Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 Read online

  For 16 to 20 people

  ¼ lb. (about 1 cup) sliced carrots

  ¼ lb. (about 1 cup) sliced onions

  2 Tb butter and 1 Tb oil, or 3 Tb rendered ham fat

  A heavy covered roaster or fireproof casserole just large enough to hold the ham

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sauté the vegetables in butter and oil or ham fat for about 10 minutes in the roaster or casserole until they are tender and very lightly browned.

  An 8- to 10-lb. cooked ham or picnic shoulder, skinned, and trimmed of excess fat

  6 parsley sprigs

  1 bay leaf

  6 peppercorns

  ½ tsp thyme

  3 whole cloves

  4 cups white Burgundy wine (Chablis or Pouilly-Fuissé) or 3 cups dry white vermouth

  4 to 6 cups white or brown stock or canned beef bouillon

  Place the ham over the vegetables, its fattiest side up, and add the rest of the ingredients at the left. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove, cover, and place the roaster or casserole in the middle level of the preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid barely simmers for about 2 hours. Baste every 20 minutes. The ham is done when a trussing needle or sharp-pronged fork will pierce the thickest part of it fairly easily.

  Optional glazing

  Powdered sugar in a shaker

  A shallow roasting pan containing a rack

  When the ham is done, drain it. If you wish to glaze it, dust the top and sides with powdered sugar, and place it on the rack in the roasting pan. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place the ham in the upper third of the oven and let it brown lightly for 10 to 15 minutes. Basting is not necessary.

  Let the ham sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. If it is to wait longer, put it in the turned-off hot oven with door ajar where it can stay for an hour. The braising liquid is turned into a sauce as follows:

  Cream and Mushroom Sauce

  Version I

  2 lbs. sliced fresh mushrooms

  3 Tb butter

  1 Tb oil

  3 Tb minced shallots or green onions

  A large enameled skillet

  Salt and pepper

  Dry the mushrooms in a towel. Sauté them for 5 to 6 minutes in hot butter and oil until they are very lightly browned. Stir in the shallots or onions and sauté for a minute more. Season to taste and set aside.

  The ham braising liquid

  ¼ cup Marc de Bourgogne, Madeira, or port

  A 2½-quart enameled saucepan

  4 Tb flour mixed to a paste with 4 Tb softened butter

  2 to 3 cups whipping cream

  Degrease the braising liquid in the roaster. Set roaster over high heat and boil rapidly until liquid has reduced to about 3 cups and is full of flavor. Add the marc or wine and simmer for a minute or two to evaporate the alcohol. Strain into a saucepan and beat in the flour and butter paste. Beat in 2 cups of cream, then stir in the sautéed mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes. The sauce should be just thick enough to coat a spoon very lightly. Stir in more cream if sauce seems too thick. Taste carefully for seasoning.

  (*) If not to be served immediately, set aside uncovered, top of sauce filmed with a spoonful of cream to keep a skin from forming. Reheat when ready to serve.

  Version II, with egg yolks

  2 lbs. fresh sliced mushrooms

  3 Tb butter

  1 Tb oil

  3 Tb minced shallots or green onions

  The ham braising liquid

  ¼ cup Marc de Bourgogne, Madeira, or port

  A 2½-quart enameled saucepan

  Following Version I of the sauce, sauté the mushrooms in butter and oil, adding the shallots or onions at the end. Degrease the ham braising liquid, reduce it to about 3 cups, add the marc or wine and simmer for a moment. Strain into the saucepan, add the sautéed mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes.

  5 egg yolks

  1 tsp cornstarch (anticurdling insurance)

  A 2-quart mixing bowl

  A wire whip

  2 cups whipping cream

  Blend the egg yolks and cornstarch in the mixing bowl with wire whip. Beat in the cream. Then gradually beat in about 1½ cups of the ham braising liquid from the saucepan. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the braising liquid and mushrooms.

