Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 Read online

  GOOSE STOCK

  A good goose stock is easy to make with the gizzard, neck, heart, and wing tips of the goose. The liver may be included, unless you wish to treat it like chicken liver, or add it to your stuffing. Follow the general procedure for chicken stock. It should simmer for 2 hours or so.

  STUFFINGS FOR GOOSE

  Goose may be cooked with or without a stuffing. Besides the prune and foie gras, and the chestnut stuffing, both of which are described in the pages following, another good one for goose is the apple and sausage mixture in the Duck section. Count on ¾ to 1 cup of stuffing for each ready-to-cook pound of goose. An 8-lb. bird, for instance, will take 6 to 8 cups of stuffing. Although you may prepare a stuffing ahead of time, never stuff the goose until just before cooking, or both goose and stuffing may spoil.

  TIMETABLE FOR ROAST OR BRAISED GOOSE

  The following table is based on unstuffed, unchilled goose cooked to the well-done stage—when its juices run pale yellow. Be sure not to overcook your goose, or the breast meat especially will be dry and disappointing. You will see in the table that the larger the goose, the less time per pound it takes to cook. A 9-lb. goose requires about 2 hours, and a 12½-lb. bird, only about 30 minutes longer. The best sizes to buy are from 9 to 11 lbs.; larger geese may be a bit older and tougher. Oven temperature for roasting is 350 degrees; for braising, 325 degrees. A meat thermometer should register 180 degrees.

  READY-TO-COOK WEIGHT NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED APPROXIMATE TOTAL COOKING TIME (UNSTUFFED GOOSE)*

  8 lbs. 6 1 hour and 50 to 55 minutes

  9 lbs. 6 to 8 About 2 hours

  9½ lbs. 8 to 9 2 hours and 10 to 15 minutes

  10½ lbs. 9 to 10 2 hours and 15 to 20 minutes

  11½ lbs. 10 to 12 2 hours and 20 to 30 minutes

  12½ lbs. 12 to 14 2 hours and 30 to 40 minutes

  * For a stuffed goose, add from 20 to 40 minutes to the times given.

  OIE RÔTIE AUX PRUNEAUX

  [Roast Goose with Prune and Foie Gras Stuffing]

  Goose is roasted exactly like duck, the only exception being that the goose is basted every 15 to 20 minutes with boiling water to help in the dissolution of its subcutaneous fat, which is more copious for goose than for duck. Prunes and goose are an exceptionally fine combination. With the goose you can serve braised onions and chestnuts, and a full red wine such as a Burgundy or Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

  For 6 to 8 people.

  Estimated roasting time: About 2½ hours

  Note: A good brown goose stock will give you an excellent sauce, but it must be prepared in advance; see preceding remarks.

  Prune and foie gras stuffing

  40–50 “tenderized” prunes

  Soak the prunes in hot water for 5 minutes. Pit them as neatly as possible.

  1 cup white wine or ⅔ cup dry white vermouth

  2 cups brown goose stock, brown stock, or canned beef bouillon

  Simmer them slowly in a covered saucepan with the wine and stock or bouillon for about 10 minutes, or until they are just tender. Drain them and reserve the cooking liquid.

  The goose liver, minced

  2 Tb finely minced shallots or green onions

  1 Tb butter

  Sauté the goose liver and shallots or onions in butter, using a small skillet, for 2 minutes. Scrape into a mixing bowl.

  ⅓ cup port

  Boil the wine in the same skillet until it is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Scrape it into the mixing bowl with the liver.

  ½ cup or 4 ounces of foie gras (goose liver), or very good liver paste

  Pinch: allspice and thyme

  2 to 3 Tb bread crumbs

  Salt and pepper

  Blend the foie gras or liver paste and flavorings into the mixing bowl with the sautéed liver. If mixture seems too soft for easy stuffing, beat in bread crumbs. Taste carefully for seasoning. Fill each prune with a teaspoon of the stuffing.

