France For Flossie

I decided that I would tick off some of my to do list this year and go live in Paris for a couple of months with the plan of hopefully becoming fluent in the language of love, and to learn how to make food the French way.

Well so far there is nothing lovely about the way I attempt to speak le French but I can now make croissants…C’est Bon!

I have been working at my uncle's restaurant Maceo over the last month learning all sorts of tricks and different styles of cooking in the kitchen. I have mainly worked in the pastry section as the puddings are the most fun to make and prettiest to present and also the hot section meant sweating next to the grills and ovens which I je detested.

Every Sunday me and my uncle go to the market for our weekly food shop and scope out which grocer has the best vegetables that day, at first i thought it was a silly way of shopping as it takes a long time and you have to go to all kinds of different stalls to get everything you need, however the difference in taste is amazing, I am now a market convert and the thought of going back to London supermarkets to shop is making me not want to go home, I'm definately thinking that a little move to France for a life of cheese and wine could be a good one!

These photos were taken in Maceo where I have been working for my uncle who runs two restaurants in Paris Maceo and Willi's Wine Bar

Frenchie Food From Flossie

Well since I’m in Paris I thought I should learn some very traditional French recipes.

So I befriended the Patisserie chef at Maceo and we have been making all sorts of treats.

Last week we baked away and made brioche, croissants, eclairs, profiteroles and my personal favourite the choux swan! Below is the recipe for the Macaroons, the rest are top secret and very unhealthy so you wouldn't want them anyway.

Macaroons

110g Egg whites

115g Ground almonds

225g Icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 150c

Line a baking tray with baking paper

Whisk the egg whites to a stiff peak.

Mix the icing sugar and the ground almonds together. If adding colouring use a powder colour and add to the almond mix, also if making them citrus flavoured add the zest in with a little food colouring.

Pour half the almond mix into the egg whites and fold adding the other half in gradually until everything is mixed.

Put the mix into a piping bag and pipe small round discs all the same size and not too close together.

Cook in the oven for around 10-15mins, they are ready when they will peel of the baking paper.

Leave to cool and then pipe your filling onto the flat side and stick another one on it flat side too, to make a sandwich.

You can use anything you like to fill them, I used chocolate ganache and lemon cream

Sea Bream Cerviche

Serves 2 as Starter

1 Sea Bream, filleted, skinned (has to be very fresh)

 Small bunch of Coriander

1 Lime 1/2 juiced and zested and other ½ into wedges to serve

1/2 red Chilli

1cm piece Ginger

1 Spring onion or ¼ red onion finely sliced

Little bit of Cucumber

¼ Red pepper

½ Avocado

Finely slice the fish into little slithers cutting on a diagonal so it’s nice and thin. Place the pieces on a big plate overlapping each other like petals until you have finished all the fish.

Cling the plate and keep cold in the fridge.

The mix that goes on top is very variable and you can use most things that you have in the fridge, or just keep it simple and use the lime, chilli, coriander, olive oil.

I mixed the veg a bit like I was making a salsa but finely sliced everything then very gently tossed it together with the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

To serve sprinkle the salsa style mix over the top of the fish, pick off lots of coriander leaves and toss over the fish. Put a few lime wedges on the plate too and drizzle a little olive oil on top and season.