French Classics Made Easy (8 page)

3 tablespoons lemon juice or white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

½ cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons light olive oil Pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper, or more to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, chives, or basil (see Note)

1 large head Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves

H
OW TO
C
LEAN
A S
EA
S
CALLOP

Although many people do not bother with this, the tough tendon on the side of a sea scallop really ought to be removed, as it gets even tougher when it’s cooked. After rinsing the scallops, grab the tendon, as shown below, and gently pull to remove.

1.
Place 3 quarts of water in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and scallops. When the water just returns to a boil, drain the seafood and refresh under cold running water.

2.
Slice the shrimp in half lengthwise, and slice the scallops horizontally into 2 or 3 rounds. (The seafood can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

3.
In a bowl large enough to hold the seafood, make the vinaigrette. First mix together the lemon juice and mustard. Add the oils and whisk well. Season with the salt and pepper and stir in the chopped herbs. Refrigerate. (This can be done ahead and taken out of the refrigerator when ready to assemble the salad.)

4.
To serve, arrange the Bibb lettuce on serving plates. Whisk the vinaigrette until it is smooth, and toss the seafood in it. Either simply mound the seafood in the center of each plate, or arrange each plate by overlapping the shrimp and scallops to form a circular design, and serve.

NOTE

If more than one herb is available, use 1 tablespoon of each, but no more than 3 tablespoons total.

G
REEN
S
ALAD
:
Salade Verte

A simple French green salad (
salade verte
) is made with a lettuce similar to our Boston lettuce and tossed with a vinaigrette. The salad can be modified by adding and mixing greens. Most supermarkets offer a variety of salad greens to choose from: Boston, Bibb, red leaf, curly endive (chicory), romaine, watercress, arugula, radicchio, mâche, frisée (baby chicory), and Belgian endive (see Endive and Pink Grapefruit Salad,
page 28
) are among the most frequently seen. Salad dressings are generally variations of Vinaigrette (
page 336
). The vinaigrette can be modified by substituting small amounts of nut oil (such as walnut, almond, or hazelnut) for an equal portion of the vegetable oil and olive oil; different types of vinegar, or lemon juice can be used in place of the tarragon vinegar.

Beyond simple Green Salad: There are a large number of ingredients that can be added to greens to change both appearance and flavor. Some of these are:

FRESH HERBS
—Chives, chervil, basil, and tarragon. Either chop the herbs and sprinkle over the salad, or use a few small leaves mixed in with the other greens.

EGG
—Shred or dice a hardcooked egg and sprinkle over greens.

TOMATOES
—When ripe, tomatoes add wonderful flavor and color to a salad. Use tomatoes that are not too large and cut them into wedges, or use cherry tomatoes cut in half. When available, use the yellow or orange varieties of tomato, as well as the red.

AVOCADO
—Diced ripe avocado adds a subtle richness that is often appreciated.

BELL PEPPERS
—Diced or julienned, sweet peppers add color, crunch, and flavor.

CUCUMBERS
and/or
RADISHES
—Sliced cucumbers add a cool freshness to a salad, and sliced radishes add spicy freshness.

CHEESE
—When serving a first-course salad, add a little cheese: grated Parmesan, diced hard cheese (Swiss, St.-Nectaire, Beaumont), blue, or chèvre (goat cheese).

DRIED FRUITS
and
NUTS
can also be added.

CHICKEN SALAD
WITH
F
RESH
P
EACHES
IN A
C
URRY-
L
IME
D
RESSING

[SALADE DE VOLAILLE AUX PÊCHES]

This dish is based on the memory of a salad I once had at the then three-star restaurant Lapérouse in Paris. Their salad was made with fragrant white peaches, and it was served the way such composed salads are in France, with the various elements arranged separately on the plate. Instead of this classic presentation, I prefer to toss the salad. By combining the ingredients this way, all the flavors can enter your mouth at the same time, which to me is more enjoyable. This salad serves eight as a first course, but with larger portions (serving six), it makes a good main course for lunch, along with warm French bread and a chilled white or rosé wine.

SERVES 6 OR 8

3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken half breasts, poached, chilled, and diced

1 avocado, diced

2 white or yellow peaches, peeled and diced Juice of 1 lime

2 celery ribs, chopped

3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped ¾ to

1 cup mayonnaise, to taste

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper Pinch of curry powder

1 head lettuce, separated into leaves

Tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes, for garnish

1.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken, avocado, and peaches with half of the lime juice. Add the celery, scallions, and hard-cooked eggs.

