Poulet Au Vinaigre Recipe

An old French dish,  chicken in vinegar sauce enjoyed a revival in the 1970s, and is still on many bistro menus.  For the best results, use naturally fermented French vinegar.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup water
2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup top-quality red wine vinegar

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, if necessary, add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
2. Lower the heat, and season the chicken to taste with salt and pepper.  Add 1/2 cup of water, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the scallions and 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley.  Move the pieces of white meat to the top so the dark meat, which takes longer to cook, can get more heat.  Cover again and cook until the meat shows no sign of pink when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife at the thighbone, about 20 minutes.
4. Transfer the chicken to a platter.  Add the vinegar to the skillet.  Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, and cook, scraping up the brown residue in the pan, until the vinegar has reduced to a thick glaze, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of water and mix until smooth.
5. Add 1/4 cup of chopped parsley, pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve hot.

Recipe courtesy of The Essential James Beard Cookbook by James Beard.

France [ print this recipe for Poulet Au Vinaigre ]

Coq au Vin Assez Rapide Recipe

Chicken with wine is one of those special dishes I’ve found everywhere in my travels through Burgundy. Classic coq au vin can be fussy and time-consuming, as some recipes call for marinating the chicken in wine overnight and peeling a lot of petits oignons (here, frozen pearl onions are used – no one will know the difference). The assez rapide (pretty quick) recipe gets right to the heart of the classic dish without a lot of fuss.

The traditional wine for coq au vin is a Pinot Noir from Burgundy. But I’ve always enjoyed this dish most when made with that other Burgundian red – the terrific cru Beaujolais (made from the Gamay grape). To me, Beaujolais is the quintessential dinner-at-home wine – fruity, soft, and approachable – and it goes with everything. Get an extra bottle to drink with dinner.

Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken breast halves and/or thighs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium-size carrot, peeled and diced
3 large shallots, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cru Beaujolais, such as Beaujolais Villages, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Morgon, or Brouilly (not Beaujolais Nouveau); you can also use Pinot Noir
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
1 tbsp snipped fresh parsley, plus additional snipped fresh parsley or chives, or a combination, for the garnish
1/2 tspn dried thyme, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
3 tbsp unsalted butter
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, stems trimmed, left whole if small, quartered or halved if larger

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Snip away and discard any excess skin from the chicken thighs. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in 1/2 cup of the flour, pat off the excess, and set aside. Cook the bacon in a braiser or oven-safe Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the vegetable oil to the bacon fat left in the braiser; heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes (reduce the heat to medium if the chicken browns too quickly). Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the braiser.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrot and shallots to the braiser; cook, stirring, until the carrots soften somewhat and the shallots are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add the wine and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Return the chicken, skin side up, to the braiser and add the bacon.
4. Cover the braiser and transfer to the oven. Bake until the chicken is tender and no longer pink (the internal temperature should register 170 degrees Fahrenheit for breasts, 180 degrees Fahrenheit for thighs), about 1 hour.
5. About 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, cook the frozen pearl onions in a large saucepan according to the package directions. Drain and leave in the colander. In the same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat; add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Return the onions to the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.
6. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a large platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Discard the bay leaf. Pour the juices and solids into a large measuring cup and skim off the fat. You want a total of 2 cups of pan liquid, including the bacon, carrot, shallots, and garlic in the liquid. If you have more, boil the liquid in the pot over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 cups. If you have less, add additional chicken broth to make 2 cups, return the liquid to the pot, and bring to a boil.
7. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour together to make a paste (a beurre manié). Add the beurre manié bit by bit to the cooking liquid, stirring with a wire whisk to blend away any lumps. Cook, stirring, until the mixture boils and thickens, then continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Add the onions and mushrooms and heat through.
8. Divide the chicken among six shallow bowls. Pour the sauce over the chicken, dividing the bacon, mushrooms, and onions evenly. Top each serving with a sprinkling of parsley or chives and serve.

Makes 6 servings

Recipe courtesy of The Bonne Femme Cookbook by Wini Moranville

France [ print this recipe for Coq au Vin Assez Rapide ]

Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

From the Essential James Beard Cookbook by James Beard.....

