Canard / Poulet à la Duchambais

DUCK OR CHICKEN LEGS IN A TART CREAM SAUCE

Video of recipe

Not a well known dish, yet utterly authentic and delicious. A speciality of the Bourbonais region in the centre of France. The sauce known as “Duchambais” has traditionally accompanied just about any meat. Perhaps the best known versions are those with hare and duck. Recipes vary from home to home in the Bourbonais. Here is a standard (and superb) preparation.

(For 2 people)

2 duck or chicken legs
a tablespoon of duck fat or lard
3 shallots (or an onion), very finely chopped
a clove of garlic
a tablespoon of flower
a large glass of red wine
a small glass of brown stock (or chicken stock), if available – if not, just wine is fine
a bouquet garni
2 chicken livers, or an equal amount of pork or duck livers
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of French mustard. (the local Charroux mustard would be ideal)
3 tablespoons of brandy or marc de pays
75 ml cream or crème fraiche
salt and pepper

Brown the duck or chicken legs in the fat. Remove and reserve them. If there is room in the pan, brown the livers along with the legs, but remove them when they are still a little pink within. In the same fat, gently sweat the shallots until they are extremely soft. Add the flower and stir around for a minute over medium heat. Pour in the wine and stir to blend in the flower. Add the stock and the bouquet and cover. Simmer very gently on the stove top for forty minutes.

Meanwhile, if not already done, brown the liver quickly in lard, butter or duck fat. Blend to a smooth paste along with the vinegar, mustard and brandy. After the forty minutes of cooking time, stir this into the sauce, cover again and cook for another ten minutes. Add the cream, bring back to a simmer. Season and serve.

La Pouteille

A traditional stew from the Lozère departement, in particular the village of La Carnourgue. Less fussy than many of the commonly published recipes for French stews, (e.g. Bourguignon), yet so satisfying in terms of sound technique and result.

500 g braising beef, preferably from the neck (‘collier’ in French)
half a pig’s trotter, sliced lengthways
1 carrot, 1/2 cm slices
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons of brandy
1 tablespoon  flour
500 ml  red wine
500 g potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
a bouquet garni
olive oil or lard
salt and pepper

Cut the beef into 50 g pieces. Cut the pig’s trotter in two, across its length, resulting in two squarish pieces. Brown the meat and the trotter in a casserole pan in a little oil or better still, lard. Remove and set the meat aside and add the carrots, onion and garlic to the remaining fat and allow them gently to soften and brown just a little. Return the meats to the pan, pour over the brandy  and flamber. Sprinkle the flour over and stir all the ingredients around the pan. Now pour over the wine, add the bouquet and cook at a gentle simmer for an hour. Now add the potatoes and continue to cook for another couple of hours or more until the meat is soft.

Poulet en Saucisse

CHICKEN SAUSAGE

(for 4 people)

1 chicken, 1½ kg
1 bag of spinach
100 g mushrooms, sliced
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
For the chicken jus
see recipe for Jus de Viande in the Sauces section

To bone out the chicken: Cut the wings off at the first joint away from the body. Remove the wish-bone by slicing along its contours to get it loose and then pull it out. Make sure the neck is cut off close to the body. Remove any fat from the cavity. Place the chicken on its breast and make a slice all the way along the backbone down to the bone. Keeping the chicken on its breast and the neck end away from you cut through the shoulder joints with the knife angled so that it lies flat against the carcass. Once the joint has been cut through, stop using the knife. Grab the whole wing and breast on one side with one hand and, grabbing the carcass by putting the thumb through it on the same side, pull the breast and wing away from the carcass until the “oyster” (the plump piece of meat above the hip joint) is exposed. Repeat the same operation on the other side. Put two fingers on each side of the sternum (leaving the two fillets attached to the carcass) and pull down so the whole front of the carcass is pulled away and clean. Now, grab the chicken by the leg and with the point of the knife, cut around the oyster to separate it from the carcass. Crack the knee joint open by twisting the leg away from the carcass. Cut through the sinew and pull the leg out. Repeat on the other side. Remove the carcass. Now remove the leg bones by slicing around the large end joint and then scraping all the meat down to the next joint. Slice all the way around this joint too and keep scraping down to the end. Crack the bone here with the back of the knife and remove the bone but leaving the very end piece in place. Remove the wing bone in the same way, but don’t leave the piece in the end. Remove the fillets from the carcass by running your thumb under them. Lay the chicken meat out flat with the skin side down. Place the fillets on the bottom end around the legs where there appears to be less meat. Season the meat.

Sauté the mushrooms in a little butter and oil. Tip in the bag of spinach and stir it around so it all wilts. Season the mixture and press out any excess waters. Cover the chicken with this mixture, pushing some of it up into the legs. Fold each side over to “reconstruct” the bird. Flip it over and tie the legs together and the rest of the “sausage” with twine. Lightly coat with oil and roast in a hot oven for an hour.

Magret de Canard, Sauce Bigarade

DUCK BREAST WITH ORANGE SAUCE

(for 2 people)

2 duck breasts (magrets)
500 ml  veal stock (or better still, duck jus) 
2 oranges
100 ml sugar
100 ml vinaigre
15 ml orange liqueur or Cognac
15 g butter

Add the juice of the oranges to the stock and reduce over a high heat until it approaches sauce consistency.

As the  sauce cooks, prepare the gastric. Heat 125 g  granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. When the sugar has melted and turned pale brown, pour 125 ml of wine vinegar into the pan to dissolve the caramel and stop the cooking. Heat and make sure the caramel is completely dissolved. This is more gastric than we will need but is hard to prepare in smaller amounts.

Pour the gastric, a few drops at a time, into the sauce. Taste as you go as too much will spoil the sauce. 3 or 4 teaspoons should suffice. Finish the sauce with a few drops of cognac and set aside.

Make criss-cross cuts in the skin and fat of the magret, being careful not to cut into the meat. Place in a  cold pan (no fat required) and place over a very, very low heat to render the fat and crispen the skin. Pour off the melted fat as you go. Turn the magret to finish it off over a high heat for one to three minutes depending on the degree of doneness required. Let the magret rest for at least ten minutes. If required, heat it up again in the oven at 120 degrees centigrade. The magret is sliced skin-side down, and plated skin-side up. The slices are thick so to keep the warmth in. Once sliced, the magret should be allowed to rest for another minute so that all the juices that run out can be collected and stirred into the sauce. Otherwise these juices will run into the sauce on the plate in an unattractive way

Simmer the sauce for a couple of minutes then swirl in the butter. Spoon it over the sliced magrets.

 

 

 

Poulet Basquaise

(for 2 people)

2 chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks
flour
1 onion, finely sliced
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
4 cloves of garlic, crushed and sliced
3 tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped (canned will also be fine)
a bay leaf
herbs such as thyme, a bouquet garni or ‘herbes de provence’ 
salt and pepper

Cut the legs to separate thighs from drumsticks. Lightly flower the pieces. If attached, cut away the piece of backbone too.
Fry the pieces (including the backbone) in olive oil until golden on both sides. Remove the pieces from the pan and set them aside. Add the onion, peppers and garlic to the hot oil. Cook steadily until soft. Add the tomatoes and the herbs, cover the pan and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. Return the chicken pieces, cover and finish cooking for another 15 minutes.

Poisson à la nage

Almost any fish or shellfish can be prepared à la nage in a court-bouillon made from practically any kind of vegetable or herb. The vegetables used in this version are those most commonly used.

(for 2 people)

4 fillets of sea bass, trout, sole, halibut etc, skinned (75 g each)
1 carrot,
2 very thin lemon slices
half a stick of celery, very thinly sliced
half a small leek, white part only, very thinly sliced
1 shallot, very thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
a teaspoon of coriander seeds
a pinch of fennel seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper
20 fresh cilantro leaves
700 ml water
200 ml white wine

Use the tines of a fork or a channeling knife to make even indentations into and down the length of each carrot. Slice thinly into flowerlike disks.Place the vegetables herbs and seeds into a shallow pan and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly combine. Add the water and bring to a simmer over a high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes.

Pour in the wine and cook for another 5 minutes. Place the fish fillets in single layer in the bouillon. Cook very extremely gently for 3 minutes. Turn the heat of and let stand for 3 minutes.

