Overlooking the Sydney harbour, L’Heritage in Chowder Bay, Mosman, arguably has one of the best views in Australia. Now, it also offers exquisite French cuisine and wonderful ambience, too.
Husband and wife duo, Pierre and Sydney-born Alena, now run the restaurant in a partnership with their close friend Julien Audibert-Lebon. Locals already know Alena and Pierre because they previously launched and ran the popular Frenchy’s Cafe in Mosman.
Together their culinary credentials are unparalleled. Julien, who is a chef of 25 years, began his career in Parisienne kitchens. He specialises in fine dining cuisine, as has worked side by side with some of the world’s best chefs, including Dominique Grel, Stephane Vieux, Jean-Michel Guilloteau, Pierre Hermé, Patrice Hardy, and Marc Davis.
Now the trio brings their love of French cuisine to L’Heritage and if you enjoy authentic fParisienne fare then you’ll be delighted by what they have created. Here, Julien has shared three of his recipes on offer at L’Heritage. Enjoy!
Salmon Rillettes: Entrée
Ingredients
- 500g skinless salmon fillet
- 100 smoked salmon, small diced
- 5g dill
- 5g chives
- 150g sour cream
- 150g Greek yoghurt
- 10g fresh lemon juice
- 30g baby capers
- 10g sea salt
- 1g ground white pepper
- 400g baguette
Recipe Preparation
- Cook salmon sous vide at 55 degrees Celsius for 25 mins
- Place salmon and all the ingredients in a large bowl.
- Gently mix just to combine (salmon will break up a little but do not overmix or a paste will form). Season to taste with salt, pepper, yoghurt and lemon juice, if desired. Rillettes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
- Serve rillettes cold with toasted slices of baguette.
Pepper sauce: for the perfect steak
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 50g butter
- 50ml Cognac
- 50 ml beef jus demi-glace
- 200 ml cream
- 3 tsp crushed whole black peppercorns
Instructions
- Put crushed pepper on the steak and sear it for couple of minutes until it get brown to obtain a caramelisation, and rest it while making the sauce;
- In the same pan, remove the excess oil and add a bit of butter, eschalots and cook it until it becomes softer.
- Add the Cognac to flambe the alcohol
- Add cream, simmer and reduce until it gets thicker
- add beef jus demi-glace and simmer rapidly to intensify the flavours
TIPS:
- The alcohol brings depth of flavour to the sauce, it’s the secret ingredient. Classic creamy peppercorn sauce is made with Cognac or Brandy.
- Using freshly crushed peppercorns are best for a really great pepper flavour.
Chocolate Mousse
- 5 eggs
- 110 g Belgium chocolate 70%
- 100g butter
- 115 caster sugar
- Pinch of sea salt
Chantilly:
- 300ml Pouring cream
- I Vanilla beans
- 40g caster sugar
- separate egg white and egg yolk
- make a meringue with egg white, sugar and salt
- heat up the butter, once simmering, pour into the chocolate then stir until even texture
- fold gently the meringue through the chocolate mix
- let it set in serving glasses
- whip some cream to make chantilly and put it on the top of the mousse
- A biscuit-like ‘Langue de chat” can be added on the top with some Almond toasted.
TIPS:
All ingredients have to be at the same temperature when mixing with each other to get a smooth even texture. When starting the recipe, make sure the eggs are at room temperature.
Chocolate sauce for all desserts
- 500g dark Belgium chocolate 70%
- 300g cream
- 250g water
- 250g caster sugar
- 2 pinches of salt
Instructions
- Bring to simmer the cream and pour it on the chocolate, wait about 30 seconds before stirring.
- In a meanwhile make a sugar syrup
- Make sure all ingredients are about the same temperature before
- Mix the syrup with the chocolate and the cream with 2 pinch of salt
A little about Julian’s cooking inspiration…
Julien comes from Paris and whilst he grew up there, his father’s side comes from Nimes in the South. His grandmother had a little popular bistro in the south of France under a bridge next to a river that homemade French traditional food. He grew up spending his holidays with his grandmother. The meals on our menu are based on the food he ate growing up. They would sit down together and eat snails, beef tartare, chocolate mousse.
