From the Serie - Menu du Jour...

MENU du JOUR

Saturday 14.11.09

Sliced warm veal tongue with herb vinaigrette
Lingua tiepida di vitello con vinaigrette alle erbe

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Risotto ai funghi chanterelle d'automne, riduzioni di cervo

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Stewed Bresse pigeon with black olives, mushrooms and thyme
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Semi-dry goat cheese from Eaux Vives Market and lamb's lettuce salad
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Clémentine de Corse

Autumn is one of my favourite seasons of the year, the transition from summer into winter, when nights become noticeably earlier and apetites awaken as if from sleep. Our body responds to the transition from warm to cold weather, and its related status as the season of the primary harvest, assimilating the new colours, smells and habits.

For me Autumn comes as the green light for good and comforting food, all that food lovers have waited for, the best excuse to eat with a clear conscience. Not that my conscience was ever an obstacle when it comes to food.

It was one of those typical Saturday mornings in Geneva and after picking the ingredients in the Eaux Vives market we were off for an afternoon of serious cooking.

Six pigeon caracasses were roasted to prepare a brown chicken stock as a base for many preparations. Once brown, simply brush them with tomate paste and roast for 3-4 additional minutes. A delicate broth made with fresh leeks, carrots, turnips and onions will slowly cook our veal tongue which will be ultimately sliced and served with a herb vinaigrette. A must on this recipe is to slice the onion which has cooked in the broth and serve it on petals with olive oil and sea salt to balance it's natural sweetness.

"I see risottos being prepared since I was 3 years old" states Federico Colombo, perhaps exagerating with the words, however not an overstatement to say that his mushroom risotto with a venison reduction was close to perfection.

The pigeons followed, quickly seared and finished in a clear pigeon broth, along with black olives and mushrooms, served with buttered mashed potatoes.

Cheese, lamb's lettuce and obviously wine quite a lot of wine.