With the United States celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I was inspired to post about how grateful I am to have cooked and tasted all of the delicious food and recipes in France. I am grateful everyday for this opportunity that was given to me. Although there have been challenging times, when I remain grateful and focus on the joy of the situation here, it brings me back into the part of myself that is the most clear and the most authentic. A smile is then present for me internally and on my face, and all that is left is me... living and working in Puycelsi, eager to learn new recipes and what it takes to run a small bistro and hotel. I'd like to share pictures of some of the dishes I have become very grateful for in France.
The photo above is our homemade Mi-Cuit Fois Gras at the Auberge. I paired it with figs picked from a nearby tree in Puycelsi, and the juice of fig jam. This, paired with some toast bread makes for a great first course...just make sure you get enough of the sweet jam to offset the richness of the fois-it sends it to a whole other level.
Meat Terrines...though sometimes not appetizing in looks to the not so familiar, the work and care that goes into making a terrine the correct way as well as the careful planning of spices and types of meats will give the lucky guest a whole new respect for this typical menu item in France. The terrines here are all types-the fois as stated above, as well as this meat terrine, and we also make seafood terrines made with salmon, shrimp, and crab. Each are served differently in their own way, but all delicious.
The essential Apple Tart. How many ways are there to make an apple tart? Thousands! Without giving away the secrets I have learned here I will tell you that the number one reason is to use the freshest apples that you can find, and try to use several different varieties for the flavor profile differences. (This also works with Apple Pie-hint hint...) This tart made at the Auberge is simple and delicious, and we use apples that are fresh from a farmer down the road from us with the stems still intact when we purchase from him.
This is Coq Au Vin that had been braising overnight. It was one of the classic French dishes that I was determined to learn here in France (sorry, but my school and cookbook recipes just didn't do this dish justice!) and I am happy to say I have learned this, and am extremely grateful! Especially when I get to sit down and feast upon the rich meat that falls off the bone, the earthy wine sauce, and soak it up with a piece of fresh baguette from the boulangerie next door.
Yes....I am grateful for salads. Although I do not really consider salads, "cooking" the French are very serious when it comes to their salads and in prior posts I think you will find just how many salads I have come across here. This salad pictured above with roquefort cheese, is our version of the 'Salade avec Roquefort' that I have posted on when I first arrived in France. We pair our version with pomegranate vinaigrette, pears and walnuts. The acidity from the vinaigrette pairs incredibly well with the creamy and tartness of the roquefort and toasted nuttiness of the walnuts. It is a melody in the mouth and since I have been in charge mostly of the salads, terrines, and the deserts here at the Auberge I am very thankful to have learned that a salad, is sometimes 'not just a salad'...:)
Can you tell I like Duck? :) Duck Confit, a duck leg cooked in it's own fat is a dish that you will find on almost any French restaurant menu. It's considered an art form and everyone has their own way. Through much research on my own I think I have found the perfect way to cook this delicacy. I have eaten this dish countless times here at the restaurant as well as others around France and have had it come out in various different ways. I am grateful for being given the opportunity to try so many of them thanks to mon petit ami, Devin when he was here as well as in the restaurant I work in. The key is making sure that the skin remains crisp and the juicy meat that lies underneath is protected. The result- when cooked correctly is a perfect dug leg with crispy skin that almost crackles and the meat underneath just falls right off of the bone, dripping in it's own juices.
Plat du Jour, or 'Plate of the Day' is something almost any restaurant and bistro in France will have on a menu. This is an item that usually the chef comes up with and then asks for assistance (me, or the sous chef for example) on collaborating side items for the day. The creative and fun part of it is that we get to use our own creative freedom, with the ingredients that we have purchased at the market that week. On this plat du jour we used a whitefish, similar to cod and halibut in texture with a tomato based sauce, sauteed new potatoes, and a salad with a mustard vinaigrette and fresh grated beets. I'm grateful for being able to contribute to the menu offerings here, and make people warm and happy inside on a cold day when they stop in for lunch or dinner. The later is one of the main reasons why I love what I do...to make people happy with food is something that I don't think even the top chefs in the world ever get over or overlook. I feel lucky and blessed to be able to do that here day in and day out.
Coquelet, or as we know them in the states as Cornish Game Hens have various ways of being cooked, stuffed, glazed and sauced... I don't think I ever really get tired of them. One little hen is enough for two but if your hungry it's easy to dive into the sweet succulent meat and crispy exterior skin. We like to cook them simply, in an oven low and slow, and let them braise in their own juices and root vegetables. We make a sauce with the pan drippings beneath and serve with gratin potatoes. Another key point here is making sure you get these lovely creatures from a good source and farmer in your area, believe me it changes the taste completely with the right sources.
Beef Bourguignon, or a slow cooked beef stew usually made with high quality rump or chuck roast cut into cubes seared properly, and then stewed for hours. This dish originating in the Burgundy region of France goes nicely with a Cote Du Rhone and also will stand up very nicely to a Saint Emilion Grand-Cru. I have been fortunate enough to have this dish more than once here and it is always melt in your mouth, velvety rich, with just the right amount of sweetness from the carrots and onions to meld perfectly with the juices and beef. This dish must also accompany a very good crusty bread, like a baguette or Italian white to sop up all of the juices.
While there are too many recipes to count that I am thankful for, these are the main courses that I thought best represented the classic French dishes I have learned here that I am the most thankful for. My goal before my work is finished in Puycelsi is to try and learn a few more classic dishes,and I will share those with you as well. I want to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving and know that I will be thinking of how grateful I am to have wonderful people, family, and foodie friends in my life. Until next time, Bon Apetit!
Duck confit! When we meet, you have to make it for me.
Happy Thanksgiving, Shannon.
Marco Flavio
Posted by: Marco Flavio | 11/24/2009 at 03:42 PM