A three-course feast from Le Cordon Bleu

Fancy yourself a proper gastronomical wunderkind? Flex your culinary muscles and give the Le Cordon Bleu courses a test run with these three recipes from the school. We can't promise you won't be booking yourself onto the first available course once you're done

Published: Tuesday 31st January 2023

Anyone can whip up a spaghetti bolognese. Most people who are somewhat nifty in the kitchen can throw together a stir fry. But what if you're looking for more from your meals? Do you dream of sous vide-ing, slow-cooking and caramelising? Well then, look to Le Cordon Bleu, the world's leading culinary school.  

At Le Cordon Bleu London, you will be inspired to develop your passion for the culinary arts, wine and management. Le Cordon Bleu Master Chefs are classically trained chefs and qualified teachers, whilst their lecturers contribute a wealth of knowledge gained through years of experience in both education and the hospitality industry.

London is widely considered the gastronomic capital of the world, attracting ambitious culinary and hospitality talents from around the globe. Whilst studying in the UK capital, you will be surrounded by a rich variety of international cuisines and lifestyles.

Traditional French culinary techniques remain at the heart of Le Cordon Bleu, but its academic programmes are constantly adapted to include new, innovative technologies required to suit the growing needs of the hospitality industry. The London institute offers a large range of programmes from professional diplomas, certificates and short courses, covering cuisine, pâtisserie, wine, nutrition, plant-based and management, to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in culinary arts and hospitality management.

Give the courses a test run with this three-course menu that will push the boundaries of your abilities and offer a looking glass into the meals you could be whipping up after a stint at Le Cordon Bleu. 

Cauliflower Steak with Ras El Hanout, cauliflower couscous and cauliflower purée

Serves 4

Preparation time 75 minutes

Cooking time 85 minutes

This spiced cauliflower steak recipe is warming, flavoursome, and totally free from animal products. Accompanied by a velvety cauliflower puree and tangy cauliflower couscous, this plant-based recipe utilises the whole vegetable so there is minimal waste.

Recipes similar to this are taught as part of the Diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts, perfect for those looking to learn more about this expanding sector of the industry and create dishes that meet the growing demand for vegan, vegetarian and plant-based foods and products.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium cauliflowers

  • vegetable oil

Ras el hanout spice mix


  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds

  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds

  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns

  • 1 tbsp white peppercorns

  • 1 tbsp cloves

  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 
1 tbsp caraway seeds

  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds

  • 10g cardamom pods

  • 10g star anise

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 1 nutmeg

  • 1tsp dried rose petals
  • Pinch saffron threads

  • 1tbsp smoked paprika
  • Cauliflower purée
  • 
350g cauliflower, left over from the steaks

  • 1 onion, thinly sliced

  • 100g cashews 

  • 600ml almond milk

Cauliflower couscous


  • 100g cauliflower, leftover from the steaks
  • 
50g cashews, toasted 

  • 30g golden raisins 

  • 20g preserved lemons

  • Small bunch parsley

Garnish


  • 50g wild rice 

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

  • 1 punnet coriander cress
  • Salt 
pepper to season

Method

  1. Slice the cauliflower into two 1-inch steaks from the centre of the cauliflower. Set aside the left over cauliflower for the purée and couscous.
  2. Score the core of the cauliflower in a diamond pattern then place the cauliflower in a colander and steam in a bain-marie until cooked halfway through, about 12-15 minutes. Carefully remove the steaks and allow to cool.
  3. Ras el hanout spice mix: In a frying pan set over low heat, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, turmeric, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom pods and star anise. Once lightly toasted and smelling fragrant, place in a spice grinder along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron and smoked paprika and blend to a fine powder.
  4. Cauliflower purée: Slice the leftover cauliflower florets.
  5. In a large pan, sweat the onion in the oil until soft and translucent.
  6. In another pan, toast the cashews until golden then leave to cool. Roughly chop and set aside 50 g for the couscous.
  7. Add the cauliflower florets and remaining cashews to the onions and sweat until translucent.
  8. Sprinkle over 1 dessertspoon of ras el hanout, pour in the almond milk and cook until tender.
  9. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth.
  10. Cauliflower couscous: Put the remaining cauliflower in a food processor and whizz until it resembles couscous.
  11. Line a colander with muslin cloth, put the couscous inside, season and steam over a ban-marie for 2 minutes, then set aside to cool.
  12. Rehydrate the raisins with a little hot water from the bain-marie, allow to cool then drain and add to the couscous.
  13. Dice the preserved lemons and chop the parsley. Fold into the couscous along with the reserved chopped cashews.
  14. Assembly: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan to 220°C. Quickly add the rice for 5 seconds until puffed. Remove and place directly on kitchen paper.
  15. Fry the cauliflower steak in oil until lightly coloured then sprinkle with ras el hanout and 1 tablespoon of water. Flip over and cook until tender.
  16. To serve, spread a layer of cauliflower purée on the plate and top with couscous, carefully place the cauliflower steak on top then sprinkle over coriander cress and puffed rice.

