Weave a Thousand Flavors

Rise of the Souffle ~ Horseradish Cheddar Souffle

“The only thing that will make a souffle fall is if it knows you're afraid of it.”     

- James Beard

In my humble opinion, Souffles are perhaps one of  the most astonishing culinary feat to come out of French kitchen.    

    

It is also one of the most feared. A test of true grit of the cook & technique. Which is why it is also one of the most satisfying, self-congratulatory dishes one can ever prepare. I will be lying if I tell you that before I begin a souffle, I don't say a little prayer. Because when it comes to some things in life we can use all the help we can get.          

    

Don't get me wrong - it's not difficult to make at all and the fact that it takes only a handful of ingredients to make leaves me gobsmacked. Because when you do take the first bite of that airy, fluffy, ever so light & delicate souffle, it is nothing short of an orchestra or a 12 gun salute going off in your mouth.    

    

I think an orchestra is a perfect analogy for a souffle. A sum of parts to a make an exquisite whole.   A perfect souffle begins with a perfect dish. It must be round, it must have flutes and the bottom must be unglazed.

And my 12 cup Emile Henry souffle dish is perfect because the burgundy clay it is made of ensures even browning. The ridges on the side add to the surface area as well as the unglazed bottom all aid in maximum heat absorption for that perfect end result.    

    

Also, I am about to inaugurate one of my most coveted kitchen appliances - The Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. How I have been swooning over this electric hunk of a bowl for over 2 years and finally, I have it! Thanks to my dear friend Beth, our friendship that has endured over a decade which makes this gift all the more special.    

    

Now that we have the perfect dish & the perfect appliance to do the job, the next  important piece of the puzzle is the perfect recipe. Let me tell you friends - you'll be hard pressed to find a recipe that does not begin with roux - you know whisking flour in hot butter to make a Bechamel sauce.    

    

And here is where sheer genius of technique steps in - Richard Grausman in his recipe,  as detailed in At Home With The French Classics,  takes a short cut - gasp! And one that as you can see renders an incredible, upwardly mobile Souffle without the unnecessary rue of dealing with roux.

So without further ado lets get to it!

Book Review & Bouillabaisse Americaine for the Home Kitchen : FRENCH CLASSICS MADE EASY by Richard Grausman

 

It was a decade ago that I sat in front of Prof. Jon Lang in his class People & Urban Space as a student of Graduate Studies at UNSW and through the course he has said a great many things - all of which important and one of which for me, most memorable.

"The role of a critic, is not to judge a body of work by what he (the critic) wishes the work to be but rather what the author, the creator wanted the body of work to be  and if he has in fact achieved it, his goal, his dream"   - Prof. Jon Lang

 Richard Grausman, before being the first US representative of Cordon Bleu to the US,     before being a celebrated author, before being the founder of C-CAP, is first and foremost a teacher.

And that my friends makes all the difference in the world. 

As most of you know I have been cooking since I was 9  so more than most  I understand what it is like to have to be on your own and muddle through a recipe - hoping and praying for the best. Worst of all, after all that effort, the results may  either  be mediocre or an all out flop! There are a few TV celebrity chefs I admire, who are great cooks but can't write a book. Why? Because they can't teach.

With this book, no more.

French Classics Made Easy is a distillation of Richard Grausman's knowledge, a knowledge that can only be gained through time and true grit experience. If there is a trick to a technique, he shares it, if there is a step that is out dated, he omits it, if there is a method to cut time, he uses it. This isn't a book that was written so it may adorn a book shelf. Here is a book that is meant for the serious amateur - a cook like you and me who wants to create the Classics with that signature French flair without the redundant information from a long lost era.

I came to learn of Richard Grausman through his first book, At Home with the French Classics' - long before he knew of me, long before his comment on my boeuf bourguignon, during my early days of blogging that knocked the breath out of my chest and certainly long before his publisher asked me to do this book review.

Just like Richard Grausman, let me cut to the chase. If you are going to buy a book on French Cooking and you are not Cordon Bleu, Pepin, Escoffier or Alain Ducasse trained, then buy this and here's why -

• Richard Grausman writes simply and with excruciating detail which guarantees that you cannot fail in the kitchen. 
  

• He presents a tutorial on French cooking in an easy-to-follow manner that takes all the mystery out of French cooking.

• What separates his books from the pack is that Grausman's recipes don't require you to search far and wide for some exotic ingredient and he has taken great pains to ensure that virtually everything you will ever need is available at your local supermarket. For example, his brown stock made from easy-to-find beef bones rather than the more traditional and exotic veal bones.
  

• Along with the recipes,  he presents personal anecdotes & sketches of his cooking techniques which means more satisfying  'aha moments' than brain addled  confusion.
•  If it were possible to write a book on French Cooking for the times, for every household, on every budget and be able to do so without diluting the essence of the traditional cuisine and to do so with respect, then French Classics Made Easy would be that book.
  

And if you are still unconvinced to run out out and pick up a copy and gift it to your friends and family, then this might just do it for you! It is said, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating" and what better way to put French Classics Made Easy to test than with technique ridden, adapted for the modern home kitchen, Bouillabaisse Americaine?

For most people , the very name has them scurrying past the dish on the menu for the fear of having to actually pronounce the word. Those who show courage, save themselves the embarrassment (in front of the stiff upper lipped waiter in the starched white apron) by pointing, using their index finger and saying "I'll have that, please" all the while carefully avoiding the waiter's eyes for the fear of seeing condescension.

I was one of those people - the pointer. Then one day, I grew up and decided life was to short to not make a fool of myself as long as I learned in the bargain so I said to the waiter, "I want to eat this (still pointing) but how do I pronounce it?" There - problem solved!

Bouillabaisse (pronounced bui-aa-besse) has most cooks running for the hills. Imagine cooking a dish where not only can you not pronounce the name of the dish, neither can you pronounce the name of half the fish in the dish nor do you have any idea what the heck those fish are!

Needless to day, for most of us in the real world, Bouillabaisse, takes a back seat.

But thanks to Richard Grausman with his modern adaptation, using ingredients readily available in our neighbourhood supermarket gives us a Bouillabaisse that though makes no claim to being the 100% authentic Marseilles recipe (because unless yours has sea urchin & scorpion fish in it, it's not), comes quite close to the original and in itself makes for one sensational soup!

I think of Bouillabaisse as a tale of 2 soups - It consists of the soupe de poisson (fish soup) which forms the base to the Bouillabaisse. To call the soupe de poisson a fish stock would tantamount to what the stepmother did to Cinderella. And so  without further ado I give you Richard Grausman's Bouillabaisse Americaine.

Flaugnarde Dearies with Pears & Blackberries

Now here's a tongue twister - Flaugnarde & not be be beaten by its nemesis - the clafoutis.

Promptly encouraging us all to resort to finger pointing on the menu at the French Bistro for sure. "I'll have that one please" if we so dare and for most part, simply whizzing right past the unpronounceable Flaugnarde or God forbid, Clafoutis to the shall we say, "Creme brulee"? 

Very simply put, both these simply consist of baked fruit arranged in a buttered dish covered with a thick flan like custard. There! That's all there is to it.

But Darlings, if we are to save face and not come across as complete culinary bumpkins,  we really ought to know when the same dish is called a Flaugnarde & when it's called clafoutis.

The difference lies in the choice of fruit.

A traditional Limousin clafoutis contains cherries, pits and all. And according to stiff upper lipped purists, the pits release a wonderful flavor when the dish is cooked and cherry pits removed prior to baking will result in a milder tasting clafoutis.

