Mastering the Art of French Cooking Redesign

Mastering The Art Of French Cooking The only cookbook that explains how to create authentic french dishes in american kitchens with american foods

written By

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

Louisette Bertholle Julia Child Sidonie Coryn

Simone Beck

Mastering The Art Of French Cooking

Mastering The Art Of French Cooking The only cookbook that explains how to create authentic french dishes in american kitchens with american foods

written By

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

Louisette Bertholle Julia Child Sidonie Coryn

Simone Beck

L. C. catalog card number: 61- 12313

This Is A Borzoi Book, Published By Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

Copyright Š 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages and reproduce not more than three illustrations in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper. Manufactured in the United States of America and distributed by Random House, Inc. Published in Canada by Random House of Canada, Limited.

Published October 1961 Reprinted Four Times Sixth Printing, May 1964

To La Belle France

Whose peasants, fishermen, housewives, & princes - not to mention her chefs through generations of inventive & loving concentration have created one of the world’s great arts

VI

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Contents Intro

INFORMATION

3 11 15 20 24 26 31

Kitchen Equipment Definitions Ingredients Measures Temperatures Cutting Wines

1

SOUPS

37 40 42 43 44 48 50 54

Potage Permentier Vischyssoie Potage Velouté Aux Champignons Potage Créme De Cresson Soupe A L’oignon Soupe Au Pistou Aïgo Bouïdo Soupe De Poisson

2

SAUCES

55 66 76 79 86 94 96 99 105 106

White Sauces Brown Sauces Tomato Sauces The Hollandaise Family The Mayonnaise Family Vinaigrettes Hot Butter Sauces Cold Flavored Buttet·s List of Miscellaneous Sauces Stocks and Aspics

3 116 116 122 123 126

4 139 139 157 175 190 192 194

5 207 208 218 220 226

EGGS Poached Eggs Shirred Eggs Eggs in Ramekim Scrambled Eggs Omelettes

ENTRES Pie Dough and Pastry Shells Quiches, Tarts, Gratins, Souffles & Timbales Pate a Chaux, Puffs, Gnocchi, & Quenelles Crepes Cocktail Appetizers

FISH Fish Filets Poached in White Wine Two Recipes from Provence T wo Famous Lobster Dishes Mussels List of Other Fish Dishes

VII

table of contents

Poached Eggs ­— p. 116

VIII

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Wines ­— p. 31

IX

table of contents

Contents 6 234 240 249 254 258 265 267 272

7 288 328 350 375 389 399 405 409 413 416

8 423 476 489 496 499 501 505 508 517 520 528

POULTRY Roast Chicken Casserole-roasted Chicken Sautéed Chicken Fricasseed Chicken Broiled Chicken Chicken Breasts Duck Goose

MEAT Beef Lamb and Mutton Veal Pork Ham Cassoulet Liver Sweetbreads Brains Kidneys

VEGETABLES Green Vegetables Carrots, Onions, and Turnips Lettuce, Celery, Endive, & Leeks The Cabbage Family Cucumbers Eggplant Tomatoes Mushrooms Chestnuts Potatoes Rice

9 536 536 544 558 564

10 579 579 588 594 613 623 632 648 655 658 665

COLD BUFFET Cold Vegetables Aspics Molded Mousses Pates and Terrines List of Other Cold Dishes

DESSERTS Fundamentals Sweet Sauces and Fillings Custards, Mousses, & Molded Sweet Soufflé Fruit Desserts Tarts Crepes Clafoutis Babas and Savarins Ladyfingers Cakes

X

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Measures A pint’s a pound the world around except in england where a pint of water weighs a pound and a quarter, and all measurements in this book are level. The following table is for those who wish to translate french measurements into the nearest convenient american equivalent and vice versa:

AMERICAN SPOONS & CUPS

French Equivalents

LIQUID ounces

LIQUID grams

1 Tsp.

1 cuillere a cafe

1/4

5

1 Tb.

1 cuillere a soupe, cuillere a bouche or verre a liqueur

1/2

15

1 Cup - 16 Tb.

1.4 Litre less 2 Tb.

8

227

2 Cups - 1 Pint

1/2 Litre less 1/2 decilitre

16 - 1 Lb.

454

4 Cups - 1 Qt.

9/10 Litre

32

907

6 2/3 Tb.

1 Decilitre

3 1/2

100

1 Cup + 1 Tb.

1/4 Litre

8 1/2 Lbs.

