The French make the best food in the world — just ask them. But in truth, French cuisine really does set many standards for the rest of the world. From the lowly french fry to the most elegant sauce, many of the best and most flavorful ideas came from France.
Even the words we use to talk about food came from France. “Cuisine” is from the French word meaning “kitchen.” “Menu” came from the French term for a detailed list. And “recipe?” OK, recipe is from the Latin imperative meaning receive, as in receive instructions. But it’s kind of French, because Rome conquered Gaul, which later became France. The point is, French food is great. If you need more convincing, think about this: They invented the chocolate eclair. That’s all the proof you need.
Basically, Pommes Anna are potatoes that have been sliced thin and arranged in pretty circles or a spiral, absolutely doused in butter and sprinkled with shallots and then baked until the exterior is a bit crispy but the layered inside is creamy smooth.
Yield: 8 servings
4 ounces (1 stick) butter
3 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/8 -inch thick
2 shallots, minced
Salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Smear about 1 tablespoon of the butter onto the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cast-iron pan. Arrange a layer of potatoes neatly on the bottom of the pan (this will become the top layer when the dish is inverted). Start in the middle of the pan and work your way outward, overlapping the potatoes a bit until you get to the outside edge.
3. Sprinkle some of the shallots on top and dot some of the butter on as well. Continue to make layers of potatoes, giving each layer a sprinkle of shallots, dots of butter (use a couple of tablespoons per layer) and seasoning with salt and pepper until all the potatoes have been used. The pan should be completely filled with potatoes.
4. Press down on the potatoes and cover with a lid that fits just inside the pan or with aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and continue to cook until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 to 30 minutes more. The potatoes should be browned slightly around the edges. Carefully invert the potatoes onto a large plate or cutting board while still hot. Cut into wedges and serve. Recipe adapted from “Bistro Cooking at Home” by Gordon Hamersley
Based on the time-honored pairing of chicken with tarragon, the twist with this dish is that along with regular tarragon it also uses tarragon vinegar. The acidic vinegar adds a certain snap and sass to the tomato sauce that coats the meat.
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, well rinsed, patted dry, cut into 8 servings pieces, at room temperature
Salt and pepper
½ cup dry white wine
4 shallots, minced
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded and chopped
½ cup white wine tarragon vinegar
1 bunch of tarragon leaves, minced
1. In a deep-sided, nonreactive 12-inch skillet, heat the oil with 1 tablespoon of the butter over high heat. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. When the fats are hot but not smoking, add the chicken and cook on both sides until the skin turns an even, golden brown and the chicken is cooked to the desired doneness, about 12 minutes on each side. Carefully regulate the heat to avoid scorching the skin. (If you do not have a pan large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in a single layer, do this in several batches.)
2. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil. Keep warm.
3. Pour off the fat from the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the wine. Deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits that cling to the bottom. Add the shallots and tomatoes and cook for several minutes. Raise the heat to high and slowly add the vinegar. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; cook for 1 more minute.
4. Return the chicken to the skillet; coat well with the sauce. Cover and continue cooking over medium heat until the chicken absorbs some of the sauce, just 2 or 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the tarragon and turn the chicken pieces to coat. Serve immediately. Recipe from “Bistro Cooking” by Patricia Wells
This terrine is made up of layers of pureed white fish — try to use fresh fish for this; it will make a world of difference — and pureed salmon, separated by thin layers of roasted red pepper, zucchini and smoked salmon. It is French culinary elegance distilled in a single dish.
Yield: 6 servings
1 red pepper
1 zucchini
3 ounces smoked salmon
10 or 11 ounces of fresh, firm-fleshed white fish fillets, such as whiting or cod
4 eggs, divided
7 ounces whipping cream, divided
Salt and pepper
1 lemongrass stem, optional, see note
10 or 11 ounces salmon fillet, skin removed
Note: Lemongrass can be found in international markets.