Quite honestly, when this fruity custardy delight comes out of the oven and onto the table can you imagine stopping with each mouthful to pull the pits out of your mouth? I think not!

Any way, back to the topic of names, when other kinds of fruit are used instead of cherries, the dish is called flaugnarde and since we are fixing ours today with pears and blackberries and not cherries, it stands to reason that ours should aptly be called a flaugnarde. 

Needless to say, no matter how much of a mouthful the name, you'll be  shoveling mouthfuls of this for entirely different reasons!

{Courgettes et Tomates Farcies} A Splash of Color with Stuffed Courgettes & Tomatoes

There are people in this world who are big on stuffing - they stuff green peppers, red peppers, mushrooms, cabbage - you name it! If there's a vegetable to be stuffed, they're the first in line to do it.

I'm not one of them.

In fact, for the longest time I would listen and sometimes avail to all kinds of suggestions from co-workers about filling bell peppers with potatoes, mushrooms, cheese, rice - brown rice, wild rice, leftover rice, you name it and in the end what a waste - it did absolutely nothing for me!

Little did I know that in a small neighborhood French Bistro in Virginia I was going to be pleasantly surprised. It was in Chez Max  that I had these delightful little stuffed courgettes & tomatoes - with Italian sausage and mire poix - a combination of onions, celery & carrots among other things.

And for the first time I actually liked stuffed vegetables.

Now, I'd be lying if I told you they're part of my weekly or monthly repertoire. However, occasionally when the mood strikes and I have some extra time to spare, I do make these wonderful whimsical stuffed vegetables. So pretty are they to look at that you almost don't want to eat them!

And so much better than stuffed bell peppers, I think.

Great as a first course when entertaining because their vibrant colors make such a pretty presentation. But because there is some preparation & time involved, I usually make these as the main dinner course and serve with a riz pilaf on the side.

Now, I have no way of knowing Chez Max's recipe but thanks to 'Le Cordon Bleu at Home' here is a version that does the job pretty well!

 

This recipe involves 4 steps -

• Prepare the vegetable barrels (good term eh? - barrels)
  
• Stuffing
• Assembly
• Base of cooked vegetables

The ingredients required for all the steps are - 3 zucchinis, 8 Roma tomatoes, shallots, sliced bread, milk, butter, olive oil, Italian sausage meat, garlic cloves, eggs, onion, celery, carrot, leek, tomato paste, dry white wine, Parmesan cheese grated and parsley for garnish

Prepare the vegetable barrels-

   

Zucchinis - Cut the ends off the zucchini and cut of both ends. Reserve the top & bottom bits to be used later. Cut crosswise into " lengths - for me that meant each zucchini needed to be cut into 3 parts.

Cook's Note - Make sure you have 2 zucchini barrels and 2 tomatoes per person for a main course. You can halve that for a first course.

Scoop the flesh out from the barrels using a melon baller or as in my case I'm using a very small spoon (smaller than teaspoon) leaving 1/4" thick walls around the sides and at the bottom.

 

Set the scooped zucchini meat aside to be chopped up and used later. Sprinkle each of the barrel interiors with 1/8 tsp salt divided between 2 barrels and lay them inverted onto a rack or a parchment lined baking tray so they can drain out some of the moisture.

Tomatoes - Slice the top third from the tomatoes and reserve the tops. Scrape out the seeds and discard. Each tomato also has a core and reserve the core to be chopped up and used later. Sprinkle each of the tomato interiors with 1/8 tsp salt divided between 2 tomatoes and lay them inverted onto a rack or a parchment lined baking tray so they can drain out some of the moisture.

While the vegetables are draining, begin on the stuffing -

 

Cut off the crusts from the bread slices and soak the bread slices in milk - set aside.

 

Shallots - Peel, cut of ends and discard.

Garlic cloves - Peel & discard skin.

In a mini chopper (please use a mini-chopper or food processor for this recipe or you will chopping till kingdom come!) add the peeled shallots and peeled garlic cloves.Pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.

 

Heat butter in a saute pan and add the shallots. Cook on medium heat until soft but not brown, about 7-10 minutes.

 

Add the bulk sausage meat and stir constantly breaking up the sausage mass as best you can. Saute for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, crack an egg in a small bowl. Discards shells and beat the eggs with a fork. Squeeze the milk out of the bread between your palms and add the bread to the sauteed sausage. Stir till blended.

 

Turn off the heat and add the egg and stir constantly so the eggs are blended and don't turn into lumps of scrambled eggs in a corner of the pan.

 

Zucchini barrels - 

Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a sauce pan. Add the zucchini barrels and blanch for 5 minutes. Remove and drain inverted on a rack. Set aside to cool. Chop up the scooped up zucchini meat and tomato cores as fine as you can. Keep separate.

 

Divide the sausage mixture into  equal quantities & then transfer 3 tbs from 1 part to the other. To the large sausage pile add chopped tomato cores. To the other pile add half the chopped zucchini meat discarding the remaining zucchini meat.

Base of cooked vegetables - 

 

Onion - Peel and quarter

Carrot - Peel & cut into chunks

Celery - Cut off the leaves and white section at the bottom. Cut the remaining length into chunks.

Leek - Cut away root tip and use only the white part - reserve the tops for chicken stock or use in soups

Garlic cloves - Peel & discard skin.

In a mini chopper add all the above ingredients and chop till very fine but not mushy.

  

In a saute pan on medium heat add oil and heat. Add butter and once it melts add the chopped ingredients. Saute till soft but not brown, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and blend. Add salt, pepper and white wine. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Empty to a baking dish with a flat bottom and spread out with a spatula. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F

Assembly -

 

Bring forward the sausage stuffing - one with the zucchini & the other with the tomatoes. Also bring forward the vegetable barrels.

Using a small spoon or melon baller fill the vegetables till the stuffing is a mound over each vegetable top. Place the vegetables over the cooked vegetable base in the baking dish. Keep separate & upright.

Sprinkle 1/8 tsp Parmesan cheese on top of each stuffed vegetable barrel.

 

Place the reserved tops on the vegetable barrels. Some of the zucchinis will not have a top.

With a pastry brush, apply some olive oil on each of the tops. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 deg F and bake in the hot oven for 40 minutes.

During the baking process some the tomatoes and zucchinis may settle or topple over. Just straighten them during the plating process.

To plate, spoon & spread some of the vegetable base at the bottom and place stuffed vegetables per person. Serve 2 zucchinis & 2 tomatoes per person as a main or 1 of each as a first course. Serve with the tops intact.

The stuffing is savory and delicious with the roasted vegetables. Though I used Italian sausage I think this would also work very well with the numerous gourmet sausage selections available in the market. The cooked vegetable base provides a smooth and flavorful balance to the roasted vegetables and the stuffing.

I also think that when yellow squash is in season, I'll fix these with again because I suspect the sweetness of the yellow squash will pair quite nicely with a slightly spicy stuffing.

Though the dish is time consuming and has involves numerous steps I really do like fixing this occasionally when the inclination strikes.

So pretty are these lovelies, they're almost too good to eat.....until your tummy growls that is!

Recipe for

STUFFED COURGETTES & TOMATOES

Adapted from the recipe in ' Le Cordon Bleu at Home'

Preparation time - 1 hr - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 40 minutes

Serves 4 as a main/8 as first course

Shopping list:

3 medium zucchini

1/8 tsp salt/2 vegetable barrels

8 Roma tomatoes

Stuffing

2 slices bread

3/4 cup milk

1 tbs unsalted butter

3 shallots

1/2 lb bulk sausage meat, no casings

1 egg slightly beaten

2 garlic cloves

Base of cooked vegetables

2 tbs unsalted butter

1 tbs vegetable oil

1  medium onion

1/2 large carrot

1 large leek

1 stalk celery

2 tbs tomato paste

2 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation -

Prepare the vegetable barrels-

Zucchinis - Cut the ends off the zucchini and cut of both ends. Reserve the top & bottom bits to be used later. Cut crosswise into " lengths - for me that meant each zucchini needed to be cut into 3 parts.

