©Nohcab 5 iconic recipes from Calais XXL
Whether sweet or savory, Calais XXl is full of restaurants and recipes for all taste buds.
Discover 4 emblematic Calais XXL recipes offered by our chefs to treat yourself at home.
The Welsh
A dish that is often found on the menus of brasseries in the North, especially on the coast. This old substitute dish, originally from Wales, is said to have appeared on our coasts during the First World War, according to "legend". The coastline of the Opal Coast was then a huge rear base where tens of thousands of British soldiers were stationed. It was they who introduced the local innkeepers and tavern keepers to this quick-to-prepare, inexpensive... and filling dish!
Ingredients
4 slices of sandwich bread — 4 slices of white ham — 300 gr. of Cheddar — ½ glass of beer, preferably dark — 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce — a few drops of Tabasco — 2 tablespoons of mustard
©Nohcab Preparation of Welsh
- Toast your slices of sandwich bread and place them (1 per person) in individual ovenproof dishes.
- Place a slice of ham on top of each slice.
- Cut the cheddar into cubes.
- In a saucepan, heat the mustard, beer, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Once boiling, add the cheddar.
- Once the mixture is well combined, pour immediately onto each plate, directly onto the bread and ham.
- Bake for about 1 minute (you can add an egg on top).
- Place a slice of ham on top of each slice.
Sole Fillet Courguinoise
A refined dish that showcases seafood, emblematic of Calais cuisine. Its name comes from the "Courgein", the district of the Calais fishermen, where families once lived to the rhythm of the tides. It is they who, with their know-how and love of fresh produce, inspired this delicate recipe. Combining the finesse of sole with the flavors of a generous sauce. A tribute to the maritime history of Calais and its fishermen of yesterday and today.
Ingredients
2 soles of 500 g. — 1 gray shallot — 5 cl of white wine — 10 cl of fish stock — 50 g of butter — 150 g of gray shrimps — 4 pink mushrooms — 300 g of mussels — 500 g of crème fraîche — 1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives — Salt and pepper from the mill
Preparation of sole fillet Courguinoise style
Remove the sole fillets and cut off the head, keep and wash the bones to make the fish stock.
In a frying pan, melt the butter, add the sliced mushrooms and the sole fillets, brown them once on each side.
Once this operation is finished, remove them and throw the chopped shallots into the pan, deglaze with the white wine then reduce it until dry.
Moisten with the fish stock and put the mussels to cook in the stock, then remove them to shell them.
While the stock reduces by half, peel the grey shrimp.
Add the cream, simmer for 5 minutes and add the silk fillets and mushrooms, season everything.
Once you have obtained a creamy sauce and the sole fillets are cooked, throw in the mussels and the grey shrimp tails as well as the chopped chives, adjust the seasoning and arrange in a deep plate with a few mussel shells and herbs for decoration.
The 'Calais' pastry shop
The most famous and delicate of Calais cakes. When it comes to sweet treats, it's hard to ignore the "Calais"! Macaron dough, coffee buttercream and almonds are the main ingredients of this cake, which can be found in individual portions in local bakeries. This delicacy, inspired by local traditions, was created to showcase the region's artisanal know-how. With its delicate flavors and melting texture, it quickly became a must-try for locals and visitors alike in search of local specialties.
Ingredients
125 g egg white — 2 whole eggs — 2 egg yolks — 415 g sugar — 35 g flour — 75 g almond powder — chopped almonds — 40 g water — 150 g butter — coffee flavoring
©Nohcab Preparation of Calais
Dough : 125 g egg white and 115 g sugar.
Beat everything until you get a meringue. Gently incorporate 100 g of sugar and 75 g of almond powder and 35 g of flour. Pipe into an oval shape with a nozzle on baking paper. Cook at 160° for 35 minutes.
Coffee buttercream: Put 200 g of sugar and 40 g of water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil and cook until 117°.
