RECIPE

A fantastic French dinner BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN Good news: French cooking is not as difficult or as complicated as you might think—but it’s more impressive than you ever imagined! Prepare this very tasty French meal for your guests, then sit back and graciously accept the compliments. Your only challenge will be finding the perfect wine to accompany the meal.

RATATOUILLE

SERVES 8

Ratatouille is a vegetable stew that originates in the Provence area of southern France. It is a great vegetarian option as a main or side dish.

2 small eggplants, cut into ½-inch cubes Kosher salt 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 onions, cut into ½-inch cubes 4 large garlic cloves, minced 1 bunch of fresh basil, tied with butcher’s twine Pinch, crushed red pepper 2 red bell peppers, sliced 2 zucchinis, sliced into ¼-inch disks 2 large tomatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes Sliced or chopped basil, for garnish

Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes while all of the excess water is drained. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Dry eggplant with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel and add to pot; cook until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. If eggplant starts to stick, add a little more oil. Remove eggplant to a bowl and set aside. In same pot, add remaining olive oil; add onions and cook for 3–5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, basil and crushed pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook for 7 minutes. Finally, stir in eggplant and cook for 10 minutes until all vegetables are soft. Remove basil bundle; taste and adjust salt. To serve, drizzle with a little more olive oil and garnish with basil.

What’s cooking at SCLiving.coop

HOMEMADE AIOLI. Aioli is a sauce made with garlic and olive oil that is often confused with mayonnaise. It is used widely throughout France and the Mediterranean as a dip and on sandwiches. In this video recipe, Chef Belinda will show you how to make it at home. You may never go back to plain mayo again! SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda

MICHAEL PHILLIPS

CHICKEN DIJON (POULET À LA MOUTARDE)

SERVES 4

Make this dish with boneless chicken breasts or whole cut-up chicken parts—just be sure to adjust cooking times accordingly, since bone-in chicken requires a longer cook time. 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced 2 shallots, chopped (about ½ cup) 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves ¼ cup dry white wine ½ cup unsalted chicken stock ½ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons Dijon or stone-ground mustard, or combination Thyme leaves, for garnish

In a cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Saute until golden brown on each side, 4–5 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Reduce heat to medium. If necessary, add additional oil to the skillet and cook mushrooms and shallots until all of the liquid is released from the mushrooms and evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook an additional minute. Add the wine, stock, cream and mustard, and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add chicken back to skillet and bring to a boil; lower heat, cover and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Garnish with thyme leaves and serve from skillet.

POTATO LEEK SOUP

SERVES 6

This classic French soup is quick and easy to prepare. It’s another great vegetarian option, and served with a salad, it makes a complete meal. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 leeks, white and pale green parts, halved and sliced and washed 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed 6 cups chicken stock 2 bay leaves 1 thyme bundle 1½ teaspoons kosher salt ¼ teaspoon white pepper 1 cup heavy cream Chives, chopped, for garnish In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add leeks and cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. If starting to brown, lower heat. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add potatoes, stock, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are soft. Remove thyme bundle and bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. If using a food blender, puree soup in batches. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer, uncovered. Taste and adjust salt. If soup is too thin, simmer until thickened. If too thick, add stock to thin out to desired thickness. To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with chives. CHEF’S TIP Washing leeks. Leeks are very sandy and should not be used until they are washed. To prepare, cut off tops and root bottoms; cut in half lengthwise and slice horizontally into half-inch pieces. Put into a colander and rinse with cold water to remove soil. Let drain and dry, then continue with recipe instructions.

IULIIA NEDRYGAILOVA GINA MOORE

RASPBERRY CLAFOUTIS

SERVES 6–8

Clafoutis is a French fruit dessert baked in a thick, flan-like batter and dusted with powdered sugar—and it’s delicious.

3½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup sugar Pinch kosher salt 3 large eggs Zest of one lemon ¼ cup milk 1½ pints raspberries (3 cups) Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with ½ tablespoon butter. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk in the eggs, remaining butter and lemon zest until smooth. Add the milk and whisk until light and very smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour the batter into pie dish and fill with raspberries. Bake for about 30–35 minutes until set and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Dust with confectioner’s sugar. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.