Blanc - Simple French Cookery

Contents

In Foolproof French Cookery, and its paperback edition, Simple French Cookery, Raymond Blanc demystifies French cuisine and demonstrates how enjoyable the simple, creative act of cookery can be.

He describes the basic techniques needed to create traditional French food and demonstrates 40 simple-to-follow versions of the most well-known French dishes. With step-by-step instructions and colour photographs to accompany every stage from start to finish, all 40 recipes are quick and easy to prepare and use readily available ingredients.

All Raymonds recipes are simple, rustic and completely delicious, and whether you choose quick and easy Oeufs en Cocotte or Moules Marinires, for a more elaborate meal, his foolproof instructions guarantee excellent results every time.

Raymond Blanc is acknowledged as one of the finest chefs in the world. His hotel and restaurant, Le Manoir aux QuatSaisons, is the only country house hotel in the UK which has achieved two Michelin Stars for a total of 21 years. He also co-owns five successful Le Petit Blanc brasseries and a cookery school, LEcole de Cuisine. He has written numerous best-selling cookery books and regularly appears on television and radio.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Epub ISBN 9781448142040

Version 1.0

10 9

BBC Books, an imprint of Ebury Publishing,
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road,
London SW1V 2SA

BBC Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies
whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com

Copyright Raymond Blanc 2002
Food photography Jean Cazals 2002

Raymond Blanc has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

First published in hardback as Foolproof French Cookery by BBC Books in 2002
This paperback edition first published in 2005
Reprinted 2005, 2006, 2007

www.eburypublishing.co.uk

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 0 563 52285 0

The publishers would like to thank Divertimenti and Summerill and Bishop for their help in supplying items used in the photographs.

All the recipes in this book were cooked using a fan-assisted oven.

These recipes demonstrate what is really good about French cuisine. The conviviality, the friends and laughter; the simple, hearty food, the rustic bread dipped into the sauce, and the heady red wine that will be drunk.

Most French life revolves around mealtimes, and my family was no exception. In France the table is still the centre of the house not the bedroom, as many of my English guests might believe. The high priestess was my mother, whose creative force was born out of poverty, not wealth. She had to feed five children on a small budget, yet we ate like kings. For her, cooking was an act of love. At an early age, I was taught to love and respect food, for its beauty, its freshness and also its price. This simple philosophy has been a strong influence on my career as a chef.

The repertoire of French regional cuisine is almost inexhaustible. Even General de Gaulle, in a fit of Gallic temper, once protested, How can you govern a country that has 365 different cheeses and three times more regional dishes!

Each of the recipes I have chosen is very expressive of my mothers cuisine. They are simple, rustic and completely delicious. They will grace your day-to-day table as much as a dinner party. I hope that they will give you as much joy as they have given me, as you share them with your family and friends.

The step-by-step photography will give you a real insight into how the dishes are created. This book will dispel the myth that French cuisine is difficult to master. Success will breed confidence, and shared enjoyment in the simple, creative act of cooking.

Roquefort comes from the Auvergne, a region of France that British people have a particular affection for. It is a very rich cheese with a strong, spicy taste. This simple salad is one of the best ways to appreciate its flavour. Make sure the cheese is well chilled before use, so you can crumble it easily. Choose the walnuts and walnut oil carefully; if old, they will taste rancid and unpleasant. Should you wish, you can replace the chicory with any other salad leaves.

serves 4

preparation time: 15 minutes

For the salad:

16 small heads of chicory

1 apple, such as Granny Smith or Braeburn

75 g (3 oz) Roquefort cheese

100 g (4 oz) walnuts, chopped

1 celery stick, finely sliced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons best-quality walnut oil

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparing the salad ingredients. Cut the base off the chicory and remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut each chicory head in half lengthways and set aside.

Halve the apple, remove the core and slice or dice finely. Crumble the Roquefort on to a plate and chill while you prepare the dressing.