‘Santé!’: Cotton-reel Canapés to Coq au Vin Creation

I’ve just returned from a fortnight in the idyllic Languedoc Roussillon, Southern France. Driving through beautiful vineyards nestled in breath-taking mountains, and hopping from one picturesque town to the next along the coast, what better place to try all of the traditional delights and be inspired to start cooking!

Montpellier

Our first stop was the lively city of Montpellier, where we stumbled upon its local delicacy of Petit Pâtés. These delightful mini pies look like cute cotton reels, and are stuffed with minced mutton. They are a little similar to pork pies, except the filling is an unusual combination of sweet and savoury. I couldn’t wait to make some of own! They can be eaten hot or cold and would make a perfect addition to picnics. But since we are now in autumn, try them as a warming lunch with fresh salad, as delicious canapés or as a starter ‘with a difference’ at your next dinner party. Likewise, they are just at home on a cheese board, accompanied by a bottle of red wine.
 

There are many variations of this recipe to be found, some of which include sultanas and spices such as nutmeg. However, I wanted to keep them as a savoury pie with a sweet twist, rather than like a Christmas mince pie. Here’s my  recipe:

Petit Pâtés

1.      Combine 400g mutton/lamb mince with the zest of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp. brown sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper.

2.      Make (or buy!) some shortcrust pastry and start constructing your mini pie. Use a glass approx. 5cm diameter to cut out 2 disc ends. Cut a rectangle approx. 13.5cm X 4cm. Adjust these sizes accordingly if you are making canapés instead.

3.      Make the rectangle into a cylinder shape on top of one of the discs. Pinch the 2 pieces of pastry together around the base.

4.      Fill the cylinder with the mince mixture. Place another disc on top, and pinch together to seal.

5.      Brush the pie tops with beaten egg, then put a few holes in the top using a skewer. Bake at 200⁰C for 20 minutes. Delicious with Dijon mustard!

 

The next part of our journey took us to the quaint fishing ports of Sète and Port-Vendres. 


Port-Vendres

Afternoons were spent soaking up the sunshine, whilst enjoying fresh local fish in restaurants dotted along the water’s edge. This reminded me of my favourite French dish; Pissaladière. I love how the saltiness of the anchovies and olives is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the onions. This dish is really easy to make, yet looks so impressive! The only part that requires patience is slow cooking the onions, but this is vital to give them their sticky sweetness. Try my recipe below:

Pissaladière

1.      Thinly slice 8 medium sized white onions and place in a saucepan with a generous splash of oil and 1 tbsp. sugar. Cook on a low heat for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Set aside to cool.

2.      Roll out some puff pastry into a shape of your choice. Score a border 2cm in from the edge to form the crust. Spread the onions evenly over the base within the border.

3.      Arrange some anchovies in a traditional grid pattern over the onions. Then slice a handful of pitted black olives in half. You can either add these to the topping now, or when the tart is cooked, depending on personal preference.

4.      Cook in the oven at 200⁰C for 20-25 minutes, and enjoy!

 



Pyrénées-Orientales

Finally, our travels took us through the vineyards of the dramatic Pyrénées-Orientales. We were spoilt for choice on where to stop for ‘dégustation de vins’! Tasting all the beautifully-bodied wines of the region left me inspired to cook another French favourite; Coq au Vin. This dish brings back fond memories of having it as a child, since it is a favourite in the family thanks to my grandad’s love of French cooking. The trick is to be generous with the red wine! Try my recipe below and enjoy this warming one-pot wonder as the nights draw in:

 

Coq au Vin

 

1.      Add a splash of oil to a casserole dish and brown off the chicken thighs (2 thighs per person). Don’t be tempted to skip this stage since it locks in the chicken’s juices, keeping the meat succulent and preventing the sauce from becoming oily later on. Set the thighs aside.

2.      Pop a couple of handfuls of baby button mushrooms into the pan and cook for a few minutes until golden. Set aside with the chicken.

3.      Turn the heat down and sweat a couple of chopped onions and a diced carrot for 10 minutes, until soft. Add a couple of chopped garlic cloves and cook for a further minute.

4.      Now to make the sauce. Add 2 heaped tbsp. plain flour to the vegetables and stir to combine. Now estimate how much sauce you will need to cover your chicken. You will need 2 parts red wine to 1 part chicken stock. First slowly add the red wine, constantly stirring to thicken the sauce. Then add the chicken stock and stir to make a delicious sauce.

5.      Finally pop in the chicken, mushrooms and a bouquet garni, then season with salt and pepper.

6.      Cook for 1 hour at 180⁰C. Serve with a crusty baguette to soak up all the tasty sauce.

 

So, crack open a bottle of France’s finest and have a go at some of these traditional recipes. Oh, and don’t forget to save some of the wine for the cooking, Bon appétit!

À bientôt for my next post!