M O S C O W Interview with Leonid Shishkin - Passport magazine

Gourmet Moscow
Cooking Lessons in Moscow
Text by Rashmi le Blan,
photos by Alina Ganenko
Have you noticed how there aren’t many
cooking lessons in Moscow? I have always
been a foodie and used to love going to
cooking courses, or watching beautiful
food being prepared in gourmet shops.
Since I am lacking that a bit in Moscow, I
decided to start something on my own!
Although professionally I have never
worked in a kitchen, food has always
been my true passion. Now in Moscow, I
want to try to share my passion with others.
The cuisine will be French and European,
mixed in with some fusion. I have
started lunch classes: you can cook yourself
a two or three-course meal and then
enjoy it here.
A sample menu that I have in mind for
the mid-day class would be:
Coquelet with Tarragon and Cream
Fondant au chocolat
This is one of my personal favourites:
Brandade of Salmon with green
cabbage with poached egg
Ingredients for 6:
800g filet of salmon
800g potatoes
20cl olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
Thyme and bay leaves
1 litre milk
1 litre water
6 / 8 leaves of green cabbage
30g butter
6 eggs
20cl vinegar
Peel potatoes, cut into cubes and let
boil in salted water until tender.
In a big pot, add the milk, water, garlic,
thyme and bay leaves and the filets
of salmon. Bring to boil, and then let it
rest for about 10 minutes. Take the filets,
skin them and take out any bones. The
fish should be cooked enough so that it
flakes into pieces. Save the milk for the
potatoes and decoration.
Once the potatoes have boiled, mash
into a puree with a fork. Add some of the
hot milk, then olive oil and the cooked garlic
cut into small pieces. Keep the puree hot.
Cut the leaves of the cabbage into thin
strips and cook in butter. Add a ½ cup of
water and let to cook covered until all
the water evaporates. Add this then to
the mashed potatoes and mix well.
Boil some water in a pot, and add the
vinegar. Break the eggs one by one into
a small receptacle. When the water is
boiling, create a little whirlpool in the
pot with a spoon, and add 1 egg in the
centre. Let it cook for about 2 minutes,
and then take it out. Cook all eggs in
this process.
On a large plate, arrange the above
in a ring: first a layer of potatoes, then
some salmon, and finish with potatoes.
Remove the ring and place a poached
egg on top. Break the egg with a knife
so the yolk drips out, and serve immediately.
Decorate with some dill if
desired.
(If you have a special mixer, you could
mix the milk into a mousse or foam and
use it to decorate around the brandade.)
If you are interested to come and
cook, please contact me. I hope that
this will be a great way to meet new
friends, share and enjoy good food together.
I also plan to have cooking or
theme evenings, or Sunday lunches,
where you can come and cook a meal
and then everyone can sit and enjoy
the meal with some wine and have a
fun time together. P
Rashmi Le Blan
rashmileblan@gmail.com
(Classes at Metro:
Bibliotheka Im. Lenina or Arbatskaya)
June 2010