Winter’s right here, carry on the consolation meals! That is the second chapter of ‘Crème de la crème’, a seasonal function marking the tenth anniversary of The On a regular basis French Chef. On the menu are my favourite winter recipes (not together with vacation recipes — in case you’re nonetheless excited about what to serve on Christmas or New 12 months’s, click on right here). First up, a soup {that a} Frenchman just lately informed me was an American invention. Nothing may very well be extra mistaken.
Soupe à l’oignon gratinée / French onion soup
French onion soup is understood over right here as une gratinée — as a result of the soup is topped with a bubbly golden crust (gratin) of toast and melted cheese. It’s been round for a number of hundred years. In accordance with one legend, it was popularized after being served to Stanislas Leszczynski, a former king of Poland and duke of Lorraine, who additionally occurred to be the father-in-law of King Louix XV of France. He appreciated it a lot that he realized the recipe and cooked it himself for the royal couple at Versailles. This was again within the 1700s.
In accordance with the Grand Larousse gastronomique, my go-to e-book on French culinary historical past, onion soup served with out the cheese hails from Lyon, whereas the tacky model is Parisian. It was historically served within the wee hours on the enormous market at Les Halles and at bistros in Montmartre. Amongst its different qualities (it’s wholesome, cheap and straightforward to make), it was reputed to be the soup favored by drinkers, because the fragrance of the onions was sturdy sufficient to disguise alcohol breath. This soup crossed the ocean solely within the Nineteen Sixties, when French delicacies turned widespread within the States. So, no, an American invention it isn’t.
I really like serving French onion soup in winter as a result of it’s a kind of dishes that warms the vittles, as we mentioned over there. Whereas it could be served as a primary course, it’s hearty sufficient to be a meal by itself, accompanied by a inexperienced salad and a bottle of sturdy crimson. I make it a couple of times a 12 months — not as a result of it’s tough however as a result of there are such a lot of different fantastic cold-weather dishes to select from.
So now for my checklist of favourite winter recipes. As recent fruits and veggies are much less plentiful than at different instances of the 12 months, these dishes function root greens, shellfish, legumes and different elements that come into season in winter. As in my first Crème de la crème put up this previous autumn, I’ve chosen three dishes from every of the location’s classes — combine and match as you want. You can see some menu strategies beneath.
Starters
Assiette d’huîtres / Oyster plate
Blini / Blini with smoked salmon or crimson caviar
Harengs pommes à l’huile / Herring with potatoes and beets
Soups
Crème de lentilles / Creamy lentil soup
Potée auvergnate / Hearty winter soup from Auvergne
Velouté de brocolis / Broccoli soup
Salads
Salade de haricots rouges aux noix / Crimson bean salad with walnuts
Salade mâche-betterave / Salad of lamb’s lettuce and beets
Salade pommes de terre anchois / Potato-anchovy salad
Eggs
Oeufs au caviar rouge / Eggs topped with crimson caviar
Omelette bonne femme / Omelet with bacon, potatoes and arugula
Soufflé au roquefort / Roquefort soufflé
Savory tarts and sandwiches
Croque-monsieur rustique / Open-faced croque-monsieur
Flamiche / Leek tart from northern France
Tarte à l’oignon rouge / Crimson onion tart
Fish and shellfish
Coques au satay / Cockles in satay sauce
Brandade de morue / Puréed salt cod and potatoes
Sole meunière / Sole meunière
Poultry
Sous-chef / Rooster sous-chef
Parmentier de canard / Duck parmentier
Poulet rôti épicé / Roast rooster with spices
Meat dishes
Escalopes de veau à la crème / Veal scallops with cream and mushrooms
Haricot de mouton / French lamb and beans
Steak au poivre / Steak au poivre
Greens
Gratin de chou-fleur / Cauliflower gratin
Julienne de champignons / Mushrooms julienne
Légumes d’hiver rôtis / Roasted winter greens
Pasta and grains
Boulgour aux oignons rouges / Bulghur with crimson onion and mint
Pâtes aux moules et pecorino / Pasta with mussels and pecorino
Penne au safran, roquette et noix / Penne with saffron, arugula and walnuts
Desserts
Crème caramel / Crème caramel
Salade d’oranges à la badiane / Sliced oranges with star anise
Tiramisu / Tiramisu
As an on a regular basis French chef, how would I mix these dishes? Listed below are some examples:
For an on a regular basis lunch, an open-faced croque-monsieur (ham and melted cheese sandwich) with a inexperienced salad. For a vegetarian model, French onion soup and flamiche (leek tart). For vegans, broccoli soup and crimson bean salad with walnuts. If you happen to’re feeling bold, you would end any of those choices with sliced oranges with star anise.
For an on a regular basis dinner, herring with potatoes and beets adopted by steak au poivre (steak with crushed black pepper in a cream sauce) or lamb and bean stew. For a vegetarian model, creamy lentil soup adopted by cauliflower gratin. For vegans, a salad of lamb’s lettuce and beets adopted by roasted winter greens.
For a weekend dinner, an oyster plate adopted by roast rooster and roasted winter veggies, then a inexperienced salad, ending up with tiramisu. For a vegetarian model, a roquefort soufflé adopted by mushrooms julienne and a salad of lamb’s lettuce and beets, and concluding with crème caramel. You can add a cheese plate to both of those menus earlier than dessert. For vegans, bulghur with crimson onion and mint, roasted winter veggies, a inexperienced salad and, for dessert, sliced oranges with star anise.
This can be the darkest time of the 12 months, however we’ve handed the solstice, the times are already rising longer and as we forged our eyes towards spring I hope that these strategies will encourage you to spend some completely satisfied moments within the kitchen. Wishing you all a joyous vacation season and a glowing begin to 2023. And…
Pleased cooking!
