12.

MISE EN PLACE

[mi z plas] – a French culinary phrase that means ‘putting in place’ or preparing ingredients, sauces, vegetables or any items during a shift

This chapter brings together all the extra sauces and condiments used throughout the book.

MAYONNAISE

Makes: 500 ml

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 0 min

• 2 egg yolks
• 5 ml lemon juice
• 2.5 ml Dijon mustard
• 375 ml canola oil
• 5 ml salt and pinch white pepper

1. Place the yolks, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, slowly stream in the canola oil and continue blending until the mayonnaise is fully emulsified. Season with salt and white pepper. Store in the fridge for two to three days.

SHALLOT CONFIT

Makes: 375 ml

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 10 min

Cooking time: 2 hr

• 750 ml olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 8 medium-sized shallots, peeled
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 ml fine salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Combine all the ingredients in a small ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Cook the shallots in the oven until they are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork. This will take around 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Store the shallots in their oil and seasonings in a jar in the fridge for two to three days.

PASTA DOUGH

Makes: 500 g

Difficulty: Little effort

Prep time: 20 min + 30 min chilling

Cooking time: 5 min

• 5 ml saffron
• 450 g Italian-style ‘00’ flour
• 9 egg yolks
• 5 ml fine salt

1. Bring 250 ml water and the saffron to a boil in a small saucepan and reduce to 60 ml liquid. Strain. Place the flour on a stainless steel or marble worktop and make a well in the centre. Pour 12.5 ml of the saffron water, the egg yolks and salt into the well. Using a fork and working from the centre of the well, incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients. Once together, knead for 10 minutes until the dough is somewhat elastic. Depending on the humidity you may need to add more flour. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

CHICKEN STOCK

Makes: 4 L

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 20 min

Cooking time: about 3 hr

• 5 kg chicken carcasses, including necks, wings and backs
• 7 kg ice cubes
• 220 g leeks, chopped
• 140 g celery, diced
• 140 g carrots, diced
• 140 g shallots, diced
• 140 g fennel, diced
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 whole cloves
• 10 black peppercorns

1. Rinse the bones well under running water. Place the bones in a large stock pot and top with the ice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Skim all the impurities and fats off the top while it simmers. After skimming, add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 3 hours, skimming every 30 minutes. Strain before use. Store in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for up to two months.

FISH STOCK

Makes: 1 L

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 20 min

Cooking time: 30 min

• 15 ml vegetable oil
• 2 medium-sized onions, sliced
• 4 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2.5 kg fish heads and bones, rinsed clean of blood and chopped
• 1 kg lobster heads or prawn shells
• 250 ml dry white wine
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Large handful fresh parsley
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 15 ml black peppercorns

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Sauté the onions, celery and carrots until soft and translucent. Add the fish heads and bones and the lobster heads or prawn shells, pour wine over and cover the pot tightly. Leave to sweat for 10–15 minutes. Add enough water to just cover the bones. Tie the bay leaves, parsley and thyme together with kitchen string. Add the herbs and black peppercorns and bring to a simmer.
2. Skim the foam off using a ladle; be careful not to remove any of the spices or herbs. Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain out the vegetables and bones and pour through a muslin cloth. Cool completely before covering. The stock will keep for up to three days in the fridge or can be frozen for two months.

ROASTED VEGETABLES

1. Fresh vegetables. Firm, juicy and packed with flavour. Make sure to cut them the same size so that they roast evenly. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and pumpkin can be undercooked, so make sure the cut is not too big. Roast smaller vegetables whole. They don’t only taste great, but they also look beautiful. Cauliflower can be sliced in thick whole slices and broccoli can just be cut in half. Use a good olive oil to moisten the veg well. If you roast vegetables that suck up the oil, keep them moist throughout the roasting period, but be careful that you don’t overdo it as the last thing you want is to have them turn out greasy. Don’t be shy to use enough seasoning. This will help develop the flavour during the cooking process. Use a baking tray (rather than a roasting pan with high sides) and make sure there is enough space between the vegetables so that when they give off steam they don’t become mushy. Heat up that oven! I like to go up to 220 °C and toss the veg well during the roasting time, otherwise you will have one side dark and one side lighter. The average roasting time is 35–40 minutes.

BROWN BEEF STOCK

This stock will keep for up to five days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to three months.

