Comfort Food...a Warm French Soup for a Cold Sydney Night

Bonjour tout le monde ! It's finally winter in Sydney...so I wanted to share with you a soup that will warm up your heart as well as your home...



Publié par Visions Gourmandes

To quote Moliere: "I feed on good soup, not beautiful language." In my humble opinion, Soupe à l’Oignon is the best thing for a cold winters night, and I'm pretty sure Moliere would agree with me on this one. 



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So, don't speak...just listen, read, absorb and crave what I'm about to share with you. Soupe à l'Oignon actually originated in France in 1907 from a cookbook known as "Gastronomie Pratique" by Henri Babinski and over time, this has become one of the many things I crave when the winter winds are howling at my windows.



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Picture flame toasted baguette pieces liberally slathered in butter, caramelised sautéed onions browned to absolute perfection, and mountains of grated cheese, all of which submerged in hot and steamy bouillon begging to be slurped and feasted on by the lucky members of your home.



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Did you know that the best onion to use for Soupe à l'Oignon is l'Oignon de Roscoff (Roscoff onions or Johnny Roscoffs). Pour quoi ? Because it is high in acidity (which gives the soup à l’Oignon a bite) and sweetness (which makes you come back for more !) I tried to find them in Sydney, but to my dismay, I couldn't...but I knew the next best type of onion is Australia's most common onion, the Brown Onion ! They give a rich brown colour when sautéed and have a good amount of acidity and sweetness. 



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Alors, let's get started on this amazing and simple hearty winter soup ! This is for about 6-8 people so there's plenty to go around, so invite your friends over  and have a feast !

The ingredients you will need:

 - 12 medium brown onions (you can also go half brown and half red onions if you want the soup sweeter and less onion-y...(yes, I just made up my own word here)

 - 45g butter (I use salted butter, but unsalted will do)

 - 100ml dry white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc)

 - 30g flour

 - 1.25lts beef stock (you can also use chicken stock)

 - 1 baguette

 - 60g grated Gruyère cheese (support Australian cheeses !)

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Ok, so it starts out simple and easy - if you have a food processor or mandolin, grab it now, thank me later ;-)

1. Slice all the onions using your food processor or mandolin

2. Turn on the stove and melt your butter in a pot (a heavy based pot works best)

3. Add the onions to your pot and cook the until they are transparent then light brown in colour

4. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spatula

5. Add the wine and stock, cover for about 20 minutes on medium to high heat, then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. At this stage, preheat the oven griller in preparation for Step 8. If you don't have a grill in your oven, preheat the oven to 220°C to melt the cheese.

6. Turn on your grill/toaster, cut the baguette into medium sized slices and grill/toast (this is to stop the baguette pieces becoming soggy in the soup).

7. Get yourself 6 crockpots (oven proof pots) and ladle some soup in each of them.

8. Float 2 pieces of baguette side by side on the top of the soup (if you want to butter your baguette ... do it !)

9. Cover the baguette pieces with lashings of grated cheese - the messier the better, because when it grills it'll get crunchy and gooey and intense.

10. Pour yourself a nice wine or grab a bottle of cider and enjoy

Bon appetit ! A bientôt !

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Macarons, Meet Your Match.....ÉCLAIRS

Bonjour tout le monde...want to impress with your French pastry skills but can't quite get the macaron thing down ..? I have one word for you ... Éclairs ... this recipe will save the day - I promise



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Éclairs can be as colourful, if not more colourful than macarons, they're more than just one bite and they are SO easy to make, you'll feel like a professional French pâtissier in no time.



eclair selection


Ok, let's get started...éclairs are made up of pâte à choux (choux pastry) which is a simple, easy and tasty base. It can be used in sweet foods like éclairs, profiteroles and Paris-Brest. 



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When the pâte à choux is baked it becomes hollow inside. This makes it super easy to fill with sweet, sweet crème pâtissière (custard cream).


Now, getting down to business, the crème pâtissière can be any flavour your heart desires. It can be any colour you want and you can make as much as you want...after all, the best chefs in the world take the time to taste their food (especially when it comes to desserts !) Just look at these beautiful and creative variety of éclairs...can you really stop at just one ..?

fauchoneclairs

The recipe for the éclairs is for about 6 - 8 people (or one person...) and it doesn't have many ingredients at all. You probably have all of these in your kitchen cupboard already.

