French Cuisine Fridays : Tarte Tatin

Note : This is part of the French Cuisine Friday Series which is now based off the list of 44 classic French Meals You Should Try Before You Die 

This post was originally posted back in April of 2010 or dessert of #3

How to cook French without leaving the states

Tarte Tatin - the French apple pie

5 to 6 pounds tart apples (I like Braeburns, Jonathans, Honeycrisps, Jonagolds, or Fujis)
25g unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Pâte Brisée, chilled  I didn't make the homemade crust  and instead I bought it at Carrefour
Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream for serving
cinnamon (optional)


I usually cut the butter and sugar in half because the apples are usually really juicy.

1.in an oven-proof skillet, place the butter and the sugar
2. Peel, core and cut the apples with the round part facing up and place in the skillet forming a circle
3.  When all the apples are in the skillet, start on med-high heat. If the juices from the apples becomes too much, boil it into caramel in another bowl.
4. Cook the apples for 20 minutes until soft
5. Roll out the pate brisée and place on stop of the apple mixture, creating openings with a fork.
6. Bake at 425 or 220 for 45 minutes

7. When turning it over,  becareful as the juices are boiling hot.
Then eat while warm with creame fraiche, yogurt or ice cream. It also makes a good breakfast.

French Cusine Fridays : Moules

Note : This is part of the French Cuisine Friday Series which is now based off the list of 44 classic French Meals You Should Try Before You Die  

This recipe was posted in January 2011 and is # 3 on the list

From the French Kitchen: Mussels

Mussels are a French staple: they are cheap, easy to make, filling and good for you.

We usually eat them once a week. A few days ago, I experimented and made two different kinds. They are so easy to make, so do not complain that you cannot do it.
1. Heat oil in a pan and cook onions.
2. Put the mussels in the pan and add water. The water should at least be semi-covering the mussels.
3. Add any spices in whatever amount. I usually make 1/2 crushed red pepper and 1/2 indian ( curry, paprika and ginger).
4. They are perfect with fries or bread.
5. Enjoy!

French Cuisine Friday : Fish | Poisson

Note : This is part of the French Cuisine Friday Series which is now based off the list of 44 classic French Meals You Should Try Before You Die 

This post was originally posted back in May of 2010.

Its fish night.
 
Directions:
1. Go to the market, or the local place to buy good fish and buy trout or another kind similar.

2. Make sure that its cleaned and slit in the middle. because if not it will take awhile.

3. Find a large baking sheet or casserole dish, put olive oil in the bottom

4. Then put the fish in the pan and in the slit of all the fish place butter (butter with salt if possible) and a small amount of herbs de provenance.

5. Then cut up one large onion and place the onions on top.

6. Put a few pieces of butter on top of the fish, along with some more herbs.
 Then put it in the oven @ 200°F or 110°C and cook for about 30-45 minutes.
Serve with rice and green beans with garlic sauce.
 

French Cuisine Friday : Pot au Feu

 Note : This is part of the French Cuisine Friday Series which is now based off the list of 44 classic French Meals You Should Try Before You Die

Today's feature  on French Cuisine Friday is Pot au Feu which is #12 on the list and a link to their recipe from Bon Appetit

Pot-au-Feu literally a Pot on the Fire means a stew. So its like a Veggie Beef Stew or another translation was a plate of boiled beef and stewed vegetables.
I actually made this dish a few months back because it really helps warm you up after a cold day. It would  make a great dinner tonight because it's cold and cloudy, but I have already decided we are eating breakfast for dinner.

One of the best parts of this dish is that you can go the supermarket and buy a pack of veggies labeled Pot au Feu.

I was going to add cabbage but ended up not.

I didn't use all of the recommended meat cuts, because we don't eat pork. Instead I used a mixture of beef cubes and beef bones. I also cooked this in the crockpot to get a good tasting broth, which I ended up freezing for future soups.