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the pepper on the sheet and roast until softened, charred and deflated, about 25 minutes. Remove the stem and seeds, and slice the pepper into ¼-inch strips. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
2. Fill a bowl with ice water and bring a small pot of water to a boil. Use a vegetable peeler to peel thin strips of the zucchini, stopping when you begin to see seeds (only use half of the zucchini). Blanch the zucchini strips in the boiling water for 15 seconds, then remove to the ice water. Slice the smoked salmon into ¼-inch strips.
3. Thoroughly butter the inside of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Carefully cut out pieces of parchment paper to fit the bottom and all 4 sides of the loaf pan and press them into place, squeezing out all air bubbles.
4. Puree the white fish fillets in a blender or food processor. Add 2 of the eggs and 3 ½ ounces (3 ounces plus 1 tablespoon) of the cream. Season with salt and pepper and puree again. Transfer to a bowl.
5. If using lemongrass, remove the tough outer layers and trim the root end on the bottom and any other part that feels tough. Mince the rest and stir into the pureed white fish.
6. Cut the raw salmon into 1-inch chunks and puree. Add the remaining 2 eggs and the remaining 3½ ounces cream, season with salt and pepper, and puree again.
7. Spoon 1/3 of the white fish puree into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and smooth it out so it is even. Gently spoon ⅓ of the salmon puree on top of that. Add ½ of the strips of red pepper, zucchini and smoked salmon.
8. Spoon ⅓ of the white fish puree on top of that, and then ⅓ of the salmon puree. Add another layer with the remaining strips of red pepper, zucchini and smoked salmon, topped by layers of the remaining white fish puree and the remaining salmon puree.
9. Cover the pan with foil and set it in a baking pan or roasting pan. Bring a pot of water to a boil and carefully pour enough to go halfway up the side of the loaf pan, making sure you do not get any water inside the terrine.
10. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the foil and allow to cool until it is no hotter than warm. To serve, invert the loaf pan onto a platter (the terrine should slide out easily) and slice. It can be served warm or cold. Translated from a recipe by Olivier Berte.
Charlotte au Chocolat is a ring of ladyfingers filled with layers of chocolate mousse separated by layers of more ladyfingers that have been briefly soaked in a liquid — raspberry liqueur, Kahlua or coffee. It has a very high flavor-to-effort ratio and looks so good that it is traditionally presented tied in a pretty ribbon, like a present.
Yield: 8 servings
34 ladyfingers, see note
3 tablespoons Chambord, Kahlua or coffee
¾ cup water
8 ounces dark chocolate
12 tablespoons butter cut into small cubes
5 eggs
½ cup superfine sugar, see note
Table salt
Raspberries, optional
Pistachios, optional
Fresh mint, optional
Powdered sugar, optional
Notes: Ladyfingers are found in many grocery stores. To make superfine sugar, blend granulated sugar in a blender for 10 seconds.
1. Cut out a piece of parchment paper to completely fit the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan (be sure it is at least 2½ inches high) or a springform pan. Line the inside rim of the pan with ladyfingers; they will stand up easier if you cut off the rounded part on one end.
2. Combine Chambord, Kalhua or coffee with the water in a wide bowl. Briefly dip more ladyfingers in the liquid and use them to more or less cover the bottom of the pan. Do not discard the liquid.
3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Stir in the butter until completely blended.
4. Separate the eggs, keeping certain not to let any of the yolk get into the whites (it’s best to crack each egg over a small bowl to catch the whites and pour each white into a larger bowl; that way you won’t ruin more than 1 egg). Whisk 3 of the yolks in a large bowl with the sugar until the mixture whitens. Reserve the other yolks for future use. Add the chocolate mixture to the yolks and thoroughly mix.
5. Whisk or beat the whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the whites into the chocolate mixture until just thoroughly combined. Pour, spoon or pipe half of the chocolate mousse into the mold. Dip more ladyfingers into the liquid and create another layer on top of the mousse. Top with the remainder of the mousse. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
6. To serve, invert the mold onto a large plate — the mousse should be set enough that it will not slip. Remove the parchment paper and then invert this plate back onto a serving platter. Decorate with raspberries, pistachios, leaves of mint or powdered sugar, if you wish. Translated from a recipe by Olivier Berte.