2.
Flavor the mayonnaise with the salt, pepper, curry powder, and remaining lime juice. Gently toss the chicken mixture with the flavored mayonnaise and refrigerate. (The recipe can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead.)

3.
Serve the salad on a bed of lettuce leaves, garnished with tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes.

VARIATIONS

C
HICKEN AND
M
ANGO
S
ALAD

[SALADE DE VOLAILLE AUX MANGUES]

Substitute 1 mango for the peaches.

S
EAFOOD
S
ALAD WITH
P
EACHES OR
M
ANGOES

[SALADE DE FRUITS DEMER AUX PÊCHESOU AUX MANGUES]

Substitute 2 pounds cooked lobster meat or shrimp for the chicken. Crab meat can also be used in the salad.

C
HICKEN
S
ALAD WITH
M
ANGOES AND
G
INGER

[SALADE DE VOLAILLE AUX MANGUES ET AU GINGEMBRE]

Increase the curry powder to 1 to 2 teaspoons (to taste) and add 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger.

T
OMATO
S
ALAD
:
Salade de Tomates

When tomatoes are in season, I like nothing better than to start an informal meal with a tomato salad. It used to be hard to buy flavorful tomatoes in America, but in the past ten years—with farmers growing a widening variety of heirloom tomatoes—our chances of finding the flavors familiar to the French cook have improved greatly. Slice the tomatoes (one medium-large tomato per person) and place them, in overlapping slices, on individual salad plates. When I have a variety of good tomatoes, I present them on a platter to show the range of colors (for example, red, green, and yellow). Make a vinaigrette of three parts light olive oil, one part lemon juice, and 1 or 2 tablespoons chopped chives or basil. Spoon 1 tablespoon of well-whisked vinaigrette over each portion of tomatoes and serve with warm French bread.

EGGS & OMELETS

Although in the past 20 years the egg has come under heavy attack for the cholesterol in its yolk, and although I no longer eat them as frequently as I once did, I have not given up the pleasure that this most versatile of foods provides. Besides being an excellent source of protein, eggs are an ingredient in many of the masterpieces of French cooking.

Many a French meal includes an egg dish. Eggs—poached, soft- or hard-boiled, baked, fried, scrambled, or in an omelet or quiche—are offered as first courses, or may be the main attraction of a lunch.

Although something like Caviar-Topped Scrambled Egg Cups (
page 36
) might be the beginning of an elegant meal, I am more likely to serve these egg dishes with bread, salad, and dessert for a quick, nourishing light meal.

SLOW-SCRAMBLED EGGS
WITH
T
RUFFLES

[OEUFS BROUILLÉS AUX TRUFFES]

The term “scrambled eggs” does not do justice to the French
oeufs brouillés,
a slow-cooked, soft, moist, and creamy dish served as a first course and not for breakfast. When properly made,
oeufs brouillés aux truffes
ranks in my mind as one of the top 20 dishes ever created. Most French recipes call for the eggs to be cooked in a water bath (
bain-marie
) or double boiler, but I have found that a nonstick pan over low heat works just as well, and if you are careful there will be no need for the extra butter or cream, thus saving calories.

The use of truffles here makes the dish, but, unfortunately, it also makes it a luxury. Try it if you are lucky enough to have a truffle, but the eggs by themselves will still impress your guests. Serve the eggs with or on thinly sliced white toast.

SERVES 4

8 eggs (see Note)

1 medium (¾-inch) black truffle, chopped

2 tablespoons butter (optional)

Pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
In a bowl, beat the eggs well with a fork or whisk. Stir in the chopped truffle and allow the mixture to stand for 15 to 30 minutes.

2.
In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt the butter (if using) over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring gently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. As the eggs heat up, you will find them thickening. Keep the liquid moving in the pan, and turn the heat to low if the eggs begin to thicken too quickly. Just when you think the eggs will start setting, they will all of a sudden become watery again. Shortly after they thin, you will notice them beginning to set on the bottom of the pan. It is at this point that you should stir and scrape the pan constantly so as not to allow large curds to form. The eggs are done when they are thick, creamy, soft, and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.

3.
Sprinkle the eggs with the salt and pepper and serve immediately.

NOTE

If you can find fresh farm eggs at your local farmers’ market, use them for this dish, for plain slow-scrambled eggs, or for any of the variations that follow. Your guests will marvel at the flavor and consistency.