French

Bouillabaisse.

French cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices from France.

Guillaume Tirel, a court chef known as "Taillevent", wrote Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of medieval France. During that time, French cuisine was heavily influenced by Italian cuisine. In the 17th century, chefs Francoise Pierre La Varenne and Marie-Antoine Carême spearheaded movements that shifted French cooking away from its foreign influences and developed France's own indigenous style. Cheese and wine are a major part of the cuisine, playing different roles regionally and nationally, with many variations and appellation d´origine contrôlée (AOC) (regulated appellation) laws.

French cuisine was codified in the 20th century by Auguste Escoffier to become the modern haute cuisine; Escoffier, however, left out much of the local culinary character to be found in the regions of France and was considered difficult to execute by home cooks. Gastro-tourism and the Guide Michelin helped to acquaint people with the rich bourgeois and peasant cuisine of the French countryside starting in the 20th century. Gascon cuisine has also had great influence over the cuisine in the southwest of France. Many dishes that were once regional have proliferated in variations across the country.

Knowledge of French cooking has contributed significantly to Western cuisines and its criteria are used widely in Western cookery school boards and culinary education. In November 2010, French gastronomy was added by the UNESCO to its lists of the world's "intangible cultural heritage".

RECIPES:

Boeuf Bourguignonne 1 Recipe.

Free Recipe Boeuf Bourguignonne 1.

Recipe Type: Free French Recipes. Recipe Preparation: bake. Cooking Temperature: . Recipe Serves: 6.

Ingredients for Boeuf Bourguignonne 1 Recipe.

3 lb Beef round or rump, 1 dice Flour 4 tb Olive oil 1/2 c Butter 3/4 c Salt pork, fine dice Salt Pepper 4 tb Warmed cognac 2 Carrots 1 Leek 4 Shallots 1 lg Yellow onion 1 Clove garlic 1/2 Bottle burgundy (or more) 1 Stalk celery Bouquet garni consisting of: 1 Sprig thyme 1 Bay leaf 1 Sprig parsley 2 tb Approx, flour 2 tb Approx, butter 12 sm Boiling onions Sugar 4 tb Burgundy 12 Mushroom caps 1 tb Olive oil Lemon juice Minced parsley for garnish.

Boeuf Bourguignonne 1 Preparation.

The tremendous success of this Beef Burgundy depends primaily on three things: The cut of meat used; The long, slow baking time; The quality of wine used. The meat needs to be extremely lean and durable enough to last through several hours of baking. Round or rump is perfect for the purpose. The long baking time at low temperature brings out the wonderful richness of the dish. Finally, the choice of wine. To put it bluntly, a cheap, bad, or wrongly chosen wine will ruin the dish. Bordeaux wines, though they have the right quality, are too delicate to add the richness the dish needs. White wines (other than a white burgundy) are too thin. The best wine is a full, rich French burgundy, or its California counterpart. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a great choice. So is a white burgundy, if the desired result is a less intense wine flavor. In any event, there are many good French and California burgundies that would work very well, without costing an arm and a leg. Just don’t use a two dollar bottle of wine, unless you want a two dollar beef burgundy. Heat 4T olive oil and 1/2 c butter in a large skillet. Dredge the meat in flour to coat, and brown in the skillet. Flame with the warmed cognac. When the flames have gone out, place the meat in an oven proof pot. Use a slotted spoon. Saute the diced salt pork until very crisp. Put in the pot with the meat. Mince the large onion and the garlic. Slice the carrots, leeks, and shallots. Add all to the skillet and saute until tender and browned. Place in the baking pot with the meats. Add salt and fresh ground pepper. Finally, add enough burgundy to completely immerse the ingredients, making sure to reserve enough wine to later on cook the boiling onions (about 4T for six servings). Cover pot and bake in oven 1 1/2 – 2 hours at 260 to 300 degrees. At the end of the baking time, skim off any fat; Then, add about 2T butter and 2T flour. Add the flour slowly to prevent lumping. Continue baking for about 2 hours longer. One hour before the dish is done: Saute until almost tender the boiling onions, in about 1T butter, with a few pinches of sugar and the remaining 4T or so of the wine. Reserve and keep warm. Saute til lightly browned the mushroom caps in the remaining 1T butter, 1T olive oil, and a little lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon for 6 servings). Reserve and keep warm. Final assembly: About 1/2 hour before the beef burgundy is done, gently stir in the boiling onions and the mushroom caps, along with their collected juices. When the dish is done, garnish with the minced parsley. Wonderful with garlic bread and more of the burgundy used in the recipe.