Cut the fillets in half if they are large. Place one fillet on  warm shallow soup plates. Cover with some vegetables, another fillet and more vegetables on top. Ladle the broth over the top of the pile. Decorate each dish generously with the cilantro leaves

Oeufs Mollets Florentine

(for 2 people)

2 large eggs

Spinach
300 g spinach
1 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
ground nutmeg

Mornay sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
200 ml milk
salt and pepper
1 egg yolk
25 g Gruyère or Emmental cheese, grated

For the sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter slowly, then add the flour over a low flame, stirring all the while. Cook for a minute or two as the paste becomes a frothy mass of bubbles and begins to have a pleasant, toasty smell. Over a higher heat now, add the milk a little at a time, whisking so that the mixture becomes perfectly smooth again before the next addition. Bring to a simmer, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add a bay leaf and half an onion if using. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring and rubbing the bottom of the pan often. Strain. To this Béchamel sauce, add the cheese and stir just long enough for the cheese to melt. Add the egg yolk to the sauce, whisking very fast and hard.

Prick a small hole in the rounder end of each egg (this will help prevent the shells from cracking during cooking). Cook in boiling water for 6 minutes. Gently shell the eggs under cold running water.

Melt the butter in a skillet over high heat and cook until it turns brown. Add the spinach, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until it is well wilted. Continue to cook in order to dry off any excess water.

Arrange the spinach in the bottom of an ovenproof dish large enough to accommodate the eggs. Arrange the cold eggs on the spinach, with a little space between them, and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Preheat the broiler. Add the egg yolk to the sauce, whisking very fast and hard.

Coat the eggs with the sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Place under the hot broiler (not too close, so the eggs have a chance to get hot inside) for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is nicely browned. Serve immediately.

La Potée Auvergnate

300g salted pork belly (poitrine demi-sel)
400 g salted pork ribs (plat de cotes demi-sel)
1 salted ham shank (jarret)
150 g cured ham, on the bone
1 onion, whole, peeled and stuck with 3 cloves.
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 medium-sized turnip, peeled and quartered
1 leek, white part only, cut into 5cm lengths
a bouquet garni
2 large pork cooking sausages, pricked
1 smallish cabbage (curly)
4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and left whole
4 medium potatoes, halved or quartered (or neatly turned)

Soak the pork belly, shank and ribs in water for at least a couple of hours, preferably up to 24 hours to remove the salt. Alternatively, if in a hurry, blanch the meats by dropping them into in boiling water for 5 minutes. Discard the water.

Cover the meat with fresh water, bring to a simmer and skim thoroughly for a few minutes. Add onion, carrots, garlic, leek, turnip and bouquet garni. Simmer gently for an hour and a half, skimming several times. (If you want the carrots to maintain a little texture, only add them after the first hour of cooking. Alternatively, remove them from the pot when they are done to your liking)

Meanwhile, cut the cabbage into 4 quarters and blanch it in boiling water for 5 minutes. Throw away the water, squeezing the cabbage dry. Refresh it in cold water.

After an hour and a half, add the cabbage, the potatoes and the sausages. Cook for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Skim one last time. Throw away the leeks, onion and the bouquet.

The broth may be served separately with some fine pasta cooked in it.  The meats and vegetables are arranged attractively on a serving platter or individual shallow bowls and sprinkled with salt. Some broth is ladled over each plate. The potée is often served with mustard.

Ossobuco

The cross-cuts of veal shin should be those with plenty of meat and thin bones. It is necessary to inspect both sided of the cut as the the bone widens rapidly and one can be left with very little meat on the under side.

(for 2 people)

2 tbsp olive oil
flour
2 cross-cuts of veal shin, 3 to 4 cm thick.
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, small dice
1 celery stick, small dice
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
a strip of lemon zest (1cm by 5 cm)
a bay leaf
herbs such as thyme or ‘herbes de provence’
2 sage leaves, if available
1 tomato, pealed and chopped (canned tomato will do fine)
100 ml white wine
100 ml veal or chicken broth
For the gremolata
the zest of half a lemon, finely grated
1 garlic cove, very finely chopped
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper

Make 3 or 4 cuts in the skin surrounding the meat. (This will keep the meat flat as it cooks.) Coat the meat with flour and heat the olive oil in a casserole. When the oil is hot, add the meat to the pan and brown well on both sides until golden and crusted. Set aside on a plate.

Turn the heat down and add  the butter to the pan. When melted, add the onion, carrot and celery, plus a sprinkle of salt, and cook until soft. Add the garlic, lemon zest and sage to the pan and cook for a few minutes more. Add the tomato and cook until the mixture is almost dry.

Turn up the heat then add the wine to the pan. Reduce by half then place the meat on top of the vegetables. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.

Turn the heat right down, cover and simmer for one and a half to two hours, carefully turning the meat over every 30 minutes until it is tender enough to cut with a spoon. The level of the cooking liquid should always be about 3/4 of the way up the shank. Add more stock as necessary.

Meanwhile, mix together the gremolata ingredients.

When the meat is ready, dot with a few small pieces of butter and swirl the pan to melt them into the sauce. Sprinkle the gremolata over the top and serve.

Jus de Viande

MEAT SAUCE

In French sauce-making, a jus refers to a sauce that is prepared by deglazing the caramelised juices of a roast that have collected on the bottom of the roasting pan. A similar effect can be achieved on top of the stove by repeatedly caramelising the juices from chopped meat trimmings or carcasses with a small portion of mirepoix vegetables, deglazing each time with wine or stock. In this way an integral sauce can be prepared for any small cut of meat, game or poultry.

500 g meat trimmings or carcasses

1 small onion

1 small carrot

1 stick of celery

olive oil

125 ml white wine

thyme

chicken or beef stock or bouillon from the pot-au-feu.

 

Remove any fat from the meat trimmings or carcasses and chop them into 1 cm pieces. Chop the vegetables finely. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and brown the trimmings steadily over medium heat. Once they are lightly browned, add the vegetables and continue to colour. When this mixture is nicely coloured (there will  be a layer of caramelisation on the bottom of the pan as well), add the white wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve the caramelised juices. Continue cooking until the wine reduces and the juices caramelise a second time. Add enough stock to come half way up the the side of the meat and repeat the process of scraping, reduction and caramelisation. Add stock again and repeat the process. Tip everything into a strainer set over a bowl to remove any fat. Return everything to the pan and finally add enough stock to barely cover the meat. Simmer for no longer than 20 minutes and strain.

For a simpler alternative: Brown chopped carcass and any trimmings over a fairly high heat. Add the vegetables and continue to colour everything. Tip everything into a strainer set over a bowl to remove any fat. Return everything to the pan. Add a glass of wine and  and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any caramelisation. Allow the wine to reduce by half, then add stock to just cover and cook for 45 minutes then strain.

Pot-au-Feu

 

500 g stewing beef

500 g shin of beef, on the bone

500 g beef short ribs

1 whole chicken leg and/or any giblets and carcasses 

1 kg beef bones, sawn into short lengths (if available)

250 g beef liver in one piece, or chicken livers (optional)

2 large leeks

2 large onions

1 turnip

1 small parsnip

2 stalks of celery

1 tomato (optional)

bouquet garni

1/2 head of garlic

3 cloves

12 peppercorns

 

Place the meat and bones in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer,  removing all the foam that rises to the surface by skimming regularly. When it starts to simmer, add another cup of cold water to cool it down and enabling more scum to rise as it heats up again.

Meanwhile, if a darker coloured broth is desired, slice one of the onions in half and char the flat surfaces over a flame or on the grill. This will add colour and flavour to the broth. Alternatively, if the onions have a nice brown skin, a good colour can also be achieved by leaving them un-peeled.

Continue skimming the simmering broth for twenty minutes until no more scum rises. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for three hours, occasionally removing any fat that collects on the surface.

At the end of the cooking time, lift out all solids. Put the beef into a covered dish and keep warm. Strain and skim the broth again.

The vegetables from the pot-au-feu may be sliced and served with the meat. Alternatively they may be discarded and replaced with fresh vegetables, steamed or boiled separately until perfectly cooked.