Cook's Note - Make sure you have 2 zucchini barrels and 2 tomatoes per person for a main course. You can halve that for a first course.

Scoop the flesh out from the barrels using a melon baller or as in my case I'm using a very small spoon (smaller than teaspoon) leaving 1/4" thick walls around the sides and at the bottom.

Set the scooped zucchini meat aside to be chopped up and used later. Sprinkle each of the barrel interiors with 1/8 tsp salt divided between 2 barrels and lay them inverted onto a rack or a parchment lined baking tray so they can drain out some of the moisture.

Tomatoes - Slice the top third from the tomatoes and reserve the tops. Scrape out the seeds and discard. Each tomato also has a core and reserve the core to be chopped up and used later. Sprinkle each of the tomato interiors with 1/8 tsp salt divided between 2 tomatoes and lay them inverted onto a rack or a parchment lined baking tray so they can drain out some of the moisture.

While the vegetables are draining, begin on the stuffing -

Bread slices - Cut off the crusts from the bread slices and soak the bread slices in milk - set aside.

Shallots - Peel, cut of ends and discard.

Garlic cloves - Peel & discard skin.

In a mini chopper add the peeled shallots and peeled garlic cloves. Pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.

Base of cooked vegetables - 

Onion - Peel and quarter

Carrot - Peel & cut into chunks

Celery - Cut off the leaves and white section at the bottom. Cut the remaining length into chunks.

Leek - Cut away root tip and use only the white part - reserve the tops for chicken stock or use in soups

Garlic cloves - Peel & discard skin.

In a mini chopper add all the above ingredients and chop till very fine but not mushy.

Cooking method-

Heat butter in a saute pan and add the shallots. Cook on medium heat until soft but not brown, about 7-10 minutes.

Add the bulk sausage meat and stir constantly breaking up the sausage mass as best you can. Saute for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, crack an egg in a small bowl. Discards shells and beat the eggs with a fork. Squeeze the milk out of the bread between your palms and add the bread to the sauteed sausage. Stir till blended.

Turn off the heat and add the egg and stir constantly so the eggs are blended and don't turn into lumps of scrambled eggs in a corner of the pan.

Zucchini barrels - 

Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a sauce pan. Add the zucchini barrels and blanch for 5 minutes. Remove and drain inverted on a rack. Set aside to cool. Chop up the scooped up zucchini meat and tomato cores as fine as you can. Keep separate.

Divide the sausage mixture into  equal quantities & then transfer 3 tbs from 1 part to the other. To the large sausage pile add chopped tomato cores. To the other pile add half the chopped zucchini meat discarding the remaining zucchini meat.

Base of cooked vegetables - 

In a saute pan on medium heat add oil and heat. Add butter and once it melts add the chopped ingredients from the mini-chopper. Saute till soft but not brown, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and blend. Add salt, pepper and white wine. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Empty to a baking dish with a flat bottom and spread out with a spatula. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F

Assembly & Baking method-

Bring forward the sausage stuffing - one with the zucchini & the other with the tomatoes. Also bring forward the vegetable barrels.

Using a small spoon or melon baller fill the vegetables till the stuffing is a mound over each vegetable top. Place the vegetables over the cooked vegetable base in the baking dish. Keep separate & upright.

Sprinkle 1/8 tsp Parmesan cheese on top of each stuffed vegetable barrel.

Place the reserved tops on the vegetable barrels. Some of the zucchinis will not have a top.

With a pastry brush, apply some olive oil on each of the tops. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 deg F and bake in the hot oven for 40 minutes.

To Serve-

During the baking process some the tomatoes and zucchinis may settle or topple over. Just straighten them during the plating process.

To plate, spoon & spread some of the vegetable base at the bottom and place stuffed vegetables per person. Serve 2 zucchinis & 2 tomatoes per person as a main or 1 of each as a first course. Serve with the tops intact.

Enjoy!

  

What a tart! Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Walnut Quiche

I adore tarts! (the baked variety, I mean) and it is wonderful to have an eager audience when one bakes such delightful creations.

I have been dying to fix a goat cheese tart for the longest time but we are such carnivores in our family that I always have to make a special effort to prepare an all vegetarian meal that it has thus far been  pushed to the back burner.

So when our friend, Saurin from Chicago was scheduled to come over for a few days, the moment was ripe. Not only is he a strict vegetarian and also an avid foodie which meant not only was this an opportunity to hone my all vegetarian cooking skills but I can actually make  something with goat cheese for someone that wasn't going to turn his nose up at it!

It has been my experience that food & people broadly fall in these categories -

1) There are those who would rather starve than be willing to try something outside their realm of comfort.

2) And others who would whine & fuss and pick on their food because they dislike this or hate throughout a meal - picky, picky, picky ( for me such people are like nails on a chalkboard!)

3)  And on the opposite side of the spectrum, there are others for whom 'anything goes so  a bowl of 'stone soup' would suffice as long as they are fed 3 times a day!

But here, here was a golden opportunity -  here was someone who would not be afraid to walk into the exciting world of goat cheese (or so I fervently hoped as his plane hit the runway!)

Later that evening, when he asked me what's for dinner & I replied, Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Walnut tart & his expression turned joyous, close to rapture, I knew that here - here was someone who was no longer 'people'!

The recipe requires 1 recipe pre-baked 'No fear, No fail' Pate Brisee - Quiche tart shell . I urge you to read the post here so you get the tips & tricks to bake a successful tart shell.

Other than that the main ingredients for the filling are these - goat cheese, walnuts, red onions, salt, pepper, eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream & chives.

Preheat oven to 475 deg F (not a typo)

Begin by peeling & slicing the red onion, into semi-circular 1/8" thick slices.

 

In a saute pan, heat the butter till it has melted. Add the onions and salt & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun to soften.

  

Lower the heat & cover with a tight lid to steam the onions for about 20 minutes. Keep stirring the onions regularly to prevent from un-uniform & quick browning.

Cook's Note - If during this process the onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pan & caramelize, add 1 tbs of water. Stir and cover the pan, repeating the process if necessary.

Once the onions are caramelized a light brown, remove from the heat. Cool.

 

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs & egg yolk. Add milk & whisk to blend. Add goat cheese (room temperature) and sour cream, salt & pepper and whisk. If you are finding it hard to blend, use a hand held electric mixer for a few seconds.

 

Chop chives to achieve about 1 tbs & add to the filling mix. Stir. Measure & set aside chopped walnuts.

  

Spread the onion on the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the filling mixture in the tart shell over the onions. Top with walnuts, spreading evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. And when it pops out of the oven you get this!

 
Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before un-molding tart or slicing.

The quiche with its buttery flaky crust melts in your mouth as you bite into it.

The sweetness of the caramelized onions balance well with the flavor of the goat cheese and the walnuts gives it just the right occasional crunch. The chives with its slight garlicky-onion flavors blends right in. It was just a lovely meal and thoroughly enjoyed by us all.

And 30 minutes later....

Ta..daa...

Need I say more?

