Authentic French Fare
Transport yourself - and your guests - to a French café on the Seine. True French cuisine like escargot, French onion soup and Provencal-style lamb will make you feel like you're really there.
French Onion Soup, Escargot in Cream Sauce, Grilled Boneless Provencal-Style Lamb with Grilled Tomatoes, Wilted Cabbage Salad with Bacon, Elephant Ears
Ingredients
6 C. onions peeled and thinly sliced
4 C. beef broth
1/4 C. butter
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 C. white wine
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
6-8 slices French bread toasted and cut into 1" cubes
1 C. shredded Swiss or mozzarella cheese
Directions
Sauté onions in butter until tender. Add beef broth, sugar, white wine, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Ladle soup into oven proof bowls. Place one slice of toasted bread cubes in each bowl. Top each bowl with cheese and bake in oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Ingredients
12 1-inch slices narrow French baguette
12 large escargots
1/4 lb. butter
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 C. heavy cream
Directions
Pinch out a small piece of the bread to form a small hollow in the center of each of the slices of baguette and place a snail in each hollow. Combine the butter, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Top each snail with a tsp. of the butter, sealing them in the bread pockets.
Place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, until the butter is hot and bubbling. Meanwhile, combine the remaining butter mixture and cream in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat and cook until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Drizzle the sauce over the toasts and serve immediately.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Grilled Boneless Provencal-Style Leg of Lamb with Grilled Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 butterflied boneless leg of lamb, 5 to 6 lb. (2.5 to 3 kg) total weight
1/2 C. (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for tomatoes
1/4 C. (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/4 C. (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
1/4 C. (60 ml) chopped scallions
1 Tbs. chopped garlic
1 Tbs. minced thyme leaves
1 Tbs. herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
Directions
Rinse the leg of lamb under cold running water. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels and place it in a roasting pan. In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, scallions, garlic, thyme, herbes de Provence and pepper. Pour this marinade over the lamb and turn the meat a few times to make sure it is thoroughly coated. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight. In a charcoal or gas grill, prepare a fire for indirect-heat cooking, with the coals or flames under the perimeter or one side of the cooking grid.
While the fire heats, remove the meat from the refrigerator and the marinade, transferring it to a tray or platter. When the fire is hot, season the meat all over with salt. Place the meat directly over the heat and sear it well, about 15 minutes per side. Move the meat over the cooler part of the fire bed, cover the grill, and continue cooking until the lamb is done medium, 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size and thickness of the meat. Transfer the meat to a carving board, cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, rub the tomato halves generously with some olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and grill them directly over the heat until tender and nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the meat across the grain and at a slight angle into slices about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Accompany the carved lamb with the grilled tomato halves.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Wilted Cabbage Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
1/2 lb. bacon
1 medium head cabbage, shredded
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 C. tarragon vinegar
Directions
1 Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove bacon, crumble and set aside. Reserve bacon fat. 2 Add the onion and garlic and fry in the bacon fat until browned. 3 Add the vinegar. Bring to a simmer and add the cabbage and bacon. Sauté briefly and serve warm.
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients
2 Tbs. sour cream
1 C. buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. margarine, melted
2 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Oil for deep-frying
1/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
Spoon sour cream into a 1 C. measuring cup and add only enough buttermilk to equal 1 C. total; pour into a large mixing bowl. Add egg, salt and margarine; blend well. Slowly mix in flour and baking soda; turn onto floured surface and kneed until smooth. Let stand for 3 hours or leave in the refrigerator overnight. Divide into desired serving sizes; roll each piece out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut slits in the center of each piece, leaving 2 halves joined at the top to make the ears.
Pour oil into a deep skillet to a depth of one-inch; heat oil over medium heat to 375 degrees on a candy thermometer. Fry dough in hot oil until golden brown on both sides; sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Yield: 4-6 servings