The meat is rather bland and therefore served with mustard, horseradish sauce, coarse salt, cornichons and capers.

Generally, the broth is served at a separate meal. Often rice or pasta is added.

If marrow bones are available from the butcher, they should be cut int 5 cm lengths, tied in a muslin bag and added to the pot 45 minutes before the end of cooking. The cooked marrow is served on toast with salt and parsley.

Coq au Vin

(for 2 people)

2 chicken legs, cut in two
butter and oil
125 g salted pork belly cut into lardons
12 pearl onions, or a large onion thickly sliced
12 button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
half a bottle of red wine
a glass of brown stock, or, better still, a stock or jus made from the chicken carcass and trimmings
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 glass of marc or brandy
1 tablespoon flour
1 garlic clove
1 bouquet garni
salt and pepper 

Brown the chicken pieces on both sides in oil and butter and set them aside. Sauté the bacon gently in the same fat until very lightly browned but certainly not crispy. Remove it and over a higher heat start to brown the onions. As they take on a little colour, add the mushrooms and cook all this until the mushrooms have considerably reduced in size and everything is golden, adding some more oil if the pan gets dry. Return the lardons to the pan and sauté everything for another minute. Sprinkle the mixture with a tablespoon of flour and stir around for a few moments to cook the flour. Return the chicken to the pan and flamber with the brandy. Pour in the wine and enough stock to just cover the chicken. Add the sugar and a generous bouquet garni. Simmer for an hour to an hour and a half.

 

Season and sauté the chicken liver in a little butter. Brown it quickly over high heat taking care to leave the  inside still a little pink. Blend it with a generous splash of brandy and enough wine or cooking liquid to make a smooth purée. Gently stir this into the simmering sauce and cook for another few minutes.

 

 

 

 

Soupe aux Tomates au Riz

 

TOMATO SOUP WITH RICE

(for 4 people)

2 tablespoons olive oil, lard or butter

1 medium-size onion, chopped

1 medium-size carrot, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

50g  diced bacon /  a piece of cured ham bone

4 garlic cloves, minced

6 médium-size tomatoes, peeled and chopped

a pinch of sugar

salt and pepper

1.5 litres chicken stock

1 bay leaf

thyme

50 g rice

butter

Moules à la Marinière

(for 2 people)

1 kg mussels

4 shallots (or half a large onion), finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons butter

250 ml dry white wine

a handful of chopped parsley.

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

freshly ground black pepper

100 ml cream

 

In a spacious pan, gently cook the shallots and garlic in butter until soft. Add the wine, thyme, bay leaf and pepper. Simmer until the wine is well reduced.

Meanwhile, remove the beard and rinse the mussels. Add them to the pan, sprinkle with the parsley and stir everything well. Cover the pan and steam for about five minutes, shaking a couple of times until most of the shells are open. With the help of the pan lid, pour off the broth into a pre-heated pan and reduce by about half (or less, depending on how much broth the mussels have provided) as quickly as possible. Add the cream and keep reducing until it thickens slightly. Pour the sauce back over the mussels, cover the pan and briefly place back on the fire to heat through. Serve with fresh bread and sprinkle with more parsley.

Potage Parmentier

(for 4 people)

200 g leeks (use mostly the white portion)

150 g onions

40 g butter

250 g potatoes

chives, chopped (optional)

1 litre light chicken stock

50 ml heavy cream

salt

 

Split the leeks down the middle and rinse them to remove any grit. Trim the root end off and slice finely. Peel and slice the onions. Melt the butter in a pot and sweat the onions and leeks for 20 minutes, stirring often to ensure they aquire no colouration. Meanwhile, bring the stock to a simmer and add it to the vegetables. Cut the potatoes into chunks and add them to the soup. Continue cooking at a slow simmer until the potatoes are completely soft.

Purée the soup with a blender and then pass through a fine sieve. Add the cream and season with salt. The soup can be served hot or chilled. Serve in chilled bowls. Sprinkle with chopped chives in the centre. The  soup can also be topped with a dollop of very lightly whipped cream and a sprinkle of chives.

Sole Bonne Femme

(for 4  people)

1 kg whole sole, skinned and filleted into 4 pieces (or 2 sole, 500 g each)
1 tablespoon of butter
30 g shallots, finely chopped (ciseler)
75 g mushrooms, finely sliced (émincer)
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
15o ml white wine
For the fish stock (fumet)
half an onion, sliced
half a smallish leek, sliced
1 or 2 tablespoons of butter
bones, head, fins, tail and skin from the fish
a bouquet garni
the mushroom stems
water to cover
For the sauce
200 ml heavy cream
lemon juice, a dash

To prepare the fumet, rinse the bones in cold water, removing any blood. Remove the gills from the head. Chop everything into smallish pieces. Sweat the leeks and onions in butter for about 5 minutes and add the chopped fish bones. Sweat for about 3 minutes and add just enough water to cover, along with the mushroom trimmings and the bouquet garni. Simmer gently for 30 minutes and strain.

To cook the fish, use a straight-sided pan that corresponds to the size of the fillets. Brush the bottom of the pan with butter and sprinkle with the shallots,mushrooms and chopped parsley. Place the fillets on top, folded carefully in two or three if longer. The skin side should be on the inside. three. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and enough of the reserved fumet to almost cover the fish. Cover with a parchment paper lid. (The pan lid will do)  Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3 minutes or until slightly underdone. (It is fine if the tops of the fillets are raw as they will cook under the grill.  Remove the fillets, cover them and set aside to keep warm.

Reduce the cooking liquid by two thirds. Stir in the reduced cream and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add a dash of lemon juice. (Any juices given off by the fish as it rests should be returned to the reducing sauce)

To serve, place one fillet on each of four heatproof serving plates. Nap each one with some of the sauce, allowing the mushrooms to fall naturally over the fish. Place the plates under the salamander or broiler and glaze the fillets. Serve immediately

Assiette de Crudités

RAW VEGETABLE PLATE

This is a dish of separately prepared, raw, simple salads. Many different components are possible. Those given here are amongst the most common. There are usually a minimum of five separate preparations.

(for 4 people)

Carottes à la Citronelle (Carrots in Lemon Vinaigraitte)  

2 carrots, washed and peeled

15 ml lemon juice

salt, pepper

30 ml vegetable oil

finely chopped fresh parsley

With the help of a mandolin, cut the carrots int a fine julienne.  Combine the lemon juice with the salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisking constantly, add the oil in a slow steady stream. When well emulsified, pour the vinaigrette over the carrots and toss to combine. When ready to serve, sprinkle the salad with the parsley.

Céléri Rémoulade (Celery Root in Mustard Mayonnaise Sauce)

Mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or to taste

200 g celery root

1⁄2 lemon

Whisk the mustard into the mayonnaise. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Using a small knife, peel the celery root and rub the peeled part with the cut side of a lemon to keep it from oxydizing. Cut it into a fine julienne. In a bowl, add enough sauce to generously coat the celery root. Taste and check the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.

Concombres a la Crème / Cucumbers in Cream

2 large cucumbers, peeled

coarse salt

50 ml heavy cream

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon mint leaves

salt, pepper

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out and discard the seeds. Thinly slice (émincer) the cucumbers into 3-ml pieces and place them in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with coarse salt and set aside for 30 minutes for the water to drain from the cucumbers. Rinse the cucumbers under cold running water to eliminate the saltiness. Pat dry. To make the sauce: Place the cream and lime juice in a bowl set over an ice-water bath and using a whisk, beat until soft peaks form. Finely chop the mint and fold it into the cream. Adjust the seasoning. Place the cucumbers on a serving plate and lightly nap with the sauce.

Choux Rouge à la Vinaigrette / Red Cabbage in Vinaigrette

200 g red cabbage, sliced very finely (chiffonade)

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

salt, pepper

40 ml vegetable oil

Place the cabbage in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and salt. Add cold water and cover by 2cm. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes. Drain in a colander and pat dry. To make the vinaigrette, combine the remaining vinegar with salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, until the mixture has emulsified. Place the cabbage in a clean bowl and add just enough vinaigrette to lightly cover. Toss to coat. Taste and, if necessary, add more salt and pepper.

