French Cooking For Beginners PDF

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Informative and engaging, Frewc/z Cooking for
Beginners is a primer for novice cooks whose
taste and sophistication surpass their culinary
skills. The book is also an inspiration to ac-

complished cooks who are looking for deli-
cious and hassle-free meals to prepare for
family and friends.
Helene Siegel teaches budding cooks
everything they need to know to prepare ele-
gant and easy French meals. She describes
the basics of French food, advises what uten-
sils to buy and how to make do with what
you own, explains the basic ingredients, and
outlines elementary preparation techniques.
Her clear, concise instructions result in fa-
miliar and delicious dishes. Now cooks of all
levels of experience will be able to niake such

French staples as Aioli, Coq au Vin, and
Boeuf Bourguignon, as well as delightful
departures from the everyday like Savory
Leek Tart and Cranberry Clafoutis. Helene
Siegel’s clear instructions, easygoing style,
and tempting recipes will coax the French
chef out of anyone.
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Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2017 with funding from
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https://archive.org/details/frenchcookingforOOsieg
French Cooking
FOR Beginners
Also by Helene Siegel
Italian Cooking for Beginners
Chinese Cooking for Beginners
Mexiean Cooking for Beginners
COAUTHOR
Ma Cuisine Cooking School Cookbook
City Cuisine
THE ETHNIC KITCHEN; FRENCH COOKING FOR
BEGINNERS. Copyright © 1994 by Helene Siegel.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of
Ameriea. No part of this book may be used or
reprodueed in any manner whatsoever without
w ritten permission exeept in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
For information address HarperCollins Publishers,
Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022.
HarperCollins hooks may be purchased for

educational, business, or sales promotional use. For
information please WTite: Special Markets
Department, HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.,
10 East 53rd Street, New' York, NY 10022.
FIRST EDITION
Designed by Stephanie Tevonian
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Siegel, Helene.
French cooking for beginners 75 recipes
: for
the eager cook/ Helene Siegel.
p. cm. —
(The ethnic kitchen)
Includes index.
ISBN 0-06-01 643 1-X
1. Cookery, French. 1. Title. 11. Series:
Siegel, Helene.
Ethnic kitchen.
TX719.S48 1994 93-30941
641.5944— dc20
94 95 96 97 98 DT/RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Ted, simply the best
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Contents
How TO Cook French Food 1
A Few Techniques for the Novice 5
How TO Shop for French Cooking 9

Ingredients 11
Equipment for the French Kitchen 19
Soups, Salads, and Appetizers 21
Egg and Cheese dishes 37
Poultry, Meat, and Fish 43
Vegetable Side Dishes 73
Desserts 87
Sauces, Stocks, and Doughs 97
Books on French Cuisine

and Culture 110
Index 113
*
4
T.. nks to John Wainer for the first trip to France.
And to Esther Davidowitz for the last.
%
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1
Everyday French cooking is no more complicated or
COSTLY THAN ANY OTHER STYLE OF COOKING. IT IS JUST MORE
—
French which means the bread should be fresh, the
SALAD CRISP, AND THE BUTTER SWEET.
FRENCH COOKING MEANS BRINGING AN ATTITUDE OF CAR-
ING AND RESPECT AS WELL AS TECHNIQUE INTO THE KITCHEN
AND THE MARKETPLACE. AT ITS BEST, IT IS COOKING WITH
THE HEART AS WELL AS THE HANDS, AND IT NEEDN’T BE
HAUTE TO BE SO.
FRENCH COOKING IS AS SIMPLE AS ROASTED EGGPLANT
SOUP OR BROWNED ONIONS HEAPED ON TOP OF A STORE-
BOUGHT PIZZA SHELL AND SCATTERED WITH THYME AND TINY
NI9OISE OLIVES. IT CAN BE AS LIGHT AS A GARDEN SALAD
TOSSED WITH VINAIGRETTE, AS FAST AS SEARED TUNA OR
SALMON, AS EASY AS ROASTED CHICKEN, AS EARTHY AS LEN-
TIL SALAD, OR AS ROBUST AS BRAISED LAMB SHANKS OR
MASHED POTATOES WITH GARLIC. IF IT IS COOKED WITH CARE
AND SERVED WITH LOVE, IT IS IN THE FRENCH STYLE.
Along with the love may come a generous serving of
CREAM, BUTTER, EGGS, AND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CERE-
MONY. DAIRY PRODUCTS, TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL FRENCH COOKING, ROUND OUT FLA-
VORS, THICKEN SAUCES, AND IN GENERAL CREATE THE MORE
SUBTLE OR REFINED DISHES ASSOCIATED WITH HAUTE CUI-
SINE. SINCEI AM AS OBSESSED WITH MY WAISTLINE AS THE
NEXT PERSON, MOST OF THE RECIPES INCLUDED HERE RE-
FLECT THE CURRENT PREFERENCE FOR THE LUSTY OLIVE OIL-
BASED COOKING OF THE SOUTH, AND THE RUSTIC STEWS AND
EASY CASSEROLES THAT HAVE COME TO BE CALLED ^‘BISTRO”
COOKING.
When butter and cream are called you can be
for,
SURE THAT THOSE INGREDIENTS WERE CAREFULLY MEA-
SURED OUT AND JUDICIOUSLY APPLIED. SO WHEN YOU DO
CHOOSE TO INDULGE IN A SENSUOUS BEURRE BLANC SAUCE
OR TREAT YOUR GUESTS TO A FABULOUS POTATO GRATIN,
DON’T HAVE AN ANXIETY ATTACK. JUST RELAX AND REMEM-
BER THE FRENCH PARADOX. DRINK PLENTY OF RED WINE AND
DIET TOMORROW.
As FOR ALL THE CEREMONY SURROUNDING THE MEAL,
French chefs and maitre d’s have been so successful
IN SETTING THE STANDARDS FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD,
THEY HAVE MANAGED TO LEAVE A CLOUD OF CONFUSION AND
INTIMIDATION IN THEIR WAKE. CENTRAL TO THE FRENCH
AESTHETIC IS THE IDEA OF A PROGRESSION OF COURSES
WHERE CONTRASTING TASTES, TEXTURES, AND TEMPERA-
TURES CREATE A HARMONIOUS WHOLE. SINCE THE EYE SENDS
A MESSAGE TO THE BRAIN FIRST, PRESENTATION ALWAYS
MATTERS, ALTHOUGH IT NEED NOT NECESSARILY BE FANCY.
WHEN ENTERTAINING AT HOME, THESE PRINCIPLES CAN BE
TRANSLATED TO A FEW SIMPLE MAXIMS: NEVER SERVE A
CREAM SAUCE WITH A CREAM SAUCE; ALWAYS END A HEAVY
MEAL WITH SOMETHING LIGHT, REFRESHING, AND PREFERA-
BLY pretty; several courses served in smaller por-
tions MAKE FOR MORE INTERESTING MEALS; TABLE LINEN
AND FLOWERS AID THE DIGESTION; AND WHITE PORCELAIN IS
ALWAYS A SURE THING.
WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, FOOD, ALONG WITH WINE, IS
MEANT TO BE SAVORED SLOWLY AND ENJOYED WITH FRIENDS
GRACIOUSLY NOT WORRIED TO DEATH. TO THE FRENCH IT IS
NATURAL TO CARE PASSIONATELY ABOUT WHAT THEY EAT
AND HOW THEY EAT IT. IT IS A WAY OF LIFE.
French astronaut Patrick Baudry, who traveled
INTO SPACE ABOARD THE AMERICAN SPACECRAFT DISCOVERY
IN 1985 AND BROUGHT ALONG HIS OWN CRAB MOUSSE, ALSA-
TIAN STEWED HARE, AND PATES DE FRUIT RATHER THAN PAR-
TAKE OF THE CUISINE OF THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM,
PUT IT THIS way: “Our food tradition is very ancient. It
IS PART OF OUR CIVILIZATION. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.’’
i
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A Few Techniques
FOR THE Novice
From soup to dessert, the language of the American
European or
kitchen is essentially French. Here is a small glossary of popular Freneh
cooking terms and some tips on how to translate them into aetion in
your own kitchen.
To Saute literally means
jump,” which is what your ingredients
“to
are supposed to do when the pan is hot enough. Always saute quickly
over high heat, with a minimum of fat, so the food changes color or
browns. To avoid excess moisture in the pan, place the dry pan over high
heat for a few seconds. Then add the fat and the food to be fried. Profes-
sionals and television chefs shake the pan for even browning and to avoid
scorching —
a technique that takes some practice. Frequent stirring will
accomplish the same thing. The main pitfall for home cooks is sauteing
in a pan that is too cool. Since chefs saute with a higher flame than you
can possibly attain on a home range, do not be afraid of pumping up the
gas.
To Sweat, cooking term inching its way into chefs’
a professional
cookbooks, is almost the opposite of sauteing. Also done on the stovetop,
it is slow cooking over low heat in a covered pan until the food is limp
and does not change color. The resulting ingredients, often vegetables,
develop a delicate flavor from steaming in their own juices.
To Reduce means to boil a liquid to concentrate its flavors by
diminishing its volume. It is the most popular and least caloric way to
thicken a sauce. Whenever instructions say to reduce, turn the heat to
high and let the liquid boil rapidly. Refrain from stirring since that will
lower the temperature in the pan and slow down the process. Unless a
huge quantity is to be reduced, stay nearby and keep an eye on the pan.
Judge the amount to be reduced by eye, by noticing its level on the sides
of the pan or on a wooden spoon dipped in the liquid. It is not necessary
to measure, as instructions are estimates, and the rhythm of this type of
cooking is fast. Wine, vinegar, stock, and cream are the liquids most
often reduced.
To Blanch means to cook very briefly in rapidly boiling water, just
to soften slightly or loosen the skin. After draining, ingredients are cither
rinsed with cold water or plunged into an ice water bath to stop the
cooking. I prefer blanching to steaming for lightly cooked vegetables be-
How to Cook French Food 5

French Cooking for Beginners
cause it keeps their color bright. Tough vegetables like broccoli or carrots
are often cooked in h\'0 steps, blanehed and then sauteed.
first
To Deglaze means to add liquid to a pan in whieh something has

been sauteed in order to release the flavorfnl browned bits from the bottom
and incorporate them into a sauce or gravy. First add the liquid, then
raise the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir and serape the bottom of
the pan to release the brov\ned bits.
To Make a Mirepoix, ehopped or finely diced onions, earrots,
and celery are sweated or sauteed at the beginning of soups, stews, or
braised meat dishes to add a subtle flavor to the broth. When these
aromaties are chopped the mixture is ealled a mirepoix, when they are
finely dieed it is called brunoise.
To Get the Most from the Least when eooking with butter
or cream, use these rieh products as supporting rather than featured play-
ers. The trick is to add them near the end of cooking time so their delieaey
is still apparent. Instead of a beurre blanc, make a quiek sauee by stirring
a tablespoon or so of butter and some lemon juiee and herbs into the pan
juiees after sauteing a piece of salmon or chicken; enrich a reduction from
a stew by stirring in a tablespoon of butter before serving; or mellow out a
pureed vegetable soup by finishing it with a spoonful of eream rather than
giving it the full creamed soup treatment.
To Thicken a Sauce with Egg Yolks, heat needs to be
introduced slowly or the eggs will form eurds rather than a thiek, smooth
eoating. The key is to stir some of the hot eooking liquid into the yolks
first,and then slowly incorporate that baek into the hot mixture. (This
step is ealled tempering.) Always eook over low heat onee the eggs have
been added, and stir constantly to keep the temperature low. Never bring
egg-thiekened sauees to a boil or the eggs will separate and scramble. Egg
sauees are best served immediately.
To Gratine a dish means to sprinkle the top with breaderumbs or
eheese and run the dish under the broiler so a erust forms. A gratin is
both the name of a small baking dish and a finished dish of thinly sliced,
layered vegetables usually baked in the oven and oeeasionally gratineed.
How to Cook French Food

r
1
All but the most luxurious French ingredients are
STOCKED IN THE SUPERMARKET. BUT THE BEST WAY TO CAP-
TURE THE SPIRIT OF FRENCH CON NOISSE U RSH P IS TO EX-
I
PLORE LOCAL FARMERS’ MARKETS AND SPECIALTY SHOPS

AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF WHO MAKES THE BEST BAGUETTE,
WHOSE TOMATOES NOT ONLY LOOK GOOD BUT TASTE GOOD,
WHERE TO FIND FRESH CHERVIL, AND WHICH BUTCHER IS
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HONEST ENOUGH TO DISCUSS THE
BEST CUTS OF BEEF FOR A CASSOULET OR HOW TO COOK A
POT ROAST PROPERLY. (FRENCH BUTCHERS ARE FAMOUS FOR
THEIR RECIPES AS WELL AS THEIR WAY WITH A SHARP
CLEAVER.) A WEEKLY VISIT TO A LOCAL FARMERS’ MARKET,
THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE TO THE TRADITIONAL OPEN AIR
MARKETS OF FRANCE, IS WONDERFUL FOR KEEPING IN TOUCH
WITH SEASONAL PRODUCE AND VENDORS WHO CARE PASSION-
ATELY ABOUT THEIR WARES.
5
Ingredients
Note: An asterisk preceding an ingredient indicates an item
recommended for daily cooking.
The French repertoire is extremely flexible. Once you understand the

basic cooking techniques, almost any ingredient can be incorporated
to give traditional dishes a new hvist. 1 have tasted an excellent tuna
with beurre blanc sauce seasoned with Chinese black beans, and an egg-
thickened sauce for chicken brought to life with cumin and cilantro.
These, then, are the basic products that make all those other ingredients
taste French.
Grains
* Bread is as essential to the French diet as red wine and coffee. It is
bought fresh every day and served at every meal. Leftover bread may be
used for breadcrumbs or croutons; the thrifty French never throw it out.
The two French breads widely available here are long thin crush'
baguettes and the doughier large round crusty loaves known as pain de
campagne or country bread, made with white or wheat flour. Both are
wonderful all-purpose breads for accompanying meals. Country breads
last a little longer and baguettes are better for making croutons. Shop
around until you find the best source in your neighborhood and avoid
most of the so-called French bread baked in supermarket bakeries. It
doesn’t come close to the real crusty, chewy thing. In k" ranee, where its
price is regulated by the government, bread is rarely if ever baked at home
and never served with butter.
Dry Bread Crumbs are easy to make from stale baguettes. If the
bread is not totally dry, trim the crusts and place in a 300 F oven for 1
to 30 minutes. Then cut into cubes and grind in a food processor until
fine. Store in plastic bags or containers at room temperature up to 2
weeks, or in the freezer up to 3 months. Bread crumbs need not be
defrosted before using.
Croutons, and serving with
or toasted bread for garnishing soups
pates and spreads, are similar to Italian bruschetta. Thinly slice a ba-
guette, spread the slices on a baking sheet, and toast in a 400 F oven until
golden brown, about 7 minutes per side. Drizzle with olive oil or melted
butter as desired. For toasted cubes, cut bread into cubes first and then
saute in oil in a hot skillet.

*Egg Noodles are a good accompaniment to many of the stewed or
braised dishes popular in the country kitchen. Dishes like boeuf bourgui-
gnon, blanquette de veau, and lamb shanks benefit from the soothing
starchiness of a bed of wide egg noodles. Simply boil, drain, and toss with
a little butter before topping with the preceding foods.
Couscous resembles a small yellow grain, though it is classified as
a pasta since it is made of semolina and water. It is a popular starch
accompaniment in France, especially for brochettes and stews, and is also
the name of the Moroccan dish consisting of the grains topped with a
spicy stew of chicken or lamb. Precooked couscous is available in special-
ity shops and the international section of some supermarkets and can be
reconstituted by combining the grains with an equal amount of boiling

water or stock or by following the package directions. Untreated couscous,
which is much more time-consuming to cook, is difficult to find in
American markets and demands a special utensil called a couscoussiere
for steaming.
Long-grain white rice is also an excellent accompaniment to traditional
French foods.
12 French Cooking for Beginners

Oils and vinegars
*Olive Oil is used in southern France, as it is in Italy, for sauteing,
dressing salads, and making uncooked sauces like mayonnaise. Although
French extra virgin olive oil is exported, it is relatively expensive and
difficult to find. I recommend using Italian olive cooking
oil — pure for
and extra virgin for dressing — for Mediterranean-style dishes. For most
other cooking a fairly tasteless oil like vegetable or safflower oil is fine.
Rare oils such as walnut and hazelnut should be reserved for salads
oil
and are not a necessit)' in the home pantry. Always store oil in a cool,
dark place.
*Red Wine Vinegar and White Wine Vinegar are used for
dressing salads, deglazing pans, and reducing sauces. There is very little
difference in taste, although white vinegar is preferable in pale sauces

because of its lack of color. Large bottles of French wine vinegar, available
at specialh' shops, are inexpensive and can be stored indefinitely in a
cool, dark place. Once again, specials vinegars such as raspberry or
tarragon are not necessary for daily cooking. You can flavor your own
N'inegars by adding a sprig or hvo of your favorite fresh herb to a bottle of
\ inegar and letting it steep for about 2 weeks.
Dairy
*Unsalted or Sweet Butter de rigueur for French cooking
is
and baking. Do not substitute margarine (which, by the way, was invented
by the French), especially for sauce-making, as it will not behave prop-
erly. Professionals always prefer unsalted butter for cooking because they
can better control the finished flavor. Sweet butter also tends to be fresher,
since salt is a preservative. French butter, available at some specialh’
shops, is made with less water and has a silkier consistency and sweeter
American
flavor than butter.
Milk. In French recipes calling for milk, use whole rather than
reduced fat milk, since it has the body and richness called for in such
foods as ice cream, custards, and gratins.
Heavy or Whipping Cream is cooking as
as basic to provincial
it is to haute cuisine. It adds a characteristic richness to sauces and desserts
without which they wouldn’t be French. American heavy cream has an

exceptionally long shelf life; it will keep in the refrigerator about a month.
Do not substitute sour cream or yogurt in cooked dishes, as they will
separate if brought to a boil. If you must save some calories, use half and
half instead.

Creme Fraiche French cream with a high butterfat content
is a
and slightly fermented flavor. It can be purchased at cheese and specialty
shops or you can make it at home: Combine 1 cup heavy cream with
2 tablespoons buttermilk. Cover and let sit at room temperature about
24 hours” to thicken and then store in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
Heavy cream may always be substituted.
*Eggs are used regularly in the French kitchen to enrich and thicken
sauces and to lighten and add volume to desserts and baked goods. As
chef Paul Bocuse so bluntly told author Calvin Trillin, “Without butter,
without eggs, there is no reason to come to France.” The recipes in this
book were tested with eggs graded “large” unless otherwise specified in
ingredients Since beginners may be put off at the prospect of separat-
lists.
ing eggs, here’s the skinny: Eggs are easier to separate when cold, although,
whites can be whipped to greater height at room temperature. Working
over a bowl to catch the whites, crack the eggs on the side of the bowl or
counter. Using half of the shell to catch the yolk, gently pour out the
white, being careful not to let any yolk get in it, and then let the yolks
slide into another bowl. Fingers are also good separators; just let the
whites slip through partially opened fingers. If yolk does get in the whites,
remove it with an egg shell or discard and start over again, since vyhites
will not rise with yolk or any other grease in them.
Cheese is more end of the meal than used as an
often eaten at the
ingredient in France. The most popular cheeses for cooking are Cruyere
and Parmesan. When adding cheese to a sauce, always crumble it first,_
apply minimum heat just to melt, and remove before it turns grainy.
Condiments
*Garlic is king in Provence, where it is a main ingredient in dishes
like chicken with forty cloves, and aioli. It fades away to a whisper in
other regions, especially the dairy regions of the north. In the southern
port city of Marseilles, there wonderful outdoor market devoted en-
is a
tirely to garlic, where you can choose among thick braids of white, \ iolet,
or rose garlic heads from competing farmers. White is the mildest and
rose the strongest, with x iolet somewhere in between. Your local farmers’
market may also stock different types. Purchase hard heads of garlic and
store in a cool, dry place. If you find a green sprout in the center of a
clove, remove it before chopping.
Olives, one of the oldest known fruits, are eaten as a snack and used
as an ingredient in spreads, sauces, and stuffings in southern France.

