French cuisine has a glorious and delicious history. It crosses all boundaries and regions. Fussy and complicated dishes are sister and brother to the simpler and less sophisticated recipes of the country peasant. The richness of its food comes from common ingredients prepared in ways that naturally bring out its sweetness and earthiness.
All of these dishes are soulful, uncomplicated, and pleasurable to prepare, and all they require are basic cooking techniques, a good skillet, and a generous pot. It is important, however, to take the time to caramelize vegetables, use good stock, and don’t skip steps! Most of these dishes can be prepared in stages if time is an issue, and your house will smell wonderful! Prepare Coq au Vin or Beef Bourguignon and envelop yourself in the warmth of a French kitchen. Bon appetite y’all!
COQ AU VIN
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
5 skin-on, bone-in chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups red wine, divided
½ cup tomato paste
1 quart chicken stock
French bread slices
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 pound assorted mushrooms, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large ovenproof skillet. Add bacon and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to evenly brown. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken legs to pot and cook until browned, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken and bacon pieces to a plate. Add remaining vegetables to pot and cook until onions are translucent and carrots and celery are beginning to caramelize. Stir in 1 cup wine and tomato paste; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups wine and chicken stock, and bring to a boil for about 15 minutes. Return chicken to pot and bring stock back to a boil. Place a tight-fitting lid on pot and remove from heat. Braise chicken in oven for and hour an a half or until chicken and vegetables are very tender. Check seasonings and serve with crusty bread slices.
Yield: 5-6 servings
HAM AND CHEESE FEUILLETÉE
Flour for dusting
3 sheets puff pastry
¼ cup Dijon-style mustard
½ pound thinly sliced ham
¼ pound sliced Swiss cheese
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon cream or water (for glaze)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a rimless cookie sheet. Dust a cutting board with flour and lightly roll out 1 piece of puff pastry. Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of mustard over pastry, leaving a half-inch border on all sides. Place a layer of ham on top of mustard, followed by a layer of Swiss cheese. Spread another layer of mustard on top of cheese and ham. Place a second piece of pastry on top of ham. Using your thumb, begin folding edges in pressing lightly to seal pastry on all four sides. Using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer of egg/cream mixture over entire pastry including edges. Roll a third piece of pastry out on a floured cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut out a chicken, leaves, or any design you prefer. Place cut-out on top on pastry and brush again with glaze. Cut 2 or 3 slits in pastry to allow steam to escape while baking. Chill pastry for 10 to 15 minutes. Place chilled pastry in oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before cutting into squares.
Yield: 12 servings
STEAK AND POMMES FRITES
The French way of serving steak and potatoes!
STEAK:
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 beef filets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons red wine
Melt butter in a medium skillet. Season steaks with salt and pepper. When butter has begun to foam, add steaks and cook for 1 minute per side. Reduce heat and continue to cook for 7 to 8 minutes more, turning several times, until steaks are medium-rare. Remove steaks and place on warmed plates. Add wine to pan and deglaze, stirring to remove any bits from pan. Turn heat off and swirl in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Check seasonings, then drizzle sauce over steaks. Serve at once with Belgian fries.
Yield: 2 servings
BELGIAN FRIES
3 to 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
2 to 3 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch sticks
Garlic salt to taste
In a medium pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, pat potato sticks with a paper towel until dry. Fry potatoes in batches until they are lightly browned but not cooked through. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. The fries can be held at this point for several hours or until ready to serve. When ready to serve steaks, bring oil back to 350 degrees. Add potatoes back to oil in batches and fry until golden brown. Remove fries from oil and transfer to a platter lined with fresh paper towels to drain. Season generously with garlic salt. Serve immediately.
Yield: 2-4 servings
BEEF BOURGUIGNONNE
This recipe looks a bit daunting, but it is simple to make. Browning all ingredients is what makes this dish so rich and flavorful.
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 strips smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 pounds chuck beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound pearl onions, skins removed
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced thick
½ cup Cognac or sherry
1 bottle dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 to 3 tablespoons flour
4 pieces country or sourdough bread, toasted
Fresh parsley for garnish
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bacon and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon is slightly browned. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate. Dry beef cubes with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add beef cubes to pan. Toss cubes in oil until they are well browned on all sides. Remove beef with a slotted spoon and add to plate with bacon. Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper and add to pan of oil. Cook slowly, tossing occasionally, until vegetables begin to caramelize and blacken slightly on edges.Turn heat up and add Cognac or sherry to pan. Using a spatula, scrape bottom of pan to remove any pieces. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add wine, beef broth, and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Add cooked bacon, browned beef, and browned vegetables to pan. Bring mixture to a simmer and slightly lower heat. Stir softened butter with flour to make a paste. Using a wooden spoon, add butter/flour mixture to pan, stirring well to combine. Place a tight-fitting lid over pot. Remove from heat and place in oven for 1 hour or until meat and vegetables are fork-tender. Check seasonings and remove from oven. When ready to serve, place 1 piece of toasted bread on each plate. Spoon beef and vegetables over and sprinkle with parsley.
Yield: 8 cups
LAMB CHOPS AU POIVRE
6 to 8 (1-inch thick) rib lamb chops
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Cognac or balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pat chops dry with a paper towel. Rub both sides of chops with cracked black pepper and salt, pressing seasonings into meat to adhere. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chops and sear on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chops with tongs to a plate and let stand while making sauce. In same pan, add chopped shallots and lower heat to medium-low. Sauté shallots for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add broth and Cognac or balsamic vinegar, and boil until reduced to about ½ cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and swirl in butter until all incorporated. Check seasonings of sauce, adding more salt if necessary. Serve chops with sauce poured over all.
Yield: 2-3 servings
CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST WITH TOASTED PECAN MAPLE SYRUP
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup cream or milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 slices French bread, cut on diagonal
3 tablespoons butter or more
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Fresh blueberries (optional)
In a medium bowl, stir egg yolks, cream or milk, and cinnamon and vanilla until well blended. Add bread slices, turning to coat both sides of bread. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. When butter begins to foam, add bread slices to pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Transfer bread slices to three plates. Add remaining butter and syrup to pan and heat until bubbly. Pour syrup over French toast and sprinkle toasted pecans generously over French toast. Dust each plate with confectioners’ sugar and additional cinnamon. Garnish with berries if desired. Serve immediately.
Yield: 3 servings