Recipe for

CARAMELIZED ONION, GOAT  CHEESE & WALNUT QUICHE

Preparation & baking time for quiche shell- 30 minutes (prepare in advance)

Preparation time for filling - 30 minutes

Baking time for Quiche - 20 minutes

You will need -

1#  Pate Brisee - Quiche tart shell

Filling - 

3 medium red onions

2 tbs butter

6 oz goat cheese

2 eggs + 1 egg yolk  

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream      

1/2 cup walnut pieces

12 stalks chives                

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation-

Eggs - Crack 2 eggs in a bowl. Discard shells & whip. Separate 1 egg & add yolk only to the other 2 eggs.

Chives - Chop fine

Red Onions - Begin by peeling & slicing the red onion, into semi-circular 1/8" thick slices.

Cooking method -

Preheat oven to 475 deg F .

In a saute pan, heat the butter till it has melted. Add the onions and salt & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun to soften.

Lower the heat & cover with a tight lid to steam the onions for about 20 minutes. Keep stirring the onions regularly to prevent from un-uniform & quick browning.

Cook's Note - If during this process the onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pan & caramelize, add 1 tbs of water. Stir and cover the pan, repeating the process if necessary.

Once the onions are caramelized a light brown remove from the heat. Cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs & egg yolk. Add milk & whisk to blend. Add goat cheese (room temperature) and sour cream, salt & pepper and whisk. If you are finding it hard to blend, use a hand held electric mixer for a few seconds.

Chop chives to achieve about 1 tbs & add to the filling mix. Stir. Measure & set aside chopped walnuts.

Spread the onion on the bottom of the pre-baked and cooled tart shell.

Pour the filling mixture in the tart shell over the onions.

Top with walnuts, spreading evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before un-molding tart or slicing.

No fear, No fail - Quiche Tart Shell {Pate Brisee}

It doesn't matter if this is your first time or your 30th time fixing a tart pastry - A tart is like a dog, it smells fear! And making a tart is all about confidence.

It is therefore it is a good idea to summon up your confidence before you approach such a task - to this end I usually imagine myself to be one of the 'Daughters of  Grendel' - you know from Beowulf (AD 700-1000) the legendary monster who was feared by all but Beowulf! Does amazing things for my confidence, that.

I am particularly eager to get started on the tart as my first step to tonight's dinner - a sinful caramelized onion, goat cheese & walnut tart - doesn't that sound good?

It is honor of our friend Saurin who is visiting from Chicago and happens to be a strict vegetarian. It's wonderful to have him visit not just because of all the fun we have but because it challenges me to produce all vegetarian meals outside my regular repertoire.

So now that I am in the zone, its time to roll up those sleeves and get started.

 

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 egg and 1-1/2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.

Pulse  for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and pulse again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

  

Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

  
 

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling. Sprinkle more flour under the pastry as needed.

 Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

Cook's Note - If there are tears or any weak spots or holes in the pastry, patch with pastry dough that is the draped over the edges.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan.

 

 

 

Using the rolling pin, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

 

Cook's Note - I know that the pastry looks like a patched quilt but that is OK - for one, the base will be covered with filling and secondly, take heart in the fact that a pastry dough that is soft and prone to tearing will bake into a buttery, flaky crust while a pastry dough that is tough & hard will bake into a tough crust.

Using a clean fork  or tweezers, indent the tart edge with a decorative edge. Continue till the entire tart has a decorative edge.

  

Take a large piece of aluminum foil and spray non-stick spray on the dull side. Place over the tart and pour 1 lb uncooked dry grains or chick peas over the foil to weigh down the tart and prevent it from puffing up.

Bake for 20 minutes till the edge is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the foil & grains.

Set tart aside for next step in the recipe. If freezing, allow it to cool completely, wrap in foil and then in a freezer safe zip lock bag.

Recipe for

PATE BRISEE - QUICHE TART SHELL

Makes 1 single layer tart for a 10-11" tart

Shopping list

1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 stick (115 gms) cold butter, unsalted

1 egg                             

1/8 tsp salt

1-1/2 tbs to 2 tbs ice cold water

Preparation-

Dough - In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 egg and 1-1/2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.

Knead for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

Cooking method -

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using the rolling pin, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

Using a clean fork and tweezers, indent the tart edge with a decorative edge. Continue till the entire tart has a decorative edge.

Take a large piece of aluminum foil and spray non-stick spray on the dull side. Place over the tart and pour 1 lb grains or chick peas over the foil to weigh down the tart and prevent it from puffing up.

Bake for 20 minutes till the edge is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the foil & grains.

Set tart aside for next step in the recipe. If freezing, allow it to cool completely, wrap in foil and then in a freezer safe zip lock bag.

No fear, No fail - Sweet pastry a.k.a Short crust pastry {Pate Sucree, Pasta Frolla}

Making your first pie pastry, sugar or otherwise is a lot like going scuba diving for the first time.

My first experience scuba diving was at the Great Barrier Reefs. I was so excited, it was something I had wanted to do a long time and couldn't wait. Have spent hours on the boat from Cairns to finally be able to go diving, to see all that coral up close. Wow!

So with the help of the PADI instructors I get all geared up - they ask me to lower myself into the water and I start breathing through the mouth thingy and the minute I hit the water, I pull out my mouth thingy and start trying to breathe through my nose - underwater. Needless to say - it didn't work, I panicked and I almost gave up.

Then my PADI instructor said something that stayed with me all these years - he said, "If you give up now, you'll never forgive yourself and you'll never forget it. Diving is all about the mind. Stay in the water, hold on to the side of the boat and talk to yourself till you get comfortable and try again"

I am very glad I did - because there is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compared to being down on the ocean floor holding your first sea cucumber (and your last) or putting your hand in the mouth of a giant clam.

So no matter what your experience baking your first pie pastry has been, its time to strap on your diving equipment, try again and succeed! Having said that - check your diving equipment i.e. your recipe.

Which is why - you won't find a gazillion variations of tart pastry or sweet pastry dough on this blog - nope just 2 - one for fruit tarts and one for quiches. Why? because the only recipes that matters are the ones that don't let you down the night before Thanksgiving when you've been at it for 3 hours and its already 11.00pm and you've tried everything to fix this pastry mess and you can't - it still won't work so, you start over ...... not funny and plays havoc with your confidence (yup - I know, been there-done that).

The difference between the 2 tart pastries is that one is made with butter & sugar which makes it a little crusty and flaky (which I think is wonderful for grilled fruit tarts) and other with lard and salt which is very flaky and wonderful for quiches).

Today's sweet pastry dough is the first step towards a Easter Ricotta pie. Yum!

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 tbs sugar, egg yolks and 2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.

Pulse for upto 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface and using the heel of your palms, knead the dough 3-4 times. This process is called fraisage and gives that wonderful flaky crust we all crave.

Flatten dough ball between palms, lightly flour the surface, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

For a double pie crust, divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other.

Return the smaller pie dough ball to the refrigerator.

Begin working on the larger dough ball.

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Once in a while place the baking pan (spring foam or tart pan) to make sure you've rolling a large enough pastry:

If you are using a spring foam pan (like I am) you will need a pastry 1-1/2" large than the diameter of the base.

If you are using a tart pan (preferably one with a pop-up bottom) roll 2-1/4" larger than the diameter of the bottom.

Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull the spring foam/tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

OR

If the pie crust seems a little too fragile to lift off or if you're getting the jitters, try this fool proof method -

Separate the sides of the spring foam pan from the base. Place the over the rolled crust just to make sure your have an idea of the center. Gently life the polled crust and insert the base under the rolled crust.

Fold the sides on the pastry into the base. Attach the sides and lift the sides up.

Adjust the pastry so it is more or less in the center of the pan. Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using a knife, trim the edges of the pastry in straight line.