Small black Nigoise and green picholine, easily found here, are good for
salads and nibbling, and the larger Greek Kalamata and green French
country olives for cooking. Olives should always he stored in their brine
or oil in the refrigerator.
Capers, the piekled buds of a bush that grows wild along the Medi-
terranean, are an essential flavoring in Provengal cooking, where they are
used on pizzas, in spreads like tapenade (whieh means caper in
Provengal), and in sauces. The best are the small nonpareil t>'pe, available
in bottles at the supermarket. They may he stored in their brine in the
refrigerator indefinitely.
Anchovies are used liberally in southern Freneh eooking. They are
a main ingredient in the pungent spread anchoiade and indispensable to
Nigoise salads and pizzas. Spanish anehovies, packed in salt and oil and
sold in small resealable jars, are much more eonvenient for storing than
tins. Once opened, they keep in the refrigerator indefinitely.
*MusTARD, the most popular condiment in Franee, is used to flavor
sauces and salad dressings including classic vinaigrette and mayonnaise.
It has been made in Dijon, the eapital of Burgundy, since the fourteenth
eentury. Although now eomes from just about anywhere, if it is smooth,
it
pale yellow, and made of mustard seeds ground with white wine vinegar,
salt, and water, it is still eonsidered Dijon — the best type for cooking.
When cooking with mustard, always apply at the last moment and remo\'e
from heat, since it loses its flavor quickly. Good brands from France are
available at the supermarket. Once opened, mustard should always be
stored in the refrigerator.
Salt Pork is unsmoked
bacon from the belly of the pig. It is
slab
traditionally eut into lardons or small chunks for flavoring stews like eoq
au vin and boeuf bourguignon, tossing in salads, and enriching meats for
roasting. Wrap leftover salt pork well and store in the freezer up to
6 months. It defrosts quiekly. Slab or thiekly sliced baeon can be substi-
tuted, though to be authentic it should first be blanched for 2 or 3 minutes
to remove the smokiness. I find baeon preferable, because of its higher
percentage of meat to fat, for salads. Always cook salt pork over low heat
to avoid toughening. Salt pork is available at the supermarket next to the
bacon.
*Chocolate, which came France from the New World primarily
to
as a drink, is a favorite ingredient for baking and dessert-making in
France. Purehase good quality semi or bittersweet ehocolate in bulk and
store, well wrapped in a eool, dry plaee. Do not worry if it develops
a “bloom,” or white powder on the surfaee. I'his is eaused by warm

temperatures, whieh make the eoeoa butter rise. The ehoeolate is fine; it
keeps a good long time. You will be amazed at the differenee a quality
brand makes in ehoeolate desserts.
Vegetables and fruits

Franee is the riehest agrieultural region of Europe. Artichokes, egg-
plant, fennel, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, and zucchini abound in
the south; mushrooms, and leeks reign in the center;
peas, asparagus,
onions, parsnips, beets, cabbage, and turnips turn up in the north; and
potatoes are king everywhere. As for fruit, the most popular for baking are
apples, pears, apricots, and, of course, berries —
with lemons kept on
hand for seasoning sauces and whipping up wonderful lemon curd tarts.
Onions. In the French kitchen careful distinctions are made about
each member of the onion family:
*Yellow Onions are used as aromatics, often in combination with
carrots and celery, to flavor soups, stews, and braised dishes. They are
also a main ingredient in dishes like onion soup and pissaladiere, or onion
pizza. Store in a cool, dark place — not the refrigerator.
*Sh ALLOTS are small purple brown-skinned onions with a strong,
concentrated flavor. They are used mostly in sauces, where they are often
reduced with wine or vinegar before the sauce is thickened. Shallots, like
onions, are always peeled before using. Each bulb contains a few layered
cloves, each considered a shallot. Store as you would onions.
Leeks, known as “poor man’s asparagus” in France, enjoy a special
place in soups, stews, tarts, and gratins. They have a milder, sweeter
flavor than other onions and don’t cause the eyes to tear when cut. To
clean, first trim and discard the roots and green stalks. Cut in half length-
wise and rinse under cold, running water, separating the layers with your
fingers to remove any dirt. Store in the \ egetable bin of the refrigerator.
Pearl or Baby Onions are the tiny white onions, not to be
confused with boiling onions, that are used as a garnish for dishes cooked
Burgundy style such as coq an vin. They help reduce the richness of the
sauce. To prepare as a garnish, trim the ends and blanch in boiling water.
Rinse with cold water and then squeeze to remove the skins. Store delicate
pearl onions in the refrigerator for only a few days.
WINE AND SPIRITS

rhese are used without fanfare in the French kitchen. The general
ride when cooking with wine is to use an ine.xpensive wine you consider

good enough for everyday drinking, such as vin ordinaire in France. Once
wine is cooked, the alcohol evaporates and the flavor hccoincs more
concentrated, so a wine that has gone bad or was never very good to begin
with will only worsen. I keep on hand a couple of moderately priced
bottles of dry white wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc and a full-
flavored red wine like Cabernet Saiuignon for cooking. Opened bottles
can be recorked and stored in the refrigerator about a week. Always taste
before using.
* Brandy is the most frequently used spirit for flambes, sauces, and
desserts. Although imported Cognac and Armagnac are considered the
best, I find California brandy good enough for cooking. I also recommend
keeping a small bottle of either apple or pear brandy in the pantry for
pastries and fruit accompaniments. They can be used interchangeably in
emergencies.
Liqueurs are generally used to finish sauces or flavor rich custards
and desserts. As such, they are rarely boiled down. My two favorites for
French cooking are anise-flavored Pernod for Mediterranean foods and
orange-flavored Crand Marnier for desserts. Other orange liqueurs such
as triple sec or Cointreau are also fine.
Herbs are used subtly in the French kitchen to highlight rather than
overwhelm other flavors. Fresh is preferable to dry whenever possible.
When you do substitute dry, use about one-third the quantity and add
the dried herbs at the beginning to reconstitute their flavor. Fresh herbs,
except for an occasional sprig of rosemary or thyme, are usually cooked
briefly toward the end of cooking just to release their flavor. Often it is
better to substitute another fresh herb rather than the dried one.
Fines Herbes, a subtle combination of chopped fresh parsley,
chervil, chives, and tarragon, is used to flavor omelettes, and occasionally
grilled fish and chicken.
Herbes de Provence combination of dried herbs that may
is a
include thyme, oregano, marjoram, chervil, rosemary, bay leaves, and
summer savory. If you already stock most of the herbs you can just mix
your own combination when a recipe asks for it —
unless you just baxe to
own the earthenware crock in which it is commercially available.
*Thyme, which originated in the Mediterranean region of France,
suggests French cooking the way basil does Italian. Its tiny green leaf and
subtle fragrance enhance meat, poultry, vegetables, fish, and even fruits
like lemon, prune, and apple. It goes into the classic bouquet garni for
Hoiv to Cook French Food 17

stock-making, and dries well. Substitute the dried herb or a smaller quan-
tity of fresh ehopped oregano.
Tarragon has a slender, long, dark green leaf and a strong lieorice
flavor. It is the primary flavoring in bearnaise sauee and goes well with
ehieken,'fish, shellfish, eggs, and tomatoes. Try to find the fresh herb, as
the dried one doesn’t have mueh flavor. Fresh basil is a suitable substitute
Chervil has a thin stem, a bright green laeyand a mild anise
leaf,
flavor. Since it is so delieate, it ean be used either whole or lightly

ehopped, as a garnish for soups, salads, eggs, and tomato dishes. Chervil
is diffieult to find at the supermarket and is not available dried. Italian
parsley is a good substitute.

Chives, with their simple shape, bright green color, and slight onion
flavor, are a wonderful garnish for eggs, fish, soups, and salads. They are
not often eooked. Either eliminate or substitute another herb, but do not_
use dried ehives as a garnish.
* Italian Parsley, with its thinner texture and subtler flavor, is
preferable to the eurly variety. Parsley, ineluding the stems, is required

For making and soups and as a garnish. The dried herb may be used”
stoeks
for lengthily cooked foods, or substitute eurly parsley.
*Bay Leaves are used sparingly in soups, marinades, piekles, and
stews. A leaf is always ineluded in a bouquet garni.
Rosemary, Basil, and Sage are used primarily in Provengal
eooking.
Bouquet Garni bundle of herbs and spiees enelosed in a
is a
eheesecfoth saek for easy removal from soups, stews, and stoeks. The
eontent varies aeeording to what is being eooked, but a hpieal bouqueT
garni eontains a subtle eombination of parsley, thyme, bay leaves, an(^
hlaek peppereorns. If you don’t ^toek kitehen string^^ you ean gather the
four eorners of eheeseeloth and tie them together to seal the paeket. If
you don’t stock cheesecloth, you can stuff the herbs in the hollow of a
small celery rib topped by another and then tied together. Of eourse, if
you don’t have string or eheeseeloth and are feeling rebellious, you ean
always just add the ingredients to the pot and strain them out at the end.
I promise not to tell.

Equipment for the
French Kitchen
I f there one thing I’ve learned from observing eooking teachers
is
and chefs, it is that good equipment does make a difference both in the
finished product and the effort it takes to produce it. Although the
French kitchen does not call for anything special, here are the bare
essentials for produeing French food with the requisite joie de vivre.
High quality knives are well worth the investment. All you need is a
3- or 4-inch paring knife for small jobs, an 8-inch chef s knife for most
chopping and slicing, and a medium serrated blade for bread, tomatoes,
and eitrus fruits. Purehase the best you can afford, keep them sharp, store
them well and they should last a lifetime. If you need a cutting board,
the white plastic kind is preferable to wood sinee it ean’t warp or split. A
wooden board is preferable for kneading bread and rolling pastry.
As for pots and pans, once again less in best. All you really need are
two heavy saucepans — small and medium-sized —
and a large stainless

])()t and soups. For sauteing and saucc-iuakiug recoiuiucud a
for stocks I
good qualih' coiubiuatiou stainless and copper 10-ineh skillet with o\en-
j)roof handle, and an 8-ineh east iron pan for omelettes and smaller
quantities. An enameled east-iron dutch oven is perfect for stews and
braised dishes, and one or two large Fyrex roasting pans can he used for
most roasts and casseroles. Tart pans w ith removable bottoms arc a won-
der for heantifid tarts and quiches.
Among small gadgets, some wooden spoons, rubber and metal spatu-
las, small and large ladles, mixing howls, measuring cups and spoons, a
good whisk, tongs, and a strainer are key for pulling every thing together.
And there are also two electrical appliances that will \astly improve your
life — or at least your cooking.
d’he first is the food processor, which deserves at least as much credit as
)ulia Child for making French or “gourmet” cooking accessible. It can
puree soups and sauces, grind nuts, grate cheese, eomhinc a pate or
mousse, cut french fries, emulsify a hollandaise, and whip up a flaky tart
dough or rugged country bread in minutes. The other appliance, for those
who plan on baking or whipping up cream or many egg whites, is an
electric mixer. If you are not ready for the eommitment of a hca\’y-duty
countertop model, you owe it to yourself to acquire a small hand-held
clcetrie model. Nothing takes the fun out of cooking and baking as quickly
as aching arms and shoulders.
20 Fr<‘ncli (looking fV»r

Most of these starters are full-flavored and sat-
isfying ENOUGH TO MAKE WONDERFUL LITTLE MEALS ON
THEIR OWN WITH SOME CRUSTY BREAD AND PERHAPS A
GREEN SALAD. OTHER IDEAS FOR BEGINNING THE MEAL ARE
THE Asparagus Quiche (page 39), a hot or cold Rata-
TOUILLE (PAGE 84) WITH GRILLED BREAD, LENTIL SALAD
(PAGE 85), OR Roasted Garlic (page 80) spread on crou-
tons. And if you need a little something extra for
NIBBLING BEFORE THE MEAL BEGINS THERE ARE ALWAYS
THOSE CLASSIC FRENCH STANDBYS: A SELECTION OF PATES
WITH OLIVES AND CORNICHONS, OR SMOKED SALMON OR CAV-
IAR ON THINLY SLICED, BUTTERED BREAD.
Eggplant Soup
R oasted eggplant provides a depth of flavor sometimes laeking in
low-ealorie foods. This version was inspired by Champagne restaurant in
Los Angeles, where it appears on the spa menu. X Serves 4
1 large eggplant 1 quart homemade chicken stock,
Olive oil or 2 cups canned broth and
Salt 2 cups water
k reshly ground black pepper '
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced 'A cup soft unripened goat cheese
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (optional)
'A teaspoon ground cumin
1 ] Preheat the oven to 450 F.

2 ] Trim the eggplant, cut in half lengthwise, and score cut sides
several times. Rub all over with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper,
and place on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Bake until the flesh feels soft
when pressed with a finger, about hour. Set 1 aside to cool.
3 ] When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the eggplant’s skin.
Place the flesh in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, or in a
blender, and puree until smooth.
4 ] Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven or stockpot over
medium-low' heat. Cook the onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 'A teaspoon
black pepper, and cuminonion is soft, about 10 minutes. Stir
until the
in the pureed eggplant and chieken stoek. Bring to a boil, reduee to a
simmer, and skim the foam that rises to the top. Cook, uncovered, 10
minutes.
5] Pransfer to a food proeessor or blender and puree until smooth.
(To avoid spills, if using a food processor, pulse several times before
pureeing. If using a blender, puree in batehes.) Pour baek into the soup
pot, sprinkle with basil, minutes more. Remove from heat,
and simmer 5
stir in crumbled goat eheese if desired, and serve hot.
Soups^ Salads, and Appetizers 23

PISTOU
Th is, thick, soup made with a pesto (pistou)
rich Provencal vegetable
base is similar to an Italian minestrone. If you don’t have time to make
fresh pesto for it, substitute store-bought pesto, or just toss in a handful
of freshly grated Parmesan and some chopped basil before serving.
X Serves 6
2 medium red potatoes, with skins 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded,
2 earrots, peeled and dieed
3 leeks, white part only, eut in half ‘A pound green beans, trimmed
lengthwise and washed and eut in Vz-ineh lengths
2 zueehinis, ends trimmed 8 eups ehieken broth
1 yellow erookneek squash, ends 'A teaspoon salt
trimmed Freshly ground blaek pepper

One 5-ounee ean white kidnev
1
j
Pesto (reeipe follow's)
beans or eannellini beans
1 ] Finely diee the potatoes, earrots, leeks, zueehinis, and squash.

Plaee the white beans in a strainer to drain, and rinse under eold water to
remove eanning liquid. Plaee the potatoes, earrots, and leeks in one bowl
and the remaining vegetables with beans and tomatoes in another bowl
for bringing to the stove.
2 ] Pour the ehieken broth into a stoekpot or large duteh oven and
bring to a boil. With a ladle, skim and diseard any foam that rises to the
top. Add the potatoes, earrots, and leeks, reduee to a simmer, and eook,
uneovered, 15 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and beans. Bring
the stoek baek to a boil and reduee to simmer. Cook, uneovered, about
1 5 minutes longer, or until the green beans are done to your taste. Add
the salt and pepper, being eareful not to oversalt, sinee the pesto is salty.
3 ] To generous dollop of pesto in eaeh serving bowl.
serve, plaee a
Ladle in the soup and bring to the table with remaining pesto to add to
taste.

X Makes 1 cup
2 cups basil leaves Vz teaspoon eoarse salt
3 garlie eloves, peeled '/z eup plus 2 tablespoons grated

Vz eup olive oil Parmesan eheese
1 ] In a food proeessor fitted with the metal blade, or in a blender,

eombine basil, garlie, olive oil, and salt. Proeess until a smooth paste is
formed.
2 ] Serape down the bowl onee or h\dce
sides of the to avoid large
ehunks of garlie. Add the eheese and pulse to combine.
3] Set aside or refrigerate if making in advanee. Pesto may be stored
in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil on top for a month or so.
Soups^ Salaxls^ and Appetizers 25

* French Onion Soup
IFrench onion soup, with its crusty crouton and crown of melted
cheese, has always found an appreciative audience this side of the
Atlantic. It makes a nice winter lunch with a green salad and a glass of
red wine. X Serves 4
4 tablespoons (V2 stick) unsalted Two 14'/z-ounce cans beef broth,
butter or 4 cups stock
4 yellow onions, about ZVz pounds, Eight 'A-inch slices French bread
peeled and thinly sliced across or baguette
the width Vz pound Gruyere or Swiss cheese,
2 teaspoons salt half cut into 8 slices and half
1 teaspoon sugar grated
1 teaspoon white pepper 1 tablespoon port (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ] Melt the butter in a large stoekpot over medium heat. Add the
and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the
slieed onions, salt, sugar,
onions begin to brown, about 40 minutes. Oeeasionally serape and stir
the bottom of the pan to ineorporate the browned bits that add flavor.
2 ] Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly, until the flour is golden,
or cooked. Then slowly pour in the beef broth and I'/z cups water, stirring
constantly to avoid lumping. When all the liquid has been added, bring
to a low boil and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
3 ] Meanwhile preheat the broiler.
4 ] Spread the baguette slices on a baking tray and place under the
broiler until golden on one side, about a minute. Remove from broiler,
turn the bread over, and cover each bread slice with a slice of cheese.
Return to the broiler, just long enough to melt the cheese, about a
minute. Transfer 2 bread slices to the bottom of each soup bowl.
5 ] As the soup is finishing, stir in the port, if desired, and taste and
adjust the seasonings. Ladle into the prepared soup howls and bring to
the table with remaining grated cheese.

^ Cold Tomato and
Cucumber Soup
A wonderful choice for summer entertaining, this elegant cold
tomato soup is like a smooth, simplified gazpacho. It should be well
chilled —
a day in the refrigerator is fine —
and served with croutons or
toasted bread. Use the best ripe tomatoes you can find for such a briefly
cooked, clean-tasting soup. X
Serves 4
ZVz pounds ripe tomatoes Vz cup tomato juice, or more as

2 tablespoons olive oil needed
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly IVz tablespoons red wine vinegar
chopped 3 dashes Tabasco
Vz teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh
Freshly ground black pepper chives for garnish
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded,
and roughly chopped
1 ] Trim the stems and cut an X bottom of each tomato for easv
in the
peeling. Bring wâter to a boil in a medium saucepan and submerge
tomatoes for 20 seconds. With a slotted spoon transfer tomatoes to a bowl
of cold water to stop the cooking. Peel and cut each tomato in half across
the width. Working over the sink, gently squeeze to remove and discard
seeds. Roughly chop the tomatoes.
2 ] Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Briefly
cook the garlic just to release its aroma, about 2 minutes, then add the
tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook at a moderate boil, stirring occasionally,
for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3] Place the cucumbers in a food processor fitted with the metal blade,
or in a blender, and puree. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredi-
ents. Continue pureeing until smooth. (If your tomatoes are not quite
ripe, or too dry, you may need to add extra tomato juice to compensate.)
Transfer to a container to chill until serving time, at least 8 hours. Ladle
into serving bowls and sprinkle chives across the top.
Soups, Saôrfs, and Appetizers 27

Salade Lyonnaise
H ere the classic salad of bitter greens, hot bacon,
vinaigrette called pissenlits takes on an extra
and warm
dollop of flavor from poached
egg. X Serves 4
1 largehead curly endive, frisee, ‘A cup red wine vinegar
escarole, or dandelion greens, 1 tablespoon safflower or vegetable
about 4 cups oil
‘A pound thickly sliced bacon, cut Salt and freshly ground black
across the width in ‘A-inch strips pepper
•A cup white wine vinegar I'A tablespoons sliced fresh chives
4 eggs
1 ] Wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce. Break into bite-sized pieces
and place in a mixing bowl in the refrigerator.
2] Fry the bacon in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring and tossing
with a slotted spoon, until crisp. Then transfer to paper towels to drain
and reserve the drippings in the pan.
3 ] While the bacon is frying, fill a large skillet nearly to the rim with
water for poaching the eggs. Add the white wine vinegar and bring to a
simmer. Crack each egg, as close as possible to the water’s surface, and
gently slip it into the simmering water. Cook until the whites are just set
and the yellows remain runny, 3 minutes for refrigerated eggs. Use a
slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a small bowl.
4 ] Pour the red wane vinegar, safflower oil, reserved bacon drippings,
and fried bacon bits over the lettuce. Toss well and season with salt and
pepper. Divide the salad into 4 serving bowls. Top each with an egg,
sprinkle with chives and additional ground pepper on the egg, and serve
warm with toasted bread.

