Ski La Clusaz 2010

Chalet le Panoramic is everyday china and elbows on the table. It’s earthy, not fussy, easy, not painstaking. Our cooking is no nonsense soul satisfying cuisine.

Snowlife Recipes

For a long time guests have requested recipes from us at the end of their stay so every few weeks I shall try and update this page and hope you have the time to take a look and try some of them out!

Please email me with any questions or ideas – I would love to hear from you.
For those of you that are new to Snowlife, Simon, Lisa & Alice share the cooking. ..They are not chefs and are not even trained or professional cook’s but love food and food preparation.

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Apple and parsnip soup

This is a delicious, easy unusual soup perfect for the run up to Christmas!

Prep: 15 mins. Cooking: 30 mins. Serves: 6 EASY

Soup
2 large onions 50g butter
1 clove garlic, ¼ pint of crème fraiche
3-4 parsnips, scrubbed and cubed
500g cooking apples, peeled, cored & cubed
2 tsp medium curry paste
21/2 pints of chicken stock (fresh or cube)
½ pint of single cream
Seasoning
Topping
50g butter 1 cup of chopped pecans

1. Melt the butter in a large pan and sauté the onions over a medium heat till translucent.
2. Stir in parsnip & apple and sauté for 3 mins, stirring once or twice.
3. Stir in curry paste & cook for 1 min. Pour in stock, bring to boil, cover & simmer for 20 mins.
4. Puree in a processor and return to pan, stir in cream & heat gently.
5. Melt butter and sauté pecans for 5 mins. Swirl a teaspoon of crème fraiche on top of each bowl of soup and sprinkle with pecans.

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Rillettes of Fresh and Smoked Salmon

This is a lovely convivial starter that can be prepared up to two days in advance – it looks and tastes fab!

Prep: 15 mins. Cooking: 15 mins. Serves: 6-8 EASY

50g melted butter + extra for greasing
900g fresh salmon
4tbsp white wine
2tbsp greek yogurt
8tbsp crème fraiche
4tbsp creamed horseradish
1tbsp chopped fresh dill & flatleaf parsley
1tsp ground coriander
175g smoked salmon cut into ribbons

1. Preheat oven to 200c/gas7.
2. Lightly butter a small roasting tin.
3. Skin the fresh salmon and remove any bones. Put in tin, pour over wine & cover with foil.
4. Cook in oven for 12-15 mins until just cooked, discard foil & leave to cool.
5. In a large bowl beat in yogurt, cream, horseradish herbs, coriander & smoked salmon.
6. .When the cooked salmon is cold flake into the creamy mixture, keeping the flakes quite large. Season well with salt and pepper and stir in the melted butter mixing everything gently together.
7. Cover with film and leave in the fridge until one hour before serving allowing the rillettes to soften slightly.
   One idea for serving is to overlap chicory leaves in a round bowl and dollop the rillettes in the center and top with some fresh dill.

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Curry & Coconut Soup

This is a very unusual soup and very quickly devoured!
Prep: 10 – 20 mins Cooking: 15 mins Serves 4-6 Easy
25g butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, chopped
2 tbsp hot Madras curry paste or powder
600ml chicken stock
400ml can coconut milk
2 × 300g cans sweetcorn, drained
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt, to serve
1 tsp garam masala, to serve
fresh coriander, to garnish

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and cook the onion, garlic and ginger until soft. Add the curry paste or powder and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and coconut milk. Add half the sweetcorn and season. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the soup into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pan and stir in the remaining sweetcorn.
3. Heat for 1 – 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl with yoghurt, dust with garam masala and garnish with coriander.

EASY TO FREEZE: Make the soup up to the end of step 2 and cool. Pour into a freezer-proof container, label and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, defrost the soup overnight in the fridge, then pour into a saucepan and reheat until bubbling.

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Main Courses

Spiced Coconut Cream Chicken

This is a lightly spiced creamy chicken dish and will re-heat well if you wish to make it a day in advance or you can freeze it, thaw overnight, bring to boil and simmer gently for 10 mins. Delicious served with fruit and nut rice.

