0:00:05 > 0:00:09Only an elite group of chefs holds two Michelin stars.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Michel Roux Jr is one of them.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14HE GIVES ORDERS
0:00:15 > 0:00:20He has given us a taste of how to create the great classics.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25Tonight is the masterclass.
0:00:25 > 0:00:26Perfect.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Michel Roux Jr is part of a culinary dynasty.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47The Roux family reputation is based on their level of excellence
0:00:47 > 0:00:50in executing traditional French cuisine.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Ever since I can remember, I was brought up on the classics.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Be it at home with my father and mother or in my working life.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00They are in my blood.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05I've been working for Chef Michel for over three years.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I've always respected the classics,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10because that's what we base the food on today.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14We needed the foundation to work from,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17so knowing the classics, then work your way up from there.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24All these dishes I'm going to cook today are very personal to me.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26They are part of my culinary journey.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34The first classic dish that I'm cooking is oeuf poche meurette.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40It's a poached egg served on a brioche toast with smoked bacon
0:01:40 > 0:01:44and glazed onions and a little bit of mushroom.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47The origins of this recipe are from Burgundy in France.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Obviously, Burgundy famous for its wine,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52and therefore the egg is poached in red wine
0:01:52 > 0:01:54and served with a red wine sauce.
0:01:56 > 0:01:57It's a beautiful dish.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01I remember first coming across this dish
0:02:01 > 0:02:06when I was doing my military service in Paris, cooking for President Mitterrand.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09It was one of his favourite dishes.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12It was great, but he used to have it as a breakfast!
0:02:16 > 0:02:19First job, some good red wine.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25A bottle.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28It seems fairly generous and almost wasteful,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31but we're going to be using that wine to make the sauce,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33so it's not going to be wasted.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37The wine's come up to the boil, turn it around a bit,
0:02:37 > 0:02:38and in goes the egg.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42That egg takes on a beautiful colour from the wine.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Of course, it's best to use a really strong wine,
0:02:45 > 0:02:49something like a Shiraz or Syrah, something that's got body.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54Now for the onions. Straight into a pan, with a little bit of butter.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56Salt.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59And a pinch of sugar,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03to give them that extra sweetness and shine.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06There we go.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Being gentle with it all the time, obviously,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13because we don't want to break the egg.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16That goes in there to cool down.
0:03:18 > 0:03:24And now we go onto the sauce, so pass the red wine through a sieve.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27There we go.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30And now that has to reduce down to a glaze.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Whilst that's happening...
0:03:34 > 0:03:37I'm chopping the shallots and getting the duxelles of mushrooms ready.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47So the shallots into a pan with a little bit of oil,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50and we'll add the mushrooms to that.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I get great pleasure out of this! It's therapeutic. It's lovely.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01You're on top of the mushrooms and you get this lovely aroma.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Now we going to add a little bit of cream to it.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14And that's going to cook down.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Whilst that's happening, we can get the smoked bacon ready.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20I'm going to cook these in the oven.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Here we have the red wine, almost down to nothing,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31so now is the time for the veal stock to go in.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38Now that is going to be reduced down to a glaze.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Mmm.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Wow, nice!
0:04:43 > 0:04:45We are going to sit the egg on a brioche,
0:04:45 > 0:04:46but not just a slice of brioche,
0:04:46 > 0:04:51I'm going to pan fry it in clarified butter, making it really rich,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54crispy golden on the outside, but soft and moist on the inside.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Wee-hee, look at that, lovely.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05Let's get the lardons on the other gas.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Fried bread, egg, bacon...
0:05:10 > 0:05:11Can't go wrong.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Mmm!
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Oh, my word, that is good.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21So, now we have to plate up...
0:05:23 > 0:05:26We'll go to town with this presentation.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34The onions...
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Look at that lovely sweet glaze on them.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44They look shiny, they look beautiful and appetising.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Now for the lardons.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57The final touch,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01a little bit of the sauce on top of the egg.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11And a slice of our lovely bacon
0:06:11 > 0:06:13draped over the top.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17And there we have it, oeuf poche meurette,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19a beautiful Burgundian speciality.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26I think that's looks pretty as a picture and looks...classy.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Beautiful! Mmm.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50I am now going to cook a dodine de canard aux pistaches.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54That is a whole duck stuffed like a pate, studded with pistachios
0:06:54 > 0:06:57and traditionally served at the table.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01This is not a dish that you can knock up and just serve,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05it takes three days of preparation so you have to think and plan ahead,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09but it's well worth the work and worth the wait!
