Nestled in the iconic Beau Rivage hotel, Le Chat Botté’s Mediterranean colours and atmosphere complement the contemporary French cuisine, which is carefully crafted by the Beau Rivage and Le Chat Botté head chef Dominique Gauthier, one Michelin star and 18/20 Gault et Millau.
The menu isn’t short of ingenuity; aromas, spices and sauces crafted with unusual attention enrich the starters, salads, fish and meats, showing for an unbridled gastronomic creativity.
We had the unique opportunity to meet chef Dominique Gauthier and to even cook with him one of his delicious and most requested recipes, the foie gras poêlé with black olive confit, which we are sharing with our readers exclusively (further below) -a perfect starter for Christmas lunch.
Chef Dominique brings to his cuisine everything he has learned in his native country, France, and backs up his slogan “The product comes first.” by always using top quality ingredients in his creations. For him, the union of two flavours resides in the product, and that is what makes a dish unique. We also learned more about the restaurant’s clientele, varying from families and friends, to businessmen.
“Le Chat Botté” (commonly known in English as “Puss In Boots”) is originally the name of a classic fairy tale that impacted literature and world culture. One of the tale’s main morals highlights the importance of possessing ‘savoir faire’ and flair, and we can say in full confidence that chef Dominique Gauthier translates that with utmost finesse in his kitchen.
Recipe – Foie Gras de Canard Poêlé en Tranche Epaisse, avec Olives Noires Confites
Ingredients (for 4 persons):
1 x 400g foie gras lobe or 4 x 100g fresh foie gras slices (preferably canard/duck, but oie/goose also works)
120g ginger glazed black olives
1 x big spoon balsamic vinegar
5cl. chicken stock
20g butter
Olive tree leaves (optional for decoration)
– Cut the foie gras into 4 slices of 100g each, cook each side for 2 mins. in highly hot frying pan without any fats/oils, dry/drain on absorbent paper
– Skim the fat off the pan, deglaze with the balsamic vinegar then the chicken stock, beat with the butter. Keep aside.
– Crush 40g of glazed black olives into a marmelade
Dressing:
– Dress the lukewarm olive confit in the center of the plate and form a quenelle with the olive marmelade
– Place the warm foie gras piece on the olives, coat with the sauce
– Decorate with olive tree leaves (or other similar leaves)
Enjoy!
