CULINARY INFO
Chocolate

Since launching my original chocolate pages and the release of the movie "Chocolat" you would not believe the emails I have received requesting recipes from this movie. These pages therefore, are dedicated to these very requests. I finally found the time to sit and watch the movie almost frame by frame to deduce the dishes, to research recipes that are as close to, and as authentic to those mentioned. However, please remember I can only see what you see in the movie, so for the most part it is very much guess work. If you believe I have missed something out, got it slightly wrong etc, please feel free to email me to let me know. I will then either add or correct. I hope you will enjoy them, appreciate the time, work, research and effort that has gone into them. Moreover, I hope you will share these pages with friends and allow them to also indulge in the pleasure that is chocolate, that is'Chocolat'

Guatamalan Chocolates
The only recipe as far as I am aware of that I have not replicated here, is the chocolates given as an aphrodesiac. As far as I can make out from my research, this is purely a fictional idea by the books author: Joanne Harris.

The basis for most of the actual chocolates made in the movie, seem to be based on ganache. This is a very simple, basic preparation that made be used in many different ways, and flavoured to taste with liqueurs or essences etc. Items like nuts, coconut etc may also be added.

200 gm coverture / dark semi bitter chocolate
125 ml cream

1 Boil cream in a thick based pan and remove from the heat
2 Stir in the melted chocolate (add any essences etc at this stage) and stir until blended and thickened
3 Place in chiller to cool and set before use

For simple truffles, roll by hand into balls and roll in cocoa powder
For truffles with almonds etc, press some ganache around the nut and roll by hand into balls, then roll in the cocoa powder
The ganache may also be pressed into moulds or shaped delicately by hand and then dipped into melted chocolate

Langoustine with chilli

12 pc langoustine
100 gm butter
001 lt water
100 ml white wine
001 pc small carrot
001 pc small onion
001 pc small celery stick

1) Melt the butter in a large pot
2) Add the vegetables cut into fine dice, with a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste and cook without colour (sweat) until lightly softened
3) Add the white wine and simmer until almost dry
4) Add the water and a little salt, simmer for five minutes
5) Add the langoustine (scampi) and simmer for 8 - 10 minutes
6) Remove the langoustine and set aside
7) Turn up the heat and allow the cooking liquor to reduce by half
8) Taste and re-season if required
9) Add the langoustine back in to re-heat them and serve with lemon wedges and the tomato sauce seperately

Tomato & garlic sauce with chocolate
While I could find no evidence of what this sauce was served with, I suspect it would have been served with the langoustine

100 gm butter
001 pc small onion
001 pc small celery stick
004 pc garlic cloves
001 pc can of Italian plum tomatoes

1) Melt the butter in a large pot
2) Add the vegetables cut into fine dice, with a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste and cook without colour (sweat) for 2 minutes
3) Add the thinly sliced garlic cloves and sweat for a further 5 minutes
4) Empty the contents of the can into a liquidisor and pulse gently until the tomatoes are lightly chopped
5) Add to the saucepan
6) Increase the heat slightly and stir back to a boil
7) Turn the heat down again and simmer for 15 minutes
8) Just prior to serving finely grate 25-50gm of chocolate into the sauce and stir until melted through

Braised saddle of mutton

001 pc saddle of mutton
002 pc celery stick
001 pc large onion
001 pc large carrot
1/2 pc leek
002 pc garlic cloves
001 lt white chcken stock

1) Heat a little oil in a large frying pan or roasting tray
2) Gently place in the saddle and brown on all sides
3) While the mutton is browning, prepare the trivet of vegetables: wash and peel as required, cut into large pieces and place into a large casserole dish with the whole garlic cloves
4) Place the browned saddle on top
5) Pour in the stock; this should only half cover the saddle (use more or less of the stated 1lt of stock as required)
6) Cover completely and seal with tin foil or casserole lid; no steam should be allowed to escape during cooking
7) Place into a pre-heated oven (170C) and cook for approx 3 hours or until almost cooked and tender
8) Remove the lid and increase heat to 220C and allow meat to brown
9) Remove from the oven and place the saddle on a warm tray and allow to rest for 15 minutes; this will allow the muscles to relax and be more tender when carved and eaten
10) Place the liquid, cooking juices and vegetables in a blender and pulse together
11) Strain, re-boil and serve with the lamb or as a soup

Roast turkey

3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil


1) Wash turkey thoroughly inside and out and pat dry with paper towels
2) Combine all the above ingredients and grind together with a pestle & mortar
3) Rub the herb mixture inside the turkey's cavity, under the skin and over the outside of the skin also
4) Place 150gm of butter under the skin 5) Place onto a roasting rack (or sit on a trivet of vegetables) in a roasting tray and allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator
6) Pour in 500ml of stock or water into the roasting tray and place in a pre-heated oven (170C) and cook as required
7) Baste with juices at least every 20 minutes and cover with tin foil to prevent burning
8) To ensure the turkey is cooked all the way through to the thigh joint without the breast drying out; cut the skin that connects the breast and leg and open up fully. This should be done 3/4's the way through the cooking time; it allows the heat to penetrate easier
9) Remove the tinfoil when almost cooked and increase heat to 220C and allow meat to brown further if required
10) The turkey is cooked when no blood or pinkiness is showing at the thigh joint
11) Remove from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes prior to serving: this allows the muscles to relax, it makes the meat more tender, easier to carve and prevents the loss of juices when carving

Roast baby chickens

This recipe is per baby chicken (each weighing approx. 500gm)