A Warm Fig and
Chevre Salad
I n the late summer or early autumn look for soft, fragrant blaek or
green figs with slightly cracked skins for mixing with greens and goat
cheese in this sensual Riviera salad. X Serves 6
12 cups or V-f pound mixed baby Salt and freshly ground black
lettuces such as arugula, mache, pepper
radicchio, and frisee 6 ripe black figs, stems removed,
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar cut in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons lemon juice 6 ounces soft unripened goat
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey cheese log, cut into 12 slices
V2 cup mild olive oil, plus some for across the width
the figs and cheese
1 ] Preheat the broiler.

2 ] Wash and thoroughly dry the lettuces; break into bite-sized pieces.
Place in a large mixing bowl.
3] In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice,
honey, and olive oil. Season and pepper. Pour o\'er the
to taste with salt
salad greens and toss well to coat evenly. Divide into 6 portions and place
in individual bowls.
4 ] Arrange the figs, cut side up, on a baking tray and top each with a
slice of cheese. Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Place under the broiler until
the cheese begins to brown and melt, about 3 minutes. Place 2 fig haKes
on top of each salad and serve.
Soups^ Sala€ls, and Appetizers 29

^îssaladiere, or caramelized onion pizza, is sold by bakeries and
pizzerias in southern Franee to be eaten out of hand snack or small
as a
lunch. This adaptation, made with prebaked Boboli crust, does not forfeit
an ounee of flavor for ease of preparation. Cut into small wedges or
squares for a buffet or serve larger wedges with a green salad for a satisfying
weeknight supper. X Serves 6 as an appetizer
2 pounds (about 4 medium) onions Freshly ground black pepper
'A cup olive oil, plus extra for One -pound
1 family-size Boboli
drizzling pizza crust
IV2 teaspoons salt 8 anchovies, or 16 strips sun-dried
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme, tomatoes, packed in oil
or 1 teaspoon dried 'A cup black Nigoise olives
1] Peel the onions and slice thinly across the width by hand or in a
food processor fitted with the 4-mm blade.
2] In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add
the onions, thyme, and pepper. Cover and cook until the onions
salt,
are wilted and beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Stir the onions
occasionally, scraping up and mixing in any browned bits from the bottom
of the pan —
these caramelized bits add flavor.
4 ] Place the pizza crust on a baking tray. Spread the onion mixture
over the crust, leaving the edges bare like a pizza. Arrange the anchovies
or sun-dried tomatoes in a spoke pattern and sprinkle on the olives.
Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake 10 minutes, or until the crust is crisp.
Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

* Eggplant Caviar
I first tasted this lusty spread in the Marais, Paris’s Jewish quarter,
where was served in a large erock with raw and piekled vegetables,
it
delectable olives, and thinly sliced toasted baguettes. I immediately fell

in love. It makes an excellent lunch, spread on some bread and topped,
in summer, with sliced tomato. X
^cikes 2 cups, enough for
6 appetizer portions
2 medium eggplants, ends trimmed 3 lemon

tablespoons juice
Pure olive oil V2 teaspoon cumin
Salt '/2 medium onion, peeled and
Freshly ground blaek pepper chopped
4 garlie eloves, peeled Strong black olives, raw vegetables,
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and toasted baguettes for garnish
1 ] Preheat oven to 450 F.

2 ] Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and seore eaeh flat side with a
few diagonal interseeting euts. Lightly rub all over with pure olive oiland
season with salt and pepper. Plaee on a baking tray, cut sides up. Bake
until soft and partially blackened, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool.
3 ] Scrape the pulp out of the eggplants with a spoon, discarding the
skins. To mince the garlic, drop the cloves down the tube of a food
processor fitted with the metal blade while the machine is running. Re-
move lid and add the eggplant, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice,
V2 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper. Puree until smooth and light,
about 2 minutes. Transfer to abowl and gently stir in the diced onions.
Serve, or chill until serving time. Eggplant caviar may be kept in the
refrigerator up to 5 days.
Soups^ Salads, and Appetizers 31

* Crudites with
Mediterranean Dips
H ere are a few robust dips for serving with raw vegetables, hard-
boiled eggs, thinly slieed toasted baguettes, or eraekers — and the best
olives you can find.
^ Roasted Red Pepper Spread

X Makes 2 cups
4 red bell peppers 3 tablespoons capers
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
'/: cup roughly chopped sun-dried 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
tomatoes, packed in oil
1 ] Roast the peppers over a gas flame or under an electric broiler until
they are charred all over. Transfer to a plastic bag to sweat for 10 minutes.
Remove the stems, ribs, and seeds, peel, and cut the pulp into large
pieces.
2 ] Place pieces in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal
blade. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse about S times until a
chunky spread is formed.
32 French Cooking for Beg;inners

Aioli
X Makes 2 cups
8 garlic cloves, peeled 1 eup olive oil
2 egg yolks Vz eup safflower oil
Juiee of 1 lemon Salt and blaek pepper
1 ] With the maehine on, drop the garlie eloves down the tube of a
food proeessor fitted with the metal blade. Proeess until mineed.
2 ] Remove and add the egg yolks and lemon juiee. Proeess
the lid
until smooth. With the maehine running, pour in the oils in a slow
steady stream. (If your maehine eomes with a plastie eylinder with a tiny
hole in the eenter that fits in the feed tube, it will perfeetly eontrol the
flow of oil.)
3 ] Season and pepper and proeess briefly just to

to taste with salt
eombine. Aioli and other mayonnaise may be stored in the refrigerator
up to 1 week. Do not freeze.
Tuna Tapenade
X Makes 1 cup
1 garlie elove, peeled 2 tablespoons lemon juiee

One 6-ounee ean imported tuna in 2 tablespoons olive oil
olive oil Leaves only from 3 thyme sprigs
3 large, garlieky green olives, slieed Freshly ground blaek pepper
off the pit
1 ] With the maehine on, drop the garlie elove down the tube of a
food proeessor fitted with the metal blade and minee.
2 ] Add the tuna with its oil, olives, lemon juiee, olive oil, thyme, and
3 or 4 grindings of fresh blaek pepper. Pulse until a ehunky spread is
formed.
Soups, SaUids^ and Appetizers 33

Michele’s Chicken
Liver Mousse
wiôod and hiking partner Miehele Fuetseh serves this
friend
sumptuous ehieken liver mousse at her annual Christmas party, after
whieh at least three friends eall her to ask for the reeipe. An added bonus
— the reeipe, adapted from Diane Rossen Worthington’s The Cuisine of
California^ also freezes well. X
Makes Vh cups, enough for 12 as an
appetizer
1 cup pine nuts V2 pound loose pork sausage

3 tablespoons unsalted butter Vz pound chicken livers, trimmed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil ‘A cup pear liqueur
1 onion, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 shallots, peeled and chopped V4 teaspoon allspice

1 pear, peeled, cored, and chopped 1 Vz teaspoons salt
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh

12 ounces cream cheese (not rosemary
whipped), cut in cubes Vz teaspoon ground white pepper
1 ] Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and
toast in the oven brown, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
until pale
2 ] In a medium skillet, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil
over moderate heat. Cook the onion, shallots, and pear until soft, about
10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
3 ] Transfer to a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add the
cubed cream cheese, and puree until smooth. Reserve mixture in the
food processor.
4 ] Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over
medium-high heat and saute the pork and livers until the livers are barely
pink in the center. (Test by cutting one open.) Carefully drain off excess
fat and off the heat pour in the pear liqueur. Return to heat, light a
match, and hold it close to the pan’s surface to flame. When the flames
subside, remove from the heat.
5] transfer contents of skillet to tlie pear and onion mixture in the
food processor and process briefly. Then add the remaining herbs and
seasonings and process until smooth. Add the toasted pine nuts and pro-
cess until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

6 ] Spoon into a ceramic crock or terrine, smooth the surface, and
chill at least 2 hours to marry the flavors before serving in the crock
accompanied by thinly sliced baguette, crackers, or toast points.
Soups, Salfuls, €ind Appetizers 35

i Mushrooms
A LA Grecque
The technique for this classic hors d’oeuvre is really easy, although
the ingredient list is long. The same formula can be applied to carrot or
fennel strips. X Serves 4
1pound white mushrooms. ‘A teaspoon black peppercorns
trimmed and wiped clean 1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup dry white wine 2 teaspoons fennel seeds

'A cup white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 large shallot, peeled and chopped 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 'A teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar 2 strips lemon zest

1 bay leaf
1 ] If the mushrooms are small, keep them whole. Cut larger ones in
halves or quarters and reserve.
2 ] Combine all the ingredients except the mushrooms in a medium
saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and
cook, covered, 10 minutes.
3 ] Add the mushrooms, pressing down with a spoon so they are all
covered by liquid. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes, uncovered. With

a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms along with any seasonings that
are clinging to them, to a plastic container.
4 ] Turn the heat up to high and reduce the liquid by rapidly boiling
for 10 minutes. Strain over the mushrooms in the container and let sit till
cool, about 2 hours. Cover and chill at least 8 hours before serving.

A
Eggs are taken seriously in France, where they are
NOT EATEN SO MUCH AS A BREAKFAST FOOD BUT INCOR-
PORATED INTO LUNCH AND DINNER MENUS IN THE FORM
OF OMELETTES, SOUFFLES, QUICHES, AND SUCH CLASSIC AP-
PETIZERS AS SOFTLY SCRAMBLED EGGS TOPPED WITH CAVIAR.
As FOR THE SINCERITY BROUGHT TO COOKING THIS HUMBLE
INGREDIENT PROPERLY, WHOLE TREATISES HAVE BEEN WRIT-
TEN ON THE PREPARATION AND ENJOYMENT OF A PERFECT
OMELETTE.
^ Asparagus Quiche
^3 ranted, quiche sounds old, overexposed, and just too eggy, but I
am hard pressed to eome up with anything better for weekend brunch. It

can be made ahead, served from a buffet at room temperature, and
simplified even more by substituting a prepared pie shell. Asparagus and
eggs make an especially nice combination. X
Serves 6 to 8
1 recipe Pate Brisee (page 107) 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
IV2 teaspoons salt 3 jumbo eggs
1 pound asparagus, washed, ends '/2 cup heavy cream
trimmed, and cut on the Vd cup grated Gruyere or Swiss
diagonal into '/2 -inch lengths cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter Preshly ground black pepper
1 ] Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a 10-inch pan with pate brisee and
tart
place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Prick the bottom wdth the tines
of a fork, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper, and
fill with rice, dried beans, or pie weights. Bake 10 minutes, remove the
lining and weights, and set aside.

2 ] Bring a medium saucepan of w'ater to a boil. Add '/2 teaspoon of
the salt and the asparagus and cook 2 minutes once the water returns to a
boil. Strain, transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking, and
strain again. Pat dry with paper towels.
3] In a medium melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the
skillet,
onion for 5 minutes to soften. Then add the asparagus and '/2 teaspoon
more of the salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes
longer. Remove from the heat.
4 ] In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and '/2 cup
of the cheese. Add the asparagus mixture and stir well to combine. Mix
in the remaining '/2 teaspoon of salt and season with black pepper to taste.
5 ] Pour the mixture into the prebaked tart shell and sprinkle the re-
maining cheese over the top. Place on a baking sheet or cookie tray and
bake until golden brown and puffy, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool
10 minutes, transfer to a serving platter, and serve warm or at room
temperature.
Egg and Cheese Dishes 39

^
Savory Leek Tart
This northern version of quiehe, ealled a flamiehe, adapted from a
reeipe in Patrieia Wells’s book Bistro Cookings is a favorite for easual
suppers and brunehes. I like to serve it aeeompanied with bitter greens,
good blaek olives, and slieed tomatoes. X Serves 6 to 8
1 recipe Pate Brisee (page 107) 3 large eggs

3 pounds leeks '/zcup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (Vz stick) unsalted V4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
butter 3 or 4 small marinated sun-dried
Salt tomatoes, cut into thin strips
Black pepper
1] Line a 10-inch tart shell with pate brisee and chill while preparing
the filling.
2 ] Trim and green stalks of the leeks and cut the

off the root ends
white sections in half lengthw ise. Under cold running water rinse out the
sand betw een the layers. Then cut each half into long strips and cut across
the strips to chop roughly.
3 ] Melt the butter over medium-low heat in your largest skillet, prefer-
ably 14 inches in diameter. Add the leeks, salt, and pepper and cook,
covered, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 30 minutes.
4] Preheat the oven to 425 F.
5] mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and Vz cup of
In a
the Parmesan cheese. Add the leeks and mix well to combine. Pour into
the unbaked tart shell. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 'A cup cheese
and ground pepper and arrange the strips of sun-dried tomatoes in a spoke
pattern.
6 ] Bake until well-browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Set aside to cool 10
minutes before serving.
40 French Cooking: for Beginners

^ Omelette WITH
Wild Mushrooms
AND Scallions
^^nielette-niaking does require some ])ractice, so if your eggs look as
if they are not about to cooperate, just scramble them and try again
another time. The flavor will still be delicious. Serves 1 X

2 eggs 3 scallions including 1 inch of the
Vz teaspoon sesame oil green
Salt 1 Vz tablespoons unsalted butter
White pepper 'A teaspoon sliced fresh chives
2 large fresh shiitake mushrooms,
caps only, wiped clean
1 ] In a small bowl, beat the eggs, sesame oil, salt, and pepper together
with a fork just until blended.
2 ] Cut the mushroom caps into large chunks, and finely chop the
scallions.
3 ] Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in an 8-inch skillet (preferably a
well-seasoned cast-iron one) over high heat. Saute the mushrooms and
scallions just until their aromas are released and the butter absorbed,
about IVz Tip the vegetables out into a bowl.
minutes.
4 ] Return the pan to high heat and melt the remaining Vz tablespoon
of butter. Pour in the beaten eggs, quickly swirling the pan to coat it
evenly. As soon as the bottom is set, reduce the heat to medium-high and
start shaking the pan back and forth to prevent sticking. Sprinkle the
sauteed mushrooms and scallions over the center and w ith a fork or spoon
lift an edge and fold over to partially enclose the filling. Continue cook-
ing, shaking the pan frequently, about a minute, and then tilt out onto a
plate. Sprinkle chives over the top and serve.
Egg and Cheese Dishes 41

What could be simpler or better than eggs baked with a dollop of
cream? They are a natural for serving breakfast to a group since they all
eome out of the oven together. X

Serves 4
2 teaspoons butter 8 cold eggs

16 teaspoons heavy cream 8 Italian parsley leaves
Salt and pepper 8 sliees toasted bread

2] Lightly butter the bottom and sides of eight '/z-eup ovenproof rame-
kins or eustard eups. Swirl 1 teaspoon of eream in the bottom of eaeh and
sprinkle with salt and pepper. One at a time, break the eggs into a eup
and slide them into the ramekins, being eareful not to disturb the yolks.
Top eaeh with another teaspoon of eream. Transfer ramekins to a roasting
pan.
3 ] Bring and then earefiilly pour hot
a kettle of water nearly to a boil
water into the roasting pan so it eomes halfway up the sides of the rame-
kins. Transfer pan to the oven and bake until the whites are opaque and
the yolks just set, 8 to 10 minutes.
4 ] Spread on the eounter and, using pot holders or a
a kitehen towel
towel, remove the ramekins and place on the towel to dry the bottoms.
Garnish eaeh with a parsley leaf. Plaee the ramekins on larger plates and
serve with toast.

In attempting to streamline and modernize many of
THE FAVORITES OF THE FRENCH COUNTRY KITCHEN, ONE IN-
GREDIENT THAT COULD NOT BE ELIMINATED WAS TIME ES-
PECIALLY THAT REQUIRED FOR COOKING THE MEATS. GETTING
THE BEST FROM INEXPENSIVE CUTS LIKE LAMB SHANK OR
SHOULDER, OR MELDING THE FLAVORS FOR A DECENT CAS-
SOULET OR BOEUF BOURGUIGNON, DOES TAKE A FEW HOURS.
THEY REPAY YOU, HOWEVER, WITH WONDERFULLY DENSE
FLAVORS AND TERRIFIC LEFTOVERS. WHEN YOU NEED TO GET
OUT OF THE KITCHEN FAST, WITH SOMETHING GREAT TO SHOW
FOR IT, TRY Peppered Swordfish with Olives and Lemon
(PAGE 74), Inauthentic Bouillabaise (page 69), or Veal
Chops with Apples and Thyme (page 54). All can be on
THE TABLE IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES.
Chicken with
40 Cloves of Garlic
AND Fresh Herbs
In this classic chicken dish from Provence, the entire bird is subtly
suffused with the fragrance of garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Whatever you
do, do not skip the toasted bread. It is a must for savoring every last bit
of sweet roasted garlic. Lovers of crisp skin be warned —
this skin remains
soft since the bird is braised. X Serves 4
One V/i- to 4-pound chicken 4 bunches (about 4 cups) mixed
Salt fresh herbs, such as basil,
Freshly ground black pepper parsley, rosemary, thyme,
1 cup olive oil tarragon, and marjoram
5 heads garlic, cloves separated and 1 loaf French or Italian bread, cut
peeled in Vz-inch slices
1 ] Preheat the oven to 400 F. Wash the chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle
inside and out with salt and pepper.
2] Pour '/z cup of the olive oil into a large roasting pan. In a single
layer in the center of the pan, arrange Vd of the garlic cloves. Stuff the
remaining garlic cloves and half of the and all, in the
fresh herbs, stems
chicken’s cavity. Place the chicken, breast side up, over the bed of garlic.
3 ] Place the remaining herbs on top of the chicken and pour the
remaining olive oil over all. Cover (improvise with aluminum foil if you
do not have a lid) and bake hour. Remove from oven and let sit, with
1
the cover on, Vz hour before serving. Do not turn the oven off.
4 ] Place the bread slices on a baking tray and toast in the hot oven
about 6 minutes per side.
5 ] To serve, remove the herbs and garlic from the chicken’s cavity,
cut the bird into serving pieces, and transfer to a platter. Brush the slices
of toasted bread with the garlic-infused oil from the pan and scatter around
the edges of the platter. 1>ansfer the garlic cloves to a serving howl they —
are delicious either spread on the toast, eaten with the chicken, or com-
bined with mashed potatoes as in the recipe on page 77.
Poultry, Meat, and Pish 45

•k Chicken in the Pot
WITH WINTER
VEGETABLES
The true poule au pot, from southwestern France, is a much more
elaborate dish calling for meat stuffing and hard-boiled egg sauce. This
quicker version, however, has its virtues: It is a low-fat, one-dish meal
that provides double density chicken stock for the rest of the week. It is
worth beginning with homemade chicken stock for such a clean, pure
dish. X Serves 6
3 turnips, trimmed and peeled 'A eup fresh ehopped tarragon, or
4 earrots, trimmed and peeled 1 tablespoon dried
3 eelery ribs, trimmed 3 whole eloves
3 leeks, trimmed, white part only V4 teaspoon fennel seeds
halved lengthwise and eleaned 1 teaspoon salt
4 pounds ehieken breast halves and 'A teaspoon white pepper

thighs, with bone and skin 6 eups homemade ehieken stoek
3 bay leaves 2 eups dry white wine
1 ] Wash all the vegetables and eut into 2- by 'A-ineh matehstieks or

julienne. Mix together in a large bowl. Wash the ehieken pieees and pat
them dry.
2 ] Divide the vegetable mixture and plaee half in the bottom
in half
of your largest stoekpot. Top with 2 bay leav'es and then the ehieken
pieees. Seatter the remaining vegetables over the ehieken. Sprinkle on
the tarragon, eloves, fennel seed, salt, and pepper. Pour in the ehieken
stoek and wine.
3 ] Bring to a boil, reduee to a simmer, and skim the foam that rises
to the top. Cover and eook 45 minutes. Using tongs or slotted spoons,
transfer the ehieken to a platter. Strain the broth into a large bowd. Diseard
the bay leaves and plaee the warm vegetables either in the bottom of a
soup tureen or in 6 pasta plates or deep soup bowds. Keep warm in a
200 F oven.
4] Pour the strained broth baek into the stoekpot. Cook at a lively
boil, uneovered 20 minutes longer to reduee the liquid and eoneentrate
the flavors. Cheek the pot oeeasionally and, with a ladle, skim off and
diseard the fat that gathers at the edges of the pot. Taste and adjust

seasonings with salt and pepper — a densely flavored, golden broth should
result.
5 ] You may want to remove the chicken skin before serving. Place
chicken pieces over the vegetables in the tureen or serving howls and
return to the oven for 5 minutes. Ladle on the broth and serve hot with
crustv French bread.