Pan roasted cod, herb gnocchi, clams, parsley and garlic sauce

Serves 4

Preparation time 2 hours

Cooking time 1 hour 40

In this dish the cod fillet plays centre stage and is complemented by herby gnocchi, a classically made sauce, clams and samphire. The cod is cured prior to pan frying which is a technique used to firm the flesh and it also brings out the flavour.

This recipe provides an excellent example of some of the techniques taught on the Diplôme de Cuisine.

Ingredients

  • 4 cod fillets (about 180 g each)
  • 28g table salt
  • 20ml olive oil
  • 50g butter, chopped

Herb gnocchi

  • 400g potatoes
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 75g flour
  • 20g fresh mixed herbs (parsley, chervil, chives), chopped

Clams

  • 100g palourde clams, in shells
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 20ml olive oil
  • 50ml white wine
  • Parsley and garlic sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 25g butter
  • 50ml wine
  • 100ml fish stock
  • 100ml whipping cream
  • 20g parsley

Decoration

  • 40g samphire

Method

  1. Sprinkle each cod fillet with 7 g of salt on all sides including the skin (ratio of 4 g of salt per 100 g of fish). Wrap in cling film and marinate in the fridge for 1.5 hours. Rinse in cold water and pat dry.
  2. Herb gnocchi: Pre heat oven to 200˚C. Bake the potatoes (skin on) until soft, about 1.5 hours. Remove the skin and push the flesh through a fine sieve while still hot (there should be about 250 g of pulp). Cool to room temperature. Add the egg yolk, flour, fresh herbs and some salt and knead until a dough is formed. Shape the gnocchi into evenly sized ovals and mark with a fork. Cook in boiling salted water until the gnocchi rise to the surface, about 3 to 5 minutes. Refresh by placing into iced water and set aside until needed.
  3. Clams: Immerse the clams in salty water to remove the sand, then rinse under cold running water. Set aside to drain. Sweat shallot and garlic in oil until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the clams and white wine. Cover and steam (à la marinière) for 3 to 5 minutes until the clams open. Remove clams from stock, allow to cool and loosen from shells. Reserve until needed.
  4. Parsley and garlic sauce: Reduce oven temperature to 160˚C. Roast garlic cloves in foil until soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Sweat shallot in butter until soft, about 3 minutes. Deglaze with wine and reduce by 50% and add fish stock and reduce by 50%. Add cream, pass through a fine mesh sieve and season. Pass garlic through a sieve and add to sauce a little at a time whilst tasting. Keep warm.
  5. Decoration: Blanch samphire in salted boiling water for about 2 minutes. Refresh by placing into iced water and set aside until needed.
  6. Increase oven temperature to 180˚C. Put olive oil into a large oven proof frying pan over a high heat and place cod skin side down to colour. Add chopped butter and allow to foam. Remove from heat and place in oven for 5 minutes. Remove and baste with butter and keep warm.
  7. To serve: Aerate sauce (optional) using a hand blender until frothy, add chopped parsley and clams. Reheat the gnocchi and samphire separately in boiling water. Pour a little sauce into the centre of a plate, top with the pan roasted cod. Arrange gnocchi and clams around the cod and finish with samphire.

Chocolate-dipped honey madeleines

Makes 24

Preparation time 44 minutes

Cooking time 32 minutes

Madeleines are traditional small cakes from France, and this delicious recipe takes them to the next level with addition of honey and a chocolate coating, the perfect homemade treat. The recipe needs to be started the day before you plan to bake them, but it’s worth it!

Classic techniques such as this are taught as part of the Diplôme de Pâtisserie.

Ingredients

  • 85g unsalted butter

  • 2 eggs
  • 
130g honey

  • 35ml milk

  • 170g flour, sifted
  • 
1tsp baking powder, sifted
  • 
200g dark chocolate

Method

  1. This recipe must be started 1 day ahead. You will need 2 regular sized Madeleine sheet moulds (12 madeleines) or you will have to cook 2 batches
  2. Heat unsalted butter until it turns golden brown and the milk solids colour and stick to the bottom of the saucepan (this is known as ‘beurre noisette’). Remove from heat immediately and strain through a fine-meshed wire strainer; set aside to cool.
  3. Beat the egg yolks and the honey. Add the milk then the sifted flour and baking powder; stir to combine. Gradually blend in the ‘beurre noisette’ until the batter starts to become foamy and increases in volume. Cover the bowl with cling film; refrigerate overnight.
  4. The next day, preheat the oven to 200ºC. Brush the mould with unsalted butter, dust with flour and tip out the excess.
  5. Fill the imprints with the batter using a spoon or piping bag. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the Madeleines start to colour; lower the oven temperature to 180ºC and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn out immediately and cool on a rack.
  6. If you are using 1 mould, there will be enough for a second batch.
  7. Temper the chocolate: Coarsely chop the chocolate. Place 140 g in a bowl; melt over a simmering bain-marie until the temperature reaches 45ºC on a cooking thermometer. Remove the bowl from the heat and add the remaining chocolate, stirring until the temperature drops to 27ºC. Return the bowl to the bain-marie, stir gently and reheat the chocolate to 32ºC.
  8. Using a fork, dip the lined side of the Madeleines into the chocolate; set aside on baking parchment. Let the chocolate harden at room temperature before serving.
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