This beautiful and simple pumpkin soup features a hint of cardamom, and the end result has the delightful appearance of a cup of cappuccino. This chef recipe video is brought to us from our friends at Gourmandia, and features French Chef Franck Salein and a translator. Chef Franck is from Les Sources de Caudalie, a gorgeous four star hotel, vino-therapy spa (hot springs infused with grape vine minerals!), and a gourmet restaurant located in the Bordeaux region of France.
Colorful, warm, hearty, vegetarian and simple, Mark Bittman‘s artichokes provençal is a strong contender for the perfect holiday appetizer. In this video, Bittman shares his special recipe of braised baby artichokes, garlic, black olives, thyme, and small tomatoes garnished with parsley. Serve it with slices of warm buttered baguette, and prepare yourself for praise!
Autumn has arrived in full swing and we find ourselves betraying our favorite summer foods like a wicked adulteress. We’ve been ditching salads, ignoring the barbecue, and even walking away from one of our best friends, sushi. Instead, our fickle appetites have found a new love, warm and hearty comfort foods. This week our new love is soup, and today, we have a crush on French onion soup.
Made of beef broth, onions, croutons, and cheese, this ancient soup has enjoyed a rebirth beginning in the 1960’s when French food came into vogue in America (I believe we were late to the party!).
Where did it come from? Although onions have always been a staple among poverty stricken diners since ancient Roman times, ironically French onion soup was presumed to have been invented by French royalty, King Louis the XV. The story is that, in his hunting lodge, alone with only onions, butter, and champagne (poor thing), he created the world’s first French Onion Soup.
Author and Master Chef Jacques Pépin and his daughter Claudine show us their family French recipe of fromage fort, meaning “strong cheese” in English. This creative appetizer utilizes all of the random small pieces of cheese that you may have stashed in your fridge! Use camembert, swiss cheese, goat cheese, brie, or whatever you happen to have available. Combined with white wine, garlic, and pepper, the end result is a warm cheese blend that may be served on baguette toast or crackers for a heavenly appetizer or snack.
1/2 pound cheese pieces
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup dry white wine
Black pepper
Salt
Put 1/2 pound of cheese pieces in the bowl of a food processor, add 1 garlic clove, about 1/4 cup of dry white wine and a big grinding of black pepper. Salt is usually not needed, but taste the mixture and add some if it is. Process for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is creamy but not too soft, and then pack it into small containers. The fromage fort is now ready to use. You may serve it cold or spread on bread and broiled for a few minutes. Broiling will brown the cheese and make it wonderfully fragrant.
Via Wikimedia Creative Commons,Hotel de Ville, Vichy
What is Vichyssoise exactly? Originating in France, it is a hot or more commonly served cold soup made with potatoes, leeks, chicken stock, cream, and onions. As with most creamy French dishes, it has no lumps or rustic characteristics, and is blended to a creamy smooth texture. It’s name is derived from the town of Vichy in central France. Pronounce the word as “vee-shee-swahzz”.
Steve Dolby, a musician and with 16 years of working in Europe as a restaurant chef, created this video featuring his take on the classic soup. His version is rustic and chunky as opposed to the traditional French versions. Visit his Facebook page here to connect with him.
Vichyssoise
Chef Steve Dolby
Ingredients:
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups of vegetable stock
2 sliced medium leeks
1/2 of a medium onion, diced in small pieces
2 tbsp flour
Milk
a dash of heavy cream
3 medium red potatoes
salt and ground pepper
Slice the leeks and place in a bowl. Add the diced potatoes to bowl. Peel and slice the potatoes about 1 inch thick, cut into small cubes. Add the potatoes to a bowl of water to prevent browning if not using immediately. Blanch the potatoes in bowling water for 1 minute, remove from water and put aside. In a soup pot, add olive oil, and add the leeks, onions, and salt. Cook covered over low heat for about 6 minutes stirring occasionally. After the 6 minutes, stir in the diced potatoes. Stir in the flour, and continue to stir over low heat for 5 minutes. Now add the cream and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a dash of cream, more salt and pepper if needed, and a pinch of sugar to taste. Garnish with sliced leek if desired. To serve warm, serve with warm baguette slices, or refrigerate for several hours and serve chilled.
WWJCD? What would Julia Child do? Her traditional creamy French version is published in her cookbook “The Way to Cook”. “Here is the mother of the family in all her simplicity. You’ll note there’s no chicken stock here, just water, leeks, potatoes, and salt in the soup base. However, you may include chicken stock if you wish, and you may certainly include milk. A bit of cream at the end is a nourishing touch, but by no means necessary.
This beautiful and simple pumpkin soup features a hint of cardamom, and the end result has the delightful appearance of a cup of cappuccino. This chef recipe video is brought to us from our friends at Gourmandia, and features French Chef Franck Salein and a translator. Chef Franck is from Les Sources de Caudalie, a gorgeous four star hotel, vino-therapy spa (hot springs infused with grape vine minerals!), and a gourmet restaurant located in the Bordeaux region of France.