Beet Mousseline Food

POTATO MOUSSELINE

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and simmer in salted water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes. While potatoes cook, place cream in a small pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced to about 2 cups.
• Place butter in small pan and heat until it just begins to brown and it smells nutty. Set aside.
• Drain potatoes and run through a food mill or ricer. Pass potatoes through a fine sieve into a bowl. (A splatter screen set over a bowl can work well. Move potatoes through screen with a plastic scraper.) Lightly fold in the cream.
• Reheat browned butter if needed. Swirl browned butter into potatoes. Top with several grinds of nutmeg and a sprinkling of fleur de sel.

BEET MOUSSELINE

Steps:

• In a saucepan cover beets with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer beets 45 minutes, or until very tender. Drain beets in a colander and cool. Peel beets and in a food processor purée until smooth. Transfer purée to a large bowl and stir in vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Purée may be make 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• In a small bowl beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold into beet purée.

TERRINE D'HOMARD MOUSSELINE (A MOLD OF SEA AND RIVER FOOD SET WITH CREAM AND EGGS)

Steps:

• Place the live lobster in a sink of blood heat water (it is at this temperature that scientists say that all edible shellfish die with the least discomfort). Remove from water and crack open and take out flesh (usually 5 ounces from a 1 1/2 pound lobster). Reserve the shell. Heat a serving platter in the warming oven - preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Put both pike and lobster flesh through a mincer with a very fine screen. Keep the flesh in a bowl set in another bowl of rice. Into a frying pan, place some clarified butter and add the onion and garlic clove - pop in the lobster shells and simmer gently. Add 1 ounce of brandy and set it alight. Pour in the 1 cup of dry white wine, cover and continue cooking over a low heat.
• Put the blanched mushrooms through the mincer and then add to the chilled fish flesh. Carefully blend in the 1 cup of whipping cream and season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper. Beat the 2 egg whites in a bowl and fold into the fish. Pour this mixture into 2 separate moulds and set them in a "bainmarie" (bath of hot water) and cover the molds with foil. Place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes - remove the foil after this period and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes. Strain the stock from the lobster shells, approximately 3/4 cup should be left, pour into a heated pan - increase the temperature and add the sliced tomatoes - simmer. Remove the baked fish molds from the oven and unmold onto the heated serving platter. Sieve the tomato stock mixture - pushing through as much tomato flesh as possible. Add the 2 egg yolks to the sieved stock (off the heat). Blend the arrowroot with the extra tablespoon of whipping cream and then add the mixture to the stock mixture for thickening. Return to the heat and allow the sauce to thicken - it shouldn't boil. Pour the sauce over the fish molds - dust with the chopped parsley and serve.

DELPHEY'S COLD CUCUMBER SOUP WITH BEET MOUSSELINE

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan cook onion and 1 tablespoon dill in oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened. Add broth, lemon juice, and cucumbers and simmer 20 minutes. In a blender purée mixture in batches until smooth and cool. Stir in white pepper and salt to taste. Chill soup, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• Force soup through a sieve into a bowl and whisk in sour cream and remaining 2 tablespoons dill.
• Serve soup topped with a dollop of beet mousseline and garnished with dill sprigs.