 - 200g flour (no special type of flour, just plain flour)
 - 250ml water
 - 100g unsalted butter
 - 4 whole eggs
 - 1 pinch of salt

(After this, we'll go through the crème pâtissière recipe).

Are you ready ??

1. Ok, here we go...grab a pot, put it on the stove and add your butter, water and salt and bring it to the boil.

2. When it boils, take it off the heat and pour in all of your flour (still in the same pot and don't turn off the stove just yet, you will need it in just a moment)

3. Grab your wooden spatula and mix, mix, mix ... build those muscles ... make sure you get out all the lumps in the mixture

4. Now you've got what the French call a "panada" which is the pastry that was created from the above 3 Steps (ooh la la). Put your panada back on the stove to 'dry' the pastry base. Keep mixing it with your wooden spatula until the panada comes away from the sides of the pot and forms a ball shape

5. Turn off your stove and put your ball shaped panada in a new, cool bowl and wait about 5 minutes. Now is a good time to get your glass of champagne and toast yourself for a job well done, update your FB status or Tweet your success ;-)

6. Grab your eggs...break one in to the bowl, and with your wooden spatula...mix ! Yes, it is difficult to incorporate the first egg...but the thing with desserts is persistence, if you want to enjoy those lovely éclairs...mix your heart out !

7. Once the first egg is mixed in, add the second egg and repeat Step 6 (do the same for the third and fourth eggs too)

8. So now your pâte à choux is ready ... it should not be smooth like a pizza dough, but moist and a little sticky and shiny - you will see what I mean after you mix in that last egg

9. Put your mixture in a piping bag and you are ready to pipe your éclairs - about 8cm in length on baking paper or a silicone sheet. Some people use the back of a fork to give the illusion of lines on the top (and a little on the top-sides of the éclair). Brush with egg wash and bake for about 25-30 minutes at 200°C et voila ! Let them cool down.

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So, if you still don't think éclairs are en vogue, think again, because Jean Paul Gaultier had his brand designed on éclairs for a fashion shoot and Fauchon designed some for Lacoste ! Wow ! I'm impressed...and craving some Fauchon éclairs now.

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Amongst other things, Fauchon has an éclair week celebrating this beautiful and fun dessert - Fauchon Éclair Week 2013. My personal favourite was their Mona Lisa éclair.

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Ok, I know what you are thinking...where is the crème pâtissière, chocolate ganache and the fondant ?? It's coming, be patient, I'm just taking a moment to savour all of these brightly coloured creations.

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To keep it simple, I'll just take you through the crème pâtissière today, let's start off with small and easy recipes for the moment.

Alors, the crème pâtissière you see below is for 1 litre. I know, it sounds like a lot, but remember, you will be piping this into your éclairs, making sure they are full of cream, sampling your mistakes and sharing the love with your creamy creation.

This also gives you a great opportunity to sample, share and enjoy at your leisure. And if you think it's still too much, just half the recipe.

Ok, here comes the easier part (because it wasn't easy enough !) this is simple and takes about 10 minutes in total.

You will need the following for your crème pâtissière:

 - 100g flour (sifted)
 - 250g sugar
 - 2 whole eggs
 - 6 egg yolks (you can always use the whites to make a meringue)
 - 1 litre of milk
 - 1 vanilla pod (scoop out the contents)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, egg yolks and whole eggs and beat until combined

2. When all is combined in Step 1, add your sifted flour and combine dry and wet ingredients

3. Put a pot on the stove to boil the milk and the contents of the vanilla pod. Once this has boiled, add it to the mixing bowl full of the combined sugar, flour and egg mixture, and whisk it all in together

4. Pour the combined ingredients back in to your pot - cook it on high heat for about 4-5 minutes stirring the entire time. Don't let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pot

5. Take it off the heat and transfer it into a cold bowl. Put a piece of cling wrap on the top so that you don't get the skin forming on the top, and set it aside until it is ready to be used

6. Put it in your piping bag and fill that éclair until it bursts ! Bon appétit ! 

A bientôt !

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The Crozon Peninsula...A Traveller's Dream

Bonjour tout le monde !

Sand as fine as powder, crystal blue water and gentle breezes...no, our location isn't the French Riviera...Today our French journey will take us to Crozon in the Finistere province of Brittany in the north-west of France.