Tomates à la Vinaigrette / Tomatoes in Vinaigrette

200 g tomatoes, émonder

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

salt, pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chopped chives

Cut the tomatoes into wedges and carefully remove the seeds. Place them in a mixing bowl. To make the vinaigrette, combine the red wine vinegar with salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly until the mixture has emulsified. Add just enough vinaigrette to the tomatoes to lightly cover. Toss to coat and sprinkle with chives.

Champignons à l’Éstragon / Mushrooms in Tarragon Vinaigrette

200 g button mushrooms, wiped clean

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

salt, pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

a little chopped tarragon

To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar with salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until the mixture has emulsified. Slice the mushrooms very thinly. Place in a mixing bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for an hour at room temperature. Just before serving, stir in the tarragon and toss to incorporate.

Pommes Anna

POTATOES ANNA

(For 4 people)

700 g potatoes

80 g butter

salt, pepper

Peel the potatoes and shape into even cylinders. Using the mandolin, cut them into 1-mm slices. Do not wash them as the starch helps to form the cake. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Heat a medium, ovenproof sauté pan over very low heat. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the bottom of an ovenproof, nonstick pan with clarified butter. Arrange a layer of potatoes in slightly overlapping spiral over the bottom of the pan. Start arranging from the centre outwards. Drizzle each layer with clarified butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue making and seasoning layers until you have 3 layers. Raise the heat to medium to briefly sear the bottom. This will prevent the potatoes from sticking.

Cover the pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. With great caution (hot pan), uncover, drain and flip the cake either by tossing or with the help of a plate. Pat it down into the pan and continue to bake,uncovered for about 20 minutes until cooked through, crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and drain off excess butter. Cut into wedges and serve hot.

Tarte aux Pommes

APPLE TART

(For one 20-cm tart)

For the Pate Brisée with sugar

200 g flour

30 g sugar

a pinch of salt

100 g butter, very cold, cut into small pieces

1 large egg

Sift the flour, sugar and salt directly onto the work surface. Dice the butter, then work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips, working quickly so the butter does not melt, until the mixture is sandy in texture (sabler).There should be no large butter particles. 3. When the mixture is well mixed, form a well in the centre and add the yolk. Gradually draw in the flour and mix until completely amalgamated. To ensure that it is smooth, remove walnut-sized pieces from the dough and crush against the work surface with the heel of your hand (fraiser). Gather all the pieces together and knead lightly to remove any cracks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Butter a 20-cm tart ring and set it aside 2. Working from the center out and keeping the dough dusted with flour, roll out until it is about 3 mm thick and large enough for the ring. With the help of a rolling pin, transfer the dough to the tart ring. Remove the excess dough from around the edges by rolling the pin over the top of the pan.Transfer the pastry to the fridge and allow to chill for 30 minutes.

 

For the apple compote

1 kg Golden Delicious apples

1⁄2 lemon

50 g sugar

30 ml water

Peel the apples and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the cores with a pairing knife. Generously rub the apples with the lemon to prevent discolotation. Cut the apples into 2 cm cubes. Place the sugar and water into a pan over medium heat. Add the apples and cover with a lid or parchment paper. Cook for 5 minutes until the apples exude their juices. Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring frequently until all the moisture has evaporated, taking care that the apples do not desintegrate – you want a chunky mixture. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

 

For the apple garnish

800 g Golden Delicious apples

1⁄2 lemon

50 g melted butter

While the compote is cooking, peel the apples and cut them in half lenghwise. Remove the core and cut into 3mm slices, working across the equator. Coat with a little lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Spoon the cold compote into the shell, spreading it out to make an even layer that fills the tart 3⁄4 full. Arrange the apple slices in two tight concentric circles around the edge of the shell with a rosette design in the center. There shoul be no compote showing.

 

For the glaze

50 ml apricot jam

20 ml water 

Peel the apples and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the cores with a pairing knife. Generously rub the apples with the lemon to prevent discolotation. Cut the apples into 2 cm cubes. Place the sugar and water into a pan over medium heat. Add the apples and cover with a lid or parchment paper. Cook for 5 minutes until the apples exude their juices. Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring frequently until all the moisture has evaporated, taking care that the apples do not desintegrate – you want a chunky mixture. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the slices with melted butter and sprinkle with a few pinches of sugar.Place the tart on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 180°C and bake for an hour or until the apples are soft and lighly browned on the edges and the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. To make the glaze, combine the apricot jam and water in a small pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly until well melted and combined. Remove from the heat and, using a pastry brush, lightly coat the the top of the tart. Let stand until completely cool. Cut into wedges and serve.

Tarte au Citron

LEMON TART

(For one 20 cm tart)

For the Pâte Sablée (Sweet Shortbread Dough)

125 g flour

75 g butter, very cold

45 g icing sugar

pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon water, if needed

Sift the flour, sugar and salt directly onto the work surface. Dice the butter, then work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips.When the mixture is well mixed, form a well in the centre and add the yolk. Gradually draw in the flour and mix until completely amalgamated. Briefly knead the dough by removing walnut-sized pieces from the dough and crush against the work surface with the heel of your hand (fraiser). Gather all the pieces together and knead lightly to remove any cracks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When well chilled, roll out. Transfer to an 20-cm tart ring. Blind bake at 190°C with beans for 10 minutes, checking that the pastry is not browning too quickly. Remove the beens and paper, lower the oven to 160°C and bake for a further 5 minutes or until completely golden. Keep an eye on the colour as it will burn quickly as soon as it starts to change colour.

For the Crème de Citron (Lemon Cream)

175 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

150 g unsalted butter

200 g sugar

2 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

Heat the lemon juice, butter and 150 g sugar over low heat until the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Using a whisk, beat the eggs, egg yolks and remaining 50 g sugar until the mixture is pale and light (blanchir), about 4 minutes. Slowly pour some of the hot lemon mixture into the egg/sugar mixture to temper, beating until blended and creamy, about 3 minutes. Return the mixture to the saucepan containing the remaining hot lemon mixture and cook over a fairly low heat, stirring constantly with a spoon, until the mixture nearly starts to simmer. Lower the heat and cook for a couple 3 minutes longer, being careful to keep it below boiling point. Cool in the fridge or over ice.

When completely cool, spread the lemon cream evenly into the pastry shell. Smooth the top with a spatula. Return the tart to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer which will set the filling slightly without colouring it. Remove the tart ring and cool the tart on a wire rack. Refrigerate the tart until the filling is firm.

Salade Niçoise

There is no precise recipe for Salade Niçoise. It usually contains tomatoes, green peppers, hard-boiled eggs, small black olives, anchovy fillets and tuna. There should be garlic in the dressing. Many versions contain cooked French beans and potatoes, yet these additions are considered inauthentic by some. The ingredients can be arranged separately for presentation and tossed at the table.

(for 4 people)

For the vinaigrette

100 ml olive oil

3 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 clove garlic

salt and pepper 

For the salad

2 peppers, one green (long, thin variety), one red, thinly sliced in rounds

250 g broad beans, inner skin removed

2 cucumbers, peeled, cut in half lengthways, seeds removed 

3 artichokes

6 tomatoes, skins removed

1 white onion or 2 spring onions, finely sliced 

½ head lettuce, pulled into leaves, washed and dried

200 g French beans cut into 5 cm pieces and cooked, crisp-tender (optional)

3 hard-boiled eggs

8 anchovy fillets

20 small black olives

parsley, chopped

Cut and trim the artichokes down to the heart, slice thinly. Cut the tomatoes into 4 wedges each and cut out the inner part, leaving flat segments. Place them in a small bowl and salt lightly. Allow the tomatoes to drain for an hour and then rinse and allow them to sit for 10 minutes to dry. Using separate bowls, follow the same procedure with the onions, cucumbers and peppers . Make the vinaigrette by combining the ingredients in a bowl and whisking vigorously. Drain the tuna of excess oil. Place the lettuce in a large bowl and add just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat, and toss to combine. Line a salad bowl with the lettuce. One at a time, lightly coat all the vegetables with vinaigrette. Slice the eggs into quarters. Arrange all the ingredients on the lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with a little parsley.

If the anchovies contain excess salt, soak them for a few minutes in cold water and then drain well on paper towels.