As the first course for a company dinner, or as a cold-weather lunch, cream of mushroom soup is very versatile.  Crimini (baby portabello) mushrooms are more flavorful than white mushrooms, and can be used, but they make a darker soup.

Ingredients:
1 pound white mushrooms
4 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp sherry or Cognac (optional)
1/4 tspn Tabasco
Kosher salt

Preparation:

1. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and break off the stems.  In a large pot, simmer the stems in the stock for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the mushroom flavor has thoroughly permeated the stock.
2. Strain the stock through a sieve into a bowl;  discard the stems.  Return the stock to the pot.
3. Mix the flour and butter into a paste, beurre manié, and roll into tiny balls.  Bring the stock to a boil; drop in the balls of beurre manié and beat in with a whisk until the beurre manié is absorbed and the stock is slightly thickened.
4. Slice the mushroom caps thinly and add them to the thickened broth.  Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat the cream in another pan, stirring, until just at the simmering point.  Add the sherry, if using, and stir in the cream.  Stir in the Tabasco and season with salt.
6. Reheat the soup until hot, but not boiling, and serve in heated soup plates or cups.

Makes 6 servings

Recipe courtesy of The Essential James Beard Cookbook by James Beard.

France [ print this recipe for Cream of Mushroom Soup ]

Coquilles St. Jacques à la Provençale Recipe

Well it's the 14th week of the JC100 - the countdown to Julia Child's 100th birthday (August 15, 2012).  This week the featured recipe is Coquilles St. Jacques à la Provençale, a simple but delicious dish from the deep!  The key to this dish, like most, is to use the freshest vegetables that you can find and be sure to buy the scallops the day that you plan to make this French seafood classic.

Here is Julia's Recipe....
This good recipe may be prepared in advance and gratinéed just before serving.  The following proportions are sufficient for a first course.  Serve a chilled rosé, or a dry white wine such as Côtes de Provence.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup minced yellow onions
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp minced shallot or green onions
1 clove minced garlic

1 1/2 pounds washed fresh scallops
salt and pepper
1 cup sifted flour in a dish

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil

2/3 cup dry wine, or 1/2 cup dry white vermouth and 3 tbsp water
1/2 bay leaf
1/8 tspn thyme

1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 tbsp butter cut into 6 pieces

Preparation:

1. Cook the onions slowly in butter in a small saucepan for 5 minutes or so, until tender and translucent but not browned.  Stir in the shallots or onions, and garlic, and cook slowly for 1 minute more.  Set aside
2. Dry the scallops and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick.  Just before cooking, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and shake off excess flour.
3. Sauté the scallops quickly in very hot butter and oil for 2 minutes to brown them lightly.
4. Pour the wine, or the vermouth and water, into the skillet with the scallops.  Add the herbs and the cooked onion mixture.  Cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes.  Then uncover, and if necessary boil down the sauce rapidly for a minute until it is lightly thickened.  Correct seasoning, and discard bay leaf.
5. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter.

Recipe courtesy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

Copyright 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf.  Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. 

France  [ print this recipe for Coquilles St. Jacques à la Provençale ] 

Blackberry Tart with Spiked Créme Anglaise Recipe

Créme anglaise is a slightly thickened custard sauce that is used as a garnish on all sorts of desserts.  Here, the sauce is spiked with créme de cassis and drizzled over slices of warm blackberry tart.

Ingredients:
Tart Crust:
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 egg
1/2 tspn vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:
2 cups fresh blackberries
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 tbsp créme de cassis
2 egg yolks
3 tbsp sugar

Preparation:
Tart Crust:

1. Cream together the sugar and butter until just combined.
2. Add in the egg yolk and vanilla extract; mix until incorporated.
3. Add in the flour; mix until the dough is smooth.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
4. Remove from the refrigerator.  Roll out on a slightly floured surface to a 1/8 inch thick, 12 inch circle.
5. Place the dough in a 10 inch tart pan.  Carefully press the dough into the pan.
6. Cover with plastic and chill in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

To make the tart:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the blackberries, cornstarch, and sugar until well combined.  Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the tart crust from the refrigerator and spread the blackberry mixture onto the tart crust, leaving a 1/2 inch border.  
4. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
5. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the cream and vanilla extract.  Bring just to a simmer.
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the créme de cassis, egg yolks, and sugar until smooth.  Whisking constantly, gradually add 1/2 cup of hot cream into the egg yolks.  Immediately add the egg yolk mixture back to the pot and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes.
7. Serve the tart slightly warm with the créme anglaise drizzled over the top.

