Have you heard of yolin, a new speciality from the Yvelines?
Thanks to the initiative of chef Laurent Trochain, proud of his department and its terroir, the Yvelinoise specialty, yolin, now has its own recipe book with 259 unique versions.
Giving new credentials to a Paris region that is rarely associated with a rich terroir, this is certainly the wish of the chef of the Numéro 3 restaurant (2 toques). Attached to his department and its products, Laurent Trochain has been a forerunner for two decades now of a cuisine based on products from short circuits. Today, he's working to raise the profile of yolin, THE specialty of the Yvelines region.
A free recipe with an indestructible essence
To better understand the origins of this recipe, the neo-speciality of a region, we need to decipher its name. Yolin is the contraction of four elements: Y for Yvelines, O for Olympic, L for Local and IN for Inclusive. It's the result of a desire on the part of the chef at Le Tremblay-sur-Mauldre to showcase his department and its treasures to everyone in the run-up to the Olympic Games.
In a spirit of openness and creativity, to be considered as such, yolin has to be salty, made of flour flour, cereals or legumes, eggs, milk and at least three products from the Yvelines region. In addition to these criteria, the choice of cook is free. One could compare this speciality of the Ile-de-France region to sauerkraut in Alsace, with the main difference being the freedom to create the dish.
Six months of open-air competition
In his quest to highlight the Yvelines' terroir, Laurent Trochain issued a challenge to the local population: create their own interpretation of yolin, while respecting its essence, and then include it in a recipe book. A jury made up of top chefs was responsible for judging the creations of professionals and private individuals alike. In the end, 259 recipes were selected, one for each commune in the department.
The book is also a marvellous showcase for the department's regions and the people who work in them, whether farmers, shopkeepers or craftsmen. To promote this recipe, the chef at Numéro 3 (2 toques) chose Sheila. The singer, who has lived here since the 70's, has her heart set on promoting this part of France.
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