Frenchie Friday: Meals by Class Aboard 1920′s Oceanliners

For Frenchie Friday and Beth Fish’s #WeekendCooking, Dana Gynther, author of CROSSING ON THE PARIS (Titanic meets Downton Abbey), talks about all that food aboard the oceanliner in her novel.

Take it away, Dana!

ONE OF THE DELIGHTS of writing “Crossing on the Paris,”  set on a French Line ocean liner in 1921, was imagining the passengers’ meals.  I confess, I spent far more time than was necessary researching antique steamer menus for sale on Ebay, from handwritten ones from the 19^th century to those from emblematic ships like the Lusitania or the Titanic. Some dishes were mysteries to me—like Croûte au Pot or  Charlotte Russe—and I had to look them up in my vintage copies of the Escoffier Cookbook and Larousse Gastronomique.  I decided against using many of the fashionable recipes from the time—like sheep trotters and ox tongue—because they sound so unappealing today.

On ocean liners meals are the key events on board.  My book has three main characters—two women travelers in First and Second class and a young woman in the Service Crew—and they all had to have different dining experiences, from the elegant, multi-course meals in First to the homey ones served family-style below. They were all, however, examples of traditional French cuisine in keeping with the fashions of the 1920s.

For example, Vera Sinclair, in First Class, could enjoy velvety lobster bisque with just a hint of cognac, prime sirloin cooked rare, and Peach Melba (a trademark of Escoffier, the first “celebrity chef”) topped with fresh raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream.  In Second Class, Constance Stone, unused to foreign food, is disappointed with her cold soup, crème Vichyssoise, and disconcerted by the one-eyed stare of her fish.  Julie Vernet, suffering from mal de mer (sea sickness) in Steerage, doesn’t eat but helps serve garlic soup and rabbit to hundreds of people. Solid French cooking from the most elaborated to the most humble.

ALONG WITH THE FOOD, part of the dining experience was the ambience, the clothes, the service and the conversation, which also needed to be different for each class. The First Class dining room on the Paris was a work of art, with an immense glass ceiling and a double staircase for making grand entrances. We can imagine the porcelain tableware, the fresh flowers, Chopin coming from the grand piano in the corner. In Second, for our bourgeois guests in velveteen and tweed, the ceilings were lower, the palms shorter, the service less fawning. Despite the lack of frills in Steerage, the conversation was lively at the long tables and the waitresses could occasionally join in on the joke.

Besides dinners and luncheons, for the upper classes, there were also high teas with the best French pastries, cocktails (especially those popularized in the “American” bars in Paris—martinis, sidecars, white ladies, etc), as well as the traditional on-deck snack of bouillon and saltines. After five days on board, the ship would dock in New York, and the passengers would alight, refreshed and energetic. Undoubtedly, they would also  arrive  with a few pounds of “extra baggage.”

AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIKE HISTORICAL COOKING, Dana has shared a popular dish Vera, her first-class character, ordered aboard.

CROÛTE AU POT 
1 thin baguette
Olive oil
4 and a half cups fresh beef or chicken consommé
1 onion
1 small turnip or parsnip
1 carrot
1 leek
1 stick of celery
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 large tomato
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1. Slice the baguette into rounds. Brush each side with olive oil and bake until crisp and golden.
2. Pour consommé into a saucepan and heat gently.
3. Peel the onion, turnip, carrot and dice. Add to the consommé with the garlic.
4. Bring to boil, then immediately reduce heat. Cover and simmer until vegetables are al dente.
5. Peel, de-seed and finely dice the tomato and add with the parsley.
6. Place two are three “croûtes” (toasts) in each bowl, fill with soup.

A classic, the dish appeared on the Luncheon Menu of the Lusitania (see menu) but also on the sea trials of the Titanic in April, 1912.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1921, the Gilded Age is drawing to a close, but not aboard the great ocean liner the Paris, on its maiden voyage between Le Havre and New York. Amidst the luxurious wood paneling and plush carpets of first class is the aging Vera Sinclair, who has made the difficult decision that after thirty years in Paris she will leave her dearest friend behind and return at last to Manhattan. In the cozy family comfort of second class, Constance Stone revels in unaccustomed freedom as she returns from a brief, failed mission in Paris to her home in Worcester, Massachusetts, where her adored little daughters and dull professor husband await. And on the stifling, noisy lowest deck below the waterline, young Le Havre native Julie Vernet tests her wings in her first job—unenviably serving meals in the steering class dining room. Three very different women from very different worlds, yet aboard the Paris their lives will intersect.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dana Gynther was raised in St Louis and Auburn, Alabama. After college, she lived in France for eighteen months, then returned to the University of Alabama to get an MA in French Literature. In 1994, she and her French-speaking Spanish husband moved to his hometown, Valencia (Spain), where they work as teachers and translators. She enjoys traveling, reading and writing, making collages, riding her bike around town, but mostly, spending time with her husband and their two daughters. Visit her website, www.DanaGynther.com for more details and ancedotes about oceanliners in the 1920′s.