Boeuf Bourguignonne 2 Recipe.

Free Recipe Boeuf Bourguignonne 2.

Recipe Type: Free Misc Recipes. Recipe Preparation: cook. Cooking Temperature: . Recipe Serves: 6.

Ingredients for Boeuf Bourguignonne 2 Recipe.

2-1/2 lb Beef chuck; in cubes 1/2 c Flour 2 ts Instant beef bouillon 3 sl Bacon; in squares 2 Cloves garlic 1 Bay leaf 1/2 ts Thyme 2 c Dry red wine.

Boeuf Bourguignonne 2 Preparation.

Toss beef with flour seasoned with instant bouillon. Brown with bacon and garlic. Add herbs, red wine and water to cover. Simmer, covered, about 2 hours, until meat is tender. Adjust seasoning of gravy with more bouillon. If desired, add cooked carrots and onions, and mushrooms, browned in butter to the stew. Makes 6 or more servings.

Asparagus Almandine

Serve this quick-and-easy side dish with pork or chicken.

Serves 2-3.

1 pound Asparagus
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Almonds, sliced
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Steam the asparagus to the desired crispness. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the almonds and cook for 3 minutes (stirring frequently). Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Season. Serve immediately over the warm asparagus.

Chicken A La King

This is our featured "Comfort Food" recipe of the month.

Serves 4-6

8 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup Mushrooms, fresh, sliced
8 Tablespoons Flour
1 3/4 cup Milk
1 cup Chicken broth
2 cups Chicken cooked, diced
1/4 cup Pimentos, chopped
1 ounce Sherry (optional)
1 Tablespoon Parsley, chopped
Toast

Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook until limp. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk in the milk and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the chicken, pimentos, and sherry (if used). Simmer for 25 minutes. Serve over quartered toast slices, garnished with parsley.

Chicken Provencale

Serve this light but flavorful dish at your next luncheon.

Serves 4.

4 Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1/4 cup Green bell peppers, diced
1/4 cup Onion, diced
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Black olives, sliced
1/2 cup Tomatoes, diced
2 Tablespoons Basil, fresh, chopped
3/4 cup Wine, white
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Dredge the chicken in the flour and saute. Set aside and keep warm. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic to the pan. Cook until just soft. Add the tomatoes, basil, and olives. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until slightly thickened. Check the seasonings. Spoon over the warm chicken.

Fried Brie

Serve this unusual appetizer the same way you would a cheese ball.

Serves 6-8.

1 pound Brie cheese, cut into 2 wedges
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 cup Breadcrumbs (fresh)
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
Toasted almonds
Crackers and French-style bread

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Dip the cheese (including the rind) first into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs. Add to the skillet and lightly brown (about four minutes a side). Remove to a plate. Garnish with the almonds. Serve with the crackers and bread.

Onion Tart (Pissaladiere)

This dish could be described as a tomato-less, cheese-less pizza.

Serves 4.

2 large Onions, cut into thin rings
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive oil
11/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
10 Anchovy filets (optional)
1 tablespoon Black olives. Sliced
1 Pizza crust

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes longer. Preheat the oven to 425. Top the crust with the onions, anchovies and olives. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Ratatouille Soup

The flavor combinations of the classic side dish make for a wonderful soup.

Serves 4-6.

2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 medium Onion, diced
1 small Green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1 small Zucchini, diced
1 small Eggplant, peeled and diced
2 cups Tomatoes, diced
2 cups Tomato juice
2 cups Chicken broth
2 cups Water
2 Tablespoons Basil, fresh, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy soup. Add the onion, pepper and garlic. Cook until just soft. Add the zucchini and eggplant. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Rouille

Use this spicy sauce to top your favorite baked or grilled fish.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

2 cups Roasted red bell peppers (canned)
1 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
1/2 cup Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Pulse until a smooth sauce forms. Serve at room temperature. Store any unused portion in the refrigerator in a covered container.