This is a sauce made locally here in the Rouergue and which is a traditional addition to magret. I first learned of it from Jeanne Strang's book "Goose Fat & Garlic". I highly recommend this book by the way. If you like the Paula Wolfert book on South Western French cooking you'll also love this book. In addition to the recipies Jeanne describes a way of life that continues in this area, but is slowly fading away.
NOTES:The recipe quantity will serve 4-5 people, but I have discovered that the Aillade freezes beautifully so I usually at least double up & keep a nice pot for next time.
Use walnut oil if at all possible. I've used olive oil & even truffle oil when I didn't have walnut & although they work well its just not quite the same.
Ingredients:
75 grams fresh walnuts
50 grams raw garlic
150 milliliter walnut oil
Salt & pepper
A small handfull of Parsley
Method:
- Mix the walnuts & garlic together and process in a food processor or blender until very smooth. You may need to add a bit of water to keep the mixtrure flowing, but not too much. ( the traditional method was to do this step in a mortar & pestle, but the food processor is much easier.)
- With the processor running slowly pour in the walnut oil. Process until the Aillade is nicely smooth.
- Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Add the parsley.
- Serve with magret or place into a ramekin, seal with film & freeze.
I know this sounds very garlicy & strong, but believe me it offsets the duck beautifully. My wife always insists on Lyonaise potatoes with this so she can eat more Aillade.
More olive oil. Found that the really nice dipping oil was, many times, labeled 'frutata'. We asked at the restaurant & they wrote down the brand name they use. The search was on! After many shops filled with temptation we found it. We now have a couple of bottles, in fact I used some last night on cold green beans. Very nice.
Dinner on the way home in Le Muy was very good. The owner/chef makes all of his own bread and it turns out he loves to make terrines. I had his terrine entree which gave me four different types accompanied by olives, cornichons, home made fig jam & an outstanding onion confit. This in itself would have made a wonderful dinner, but the entrcote which followed was also excellent. Fresh from the oven croissants & rolls for breakfast completed the stay.
Disaster struck at lunch in Le Vigan. The worst meal we've ever had in France! And they tried to overcharge us. The details are too greusome to relate. Its a real shock as it happens so seldom in France.
We were asked by our hosts to cook a French meal while in Lucca. Knowing this in advance we were able to load up the car fridge with a few goodies. Naturally we also took wine, a couple of cases. For nibbling we had rilettes & some cheeses. For non-alcholic drinks we took a couple of bottles of the wonderful French fruit syrups so we could make Diablas by adding some diet lemonade. For THE meal, however, we brought fois gras & magret. Out menu was:
Fois gras on toast FOLLOWED BY:
Roasted tomatoes with olive, garlic, basil & balsamic vinegar FOLLOWED BY:
Barbequed magret accompanied by L'aillade de Toulouse
Roast new potatoes; green beans & sauteed green & red peppers with spring onions & radishes FOLLOWED BY:
A salad of butter lettice with fresh basil & cilantro; tossed with a light vinagrette. FOLLOWED BY:
Italian cheeses FOLLOWED BY:
Baked apricots with vanilla gelato.
Of course we took our time eating this & everyone seemed to enjoy the meal.
I'll start posting the recipies in the next day or so, but can start with the fois gras as it was so simple.
Sauteed fois gras
1) Buy fresh fois gras, Separate the lobes & carefully pick out the veins
2) Carefully slice the fois gras in to about 1/4 inch thick slices. Layer the slices with cooking paper between each to keep them separate. Freeze if not cooking immediately.
3) Toast some nice thin rounds of French bread.
4) Heat up a frying pan to hot. Have your salt & pepper ready to hand.
5) Place several fois gras slices in the hot pan. Immediately salt & pepper lightly. Turn the slices over (they should cook no more that 90 seconds for each side.
6) When done put each slice on a toast round & serve immediately.
7) If you need to do a second pan full carefully pour off the fois gras butter into a container. Keep it was its absolutely delicious. Now fry your second pan full as before.
Die & go to heaven. Serve with a sweet wine. Let your budget be your guide on this. Chateau D'y on downwards
More later.
On the way to Italy we stopped at Colomar which is a village perched high above Nice. Nice hotel & would have been quiet except for one noisy bullfrog. Dinner was good. Excellent lamb steaks which had been nicely marinated. Off to Italy the next morning.
Had a great time finding an olive oil factory (Lucca olive oil is supposedly THE best) mentioned in a guide book. Did eventually find it with the help of a French speaking Italian. (also, we learned a new gesture. No, a polite one. You put your thumb & fingers together then open & shut them. Like click, click, click. It's short for click which is slang for K which is short for kilometer. 3 'clicks' = 3 kilometers!) Well sure enouigh we went 3 K's then left & then 5 K's & found the place. Absolutely charming. We bought olive oil, wine & some cookies.
First really nice restaurant dish was a starter of fresh anchovies in a lemon sauce. Wonderful! The fritto misto was also excellent, but not unusual. Had a great meal at La Porte in Viareggio. Two of our party ordered what they thought might be a clam chowder type of soup. What they got was a delicious big bowl of clams with herbs & not much broth. I had the house antipasta. 5 kinds of marinated & sauced fish including a squid salad, stuffed calamari, sauteed bream & so forth. Very yummy. Linda & I shared a large flat, sole like, fish that they baked. Very fresh & great looking both before & after cooking. The waiter expertly deboned it & it was fantastic.
At other times we had really good pasta, freshly caught trout and some good beef. Also had to go buy more olive oil for dipping after tasting some really good stuff in a little tratorria.
This is getting long so I'll add more later. Also think I'll give you all of the recipies for the meal I cooked for our friends at the villa.
Ciao for now.
