“It’s going to be great”: Philippe Etchebest reveals his trio of recipes to enjoy as a Christmas aperitif!

In addition to his various roles on television, Philippe Etchebest invites you to watch a series of special Christmas videos on his YouTube channel to help you in the preparations for D-Day. His goal? Allow you to impress your future guests with a “Complete menu, unmissable, good, inexpensive and best made the day before”. And for the first stage of the meal, the chef prefers to make “not an aperitif but several elements that will make up the aperitif”. “Bread with oven-baked garlic butter that we are going to improve”, “mussels au gratin” that the latter had “the habit of dealing with [s]our father when he had the squid”, “trout rillette to put on a very crispy toast”… The host of Kitchen nightmare shares three delicious holiday recipes to end the year in style.“It’s going to be awesome !”, he exclaims. So, are you ready to impress your guests?

Le Préfou:

• 1 pre-cooked baguette
• 80 gr of fresh goat’s cheese
• 2 figures
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 sprigs of parsley
• 80g butter
• 1 bunch of chives
• 10 cl of sherry vinegar

Gratinated mussels:

• About 25 large mussels
• 300 gr of mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 shallots
• 30 g of butter
• 20 cl of white wine
• 200g heavy cream
• 20 gr d’emmental
• Olive oil

Trout rillettes:

• 1/2 baguette
• 200 gr of trout
• 1 sprig of dill
• 1 lime
• 80 gr of fresh cheese
• 30 cl of mussel juice
• Olive oil
  

1st element: Préfou

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
2. To make garlic butter, add the butter at room temperature and mash it. Next, grate the garlic cloves using a kitchen grater. If you don’t have this tool, you can also crush and finely slice them.
3. Mix the butter and garlic with a large spoon.
4. Chop the parsley leaves and incorporate everything into the previous preparation. Mix again.
5. Cut the bread in half lengthwise.
6. Generously spread the bread with garlic butter.
7. Cook everything for around ten minutes.
8. Then chop the chives.
9. Place the fresh goat cheese in a small container and add the chives. Mix.
10. Pour in a little vinegar to add acidity, as well as a little olive oil. Stir.
11. Add pepper.
12. Cut the figs into thin slices.
13. Place the cheese mixture in a piping bag fitted with a nozzle.
14. When the butter and parsley have thoroughly impregnated the bread, remove it from the oven and leave to cool.
15. Then add the cream cheese, forming a sausage in the center of the baguette.
16. Then place the fig slices on top. Close the baguette and place everything cool in the refrigerator.

2nd element: gratinated mussels

1. Cut the mushrooms into pieces. Peel and chop the shallots.
2. In a pan, pour olive oil, and when it is hot, sear the mushrooms. Salt, pepper and add olive oil as it cooks.
3. Add the shallots. Mix.
4. On a wooden board, pour the cooked mixture and slice the mushrooms using a large kitchen knife.
5. Put everything back in a pan and add white wine.
6. Add a good dose of heavy cream. Stir.
7. Let it cook slowly. Season again with salt and pepper.
8. Trim the mussels and wash them.
9. Mix the mushroom duxelle in a blender.
10. Reserve the preparation in the refrigerator.
11. In a sauté pan, melt a knob of butter.
12. Add the chopped shallot and minced garlic.
13. Place the mussels and pour in the white wine.
14. Place a lid and cook until the mussels open. Keep the cooking juices.
15. Remove the mussels from their shells.
16. Clean the shells. Then, arrange them on a plate.
17. Place the molds inside.
18. Using an offset spatula, garnish the mussels with the mushroom duxelle.

3rd element: trout rillettes

1. In a saucepan, pour the cooking juices from the mussels. You can add a little extra water so that the trout fillet is completely submerged. Cook it for about ten minutes.
2. At the same time, preheat the oven to 180-190°C.
3. Cut thin slices of stale bread.
4. Place them on a baking tray. Pour a drizzle of olive oil on top.
5. Bake them for 7-8 minutes.
6. Chop the dill.
7. Once the trout is cooked, remove the skin and mash the fillet in a salad bowl.
8. Season the fish.
9. Then add the cheese, dill and lime juice. Mix gently.
10. Reserve on a plate and put it in the refrigerator.

D-day :

1. Place the molds on a baking tray.
2. Sprinkle grated Gruyere cheese on top.
3. Also place the Préfou there, and bake everything at 200°C for a good ten minutes.
4. At the same time, spread the bread croutons with trout rillette. Drizzle with olive oil and add a sprig of dill. Zest a lime.
5. When the Préfou is warmed, cut the baguette into slices.
6. Arrange everything as you wish, on a plate or dish. All you have to do is enjoy!