Salade Bretonne ...Seafood and Artichoke Salad (UMAMI)

OMG this is some Serious food sex, I mean, talk about orgasmic explosion all over your palate, making you scream Umami give me more!!!  And the Plating of this salad by Chef Knaup is truly Food porn at it's finest.  I'm posting the recipe because you do Not want to miss out on this orgy.  I'm going to go buy the ingredients, and a sieve and practice this one to perfection.  That's right, I'm gonna say "What's my name?" and you're gonna breathlessly sigh  "Oh Sol, may I please have more?"  My eyes just glassed over just writing that, Somebody please turn on the AC...

A little bit of Geography: Bretonne refers to the North West Coastal region of France better known as Brittany.  The food of Brittany is said to be the "Cuisine of the Open Sea".

So, here is the recipe, then watch the Vids on my youtube channel.  The are a lot of steps but it is so well worth the time and effort.   4 person serving...
Ingredients:
Base:
7oz white beans (Chef used navy)/ 6pc Artichokes, turned / 3 1/2 oz Flour / 1/2 pc Lemon, (juice)  salt.

Garniture:
14oz Mussels, cooked marniere/ 2pc shallots finely diced / 3 1/2 fl oz white wine / 1pc bouquet garni / 8pc Shrimps (shelled and deveined) / Chef also had some Large Scallops that he cut inot medallions (not in original recipe) / 1 3/4 oz Leek whites (cut into brunoise) / 1 3/4 oz Celery branch (cut into brunoise) / 10 brs of Parsley (roughly chopped) / 1/2 pc Cauliflower / Salt and Pepper 

Vinaigrette:
3 1/2 fl oz Cream / 1 tsp Saffron / 1/2 fl oz Mussel cooking juice / 1 3/4 oz White beans (cooked) / 4pcs Garlic cloves (finely chopped) / 1 3/4 fl oz Red wine vinegar / 3 1/2 fl oz Oil / Salt and Pepper

Finishing:
4 pcs Tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and diced

To Serve:
1 3/4oz Parsley (finely chopped.

How to:
Base:
1.  Soak the white beans for 12 hours in cold water...Then put beans in cold water, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let simmer for 40 mins.  Add the salt 20 mins into the cooking stage and skim the surface periodically.  Once cooked, drain and set aside to cool.

2.  In a Large pan desolve flous in cold water, add lemon juice, and season with salt. (Blanc de cuisine)

3. Peel and turn the artichokes and rub with lemon to keep from discoloration.  Put into Blanc de cuisine, cover with parchment lid, (watch vid) and cook over low heat until easily pierced with tip of a knife.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Garniture:
1.  Cook the Mussels a la mariniere:  Clean and rinse the mussels, butterfly and devein the shrimps, cut scallops into medallions.  Heat some butter in a large pan over low heat, add the shallots and sweat until they are soft.  Add white wine and bouquet garni and reduce by 2/3.  Increase the heat and bring to a boil, add mussels, cover and shake to stir throught the cooking process, cook until done (Shells open), about 5 mins. Remove mussels from pan and let cool, Add shrimps to this pan now and cover and cook until done, (about 2-3 mins), Remove from pan and now add the scallops to the pan, cook until done (depends on size of medallions) about 2-3 mins.  Remove from pan and set aside.

2.  Place pan back on burner and reduce to au sec.

3.  Cut Cauliflower into floretttes, add to pot of salted water and boil until tender.  Remove and Shock in Ice water to stop cooking process,  remove when cool and set aside.  Remove the mussels from the shells, discarding the unopened or cracked ones and set aside.

Vinaigrette:
1.  Infuse the cream with Saffron over low heat for 5 mins.  Add the seafood sauce that was reduced to au sec.  Strain if you wish, but why? 

2.  Press the beans through a drum sieve (tamis) with a plastic scraper.  (this will separate the meat of beans from the skin) Stir the bean puree into the cream then add the garlic, vinegar and seasoning.

3.  Whisking continuously, drizzle the oil to incorporate until emulsified.  (like making mayo)

Finish:
Drain the artichokes and reserve the 4 nicests bottoms.  Cut the remaing 2 in small pieces and combine with the beans, cauliflower, tomatoes, mussels, shrimps and scallops.  Season to taste with the vinaigrette, then stir in the parsley.

To Serve:
Place the artichole hearts on the chilled plate, Top with the Seafood salad.  Decorate with fresh herbs and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.


Watch the vids, learn to make this then you're well on your way to some seriously succulent Food Sex...
(Eat your heart out Dr. Ruth)

That's my blip for my BFFs today.