COQ AU VlN
c oq au chicken stewed in red wine with mushrooms and
vin, or
pearl onions, is surely one of the world’s best known chicken dishes. The
original recipe, dating back to the Romans, called for a year-old rooster,
with its liver, heart, and blood used to enrich the sauce. These days you
can substitute a beurre manie —
a paste made of butter and flour for —
thickening. X
Serves 6 to 8
5 ounces or cup white pearl

1 1 large carrot, peeled, trimmed,
onions, roots trimmed and sliced
6 pounds chicken breasts and 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
thighs, with skin and bone 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt ‘A cup Cognac
Freshly ground black pepper 1 bottle red wine
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

4 tablespoons (Vz stick) unsalted 3 bav leaves
butter 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,
4 ounces pork or slab bacon,
salt softened
trimmed and cut into Vz- by 2 tablespoons flour
Vz- by 'A-inch pieces
8 ounces whole white mushrooms,

wiped clean with a damp paper
towel
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and add the onions. Cook
1 ]
for 3 minutes and then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking; this
removes the onion’s harshness and makes peeling easier. Squeeze the
onions to remove the skins and set aside.
2 ] Wash the chicken parts and pat dry. Chop each breast half in half
again. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Spread 6 tablespoons flour
on a platter and dredge each piece of chicken to coat thoroughly. Pat off
excess flour.
3] In a large heavy pot or dutch
oven over moderate heat, cook 4
tablespoons butter with the salt pork or bacon until brown, about 7 min-
utes. Add the chicken and brown in batches, about 3 minutes per side,
transfer the chicken and bacon to a platter near the stove.
4 ] Add the blanched, peeled onions, mushrooms, carrots, garlic, and
tomato paste to the pot. Saute, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms
brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in the Cognac and continue cooking at

high heat, scraping and stirring up the browned bits from the bottom of
the pan, until the bottom is nearly dry.
5 ] Put the chicken and bacon back in the pot. Pour in the wine,
thyme, and bay leaves and stir well to distribute the flavors. (Do not
season with salt and pepper now because the sauce will later be reduced
to concentrate its flavors.) Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook,
covered, 1 hour.
6 ] Using slotted spoons, transfer the chicken, mushrooms, onions,
and carrots to a large platter or roasting pan. Bring the liquids in the pot
to a boil overhigh heat and continue cooking, uncovered, about 5 min-
utes to reduce and concentrate the flavors. With a ladle, remove and
discard the fat that rises to the top. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
7 ] Reduce the heat to low. Mix the softened butter and flour together
to make a paste, called a beurre manie. Press it onto the ends of a whisk
and slowlv whisk into the sauce until smooth. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot and continue
cooking another few minutes just to heat through. Serve hot with plenh'
of crush' bread, plain rice, or noodles for the sauce.
Poultry^ Meat, and Fish 49

^ Chicken Legs
WITH Vinegar
AND Tarragon
The French have a hundred variations on sauteed chicken. This is
—
one of my favorites chicken simmered in a pungent sauce of vinegar,
shallots, and tarragon. It is an easy one-skillet supper that asks for nothing
more than a fresh baguette to soak up the juices. X Serves 4 to 6
6 chicken legs with thighs Vz cup chopped shallots (about 3

Salt large shallots)
Freshly ground black pepper V4 cup chicken stock
4 tablespoons (Vz stick) unsalted 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and
butter dieed (see page 27)
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons ehopped fresh
1 cup white wine vinegar tarragon
1 ] Wash the ehicken pieees, pat dry, and generously season with salt
and pepper.
2 ] Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet
over medium-high heat. Saute the ehieken until brown on both sides,
about 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and earefully pour off the
fat in the pan. (Do not wipe elean. The browned bits on the bottom will
add flavor to the sauee.)

3 ] Reduce the heat to low and slowly pour in the vinegar, standing
back to avoid the fumes. Add the shallots, turn the heat to medium, and
stir and serape the bottom of the pan to loosen the bits. Continue boiling
to reduce tbe vinegar by half, about 7 minutes. (The shallots should be

well eoated and a medium pool of vinegar should remain in the pan.)
4] Pour in the ehicken stoek and tomatoes and return the ehicken to
the pan, skin side down. Reduee the heat to medium-low, eover, and
eook 10 minutes per I’hen transfer the eooked ehicken to a platter.
side.
53 Reduee the heat to low. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter

into 4 pieees. Finish the sauce by stirring in the tarragon and butter with
a wooden spoon until the butter is just melted. Taste for salt and pepper
(salt will offset vinegar’s aeidih), spoon the sauee over the ehieken, and
serve hot.

Roasted Chicken
veryhome cook needs one absolutely foolproof roast chicken recipe
for those times when takeout chicken is just not good enough. I learned
this technique — under the skin with butter, garlic,
stuffing the chicken
—
and herbs and roasting at high heat from cooking teacher Renee Carisio,
who learned it from Jacques Pepin. It produces a perfectly moist chicken
covered with crackling brown skin, my family’s favorite Sunday night
supper. X Serves 4
One 4-poiind chicken .
Salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, Freshly ground black pepper
softened
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh
herbs such as sage, parsley,
rosemary, thyme, tarragon, and
basil

2 ] Remove and discard everything in the bird’s cavity and rinse with
cold w'ater inside and out. Pat dry and sprinkle the inside with saltand
pepper. Trim and discard any excess fat and skin from the tail and neck
area. Place breast up on a counter.
3] In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the butter with the garlic and
herbs to form a paste.
4 ] Loosen the skin by carefully lifting the area around the neck and
gently running your index finger between the skin and meat along the
breasts and Divide the butter and herb paste into 4 parts. Stuff one
legs.
portion into each breast and leg and spread it by pressing the skin to
flatten the paste. Sprinkle the outside generously with salt and pepper.
5 ] Place the bird on its side in a roasting pan and roast 20 minutes;
turn bird to other side and roast 20 minutes more. Then roast 20 minutes
breast side up. (Be sure to use pot holders, tongs, or a large slotted spoon
to turn the bird; the fat in the pan is very hot. Use a brush or spoon to
baste after each turning.) Transfer to a cutting board and let cool 15
minutes before carving and serving.
Poultry^ Meaf, and Fish 51

Veal blanquette
B lanquette de veaii is a simple stew of veal in its own eooking juiees
thickened with egg yolks and cream and finished with a dash of lemon
juice. It is excellent on a bed of rice or noodles with a green salad on the
side. X Serves 4
2 pounds veal for stewing, from the 4 parsley sprigs
rump or breast '/z teaspoon black peppercorns
2 large carrots, peeled and cut in 1 teaspoon salt
2-inch lengths 3 egg yolks
4 whole cloves •A cup heavy cream
1 large onion, peeled 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large celery rib, washed and cut 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
in half 2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 thyme sprigs 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian
1 bay leaf parsley
1 large rosemary sprig 1 tablespoon drained capers
1 ] Wash the meat, trim into 1-inch cubes, and place in the bottom of
a large dutch oven or heavy saucepan along with the carrots. Press the
cloves into the onion and add to the pot.
2 ] Make a bouquet garni: In the hollow of half a celery stalk, place
the thyme and bay leaf. Fold the rosemary and parsley sprigs in half to fit
and add to the thyme and bay leaf. Cover with the other celery half and
then tie with kitchen string (dental floss is a good substitute) to enclose
the herbs. Set in the pot with the meat.
3 ] Pour enough cold water to cover, about Vh cups, add the
in just
peppercorns and salt, and bring almost to a boil. Skim and discard the
foam that rises to the top. Cover and cook at the lowest possible simmer
for hour. Turn off the heat and let the meat cool in the pot, with the
1
cover on, for Vz hour.

4 ] Using spoon, transfer the meat and carrots to a bowl.
a slotted
Strain the broth into another bowl, remov ing and discarding the bouquet
garni.
5 ] Whisk together the egg yolks and cream in a small bowl and have
that and the remaining ingredients ready near the stove.
*'
'52 French Cooking for Beginners
6 ] To make the sauee, melt the butter over medium-low heat in a
medium saueepau. Add the flour and continue cooking over low heat,
stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture turns thick and
smooth and loses the taste of flour, about 2 minutes. Gradually pour in
the reserved veal broth, whisking continuously over low heat to eliminate
lumps. Turn the heat up to high and boil for 5 minutes to thicken the
sauce. Skim and discard any foam or grease that rises to the top.
7] Turn off the heat and slowly whisk 1 cup of hot broth into the
reserved egg yolk mixture. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the
broth and cook over low heat, whisking constantly. Whisk lemon
in the
juice, parsley, and capers and taste for salt and pepper. Return the meat
and carrots to the pot and cook for another minute over low heat to avoid
curdling, just to heat through. Serve hot.
Poultry^ Meat^ and Fish 53

Veal Chops with
Apples and Thyme
Vea. with apples and cream is a typical dish of Normandy, the
northern home of the best butter, cream, and apple brandy. This elegant
dish is deceptively quick. Serves 4 X
4 tablespoons (V2 stick) unsalted Salt
butter Freshly ground black pepper
4 small Golden Delicious apples, Four 6-ounce veal loin chops
cored, peeled, and cut into 2 tablespoons Calvados, applejack,
8 wedges each or pear brandy
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme 'A cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lemon
1 ] Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high
heat. Saute the apples with thyme
golden brown, about 8 minutes.
until
Stir in the lemon juice and transfer mixture to 4 serving plates.
2 ] While the apples are cooking, salt and pepper the veal chops. Melt
the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the
veal chops about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and transfer the
chops to the serving plates, over the apples.
3 ] Pour the brandy into the skillet used for cooking the veal and return
to moderate heat. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to
loosen the browned bits, and then swirl in the cream. Reduce over high
heat, stirring and scraping, until the sauce is brown and thick, a minute
or two. Spoon over the meat and serve hot.
54 French Cooking; for Beginners

!
Roast Pork with
SHALLOTS AND HONEY
^5avory mustard and sweet honey bring out the best in this simply
roasted meat. In the summertime I like to serve an easy dish like this at
room temperature. X Serves 4
2 pounds boneless pork loin roast 6 sage leaves, or 6 sprigs fresh
Salt thyme
Freshly ground black pepper About 1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil Vz cup chicken stock or pan juices
'A cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons honey

14 shallots, peeled 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 ] Wash and pat dry the meat and generously sprinkle with salt and
pepper.
3 ] Combine the olive oil and mustard in a small bowl to make a paste
and rub all over the roast. Place roast in the center of a small roasting
pan. Scatter the shallots and sage leaves over the meat and in the bottom
of the pan.
4 ] Pour in the wine to a depth of about Vz inch and roast, uncovered,
1 hour and 1 5 minutes. Check every half hour or so, adding a half cup
of wine if the pan is dry and basting the meat with a spoon or brush.
Transfer the finished roast to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes
before slicing. Reserve the roasted shallots.
5 ] Make combining chicken stock or pan juices and honey
a sauce by
in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat, stirring
occasionally, about 4 minutes. Skim and discard any foam that rises to
the top. Reduce the heat to low, stir in lemon juice, and remove from
heat.
6 ] Carve the pork roast into 'A-inch slices across the width and fan on
a platter. Carnish with roasted shallots. Pour the sauce over all and serve.
Poultry, Meat, anfl Fish 55

Lamb Brochettes
PROVEN9AL
Freshrosemary sprigs tossed on the coals right before grilling will give
a boost to these sprightly lamb broehettes from Provence. Serves 4 X
V4 cup chopped fresh rosemary 1 lemon, washed and cut into
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 8 small wedges
Vz cup olive oil 1 onion, peeled and cut into
Vz cup lemon juice 8 small wedges

Vz teaspoon cracked black pepper 4 ripe plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
8 rib lamb chops, trimmed off the

bone and cut into chunks
bones
(reserve for stock and
soup-making)
1 ] Whisk together the rosemary, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, pepper,
and salt in a shallow noncorrosive pan. Add the chunks of meat, toss with
the marinade, and cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
2 ] Preheat the grill or broiler.
3 ] Make 8 small skewers, lemon wedges, onion
alternating the
wedges, and meat, with a plum tomato in the center of each. (If you are
using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them first for 30 minutes to avoid
having them splinter on the grill.)
4] Grill, covered, over medium heat, or 4 inches from the heat in the
broiler, for 13 minutes total. Use tongs to turn the skewers every few
minutes for even cooking. Serve hot.

Roast Leg of Lamb
WITH Herbs, Olives,
AND Garlic
Laamb’s gaminess balanced by lots of garlic and fresh herbs in this
is
easy stuffing for butterflied leg of lamb. The Freneh prefer to eat lamb
very rare, or saignant. Just increase the cooking time accordingly if you
prefer it better done. X
Serves 6 to 8
Vz cup mixed chopped fresh herbs One 5-pound lamb (ask the
leg of
such as basil, mint, rosemary, butcher to remove bones, excess
chives, parsley, thyme, and sinew, and fat, and butterfly for
oregano stuffing)
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil Freshly ground black pepper
'A cup Kalamata olives, sliced off Olive oil
pits and chopped

2 ] Make by combing the herbs,
a paste garlic, olive oil, and olives in
a small bowl and mixing with a spoon.
3 ] Lay the lamb on the counter, interior facing up, and score the
meat several times with a sharp blade so the flavoring will penetrate.
Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the garlic herb paste
over the meat with your fingers and then roll to enclose the stuffing. Tie
with string in about 3 places across the roll and skewer, if necessary, to
seal. Sprinkle the outside with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
4 ] Place on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 5 minutes. Then
1
reduce the temperature to 350 F and continue roasting 50 minutes longer

medium-rare. Let rest at room temperature 10 minutes before carving.
for
Remove the strings and slice thinly across the width. Serve warm.
Poultry^ Meat^ €ind Fish 57

^ Braised Lamb Shanks
There something about having a couple of shank bones on the
is
kitchen counter, as oppossed to boneless chicken breasts, that puts you

directly in touch with the elements. Now you are really cooking! What a
great winter dish to serve over a bed of warm couscous or orzo, along with
a good bottle of red wine. X
Serves 4
4 lamb shanks 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

Salt 1 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper 1 quart beef or chicken stock
1 cup all-purpose flour 'A cup chopped fresh oregano, or
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 'A teaspoon cayenne
1 large onion, peeled and chopped V4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 celery ribs, chopped Grated zest of 1 orange
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2] Sprinkle the lamb shanks all over with salt and pepper. Place the
flour in a bowl. Dip each shank to coat with flour and pat off excess.
3 ] Heat the oil and the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Brown
the shanks on all sides and then transfer to a large roasting pan, where
they should fit comfortably.
4 ] Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium and add the onion, celery,
carrot, and garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to
color, about 8 minutes. Then pour in the wine. Turn the heat up to high
and cook until only a small pool of wine remains in the pan. Add the
stock, oregano, cayenne, cumin, and Vz teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.
Pour over the shanks in the pan. (Add water, if necessary, to barely cover.)
Cover and bake IVz hours, or until the meat easily falls off the bone. Skim
and discard any fat that has risen to the top, sprinkle in the orange zest,
and serve the shanks hot in their cooking juices.

^ Steak au Poivre
teak in peppercorn crust accompanied by a mound of french-fried
potatoes is a standard of brasseries and bistros all over Franee. The steak
is an easy dish to prepare at home for you and your favorite earnivore.
X Serves 2
Two 10-oiince rib eye, sirloin, or 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
spencer steaks 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon

Salt Linsalted butter
4 teaspoons cracked black 2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
peppercorns Vz cup beef stock
1 ] Sprinkle the steaks all Spread 1 teaspoon of pepper-

over with salt.
corns over each side of each steak and press with your fingertips to make
the peppercorns stick. Let sit 20 minutes for the flavor to penetrate.
2 ] Heat the oil with 1 teaspoon of the butter in a large skillet over high
heat. When the butter melts, add the steaks and cook over high heat,
4 minutes per side for rare, 6 minutes each side for medium rare. Transfer
the steaks to serving plates.
3 ] Off the heat, pour the Cognac or brandy into the pan, and then
return to high heat. (The heat in the pan will cause the alcohol to
evaporate almost immediately.) Pour in the beef stock and cook at a rapid
boil about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the 2 tablespoons butter
a small piece at a time, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. Pour
over the meat and serve.

'
BOEUF BOURGUIGNON
From Burgundy, the region known for its great home eooking, its
beef, and wine, eomes this elassie beef stewed in red wine. The triek
its
to keeping the meat juiey and tender is to start with large enough chunks
of a fatty cut like chuck or rump and not to rush the cooking. Serve with
a plain accompaniment like boiled potatoes, rice, or noodles. X Serves 4
12 pearl or small white boiling Bouquet garni of 6 sprigs each
onions parsley and thyme and 2 bay
2 tablespoons vegetable oil leaves
4 tablespoons (V2 stick) unsalted 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
butter 2 teaspoons tomato paste
'A pound salt pork or thickly sliced 2 cups red wine
bacon, cut in V4-inch strips V2 pound small white mushrooms,
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced stems trimmed and wiped clean
2 V2 pounds chuck, rump, or sirloin (optional)
tip roast Juice of 'A lemon
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 small carrots, trimmed, peeled,
and cut in half lengthwise and
then across the width
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Trim the root ends of the
1 ]
onions and blanch in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Rinse with cold
water and then squeeze to remove the skins.
2 ] Cut the beef into generous 2- by 3-inch chunks, following the
natural separations. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all
over with and pepper.

salt
3] Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons butter dutch oven or heavy

in a large
pot over medium heat. Cook the onions, salt pork or bacon, and garlic,
stirring frequently, until the pork begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
4 ] Turn the heat up to high and cook the meat in batches until well
browned on all sides. Return all the meat to the pan.
6 ] Add the carrots and bouquet garni. Reduce the heat to low, cover,
and cook 1 5 minutes. Check the pot and stir once or twice to avoid
sticking. With a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the meat, pork or bacon,
and bouquet garni to a platter near the stove.
60 French Cooking for Begjinners

7 ] Gradually sprinkle the flour into the pan, stirring constantly. When
the flour disappears and the sauee smooth, stir in the tomato paste.
is
Slowly add the wine, stirring eonstantly, and raise the heat to high. Bring
nearly to a boil. Return the beef, pork, and bouquet garni to the pot.
Cover and bake in the oven for 3 hours.
8 ] If using the mushrooms, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter
in a medium skillet over high heat. Saute the whole mushrooms until
they being to brown and the butter is absorbed, 4 minutes. Sprinkle with
lemon juiee. Stir into the finished stew. Remove the bouquet garni and
serve.

i Pot au Feu
Pot au feu, the famous Freneh boiled beef dinner, is meditative
weekend eooking at its best. Though there is nothing difficult about it, it
demands several hours of intermittent attention and tender loving care.
It then rewards you with mountains of homely boiled beef, glazed winter
vegetables, and bowlfuls of restorative beef broth. Over the years a

repertoire of recipes have developed for reenergizing the leftovers,
although I find sandwiches with rye bread, mustard, and horseradish just
fine. X Serves 6 to 8
4 to 5 pounds beef, such as chuck, 1 teaspoon salt
brisket, or short ribs 6 white boiling potatoes, peeled

1 '/z pounds beef bones (optional) and reserved in a bowl of cold
1 onion, peeled water
2 cloves 6 large carrots, peeled, trimmed
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch and cut into 4-inch lengths
lengths 6 leeks, white part only, trimmed,
2 celery ribs, trimmed and cut into halved lengthwise, and
2-inch lengths thoroughly washed
2 bay leaves Salt
12 parsley sprigs Freshly ground black pepper
1 2 thyme sprigs Mustard, horseradish, and pickles
Vz teaspoon black peppercorns or cornichons
1 ] Place the beef and bones in a large stockpot. Pierce the onion with
the cloves and add to the pot along with the sliced carrot, celery, and bay
leaves. Tie the herb sprigs together with string for easy removal and place
them and the peppercorns in the pot. Add enough cold water to cover
and bring just barely to a boil, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to
low. (You don’t want the water to really boil because that would toughen
the meat’s fibers. Very slow cooking results in tenderer meat.) Cook,
uncovered, 3Vz hours, or until the meat feels soft when pierced with a
fork. Oeeasionally skim and discard the foam and seum that rises to the
top.
2 ] 4’ransfer the finished meat to a platter or deep bowl and cover with
foil. Keep warm in a 200 F oven. Using your finest strainer, or a strainer
lined with eheesecloth, strain the stoek, disearding the solids. If you have
the time, refrigerate the stoek about 2 hours so the fat rises to the top;
otherwise just ladle off the fat as best you ean. (This is a good time to take

a natural break in the reeipe,you are eooking in advanee. Just refrigerate
if
the meat and stoek separately and reheat the meat along with eup of 1
stock in a 325 P" ov'en before serving.)