****(Both the recipe and menu were taken from “The Captain’s Table: Life and Dining on the Great Ocean Liners” by Sarah Edington).

A Trip to France, Bathed in Wine

www.tripadvisor.com

Okay, so I wish I were on a trip to France, bathed in wine. I’ve been so busy I can hardly see straight. A couple nights ago I thought: TO HELL WITH WORK! WALK AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER. TURN OFF YOUR PHONE. So I did, and I wound up at dinner (grilled salmon over mixed greens with goat cheese and poached pears–YUM) and a wine tasting with a couple of friends. It had been eons since I’d been to a tasting, and no other store around does it quite like Divine Wine Emporium on the coast. Especially when we’re talking French country wines.

ONCE AT THE EMPORIUM, we loaded our plates with varieties of what I call stinky cheese, and fig confiture (OMG delish), and settled in to listen. The woman who presented was a hilarious American woman with a robust sense of humor and plenty of drool-worthy pictures of French countryside. As France geek extraordinaire, everytime she asked a question, I was like ooooh oooh, PICK ME! I had to sit on my hands so I wasn’t THAT GIRL in the front row, overly eager and embarrassing her friends.

At any rate, I was transported from sweatpants and computer, to a vineyard excursion. SIGH. And dude, did I need that.

AS FOR THE WINES, all of the grapes are hand-harvested by farmers and NOT processed through machinery like the vast majority of bargain wines and well, most wines made today. These wines had so much more class and pizazz–it really showed when we tasted them! So I highly recommend them for weekend cooking hosted by Beth Fish—because what is food without wine?

inwinetruth2.blogspot.com

MY THREE FAVS:

CHATEAU LA TOUCHE–a muscadet that’s a white wine with a clean mineral taste that makes your mouth pucker ever so slightly–a perfect pairing with oysters or any other delicate seafood or chicken dish. This wine comes from the Loire Valley in France, a region famous for Joan of Arc, its gorgeous limestone châteaux, and the former stomping grounds of French royalty.

VISAN CÔTES DU RHONE–a grenache and syrah blend that’s a medium-bodied red with a fruitiness that would pair well with soups, tomato sauces, or grilled meats. This hails from the southwest of France.  Rocky, hilly countryside, dry, hot sunshine. Yes, please!

Quick tip–if you ever need to grab a quick bottle and have no idea what to buy, just about any Côtes du Rhone is not only dependable, but delicious in my opinion. And they’re often $9-$13.

winealign.com

ESPRIT DE FLORE CAHORS–a malbec blend that’s a full-bodied red with a bite that would be delicious with a heartier meal, rich in fat. (Yum. Who doesn’t love fat?) It comes from the Bordeaux region, mostly famous for its many vineyards, but also for the beautiful coastline to the west.

Food and wine tour of France anyone? I, for one, am sold!

Spring Dreams of Arles

On this cold snowy January day, I’m dreaming of the south of France in all of its colorful glory. A favorite town of mine is Arles, with its charming markets, the ancient Roman amphitheater used for bull-fighting, fragrant lavendar and sage packets, cerulean and gold tablecloths, the deep blue sky Van Gogh loved to paint. SIGH. What I would give to be there. But since I can’t and chances are neither can you, I leave you with a favorite winter provençale dish–Julia Child’s succulent beef stew.