0:07:13 > 0:07:17Basically, a dodine de canard is a pate, but it's going to be served whole, as a whole duck,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19so we need to bone out the duck.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Straight down the middle...
0:07:25 > 0:07:29and we, literally, follow the bones...
0:07:29 > 0:07:33and very gently teasing it open.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44The first time I saw this dish I was an apprentice in Paris
0:07:44 > 0:07:48in a charcuterie shop, famous for its pates,
0:07:48 > 0:07:53and this particular dish would always take centre stage of the shop window,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56it's something that's really special,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59attracts the eye and brings theatre.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03I have to go very carefully.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Nice clean carcass...and...
0:08:14 > 0:08:19the duck, the only hole is a natural hole.
0:08:20 > 0:08:25Season this now with salt, pepper...
0:08:28 > 0:08:30..a little splash of brandy
0:08:30 > 0:08:32and a little splash of port,
0:08:32 > 0:08:34gives it a real sweetness.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37We then to put this in the fridge overnight
0:08:37 > 0:08:42so as all the lovely seasoning manages to permeate into the flesh.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48The next step of this wonderful pate
0:08:48 > 0:08:51is to make the forcemeat, or the stuffing.
0:08:51 > 0:08:57For this we use pork fat, pork meat and a little bit more duck meat.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01The chicken livers that have been diced up and marinated as well,
0:09:01 > 0:09:02in the same seasoning,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and the farci au gratin, the liver puree.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11So the next step is to mince the pork fat, pork meat and the duck.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14This is an old-fashioned hand mincer.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Maybe I am a bit old-fashioned,
0:09:18 > 0:09:22but there's so much more pleasure out of doing it by hand.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27That's right.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32So we have the mincemeat here, we need to add the duck puree to it,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35a few pistachios, the marinated liver.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Now we take the duck and in goes the stuffing.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51Quick wash of hands before we operate!
0:09:53 > 0:09:55So...
0:09:55 > 0:09:58In goes the needle, pull...
0:10:00 > 0:10:04Chefs very seldom gets the chance to see classic cookery at its best
0:10:04 > 0:10:09and when we do dishes like this the staff absolutely love it,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13they're all over this dish because it's so unusual, so special,
0:10:13 > 0:10:19it is steeped in history and that's what the classics are all about.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21That's it.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24There you go. Now to cook the dodine de canard.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34It needs about an hour and a half, to two hours' cooking,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36slow cooking, love and attention.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42Then it's got to be refrigerated for at least 12 hours, overnight,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44for it to set and settle.
0:10:46 > 0:10:47Now...
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Our dodine de canard.
0:10:59 > 0:11:00Mmm!
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Oh, that's perfect, look at that, that's absolutely glorious!
0:11:13 > 0:11:16All it needs now are a few home-made pickles.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Three days of hard work for this wonderful, beautiful classic dish,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29dodine de canard farci aux pistaches.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34It is the pate of all pates.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47We are very fond of pasta as a family
0:11:47 > 0:11:52and this particular dish I remember seeing my uncle cook as a child.
0:11:52 > 0:11:58les nouilles aux fruits de mer, pasta with seafood.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04It actually made it to my uncle's menu in his restaurant.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07It is a favourite. It is a beautiful dish.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17We've got five different kinds of seafood here that need preparation.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19The mussels first.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25They need to be rinsed and checked for the beards,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28check for any barnacles on there.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33Then we have the razor clams, they get the same treatment.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35A little rinse.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38To steam the mussels and the razor clams,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40we use a little bit of shallot
0:12:40 > 0:12:41and that's going to add sweetness to the sauce.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46They're going to steam. I'm going to take them out.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48I'm going to keep that lovely liquor
0:12:48 > 0:12:50and use that as the basis of the sauce.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53A little bit of dry white wine,
0:12:53 > 0:12:54lid on.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Now for the winkles.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57I'm a Frenchman and I love snails
0:12:57 > 0:13:00and these are only just small snails, from the sea!