3 ] Bring saucepan of water to a boil. Add salt and the potatoes
a large
and cook at a moderate boil 10 minutes. Add the carrots and leeks and
cook another 10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large skillet along
with V4 cup of the reserved beef broth. Cook at a low boil until the liquid
has evaporated.
4 ] Meanwhile pour the remaining stock into a saucepan. Bring to a
boil and cook about 10 minutes to reduce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5 ] To chuck across the grain, or slice
serve, thinly slice the brisket or
the short ribs off the bone. Arrange on a deep platter along with the
vegetables. Moisten with a few ladlefuls of stock and bring to the table,
along with a bowl of the remaining stock, mustards, horseradish, pickles,
coarse salt, and a pepper mill for adding at the table.

Tis abbreviated version of the elassie meat and bean easserole from
Languedoe eliminates such hard-to-find or high-fat ingredients as duck
confit, goose fat, and pork rind in favor of supermarket ingredients like
chicken thighs and sausage. This is a wonderful slow dish to cook on a
winter weekend and serve throughout the week. X
Serves 6
1 pound dry white beans, such as Salt

Great Northern or cannellini Freshly ground black pepper
Sprig of rosemary 2 medium onions, peeled and
2 tablespoons vegetable oil diced
4 spicy pork sausages, such as 10 small garlic cloves, peeled and
Italian, Cajun, or Polish crushed
kielbasa, cut in 2-inch lengths 3 cups chicken stock, reserved bean
2 pounds chicken thighs, with skin liquid, or a combination
and bone Juice of Vz lemon
1 pound boneless lamb shoulder 1 ‘/z cups dry bread crumbs
meat, cut in IVz-inch chunks
1 ] Place the beans in a colander and rinse with cold water. Transfer
them heavy saucepan, cover generously with water, add the
to a large
rosemary sprig, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, cov-
ered, until the beans are soft, about 2 hours. Strain and reserve the beans
and liquid.
2 ] Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the sausage until lightly browned, about 6 minutes, and transfer to
a platter. Carefully pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the
pan. Salt and pepper the chicken and lamb pieces. Brown them in batches
in the same skillet and transfer to the platter. In the same skillet, saute
the onions and garlic over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir
and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan to loosen.
4 ] In a large casserole or roasting pan, spread half of the beans. Layer
the various meats snugly over the beans and top with the onion garlic
mixture. Cover with the remaining beans and pour in the chicken stock
or bean broth.
5 ] Transfer to the oven and bake, covered, 2 hours. Remove from

oven and turn the heat up to 350 F. (Cheek the liquid in the pan. It
should be moist but not swimming in liquid. If necessary, use a small
ladle to spoon off excess liquid.) Drizzle the casserole with lemon juice.
Sprinkle with a thick even layer of bread crumbs and return to the oven
to bake, uncovered, until browned, 1 hour. Serve hot.
Poultry^ Meat, and Fish 65

i' HACHIS PARMENTiER
Thi, standard French homemaker’s dish resembles a meat pie with a
bottom and top crust of mashed potatoes. It makes a lovely casual supper
with a green salad, a loaf of bread, and some red wine. Be sure to break
into the crisp top crust at the table —
the steam is heavenly. Hachis can
be made in advance and reheated. Serves 4 X
2 pounds baking potatoes, washed 2'/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons (V4 stick) unsalted Freshly ground black pepper

butter 1 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 'A cup chopped fresh parsley
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or

1 inediuin onion, peeled and diced Gruyere cheese
I'/z pounds chopped sirloin
1 ] Coat a 9-inch Pyrex pie plate with a teaspoon of butter.

2] saucepan with cold water. Peel the potatoes, cut into
Fill a large
large chunks, and place in the pot of water. Bring to a boil and cook over
high heat, uncovered, until soft, about 20 minutes.
3 ] Meanwhile heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large
skillet over moderate heat. Saute the garlic and onion until soft, about
7 minutes. Then add the meat, IV2 teaspoons of the salt, and ground
pepper to taste. Turn the heat up to high, and cook another 10 minutes,
frequently turning and break up with a spoon to brown the meat evenly.
4 ] Heat the milk and 4 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan
over moderate heat. Do not bring to a boil.
6 ] When the potatoes are soft, drain them, leaving the potatoes in the
pan. Mash with a potato masher, fork, or ricer and place over low heat.
Slowly pour in the hot milk and butter mixture, mixing and mashing
until well combined. Mix in 1 teaspoon of salt and a generous quantity
of black pepper.
7 ] Spread half of the mashed potatoes on the bottom of the coated pie
plate.(A spatula with a butter knife does the job well.) Using a slotted
spoon to drain the meat, spread it over the potatoes and then sprinkle
with the parsley. Top with the remaining potatoes, sprinkle with grated
cheese, and dot with the remaining butter, broken into small pieces. Bake
40 minutes, until the top is crusty and slightly brown. Serve hot.

Mussels WITH
Tomatoes, Fennel,
AND Saffron
'^Shellfish enjoy a special place in the galaxy of beloved ingredients
in France, where the best mussels are found along the coast of Normandy.
Mussels are a good shellfish for beginners, sinee they are so easily cleaned
and steamed open. Here they are combined with typical flavors of the
south of Franee. X
Serves 4
2 pounds (about 50) mussels 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and

‘A cup olive oil dieed, or 2 eanned peeled
4 garlic cloves, peeled and mineed tomatoes
'A small fennel bulb, dieed to make Generous pineh saffron, erushed
'A eup 1 tablespoon ehopped fresh basil
I'A eups dry white wine Salt
1] To elean the mussels if they have been farm-raised, simply rinse

under eold water. Or, if they need more extensive eleaning, tug off the
beards by hand and brush the shells under eold running water to remove
any surfaee grit or debris. Reserve the mussels in a large mixing bowl,
eovered with a damp towel, in the refrigerator.
2] In a large stoekpot or pasta pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low
heat. Cook the garlie and fennel, stirring oeeasionally, until they begin
to soften, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine, tomatoes, and saffron and
bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes, to reduce the liquid and
concentrate the flavors.
3 ] Add the mussels, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to medium.
Cook, shaking occasionally to distribute the ingredients evenly, 7 mi-
nutes. Add the basil, cover, cook another minute, and remove from heat.
Taste the broth and add salt as needed. Remove and discard any unopened
mussels.
4 ] To serve, dozen or so mussels into each of 4 serving bowls.
spoon a
Ladle the broth over the top and serve hot with warm, crush' bread.
Poultry^ Meat^ ami Fish 67

Beurre Blanc
Fine satiny beurre blane sauee is the classic accompaniment for fish.
Most people love it — until you tell them how much butter they are
eating! Serve over a bed of white rice to offset the richness. X Serves 4
2 pounds sea or bay scallops '/z cup dry white wine
Salt 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons chopped fresh
1 2 tablespoons ( 1 Vz sticks) cold tarragon
unsalted butter Juice of Vz lemon
2 shallots, minced
1 ] Wash and dry the scallops. If using small bay scallops leave whole.
Slice sea scallops in half across the width. Sprinkle all over with salt and
pepper.
2 ] Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over high heat.
Saute the scallops about 2 minutes, stirring and tossing to sear evenly.
Transfer to a platter and pour off any liquid in the pan.
3 ] Combine the shallots and white wine in the same skillet and cook
over high heat until only a small pool of liquid remains in the pan, about
5 minutes.
4 ] Pour in the cream and continue boiling rapidly until it is reduced
by half. Then reduce the heat to low. Cut the cold butter into tablespoon-
sized pieces. Add the butter, slice at a time, stirring constantly with a
1
wooden spoon. As soon as one slice has melted, stir in the next, until
they are all incorporated. Quickly stir in the tarragon and lemon juice
and turn off the heat. Return the scallops to the pan, toss with the sauce,
and then spoon onto serving plates.

Inauthentic
Bouillabaisse
^Jean-Franôis Meteigner, the former ehef at L’Orangerie, one of the
most celebrated French restaurants in Los Angeles, devised this method
of making the famous fish stew of Marseilles in about 30 minutes. The
traditional accompaniments are toasted croutons spread with aioli, the
garlic mayonnaise on page 33. Other white fish fillets such as sole,
flounder, orange roughy, or halibut may be substituted, according to
what is in the market. X Serves 4
‘A cup olive oil 1 teaspoon salt
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and 'A teaspoon cayenne

minced 1 pound monkfish fillets, cut in
1 large onion, peeledand chopped IVz- by 1-inch chunks
3 tomatoes, seeded and diced 1 pound sea bass fillets, cut in
3 cups fish stock, or half bottled IVz- by 1-inch chunks
clam juice and half water 1 pound red snapper fillets, cut in
Vz teaspoon (a small vial) saffron IVz- by 1-inch chunks
threads, chopped Vz pound medium shrimp, in the
3 sprigs thyme shell
1 ] In a large nonaluminum stockpot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil
over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic and onion until soft, about
7 minutes. Then stir in the tomatoes, reduce the heat slightly, and cook
another 5 minutes.
2 ] Pour in the fish stock or clam juice and water combination, add
the saffron, thyme, and cayenne, and bring to a boil over high heat.
salt,
3 ] Add the monkfish and cook 2 minutes. Then stir in the sea bass,
reduce the heat to medium high, and cook 2 more minutes. Add the red
snapper and shrimp (in the shell) and cook about 2 minutes longer, until
all the fish is cooked through but not flaking apart. Ladle into bowls and
serve hot.

Salmon on a
Bed of Lentils
In this contemporary bistro dish, earthy lentils and light, fresh
tomatoes provide the contrast and fullness traditionally provided by a
sauce. This is a good dish for entertaining, because the lentils and
tomatoes can be prepared in advance and brought back to temperature
while the fish is being cooked. Serves 4 X
1 2 cups green lentils Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 Italian plum tomatoes, roughly
2 leeks, white part only, cleaned chopped
and diced 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and diced chopped

3 fresh basil leaves,
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced IV2 pounds center-cut salmon

IV4 cups fish stock or water fillet, cut into 4 pieces across
1 bay leaf the width
Salt
1 ] Place the lentils in a strainer and rinse in cold running water.

2 ] Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium pot over medium-
high heat. Saute the leeks, carrots, and 2 of the minced garlic cloves until
golden, about 5 minutes. Then add the lentils, fish stoek or water, and
bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, about
25 to 35 minutes. (The lentils should be cooked through and the liquid
completely absorbed when done.) Remove and diseard the bay leaf. Sea-
son to taste with salt and pepper and reserve with the eover on.
3 ] While eombine the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons
the lentils are eooking,
of the olive oil, the basil, and the remaining mineed garlic in a small
bowl. Season with salt and pepper, mix, and set aside at room tempera-
ture.
4 ] When the lentils are done, cook the
Melt the remaining
fish.
tablespoon eaeh of butter and oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season
the fish all over with salt and pepper. Saute until browned on the outside
and rare inside, about 2 minutes per side.
5 ] do serve, divide the lentils into 4 portions and spread a layer on
each serving plate. Top each with a piece of salmon and then spoon the
chopped tomato mixture over the fish. Serve hot.

Sea Bass with
Fennel and Tomato
Butter Sauce
LHicorice-scented fennel, marinated ripe tomatoes, and fresh herbs
frame sea bass in this elegant Provencal fish dish. Serves 4 X
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons chopped fresh Italian
2 large fennel bulbs, cut in half and parsley
thinly sliced 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
Salt Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (Vz stick) unsalted 2 pounds skinless, boneless sea bass
butter Olive oil
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and

diced
1 ] Preheat the grill or broiler.

2 ] Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
Turn the heat to low and add the fennel and 'A teaspoon salt. Cover the
pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 20 minutes. Reserve
with the cover on.
3 ] Meanwhile melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low
heat. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, tarragon, salt, and pepper and cook
just until blended, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or
blender and puree.
4 ] Rub the fish with olive oil and sprinkle with and pepper. Rub
salt
the grill grate or broiler tray with oil. Grill the fish about 3 minutes per
side. Divide into 4 servings.
5 ] To serve, divide the fennel into 4 portions and place in the center
of 4 serving plates. Top each bed of fennel with a portion of fish and
spoon on the pureed tomato mixture. Serve immediately.

Seared Tuna
Salad N1901SE
First there was the real — canned oil-packed tuna, hard-
tuna Nigoise
boiled eggs, plenty of anchovies, and no potatoes — and then came the all
variations. This one, featuring seared fresh tuna coated with garlic, makes
a substantial main-course salad. X
Serves 4
V4 pound green beans, preferably 'A eup lemon juiee

French V2 eup plus 1 tablespoon extra
1 pound red baby new potatoes, virgin olive oil
washed V4 teaspoon eraeked black pepper
1 medium head romaine lettuee, 'A teaspoon salt
washed and dried 1 pound tuna fillet
1 medium head red oak leaf Salt

lettuee, washed and dried 2 tablespoons pureed garlie
2 anehovies V2 eup Nigoise olives
1 teaspoon capers
1 ] Bring salted water to a boil in a medium you are using

saueepan. If
Freneh beans, leave them untrimmed and whole. For Ameriean beans,
trim and eut into ‘A-inch lengths. Cook in boiling water for 2 minutes,
drain, and transfer to a bowl of eold water to stop the cooking. Set aside
to dry on paper towels.
2 ] Fill the saueepan with water again and bring to a boil. Add a pinch
of salt and the potatoes and eook about 20 minutes. Drain, rinse with
eold water, and set aside to dry on paper towels.
3 ] Cut or break the salad greens into bite-sized pieees and plaee in a
mixing bowl. Reserve in the refrigerator.
4] To make the dressing, combine the anehovies, eapers, lemon juice,
‘A eup of the olive oil, pepper, and salt in a blender. Puree until the
anchovies are in small ehunks, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

5 ] Cut the tuna lengthwise into strips about 1 ineh wide. Sprinkle all
over with and then eoat with the pureed garlie.

salt
6 ] Heat a large skillet over high heat and coat with the remaining
tablespoon of oil. Cook the tuna about 2 minutes per side and then
transfer to a eutting board and let rest.
7 ] Meanwhile toss the salad with about half of the reserved salad
dressing. Arrange on 4 dinner plates. Cut the tuna aeross the width into

Vz-inch slices and fan over each salad. Divide the green beans, potatoes,
and olives and arrange around the rims of each plate. Drizzle the re-
maining dressing over the potatoes, beans, and fish, and serve.
Variation: For purists, substitute 1 small can of imported tuna
packed in olive oil per person. Do not drain the tuna. Simply turn out of
the can, flake, and arrange in the center of each bed of lettuce. Dress as
for the fresh tuna.
A Pan-fried Trout with

Capers, Lemon, and
Parsley
iMiike most fish, trout tastes best cooked quickly and cleanly, as it is
in this classic preparation also known as trout meuniere. X Serves 2

Two 8-ounce whole trout, heads 4 tablespoons (Vz stick) unsalted
and tails left on, cleaned butter
Salt 1 Vz teaspoons capers
Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh
'A cup all-purpose flour Italian parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil Juice of 1 lemon
1 ] Wash and dry the fish and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
Scatter the flour on a platter and dip the fish to coat all over, patting off
any excess flour.
3 ] In a skillet, heat the oil and tablespoon of the butter over medi-
1
um-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the fish and fry about 3 minutes
per side. To prevent sticking, lift the fish occasionally with a spatula and
shift its position in the pan. Reduce the heat slightly if the fat starts
smoking. Transfer the fish to an ovenproof platter and keep warm in the
oven.
4 ] Wipe the bottom of the skillet clean with several layers of paper
towels and return to the stove. Melt the remaining butter over low heat.
Swirl in the capers, parsley, and lemon juice and cook a minute or two.
Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve hot.

Peppered Swordfish
WITH Olives and Lemon
^Swordfish, which can be used interehangeably with fresh tuna,
stands up well to the strong flavors of eraeked pepper, black olives, and
lemon in this tasty 1 5-minute entree. Serve with Cold Tomato and
Cucumber Soup (page 27), and some boiled new potatoes for an elegant
summer dinner. X Serves 4
4 swordfish steaks ‘A cup Kalamata olives, sliced off
Coarse salt the pit and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon 'A teaspoon grated lemon zest
cracked black pepper
‘A cup plus 2 tablespoons extra
virgin olive oil
1 ] Wash the fish and pat dry. Lightly sprinkle all over with salt. Divide
the cracked black pepper into 4 parts and generously coat both sides of
each piece with pepper.
3 ] Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over highest
heat. Sear the fish, 2 pieces at a time, 2 minutes per side, adding a
tablespoon of oilbetween batches. Transfer the first 2 pieces to an oven-
proof platter and keep warm in the oven. Sear the remaining pieces of
fish.
4 ] While the second batch is cooking, place a small skillet or saucepan

overmedium-high heat and pour in the remaining Vi cup of olive oil.
Add the olives and lemon zest and cook, swirling the pan frequently, just
to heat and release the flavors, less than a minute. Pour the hot oil over
the fish and serve at once.

If you have ever seen the care and concentration
BROUGHT TO BEAR ON SELECTING FRESH PRODUCE AT A
FRENCH MARKET, YOU KNOW THAT THE FRENCH BRING AS
MUCH PASSION TO THE PREPARATION OF THEIR VEGETABLES
AS THEY DO TO A FILET MIGNON. THE PHILOSOPHY IS CONSIS-
TENT. START WITH THE FINEST INGREDIENTS AND ACCENTU-
ATE THEIR NATURAL GOODNESS. IN THIS ABUNDANT FARMING
COUNTRY, PLEBEIAN POTATOES AND LEEKS GET AS MUCH RE-
SPECT AS THEIR MORE SOPHISTICATED RELATIONS, THE ELE-
GANT ASPARAGUS AND ARTICHOKE.
^ Mashed Potatoes
WITH Roasted Garlic
The French have such a fetish for mashed potatoes that Joel
Robuchon of Jamin — one of the best-known contemporary restaurants in
Paris — built his reputation in part on the strength of his potato puree.
The version presented here is for garlic and potato lovers only.
X Serves 4
2 to 2 V2 pounds baking potatoes, V2 cup milk
such as Idahos, peeled and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
quartered Salt
1 tablespoon salt Freshly ground black pepper
8 heads Roasted Garlic (page 80)
4 tablespoons (Vz stick) unsalted
butter, in tablespoon-sized
pieces
1 ] Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover generously

with water. Bring to a boil and add the salt. Reduce to a simmer and
cook, uncovered, until the potatoes slip off a fork, about 1 5 minutes.
2 ] Meanwhile eombine the roasted mashed garlie, the butter, and
milk in a small pan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the
butter is melted and smooth.
3] When the potatoes are ready, drain them by holding the cover
loosely over the top of the pot and pouring off the water. Mash the
potatoes in the pot with a potato masher or fork.
4 ] Place the potatoes over low heat and mash in the garlic mixture
until wêll combined. Then, with a wooden spoon, stir in the olive oil.
(This is a ehunky puree.) Season generously with salt and pepper and
serve hot.

