Professional Documents
Culture Documents
chas
eacopyof
AKI
T
CHE
NI
N
F
RANCE
atoneoft
hes
er
et
ai
l
er
s
:
CLARKSON POTTER
CONTENTS
I N T RO D U C T I O N
SP R I NG
17
SUMME R
81
AUT UMN
151
WI NT E R
223
AC K N OWLED G M EN TS
299
I N D EX
300
A K ITCHEN
IN FRANCE
A Ye a r o f C o o k i n g
i n M y Fa r m h o u s e
MIMI
THORISSON
New York
641.5944714dc23
2013049107
ISBN 978-0-8041-8559-2
eBook ISBN 978-0-8041-8560-8
Printed in China
Book and jacket design by
JENNIFER K. BEAL DAVIS
Jacket photography by
ODDUR THORISSON
Illustrations by
10987654321
First Edition
F O R M Y FA M I LY
CONTENTS
I N T RO D U C T I O N
SP R I NG
17
SUMME R
81
AUT UMN
151
WI NT E R
223
AC K N OWLED G M EN TS
299
I N D EX
300
AUTUMN
adventurous.
151
AUTUMN
adventurous.
151
S TA R T E R S
Pumpkin Soup
Harvest Soup
MAIN COURSES
AND SIDES
Coquilles St.-Jacques with Braised Endive
Quail Grilled over Grapevines
Squab Pie with Foie Gras and Armagnac
Seared Foie Gras with Grapes and Figs
Grilled Entrecte la Bordelaise
DESSERTS
Chocolate Tart
Galette Prougienne
Pears la Mdocaine
KITCHEN
IN
FRANCE
B U T T E R N U T G R AT I N
Im as fond as anyone of a simple steak frites dinner. Sometimes I make a
Barnaise sauce, but sometimes, especially if the wine is good, its enough
to serve the steak with just a spoonful of Dijon mustard. I always have some
greens to go with it, steamed haricots verts or spinach or just a simple salad.
Sometimes I have a small steak and lots of spinach. Thats when my husband
thinks Ive read some article and Im suddenly on a diet. But that would never
happen. Its just that sometimes French fries are ... well, not exactly what I
am looking for, and then I need an alternative. If its pumpkin season, this
gratin is one of the best. Steak pairs really well with roasted squash, and this
gratin version makes the duo even more satisfying.
S E RV E S 4
3 tablespoons unsalted
butter, plus more for
the baking dish
1 large onion, thinly
sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly
sliced
1 pounds/680 g
butternut squash
(about 1 large),
peeled, halved
lengthwise, seeded,
and thinly sliced
teaspoon grated
nutmeg
Fine sea salt and
freshly ground black
pepper
cup/120 ml heavy
cream
cup/45 g fresh
bread crumbs
cup/75 g grated
Comt cheese
A few fresh chives,
finely chopped
sprinkle the bread crumbs and cheese on top, and dot with the remaining
1 tablespoon butter.
Bake until golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the chives.
AUTUMN
195
B U T T E R N U T G R AT I N
Im as fond as anyone of a simple steak frites dinner. Sometimes I make a
Barnaise sauce, but sometimes, especially if the wine is good, its enough
to serve the steak with just a spoonful of Dijon mustard. I always have some
greens to go with it, steamed haricots verts or spinach or just a simple salad.
Sometimes I have a small steak and lots of spinach. Thats when my husband
thinks Ive read some article and Im suddenly on a diet. But that would never
happen. Its just that sometimes French fries are ... well, not exactly what I
am looking for, and then I need an alternative. If its pumpkin season, this
gratin is one of the best. Steak pairs really well with roasted squash, and this
gratin version makes the duo even more satisfying.
S E RV E S 4
3 tablespoons unsalted
butter, plus more for
the baking dish
1 large onion, thinly
sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly
sliced
1 pounds/680 g
butternut squash
(about 1 large),
peeled, halved
lengthwise, seeded,
and thinly sliced
teaspoon grated
nutmeg
Fine sea salt and
freshly ground black
pepper
cup/120 ml heavy
cream
cup/45 g fresh
bread crumbs
cup/75 g grated
Comt cheese
A few fresh chives,
finely chopped
sprinkle the bread crumbs and cheese on top, and dot with the remaining
1 tablespoon butter.
Bake until golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the chives.