I made it around 11 am and left it on high till about 5pm. But I have seen people use pressure cookers or a basic pot.

Take the meat and veggies out of the pot and enjoy!

Let us know if you have made or plan to make pot-au-feu!!

 

French Cuisine Friday - Lemon Mustard Chicken

Back in 2008, when I studied abroad in Paris, ISA (the company that I used) took us to a French chef's apartment to get a hands on cooking class. I used to have the printed out recipes and the woman's backgrond but I don't know where the papers are. The only thing I remember that we made was chicken that was marinated in oranges, lemons and dijon mustard. Tonight for dinner we are having that chicken but without the oranges.

This is a rough recipe
Chicken - either breasts, a whole, wings, any part really - I am using wings
Lemon juice - 2- 3 tbs
Lemon slices
Dijon Mustard (that's the spicy one) 1-2 tbs
olive oil
salt and pepper, dried parsley (optional)

Mix the lemon juice and mustard and some olive oil in a cup.

 Salt and pepper, parsley the chicken

and then brush the lemon mustard sauce on the chicken

 Put the lemon slices on the chicken.

Put in the oven at 350°  until the mustard sauce is nice and golden. and then enjoy!

 

French Cuisine Friday : Brioche

The first time I ate brioche was in Versailles, it tasted like American sliced white bread with a hint of sugar. Brioche is pronounced like this bree -o-shh.

After a long week, even though I really don't remember what I did, except two moutains of laundry. I decided to make some brioche, actually two loaves in case one didn't turn out right.
I do remember it took an hour to clean the kitchen while the bread was cooking, but that could have been because I was listening to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack and was singing along more than cleaning. But I also have to remember I have a newborn and things take twice or three times longer than before I had the baby.

Anyway back to the brioche, the brioche recipe came from this website.
When I pulled the brioche out of the oven, I was like this doesn't look like what I had in Versailles. But after looking at the picture on the website it looked the same so I decided that I did it right.

The only thing I would do next time would be to add vanilla sugar or may be some dried fruit.

Because one piece isn't enough I had to have three!

Next week, I'm thinking appetizers
 

French Cuisine Friday - Mousse au Chocolat

French Cuisine Friday, I will show you a French cuisine item I made during the week. I will post pictures as well as the recipe and some background on the item and possibly including some French vocab in the process.

While my mom was here, she kept complaining that she wanted chocolate mousse (mousse au chocolat). We had planned on making it several times but we actually never got around to doing it. I think it was all the prefecture visits (posts to come soon!).

One Sunday morning when she went to church, I decided to make her some as it was a few days before she was leaving and it would be a nice surprise.

I didn't use a French recipe for this. Julia Child has a good one, but I don't have access to her book. So, I ended up using the recipe off of Joy of Baking.


According to Joy of Baking,

One spoonful of this Chocolate Mousse and you will be hooked forever. It is what you could call a grown up chocolate pudding. A simple yet elegant dessert. While it uses only a few ingredients, its chocolate flavor is rich and its texture is silky smooth, airy, almost foamy. And foamy is an apt description as "mousse" is French for 'froth' or 'foam'.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateMousse.html#ixzz2hxd3Vgdl

I experienced one problem, the cream wouldn't whip.  So I just ended up pouring the semi-whipped liquid in and the chocolate mousse was a little liquidy. But it received a 10/10 from my mom.
 

 

French Cuisine Friday

I have decided to start a series called French Cuisine Friday where I will show you a French cuisine item I made during the week. I will post pictures as well as the recipe and some background on the item and possibly including some French vocab in the process.

This week, I am reposting items that I have made in the past :
Upside Down Apple Pie / Tarte Tatin
Crepes
Mussels / Moules
Fish / Poisson

so try one of these out this week and let me know how it goes!

Next week, is a famous French dessert that my mom was dying to have when she was here and kept complaining about how much she wanted to eat it until I finally made it. What do you think it is ?