Cooking with Michel Richard's "Happy in the Kitchen"

[shauny82]

I have this book and its invaluable as far as techniques and ideas are concerned. Not too practical for the home cook, but if you're trying to learn new stuff its great.

An an unrelated note, I keep hearing everywhere about the "cuisson"

Just what the heck is it?

[FoodMan]

I have this book and its invaluable as far as techniques and ideas are concerned. Not too practical for the home cook, but if you're trying to learn new stuff its great.

An an unrelated note, I keep hearing everywhere about the "cuisson"

Just what the heck is it?

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I'd disagree about the practicality comment. Many of the recipes are fairly simple and can be done easily. Much easier than say most recipes in the French Laundry cookbook. I certainly agree that it teaches new, unique and useful techniques for the home cook who likes to move beyond the everyday basic cooking techniques. That is certainly why I'm trying to cook more from it. It is not a book for a beginner home cook, but for those who are more seasoned, it is certainly practical and useful.

Are your refering to the method the legs were cooked in as cuisson? I thought that refered to cooking meats in their own juices. This one is more of a straight braise.

[shauny82]

I have this book and its invaluable as far as techniques and ideas are concerned. Not too practical for the home cook, but if you're trying to learn new stuff its great.

An an unrelated note, I keep hearing everywhere about the "cuisson"

Just what the heck is it?

←

I'd disagree about the practicality comment. Many of the recipes are fairly simple and can be done easily. Much easier than say most recipes in the French Laundry cookbook. I certainly agree that it teaches new, unique and useful techniques for the home cook who likes to move beyond the everyday basic cooking techniques. That is certainly why I'm trying to cook more from it. It is not a book for a beginner home cook, but for those who are more seasoned, it is certainly practical and useful.

Are your refering to the method the legs were cooked in as cuisson? I thought that refered to cooking meats in their own juices. This one is more of a straight braise.

←

Not exactly. First time I heard the term cuisson it was at a restaurant I worked at. The chef was breaking down some duck breasts, and he left some of the breast bone on it as he did so. I asked him why he was doing that, and he replied that it protects the cuisson during cooking. Somewhat ambiguous

[FoodMan]

Filet Mignon with Simple Syrah Sauce

The Tasting Notes

It was good, very good. I am not saying I’ll be cooking a piece of expensive beef tenderloin once a week, but this cut of meat, when treated right and cooked rare can be a thing of beauty. This is one of the best, if not actually the best Filet Mignon I’ve had. Ok, well, I almost never ever order it in a restaurant, but still this was fantastic. The earthy pungent potatoes, with a piece of the buttery meat dabbed in the intense sauce then followed up by a piece or two of the tempura is the way to go here. The lovely combination of taste and texture is remarkable.

[dockhl]

Thank you so much for posting the link to your blog. This looks fantastic, and well worth doing !

[MikeHartnett]

I've made the filet with simple syrah sauce also, and it turned out to be pretty amazing. I'd highly recommend it. While the recipes from Happy in the Kitchen may sees a bit daunting, they always turn out spectacularly, and never end up being as difficult as they look.

[heightsgtltd]

I'm dying to go to Citronelle next time I am in DC.

In the meantime, I am going to pick this cookbook up. Sounds like it's really great.

[FoodMan]

I'm dying to go to Citronelle next time I am in DC.

In the meantime, I am going to pick this cookbook up. Sounds like it's really great.

←

The book is defintily worth it. It has a few cool and easy techniques that can be applied to everyday cooking and is beautifully photographed.

[FoodMan]

Braised Carrots with Carrot-Top Sauce

The Tasting Notes

I am so looking forward to making this again. It was absolutely delicious. The carrots were cooked perfectly and a bit on the sweet side (that can be modified by reducing the amount of sugar). The sauce was velvety smooth and had a sharp carrot flavor that worked so well with the sweet cooking liquid in there. If you want a lovely carrot dish and are tired of the good old glazed carrots, then give this one a shot.

[Jon Tseng]

Just had a long look at this book (it's been sitting on my shelf for a while) because I was writing up a piece about it on the cookbook blog.

What struck me was how the techniques were sort of like what modernist cuisine is doing, but without the new ingredients or machinery. Think of it as molecular-without-the-lab-and-chemistry-kit. e.g. He purees cuttlefish as WD does for shrimp noodles but binds with gelatin not transglutaminase (so they have to be cooked as a schnitzel with a coating to hold together rather than as standalone noodles).

This also makes it more accessible for the home cook than Modernist Cuisine (haven't seen the At Home one), although you still won't get very far with this book unless you have a japanese mandolin!

Very interesting though - you can really see the patissier technical focus coming through here. Its sort of like a halfway house between Keller and Adria....

br

J

[Okanagancook]

Making the pig trotter spring rolls again.  I had a spare pig's head along with the trotters.  Took all the flesh from the bones and today I hope to be making the rolls.  They are delicious and the sauce that goes with them is a perfect match.  Oh, I saved the ears for my dog.  He loves them.

[rotuts]

@Okanagancook 

 

"""   I had a spare pig's head """

 

wow

 

I don't even have an ' original ', let alone a spare !

[Okanagancook]

ha, ha.  It came off our spit pig! :-))

 

[Okanagancook]

Pictorial of the pig trotter spring rolls. 

The pickings from the trotters cubed.

The onions that are mixed into the meat with soy sauce and some coriander.

The sausage being formed in the true Happy in the Kitchen fashion.

The set rolls which are cut to go in the spring roll wrappers.

Rolls ready to go in the fryer.

The finished product.

Delicious.

[Okanagancook]

I also made the potato, green pea and basil purée.  Meh.  Not worth the bother.  I put the purée in two sealed bags because they were turning brown and dinner was a bit later.  Heated one in a pot of hot water.  Went ok with the sous vide steak.  I should add that I did not use the 1/2 cup of olive oil called for...used probably half that amount.