Father and daughter, Claude and Carola Troisgros teach recipes for a tasty Christmas table

The chef’s childhood memories are rich in detail: his father put up an artistic Christmas tree, changing its style every year, while the kitchen was filled with festive aromas and classic flavors.

“The food was almost always the same. My father cooked and we helped: there were oysters, foie gras, lobster, shrimp. And even a roast accompanied by Moroccan couscous and dried fruit, very Christmassy,” says the chef.

In Brazil, Christmas for Troisgros is also over. This year, it will be the 22nd and with a Brazilian flavor. The sweets are in charge of the youngest, Carola Troisgros. “It works wonders, my favorite is the guava-filled cake. I also like brigadeiros,” says Claude, specifying that Thomas, the eldest son (owner of Toto, Oseille and TT Burguer, among others) takes cold cuts from small producers and prepares salads.

For this year’s table, Claude suggests a pork loin with Moroccan sauce and couscous. “I’ve already learned a lot about my cod and my farofa, so I wanted to bring something different this time. I chose the filet mignon, which goes in brine and marinade, both for 12 hours, before going into the oven,” he says. With the leftovers, he offers an additional recipe for the next day: “Grate and put in the pan with plenty of butter. It’s delicious.”

Alongside her father, Carola follows the traditional Christmas lineage. “I like flavors and preparations that cross generations,” confides the pastry chef of Colher de Pau. “I have a lot of options, I always think about pleasing everyone. My brother doesn’t eat chocolate or almonds, others prefer fruit sweets and some like less sweet options. But there is never a shortage of French toast,” he says.

At ELA’s request, the chef created a passion fruit pavlova, a pure emotional memory. “I think it’s beautiful and very Christmassy. I didn’t want red fruits, of which I’ve already made a lot of them. I then took inspiration from the crepe soufflé, a dessert present in the history of the Trosgrois. I added it with whipped cream, something very French. We always eat whipped cream with strawberries and, sometimes, peach in syrup, my father’s favorite dessert. Besides, my brother and I love meringues, one of our aunts always made it for us when we were kids,” he says. said.

Did you enjoy it? So, how about giving yourself the mission of setting a table like the Troisgros?

• 250 g Moroccan couscous
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Chopped chili pepper
• 100 g of black grapes
• 100 g chopped cashew nuts
• 100 g sliced ​​apricots
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• Mint leaves
• black pepper
• Salt

1. Hydrate the couscous with boiling salted water (about 2 ladles) mixing with the olive oil.
2. Cover and let rest.
3. In a hot pan, sweat the onion, garlic and chili pepper.
4. Add the raisins, chestnuts, apricots and butter, letting them toast.
5. Add the hydrated couscous and mint, mixing well.
6. Adjust salt and pepper.

Ingredients for the brine

• 1 pork loin (about 1.8 kg)
• 2 liters of water
• 2 tablespoons of salt

1. Mix the water with the salt until dissolved.
2. Pierce the loin with a fork.
3. Cover the loin with brine and leave it in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

Ingredients for the marinade

• 1 chopped onion
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 finger of pepper
• Juice of 4 lemons
• White wine (enough quantity to mix)
• Parsley

1. Mix all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Marinate the loin for another 6 hours.

Ingredients for the sauce:

• Butter
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Grated ginger
• Shoyu
• 350 g of black grapes
• 350 g chopped cashew nuts

1. Melt the butter until it reaches a nutty point (lightly golden).
2. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, browning well.
3. Add the raisins, chestnuts and soy sauce.
4. Deglaze with a little loin cooking broth.
5. Blend in a blender until smooth.

1. Place the fillet and marinade in a roasting pan.
2. Cut the loin into 2 cm slices, without separating the pieces.
3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 200°C for 2 hours.
4. Remove the paper, cover with sauce and return to the oven for 20 minutes.

Ingredients for pavlova

• 180 g egg whites
• 180 g of refined sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 90 g sifted icing sugar
• 10 g cornstarch

1. Mix the egg whites with the refined sugar.
2. Cook over a very low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved – be careful not to cook the egg whites.
3. Transfer the mixture while still hot to the blender, add the salt and beat until stiff peaks form.
4. Add the sifted icing and cornstarch and mix gently.
5. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake in an oven preheated to 90°C for 20 minutes.
7. Once cooked, let it cool completely before using it.

Ingredients for the pastry cream

• 250 ml of milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 20 g cornstarch
• 60 g of sugar
• Vanilla to taste

1. In a saucepan, heat the milk with the vanilla and half the sugar.
2. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and cornstarch.
3. When the milk boils, pour half of it over the yolks, mix and return everything to the saucepan.
4. Cook until boiling again and set aside for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Transfer to a cool place with film in contact.
6. After freezing, beat the cream to regain its smoothness.

Ingredients for passion fruit caramel

• 120 g of sugar
• 200 ml passion fruit pulp with seeds
• 100 ml of water
• 1 tablespoon of butter