250

4 1/3 Cups

1 Litre

2.2 Lbs.

1000 Kg.

BRITISH MEASUREMENTS British dry measures for ounces and pounds, and linear measures for inches and feet, are the same as American measures. However, the British liquid ounce is 1 .04 times the American ounce; the British pint contains 2/3 British ounces; and the quart, 40 ounces. A gill is 5 ounces, or about 73 of an American cup.

XI

MEASURMENTS

CONVERSION FORMULAS TO CONVERT

MULTIPLY

BY

Ounces to grams

The ounces

28.35

Grams to ounces

The grams

0.035

Liters to U.S. quarts

The liters

0.95

Liters to British quarts

The liters

0.88

U.S. quarts to liters

The quarts

1.057

British quarts to liters

The quarts

1.14

Inches to centimeters

The inches

2.54

CUP-DECILITER EQUIVALENTS

GRAM-OUNCE EQUIVALENTS

CUPS

DECILITER

GRAMS

1/4

0.56

25

0.87

1/3

0.75

30

1.0

1/2

1.13

50

1.75

2/3

1.5

75

2.63

3/4

1.68

80

2.8

1

2.27

85

3.0

1 1/4

2.83

100

3.5

1 1/3

3.0

125

4.4

1 1/2

3.4

150

5.25

1 2/3

3.75

1 3/4 2

4.0 4.5

OUNCES

XII

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Temperature FAHRENHEIT AND CENTIGRADE

CONVERT FAHRENHEIT INTO CENTIGRADE ___ - 23 x 5 / 9 = ___

Subtract 32, multiply by 5, divide by 9 EXAMPLE: 212 (Fahrenheit) minus 32 equals 18o 18o multiplied by 5 equals 900 divided by 9 equals 1oo, or the temperature of boiling water in centigrade

CONVERT CENTIGRADE INTO FAHRENHEIT ___ x 9 / 5 + 32 = ___

Multiply by 9, divide by 5, add 32.

EXAMPLE: 1oo (centigrade) multiplied by 9 equals 900 900 divided by 5 equals 18o 18o plus 32 equals 212, or the temperature of boiling water in Fahrenheit

XIII

TEMPERATURE

TEMPERATURE CONVERSION TABLE

DEGREES (AMERICAN AND BRITISH)

CENTIGRADE

AMERICAN OVEN TEMPERATURE TERMS

FRENCH OVEN TEMPERATURE TERMS

160 170 200 212 221

71 77 93 100 105

225 230 250 275

107 110 121 135

Very Slow

284 300 302 320 325

140 149 150 16o 163

Slow

350 356 375 390 400

177 180 190 200 205

Moderate

410 425 428 437 450

210 218 220 225 232

Hot

475 500

246 260

Very Hot

525

274

#8

550

288

#9

REGULO OVEN THERMOSTAT SETTINGS

#1 Tres Doux; Etuve #2 Doux #3

#1/4 ( 241 F) #1/2 (266 F)

Moyen; Modere

#1 (291 F)

#4

#2 (313 F) #3 (336 F)

Assez Chaud: Bon Four

#4 (358 F)

#5

#5 (379 F) #6 (403 F)

Chaud #6

#7 (424 F) #8 (446 F)

Tres Chaud #7

#9 (469 F)

37

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Chapter 1 SOUPS

An excellent lunch or light supper need be no more than a good soup, a salad, cheese and &uit. And combined according to your own taste, a good homemade soup in these days of the can opener is almost a unique and always a satisfying experience. Most soups are uncomplicated to make, and the major portion of them can be prepared several hours before serving. Here is a varied handful of good recipes.

A NOTE ON ELECTRIC BLENDERS AND PRESSURE COOKERS Although we are enthusiastic about the electric blender for many things, we almost always prefer a food mill to a blender when a soup must be pureed. There is something un-French and monotonous about the way a blender reduces soup to universal baby pap.

chapter 1

A pressure cooker can save time, but the vegetables for a long-simmered soup should have only 5 minutes under 15 pounds pressure; more gives them a pressure-cooker taste. Then the pressure should be released and the soup simmered for 15 to 20 minutes so it will develop its full flavor.

38

SOUPS

Potages Et Soupes

39

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Pot Age Parmentjer

chapter 1

Leek or Onion & potato soup

Leek and potato soup smells good, tastes good, and is simplicity itself to make. It is also versatile as a soup base; add water cress and you have a water-cress soup, or stir in cream and chill it for a vichyssoise. To change the formula a bit, add carrots, string beans, cauliflower, broccoli, or anything else you think would go with it, and vary the proportions as you wish.