Recipe courtesy of Not-So-Humble Pies by Kelley Jaggers

France [ print this recipe for Blackberry Tart with Spiked Créme Anglaise ]

Reine De Saba (Chocolate Almond Cake) Recipe

In a slight departure from the usual recipes and reviews posted on the International Recipe Syndicate, today we are featuring a recipe from one of the original, modern culinary masters, Julia Child.  On August 15th of this year, she would have turned 100 years old!!  In celebration of her life, many food bloggers are participating in JC100 as a tribute.  As such, we were asked to submit one of Child's recipes so we chose Reine de Saba (Chocolate Almond Cake).

Not since we made a delicious cup of cafe noir a few years ago, have we attempted such a nostalgic recipe.   While preparing this amazing, creamy chocolate classic, one cannot help but imagine a time before food processors, stand mixers and other modern conveniences that we take for granted today.  Even without these conveniences, Julia Child was able to make traditional French cooking accessible and interesting to a contemporary audience.  In doing so, she has influenced generations of both professional and amateur cooks and lifted the culinary world to new heights. 

Here is Julia's Recipe...

This extremely good chocolate cake is baked so that its center remains slightly underdone; overcooked, the cake loses its special creamy quality. It is covered with a chocolate-butter icing, and decorated with almonds. Because of its creamy center it needs no filling. It can be made by starting out with a beating of egg yolks and sugar, then proceeding with the rest of the ingredients. But because the chocolate and the almonds make a batter so stiff it is difficult to fold in the egg whites, we have chosen another method, that of creaming together the butter and sugar, and then incorporating the remaining items.

The chocolate icing is butter beaten into melted chocolate, and forms a tender coating over the chocolate cake.

Recommended Equipment: 
A round cake pan 8 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches deep.
A 3 quart mixing bowl
A wooden spoon or an electric beater
A rubber spatula
A cake rack

Ingredients:  
For the cake:
4 ounces or squares semi-sweet chocolate melted with 2 tbsp rum or coffee
1/4 pound or 1 stick softened butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup pulverized almonds
1/4 tspn almond extract
1/2 cup cake flour (scooped and leveled) turned into a sifter

For the icing:
2 ounces or squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
2 tbsp rum or coffee
5 to 6 tbsp unsalted butter

Preparation: 
For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Butter and flour the cake pan.
3. Set the chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan, cover, and place (off heat) in a larger pan of almost simmering water; let melt while you proceed with the recipe.  Measure out the rest of the ingredients.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture.
















5. Beat in the egg yolks until well blended.
6. Beat the egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle on the sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.
7. With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the almonds, and almond extract.  Immediately stir in one fourth of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter.  Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift on one third of the flour and continue folding.  Alternate rapidly with more egg whites and more flour until all egg whites and flour are incorporated.
8. Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter up to its rim with a rubber spatula.  Bake in middle level of preheated oven for about 25 minutes.  Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2 1/2 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a needle plunged into that area comes out clean; the center should move slightly if the pan is shaken, and a needle comes out oily.
9. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse cake on the rack.  Allow it to cool for an hour or two; it must be thoroughly cold if it is to be iced.

For the icing:

1. Place the chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan, cover, and set in a larger pan of almost simmering water.
2. Remove pans from heat and let chocolate melt for 5 minutes or so, until perfectly smooth.  Lift chocolate pan out of the hot water, and beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time.
3. Then beat over a bowl with a tray of ice cubes and water until chocolate mixture has cooled to spreading consistency.  At once spread it over your cake with spatula or knife.

To serve, use the butter icing and press a design of almonds over the icing.

Recipe courtesy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

Copyright 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf.  Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.

