Springtime dishes, plants and flowers!
The daffodils are flaunting their golden heads, the violets are dancing in the meadows and the sun is already warming the landscapes of the Jura. In Pasteur's hometown, Joël Césari invites a taste of spring into his dishes. Vegetables and herbs add colour to a menu that plays on delectable combinations of fresh flavours. Come savour the seasons at La Chaumière.
The first radishes are here and, in their bunches, come the carrots. In the garden, the green shades of rocket, mustard and watercress inject a healthy dose of chlorophyll. At the end of a long winter, it is wonderful to see nature once more in full bloom. Inspiring, reassuring, and gourmet, spring offers chef Césari all the winning cards for vibrant, vitamin-packed dishes. Right from the start, the season gives pride of place to asparagus, be it the green variety in a flaky parmesan tart or its paler cousin, lightly steamed and seasoned with finesse. The vegetable in all its glory, pure and true. The pea is the star of a show of five textures: pureed, glazed, spherified, tuiled and whole peas make up a delicate platter with a single flavour, enhanced by a quail oeuf parfait and morel mushrooms. As for the meat and fish, in spring, pigeon and arctic char are the season's favourites. Hailing from Bresse and cooked at a low temperature, pigeon thighs are served as sushi, dressed with Nori seaweed and a morel mousseline. Then there are sweet onions with cumin, a condiment of sublime Billom black garlic, and a vin jaune vinegar jus to send the senses into a flight of ecstasy. From the lakes to the kitchens of chef Césari, the arctic char has taken a detour through woods and gardens gathering on its way morel mushrooms, asparagus and red onion pickles. But the star of spring, the one that reveals its rosy countenance and delicate flavour in the first rays of sunshine, is of course the strawberry. At La Chaumière, the strawberry naturally finds its way onto the dessert menu for a colourful and delectable extravaganza.
In the chef's garden, the herbs are in full swing. Thyme, oregano, wormwood, tansy, horseradish, pineapple sage and sage, add spice and fragrance imbuing the season with all its vigour. There's nothing quite like biting into spring.
