A Classical French Cuisine Menu

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a good one from Anna Welander:

If Microsoft made toasters...

Every time you bought a loaf of bread, you would have to buy a toaster.
You wouldn't have to take the toaster, but you'd still have to pay for
it anyway. Toaster Vista would weigh 15000 pounds (hence requiring a
reinforced steel countertop), draw enough electricity to power a small
city, take up 95% of the space in your kitchen, would claim to be the
first toaster that lets you control how light or dark you want your
toast to be, and would secretly interrogate your other appliances. If
they couldn't prove that they were purchased legitimately then they
would no longer work. Everyone would hate Microsoft toasters, but
nonetheless would buy them since most of the good bread only works with their toasters.

If Apple made toasters...

It would do everything the Microsoft toaster does, but 5 years earlier.
The toast would make a little smiley face at you when it popped up, or
else it would get stuck and there would be a little picture of a bomb
burned onto it. If they break, these toasters would require a special
set of MacToaster Tools to even open up. Worldwide market share would
only be 5%, but all the bread in school lunches would be exclusively
toasted on the MacToaster.

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             TODAY'S RECIPES
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Everyone has heard of pate de foie gras, in which the livers of fattened
geese become heaven to the taste buds. The trouble is that foie gras is
difficult to get outside of France, so this version uses chicken livers.

Pate de Foie de Volaille

1 lb (500 g) chicken livers, trimmed of fat and discolored parts, rinsed and drained
1 onion, peeled and quartered
3/4 cup (180 ml) melted butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) grated onion
2 Tbs (30 ml) Cognac or other good quality brandy
1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) salt
1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) dry mustard
1/2 tsp (2 ml) freshly grated pepper
1/4 tsp (1 ml) mace

Place the livers and onion quarters in a saucepan and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook covered for 20
minutes. Drain well and discard the onion. Grind the liver three times
in a meat grinder, or process in en electric food processor until very
smooth. Do not use an electric blender. Add the remaining ingredients
and mix thoroughly. Pack firmly into a 2 cup (500 ml) bowl or mold (do
not grease), and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve in
the mold, or remove from the mold by rapping sharply on a cutting board
and inverting onto a serving plate.
Makes about 2 cups, to serve 12 to 18 as hors d'oeuvre.

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Today's recipe is really just cream of mushroom soup, but once you taste
this classical French version you may never buy the canned stuff again.

Potage Veloute aux Champignons

1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped onion
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
3 Tbs (45 ml) flour
6 cups (1.5 L) fresh or canned chicken broth
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp (1 ml) dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
The stems from 1 lb (500 g) mushrooms, chopped
The caps from 1 lb (500 g) mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup (125 ml) whipping cream

Cook the onions in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the butter in a large soup
pot over moderate heat until tender but not browned. Stir in the flour
and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, parsley, bay leaf, thyme,
and mushroom stems and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Strain the soup
through a fine strainer, pressing the mushroom stems to extract as much
moisture as possible. Melt 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the butter in a
separate saucepan and cook the sliced mushroom caps, covered, over low
heat for 5 minutes. Add the mushroom caps and their cooking juices to
the strained broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Beat
the egg yolks and the cream together in a small bowl. Add a little of
the simmering broth to the egg mixture and stir well. Add the egg
mixture to the soup and stir over moderate heat for a minute or two,
being careful not to let the soup come to a boil.
Serves 6 to 8.

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This recipe shows that classical French cuisine can be simple, despite
the intimidating names of some dishes. The French term "maitre d'hotel"
refers not only to the head waiter in a fine restaurant (usually
shortened to "maitre d' " in English) but also to a butter flavored with
lemon juice and parsley. It is frequently served with fish and poultry,
and in this dish it livens up green beans.

Haricots Verts a la Maitre d'Hotel

2 lbs (1 kg) fresh or frozen green beans
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter, softened
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 Tbs (45 ml) chopped parsley

Boil the green beans in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender
but still slightly crunchy. Drain the beans and transfer to a large
skillet over moderate heat. Toss the beans for a minute or two to
evaporate any water clinging to them. Add the butter and toss to coat.
Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and toss. Place on a serving
platter or individual plates and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
Serves 4 to 6.

