Asterix celebrates its 65th anniversary. A comic strip in which we follow the adventures of the Gaul and his sidekick Obelix, who loves to eat. And each episode ends with a big banquet in their village, around wild boars and other dishes. Cuisine is everywhere, even in the names of the characters like “Soupalognon y Crouton” (onion soup and crouton) or even “Figatellix”, a Corsican character whose name is inspired by a specialty from the island of beauty ( figatellu, Corsican sausage with pork liver). This is how a special album was released this year, like a declaration of love for cooking.
“Asterix, the 40 banquets” brings together 40 chefs around the same objective: the transmission of culinary knowledge. Between chef Laszlo Badet’s fondue, chef Chloé Monchalin’s kotosoupa (Greek soup), chef Clémence Gommy’s 7-hour confit lamb and chef Thierry Marx’s secret pancake batter, it’s a promise of pleasure and discovery. This book includes 1, 2 or 3 course menus, offered by the chefs. Generous recipes linked to the world of banquets from the 40 albums of the comic book series.
40 menus and 80 recipes
A banquet is synonymous with victory and festivities, especially in the world of Asterix. In the cookbook “Les 40 banquets”, the recipes for 4 to 12 people allow you to celebrate while feasting for reunions or events. The album also allows you to appreciate – or remember – the appetizing and joyful banquet drawings in the collection.
Get your utensils! For you, ELLE reveals 4 recipes from the book.
Recipe by Thierry Marx – POACHED EGG AND ROASTED ONION
For 4 people
Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients :
4 eggs
2 onions
1 l of water (or 1 l of beef juice)
50g butter
2 tbsp. tablespoon of oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Training:
grating cheese
Preparation :
1. Peel and slice the onions. In a Dutch oven, brown the onions with the butter and oil until browned. Add the water and cook for 45 minutes.
2. Strain the broth into a saucepan and bring the broth to a boil to reduce it.
3. Meanwhile, collect the filtered onions and distribute them at the bottom of four deep plates.
4. Poach the eggs one by one and place them on each plate. Grate a little cheese on top and pour the hot broth over everything.
According to Asterix, the Gaul – 1961
First album released, first recipe.
Recipe by Mohammed Cheikh – CHOCOLATE FONDANT WITH THYME
For 6 people
Preparation and cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients :
70 g of type 55 flour
60 g of sugar
3 eggs
140 g of semi-salted butter
Fresh thyme sprigs
200 g dark chocolate with 52% cocoa
Butter for the mold
Icing sugar
Preparation :
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
2. Remove the leaves from the thyme branches and finely chop the leaves. Break the chocolate and cut the butter into small cubes. In a microwave-safe bowl, put the chocolate and butter, thyme and melt everything for about 1 minute in the microwave.
3. In a large salad bowl, mix the eggs and sugar and whisk vigorously until the mixture doubles in volume. Add the chocolate and whisk to obtain a smooth and uniform consistency. Add the flour in 3 batches, mixing gently with a whisk.
4. Butter a round mold 15 cm in diameter, not forgetting the edges. Pour the dough into the mold and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely before unmolding. Sprinkle with icing sugar before cutting into pieces to serve.
According to The Battle of the Leaders – 1964
Mohamed Cheikh, winner of season 12 of Top Chef, is the author of the recipe. But make no mistake, this seventh album tells the story of the battle of village chiefs and not a televised cooking competition.
Recipe by Jérémie and Sophie Verdeau Pollini – PUMPKIN VELOUTÉ
For 8 people
Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients :
1 pumpkin
2 carrots
2 potatoes
2 onions
Rosemary
20 hazelnuts
Nutmeg
Olive oil
Sesame or toasted hazelnut oil
Butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation :
1. Cut the pumpkin into pieces, remove its seeds and reserve them. Clean, peel the potatoes and carrots. Cut them into pieces. Slice the onions. In a large Dutch oven, coat the bottom with olive oil. When it is hot, add the chopped onions and brown them well. Add the pumpkin and carrots. Cook everything, looking for a nice color. Cover with water 2 fingers above the level of the vegetables. Cook until your vegetables start to become tender. Add a sprig of rosemary. Season with salt and pepper, and add a nice pinch of nutmeg. Let it cook completely.
2. Meanwhile, clean the pumpkin seeds by removing all the filaments. Dry them using absorbent paper. Crush the hazelnuts. In a hot pan with a touch of butter, toast the pumpkin seeds with the crushed hazelnuts. When cooking is finished, remove the rosemary sprig, leaving a few leaves. Mix everything. Taste the velouté and add salt and pepper if necessary. Add a touch of sesame or toasted hazelnut oil.
3. Serve the velouté garnished with hazelnuts and toasted pumpkin seeds.
According to Asterix, in Corsica – 1973
The album of the first appearance of the character with the evocative name, Figatellix, the Corsican clan leader.
Recipe from Pierre Gagnaire – WHOLE ENDIVE STUFFED WITH DRIED APRICOTS AND BLOND GRAPES, PARMESAN CREAM
For 6 people
Preparation and cooking time: 30 mi
Ingredients :
1 tbsp. tablespoon of breadcrumbs
6 endives of the same size
1 lemon
1 shallot
6 apricots
30 g of blond grapes
12 sprigs of chives
500 ml liquid cream 310 g butter
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Preparation :
1. In an ovenproof saucepan, place the endives. Squeeze the lemon juice. Moisten halfway with water and the squeezed juice. Add 60 g of butter in pieces, a pinch of sugar and lightly salt. Cover them with parchment paper and bring the pan to a gentle boil. Preheat the oven to 180° C. Place the lid on the saucepan and place it in the oven. Check the cooking using the tip of the knife. There should be no resistance. Drain and let the endives cool. Open the endives flat. Equalize the sizes by removing a little of the heart of the endive. Reserve the endive hearts.
2. Soak the raisins in water. Drain them when they have dried out. Cut the apricots into cubes. Peel and chop the shallot. In a pan, sweat it with a little butter. Crush the collected endive hearts and let them dry gently. Remove from the heat, add the apricots, grapes and breadcrumbs. Mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a saucepan filled with water, scald the chives to firm them up. Distribute the apricot-raisin stuffing in the center of the endives. Roll them on themselves and hold them closed with the tied sprigs of chives. Make a brown butter. Cut the remaining butter into cubes. Heat a saucepan over low heat and add the cubes of butter. Let the butter melt and splutter: foam will begin to appear and the butter will color. Once the butter has turned a nice amber color and gives off a nutty, almost caramelized smell, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the melted butter into a cold glass container to stop the cooking. Color the endives with the browned butter made.
4. Reduce the liquid cream by half. In a blender, mix the reduced cream and parmesan. Salt and pepper to your liking.
5. In a gratin dish, pour the parmesan cream. Add the endives and cook in the oven for 10 minutes at 160°C.
According to The White Iris – 2023
The banquet of the fortieth album in the series naturally concludes this book with recipes full of good plants.
© Asterix, The 40 Banquets – Éditions Albert René