Bourride

Bourride is one of the great dishes of Provence. There are various ways of preparing it but the essential characteristic is that aïoli or garlic flavoured mayonnaise is added to the stock in which the fish has cooked to make a smooth pale yellow sauce – and there must be plenty of it as it is the main point of the dish. Commonly monkfish is used but other varieties of fleshy white fish are fine.

(for 2 people)

1 monkfish (head attached) or any white fish

2 potatoes

6 slice of baguette

chopped parsley

For the fish stock

olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced
half a small leek, sliced
half a bulb of fennel, if available
100 ml white wine
500 ml water
a bouquet garni 

For the aïoli
1 egg yolks
125 ml olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped
lemon juice

2 egg yolks 

To prepare the stock, sweat the onion, leek and any fennel in a little olive oil until quite soft. Meanwhile, remove the fillets from the fish and reserve. Chop up the bones and head into several pieces. Add all this to the pot and cook a little longer, stirring a few times.

Next, pour in the wine, allow it to reduce somewhat and then add the water and the bouquet garni. Simmer for 30 minutes and strain.

As the stock is cooking, prepare the aïoli: Put the yolks and garlic in a bowl and add the oil as for a Mayonnaise. Season and add a little lemon juice to taste. Add the extra yolks (These will help thicken the sauce). Reserve

Peel and slice the potatoes and cook in boiling water. Remove and keep warm.

Lightly fry the slices of baguette in olive oil and reserve.

Bring the stock to a simmer. Cut the fillets in half and poach them for about ten minutes in the stock. Remove them and keep warm. Reduce the stock as quickly as possible until about a third of the original volume remains. The volume of reduced stock and that of the aïoli should be roughly equal. Add a the cream and continue cooking for a moment longer. Pour this slowly into the bowl containing the aioli, stirring continuously and them return the mixture to the pan. Set it over a very low heat, still stirring, so that the mixture gradually  thickens. It must not boil or the eggs will cook and spoil the sauce. It should turn out about the consistency of thick cream.

Arrange the fish, potatoes and croutons on a plate and pour over a generous amount of sauce.

Sauce Béarnaise

Béarnaise is traditionally served with grilled fish or steak, or poured over poached eggs. It is considered to be a ‘child’ of the mother Hollandaise sauce, one of the five leading sauces in the haute cuisine repertoire. The difference is only in their flavoring: Béarnaise uses shallots, peppercorns and tarragon, while Hollandaise uses lemon juice.

(for 4 people)

100 ml white wine
30 ml  white wine vinegar
2 shallots, finely chopped1 teaspoon black pepper, mignonnette (crushed)
a sprig or two of tarragon
3 large egg yolks
175 g butter, cut into 10 portions
tarragon leaves
lemon juice

Combine the wine, vinegar, shallots, pepper and tarragon in a small, heavy ba sed saucepan. Over low heat, reduce the mixture to about two tablespoons and strain. Return the reduction to the pan, removing it from the heat for a minute to cool.

Add the yolks to the reduction and whisk the mixture continuously over gentle heat. To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, add a few drops of cold water to cool the mixture and continue). The mixture should cook slow enough to first become frothy and then steadily thicken to produce a foamy yet thick mixture. When the pan bottom is visible through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat. Whisk in the portions of butter one or two at a time, always whisking until fully absorbed. Add some chopped tarragon. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a few drops of lemon juice.

Poisson du Marché cuit en Papillote

FISH BAKED IN A PAPER POUCH

En Papillote is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from parchment paper but other material such as aluminium foil may be used. The parcel holds in moisture to steam the food. The moisture may be from the food itself or from an added moisture source like wine or stock. En Papillote is most often used to cook fish and also poultry.

It is best to serve this dish, bag and all, directly to the guests and to cut it open before them. In this way the diner gets to breathe in all the aromas that would have been lost with other cooking methods.

The juices enclosed in the bag may serve as sauce enough, but it is also agreeable to serve a sauce on the side.

For 4 people 

4 fillets of fish (bass, salmon, bream etc) (150 g each)
25 ml olive oil
fresh thyme sprig
parchment paper
an egg white, beaten

 

For the Duxelles

250 g mushrooms

1 shallot, finely chopped
1 or 2 tablespoons of butter
a few drops of lemon juice
salt and pepper

 

For the Vegetable Garnish

50 g carrots, julienne
50 g leeks, julienne
50 g celery, julienne
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper
 

 

Preparing the Tomato Concassée

 

Émonder the tomatoes by plunging them into boiling water for 30 seconds, rinsing with cold water and removing the skin with a paring knife. Sweat the finely chopped shallots and garlic in the oil. Cut the tomatoes in half sideways and squeeze out the seeds over a bowl. Coarseley chop them and add them to the sweated shallot mixture. Add a little sugar (only if the tomatoes are under underripe). Cover with parchment paper and cook until all excess water has evaporated. Remove the garlic clove and adjust the seasoning.

Preparing the vegetables

Lightly cook the vegetables separately in boiling water, making sure they remain a little firm as they will continue to cook in the oven. Chill them in ice-water if not using immediately. Toss them in melted butter and season. Or, over low heat, sweat them in butter, covered with parchment paper (à l’étuvé)

Assembling and cooking the Papillotes                  

Cut the parchment paper into hearts. On one side of each piece place a layer of Duxelles and / or Concassée. Place the fillet on top of this and place the vegetables on top with a sprig of thyme and a few spashes of white wine.

Brush the edges of the paper with the beaten egg white. Seal  the edges by making a series of straight folds. Brush the edge again and repeat the folding process.

Brush the Papillots lightly with oil to promote browning. Cook in a 200 degree oven for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Oeuf Mayonnaise, Macédoine de légumes

For 2 people

3 hard-boiled eggs, boiled for 9 minutes, refreshed in ice-water and refrigerated

 

For the Mayonnaise  (for both the eggs and the macédoine de légumes)

2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar
a pinch of salt and pepper
250 ml sunflower oil
lemon juice

 

For the Macédoine de légumes

75 g carrot, macédoine (150 g whole, peeled carrot)
50 g turnip, macédoine (100 g whole, peeled turnip)
50 g peas
50 g string beans, small dice
salt for cooking vegetables
 

To make the Mayonnaise, in a bowl or plate, combine the yolks, vinegar, salt and pepper, and mustard. Add the oil and whisk, slowly at first until an emulsion is achieved. Add a few drops of lemon and adjust the seasoning. Chill in the fridge.

Cut the carrots and turnips into macédoine. Break the ends off the beans and cut into .5 cm-lengths. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook each vegetable separately, in a strainer. Refresh each vegetable in ice-water, drain and dry. When dry, mix the vegetables together.

Add some mayonnaise to the macédoine in small amounts until the vegetables are bound together. Adjust the seasoning.

Cut the eggs in half.  Spoon the mayonnaise over them, thinning with water or cream if it doesn’t coat them evenly. Place the macédoine in a nicely shaped, small leaf of lettuce. Sprinkle the eggs with a pinch of cayenne pepper and serve.

Ratatouille

The French touiller means to toss food. Ratatouille originated in the area around Nice in Provence. The Catalan ‘samfaina’ and the Mallorcan ‘tumbet’ are similar.

(For 4 people)

olive oil
2  onions, chopped (1.5 cm dice)
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
a bay leaf
2 red peppers, chopped. (1.5 cm dice)

2 green peppers, chopped (1.5 cm dice)
2  aubergines, chopped. (1.5 cm dice)

2  courgettes,chopped. (1.5 cm dice)

6  tomatoes, peeled (émondées) and finely chopped
2 tablespoons thyme leaves or ‘Herbes de Provence’

 

Sauté the onion in some oil until they are transparent. Add the bay leaf, garlic and peppers, keep sautéing for steadily for quite some time until the mixture is very soft. Add the tomatoes and keep cooking in the same way until the mixture is starting to dry.

In a wide pan, heat 4 tablespoons of oil and sauté the courgette over a medium heat until fairly dry and golden. Drain off any excess oil and add the courgette to the tomato mixture.

Repeat the process with the aubergine and also add it to the tomato mixture. Season and add the herbs. Cook the vegetable mélange gently for another 15 minutes until very tender and all the flavours have melded.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Ratatouille takes kindly to reheating. It can perfectly well accompany a joint of lamb or veal, grilled chops, steaks or sausages.

