Food club – French cookery – part 1

ALISON LAMBERT

www.tasteofmylife.com

 

 

CROQUE MONSUEIR

ROQUERFORT, CHICORY AND WALNUT SALAD

BEEF BOURGIONNE WITH BOULANGERE POTATOES

PLUM CLAFOUTIS

CHEESE

 

 

For most chefs French cookery is the foundations to most dishes.  It taught me discipline and skill first and foremost.  Then it taught me beauty through food and how to transform simple, well sourced, seasonal ingredients into something quite extraordinary!

With regards to our menu it took many attempts to choose what to cook as the vast array of memorable dishes from France is never ending.  So today I chose a selection of classic favourites which I know we will all enjoy and we may even remember our own journey of eating them in some magical place in France!

BON APPETITE!

FRENCH COOKERY TERMS

BAINE MARIE- water bath: cooking dish set in a larger pan half-filled with water to moderate the cooking heat when dealing with delicate foods

BEARNAISE- in the style of the Bearn region; an egg-thickened butter sauce flavored with tarragon and shallots

BECHAMEL- a roux-thickened sauce flavored with onion, cloves and bay leaf

BOUQUET GARNI - There is no generic recipe for bouquet garni, but most recipes include thyme, parsley stalks, bay leaf and five peppercorns. Usually wrapped in a small piece of muslin tied with string. Once it has infused a dish it is discarded.

BEURRE- butter

BEURRE MANIE- thickening agent or flour kneaded into an equal amount of butter (2 Tbsp will thicken 1 cup of thin, hot liquid)

BEURRE NOISETTE & BEURRE NOIR- (aka brown butter and black butter) clarified butter, cooked slowly until light brown (noisette) –or-- very dark brown (noir), the latter usually lifted with vinegar or lemon juice and (especailly for fish) chopped capers

BLANC- white

BLANCH- pouring boiling water over food to loosen skins (e.g. tomatoes or peaches) –or-- boiling for a specified time, then plunging the food into cold water to set the color and stop any further cooking.

BUERRE MEUNIERE- (aka lemon butter) brown butter with chopped parsley, lemon juice and seasoning.

CARAMELIZE- caramelize, to heat foods containing sugar (notably onions or carrots) until they turn light brown

CASSOULET- casserole of navy beans, goose or other meats

CHANTILLY - lightly whipped cream

CHARCUTERIE- cold cuts platter –or-- a shop that specializes in sausages, etc.

CHIFFONADE - finely shredded romaine or other greens, often used as a garnish

CHOUX- (also pâté à choux) puff pastry used in cream puffs, eclaires and profiterales

COMPOTE- sweetened stewed fruit, cooked to keep the fruit as whole as possible

CONFIT- preserved, as in confit d'oie, pieces of goose, cooked and then preserved in their own fat; or as fruits confits, frut that is cooked and preswerved in sugar or alcohol; or vegetables in vinegar

CONSOMME- a highly seasoned clear soup made from one or a combination of meats

COQ AU VIN - - chicken braised in red wine or Sherry and herbs

COULI- a purée, a sauce of fruit or vegetable, sometimes sweetened or flavored with herbs, but not thicken

COURT BOULLION- a seasoned or flavored stock for cooking fish or vegetables

FRAICHE- fresh

FRAISE- strawberries

FRAMBOISES- raspberries

GATEAU- cake or cookie

GENOISE- sponge cake

GOUGERE- cheese puffs based on choux pastry

GLACE- to coat with a thin sugar syrup that has been cooked to a crack stage

GRATIN- A preparation topped with a browned crust, typically using bread crumbs, butter and/or cheese; also the name for a shallow oval dish in which such preparations are baked.

GREMOLATA- a mixture of minced parsley, garlic and lemon zest, used to season sauces and gravies

HARICOT VERT- thin green string beans

HERBES DE PROVENCE- a mixture of aromatic herbs native to the Provence region, usually thyme, marjoram, oregano and summer savory

HOLLANDAISE- a rich egg-thickened butter sauce, often flavored with lemon, dry Sherry or tarragon vinegar and served hot with steamed vegetables or fish or, famously, on eggs benedict

JAMBON- ham

JULIENNE- food cut into matchstick-like strips

LAIT- milk

LAPIN- rabbit

MIREPOIX- a mixture of diced carrot, onion, celery with bay leaf and thyme

OEUFS- eggs

PARFAIT- a frozen dessert of beaten egg yolks or whites with hot syrup, sometimes with whipped cream added

PATE- literally a paste, often of chicken liver or foie gras, used as a spread for crackers or bread

PATE A CHOUX- Choux pastry; eggy pastry used as the base for cheese puffs, cream puffs, and profiteroles.

PUREE- a smooth, thick liquid, traditionally made by pressing cooked fruit or vegetables through a seive, now more often accomplished with a food processor or blender

QUARTE ESPICE- four spices (aka spice Parisienne) 1 part each of clove, nutmeg and ginger with 3 parts cinnamon; used to flavor sweets or meats

RAGOUT- a thick, highly seasoned stew

Rilletes- pâté

Riz- rice

Rôti- roast

Rouge- red

Roulade- literally rolled: thin strips of meat or fish rolled around vegetables or other stuffing

Roux- a browned butter and flour mixture used to thicken sauces and stews

Saboyan- a wine custard, similar to zabaglione

Salade- salad

CROQUE MONSIEUR

The Croque Monsieur, or “Crispy Mister,” appeared on Parisian café menus in 1910. The original Croque Monsieur was simply a hot ham and Gruyere cheese sandwich, fried in butter. Some believe it was accidentally created when French workers left their lunch pails by a hot radiator and came back later to discover the cheese in their sandwiches had melted.

