The French Market Cookbook (19 page)

6 large organic eggs, at room temperature

1. Fill a medium saucepan with water and clip an instant-read food thermometer to the inside. Bring the water to a temperature of 150°F. / 65°C.

2. Lower the whole eggs in gently, cover, and set the heat to the lowest possible setting underneath the pan, keeping an eye on the thermometer to make sure the water remains at the temperature given above. It can vary by a few degrees up or down, but you should err on the side of cool, and the temperature should not go over 155°F. / 68°C. or the yolk will set. If the temperature seems about to rise too much, remove the pan from the heat and add a little cold water as needed.

3. Cook the eggs for 45 minutes, the time it takes for the egg white to coagulate, while the yolk remains custardy.

4. To serve, crack each egg into a small bowl—it will slip right out of the shell—then tilt the bowl and slide the egg onto the dish you want to garnish with it. You can also let the eggs cool, in the shell, and refrigerate for up to 2 days; if desired, reheat by plunging the eggs in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes.

note Alternatively, if your oven is well calibrated and offers the option of a low temperature, put the eggs (in the shell) in a baking dish, and cook them in the oven preheated to 150°F. / 65°C. for 45 minutes.

LEMON PASTRY CREAM

Crème pâtissière au citron

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP / 240 ML, ENOUGH FOR A 10-INCH / 25 CM TART

Pastry cream is a thick custard used in French pastry to fill fruit tarts and turnovers, cream puffs, and éclairs. It is similar to pudding—and just as easy to make.

I use this lemon version in Strawberry Tartlets, but once you get the hang of the basic method, you can dream up any flavor variation you like: vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, rose, and so on.

3 tablespoons unrefined blond cane sugar (also sold as evaporated cane juice)

⅔ cup / 160 ml milk (not skim) or unflavored, unsweetened nondairy milk

Grated zest of 1 organic lemon

¼ cup / 60 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, and cornstarch.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and lemon zest to a simmer over medium heat. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg, and then pour the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan.

3. Return to low heat and whisk constantly for 1 minute as the mixture thickens to a custardy consistency, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan regularly so the texture is even. Dip a wooden spoon in and run your finger along the back of it: if the trace remains clear, the pastry cream is done.

4. Pour into a clean bowl and whisk in the lemon juice. Cover, pressing a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard, and refrigerate for a few hours until chilled. The pastry cream may be prepared up to a day in advance; whisk again before using.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Remerciements

I’d like to thank Maxence, first and foremost, for loving vegetables as much as I do, for tasting my cooking experiments with unfailing enthusiasm, and for being my most trusted, yet most gentle, critic.

Heaps of gratitude to my friend Mary Sue Hayward, the best and wittiest recipe tester ever, whose thorough and entertaining notes were an invaluable help.

Heartfelt thanks to Emilie Guelpa (aka Griottes) for the wonderful photos of Paris and its prettiest greenmarkets, and to photographer Françoise Nicol and food stylist Virginie Michelin for creating such vibrant images of my recipes.

Thank you, also, to Isabelle Poupinel for letting us use some of her gorgeous handmade porcelain dishes as props (IP01, IP02, IP03, IP04, IP05, IP06, IP07, IP08, IP09, IP10, IP11, IP12, and IP13), and to ¿adónde? as well, whose clean-line plates I adore (AD01 and AD02).

For the better part of a decade, I have had the incredible good fortune of working with my agent and friend, Claudia Cross; receiving her support and guidance for this book has felt wonderful, as ever.

Many thanks to the team at Clarkson Potter, and especially Rica Allannic, Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Terry Deal, Kim Tyner, and Ashley Phillips, for bringing this book to life with such flair and passion.

To the readers of Chocolate & Zucchini, I want to express my gratitude, too, for reading my words year after year, and for being the most engaging and supportive audience a writer could hope for.

A final word in loving memory of my grandmother, Mamy, who left before she could see this book in print, but has inspired so many of its pages.

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

Log on to the Chocolate & Zucchini website (http://chocolateandzucchini.com) for regular updates, bonus content, and more recipes. You can also e-mail the author at [email protected].

