Chasseur d'Épices Philippe de Vienne

Silk Road Spices

 Silk Road rack of lamb

Ingredients

  • 2 racks of lamb

Marinade

  • 1 tbsp Silk Road Spices, ground
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Pistachio and mint pesto

  • 1 tbsp green peppercorns
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
  • Generous ⅓ cup pistachios
  • 1 tbsp argan oil or olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lime juice

Preparation

  1. Mix all the marinade ingredients and rub all over the racks of lamb. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
  3. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes before lowering the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Let cook until the meat is pink (10-15 minutes more). Remove from the oven and let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes before carving.
  4. Serve with the pistachio and mint pesto.

Pistachio and mint pesto

  1. Put the green peppercorns, garlic and salt into a mortar and pound into a paste. Add the mint and continue pounding into a purée. Add the pistachios and continue until a pesto consistency forms. With the pestle, slowly incorporate the argan oil and the lime juice.
  2. This pesto can be kept for up to two days in the refrigerator but is at its best when freshly made.
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 Perfumed cherry clafoutis

Ingredients

  • 4 cups of cherries
  • 1 tsp Silk Road Spices, ground
  • 2 tbsp rum
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Pinch of salt
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 4/5 cup milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • Flour and butter for the mould

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
  2. Pit the cherries and mix in a bowl with the spices and rum.
  3. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the eggs, egg yolk, salt and sugar. Whisk slowly until well-blended.
  4. Add the milk, vanilla extract, melted butter and rum. Mix until the batter is smooth and set aside.
  5. Butter and flour a round 12-inch mould.
  6. Place the cherries evenly in the mould and gently pour the batter on top.
  7. Bake in the oven until the clafoutis has risen and the cherries are cooked (20–25 minutes).
  8. Serve chilled.
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 Crispy Silk Road quails

Ingredients

  • 6 jumbo quails
  • 1 tbsp Silk Road Spices, ground
  • 1 tsp white pepper, ground
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
  • 2 green onions cut in 1-inch pieces
  • 2 oz rice wine or sherry
  • 3 tbsp light soya sauce
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 cups oil for frying
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Preparation

  1. Marinate the quails with the spices, ginger, green onions, half each of the rice wine and soya sauce. Let rest for 1 hour.
  2. Choose a pot in which the quails will fit snugly. Pour in the marinade, the rest of the soya sauce and the rice wine. Add the sugar, salt and 1½ oz water.
  3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer very gently for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the pot from the stove. Turn the quails over in the sauce and let rest uncovered for 30 minutes or longer.
  5. Drain quails thoroughly, reserving sauce. Heat the oil in a wok until hot (a wooden chopstick should create bubbles when plunged in the oil). Fry the quails three at a time until they are golden brown and crispy.
  6. Meanwhile, reduce the sauce by half and remove from the heat. Incorporate the sesame oil.
  7. Serve the quails hot with the sauce.
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