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A small gastronomic section to initiate
you to the French culinary art.
Here you find some of the most known
recipes of the French tradition that
will reveal you the secrets of one of
the more refined and elegant cooking
in the world.
The French recipes are characterized
by a great variety and many sauces that
emphasize the taste of delicious meals.
From regional recipes to the so-called
"haute cuisine", the gastronomic French
art mixes together creativity and imagination
to create delicious plates.
Here you find some examples of French
recipes. |
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Mousse of chocolate
Ingredients for 4 persons
- 225 gr [8 oz]
plain bitter chocolate
- 30 gr [1 oz] butter (unsalted)
- 45 gr [11/2 oz] sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 Tbspoons sour cream
- 3 Tbspoons Cointreau (or any orange
type liquor)
Procedure:
1- Separate the egg yolks from white.
In a large salad bowl, whisk together
the yolks and the sugar until the mixture
gets clearer and smooth.
2- Cut the chocolate and butter in small
squares and put them in a small heavy
saucepan with 2 spoons of Cointreau
and 2 spoons of water. Melt the whole
over a low heat, stirring non stop with
a wooden spoon until smooth. The chocolate
must not stick to the pan.
3- Pour the melted chocolate in the
egg and sugar mixture and stir ; add
the left spoon of liquor, mix, add the
cream and stir.
4- Beat the egg whites with an electric
mixer until frothy. They must get "hard"
(the real test is to turn the bowl upside
down and the whites should not fall
down !!!).
5- Spoon by spoon (quarter by quarter)
, gently incorporate the egg whites
to the chocolate mixture; you can do
it simply with a whisk (you just need
to do quick and light moves, you must
not "break" the bubbles kept in the
whites).
6- Evenly pour the mousse in the 4 soufflé
dishes (you can as well use 6 to 8 ramequins
to serve more guests). Leave in fridge
for at least 3 hours before serving
(the mousse should get "hard"). Decorate
with orange strips, a teaspoon of sour
cream or coffee beans...
Source: French
Food and Cook |
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Onion
soup
Ingredients
for 4 persons:
-250 gr [1/2 lb] brown onions
- 80 gr [3 oz] swiss cheese
- 30 gr [1 oz] butter
- 3 spoons olive oil
- 1 glass white wine (ar.100 ml)
- 1 Tbspoon plain flour
- 4 slices toasted farmhouse bread
- salt & pepper
Procedure:
1-Pre-heat oven on grill position ;
grate the cheese.
2- Melt butter & oil in a large
thick saucepan, medium flame, and brown
the onions for about 5 minutes.
3- When they are softer, sprinkle the
flour on them and stir until blended.
Let it on fire for 5 more minutes then
pour the wine and the warm water (around
1 liter / 2 pints). Add salt & pepper
and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes reducing
flame.
4- Pour the soup evenly in the soup
tureens and float the toasts in each.
Top with the grated cheese.
5- Let it melt and brown in the oven
for a few minutes and serve right away.
TRICK : you can prepare steps 2-3 several
hours ahead and just finish steps 1-4-5
after re-heating at the very last minute...
Source: French
Food and Cook
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Magret
de canard (duck breast)
 Ingredients
for 6 persons:
- 2 pretty large
duck breasts
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- salt, pepper
Procedure:
1.Notch the breast meat on the side
of the skin, so that it will lose a
maximum of fat while being cooked. Heat
a large non-sticky pan and place the
meat with the skin down, while keeping
the heat high. Remove fat occasionally.
Fry for 5 minutes. Turn them on the
other side, lower the heat and cook
also for 5 minutes. They have to remain
rare.
2.Keep the meat warm covered with tin
foil in oven at 120°.
3.During this time, deglaze the pan
with vinegar and honey. Reduce to obtain
a fine honey sauce. Check how seasoned
it is.
Source: Bonjour
la France |
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Tarte Tatin
 Ingredients
for 4 persons:
- 100 grams /
4 oz of butter
- 100 grams / 4 oz of white sugar
- 6 large apples
- fresh lemon juice
- 1 sheet of flaky or puff pastry
(pre-rolled)
Procedures:
1. The pan you
choose for Tarte Tatin is important
as it must be able to withstand cooking
on a stove top and in the very hot
oven with extremely hot caramelizing
sugar. A heavy bottomed seasoned cast-iron
pan is preferable.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C,
390°F or gas mark 5. Measure your
pan and cut your pastry sheet into
a round disc to fit as a lid. Cover
the pastry so it doesn't dry out and
put aside for later.