Rognons d’Agneau Bercy

LAMB KIDNEYS WITH WHITE WINE  SAUCE

For two people

6 lamb kidneys, suet and skin removed
oil and butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
200 ml white wine
150 ml Demi-glace
vinegar or lemon juice
chopped parsley
30 g butter

Cut the kidneys in half lengthways, season and sauté over very high heat in a little butter and oil, making sure they brown on both sides yet remain a little pink within. Reserve the kidneys and drain the pan of fat. Place the shallots in the pan with a little fresh butter and cook lightly. Deglaze with the wine, scraping the bottom and reduce by half. Add the necessary amount of Demi-glace, a few drops of vinegar and reduce until sauce consistency. Add the kidneys to this sauce, shake to reheat and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with a pinch of chopped parsley and, away from the heat, swirl in a little butter.

Serve with potatoes or rice

 

 

Potage Cultivateur

FARMER’S SOUP

(For 6 people)

40 g butter
4 slices bacon or salt pork (80 g)
1 leek (120 g)
1 carrot (120 g)
1 turnip (60 g)
1 stick of celery (60 g) 
2 or 3 leaves of cabbage (60 g)
1 potato (200 g)
30 g string beans

30 g peas

1.5 litres light chicken stock
50 g Gruyère cheese, grated
slices of baguette

Peel and wash the vegetables. Finely slice the leeks and celery. Dice the beans. Cut the carrots, potatoes and turnips into paysanne. Slice the cabbage in chiffonade. (At this point, in order to add to the flavour, the leek, carrot and celery trimmings can be simmered in the stock for 20 minutes and then discarded.)

Remove the rind from the bacon. Cut it into lardons. Sweat it in the butter without colouring. Sweat the leeks, carrots, celery and turnips in the same pot until well cooked. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the cabbage and cook 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes  and lastly the beens and pees. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the beans are just done.

Serve with toasted slices of baguette, topped wth melted Gruyère cheese.

Sauce Mornay

Sauce Mornay is usually used as the base for gratins or soufflés. To a litre of béchamel, add about 60 g of grated Parmesan and 60 g of Gruyère. Stir the sauce just long enough for the cheese to melt.

Gratin de Choux-fleur / Brocolis

CAULIFLOWER OR BROCCOLI GRATIN

For 2 people

1 cauliflower or broccoli

500 ml sauce Mornay

50 g Gruyere cheese, grated

butter

 

Separate the cauliflower into small florets. Cook in boiling, salted water until just tender. Do not overcook as it will cook further in the sauce. Drain them well and heat in a little butter to dry out any remaining moisture. Butter the bottom of a gratin dish and arrange the florets in it. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle generously with  cheese. Dot with small pieces of butter place in a very hot oven or under the grill until a light brown crust has formed.

Sauce Béchamel

Perhaps dull by itself, this sauce can be used for many dishes, such as vegetable gratins, a croque monsieur or lasagne – the list is endless. It also forms the basis of innumerable other sauces which are infinitely more interesting.

(makes about 700ml)

50 g butter

50 g flour

750 ml milk (or 500 ml milk, 250 ml chicken stock)

a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme (optional)

half an onion (optional)

fresh ground nutmeg

salt and pepper (or Cayenne pepper)

 

In a saucepan, melt the butter slowly, then add the flour over a low flame, stirring all the while. This mixture, the “roux”, should be absolutely velvety smooth.Cook for a minute or two as the paste becomes a frothy mass of bubbles and begins to have a pleasant, toasty smell. Over a higher heat now, add the milk a little at a time, whisking so that the mixture becomes perfectly smooth again before the next addition. Upon this initial operation depends the success of the sauce, for once the butter, flour and milk are amalgamated and smooth, the sauce is unlikely to turn lumpy. Bring to a simmer, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add a bay leaf and half an onion if using. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring and rubbing the bottom of the pan often. Strain.

A good béchamel is of creamy consistency and even a little thicker if used for a gratin.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Omelette Basquaise

(For two omelettes)

2 tablespoons lard, olive oil or duck fat
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
4 tomatoes, halved and grated, the skin discarded
4 cloves of garlic thyme
a bay leaf 6 eggs
a pinch of cayenne pepper or Tabasco

Sauté onion and pepper very gently in the fat until it is very soft. Add the tomato and chopped garlic and cook down gently until the mixture is fairly thick and dry. Season with salt and pepper. For one omelette, beat 3 of the eggs with salt and cayenne pepper and stir in 3 or 4 tablespoons of the pepper mixture. Heat a pan with some olive oil. Add the eggs and let cook for 5 seconds. The bring in the sides of  the omelette to enable all the egg to cook. Turn the omelette with the help of a plate and cook for 10 seconds. Place on a hot plate and brush lightly with olive oil. Place a tablespoon of the vegetable mixture in the centre, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Sauce Bordelaise

 For 4 people

2 shallots, finely chopped

a sprig of thyme

a bay leaf

300 ml red wine

300 ml demi-glace

80 g bone marrow

a few drops of lemon juice

pepper

10 g butter

Place the wine, shallots and herbs in a saucepan and reduce by 8/10, then add the demi-glace and cook for ten minutes or until it reaches sauce consistency. Pass through a chinois and check the seasoning, being generous with pepper. Bring back to a simmer, remove from the heat and swirl in the butter.

Poach the marrow by plunging it into simmering water for a few seconds. Dice it and add to the sauce.

Sauce Hollandaise

3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons water
175 g butter, cut into 10 portions
salt and pepper
lemon juice

 Combine the egg yolks, water and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small, heavy based saucepan. Whisk the mixture continuously over gentle heat. To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, add a few drops of cold water to cool the mixture and continue). The mixture should cook slow enough to first become frothy and then steadily thicken to produce a foamy yet thick mixture. When the pan bottom is visible through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat.

Whisk in the portions of butter one or two at a time, always whisking until fully absorbed. Season to taste with salt, pepper and plenty of lemon juice. The finished sauce should be light and airy. Keep warm so as to prevent the sauce from separating.

This sauce is specially suitable for serving with fish and vegetables.

Navarin Printanier d’Agneau

LAMB STEW WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Simple  Version

For 2 people

500g shoulder, leg or neck of lamb, on the bone
4 spring onions (whole), or half a large onion (thickly sliced)
2 carrots, sliced or  turned
2 small turnips, quartered
a tablespoon of flour
half a glass of white wine (optional)
2 tomatoes, skin removed and cut into small dice
2 potatoes, turned
a handful of peas
a bouquet garni with rosemary

Cut the meat into large pieces, about 75 g each, and brown well in oil. Season with salt and pepper and remove. Add the onions, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any caramelisation from the meat. Cook the them over medium heat, stirring regularly until they start to colour. Add the carrots and turnips cook a few minutes longer.  Sprinkle on the flour, stirring again for a minute or two. Pour in the wine and allow it to reduce by over half. Then add a cup of  water or light stock to barely to cover the meat. Add the bouquet garni, the tomato, the potatoes, the peas and garlic. Cover, and simmer very gently for an hour or two until the meat is soft.

 

“Fine dining” version

For 4 people

2 kg of either shoulder or leg. (On the bone) 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped 

1 carrot, chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped

5 cloves garlic, crushed

4 tomatoes, chopped

3 tablespoons flour

water or chicken/veal bouillon

1 glass of white wine (red will also do fine)

a bouquet garni with rosemary

 

For the  garnish

1 or 2 large carrots , turned or cut into batons (12 pieces)

1 or 2 turnips, turned or cut into batons (8 pieces)

15 pearl onions (or 6 spring onions, most of the green part removed) 

1 cup peas

1 cup string beens, 2 inch lengths

1 large potato, turned or cut into crescent shapes (12 pieces)

parsley

 

Cut the meat into large pieces, about 75 g each, and brown well in oil. Season with salt and pepper and remove. If there is a lot of oil in the pan, drain some off. Add the mirepoix (onion, celery and carrot), scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any caramelisation from the meat. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring regularly until the mixture softens and start to colour. Add the garlic and cook a couple of minutes longer. Add the tomatoes and cook over fairly high heat, stirring often, until the mixture is thick and browning nicely on the bottom of the pan. Return the meat to the pan and stir around a little.  Sprinkle on the flour, stirring again for a minute or two. Pour in the wine, stir, and then sufficient warm stock to just cover the meat. Add the bouquet garni and simmer very gently for an hour, or until the meat is soft.

