A 6 course French winter feast (or Fête d’hiver). Choices of lovely warming and hearty but sophisticated food. Served in our normal relaxed and welcoming style with a great choice of aperitifs and some fantastic Gaillac wine.
Amuse
Roasted peppers stuffed with a farci of Agen prune, pine nut, shallots and chilli topped with grilled chèvre blanc cheese and local Grindleford honey
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Starter
Steak Tartare – Love it or hate it. The marmite of dishes. The finest raw centre cut fillet, hand diced to a fine shred and combined with shallots, capers and with a twist of anchovy or shredded horseradish. Served with Dijon mustard and herb toasts.
Warm Niçoise salad – Our wintery take on this traditional dish with seated tuna steak, griddled new potato slices, French beans, roasted tomatoes and poached egg
Tarte aux chataîgne – Chestnuts flambéd in Armagnac with caramelised onion and cantal cheese in a delicate butter pastry tart served with elderberry jelly and herb salad
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Palate cleanser
Intense raspberry sorbet with a splash of blackcurrant infused vodka and frozen mint leaves
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Mains
Duck and smoked pork Cassoulet – An authentic slow cooked stew from an old Carcasonne recipe
Basque seafood parcel – Trout fillet, seared tuna steak and large tiger prawns in an Espelette pepper and rosé port sauce slow cooked in parchment to keep in all the flavours
Smokey bean stew – A North African influence on a French vegetarian dish. Served on a bed of couscous with an halloumi and smoked garlic mushroom brochettes
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Southern French Cheeseboard
A sharing board of delicious cheese tastes including Ossau Iraty, Roquefort, Pyrenean goats cheese. Seeded biscuits and our own relishes to accompany.
Dessert
Nigel’s rather lovely Tarte au Citron…simple, tangy and delicious
White wine and cardamom poached pear, with chocolate salted caramel sauce, flaked almonds and clotted cream ice cream