Tag Archives: vintage french cooking

Daube Froide/Beef in Aspic (Réunion Island)

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ingredients:
2 pounds thinly sliced lean beef (from the rump or round)
¼ pound lean bacon strips
2 onions
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 handful parsley
1 sprig thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
salt, pepper
nutmeg
4 ounces fresh bacon fat
1 Tablespoon flour
2 cups dry white wine
1 calf’s foot
1 teaspoon agar-agar or Japanese Moss
1 cup beef bouillon

instructions:

  1. Flatten the beef slices and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Chop one onion, the shallots, garlic and parsley. Sprinkle in the finely chopped thyme and bay leaf. Add salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste. Mix thoroughly.
  3. On each slice of beef place a slice of bacon and spread some of the herb mixture on it. Pile the seasoned slices into a “tower” and press as flat as possible. End with a slice of beef, then tie the entire pile together with string so it will not fall apart while cooking.
  4. Mince the bacon fat and the remaining onion, sprinkle with flour, and add any remaining herb mixture there may be. Brown lightly in a Dutch oven. Add the wine, the calf’s foot, and the securely-tied beef slices. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 hours.
  5. When done, remove the meat from the pot. Dissolve the agar-agar in the bouillon and add it to the liquid in the Dutch oven.
  6. Place the meat into a mold and strain the liquid over it. Refrigerate. The sauce will jell. Unmold when ready to serve, and garnish with sprigs of parsley.

This dish is ideal for a meal served outdoors. As agar-agar and Japanese Moss are not readily obtainable, plan unflavored gelatine may be substituted, using a little less liquid than the instructions call for, in order to obtain a stiffer gelatine.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan, 1971. Published in the United States and Canada by BOBLEY PUBLISHING; a division of Illustrated World Encyclopedia, Inc. Printed in Japan.

Grenouilles Savoyardes (Frog Legs Fricassee)

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ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
24 skewered frog legs
3 ½ Tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon vinegar

instructions:

  1. Remove the frog legs from the skewers; cut off the toes with scissors.
  2. Lightly brown the garlic and onions in the butter. Add the frog legs and sauté rapidly, turning them over. Lower the heat and cook 25 minutes.
  3. Pour the eggs, slightly beaten, over the cooked frog legs. Let them set.
  4. Remove to a serving dish. Pour the vinegar in the hot pan, bring to a boil and pour over the frog legs.

To test if the frog legs are sufficiently cooked, lightly pinch the flesh, which is soft when they are done.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan, 1971. Published in the United States and Canada by BOBLEY PUBLISHING, a division of Illustrated World Encyclopedia, Inc. Printed in Japan.

Belehat (Meat Loaf – Egypt)

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Ingredients:
4 eggs
3 cloves garlic
3 Tablespoons flour
1 pound ground beef
a pinch coriander
salt, pepper
3 Tablespoons bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons tomato sauce

Instructions:

  1. Hard-cook the eggs and put them quickly into cold water to facilitate shelling. Mince the garlic.
  2. Mix the ground meat with garlic, a pinch of coriander, salt and pepper.
  3. Dust a board with flour. Cut the meat in half. Flatten out one half with your hand to make a rectangle 4 by 5 inches. Place the hard-boiled eggs on this rectangle.
  4. Place the other half of meat on the eggs. Shape so as to obtain a kind of sausage, enclosing the eggs.
  5. Beat the rest of the eggs. Roll the “sausage” in the flour, in the beaten eggs, and then in the bread crumbs.
  6. Brown in heated butter in a frying pan. Add the tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Egyptians enjoy this dish very much. Try it; your guests will as for second helping.

© Shufutnotomo Co., Ltd., Japan, 1971. Published in the United States and Canada by BOBLEY PUBLISHING, a division of Illustrated World Encyclopedia, Inc. Printed in Japan.

Sartadagnano (Fish Pancake)

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ingredients:

2 pounds small frying fish
3 Tablespoons flour
4 sprigs of parsley
2 cloves of garlic
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons vinegar

instructions:

  1. Clean and wash the fish; remove the heads. Pat dry. Roll into flour to coat completely.
  2. Chop the garlic and parsley together.
  3. Heat the oil in a shallow saucepan. Add the fish. Pack them together so that they will stick to one another.
  4. After 5 to 6 minutes, they will form a sort of pancake; turn it over. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.
  5. To serve: Sprinkle with the garlic and parsley mixture and cover with the boiling vinegar.