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The term "marguery" refers to a sauce made from white wine and fish
stock enriched by egg yolks and butter. This simplified version of the
classical French dish can be made with trout or any other delicate fish.

Filets de Sole Marguery

2 to 3 lbs (1-1.5 kg) skinned fillets of sole (Dover sole if possible) or other delicate white fish
1/2 cup (125 ml) canned or fresh fish stock, or bottled clam juice
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry vermouth or white wine
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay (laurel) leaf
4 egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) melted butter
1 Tbs (15 ml) lemon juice
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup (250 ml) cooked, coarsely chopped shrimp or crab meat (optional)
2 tsp (30 ml) capers (optional)

Place the fillets in a baking dish and add the fish stock, wine, thyme,
and bay leaf. Bake in a preheated 325F (160C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes,
until the fish is firm. Remove the fish from the baking pan and place on
a warm serving platter. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Strain
the poaching liquid for use in the sauce.

Combine the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid in a double
boiler or saucepan held over simmering water and whisk until the mixture
has doubled in volume. Add the melted butter gradually, whisking
constantly. Do not allow this mixture to get too hot, or the egg yolks
will curdle. When the sauce has thickened remove it from the heat and
stir in the remaining ingredients. Spoon the sauce over the fillets.
Serves 4 to 6.

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I love a dish with a history, and this dish has a great one. Although
some sources claim that crepes Suzette were invented by French chef Jean
Redoux during the reign of Louis XIV, the more widely told story is that
the dish was invented by a fifteen year old assistant waiter at Monte
Carlo's Cafe de Paris in 1985. Henri Charpentier (the inventive young
boy in question) would go on to become a world-famous chef, and he
insisted to his dying day that the dish had actually caught on fire
quite by accident.

Charpentier had prepared the dish for Albert, the Prince of Wales, and
his party. The Prince was so enthusiastic about it that the restaurant
owner offered to name if for him. Ever the gentleman, the Prince pointed
to the young daughter of one of his guests and indicated that he would
rather the dish be named for her. Food lovers everywhere have enjoyed
crepes Suzette ever since.

Crepes Suzette

For the crepes:
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) orange flavored liqueur
3 eggs
2 Tbs (30 ml) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) flour
6 Tbs (90 ml) melted butter

Combine all ingredients in an electric blender, adding them in the order
listed, and process for 1 minute. Scrape down the side, if necessary,
and blend an additional few seconds. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Heat a small 5 to 6 inch (12 to 15 cm) crepe pan or skillet over
moderate heat until a drop of water sizzles on it. Lightly butter the
pan. Add the batter about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) at a time and quickly
tilt the pan so the batter covers the entire bottom. Pour out any excess
batter. Cook the crepe until the edge starts to turn brown, flip it with
a fork or spatula, and cook the other side for about 1 minute. Slide it
onto a platter and repeat. The crepes can be used immediately, or
wrapped tightly and refrigerated or frozen.
Makes about 15 to 18 crepes.

For the sauce Suzette:
1 Tbs (15 ml) grated lemon zest
1 Tbs (15 ml) grated orange zest
3 Tbs (45 ml) sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter

Mix the lemon and orange zest, sugar, and butter together thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the final preparation:
1/4 cup (125 ml) orange juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) orange-flavored liqueur
2 Tbs (30 ml) cognac or dark rum

This final procedure is traditionally done at table side, so you will
want to have the liquids placed conveniently near you. Warm the butter
mixture in a large crepes Suzette pan or chafing dish held over an
alcohol burner. Add the orange juice and allow the mixture to boil until
the orange juice is reduced by half. Using a spoon and a fork, transfer
a crepe to the sauce. Turn the crepe over, then fold in half, then in
half again to make a triangle. Place the folded crepe to the side of the
pan and repeat with the remaining crepes. When all the crepes you are
planning to serve (2 to 3 per person) have been sauced and folded, add
the orange liqueur and the cognac or rum and swirl the pan gently, being
careful because the pan may ignite. If it does not ignite spontaneously,
hold a lit match to the surface of the liquid. Gently shake and tilt the
pan until the flames die down. Spoon the sauce over the crepes and serve immediately.
Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Fri Jan 11 07:31:29 2008