Flemish Carbonades

Serves 6
From the Chocolate & Zucchini Cookbook

Note: For deeper flavors, it is best to make the carbonades a day ahead. Gently reheat on the stove the following day before serving.

30g butter
1.5 kg well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut in 3cm slices
1/2 t. fine sea salt
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
3 T. plain flour
1 kg. yellow onions (about 6 medium), sliced
750ml (usually 2 bottles) rich amber ale
3 T. light brown sugar
1 T. fresh thyme or 1 1/2 t. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
2 1cm thick slices of day-old peasant style bread, about 60g each
2 T. strong Dijon mustard

Melt the butter over med. heat in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add half of the meat in a single layer and cook 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer to a plate and brown the remaining pieces. Return all meat to the pot, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and flour, and stir to coat. Add the onions and stir; the pot will seem quite full. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid coloring.

Pour in 250ml warm water and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Pour in the beer and an additional 250ml water; stir, and bring to a simmer.

Add the sugar, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves, and stir. Lower the heat to med. low; cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring every once in a while. An hour into the cooking, spread each slice of bread with a tablespoon of mustard and place at the surface of the stew. The bread will soon be moistened by the steam inside the pot and will fall apart as you stir, giving body to the sauce.

Remove the lid, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce is thick enough to cling to the meat. Serve hot from the pot, with small steamed potatoes.

Variation: Use pain d'épice instead of bread and mustard. Add 2 T. red wine vinegar as you deglaze the pan; omit the sugar and use 100g pain d'épice (about 3 1cm slices).

**Note: I neglected to stir this frequently enough during the last hour of cooking and it started to stick to the bottom of the pan. I saved it, but it would have been a lot better if that hadn't happened. I'll be more careful next time.

Boeuf Bourguignon I

From the kitchen of Julia Child

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Servings: 6

Difficulty: Difficult [I take issue with the difficult rating. Tedious, yes. Time-consuming, certainly. But not really difficult.]

Cook Time: Over 120 min

This recipe is adapted from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Alfred A. Knopf, 1961)

Ingredients

One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon (or lardons, if you're lucky enough to find them)

3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 carrot, sliced

1 onion, sliced

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/2 teaspoon thyme

A crumbled bay leaf

18 to 24 white onions, small

3 1/2 tablespoons butter

Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)

1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered

Cooking Directions

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. [I don't know that I would bother to boil the lardons and then saute them in oil. Why not just saute them with no added oil to begin with?]

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.

Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust).

Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.

Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.

Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.

Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.

Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.

Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.

Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.

Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.

Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

Gâteau au Yaourt (Yogurt Cake)

I made this delicious cake last week and I'm sure I will make it again repeatedly. As a bonus, it is fast and easy!

The recipe comes from Clotilde Dusoulier's Chocolate & Zucchini, and she says:

"The basic yogurt cake recipe can be tinkered with endlessly. You can add citrus juice or zest to the batter; fold in berries, chocolate chips, or nuts; substitute ground almonds or cocoa powder for part of the flour; cut the cake in two and spread raspberry jam, lemon curd, or ganache in the middle; or dress the cake with whatever frosting or glaze you like. . . but every time I go back to the original, unadulterated gâteau au yaourt, I am reminded [of] its delightful simplicity."

I just had a piece for breakfast with some hot chocolate and it was simply divine.

80 ml vegetable oil
250g plain unsweetened yogurt, preferably whole milk
200g sugar
2 large eggs
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 T. light or amber rum (optional -- I didn't have any, so I increased the vanilla)
240g flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
a good pinch of fine sea salt

Preheat the oven to 180º C. Grease the sides of a 25cm round cake pan or springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla, oil, and rum, if using, and whisk again.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (I confess I skipped this step!) Pour the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, and whisk until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let stand for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen. If you're using a springform pan, unclasp the sides. Otherwise, flip the cake onto a plate and flip it back on the rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Tagine d'Agneau aux Poires (Lamb Tagine with Pears)

From the Chocolate & Zucchini cookbook
Serves 6

1 T. olive oil
700g boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm cubes and patted dry with paper towels
fine sea salt
500g yellow onions, about 3 medium
2 garlic cloves
a pinch of saffron threads
1/2 t. whole cumin seeds
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
a good pinch of ground chile powder
100g whole blanched almonds
15g unsalted butter
4 ripe pears, peeled, cored and quartered (choose a variety that will hold its shape when cooked, such as Conference or William)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Arrange half of the meat in a single layer over the bottom of the pot without crowding. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, until the meat starts to brown. Season with salt, set aside on a plate, and repeat with remaining meat.

