Squash Ratatouille

There are many ways to make Ratatouille, a french peasant dish that takes advantage of the summer bounty of vegetables such as zucchini and tomatoes, sometimes eggplant or other vegetables. Here is a recipe that uses squash, a vegetable that is plentiful right now. The entire dish is pretty cheap to prepare as well as being nutritious. The fresher your ingredients, the nicer the meal will be. Unlike baked ratatouille, this dish is cooked entirely on the stove, so it goes together very quickly. The recipe is also flexible. Add in other favorite vegetables as they become available in your … Continue reading →

Traditional Lobster Thermidor

Lobster Thermidor is a French dish originally created at the restaurant Marie’s in France. It was named in honor of a play showing across the street at the Comedie Francaise–although that’s hardly worth mentioning as the play was not a rousing success. To be true lobster Thermidor, the dish must contain finely ground mustard. The baked cheese on top is optional (well, at least to some people–it’s not optional to me!). It does require a lot of prep work–but this just might be the perfect recipe when you’re having a small dinner party. To cook lobster tales you will need: … Continue reading →

Crepes

Decidedly French, crepes are light, fluffy, and delicious. Often thought of as a super-thin pancake, crepes can be filled with any number of toppings. They are simple enough to make on a weekday morning, but elegant enough to make for guests or as a holiday breakfast treat. This weekend, instead of the usual pancakes and eggs, why not try some delicious crepes? They’ll transport you to a little village in France, there the light shines on cobblestone streets and people are happy to see you when you walk by. Here’s my recipe for crepes, shared by a friend who lives … Continue reading →

Bouchees Pauillacaise

For this recipe, you will need 2 pounds of potatoes, unsalted butter, milk, salt, pepper, eggs, fresh breadcrumbs, nutmeg, vegetable oil, shallots, one onion, all-purpose flour, beef stock, and a chicken breast. To prep for this recipe, you will need to peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Mince two shallots and finely chop the onion. Cook the chicken breast and dice it. You can use leftover chicken or beef if you have it. You only need enough to make one cup. Steam the cubed potatoes until they are soft. To make the meat filling, melt 1 tablespoon … Continue reading →

French Beef Stew

For this recipe, you will need two pounds of beef (chuck, rump, or brisket), bay leaves, cloves, one onion, chopped parsley, cloves of garlic, butter, thick bacon, flour, thyme, beef stock, salt, pepper, one dozen pearl onions, sugar, and a dozen whole mushrooms. To prep for this recipe, you will need to trim your beef and cut it into 2-inch chunks. Peel your onion and cut it in half. Quarter the dozen mushrooms. Peel one garlic clove. Peel the dozen pearl onions if necessary. Cut four ounces of bacon into 1/2 inch strips. Place the beef chunks in a large … Continue reading →

Escargot in Butter

Escargot in Butter Try escargot at least once in your life, you won’t regret it. Serve this with a large salad and a light pasta dish. INGREDIENTS: 1 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped 2 medium shallots, minced well 2 cloves garlic, minced well 2 tbs brandy 32 canned snails DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 350. 2. Combine the butter, parsley, shallots, garlic, and brandy in a bowl and blend well. 3. Place a snails in a baking dish and top with the seasoned butter. 4. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve hot. Prep: 5 minutes Cook: 15 … Continue reading →

Chicken Cordon Blue

Chicken Cordon Blue Great for company or just Sunday with your family. INGREDIENTS: 6 breasts boneless skinless chicken breasts 6 slices swiss cheese 6 slices honey-roasted ham 3 tbs flour 1 tsp paprika 6 tbs butter 1/2 cup apple juice or dry white wine 1 tsp chicken bouillon granules 1 tbs cornstarch 1 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley DIRECTIONS: 1. Pound chicken breasts if they are to thick. Place cheese and ham on each piece. 2. Fold edges of chicken over filling, secure with small bamboo skewers. 3. Mix flour and paparika and coat chicken pieces. … Continue reading →