Tour de France 2022; Stage 21 Paris La Défense Arena to Paris Champs-Élysées; Baguette á l”Ancienne

Baguette

470 grms White Flour

30 grms Dark Rye Flour

300 grms Ice Cold Water

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10 grms Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Instant Yeast

50 grms Cold Water

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Mix flour blend and ice water.

Add yeast, salt and water and mix.

Leave to rest for 45 mins and then knock down and knead twice (45 minutes between kneads).

Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Divide dough in 3 or 4, and gently pre-shape in torpedo shape. Leave to rest for an hour.

Heat the oven to 230ºC/ Gas 8.

Slash baguettes on top 3 to 4 times and transfer baguettes to the  oven.

Bake for 10 mins, and then reduce temperature to 200ºC/ Gas 6 and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Tour de France 2022 Stage 20; Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour: Saucisse de Toulouse

Tour de France 2022 Stage 20; Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour:

Saucisse de Toulouse

Makes 8 sausages

2kg boneless shoulder of pork (cut into cubes)

12 slices of smoked streaky bacon

1 onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Herbes de Provence

4 tsp rock salt (@Blackthornsalt)

2 tsp pepper

175ml red wine (Cahors)

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1 box of cherry tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic

Handful of basil leaves

6 large potatoes (peeled and cubed)

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Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, and place in the fridge overnight.

Either you have the wherewithal to make your own sausages or you don’t. If you don’t befriend your local butcher, and go along and get them to put the mixture through the mincer and into casing for your sausages.

When they are at home preheat the oven to 190C

Prepare a roasting tray with the cherry tomatoes, and rip the basil on top, and then lay the sausages on top.

Cook for 50 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or so.

Boil the potatoes for 30 mins, and mash adding butter and milk for a smooth mash.

Serve.

Enjoy with a glass or two of Côtes de Bergerac.

Tour de France 2022 Stage 19; Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors: Olive and Rocket tapenade

Tour de France 2022 Stage 19; Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors:

Olive and Rocket tapenade

350g jar of black pitted olives (drained)

60g wild rocket

2 cloves of garlic

3 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

A pinch of @blackthornsalt

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Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth paste is formed.

Serve with baguette, or fougasse (see Stage 14).

Enjoy with a hearty glass of Cahors or a local glass of Malbec.

Tour de France Stage 18 2022; Lourdes to Hautacam: Lotte à la plancha

Lotte à la plancha

4 Monkfish steaks

4 slices of poitrine fumée

200g Samphire

2 cloves of garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

Fresh leaf salad with edible flowers

2 nobs of butter (unsalted)

Salt & Pepper

Couple of glugs of olive oil

1 tsp dijon mustard

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Heat your Plancha, or griddle pan.

Season the fish.

Drop on a nob of butter with a smashed clove of garlic, and when it sizzles lay on the fish.

Cook until golden brown on one side, then turn over and repeat the process, but do not become over fussy with checking, otherwise the fish will break up.

Just after you have turned the fish add the poitrine fumé, and cook until crisp on both sides.

When the fish is cooked squeeze some lemon over the top, and serve on the bed of salad and samphire, with a slice of pan fried poitrine fumé.

For the Samphire.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, and then add the samphire for 1-2 minutes.

Transfer the samphire to a bowl and toss with the butter, and season well.

For the salad combine olive oil, juice of lemon (5 parts to 1) with the mustard and season and mix to form a dressing. Combine with your leaves.

Try a chilled glass of Jurançon to accompany this.

Tour de France 2022 Stage 17; Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes: Pollo a la Catalana

Pollo a la Catalana

Serves 4

3 chicken breasts (diced)

10cm piece of chorizo (diced)

1 tbsp Paprika

300g Chestnut mushrooms (sliced)

200g Sugarsnap peas

200g Tenderstem Brocolli tops

1 onion (diced)

3 cloves of garlic (smashed)

Olive oil

Handful of flatleaf parsley (chopped)

1 glass of rosé

8 – 10 cherry tomatoes

Salt and Pepper

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Heat a frying pan with some oil and a smashed clove of garlic.

Add the onion and fry until translucent. Then add the chicken and seal.

Add the chorizo and paprika, and then after it has cooked for a couple of minutes pour over the wine and leave to simmer for 10 – 15 mins.

Cook the mushrooms in oil and smashed garlic, turning regularly so they are well coated and cooked through.

Steam the Brocolli and sugarsnap peas.

Scatter parsley over the top for the chicken, and serve with a glass of Cahors.

Tour de France Stage 16; Carcassonne to Foix; Tarte des Tomates avec pelardon et persil

Tarte des tomates avec pelardon et persil

8 large tomatoes (sliced)

3 pelardon of goat’s cheese

Blackthorn Salt (@blackthornsalt)

Pepper

For the pastry:

175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

85g chilled butter, cut into cubes

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Preheat the oven to 200ºC (Gas Mark 6)

Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub in gently with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add 3 tablespoons cold water until the pastry comes together in a ball.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 20cm quiche dish.

Line the base and sides with baking parchment and weigh it down with baking beans.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the baking parchment and baking beans and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Set to one side.