Now that the pastry is sitting pretty in the pan (don't fret it'll be fine)

Refrigerate while preparing the filling and you are ready for the next step.

Cook's Note - I want to draw your attention to the fact that I have used only 1-2 tbs sugar (not 3/4 cups as some recipes call for) - this is very important point - the more sugar you put in the pastry the harder the handling because softer the dough which is why most of us have had our share of pastry disaster stories.

Recipe for

Pate Sucree, Pasta Frolla, Sweet Pastry dough

Makes a double layer pie crust (11")

Shopping list

2-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 stick (115 gms) cold butter, unsalted

2 egg

1/4 tsp salt

about 3-4 tbs ice cold water

2 tbs sugar

OR

Makes 1 single layer tart (11")

Shopping list

1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 stick (115 gms) cold butter, unsalted

1 egg

1/8 tsp salt

1-1/2 tbs to 2 tbs ice cold water

1 tbs sugar

Preparation

Dough -

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 tbs sugar, egg yolks and 2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.

Knead for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

For a double pie crust, divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other. Return the smaller pie dough ball to the refrigerator.

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Once in a while place the baking pan (spring foam or tart pan) to make sure you've rolling a large enough pastry:

If you are using a spring foam pan (like I am) you will need a pastry 1-1/2" large than the diameter of the base.

If you are using a tart pan (preferably one with a pop-up bottom) roll 2-1/4" larger than the diameter of the bottom.

Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull the spring foam/tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

OR

If the pie crust seems a little too fragile to lift off or if you're getting the jitters, try this fool proof method -

Separate the sides of the spring foam pan from the base. Place the over the rolled crust just to make sure your have an idea of the center. Gently life the polled crust and insert the base under the rolled crust.

Fold the sides on the pastry into the base. Attach the sides and lift the sides up to adhere to the sides of the pan.

Adjust the pastry so it is more or less in the center of the pan. Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using a knife, trim the edges of the pastry in straight line. If using a tart pan, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

The sugar pastry tart is now ready for the next step. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

It's Spring! Navarin D'Agneau Printanier {Lamb Navarin with Spring Vegetables}

It's officially Spring!

It always manages to creep up on me. It's as if even though the logical part of my brain knows its spring - it's that time in March,  I get used to the cold dreary days and then all of a sudden out of the blue, blue skies and the scent of orange blossoms! Everywhere!

There's nothing quite like the sweet scent of orange blossoms & it gets me every time. I take deep breathes the moment  I step outside!

I have been waiting eagerly on the precipice between winter & spring because do I have some very special meals in store for you. Some classics and some based on sheer imagination let  loose on the culinary slopes!

So  here comes one of my favorite gastronomic delights - a very special French classic,  Lamb Navarin D'Agneau Printanier which is Lamb Navarin with Spring Vegetables.

When Chef Robin White quite out of the blue did me the honor of asking me to appear as a Guest Author on her blog and specifically asked me to work on something 'spring '  I just knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do this French Classic.

Now, its a very big deal for me that Chef Robin asked me to do this blog post. She wears many hats as a Restaurateur, Consultant, Wine Pairing expert & Teacher of the Culinary Arts. I first became acquainted with her when I read her marvelous article on  Finishing Salts. I have never delved into these and if it were not for her & Chef Keller at the French Laundry, I would have continued in my state of oblivion.

I have often said that I lack the gene that allows me to follow a recipe to the 'T'. In fact I wouldn't begin to know how to do that. I think it has something to do with the fact that especially when it comes to the French cooking, I approach it with the same mindset I approached my thesis as a graduate student. I research, deconstruct the argument recipe, look for similarities and differences and then reconstruct the recipe in my own light.

Two culinary giants & a humble me are in the kitchen for this rendition of  Navarin D'Agneau Printanier. My favorite person when it comes to French cooking, Richard Grausman's recipe from his book At Home with the French Classics, Le Cordon Bleu's recipe for this & moi, calling out to the culinary Gods to smile on me as we journey into the  world of Navarin D'Agneau Printanier. 

Lamb Navarin is a stew with lamb, turnips, carrots & potatoes. What takes it  from Lamb Navarin to Lamb Navarin Printanier is the addition of spring vegetables namely pre-cooked french beans (very thin green beans) and shelled green peas.

Please do not omit the turnips because it would it would no longer be Navarin. In fact take it from someone who has suffered from turnip nightmares growing up. If only my mother had cooked it this way, I'd have eaten the entire field of turnips without any fuss!

The main ingredients for this dish are - Lamb (technically shoulder is to be used) but I have Australian leg of lamb just because its easily available at a Costco or local butcher.

Also, turnips, carrots, pearl onions, baby waxy potatoes, fresh tomato, onion, leeks (which is my addition) tomato paste, beef broth, dry white wine, all-purpose flour, fresh thyme sprigs, parsley for garnish & of course the spring vegetables - french green beans & shelled (frozen) green peas. 

Also a bouquet garni with fresh or dried thyme, parsley & bay leaves. I use the Grausman method for the bouquet garni and therefore also require celery. Details are coming up.

Prepare the ingredients -

Turnips - Peel, discard top & bottom knobs & cut into quarters.

Carrots - Peel & cut into 1-1/2" thick lengths. Discard the top.

Onion - Peel, discard the skin. Halve, & then place in a mini-chopper and finely chop.

Cook's Note - Interestingly, Grausman does not use onions in his recipe but Cordon Bleu does & I do like onion.

Leeks - Discard root tip. Halve and slice into 1/4" thick semi-circles. Use only the white & light green parts. Discard the thick dark green portion & leaves.

Garlic - Peel & chop cloves. Set aside.

Parsley - Discard the stalks. Finely chop the leaves and set aside. 

Baby red potatoes - Wash, cut away any 'eyes' or brown spots & peel. Set aside.

Pearl onions - I simply don't have the patience to peel miniature onions so I found a shortcut that works really well.

 

Bring 2 cups of water to an angry boil. Drop in the pearl onions and boil for 3 minutes. Sieve and discard the water.

 Under gently running cold tap water, peel the onions using a knife to cut off the root tip. 

Cook's Note- It is very important to not cut above the root tip or the entire onion will fall apart as the layers separate.

Measure & set aside - the all-purpose flour, tomato paste, beef stock & dry white wine. 

 

Lamb - If you purchased a boneless leg of lamb like I did, then use a kitchen scale and separate 2 lbs of meat from the rest. Return the rest of the meat to the refrigerator for use in a later recipe. Do not refreeze if the meat has been defrosted from the freezer.

Cut away the thick skin if attached from the meat.

 

Cut the lamb into 1-1/2" cubes. Place on a kitchen paper towel. Cover with another piece of paper towel and press so all the moisture is absorbed. The meat will not brown if it is damp.

For Bouquet Garni -

 

Using the Grausman method - Take 2 stalks of celery approx 4-5 inches long but of equal lengths. Place fresh or dried thyme in one of the celery hollows (what else would u call it?) Place the bay leaves covering the thyme followed by sprigs of fresh parsley.

 

Interlock the two celery sticks together squishing together all the herbs and tie the 2 halves together with kitchen twine. There you have it - bouquet garni without the cheesecloth. I have used this method time and time again over decades and it works well every time.

 

Use a heavy bottom pan, dutch oven or a copper saute pan as in my case.

On high heat, bring vegetable oil to fuming. In a single layer, add the lamb chunks to the pan. Brown on each side, then flip over an brown on the other side. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch & may need to be cooked in 2 batches. Do not over crowd the pan.

Once golden brown, remove the meat & set aside while you cook the second batch of meat.