DAUBE de BEOUF à la PROVENÇALE

2 Tab olive oil
1 1/2 cups dry vermouth
1/4 cup brandy or 1/4 cup gin
2 ts salt
1/4 ts pepper
1/2 ts thyme or 1/2 ts sage
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 cups thinly sliced onions
3 lbs chuck steaks, cut in 2 ½ x 2 ½ x 1 inch squares
salt and pepper
flour
1 1/2 cups firm ripe tomatoes, peeled,seeded,and chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
beef bouillon, if necessary
2 cloves garlic
3 Tab capers
3 Tab Dijon mustard
3 Tab olive oil
1/2 cup minced fresh basil or 1/2 cup
fresh parsley

Directions:

• Mix olive oil through onions and marinate steak in refrigerator at least 6 hours, basting and turning meat several times.
• Scrape marinade off meat and reserve.
• Season meat lightly with salt and pepper; roll in flour and set aside on waxed paper.
• In a bowl toss marinade with tomatoes and mushrooms.
• Place 1/3 of mixed vegetables in bottom of 6 quart flame-proof casserole. Alternate layers of meat and vegetables, ending with vegetables. Pour in any left-over marinade.
• Cover, set over moderate heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• If vegetables have not rendered enough liquid to almost cover meat, add a little bouillon.
• Cover and simmer 1½-2 hours until meat is tender when pierced.
• Tip casserole, trim out fat and taste for seasoning. If liquid has not reduced and thickened, drain out into a saucepan and thicken with 1 Tbs cornstarch mixed with bouillon, boil 2 minutes, then pour into casserole.
• Chop or purée garlic and mash with capers.
• Beat in mustard.
• Gradually beat in olive oil to make a thick sauce. Stir in basil or parsley just before serving.

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays to all! I, for one, plan on ending this difficult-stressful-AMAZING year in style. See you next year! (If the world doesn’t explode.)

I’ll leave you with a toast!

SANTA’S SLEIGH

White sugar crystals, preferably coarse
2 cups store-bought eggnog, chilled

1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup amaretto liqueur 
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
4 cinnamon sticks

Directions:
Dampen the rims of 4 martini glasses and then line the rims with sugar crystals.
Combine eggnog, brandy, amaretto, nutmeg, and ice cream in a blender; process until smooth. Pour mixture into martini glasses and garnish each glass with a whole cinnamon stick.

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

4 sugar cubes
1 bottle Angostura bitters
1 bottle Champagne, very cold
Lemon twists, for garnish, optional

Directions:
Start off by taking a single sugar cube, and while holding it over the opening of a bottle of Angostura bitters, invert the bottle so that some bitters soaks directly into the sugar. Drop the cube into the bottom of a chilled Champagne flute, and then fill the glass with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist, if desired. Repeat process 3 more times to make 4 drinks.

HOT BUTTERED RUM

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch salt
3/4 cup spiced rum
2 cups boiling water
4 sticks cinnamon, for garnish

Directions:
Using an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 4-cup (or larger) measuring cup. Add the rum and then 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until the butter mixture dissolves. Divide the buttered rum among 4 mugs. Garnish with the cinnamon sticks and serve.

*All recipes I found on The Food Network.

Tags: beverages, foodie, holiday, menus

Holiday Deliciousness

Ahh, we’re here–that time of year where you can eat as much fancy, rich food as you want without feeling guilty. Well, sort of. You may need to spend a couple of hours on the treadmill after eating any of these recipes. Enjoy some of my favorite dishes and Happy Holidays!

COQ AU VIN

Serves 4-6

3 strips of bacon, chopped       4 tab butter        2 1/2- 3 lbs chicken parts with bones

1/2 tsp salt         1/4 ts pepper          1/4 c cognac or brandy

3-4 c red wine     2-3 c beef stock          1 tab tomato paste    3 tab flour

3 cloves crushed garlic         fresh bouquet of herbs:  thyme, oregano, & rosemary tied with string (no yarn!)

• Melt 2 tab of butter in a large frying pan.
• Sautée bacon in butter over medium heat until browned.
• Remove the skin from the chicken. (I do this to cut the fat a bit.  You may choose to leave it on.)
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place into the hot fat in the pan, cooking for 5 minutes per side over medium heat.
• Pour the cognac over the chicken and then light it with a lighting tool or match.  (Stand away from the pan as the flame will flare up immediately)
• Shake the pan back and forth over the burner until the flames die down.
• Transfer meat and all of the juice and drippings into a soup pot.  Pour the wine over the chicken, followed by the bouillon.  You should use just enough of the bouillon to cover the chicken, so you may not use it all.
• Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and add the bouquet of herbs.
• Bring to a very soft boil then cover the dish.  Let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the chicken is tender.
• Meanwhile, make a roux with the remaining 2 tab of butter and flour.
• Melt the butter in a small pan.  Add the flour to form a smooth paste, cooking it over medium low heat for 5 minutes.
• When the chicken is done, remove the chicken into a dish.
• Take out the herb bouquet and turn up the heat to bring the remaining liquid to a rapid boil.
• Reduce the liquid to about 2 cups or so. Using a wire whip, beat the butter roux into the reduced liquid, simmering for another couple of minutes.
• It won’t be thick like gravy, but should coat a spoon.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over the chicken and serve with sautéed wild mushrooms and mashed or roasted potatoes.