Beat 2 whole eggs and 2 yolks, add the cooked sugar while stirring until completely cooled.
Add the softened butter then add the coffee flavoring according to your taste.
Mounting : Place the 2 disks of dough on top of each other and trim the edges to make them identical. Fill with buttercream using a nozzle then hide the edges. Cover with coffee-flavored fondant and finish with chopped roasted almonds on the sides.
The Mont Blanc plate, poached pear in red wine, chestnut ice cream
An elegant and comforting dessert that combines the rustic charm of pear with the refinement of Mont Blanc. Upon tasting, the textures blend: the crispness of the meringue, the softness of the pear, the silky smoothness of the chestnut, and the coolness of the ice cream, offering a perfect balance between sophistication and winter comfort.
A festive dessert from Chef Simon de Ramecourt, ideal for surprising guests at a refined meal or for celebrating autumn and winter flavors around the table.
Discover chef Simon de Ramecourt
©Nohcab Ingredients for 6 people
For the Chestnut Diplomat Cream:
4 sheets of gelatin, 500g of milk, 4 egg yolks, 50g of cornflour, 40g of butter, 400g of whipping cream, 150g of chestnut cream
For the Chestnut Fondant:
500g chestnut cream, 100g semi-salted butter, 40g flour, 4 eggs
For French Meringue:
4 egg whites, 120g of sugar, 120g of icing sugar
For the poached pear in red wine:
6 mini pears, 50cl of red wine, 300g of sugar, 1 orange wedge, 1 lemon, 2 cinnamon sticks
And finally, the brown ice cream: 1 tub of artisanal brown ice cream
©Nohcab 1. Preparation of the Chestnut diplomat cream
- Soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water.
- In a saucepan, put the milk. Bring to a boil and let it infuse for 15 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. Add the cornflour.
- Pour a third of the hot milk over the egg, sugar, and cornstarch mixture to loosen it. Add the rest and then pour it back into the saucepan.
- Cook to thicken the cream, stirring constantly over low heat, until it reaches the consistency of pastry cream.
- Remove from heat, add the drained gelatin, then let it cool slightly before incorporating the butter in pieces.
- Pour into a mixing bowl and let cool.
- Beat the very cold cream with the pastry cream until you obtain a firm texture.
- Pour the diplomat cream into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle. Seal with a clip and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
2. Chestnut Fondant
1. Melt the butter in the microwave and mix it with the chestnut cream.
2. Add the eggs and flour. Mix well. 3. Pour the mixture into individual greased molds.
4. Bake for 12 minutes at 180°C.
5. Let it cool before unmolding.
3. Poached pear in red wine
1. Boil the wine with the sugar, cinnamon and citrus fruits.
2. Add the peeled pears and cook over low heat until the pears are soft.
3. Let the pears cool in the wine syrup.
4. Drain and serve.
4. French Meringue
- Preheat the oven to 100°C (thermostat 3).
- Pour the egg whites into a mixer.
- Whisk the egg whites with 1/3 of the caster sugar.
- When the egg whites are three-quarters whipped, add the rest of the sugar and continue whipping until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- When the meringue is firm and glossy, gently add the icing sugar and whisk.
- The meringue should be very smooth, very white and above all very dense.
- Pipe the meringues onto a silicone mat or parchment paper, spreading them to a thickness of 3mm, then bake them for at least 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Then take them out of the oven and let them cool.
Dressage
- Pipe the diplomat cream using a piping bag in different dots of varying sizes.
- Place the pear in the center of the plate with the chestnut fondant and the ice cream.
- Carefully break the meringue sheet into several pieces and then cover the fondant and the scoop of ice cream with them.