Potato Gratin
Wh
cooking for
'hen becomes necessary
it
something a bit more

abandon your low-cholesterol
to
soul-satisfying, what could be better
than a classic potato gratin? Brown and crusty on the outside, mild, rich,
and creamy inside, every calorie guaranteed to bring pure pleasure.
is
Potato gratin can be made in advance and reheated. Serves 4 X

Butter V4 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves Freshly ground black pepper

4 large baking potatoes, peeled V4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 ] Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9- by 13-inch glass or ceramic

roasting or lasagne pan with butter. Peal and crush a garlic clove and rub
the inside of the pan. Peel and mince the other 2 garlic cloves and reserve.
2 ] Thinly slice the potatoes across the width in a food processor fitted
w'ith the 4-mm blade, or by hand. Evenly layer the potato slices in the
prepared pan.
3 ] Bring the cream to a boil Pour over the
in a small saucepan.
potatoes. Spinkle with the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Top
with the grated cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 1 hour, or until the top
is golden brown and the cream bubbly. Serve hot.
Warm Potato
Salad with
Parsley Vinaigrette
This traditional Frenehpotato salad eooks quiekly and is an excellent
ehoiee for picnies and potluek meals. Serves 6 X
Vh pounds white or red boiling Freshly ground black pepper
potatoes, unpeeled '/zcup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 cup (about 10) chopped shallots
1 tablespoon lemon juice ‘A cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons capers

Vz teaspoon salt

1 ] Wash the potatoes and slice them thinly across the width, using the
2-mni blade of the food processor. Transfer to a large bowl. Remove
excess starch by filling the bowl with cold water and then pouring off the
milky water about 3 times until water runs clear.
2 ] In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice,
mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make a dressing.
3 ] Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the
potatoes, let the water return to a boil and cook 1 minute. Drain in a
colander and immediately transfer to a large mixing bowl. (Do not rinse.)
Toss with the shallots.
4 ] Pour on the vinaigrette, parsley, and capers and mix well. Serve
hot, at room temperature, or cold. Potato salad keeps in a sealed container
in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
matchstick Potatoes
IVI y eleven-year-old’s favorite French food — shoestring french fries!
Make sure you use the high burning point oils called for in the recipe in
order to avoid smoking oil and burnt potatoes. X Serves 4
2 quarts peanut or corn oil Salt
4 baking potatoes (about 2V2
pounds)
1 ] Heat the oil in a stockpot or large saucepan over high heat to deep-
fry temperature, 350 F. (This takes about 15 minutes.)
2 ] Meanwhile, wash and Use the 6-mm julienne
peel the potatoes.
blade in the food processor, or any other slicer you may have, to cut the
potatoes into matchsticks. Place in a large bowl and rinse under cold
running water until the water runs clear to remove surface starch. Drain
and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. (This step is important to
prevent oil from splattering.)
3 ] If you do not have a thermometer, test the oil by dropping one
piece of potato into it. If bubbles form immediately and it rises to the
surface, the oil is ready. Standing back from the stovetop, add the pota-
toes, a handful at a time, and fry until pale golden and crisp, about
5 minutes a batch. Remove with slotted spoons or a strainer and drain
on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

'k Roasted Garlic
R oasted garlic develops a sweet, mellow, almost nutty flavor and
buttery consistency. It makes an excellent spread for eroutons.
X Serves 4 as an appetizer; makes 'A cup roasted garlic puree
4 medium heads garlie, unpeeled Olive oil
and tops slieed
1 ] Preheat the oven to 500 F. Lightly eoat a small roasting pan with
olive oil.
2 ] Stand the garlie heads in the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and bake,
uneovered, until blaekened in spots and softened, 25 minutes. Transfer
to small plates and serve with toasted bread for spreading.
3 ] To make puree, set garlie aside to eool about 20 minutes and then
separate the eloves and release the roasted garlie by lightly pressing the
eloves between your fingers. Mash with the tines of a fork.
^ Tomatoes Proven9al
B aked tomatoes with a crisp topping of bread crumbs and herbs are
a standard Provencal accompaniment to grilled and roasted meats and
fish. Feel free to substitute other herbs, such as chives, chervil, or
tarragon, according to taste and availability. X Serves 4

4 large ripe tomatoes 6 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil for drizzling
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian Vz teaspoon salt
parsley Freshly ground black pepper

2 ] Wash and dry the tomatoes, Remove the stems and cut tomatoes
in halfthrough the width. Place c it side up on a baking tray or in an
ovenproof casserole.
80 French Cooking for Beg:inners

3] In a small bowl, make by eombiniiig tbe garlie, fresh herbs,
a paste
bread eriimbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread about a tablespoon of
the paste over eaeh tomato half and drizzle with olive oil. Bake 30 min-
utes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
L*eeks, a mild-mannered cousin of the onion, take on a sweet homey

quality in this simple braised side dish. X Serves 4
3 pounds leeks (about 5 large) •A teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 'A cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt ‘A teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
1 ] Trim off the root ends and the dark green parts of leeks. Cut in half
lengthwise and then rinse under cold running water to remove sand
between layers. Cut each half lengthwise into 4 strips.
2 ] Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute
the leeks and garlic with salt and pepper until they begin to soften, about
8 minutes. Pour in the wine, turn up the heat, and cook until the wine
is nearly all absorbed. Then add the chicken stock, reduce the heat to
low, cover, and cook 25 minutes. Stir in the thyme and the remaining
tablespoon butter. 1 aste for salt and pepper and ser\'e.

Zucchini AND
Tomato Ti an
Zaucchinis and tomatoes are one of the great natural combinations of
the summer garden. This easy easserole goes well with fish, poultry, or
lamb. X Serves 6
'A cup olive oil Salt
1 Vz pounds (about 4) ripe tomatoes, Freshly ground black pepper
stemmed 2 garlic cloves, peeledand minced
1 Vz pounds (about 4) medium 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme,
zucchinis, ends trimmed basil, or parsley
1] Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat a 9- by 12-inch ovenproof baking

dish or lasagne pan with olive oil.
2 ] Cut the tomatoes and zucchinis across the width into 'A-inch slices.
3 ] Arrange half of the zucchini slices over the bottom of the pan.
Cover with half of the tomatoes, sprinkle with and pepper, and drizzle
salt
lightly with olive oil. Repeat a layer of zucchinis and then tomatoes.
Sprinkle with garlic, fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Bake FA
hours. Serve hot or at room temperature.

^ Asparagus
You know people take a vegetable seriously when they develop a
speeial plate on whieh to serve it. 1 think this most delieate of green
vegetables tastes best eaten simply, with plain butter or vinaigrette rather
than a heavy sauee, although a reeipe for hollandaise saiiee is given on
page 100. In France, asparagus is often served as a first course.
X Serves 4
1 pound asparagus Salt

'/z teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (Vz stick) unsaltcd
butter
Rinse the asparagus and remove the woody ends by bending the
1 ]
stalks and letting them snap where they naturally break. It is not necessary
to peel thin asparagus. Thick stalks should be peeled with a paring knife
up to about an inch from the tip.
2] Fill a large skillet with about an inch of water and bring to a boil. ,
Add the salt, reduce to a simmer, and add the asparagus. Cook, uncov-
ered, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Drain and pat dry with paper
fowels.
3 ] To serve hot, you can merely transfer to a serving dish, top with
pats of butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Or for a slightly
nutt>' flavor, you can make browned butter by melting the butter in a
small light-eolored saucepan or skillet over medium heat until small
brown partieles begin to form. Pour over hot asparagus, and serve with
salt and pepper.
4] To serve cold, rinse the drained asparagus in cold water to stop the
eooking and then dry with paper towels. Chill and serve with a Classic
Vinaigrette (page 99) or garlic mayonnaise (see Aioli, page 33).

Ratatouille
I prefer my
melange of Provencal vegetables the old-fashioned way
moist and stewy like a ehutney, with not an al dente vegetable in sight. A
2
great dish to keep on hand for summer entertaining, ratatouille ean be
served warm or eold, as a vegetable side dish or as an appetizer with sliees
of grilled Italian or Freneh bread. Japanese eggplant does not need to be
presalted, sinee these smaller eggplants have fewer seeds to give off
moisture. X Serves 6 to 8
Vz cup olive oil 'A pound French green beans

large onions, peeled and chopped (optional), trimmed and cut in
8 garlic cloxes, peeled and minced Vz-inch lengths

1 teaspoon salt One 28-ounce can Italian peeled
Vz teaspoon freshly ground black tomatoes, drained, seeded, and
pepper roughly chopped
'A teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
and cut into Vz-inch squares Vz teaspoon dried rosemary
1 pound (about 4) Japanese 2 bay leaves
eggplants Juice of Vz lemon
3 medium (4-ounce) zucchinis
1 ] Heat 'A cup of the oven or saucepan over

olive oil in a large dutch
medium heat. Saute the onions and garlic, along with salt, pepper, and
red pepper flakes, until the onions begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add
the red bell pepper and cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
2 ] Meanwhile trim the eggplants and zucchinis and chop into Vz-inch
dice. Add to the pot along with the green beans and remaining olive oil.
4\irn up the heat, add the tomatoes and herbs, and bring nearly to a boil,
stirring frequently.
3 ] Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until the vegetables are soft
and the flavors blend, about 40 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and
remove from heat. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve hot,
at room temperature, or chilled.

Lentil Salad
The key to this refreshing salad is to combine the vinaigrette and
beans while the beans are still warm to better absorb the dressing. The
tiny, dense, dark green lentils from Puy in central France are considered
a delicacy and can be found in specialty shops in the United States.
X Serves 4
1 cup green lentils 'A teaspoon black pepper

'A cup red wine x inegar 'A cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed 1 medium red onion, peeled and
lemon juice finely diced
'A teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
'A teaspoon salt leaves
1 ] Pick out any stones and rinse the lentils. Place in a small saucepan
and pour in enough cold water to cover generously. Bring to a boil,
reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until soft but not mushy, 20
to 25 minutes.
2 ] While the beans simmer, whisk together the red wine vinegar,
lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl
to form a dressing.
3] Strain the warm lentils and transfer to a bowl. Add the red onion
and and pour on the dressing. Stir and toss to combine thoroughly.
basil
Serve warm, or chill. Lentil salad keeps in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
Do not reheat, but bring to room temperature before serving.
Vegetable SUle Dishes 85

Boiled Artichokes
What could be more French than plain boiled artichokes with
melted butter or mayonnaise? One Frenchman I know keeps his
refrigerator stocked with them, boiled and ready for snacking.
Artichokes Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon salt
1 ] Wash the artichokes and trim off each stem so the base is flat. Pull
off and discard the bottom row or two of leaves. It is not necessary to snip
off the pointy ends with seissors unless you prefer to do so.
2 ] Bring saueepan of water to a rolling boil. Add
a large stoekpot or
the artiehokes, salt, and lemon juiee. Cook at a simmer, uneovered, 45
minutes. Drain upside down in a eolander so water doesn’t remain in the
leaves, and serve hot with melted butter, Classie Vinaigrette (page 99),
Hollandaise Sauee (page 100), or Homemade Mayonnaise (page 100).
Artiehokes are also delieious eaten eold with the same sauees or just
sprinkled with salt and pepper.
Wild Mushrooms
PROVEN9AL
O. « =
^împle and heavenly — mushrooms cooked quickly with garlic and
parsley. X Serves 4
1 pound fresh wild mushrooms 2 tablespoons ehopped fresh Italian
SLieh as ehanterelles, shiitakes, parsley
or oysters Juiee of V2 lemon
'A eup olive oil Salt
3 garlie eloves, peeled and mineed Freshly ground blaek pepper
1 ] Wipe the mushrooms elean with damp paper towels. Trim the
stem ends and roughly ehop the mushrooms into large ehunks.
2 ] Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the
garlie a minute or two just to release the aroma, and add the mushrooms.
Saute, stirring and tossing frequently, until the oil is absorbed and the
mushrooms are glossy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and lemon
juiee, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

r~AA V # #
When the French entertain at home, it is not un-
usual FOR THEM TO BRING IN A CAKE FROM THE LOCAL
PATISSERIE, OR SIMPLY TO SERVE FRESH FRUIT AND CHEESE,
RATHER THAN ATTEMPT MAKING AN ELABORATE RESTAU-
RANT-STYLE DESSERT THEMSELVES. ON THAT PRACTICAL
NOTE, ALL OF THE DESSERTS COLLECTED HERE ARE UNFUSSY
HOME-STYLE ONES THAT DELIVER MAXIMUM PLEASURE FOR
MINIMUM TOIL. COFFEE, IN THE FRENCH STYLE, IS TRADI-
TIONALLY TAKEN BLACK FOLLOWING DESSERT, AND WHEN
THERE IS A CHEESE TRAY, IT IS BROUGHT OUT BEFORE DES-
SERT.
i<- Chocolate Espresso
Mousse
It worth splurging on a high-quality chocolate like Tobler, Lindt,
is
or Callebaut when making such a pure chocolate dessert. Serves 6X

S ounces bittersweet chocolate, 2 tablespoons strong cold coffee
roughly chopped Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter Fresh berries, chocolate covered
1 tablespoon sugar espresso beans, or Creme
4 eggs Chantilly (page 102) for garnish
1 ] Place the chopped chocolate, butter, and sugar in a heavy medium

saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is
melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
2 ] Place 2 mixing bowels on the counter for separating the eggs. Work-
ing over the bowl for collecting the w'hites (the bowd must be perfectly
clean and dry for the whites to rise properly), crack the eggs and collect
the whites in one bowl and the yolks in the other.
3 ] With an electric beater, beat the yolks until pale and smooth. In
order to heat the eggs gradually, spoon about 'A of the chocolate mixture
into the yolks and beat to combine. Then add the rest of the chocolate
and mix at medium speed until well combined. Mix in the coffee.
4 ] Whisk the egg whites with salt until stiff, glossy peaks form. (If you
are using an electric mixer, begin at low speed and gradually move to
high.) Gently fold wTites into the chocolate mixture, a third at a time,
until no trace of the wTites is visible.
5 ] Spoon into 6 small ramekins, custard cups, or aperitif glasses.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
Garnish as desired and serve cold.
Desserts 89
Cold Peach and
^
Strawberry Compote
The French have many easy, elegant ways to serve fresh fruit. This
one makes a great refreshing dessert for a hot summer night. X Serves 6
2 pints ripe strawberries 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or
3 ripe medium peaches, washed other orange liqueur
and dried 'A cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ] Wash and dry the strawberries and remove the stems. Cut half of
the berries lengthwise into quarters and place in a medium bowl.
2 ] Cut the peaches in half, removing the pits. Then cut each half into
4 slices, and each slice into thirds. (The strawberry and peach pieces
should be about the same size.) Add the peaches to the bowl with straw-
berries and gently toss.
3 ] Cut the remaining berries in half and place in the bowl of a food
processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the sugar. Grand Marnier, and
orange juice. Process until a smooth sauce is formed. Pour over the fruit
in the bowl. Stir and toss to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and chill
at least 6 hours or as long as 2 days. Serve cold.
'
Strawberry Almond
Tart
^^nce you master sweet tart dough or pate sitcree irr the food
processor, you may have a difficult time serving anything but fruit tarts to
honored They are so beautiful and well loved.
guests.
This easy almond cream filling, known as frangipane, is one of the
and berry tarts. It
classic bases for fruit is also delicious with apricots,
plums, or pears baked into the cream. X Serves 6 to 8
90 French Cooking for Beg:inners

1 recipe Pate Sucree (page 108) 1 egg
Almond Cream Filling 1 egg yolk
6 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon brandy

Vz cup slivered blanched almonds Vz teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons (V4 stick) unsalted Pinch of salt

butter, softened 1 Vz pints ripe strawberries
Line a 10-inch tart shell with pate sucree and

1 ] refrigerate 30 mi-
nutes. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2 ] To make the almond filling, combine the sugar and almonds in a
food processor and process with the metal blade until the nuts are finely
ground. Add the butter, a tablespoon at a time, processing well after each
addition. Add the egg, egg yolk, brandy, vanilla, and salt and continue
processing until a smooth, liquidy paste is formed. Set aside. (If making
in advance, reserve in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a
week. Return to room temperature before using.)
3 ] Prick the pastry on the bottom of the tart shell about 6 times with
the tines of a fork to prevent shrinkage and then hake 12 minutes. Set
aside counter to rest for 5 minutes and reduce the heat in the oven
on a
to 375 F. (Don’t be worried about the dough puffing. It will deflate in a
minute or Pour the almond paste into the tart shell and return it to
twô.)
the oven. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Set on a
rack to cool for 1 hour.
4 ] Gently wash the strawberries and pat dry. Working with the point
of a paring knife, remove the stems by cutting out cones in the top of the
berries. Then cut in half lengthwise. Beginning at the outside edge of the
tart shell, arrange the berries cut sides dowm in a circular pattern so that
the bottom tips fit into the little Vs at the top of each berry. Reserve one
small, perfect berry to place in the center. Refrigerate until serving time.
Variations: To plums for the berries, hake the
substitute apricots or
almond paste in the pastry shell for 10 minutes and remove. Top with the
halved, pitted fruits. Return to the oven and bake 20 to 30 minutes more,
until the fruit is soft and the paste golden. Pears may be added at the same
time, but peel, core, and slice them first and arrange the fanned slices
over the partially cooked almond paste.
Desserts 91
TarteTatin
the many wonderful
apple desserts in the traditional Freneh
repertoire, this earamelized upside down apple tart is probably the best
known. This version, adapted from the Ma Cuisine Cooking Sehool in
Los Angeles, eliminates the need for a speeial pan. It ean be eooked
entirely in an ovenproof skillet. Sheets of Pepperidge Farm frozen puff
pastry ean be found in the frozen pastry seetion of the supermarket.
X Serves 6 to 8
Vh pounds (about 14) small Red V-4 cup sugar

Delicious apples 1 sheet (Vz pound) frozen puff
8 tablespoons ( 1 stick) unsalted pastry
butter
1] Cut the apples into quarters. Peel, core, and place in a bowl.
2 ] Combine the butter and sugar in a 10-inch saute pan with oven-
proof handle. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the
butter melts and the mixture is smooth and yellow. Remove from heat.
3 ] Over the butter mixture in the pan, arrange a layer of apples in a
spiral pattern. Continue piling on the apples, filling in the spaces, until
all are used. Do not be concerned if the pan is overcrowded the apples —
will shrink as they cook.
4 ] Return pan to heat and cook without stirring, uncovered, over
medium-low heat for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the liquid in the pan is
brown and bubbly and smells of caramel. Set aside to cool 10 minutes.
5 ] While the apples are cooking, preheat the oven to 375 F. Defrost
the frozen pastry about 20 minutes, or follow the instructions on the
package.
6] Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board with a floured rolling
pin to a 12-inch circle. (If you are using square sheets, just trim off the
corners with a sharp blade.) Prick all over with a fork and place on a
platter in the refrigerator. (The trick to working with puff pastry is to
handle it as little as possible and to keep it cold.)
7] When the apples are done, place the cold pastry over the top of the
pan, tucking in any excess dough. Place in the oven and hake until the
pastry is well puffed and golden, 30 minutes. Set aside to cool 20 minutes.
To serve, place a large flat serving platter over the pan, quickly invert,
and lift off the pan. Rearrange the apples to even out the top and spoon
any extra caramel sauce over all. Serve warm with whipped cream or
vanilla ice cream.
French Cooking for Bejsinners

Pear Anise
Creme Brulee
A thin layer of pureed pears and the scent of anise add an interesting
twist to this rich custard with crisp sugar crust — a lovely dessert to serve
in the fall or winter when pears are at their peak. X Serves 6
2 ripe pears, peeled, eored, and One 2-ineh length vanilla bean, or
thinly slieed 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Vz cup plus BVz tablespoons sugar 6 egg yolks
Juice of lemon
Vz 1 tablespoon Pernod or other anise-
2 cups heavy cream flavored liqueur
1] Combine the pears, 'A cup water, and IVz tablespoons of the sugar
in a small saucepan. Bring to a reduce to a simmer, and cook until
boil,
the pears fall apart when pressed with a wooden spoon, about 20 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and transfer to a food processor or blender to puree.
Set aside.
2 ] Pour the cream into a heavy medium saucepan. Split open the
vanilla bean with a paring knife and scrape the seeds into the cream; then
add the bean. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Remove the
bean.
3] mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and V4 cup of the
In a
sugar until smooth and pale yellow. Whisk in the vanilla extract, if using.
4 ] Slowly warm the eggs by whisking about Vz cup of the hot cream
into the yolk mixture. Then pour that mixture into the pan with the
cream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon,
until the mixture is thick enough to leave to trail when a finger is drawn
across the spoon, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Pernod
or other liqueur.
5 ] Spread about 2 tablespoons of the pear puree in the bottom of each
of six Vz-cup ovenproof remekins or custard cups. Ladle the warm custard
over all and about Vz hour. Then cover with plastic wrap
set aside to cool
and chill at least 4 hours or as long as 2 days.
6 ] Just before serving, preheat the broiler. Sprinkle each serving
evenly with a tablespoon of sugar. Set the dishes on a baking tray and
place under the broiler until the tops are golden brown but not black,
1 4 minutes. Carefully transfer the hot dishes
to to dessert plates or saucers
and serve immediately.
Desserts 93
Cranberry Clafoutis
T,!, adaptation of the traditional batter cake with unpitted cherries
from Limousin comes from Linda Zimmerman —
friend, pudding maven,
and author of Puddings, Custards and Flans. It is an easy, homey dish to
serve for weekend brunch, with some sweetened whipped cream on the
side. X Serves 6 to 8
Vh tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

V4 cup all-purpose flour Pinch of salt
3 large eggs 2 cups (8 ounces) dried cranberries
V4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 cup milk
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Melt the butter in the oven in a 9-inch
1 ]
Pyrex pie plate for about 5 minutes.

