Herb Butter Use it on almost anything, from vegetables to galettes. Mix butter (preferably salted) with lots of chopped herbs (e.g. parsley, chervil, chives, mustard, cress) and a chopped shallot, garlic and some pepper. You can serve this green mixture moulded, in fancy shapes or pats, or in melting dollops on hot food.   Mayonnaise This recipe is a MUST as it will serve as a basis for many other combinations, also nothing illustrates the interweaving of simple art and complex science in cookery better than homemade mayonnaise. One of the classic sauces of our cuisine as mayonnaise is nothing more than tiny droplets of oil suspended in a matrix of egg yolk and water, with a dash of lemon and a pinch of mustard to add flavour and structural stability. The emulsion has a reputation for being demanding and tricky, breaking at a whim and frustrating even the most accomplished cooks, even I have problems occasionally. All you really need, though, are a handful of ingredients, a mere 5 minutes of patience and a few tips about what to add and how. Once you master the recipe, you can make a batch for tuna salad, devilled eggs and other favourite summer dishes in a matter of minutes. Ingredients: 3 egg yolks – must be fresh, very fresh, otherwise the sauce has a propensity to split. ⅓ litre Olive Oil – high quality 1 teaspoon hot mustard powder 1 teaspoon vinegar Sea-salt and freshly ground pepper 3 tablespoons of water – do NOT forget the water otherwise the sauce will split Preparation: The most important element you have to watch out for is that all of the ingredients have the same temperature. In order to succeed you must leave the eggs and bottle of oil standing on your work surface for one hour whilst you prepare in a small bowl the mixture of one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of vinegar, fine sea-salt and freshly ground pepper. One hour later, add the egg yolks and water to the mustard mixture. Whisk in the oil, pouring it slowly. Once the mayonnaise is done, do not keep in the refrigerator.  Some Variations: Aioli: Crush fresh garlic cloves with some sea-salt in a mortar and pestle then stir in your mayonnaise and serve the sauce with roasted new potatoes, steamed asparagus, blanched green beans or chilled meats.  Sauce Verte: The light, summery flavour of green mayonnaise makes it a refreshing dip and spread. Ingredients: 200 grams baby spinach leaves 2 Tablespoons finely chopped shallots ¼ cup watercress leaves (stems removed) ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley (stems removed) 1 Tablespoon Chervil (stems removed) 1 Tablespoon Chives 1 Tablespoon tarragon leaves (or more to taste) (stems removed) 2 cups of Mayonnaise you made earlier Preparation: Throw all the spinach and herbs into a saucepan of boiling water, cook for ONE minute then empty the contents into a colander and rinse in COLD water. This stops the cooking process. Allow time for them to drain then transfer them to a blender/food processor, pulse the blender until the mixture is finely chopped. Now pour then mayonnaise, you made earlier, into a glass bowl then carefully stir in the mixture from the blender. Keep stirring until everything is well blended, then refrigerate until ready to use. Compliments cold meats, roasted chicken and smoked turkey. Rouille: This is a classic garlic mayonnaise with cayenne pepper and the word describes the red colour of the sauce. The saffron adds to the distinctive Provencal flavour and adds subtle depth to the sauce. Ingredients: 6 minced Garlic cloves 1 tablespoon white wine, warmed slightly (anything leftover or cheap will suffice) 1 teaspoon Saffron Threads 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper 1 teaspoon Pastis or Ricard Sea-salt Juice of ½ a Lemon 2 cups of Mayonnaise you made earlier Stale bread Preparation: First soak the small pieces of stale bread in the mixture of White Wine, Ricard, Lemon juice and sea-salt. Then remove the excess liquid and whisk the bread into the mayonnaise together with the Cayenne Pepper, Minced Garlic and Saffron Threads. This thick rustic sauce is an accompaniment to our bouillabaisse, other seafood stews and fish soups.

Croustillant de chèvre chaude à la moutarde de Dijon INGREDIENTS 2 crottins de Chavignol, cut in half width wise 1 - 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard ½ cup freshly ground bread crumbs (a baguette works well here) For the salad & vinaigrette ½ Tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar Mixed green salad 3 Tablespoons olive oil 8 toasted baguette slices (2 per person) Preparation * Spread the goat cheese with the mustard and cover in breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray, cover with Clingfilm and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. * Preheat oven to 230°C. Remove cheese from freezer and bake 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer the cheese to a plate and cool about 3 minutes. * Combine the mustard and vinegar, add a pinch of salt. Whisking constantly, drizzle in the olive oil. Season with some freshly ground pepper. * Place some mixed green salad in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Serving Suggestion Divide the green salad evenly between 4 salad plates. Place two baguette slices and a goat cheese round on each plate and serve immediately. Sauce Béarnaise Serves 6 Ingredients: ¼ cup Vinegar, preferably Wine Vinegar ¼ cup dry white wine, preferably Chablis 2 shallots, minced 2 tablespoons tarragon, fresh and minced 6 egg yolks 150 grams unsalted butter 2 tablespoons chervil, fresh Sea-Salt and Black Pepper Preparation: The idea is to have all three parts ready at the same time. When the wine has simmered down about right, the butter should just be coming to the simmer, and the blender with eggs should be ready, so: Place the shallots, pepper, white wine, chervil and tarragon in a saucepan and let it reduce on low heat until there is about 2-3 tablespoons remaining. At the same time gently melt your butter in a separate saucepan and allow it to simmer, being careful to remove the whey. In the food-processor, mix the egg yolks and the vinegar. Providing your timing is about right you should now be able to combine all the ingredients to make the sauce. Turn on your food processor and dribble in the melted butter, very slowly to begin with. When all the butter is added, add the wine reduction, letting it blend for a few seconds at a low speed. Now is the time to add the fresh herbs, but first I always filter the sauce, it removes and lumps. Having added the fresh herbs, place the mixture in a clean bowl and refrigerate it for around 2 hours. There is nothing better on a Saignant filet of venison, beef, horse topped with an artichoke heart and smothered in Bearnaise sauce. On lobster, eggs – amazing, as for asparagus, it would not be the same without it. Chicken Stock Nothing adds flavour and richness to a soup or dish better than a really good stock. Making your own is a simple process and will reward you with better tasting meals. Ingredients Bones from a raw or cooked chicken carcass including skin 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 onion, peeled and quartered 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped 6 black peppercorns 1 dried bay leaf 3 fresh parsley stalks 1 sprig fresh thyme sea salt freshly ground black pepper Preparation 1. Put the chicken carcass into a stockpot, cover with 2½ litres water and bring to the boil. Using a large metal spoon, skim off any white scum from the surface. 2. Add the vegetables, herbs and garlic to the stockpot. Return to the boil: reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 2½ hours, skimming occasionally 3. Strain the stock through a colander lined with wet muslin into a large, heatproof bowl. Discard all the debris. Reduce the stock for a stronger flavour, if desired. Strain into a large bowl and allow to cool. Nantes-Style White Butter Sauce Serves 6 Preparation: 20 minutes Ingredients  5-6 Grey Shallots 30cl good Muscadet-sur-Lie 300 grams Salted Butter 1 heaped dessertspoon fresh Double Cream Salt and White Pepper Preparation Cut the butter into pieces on a plate and set aside at warm room temperature. Peel and finely chop the shallots. Place in a saucepan with the white wine and reduce over low heat to the equivalent of approx. 2 spoonfuls. Remove from the heat and gradually add the butter, whipping the sauce until it resembles a smooth cream. Season with salt and pepper, add the fresh cream, and pour into a slightly-warmed sauce boat. If the sauce is not to be served immediately, keep warm in a bain-marie, whisking occasionally.