During our 2018 tour of the Burgundy region, we spent 3 days in the city of Lyon, widely considered the “gastronomic capital of France.”
One April morning, we ventured out to meet Lucy Vernal, owner and chef of Plum Lyon Teaching Kitchen. Lucy is a native of Syracuse, NY; owner of the Plum Lyon Teaching Kitchen, and has been teaching French cooking since 2007. She is a French certified pâtissière, having been accepted into the ranks of France’s pastry profession after passing l’épreuve technique and professional qualification tests for Le certificat d’aptitude professionnelle in pastry through the Académie de Lyon.
The lesson presented here is about Fines Herbes. In France, the definition of Fines Herbes is a prescribed combination of Curly Parsley (yes, curly parsley, NOT flat-leaf Italian); Chervil (also called French parsley, it resembles flat-leaf parsley, but has a paler, more frillier, thinner-looking leaf); Chives and Tarragon. The proportions are described below in a photo as noted by our teacher (One to One to One to One-Quarter). The herbs should be carefully picked, washed, dried, finely chopped and combined. These herbs can be added to salads, side dishes and topped on French beans and casseroles.
One of the dishes we prepared during our class was Filet Mignon of Pork (to Americans, pork tenderloin) which was cooked, bathed in Dijon mustard and rolled in fresh Fines Herbes. It was simply spectacular! Here is the recipe as described and written by Lucy:
Filet Mignon de Porc, Fines Herbes
Ingredients
600 grams whole pork filet kitchen string
salt and pepper
10 g butter, or two teaspoons
10 g neutral oil, or two teaspoons 50 g dijon mustard
Fines Herbes, washed, dried, picked and finely minced
20 g parsley, 1 cup loose leaves, 1/3 cup finely chopped 20 g chervil, 1 cup loose leaves, 1/3 cup finely chopped 20 g chives, 1/3 cup finely minced
8-10 g tarragon, 2 tablespoons finely minced
Method
Tie the pork filet with string to ensure it stays in one piece with smooth sides when browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on all sides.
Heat the oven to 200C, 400F.
Heat butter and oil in a large sauté pan, until the foaming in the butter stops. Brown the filet over high heat on all sides, about 3 minutes each side, then transfer it to a roasting pan, and roast for 30 minutes.
Remove the meat from the oven, and remove the string from the meat. Using a pastry brush, generously coat the outside of the filet with mustard. Roll the coated filet in the finely minced herbes. Slice the filet into 3 cm or 1.5″ medallions, and serve.
Source: Plum Lyon