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

  A 9-lb. ready-to-cook young roasting goose

  1 tsp salt

  A shallow roasting pan

  Salt the cavity of the goose. Stuff it loosely with the prunes. Sew or skewer the vent. Secure the legs, wings, and neck skin to the body. Prick the skin over the thighs, back, and lower breast. Dry thoroughly, and set it breast up in the roasting pan.

  Boiling water

  A bulb baster

  Following directions for roast duck, brown the goose for 15 minutes in the hot oven. Turn goose on its side, lower heat to 350 degrees, and continue roasting. Baste every 15 to 20 minutes with 2 or 3 tablespoons of boiling water, and remove excess accumulated fat. A bulb baster is useful for this; tilt the pan and suck the fat out. Turn goose on its other side at the halfway mark, and on its back 15 minutes before the end. The goose should be done in 2 hours and 20 to 30 minutes, when the drumsticks move slightly in their sockets, and, when the fleshiest part of one is pricked, the juices run a pale yellow. Do not allow the goose to overcook or the meat will dry out.

  When done, discard trussing strings and set the goose on a platter.

  The prune cooking juices

  Optional: ⅓ to ½ cup port

  Salt and pepper

  2 Tb softened butter

  Tilt the pan and spoon out the fat, but leave the brown roasting juices. Pour in the prune cooking juices and optional port. Boil down rapidly, scraping up coagulated roasting juices, until liquid has reduced and is full of flavor. Correct seasoning. Off heat and just before serving, swirl in the enrichment butter by bits. Pour into a warmed sauceboat, spoon a bit of sauce over the goose, and serve.

  (*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE

  Roast goose may wait for 30 to 40 minutes in the turned-off hot oven with its door ajar.

  OIE BRAISÉE AUX MARRONS

  [Braised Goose with Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing]

  There are many who prefer braised goose to roast goose because the meat is more tender and more flavorful, and the closed, moist cooking of a braise renders out more fat than open-pan roasting. A good combination to go with this would be more chestnuts, either braised or pureéd, and braised lettuce, onions or leeks. Brussels sprouts, or braised green or red cabbage are other choices. Serve a red Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or chilled Alsatian Traminer.

  For a 9-lb. bird, serving 8 to 10 people—because of the meat stuffing the goose will go further.

  Estimated roasting time: 2½ hours

  Sausage and chestnut stuffing (8 cups)

  1½ pounds of fresh chestnuts, or 4 cups of drained, canned, and unsweetened chestnuts

  If using fresh chestnuts, peel them, and simmer them in stock and seasonings as described. Drain, and allow them to cool.

  4 cups of the fresh ground veal and pork stuffing described

  The goose liver, chopped, and sautéed in butter

  Prepare the stuffing and beat the sautéed liver into it. Sauté a spoonful to check seasoning.

  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

  A 9-lb. ready-to-cook young roasting goose

  ½ tsp salt

  A shallow roasting pan

  Season the cavity of the goose with salt. Starting with the meat stuffing, loosely pack alternate layers of stuffing and of chestnuts into the goose, leaving a good inch of unfilled space at the vent. Sew or skewer the vent, truss the goose, and prick its skin. Dry it thoroughly, and set it breast up in the roasting pan.

  Brown the goose lightly in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, turning it several times so it will color evenly.

  1 tsp salt

  A covered roaster just large enough to hold the goose easily

  Salt the goose and place it breast up in the roaster. Turn oven down to 325 degrees.

  The goose neck, wing tips, gizzard, and heart

  1½ cup sliced onions

  ½ cup sliced carrots

  4 Tb rendered goose fat, rendered fresh pork fat, or cooking oil

  A skillet

  Brown the goose bits and vegetables in hot fat in the skille
t.

  6 Tb flour

  Stir the flour into the skillet and brown slowly for several minutes.

  4 cups boiling brown stock or canned beef bouillon

  3 cups dry white wine or 2 cups dry white vermouth

  Off heat, blend in the boiling stock or bouillon, and then the wine. Simmer for a moment. Then pour the contents of the skillet into the roaster around the goose. Add additional stock if necessary, so liquid reaches about one third the way up the goose.

