French Main Tomato Torte This beautiful torte makes a wonderful luncheon dish...but using mini pastry shells turns it into tasty hors d'oeuvres.
Preheat oven to 350. Combine eggs, salt, pepper and basil; slowly add butter and half-&-half, then chopped tomatoes. Pour filling into pastry shell.** Grate or shred cheese and sprinkle over top. Bake for 45 minutes, or till knife inserted near edge comes out clean. Allow torte to sit 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. * Piecrust: store-bought versions are heaven-sent for those who have neither the time nor the know-how for good homemade piecrust. But for those willing to make their own, see Noel's Pie Crust under French Desserts: it's a winner. ** Traditional French tartes use flan pans (with detachable sides), but you can also use a standard quiche pan. |
Tips & Glossary Bouquet Garni: (boo-kay gar-nee) bundle of herbs tied together with string or wrapped in cheese cloth square; usually parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Flavor is released during long cooking.Remove before serving. Chervil: (sher-vil) related to parsley but has a delicate anise flavor. Long cooking kills flavor, so add at the last minute. Cornichon (kor-nee-shon) teeny-tiny pickle, served with pates & smoked meats; found in specialty food stores. Fines Herbes: (feen-airb) mix of finely chopped herbs: parsley, chives, tarragon, & chervil. Not as strong as a bouqet garni. Buy it at most grocery stores. Fromage: (fra-mahj) Cheese! The French eat more than any nationality, 45 pounds per capita per year; and the country makes more cheeses than any other country, about 400. Herbes de Provence (airb-duh-pro-vonce): mix of dried herbs, usually thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, & bay leaf Can be found at most grocery stores. Mutarde: (moo-tard), mustard. Most famous: Nicoise Olive: (nee-swaz- oh-leev) small, purplish-black olive with a mellow, nutty flavor; used primarily in Salade Nicoise. The Picholine variety is a green, medium-sized olive with a light, nutty flavor. Roux: (roo) paste-like mix of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. The basis of every classic French sauce.
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French Side French Onion Soup French Onion Soup—a deep, rich broth made with carmelized onions makes this beloved French classic a perennial favorite..
Preheat oven to 325. In a heavy pot, sauté onions for 30 minutes till they are a rich golden brown. (Caramelize but don't burn them.) Add liquids and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Place bread slices on baking sheet and toast in oven 20 minutes.* Place bread in individual ovenproof soup bowls, spoon soup over bread, sprinkle with cheese, and place under broiler for 3-5 minutes, till cheese is bubbles and browns. * If you don’t have individual ovenproof bowls, sprinkle toasted bread slices with 1/2 the cheese, then pour soup over them. Top with remaining 1/2 of the cheese. You don’t get the crusty cheesy top, but it’s just as delicious and easier to eat. Also, use this method if you're serving the soup from a large soup tureen instead of individual bowls. |
Tips & Glossary Bouquet Garni: (boo-kay gar-nee) bundle of herbs tied together with string or wrapped in cheese cloth square; usually parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Flavor is released during long cooking.Remove before serving. Chervil: (sher-vil) related to parsley but has a delicate anise flavor. Long cooking kills flavor, so add at the last minute. Cornichon (kor-nee-shon) teeny-tiny pickle, served with pates & smoked meats; found in specialty food stores. Fines Herbes: (feen-airb) mix of finely chopped herbs: parsley, chives, tarragon, & chervil. Not as strong as a bouqet garni. Buy it at most grocery stores. Fromage: (fra-mahj) Cheese! The French eat more than any nationality, 45 pounds per capita per year; and the country makes more cheeses than any other country, about 400. Herbes de Provence (airb-duh-pro-vonce): mix of dried herbs, usually thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, & bay leaf Can be found at most grocery stores. Mutarde: (moo-tard), mustard. Most famous: Nicoise Olive: (nee-swaz- oh-leev) small, purplish-black olive with a mellow, nutty flavor; used primarily in Salade Nicoise. The Picholine variety is a green, medium-sized olive with a light, nutty flavor. Roux: (roo) paste-like mix of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. The basis of every classic French sauce.
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French Side
Petite Peas with Onions Petite Pois: tiny, green peas braised with onions and lettuce: a time-honored classic of French cooking.
