THE PERFECT EVENING

Exquisite French cuisine and romantic music for dining

• FR ANCE •

RECIPES & MUSIC

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FRENCH AUTUMN DINNER PARTY

Serves 4

Warm Goat’s Cheese Salad with Witlof, Roasted Beetroot and Walnuts

Roast Tarragon Chicken with White Bean Puree and Ratatouille

Fig and Pistachio Galette with Crème Fraiche and Caramel Sauce

Almond Tuiles

Bon appétit

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French food is often thought to be very technical and difficult to prepare. This is

certainly true of French haute cuisine. However, the meals cooked in French

homes are equally delicious but much more approachable for everyone to cook.

This menu draws on dishes from the latter, being a simple menu that relies on

good quality seasonal ingredients and basic techniques.

This is a meal that can be shared with good friends or close family. Many of the

components can be prepared ahead to give the cook time with their guests.

Bon appétit!

Bronwen Warden

France has a long and rich history of exquisitely crafted music. For this perfect French evening, here

assembled is some of the very finest. With Baroque composers such as Boismortier and Philidor, images

of grand palaces and genteel celebrations will come to mind. The Classical and Romantic periods are

elegantly represented by Grétry, Saint-Saëns and Bizet among others. And what collection would be

complete without the finest exponents of Impressionism – Ravel and Debussy. Enjoy these and many

more pièces de resistance on this collection. Bonne écoute!

1 JOSEPH CANTELOUBE Baïléro from Songs of the Auvergne 6’14

Sara Macliver soprano, The Queensland Orchestra, Brett Kelly conductor

2 CLAUDE DEBUSSY L’isle joyeuse 5’02

Roger Woodward piano

3 CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS Allegro from Piano Trio No. 1 in F major, Op. 18 7’31

The Australian Trio (Michael Brimer piano, Donald Hazelwood violin, Fenella Gill cello)

4 GABRIEL FAURÉ Sicilienne from Pélleas and Mélisande 3’59

Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, David Stanhope conductor

5 JOSEPH BODIN DE BOISMORTIER Largo from Trio Sonata in D major, Op. 50 No. 6 4’06

Ensemble Battistin (Paul Wright violin, Suzanne Wijsman, Noeleen Wright cellos,

Stewart Smith harpsichord)

6 MAURICE RAVEL Pavane pour une infante défunte 6’20

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, David Stanhope conductor

7 GABRIEL FAURÉ Andante from The Birth of Venus 2’53

Sinfonia Australis, Antony Walker conductor

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GEORGES BIZET Carmen Suite [7’32]

8 Prélude 1’13

9 Aragonaise 2’10

0 Séguidille 1’41

! Les Toréadors 2’28

Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Matthias Bamert conductor

@ JULES MASSENET Meditation from Thaïs 5’32

Barbara Jane Gilby violin, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, David Stanhope conductor

£ EMMANUEL CHABRIER Idylle from Suite pastorale 4’54

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, David Stanhope conductor

$ CLAUDE DEBUSSY (arr. Eduard Grigoryan) Clair de lune from Suite bergamasque 4’57

Slava Grigoryan and Leonard Grigoryan guitars

% ANDRÉ-ERNEST-MODEST GRÉTRY Pantomime from Zémire et Azor 3’07

Australian Youth Orchestra, John Hopkins conductor

^ PIERRE DANICAN PHILIDOR Chaconne from Suite V in D 6’26

Ensemble Battistin (Kate Clark flute, Paul Wright, Sophie Gent violins, Suzanne Wijsman cello,

Tommie Anderson theorbo, Stewart Smith harpsichord)

& LILI BOULANGER Nocturne 2’53

Miki Tsunoda violin, Caroline Almonte piano

* ERIK SATIE (orch. Claude Debussy) Gymnopédie No. 1 3’06

West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Albert Rosen conductor

RECIPES

WARM GOAT’S CHEESE SALAD WITH WITLOF, ROASTED BEETROOT AND WALNUTS

The beetroot and walnuts can be roasted several hours ahead. The dressing improves with standing, so the more

time you give the garlic to infuse into the oil, the better!

