International ~ Vive La France

Not feeling too good today after a late fireworks night, but I dragged myself off to school. I had to, it was France today in our Culinary journey. Soren was very kind and allowed us to choose our own groups, so we hooked up once more, Joyce, Rachel and me. ( I am obsessing over my grammar right now. Amazing how 6 years of not training your mind and things start to slip). Anyway, we had an interesting menu in front of us. First course was pretty straightforward, French Onion Soup. How can you go wrong with onions and cheese??

Next course was a little dodgy. Fish mousse with leeks and tomato concasse. I knew it was going to be a challenge when I read the first instruction in the recipe "puree snapper until rubbery". Rubbery??? In the end, we did it right, but it really didn't float my boat.

Final course was mine, all mine. Duck Confit with a Warm Blackberry and Lentil Salad. People in my class sneer at the high fat content of some of our recipes and the methods used, but I loved doing this one! the duck was cured a day in advance with a juniper berry, thyme, and sea salt rub. Then the rub was brushed off and the duck slow cooked in a whole lot of fat. The salad was lentils with a gorgeous blackberry vinaigrette. I want to try this again with de puy lentils ~ I think they woudl be wonderful in this application.