from the pot on to hot plates. Hand the limes separately, so that each person may spritz their own serving.
délices d’Argenteuil
serves 4
for the pancake batter
¾ lb flour
2 eggs
large pinch of salt
9 oz milk
4 tbsp butter, melted, plus extra for cooking the pancakes
for the hollandaise sauce
3 egg yolks
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
a little salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of ½ a lemon
16 asparagus spears, trimmed and peeled
8 very thin slices Parma ham
These utterly delicious pancakes hark back to my initial apprenticeship during the school holidays, aged sixteen, in a French restaurant called La Normandie, a few miles away from where I grew up, in Bury, Greater Manchester (then Lancashire). Although this is not their first outing from me, it is seventeen years since I first referred to them in
Roast Chicken and Other Stories
, so do please make some if they are new to you or when you feel in the mood to make pancakes, together with the accompanying hollandaise sauce. Also, try to wait for an English spring, when our home-grown asparagus is in season.
To make the pancake batter, whisk the flour, eggs, salt and half the milk together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the butter and enough of the remaining milk to achieve a thin, pouring cream consistency. Leave to stand for 30 minutes. To make the pancakes, use a 8 in, preferably non-stick frying pan (or a favorite pancake pan if you have a nicely “seasoned” one) and in it melt a small amount of butter. Allow it to become hot and sizzling, then pour in enough batter to thinly cover the base of the pan. This first pancake is usually a bit of a mess, so chuck it out and start afresh. Now, without greasing the pan again, make 8 thin pancakes and put to one side.
To make the hollandaise sauce, whisk together the egg yolks with a tiny splash of water in a stainless-steel pan over a very low heat, until thick and smooth. Now, off the heat, continue to whisk while pouring in the melted butter in a thin stream, leaving behind the milky residue that has settled in the bottom of the butter pan. Season the sauce and sharpen with lemon juice, to taste. Keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and a grill to hot.
Boil the asparagus in well-salted water for about 5 minutes or until tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Once done, lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a dish towel.
To assemble the délices, take a pancake, lay upon it a slice of ham, then arrange 4 asparagus spears on top. Roll up and place in a lightly buttered baking dish. Bake in the oven for about 15–20 minutes, or until just beginning to crisp at the edges. To make absolutely sure that they are heated through, pierce one with a thin skewer, leave for 5 seconds and lightly press against your bottom lip. If only warm, give them a few more minutes.
Remove the délices to a warmed serving dish and coat each one carefully with a spoonful of hollandaise sauce, running it along their length. Very briefly flash the délices under the broiler until only just gilded by the heat. Serve at once.
fried ham & cheese sandwich
serves 2
for the sandwich filling
9 oz grated Gruyère
2 small egg yolks
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 rounded tsp mustard powder
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
a few shakes of Tabasco sauce (optional, but it gives a nice extra kick)
a little salt
a touch of cream, but only if you think the mixture too thick, once made
4 slices of thin, white bread (square in shape)
4 thin slices of cooked ham
olive oil
These incredibly moreish sandwiches are based upon those served at Harry’s Bar, in Venice. If actually sitting at the bar at Harry’s, they are casually offered to those sitting there, maybe, like me sipping an ice-cold Martini. It is impossible to refuse—although be aware that they may easily appear on your drinks bill …
Very yummy chicken croquettes might also make occasional appearances, but it is this variation on the French “croque
délices d’Argenteuil
serves 4
for the pancake batter
¾ lb flour
2 eggs
large pinch of salt
9 oz milk
4 tbsp butter, melted, plus extra for cooking the pancakes
for the hollandaise sauce
3 egg yolks
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
a little salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of ½ a lemon
16 asparagus spears, trimmed and peeled
8 very thin slices Parma ham
These utterly delicious pancakes hark back to my initial apprenticeship during the school holidays, aged sixteen, in a French restaurant called La Normandie, a few miles away from where I grew up, in Bury, Greater Manchester (then Lancashire). Although this is not their first outing from me, it is seventeen years since I first referred to them in
Roast Chicken and Other Stories
, so do please make some if they are new to you or when you feel in the mood to make pancakes, together with the accompanying hollandaise sauce. Also, try to wait for an English spring, when our home-grown asparagus is in season.
To make the pancake batter, whisk the flour, eggs, salt and half the milk together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the butter and enough of the remaining milk to achieve a thin, pouring cream consistency. Leave to stand for 30 minutes. To make the pancakes, use a 8 in, preferably non-stick frying pan (or a favorite pancake pan if you have a nicely “seasoned” one) and in it melt a small amount of butter. Allow it to become hot and sizzling, then pour in enough batter to thinly cover the base of the pan. This first pancake is usually a bit of a mess, so chuck it out and start afresh. Now, without greasing the pan again, make 8 thin pancakes and put to one side.
To make the hollandaise sauce, whisk together the egg yolks with a tiny splash of water in a stainless-steel pan over a very low heat, until thick and smooth. Now, off the heat, continue to whisk while pouring in the melted butter in a thin stream, leaving behind the milky residue that has settled in the bottom of the butter pan. Season the sauce and sharpen with lemon juice, to taste. Keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and a grill to hot.
Boil the asparagus in well-salted water for about 5 minutes or until tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Once done, lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a dish towel.
To assemble the délices, take a pancake, lay upon it a slice of ham, then arrange 4 asparagus spears on top. Roll up and place in a lightly buttered baking dish. Bake in the oven for about 15–20 minutes, or until just beginning to crisp at the edges. To make absolutely sure that they are heated through, pierce one with a thin skewer, leave for 5 seconds and lightly press against your bottom lip. If only warm, give them a few more minutes.
Remove the délices to a warmed serving dish and coat each one carefully with a spoonful of hollandaise sauce, running it along their length. Very briefly flash the délices under the broiler until only just gilded by the heat. Serve at once.
fried ham & cheese sandwich
serves 2
for the sandwich filling
9 oz grated Gruyère
2 small egg yolks
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 rounded tsp mustard powder
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
a few shakes of Tabasco sauce (optional, but it gives a nice extra kick)
a little salt
a touch of cream, but only if you think the mixture too thick, once made
4 slices of thin, white bread (square in shape)
4 thin slices of cooked ham
olive oil
These incredibly moreish sandwiches are based upon those served at Harry’s Bar, in Venice. If actually sitting at the bar at Harry’s, they are casually offered to those sitting there, maybe, like me sipping an ice-cold Martini. It is impossible to refuse—although be aware that they may easily appear on your drinks bill …
Very yummy chicken croquettes might also make occasional appearances, but it is this variation on the French “croque
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