3. Peel the apples and cut into quarters
removing the core. Brush with lemon
juice so they do not brown.
4. Melt the butter and sugar together
in the pan and slowly cook together
until the sugar dissolves.
5. Arrange the apple quarters in the
sugar mixture in a snug even pattern.
Cook over a slow to medium heat for
around 20 minutes until the apples
are slightly soft and the sugar has
begun to caramelize.
6. Place the pastry round securely
on top of the apples. Bake in the
oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the
pastry is golden brown.
7. Place a serving dish over the pan
and flip upside down to release the
dessert, so that the pastry is underneath.
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Ratatouille
 Ingredients
for 6 persons
1 lb eggplant
1 lb zucchini (courgette)
4 tb olive oil
1/2 lb yellow onions
2 garlic cloves
1 lb tomatoes, firm and ripe
3 tb parsley
Salt and pepper
Procedure:
Step 1: Peel and cut the eggplant into
3 inches long slices. Cut the zucchini
into slices but don't peel. Place those
vegetables in a bowl, cover with water
and let rest for 30 minutes. Drain.
Step 2: Sauté the eggplant and zucchini
with olive oil in a skillet. One minute
on each side. Set aside.
Step 3: Cook the onions with olive oil
in the same skillet for 10 minutes over
moderate heat. Stir in the garlic and
add salt and pepper.
Step 4: Peel the tomatoes and boil for
30 seconds. Cut into slices. Lay them
over the onions in the skillet. Cover
and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
Uncover. Pour the juice from the the
skillet over the tomatoes. Raise heat
and boil for several minutes until juice
has almost entirely evaporated.
Step 5: Put a third of the tomatoes
mixture in the bottom of a casserole.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of parsley.
Then put half of the eggplant and zucchini.
Then the second third of tomatoes. Sprinkle
with 1 tablespoon of parsley. Put the
remaining eggplant and zucchini, then
the tomatoes and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon
of parsley.
Step 6: Cover and simmer over low heat
for 10 minutes. Uncover, pour the juice
over the vegetables. Add salt and pepper
if needed. Raise heat to moderate and
cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Pour
the juice during the process several
times over the vegetables. Serving:
Serve hot or cold.
Source: Cuisine
France
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Pumpkin cream
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium shallots, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 medium pie pumpkin (3 lbs.), seeded
and cubed
- 3 large potatoes (2 lbs.), peeled
and cubed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt, to taste
Procedure:
In a large saucepan, sauté
the shallots and garlic over medium
heat until they turn translucent and
tender.
Add the chicken stock, pumpkin, and
potatoes to the pan and bring to a
simmer. Allow the vegetables to simmer
gently for 35-50 minutes, until they’re
tender.
Puree the soup in a countertop blender
or with an immersion blender until
it is completely smooth. Stir in the
heavy cream and heat through. Season
the soup with salt and pepper.
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Escargot (Snails) à la Bourguignonne
 Ingredients
for 4 persons:
1 small can escargot
(drained),
3 tablespoons butter,
1 tablespoon minced garlic,
lots of chopped parsley,
50 ml. white wine,
30 ml. Pernod,
1 tbsp. chopped onion,
1 tbsp. chopped leek,
salt and pepper to taste,
1/4 cup grated asiago cheese.
Procedure:
Heat the butter in a large pan over
high heat. Stir in the garlic, onion
and leek and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the escargot, the Pernod and the
white wine and cook, stirring for
2-3 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper
and serve in escargot dishes.
Sprinkle generously with chopped parsley
and top with the asiago cheese.
Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes
or until bubbly, if desired.
Cooking tip: If you don't have the
special escargot dishes, you can serve
it in mushroom cups that have been
cooked in the same butter for the
snails.
Source: Finest
Chef |
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Crème Brulée
 Ingredients
for 5 persons:
- 6 egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons white sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150
degrees C).
2. Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons sugar
and vanilla in a mixing bowl until
thick and creamy.
3. Pour cream into a saucepan and
stir over low heat until it almost
comes to boil. Remove the cream from
heat immediately. Stir cream into
the egg yolk mixture; beat until combined.
