Our well-equipped 'Magnums web' kitchen offers you some recipes taken from the extensive and informative Magnums Butlers' Bible. The following recipes include some of the basic culinary arts taught to butlers who undertake the Magnums Butler Training Course plus some more complex recipes to test your culinary skills.
1. Bechamel Sauce
This is the classic of all sauces used as a base for many other sauces and dishes.
Ingredients:
• Basic white savoury sauce to yield 0.5 litre.
• Butter 60g
• Flour 60g
• Milk 500ml
• Onion cloute 1
• Bouquet garni 1
• Salt and pepper
Method:
• Make an infusion by boiling the milk with the onion cloute.
• Make a roux with the butter and flour and allow to cool slightly.
• Remove the onion from the infused milk.
• Add the milk to the roux mixing with a wooden spoon to a smooth sauce.
• Add bouquet garni.
• Bring to the boil slowly over a moderate heat.
• Simmer for 20 minutes, season, strain and cover with damp or greased paper or melted butter.
Notes:
Onion cloute:studded onion - 1 large onion, 4 cloves, 1 blade bayleaf
Stud the peeled onion with the spices, impaling the bayleaf to the onion with the cloves.
2. Omelettes
A really good omelette, green salad with French dressing, fresh bread etc is easy but how do you make the definitive omelette?
Eggs are probably the most useful and valuable of all basic cooking ingredients, there is no waste on them apart from the shell, and they are highly endowed with protein and vitamin B2. Apart from boiling, frying, baking, poaching and scrambling, when added to other ingredients, eggs act as a raising agent in soufflés, cakes and pastry, as an emulsifying agent in mayonnaise and salad dressings. They are used to thicken soups and sauces, to bind stuffing's and croquette mixtures, and as a crisp coating for fried foods.
To test an egg for freshness, you can tell a new laid one by breaking the shell; if fresh, the white will cling to the yolk. To test without breaking the shell, plunge into a bowl of cold water; if very fresh the egg will sink and lie on its side, not so fresh and it will be more upright, the staler it is the higher it will float ( the bad ones will float on the top ).
A fresh egg shaken will feel heavy and well filled, and as a certain amount of liquid evaporates each day, the egg will feel lighter. Eggs kept at room temperature, about 18c ( 65f ) will stay fresh for about 10 days, but they are better stored in a larder which is cool, In the refrigerator they will keep as long as two months but remember to take them out at least 45 minutes before using them.
Separating Eggs:
Knock the egg sharply against the rim of a bowl or cup to break the shell in half. Slip the yolk from one half of the shell to the other until all the white has drained into the bowl, then slide the yolk into another bowl.
When served the omelette should be neat and oval in shape, brushing with a little melted butter improves the appearance.
General points:
To be successful, use the omelette pan only for the making of omelets.
A new pan may be seasoned by half-filling it with oil. Heat on the stove, switch off the heat and allow it to lie warm for 2 hours.
After use, wipe the pan with a dry cloth or paper. On no account should water be used for cleaning on a regular basis, this will cause sticking.
Most omelettes are oval plump shapes, but a Spanish omelette and similar kinds are prepared flat and round to cover the plate.
Plain Omelette:
For each omelette, place 3 eggs in a bowl, season with salt and pepper.
Beat eggs in the bowl with a fork just sufficiently to incorporate yolks with whites (this usually takes about a minute).
Place omelette pan on heat, with a knob of butter and a little oil. Pour off any surplus before adding beaten eggs.
Pour eggs into pan and shake briskly using a rotary movement. A fork may be used to loosen the edges.
Using the back of the fork, continue to cook omelette in centre. Allow to set slightly.
Now loosen the edges and fold nearest side into centre. Tap the handle sharply and the furthest side of the omelette will slide up over the edge of the pan slightly, fold this into the centre.
Tilt the pan and turn out the completed omelette on to serving plate.
The degree of cooking depends largely on your taste, 'baveuse' means very soft on the inside.
Tags: Food, and, Wine