  Bring to the simmer on top of the stove. Cover, and set in the middle level of the preheated 325-degree oven.

  A bulb baster

  Braise for about 2 hours and 20 to 30 minutes, regulating oven heat so liquid simmers very quietly. Basting is not necessary. Accumulated fat may be removed occasionally with the bulb baster. The goose is done when its drumsticks move slightly in their sockets, and, when their fleshiest part is pricked, the juices run pale yellow.

  Remove the goose to a serving platter and discard trussing strings.

  Salt and pepper to taste

  ⅓ to ½ cup port

  Skim the fat out of the roaster (degreasing directions), boil the cooking liquid down rapidly until it has thickened enough to coat a spoon lightly. Correct seasoning. Stir in the port and simmer a minute or two to evaporate its alcohol. Strain the sauce into a bowl or a saucepan, pressing juice out of the ingredients. You should have about 5 to 6 cups of sauce. Pour a spoonful over the goose, and serve.

  (*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE

  For a 30- to 40-minute wait, return the goose to the roaster, and set the cover askew. Place in turned-off hot oven with its door ajar, or over barely simmering water.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  MEAT

  Viandes

  FACED the awesome problem of what to choose from among the wonderful store of French recipes for beef, lamb, pork, ham, sweetbreads, kidneys, liver, and brains, we have picked those which seemed to us especially French, or of particular interest to American cooks. We have not gone into roast beef or broiled chops as they are practically the same everywhere. Besides numerous traditional dishes, we have included a number of French regional recipes for ragoûts, stews, and daubes; their comparative economy and ease of execution, in addition to their robust flavors, make them most appealing.

  For those who have collections of original French recipes, or who are living in France, we have in most instances given translations, approximations, or explanations of French meat cuts. Cross-cultural comparisons are a maze of complication as the systems of the two countries are entirely different: the French cut meat following muscle separations, while American butchers usually cut across the grain. Identification is made more confusing as different regions in each country use different names for the same cuts. We have used the Chicago terminology for American cuts, and the Paris terminology for French cuts.

  BEEF

  Boeuf

  Any cook or housewife is well advised to learn as much as possible about grades and cuts of beef, as a vague beef-buyer is open to countless unnecessary disappointments and expenses. Both the grade of beef and the cut determine the cooking method. Beef carcasses are divided into five grades which are rated according to the form and shape of the carcass, the amount and distribution of fat, and the color and quality of the flesh, fat, and bone. Some packers use their own wording. Federal meat inspectors use Prime, Choice, Good, Commercial, and Utility in descending order, and stamp the grade on the beef so it is visible for each retail cut. Grade is an indication of flavor and tenderness especially for roasting and broiling cuts. A Choice or Prime sirloin steak or roast will be more tender and juicy than one graded Good because the flesh of the latter is less marbled with fat. Chuck or rump from a Good carcass will be quite tough when roasted, while the same cut from a Choice carcass should be reasonably tender. However, both cuts are suitable for braising, so there is no reason to buy Prime beef when Good will do. At most retail markets, the higher grades used for roasting and broiling are aged from three to six weeks to improve their flavor and tenderness.

  The best way to learn beef cuts is step by step, or cut by cut. You could begin by peering closely at sirloin steaks every time you go into a market. Is the flesh cherry red and marbled with little veins of fat, and is the surrounding fat creamy white and firm? If so, it is a Choice or Prime steak. Is it a double-bone or round-bone sirloin—the two best cuts, or is it from the wedge-bone or pinbone end? When you feel you have mastered the sirloin, you might move to the leg, familiarizing yourself with top round, bottom round, and sirloin tip. Then proceed to other cuts. Ask questions. Your butcher will be much more interested in serving you well if you show interest in learning about his meat.