The sartadagnano, also called sartgnato in some small Mediterranean ports, can only be made with tiny fish whose bones are edible. To serve, slice like a cake.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan, 1971. Published in the United States and Canada by BOBLEY PUBLISHING, a division of Illustrated World Encyclopedia, Inc. Printed in Japan.

Pieds de Mouton à la Rouennaise (Mutton Feet, Rouen Style)

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ingredients:
8 blanched mutton feet
2 onions
1 clove
3 Tablespoons graisse normandie
(See recipe No. 1 Step No. 1)
1 fresh sprig or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
salt, pepper
1 Tablespoon flour
3 Tablespoons vinegar
3 quarts of water
4 sprigs of parsley
1 Tablespoon butter
1 pork caul
4 ounces sausage meat
1 egg
4 Tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

Instructions:

  1. Singe the feet that are already blanched. To blanch: Scrub the feet well. Rinse under cold running water. Place the feet in a saucepan. Add cold water to cover. Slowly bring the water to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, remove the feet and immediately rinse under cold water. Remove any remaining hair, especially the small ball of wool situated in the inner portion of the foot, between the two hoofs.
  2. Sauté the whole onion, stuck with the clove in the graisse normande. Add thyme and bay leave. Salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour. Stir. Brown lightly.
  3. Sprinkle with vinegar and add the water. When the liquid boils, add the feet. Cook, covered, for 3 to 4 hours at a very slow boil. Add more water if necessary.
  4. Chop the second onion and the parsley. Sauté in butter. Add the sausage meat.
  5. Drain the feet. Bone, taking care not to break the flesh. Stuff each food with some of the mixture. Wrap in a piece of pork caul.
  6. Beat the egg in a dish. Put the breadcrumbs in another dish. Dip the feet into the egg, then roll in the crumbs. Deep fry in hot fat.
  7. Serve very hot.

This is a very popular dish from Rouen.
To make the graisse normande, see recipe No. 1, step No. 1

Graisse Normande (Normandy Fat)
Dice 2 parts beef kidney suet. Melt it in a large saucepan with 1 part lard over very low heat. When everything has melted completely, add cleaned and diced vegetables: 1 each onion, leek, carrot, celery stalk, sprig of parsley and 2 cloves of garlic. Salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 hours without browning. Strain through a very fine sieve.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1971. Published in the United States and Canada by BOBLEY PUBLISHING, a division of Illustrated World Encyclopedia, Inc. Printed in Japan.

Partridges with Vermicelli (Perdreaux aud Fidés)

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ingredients:
2 plump young partridges
4 Tablespoons butter
⅓ cup dry white wine
salt and pepper
1 onion
10 small bacon cubes
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup thin vermicelli
2 cups beef or chicken stock

instructions:
1. Clean the partridges and sauté them lightly in butter on all sides without allowing them to brown.
2. Add the wine. Salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and slit them in half.
3. Chop the onion. Scald the bacon cubes in boiling water. Add the onions and bacon cubes to the saucepan. Add the Swiss cheese and vermicelli.
4. Place the halved partridges in the saucepan, cover with the stock, and cook 20 minutes.

The Savoyards, who eat a good deal of pasta, are particularly fond of fidés, or thin vermicelli.
It is best to use a small saucepan; otherwise you must increase the quantity of stock.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd, Japan 1971. Published in the United Stats and Canada by BOBLEY PUBLISHING. a division of Illustrated World Encyclopedia, Inc. Printed in Japan.

Eels in Green Sauce (Anguilles au Vert)

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ingredients:
2 pounds of eels
fresh herbs, as many of the following as possible (amounts are approximate):
5 ounces sorrel or watercress
2 ounces parsley
2 ounces chevril
1 sprig tarragon
1 sprig mint
1 sprig sage
1 handful spinach
2 ounces new leaves of white nettle
5 tablespoons butter
1 cup dry white wine
salt, pepper
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon heavy cream

instructions:
1. Clean and skin the eels; remove heads and tails. Cut into 2-inch lengths.
2. Wash and chop together all the herbs. Cook slowly in a large saucepan in butter. Add the eels and sauté 5 minutes. Add wine to cover the contents, salt and pepper to taste. Cook 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and thicken the sauce with a mixture of the egg yolks and cream. Add the lemon juice at the very last.
Serve either hot or cold.