PORK MEDALLIONS with CAMEMBERT CREAM

Serves 3-4

1 lb pork tenderloin            1 tab butter          3 tab white wine

3/4 c creme fraiche or heavy cream          1 tab fresh thyme and sage, chopped

4 oz  or 1/2 Camembert cheese wheel, rind removed              1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

fresh black pepper to taste

• Slice the pork crosswise into small steaks  about 3/4 in thick and pound them flat with a rolling pin until 1/2 in thick.  Sprinkle with pepper.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan then add the pork, cooking for 5 minutes and only turning them once.
• Transfer to a warm dish & cover to keep them warm.
• Add the wine to the meat pan with drippings and boil.
• Stir in the cream and herbs, bringing back to a boil.
• Add the cheese and mustard until melted.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
• Place meat on four plates and spoon the sauce over the meat.  PIG OUT!

ROASTED CHICKEN with FENNEL and PANCETTA

Serves 4

3-4 lb whole chicken       1 onion, quartered       4 tab olive oil

2 medium fennel bulbs       1 clove minced garlic      pinch of nutmeg

3-4 slices pancetta         1/2 c white wine

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse and pat chicken dry.  (Be sure to remove the innards.)
• Place in a casserole dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Discard the stalk off of the fennel, reserving only the fronds.
• Mix chopped fronds with the garlic and nutmeg.  Rub the chicken skin with 2 tab olive oil followed by the garlic mixture.
• Place quartered onion inside the cavity of the chicken.
• Cover the chicken breast with the slices of pancetta.
• Meanwhile, quarter the fennel bulbs and steam until slightly tender.
• Place in the casserole dish around the chicken and drizzle them with remaining 2 tab olive oil.
• Cook the chicken for 30 minutes.
• Pour 1/4 c wine over the chicken and fennel, basting both the drippings and the wine.
• Cook for 30 minutes longer and repeat.
• Cook for 15-25 minutes longer or until meat thermometer reads 170 and remove from the oven and serve.

Announcements and a Toast Of Course

I’m still away on vacation, but I thought I’d leave you with happy news and a toast or two before I return next week.

Drum Roll Please

Congratulations to my gaming, dim sum lovin’, darling friend Susan Spann for being selected as one of the belles of The Debutante Ball, a very selective blog featuring five debut authors each year. Susan’s first novel, CLAWS OF THE CAT, about a ninja detective and his Portuguese priest sidekick in 16th century Japan, releases July 2013.

A HARDY round of applause to the sweet and talented Erika Robuck, author of HEMINGWAY’S GIRL (Sept 2012) & CALL ME ZELDA (2013) just landed ANOTHER two book deal from Nal/Penguin before her first has even released. Congrats, Erika. You’re an inspiration! I can’t wait to read your novels!

Check back for interviews with both authors.

I am also fantabulously happy to announce my signing with the lovely, energetic, and talented agent Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management. To say I’m thrilled is an understatement.

But what’s an announcement without a toast to celebrate? How about a round on me?

Cheers!

STRAWBERRY & PEACH SANGRIA

1 bottle of dry white wine

1 1/2 c orange Muscat, a dessert wine

1 1/2 c sliced strawberries

1 c peach liqueur

3 peaches, cut into 12 slices

1 large orange, cut crosswise

1 large lemon, cut crosswise

1/4 c strawberry syrup             3 to 4 c ice

• Mix white wine, Muscat, strawberries, peach liqueur, peaches, orange slices, lemon slices, and strawberry syrup in large pitcher, smashing citrus slices slightly.
• Let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours or chill up to 4 hours.
• Serve sangria over ice.

BEE’S KNEES

1 oz gin

1 oz lemon juice

2 oz honey syrup

Ice cubes

• Make the honey syrup by stirring together 3 parts hot water with 1 part honey until the honey is dissolved.
• Make a bigger batch if you are making multiple drinks.
• In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 ounces of the honey syrup, the gin, lemon juice, and ice cubes. Shake well.
• Strain into a cocktail glass and serve.