As the meat is cooking, prepare the vegetables: The onions are cooked glacé a brun. Half cover them with water in a small pan. Add a tablespoon of butter, some salt and a generous pinch of sugar. Place a parchment paper lid on top and simmer until all the water has evaporated and the onions are just tender. At this point the onions will be covered in a light syrupy glaze. Keep cooking until the syrup starts to caramelise on the onions, turning them golden brown.               Cook the carrots the same way as the onions. Cook the turnips glacé a blond – remove them before the syrup caramelises. Now cook the potatoes in boiling water until they are tender when pierced with the point of a small knife. Finally cook the beens and peas in the same water as the potatoes.

When the meat is ready, strain the sauce into a clean pan and separate the meat from the aromatic ingredients. If necessary, reduce the sauce so that it will lightly coat the back of a spoon. Return the meat to its sauce and gently stir in the reserved vegetables.

Sprinkle the Navarin with finely chopped parsley and either serve straight from the cocotte or transfer to a deep serving dish. This dish is excellent when reheated.

 

Crème Brulée

CUSTARD WITH CARAMEL CRUST

For six people

• 500 ml cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 75 g granulated sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 60 g sugar for caramel

 Warm the cream with the vanilla been and its pulp. Remove from the heat when bubbles start to appear around the sides of the pan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and yolks until well blended and starting to lighten in colour. Add the hot cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Strain

Fill six molds and set them in a bain-marie. Fill halfway up the sides with hot water and cook at 150 degrees for 30 minutes or until set yet still trembling in the center. Remove and cool.

Sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over the tops of the crèmes and caramelize with a blowtorch. Serve immediately.

Pâté de Foie de Volaille

CHICKEN LIVER PATÉ

(for 4 people)

4 chicken livers

200 g butter

1 or 2 shallots, or half a small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
a few sprigs of thyme and oregano
a bay leaf
4 tablespoons Cognac
a pinch of 4 épices

Cook the shallots and garlic in a quarter of the butter. Add the livers and the herbs. Season well and cook steadily until they are coloured on the outside but still a little pink inside. Let the mixture colour a little.

Flamber with the Cognac and add the spices.Remove the herbs and blend until smooth, adding the rest of the butter in small pieces as you go. A drop of water may help.

Pour the mixture into ramekins, flatten the top and pour a little melted butter over the top. Leave to cool and set in the fridge.

Serve with toast or baguette.

Blanquette de Lapin à l’Ancienne

WHITE  RABBIT  STEW WITH ONIONS AND MUSHROOMS

A Blanquette is a stew which is finished with cream and gets its name from its white colour. The most famous version is made with veal but lamb, pork, rabbit and chicken are also common. The meat is poached in water or stock which is then thickened with a roux, making a velouté and finished with cream. The blanquette is garnished with pearl onions and mushrooms, and usually served with rice or potatoes.

For a veal or lamb blanquette, a suitable stewing cut such as shoulder or leg should be used. The recipes are precisely the same as for rabbit, only cooking times will be longer than for rabbit and chicken: The meat is ready when pressed with a finger it gradually reforms rather than springing back into shape.

(For 4 people)

1 rabbit, cut into 12 serving pieces
1 litre of chicken broth
Aromatic ingredients for poaching the rabbit
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, halved
½ leek
1 branch of celery
1 bouquet garni
2 cloves
a  few peppercorns
Garniture
16 pearl onions (four per person)
15 g butter
a pinch of sugar
16 button mushrooms
15 g butter
lemon
For finishing the sauce
30g butter
30g flour
100 ml white wine
100 ml cream
1or 2 egg yolks
lemon juice
nutmeg
chopped parsley 

Poaching the rabbit.
Put the pieces of rabbit and all the aromatic ingredients in a pot and just cover with the broth or cold water. Bring to a simmer, skimming off any fat and scum that comes to the surface. Keep at a very gentle simmer for an hour.

Preparing the garnish
.
Peel the pearl onions by blanching them them in boiling water for a couple of minutes and cooling in iced water. 
Prepare the onions glacer a blanc with the butter, sugar, salt and water. The water should not completely cover the onions. By the end of cooking there will be no water left but the onions should not be left to caramelise. Reserve
. Wash and halve the mushrooms, cook gently in butter, a little lemon juice and a splash of water.

Preparing the sauce.
When the rabbit is cooked, pour everything into a colander and save the poaching liquid. Remove all the aromatic ingredients. Add half a cup of white wine to the poaching liquid and reduce by ⅓.
  Prepare a white roux by melting the butter in a pan, adding the flour and stirring round over a medium heat for a minute or two. Add the poaching liquid to the roux, slowly at first, whisking to ensure that the mixture is smooth after each addition. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Finishing the sauce
.
Add the cream to the velouté, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add all the reserved ingredients to the sauce and bring to a simmer to heat through. Remove from the heat.
Temper the egg yolks by removing a ladle of sauce from the pot and mixing it with the yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pot and shake the pan over a medium flame until the sauce thickens. Do not let the sauce boil.

Fond de Volaille

CHICKEN STOCK

For 5 liters

6 L cold water
3 kg poultry bones
1 onion, chopped
1 small leek, chopped
1  carrot, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
a bouquet garni

Trim the bones of any fat and place in a stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and skim well. Then add the vegetables and bouquet garni. Simmer, skimming often, for about 3 hours. Strain and refrigerate.

Fond Brun

BROWN  STOCK

Escoffier said “Les fonds sont pour la cuisine, ce que les fondations sont pour la maison.” (Stocks are to cooking what foundations are to a house)

Ingredients for 6 litres

2.5 kg veal bones
2.5 kg poultry bones
1 kg veal or veal on the bone
2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 branches of celery, chopped
1 leek, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
50 g tomato paste
1 head of garlic, crushed
1 bouquet garni

Coat the bones and meat lightly with oil and brown in a very hot oven. Place them in a stockpot. In the fat left over from the bones, roast the onions, carrot, celery and leeks until golden, turning them frequently. Strain off the fat from the roasting tray and put all these vegetables along with the remaining ingredients into the stockpot and cover with cold water. Simmer 8 to 12 hours, keeping it topped up with water and skimming regularly. Strain and reduce until 2 litres remain. (However, if the stock is to be used for soups, no reduction is required.)

If the stock is being used to make brown sauces, it should be farther reduced until just a litre remains.

Roughly speaking, a Demi-Glace can be considered as 15 percent in liquid of the initial weight of bones and meat used to make the stock. Therefore, ten kilos of bones would yield 1.5 litres of Demi-Glace.

Gratin Dauphinois

 (for 8 people)

1 kg potatoes

400 ml milk

100 ml cream

2 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper

nutmeg

butter

 

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Peel the potatoes and slice them into even rounds no thicker than a penny. Do not rinse in water. Put them in a shallow earthenware dish, along with the chopped garlic, nutmeg and seasoning. Pour the cream and milk over them to barely cover. Strew with little pieces of butter  Cook for about an hour until the potatoes are tender and nicely browned. Serve immediately.

Sauce Bigarade

This is a sweet-and-sour sauce usually used to accompany roast or pan-fried duck. It  features the flavour of bitter orange. It is one of the few French sauces which can be classed as sweet and sour.

The sharpness of the bitter orange cuts through both the sweetness of the sauce, and any fatty taste of the meat  it is served with.

Classically, the sauce is based on a gastrique (carmelized sugar mixed with wine vinegar) to which is added veal stock  or demi-glace sauce, along with the juice and blanched rind of  bitter Seville oranges.

In this recipe, we start by enriching veal stock with  duck or poultry trimmings. If none are available, simple veal stock will be fine.

For 6 people

For the enriched stock

500 g  duck trimmings

½ small carrot, chopped

½ onion, chopped

1 litre veal stock

1 bouquet garni

Brown the duck trimmings in olive oil, adding the  vegetables once they have started to colour. When everything is nicely caramelised, moisten with the veal stock, add the bouquet garni and simmer the broth for 30 minutes. Strain and degrease.