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Unfortunately, we don't use enough winkles, they're delicious.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08These have been boiled, but then you just take a toothpick
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and dig them out.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14This protective cap needs to come off.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18If you turn the winkle over, it's intestine just pulls off.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26The scallop, I want to use just the best part, which is the white.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34So, in they go, to this simmering liquor
0:13:34 > 0:13:37and I just want to ever so slightly cook them
0:13:37 > 0:13:41because we are going to be cooking them again in the finished sauce.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Next, the langoustine.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Little squeeze here and out it pops.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54So, I'm going to keep one of the heads for decoration.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59The other heads we're going to put back into the cooking liquor,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01along with some fish stock.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Now we need to finish off the mussels and razor clams.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10The sweetest and best part is this pure white meat here.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18The sauce has now reduced and it's intense.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21The double cream goes into this reduction
0:14:21 > 0:14:23and we let it reduce again.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28Mmm! You can smell the sea in there, you can smell the langoustine,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31the mussels, it's all there and the white wine.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Press the shells, the shallots...
0:14:39 > 0:14:42in this trusty old sieve that's seen many a sauce!
0:14:45 > 0:14:47There we go. Ahh!
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Now what we need to do is roll out that pasta out, cook it
0:14:51 > 0:14:53and bring the dish together.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00And in we go, we start rolling.
0:15:03 > 0:15:09Tagliatelle, or thin pasta, I think works best with this sauce
0:15:09 > 0:15:13because you can coat the sauce on every strand of pasta.
0:15:13 > 0:15:14Now the final moment.
0:15:22 > 0:15:23In they go.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Mmm!
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Fresh pasta cooks very, very quickly.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44It goes straight into another pan...
0:15:44 > 0:15:47a little bit of the sauce on the pasta.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Now to reheat the seafood
0:15:49 > 0:15:54and it IS only reheating, not cooking.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58Finally, the tomato goes into the sauce at the last second.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Right!
0:16:30 > 0:16:33And there we have it, les nouilles aux fruits de mer...
0:16:34 > 0:16:37..fresh pasta with seafood and cream sauce.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44A beautiful dish, fit for a king!
0:17:07 > 0:17:10This particular dish is an all-time favourite of mine.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19These are a classic accompaniment to pigeon in France.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22It's rather like bangers and mash in England.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27Pigeon, peas, but they have to be cooked a la Francais,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29peas in the style of the French.
0:17:29 > 0:17:34And that is with bacon, wilted lettuce, carrot and onion.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37The perfect accompaniment for a roast pigeon.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41The roast pigeon dish I've never cooked before, myself,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45you have to have such a skill because it's roasted on the bone,
0:17:45 > 0:17:51but once it all comes together it's such a buttery and scrumptious dish.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56This dish is going to be accompanied by a confit grilled potato.
0:17:56 > 0:18:02It needs a long, slow cooking, so it's the first job to do.
0:18:03 > 0:18:08Cut it about a centimetre and a half and then just shape it.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Beautiful shape.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18That's goes straight onto the grill.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26So it has the lovely criss-cross and slightly smoky flavour.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32Beautifully marked on both sides, it goes into the duck fat.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37So now this is going to go in the oven for long and slow cooking.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Next step is to prepare the pigeon.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Just two or three minutes to get colour on there
0:18:46 > 0:18:50and then turn it over and colour on the other side as well.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Ooh, that's it! And then into the oven.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07The sweetness of the peas is what works with the pigeon.
0:19:07 > 0:19:08It's the perfect marriage.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Chicken stock here...
0:19:13 > 0:19:18I'm going to infuse some of the pods with the stock,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21bringing in more, and more, and more flavour.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Now, I'm going to cook the lardons.
0:19:26 > 0:19:33Just as it's starting to render down I'm going to put the onions in,
0:19:33 > 0:19:35then the carrots.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40At this stage no salt, the bacon is very salty there,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42so we have to be very careful.
0:19:42 > 0:19:43Now for the peas.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47All the flavours mingling there.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Pass the stock through a fine sieve
0:19:52 > 0:19:56and that's intense sweet pea flavour.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Lots of butter.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Everything has still got vibrant colours.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Taste.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Take that pigeon out.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23I rest the pigeon upside down,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27so that all the juices will permeate back into the breast
0:20:27 > 0:20:30as opposed to just running out.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Just need to shred a little bit of lettuce now.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35I'm using a lovely round lettuce, which is tender,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38but has got a slight bitter edge to it.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41This lettuce actually comes from my father's garden,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44it's a really special lettuce.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51The pigeon is now fully rested
0:20:51 > 0:20:54and we're going to take the legs off.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Oh, yes! That is a lovely perfect pink.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06It's moist, it's hot inside.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Just how we like it!
