This next class is all about poaching. The curriculum called for us to make pot-au-feu (chicken cooked in water), but Le Cordon Bleu at Home cookbook doesn't have this recipe in it. Another Le Cordon Bleu cookbook does have it (Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cook Home Collection), so the Whisk Wednesdays group could opt to make chicken pot-au-feu from this other cookbook or poach salmon in Champagne. I thought the salmon and Champagne sounded tastier.

Champagne
Poaching in champagne. Although I would have loved to use real Champagne from the Champagne region of France, I couldn't justify the cost so I used an Italian sparkling wine instead. This recipe uses Champagne in both cooking the fish and in the sauce.

Fish Stock
The first step was to make a fish stock. Onions, carrots, and the fish are cooked for a bit before bathing it in Champagne and water. A Bouquet Garni and some salt and pepper add some flavor to the broth. This bubbles away on the stove for awhile, building flavor.

Poaching
Next, I prepared the salmon by drying it with paper towel and seasoning it with salt and pepper. After buttering a roasting pan and sprinkling the finely chopped shallot in it, I put the salmon in the dish. Then, I added the remaining Champagne and water. Topped with a butter parchment paper, it was ready for its quick oven bath.

In my reading about poaching salmon, I came across this interesting method for poaching fish in the dishwasher. I'll have to give this a try sometime.

Sauce
Finally, I made the sauce. I started with a roux and added the reduced 2 cups of fish stock. This simmered for about 10 minutes before I added the liaison of cream and yolk, slowly so as not to curdle the egg. I seasoned the sauce, and it was ready to go.

Recipe: Saumon au Champagne (Salmon in Champagne Sauce)

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Salt and pepper

There are some Christmas albums that I can't live without during the season. Sarah McLachlan's album "Wintersong" is my current favorite. Over the years, it's been Roger Whittaker (when I was little and heard it played over and over at Christmas), then it was Jim Brickman's "Joy to the World", Bruce Cockburn's "Mary Had a Baby", and Natalie MacMaster's "Get Me Through December". My friends tease me because I even like pan flutes at Christmas, but only at Christmas!

There's nothing nicer than curling up with a delicious mug of this hot chocolate, turning the lights down, listening to a favorite Christmas album admiring the lights and decorations on the Christmas tree with a fire crackling in the fireplace.
The recipe calls for brandy, but I didn't have any so I added 2 teaspoons of Tequila. Since the recipe calls for such a small amount, you could leave it out altogether. Chef Steven Vardy (originally from Beckta) gave a cooking class at the local wine store a few years ago, and this was one of the recipes we got to sample.

Recipe: Spiked White Chocolate Cappuccino

from Chef Steven Vardy

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

For the month of November, I'm filling my freezer with all sorts of savory and sweet treats in preparation for the holiday season. Earlier this week, I made some Cheddar Shortbread. Today, I made a shrimp appetizer. Although Halloween just ended a few days ago, I've seen Christmas lights decorating a house and heard Christmas music at the grocery store. I'm not ready for the onslaught of it all. Today, was a beautiful Spring-like day in Ottawa, and I don’t want to even think about Christmas. But, here's something that is delicious any time of year.

I've made this appetizer using both chicken and shrimp, but my favorite is with shrimp. The shrimp hold the complex flavor medley together more easily. The flavors are diverse, but delicious together: coconut milk, curry paste, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and cilantro.

Ingredients
Coconut milk is made like tea where finely grated coconut meat is steeped in hot water and then strained. I've always purchased canned coconut milk, but after watching a video and seeing how easy it is to open a coconut, I'm going to try making my own soon.

Red curry paste is a blend of many ingredients, but I did find a recipe at Taste Buddies. I may have to try making my own version too.

Garlic is a common onion grown here in Ontario, so I have a supply from a friend who grows it. As for ginger, I like to buy fresh rhizomes, peel the skin with the tip of a spoon, cut it into chunks, and store it in the freezer. Then, I use a microplane to grate off what I need.

Fish sauce is juice from fermented fish. Smells terrible, but is "essential for Thai cooking" (according to my bottle)! I took a Thai cooking class last year, and one person taking the class was always watching the Fish sauce bottle making sure the instructor didn't add too much because he had to watch his salt intake. Fish sauce is all salt or 72% in my bottle. That's a lot of salt. And it's extracted from anchovies. {Maybe I could add a dash of this sauce to my next Caesar salad?!} Cilantro, or coriander as it's called when it's dried, is either loved or hated. There is even an anti-cilantro community out there. It has a very distinctive taste that I personally love.

All these flavors form a marinade that deliciously bathes the shrimp. You can freeze the shrimp after marinating them overnight. Then, when you want to cook the shrimp, just thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and grill or broil.

Recipe: Thai Curry Shrimp Satay

Makes: 8 servings as an appetizer or 1 907 gram bag of shrimp

Ingredients:

Cheddar Shortbread Recipe

Buttery, flaky, and rich, this Cheddar Shortbread is the perfect savory treat for any gathering.

Now that Halloween is over, our neighbors to the south are preparing for Thanksgiving, but the next big holiday in Canada is Christmas. For the month of November, I want to fill my freezer with all sorts of savory and sweet treats in preparation for the holiday season. First up are some appetizers.

I have become addicted to the savory shortbreads made by Sprucewood Brands. They make a Spicy Thai shortbread that is flaky, crispy, spicy and perfect on their own or with a dip. Their Curry, Rosemary and Original versions are delicious too.

I have my own version of this slice-and-bake Cheddar Shortbread that is perfect for an appetizer, a cocktail party, a wine tasting or just to set out with a red pepper or green jalapeño jelly. You could serve some smoked salmon on top or sprinkle some chopped pecans or pistachios on the rounds before baking them. You could even use a different cheese to change it up, such as a blue cheese. As well, you can add the minimum suggested amount of cheese or more for a richer, cheesier taste. This is a very versatile base recipe. The shortbread will spread a bit in the oven, so make sure you chill the dough before baking.

Recipe: Cheddar Shortbread

Makes: about 30 rounds

Ingredients: