Page 28 of Kept 3
Taking a deep breath, I sit down and open up the box. Inside there are two packages, one awkwardly shaped, one obviously a book.
I open the book first. It is a thick, heavy tome, beautifully bound in dark blue leather. Inside, all the pages are blank, except one.
My Josephine,
I thought it time you had your own recipe book.
Yours,
Nicholas.
I shake my head and run my hands over the leather. Once again, so thoughtful.
Sighing, confused even more over my attraction to this mercurial man, I turn to open the second package, and gasp when I see what is inside. It is the blue antique casserole set I admired while working as a waitress in Paris.
‘How could he know?’
I shake my head and, carrying it carefully, place it on my desk near the door. I will most likely use it first thing tomorrow in my next lesson with Monsieur Contell.
Turning back to the bed, I pick up my new recipe book and, curling up, still in my gown from dinner, I make my first entry.
FAISAN EN COCOTTE VIGNERONNE
Ingredients:2 pheasants (750g each – with giblets) 120g butter, tablespoon brandy, one tablespoon olive oil, watercress.
Sauce:1 small bunch seedless green grapes, 1 small bunch seedless red grapes, 1 cup chardonnay, 45ml brandy, 1 cup chicken stock, arrowroot.
Method:
Truss birds.
Smear with butter and a little olive oil inside and out.
Place in casserole dish and brown on oven top with butter and giblets.
Take off heat after ten minutes, cover and place in oven at 200 degrees.
Cook for 15 minutes then remove giblets and crush with brandy and butter. Refrigerate for use later as pat?.
Return pheasants to oven and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until juices run pink.
Reserve the juices from the casserole dish.
Cut birds in half and keep warm while you make the sauce.
Sauce Method:
Prick grapes with a fork and place in pan with wine.
Simmer for 5 minutes until lightly cooked but not soft.
Add juices from the birds and stock and bring to boil, reduce if necessary.
Strain sauce and thicken with arrowroot.
Pour the sauce over the pheasants, add the grapes and serve with a watercress garnish.
Note: Make sure the juice runs clear before you take the birds out of the oven – some chefs say ‘pink’ but clear is best.