France  [ print this recipe for Reine De Saba (Chocolate Almond Cake) ]

Easy Artisan Bread Recipe

If you're looking for a recipe for fresh baked bread like you get at Panera, give this recipe a try. It works best on the weekend since the dough takes considerable time to rest. Mix the dough Friday night, rest it overnight, then bake at 3 pm on Saturday and you have a fresh loaf of artisan bread to serve with dinner. The only thing easier than this recipe is using a bread maker but the end result doesn't look anything like this. We made this last weekend and used a couple of toasted slices to make the mole in the pork tenderloin in chipotle mole recipe. We also used the warm Dutch oven with the residue from the bread to roast the tenderloin.

Recommended Equipment:
Dutch oven
Stand mixer
2 cotton kitchen towels

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour + flour for dusting
1 1/4 tspn kosher salt
1/2 tspn active dry yeast
1 5/8 cup water
Preparation:

1. In the mixer’s bowl, add the flour, salt, and yeast. Using the hook attachment, mix the dry ingredients then slowly add the water. The dough should be sticky.
2. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 18 hours at room temperature (between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit). The dough will have small bubbles formed at the top when it is ready for the next step.
   
3. Dust a counter top or other flat surface with flour. Turn the dough out of the mixing bowl onto the flour dusted surface. Sprinkle a little flour on the top of the dough. Then fold the dough once or twice upon itself. Cover it loosely with the plastic wrap and let it sit for 20 minutes.
4. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, shape the dough into a ball with the seams facing down. Place one of the cotton towels on the counter and cover it with a thin layer of flour. Place the dough in the center of the towel. Dust the top of the dough with a thin layer of flour. Place the second towel over the dough. Let the dough rest again at room temperature (70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) for 2 hours. The dough should nearly double in size.
5. A half an hour before the dough has finished resting, place a Dutch oven with lid in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. When the dough has finished resting, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven and place it on the stove top. Remove the top towel from the dough. Place your hand under the bottom towel and turn the dough out into the Dutch oven so that the seams are now facing up. You may have to shake the dough a little to get it to slide to the center of the Dutch oven. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and the return it to the oven for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the lid to the Dutch oven and then bake the bread for another 15 minutes. Bread is done when it turns golden brown.
   
7. Let the bread cool on a rack and then serve.

France [ print this recipe for Easy Artisan Bread ]

Kir with a Kick Recipe

Un Kir, Sil Vous Plaît!
Not sure how to kick off a dinner gathering? You can't go wrong with a kir(rhymes with "beer" but is much more enchanting to drink). I've enjoyed it often in homes of families I've dined with, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a café or restaurant in France that does not serve this unofficial French national apértif. The drink was named after Félix Kir, a priest and hero of the French Resistance, who became mayor of Dijon after World War II and was said to have served the popular Burgundian drink at official gatherings.

To make a classic kir, pour a teaspoon or two of créme de cassis (black currant liqueur) into a small, stemmed glass, then fill the glass with chilled white wine. Rarely served in a copius portion (about 4 ounces of wine will do), the drink offers a gleeful little lift that chases away any lingering funk your guests might have brought with them from their day.

The wine traditionally used to make a kir is Burgundy's Aligoté, a white that's much less distinguished than the more famous white Burgundies made from Chardonnay. In fact, some sources say that the kir may have been invented as a way to put this otherwise unimpressive wine to its best possible use. Hence, there's no reason to seek out Aligoté to make a kir. A good, lightly citrusy dry white, such as a California Sauvignon Blanc, works nicely. If you can't find an imported créme de cassis (most domestic versions are, I'm afraid, lackluster), use a raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord.

But experiment. There are creative spins on the kir all over France (I'm dreaming now of a rosé wine-based kir, spiked with a liqueur made from a local berry, that I once savored in the village of Thueyts in the Ardéche). And of course, if you're feeling really splashy, clink glasses with a kir royale - a kir made with Champagne or sparkling wine instead of white wine.

Cognac adds virility to the classic kir royale, which is made with Champagne and black currant liqueur. It's a dashing way to kick off the evening.

For each cocktail:
Ingredients:
3/4 ounce Cognac
1/4 ounce créme de cassis or Chambord
Chilled Champagne or sparkling wine
1 raspberry (optional)

Preparation:

1. Pour the Cognac and the créme de cassis into a flute; fill the flute with Champagne. Garnish with a raspberry, if you like.