  STEAKS

  Biftecks

  French and American methods for cutting up a beef carcass are so dissimilar that it is rarely possible to find in America the same steak cut you could find in France. But this is a point of small significance as the various steak recipes differ from one another only in their sauces, butters, or garnitures.

  In France the tenderloin or filet, which runs from the thirteenth rib to the rump, is usually removed in one piece. Then the loin strip, under which the filet was cut, is boned and used for steaks or roasts. Thus there is neither short loin nor sirloin left intact, and consequently no T-bone, porterhouse, or sirloin steak. The best part of the rib-roast section is usually boned and cut into rib steaks called entrecôtes.

  CUTS FOR STEAK

  Since you often find French steak names on a menu, here is a list explaining them.

  Entrecôte. Rib steak, or rib eye steak, from the rib-roast section, ribs 9 to 11. Delmonico or club steak, cut from the rib end of the short loin, is a near equivalent.

  Romsteck, or Rumsteck. Rump steak, cut from the end of a rump which faces the sirloin. Rump steaks must be from a well aged Prime or Choice carcass to be tender.

  Faux Filet, or Contre Filet. Loin strip steak, or strip steak, corresponds to the loin part of a porterhouse or T-bone steak rather than to the tenderloin part. Top-quality strip steaks are rarely available in American retail markets because of the heavy call for porterhouse and T-bone steaks. Delmonico or club steak is practically equivalent.

  Bifteck. Tenderloin butt, or New York butt, cut from the larger and less tender end of the filet, which also makes up the best part of a sirloin steak. In France the term bifteck can also include any lean, boneless steak such as a trimmed Delmonico, club, strip, or rump steak, or a tender steak from the round or chuck. We shall also include T-bone, porterhouse, and sirloin as biftecks.

  FILET OF BEEF

  If the filet is taken from a large Choice or Prime carcass, the meat should be 3½ to 4 inches in diameter at the heart, and the slices delicately marbled with fat. Because most butchers reserve their best beef carcasses for T-bone and porterhouse steaks, it is not always possible to find a filet of this size and quality.

  Whole Filet of Beef

  Untrimmed Center Cut of Filet, the Châteaubriand Section

  Bifteck, or tenderloin butt, is considered to be the less tender part of the filet and is classified in the preceding list of steaks.

  Tournedos Wrapped in a Strip of Pork Fat

  Châteaubriand (which can also be spelled with a final “t” rather than “d”) corresponds to the tenderloin portion of a Choice or Prime porterhouse steak. It is cut 2 inches thick, should weigh a pound or more before trimming, and is always broiled or grilled. A thinner steak cut from this portion of the tenderloin is called a filet.

  Tournedos and filet mignons, which become progressively smaller near the tail of the filet, correspond to the tenderloin of T-bone steaks.

  WINE SUGGESTIONS

  With all but the filet steaks, which are discussed separately, serve a good, rather young red wine with a certain amount of body, such as a Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux-St. Émilion, or Beaujolais.

  VEGETABLE SUGGESTIONS

  Bifteck et pommes frites are just as popular in France as steak and baked potatoes
are in America. A good change from the old rhythm would be the garlic mashed potatoes or one of the scalloped potato casseroles or potatoes sautéed in butter. Vegetables which would go well include the following:

  Buttered green peas, or beans, or Brussels sprouts

  Baked or stuffed tomatoes

  Broiled or stuffed mushrooms

  Ratatouille, egg plant casserole

  Turnips, including the excellent casserole

  Braised celery, leeks, or lettuce

  Here are some of the classical French vegetable garnitures for a steak platter:

  Beauharnais, stuffed mushrooms, artichoke hearts cooked in butter

  Brabançonne, Brussels sprouts with cheese sauce, potato balls sautéed in butter

  Catalane, stuffed tomatoes, artichoke hearts cooked in butter

  Chartres, stuffed mushrooms, braised lettuce

  Choron, artichoke hearts filled with buttered peas, potato balls sautéed in butter

  Maillot, glazed turnips, carrots, and onions, with braised lettuce and buttered green peas and beans