Taste Le Tour with Gabriel Gate S14 291 Michel Guérard ( inc. Recipe Smoked Salmon Parcels)
Channel: Peter J Warren
Date: 26/07/2018

Taste Le Tour with Gabriel Gate
Tour de France 2018
stage18 Thursday July 26 Trie-sur-Baïse – Pau
Smoked Salmon Parcels with Minted Yoghurt
Petits paquets de Saumon Fumé et Yaourt à la Menthe

Ep 18 (291)     

PTC this is the magnificent garden of Les Prés d’Eugénie in the region of Les Landes.

VO This gracious country estate in the village of Eugenie Les Bains is an exclusive thermal treatment destination with exquisite traditional buildings and accommodation.
I am here to meet the legendary eighty-five-year-old chef, Michel Guérard, 
in his three Michelin star restaurant. His modern cooking philosophy has inspired several generations of chefs.

Interview 
Je continue de faire de la cuisine, d’imaginer des plats, et je pense 
I keep cooking,  imagining new dishes, and I think
que c’est la meilleure manière de vieillir le plus tard possible.
that it is for me the best way to postpone ageing
La cuisine qu’est que c’est?
What is cooking?
C’est un mode d’expression, comme la peinture, la musique,
It’s a way to express feelings, like painting and music,
qui font qu’on arrive à faire plaisir, qu’on arrive à émouvoir
with the result that we manage to give pleasure and move people
quand on réussit un plat, et ça, ça n'a pas de prix!
when a dish is a success, it’s priceless.

VO  Michel serves two types of cuisine, a gourmet cuisine and a pleasurable light cuisine.
Both cuisines use the same fresh ingredients. 

INTERVIEW
Une cuisine de santé ne doit pas faire penser à une punition. 
Healthy cooking must not give you a feeling of punishment.
C’est la raison pour laquelle toutes les formes de cuisine
That is the reason why all types of cuisine 
et quelle soit de santé doivent produire du plaisir.
including healthy cooking must produce pleasure.

VO Michel’s large kitchen garden takes my breath away. 

Interview
J’ai jamais vu un carré de menthe aussi magnifique.
I have never seen such a magnificent mint patch. 
Oui.
Yes.
Vous l’utilisez pour quoi?
How do you use it?
Pour toute sortes de choses y compris dans les thermes.
In many ways, including for the the thermal clients.

VO  His gourmet cuisine is sublime, his mushroom and truffle ravioli is one of his most famous creations.
The chef loves grilling in the fireplace, and what a privilege to taste his delicate, lightly smoked grilled lobster.
I feel so elevated that I choose the soufflé with lemon verbena ice-cream for dessert.
This restaurant is one of the most romantic in France.

INTERVIEW 
J’ai compris qu’un restaurant c’était un peu comme un théâtre.
I have understood that a restaurant is like a theatre 

C’est à dire, c’est un endroit où on vient chercher du rêve.
It's a place you come in search of a dream.

Smoked Salmon Parcels with Minted Yoghurt
Petits paquets de Saumon Fumé et Yaourt à la Menthe
     
PTC  This entrée of smoked salmon with a filling of avocado and egg is very 
festive.
     
VO  I first mix 5g of gelatine powder into 60ml of warmed cream.
In a bowl I mash an avocado then whisk in the juice of 1/2 lemon and the cold cream.      
Season with salt, pepper and a few drops of Tabasco, some finely cut 
dill, some chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced capsicums and capers, and mix together.
      
I then place a square of plastic over a plate
and line the centre with 2 overlapping smoked salmon slices. 
I drop 2 large tablespoons of avocado mix in the centre of the salmon.
Fold and twist the plastic wrap to form a salmon parcel.
      
PTC  I like to keep the parcels refrigerated for at least 2 hours to set.
     
VO  Next, in a bowl I place a little mustard with yoghurt and mint leaves
and blend until smooth.
      
I spoon a little sauce on plates, top with an unwrapped salmon parcel and garnish the top with a little salmon roe and an edible flower.

These petits paquets de saumon fumé et yaourt à la menthe are a gourmet treat.

PTC Tomorrow we visit a farm that makes some great cheese and charcuterie from the Pyrenees.