Je suis pompette...

My brother gave me a copy of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Christmas last year and after a bit of inspiration from the film Julie & Julia, I thought why not create my own little food diary..

So first up and appropriately so, here’s my attempt at Soupe à L’Oignon Gratinée au Fromage.  

(For 6-8 servings)

Ingredients: 

• 5-6 cups of yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, grated raw
• 3 tbsp of butter
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 8 slices of hard-toasted french bread
• 3 tbsp of cognac
• 2 cups of Gruyere cheese
• 2 ounces of Gruyere cheese cut into very thing slivers
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups of boiling beef stock or beef bouillon
• 3 tbsp of flour
• 1/2 tsp of sugar
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Cook the onions slowly with the butter and oil in the covered saucepan for 15 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to moderate, and stir in the salt and sugar.  Cook for 30-40 minutes stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even, deep golden brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 3 minutes.
• Off heat, blend in the boiling beef stock.  Add the wine, and season to taste.  Simmer partially covered for 30-40 minutes or more, skimming occasionally.  Correct seasoning.
• (You can set aside uncovered until read to serve.  Then simply reheat to simmer.)  
• Just before serving, store in the cognac.  
• Bring to a boil and pour into a soup tureen or soup pots.  Stir in the slivered cheese and grated onion.  Float the rounds of toase on top of the soup, and spread the grated cheese over it.  Sprinkle the with oil or butter.  Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, then set for minute or two under a preheated broiler to brown the top lightly.  Serve immediately.

Bon Appétit!

On tonight’s dinner menu:

Julia Child’s Herb, Lemon, & Garlic Roasted Chicken served with (my take on) Honey Gold Roasted Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus

I was rummaging around for a chicken recipe to make tonight based around the thought I had 6 drumsticks in my freezer.  I came across this great roast chicken recipe from Julia Child; which represents the kind of cooking she most loved - rustic, simple, and with big flavors. Although her recipes calls for a whole chicken, I opted to use the drumsticks I already had which worked out just fine. The herb, lemon, and garlic chicken paired with these mouthwatering honey roasted potatoes and asparagus truly make for a delectably delicious meal.

Herb, Lemon & Garlic Roasted Chicken:

(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:

• 2 lemons, halved, juiced (keep halves)
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed
• 5-6 drumsticks
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
• 2 tbsp walnut or hazelnut oil

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, add the lemons and juice, thyme, rosemary, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Whisk together and add the chicken to the bowl. Turn the chicken to coat on all sides. 

Choose a heavy-duty 9 x 13-inch metal or flame-proof glass baking dish, and add the onions to the bottom. Place the chicken in the baking dish, and pour over the rest of the liquid. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, and season generously with salt, and place in a preheated 400 degrees F. oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until an internal temp of 165 degrees F. *TIP: raise the temperature all the way for the last 15 minutes of the recipe and flip the chicken so it broils on the other side as well.

Remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil again while you make the sauce. Add the chicken stock to the baking dish and scrap the bottom of the pan to deglaze any of the caramelized juices. Strain the liquid into a bowl, add the walnut or hazelnut oil and whisk to combine. Pour any juices that have collected on the plate under the chicken. Taste for salt and fresh ground black pepper, and adjust.

Spoon over the sauce.

Honey Roasted Potatoes

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb small potatoes, halved or quartered
• 2 tbsps diced onion
• 2 tbsps butter, melted
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375º. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Place potatoes in prepared pan and sprinkle onion over the top.  Combine the butter, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl and pour over the potatoes and onion. Bake for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring halfway through the cooking time.

Roasted Asparagus:

Ingredients:

• Asparagus
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

Spread out the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Pat it as dry as you can, as you don’t want any water to “steam” the asparagus in the oven. Begin by generously drizzling olive oil all over the asparagus. Then sprinkle the asparagus generously with kosher salt and then pepper.  Roast the asparagus in a 425-degree oven for about ten minutes. (The secret here is for the oven to be very hot so the asparagus can begin to brown on the outside without overcooking and getting too flimsy.)

For dinner this evening, Bœuf Bourguignon!

Another classic dish from my bible, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” It’s a wonderful dish; quite simple to make even though there are a lot of steps. Start off by opening up a bottle of Bordeaux and pour yourself a glass.. as four hours of cooking await. 

Tips:

*Use a wine that you would drink — not cooking wine.

*The better the cut of beef, the better the stew. As the beef is combined with braised onions and sauteed mushrooms, all that is needed to complete your main course is a bowl of potatoes and lots of good bread for the sauce.

*Use frozen pearl onions; saves a lot of time as they come peeled already.

Ingredients:

• 6-ounce chunk of bacon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
• 3 pounds lean stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 sliced carrot
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups of a full-bodied young red wine, preferably Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône
• 2 to 3 cups brown beef stock/broth or canned beef bouillon
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• Crumbled bay leaf
• Blanched bacon rind
• 18 to 24 small white onions, brown-braised in stock.
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered, sautéed in butter
• Parsley sprigs

Preparation:

• Remove rind, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 cups of water. Drain and dry.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.
• Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
• In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.
• Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in the middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
• Stir in the wine and enough stock or bouillon 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. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
• While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.
• 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 bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.
• Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, 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 it is too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.
• For immediate serving: Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice and decorated with parsley.
• For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Serves 6.