Recipe courtesy of The Bonne Femme Cookbook by Wini Moranville

France [ print this recipe for Kir ]

Chicken Calvados Recipe

Calvados is the famous apple brandy of Normandy, and the bonnes femmes of Normandy often use the spirit to flavor their cooking. But don't feel you have to buy a bottle of the real thing for this recipe. If there's an apple brandy made in your region, reach for that over Calvados. As for the apples, use the best locally grown apples you can find. After all, the more local your products, the more true-to-France your cooking will be.



Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup Calvados or apple brandy or 1/2 cup apple juice or cider and 1/2 cup white wine
2 small tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp snipped fresh parsley or chives, or a combination

Preparation:

1. Place the chicken breasts, one at a time, between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. (Alternatively, you can halve each breast horizontally, or butterfly them). Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (in batches, if necessary) and cook, turning once, until no longer pink inside, 6 to 8 minutes (reduce the heat to medium if the meat browns too quickly). Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Stir in the shallot and sauté briefly, until translucent. Remove the pan from the heat and add the broth and Calvados, taking care not to let the liquid spatter. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring with a wire whisk to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the apples. Let the mixture boil until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, turning the apples occasionally - this should take about 4 minutes, depending on the heat and your pan size; it will take closer to 7 minutes if you substitute apple juice and wine for the Calvados.
4. Stir in 1/4 cup cream and boil until the sauce thickens and the apples are crisp-tender. For a creamier sauce, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to boil until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken on four dinner plates, spoon the sauce and apples over the chicken, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe courtesy of the Bonne Femme Cook Book by Wini Moranville

France [ print this recipe for Chicken Calvados ]

Classic Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe

To the French, this is comfort food - a long-simmered dish that evokes warm memories of childhood. To North Americans, it's great bistro food - flavorful and hearty, perfectly suited to a full-bodied red wine and lively evenings with friends. Either way, it's perfect for the slow cooker and great as a leftover since it's even better reheated. Serve with new potatoes in their skins, buttered noodles or plain white rice and a simple green vegetable such as beans or broccoli.

Recommended Equipment:
medium to large (3 1/2 to 5 quart) slow cooker

Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
4 oz. chunk of bacon or salt pork belly, cut into 1/2-inch(1 cm) cubes
2 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1-inch(2.5 cm) cubes, and patted dry
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tspn dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tspn salt
1/2 tspn cracked black peppercorns
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
zest of 1 orange
chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preparation:

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel to drain. Drain off all but 2 tbsp(30 mL) fat in pan.
2. Add beef to pan, in batches, and brown, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
3. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until tops are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to stoneware. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and carrots to pan and cook, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine and beef broth, bring to a boil and cook, stirring, and scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Stir in bacon and orange zest. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until beef is very tender. Discard bay leaf. Just before serving, garnish liberally with parsley.

Recipe courtesy of The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson

France [ print this recipe for Classic Boeuf Bourguignon ]

Balthazar Goat Cheese and Onion Pizzette (Little Pizza-Tarts) Recipe

From Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François.....

These pizzettes were inspired by a savory tart that my cousin, chef Riad Nasr, serves at Balthazar in New York City. It is a mix of quintessentially French bistro flavors: caramelized onions, goat cheese, and thyme. They go well with many of our crusts but my two favorites are the Cornmeal Olive Oil and the Savory Brioche dough. - Zoë

Makes six 4-inch pizzettes

Ingredients:
1 pound of (grapefruit-size) lean or gluten-free dough or Savory Brioche dough
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 bay leaf
2 tspn fresh thyme (or 1 tspn dried)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 oz. soft chévre (goat cheese), at room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg yolk

Preparation:

1. In a skillet over medium-low heat, add the olive oil, onions, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onion are golden. This may take 20 to 30 minutes. If the pan gets too dry, add some water to the onions, 2 tbsp at a time.
2. In a small bowl mix together the cheeses and the egg yolk until smooth. Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit, with the racks in the center and top third of the oven. Grease two baking sheets. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece. Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and form into balls.
4. Stretch the pizzette crusts: Flatten each piece of dough with your hands and/or a rolling pin on a work surface (or shape the disk by hand) to produce a 1/8-inch-thick round. Dust with flour to keep the dough from adhering to the surface. Use a dough scraper to unstick the dough as needed, and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
5. Add the toppings: Distribute the goat cheese mixture equally among the 6 dough rounds, spreading evenly, then add the onions.
6. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven. Check for doneness in 10 minutes; at this time, turn the baking sheets around in the oven if one side of the pizzettes is browning faster than the other and switch the pans from the top and the bottom rack. It may take up to 5 minutes more in the oven.
7. Allow to cool, preferably on a wire cooling rack. Serve warm, not hot.

