Cafe de Paris

PREP. PREP. PREP. 

It cannot be said enough.  Prepare your ingredients and have everything on the counter ready.

Frederick has a French bias.  He alluded to the French Resistance but I can't imagine it was his war.  He won't tell me his age, so it is entirely possible. 

There is a framed article hanging in his kitchen on Antonin Careme-father of le grand cuisine. Frederick's wife said she wouldn't be caught dead wearing Empire waists.  She's heard one lecture after another on the superiority of the French cuisine. 

"It's not the complexity, but the simplicity of it all that makes it so."  Or so he says.

 

On my travels this past summer I picked up a mint condition second hand At Elizabeth David's Table. Ms. David had a touch of the curmudgeon in her.  Does David pass muster in F's kitchen?  The editor of Table feels that David has not been given her due.  Frederick feels we've heard more than enough on this grand dame of the kitchen. 

 

Partridge was initially suggested, but it's been an age since the last roast pheasant so faisan it was.  "Brevity is my forte." was Ms. David's motto.  Her recipes are short and to the point so I've taken the liberty of elaborating just a wee bit.

One has to start a meal right.  Gin and Pernod work the appetite effectively on their own so why not combine the two?

 

 

 

cafe de paris

2 oz gin

1 tsp Pernod

1 tsp cream

1 egg white

shake and strain to martini glass; delicious

Notes from F:  Pernod should be drunk with a little cold water to cloud it.  Don't sully it with creme and eggs!


scallops with pancetta & white wine

 

 

 

 

I like three scallops per person.  David calls for two chopped scallops but this looks like a pile of stuff on the plate as opposed to nicely presented scallops and dressing.



 

For every two servings:

 

scallops; rinse & pat dry

1 TBSP flour

fresh pepper to taste

2oz pancetta, chopped

1 TBSP butter

1 large shallot, chopped

1/3 C white wine

chopped parsley to finish

 

Sautee shallot in butter 'til translucent.  Add pancetta. Cook 'til crisping up.  Sprinkle scallops with flour.  Cook 4 min per side.  Remove from pan and keep warm.  Add wine; low boil 'til thickened.

 

I sauteed a little baby bok choy to use as a bed or accompaniment and a bit of colour.

 

Notes from F:  give the pancetta room and time to cook; we're not setting it on fire but cubed pancetta is an unusual texture; finely dice to ensure crisping.

 

 

pheasant with chestnut sauce

 

Chestnut sauce (make ahead)

 

½ lb chestnuts

3 TBSP butter

2 celery stalk

one slice bacon

6 TBSP port

6 TBSP water

Conservative sprinkle of salt

2 TBSP stock OR 35 % cream

Buttered parchment paper

Score chestnuts and roast in 350F oven for 15 mins.  Shell and skin.  Chop into quarters.

Sautee celery, bacon and when tender and crisp add chestnuts, port, water, salt.

Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

 

Roast pheasant in parchment paper, one side for 20 min; second side for 15 mins at 375F then right side up for 20 mins (I gave it  10 extra minutes)

 

Reheat sauce adding cream or stock. 

 

Go with stock as reheating addition. The sauce has a good colour but with the addition of cream, it turned a sickly purple; BUT with further cooking browned nicely

 

Notes from F.~ pay attention to the weight, adjust time accordingly;  allow for extra roasting time; nothing is gained from prolonged parchment cooking; wrap bird in bacon for moisture

Buy good quality bacon.

As chestnuts cook, break them down to smaller pieces.

Don’t let the sauce boil its gut out with the lid on; simmer, simmer, simmer!

Don’t forget to check the inside of the bird for neck, kidneys, etc;  roast the heart for the stock or to garnish the breast!

 

 

 

Good luck on your quest for a pheasant.  Do plan ahead and get a reputable butcher to order one in for you unless you happened to be out in farm country and see one grazing in a farmer's field.

 

pommes de terre l’echirlete  (aka roast potatoes)

½ lb new potatoes

Chicken stock to cover

2 garlic cloves

1 TBSP animal fat

Simmer potatoes in broth. Finish by roasting in bacon fat and minced garlic.

Notes from F:  fat should be hot!

 

 

 



 

 

 chocolate pots (from the delightful Jamie Oliver)

 

 

1 C 18 % cream

7 oz  70% chocolate-broken into pieces

2 yolks

3 TBSP brandy

1 TBSP butter

2 TSP butter

Heat cream ‘til just about on the boil.  Let cool a couple of minutes and incorporate chocolate.  Stir ‘til smooth.  Beat in yolks and brandy. 

Cool.

Beat in butter ‘til smooth.

 Suggested serving to pour into espresso sized cups or other vessel.

Notes:  used 85 % cocoa second time around; received lecture on why not to go any higher than 70 %

The brandy does the job of the other 15% taste-wise

A dollop of whipped 35 % wouldn’t go a miss if you find it too strong!

Original recipe notes that separation can occur if you add the butter too early; it’s your best judgement on gauging the correct temperature; if in doubt, leave a minute longer.  For some reason mine worked.

 

Pouilly Fuisse for the table. Dry but doesn’t suck the life out of your mouth.

Frederick extra: Pouilly comes from Pouilly sur Loire, a small town on the East bank of the Loire.  Lots of fine vineyards in Pouilly and Sancerre which sits opposite.  (I was spared the details on the romp through a vineyard with a fine young mademoiselle.  I have the cognac to thank for that.)

 

 

Fasting 101

The argument went long into the night.

It was a fast, not a hunger strike!  As much as you're willing to die for your cause, you're not going to achieve this by drinking soup broth.  I've drunk that stuff and let me tell you, there's enough there to keep a team of oxen going through ploughing season.

Point taken.

Frederick Hates Cats, Too (an introduction of sorts)

 

Curiosity peaked.  Whoever lived there had kept a low, low profile. Never saw a shadow, regardless of the time of day.  I had even made a point of changing my routines in an effort to discover who the owner was.  The nightly constitutional proved disappointing.  Where do people disappear to?  Off to stare at the big, blue screen? 

The grass was perfectly manicured, landscaped beds produced vast quantities of tulips and daffodils in the Spring, roses throughout the Summer and there was no need for Jesus when it came to the vegetable patch.  Patch being a gross misnomer.  Cigar smoke and The American Songbook drifted in nightly.  Unlike the daily assault of grease emanating from the next door neighbour’s window; aromas of fresh chopped chive and baked bread found its way out of the courtyard.

It was pure chance encounter. He was chasing (or rather attacking) a trespassing cat when I first came upon him.  I had gone to the alley to confirm my suspicions about the noise.  Cats mean rats and the sudden appearance of two dead rats in the alley set panic amongst the neighbours.  The cat ran for one of its nine lives and was promptly followed by a rather large wooden spoon.  I took a tentative step to retrieve it.  What kind of pot needs such a large spoon?  The gate hadn’t latched and I decided it was now or never.  A few more steps. 

 

“Damn it woman, get your heels off the lawn!”

2013 Resolution

Never rush the preparation of, the cooking of and most importantly, the consumption of a meal.

It doesn't matter what you're preparing, be it a bowl of muesli or roast partridge, take the time to savour the food.

F.