1 small onions
3 sprigs of fresh sage leaves
3 tbsp virgin olive oil


1) Wash chicken thoroughly inside and out and pat dry with paper towels
2) Season inside and out with sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
3) Pick the leaves from two sprigs of sage and plave the leaves under the skin
4) Place the other sprig inside the cavity with the peeled onion
5) Place the oil under the skin also 6) Place on a roasting rack (or sit on a trivet of vegetables) in a roasting tray and allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator, this will infuse the sage flavour
7) Truss the legs if preferred
8)Pour in 250ml of stock or water into the roasting tray and place in a pre-heated oven (170C) and cook as required
9) Basting with juices every 20 minutes
10) To ensure the chicken is cooked all the way through to the thigh joint without the breast drying out; cut the skin that connects the breast and leg and open up fully. This should be done 3/4's the way through the cooking time; it allows the heat to penetrate easier
11) The chicken is cooked when no blood or pinkiness is showing at the thigh joint
12) Remove from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes prior to serving: this allows the muscles to relax, it makes the meat more tender, easier to carve and prevents the loss of juices when carving
13) My suggestion however would be to simply cut in half and serve, rather than carve

Meat sauce with chocolate - Mole Poblano

This sauce is a traditional Mexican sauce and has been used and served with turkey for probably centuries.

003 pc chiles - ancho
003 pc chiles - mulatto
003 pc chiles - chipotles
003 pc chiles - pasilla
050 gm pumpkin seeds
100 gm peanuts
100 gm almonds
006 pc allspice
006 pc cloves
001 pc cinnamon stick
001 pc pinch aniseed
004 pc tomatoes
010 pc green tomatoes
003 pc cloves garlic
001 pc onion
001 lt brown chicken stock 200 gm dark chocolate
001 tbs lard
002 tbs red wine vinegar

1)Gently dry fry all the chiles together with the pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, cloves, allspice,aniseed and cinnamon stick until the aromas are released
2) Grind them together with little water and place in a blender
3) Add the tomatoes, green tomatoes, onion and garlic, blend together to liquidise
4) Pour into a saucepan over a low heat and slowly mix in one litre of brown chicken stock
5) Cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it sticking to the base and burning
6) Strain and re-boil
7) Just before serving, finely grate in the chocolate, add 1tbs of lard and the vinegar
8) Stir in to combine and melt
9) Serve as required

Baked asparagus

Most people tend to boil asparagus, this I find tends to wash out too much f the flavour. Personally I prefer to bake it with a little butter and seasoning; this retains all the flavour and also allows some of the natural sugars to caramelise.

1) Trim the woody ends off the asparagus
2) Take a sheet of silver foil and fold into two
3) Butter well and place the asparagus on top
4) Season to taste
5) Neatly fold the foil to form a packet and seal in the asparagus
6) Place on a tray and bake at 200C until cooked, the time will depend on type and thickness of the asparagus. But should take 10-12 minutes
7) Remove once cooked, place onto a serving plate and take care when opening as steam will escape
8) Dip the asparagus in your favourite sauce: Hollandaise, Beurre blanc etc or simply serve with the melted butter from the foil packet
9) NEVER eat asparaugus alone! It is a vegetable made for two ;-)

Plums in red wine with chocolate

012 pc small red plums
500 gm sugar
001 lt water
001 lt red wine
002 pc cloves
001 pc star anise
001 pc cinnamon stick
001 pc bay leaf
1/2 pc nutmeg

1) Place the sugar, water, wine and all the spices in a large pan and stor to a boil over a medium heat
2) Allow to simmer to infuse the flavours and until a light syrup consistency is achieved
3) Add the plums and simmer until tender
4) Remove from the heat and finely grate in chocolate to taste, stir to melt through
5) Transfer to a clean serving bowl and allow the plums to cool slightly in the stock syrup
5) Serve warm with roast meats or place in a refrigerator to chill if serving as a dessert with whipped cream

Cocoa dusted chocolate cake with almonds

This recipe uses what I call the ultimate chocolate sponge recipe. It was used as part of the dessert served at the 2002 Oscar's. I managed to get the recipe as a friend of mine was the pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck. After trialling it, I have thrown all my other recipes out as I am sure you will.

It is so easy to prepare, it cooks well, tastes great and stays moist for weeks! Not that it will ever last that long without being eaten ;-)

300 gm castor sugar
175 gm flour – soft (hi-ratio)
050 gm cocoa powder – Dutched
005 gm baking powder
005 gm baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

002 pc eggs - small
100 ml olive oil
002 tsp vanilla essence
165 ml whole milk

165 ml water – boiling

1) Combine all dry ingredients and sieve at least three times (to evenly distribute ingredients)
2) Combine all wet ingredients (except for the water)
3) Pour the wet onto the dry and combine together thoroughly using a balloon whisk
4) Add the boiling water and combine with a whisk
5) Pour into a prepared cake tin (22cm round)
6) Bake at 170°C for approx. 45 minutes
7) Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes
8) Remove from the tin, invert and allow to completely cool on a cooling rack. By inverting it the bottom now becomes a perfectly level top
9) Split cake in half horizontally and spread bottom half liberally with apricot jam or glaze
10) Spread sides and top with a chocolate ganache - (using a palette knife dipped in boiling water with ensure even spreading)
11) Sprinkle liberally (via sieve) with cocoa powder and then sliced almonds

Chef notes : This mixture will rise considerably and double in size during baking; so care must be taken when pouring into the cake tin. All cake tins, though the same diameter will have different depths

These amounts are designed for a deep sided cake tin (8 –10 cm)