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The Hirshon Breton Cotriade Soup

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The Hirshon Breton Cotriade Soup

Cotriade Image Used Under Creative Commons License From lacerisesurlemaillot.fr

My Citizens, the mighty intellect reigning supreme in the skull of the always Phrenological TFD has decided to share another gleaning of culinary wisdom from the northern coast of France itself! For this, no less a recipe will do than the legendary fish soup from Brittany – cotriade!

As noted on http://frenchcountryfood.com/:

Many stories have been written about these recipes that regional coastal people interpreted in various ways depending on the villages and seasons.

In the seventh century BC, the Greeks already ate a simple fish stew called Kakavia.

Later, we find the fish soup in Roman mythology, such as the soup that Venus serves to Vulcan …

From the origins, pots and other cotriade, bourride or bouillabaisse, small meals were prepared and eaten with the humblest of their products from harsh sea trips.
Returning from fishing, they heated on the waterfront a cauldron filled with sea water. When the water boiled, fish outsized or unmarketable, headless, mutilated were plunged in… and then they added some herbs, or other spices.

The Cotriade is a derivative of the Breton name “kaoteriad” denotes the share of the catch returned by the sailor, and the contents of the “kaoter” (cauldron).
The Cotriade is the coastal Bretagne dish that was prepared by the family on the dock or at the back of the boat, or even on deck by crews at sea.

Fragrant curls of iodine and Roscoff onions browned mingling with the aerial ballet of hungry seagulls … Cotriade is the simplicity Curnonsky placed at the top of Breton cuisine.

It is a specialty of southern Finistère, on the edge of Morbihan (small port of Brigneau) and to the Bretons what the bouillabaisse is to Southerners: a traditional and popular dish prepared with local fish species.

It is used the same way as bouillabaisse, that is to say, by drinking the broth first and then tasting the different fish then. This dish is served with potatoes boiled in water, topped with a drizzle of oil and vinegar.

The addition of seafood, vegetables and herbs is a further contribution to “civilize” the dish and offer it in restaurants.

The more fish on the list, the more cotriade is considered refined. The order of introduction of different species during cooking is key to the success of this dish.

Citizens, my version of the classic recipe calls for a few shellfish native to Brittany – while not traditional to the soup, I find they add a wonderful flavor to the final product.

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Breton Cotriade Soup

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Ingredients

  • First step: The soup
  • 500g of shrimp with heads, cut in ½ lengthwise
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 onion, preferably a Roscoff varietal from Brittany
  • ½ leek
  • 1 leafy celery stalk
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 branch of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 20 cl of olive oil
  • 40 cl of white wine
  • Salt & Pepper
  • ***
  • Second step: Preparation of the cotriade
  • 2 ounces Salt pork, rind removed
  • 2 pounds small red potatoes - peeled, quartered
  • 64 fluid ounces (2 quarts) Shrimp stock
  • Sprigs of parsley, chervil, oregano, tarragon and thyme + 1 bay leaf
  • Cheesecloth and twine
  • 2 medium onions, preferably Roscoff
  • 200g fillet of monkfish, skin removed
  • 200g fillet of cod, skin removed
  • 200g of fillet of bar or rock mullet, skin removed
  • 200g of turbot, skin removed
  • 8 dry pack sea scallops, cut into coins
  • 1 cold water lobster tail, removed from the shell and cut into coins
  • Minced chervil (preferred) or parsley
  • ***
  • Third Step: Croûtons
  • 125 ml (½ cup) clarified butter
  • 8 thick slices sourdough
  • 1 garlic clove

Instructions

  1. For the soup: cut the vegetables in a mirepoix dice.
  2. Heat the olive oil, then add the vegetables, a pinch of salt and sauté until the evaporation of their water and then deglaze with white wine, reduce to dryness and add thyme, peeled garlic and bay leaf.
  3. Wet ⅔ of the mass with water.
  4. Leave to cook on very low heat for 2 hours then mix all while removing thyme and bay leaves.
  5. Adjust seasoning.
  6. Put the shrimp stock in a saucepan and heat to just below a simmer. Reserve.
  7. Heat a seperate soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the salt pork. Cook for 1-2 minutes to heat the fat.
  8. Add the onions, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, turn heat to medium low, and cook for 5 minutes (no browning on the onions).
  9. Tie the herbs and bay leaf in a cheesecloth and add to the pot along with the potatoes and the warm fish stock.
  10. Taste the soup at this point, adjust seasoning with salt. Be careful not to over season, since the soup liquid will reduce.
  11. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup until the potatoes are tender, about 30-40 minutes.
  12. At this point, there should be enough broth to poach the fish in, add an extra cup of stock (preferred) or water to the soup if it is too thick.
  13. Taste the soup and re-check the seasoning. Remove the cheesecloth with herbs and bay leaf.
  14. Add one third of the fish fillets to the barely simmering soup, and poach until opaque. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
  15. Repeat twice, with the remaining fish and shellfish. (Note: Make sure all the fish you add is immersed in the broth, but near the surface so you can scoop it out when cooked. Be careful when handling the fish, so it doesn’t fall apart. You may need to gently turn the fillets. Add less fish at a time if it doesn’t all fit.)
  16. Meanwhile, for croûtons, heat clarified butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add bread and cook, turning once, until golden (1-2 minutes each side). Rub bread and serving bowls with garlic clove, then discard garlic.
  17. Divide croûtons among bowls, top with potatoes, onions and shellfish, then ladle over fish and soup. Season liberally with freshly ground black pepper and serve hot. Sprinkle lightly with minced chervil or parsley.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/the-hirshon-breton-cotriade-soup/

