Viva La French Cooking

   

Let's face it, sometimes french cooking can be as complex as understanding the french language itself. Nate Collier from Le Creuset, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about the motivation behind the book, and how they want to help fledgling chefs become better. Nate told Tonia the book aims to help foodies understand french cooking, and make it more relatable. One recipe, the classic Coq Au Vin, in this book, is a little more modern, with ingredients like sparkling win (instead of red) and dill.  This, he says, makes for a lighter, fresher tasting french chicken dish. Bon Appetite!

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

two 4 1/2-pound chickens, each cut into 8 pieces

5 tablespoons brandy

A few sprigs of fresh dill, rosemary and parsnips

2 bay leaves

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1 bottle sparkling win

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

For the glazed shallots and mushrooms

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 ounces shallots
• 12 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned

For the burre manie?

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

For the 5 qt. Oval Dutch Oven

Serves 6 - 8

Directions:

Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the bacon and onion and cook, stirring, until both are softened and then remove, draining well.

Fry the chicken in batches until all the pieces are evenly browned, then return them all to the pan with the bacon and onion. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and add the brandy. Carefully ignite, standing well back until the flames subside, then return the pan to the heat.

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Tie all the herbs into a bundle with fine string and add this to the Dutch oven with the garlic, tomato paste, lemon juice, sugar and sparkling wine. Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the chicken is very tender.

Glazed shallots and mushrooms:

About 30 minutes before the chicken finishes cooking, melt the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and fry for 10 to 15 minutes until they are golden brown and soft; transfer to a plate. Add the mushrooms to the pan and toss so they are just cooked and colored.

Buerre manie:

Blend the butter and flour together in a small bowl. Remove a few pieces of the cooked chicken from the Dutch oven to make room to stir in the beurre manie. Add this in small amounts, stirring after each addition so that the sauce remains smooth.

When all the beurre manie? has been incorporated, return the chicken together with the shallots and mushrooms. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the top generously with the parsley and serve from the Dutch oven.

Getting to France, Fast

     

No, they didn't bring back the Concorde! But this is a real taste of France, in only 12 minutes time. Elena Horwich came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Chicken with Herbs de Provence. She says a big secret to make this an authentic treat lies in the fact she uses fennel seeds in the herbs for a truly terrific flavor.  Elena uses chicken thighs as the base, with an indoor grill pan over high heat. She adds that if you follow the recipe, it comes out elegant, light and delicious! Check out her cookbook Meal with a Spiel for all the latest recipes.

Viva La France...And French Cooking

  

Let's face it, sometimes french cooking can be as complex as understanding the french language itself. Nate Collier from Le Creuset, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about the motivation behind the book, and how they want to help fledgling chefs become better. Nate told Tonia the book aims to help foodies understand french cooking, and make it more relatable. One recipe, the classic Coq Au Vin, in this book, is a little more modern, with ingredients like sparkling win (instead of red) and dill.  This, he says, makes for a lighter, fresher tasting french chicken dish. Bon Appetite!

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

two 4 1/2-pound chickens, each cut into 8 pieces

5 tablespoons brandy

A few sprigs of fresh dill, rosemary and parsnips

2 bay leaves

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1 bottle sparkling win

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

For the glazed shallots and mushrooms

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 ounces shallots
• 12 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned

For the burre manie?

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

For the 5 qt. Oval Dutch Oven

Serves 6 - 8

Directions:

Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the bacon and onion and cook, stirring, until both are softened and then remove, draining well.

Fry the chicken in batches until all the pieces are evenly browned, then return them all to the pan with the bacon and onion. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and add the brandy. Carefully ignite, standing well back until the flames subside, then return the pan to the heat.

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Tie all the herbs into a bundle with fine string and add this to the Dutch oven with the garlic, tomato paste, lemon juice, sugar and sparkling wine. Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the chicken is very tender.

Glazed shallots and mushrooms:

About 30 minutes before the chicken finishes cooking, melt the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and fry for 10 to 15 minutes until they are golden brown and soft; transfer to a plate. Add the mushrooms to the pan and toss so they are just cooked and colored.

Buerre manie:

Blend the butter and flour together in a small bowl. Remove a few pieces of the cooked chicken from the Dutch oven to make room to stir in the beurre manie. Add this in small amounts, stirring after each addition so that the sauce remains smooth.

When all the beurre manie? has been incorporated, return the chicken together with the shallots and mushrooms. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the top generously with the parsley and serve from the Dutch oven.

Just Minutes to France

    

No, they didn't bring back the Concorde! But this is a real taste of France, in only 12 minutes time. Elena Horwich came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Chicken with Herbs de Provence. She says a big secret to make this an authentic treat lies in the fact she uses fennel seeds in the herbs for a truly terrific flavor.  Elena uses chicken thighs as the base, with an indoor grill pan over high heat. She adds that if you follow the recipe, it comes out elegant, light and delicious! Check out her cookbook Meal with a Spiel for all the latest recipes.

A New England Classic

And especially for this time of year! Rustic Maple Dumplings that really scream New England, even if they did originate in Quebec. Amy Traverso, who's the Senior Food Editor for Yankee Magazine stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about these scrumptious dumplings, known in French as Grandperes that really sing when dunked in a maple syrup mix. Amy told Tonia that while you can make the sauce with pure maple syrup, it can be a little expensive, so she thins out the sauce with water, some rum and other ingredients to stretch it just a little further. Amy promises you won't miss any of the taste!

Total Time: 35 minutes
Hands-On Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

For the sauce

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 ½ cups maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon rum (optional, but recommended)
• ½ teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt

Instructions

In a 4- or 5-quart Dutch oven, bring water, syrup, rum, and salt to a low boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, make the dough.

For the dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 4 ½ tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Chopped toasted pecans and whipped cream, for garnish

Instructions

Put flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of a food processor, and pulse them. Sprinkle in butter cubes and pulse 6 to 8 more times, or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and stir in buttermilk until evenly combined.

With a spoon, scoop up a walnut-size bit of dough. Drop it into the syrup, then repeat until the pot is two-thirds full (the dumplings expand). Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and let the dumplings simmer until fluffy and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. If the syrup gets too thick, add a bit of water to thin it out. Serve dumplings warm, topped with whipped cream and toasted pecans.