  (*) May be done in advance to this point.

  A wooden spoon

  ½ to 1 cup whipping cream

  A warmed sauce bowl

  Shortly before serving, set saucepan over moderate heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens lightly, but do not let it come near the simmer (maximum temperature, 165 degrees) or the egg yolks will curdle. Stir in more cream by spoonfuls if the sauce seems too thick. It should coat a spoon lightly. Taste carefully for seasoning, pour into a warmed sauce bowl, and serve.

  VARIATION

  Jambon Braisé au Madère

  [Ham Braised in Madeira Wine]

  The combined flavors of Madeira and ham have always been a favorite in France. Spinach braised in stock, broiled or stuffed mushrooms, and a red Bordeaux-Médoc wine are good accompaniments for this dish.

  For 16 to 20 people

  1 cup sliced onions

  1 cup sliced carrots

  2 Tb butter

  1 Tb oil

  A covered roaster

  An 8- to 10-lb. cooked ham or picnic shoulder, skinned and trimmed of excess fat

  2 cups Madeira

  3 cups stock or canned beef bouillon

  6 parsley sprigs

  1 bay leaf

  ½ tsp thyme

  Powdered sugar in a shaker

  Following the general directions in the preceding master recipe, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook the vegetables in butter and oil in the roaster until lightly browned. Place the ham in the roaster, pour in the wine, the stock or bouillon, and add the herbs. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove, cover, and bake very slowly for 2 to 2½ hours, basting every 20 minutes. When the ham is tender, glaze it with powdered sugar as described in the master recipe.

  Degrease the braising liquid and boil it down rapidly to 3 cups. Strain it into a saucepan.

  3 Tb arrowroot (preferable to cornstarch as it does not cloud the sauce)

  2 Tb cold stock, wine, or truffle juice

  2 or 3 chopped, canned truffles and their juice OR, ½ cup mushroom duxelles (finely diced, sautéed mushrooms)

  Blend the arrowroot with the cold liquid and beat it into the hot braising liquid. Stir in the truffles or mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes. Correct seasoning. Sauce will have a very light thickening; the butter enrichment will give it more body and character.

  3 Tb softened butter

  A warmed sauceboat

  Reheat when ready to serve. Off heat, beat in the butter by bits, and pour the sauce into a warmed sauceboat.

  JAMBON FARCI ET BRAISÉ

  [Braised Ham with Mushroom Stuffing]

  A fine dish for an important dinner is ham sliced into serving pieces, reconstructed with a stuffing between each slice, then braised in Madeira.

  For 12 to 14 people

  2 lbs. fresh mushrooms

  3 Tb butter

  1 Tb oil

  ½ cup minced shallots or green onions

  Trim, wash, and mince the mushrooms. A handful at a time, twist them into a ball in the corner of a towel to extract their juice. Sauté in the butter and oil with the shallots or onions for 8 to 10 minutes until the mushroom pieces begin to separate from each other.

  ¼ cup Madeira or port

  Add the wine to the mushrooms and boil rapidly until the liquid has almost completely evaporated.

  Salt and pepper

  6 to 7 ounces or ¾ cup mousse de foie gras, or mousse de foie d’oie (the latter is puréed liver from a plain goose and is much less expensive)

  ½ tsp sage or thyme

  Pinch of allspice

  Optional: 1 or 2 diced, canned truffles (reserve their juice for your sauce)

  Scrape the mushrooms into a mi
xing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Blend in the rest of the ingredients. Taste carefully for seasoning, but do not salt too heavily because the ham is salted.

  A 10-lb. cooked ham, skinned, and trimmed of excess fat

  A large square of well washed cheesecloth, if needed

  Cut the upper two thirds of the ham into neat, thin, horizontal serving slices, piling them to one side in the order in which you slice them. Leave the lower third of the ham intact to act as a cradle to hold the slices when you put them back. Spread a spoonful of the mushroom stuffing in the center of each slice and pile the slices back onto the ham, reconstructing it into approximately its original shape. If the slices have been arranged neatly and solidly on the ham, no tying is necessary to keep them in place while the ham braises. But if you are doubtful, wrap the ham in cheesecloth.