While meat is browning, peel and slice the onions. Peel and mince garlic. Once all meat is browned and set aside, combine onions, garlic, and 1 T. water in the pot. Cook over med. heat for 10 minutes, until softened, stirring regularly. Add the meat, sprinkle with spices, stir, and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Pour in hot water halfway up the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover, and lower the heat to med. low. Cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender.

While the meat is simmering, toast the almonds in a large dry frying pan until golden and fragrant, and set aside. In the same pan, melt the butter over med. heat until it starts to sizzle. Add the quartered pears and toss gently to coat. Lower the heat to med. low, cover, and cook 12 minutes, until the pears are cooked through and slightly translucent. Keep warm.

Remove the lid from the pot, turn the heat up to med. high, and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce is thick enough to cling to the meat. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Transfer the meat and sauce to a serving dish. Surround with the pears, sprinkle with toasted almonds, and serve with couscous.

Note: If you're at all excited about Moroccan cooking, you may want to add ras el hanout, a complex mix of spices, to your spice rack. If you are able to find it, use 2 t. in this recipe, in place of the cumin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pepper.

Pâte Brisée (Savory Short Pastry)

A great crust for quiche or any savory tart. French crusts are always made with butter, rather than shortening. They're not as flaky as ones made with shortening, but they sure do taste good!


200g flour
1/2 t. fine sea salt
125g chilled butter, diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
ice cold water

Combine flour, salt and butter in a medium bowl. Rub the mixture with your fintertips or a wire pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat the egg slightly in a small bowl. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture, add the egg, and blend gently with a fork. When most of the egg is incorporated, knead gently until the dough comes together. If it is a little dry, add ice water, 1 T. at a time, until the dough forms a ball. Avoid overworking the dough, or it will become tough.

Shape the dough into a slightly flattened ball. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a day. Let stand at room temp. before using, just long enough that the dough can be rolled out without cracking (usually about 10 minutes).

Sprinkle flour lightly on a clean work surface and on your rolling pin, and roll the pin over your dough 2-3 times with moderate pressure. Rotate the dough by a quarter of a turn and roll the pin over it 2-3 times. Repeat until you get a circle large enough to line your pan, sprinkling both your work surface and rolling pin with a little more flour when the dough starts to stick to either.

Variation: flavor the dough with a T. of dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano), 1/2 - 1 t. ground spices (nutmeg, ginger, cumin), or 30g hard grated cheese (parmesan in particular).

Pâte Sablée (Sweet Short Pastry)

Makes enough to line a 25cm tart pan, or 6 10cm tartlet molds.

75g chilled unsalted butter, diced, plus a pat to grease the pan
75g sugar
150g plain flour
1/4 t. fine sea salt
1-2 T. cold milk

Grease a 25cm tart pan with butter.

Combine sugar, salt, and flour. Add butter cubes and rub into the dry ingredients with the tips of your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add a tablespoon of milk and blend it in, handling the dough as lightly as you can. The dough should still be crumbly, but should clump if you gently squeeze a handful in your hand. If it doesn't, add a little more milk, teaspoon by teaspoon, and blend again, still working lightly.

Pour the mixture into the tart pan and use the back of a tablespoon to spread it evenly over the bottom. Using the heels of your hands and your fingers, press down on the dough to form a thin layer, covering the surface of the pan and creating a rim all around. Don't worry if the dough is a little dry, this is normal. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to a day.

Variations: flavor the dough with 1 t. vanilla extract or finely grated citrus zest, 1/2 t. spice such as cinnamon or nutmeg, or 1 t. liqueur (Grand Marnier, rum). Add these ingredients along with the butter.

Conversions

Okay, here are approximate conversions from Metric to U.S. measurements:

WEIGHT

50 grams = 2 ounces
110 grams = 4 ounces
150 grams = 5 ounces
200 grams = 7 ounces
250 grams = 9 ounces
450 grams = 16 ounces (1 pound)
900 grams = 32 ounces (2 pounds)


LIQUID

5 milliliters = 1 teaspoon
15 milliliters = 1 Tablespoon
60 milliliters = 1/4 cup / 4 Tablespoons
80 milliliters = 1/3 cup
240 milliliters = 1 cup
1000 milliliters (1 liter) = 1 quart


TEMPERATURE

140º C = 275º F
150º C = 300º F
170º C = 325º F
180º C = 350º F
190º C = 375º F
200º C = 400º F
220º C = 425º F
230º C = 450º F
240º C = 475º F

Now, go and try French recipes!