Eat Voila, Beaconsfield

I only have great things to say about Eat Voila, Beaconsfield. The class is ran by Vanessa Adonis who is just great. She has a wonderful way with food and the menu is innovative but doesn't require ingredients that you need to travel to then end of the earth to source. 
I opted for a Fine Dining module. For starters, we whipped up poached pears, with pan-friend smoked haddock and hazelnut oil. For mains it was sticky, zesty chicken dish and hazelnut infused rice. And, for desert it was classic pear clafoutis. I liked how the key flavours ran through the menu, but different cooking techniques balanced out any repetitiveness. When you cooking to entertain, especially anything other than a 10-man lasagne, the key to success is in the preparation. To prepare for both the starter and the desert, we learnt how to poach pears. A poached pear is a very versatile addition to any fine dining menu (or so I have learnt.) 

Recipe:

500ml of water

250ml good quality white wine

150g caster sugar

Measurements apply to up to 8 pears (pealed, halved and cored)

For the starter, wait until the pears have cooled, thinly slice the pear halves lengthwise almost to stem end, leaving the stem end intact. Press gently down on the pear once plated to create a snazzy fan shape. This, served with pan-friend smoked haddock and a dressing of finely chopped fresh mint, parsley, lemon juice, honey, olive oil and hazelnut oil, makes for a fabulous starter 

Queen of Tarts

Read on for a bit of an unconventional recipe for anyone out there craving Tarte Tatin but missing the heavy based, oven-proof frying pan that most recipes require. After lots of googling and recipe book flicking I stumbled across this recipe in Rachel Khoo's The Little Paris Kitchen Book. In the recipe, Rachel recommends cooking the puff pastry separate to apples to stop soggy bottoms. Nobody likes a soggy bottoms. 

150g puff pastry (pre-bought unless your crazy and showing off)

4 apples, preferably cooking apples but I used Bramley

150g of melted butter

100g caster sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Recipe:

Pre heat the oven to 180°C. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and cut a couple of mm wider than the shape of your tart tin. Place the pastry on a baking tray and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is all puffed and golden. 


Meanwhile, make a salted caramel by sprinkling a thin layer of sugar over the bottom of a pan and place on a low heat. Once the sugar has began to melt, add some more sugar. Repeat a couple of times until all the sugar has melted. DO NOT STIR. Not even once or the world will end. When the caramel is like brown, take the pan of the heat and add 2/3 of the melted butter and the salt (stand back as it as it may splutter.) 


Pour the caramel into the tart tin and swirl around to cover the bottom and sides. Peel, core, and eighth. Nestle them into the caramel in nest rows. Brush the apples with melted butter and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to stop bubbling. 
To assemble, place the pastry on top of the apples. Then place a large serving plate on top and flip the tart away from yourself n case any hot liquid runs loose. serve straight away with double cream or a dollop of créme fraîche. 

Bon appétit.