Honey and soy confit pork belly, Brussels sprouts with candied lemon
A sublime balance between sweet and savory
David Gauduchon's recipe
©Timothe Lovergne For 6 people
Ingredients :
- Raw pork belly: 1,5 kg
- Soy sauce: 25 cl
- Liquid honey: 200 g
- Lemon juice: 12,5 cl
- Cinnamon Stick: 4
- Star anise: 3 stars
- White cooking wine: 12,5 cl
- Brussels sprouts: 400 g
- Carrots: 3
- Pearl onions: 80 g
- Smoked bacon: 150 g
- Candied lemons: 1,5
- New potatoes: 200 g
- Coriander: ½ bunch
Instructions:
To do the day before:
1) In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, and white wine. (Choose a dry white wine with citrus notes.)
2) Make slits in the rind of the breast to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.
3) Place the breast in a baking dish. Cover it with the marinade. Massage the marinade all over the breast. Place the breast rind-side up, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4) After 2 hours, turn the breast over, rind side down. Cover again with cling film and refrigerate for the day.
5) At the end of the day, take out the breast, turn it over again. Cover it with baking paper and wrap the dish in aluminum foil to make it completely airtight.
6) Place in the oven at 90°C overnight.
The day after :
1) Remove the breast from the oven. Leave the foil in place and let it cool to room temperature for a good hour.
2) When the dish has cooled sufficiently, place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
3) 2 hours before serving the dish, take the dish out of the fridge and unwrap it.
4) Using a thin-bladed knife, remove the rind, but leave as much fat as possible. Cut into portions of approximately 180g.
5) Preheat your oven to 200°C.
6) Place the portions of breast in an oven dish and slide it into the oven for 15 minutes.
7) After 15 minutes, lower the oven to 90°C and let it reheat for another 15 minutes.
8) Meanwhile, pour all of the marinade into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
9) Prepare a "magic roux". In a bowl, mix equal amounts of flour and oil (approximately 100g of each).
10) When the marinade boils, gradually pour in the "magic roux" while whisking. The sauce should have a syrupy but fluid consistency.
11) When ready to serve, remove the chicken breasts from the oven, arrange them on a platter or individual plates, and coat them with the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce into a gravy boat and serve piping hot.
During the day:
Prepare the Brussels sprouts…
1) If necessary, cut the base of the cabbages and remove the first leaves if they are damaged.
2) Rinse them, then cut them in half. Keep refrigerated.
3) Wash the baby potatoes and cut them in half or into thirds depending on their size. They should be roughly the same size as the cabbages. Place them in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper, add 3 cloves of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C (350°F). Turn them over regularly during cooking.
4) Peel the carrots and cut them into a "whistle" shape (on the bias), set aside.
5) Cut the preserved lemons into quarters. Remove the flesh by sliding a thin blade along the peel. Dice each quarter into very small cubes (1 or 2 mm). Set aside.
6) Cut the bacon into lardons. Place it in a cold pan and put it over low heat. The bacon fat should melt but not burn.
7) When the bacon is nicely browned, remove it from the pan but keep the bacon fat. Set the bacon aside at room temperature.
8) In the same pan, add the pearl onions (choose frozen ones… they're easier to use and just as tasty), and the carrots cut into batons. Add a knob of butter, a generous pinch of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Moisten with a splash of water, cover, and let caramelize over low heat, stirring regularly.
9) When the onions and carrots are lightly caramelized, but still a little crunchy, remove them from the pan and set them aside at room temperature.
10) Still in the same pan (it means less washing up and more flavor). Add the halved Brussels sprouts, a knob of butter, and a drizzle of neutral oil (rapeseed, peanut, etc.) and cook over low heat. This will take about 10 to 12 minutes. The sprouts should remain slightly crisp.
11) When the cabbage is cooked to your liking, add the bacon, carrots, and onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Freshly ground pepper is best. Turn up the heat and let it simmer for a few moments.
12) Remove from heat and add the preserved lemon. Mix all the ingredients well. Arrange on a plate or platter.
13) Roughly tear the coriander leaves and scatter them over the breasts and cabbages.
14) Serve very hot and enjoy.