 

To the saute pan add the garlic, sliced leeks & chopped onions. Saute for about 2 minutes on medium heat till slightly softened.

 

Add the browned lamb and saute for another minute. Add the all-purpose flour and saute for on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the flour is all spongy & begin to stick to the bottom of the pan.

 

Add the beef stock,white wine, bouquet garni, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste & fresh thyme sprigs.

Cook's Note - The Grausman recipe calls for beef stock as opposed to Le Cordon Bleu recipe which calls for hot water. Of course I prefer adding beef stock except I have added 4 cups instead of the called for 3 cups.

Also Grausman does not use fresh tomatoes in his recipe but Le Cordon Bleu does and I think its always a nice addition to a stew. However, I have reduced the quantity  of  tomatoes since I think the tart from the tomato paste will be strong enough. Also, I have reduced the quantity of onions  as well. I find that  use of onion in excess will turn the dish sweet which I don't think that's appropriate here.

 

On medium-high heat bring the stock to simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid and  allow to cook undisturbed on low heat for 1 hour.

Meanwhile prepare the remaining vegetables -

 

In a saute pan, heat 2 tbs salted butter & add the carrots.

 

Saute on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently so the carrots brown on all sides. Remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

  

In the same pan saute the pearl onions & turnips for another 3-5 minutes or so or until they are browned on all sides.  Shake the pan frequently so the onions & turnips begin to glaze & are brown on all sides. Remove them to the same plate with the carrots along with all the butter in the pan.

Green peas - Measure out the frozen green peas.

Green French beans - For aesthetic reasons, I only string from the top woody bit. I leave the end intact. Especially because these are succulent young green beans, this will be OK. If you are using tough green beans then string from both ends.

Set aside the green peas & the green beans ready to use.

 

After the stew has been cooking an hour, give the stew a good stir & add potatoes & the carrots. Stir & replace the tight fitting lid.

Cook's Note -  In both the traditional recipes, the potatoes are cooked separately and added to the stew at the every end. I see no reason for this. If anything the potatoes are going to taste only better cooking in the stew (and I was right)

After 1/2 hour, give the stew a good stir & add the turnips & the pearl onions. Stir & replace the tight fitting lid.

 

Mean while bring a pot of water, about 3 cups to an angry boil with 1 tsp salt. This takes about 15 minutes.

Add the green french beans and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Drain in a sieve, discarding excess water. Add the beans & peas to the stew. Stir. Replace the tight fitting lid & cook for 5 minutes.

Test the green beans & give it another 5 minutes if needed. In my case the beans were cooked after 5 minutes but since the quality of the beans varies, check to ascertain. Also, pierce one of every vegetable & thick piece of lamb to ensure it is all cooked.

Total cooking time was about 2 hours. Discard the thyme sprigs & the bouquet garni.

Cook's Note - If you are preparing to serve this the next day do not add the green beans & peas until the stew has been reheated thoroughly just before serving time the  next day. I do however want to point out that I liked it best the same evening even though it may be against norm.

Taste & adjust seasonings and Serve hot.

The stew can be serve in individual soup plates or in a tureen or deep large platter . Garnish with fresh chopped parsley .

This stew is absolutely delicious and is just as hearty &  soul enriching for family as it will be for fine dining. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of excellent burgundy.

The gravy in the stew is rich, thick and infused with the the flavors of the herbs, seasoning & root vegetables. The scent from the turnips is distinct, heady & the flavor in the root vegetables which have absorbed all the wine & the meat juices is absolutely delicious. The turnips even more so!

What better a way to invite the goodness of spring into your home than with Navarin D'Agneau Printanier ?

Recipe for

Navarin D'Agneau Printanier {Lamb Navarin with Spring Vegetables}

Preparation time - 30 minutes

Cooking time - 2 hours

Serves 4-6

2 lbs boneless leg of lamb (I used Australian) 

1 large onion (to get about 1-1/4 cups chopped)

1 leek

3 garlic cloves

18 pearl onions

16 baby red (waxy) potatoes

3 large carrots

3 medium turnips

1/4 lb fresh green french beans (thin variety)

1/2 cup frozen shelled green peas

4 tbs vegetable oil

2 tbs salted butter

1 carton (1 litre) beef stock

3 tbs all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

4-5 fresh thyme sprig

6-7 sprigs parsley (enough to get 1 tbs chopped leaves)

Bouquet Garni

2 fresh thyme sprig or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

5 parsley sprigs

2 bay leaves

Preparation-

Turnips - Peel, discard top & bottom knobs & cut into quarters.

Carrots - Peel & cut into 1-1/2" thick lengths. Discard the top.

Onion - Peel, discard the skin. Halve, & then place in a mini-chopper and finely chop.

Cook's Note - Interestingly, Grausman does not use onions in his recipe but Cordon Bleu does & I do like onion.

Leeks - Discard root tip. Halve and slice into 1/4" thick semi-circles. Use only the white & light green parts. Discard the thick dark green portion & leaves.

Garlic - Peel & chop cloves. Set aside.

Parsley - Discard the stalks. Finely chop the leaves and set aside. 

Baby red potatoes - Wash, cut away any 'eyes' or brown spots & peel. Set aside.

Pearl onions - I simply don't have the patience to peel miniature onions so I found a shortcut that works really well.

Bring 2 cups of water to an angry boil. Drop in the pearl onions and boil for 3 minutes. Sieve and discard the water.

 Under gently running cold tap water, peel the onions using a knife to cut off the root tip. 

Measure & set aside - the all-purpose flour, tomato paste, beef stock & dry white wine. 

Lamb - If you purchased a boneless leg of lamb like I did, then use a kitchen scale and separate 2 lbs of meat from the rest. Return the rest of the meat to the refrigerator for use in a later recipe. Do not refreeze if the meat has been defrosted from the freezer.

Cut away the thick skin if attached from the meat.

Cut the lamb into 1-1/2" cubes. Place on a kitchen paper towel. Cover with another piece of paper towel and press so all the moisture is absorbed. The meat will not brown if it is damp.

For Bouquet Garni -   Take 2 stalks of celery approx 4-5 inches long but of equal lengths. Place fresh or dried thyme in one of the celery hollows (what else would u call it?) Place the bay leaves covering the thyme followed by sprigs of fresh parsley.

Interlock the two celery sticks together squishing together all the herbs and tie the 2 halves together with kitchen twine. There you have it - bouquet garni without the cheesecloth. I have used this method time and time again over decades and it works well every time.

Cooking method -

Use a heavy bottom pan, dutch oven or a copper saute pan.

On high heat, bring vegetable oil to fuming. In a single layer, add the lamb chunks to the pan. Brown on each side, then flip over an brown on the other side. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch & may need to be cooked in 2 batches. Do not over crowd the pan.

Once golden brown, remove the meat & set aside while you cook the second batch of meat.

To the saute pan add the garlic, sliced leeks & chopped onions. Saute for about 2 minutes on medium heat till slightly softened.

Add the browned lamb and saute for another minute. Add the all-purpose flour and saute for on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the flour is all spongy & begin to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the beef stock,white wine, bouquet garni, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste & fresh thyme sprigs.

On medium-high heat bring the stock to simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid and  allow to cook undisturbed on low heat for 1 hour.

Meanwhile prepare the remaining vegetables. In a saute pan, heat 2 tbs salted butter & add the carrots.

Saute on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently so the carrots brown on all sides. Remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

In the same pan saute the pearl onions & turnips for another 3-5 minutes or so or until they are browned on all sides.  Shake the pan frequently so the onions & turnips begin to glaze & are brown on all sides. Remove them to the same plate with the carrots along with all the butter in the pan.