Makes 4

For the Béchamel Sauce:

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup plain flour

3 cups milk

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the sandwiches

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

8 slices white toast bread

4-8 slices good quality ham

250g Gruyère cheese coarsely grated.

Method

For the béchamel: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and whisk in the flour until blended but not coloured. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Set aside. (May be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and stored, refrigerated, with a layer of plastic wrap placed directly on surface of sauce; gently reheat before serving.)

For the sandwiches: Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and brush with melted butter. On a work surface, place bread slices in a single layer and spread each one evenly to the edges with béchamel; all the béchamel may not be needed. Divide ham among four of the slices. Top all eight slices with equal amounts of cheese, spreading it evenly to within 1cm of edges.

Butter the remaining four slices of bread and place on top of the béchamel and cheese prepared slices.  Place in the oven and cook until the toast goes golden and crispy, turn over and cook the other side if need be (approx. 10 minutes).

Serve immediately.

If serving as a Madame, top with a fried egg.

 

ROQUEFORT, CHICORY AND WALNUT SALAD

The French do salads so well, once again a few key ingredients executed with finesse and understanding resulting in a classic salad such as this one!

Serves 2 as a starter or 4 as a side

2-3 heads red and white chicory, separated into leaves, soaked in iced water for about 10 minutes

1 large ripe pear, peeled, thinly sliced

125g/4oz Roquefort cheese, crumbled

squeeze lemon juice

2-3 Tbsp walnut oil

freshly ground black pepper

Method

Dry the chicory leaves and neatly arrange onto a serving dish, inner curved sides facing upwards. Drape the pear slices over the leaves.

Evenly distribute the cheese in and amongst the leaves and squeeze over a touch of lemon juice.

Trickle over the walnut oil and grind over a little freshly ground black pepper.

 

 

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

This dish is gutsy, very French and hugely satisfying!

Try to make this dish a day in advance, then slowly reheat in the oven. You'll find that the flavours will really develop overnight and the dish will be richer and more mature.

Serves 4

3 tsp oil or duck fat

600g shin beef, cut into large chunks or good quality stewing beef

100g smoked streaky bacon, sliced

350g shallots or pearl onions, peeled

250g mushrooms (about 20)

1 garlic cloves, sliced

1 bouquet garni

1 Tbsp tomato purée

750ml bottle red wine, Burgundy is good

Method

Heat a large casserole pan and add 1 Tbsp oil or duckfat. Season the beef and fry until golden brown, about 3-5 mins, then turn over and fry the other side until the meat is browned all over, adding more fat if necessary. Do this in 2-3 batches, transferring the meat to a colander set over a bowl when browned.

In the same pan, fry the bacon, shallots or pearl onions, mushrooms, garlic and bouquet garni until lightly browned. Mix in the tomato purée and cook for a few mins, stirring into the mixture. This enriches the bourguignon and makes a great base for the stew. Then return the beef and any drained juices to the pan and stir through.

Pour over the wine and about 100ml water so the meat bobs up from the liquid, but isn't completely covered. Bring to the boil and use a spoon to scrape the caramelised cooking juices from the bottom of the pan - this will give the stew more flavour.

Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/. Make a cartouche: tear off a square of foil slightly larger than the casserole, arrange it in the pan so it covers the top of the stew and trim away any excess foil. Then cook for 3 hrs. If the sauce looks watery, remove the beef and veg with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Cook the sauce over a high heat for a few mins until the sauce has thickened a little, then return the beef and vegetables to the pan.

Best served with mash potatoes!

 

BOULANGERE POTATOES

Serves 6

This dish takes time; don’t rush it! The result is worth it: meltingly tender potato slivers topped with a crunchy, golden crust like French bread, hence the name Pommes Boulangere.

1 kg floury potatoes, such as Maris piper or Desiree

2 onions

25g butter

300ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

A few sprigs of thyme

Method

Heat the oven to 180C

Peel the potatoes and slice them very finely ( a mandolin or food processor works well).  Slice the onions in the same way.

Butter the ovenproof dish and make layers of the potatoes and onions, with seasoning and the thyme leaves (stripped from the stalks) sprinkled over each layer.  Finish with a layer of potatoes and try to make a neat overlapping pattern with them.  Using the flat of your hand, press down the potatoes firmly.

Pour over the hot stock.  Cut the remaining butter into little pieces and dot the top with them.  Cover with tin foil and cook for 1 hour.

Remove the foil and bake for a further 30 minutes.  The potatoes should be soft all the way through the top layer golden brown.

 

PLUM CLAFOUTIS

When it comes to the French and puddings, I don’t think you can choose.  However a clafoutis is one of the simpler desserts and it fits in perfectly with the abundance of plums and slightly cooler evenings.

SERVES 4

450g ripe cherries, plums or apricots, the best you can find, stones removed

3 Tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

3 Tbsp kirsch (optional)

For the batter

20g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

2 free-range eggs

3 Tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 heaped Tbsp plain flour

50g whole milk

75g cream

pinch sea salt

Method

Gently mix together the cherries, plums or apricots,  sugar and kirsch and leave to macerate for two hours. (The sugar will slowly permeate the cherries and intensify their flavour.)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a baking dish with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Shake the sugar around the dish so that it is evenly coated, then tip out any excess.

For the batter, heat the butter in a small pan until it turns a pale hazelnut colour – this is called a beurre noisette. Do not allow the butter to burn or it will become bitter and carcinogenic. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside in a warm place.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until creamy.

Add the flour, whisk until smooth, then slowly incorporate the milk, cream, salt and beurre noisette.

Mix the macerated cherries and their juice into the batter and pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is slightly domed and the blade of a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

To finish, sprinkle with caster sugar and serve warm.