RECIPE INDEX

Appetizers

Assorted Savory Puffs (winter), photo

Avocado and Radish Mini-Tartines (spring), photo

Chickpea Galette (summer)

Eggplant and Black Olive Caviar (summer)

Goat Cheese and Rosemary Sablés (summer), photo

Jerusalem Artichoke and Potato Canapés (winter), photo

Pebronata Canelés (summer), photo

Savory Pumpkin and Cornmeal Quick Bread (winter), photo

Seaweed Tartare (fall), photo

Soups

Butternut and Celery Root Soup (fall), photo

Mushroom Broth with Parisian Gnocchi (fall), photo

Poor Man’s Bouillabaisse (spring), photo

Roasted Beet Soup with Baby Spinach and Squash Seed Pesto (winter), photo

Softly Spiced Carrot and Almond Soup (spring), photo

Tomato and Tarragon Bread Soup (summer), photo

Vegetable Stock

Salads

Crunchy Lentil and Watercress Salad (spring), photo

Eggplant and Fresh Herb Tabbouleh (summer), photo

French Endive, Orange, and Walnut Salad (winter), photo

Globe Artichokes with Vinaigrette (spring)

Grated Carrot and Beet Salad with Bulgur and Figs (winter)

Green Bean, Red Rice, and Almond Salad (summer), photo

Leeks Vinaigrette (fall), photo

Shaved Fennel Salad with Preserved Lemon (summer), photo

Very Green Salad (spring), photo

Savory tarts

Asparagus Buckwheat Tart (spring), photo

Curried Leek Tart Tatin (winter), photo

Mushroom and Chive Quiche (winter), photo

Olive Oil Tart Dough

Spelt Tart Dough

Swiss Chard Pie with Prunes and Pine Nuts (spring), photo

Tomato Mustard Tart (summer)

Yogurt Tart Dough

Zucchini and Apricot Socca Tart (summer), photo

Main courses

Broccoli Parmentier (fall)

Cauliflower Gratin with Turmeric and Hazelnuts (winter), photo

Corsican Turnovers with Winter Squash (fall), photo

Couscous with Vegetables (fall), photo

Green Pancakes (spring)

Lentil Croquettes (winter)

Mushrooms Stuffed with Plums and Hazelnuts (fall), photo

Poitevin Cabbage Parcels (fall)

Poor Man’s Bouillabaisse (spring), photo

Potato and Celery Root Gratin (fall)

Ratatouille Tian (summer), photo

Roasted Roots with Gribiche Sauce (fall), photo

Rolled Barley and Carrot Stir-Fry (fall)

Spelt and Vegetable Pilaf (winter)

Stuffed Vegetables with Beans and Barley (summer), photo

Sides

Blanch-Roasted New Potatoes (spring)

Corsican Bell Pepper Stew (summer)

Fresh Shell Beans and Barley with Sage and Garlic (summer)

Ratatouille Tian (summer), photo

Roasted Roots with Gribiche Sauce (fall), photo

Rolled Barley and Carrot Stir-Fry (fall)

Spelt and Vegetable Pilaf (winter)

Pastas

Buckwheat and Brussels Sprouts Open Ravioli (winter)

Buckwheat Pasta Dough

Parisian Gnocchi (fall)

Radish-Top Pasta (spring), photo

Shocking Pink Pasta (fall), photo

Sauces & dressings

Béchamel Sauce

Cheater’s Spicy Garlic Mayonnaise

Classic Vinaigrette

Gribiche Sauce

Harissa

Herbed Tahini Sauce

Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

Other

Garlic Rosemary Croutons (fall), photo

Personalized Dinner Rolls (winter)

Pickled Swiss Chard Stalks (spring), photo

Preserved Lemons (summer)

Shell-Poached Eggs

Fruit desserts

Apple Sugar Tart (winter), photo

Baked Apples with Prunes and Almonds (fall), photo

Easy Fresh Fig Tart (fall)

Fruit Salad with Spiced Syrup (winter), photo

Melon and Ginger Soup (summer)

Peach, Almond, and Cardamom Clafoutis (summer), photo

Pear and Chestnut Cake (fall), photo

Poached Rhubarb and Orange Salad (spring), photo

Sour Cherry and Rose Compote (summer)

Strawberry Tartlets with Breton Shortbread Crust (spring), photo

Yogurt Mousse with Raspberries (summer), photo

Cookies & cakes

Breton Shortbread Cookies (or Tart Dough) (spring)

Lemon Corn Cookies (spring), photo

Old-Fashioned Walnut and Chocolate Macarons (fall), photo

Pear and Chestnut Cake (fall), photo

Savoy Sponge Cake (summer), photo

Other desserts

Apple and Salted Caramel Sauce (fall)

Chocolate Berawecka (winter), photo

Dark Chocolate Mousse, Three Ways (spring)

Gazelle Horn Sorbet (spring)

