Bonjour les amis de recette. The culinary treasures from the French culture are fabulous…c’est fabuleux! The variety and depth of cuisine is indeed a treasure chest…as much so, as romance in Paris, in spring time. So enjoy your visit here in our little e-cafe, and be sure to share your favorite French dish. Bon appétit!
Aline & B-man 
Boeuf en Daube (Beef Stew)
This classic French stew was traditionally cooked in a daubiere, or earthenware pot. But any heavy casserole will do.
(6 servings)
3 lbs chuck or stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups red wine
1/4 cup cognac
2 tbsp peanut oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
1/2 lb sliced lean bacon, each slice cut into halves
Flour
2-1/2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, or fresh ripe tomatoes, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
2 cups beef stock
Place beef in large mixing bowl and add wine, cognac, oil, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or longer.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place bacon in saucepan and add water barely to cover. Simmer for 5 minutes and drain.
Line a heatproof casserole with 3 or 4 pieces of bacon. Drain the beef and reserve the marinade.
Dredge each cube of beef in flour; shake to remove excess flour. Arrange a layer of beef in the casserole, add a layer of marinated vegetables, one third of the tomatoes and one third of the mushrooms. Continue making layers until all ingredients are used; end with vegetables and bacon. Sprinkle all with salt and pepper. Add the stock and enough of the marinade to cover.
Cover casserole and bring the liquid to a boil on top of the stove. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 300F and continue to cook for 3 to 4 hours. Reduce heat as necessary so that casserole barely simmers. Cook until meat is fork tender. Skim fat from surface and serve with rice or noodles.
Steak Au Poivre (Pepper Steak)
(6 servings)
6 club steaks
2 tbsp coarsely ground pepper
Salt
6 tsp butter
Tabasco sauce to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Lemon juice to taste
2 tbsp cognac (optional)
Chopped parsley
Chopped chives
Sprinkle sides of each steak with pepper and, with the heel of the hand, press pepper into meat. Let stand 30 minutes.
Heat a heavy skillet and sprinkle a light layer of salt over the bottom. When salt begins to brown, add the steaks. Cook until well browned on one side. To produce a very rare steak, cook 30 seconds at high heat. Turn steaks, lower heat to moderate and cook 1 more minute. Adjust heat and time to cook the steaks to a greater degree of doneness.
Place a teaspoon of butter on each steak and add Tabasco, Worcestershire and lemon juice.
Turn heat to low, blaze with cognac and transfer steaks to a platter. Swirl the sauce in the skillet and pour over the meat. Sprinkle steaks with parsley and chives.
Suprêmes de Volaille Panés à L’Anglaise
Breaded and pan fried chicken breasts, garnished with lemon slices.
Pronounciation: suh prehm / duh / voh lah yuh / pah neh / ah / lah(n) glez
INGREDIENTS:
4 skinless, boneless breats halves, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
2 Tablespoons water
1 cup (or more) bread crumbs
1/4 cup peanut or canola oil
1 Tablespoon butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For garnish: thinly sliced lemon slices
Season the flour with salt and pepper. Beat the egg with the water and place in a flat dish.
Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, dip in the egg, then coat with the breadcrumbs, pressing them in the your fingers.
Heat the oil and butter in one or two skillets and add the chicken. Cook about 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden. Turn and cook on the other side 3-5 minutes.
To serve:
Remove and serve hot, garnished with the lemon slices.
B-man
Paillardes de Poulets aux Champignons ~ Grilled Chicken with Creamy Mushrooms
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are lightly pounded, grilled then served with a creamy mushroom sauce.
INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon olive oil + extra for brushing on the chicken
1/2 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 8-oz. container whole mushrooms, cleaned (or pre-sliced mushrooms)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cream
thyme leaves (to your taste)
salt and freshly ground pepper
PREPARATION:
Pound the chicken breasts about 1/4-inch thick. Heat grill. (I use a George Foreman grill during the week for quick dishes like this)
Brush the breasts with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
If using whole mushrooms, trim the stem and cut them into quarters.
Grill the breasts. While they are cooking, heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet and add the onions, mushrooms and garlic.
Cook the mushroom mixture, stirring, for 5 minutes.
When the chicken is done, remove from grill and keep warm.
Pour the chicken broth into the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes or until it is slightly reduced. Pour in the cream and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
To serve:
Serve the grilled chicken topped with the creamy mushroom sauce.
B-man
Creamy Pumpkin and Mushroom Soup ~ Veloute de Potiron et de Cepes
Use the flesh from a small pumpkin or butternut squash. A Japonese Kabocha would work well with this recipe, too.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
1 small potato
1-1/2 oz. dried cepes (porcini mushrooms)
1 celery branch (w/leaves)
1 chicken bouillon cube
1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
4 Tablespoons heavy cream
To Garnish the Soup:
1/2 cup heavy cream
poppy seeds
2 slices of bacon
celery leaves or parsley stems
Cut the pumpkin/squash, celery and potato into cubes. Reserve the celery leaves for garnish.