Serves 6 to 8

SOUPS

3-4 qt.

3-4 cups 3 cups 4 ts.

2 qt.

4-6 tb

40

saucepan or pressure cooker peeled potatoes, sliced or diced sliced leeks w/ tender green water salt whipping cream minced parsley or chives

PART 1 Either simmer the vegetables, water, and salt together, partially covered, for 40 to 50 minutes until the vegetables are tender; OR cook under 15 pounds pressure for 5 minutes, release pressure, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

PART 2 Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork, or pass the soup through a food mill. Correct seasoning. Set aside uncovered until just before serving, then reheat to the simmer.

PART 3 Off heat and just before serving, stir in the cream or by spoonfuls. Pour into a tureen or soup cups and decorate with the herbs.

POT AGE PARMENTJER

43

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Potage Veloute Aux Champignons

chapter 1

CREAM OF MUSHROOM soup

Here is a fine, rich, mushroom soup either for grand occasions or as the main course for a Sunday supper. The mushrooms need a long, slow cooking in butter and oil, then a long, slow simmering in stock for them to develop the deep, rich, flavor which characterizes a perfect brew.

Serves 6 to 8

42

SOUPS

2 1/2 Qt 3 Tb. 1/4 Cup 3 Tb. 6 Cup 2 1/3 1/8 Tsp

Enamel Saucepan Butter Minced Onions Flour Chicken Broth Parsley Sprigs Bay Leaf Thyme

3/4-1 Lb. 5 1/4 Tsp 1 Tsp 2 1/2-3/4 Cup 3 Qt.

Mushroom Stems Thinly Sliced Mushrooms Salt Lemon Juice Egg Yolks Whipping Cream Mixing Bowl

PART 1 Cook the onions slowly in the butter for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are tender but not browned.

PART 2 Add the flour and stir over moderate heat for 3 minutes without browning.

PART 3 Off heat, beat in the boiling stock or broth and blend it thoroughly with the flour. Season to taste. Stir in the mushroom stems, and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes or more, skimming occasionally. Strain, pressing juices out of mushroom stems. Return soup to the pan.

PART 4 Melt the butter in a separate saucepan. When it is foaming, toss in the mushrooms, salt, and lemon juice. Cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes.

POTAGE VELOUTE AUX CHAMPIGNONS

PART 5 Beat the egg yolks and cream in the mixing bowl. Then beat in hot soup by spoonfuls until a cup has been added. Gradually stir in the rest. Correct season ing. Return the soup to the pan and stir over moderate heat for a minute or two to poach the egg yolks, but do not let the soup come near the simmer.

44

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Soupe De Poisson

chapter 1

STRAINED FISH SOUP

Soupe de poisson has the same taste as bouillabaisse, but the soup is strained and pasta is cooked in it to give a light liaison. If you are making the soup on the Mediterranean, you will come home with dozens of tiny, freshly caught fish all colors of the rainbow. Elsewhere, use whole fish, fish heads, bones, and trimmings, shellfish carcasses, or just bottled clam juice.

Serves 6 to 8

45

SOUPS

1 1 Cup 3/4 Cup 4 1 Lb. 2 1/2 Qt. 1 1/2 Tsp.

Soup kettle Minced onions Olive Oil Cloved mashed garlic Ripe, red tomatoes Water Bay leaf Thyme or basil

1/8 Tsp. 2 1/2 Tsp. 1/8 Tsp. 1 Tb. 3-4 Lb.s 1/2 to 2/3 Cup 3 Qt.

Fennel Big pinches of saffron Dried orange peel Pepper Salt (None if clam using clam juice) Lean Fish Spaghetti of vermicelli Saucepan

PART 1 Cook the onions and leeks slowly in olive oil for 5 minutes or until almost tender but not browned.

PART 2 Stir in the garlic and tomatoes. Raise heat t0 moderate and cook 5 minutes more.

PART 3 Add the water, herbs, seasonings, and fish to the kettle and cook uncovered at a moderate boil for 30 to 40 minutes.

PART 4 Strain the soup into the saucepan, pressing juices out of ingredients. Correct seasoning, adding a bit more saffron if you feel it necessary. Stir in the pasta and boil for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Correct seasoning again.

PART 5 Pour the soup into a tureen or soup plates over the bread rounds, and pass the cheese and rouil/e separately.

SOUP DE POISSON