Lebanese Coffee Dessert Jars (winter), photo

Lemon Pastry Cream

Lemon Verbena Syrup (summer)

INDEX

Apple and Salted Caramel Sauce

Apple(s)

Baked, with Prunes and Almonds, photo

Sugar Tart, photo

Apricot and Zucchini Socca Tart, 2.1, 2.2

Artichokes

buying and storing

Globe, with Vinaigrette

Asparagus

Buckwheat Tart, photo

buying and storing

Very Green Salad, photo

Avocado and Radish Mini-Tartines, 1.1, 1.2

Barley

and Beans, Stuffed Vegetables with, photo

and Fresh Shell Beans with Sage and Garlic

Rolled, and Carrot Stir-Fry

Bean(s). See also Chickpea flour; Lentil(s)

and Barley, Stuffed Vegetables with, photo

Couscous with Vegetables, photo

dried, buying

Fresh Shell, and Barley with Sage and Garlic

Green, Red Rice, and Almond Salad, photo

Béchamel Sauce

Beet(s)

about

and Carrot, Grated, Salad with Bulgur and Figs

Roasted, Soup with Baby Spinach and Squash Seed Pesto, photo

Shocking Pink Pasta, photo

Broccoli

choosing

Parmentier

stems, using

Brussels Sprouts

and Buckwheat Open Ravioli

cooking methods

shopping for?

Buckwheat flour, about

Bulgur

about

and Figs, Grated Carrot and Beet Salad with

Cabbage Parcels, Poitevin

Cardamom, green, about

Carrot(s)

and Almond Soup, Softly Spiced, photo

and Beet, Grated, Salad with Bulgur and Figs

Couscous with Vegetables, photo

and Rolled Barley Stir-Fry

Cauliflower

Gratin with Turmeric and Hazelnuts, photo

shopping for

Celery Root

and Butternut Soup, photo

choosing

and Potato Gratin

Cheese

Assorted Savory Puffs, photo

Goat, and Rosemary Sablés, photo

in recipes, note about

Cherry, Sour, and Rose Compote

Chestnut flour

about

Pear and Chestnut Cake, photo

Chickpea flour

about

Chickpea Galette

Chocolate

Berawecka, photo

Dark, Mousse, Three Ways

Lebanese Coffee Dessert Jars, photo

melting

and Walnut Macarons, Old-Fashioned, photo

Cornmeal

Lemon Corn Cookies, photo

and Pumpkin Quick Bread, Savory, photo

Couscous

Eggplant and Fresh Herb Tabbouleh, photo

with Vegetables, photo

Croutons, Garlic Rosemary, 3.1, 3.2

Eggplant

and Black Olive Caviar

choosing

and Fresh Herb Tabbouleh, photo

Ratatouille Tian, photo

Eggs

Gribiche Sauce

hard-boiled, preparing

Pebronata Canelés, photo

Poor Man’s Bouillabaisse, photo

Shell-Poached

Endive, French

about

Orange, and Walnut Salad, photo

Fennel, Shaved, Salad with Preserved Lemon

Fig(s)

and Bulgur, Grated Carrot and Beet Salad with

Fresh, Tart, Easy

Fruit. See also specific fruits

Chocolate Berawecka, photo

dried, shopping for

fresh, shopping for

Salad with Spiced Syrup, photo

Gnocchi, Parisian

Green Bean(s)

haricots verts, about

Red Rice, and Almond Salad, photo

Greens. See also Spinach; Swiss Chard

Crunchy Lentil and Watercress Salad, photo

Poitevin Cabbage Parcels

Very Green Salad, photo

watercress, about

Gribiche Sauce

Haricots verts, about

Harissa

Hazelnut oil, about

Herb(s)

Fresh, and Eggplant Tabbouleh, photo

Gribiche Sauce

Herbed Tahini Sauce

Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

Jerusalem Artichoke(s)

about

and Potato Canapés, photo

Spelt and Vegetable Pilaf

Kohlrabi

about

Lentil and Watercress Salad, Crunchy, photo

Leek(s)

choosing

Curried, Tart Tatin, photo

Poitevin Cabbage Parcels

Vinaigrette, photo

Lemon(s)

Corn Cookies, photo

Honey Vinaigrette

Pastry Cream

Preserved

Verbena Syrup

Lentil(s)

Broccoli Parmentier

Croquettes

French green, cooking

and Watercress Salad, Crunchy, photo

Mayonnaise, Cheater’s Spicy Garlic