VARIATION: Caramelized Onions, Sautéed Potatoes, and Fresh Pecorino
Add 2 tbsp of wine to the onion mixture while caramelizing. Once the onions are cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the same pan and sauté 1 thinly sliced potato for about 3 minutes, just to soften. Replace the cheese mixture with 3 ounces of grated pecorino cheese (or any other hard grating cheese). Roll out the pizzettes and distribute the toppings evenly over them, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake as above.

Recipe courtesy of Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François

France [ print this recipe for Balthazar Goat Cheese and Onion Pizzette ]

Compote of Apples (Compote de Pommes) Recipe

This recipe for compote of apples can be used as a stand alone dessert or it can be used as a topping. Compote of apples can also be served at breakfast with pancakes or French toast.

Ingredients:
6 fresh apples - I used McIntosh
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Peel the apples and cut out their cores.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the water, 3 of the apples, and the sugar. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.
4. When the apples are blanched, remove the apples and leave the remaining syrup in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium low.
5. Add the remaining apples to the saucepan and cook them down to a jelly.
6. Pour the jelly over the apples and top with pinches of nutmeg and cinnamon.

France [ print this recipe for compote of apples ]

Velouté Sauce Recipe

Velouté is a basic sauce that along with Béchamel, Allemande, and Espagnole is know as one of the four French "mother sauces." It goes great with lasagna and meatballs or it can be used as a base to make more complex sauces. You start by making a roux (flour and some kind of fat) and then add the stock of your choice.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp butter, unsalted
2 1/2 cups beef, vegetable, or fish stock
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour.
2. Using a whisk, stir the mixture continuously until it turns the color of peanut butter - about 4 minutes.
3. To finish the velouté sauce, add the stock of your choice slowly as you whisk. Cook until the mixture begins to boil then reduce the heat to simmer.
4. Serve when the sauce reaches the desired thickness.

France [ print this recipe for Velouté Sauce ]

Whipped Cream Recipe

This recipe for whipped cream is another essential component recipe that you can use with many desserts. It is easy to make and does not have any of the preservatives that the store bought versions of whipped cream contain.

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tspn pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar

Preparation:

1. Using a stand mixer, whip all of the ingredients together at high speed until stiff peaks appear.
2. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

France [ print this recipe for Whipped Cream ]

Mayonnaise Recipe

Mayonnaise is an emulsion of egg yolk, oil, and an acidic substance (usually lemon juice or vinegar). Although it is categorized as a French recipe here, it may actually be based on an earlier recipe for salsa mahonesa that originated in Spain.

Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tspn. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. wine vinegar
dash of salt
dash of pepper
1 cup olive oil
1 cup canola oil

Preparation:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the olive oil and canola oil.
2. Add the olive and canola oil slowly while whisking the mixture.

France

French Fries Recipe

French fries, pommes frites, or Chips - whatever you want to call them, the key to making them well is all about the frying method. Of course you should use the freshest Idaho potatoes available. But when you fry them, the key is to blanch the fries at a lower temperature first in order to cook the fries through. Then you fry them again at a higher temperature to give the fries a golden color and a crispy texture.

Recommended Equipment:
Deep fryer


Ingredients:
3 Idaho potatoes (try get long potatoes)
2 quarts of peanut oil (because of allergy concerns)
Kosher salt

Preparation:

1. Add ice water to a large bowl.
2. Peel the potatoes. Cut them lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick, square shaped sticks.
3. Add the cut fries to the cold water and let them soak for at least an hour to remove the starch.
4. Rinse the fries in cold water.
5. Heat oil in the deep fryer to 280 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Cook the fries in batches for 7 minutes. Do not try to cook too many fries at one time.
   
