Claudine Pepin - French Cooking for Beginners: Simple and Delicious Recipes for French Food for Any Meal

CLAUDINE PPIN

Simple and Delicious Recipes for French Food for Any Meal

Illustrations by Shorey Wesen and Jacques Ppin

Many of the recipes in the book may have French names, but please dont let that intimidate you. Youll find that most of these recipes are very close and relatable to American recipesperhaps with a twist or some different spices. These are the dishes that I grew up eating and the ones we cook at home for our family.

My very first original recipe is in here: Spinach in Bchamel. Okay, so you might not think thats very original. Let me tell you how it happened. House Beautiful, a well-known magazine at the time, asked my father to be in an article focusing on chefs who cook with their children. I remember the day they came and took pictures in our home in Connecticut, the dress I wore, and the way my mom did my hair. I was about eleven years old. I dont remember the other recipes we made, but I do remember that I was the one who made the Spinach in Bchamel. I made the bchamel, stirring, stirring, stirring, and then put the spinach directly into the sauce. My father froze... then I did, too... and he said, You cant do that! You have to blanch the spinach first and then add it to the bchamel! Why? I asked, terrified... well, maybe not terrified. And he paused, then said, I have no idea, but thats the way we usually do it. So, we left it that way and stirred it in, and it was great. Now he makes it like that, without cooking the spinach first. Please feel free to experiment and adapt these recipes to suit your family. You may discover happy accidents along the way.

An hors doeuvre, an appetizer, or a first course sets the stage for the meal ahead. Not every meal needs a beginning, but it does make a meal more elegant. Hors doeuvres are generally little nibbles that are passed around before a meal. They can be very simple. In our house, we often have sliced hard salami, also known as saucisson, some raw or roasted nuts, cherry tomatoes, cornichons, and bread sticks. Its a nice way to welcome guests, and you dont even need to cook; just slice and place on a nice plate or platter. Soup is also a wonderful, healthy, and easy way to start a meal, as is a simple green salad with vinaigrette. I hope you find a recipe that you will make over and over and that will make a simple meal just a little more special.

Gougres are delicate puffs of deliciousness and perfect to welcome family and friends into your home. They are best served warm, so put them into the oven 20 minutes before your company arrives, and they are sure to enjoy this wonderful homemade treat. We serve them in a bread basket lined with a cloth napkin to keep them warm.

ABOUT 30 PIECES

5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, divided

1 cup (235 ml) whole milk

1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pinch freshly ground white pepper

4 eggs

6 ounces (170 g) Gruyre or Swiss cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

Butter a cookie sheet with 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the butter.

In a 4-quart (4 L) sauce pot, heat the milk and remaining 4 tablespoons (55 g) of butter. As soon as it comes just to a boil (before it boils over), add the flour, salt, and pepper all at once and mix thoroughly. This will make a ball of very sticky dough. Cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes.

Put the dough in a food processor. Use the pulse setting and add the eggs one at a time. Add the cheese, mustard, and cayenne and blend until just incorporated.

With a piping bag or spoons make balls of about 1 tablespoon of dough, about inch (2 cm) in diameter, on a buttered cookie sheet. Dont put them too close together, as the dough will triple in size.

Bake at 400F (200C) for 10 minutes. Rotate the tray if necessary, turn the temperature down to 300F (150C), and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Gougres should be brown and firm on the outside and light and airy on the inside.

My French grandmother used to make a fun and unique deviled egg. Flat-topped, browned in butter, and topped with a bit of sauce, these eggs are great on top of a salad for lunch. Make your own variations including meat, fish, shrimp, or vegetables. Just be sure all the ingredients are cooked before stuffing!

SERVES 6

6 large hard-cooked eggs (See for methods.)

2 tablespoons (28 ml) milk

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped fresh parsley

teaspoon kosher salt

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoons (25 ml) peanut oil

SAUCE:

Approximately 2 tablespoons (30 g) leftover egg yolk mixture

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) water

Dash kosher salt

1 or 2 grinds freshly ground black pepper

cup (60 ml) olive oi

For the Eggs: Cut the cooked eggs in half lengthwise at the widest point. Remove the yolks, place them in a flat-bottomed bowl, and mash the yolks with a fork.