The Crozon Peninsula extends far into the sea, very few places can boast blue waters and floral coasts that reach such heights of charming beauty.

Let's discover together this small and alluring little village mes chers lecteurs...

The most remarkable thing about Crozon is the beautiful and colourful vegetation along the coast. A natural floral arrangement of pinks, purples, yellows and greens dramatically contrasting with the blue of the sea...simply stunning ! 

I completely understand why many painters choose Crozon as the inspiration for their art. This little town at the extreme west of Europe offers an infinity of possibilities for all these artists and creators.

The one place I can't miss when I'm in a little town by the seaside is la criée (the fish markets).  A little tip...the best time of day to check out la criée is when all the marins (fishermen) come back from hours and hours of fishing, on their little boats which are full of fresh and succulent ocean delights.

I have always had a fascination for marins...what poetry to share their life between the earth and the ocean. Waking up before the sun and braving the sea through winds, tides and magical sea storms that somehow never make it ashore.

Alors, back to business...like I said, I wouldn't miss the market for the world. I love the ambiance, all the laughter, the harmonious hum of people chattering away and the vendors promoting their freshly acquired fruits of the sea (as we say in French "fruits de mer") at the top of their lungs !

My favourite part is observing (and tasting) their catch of the day. The endless array of produce: poisson, langoustine, moules....an infinity of delicacies ! This is still one of the very few places where you can try the produce before you buy it. I must confess, I wasn't shy trying their fresh oysters and prawns.

After all this excitement, taste tests and ambiance, it was time to get back to the wild side and enjoy some beers while sitting on the beach absorbing the sound of the crystal blue waves crashing on the soft sand of Crozon.

Just after I thought my day couldn't get any better, I found this delicious selection of beers from Brittany by La Brasserie des Abers. These guys even have their own brand of cola called Breizh Cola how cool is that !!!

My wonderful friends, our French adventure to Crozon has reached the end, I must return from my memories of France, but I hope you enjoyed our journey. I hope you will accompany me again soon for a new experience in my journey of sharing the delights of French gastronomy and lots more ! 

A bientôt !

Crème Brûlée ... Why I Can't Resist You ...

I will take them all...honey crème brûlée, chocolate crème brûlée, vanilla bean crème brûlée, citrus crème brûlée even yesterday's crème brûlée !

It can be argued that crème brûlée didn't originate from France...but...who has the time to argue when this extravagant and sumptuous dessert is sitting right in front of them ? I think it's French anyway.

My mother taught me how to make crème brûlée, and in my opinion, hers is the best. Whilst posting delicious pictures on Instagram (frenchfoodwine), I saw so many images of crème brûlée, which made me think about my beautiful mother, and that inspired me to write this blog to share with you all today. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

There are so many different flavours you can infuse into your crème brûlée, so many different ways to enjoy this timeless classic such as an impromptu get together with friends at your place, or chez nous or alone simply with a strong cup of freshly brewed coffee.

The signature look and feel to a crème brûlée is that the top of  the dessert should be golden in colour from having been torched by flame or seared by a sizzling cast iron press. The crème brûlée gods would never forgive you (and neither will I) if the top hasn't been turned into a toffee like crispness to be cracked open by the lucky possessor of this fine dessert.

If you're ever looking for a quick and easy dessert to make that is dressed to impress,  I suggest you have a go at making a crème brûlée. I use these measurements to make my chocolate crème brûlée: 4 egg yolks, 50g castor sugar (because it's really fine), 150ml cream, 100ml milk and 100g dark chocolate (or if you're anything like me...it's 200g dark chocolate - that's equal portions for me before the crème brûlée and 100g for the actual crème brûlée).

If you don't like chocolate crème brûlée (shame on you)...just leave out the 100g dark chocolate and replace it with 10ml vanilla and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.

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The crème brûlée is also a great way to incorporate fruit into your day. I mean, fresh raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. YUM. This is a must, especially if you love the chocolate and red berry combination like me.

Ma crème brûlée favorite flavour is ... [insert your guess here] ... for those that said chocolate, you would be right...and for those of you who just felt like a chocolate crème brûlée after this thought, come on over...but be prepared to wrestle for a spoon full of my chocolate crème brûlée. This one here is mine...so keep your hands where I can see them !