7. After the fries have cooked, remove them from the oil and set them on a baking sheet that is lined with paper towels.
8. Cook all of the fries this way first.
9. Next, increase the heat of the oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Cook the fries again for 2 to 3 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy.
11. Drop the fries into a large bowl. Lightly salt them.
12. Cover with a towel and shake the fries to coat them with the salt.
13. Serve them hot.

France

Butter Cream Icing Recipe

In a couple of days, I will be posting a recipe for a Brazilian Mother's Day cake. I usually use a lemon meringue icing for this type of cake. However, due to a lack of open space in our refrigerator, I needed an icing that would stand up better to room temperatures. So I tried it with this butter cream icing instead.

If you don't like the idea of using store bought icing for your cakes, try this butter cream frosting recipe. It serves as a base vanilla icing but you could tweak it to make other flavors as well. For example, you could add a teaspoon of lemon extract to make lemon icing. I have also used it with almond extract and hazelnut syrup.

Recommended Equipment:
stand mixer

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups confection sugar
2 tspn vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk

Preparation:

1. Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and vanilla extract.
2. Gradually, mix in the confection sugar.
3. Beat in the milk. If the consistency of the icing is too thick at this point, feel free to add a little more milk to achieve the texture that you need.
   

France

Meringue Icing Recipe

This recipe for Meringue Icing can be used with the Cuban Rum Cake recipe. However, this recipe makes alot of Meringue Icing so if you are using it for the Cuban Rum Cake, you may want to make 1/2 of this recipe.

Recommended Equipment:
stand mixer

Ingredients:
3 egg whites - save the egg yolks if you are going to make the Natilla for the Cuban Rum Cake.
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 tspn salt
1 tspn vanilla extract
1/2 tspn lemon extract

Preparation:

1. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until white peaks begin to appear.
2. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and salt. Cook over medium heat. Stir frequently until mixture begins to boil.
3. Pour the hot mixture in a narrow stream onto the egg whites while beating the egg whites at high speed. Continue to beat the mixture until stiff white peaks appear.
4. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon extract.

France [ print this recipe for Meringue Icing ]

Chocolate Éclair Cake

Chocolate Éclair Cake is inspired by the French classic dessert. This version is fast and easy to prepare and will be a favorite of anyone that loves chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 box graham crackers
2 packages French vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups of milk
9 oz. cool whip
3 1 oz. squares semi-sweet chocolate
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3 tspn light corn syrup
1 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
1/8 cup of milk
5 tbsp butter

Preparation:

1. Oil a 9 X 13 inch baking pan.
2. Cover the bottom of the pan with one layer of graham crackers.
3. Mix pudding powder, 3 1/2 cups of milk, and a 9 oz. container of cool whip in a mixer.
4. Put half of the pudding mixture from step #3 over the first layer of graham crackers.
5. Cover the pudding mixture with another layer of graham crackers.
6. Put the remaining pudding mixture on top of the second layer of graham crackers.
7. Put a third layer of graham crackers on top of the second layer of pudding.
8. In a saucepan, add the chocolate, butter, corn syrup, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1/8 cup of milk. Heat this mixture over medium heat until it forms a smooth chocolate mixture.
9. Pour the chocolate mixture over the third layer of graham crackers. You may need to spread it evenly with the back of a spoon so that it covers the entire top of the cake.
10. Cover the top of the pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
    

France

Sugar Crêpes Recipe

Sugar Crêpes are a great choice for a quick breakfast. The batter is quick and easy to make. The key to making great sugar crêpes is a good non-stick skillet and fresh ingredients for toppings. Sugar crêpes originated in France and are sold on the streets in Paris. With a little practice, your crêpes will taste just as good.

Ingredients:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tspn salt
2 tbsp butter, melted
+ toppings of your choice. I used sliced bananas and confection sugar.

Preparation:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and the eggs.
2. Next, add the water and the milk.
   
3. Stir until all of the ingredients have combined and the batter is smooth.
4. Lightly grease a skillet with butter over medium heat. Use about 1/4 tbsp for each crêpe.
5. Add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of crêpe batter to the skillet and whisk it in a circular motion so that the batter covers most of the pan's surface evenly.
6. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes until golden brown.
   

France