1 bunch (about 4) small beetroots

50g (½ cup) walnuts

120g goat’s cheese log

Dressing

¹⁄³ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon quality red wine vinegar

1 clove of garlic, flattened with the back of a knife

For dressing, pour oil and vinegar into a jar, add remaining ingredients. Screw lid on jar and shake well to

combine. Stand to infuse for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, strain dressing, discarding solids.

Season to taste and whisk until dressing is well combined.

For salad, preheat oven to 180˚C. Trim stalks from beetroot bulbs, leaving about 3cm, and wash bulbs.

Wrap each beetroot in foil. Place on a baking tray and roast in preheated oven for about 60 minutes or

until tender when pierced with a skewer. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Place walnuts on an oven tray and roast at 180˚C for 4-6 minutes or until toasted and lightly browned.

When beetroot are cool enough to handle, peel and remove the stalks. Cut into quarters lengthwise,

or sixths if large.

Cut goat’s cheese log into 8 even slices and place one on each slice of baguette. Spread to ensure the

edges of bread are covered with cheese. Place croutons on an oven tray and set aside.

Separate leaves from witlof and cut each leaf in half lengthwise. Combine witlof and rocket in a bowl.

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8 baguette slices, 1cm thick

1 witlof, leaves separated and halved lengthwise

1 cup wild rocket leaves

4cm sprig rosemary

3 sprigs thyme

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Just before serving, pre-heat grill to high, and grill goat’s cheese toasts for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is

golden and bubbling. Meanwhile, toss half the dressing with salad leaves. Toss half of the remaining

dressing with beetroot.

Divide salad leaves among serving plates, scatter with beetroot and top with melted goat’s cheese toasts,

scatter walnuts over salad and drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

ROAST TARRAGON CHICKEN WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE AND RATATOUILLE

There are many different roast tarragon chicken recipes. I have many favourites, but have based this recipe on one

from Damien Pignolet’s book French.

The white bean puree and ratatouille could be made a day ahead and gently reheated when ready to serve.

The white bean puree can be served warm or at room temperature.

Roast Tarragon Chicken

100g softened butter

1 clove of garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons chopped French tarragon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

White Bean Puree

200g (1 cup) dried cannellini beans

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

¹⁄³ cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1.8kg free-range chicken

4 sprigs French tarragon

1 clove of garlic, extra

1 tablespoon olive oil

Ratatouille

1 (300g) eggplant

Sea salt

2 (300g) zucchini

1 large (300g) red capsicum

¾ cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped

For white bean puree, place cannellini beans in a bowl, cover with water and soak overnight, covered.

Drain beans, and cook in boiling water for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving ¼ cup liquid.

Process beans, garlic and reserved liquid in a food processor. Add oil and 2 teaspoons sea salt or to

taste and process until smooth. Add lemon juice and process to combine. More lemon juice can be

added, if necessary.

For roast tarragon chicken, in a small bowl mix together butter, garlic and tarragon until combined.

Season with a pinch of salt and a grind of cracked black pepper. Mix until soft and amalgamated.

Using your fingertips, starting at the neck of chicken carefully push your fingers between the skin and the

breast, easing the skin away from the flesh right to the back of the bird. Push the butter under the skin all

over the flesh so there is an even coating on both sides. Place tarragon sprigs and extra garlic in cavity of

chicken. Pull the skin down over the cavity and, using kitchen twine, truss the chicken. Place the chicken

on a rack in a roasting pan. Pat skin dry with paper towel and refrigerate for 2 hours. This will allow the

skin to dry out, which will help it crisp up in the oven.

Preheat oven to 180˚C, sprinkle chicken with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and rub all over

with olive oil. Place chicken on its side on roasting rack in pan and roast for 20 minutes, then turn

chicken over and roast a further 20 minutes. At this stage butter will be leaking from the chicken.