Cover the porcini with hot water.
In a large casserole, melt the butter.
Add the pumpkin, celery.
Drain the mushrooms and add them to the casserole.
Sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes. 7. Pour in 8 cups of hot water, the bouillon cube and season with salt and pepper. Add the potato and simmer for about 20 minutes. The pumpkin and potato should be tender.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. If using a blender, puree in batches. Return the soup to the pot and keep warm while preparing the garnish. 9. Microwave or fry the bacon.
Whip the cream, adding a bit of salt, to soft peaks.
To serve:
Pour the soup into 4 bowls. Cut the bacon in half. Add a dollop of the whipped cream, a bacon slice and sprinkle with the poppy seeds.
B-man
Potage aux cèpes
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Pronounced: poh tahzh / oh / sehp
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 ounce dried cèpes
1 cup dry white wine
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb. white mushrooms, wiped clean and coarsley chopped
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
4 cups chicken stock
salt & freshly ground white pepper
2 Tablespoons Cognac
For garnish: snipped fresh chives
Combine the dried cèpes and wine in a saucepan and bring to a boil over med-high heat.
Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.
Strain through a fine sieve, reserving the liquid. Finely chop the cèpes.
Melt the butter in a large stockpot and sauté the chopped white mushrooms about 5 minutes. They should just be beginning to give off their juices.
Add the cèpes, reserved cèpe broth, milk, and cream and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes. Stir once and awhile.
Purée the soup in batches and return it to a large clean pot. Thin with the chicken stock.
Season with salt and white pepper and stir in the Cognac. Warm over low heat about 10 minutes.
To Serve:Serve the soup in warmed bowls and sprinkle with chives.
B-man
Soupe aux Étoiles
A light soup made with chicken stock, mushrooms, leftover chicken and star shaped pasta
Pronounced: soup / oh zeh twahl
INGREDIENTS:
3-1/2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
4 scallions (green onions), sliced
3 cups sliced white mushrooms
4 oz. cooked chicken (I prefer the breast meat for this recipe), thinly sliced
1/2 cup star shaped pasta (stellette) or other soup pasta
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pour the chicken stock into a large saucepan. Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil.
When the stock is boiling, add the scallion and mushrooms. Lower heat slightly and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender.
Add the sliced chicken meat and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the meat is heated through.
Add the pasta and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
Just before serving, stir in the wine and parsley and allow to cook for about 3 minutes.
To serve:
Ladle into 4 (or 6) soup bowls and serve immediately.
B-man
Tarte à la Citrouille
Pumpkin Tart: this dish comes from central France and is traditionally served on November 1st. It can be eaten warm or cold with or without whipped cream.
INGREDIENTS:
homemade or refrigerate pie crust
3-1/4 lb. small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into small dice
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons semolina
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
Cook the pumpkin in a heavy saucepan with a little water for 20 minutes. The water should evaporate.
Preheat oven to 425°.
When the purée is cool, add the eggs, semolina, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, brown sugar and cream. Mix well.
Turn the mixture into the partially baked tart shell. Bake 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 350° and bake another 30 minutes.
To Serve
May be served warm or cold with whipped cream.
B-man
Alsatian Apple Tart
This recipe for Alsatian style apple tart includes raisins and cream.
INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe pâte brisée (or refrigerated pie crust)
4 Granny Smith apples
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 Tablespoons sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup golden raisins
pinch of cinnamon
Prepare the pâte brisée.
Line a 9-inch tart tin with removable bottom with the pâte brisée. Prick the shell and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line the shell with foil and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden.
Peel and core the apples. Cut into eighths and mix them with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the sugar.
In a large bowl, whisk the yolks, the cream and 2-1/2 tablespoons of the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir in the vanilla and the raisins.
Arrange the apples decoratively in the shell. Pour the cream mixture over them.
Mix some cinnamon with the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons of the sugar and sprikle over the the cream.
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. The apples should be tender when pierced with a cake tester or skewer. Cool on a rack and then remove from the tin to serve.
B-man
Tarte aux poires et chocolate
Pear and Chocolate Tart
Pronounced: tahrt / oh / pwahr / ay / shoh koh lah
INGREDIENTS:
Sweet pastry dough - See Recipe Link Above
8 oz sweet, dark chocolate
1 cup Crème fraiche
3 large ripe pears, peeled, cored and halved
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons poire William or pear brandy
Preheat oven to 425°
Line the tart pan with pastry.