2] In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender,
combine the V4 cup of the sugar, the milk, vanilla extract,
flour, eggs,
and salt. Process until well mixed, pour into a bowl, and set aside to rest
10 minutes.
3 ] Meanwhile combine the cranberries and Grand Marnier in a small
bowl to soak for 10 minutes. Stir into the batter just to combine.
4 ] When the butter is melted, tilt the pie plate to coat it completely.
Pour and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar
in the batter
evenly over the top. Bake until golden brown and puffy, 45 minutes. Set
aside to cool for 10 minutes —
the pudding will fall and crack a bit. Serve
warm or at room temperature from the pan with Creme Chantilly (page
102) or vanilla ice cream.

Little Almond Cakes
The batter for these moist little butter and nut eakes, similar in
concept to the financiers sold in Parisian bake shops, can be put together
in 1 5 minutes. They are wonderful to nibble with afternoon tea or coffee,
or to serve for dessert with fruitv ice cream or sorbet.
X Makes 20 small cakes
1 cup whole blanched almonds V4 cup (about 6) egg whites
IV2 cups confectioners’ sugar 12 tablespoons (IV2 sticks) unsalted
V2 cup cake flour butter, melted
Pinch of salt
Heat the oven to 350 F. Generously butter a mini muffin pan.

1 ]
2 ] Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, shak-
ing the pan occasionally, until golden, about 12 minutes. Turn the oven
up to 450 F.
3 ] Transfer the nuts to a food processor fitted with the metal blade
and process until finely ground. (Always stay nearby when grinding nuts,
as they can quickly turn into nut butter if overprocessed.) Add I'A cups
sugar, the flour, and salt. Process until the mixture is well blended and
then transfer to a mixing bowl.
4 ] Pour the unbeaten egg whites into the nut mixture and stir to
combine. Then stir in the melted butter until well blended. Ladle the
batter into the buttered muffin cups until 73 full.
5] Bake 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 F and bake 10 minutes
longer. Turn the oven off and let the pan rest in the oven 5 minutes. The
muffins will be golden around the edges with little peaks in the center.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool in the pan 10 minutes. Invert to
remove. When the cakes are totally cool, press the remaining confection-
ers’ sugar through a sieve to sprinkle on the tops. Almond cakes keep well
up to 4 days.
Desserts 95
Quick and Easy
^^lese quick preparations are ideal after you’ve worked all day but
yearn to put something elegant on the table for dessert.
'A Raspberry Coulis

A eoulis
particularly
is a
good over
smooth fresh fruit or vegetable sauee. This
vanilla or chocolate ice cream and close to
one is
perfection with the vanilla ice cream and raspberry sorbet combination
sold in the supermarket. X Makes 1 cup, enough for 8 servings
One 6-ounce basket raspberries, or 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

one 10-ounce bag frozen 1 tablespoon lemon juice
berries, thawed
Combine the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the metal blade
and puree until smooth. This keeps in a sealed container in the refrigera-
tor for 3 days, or in the freezer for a month.
^ Berries in Champagne
X Serves 4
2 pints strawberries, washed and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
hulled 1 bottle cold Champagne
'A cup sugar
Cut the strawberries in quarters lengthwise and combine in a bowl with

sugar and lemon juice. Cover and chill 1Divide the berries
to 2 hours.
and their juice into 4 glass dessert dishes or wine goblets. Slowly pour in
the cold Champagne to cover well and serve immediately.

These recipes for the basic French sauces, stocks,
AND DOUGHS FORM THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR MOST EURO-
PEAN-STYLE COOKING. NONE OF THEM IS DIFFICULT TO MAS-
TER, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HELP OF A FOOD PROCESSOR.
Classic Vinaigrette
The general rule of thumb for salad dressings one part vinegar to
is
three parts oil. Be fairly conservative if you decide to add minced garlic
or fresh herbs, since a little raw garlic goes a long way. X
V2 cup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
Whisk the mustard and red wine vinegar together in a small bowl. Add
the olive whisking vigorously to combine. Season to taste with salt
oil,
and pepper and whisk again. Pour over salad or keep in a sealed container
in the refrigerator up to a week. Whisk or shake to recombine.
* Lemon Vinaigrette
Thi. tart dressing goes well with a salad of rich ingredients like
avocado or seafood. X Makes V 2 cup
V-4 cup freshly squeezed lemon Salt

juice Freshly ground black pepper
'A cup extra virgin olive oil
Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil together in a bowl. Season with
salt and pepper and whisk again.
Sauces, Stocks^ and Doughs 99

^ Homemade
Mayonnaise
In
France, mayonnaise is used to bind other ingredients like potato
and blanched vegetable salads, but it is also enjoyed as a cold sauce for
hard-boiled eggs, eold fish, and chicken. Fresh mayonnaise is a real treat.
Ifyou haven’t ever used your food processor for that purpose, you will be
amazed at how easy it is to make. A tablespoon or so of chopped fresh
herbs such as tarragon, parsley, or chives is a nice addition to fresh
mayonnaise. If you haven’t been convinced to make your own, try adding
herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice to your favorite bottled brand. They
work wonders! X
Mcikes 2 cups
2 egg yolks Vz eup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Vz teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 'A teaspoon white pepper

1 cup safflower or other mild
vegetable oil
1 ] Combine the egg yolks, lemon and mustard in the bowl of a

juice,
food processor fitted with a metal blade or in a blender and proeess until
eombined, about 30 seeonds.
2 ] With the maehine running, drizzle the oils through the feed tube
in a slow steady stream (the pin hole in the feed tube pusher is perfeet for
this). Add the salt and pepper and proeess briefly just to eombine. Home-
made mayonnaise may be kept in a sealed eontainer in the refrigerator for

up to a week. Do not freeze.
^HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
R ich, smooth hollandaise is easy to make
food processor. It
is an essential part of eggs benedict and a classic accompaniment to hot
in the
asj)aragus or broccoli. Egg-based sauces like hollandaise and bearnaise

cannot be reheated but can be kept warm in a thermos or coffee carafe
for about 2 hours. Makes X
cup

3 egg yolks V4 teaspoon vvliite pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon jiiiee 12 tablespoons (I'/z sticks) unsaltccl
'A teaspoon salt butter
1 ] Combine the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon water, lemon juice, salt, and
pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
2 ] Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. With
a small ladle or soup spoon remove and discard the white foam that rises
to the top. Remove from heat.
3 ] Process the egg yolk mixture a few seconds just to combine. Then,
with the machine running, drizzle the hot butter through the hole in the
feed tube pusher until incorporated.
Cs rilled or broiled steak and bearnaise sauce — my husband’s idea of

heaven. X Makes V4 cup
V2 cup red wine x inegar V4 teaspoon salt
3 shallots, peeled and finely 'A teaspoon freshly ground black

chopped pepper
12 tablespoons (IV2 sticks) unsalted 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
butter tarragon
3 eggs yolks 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ] Combine the red wine vinegar and shallots in a small skillet or

saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until a thin film of
liquid remains on the bottom of the pan, about 4 minutes. Discard
shallots and strain the reduced x inegar into the boxxi of a food processor
fitted xvith the metal blade.
2 ] Melt the butter in a small saucepan oxer medium-high heat. Re-
move from heat.
3 ] Add the egg yolks, and pepper to the strained, cooled vinegar
salt,
and process just to combine. Then, with the machine running, sloxvly
drizzle in the hot butter.
4] dVansfer sauce to a boxxi, stir in the tarragon and lemon juice,
adjust salt and pepper, and serve xxarm.
Sauces^ Stocks^ nml Douffhs 101

> Creme Anglaise
sauce.
C reme
It
anglaise, or English cream, is the standard French dessert
can be flavored with coffee by infusing the milk with finely
ground espresso, or with such liqueurs as Kahlua or Grand Marnier by
stirring them in at the end. It goes well with fruit or pastry and is the
basic custard used for making ice cream. X Makes 1 'A cup
1 cup whole milk Vz cup sugar

4 large egg yolks V4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ] Pour the milk saucepan and bring nearly to a boil.

into a heavy
2] Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth and pale
yellow.
3 ] Ladle a few spoonfuls of the warm milk into the eggs and whisk to
combine. Then pour the egg mixture into the milk in the pan. Cook over
low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to
coat the spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir 2 minutes
longer to stop the cooking. Cover and chill until serving time. (If some
fine lumps have formed, pass through a strainer before serving.)
7^
Creme Chantilly
C reme nothing more than sweetened whipped cream
chantilly is
w ith a much more melodious name. A dollop on a slice of cake or seasonal

berries always makes the occasion seem more festive. Makes 2 cups X
1 cup cold heavy cream 2 teaspoons brandy
2‘/2 tablespoons confectioners’
sugar
Using the chilled balloon whisk of an electric mixer, whisk cream

1 ]
at low speed until it starts to thicken and then turn the speed up to high.
2 ] When the eream is thiek enough to hold a shape, sprinkle in sugar
and brandy and whisk briefly. Store in the refrigerator up to a day.
102 F rench Cooking for Beginners

To make creme chaiitilly by hand, whisk vigorously with a large chilled
wire whisk, incorporating as much air as possible by lifting the cream
with the whisk and turning the bowl. Whisk in the sugar and brandy at
the end and ask for help as needed.
Tomato Coulis
This smooth, sweet, uncomplicated tomato sauce goes well with fish
and vegetables as well as pasta. X Makes Ph cups
Vh tablespoons unsalted butter 2 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 6
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced medium), cored
2 small carrots, peeled and roughly 1 teaspoon salt
chopped Freshly ground black pepper

4 shallots, peeled and chopped to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chervil,
make about 6 tablespoons parsley, basil, or thyme
1 ] Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy saucepan over

medium-high heat. Cook the garlic, carrots, and shallots until soft, about
6 minutes.
2 ] Meanwhile cut the tomatoes in half across the width and squeeze
out the seeds. Roughly chop.
3 ] Add tomatoes to the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered,
20 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid scorching.
4] Transfer mixture to a food processor fitted with the metal blade, or
to a blender, and puree. Pour back into the pan and place over low heat.
Break the remaining butter into about 6 pieces and stir it into the sauce
until it melts. Stir in the fresh herbs and remove from heat. Serve hot.
Sauces^ Stocks^ and Doughs 103

There something pure and virtuous about making stocks from
is
scratch. However, when you haven’t the time, I recommend the frozen
product called Perfect Additions, available in health food and specialty
markets —
especially for sauce-making. The taste is much purer than
canned stock, a factor that really makes a difference in a reduced sauce.
^ Chicken Stock
I f you only attempt one stock, this is the one to try since it is the
most versatile. Besides making excellent chicken soup, it can be used for
most sauces, for braising meats and vegetables, and for adding flavor to
such grains as rice, and to couscous. X
3 V2 quarts
Vh pounds chicken bones, necks, 1 bunch parsley stems

backs, and feet 2 bay leaves
2 celery ribs, sliced 7 sprigs thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 carrots, peeled and sliced V2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 large onion, peeled and quartered 1 teaspoon salt
1 ] Wash combine in a large stockpot with the

the chicken parts and
remaining ingredients. Pour in enough cold water to cover generously,
about 1 gallon. Bring to a boil. With a ladle, skim and discard the foam
that rises to the top. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for
2 hours, checking the pot and skimming off the foam occasionally.
2 ] Let cool slightly, then strain into storage containers. Chicken stock
may be stored in the refrigerator up to a week and in the freezer for several
months. The layer of chicken fat that forms on the top should be skimmed
off and discarded.

Veal Stock
R dark veal stock forms the basis for the deeper sauces
ich,
traditionally served with beef, veal, and lamb. The best time to set up a
pot of veal bones is before bedtime, since it simmers for such a long time.
Yon may need to order the bones in advance from your butcher. When
yon do, have them cracked so their valuable gelatin is released more
easily. X 2 quarts
5 pounds \’eal bones, such as 1 leek, white and green, cleaned

shanks and shoulders and chopped
2 onions, peeled and halved 2 cups dry white wine
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large 2 teaspoons dried thyme
chunks 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 celery ribs, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon salt

2 ] Line a large baking sheet or roasting pan with aluminum foil.
Arrange the bones, onions, and carrots on it in one layer. Bake, turn-
ing occasionally, until the bones and vegetables are browned, about 45
minutes.
3 ] Transfer bones and vegetables to a stockpot, discarding the grease
in the pan, and add celery, leek, and wine. Bring to a boil and reduce by
half. Pour in enough cold water to cover, about 1 gallon, and the season-
ings. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered,
8 to 10 hours. Let cool slightly.
4] Strain and discard the solids. Set stock aside to cool to room tem-
perature. Store in the refrigerator up to a week or in the freezer for several
months. Skim and discard any fat from the top before using.
S«Mces, Stocks^ and Doughs 105

^ Fish Stock
A busy market should have plenty of exeess heads, bones, and
fish
tails on hand for making stoek. You may need to call in advance, however,
since these trimmings may automatically be discarded or recycled. Avoid

trimmings from oily fish like tuna or salmon, since they will be too fatty
and strong for a neutral stock. X
Makes 6 cups
2 tablespoons unsalted butter I'/z cups dry white wine
1 carrot, peeled and cut in 1-inch Bouquet garni of 2 bay leaves,
lengths 6 parsley sprigs, 4 thyme sprigs,
2 celery ribs, cut in 1-inch lengths and 'A teaspoon black
1 onion, peeled and cut in peppercorns tied in a square of
8wedges cheesecloth
2 pounds fish bones and heads Vz teaspoon salt
1 ] Melt the butter in a large nonaluminum stockpot over medium-

high heat. Saute the carrot, celery, and onion until golden, about
5 minutes. Then add the fish bones and heads and saute another 5
minutes, stirring occasionally for even browning.

2 ] Pour in the wine, turn the heat up to high, and boil 4 minutes to
concentrate the flavors and cook off the alcohol. Add 2 quarts cold water,
the bouquet garni, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and
cook, uncovered, 45 minutes.
3 ] Let cool and then strain the liquid, discarding the solids. Store in
the refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze up to a month.

This the unsweetened tart dough used for savory tarts and quiches.
is
It is —
one of the easiest doughs to handle a good one for beginners.
X Makes one lO-inch tart shell
I'Acups all-purpose flour 7 tablespoons cold butter

Pinch of salt 3 tablespoons iced water
1 ] Combine the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal
blade. Cut the cold butter into about 10 slices and add to the flour.
Process about seconds until the mixture turns pale yellow, with a
1 5
consistency like cornmeal.

2 ] Cradually add the water through the feed tube while processing
with short pulses about 9 times. The dough should hold together when
pressed between your fingers, but it should not whirl around on top of the
blade.
3 ] Empty the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a
6-inch disk. Wrap well with plastie and refrigerate at least Vz hour or as
long as a day.
4 ] To out the dough, lightly spread some flour over a wooden
roll
board and also rub the rolling pin with flour. Remove the dough from its
plastic wrapping and press it on the floured board with the palm of a hand
to flatten. from the center out, making quarter turns and
Start rolling
lifting the dough intermittently to be sure it isn’t sticking. Dust with flour
occasionally if the dough is sticky. (If the dough has been refrigerated for
long, it may be too hard to roll. Just let it warm on the eounter about 30
minutes, or warm with your hands before beginning.)
5 ] Carefully lift the rolled dough and drape it over a 9- or 10-inch tart
pan with removable bottom. Press the dough into the sides with your
fingers and crimp the edges into the flutes of the pan. Run a rolling pin
across the top to remove any excess dough, d’he tart shell is now ready to
be baked or reserved in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freez.er for a
month. To bake the empty shell in advance, follow instructions in step 6
of the Pate Sucree reeipe (page 108).
Sauces^ Stocks, ami Doughs 107

This- is the basic sweet dough for fruit tarts and cookies. X Makes one
10 -inch tart shell
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 egg yolk

Pinch of salt 1 ‘/z tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted
butter
1 ] Place the flour, salt, and sugar

bowl of a food processor fitted
in the
with the metal blade. Slice the cold butter into about 12 pieces and add
to the flour. Pulse about 7 times to break the butter into smaller pieces
and begin the mixing.
2 ] In a small bowl or cup, combine the egg yolk and cold water with
a fork. With the food processor running, pour the egg mixture through
the feed tube and continue processing until the dough holds together and
forms a ball around the blade.
3 ] Tear off two 11 -inch lengths of plastic wrap. Place one on a work
counter or board and empty the dough onto it. Press the dough to form a
disk and then flatten with the palm of your hand. Place the other sheet of
plastic on top, so the plastic completely covers the dough, with the disk
in the middle. The plastic wrap will prevent sticking and make the dough
much easier to work with.
4 ] Beginning at the center and working outward, making small turns
between rolls, lightly roll out the dough to form an 11-inch circle. To
line the tart pan, carefully remove the top sheet of plastic. Holding the
corners of the bottom sheet, flip the dough over so it covers the bottom
and sides of a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Carefully peel off
the plastic.
5] Press the dough and crimp the edges with your index
into the sides
fingers. Run the rolling pin over the top to remove overhanging dough
and even out the top. (Extra dough can be used to repair any holes or
tears or to build up any thin edges —
just press it into plaee. It also makes
exeellent cookie dough.) Cover with plastie and reserve in the refrigerator
at least 1 5 minutes or as long as 2 days.
6 ] To bake an empty tart shell, also ealled baking blind: Preheat the
oven to 425 F. Priek the dough in several plaees with the tines of a fork
and then cover with a sheet of aluminum foil or parehment paper that

overhangs by an inch on all sides. Fill the paper with rice, dried beans,
or pie weights and bake 10 minutes. Remove the paper with weights (rice
and beans may be stored and used again) and bake an additional 10
minutes, until nicelv browned.
Sauces^ Stocks^ and Donahs 109

Books on French
Cuisine and Culture
Bocuse, Paul. Paul Bocuse in Your Kitchen. Pantheon, New York, 1982.
Three-star chef Bocuse wrote this book for beginners after he got his
more complicated restaurant recipes off his chest in earlier books. Here
he covers all the regional specialties of la cuisine bourgeoise with no extra
steps, luxury ingredients, or anecdotes to clutter up the palate or the
mind. It is the most reliable, down-to-earth French cookbook on my
shelf.
Brillat-Savarin, Jean A. The Physiology of Taste. North Point Press, San

Francisco, 1986.
Bon vivant, and gastronome extraordinaire, Brillat-Savarin
lawyer,
spent thirty years researching this idiosyncratic treatise on the pleasures of
eating —probably the most quoted food book in the world. (It was pub-
lished posthumously in 1825.) In case you haven’t thought much about
the erotic properties of truffles or the influence of gastronomy on business,
his is the book to get you started. This edition is lovingly translated by
M.F.K. Fisher with plenty of her own asides.
child, Julia; Louisette Bertholle; Simone Beck. Mastering the Art of

French Cooking, Volume I. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1961.
. From Julia Child's Kitchen. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1975.
A lot of time and trends have elapsed since Child first dispensed her
wisdom American cook,” but Julia remains la Julia
“for the servantless
a good-natured culinary monument. If you have the patience and the
time to work through all the steps, her books will direct you faultlessly
through the entire repertoire of classic French cuisine for the American
kitchen, with variations galore.
David, Elizabeth. French Provincial Cooking. Michael Joseph, London,

1960.
This renowned English food writer supplied inspiration, recipes, and
cookware to a generation of food writers and chefs. Her books, reissued
by a British publisher and available at specialty bookstores or by order, are
troves of information and feeling for the Erench way with food. Though
the hooks do have recipes, find them better for reading than for cooking.
1