Place chicken, breast side up, on rack. Baste with pan juices and roast for a further 30-35 minutes or

until juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Cover with foil and rest

in a warm place for 10 minutes.

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1 clove of garlic, crushed

2 large (400g) vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled

and chopped (see note)

1 tablespoon finely chopped basil

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

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Meanwhile, for ratatouille, cut eggplant into 2cm thick slices and then into 2cm cubes, place in a colander

and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Stand over a bowl for 30 minutes.

Cut zucchini in quarters lengthwise and then into 2cm pieces, set aside. Cut capsicum in half, remove

seeds and cut flesh into 2cm pieces.

Rinse eggplant under cold running water and pat dry with absorbent paper. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a

frying pan and fry half the eggplant until golden, drain on absorbent paper. Add another ¼ cup olive oil to

pan and fry remaining eggplant, then drain on absorbent paper.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan, add onion and garlic and cook, stirring

occasionally, over low heat for 10 minutes or until onion is soft. Add another 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan

and stir in zucchini and capsicum, cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables begin to

soften. Add eggplant and chopped tomato and cook, covered, over low-medium heat for 25-30 minutes

or until all vegetables are soft. Stir in basil and parsley and season to taste with sea salt and freshly

ground black pepper.

To carve chicken, cut one breast from bone in one piece and then slice crosswise into 2cm pieces, repeat

with other breast. Cut legs from chicken and cut drumstick from thigh. Cut chicken wings from carcass and

discard wing tips.

To serve, spoon white bean puree onto warm serving plates, top with sliced chicken breast and another cut

of chicken and serve ratatouille on the side.

Note:

To peel a tomato, using a sharp knife cut a cross about 3cm long on base of tomato, place in a bowl and

pour boiling water over, stand for 1 minute or until skin begins to peel back at cut, drain and refresh under

cold running water, then peel skin away from flesh.

FIG AND PISTACHIO GALETTE WITH CRÈME FRAICHE AND CARAMEL SAUCE

These are quite rustic tarts that would also be perfect for a picnic dessert. The caramel can be made ahead of

time but will need to be reheated when ready to serve. The tarts can be served warm or at room temperature,

and are best made on day of serving.

Fig and Pistachio Galette

2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed

50g (2 tablespoons) melted butter

55g (¼ cup) caster sugar

2 tablespoons fig jam, warmed and sieved

4 ripe black figs, cut crosswise into 3mm thick slices

2 tablespoons shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

¹⁄³ cup crème fraiche, to serve

Caramel Sauce

110g (½ cup) caster sugar

2 tablespoons water

2⁄³ cup pure cream

For fig and pistachio galette, preheat oven to 210˚C. Place pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface,

brush with a little melted butter and sprinkle entire sheet with 1 tablespoon caster sugar. Fold pastry

sheet in half and roll lightly with a rolling pin to stick pastry together. Brush pastry again with a little

melted butter and scatter with 2 teaspoons caster sugar. Turn pastry so the short end is parallel to the

bench. Then roll pastry up quite firmly, to prevent any air bubbles forming, to form a fat cigar shape. Trim

2cm from each end and discard, then cut in half crosswise. Repeat with remaining pasty, butter and sugar.

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Take one pastry cigar and stand it on one end on a lightly floured surface. Then with a rolling pin,

hit the pastry until it is flattened into a thick round. Roll it out until it is 14cm in diameter. Repeat with

remaining cigars and place flattened pastries onto a large oven tray lined with baking paper. Brush each

galette with butter.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, then remove from oven, press lightly on pastry to flatten slightly,

then brush with sieved jam, and top with fig slices, overlapping them in a circle. Scatter with pistachios

and drizzle with a little butter. Return to oven and cook for a further 5-6 minutes.

For caramel sauce, place sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Do not boil. Dip a pastry brush in water and brush any sugar crystals from side of pan. Increase heat to

high and boil, without stirring, for 4-6 minutes or until syrup is golden caramel in colour. Remove from

heat and carefully add cream to syrup. The mixture will spit, so do this very carefully.