The more herbs you use, the better the dish will be. In Flandre, during some seasons, they use as many as fourteen varieties, including the young nettle leaves, which are traditional. The eels must be small.

Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan, 1971 Published in the United States and Canada by BOBLEY PUBLISHING a division of Illustrated World Encyclopedia, Inc. Printed in Japan

Foie de Veau à la Moutarde (Liver with mustard and herbs)

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Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5-6 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need
4 slices calves’ or lamb’s liver, ½-inch thick
seasoned flour
2 tablespoons oil
2 level tablespoons French mustard
1 level tablespoon finely chopped shallot or spring onion
2 level tablespoons finely chopped parsley
fresh white breadcrumbs
2 oz. melted butter
Garnish:
orange slices
watercress

Fry liver slices, coated with flour, in hot oil for 1 minute on each side. Remove. Mix mustard, shallot or spring onion and parsley, adding drop by drop enough of the frying oil to make a ‘creamy’ mixture. Spread liver slices on each side with mustard mixture and coat with breadcrumbs, pressing on firmly. Lay slices in grill pan, spoon melted butter over and brown under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes; turn, baste with remaining butter and brown other side. Garnish with orange slices and watercress.

©Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text ©The Hamlyn Publishing Group, Ltd., 1968

Liver Pâté

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Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 ½ hours
To serve: 4

You will need
1 ½ lb. pig’s liver
8 oz. bacon
1 clove garlic or 1 shallot
6 anchovy fillets
¾ pint breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 egg yolk
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves

Put half liver in a pan, cover with water and simmer until cooked. Put cooked and uncooked liver, half bacon, garlic or shallot and anchovies twice through a mincer. Add breadcrumbs, beaten egg and egg yolk. Season. Mix thoroughly. Lay bay leaves in the bottom of mould, cake tin or loaf tin and line with half remaining bacon rashers. Fill it with pâté. Cover with buttered greaseproof paper. Place mould in baking tin filled with hot water so that the water comes at least 1-inch up the mould. Bake in a moderate oven (350° F. or Gas Mark 4) for about 1 ½ hours. Cool and remove paper.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text &copu; Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968

Champignons à la Grecque, Oeufs à la Toulonnaise

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champignons

Champignons à la grecque
Mushrooms stewed in oil and wine

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10-12 minutes
To serve: 2-4 (depending if other dishes are served)

You will need
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 level tablespoon chopped onion
1 level teaspoon tomato purée
1/2 bay leaf
salt and ground black pepper
8 oz. small button mushrooms

Put all ingredients except the button mushrooms into a pan and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Wash the button mushrooms (if large cut into halves or quarters) and add to the ingredients in the pan. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the mushrooms and arrange in a shallow dish. Reduce liquid to syrupy consistency by boiling rapidly for minute or two, pour over mushrooms. Serve cold, alone, or in a mixed hors d’oeuvre.

Oeufs à la Toulonnaise
Hard-boiled eggs Toulon style

Preparation time: 15 minutes
To serve: 3 (more if part of a mixed hors d’oeuvre)
You will need
3 hard-boiled eggs
2 oz. anchovy fillets
1/4 pin (U.S. 5/8 cup) thick mayonnaise

Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise and arrange cut side down in a shallow dish. Cut the anchovy fillets into thin strips. If necessary thin the mayonnaise to a thick coating consistency with creamy milk, then coat the eggs. Band each egg with anchovy strips.

Mayonnaise

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need
2 fresh egg yolks
1/2 level teaspoon salt
1/4 level teaspoon dry or 1/2 level teaspoon French mustard
1/2-1 tablespoon wine or tarragon vinegar, or lemon juice
about 1/2 pint (U.S. 1 1/4 cups) olive oil

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Put egg yolks in a small pudding basin standing on a folded damp cloth. Add salt, mustard and a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice and beat thoroughly before adding any oil. Use a small wire whisk or wooden spoon for mixing. Have the oil in a measuring jug with lip but add drop by drop from a teaspoon to start, beating all the time. When the mayonnaise thickens half teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice and increase the flow of oil to an intermittent thin stream, beating continuously. Continue until all the oil is added.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd. Japan 1968 English text ©The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd.,1968