Deighton, Len. ABC of French Food. Bantam Rooks, New York, 1990.
The intrepid writer of suspense novels likes to spend his time eating,
eooking, and hanging around with the great ehefs of Europe when he is
not sitting in front of the word proeessor. More than a few well-informed
opinions have emerged and been set down in this entertaining volume
that resembles an author’s notebook both in its eonversational tone and
in the sketehes. Good bedtime reading.
Johnston, Mireille. The Cuisine of the Sun, Vintage Books, New' York,
1976.
The French Family Feast. Simon & Sehuster, New York, 1988.
.
This Frenehwôman has her subjeet in her fingertips. Her authentie

regional reeipes don’t omit a detail — eouseous is
the ingredient list for
three pages long —
but if you have the time you eould do worse than to
follow her deft instruetions. Definitely not for the beginner, although the
Provengal reeipes are relatively short and easy.
Olney, Riehard. The French Menu Cookbook. David R. Godine, Boston,

1985.
Ten Vineyard Lunches. Interlink Books, New York, 1988.
.
Olney, an Ameriean writer living in Provenee, has impeeeable taste

and a elear writing style that is mueh admired by fellow writers and ehefs.
Although I have never eooked his food, one has the feeling that everything
this intelligent sensualist touehes turns out well.
Root, Waverley. The Food of France. Vintage Books, New' York, 1992.
Root was an Ameriean journalist and foreign eorrespondent who eata-
logued whole eountries and their relationship to food in his spare time.
In this elassie he organizes all of Franee aeeording to preferred eooking
fats: butter, lard, or oil. With wonderful deseriptions of food, people, and
plaees, it is inspirational reading before a trip to Franee. Glassie regional

dishes are deseribed without reeipes.
Seotto Sisters. France: The Beautiful Cookbook. Gollins Publishers, San

Franeiseo, 1989.
This series of big beautiful eoffee table books is unusually useful. Phe
reeipes are practieal, the text informative, and the pictures of both plaees
and food awe-inspiring.
Wells, Patrieia. The Food Lovers Cuide to Paris. Workman, New York,
1984.
. The Food Lover s Cuide to France. Workman, New York, 1987.
Books on French Cuisine and Culture 111

, Bistro Cooking. Workman, New York, 1989.
and Joel Robuchon. Simply French. William Morrow, New
York, 1991.
Wells is the best eontemporary palate working the Freneh food seene
today. This relentless researeher, an Ameriean journalist living in Paris
and Provenee, eaptiires the sights, sounds, and smells of artisanal food-
makers, restaurants, eafes, and outdoor markets with style, graee, and
enthusiasm to burn. The guides are a must for any serious eater traveling
in Fra nee.
Willan, Anne. French Regional Cooking. William Morrow, New York,

1981.
. La Varenne Pratique. Crown, New York, 1989.
Willan, the British/Ameriean owaier of La Varenne eooking sehool, is
a reliable source if your culinary information on the plain and

you like
practical side. Her regional book is timeless —
a beautifully designed, pho-
tographed, and researched tour through the provinces with classic recipes
intact; the Pratique is an up-to-date reference book with color photographs
on classic techniques and ingredients. Both are wonderful gifts for some-
one who wants to get serious about cooking.
Wolfert, Paula. The Cooking of Southwest France. Dial Press, New' York,
1983.
Wolfert, the cookbook writer’s cookbook writer, picks a region, lives
and breathes it, and then translates it for American cooks. The recipes are
precise and sometimes lengthy —
the duck confit recipe runs three full text
pages —but the results are always full-flavored and first-rate. Southwest
France, by the way, is the land of goose fat, foie gras, truffles, and very
serious eating.

1 8 1 5
Index
Aioli, 33 Boeuf Bourguignon, 60-61

almonds: Boiled Artichokes, 86
little cakes, 95 books on French cuisine and culture,
and strawberry tart, 90-91 110-12
anchovies, 1 5 bouillabaisse, inauthentic, 69
appetizers: bouquet garni, 18
Crudites with Mediterranean Dips, 32-33 Braised Lamb Shanks, 58
Eggplant Caviar, 31 Braised Leeks, 81
Michele’s Chicken Liver Mousse, 34-35 brandy, 17
Mushrooms a la Crecque, 36 bread, 1
Pissaladiere, 30 broccoli, 7
Ratatouille, 84 brunoise, 7
Roasted Garlic, 80 butchers, 10
scrambled eggs with caviar, 38 butter,2-3, 7, 13
apples: Scallops Beurre Blanc, 68
Tarte Tatin, 92 Sea Bass with Fennel and Pomato Butter
Veal Chops with Apples and Thyme, 54 Sauce, 71
artichokes, boiled, 86
asparagus, 83 cakes, little almond, 95
quiche, 39 capers, 1
pan-fried trout with lemon, parsley and, 73

baby onions, 16 Carisio, Renee, 51
baguettes, 1 carrots, 7
baked eggs, 42 champagne, berries in, 96
baking blind, 108-9 cheeses, 14, 88
basil, 18 Warm Fig and Chevre Salad, 29
Baudry, Patrick, 3-4 chervil, 18
bay leaves, 1 chicken. See poultry
Bcarnaise Sauce, 101 Chicken Stock, 104
beef: chives, 18
Boeuf Bourguignon, 60-61 chocolate, 15-16, 89
Pot au Feu, 62-63 Chocolate Espresso Mousse, 89
Steak au Poivre, 59 clafoutis, cranberry,94
Berries in Champagne, 96 Classic Vinaigrette, 99
Bistro Cooking, Wells, 40 coffee,88
blanching, 5-7 Chocolate Espresso Mousse, 89
Blanquette de Vêau, 52-53 Cold Peach and Strawberry Compote, 90
Bocuse, Paul, 14 Cold Pomato and Cucumber Soup, 27
113
compote, peach and strawberry, 90 eggs, 14, 38
condiments, 14-16 Asparagus Quiche, 39
Coq an \hn, 48-49 Bearnaise Sauce, 101
coulis, 96 in cocotte, 42
raspberiy, ,96 Creme Anglaise, 102
tomato, 103 Hollandaise Sauce, 100-101
country bread, 1 Omelette with Wild Mushrooms and
couscous, 12 Scallions, 41
Cranberry Clafoutis, 94 Salade Lyonnaise, 28
cream, 2-3, 7, 13 Savory Leek Tart, 40
Pear Anise Creme Brulee, 93 yolks, sauces thickened with, 7
Creme Anglaise, 102 electric mixers, 20
Creme Chantilly, 102-3 empty tart shell, to bake, 108-9
Creme fraiche, 14 English cream, 102
Crisp Roasted Chicken, 51 equipment, 19-20
croutons, 1
Crudites with Mediterranean Dips, 32-33 farmers’ markets, 10

cucumber soup, cold tomato and, 27 Faux Cassoulet, 64-65
The Cuisine of California, Rossen, 34 fennel:
cutting boards, 19 mussels with tomatoes, saffron and, 67
sea bass with tomato butter sauce and,
dairy products, 2-3, 13-14 71
deglazing, 7 figs and chevre salad, 29
desserts, 88 fine herbs, 17
Berries in Champagne, 96 first courses, 22
Chocolate Espresso Mousse, 89 asparagus as, 83
Cold Peach and Strawberry Compote, See also appetizers; soups
90 fish:
Cranberry Clafoutis, 94 Inauthentic Bouillabaisse, 69

Creme Anglaise, 102 Mussels with Tomatoes, Fennel, and
Little Almond Cakes, 95 Saffron, 67
Pear Anise Creme Brulee, 93 Pan-Fried T rout with Capers, Lemon, and
quick, 96 Parsley, 73
Raspberry’ Coulis, 96 Peppered Swordfish with Olives and
Strawberry Almond Tart, 90-91 Lemon, 74
Tarte Tatin, 92 Salmon on a Bed of Lentils, 70
Dijon mustard, 1 Scallops Beurre Blanc, 68
dips for crudites: Sea Bass with Fennel and Tomato Butter
Aioli, 33 Sauce, 71
Roasted Red Pepper Spread, 32 Seared Tuna Salad Nigoise, 72-73
Puna I'apenade, 33 Fish Stock, 106
doughs: flamiche, 40
Pate Brisee, 107 flavored vinegars, 13
Pate Sucree, 108-9 food processors, 20
dry' bread crumbs, 1 French butter, 1
French cooking:
egg noodles, 12 books on, 110-12
eggplants: French Onion Soup, 26
Eggplant Caviar, 31 fried potatoes, 79
Japanese, 84 frozen foods:

Roasted Eggplant Soup, 23 bread crumbs, 1
114 Index
53 5 3
5 1
Michele’s Chicken Liver Mousse, 34-35 leeks, 16

stock, 104 braised, 81
fruits, 16 savory tart, 40
Berries in Champagne, 96 leftover bread, 1
Cold Peach and Strawberry Compote, 90 lemons, 16

Cranberry’ Clafoutis, 94 swordfish with olives and, 74
Pear Anise Creme Brulee, 93 trout with capers, parsley and, 73
Raspberry Coulis, 96 vinaigrette, 99
Strawberry Almond Tart, 90-91 lentils:
Tarte Tatin, 92 salad, 85

Fuetsch, Michele, 34 salmon on a bed of, 70
liqueurs, 17
gadgets, 20 Little Almond Cakes, 95
garlic, 14 long-grain white rice, 12
chicken with fresh herbs and, 45
mashed potatoes with roasted, 77 margarine, 13
roasted, 80 Marseilles, garlic market, 14
roast leg of lamb with herbs, olives and, 57 Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, 77
grains, 11-12 Matchstick Potatoes, 79
gratin, 7 mayonnaise, homemade, 100
potato, 78 meats:
gratineing, 7 Boeuf Bourguignon, 60-61
green olives, 1 Braised Lamb Shanks, 58
gruyere, 14 Faux Cassoulet, 64-65
Hachis Parmentier, 66
Hachis Parmentier, 66 Lamb Brochettes Provencal, 56
hazelnut oil, 13 Pot au Feu, 62-63
heavy cream, 1 Roast Leg of Lamb with Herbs, Olives, and
herbs, 17-18 Garlic, 57
chicken with 40 cloves of garlic and, 45 Roast Pork with Shallots and Honey, 55
roast leg of lamb with olives, garlic and, Steak au Poivre, 59
57 time required for cooking, 44
Hollandaise Sauce, 100-101 Veal Blanquette, 52-53
home entertaining, 3 Veal Chops with Apples and T hyme, 54
Homemade Mayonnaise, 100 See also fish; poultry
honey, roast pork with shallots and, 55 Meteigner, Jean-Frangois, 69
Michele’s Chicken Liver Mousse, 34-35
Inauthentic Bouillabaisse, 69 milk, 13
ingredients, 10-18 mirepoix, 7
Italian parsley, 18 mushrooms:
a la Grecque, 36
Japanese eggplants, 84 omelette with scallions and, 41
Provengal, 86
Kalamata olives, 1 Mussels with Tomatoes, Fennel, and Saffron,
knives, 19 67
mustard, 1
lamb;
brochettes Provengal, 56 Nigoise olives, 1 5
leg, roast, with herbs, olives, and

garlic, 57 oils, 13
shanks, braised, 58 olive oil, 1
Index
olives, 14-15 quiche, asparagus, 39
roast leg of lamb with herbs, garlic and, quick desserts, 96
57 quick meals, 44
lemon and, 74
swordfish with
Omelette with Wild Mushrooms and Raspberry Coulis, 96
Scallioii’s, 41 Ratatouille, 84
onions, 16 reducing, 5
French Onion Soup, 26 red wine vinegar, 13

rice, 12
pain de campagne, 1 Roasted Eggplant Soup, 23
Pan-Fried Front with Capers, Lemon, and Roasted Garlic, 80
Parsley, 75 Roasted Red Pepper Spread, 32
pans,19-20 Roast Leg of Lamb with Herbs, Olives, and
Parmesan cheese, 14 Garlic, 57
parsley, 18 Roast Pork with Shallots and Honey, 55
trout with capers, lemon, and, 73 Robuchon, Joel, 77
vinaigrette, potato salad with, 78-79 rosemary, 18, 56
Pate Brisee, 107
Pate Sucree, 108-9 safflower oil, 13
peaches, and strawberry compote, 90 saffron, mussels with tomatoes, fennel and,
Pear Anise Creme Brulee, 93 67
pearl onions, 16 sage, 18
Pepin, jacques, 51 salad dressings, 99
Peppered Swordfish with Olives and Lemon, salads:
74 fig and chevre, 29
peppers, red, spread of, 32 lentil, 85
Perfect Additions, 104 Lyonnaise, 28
Pesto, 25 potato, with parsley vinaigrette, 78-79
picholine olives, 15 tuna, seared, nigoise, 72-73
Pissaladiere, 30 Salmon on a Bed of Lentils, 70
pissenlits, 28 salt pork, 1
Piston, 24-25 sauces:

pork, roast, with shallots and honey, 55 bcarnaise, 101
potatoes: Classic V’inaigrette, 99
gratin,78 Creme Anglaise, 102
mashed, with roasted garlic, 77 Creme Chantilly, 102-3
matchstick, 79 hollandaise, 100-101
salad with parsley vinaigrette, 78-79 Homemade Mayonnaise, 100
Pot an Feu, 62-63 Lemon Vinaigrette, 99
pots, 19-20 to thicken, 7
poule ail pot, 46 tomato butter, sea bass with fennel and,
poultry: 71
Chicken in the Pot with Winter Vegetables, Tomato Coulis, 103
46-47 sauteing, 5
Chicken Legs with Vinegar and Tarragon, Savory Leek Tart, 40
50 scallions, omelette with mushrooms and, 41
Chicken v\ ith 40 Cloves of Garlic and Fresh Scallops Beurre Blanc, 68
1 lerhs, 45 Sea Bass with Fennel and Tomato Butter
Coq an \fin, 48-49 Sauce, 71
Crisp Roasted Chicken, 51 Seared Tuna Salad Nigoise, 72-73
Michele’s Chicken Liver Mousse, 34-35 separating of eggs, 14
1 16 Index
5 3 3 3
shallots, 16 trout, pan-fried with capers, lemon, and

roast pork with honey and, 55 parsley, 73
shellfish, 67. See also fish tuna:
shopping, 10 scared, salad nigoise, 72-73
soups: tapenade, 33
French onion, 26
Piston, 24-25 unsalted butter, 1
roasted eggplant, 23
tomato and cucumber, cold, 27 veal:
sour cream, 13 blanquctte, 52-53
spirits, 16-17 chops with apples and thyme, 54
spreads: stock, 105
roasted red pepper, 32 vegetable oil, 1
Tuna Tapenade, 33 vegetables, 16, 76

Steak au Poivre, 59 Asparagus, 83
stocks, 104 Asparagus Quiche, 39
chicken, 104 blanching of, 5-7
fish, 106 Boiled Artichokes, 86
veal, 105 Braised Leeks, 81
strawberries: Chicken in the Pot with Winter X'egetables,
and almond tart, 90-91 46-47
in champagne, 96 Crudites with Mediterranean Dips, 32-33
and peach compote, cold, 90 Lentil Salad, 85
sweating, 5 Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Carlic, 77
sweet butter, 1 iMatchstick Potatoes, 79
swordfish, with olives and lemon, Piston, 24-25
74 Potato Cratin, 78
84
Ratatouille,
tapenade, 1 Roasted Eggplant Soup, 23
tuna, 33 Roasted Carlic, 80
tarragon, 18 Salmon on Bed of Lentils, 70
a
chicken legs with vinegar and, Savor)’ Leek Tart, 40
50 Tomatoes Provengal, 80-81
tarts: Warm Potato Salad with Parsley
doughs for, 107, 108-9 Vinaigrette, 78-79
savor)' leek, 40 Wild Mushrooms Provengal, 86
strawberry almond, 90-91 Zucchini and 4'omato Tian, 82
Tarte Tatin, 92 vinaigrette:
techniques, 5-7 99
classic,
tempering, 7 lemon, 99
thyme, 18-19 parsley, potato salad with, 78-79
veal chops with apples and, 54 vinegars, 13
time required for cooking, 44 chicken legs with tarragon and, 50
tomatoes:
coulis, 103 walnut oil, 13
and cucumber soup, cold, 27 Warm Fig and Chevre Salad, 29
mussels with fennel, saffron and, 67 Warm Potato Salad with Parslcv Vinaigrette,
Provencal, 80-81 78-79
tian, zucchini and, 82 Wells, Patricia, Bistro Cooking, 40
tomato butter sauce, sea bass with fennel whipping cream, 13
and, 71 Creme Chantilly, 102-3
Inelex 117
white wine vinegar, 1 Worthington, Diane Rossen, The Cuisine of
Wild Mushrooms Provencal, California, 34
86
wine, 16-17 yellow onions, 16
Berries in Champagne, 96 yogurt, -1
Boeuf Bourguignon, 60-61

Coq au Vin, 48-49 Zimmerman, Linda, 94
wine vinegar, 1 Zuechini and Tomato Tian, 82
118 Index
I
641 *-5944 NERL
SieUeiy Helene*
JUL ^ '2U03
1994
SA'f 2 8 1997
VERMONT UtKi. ur L»on«iMc.o
DO Dl ONflOltD 3
IHelene Siegel is the author of Chinese
Cooking for Beginners^ Italian Cooking for
Beginners^ and Mexican Cooking for Beginners.
She is coauthor of the Ma Cuisine Cooking
School Cookbook and City Cuisine. Ms. Siegel
writes occasionally for her hometown paper^
the Los Angeles Times.
fsign © 1994 by Stephanie Tevonian

stration © 1994 by Yan Nascimbene X
hotograph © 1992 by Ten Sandison
'perdoWmsPublishers
From
ENCH^POI
French cooking is as simple as roasted eggplant

soup or browned onions heaped on top of a store-
K bought pizza shell and scattered with thyme and tiny
Nigoise olives. It can be as light as a garden salad

tossed with vinaigrette, as fast as seared tuna or
salmon, as easy as roasted chicken, as earthy as lentil
^
salad, or as robust as braised lamb shanks or mashed
potatoes with garlic. If it is cooked with care and
served with love, it is in the French style. ... At its
best, it is cooking with the heart as well as the hands,

and it needn’t be haute to be so.”
—Helene Siegel
164317

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skills. The book is also an inspiration to ac-

levels of experience will be able to niake such

?|R 2 EOX 244

Italian Cooking for Beginners

Chinese Cooking for Beginners

Mexiean Cooking for Beginners

Ma Cuisine Cooking School Cookbook

HarperCollins hooks may be purchased for

Designed by Stephanie Tevonian

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

How TO Cook French Food 1

A Few Techniques for the Novice 5

How TO Shop for French Cooking 9

Soups, Salads, and Appetizers 21

Egg and Cheese dishes 37

Poultry, Meat, and Fish 43

Vegetable Side Dishes 73

Sauces, Stocks, and Doughs 97

Books on French Cuisine

How to Cook French Food 5

To Deglaze means to add liquid to a pan in whieh something has

is still apparent. Instead of a beurre blanc, make a quiek sauee by stirring

How to Cook French Food

PLORE LOCAL FARMERS’ MARKETS AND SPECIALTY SHOPS

The French repertoire is extremely flexible. Once you understand the

How to Cook French Food 11

reconstituted by combining the grains with an equal amount of boiling

12 French Cooking for Beginners

difference in taste, although white vinegar is preferable in pale sauces

without which they wouldn’t be French. American heavy cream has an

How to Cook French Food 13

14 French Cooking for Beginners

How to Cook French Food 15

Vegetables and fruits

WINE AND SPIRITS

16 French Cooking for Beginners

Hoiv to Cook French Food 17

flavor. Since it is so delieate, it ean be used either whole or lightly

parsley is a good substitute.

preferable to the eurly variety. Parsley, ineluding the stems, is required

18 French Cooking for Beginners

How to Cook French Food 19

20 Fr<‘ncli (looking fV»r

1 ] Preheat the oven to 450 F.

stir in crumbled goat eheese if desired, and serve hot.

Soups^ Salads, and Appetizers 23

trimmed Freshly ground blaek pepper

1 ] Finely diee the potatoes, earrots, leeks, zueehinis, and squash.

24 French Cooking for Beginners

2 cups basil leaves Vz teaspoon eoarse salt

3 garlie eloves, peeled '/z eup plus 2 tablespoons grated

1 ] In a food proeessor fitted with the metal blade, or in a blender,

Soups^ Salaxls^ and Appetizers 25

26 French Cooking for Beginners

ZVz pounds ripe tomatoes Vz cup tomato juice, or more as

Soups, Sa^orfs, and Appetizers 27

French Cooking for Beginners

1 ] Preheat the broiler.