Divya Gugnani: Hi I am Divya Gugnani.
Caroline Alexa McBride: I am Caroline Alexa McBride.
Divya Gugnani: And we are here at Brasserie Cognac where french classics turn into modern creations.
Caroline Alexa McBride: It cost the most setting and is a french pessary inspired menu featuring over a 102 varieties of cognac. Cognac is even incorporated into some of its sizzling signature dishes.
Divya Gugnani: Let's learn how to cook with cognac. It's time to go behind the burner and meet the chef. We are here at cognac brasserie with the executive chef Florian Hugo. Florian, what are we making today?
Florian Hugo: We're making beef paella Flambé with a green pepper corn sauce and brushed remain with a lemon cream. So we have a beef paella that we made overnight.
Divya Gugnani: And what type of beef is that?
Florian Hugo: It is a prime beef, American beef. I always start it off to make a nice shape. Just a little canola oil or vegetable oil.
Divya Gugnani: The pan is nice and hot.
Florian Hugo: Nice and hot. And when you put it in the pan, it is nice to brush it with oil a little bit so that it doesn't attach to the pan.
Divya Gugnani: So, it does stick. You just want to get a nice sear on the outside.
Florian Hugo: Nice searing. The reason why we sear is we don't want to need to boil and lose all the blood and juice that it has inside. Even if you eat the meat, or even well done, it's still important to keep the juice inside. Otherwise it is going to be completely dry and not very, you won't have the same taste at all.
Divya Gugnani: Right.
Florian Hugo: Nice brown coloration. Same thing with the other side. So if you want it medium red, you count about seven to eight minutes. And then you let it red for atleast four minutes. So, now since the pan is not burning out we can keep it in the same hot. And we are going to use, while we use the soak and fresh, we are going to use the drippings to finish the sauce.
Divya Gugnani: Of course. It gives that really beautiful meat flavor.
Florian Hugo: Exactly, that's why you have to fit. This is very important part. If you burn it, then you can not just put the sauce, you modify your recipe right there. Now the meat is ready. We are going to let it rest for about four, five minutes. We are going to put just a little bit of water in the pan.
Divya Gugnani: And why do u afraid to use butter instead of oil?
Florian Hugo: Because, the butter is more digest in the sauce and the few
Divya Gugnani: Right.
Florian Hugo: If you put oil that most like pepper and salt is going to break.
Divya Gugnani: The oil will separate from the sauce and it'll destroy the whole texture and the beauty of the sauce. Butter will just emulsify right in.
Florian Hugo: Exactly. So we are now in the Flambé part where we put a little bit of butter.
Divya Gugnani: Now the butter is all melted. We are ready for the Cognac.
Florian Hugo: Ready for Cognac.
Divya Gugnani: And we are on fire. We are officially behind the burner.
Florian Hugo: So, we will now put the meat on the plate and we will finish the sauce. So we have the base pepper corn sauce that we have here. And we are going to finish the recipe. We have all those seeds, all the drippings from the meat combined with the butter in the cognac and our base sauce. The flavor is awaking up now with the cognac.
Divya Gugnani: And they are melting together.
Florian Hugo: Melting together.
Divya Gugnani: Wow! This looks fabulous.
Caroline Alexa McBride: What are we eating?
Florian Hugo: We are eating the beef paella that we just flambé on the cards with green pepper corn sauce, and nice parts of romaine that we brush lightly with the lemon cream, pepper and olive oil and also a few salty mini potatoes.
Divya Gugnani: I am ready to eat.
Caroline Alexa McBride: I can't wait to try it.
Divya Gugnani: The pepper corn is a fantastic compliment with the meat. It really gives it the effect of earthiness and spice up the same time. So Florian, what do you like to drink with this lovely dish?
Florian Hugo: Well, two things. Nice good old red wine. But also especially with that dish, I like to try with the actual cognac.
Caroline Alexa McBride: Do you see the cook let's toast our gracious chef.
Florian Hugo: Thank you.
Divya Gugnani: I will drink to that.
Florian Hugo: Hope you enjoyed the meal.
Divya Gugnani: Behind the Burner members can enjoy this exclusive offer to purchase cognacs at behindtheburner.com. So stay tuned to Behind the Burner, where we give you the tips, tricks and techniques that are lighting the culinary world on fire.
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