Serge Dansereau Tastes of Burgundy 2013 Recipes

Serge Dansereau Tastes of Burgundy 2013 Recipes

Baked Salmon with Leeks, Potatoes and Cream
Serves 4
From Serge Dansereau's cookbook "French Kitchen"

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 leek, white part only, rinsed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
300 ml pouring cream
4 x 80gram salmon fillets
p tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley

Method
Preheat the oven to 160C. Lightly grease four 10cm round baking dishes, about 6cm deep, or one 24cm long baking dish, with butter.
Put the potatoes, leek, garlic and cream in a small casserole dish over medium heat and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Strain the vegetables and return the cream to the dish over medium heat and continue to cook until the liquid reduces by one-third.
Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place in the centre of each dish. Spread the leek and potato around the salmon and pour the reduced cream over the top. Sit the dishes in a deep roasting tin and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley before serving.
Raspberry and Yoghurt Cheesecake
Serves 8
From Serge Dansereau, The Bathers' Pavilion (Recipe appears in Serge's new cookbook "French Kitchen" published by ABC Books)
Photography by William Meppem

This is my version of a set cheesecake, as opposed to a baked one. It is lighter but make no mistake, it is still quite rich. I got the idea from Cafe Marly in the Musee du Louvre in Paris.

Ingredients
300 g digestive biscuits
100 g butter, melted
200 g fromage blanc or cream cheese, diced and softened
300 ml sweetened condensed milk
125 g (H cup) plain yoghurt
125 g (H cup) sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 x 5 g gelatine sheets, soaked in cold water
125 g raspberries, washed

Method
Crush the digestive biscuits in a food processor or put them in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Stir in the melted butter until well combined. Use the crumbs to line the base and side of a 20 cm round springform cake tin. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
Put the fromage blanc or cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed for 5 minutes, then increase the speed to medium for a further 5 minutes until smooth. Gradually add the condensed milk on low speed, again increasing the speed to high for 5 minutes, making sure there are no lumps in the mixture. Add the yoghurt and sour cream and continue mixing on medium speed for 5 minutes, scraping the side and bottom of the bowl from time to time, until well combined.
Heat the lemon juice in a small saucepan. Squeeze the water from the gelatine leaves and then stir them into the lemon juice until they melt. Strain over the cheesecake mixture and continue mixing for 5 minutes at high speed until all the ingredients are well combined. Pour the cheese filling over the cake base until it is filled to halfway. Sprinkle the raspberries all over the cheesecake and then top with the remaining filling mixture. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Once set, remove from the tin, cut the cake into wedges and serve with the berry coulis.

Tastes of Burgundy

For the past two years, the Tastes of Burgundy tour has taken many lucky foodies on a gastronomic, week-long adventure in Burgundy, France. The 2012 tour saw two of Australia's most illustrious chefs, Andrew McConnell and Serge Dansereau lead participants through a culinary extravaganza with one gourmet experience after another, from cooking classes to market visits, barrel tastings and sumptuous dinners.

"The 2012 Tastes of Burgundy tour was fantastic", says Andrew McConnell, Executive Chef and co-owner of Melbourne's Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar. "The best part of the tour was having access to the freshest in season produce such as wild asparagus, fresh garlic and wild strawberries. The fresh local cheese was also a highlight," he says.

"And the group we went with was so enthusiastic that it made for an extraordinary and fun-filled week!" he continues.

"The Tastes of Burgundy tour is the perfect balance between visiting the food markets, small producers and cafe and restaurants of the region," says Serge Dansereau from one of Sydney's best and Australia's most acclaimed eating establishments, The Bathers' Pavilion on Sydney's Balmoral Beach.

"We were lucky enough to have some amazing produce to work with, white asparagus was in full season and they come in such a range of size and there are many different ways to grow them - it is a product basically unseen in Australia," explains Serge.

While enjoying the sights and the produce in and around Burgundy, both Andrew and Serge also demonstrated their immense skill and knowledge, cooking and teaching alongside participants whilst showing them their best tips and tricks.

"My favourite dish I cooked while there was seared fresh foie gras with rhubarb jus, and fresh homemade brioche made with local butter, "says Andrew." The group we were there with had a passion for cooking, food and wine which was fantastic to see, "he says.

The unique Tastes of Burgundy experience allows guests to enjoy all facets of gourmet French food and wine.

"It is such a wonderful experience having the chance to shop for fresh produce, and then cook for people who share the same passion for food as I do. My favourite dish was cooking the Saint Pierre (John Dory) with sea snail, potato, fennel and saffron," says Serge.

Tastes of Burgundy 2013 Tour
In 2013, two prominent Australian chefs are set to once again, delight the senses of food and wine enthusiasts with a penchant for French cooking. Commencing in May 2013, Tastes of Burgundy will run three weeks of cooking schools in the gourmet region of eastern France, La Bourgogne (Burgundy).

Each Tastes of Burgundy weeklong experience will be individually led by the creme de la creme of the industry
May 10 - 17th, 2013. Philippe Mouchel - Rated as one of the world's finest French Chefs, Philippe Mouchel partnered with Made Establishment to open P M 24. P M 24 is a one of a kind modern French bistro and rotisserie designed to bring about the return of fashionable, contemporary French dining to Melbourne.
May 31 - June 7th, 2013. Dan Hunter - Dan Hunter is Executive Chef at the Royal Mail Hotel in Western Victoria. Dan has access to his own kitchen garden and small artisan producers throughout the Grampians region. He produces a unique style of food that blends his understanding of modern techniques with and immense respect for nature, produce and seasonality.

Each of the renowned foodies have signed up to teach for one week which will include three "cooking days", involving market visits (Dijon, Beaune and Chalon or Autun), menu design and afternoon cooking classes, culminating in an exquisite dinner each evening. The non-cooking days will be packed full of trips and experiences including barrel tastings in a stunning 14th century cellar a visit to a local artisan farm and dining in restaurants ranging from small bistros to the stunning Abbaye de la Bussiere - a former monastery!

Fine food and wine aficionados will delight in eight days of sumptuous local food and wine in Burgundy with their chosen chef, whilst cooking and residing at The Chateau, which commenced construction in the 16th Century and has continued to be rebuilt through the ages. To spend time in the gardens and park is truly mesmerising and must be seen to appreciate the true beauty - there are so many wonderful environments to explore, from the terraced kitchen garden to beyond the lake and little 'Gironde' stream to the orchard and finally the natural beauty of the forest and cliff.

The week is all-inclusive, from first arrival and pick-up, seven nights' accommodation in a beautiful chateau, cooking classes, cultural visits, transport for the week, all meals, wine, champagne and return transfers to for onward travel. All Inclusive Tour - AUD$9,000 per person.

Visit www.tastesofburgundy.com for more information.