0:21:11 > 0:21:17Last second, the lettuce goes into the peas, just should be wilted,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19still have a little bit of crunch to it.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Now we need to flood the plate.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30With these lovely, beautiful peas...
0:21:30 > 0:21:35and the confit potato, oozing and dripping with duck fat.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Finally, the pigeon breast resting on top...
0:21:43 > 0:21:45..and the crispy legs.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49It looks divine.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59There you have it, pigeon aux petits pois, a beautiful dish.
0:21:59 > 0:22:00A great French classic.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19I'm now going to cook one of my favourite deserts, all-time favourite deserts,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21a St Honore a la creme Chantilly.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Every pastry or bakery shop in France worth its pinch of salt
0:22:30 > 0:22:32has their own individual recipe,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34but it must have choux buns
0:22:34 > 0:22:38that are covered with lovely golden caramel.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41St Honore is not for the fainthearted,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44it is rich and indulgent, but truly delicious.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53First job is to roll out the puff pastry.
0:22:55 > 0:23:00St Honore is the patron saint of bakers, boulanger,
0:23:00 > 0:23:04and St Michel is the patron saint of patissiere.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06I don't know if my parents named me Michel
0:23:06 > 0:23:12because they wanted me to be a pastry chef, but I like that.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Now we cut our round.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23We use a fork to dot the puff pastry.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28This will stop the puff pastry from rising unevenly
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and stop it from shrinking as well.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33I put this into the fridge to rest
0:23:33 > 0:23:37and whilst that is resting I make the choux pastry.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40For this recipe I'm using water and milk,
0:23:40 > 0:23:43butter with a pinch of salt
0:23:43 > 0:23:46and a very generous pinch of sugar.
0:23:48 > 0:23:49Now add the sifted flour...
0:23:51 > 0:23:53..and mix it in.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01So once all the flour has been incorporated,
0:24:01 > 0:24:05it then goes back onto the heat.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10In French this is called dessecher, to dry out the choux pastry.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Now...
0:24:17 > 0:24:20to beat in the eggs, whole eggs, one at a time.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26It looks as if it's splitting, but it will come together,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29you have to really beat it.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36As soon as it's come together, you then put the next one in.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42If you haven't built up a sweat doing this,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44you're not doing it right!
0:24:45 > 0:24:48But just think of the reward.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56That's it. A lovely choux pastry.
0:24:56 > 0:24:57Into the piping bag.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02Now for your choux buns.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12Ooh.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17They should be of even size and shape,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20so they all cook at the same time.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31The puff pastry base, we want to put just a little crown,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33a little bit of choux pastry on it.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Not too much because if we put too much
0:25:36 > 0:25:38it'll halt the cooking process of the puff pastry.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Straight in the oven.
0:25:45 > 0:25:50So, whilst the puff pastry and the choux buns are cooking,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Chantilly cream.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55The Chantilly cream I'm making for my St Honore
0:25:55 > 0:25:56is flavoured with vanilla.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58I love Chantilly cream with vanilla,
0:25:58 > 0:26:03for me, it's just the perfect accompaniment for ANY desert.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05So, bit of icing sugar.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Whisking, and whisking, and whisking.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Look at that, ah!
0:26:21 > 0:26:23That's just right, that's beautiful.
0:26:27 > 0:26:28Mmm.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Next step, to get the caramel cooking.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Sugar, just drop of water...
0:26:36 > 0:26:39to start the process.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Right, let me get those choux buns.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51The choux buns are here, you can hear them,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53they're lovely crispy and light.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54So we've made a little hole,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57pushed the nozzle in and...
0:26:57 > 0:26:59pushed that cream in.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Mmm.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12There we go, they are nice and full.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14The caramel...
0:27:14 > 0:27:17smells sweet and...
0:27:17 > 0:27:20it's got that lovely, rich golden colour.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Now for the tricky part.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Take the choux buns, tip of the fingers,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30then...dipped in the caramel.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34A good St Honore should have just the right amount of caramel.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38Too much and it would be sickly.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45It needs just enough to hold it all together and give it that crunch!
0:27:45 > 0:27:47There we go.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00Just a bit of cocoa powder.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07And these lovely little glazed strawberries,
0:28:07 > 0:28:08which I think are beautiful.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24A beautiful French classic pastry shop desert.
0:28:26 > 0:28:31One that you would have to stop and go in and buy!
0:28:33 > 0:28:36I take great joy in cooking the classics,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39but the best part of it is, they're a joy to eat.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:29:05 > 0:29:08E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk