French cuisine is a style of cooking originating from France and varies according to the season. In 17th century a notable chef, La Varenne who cooked for Napoleon and other dignitaries moved toward fewer spices and more liberal usage of herbs and creamy ingredients which was the beginning of modern cuisine. Cheese and wine are a major part of the cuisine with many variations, some being regulated by laws. French cuisine was codified in the 20th century by Georges Auguste Escoffier whom I have mentioned before. There are many dishes that are considered part of the nation's national cuisine, such as; baguettes, truffles, croissants, beouf bourguignone, coq au vin, foie gras, tare tatin, madeleines, cassoulet, duck confit, quiche lorraine, baba au rhum and crepes just to name a few.
There are 22 regions noted below with different diverse foods and styles of cooking. Traditionally each region of France has its own distinctive cuisine.
Paris and Ile-de-France - are central regions where almost anything from the country is available. Thousands of restaurants exist in Paris and almost any cuisine can be had here. High quality rated restaurants spring up continually in this region.
Champagne, Lorraine and Alsace - Game and ham are popular as well as special sparkling wine known as Champagne. High quality fruit preserves are known from Lorraine as well as quiche Lorraine. Alsace is heavily influenced by German food culture, such as, wine and beers.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Picardy, Normandy and Brittany - (love that name, our daughter was named after this region) - The coastline supplies many crustaceans, sea bass, monkfish and herring. Normandy has top quality seafood, such as scallops and sole, while Brittany has a supply of lobster, crayfish and mussels. Normandy has a large population of apple trees which are used in cider and Calvados. They also grow wheat, sugar beets and chicory. Thick stews also come from this region. Buckwheat grows widely in Brittany and is used in the region's galettes (flat, round or free-form crusty cakes) where this dish originated.
Loire Valley and central France - High quality fruits such as pears, strawberries and melons come from the Loire Valley as well as cherries grown for the liqueur Guignolet. Fish, wild game, lamb cattle, fowl and high quality goat cheeses. Vegetables, mushrooms and vinegars are a specialty of the region.
Burgundy and Franche-Comte - Burgundy is know for its wines. Pike, perch, river crabs, snails, poultry, beef, red currants, black currants (for the making of Creme de Cassis) , honey cake, and cheese are all specialities of these regions. Dijon mustard is also a Burgundy cuisine.
Lyon-Rhone-Alpes - Fruit and young vegetables are popular in the Rhone valley. Poultry, guinea foul and fish from the lakes and mountains the the Alpes area. Lyon and Savoy supply high quality sausages whereas, speciality cheeses come from the Alpine regions.
Poitou-Charentes and Limousin - Oysters come from the basin, while mussels come from the Bay of Aiguillon. High quality produce and goat cheese too. Cattle (Limousin) and poultry is raised in Challans, and Charente which is said to produce the best butter and cream in France. Cognac is made in this region. The woodlands have game and high quality mushrooms.
Bordeaux, Perigord, Gascony and Basque country - The cuisine of this region is often heavy and farm based. Bordeaux is known for its wine. Fishing is popular in the region. The Pyrenees support lamb and high quality cheeses. Beef, free range chicken, turkey, pigeon, capon, goose and duck. Gascony and Perigord cuisines include high quality pates, terrines, confits and margrets and of course it's famous for foie gras (one of my all time favorites - simply delicious!)
Toulouse, Quercy and Aveyron - The famous black Perigord truffle can be found in this region. High quality hams and dry sausages, white corn is also grown for the use in fattening the ducks and geese for foie gras. Haricot beans are grown in this area. Lamb, unpasteurized ewe's milk for quality cheeses. The volcanic soils create flinty cheese and amazing lentils. Mineral waters are produced in high volume in this region.
Roussillon, Languedoc and Cevennes - Oysters, mussels and speciality fish. High quality Roquefort comes from this area. There are mushrooms, chestnuts, berries, honey, lamb, game, sausages, pates and goat cheeses produced here. Snails and wild boar can be found too.
Provence and Cote d' Azur - Regions known for citrus, vegetables, herbs and fruits producing the largest supplies of these ingredients in France. Olives which create superb olive oil and lavender used in many dishes. Herbs such as; thyme, sage, rosemary, basil, savory, fennel, marjoram, tarragon, oregano and bay leaf. Honey is also a prized ingredient of the region. Seafood proliferated through the coastal area. Goat cheeses, air-dried sausages, lamb, beef and chicken as well as garlic and anchovies. Truffles are seen in Provence during the winter.
Last, but not least Corsica - Goats and sheep on the island of Corsica are used to prepare dishes such as stufato, ragouts and roasts. Cheeses are produced as well as chestnuts. Acorns are used to feed the pigs and boars which supplies much of the island's cuisine. Fresh fish and seafood abound. Pork makes fine hams, sausage and other items. Clementines, lemons, nectarines and figs grow here too.
Breakfast in France might start with a croissant or pain au chocolat with coffee or tea. Lunch was once a two hour mid-day meal. In some smaller towns, the two hour lunch is still customary and Sunday lunches are often longer and are taken with family. Dinner often consists of three courses with a salad offered before the cheese or dessert plate. Beverages to start the meal are called an aperitif and during the meal wines and waters (to clear the palate) are welcomed. To finish the meal liquors are welcome, such as grand Marnier or Cognacs.
Garlic is the "vanilla" of Provence - French proverb
Quiche Lorraine - We must include one of France's most famous dishes
Homemade pie crust for (10-inch tart pan)
2 cups bacon, chopped
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
Make the tart shell and prick the tart in a few places. Place in freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tart in oven and bake for 10 minutes, remove and cool on cooling rack.
In a saute pan, add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. In a bowl, whisk eggs and whipping cream, season with freshly grated nutmeg, salt and pepper. Spread cheese in bottom of cooled tart shell, top with bacon and pour on beaten egg mixture. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or snipped chives.
Vichyssoise - chilled potato and leek soup
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 large leeks, washed well and thinly sliced (use only white to just the light green part)
2 Tbl. butter
3 cups chicken stock (good quality)
salt and freshly ground black pepper (you are to use white pepper, but I like black)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
fresh chives, snipped
In a large Dutch oven melt the butter on low and stir in leeks, sauteing until they are light golden brown. Add the stock and potatoes (season with a little salt) and bring to simmer, cover and cook for about 45 minutes. Remove mixture and puree to a fine puree. Return back to pan add milk and pepper, bring back to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Taste and adjust seasonings. This soup is traditionally served chilled, but you can also serve warm. Ladle into bowl and sprinkle with snipped chives.
French Bistro Salad
2 cups bacon or Canadian bacon, diced
2 bunches of frisee lettuce (also called curly endive)
1 large shallot, minced
3 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 Tbl champagne vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
dash of white vinegar
Cook bacon in saute pan until crisp, remove from pan and drain on paper towels. In the same pan you cooked bacon, remove most of the bacon grease, add shallot and cook until softened. Remove pan from heat and whisk in 2 Tbl. olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. In a large bowl add lettuce, crisp cooked bacon and pour dressing over tossing to coat.
In a saute pan add about 1-inch of water to a boil, add dash of white vinegar. Crack each egg into a small bowl and slide into boiling water, reduce heat to low. Cover pan and poach eggs for about 4 minutes. Divide the salad among 4 plates and top each with a poached egg. Add a nice grind of black pepper, and serve.
Light and Refreshing Tomato Salad
1 lb. gorgeous red tomatoes (fresh from your garden or farmers market are best)
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
4 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon
1 Tbl. fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 Tbl. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
3 Tbl. fresh snipped chives
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wash tomatoes and cut them into nice slices. Place tomatoes on paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and leave for about 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove tomatoes from paper towels and arrange tomatoes and onions overlapping on serving platter. Whisk the olive oil, Dijon and lemon juice and drizzle over tomatoes. Sprinkle with parsley, chives and ground black pepper.
Pissaladiere - delicious warm or cool
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tsp. fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (2 oz) can anchovy fillets, drained and fillets halved lengthwise (or if you love them like my husband you can use more)
40 Nicoise olives, pitted
1 lb of pizza dough or bread dough
In a large saute pan add 1/4 cup olive oil and saute onions for about 30 minutes, until nicely softened and caramelized. Add to onions, the garlic, 1 tsp. thyme an season with salt and pepper, cooking about 6 minutes more.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 15x10x1 inch pan with cooking spray. On a lightly floured work surface roll bread dough into a 15x10 rectangle and place on prepared pan pressing out to edges of pan. Spoon onions evenly over the top and place anchovy fillets over onions in a lattice pattern and place olives inside the sections of lattice. Sprinkle with remaining thyme. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Remove to cutting board, cool slightly and cut into squares.
Pistou Soup served with Herb Palmiers
1 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 cup white onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped including leafy green tops
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup leeks, chopped (only use white to light green part)
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups hearty chicken stock (good quality)
1 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup beautiful fresh red tomatoes, chopped
1 cup white beans, cooked (if you desire you can use canned, but rinse)
1 cup kidney beans, cooked (if you desire you can use canned, but rinse)
1 cup haricot vert (French green beans)
1 1/2 cups cooked shell pasta
Pistou
4 oz. fresh basil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In large stockpot over medium add butter and oil and saute onion, celery and garlic until vegetables are softened. Add leeks, thyme and season with some salt and pepper cooking for about 3 more minutes.
Pour chicken stock into pan with vegetables and add carrots, tomatoes and all the beans. Bring to simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta and remove from heat.
Pistou; In a food processor add all ingredients to form a smooth paste. To serve; Ladle the soup into bowl and drizzle some pistou on each serving. Serve with Palmiers (recipe below)
Herb Palmiers - these are a savory version of the normally sweet, flaky cookies that look like little scrolls
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lb. puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In food processor, pulse basil, garlic and olive oil until it forms fine paste. Roll out puff pastry into a 15x12 rectangle. With a pastry brush spread the basil paste in a thin even layer over the dough. Starting at long ends of rectangle, loosely roll each side inward until they meet in middle. Brush with egg. Slice the pastry crosswise into 1/4-inch palmiers and arrange on baking sheet (you should end up with about 30). Sprinkle palmiers with black pepper and bake for 12-15 minutes until they puff and turn a lovely golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and serve warm or room temp.
Roast Garlic Chicken - one of my favorites (easy, delicious and great company fare)
1 (3 1/2 to 4 lb.) chicken
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 heads of garlic. separate cloves, peel one 1 head of garlic
4 Tbl. butter, soft
1 lemon, juiced and sliced in half
2 shallots, peeled
1 cup chicken stock (good quality)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl add butter, and squeeze in lemon juice, mix well. Rub lemon butter inside and outside of chicken. Season inside and outside with salt and pepper. Place lemon sections inside cavity of chicken with 1 head of garlic and both shallots. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Spread the remaining garlic cloves in the center of roasting pan and set chicken on top, breast side up. Pour 1 cup of stock into pan and roast chicken for 1 hour, basting occasionally. After 1 hour check chicken with a meat thermometer in the thigh, it should register between 175 and 180 degrees. When chicken is cooked remove from oven and cover loosely with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and garlic cloves to platter and garnish with a bunch of Italian parsley inside cavity or carve chicken and place on platter with garlic and garnish with parsley. If desired you can make a pan sauce from the drippings. Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.
Potato Galette
2 large russet potatoes, peeled
1 Tbl. each of olive oil and butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
Italian parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. With a mandoline, slice potatoes about 1/16 inch. Heat a 9- inch cast iron skillet until very hot, add oil and butter. Arrange potatoes overlapping spiral to fill pan. Season well with salt, pepper and rosemary. Place in oven for about 25 minutes until golden crispy browned, do not stir. Remove from oven, cut into wedges to serve and sprinkle with parsley.
Provencal Tomatoes
6 ruby red ripe tomatoes
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 cup scallions, minced including green part
1/4 cup basil leaves, minced
2 Tbl. Italian parsley, minced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, remove from stem and mince
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the cores from tomatoes, removing as little as possible. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise and with your fingers, remove the seeds and juice. Place the tomato halves on baking dish sprayed lightly with a little cooking spray.
In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, scallions, basil, parsley, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Fill the cavities with the bread crumb mixture and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle cheese on top and drizzle with a little more olive oil on each tomato and bake for about 1 more minute or until cheese melts and is bubbly.
Sauteed Fennel
6 fennel bulbs
1 large shallot, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. olive oil
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Cut the tops and bottoms off the fennel bulbs. Remove the two outer leaves and rinse the bulbs. Slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and butter and add the fennel, shallot and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes on medium. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the wine, cover and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until fennel is tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove to serving platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Chicken with Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Olives (I love this dish) serves 4 to 6 (This recipe doubles easily too)
1 chicken (cut into 8 serving pieces) be sure to wash and pat dry with paper towels
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock (good quality)
1 Tbl. tomato paste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup green olives, pitted
1 cup Nicoise olives, pitted
1 lb. mushrooms, quartered
2 large cans whole tomatoes, drained and cut in half
bouquet garni - to make tie together with kitchen twine - 5 sprigs parsley, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Italian parsley, garnish
In a Dutch oven, heat butter and drizzle in a little olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add the chicken to pan and brown the chicken pieces. Next, add onions and cook until golden. Stir the flour into the butter in pan and reduce heat to medium cooking flour for about 4 minutes until nicely golden brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook about 1 minute. Add garlic, shallots, stock, wine, bouquet garni, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce to medium low and simmer for about 35 minutes. Skim the fat from surface during cooking time. Remove and discard bouquet garni. Keep chicken covered.
Next, place green olives in saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, drain and rinse with cold water, you are trying to remove salty taste. In a saute pan heat some olive oil and add mushrooms cooking until browned, season with salt and pepper.
Add green olives, mushrooms, tomatoes and black olives to chicken in Dutch oven. Simmer for about 8 minutes.
"Without butter, without eggs there is no reason to come to France" - Paul Bocuse
French Bean Salad with Chive Lemon Vinaigrette
1 1/2 lbs. Haricot vert
1/4 cup Nicoise or Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
4 scallions, sliced thinly including green part
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
zest of 1 lemon (juice the lemon for vinaigrette)
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Bring cold water to a boil in pot, add beans and a little salt. Cook for about 4 minutes, remove to bowl of ice water to stop cooking. When cooled, place on paper towels to remove moisture. In a bowl, add beans, scallions, garlic, olives, cheese, zest, tomatoes, and parsley season with salt and pepper. Make chive vinaigrette and pour over, mix gently and serve.
Chive Lemon Vinaigrette
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1 Tbl. fresh chives, chopped
3 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
6 Tbl. olive oil
In a bowl, add mustard, chives, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil and mix well. Pour over salad.
Garlicky Mushrooms
2 lbs. mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
2 Tbl. butter
2 Tbl. olive oil
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In large saute pan, heat butter and olive oil over high heat. Add mushrooms to cover bottom of pan (you might need to work in batches). Saute until nicely browned about 5 or 6 minutes. I working in batches, remove mushrooms and add more. When all mushrooms are nicely browned, place all back in pan and add garlic and parsley and cook for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove to serving platter.
Another way, is to remove mushrooms, if any cooking liquid is left, reduce slightly and add 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 2 tsp. dry sherry. Bring to a boil and reduce the sauce is slightly thickened. Add back in mushrooms, garlic and parsley and cook for about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasonings, then remove to serving platter.
Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce
8 pork chops about 1 1/2 inches thick
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Tbl. butter
drizzle of olive oil
4 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tsp. Cognac
I like to brine the chops; 1 gallon of cold water, add 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup honey or sugar. Add chops and refrigerate covered for at least 2 hours. Drain, rinse and pat dry.
Sprinkle the chops with freshly ground black pepper. Melt butter in large saute pan, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the chops and brown on each side about 3 minutes. Whisk the water into the mustard and pour this over the chops. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Remove chops and cook sauce to reduce by half. Whisk in the heavy whipping cream, bring to a boil and cook for about 4 minutes, remove pan from stove and stir in Cognac. Taste and adjust seasonings. Place chops on platter and pour over sauce. Sprinkle on fresh chopped parsley.
Coq au Vin
1 chicken cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry
3 shallots, sliced
5 garlic cloves, sliced
2 cups Pinot Noir
1 1/2 cups beef stock (good quality)
2 tsp. tomato paste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb smoked bacon cut into pieces
1 small bag frozen pearl onions (thawed and patted dry)
1 sweet onion, chopped
parsley
1 Bouquet Garni
Vegetable oil
3 Tbl. all purpose flour
In large Dutch oven heat oil and add chicken browning well on each side. Add chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle chicken with flour and reduce to medium and cook about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute. Add shallots, garlic, wine, stock and bouquet garni. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and cover, simmering about 30 minutes. Skin to remove any fat.
In a large saute pan, cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Remove most of bacon fat and add mushrooms cooking on high for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove mushrooms to a bowl. Add pearl onions and cook for about 3 minutes, add to mushrooms.
When chicken is cooked through, remove to casserole. Discard bouquet garni and strain sauce through a sieve. The sauce should be fairly thickened. If too thick add a little water to loosen. Add the bacon, mushrooms and onions to chicken and pour over sauce, simmering for about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. Serve with a nice salad and French baguette.
Simple Poached Salmon with Homemade Tarragon Mayonnaise
6 cups cold water
2 cups dry white wine
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 celery rib
1 carrot, cut into pieces
2 lemons, sliced
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh dill
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. white peppercorns
1 large whole salmon fillet with skin attached to one side
Bring everything to a boil in large roaster pan (except salmon), reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Carefully add the salmon simmering for about 20 minutes. When salmon is cooked to desired doneness, gently remove salmon from pan and pat dry. You can either chill the salmon (I like it chilled) or serve immediately. Place salmon on serving platter and add tarragon mayonnaise to side. Add sprigs of fresh tarragon as garnish.
Tarragon mayonnaise
1 large egg yolk
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
1 cup salad oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbl. ice water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
To a food processor add egg yolk, mustard and tarragon. Pulse for a few seconds to blend. With machine on, add half the oil by pouring in slow steady stream. Alternate the last half of the oil with the lemon juice until incorporated. Add 1 Tbl. of ice water and pulse for a few seconds. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne, and pulse. Place mayonnaise into covered container until ready to use.
Lemon Cream Sole (you can also use any other mild fish fillets too)
2 lbs. sole fillets
2 Tbl. butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbl. fresh parsley, chopped
In large saute pan (non-stick) melt butter, sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dust the fish with flour and shake off excess. Place fish in pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
Add the cream and lemon zest to pan. Bring to simmer and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley, taste and adjust seasonings adding more salt and pepper if needed.
Desserts - Ooh la la
White Chocolate Fruit/Nut Candy
6 oz. white chocolate
6 Tbl. walnuts, chopped
6 Tbl. dates, chopped
3 tsp. crystallized orange peel, finely chopped
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt chocolate in double boiler. With heaping teaspoonfuls drop the chocolate on to parchment and spread into a 2-inch circle. Quickly sprinkle with walnuts, dates and orange peel, lightly pressing into chocolate.
Blackberry Clafouti - Love, love, love this - I first learned to make this in culinary school and we made it with every type of fruit imaginable. Blackberry, raspberry, cherry and pear are my favorites.
1 Tbl. butter, soft
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbl. orange zest
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
4 cups fresh blackberries
powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with butter. In large bowl, whisk the milk, cream, flour, eggs, sugar, zest, vanilla extract and salt until a smooth batter forms. Spread 3/4 of batter into prepared pan and bake for 3 minutes. Watch batter closely it should just begin to thicken. Transfer dish to cooling rack and arrange blackberries over hot batter. Pour remaining batter over blackberries and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until pick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Crepes - fill with whatever your heart desires (ice cream, berries, fruit, mousse, etc) top with sauces such as; chocolate, vanilla, berry or dust with powdered sugar or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Simply delicious.
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
4 eggs
2 Tbl. butter, melted
pinch of salt
1/2 vanilla bean (seeds removed)
vegetable oil for pan
Sift flour and mix with salt in a bowl. Make a well and pour in eggs and stir well. Slowly pour in milk and stir until batter has small bubbles that form on surface. Stir in melted butter.
Pour a little vegetable oil on paper towel and wipe small non stick pan or crepe pan with paper towel. Pour in 2-3 Tbl. of batter and quickly move pan around so batter spreads evenly covering the surface with a thin layer. Let cook for about 1 minute, the flip with a metal spatula and cook other side for about 30 seconds. Repeat steps until all batter is used. Stack cooked crepes on plate.
Strawberry Marscapone
1 cup strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups Marscapone cheese
3 Tbl. whole milk
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbl. honey
1 lemon, zested
In a bowl, stir the marscapone, sugar and milk together, adding some lemon zest to mixture. Cut berries into quarters. Mix the honey and vinegar together. In individual serving glasses, layer marscapone with strawberries and repeat until finished. Pour a little of the honey/vinegar sauce over the top.
Orange Madeleine's - this comes from a friend of mine in Edmonds, WA, thanks Gail.
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 Tbl. honey
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. orange zest
2 Tbl. fresh orange juice
Brush madeleine molds with butter and set aside. Make the batter by melting butter in saucepan, remove from heat and stir in honey and vanilla. Let cool 10 minutes. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Stir together the sugar and eggs in bowl and gently fold in the flour mixture until combined. Add butter mixture and fold in until combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Spoon batter halfway into each mold of pan. Tap pan to eliminate air bubbles. Bake about 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool slightly. Unmold cookies onto rack and cool.
Glaze; Stir together powdered sugar, juice and zest in bowl and brush each cookie using a pastry brush with glaze. Let rest 15 minutes.
Oranges in Champagne - simple, elegant and classic what more could you ask for?
8 seedless oranges (pick beautiful oranges at the height of their flavor)
1 bottle French champagne or a beautiful domestic sparkling wine
Peel and section all of the oranges (free of any membranes, the white stuff.) Place the sectioned oranges (their juice too) in a crystal serving bowl or individual crystal goblets. Place on your table and pour over the chilled Champagne and serve.
As the weather has been heating up here in Texas, I feel like going on a French countryside picnic with my hubby, Jerry. We might go to a lake or just down to the San Gabriel River park here in Georgetown. It is such a lovely park with lots of nice shade trees and the meandering river through the park is so peaceful.
First off, we will need a beautiful French tablecloth, something in a lovely blue, yellow and white design (so French), some fresh flowers with fragrant herbs included maybe in a vintage glass vase.
I will serve a nice crusty baguette, some French cheeses, such as; brie and Roquefort. Foie gras (one of my favorites, oui!) will definitely be on the menu and fresh strawberries, with a bottle of Champagne. Quiche Lorraine might find it's way into the picnic basket too.
Sounds heavenly and romantic. Ooh, la, la!
Bon Appetit
"He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how
to refuse the evil and choose the good."
Isaiah 7:15
