French/Indian Cuisine, Inspired By 'The Hundred-Foot Journey'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The latest DreamWorks movie, "The Hundred-Foot Journey," is about a French and an Indian restaurant across the street from each other in France.

Inspired by this movie, Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago is offering a workshop, where you can learn how to blend French and Indian cuisine. On the menu are Parisian Mumbai Salad, Quiche Lorraine, Beef Bourguinon, Chicken Tikka Masala and Chai Tea Crme Brule.

John Abels, chef instructor of Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago, came into our ABC 7 Eyewitness News studio to give us a taste of the recipes.

The Hundred-Foot Journey - One-day Workshop

Saturday, August 23

10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago

361 West Chestnut

Chicago, IL

Cost: $99

Chef John Abels' recipes:

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

Chicken:

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 tsp. fresh lime or lemon juice

1 large clove garlic, minced

Sauce:

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tbsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1 tbsp. grated peeled fresh ginger

4 tbsp. butter, unsalted

1 cup onion, finely diced

1 1/2 cups canned tomato puree

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. Use a fork to puncture the chicken breasts all over both sides. Arrange the chicken breasts on a large sheet of plastic wrap, spacing them apart from one another, then cover with a second large sheet of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken until the breasts are an event - -inch thickness.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 tbsp. peanut oil, lime juice and garlic. Add the pounded chicken and rub the marinade over the meat. Set the chicken aside while you make the sauce.

3. In another small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne and grated ginger.

4. In a heavy, wide 4-quart pot or saut pan over moderately high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saut, stirring occasionally until light brown and caramelized.

5. Add the tomato puree, water, heavy cream, and salt, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to gently simmer the sauce, uncovered, until thickened slightly.

6. Heat a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until very hot and add tbsp. of peanut oil. Working in batches, cook the chicken breasts, turning them a few times and lowering the heat if the chicken chars too quickly, until just cooked through and browned well on both sides, six to eight minutes total. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

7. When all the chicken is cooked, cut it into 1 -inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce and continue to gently simmer it, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Add the black pepper and chopped cilantro, and season with salt.

Parisian Mumbai Salad

(yields 4 portions)

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. ground cardamom

1 tbsp. curry powder

2 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into thin strips

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

4 oz. mixed greens

1 whole mango (julienned)

1 whole apple (with skin, julienned)

Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Naan Bread:

1 pc. Naan bread (cut into cubes)

1/2 oz. vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Curried Walnuts:

1 oz. grape seed oil

2 tsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. curry powder

2 oz. walnuts

Preparation:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic, cardamom, curry powder, salt and pepper.

2. Add the sliced chicken pieces to the mixture and marinate for 45 minutes.

3. Julienne the mango and apple and set aside in a bowl of iced water with lemon to keep the fruit from turning brown.

4. To prepare the vinaigrette, combine the Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar in a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper and slowly incorporate the olive oil while continuously whisking. Set aside.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients:

3 oz. thick-sliced bacon, diced

3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into approx. 2 inch cubes

1/4-1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 cup Cognac or Brandy

1 stalk of celery

4 stems of fresh parsley

4 fresh thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

2 medium yellow onions, small dice

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, cut into -inch thick pieces

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine

1 lb. small pearl onions (purchase already peeled onions if possible)

1 lb. mushrooms, quartered if large

Preparation:

1. Boil a small pot of water and simmer diced bacon pieces for ten minutes. Drain, pat dry and set aside.

2. Let beef rest at room temperature while preparing other items. Pat beef dry with a paper towel and season with kosher salt and pepper. Dust the beef with flour.

3. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil and 1 tbsp. of butter in a wide, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat until very hot, but not smoking.

4. Sear the beef well on all sides, but consider working in batches so as not to over crowd the pot. Use remaining oil to sear as needed. Put beef pieces in a bowl and set aside.

5. Pour off excess oil from the pot. Before returning to the flame, but while pan is still hot add the Cognac. Deglaze by boiling over high heat one minute, stirring and scraping up all the bits of beef. Pour over beef in bowl.

6. Tie celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves and cloves together with a piece of kitchen twine. (You can also make a small sack using cheese cloth). Set aside.

7. Heat 1 tbsp. of butter in the same pot over medium-high heat and saut bacon. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and carrots. Saut for approximately five minutes.

8. Add tomato paste and stir constantly (to prevent burning) for about one minute.

9. Add wine, meat with Cognac and tied herbs. Simmer, partially covered, until the meat is tender for about four hours. Remove from heat when beef is tender.

10. Blanch pearl onions in boiling salted water for one minute. Drain and rinse under cold water.

11. In a separate pan, heat one tbsp. of butter over medium heat and saut onions until caramelized. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Deglaze with a few spoonfuls of water and set aside.

Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients:

1 disc frozen pie dough, thawed

1 tbsp. butter, unsalted

1 cup yellow onion, diced small

3 large eggs

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated

1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

1/8 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated

6 oz. bacon, medium thickness - diced and cooked until crisp

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven for 425 F.

2. Roll pie dough according to package directions into pie dish. Refrigerate.

3. Saut onions in butter over medium-high heat until caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

4. Beat eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl. Mix in cheese, cooled bacon and cooled onions.

5. Set the pie dish on a baking sheet to protect your oven. Pour egg mixture into pie dough.

6. Bake for 15 minutes and reduce oven temperature to 325 F.

7. Bake for an additional 30 minutes until quiche is firm and does not jiggle.

8. Let the quiche rest before cutting and serving.

Chai Tea Crme Brulee
Ingredients:

16 oz. heavy cream

3 chai tea bags (spicy or vanilla)

3 oz. egg yolks (crack whole eggs, mix well then measure 3 oz. using a scale)

2 oz. granulated sugar

4 oz. granulated sugar for burning

1 mango, sphered

Preparation:

1. Scald the heavy cream with the tea bags, turn off heat and cover. Allow to steep for at least 20 minutes, removing the tea bags and carefully squeezing out remaining tea.

2. In a medium sized bowl, using a whisk to mix the sugar and egg yolks together until light in color, temper the hot cream mixture into the egg/sugar mixture. Strain into a measuring cup for easy pouring.

3. Place ramekins into a shallow roasting pan. Fill the ramekins with brulee mixture. Pour hot tap water around the ramekins so the water reaches the halfway point of the custard. Cover with foil, leaving a thin vent on each side for steam to escape.

4. Bake until the custard is set or firm, approximately 30-40 minutes. Cool in the water, and then remove. Chill at least four hours before serving.

5. When ready to serve, sprinkle on a generous amount of sugar and lightly burn with a torch or pass under the broiler for a minute until slightly caramelized.