Green peas - Measure out the frozen green peas.

Green French beans - For aesthetic reasons, I only string from the top woody bit. I leave the end intact. Especially because these are succulent young green beans, this will be OK. If you are using tough green beans then string from both ends.

Set aside the green peas & the green beans ready to use.

After the stew has been cooking an hour, give the stew a good stir & add potatoes & the carrots. Stir & replace the tight fitting lid.

Cook's Note -  In both the traditional recipes, the potatoes are cooked separately and added to the stew at the every end. I see no reason for this. If anything the potatoes are going to taste only better cooking in the stew (and I was right)

After 1/2 hour, give the stew a good stir & add the turnips & the pearl onions. Stir & replace the tight fitting lid.

Mean while bring a pot of water, about 3 cups to an angry boil with 1 tsp salt. This takes about 15 minutes.

Add the green french beans and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Drain in a sieve, discarding excess water. Add the beans & peas to the stew. Stir. Replace the tight fitting lid & cook for 5 minutes.

Test the green beans & give it another 5 minutes if needed. In my case the beans were cooked after 5 minutes but since the quality of the beans varies, check to ascertain. Also, pierce one of every vegetable & thick piece of lamb to ensure it is all cooked.

Total cooking time was about 2 hours. Discard the thyme sprigs & the bouquet garni.

Cook's Note - If you are preparing to serve this the next day do not add the green beans & peas until the stew has been reheated thoroughly just before serving time the  next day.

Taste & adjust seasonings and Serve hot.

Enjoy!

'Child meets Grausman' Boeuf Bourguignon

 

Braised beef cubes simmered in a seasoned red wine sauce with mushrooms, carrots, and onions

When we first arrived to the US from Singapore,  we did so in 17 FedEx boxes and our suitcases in tow. Needless to say, my favorite cutlery, crockery and all my other cooking doo-dah’s were not on the list of priorities when we were paying international cargo rates.

 

So I literally started rebuilding my kitchen from scratch, pot by pot and ladle by spoon.  Now the one thing you need to know about me, is that I have champagne tastes but on a water budget!

The one exception to this rule are my kitchen pots and my shoes. I have some very excellent Mauviel copper pots sitting in my cabinets that rival only the cost of my equally excellent Stuart Weitzman shoes. Need I say more?  

So once I have recovered from shortness of breath and loss of sight from the sticker shock and I finally do end up buying that excellent pot, I expect it to last forever. I don’t me the five year cycle kind of forever I mean that pot better be around and functioning at top notch efficiency to be past down from generation to generation kind of forever. 

So I pull out my Mauveil  copper pot for meals that will do it justice - Canard Roti, Cassoulet  and of course boeuf bourguignon which is an occasion in itself. I plan to serve the stew with with some fresh baked boule bread.

My first order of business was choosing an excellent recipe. I immediately began by pouring through the pages of Julia Child's recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking (anyone who's seen Julie & Julia knows why)  and then I moved onto At home with the French Classics by my absolutely favorite person in French Cooking - Richard Grausman. 

I realized that there were similarities as well as subtle differences between both recipes and I am inclined to take the best of both worlds.

So I am going to cook the stew in the oven as called for in Julia Child's recipe but as suggested by Grausman, cook the pearl onions very quickly in boiling water, then stew them for approx 30 minutes in beef stock.  I am also  going to cook the bouquet garni with the stew instead of the onions. Also I intend to brown the mushrooms separately from the onions.

Instead of serving the stew with rice or noodles, I am roasting baby red and serving them with the boeuf bourguignon.

Clear your day - you need to take your time with this one but the results are so worth the effort!

 

 

To begin with, I purchased the bacon from the farmers market and it was smoked and thick not like the paper thin stuff you get at the regular grocery stores. I then cut it each lengthwise through the center (to get long lengths)and then into 1-1/2 inch pieces or lardons.

   
 

Bring 4 cups of water to an angry boil. Add the bacon and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Sieve, discard the water and set bacon strips aside.

Prepare the vegetables -

 

 

 Large Onion - Peel and diced a large onion.

Carrots - Peel and slice the carrots into 1/4" circles.

Garlic - Peel and slice the garlic cloves  and set aside.

 

At this point I realize I do not have fresh thy me nor do I have any cheesecloth left  for the  bouquet garni (used it up when I made the Black bean soup) No worries!

For Bouquet Garni -

   

Using the Grausman method - Take 2 stalks of celery approx 4-5 inches long but of equal lengths. Place fresh or dried thyme in one of the celery hollows (what else would u call it?) Place the bay leaves covering the thyme followed by sprigs of fresh parsley.

 
  

 

Interlock the two celery sticks  together squishing together all the herbs and tie the 2 halves together with kitchen twine. There you have it - bouquet garni without the cheesecloth. I have used this method time and time again over decades and it works well every time. 

On medium high heat, in a casserole, dutch oven or copper pot, add a little butter and saute the bacon till the strips are golden brown and crispy.

Set aside. 

One of the most important decisions in the preparation of this dish is the cut of  meat to be used. Grausman places a great  importance to the use of Chuck. He explains that it provides adequate  the fat content which essentially  bastes the meat from the inside as it cooks. Substituting with sirloin or a leaner cut of meat would be a mistake.
 

   

Cut the beef into 1-1/2" cubes. Place on a kitchen paper towel. Cover with another piece of paper towel and press so all the moisture is absorbed.

Child explains that the meat will not brown if it is damp.

Move a oven rack to the lowest position off the oven floor.  Preheat the oven to 450 deg F

    

 

I decided to use neither olive oil nor vegetable oil for the stew. Instead I used clarified butter - it works beautifully because clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter and the flavor is delicate which is perfect for our purpose.

On medium high heat, in the casserole, dutch oven or copper pot, heat the clarified butter or oil till fuming. Place the meat in a single layer. Brown the meat on all side, turning over only once the underside has browned. This should take approx 5-7 minutes. Work in batches if necessary. Remove the beef to a platter and set aside.

     

In the same fat left behind from the meat, saute the onions and carrots till golden brown.

Set aside with the bacon. Return the meat to the pot.

 
 

Return the meat to the casserole or pot.  Add all-purpose flour, salt and pepper and give it a good stir till the meat is thoroughly coated with the flour.

Place uncovered in the hot oven for 4 minutes. Remove from the oven. Stir and return to the hot over for another 4 minutes.

Reduce oven to 325 deg F.

  
 

 

To the meat, add the burgundy wine, beef stock, tomato paste, crushed garlic slices,  bacon, sauteed carrots and onions and the bouquet garni.

On medium high flame, bring the stew to a simmer. Skim away as much as floating residue as possible. 

Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and let cook for approx 4-4.5 hours.
 

Cook's Note -  Though Julia Child's recipe calls for a cooking time of 2 1/2 - 3 hours,  I found that it needed close to 4-1/2 hours in the oven to get the meat to a 'fall off the fork' softness. 

 

This is what the stew looks like at the 1 hour mark (to the left) and the 3 hour mark (to the right).

 While the stew is cooking in the oven, closer to the 2.5 hour mark, begin preparing the rest of the ingredients - pearl onions, potatoes and the mushrooms

The pearl onions - I simply don't have the patience to peel miniature onions so I found a shortcut that works really well.

 
 

Bring 2 cups of water to an angry boil. Drop in the pearl onions and boil for 10 minutes. Sieve and discard the water.

Under gently running cold tap water, peel the onions using a knife to cut off the root tip. 

