RECIPe
CATALOGUE.
CLASSIC BÉCHAMEL
In France, the term cooking “à la Florentine” refers to anything cooked with spinach and Mornay sauce. Chicken, fish or vegetables . . . almost anything will work well on a bed of sautéed spinach, doused in a homemade Mornay sauce and melted cheese. Broiled under the grill and served with toasted bread, this luscious, creamy egg dish will delight any spinach lover.
MARINATED ZUCCHINI
If you like your zucchinis with a bit of crunch, you will love this summery marinated zucchini salad with lemon and coriander.
CORN VELOUTÉ SOUP
This flavorful cream of corn soup is a delightful glimpse into the classic French cuisine of the old days. By using a thin version of béchamel sauce as a base, this simple technique yields a rich and velvety smooth soup.
Bocuse POULET AU VINAIGRE
This Paul Bocuse version features a butter sauce made from a vinegar reduction, reminiscent of the technique used in a beurre blanc.
THE CLOUD EGG
Chicken Bercy is a lesson in basic sauce making used in French culinary schools.
Sauce Hachée
The Sauce Hachée is a classic sauce attributed to Escoffier, existing in two distinct versions, one for meat and one for fish. It is a tangy sauce based on a reduction of vinegar, shallots, onions, and mushrooms, which are then cooked with brown stock and some tomato sauce.
CHICKEN BERCY
Chicken Bercy is a lesson in basic sauce making used in French culinary schools.
POTAGE DUBARRY
Portage Dubarry (Cauliflower Cream Soup) is a French classic. A creamy, rich soup with an interesting backstory.
A French Christmas Menu
It won’t come as a surprise that we go all out for food at Christmas. The menu is an elaborate affair, a series of courses that focus on quality ingredients and flavors. People don’t think twice about splurging on quality products like foie gras, cheese, wine, and Champagne to celebrate the occasion.
All Purpose SHORTCRUST
Contrary to what people think, making short crust pastry by hand is straightforward and fast. This recipe is a classic from culinary schools that yields a perfect result every time. The dough is easy to roll out, which is great for building confidence in working with pastry. Even better, this dough can be made with and without sugar, making it suitable for both sweet and savory delights, such as quiches, fruit tarts and custard flan.
FISH A LA MINUTE
In home cooking, à la minute refers to a recipe that can be made in a flash, and this recipe is a fine example. Fish à la minute is a gratifying way to cook fresh fish filets in a one-pot fashion without sacrificing taste. Use any fish with a flaky texture (e.g., cod, halibut or seabass) and bake in the winning combination of shallots, white vermouth, white wine, parsley and olive oil with a sprinkle of bread crumbs. It’s the answer to those long days where you need something fast but tasty.
LE POULET A La BIERE
Known as Coq à la Bière, this dish is typically made with rooster in France, which is hard to come by these days. Therefore, I recommend using a high-quality chicken as a substitute. Coq à la Bière is the North's response to the famous Coq au Vin, with beer taking center stage instead of wine. To ensure a perfect result, it's essential to use a fine-quality amber Belgian beer, infusing the dish with a distinctive malty flavor and a rich color that sets it apart from the traditional Coq au Vin.
CHICKEN IN CREAM BOCUSE STYLE
The Paul Bocuse method uses an entire chicken, including the offcuts and carcass, to create a chicken dish with a sauce. Everything gets cooked together. This approach not only eliminates waste but also imparts additional flavor, avoiding the need for stock.
CHICKEN VELOUTE SAUCE
The principles and techniques for making a velouté are nearly identical to those for béchamel. For instance, the thickness of the velouté depends on the amount of roux used with the stock. It's as simple as that and incredibly effective. Velouté sauces offer versatility, as you can use various cooking stocks to impart specific flavors. Chicken stock yields a chicken velouté, fish stock results in a fish velouté, and so forth.
SAUCE LYONNAISE
This classic sauce uses homemade demi-glace as a base, combined with an onion, wine, and vinegar reduction.
EASY DEMI GLACE
The demi-glace is a valuable shortcut for crafting mouthwatering sauces that can save you hours in the kitchen. It’s created by enhancing stock with meat trimmings, aromatics, wine, and thickening with flour. I'll share a home-friendly method that maintains quality and efficiency, allowing you to prepare a homemade demi-glace effortlessly. Once you master this technique, you'll never look back.
Escoffier Brown Stock
This recipe will take you through the entire process of making a brown beef stock in the style of Auguste Escoffier (hailed as the king of French chefs)