Bon Appétit!

For the bœuf bourguignon in my previous recipe, you will need to prepare sautéed mushrooms in butter and brown-braised onions while the beef is in the oven bathing in red wine and beef stock.

Champignons Sautés Au Beurre…

(Sauteed Mushrooms in Butter)

These mushrooms can be served alone or as a component of other dishes such as bœuf bourguignon, or coq au vin. For this dish to be successful, make sure your mushrooms are dry and the butter is super hot, but not burning. Also, don’t crowd the mushrooms in the pan because they will steam instead of brown. Cook them in batches if you have to.

INGREDIENTS…

• 1 Tb butter
• 1 Tb oil
• 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, washed (or cleaned with a paper towel), dried, and sliced into quarters or halves.

Preparation:

• Place a skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss them around for about 4-5 minutes. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

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Oignons Glaces a Brun…

(Brown-braised onions)

Brown-braised onions are used whenever you wish a brown effect, such as in brown fricassees like coq au vin and bœuf bourguignon, or in a mixture with other vegetables.

INGREDIENTS…

• 18 to 24 peeled white onions about 1 inch in diameter
• 1½ Tb butter
• 1½ Tb oil
• ½ cup of brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay leaf, ¼ tsp thyme, tied in cheesecloth

PREPARATION…

• When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.

Then braise them as follows:

• Pour in the beef stock and season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are, or follow one of the suggestions at the end of the recipe.

Poires au Vin Rouge….

(Pears Poached in Red Wine)

This savory red wine poached pear recipe is the perfect dessert. The recipe maximizes the pear’s natural sweetness, combining it with a fruit-forward red wine and highlighting both with a touch of cinnamon and vanilla. Truly decadent!

INGREDIENTS…

• 3 or more pears, firm and ripe, but not too ripe
• 2-3 cups red wine 

• The zest of 1 lemon 

• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 stick of cinnamon


• 2 teaspoons of vanilla

PREPARATION…

• Peel pears and leave stem in tact. 
• Cut the bottom of each pear so it stands up flat and on it’s own.
• Simmer the wine with all other ingredients for about 5 minutes.
• Transfer pears to wine mixture and bring just to a simmer. If pears aren’t covered by liquid, add more wine or water and sugar; proportions are 6 tbl sugar to 1 cup of liquid. Lower heat and maintain and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until just tender when pierced with a knife. Let cool in syrup at least 20 minutes.


Glaze:

• Remove the pears and most of the syrup to another container, leaving about a cup of syrup in the pan. Refrigerate the pears. Add 3 tablespoons more sugar to the syrup, bring to a boil and reduce until thick. Remove the thickened syrup to another container and refrigerate.

Sprinkle cinnamon over the pears and serve with French vanilla ice cream.

Brie & Fig Sandwich with Rosemary Butter…

I found this delicious alternative to the classic grilled cheese sandwich on pinterest and I have to say, this is probably one the most delectable sandwiches I’ve ever had.. and so easy to prepare. I paired it with my Julia Child French Onion Soup and baked accordion potatoes.. perfection.

INGREDIENTS…

• 2 thin slices of white toast or whatever bread your desire
• a few slices of brie
• 1/2 tbs fig spread
• 1 small rosemary sprig - chopped
• 2 tablespoons pat of butter

PREPARATION…

• Butter your toasts and then place a few slices of brie onto one piece of toast and fig jam on the other.
• Melt butter in your skillet on medium and throw in the chopped rosemary.  Keep heating the butter and rosemary for a few minutes until the leaves start to soften up and the rosemary flavor starts to infuse into the butter. 
• When it’s all smooth and melted, put both pieces of pound cake in your skillet (still on medium) and let’em cook. 
• After about three or four minutes you should start to see a nice crust developing on the bottom of the bread.  Gently use your spatula to peek underneath. If you think it’s good to go, gently flip one piece onto the other.  Don’t worry if your brie hasn’t started melting yet, when you do this step the heat from the other sandwich will instantly heat up your cheese and finish the melting process.
• Remove from skillet and enjoy!

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Baked Accordion Potatoes…

Ingredients:

• 6 potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled 
• Olive oil (or melted butter)
• Salt 
• Garnish: Chopped fresh herbs such as chives, Italian parsley and/or oregano

Preparation:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices, crosswise, but do not cut through the bottom. (Cut to within 1/4 inch from the bottom.) Place in roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil (or melted butter), making sure some gets in the potato cracks. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
• Roast for about 60 minutes, basting again with the accumulated oil at about the halfway mark (a turkey baster works well for this). As potatoes bake, the slices will fan out a bit further.
• Remove potatoes from oven. Using a tongs or spatula, place potatoes on plate and shower with chopped fresh herbs if you like. May also be served naked without herbs.