Prep: 25mins. Cooking: 1 hour Serves: 6 EASY

125g onion
1 green chilli
175g tomatoes
50g creamed coconut
4 tbs. Oil
1.4kg skinless chicken breast fillets
6 garlic gloves
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. garam masala or mild curry powder
1 tsp. of ground paprika and 1 tsp. poppy seeds
1 ½ tsp salt
6 tbs. double cream
fresh coriander and lemon wedges to garnish

1. Finely chop the onion, deseed and finely chop the chilli. Skin, deseed and finely chop the toms. Coarsely grate the creamed coconut.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and brown the chicken a few pieces at a time until golden on both sides. Remove and drain on kitchen roll.
3. Lower the heat, add the onion and crushed garlic, stirring occasionally until brown. Stir in the spices, paprika, poppy seeds, salt creamed coconut and chilli. Cook stirring for a minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 mins till the mixture is like a thick paste.
5. Return all the chicken to the pan with 5-6 floz of water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer fro 20-30 mins or until the chicken is tender. Stir halfway through cooking time.
   Gently stir in the cream and simmer for 1-2mins. Adjust seasoning and serve garnished with fresh coriander and lemon.

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Morrocan Lamb with Jewelled Couscous and Harissa

I researched a lot of tagines before I was happy with this one – this is really one of the nicest meals I have ever tasted and is not difficult to make – it also waits around well, can be made the day before and can be frozen too….
The harissa takes a few moments to make in the mixer and really makes a difference.

Prep: 1 hour Cooking: 3 hours Serves: 6 STRAIGHTFORWARD

6 lamb shanks, olive oil, 1 head of garlic, peeled & crushed with salt, 1 tbsp ground ginger, good pinch of saffron stamens, crushed, 2 tsp tumeric, 1 tbs paprika, black pepper & ground cinnamon, ½ tsp cayenne
1lb grated onion, 1 pint tomato juice, 1 pint of lamb stock, 2 lb of chopped tomatoes, 150g dried apricots, halved & soaked overnight ( in enough water just to cover), 75g flaked almonds, 2 tsp liquid honey, 50g rasins, handful of pitted olives
Chopped coriander to garnish.

1. Begin the night before and coat the lamb with the spices.
2. The following day heat the oil in a large casserole, fry the lamb a few pieces at a time until brown( or roast in a hot oven). Remove lamb to a plate
3. Add garlic, onion & soften. Add apricots and their soaking liquid, stock, almonds, rasins, olives, honey & tomato juice and return the lamb.
4. Bring to boil and simmer in a low oven (150c) for one hour.
5. After an hour, add tomatoes, and cook for a further two hours.
6. Serve in a large colourful serving bowl on top of the couscous and hand around the harissa.

Jewelled Couscous

1 ¾ pint of chicken or vegetable stock,
125 ml virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp salt,
1 ½ lb couscous, finely grated rind of a lemon and the juice,
50g toasted flaked almonds, 100g chopped, ready-to-eat apricots,
50g sultanas or raisins,
25g chopped flatleaf parsley and coriander

1. Heat the stock in a large pan with 3 tbsp of the olive oil and the salt. bring to a simmer, remove from the heat and pour in the couscous in a steady stream & stir in the lemon rind & juice.
2. Set aside for 2 mins and allow the grains to swell – they should soak up all the liquid.
3. Return the couscous to the heat and drizzle over the remaining oil. Gently cook for about 5 mins., stirring with a fork to fluff up the grains, then remove from the heat. Fold in the almonds, apricots,sultanas, parsley and coriander and season to taste.
4. Tip into ovenproof serving dish and cover foil. You can keep this warm in the bottom of the oven for up to half an hour until ready to serve.