It's not a crème brûlée if there is no sweet crunchy sugar crust on the top waiting to be broken, smashed and savoured...so, grab your self a kitchen torch or a cast iron press and drop me a line if you need a taste tester ;-) the pleasure is all mine.

One last thing, if you ever have the opportunity to try a selection of crème brûlée in a French restaurant, DO IT. You only live once, and in my humble opinion, you haven't lived if you haven't had a sample of the various types of crème brûlée out there in this beautiful world.

Bon appétit ... à bientôt

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Merci à Vous Tous !

Sexy Salty Caramel ... French Style

Grab a spoon, lick your lips and brace yourself for a recipe that will romance your palate !

The key element in making this smooth and rich salted caramel (also known as caramel au beurre salé...Ooooh la la) is the salt. In France, we use a salt known as sel de Guérande. All you need is a little pinch of this salt at the final stage of your caramel bubbling away.

But before we get to the part where we eat our sexy salty caramel, here are 5 simple steps to follow - the best part is this doesn't take very long at all, so you'll be devouring this delicious goo before you know it ! I've put together these steps because I work better in the kitchen when I can see what my delicious dessert is going to look like...

Before you start Step 1, swish a little water around your pot and pour it back out - this stops the sugar from crystallizing around the edges of the pot. If you have cream of tartar within arms reach, add some to the sugar and it will give you the same result as the water.

Step 1: Combine 300g sugar, [a pinch cream of tartar - if you are using this method], and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan over a low heat (this helps keep it smooth and sexy)

Step 2: As the mixture comes to a boil, the sugar will slowly dissolve. Stir once or twice with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the sugar and water

Step 3: This stage is hands-off, but make sure you keep a close eye as the mixture boils. After a few minutes, it will start to caramelize in spots. Once you see that, liberally stir again to encourage even browning....mmmmm almost there ! When the mixture is a light-golden colour, the process will begin to speed up rapidly. Lower the heat (this will give you more control) and cook, without stirring (you can move the pot in a circular motion to combine), until mixture is a deep golden colour

Step 4: When you reach the deep golden colour, turn off the heat, and carefully, very carefully, stir in 250ml of heavy cream, after this is combined, add in your 80g of salted butter and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth...et voila !

Drizzle your hot salty caramel over a pudding with some vanilla ice cream to enjoy...if you want to be really French (comme moi), make some crepes in advance, and liberally pour the hot salty caramel on your plate....BON APPETIT !!!

Some other ideas for your hot salty caramel...use it to spoon over home made biscuits

Or my personal favourite, mix it with a home made chocolate sauce and bake it as a hot lava pudding ... C'EST FORMIDABLE !!!

How do you like eating your salty caramel ? Share your pictures with me.......  

 

The world of bread !

In France, bakers are genuine artisans who never fail to impress: golden crusts, soft and fine crumb...The world of bread invites us on a passionate and delicious journey !

All of the different types of bread bear witness to an artisanal heritage, passed down through generations: from the dough mixing, the decisive moment when the baker mixes the ingredients, to the humidification of the oven so that the bread bakes without drying out...the key stages in the bread making process have remained the same and require a great deal of expertise.

The imaginative breads of the east of France, the brioches from the north, the Couronnes Bordelaises (bread rings) from the West, different types of Provence Fougasse bread from the south… There are more than a hundred different types of bread, each with varying recipes and regional traditions. Bread making truly is a know-how that is still very much alive and is constantly changing.

The “Fête du pain” bread festival! Every year in May, bread is celebrated for a week in the four corners of France. Present during every meal, it is one of the key ingredients on the French table and arguably one of the most reputed: talented cooks choose their breads with care, in harmony with the dishes on the menu.

Much to our pleasure, texture and taste vary from one type of bread to the next, and from one baker to the next: the more compact leavened or rustic breads, brown rye bread with seafood, its spicy variant for cheeses...and that's not forgetting the special breads (nuts, figs, olives) or white bread for aperitifs with toast.

The wines of the Loire !

Travel through the Loire Valley to enjoy the charms of France's No. 3 wine-producing region: incredible tourism itineraries, châteaux and wines of great diversity … and many flavours to discover!

The longest wine trail of France lets you explore, from East to West, 4 areas with very different micro-climates and soils: Saumurois, Touraine, Anjou and the Pays Nantais. This gives rise to a unique palette of varieties and a highly diversified range of wines with a highly aromatic expression.

