this for 24 hours then carefully tip remove from the fridge (by now it will be filled with water that the salt has extracted from the salmon). Pour off the liquid then rinse the fillets under cold running water to wash off the salt mix. Dry with kitchen paper and place the fillets skin-side-down on a board. Now scatter with more chopped dill, pressing down to stick to the salmon.

slice and serve and enjoy....

Using a sharp carving knife cut the salmon slightly at an angle in thin slices – arrange on individual plates and serve with a side salad. Or arrange the slices on one large plate and let people help themselves.