Harissa

To make your own simply blend six seeded fresh red chillies
and four garlic cloves in a mini processor and stir in 2-3 tbsp of olive oil – just enough to make a paste. Finally add 2 tsp of white wine vinegar,
2 tsp of ground coriander and salt and pepper to taste

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Thai Fish Bags

This looks, smells and tastes stunning – what more can I say… Oh yes – it’s easy too!
Prep: 15 minutes Cooking: 15 minutes Serves: 4 EASY

12 large raw prawns, in their shells
1 salmon steak cut into large cubes and the same of monkfish
2 lemon grass stalks
2 shallots, very finely chopped
1 medium chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2.5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 lime leaves, fresh or dried
generous pinch of turmeric
400ml can coconut milk
4 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
prawn crackers, to serve

1. Peel the prawns, leaving the tail end on.
2. Bruise the lemon grass stems with the end of a rolling pin. Cut in half lengthways, then into eight long pieces. Put the shallots, chilli, garlic, ginger, lime leaves, lemon grass and turmeric in a pan with the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper.
3. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ Gas 4/ fan oven 160ºC.
4. Cut out eight 33cm circles from sheets of baking parchment or greaseproof paper. Use two circles per parcel.
5. Divide the prawns, salmon and monkfish between the four parcels. Bring the paper up and shape into a pouch (see tip), but don’t close. Pour in the coconut milk, making sure each parcel has an even share of all the flavourings. Sprinkle over the coriander. Tie up the tops of the parcels with string or raffia.
6. Put on a baking sheet and bake for 10 –15 minutes. Serve the pouches in bowls with prawn crackers and Thai rice.

Make ahead: infuse the coconut milk and flavourings up to several hours ahead. Make up the pouches up to 30 minutes ahead and chill
Shaping the parcels: To hold the parcels together while shaping, fit each double paper circle into a small bowl, then add the prawns and milk. The bowl supports the paper, making it easier to tie up the pouches without any spills. Remove the parcels from the bowl and bake as above.

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Tartiflette

This is the yummy local speciality and generally we serve this on Saturday evenings as our guests cannot wait to once again enjoy this delicious Savoyard hearty meal!

1kg Potatoes
1 large onion
200g Lardons Fumés (smoked bacon pieces)
1 Reblochon cheese
200ml (double ream) or use crème fraiche
salt & pepper

Serves 4-6

1. Preheat the oven to 160º
2. Firstly peel the potatoes. Cut in half, half again lengthways and then into thin slices widthways. Boil until just soft. Strain and leave to cool.
3. Next peel and finely chop the onion. Fry until browned in a good knob of butter.In a large gratin dish rub the base with a garlic clove, cover the base with the potatoes and then spread the onions and lardons over evenly. Season. Pour over half the cream and then cover the top with thick wedges of the Reblochon cheese. Pour over the remaining cream.
4. Place in the oven and cook until the Reblochon has turned a golden brown colour and the ingredients are bubbling away….approx 45mins.
5. Serve with a light green salad and a refreshing white wine

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Puddings

Melting Chocolate Puddings

These puddings make a wicked finale to your dinner party – the centre oozes a rich chocolate sauce as your spoon goes in………need I say more…….
If you wish you can make the mixture the day before and spoon into the moulds. Cover with cling film and chill. If they have been in the fridge for a day then cook for 15 mins. Divine served with banana ice-cream!
Prep: 20 mins Cooking: 12-15 mins Serves: 5 Fairly Easy

140g butter
140g good quality chocolate, roughly chopped
3 eggs, plus 3 egg yolks
85g golden caster sugar
50g plain flour

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/Gas4/Fan oven 160c.
2. Butter six 175ml dariole moulds and sit on a baking sheet.
3. Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (or melt in the microwave on High for 3 mins.) Stir occasionally until melted, then set aside.
4. Using an electric hand whisk, whisk together the eggs, yolks and sugar for about 3 mins. until pale.
5. With the hand blender set to medium, whisk in the melted chocolate. Gently fold in the flour, then divide between the moulds.
6. Bake for 10-12 mins until risen, but still flat on top and not quite firm. Loosen the edges with a round bladed knife and turn out immediately.
7. Serve with cream or ice-cream

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Lemon Curd Roulade

A delicious, stunning, light and refreshing end to a meal.
The lemon curd is made in the microwave and can be made up to a week ahead – any leftover is a delicious treat on toast for breakfast! The meringue is soft and rolls just like a swiss roll with fresh cream and lemon curd oozing out……..