Recipes from:  MakingMacy.blogspot.com  & Brooklyngalley.com

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Strawberry Sweetness

The strawberries are so juicy-delicious from California right now. I can’t get enough. Here a couple of my new favorite recipes.

Strawberry Shots

Strawberries        Sugar        small bowl of water      alcohol      lime wedges

• Hollow out a strawberry with a small spoon.
• Dip in water, then sugar.
• Add booze & garnish with lime.

Vodka or tequila would work, or for a snazzy shot, mix equal parts Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and vodka. Another tasty treat would be

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream Frosting

Frosting:
2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temp    1 c butter, room temp   4 c powdered sugar
1/2 c seedless strawberry jam      3/4 c chilled heavy whipping cream

Cake:
3 c cake flour    3/4 tsp salt      1/2 tsp baking powder      1/2 tsp baking soda   3 c sugar
1 c butter, room temp      7 large eggs      2 T vanilla extract      1 c sour cream
6 T plus 1/3 c seedless strawberry jam

2 1/4 lbs strawberries, hulled, sliced (about 6 cups), divided

Directions:

• For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. You’ll probably want to use an electric mixer for this so you don’t end up with lumps.
• Stop every now and then to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Beat in sugar, then jam. Beat cream in a separate, chilled, bowl until peaks form.
• Fold whipped cream into frosting.
• Cover; chill for a couple of hours until it’s firm enough to spread.

Cake:

• For the cake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch high sides.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Add sour cream, and beat for 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in three additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter into prepared pans.
• Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pans, then turn cakes out onto a rack to cool completely. (You may even want to refrigerate them for a couple of hours to make this next step easier.)
• Using a serrated knife, divide each layer in half horizontally. Place one half, cake side down, on a cake plate.
• Spread 2 T of strawberry jam over the cake, then spread 3/4 c of the frosting over the jam.
• Arrange 3/4 c of the sliced strawberries on top of the frosting in a single layer. Repeat two more times with cake layer, jam, frosting, and strawberries.
• Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down.
• Spread two cups of frosting over the top and sides of the cake in a thin layer, then frost with remaining frosting.
• Stir remaining jam to loosen, then spoon teaspoonfuls onto the top and sides of the cake. Use the back of a spoon to swirl jam decoratively into the frosting.

www.perrysplate.com  & www.resourcefulgirl.com

Tags: alcohol, baked goods, cakes, vices

SALAD SPREE

Tis’ the season for salads. I don’t know about ya’ll, but I grow rather sick of the same cucumber-lettuce-tomato salad. Here ar a couple of my favorite salads with flare.

ARUGULA SALAD WITH PEAS, PISTACIOS, & ASIAGO

2 Tab fresh lemon juice          1/4 c olive oil

5 oz Arugula         1 c frozen peas, thawed

1/2 c pistachios, roasted & chopped      1 c asiago, aged & shaved

1 Tab mint, chopped          1 Tab parsley, chopped salt & pepper

• In a small bowl, whisk lemon & oil. Season with salt & pepper.
• In a large bowl, combine arugula, mint, parsley & peas.
• Toss salad with the dressing. Sprinkle pistachios and cheese on top. Serve.

GREEK SALAD WITH GRILLED GARLIC SHRIMP

1 lb shrimp, thawed, peeled, & deveined         2 cloves garlic, minced          1/2 ts lemon zest, finely grated

• Marinate shrimp in garlic & lemon juice for 30 minutes.
• Thread onto skewers leaving a 1/4 in between each piece.
• Place directly on greased grill rack over medium heat.
• Cover grill and allow to cook 3-4 minutes on each side.

SALAD:

7 oz mixed salad greens          2 oz feta cheese          1/4 c quartered artichoke hearts

2 tomatoes handful kalamata olives, pitted          1/8 c red onion, diced

1 cucumber, peeled & chopped     5 pepperoncini peppers, diced (optional)

• Toss all ingredients in a large bowl with Greek dressing (recipe follows).
• Spoon salad into 4 bowls. Place shrimp on top.

DRESSING:

3 Tab olive oil          1 Tab red wine vinegar          1 Tab lemon juice

1 Tab fresh mint, chopped         1 Tab fresh oregano, chopped salt & pepper

• In a screw top jar shake all ingredients well. Add to salad.

For the Love of Spring

The atypical warmer weather this week has me itching to break out my favorite spring dishes. Today, I’m highlighting   asparagus, vidalia onions, and lamb chops. Bon appétit!

