Read The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook Online
Authors: Emily Ansara Baines
The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (12 page)
It was quite common for Lobster Thermidor to be served on a silver platter surrounded by Decadent Duchess Potatoes (see
Chapter 6
).
Lobster with Mornay Sauce is a rich dish for the most discerning of dinner guests. No matter what the Dowager Countess’s mood may be, this dish would be sure to put a smile on her often-puckered face. The extravagance of this dish would render it appropriate for a celebration in honor of the Dowager Countess, perhaps after she wins the flower show, or maybe as a means of cheering her up after she lets Mr. Molesley’s flowers take the prize.
1
⁄
2
cup unsalted butter
1 pound lobster meat, diced
1
⁄
4
cup all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1
1
⁄
2
cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1
⁄
2
teaspoon white ground pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1
⁄
2
cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese
1
⁄
2
cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Melt the butter in a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Mix in lobster meat, cooking until opaque. Remove lobster from saucepan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle flour in pan. Cook and stir for 3–5 minutes, making sure not to boil. Slowly stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer 7–10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
- Stir in lobster and Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses. Continue cooking for an additional 5–7 minutes.
Mornay sauce (simply a Béchamel sauce with cheese), while usually consisting of 1 part Gruyère and 1 part Parmesan cheeses, can also contain white Cheddar or even Emmental cheese. It would frequently be served on top of vegetables, though it can be served with lobster (such as in this dish), crab, or even shrimp. Or try this on asparagus!
This is a time-consuming dish for which Mrs. Patmore would need at least two days warning to properly prepare for. That said, this dish would win her and her bosses many accolades from visiting guests, such as Sir Anthony Strallen — if he could turn away from Lady Edith long enough to eat! Sadly, in the end Lady Edith does not receive nearly as many accolades as this dish.
3 tablespoons kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 sprigs thyme
6 bay leaves
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 duck legs with thighs
4 duck wings, trimmed
4
1
⁄
2
cups duck fat
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of a dish or glass container large enough to hold all pieces of duck in a single layer. Sprinkle half the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves over the salt. Place the duck, skin-side up, over the garlic and salt, then sprinkle with the remaining salt, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, but no more.
- Preheat oven to 220°F.
- Melt the duck fat in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Brush salt and seasonings off the duck, then arrange the duck pieces in a single layer on a high-sided ovenproof dutch oven. Pour the duck fat over the duck pieces, fully immersing them in the liquid. Place duck in oven. Cook at a very low simmer with an bubble until duck can be pulled easily from the bone, approximately 2
1
⁄
2
–3 hours. Remove confit from oven, then cool. Store duck in fat.
A frequent pairing with this Duck Confit would be
Pommes de Terre Sarladaise
(see
Chapter 6
), translated as Potatoes Cooked in Duck Fat, and the Red Wine–Braised Red Cabbage with Apples (also in
Chapter 6
).
A savory take on the classic crêpe, this is a decadent, albeit unusual, entrée to offer at dinner. This is the type of dish that would attract Lady Sybil due to its shock factor, as it would not be expected at a typical Downton Abbey dinner. Perhaps Mrs. Patmore would make this as a special treat before Sybil leaves for Ireland with her new husband.
For Crêpes
1 cup whole milk
1
⁄
2
cup water
2 large eggs
1
⁄
4
cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1
⁄
2
teaspoon kosher salt
1
⁄
2
cup unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1
⁄
4
cup grated fresh Gruyère cheese
1
⁄
4
cup dry white wine
1
⁄
2
cup heavy cream
1 large egg yolk, mixed into cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
1
⁄
4
cup unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1
⁄
2
pounds baby bella mushrooms
1 cup cooked shrimp
1 cup cooked scallops
1
⁄
2
cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1
⁄
4
cup grated fresh Gruyère cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1
⁄
2
teaspoon ground white pepper
- First, make the crêpes:
In a large bowl, blend together milk and water. Whisk in eggs, followed by
1
⁄
8
cup of the melted butter, and the flour, sugar, and salt. Blend until smooth, then cover and let chill for 30 minutes. - Heat rest of butter in a medium-sized cooking pan. Add 2 tablespoons of batter mixture, and cook until lightly brown on bottom (about 1
1
⁄
2
–2 minutes). Flip crêpe and repeat with other side. Repeat with remaining batter. Place crêpes between pieces of parchment paper to stop them from sticking together, then set aside. - Next, make sauce:
In a medium to large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, whisk in flour. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Whisk in Gruyère cheese, followed by the white wine and yolk-cream mixture, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat. - Next, prepare the seafood mixture:
Preheat oven to 350°F and thoroughly grease a large, shallow baking dish. - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and sauté chopped onion and mushrooms until onion is translucent and mushrooms are tender. Stir in shrimp and scallops, followed by
3
⁄
4
cup of the Mornay sauce (butter, onion, and cheese sauce),
1
⁄
2
cup of the Parmesan cheese, the
1
⁄
4
cup of Gruyère cheese, and the fresh parsley, salt, and white pepper. Stir until all ingredients are heated through. - Spoon 2–4 tablespoons of crêpe mixture into the middle of each crêpe and roll up. Place crêpe seam-side down in greased baking dish. Repeat with remaining crêpes. Cover crêpes with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until sauce bubbles.
While crêpes are traditionally served with cider in Brittany, France, the birthplace of crêpes, that would not pair well with this savory (not to mention incredibly thick) entrée. Instead, try this with a crisp white wine or perhaps a gin and tonic — though that would never be allowed at Downton Abbey!