Prep: 30 mins. Cooking: 45 mins. Serves: 6 EASY

For the Roulade
5 egg whites, 125g caster sugar, 1tsp cornflour
For the Lemon Curd & Filling
100g butter, 2 eggs + 2 egg yolks, 200g caster sugar, 3 lemons grated, 4 fl oz juice
½ pint double cream lightly whipped

1. Whisk the whites until stiff. Add 1 tbsp. of sugar, whisk again and gradually add the rest of the sugar. Whisk in cornflour. Spoon into a small swiss roll tin (greased and lined)
2. Melt the butter in a microwave (1min). Whisk together the rest of the ingredients, beat in butter and cook for another 2 mins. Stir well and cook for another 2 mins until starting to set – leave to cool.
3. Turn meringue onto parchment paper dusted with icing sugar. Mix 6 tbsp. of lemon curd gently into whipped cream and spread over the meringue.
4. Using the parchment paper gently roll up and transfer to a serving plate.
5. Decorate with fresh fruit if you wish

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Afternoon Tea Cakes

Tunisian Almond Cake

This cake is so easy – just measure everything into a bowl, stir, pop into a cold oven, mix the topping ingredients into a pan, heat, stir and then pour over the cooked cake…

Prep: 10mins. Cooking: 50 mins. Serves: 8 EASY

70g breadcrumbs
300g caster sugar
150g ground almonds
2tsp baking powder
300ml sunflower oil
5 eggs
zest of 2 small oranges and 1 lemon

1. Mix the breadcrumbs with the sugar, almonds & baking powder in a large bowl.
2. Add oil & eggs and beat well. Stir in zest.
3. Pour into greased lined 8 inch cake tin.
4. Put into a cold oven set to 190c/Gas5 for 40-50 mins until a skewer comes out clean.
5. Make syrup topping: Put juice of orange, lemon, 150g sugar, 3 cloves & 3 cinnamon sticks into a pan.
6. Bring to boil & stir until sugar dissolves, simmer for 3 mins.
7. Pierce holes in cake and pour over (you could pop a couple of cinnamon sticks on the cake first for decoration…).

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Chocolate Courgette Cake

We had great fun trying to get people to guess one of the main ingredients in this cake – nobody came up with courgettes! This is a very dark, indulgent and delicious cake to make…you won’t be disappointed

Prep: 25 mins. Cooking: 50 mins Serves 8-10 EASY

225g very dark chocolate
225g plain white flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
110g caster sugar
225g finely grated courgettes
190ml sunflower oil
2 eggs
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
salt
ICING
100g unsalted butter
150g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
water

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, 350F, Gas4.
2. Grease a 1kg loaf tin and line with baking powder.
3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over boiling water.
4. Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate and cinnamon into a large bowl. Mix in the sugar and courgettes.
5. In another bowl beat the oil and eggs together, stir in the oil and eggs into the dry ingredients, then add the melted chocolate.
6. Pour into the tin and bake for 50 mins. or until the loaf is well risen.
7. Allow to cool, then turn onto a wire rack.

For the icing:
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa and beat into the butter and sugar with enough water to make a smooth and easy icing to spread all over the cake.

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Pear and White Chocolate cake

This cake is absolutely delicious and loved by adults and children – it is our most popular afternoon tea cake!

200g Butter ~ soft
175g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
225g Self-raising Flour
Pinch of Salt
½ tsp Baking Powder
2 tbsp Calvados (or other dark alchol)
4 large fresh ripe pears or 1 large tin pears ~ cut into small pieces
125g white chocolate ~ roughly chopped

1. 1. Preheat oven to 190ºc/gas 5. Line a 9inch round cake tin
2. 2. In a large bowl cream the butter & sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until well combined.
3. 3. In a separate bowl sift the flour, salt, baking powder. Fold it into the butter mixture with the calvados pears & white chocolate.
4. 4. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 30mins. Loosely cover the top with foil and cook for a further 20-25mins until firm to touch.

5. Cool in the tin, turn out onto a plate and sprinkle with castor sugar.