Alternatively use a pack of supermarket bought puff pastry, and cook as per instructions.

Cut the tomatoes into 1 – 2cm slices.

Place on the bottom of the pastry shell.

Crumble the goat’s cheese on top and then pop in the oven for a further 15 minutes.

Scatter fresh parley on top and season and serve.

Enjoy with a glass or two of Philippe Nusswitz ‘O’ Pale rosé.

Tour de France Stage 15; Rodez to Carcassonne; Magret de Canard

Serves 4

4 Magret de Canard (Duck breasts)

1 large glass of red wine

2 knobs of butter

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp honey

500g small potatoes (cubed)

Salt & Pepper

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Part boil the potatoes for 3 minutes, and then drain.

Heat a skillet/ frying pan with 1 knob of butter, and 1 smashed clove of garlic, and when the garlic starts to sizzle add the potatoes, and cook for 15 – 20 minutes stirring and turning frequently.

Season the duck breasts with pepper, and heat a griddle pan.

Lay the breasts fat down on the griddle and cook for 6 – 7 minutes, turn and cook for a further 5 minutes, slice and pour over the sauce and serve.

For the sauce, heat the remaining knob of butter with the garlic, add the honey and stir well; then pour in the wine, and stir continuously for 10 minutes until frothy.

Leave to stand for a couple of minutes, and then pour over the duck once ready.

Serve with some spinach, and a bottle of Duche d’Uzes Rouge, Chapoutier 2020.

Tour de France Stage 14; Fougasse aux Olives Noires et aux tomates séchés

Tour de France Stage 14; Fougasse aux Olives Noires et aux tomates séchés

Ingredients

500g white flour

8g dried instant yeast

415ml warm water

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

30g pitted black olives (diced)

30g sun-dried tomatoes (diced)

2 tbsp herbes de Provence (or mixed dried herbs)

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Add the yeast to the water and whisk in and set to one side for 10 mins

In a large mixing bowl mix the flour, water and oil, and form a dough. Knead on a floured surface for 10 mins.

Return to a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, or cling film, and place in a warm part of the kitchen, and leave to prove for an hour.

After an hour knead for another 10 mins folding the olives, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs into the dough. Flatten into an oval shape and place on a well oiled baking tray. Cover and leave for a further hour.

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Cut 6 slits in the loaf, brush with oil and sprinkle with herbs and @blackthornsalt

Bake in the oven for 25 mins, and then when golden remove and place on a wire rack and allow to cool.

Enjoy as an apero with a glass of Provencal rosé.

Tour de France 2022 Stage 13; Le Bourg D’Oisans to Saint Etienne; Faux Fillet et Aligot

Tour de France 2022 Stage 13; Le Bourg D’Oisans to Saint Etienne

Faux Fillet et Aligot

4 Sirloin Steaks (6cm thick)

1.5kg of Maris Pipers (peeled and diced)

5 cloves of garlic (peeled and crushed)

200g Tomme de l’Auvergne (Emmenthal makes a good substitute) (Grated)

Pepper

Salt

Butter

100ml cream

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Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, and add the potatoes and 3 cloves of garlic and boil for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile heat a griddle pan or barbecue.

Smother your steaks in butter and pepper, and seal for a minute on each side, and then cook for 4 – 5 mins each side and place on a board, cover in foil and leave to rest.

Drain the potatoes and add a nob of butter, seasoning, a fresh pressed garlic clove, cheese and cream. Cover for 2 minutes, and then mash until smooth and creamy. Cover.

Serve with a glass of Morgon; chilled if it’s as hot as current weather; at room temperature if not.

Tour de France 2022 Stage 12 Briançon to Alpe d’Huez; Salade d’Isère

Tour de France 2022 Stage 12 Briançon to Alpe d’Huez

Salade d’Isère

Serves 4

400g different seasonal salad leaves

100g cherry tomatoes

7 – 8 radishes

10 baby courgettes

1 thick cut Rump steak

1 thick cut Sirloin steak

200g mixed mushrooms

3 cloves of garlic

1 handful of flat leaf parsley

100g Roquefort (or other blue cheese)

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Unsalted butter

Salt and Pepper

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I know I know I know, CK will have a thrombi that I have put forward a Salad as a recipe, but what a salad!!!!

Make your vinaigrette by combining the oil and balsamic vinegar with the Dijon mustard and some seasoning.

Place a generous handful of leaves in 4 bowls, and dress with vinaigrette.

Heat a frying pan and a griddle pan with some butter and a smashed clove of garlic; chop the mushrooms and cook well coated in butter in the frying pan for 5 – 8 mins.

Griddle the courgettes, having first sliced them in half. When they are seared on both sides place in the pan with the mushrooms and switch off the heat and cover.

Keep the heat on the griddle, and sear the steaks on both sides for 45 seconds, and then cook for 5 minutes each side. Season and then slice and lay on the salad. Add crumbled Roquefort, courgettes, tomatoes and mushrooms and add more dressing and serve.

Enjoy with a chilled glass of Chignin.