Cut off stems of bibb lettuce, quarter each head, and loosely tie 4 quarters back together (you will have 2 bundles). In a large pot, first add the lettuce quarters, then peas, shallots (if using onions, cut in half), and mint sprigs on top. Add water, salt and sugar, and dot with butter. Cover and simmer over low heat 30 minutes, shaking pot to make sure the lettuce doesn’t burn. Add a little more water if needed. Remove mint, cut string from lettuce, and arrange all (including lettuce and liquid) in a serving dish. Serve immediately with and meat dishes, especially Boeuf Bourguignon. |
Tips & Glossary Bouquet Garni: (boo-kay gar-nee) bundle of herbs tied together with string or wrapped in cheese cloth square; usually parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Flavor is released during long cooking.Remove before serving. Chervil: (sher-vil) related to parsley but has a delicate anise flavor. Long cooking kills flavor, so add at the last minute. Cornichon (kor-nee-shon) teeny-tiny pickle, served with pates & smoked meats; found in specialty food stores. Fines Herbes: (feen-airb) mix of finely chopped herbs: parsley, chives, tarragon, & chervil. Not as strong as a bouqet garni. Buy it at most grocery stores. Fromage: (fra-mahj) Cheese! The French eat more than any nationality, 45 pounds per capita per year; and the country makes more cheeses than any other country, about 400. Herbes de Provence (airb-duh-pro-vonce): mix of dried herbs, usually thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, & bay leaf Can be found at most grocery stores. Mutarde: (moo-tard), mustard. Most famous: Nicoise Olive: (nee-swaz- oh-leev) small, purplish-black olive with a mellow, nutty flavor; used primarily in Salade Nicoise. The Picholine variety is a green, medium-sized olive with a light, nutty flavor. Roux: (roo) paste-like mix of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. The basis of every classic French sauce.
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French Side Potato au Gratin Creamy, creamy, creamy with a hint of garlic. This dish is rich and delicious and easy to make.
Preheat oven to 325. Rub garlic cloves around the bottom and sides of a 9 x 12 baking pan. Then lightly butter the pan. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with seasonings. Layer potatoes in the baking pan, leaving at least 1/2" at the top. Cover with cream and dot with butter. Bake 1 1/2 -2 hours till top is bubbly and golden brown. Serve immediately. * This recipe calls specifically for the waxy-type of potatoes rather than the grainier baking type. ** You can also use half-&-half instead of cream to trim calories. |
Tips & Glossary Bouquet Garni: (boo-kay gar-nee) bundle of herbs tied together with string or wrapped in cheese cloth square; usually parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Flavor is released during long cooking.Remove before serving. Chervil: (sher-vil) related to parsley but has a delicate anise flavor. Long cooking kills flavor, so add at the last minute. Cornichon (kor-nee-shon) teeny-tiny pickle, served with pates & smoked meats; found in specialty food stores. Fines Herbes: (feen-airb) mix of finely chopped herbs: parsley, chives, tarragon, & chervil. Not as strong as a bouqet garni. Buy it at most grocery stores. Fromage: (fra-mahj) Cheese! The French eat more than any nationality, 45 pounds per capita per year; and the country makes more cheeses than any other country, about 400. Herbes de Provence (airb-duh-pro-vonce): mix of dried herbs, usually thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, & bay leaf Can be found at most grocery stores. Mutarde: (moo-tard), mustard. Most famous: Nicoise Olive: (nee-swaz- oh-leev) small, purplish-black olive with a mellow, nutty flavor; used primarily in Salade Nicoise. The Picholine variety is a green, medium-sized olive with a light, nutty flavor. Roux: (roo) paste-like mix of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. The basis of every classic French sauce.
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French Side Potato & Leek Soup Vichyssoise (vishy-swaz), the creme de la creme of French soups. Rich, creamy potato and leek soup—served chilled.
Prepare: in a soup pot, sauté leeks and onion till soft. Add potatoes, water, broth, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer till potatoes are soft and crumbly. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender. Cover and chill. Serve: when ready to serve stir in cream, adjust seasoning and garnish with chives. Serve as a first course, or as a luncheon with a salad and a loaf of crusty French bread. * You can use light cream or half-and-half instead of heavy cream. It's not quite as rich but it helps to reduce the fat load. |
Tips & Glossary Bouquet Garni: (boo-kay gar-nee) bundle of herbs tied together with string or wrapped in cheese cloth square; usually parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Flavor is released during long cooking.Remove before serving. Chervil: (sher-vil) related to parsley but has a delicate anise flavor. Long cooking kills flavor, so add at the last minute. Cornichon (kor-nee-shon) teeny-tiny pickle, served with pates & smoked meats; found in specialty food stores. Fines Herbes: (feen-airb) mix of finely chopped herbs: parsley, chives, tarragon, & chervil. Not as strong as a bouqet garni. Buy it at most grocery stores. Fromage: (fra-mahj) Cheese! The French eat more than any nationality, 45 pounds per capita per year; and the country makes more cheeses than any other country, about 400. Herbes de Provence (airb-duh-pro-vonce): mix of dried herbs, usually thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, & bay leaf Can be found at most grocery stores. Mutarde: (moo-tard), mustard. Most famous: Nicoise Olive: (nee-swaz- oh-leev) small, purplish-black olive with a mellow, nutty flavor; used primarily in Salade Nicoise. The Picholine variety is a green, medium-sized olive with a light, nutty flavor. Roux: (roo) paste-like mix of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. The basis of every classic French sauce.
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