THE RECIPES OF THE GREAT CHEFS TO MAKE AT HOME

While waiting for the restaurants to reopen, we are not prohibited from feasting on recipes from chefs. Here are three that should stand out for you. Jérôme Banctel’s watercress soup, Cyril Lignac’s lemon chicken and Alan Geaam’s chocolate soufflés will awaken your cooking skills and delight your taste buds.

Watercress soup by Jérôme Banctel
Arrived in Paris in 1993, Jérôme Banctel went through the kitchens of the greatest restaurants: "Le Jules Verne", "Les Ambassadeurs" (the restaurant of the Hôtel de Crillon) and "L’Ambroisie". In 2005, Alain Sanderens called him to work alongside him in the “Sanderens” kitchen where they were to officiate with 4 hands. In 2015, at age 43, he took off as head of the Gabriel kitchens in the 8th arrondissement and won two Michelin stars in the first year.

Here is his recipe for watercress soup with soft-boiled eggs, a dish that combines simplicity and refinement.

Ingredients: 4 bunches of watercress, 50 cl of chicken stock, 25 cl of liquid cream, 6 eggs, 2 slices of white bread, 25 cl of olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper.

Preparation : rinse the watercress thoroughly and thin it out. Reserve a few leaves. Blanch the rest for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and dry in a cloth. Mix with 10 cl of chicken broth. Dilute the watercress purée with the rest of the broth. Salt and pepper, then add the liquid cream while stirring. Immerse the eggs for 6 minutes in boiling water. Run them quickly under cold water, peel them and set them aside in cool water. Cut the slices of sandwich bread into small cubes. Fry them in olive oil until golden brown. Drain them on absorbent paper. Heat the watercress soup for 5 minutes. Place the soft-boiled eggs in deep plates and pour the velouté all around. Decorate with croutons of bread and reserved watercress leaves.

Chicken with lime, Cyril Lignac version
Is there a need to introduce Cyril Lignac, elected “Favorite Chef of the French”? In 2005, he obtained his first position as Chef at “La Suite”, in Paris. Spotted by a producer, he embarks on the adventure "Yes, Chef! ". At the same time, Cyril Lignac took over “Le Chardenoux” in 2008, an institution in the 11th arrondissement. He opened in 2011, rue du dragon in St Germain des Prés, “Aux Prés”, and then always in the same street, “Le Bar des Prés”. He is also embarking on a sweet adventure with Pastry Chef Benoît Couvrand. In 2011, they created “La Pâtisserie” where creations combining tradition and modernity are enthroned. The duo are now at the head of 6 Parisian boutiques and Cyril Lignac hosts the daily on M6 "Tous en cuisine".

Here is his recipe for lemon chicken.

Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs, 5 limes, 2 large onions, a tablespoon of olive oil, half a spoon of a mixture of 5 flavors and salt.

Preparation: peel and slice the onions, divide them in the bottom of an oven dish. Cut 2 limes into slices. Brown the chicken thighs in a pan, this will bring a golden aspect to the skin and a crispy-fondant side to the preparation. Notch them in several places and push the lemon slices into the notches. Then place the chicken thighs on the chopped onions. Cut 1 lime into thin wedges and squeeze the last 2. Mix the lemon juice with the olive oil and drizzle it over the chicken thighs. Salt and sprinkle with the mixture of 5 flavors. Arrange the lemon wedges in the dish. Cover with cling film and place for 30 minutes in the fridge. Preheat the oven to th. 7 (210 ° C). Remove the cling film covering the dish and bake for 1 hour, basting the chicken regularly with its cooking juices. Serve right out of the oven.

Chocolate Soufflé, a recipe from Alan Geaam
Born in 1974 in Liberia, Alan Geaam fled the civil war and grew up in Tripoli, Lebanon, where he shared his mother's passion for cooking. In 1999, he arrived in Paris with 200 francs in his pocket. He dives at a Lebanese caterer but following an injury to the chef, he puts his hand in the dough. Alan Geaam learns quickly, both French and culinary techniques. In 2007, he was at the head of "L’Auberge Nicolas Flamel" and in 2015 opened a bistro in the heart of Les Halles de Paris. In 2017, Alan Geaam took over a Lebanese restaurant, rue Lauriston in the 16th arrondissement. In 2018, the “Alan Geaam” was awarded a Michelin star. A la carte, French cuisine with a few nods to Lebanon.

Here is the chef's chocolate soufflé recipe.

Ingredients for 4 soufflés: 120 g 66% chocolate, 30 g of sugar, 90 g of egg whites, 100 ml of milk, 5 g of cornstarch, 20 g of egg yolk, softened butter and brown sugar for the base mussels.

Preparation: butter the bottom of the molds and place them in the refrigerator. Heat the milk until it boils. In a salad bowl, mix the egg yolks with the cornstarch. Pour the hot milk into the bowl, mixing well with the egg yolks and cornstarch. Return all of the mixture to the pot and heat over low heat while stirring.

Add the chocolate and continue to mix over low heat until you get a smooth texture. Beat the egg whites until stiff with a pinch of salt. Add the sugar and continue to snow. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the stiff egg whites and mix gently until you get a nice, even foamy texture. Take the mussels out of the refrigerator and fill them with the resulting mixture to two-thirds. Heat in the oven at 190 ° rotating heat for 10 minutes without opening the oven. The soufflé is eaten straight out of the oven.