Duckling with Orange Sauce (Caneton à L’Orange)

Serve with baked squash.

1 (4 to 5 pound) duckling
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup currant jelly
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur (optional)

Fasten neck skin of duckling to back with skewers.
Lift wing tips up and over back for natural brace.
Place duckling, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan.
Prick skin with fork. Roast covered at 325 degrees F until done, about 2 1/2 hours, removing excess fat from pan occasionally.
If duckling becomes too brown, place an aluminum foil tent lightly over the breast. Duckling is done when drumstick meat feels very soft.
Let stand 10 minutes for easier carving.

Heat orange peel, orange juice, jelly, lemon juice, mustard and salt to boiling.
Mix water and cornstarch; stir into sauce.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.
Boil and stir 1 minute.
Stir in orange sections and liqueur. Brush duckling with some of the orange sauce; serve with remaining sauce.

Yields 4 servings.

adminFrench3 Nov, 2007No Comments

French Garden Peas

1 1/2 cups shelled fresh green peas*
1 cup shredded lettuce
3 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
Dash of pepper

Heat all ingredients to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer until peas are tender, about 8 minutes.

Yields 4 servings.

* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen green peas can be substituted.

adminFrench3 Nov, 2007No Comments

Crusty Potato Cake (Pommes de Terre Anna)

6 medium baking potatoes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Arrange layer of potato slices in bottom of heavily-greased 9-inch pie plate.
Sprinkle with small amount of salt and dash of pepper.
Repeat until all potatoes have been layered, sprinkling each layer with small amount of salt and dash of pepper.
Pour butter over potatoes.
Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F until potatoes are tender, about 50 minutes.

Loosen edge and bottom of potato cake with a wide spatula.
Place inverted platter over pie plate; invert potatoes onto platter.
Cut into wedges to serve.

Yields 6 servings.

adminFrench3 Nov, 2007No Comments

French Baguettes

Posted by bettyboop50 April 29, 2001

1 cup water
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Measure carefully, and place 1 cup water, bread flour, sugar, salt, and yeast into bread machine pan in the order recommended by the machine’s manufacturer.
Select Dough/Manual cycle.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides.
Cover. Let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Punch down dough.
Roll into a 16- x 12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
Cut dough in half, creating two 8- x 12-inch rectangles.
Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12-inch side.
Roll gently back and forth to taper ends.

Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.
Make 1/4-inch deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf.
Cover.
Let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

This recipe yields 2 baguettes.

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Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes (2 pounds)
1 clove garlic, halved
1/4 teaspoon instant beef or chicken bouillon
1/3 cup hot water
1/3 cup dry white wine
Tarragon Dressing
3 tablespoons minced parsley

Heat 1 inch salted water to boiling.
Add potatoes.
Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and cook until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
Drain and cool.

Rub 2-quart bowl with garlic; discard garlic.
Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch slices; place in bowl.
Dissolve bouillon in hot water; add wine.
Pour over potatoes.
Cover and refrigerate, stirring once or twice; drain.

Prepare Tarragon Dressing; gently toss with potatoes.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Garnish with tomato wedges and sliced cooked luncheon meat if desired.

Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Tarragon Dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dark prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Shake all ingredients in tightly covered jar.

adminFrench3 Nov, 2007No Comments

Creamy Custard Sauce with Fruit (Crème Anglaise aux Fruits)

Crème Anglaise is probably the most important sauce in French cooking.
It is the base for ice creams, bombes and Bavarians, and is the basis of many molds and custards.
By itself it is delicious spooned over plain cakes, pastries and fruit.

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
3 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Dash of salt
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups assorted fresh fruit*

Mix egg yolks, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan.
Stir in milk gradually.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats a metal spoon, 15 to 20 minutes.
Do not boil.
The custard sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.

Remove sauce from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
Place saucepan in cold water until sauce is cool.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Serve over fruit.

Yields 4 to 6 servings.

* Blueberries or raspberries and sliced peaches or strawberries and cubed pineapple

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Tarragon Chicken (Poulet à L’estragon)

This is a favorite dish in the Burgundy region of France.

1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
1 cup chicken broth or bouillon
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
Hot cooked noodles

Heat chicken, chicken broth, carrots, tarragon, salt, pepper and bay leaf to boiling in 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Add mushrooms, celery and onion.
Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until thickest pieces of chicken are done, about 15 minutes.

Remove chicken and vegetables to warm platter with slotted spoon; keep warm.
Drain liquid from skillet; strain and reserve 1 cup.
Pour reserved liquid and the wine into skillet.
Mix half-and-half, flour and egg yolk until smooth; stir into wine mixture.
Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Serve with chicken, vegetables and noodles.

Yields 6 to 8 servings.

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Gateaux au Rum (Rum Cakes)

1 angel food cake
1 cup butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tablespoons light rum
1 (1 pound) box confectioners’ sugar
2 cups finely chopped pecans

Buy or prepare angel food cake.
Slice horizontally through middle of cake, then make perpendicular slices 1 inch apart around cake, creating 1 x 1 x 2-inch wedges.

To cooled butter add unbeaten egg white and rum and beat in enough sugar to make mixture an easy spreading consistency.
Spread mixture on all sides of cake wedge.
Roll immediately in pecans.
May be prepared ahead 3 to 4 days.
Store in refrigerator in airtight container.
Freezes well.

Makes about 35 cakes.

adminFrench3 Nov, 2007No Comments

Eggs Florentine (Oeufs à la Florentine)

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
Mornay Sauce
4 Poached Eggs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs

Cook spinach as directed on package; drain.
Place spinach in ungreased shallow 1-quart baking dish; keep warm.
Prepare Mornay Sauce and Poached Eggs.
Place eggs on spinach.
Cover with Mornay Sauce; sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs.
Set oven to broil or 550 degrees F.
Broil with top about 5 inches from heat until light brown, about 1 minute.
Yields 4 servings.

Mornay Sauce
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon
Dash of ground nutmeg
Dash of ground red pepper
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Heat butter in 1-quart saucepan until melted.
Blend in flour, bouillon, nutmeg and red pepper.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
Stir in half-and-half.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
Boil and stir 1 minute.
Add cheese; stir until cheese is melted.

Poached Eggs
Heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches water to boiling; reduce heat to simmer. Break each egg into saucer; holding saucer close to water’s surface, slip 1 egg at a time into water.
Cook until desired doneness, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove eggs from water with slotted spoon.

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Bouquet Garni

4 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

Put into a cheesecloth bag or place in a tea ball.

adminFrench3 Nov, 2007No Comments