  Then braise the ham for about 2½ hours with cooked vegetables, herbs, stock, and Madeira as described in the braising recipe, this page. Serve it with the same Madeira sauce, and braised spinach.

  VARIATION

  Jambon Farci en Croûte

  [Stuffed Ham Baked in a Pastry Crust]

  A splendid way to serve the preceding sliced and stuffed ham is to bake it in a pastry crust. To do so, after stuffing and braising it, allow it to cool for about an hour. Then, following the directions for duck in a crust, surround it with a decorated pastry dough and bake it in a 375-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the crust is cooked and nicely browned.

  HAM SLICES

  Tranches de Jambon

  Sliced ham responds to a number of interesting preparations which are relatively quick and simple to do.

  TRANCHES DE JAMBON EN PIPÉRADE

  [Ham Slices Baked with Tomatoes, Onions, and Peppers]

  This savory recipe for thick slices of smoked ham may be prepared for baking several hours before it is set in the oven. Sautéed potatoes, green beans, and a light red wine or a rosé go well with it.

  For 6 people

  2½ to 3 lbs. of cooked ham, sliced ½ inch thick, and cut into serving pieces if you wish

  3 Tb rendered ham fat or olive oil

  A large skillet

  A shallow baking dish large enough to hold ham in one layer

  Trim off excess fat, and dry the ham slice or slices on paper towels. Heat the fat or olive oil in the skillet until it is almost smoking, then brown the ham lightly for a minute or two on each side. Remove skillet from heat and place the ham in the baking dish.

  1 cup sliced yellow onions

  1 cup sliced green bell peppers

  Lower heat, and stir the onions into the fat in the skillet. Cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook 5 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender but not browned.

  2 lbs. firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and sliced (makes 3 cups of pulp)

  2 cloves mashed garlic

  ⅛ tsp pepper

  Pinch of cayenne pepper

  ¼ tsp sage or thyme

  Spread the tomato pulp over the onions and peppers, add the garlic and seasonings. Cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes so the tomatoes will render their remaining juice. Then uncover and boil for several minutes, shaking the skillet, until the tomato juice has almost entirely evaporated.

  Cover the browned ham with the vegetables.

  (*) May be done in advance to this point.

  2 to 3 Tb minced parsley

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. About 20 to 30 minutes before serving time, cover the baking dish and place it in the middle level of the oven and bake until the ham is heated through and tender when pierced with a fork. Baste with the juices in the dish and correct seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Decorate with parsley and serve.

  TRANCHES DE JAMBON MORVANDELLE

  [Sautéed Ham Slices—Cream and Madeira Sauce]

  Placed on a bed of spinach braised in stock, surrounded with broiled mushrooms or sautéed potatoes, this is a delectable ham dish. Serve with it a light red wine, or a Chablis or Pouilly-Fuissé.

  For 6 people

  2½ to 3 lbs. of cooked ham, sliced ¼ inch thick

  Trim off excess fat, and cut the ham into serving pieces. Dry on paper towels.

  2 Tb butter

  1 Tb oil

  An enameled skillet

  A few pieces at a time, brown the ham lightly for a minute on each side in hot butter and oil. Set the ham aside.

  3 Tb flour

  2 Tb minced shallots or green onions

  A wooden spoon

  Pour all but 2½ tablespoons of fat out of the skillet. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon, then the shallots or onions, and cook slowly for 2 or 3 minutes without browning. Remove from heat.

  1 cup very good ham stock, white or brown stock, or canned beef bouillon

  ½ cup Madeira or port

  A wire whip

  1 Tb tomato paste

  Big pinch of pepper

  Bring the stock or bouillon and wine to the simmer in a small saucepan. Blend it into the flour in the skillet with a wire whip. Beat in the tomato paste and pepper.