Saumur-Champigny, Chinon, Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil… The Loire reds have an excellent reputation, structured and well-balanced on the palate. Their hints of violet and red berries, cherries and blackberries for Menetou-Salon, are enjoyable choices with poultry and white meat.

The most renowned whites, such as Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, subtle and fragrant, accompany noble fish. The excellent Vouvray and Montlouis, which combine roundness and finesse, are perfect with white meat. And the popular Muscadet goes perfectly with seafood and shellfish.

The very fine rosés, crisp and generous, are a perfect match for the cold cuts and meat specialties of the region. The prestigious sparkling wines of Anjou offer candied fruits and suave notes and are excellent for aperitifs. The sparkling wines, including the delicious Crémant de Loire, are served with fruited desserts.

Macarons: seductive little biscuits !

Back in favour due to the creativity of great Parisian chefs, macarons come in an infinite variety of flavours and an explosion of colours. Considered to be one of the jewels of French patisserie, the little round biscuit is showing its delicious colours way beyond our borders.

Pink, green, yellow, blue, brown... Decorating the shelves of French patisseries, the macaron attracts attention and sharpens the appetite. Brought back into favour by the boundless imagination of patissiers such as Pierre Hermé, and now a consumer craze , this little round biscuit related to the meringue is now available in an infinite range of colours and flavours.

In Paris, Maison Ladurée, the celebrated maker of the macaron founded in 1862, draws gourmands from around the world, who come to sample its original creations. In addition to the traditional range of raspberry, chocolate and lemon macarons, they regularly produce Limited Edition special collections to go with the seasons and special events. Another celebrated maker of the macaroon is Maison Dalloyau, founded in 1802 – their ancestors even organised sumptuous receptions for Louis XIV at Versailles !

We may well allow that French patissiers invented the macaron as we know it today, with its two shells sandwiched together with a soft and creamy ganache, but the roots of the macaron are probably Italian, or even Arabic. The little biscuit, which was at that time simple and colourless, is purported to have arrived in France in the luggage of Catherine of Medicis in the 16^th century. It apparently then developed in various regional ways, still with the same three ingredients from the basic recipe: egg white, sugar and almonds.

Today, macarons produced by the big Paris houses are one of the high points of French patisserie. Chefs patissiers, some well-known and others less so, stretch their imagination to the limit to perfect new macaron recipes: the lemon and raspberry duo, exotic mango and even savoury with foie gras and truffle. This little French biscuit has seen amazing success abroad. Pierre Hermé, Ladurée, Dalloyau... they have all taken their brands and their macarons abroad, notably to Europe, the Middle East and Japan.

The macaron: one name but many recipes. This little twin-shelled macaron is much better known in France and throughout the world, but a number of French towns are continuing the tradition of the authentic macaron, minus colour and artifice. This is true of Saint-Jean-de-Luze, Saint-Emilion, Lusignan, Cormery, Boulay, Nancy and Montmorillon. These macarons might not look much like the little biscuit made by the great houses in Paris, but they all have the basic recipe of egg, sugar and almonds and a jealously guarded production in common.

Roquefort : A major cheese of truly international reputation

Blue-veined cheese. Origin: southern Massif Central (Aveyron, but also Lozère and Tarn)

A major cheese of truly international repute, Roquefort is produced solely from whole, raw ewe's milk in the Aveyron in the southwest of the Massif Central mountains. This cheese earned France's very first Denomination of Origin (AO) in 1925. It contains at least 52% fat and is sold aluminium-wrapped under the label "Roquefort", accompanied by its "AOC" and the "Brebis Rouge" (red ewe) shared trademark.

The cheese is creamy and soft, yet firm, with a fine, sharp taste and a most remarkable bouquet that hints at mould. It is ripened and matured with particular care in Roquefort's famous caves. Roquefort must always be isolated from the ambient air, either by its original packaging or by aluminium foil, to avoid drying and to conserve its creamy, mellow texture. It can be kept in the bottom of the refrigerator if you don't have a cool, damp cellar. Like a fine wine, Roquefort is best brought to room temperature for an hour or so before tasting.

Roquefort is widely employed in culinary recipes: in canapés, salads and soufflés, with puff-pastry, etc... Another particularity is that it goes very well with sweet, mellow wines such as Sauterne and Jurançon, and with natural sweet wines such as Maury, Rivesaltes and Port.