For the sauce

the juice of two oranges

Add the juice to the stock and reduce over a high heat until it approaches sauce consistency. If the sauce lacks body, add some meat glaze or thick brown stock.

For the gastrique

80 g white sugar

125 ml wine vinegar

As the  sauce cooks, prepare the gastrique. Heat 125 g  granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. When the sugar has melted and turned pale brown, pour the vinegar into the pan to dissolve the caramel and stop the cooking. Heat and make sure the caramel is completely dissolved. This may be more gastric than we will need but is hard to prepare in smaller amounts.

For the orange zests

1 orange

2 tablespoons Cognac

With a vegetable peeler, remove the outer zest of one of the oranges. Cut the strips into a very fine julienne and blanch for five minutes in simmering water. Drain and soak in the liqueur.

To finish the sauce

When the meat is ready, caremelize the sucs on the bottom of the pan and pour off any fat. Deglaze with the reserved sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Pour in a little gastric, a few drops at a time, tasting as you go as too much will spoil the sauce. 3 or 4 teaspoons should suffice. Add the zest and liqueur, simmer a minute more and check the seasoning. Swirl in a little butter. 

Poulet Chasseur

HUNTER CHICKEN

(for 4 people)

1 chicken, 1½ kg

1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for browning

Enriched stock 

carcass and trimmings of the chicken, chopped into small pieces

1 carrot, chopped

1 onion, chopped

500 ml thick brown stock

a bouquet garni

For the sauce

2 shallots (or a small onion), chopped fine

20 mushrooms, sliced

50 ml brandy

150 ml dry white wine

1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and cut into small dice (concassé)

a bouquet-garni

1 tablespoon butter

chopped tarragon (if available)and parsley

 

Cut the chicken into 8 serving pieces. Chop the carcass and trimmings into small (1 cm) pieces, brown them in the oil then add the carrot and onion. Cook steadily until the vegetables are soft. Throw out the excess fat and moisten and deglaze with the stock. Add a bouquet garni. Cook at a low simmer for 45 minutes, then strain and degrease.  (A meat jus may also be prepared. See Jus de Viande in the Sauces section)

Season the pieces of chicken and sauté them in a little butter and oil until golden on the skin side. Turn them over, cover the pan and cook very gently over low heat until done. Remove the pieces

In the same pan, sauté the shallots and the mushrooms together for a few minutes over medium heat until well cooked, almost completely dry and starting to colour. Drain off any surplus fat. Deglaze the pan with the brandy, igniting it if you wish, followed by the wine. Reduce by half. Add the stock and the tomato concassé  and allow the sauce to reduce until it has a good consistency. If necessary, reheat the chicken pieces in the pan with the sauce and remove. At this point, swirl in a knob of butter, and add the chopped parsley and tarragon. Spoon the sauce over the chicken pieces and serve with boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes or noodles.

Potage Bonne Femme

VEGETABLE SOUP BONNE FEMME

The term bonne femme refers to dishes that are pepared in a simple, family, or rustic manner, similar to dishes cooked à la ménager and à la paysanne. Such dishes are usually served in the container they are cooked in. This old-fashioned soup is delightfully simple and tasty.

For 6 people

250 g white of leeks

250 g carrots

500 g potatoes

butter

1 liter water or very light chicken stock

a little cream

parsley

seasoning

Melt the butter in a soup pan and gently soften the finely sliced leeks and diced carrot. Add the stock and the diced potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are soft.

The soup can be blended, half blended or left as it is. Just before serving add 50 g butter, a decent splash of cream and some chopped parsley. A few drops of lemon juice will brighten the flavour. Serve with thin slices of baguette that have been dried in the oven.

The carrots are not essential to the soup but add a little extra flavour  and colour.

Sole à la Grenobloise

à la Grenobloise describes preparations of fish à la Meunière garnished with capers and finely diced lemon flesh.

For 2 people

2 sole

flour

50 g tablespoons butter for fryng fish

50 ml olive oil

75 g butter for sauce

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon capers

1 tablespoon lemon flesh in small dice (‘peler a vif’)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

lemon slices and buttered boiled potatoes to garnish

Remove the head from the sole and push out the guts with a knife-handle. Skin the fish by pulling from head to tail. Leave the white underside skin attached. Remove the outermost side fins with scissors. Season the fish and dredge in flour.

Heat up the  butter and the oil in a spacious pan and when starting to smoke place the fish in carefully, flesh side down and shake the pan regularly to avoid it sticking. When the first side is golden turn the fish over and cook for a further 5 minutes. Place the fish on a heated serving dish.

Peel the lemon ‘a vif’; slice off the top and bottom and slice off the rind with a very sharp knife so that no pith remains attched to the flesh of the lemon. Remove the wedges with a knife, working between the membranes. Cut these wedges into quarters to form dice.

In a small pan, heat the remaining butter till it starts to brown lightly. Pour in the lemon juice to stop the cooking, then add the parsley and drained capers. Spoon this sauce over the fish and serve with lemon slices and boiled potatoes.

Truite Meunière

TROUT  MEUNIÈRE

Meunière is a method of cooking that can be used for all types of fish and all cuts (whole, filleted, or steaks). The fish is always lightly floured (meunière means miller’s wife) and fried in butter. Frog’s legs and brains are often prepared in the same manner.

2 small trout

flour

50 g  butter for frying fish

50 ml oil

75 g butter for the sauce

juice of half a small lemon

chopped parsley

lemon slices or wedges for decoration

 

Dredge the cleaned, dried and seasoned trout in flour. Shake off the excess. Cook gently in butter and oil mixture, making sure the heat is low enough to prevent the skin burning. When golden brown, flip and cook the other side. Aim for about five minutes on each side. Remove the fish and place on a hot serving dish.

Pour off excess oil, wipe out the pan with a paper towel and over medium heat, melt the butter and continue heating until it starts turning light brown (beurre noisette). Immediately add the lemon juice, chopped parsley and a pinch of salt. Spoon the sauce over the fish and garnish with lemon slices.

Other recipes call for the lemon juice to be squeezed over the trout before the bubbling butter is poured on. Ideally it should be still foaming as it comes to the table.  In either case, make sure not to use too much lemon juice as it can easily dominate.

Purée de Pommes de Terre

MASHED POTATOES

1 kg   potatoes, peeled and quartered

100 g butter,cold, cut into pieces

250 ml milk, very hot

a pinch of grated nutmeg

Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water and a little salt. Boil until the potatoes are soft enough to easily  fall off the tip of a knife when inserted – about 15 minutes. Drain them and push them through a fine sieve, a food mill or purée them in a blender. They must stay hot. Return the potatoes to a dry pan and put them over a very low flame. Cook them for about five minutes to dry them, moving them frequently with a spatula. Still over a low flame, vigorously beat in pieces of butter, then add the milk, a little at a time, beating all the while until absorbed and the purée is smooth. Do not boil. Add the nutmeg and season to taste.

Note: Serve as soon as possible. Once prepared it should not be reheated.

Côtes de Porc à la Charcutière

PORK CHOPS CHARCUTIÈRE

This dish is found ready-cooked in pork butchers’ shops.

4 thick pork chops

4 tablespoons melted butter

breadcrumbs

purée de pommes de terre (see recipe)

Sauce Charcutière (see recipe)

Brush the chops with butter, season and coat with breadcrumbs. Grill or sauté them gently in butter. Serve with the puréed potatoes and the Charcutière sauce.

Sauce Charcutière

To 250 ml of sauce Robert, add a tablespoon or so of sour gherkins (cornichons), cut into julienne.

Sauce Robert

This brightly flavoured sauce which is based on white wine and mustard is a classic accompaniment to pork chops and other grilled or sautéd meats.

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons butter

200 ml  dry white wine

1 tablespoon vinegar

300 ml full flavoured brown stock or demi-glace

a pinch of sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Sauté the onion in butter until very soft and translucent. Add the wine the wine and vinegar and reduce by half. Add the stock or demi-glace and simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce consistency. Finish the sauce with the mustard. Do not boil after adding the mustard.