Return to heat and stir until caramel is smooth.

Place tarts on serving plates, topping each tart with a

spoonful of crème fraiche and drizzle with caramel sauce.

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ALMOND TUILES

Almond tuiles are a crisp light wafer biscuit that are perfect with a cup of coffee to finish a meal. They are

shaped over a rolling pin to give them the distinct shape of a curved tile. The trick is to spread the batter very

thinly and evenly on the tray so that it will cook quickly and become crisp when cooled. They are best made on

day of serving and stored in an airtight container.

2 egg whites

75g (¹⁄³ cup) caster sugar

50g (¹⁄³ cup) plain flour

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

50g (2 tablespoons) melted unsalted butter

40g (½ cup) flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 210˚C. Combine egg whites and caster sugar in a bowl and stir well. Add flour, vanilla

extract and melted butter and stir to combine. Stir in flaked almonds and mix well. Place 6 teaspoonfuls

of batter 4cm apart on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Using the back of a teaspoon, start in the

centre and in a circular motion spread batter until it is very thin and biscuits are 8-10cm in diameter.

Bake tuiles in preheated oven for 3-4 minutes or until tuiles are lightly browned around edge. Working

quickly, use a palette knife to lift tuiles and place over a rolling pin to shape. Cool on rolling pin for

60 seconds to harden. Repeat with remaining batter.

Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 24.

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BRONWEN WARDEN

Bronwen grew up with a love for food. She knew her stamina would not withstand a chef ’s apprenticeship so

she studied at The University of Western Sydney in the late 1980s and finished with a degree in Applied

Science in Food and Nutrition. During her studies, she undertook work experience at The Women’s Weekly Test

Kitchen. This was to be the beginning of her career in the world of food journalism and publishing. Bronwen

worked for two years in The Women’s Weekly Test Kitchen, first as Junior Home Economist and then as Home

Economist. After this, she travelled and worked overseas for 18 months.

On her return, Bronwen freelanced for Pemberton’s Travelling Fare and Orchard Road Cooking School

before landing the job of Assistant Food Editor for Australian Gourmet Traveller, where she worked in this

role and later as Deputy Food Editor from 1996 until the end of 2001. While at Gourmet Traveller,

Bronwen’s duties included recipe writing, testing and development of her own food features, as well as

food styling. She travelled to Vietnam and Tahiti to write a food/travel story on each place for the

magazine. She also taught at the Sydney Seafood School.

Bronwen next moved from publishing to the airline industry, working for Qantas. She was employed by

Neil Perry from the Rockpool Restaurant Group to be part of his consulting team. As menu planner,

Bronwen worked with Neil, designing the menus for all Business and First Class international flights. Once

the menus were designed, she wrote the recipes and tested them, working with the chefs from Qantas

inflight catering, as well as international flight caterers.

After three and a half years in this fast-paced, action-packed job, Bronwen left the Rockpool Restaurant

Group to have her first child. She returned to Rockpool Consulting for a short stint before leaving to have

her second child, at which time she decided to be a full-time mother.

Three years later, Bronwen has a new kitchen and a new career, freelancing as a recipe writer and

cookery teacher.

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Executive Producers Martin Buzacott, Robert Patterson

Mastering Albert Zychowski (Sony DADC)

Editorial and Production Manager Hilary Shrubb

Publications Editor Natalie Shea

Cover Photo Frances Mocnik (www.mocnik.com.au)

Cover and Booklet Design Imagecorp Pty Ltd

ABC Classics thanks Bronwen Warden, Frances Mocnik, Amanda Harris, Claudia Crosariol, Virginia Read,

Katherine Kemp and Alexandra Alewood.

This compilation was first published in 2010 and any and all copyright in this compilation is owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

© 2010 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Universal Music Group, under exclusive license. Made in

Australia. All rights of the owner of copyright reserved. Any copying, renting, lending, diffusion, public performance or broadcast of this record

without the authority of the copyright owner is prohibited.

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