Makes: 2–3 L

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 20 min

Cooking time: about 4 hr

• 2.5 kg beef stock bones
• 15 ml vegetable oil
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 onions, halved
• 60 ml tomato paste
• 500 ml red wine
• Large handful fresh parsley
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 5 ml black peppercorns

1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Place the beef bones on an oven tray and roast for 25–30 minutes until browned, turning occasionally.
2. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery and onions and sauté until golden brown. Reduce heat to medium, add the tomato paste and fry for 4–5 minutes, or until the acidity is cooked out. Deglaze the pot with the red wine and cook for 5–10 minutes, or until all the alcohol is cooked out. Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaves together with kitchen string. Add the herbs, garlic and black peppercorns to the pot.
3. Cover with 2 L water and bring to a simmer for 3–4 hours, occasionally skimming off the foam and fat. Add more water when needed. Strain out the vegetables and bones and pour through a muslin cloth. Cool completely before covering.

THE JAN VINAIGRETTE

Friday at lunchtime is a busy time for us: deliveries come in on a big scale, we prep for a full house and we get ready for dinner at the same time. A tuna salad with fresh endives, nuts and seeds – or basically anything we can lay our hands on – goes onto a large platter drizzled with the secret ingredient we all know will bring it together… Sonja’s vinaigrette. She uses a blender without a lid (apparently she has more control), but I don’t recommend you try this at home as she has ended up with a vinaigrette facial on numerous occasions.

You can also use a glass bottle with a lid and give it a few good shakes. The vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Makes: 250 ml

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 10 min

Cooking time: 0 min

• 30 ml honey
• 15 ml Dijon mustard
• 125 ml raspberry vinegar
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• Juice of ¹⁄₂ lemon
• 250 ml grapeseed oil or sunflower oil

1. Mix all the ingredients, except the oil, in a blender. Mix on slow speed, then slowly add the oil until the consistency reaches a creamy dressing.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO JAM

Makes: 1 jar

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 10 min

Cooking time: 30 min

• 30 ml olive oil
• 240 g sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 30 ml honey
• 60 ml red wine vinegar
• 125 ml Chicken Stock (see page 249)
• 180 ml water
• 5 ml dried thyme
• Sea salt and ground black pepper

1. Warm the olive oil and gently fry the tomatoes and shallots for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, cook for about 1 minute and then add the honey, vinegar, chicken stock, water, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes until most of the liquid has reduced. Remove from the heat, pour into a blender, pulse quickly a few times and pour into a bowl if using straight away, or into a sterilised jar if making ahead (it will keep in the fridge for up to six weeks).

CARROT PURÉE

Makes: 500 ml

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 35 min

• 180 g butter
• 12 medium-sized carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 15 ml fine salt
• 1 L water

1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots and salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the water, cover the saucepan and cook until the carrots are very tender – this will take anything from 20 to 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid.
2. Purée the carrots in a blender until smooth, adding a little of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary to blend. Push through a fine-mesh sieve until silky smooth.

PARSNIP PURÉE

Makes: 500 ml

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 15 min

• 125 g butter
• 1 kg parsnips, peeled and diced
• 375 ml water
• 250 ml fresh cream
• 5 ml fine salt

1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the parsnips and sweat until they start to break down. Add the water and cover. Continue to cook until the parsnips are tender. Drain and purée in a blender while adding the cream. Season with salt.

GINGER GEL

Makes: 1 L

Difficulty: Medium

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 35 min

Simple syrup

• 200 g sugar
• 250 ml water

Ginger gel

• 3 large pieces fresh ginger, peeled and cut into pieces
• 10.5 g agar agar

1. Make the simple syrup first. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the sugar has melted. Cool and store in the fridge until ready to use. (Use within two weeks.)
2. In a small saucepan, bring the simple syrup and the ginger to a simmer and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Strain the syrup though muslin cloth or a fine-mesh sieve into a separate saucepan.
3. Combine the agar agar with the syrup and set over medium to high heat. Whisk continuously for 5 minutes. Once the agar agar is completely dissolved, pour the mixture into a baking dish and refrigerate for 1 hour. Once set, cut into small pieces and purée in a blender until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve before using. Store in a squeeze bottle in the fridge for up to one week.

VARIATIONS

1. Lemon gel: Substitute the fresh ginger with 500 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice.
2. Berry gel: Substitute the fresh ginger with 500 ml berry purée.
3. Red wine gel: Substitute the fresh ginger with 750 ml red wine and reduce the liquid to 500 ml.