Results - Nicoise Salad

For my first attempt at preparing a nicoise salad, I was pretty impressed. Hopefully I respected the recipe and the results show.

Nicoise Salad

***

To start with, and this might be a bit silly, but the recipe called for kipfler potatoes. For those who are unaware of what kipfler potatoes look like, there is an image below. They are smallish slim potatoes with a waxy texture. Combined in this recipe they add a unique texture to contrast the crisp beans and tender fish, I used King fish.

The humble Kipfler potato

***

Shannon Bennett's recipe is superb. Great mix of crunch and soft, salt and acid, it was very pleasurable on the taste buds. My presentation is something I will pickup from the start, and can definately be improved. I arranged the croutons underneath the fish, but I think I should have arranged the potatoes ontop of the croutons, so that when I sat the fish on this bed it would have stuck out a bit more prominantly. In its current state it looked a little washed out by all the things around and ontop of it. I could have then arranged the beans a little more tightly and made the fish the star of the plate.

The view from the top

***

Other than that critism, I really dont have anything else to add. The fish went very well with the saltyness of the capers and olives. And even though my egg was overcooked the richness of the egg was well matched with the lightness of the fish. When I try this recipe again, I will definately make those changes to the presentation. But overall it is a perfect meal to have on a summers night.

Nicoise Salad

Restaurant: Vue de Monde (Victoria)

Recipe from Chef Shannon Benette (appears on Vue de Monde's website)

2009 Rating: Number 4, 3 Stars

As Vue de Monde's is one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne, I thought I would try one of Shannon Benette's recipes, and why not try the classic nicoise salad. So here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 small baguette (1–2 days old preferably)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 large eggs
20 green beans, trimmed and tailed
4 small tomatoes (fresh, semi-dried or confit)
4 small kipfler potatoes, boiled and sliced into discs
4 teaspoons small capers
1 red onion, cut into 5 mm (1/4 in) rings
50 g (2 oz) olives
200 ml (7 fl oz) olive oil
40 ml (1½ fl oz) sherry vinegar
4 x 100 g (3½ oz) fish fillets (tuna, red mullet or kingfish)
4 tablespoons baby rocket
1 lemon, halved

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350°F). Slice the baguette into 1 cm (1/2 in) thick slices and lay on a flat baking tray. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 5–6 minutes, then remove from oven and rub slices with the garlic clove

• Put the eggs in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Take out after 6 minutes, when the yolks will still be soft. Set aside and keep warm

• Place another pan on the stove, fill with 2 litres (5 pints) of salted water and bring to the boil. Add the beans and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove beans and refresh by placing in iced water for 2 minutes, until cold

• In a stainless steel bowl combine the croutons, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, capers, onion and olives, season well

• In a separate bowl or jar, mix the 200 ml olive oil and sherry vinegar well

• Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Season the fish and brush with more olive oil. Reduce heat low, place the fish skin side down in the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes. Turn fish over and cook for a further minute

• Toss the salad together with the dressing

• To serve, set out 4 flat bowls or plates and place a fillet in the centre of each. Arrange the salad neatly around the fish. Peel the eggs carefully, cut in half, season them and arrange on top of the salad. Scatter baby rocket over and serve with a wedge of lemon on the side

Once again, stay tuned for the results!

Vue de Monde

Dining Date: January 2007

2009 Rating: 4th

2009 Star rating: 3

Chef: Shannon Benette

Location: Normanby Chambers 430 Little Collins Street Melbourne

Website: www.vuedemonde.com.au

Vue de monde is Victoria's number one restaurant, and Melbourne's one and only 3 star holder for the year. Everything about it screams number one. We went here for my partners birthday as a special occasion.

The atmosphere of vue de monde is something I have not experienced before. You are greeted at the door, nothing special or different from any other place, they ask to take your coat....again nothing out of the usual.

Once you are seated, that's when the experience completely sets it apart from other restaurants I have been to. There are no menus per say, it is more like the chef takes you through a journey depending on what you feel like. The waiter and you tailor your meal, so you actually feel like you putting some input into your dining experience.

The menu gourmand is the middle of the range menu, your waiter asks you how many courses you feel like eating and weather you would like wines matched to your meal. It starts at $150 for 5 courses per person. In this menu only a few premium ingredients are used. At the higher end, and the best available, you can go for the gastronomes menu, which is $250 per person. This menu includes much more premium ingredients like truffles and foie gras.

We chose to go with the menu gourmand. We had 8 courses and each was more amazing than the last. Some dishes were inspired from traditional French fare, where as others were right out their. There was a passion fruit puree delivered in a pasture pipette and part of another dish was presented in a test tube.

Shannon Benette's dishes have elements of the molecular gastronomy movement, and his presentation doesn't let you forget that.

Here are some of the dishes we had*

Pork Belly with radish and baby carrot

***

Kiwifruit and Mint lollipops

***

This was the the most delicious palate cleanser I have ever had. It was frozen kiwi slices dipped in mint jelly and presented in a lollipop form. It was a nice way to break up the courses. After eating them, we wanted more!

We also had a carpaccio of foie gras with fennel. I don't have a picture of this, but it was layered in such a way that it looked like opera cake. The soft foie gras contrasting the fennel was amazing on the palate. And I'm not the biggest fan of fennel in any shape way or form, so I was very surprised that this was my favourite dish of the night.

Pistachio and chocolate creme brulee

***

The first of two desserts. This was a pistachio and chocolate creme brulee with a sugar layer over the glass lip. It was such a exhilarating thing to break the delicate sugar with your spoon. The creme brulee was so smooth and flavoursome.

Deconstructed pina colada

***

I was very impressed by this dessert. Starting from the top left, coconut ice cream, in the shape of a coconut no less, pina colada mixture with rum in a test tube, a pineappled fritta (with no batter), a very tasty dehydrated piece of pineapple and lastly (if I remember correctly) a variation of coconut cream. Another stand out dish that blew us away when it arrived at the table.

Petits-fours

***

And lastly to finish the meal we had petits-fours. I cant remember what they all were, but i will attempt to describe them. Starting from the left, blueberry pop-corn, dark chocolate cups, cherry's dipped in a toffee, lemon curd to be eaten with the mini pavlovas sitting next to the lemon curd, and lastly beetroot macaroons. The main reason why I cant remember exactly what all the petits-fours were, is that by this point in the night I had had a few glasses of wine.

Vue de monde's is a definite must visit! I know that the menu has changed completely, so hopefully I can scrap some money together and indulge myself again.

*Photos were taken by a third party