4. Pour cream mixture into the top
of a double boiler. Stir over simmering
water until mixture lightly coats
the back of a spoon; approximately
3 minutes. Remove mixture from heat
immediately and pour into a shallow
heat-proof dish.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool to room
temperature. Refrigerate for 1 hour,
or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to broil.
7. In a small bowl combine remaining
2 tablespoons white sugar and brown
sugar. Sift this mixture evenly over
custard. Place dish under broiler
until sugar melts, about 2 minutes.
Watch carefully so as not to burn.
8. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Refrigerate until custard is set again.
Source: Allrecipes.com
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Crêpes with Nutella and banana
 Ingredients
for 4 persons:
- 4 tbsp of Nutella
(chocolate hazelnut spread)
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 4 dessert crepes
- 1 tbsp of powdered sugar for garnish
- canola oil, for frying
Procedure:
Fill a medium skillet with canola
oil to a depth of about two inches.
Bring oil to a medium heat. In the
meantime, heat Nutella in a microwaveable
bowl for about 15 seconds or until
it softens enough to spread very easily
(so as not to tear crepe).
Lay first crepe on a flat working
surface and spread 1 tbsp of Nutella
on the inside of the crepe, within
two inches of the edge.
Lay 6 pieces of banana on top of the
nutella and roll crepe up burrito
style. Repeat with remaining crepes.
To see if oil has come to temperature,
drop a piece of crepe into the skillet.
If it sizzles and bubbles appear,
the oil is ready.
Using tongs, lower each crepe very
carefully into the oil, seam side
down.
After 2 minutes, using tongs, turn
crepes over and fry the other side
for about 2 more minutes.
Note: Do not turn crepes too quickly
or crepe will still be soft and it
may come apart.
Do not wait too long or crepes will
have absorbed too much oil and they
will not turn easily. Remove fried
crepes from the oil and let rest on
paper towels for one minute.
Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar
and serve immediately.
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Fondue Savoyarde (cheese)
Ingredients
per 4 persons:
- 1 clove garlic,
peeled and crushed
- 1 1/2 cups Savoyard white wine,
or other light, dry
white wine
- 1 lb. beaufort or gruyère
cheese, grated or cubed
- 1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup kirsch
- 8 slices French country bread, cut
into 1" cubes,
each one with a piece of crust
Procedure:
1. Rub a medium heavy pot with garlic;
discard garlic. Add wine and bring
to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat
to medium and gradually add cheese,
stirring constantly with a wooden
spoon, until cheese has melted. Do
not boil. Continue to cook, stirring
frequently, until mixture has thickened,
about 20 minutes. Add nutmeg, pepper
to taste, and kirsch. Transfer fondue
to a chafing dish or fondue pot.
2. Serve with bread cubes and fondue
forks. Stir frequently. If fondue
becomes too thick, stir in 1/4 cup
of dry white wine.
Source: Saveur.com
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Quiche Lorraine
 Ingredients
for 6 persons
- Pâte brisée or pre-made
pie crust - 1
- Bacon, chopped -- 6-8 slices
- Cream or half-and-half -- 1 1/2 cups
- Eggs, beaten -- 3
- Nutmeg -- pinch
- Salt and pepper -- to taste
- Butter -- 1-2 tablespoons
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. If using
pâte brisée, roll it out
into a circle large enough to line a
lightly greased 8-inch or 10-inch tart
pan, spring-form pan or pie pan. The
pastry should come at least 1 inch up
the sides of the pan. Chill well while
preparing remaining ingredients.
2. Bring about 1 quart of water to a
boil. Add the bacon and blanch for 1
or 2 minutes. Drain well
and sauté until browned in a
skillet over medium-high heat. Drain
on paper towels and sprinkle over the
bottom of the chilled crust.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the
cream or half-and-half, eggs, nutmeg,
salt and pepper. Pour the cream mixture
into chilled crust, taking care not
to fill it more than 3/4 full. The quiche
will puff up as it bakes.
4. Set the quiche on a baking sheet
and then in the oven. Bake until the
quiche puffs and the crust is a light
brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. A knife
inserted into the middle of the quiche
should come out clean.
5. Cool slightly and then remove from
the tart pan to a serving dish. If you
use a pie pan, serve the quiche from
the pan without removing it. The sloping
sides will not support the weight of
the quiche.
Source: What
4 eats
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