Gary Danko’s Buckwheat Blini With Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche & Caviar

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Gary Danko’s Buckwheat Blini With Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche & Caviar

Blini With Smoked Salmon, Caviar, Crème Fraîche Used Under Creative Commons License From juliejuliet.com

My Citizens, your sagacious and inveterate leader – the indulgent TFD Himself! – is currently enjoying the glorious gustatory delights found only in Mother Russia, especially in its capital city of Moscow!

While here, I am making several celebratory recipe postings to honor my time and the culinary glory of Russian cuisine – and what, I ask you, is more quintessentially Russian than buckwheat blini, served lavishly with caviar, smoked salmon and smetana, the unmatched Russian sour cream?

Sadly, smetana of Russian quality isn’t available in the U.S., but all the other needed ingredients are and few chefs do this recipe better justice than renowned Chef Gary Danko of San Francisco. The City by the Bay is where I live when not plotting culinary revolution in several of my worldwide secret lairs! I have enjoyed many magnificent meals at his restaurant and hope that you too may someday know the glory of his cuisine!

Gary Danko is an American chef who combines French, Mediterranean, and American styles into his cooking. He is best known for his eponymous restaurant in San Francisco, California.

Diners select from three, four or five prix-fixe menu courses. Danko’s signature dishes include roast Maine lobster with white corn, tarragon and chanterelles, pancetta wrapped frog legs with garlic purée, and roasted quail stuffed with mushrooms and foie gras.

Most dishes are served year-round, but ingredients are adjusted seasonally to emphasize local produce. Before it was banned in California, in late spring 2012, Danko’s seared foie gras was paired with Bing cherries, but in early fall, with roast figs.

His accolades are many, both local and international:

1995 James Beard Foundation – Best Chef-California

1999 Esquire Magazine – Best New Restaurant

1999 Mobil Travel Guide – First “Five Star” rating

2000 James Beard Foundation – Best New Restaurant

2000 San Francisco Magazine – Chef of the Year

2002 James Beard Foundation Award – Nominated Outstanding Chef of the Year

2002 Relais & Chateaux – Relais & Chateaux property

2007 Zagat Survey – Top Restaurant

2008 Michelin Guide – One Star Rating

This recipe, adapted from Gary Danko, is the best blini recipe I’ve ever tried: it incorporates whipped egg whites and whipped cream, and has several resting periods – all of which helps give these blini a lighter, more delicate texture. You can make the batter in the morning or a day ahead since it needs two fairly lengthy resting periods. The blini themselves are best served right after cooking.

My Citizens I wish you славная еда – a glorious meal! 😀

Battle on – The Generalissimo

Gary Danko’s Buckwheat Blini With Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche & Caviar

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Ingredients

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tablespoon sugar
  • ½ tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm milk, about 98°
  • ½ cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large egg, separated
  • 2 tablespoons cold heavy cream
  • ¼ cup clarified butter or 2 tablespoons clarified butter + 2 tablespoons canola, rice bran or vegetable oil
  • ***
  • Garnishes:
  • Crème Fraîche
  • Smoked salmon or smoked sturgeon
  • Chives, cut into ½-inch pieces (Optional addition by TFD: also include a tiny amount of snipped fresh dill)
  • Caviar (optional)- for TFD, however, it is MANDATORY! Use trout roe or salmon roe if you can't afford sustainably-raised beluga, osetra or sevruga sturgeon caviar