AUTUMN
195
R O A S T G U I N E A H E N with H E R B S
Christmas, to me, means having some sort of bird. I have never gotten into
S E RV E S 4
turkey, but quail, squab, and ducks are all welcome visitors during the festiv-
One 3-pound/1.5-kg
guinea hen
ities. There is something so beautiful about a whole roasted bird (or birds)
in the middle of the dining table, surrounded by candlelight, wine in crystal
glasses, glistening silverware, and all sorts of side dishes. Through the years
Ive experimented with various ways of cooking guinea hen, and Ive reached
the conclusion that this great-tasting bird shouldnt be tampered with too
much; a few herbs and some duck fat do the trick nicely. At Christmas we
tend to have many courses and endless extrasit sometimes feels as if lunch
and dinner overlapso one large bird is usually enough for the family. Its
always important to leave a bit of space for dessert, and at Christmas its an
absolute necessity.
N O T E : If youd like to serve this dish with potatoes, add 1 pound/900 g new
potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half, to the roasting pan, scattering them around the
guinea hen. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with a bit of duck fat or olive oil.
WINTER
257
R O A S T G U I N E A H E N with H E R B S
Christmas, to me, means having some sort of bird. I have never gotten into
S E RV E S 4
turkey, but quail, squab, and ducks are all welcome visitors during the festiv-
One 3-pound/1.5-kg
guinea hen
ities. There is something so beautiful about a whole roasted bird (or birds)
in the middle of the dining table, surrounded by candlelight, wine in crystal
glasses, glistening silverware, and all sorts of side dishes. Through the years
Ive experimented with various ways of cooking guinea hen, and Ive reached
the conclusion that this great-tasting bird shouldnt be tampered with too
much; a few herbs and some duck fat do the trick nicely. At Christmas we
tend to have many courses and endless extrasit sometimes feels as if lunch
and dinner overlapso one large bird is usually enough for the family. Its
always important to leave a bit of space for dessert, and at Christmas its an
absolute necessity.
N O T E : If youd like to serve this dish with potatoes, add 1 pound/900 g new
potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half, to the roasting pan, scattering them around the
guinea hen. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with a bit of duck fat or olive oil.
WINTER
257
PEAR FLOGNARDE
This traditional rustic cake, originating in the Limousin region of France,
is like a big pancake filled with melt-in-your-mouth pears. Its light and
golden and very similar to a flan, which I think of as a custardy cake. I have
a particular liking for old-fashioned cakes like this one. In the old Occitan
language, flognarde means soft, and it can also refer to a duvet, so you can
just imagine how a bite of this feels in your mouthas light as a feather.
S E RV E S 6
4 tablespoons/60 g
unsalted butter, plus
more for the cake
pan
6 medium pears, such
as Bartlett
cup/130 g
granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dark
rum
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
Peel the pears, cut into quarters, and remove the cores. In a large saut
pan, heat 2 tablespoons/30 g of the butter. Add the pears, sprinkle with
1 tablespoon/25 g of the granulated sugar, and cook, turning them once,
until golden, about 8 minutes. Pour in the rum and simmer to reduce for
2to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, the remaining sugar, the honey, vanilla
seeds, and salt and whisk until frothy. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons/
30 g butter and whisk into the batter, along with the flour and milk, whisking until smooth.
Scrape the pears and all of their juices into the prepared pan. Pour the
batter on top and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake until puffed and
golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes on a wire rack
before unmolding. The cake will deflate gradually as it cools.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
WINTER
271
PEAR FLOGNARDE
This traditional rustic cake, originating in the Limousin region of France,
is like a big pancake filled with melt-in-your-mouth pears. Its light and
golden and very similar to a flan, which I think of as a custardy cake. I have
a particular liking for old-fashioned cakes like this one. In the old Occitan
language, flognarde means soft, and it can also refer to a duvet, so you can
just imagine how a bite of this feels in your mouthas light as a feather.
S E RV E S 6
4 tablespoons/60 g
unsalted butter, plus
more for the cake
pan
6 medium pears, such
as Bartlett
cup/130 g
granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dark
rum
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
Peel the pears, cut into quarters, and remove the cores. In a large saut
pan, heat 2 tablespoons/30 g of the butter. Add the pears, sprinkle with
1 tablespoon/25 g of the granulated sugar, and cook, turning them once,
until golden, about 8 minutes. Pour in the rum and simmer to reduce for
2to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, the remaining sugar, the honey, vanilla
seeds, and salt and whisk until frothy. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons/
30 g butter and whisk into the batter, along with the flour and milk, whisking until smooth.
Scrape the pears and all of their juices into the prepared pan. Pour the
batter on top and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake until puffed and
golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes on a wire rack
before unmolding. The cake will deflate gradually as it cools.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
WINTER
271
Pur
chas
eacopyof
AKI
T
CHE
NI
N
F
RANCE
atoneoft
hes
er
et
ai
l
er
s
:
CLARKSON POTTER