 Cook's Note- It is very important to not cut above the root tip or the entire onion will fall apart as the layers separate.

Simmer the onions in 1/2 cup beef stock for 1/2 hour on low flame to soften. Sieve and set onion-beef stock aside. Add more stock if needed half way.

 If you are steaming or boiling the potatoes to serve with the stew, then make preparations for that. You can cook the potatoes in boiling water till soft, peel & cut into cubes. Personally,  I prefer the look & taste of roasted potatoes.

    

I decided to roast baby red potatoes in the oven with the stew.

Baby red potatoes - Pour some melted butter and rub some salt and pepper on the potatoes. Place in a baking dish.  

Bake on the top rack of the oven while the stew is also in the oven. Bake for approx 1 hour or until the red potatoes are cooked (pierce with a knife or toothpick to test)

Cook's Note- These potatoes will be unlike the roasted potatoes that are prepared on a high temperature where they have a crisp outer skin and soft interior. These  potatoes will be soft but not crispy since we are baking at a low temperature of 325 (sharing spaces with the stew) 

 

 

The mushrooms - Cut the stems off the mushrooms and  halve if they are small or quarter if they are large. You want them to be approx the same size as the onions.

In a saute pan, heat the  oil & butter (equal portions of each)  till hot but not fuming. Add the cut mushrooms and saute over high heat for 3-5 minutes or until brown.

Cook's Note--When you first put the mushrooms in the pan they will absorb all the fat so the mushrooms will appear very dry. Continue sauteing because soon the mushrooms will  soon release their liquid. Do not add any additional fat or liquid to the mushrooms.

   

The pearl onions - In the same saute pan, heat the  oil & butter (equal portions of each)  till hot but not fuming. Add the boiled and peeled pearl onions. Saute for about 5 minutes or until they have caramelized to a beautiful golden brown. Remove to the same bowl as the mushrooms.

 

 

Once the stew is done after approx 3.5-4 hours it will look a rich brown color and the beef will be very tender.

Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, place the beef in an attractive serving casserole. Pile the pearl onion, mushrooms and potatoes over the meat.

Return the casserole  or in my case, copper pot, with the sauce to the stove. Remove any visible fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water or if too thin bring to rapid boil. The sauce should be the consistency of heavy cream.

Cook's Note - I found that the sauce was just the right consistency straight out of the oven so I did not boil. I simply reheated the sauce.

Taste and adjust seasonings.  Strain the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

 

One bite into this  boeuf bourguignon and it is as if a balloon full of heady wine has popped in my mouth. The deep, rich flavors are complex enough to give one pause but simple and complementary enough to bring on a smile.

The boule on the side is  a perfect accompaniment - warm crusty bread with cold butter. Need I say more?

 

 

Recipe for

'Child meets Grausman' BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

Serves 6

Shopping list

2 tbs clarified butter or vegetable oil

3 tbs melted butter

2 tbs vegetable oil

4 tbs melted butter (for roasting potatoes)

3 lbs beef chuck (see note on substitution)

1 large onion

1 carrot

2 tbs all-purpose flour

3 cups full-bodied Burgundy wine

3 cups organic beef stock (store-bought)

4 garlic cloves

1 tbs tomato paste

Bouquet Garni (fresh thyme sprig or 1/4 tsp dried thyme , 5 parsley sprigs, 2 bay leaves)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 bag pearl onions (approx 18-24)

12-18 baby red potatoes

3/4 lb smoked thick bacon

3/4 lb mushrooms

6 sprigs parsley, finely chopped - for garnish

Preparation -

Move a oven rack to the lowest position off the oven floor.  Preheat the oven to 450 deg F

For readying the stew for the oven -

Bacon - Cut each bacon strip lengthwise through the center (to get long lengths) and then into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Bring 4 cups of water to an angry boil. Add the bacon and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Sieve, discard the water.

On medium high heat, in an oven ready casserole, dutch oven or copper pot, add  1 tbs  butter and saute the bacon till the strips are golden brown and crispy. Set aside.

Beef Chuck - Cut the beef into 1-1/2" cubes. Place on a kitchen paper towel. Cover with another piece of paper towel and press so all the moisture is absorbed.

Onion - Peel and diced a large onion.

Carrot - Peel and slice the carrots into 1/4" circles.

Garlic - Peel and slice the garlic cloves  and set aside.

Bouquet Garni  - Take 2 stalks of celery approx 4-5 inches long but of equal lengths. Place fresh or dried thyme in one of the celery hollows. Place the bay leaves covering the thyme followed by sprigs of fresh parsley.

Interlock the two celery sticks together squishing together all the herbs and tie the 2 halves together with kitchen twine. Set aside. 

While stew is in the oven - (closer to the 2-1/2 hour mark) -

The pearl onions -Bring 2 cups of water to an angry boil. Drop in the pearl onions and boil for 10 minutes. Sieve and discard the water. Under gently running cold tap water, peel the onions using a knife to cut off the root tip. Do not cut above the root tip or the entire onion will fall apart as the layers separate.

Simmer the onions in 1 cup beef stock for 1/2 hour on lowest heat to soften. Sieve and set onion-beef stock aside. Add more stock if needed half way.

The potatoes -  Pour 4 tbs melted butter and rub some salt and pepper on the potatoes. Place in a baking dish.  Bake on the top rack of the oven while the stew is also in the oven. Bake for approx 1 hour or until the red potatoes are cooked (pierce with a knife or toothpick to test)

 

Sauteed mushrooms - Cut the stems off the mushrooms and  halve if they are small or quarter if they are large. You want them to be approx the same size as the onions.

In a saute pan, heat 1 tbs  oil & 1 tbs butter till hot but not fuming. Add the cut mushrooms and saute over high heat for 3-5 minutes or until brown.

Sauteed  pearl onions - In the same saute pan, heat 1 tbs oil & 1 tbs butter till hot but not fuming. Add the boiled and peeled pearl onions.

Saute for about 5 minutes or until they have caramelized to a beautiful golden brown. Remove to the same bowl as the mushrooms.

Cooking Method -

 

On medium high heat, in the same casserole, dutch oven or copper pot used for sauteing bacon, heat the clarified butter or oil till fuming. Place the meat in a single layer. Brown the meat on all side, turning over only once the underside has browned. This should take approx 5-7 minutes. Work in batches if necessary. Remove the beef to a platter and set aside.

In the same fat left behind from the meat, saute the onions and carrots till golden brown. Set aside with the bacon.

 

Return the meat to the casserole or copper pot.  Add the all-purpose flour, salt and pepper and give it a good stir till the meat is thoroughly coated with the flour.

Place uncovered in the hot oven for 4 minutes. Remove from the oven. Stir and return to the hot over for another 4 minutes. Reduce oven to 325 deg F. 

To the meat, add the burgundy wine, 2 cups beef stock, tomato paste, crushed garlic slices,  bacon, sauteed carrots and onions and the bouquet garni.

On medium high flame, bring the stew to a simmer. Skim away as much as floating residue as possible. 

Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and let cook for approx  3.5-4 hours or until the meat is 'fall off the fork' soft.

Once the stew is done after approx 3.5-4 hours it will look a rich brown color and the beef will be very tender.

Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, place the beef in an attractive serving casserole. Pile the pearl onion, mushrooms and potatoes over the meat.

Return the casserole  or in my case, copper pot, with the sauce to the stove. Remove any visible fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved onion-beef  stock or if too thin bring to rapid boil. The sauce should be the consistency of heavy cream.

Taste and adjust seasonings.  Strain the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve immediately with warm crusty bread.

Enjoy with a glass of excellent Burgundy!