Instructions

  1. For the batter: Sift the all-purpose flour and sugar into a small bowl. Add the yeast, then ½ cup of the warm milk; whisk until smooth.
  2. Combine the buckwheat flour and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add the egg yolk and remaining milk; whisk until smooth.
  3. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. After resting, pour the yeast mixture into the buckwheat mixture and whisk to combine.
  4. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until soft peaks form; scrape it onto the top of the batter. Add heavy cream to the now-empty egg white bowl and whip it to soft peaks; scrape it onto the egg white and gently fold everything together.
  5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour or so. Letting it rest longer - 2 to 6 hours - in a slightly cool place develops more flavor and the blini will also cook up crisper. The batter can rest up to 24 hours - it will develop a slight sourdough flavor. If the kitchen is warm, refrigerate the batter overnight, then bring to room temperature.
  6. To cook: Pour clarified butter or butter/oil mixture into a small non-stick skillet, just enough to form a thin film. Drop about ½ tablespoon of batter into the hot fat and spread to about 1 ½-2 inches in diameter, if necessary.
  7. Cook until golden brown (about 10 seconds); turn and cook the other side until golden brown and done at the center, about another 10 seconds. Remove to a paper towel to drain briefly, then serve hot with a dollop of Crème Fraîche, smoked salmon or smoked sturgeon, and 2 chive pieces (or do it as TFD does, with the addition of a small amount of snipped fresh dill!). For something extra special, dab with caviar.
  8. Wine pairing: Sparkling wine or Champagne - especially a Brut Rosé will be a terrific accompaniment.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/gary-dankos-buckwheat-blini-smoked-salmon-creme-fraiche-caviar/

The Hirshon Israeli Fish in Spicy Tomato Sauce – חריימה

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The Hirshon Israeli Fish in Spicy Tomato Sauce - חריימה

Chraime Image Under Creative Commons License From laurelstreetkitchen.com

Citizens, a dear friend of Jewish Sephardic heritage just asked me this morning for a recipe for chraime, a classic, spicy fish dish served on the Sabbath in Sephardi households. It originates from north Africa and is a mainstay of Moroccan, Tunisian, Algerian and especially Libyan Jewish households.

The history of the Jews in Libya stretches back to the 3rd century BCE, when Cyrenaica was under Greek rule. The Jewish population of Libya, a part of the Sephardi-Maghrebi Jewish community continued to populate the area continuously until the modern times. During World War II, Libya’s Jewish population was subjected to anti-semitic laws by the Fascist Italian regime and deportations by German troops.

After the war, anti-Jewish violence caused many Jews to leave the country, principally for Israel, though significant numbers remained in Rome and many later emigrated to various communities in North America. Under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled the country from 1969 to 2011, the situation deteriorated further, eventually leading to the emigration of the remaining Jewish population. The last Jew in Libya, 80-year-old Rina Debach, left the country in 2003.

The oldest trace of a Jewish existence in Libya appears in Sirte, which some archaeological surveys made on the “Barion” region there dated its synagogue to the 10th century BCE, during King Solomon’s reign.

There is evidence for Jews living in Benghazi from 13 BCE. They were considered citizens, but were ruled by a Jewish Archon unlike the rest of the Jews in that area.

As to chraime, there are no specific rules for this recipe, except make it flavorful – the type of fish can be easily varied to whatever is freshest at the market that day. Just make sure to get the fish cut into crosswise steaks – I note my favorite fishes to use in the recipe.

The spices are classically north African – cumin, caraway, paprika and garlic (lots of garlic!) and this is not a difficult dish to put together, my Citizens. I hope you will see fit to add this to your repertoire!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Israeli Fish in Spicy Tomato Sauce – חריימה

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced small
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • Good pinch freshly ground cloves
  • Good pinch freshly ground caraway
  • ½ tablespoon freshly ground cumin
  • 3 bay leaves, or ½ teaspoon ground
  • ¾ tablespoon paprika
  • ¼ tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1 bunch flat parsley
  • 1 small bunch cilantro + extra for garnish
  • ½ Moroccan preserved lemon, skin only, rinsed
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin lengthwise
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 pieces thick-cut Chilean sea bass, black cod (TFD preferences) or use thick-cut salmon or halibut fillets. In Israel, Amberjack is the classic fish used in this recipe

Instructions

  1. Pat fish dry and season generously with salt and pepper. 

  2. In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the fish, skin side down, and fry until the skin is brown and crisp, about 4 minutes.
  3. Flip the fish and cook the flesh side for about 30 seconds and remove. Do not cook through. Leave pan hot.
  4. In a large wide-bottom pot, bring the water, oil, tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, cloves, cumin, caraway, bay leaves, and paprika to a boil.
  5. Meanwhile, coarsely grind the garlic, parsley, cilantro, and preserved lemon in a food processor using the pulse button. Add the ground mixture to the pot and stir. Add the red pepper and the fish, and bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce the temperature to medium and cook covered for 10-15 minutes. Transfer the fish onto a platter with a slotted spoon. check the cooking liquids in the pot: If they are too thin, reduce them at high temperature until thickened. Pour the sauce over the fish. Serve hot or at room temperature, making sure you top each serving with the sauce.
  7. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with Israeli couscous on the side.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/hirshon-israeli-fish-spicy-tomato-sauce-%d7%97%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%99%d7%9e%d7%94/