Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #2; Practical #2

Graced by Basic Cuisine Chef Lesourd. Instruction number two was equally progressive as the first.

Instruction #2

• Frog legs with garlic puree and green jus
• Pan-fried double lamb loin chops, French green beans with bacon and purple potato crisps
• Fresh fruit minestrone, tomato cappuccino and basil

My first introduction to frog legs. All snickering aside. They do. Taste like chicken.

Small drumstick-like morsels of meat sat atop garlic cream. Dressed with green jus – parsley, basil, and chervil. Excited about this discovery – borrowing from chicken recipes – possibilities are endless. If you haven’t had the chance. I highly suggest frog legs, or grenouilles to the French.

I tend to say this about LCB’s lamb recipes. But the main course may have been the best recipe yet. Luscious lamb loin chops topped with béchamel, duxelles, ham, and truffles. Lightly broiled. And served with lamb jus. Amazingly good.

The potato crisps seemed like a lot of work for the result. Boil purple potatoes. Skin. Mash with butter and salt. Spread onto a sil-pat. Cut into desired shapes. And baked at 110 degree Celsius for twenty minutes. Voilà! Purple potato chips. Why not just thinly slice and fry?

Dessert terminology confused me. Minestrone. And cappuccino. Former refers to the fruit size. Whereas cappuccino hints to the tomato foam top – supposedly. A fellow student said that it was surprisingly delicious. Who knew? Tomatoes glazed with vinegar, basil, and fresh fruit marinated in vanilla, star anise, sugar, lemon syrup.