 GRILLED LAMB CHOPS w/ MINT PESTO

1/2 C balsamic vinegar    1/4 C honey      12(3 oz) baby lamb chops, frenched

1 & 1/2 C parsley leaves (tightly packed)    1C fresh mint leaves (tightly packed)         1 clove garlic

2 T pine nuts           1/3 C + 2T olive oil     3T parmesean        salt & pepper

•  Heat grill to high
• Whisk honey and vinegar. Season w/ salt and pepper. Save half of mixture for serving
• Brush chops on both sides with 2T of olive oil and season with salt and pepper
• Cook chops on grill for 2-3 min, or until brown and slightly charred. Turn over and brush with honey glaze. Grill 2 min more. (med-rare)
• Remove from grill and brush with remaining glaze. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 5 min.

Pesto:

• Combine parsley, mint, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor until corsely chopped.
• Slowly add oil while the motor is running. Once smooth, add cheese and salt and pepper. Process for a few more seconds to combine.
• Spoon 2 teaspoons or so of pesto on each chop.

ASPARAGUS with OLIVE OIL, FETA, & PEPPER

1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus    9 T Olive oil         1/2 ts salt      6 oz feta cheese    1 ts black pepper

• Heat grill on high
• Trim asparagus and place on a baking sheet.
• Toss with 3 Tab of oil and season with salt and pepper
• Grill for 3-5 minutes or until crisp
• Transfer to a platter
• Add remaining oil, pepper, and salt and toss to combine. Top with feta and serve

VIDALIA ONION SOUP with BLISTERED VERMONT CHEDDAR

2 T butter   2 T olive oil  3 lbs Vidalia onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped     ½ cup brandy    ½ cup dry sherry    2 T flour
6 C low-sodium chicken broth     5 sprigs fresh thyme   Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 thin slices French baguette, lightly toasted    1 lb aged cheddar, grated

• Heat butter and oil in Dutch oven over medium until melted. Add onions & cook until caramelized, stirring occasionally, 30-40 min. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the brandy and sherry and cook until reduced.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
• Whisk in the stock and the thyme and cook until the soup is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Preheat broiler. Place the crocks on a baking sheet and fill each crock ¾ of the way with the soup.
• Place a slice of baguette over the soup and divide the cheese on top. Place the soup under the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

**All recipes are Bobby Flay’s.

Crepes, Galettes, and Madeleines + Sophie Perinot

I don’t know about you all, but I could use  a vat of café au lait and some sweet Frenchie goodness to carry me through to the weekend. So dig in to the array of simple recettes delicieuses below. Try one or two, or try them ALL et bon appétit! By the way, stop by next Wednesday, March 7th for a guest post by Sophie Perinot authoress of the newly released historical novel THE SISTER QUEENS.

GALETTES 

2 lbs dark brown sugar      1 lb butter   7 eggs     1 TB vanilla   6 1/2 c flour

Directions
In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar and butter until smooth and creamy; then add eggs and vanilla, and beat well. Gradually stir in flour. Set bowl over a hot water bath, and stir to blend ingredients. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.  Preheat the galette iron, or small waffle iron with shallow divets.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls, and place in the iron. Close the iron, and cook the cookies. This should take about 30 seconds in an electric iron, or 2 to 4 minutes in a handheld iron over a medium flame. Carefully remove cookies and cool on wire racks.

**These are buttery and delicious and go well with tea or coffee.

CREPES 

1 c flour   2 eggs   1/2 c milk   1/2 c water   1/4 ts salt   2 TB butter, melted

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan(I use a crepe maker) over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.  Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

**My favorite dessert crêpes are stuffed with bananas & nutella or strawberries & powdered sugar. I also dig them with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of Grand Marnier. For dinner  crêpes, I love them stuffed with spinach, wild mushrooms, and béchamel sauce.

MADELEINES

2 eggs  1/2 ts vanilla   1/2 ts lemon zest   1 c confectioners’ sugar     3/4 c flour
1/4 ts baking powder    1/2 c butter, melted and cooled

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour twenty-four 3-inch Madeleine molds.
In a medium bowl beat eggs, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and satiny.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Sift one-fourth of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, gently fold in. Fold in the remaining flour by fourths. Then fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into the prepared molds, filling 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the top s spring back. Cool in molds on a rack for 1 minute. Loosen cookies with a knife. Invert cookies onto a rack and cool. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the tops or melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and dip the tips in the chocolate. Store in an airtight container.

**Another buttery treat made divine with a cup of tea.