  1½ cups whipping cream

  3 Tb cognac

  Bring the sauce to the simmer, stirring, then beat in the cream. Simmer for 4 or 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce until it coats the spoon lightly. Taste carefully for seasoning but do not oversalt. Stir in the cognac. Then add the ham slices and spoon the sauce over them.

  (*) May be done in advance to this point. Film surface with a spoonful of cream and set aside.

  A hot platter on which, if you wish, is a mound of spinach braised in stock

  Shortly before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer slowly for a minute or two until the ham is tender when pierced with a fork. Taste again for seasoning. Transfer the ham to a platter, or place it over a bed of braised spinach. Spoon the sauce over the ham and serve.

  VARIATION

  Mix sliced, sautéed mushrooms into the sauce to simmer with the ham.

  TRANCHES DE JAMBON À LA CRÈME

  [Sautéed Ham Slices—Fresh Cream Sauce]

  This famous recipe is the same idea as the preceding one, but is made with a richer and more delicate sauce.

  For 6 people

  2½ to 3 lbs. cooked ham, sliced ¼ inch thick

  2 Tb butter

  1 Tb oil

  A 9- to 10-inch skillet

  2 Tb shallots or green onions

  ⅔ cup Madeira or port and 3 Tb cognac

  A wooden spoon

  Trim off excess fat, cut the ham into serving pieces, and dry on paper towels. Brown the slices lightly on each side in hot butter and oil and set them aside. Pour all but a tablespoon of sautéing fat out of the skillet, stir in the shallots or onions, and cook slowly for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and cognac and, scraping up the coagulated sauté juices with a wooden spoon, boil rapidly until the liquid has reduced to 3 or 4 tablespoons.

  2 cups whipping cream

  2 Tb Dijon-type prepared mustard mixed with 1 Tb tomato paste and 2 Tb whipping cream

  Big pinch of pepper

  Add the cream to the skillet, beat in the mustard mixture, and the pepper. Simmer slowly for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cream has reduced to about 1½ cups and has thickened lightly. Correct seasoning, but do not oversalt.

  Return the ham slices to the skillet and baste them with the sauce.

  (*) May be done ahead to this point.

  A hot platter on which, if you wish, is a mound of spinach braised in stock

  Shortly before serving, bring to the simmer, cover and simmer for several minutes until the ham is reheated and tender. Arrange the ham on a hot platter or on the bed of spinach. Spoon the sauce over the ham and serve.

  FRENCH BAKED BEANS

  Cassoulet

  Cassoulet is a rich combination of beans baked with meats, as much a part of southwestern France as Boston baked beans are of New England. The composition of a cassoulet is, in typical French fashion, the subject of infinite dispute, so much so
that if you have read or heard about cassoulet and never tasted it, you come to expect a kind of rare ambrosia rather than the nourishing country fare it actually is. As cassoulet is native to a relatively large region of France, each part of which has its own specialties, arguments about what should go into this famous dish seem based on local traditions. Toulousains insist that it must include among its meats preserved goose, confit d’oie, or it is not a real cassoulet. After all, something must be done with all the geese which housed the foie gras, and cassoulet is a natural solution in the Toulouse area. Then there are those who declare the cassoulet was born in Castelnaudary, and originally contained only beans, pork, and sausages. A heretical few suggest the cassoulet was not a French invention at all, but an adaption from the Arab fava bean and mutton stew. And so on, with variations and dogmatisms rampant. Fortunately all the talk can be regarded as so much historical background, for an extremely good cassoulet can be made anywhere out of beans and whatever of its traditional meats are available: goose, game, pork, sausages, lamb, mutton. The important item is flavor, which comes largely from the liquid the beans and meats are cooked in. And truth to tell, despite all the to-do about preserved goose, once it is cooked with the beans you may find difficulty in distinguishing goose from pork.