In a double boiler, meet chocolate over very low heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons crème fraiche.
Spread chocolate mixture evenly over pastry.
Slice pears into fans by cutting lengthwise from bottom almost to top of the pear.
Fan pears over the chocolate and place in a circle around the pan.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, but keep the oven on.
Mix remaining crème fraiche, egg, vanilla and pear brandy together. Pour around pears covering the chocolate, sprinkle w/ sugar.
Return to oven and bake until golden, 5-10 minutes. Let cool and cut into thin slices to serve.
B-man
Lemon Crème Brûlée Tart
Homemade Pâte Brisée (Homemade pie crust recipe…follows)
INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe pâte brisée or refrigerated pie crust
For the filling:
3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
For garnish: lemon slices
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Pat the pastry into a 9" tart pan with removable bottom. Chill for 20 minutes.
Line the pastry shell with waxed paper and fill it with dried beans or rice. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake another 3-5 minutes.
For the filling: Whisk 3/4 cup of the sugar, cream, yolks and eggs in a bowl to blend. Mix in the lemon juice and peel.
Pour the filling into the warm crust and bake about 30 minutes. The filling should be slightly puffed at the edges and set in the center. Cool for at least one hour.
Preheat the broiler and place the tart on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle the tart with 2 tablespoons of sugar and broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool for 1 hour.
To serve:
Push tart pan bottom up, releasing tart. Place on a platter and decorate with lemon slices.
Pâte Brisée
Short Pastry, Flaky Pie Crust for savory or sweet tarts, pies, and quiche.
paht / bree zeh
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons ice water
Makes 1 9"-10" tart/quiche shell
Put the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine, about 20 seconds.
Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
With the motor running, slowly add the ice water and process until dough starts coming together.
Remove from processor and pat into a disk.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
B-man
Fricassée de Veau aux Girolles
Veal Stew with Wild Mushrooms, in a cream white wine sauce
Pronounced: free kah seh / duh / voh / oh / ghee ruhl
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 lbs. veal stew meat
2 onions, peeled and coarsely chopped + 1 whole onion, peeled and studded with cloves
3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cube veal or chicken bouillon
14 oz. girolles or other mushrooms or combination of mushrooms
2 cups light cream
1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, parsley & thyme tied together)
1/2 bunch cherviil or parsley
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a Dutch oven or other large pot. Add the meat and brown well on all sides.
Add the onions, carrots, bouquet garni and cook until the vegetables are soft and golden.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir well with a wooden spoon. The flour should be well blended into the meat and vegetables.
Dissolve the bouillon cube in 6 cups of warm water.
Season the stew with salt and pepper and stir in the wine and reconstituted bouillon.
Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for one hour.
In the meantime, thoroughly clean the mushrooms.
Melt the remaining butter in a skillet; add the mushrooms and saute. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Remove the veal from the pot. Stir in the cream and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a sieve, pressing lightly on the vegetables. Discard the solids.
Return the meat to the pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
To serve:
Arrange the fricassee on a serving platter. Surround the meat with the mushrooms, sprinkle with the chervil or parsley and serve.
B-man
Fricassée de Champignons des Bois
Wild Mushrooms in a Cream and Herb Sauce
Pronounced: free kah seh / duh / shah(n) pee nyoh(n) / day / bwah
INGREDIENTS:
2-1/4 lb.s assorted wild mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and cut into quarters or slices depending on their size (white mushrooms, or a combination of white and cremini would work, use what is available)
1 Tablespoon peanut oil
4 Tablespoons butter
2 shallots, very finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
mixture of parsley, chives and chervil
salt and freshly ground pepper
Spread a light coating of oil on the bottom of a frying pan and heat.
Fry one type of mushroom about 5 minutes, or until it just begins to give off liquid.
Increase the heat to evaporate the juice and with a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.
Add a little more oil and continue with the remaining types of mushrooms, cooking each separately, until they are all cooked.
Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the shallots and cook until just soft, do not allow them to color.
Add the mushrooms to the shallots and cook for 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, add the cream and cook until the cream has reduced to a syrup.
To Serve:
Spoon the mushrooms into 4 hot bowls, sprinkle with herbs and serve immediately. Serves 4 people as a first course.
B-man
Soupe à l’Oignon
French Onion Soup
Pronounced: soop / ah / luhn yohn
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds yellow onions, sliced thinly
1/4 cup butter, plus some extra to butter the parchment paper
1-1/2 quarts beef stock
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 cup of red wine
For the topping:
6 ounce baguette
2 Tablespoons butter
3 ounces Gruyère
salt and freshly ground pepper
Cut a piece of parchment paper into a round to fit your saucepan.
Melt the butter and add the onions. Season with salt and pepper.
Butter the paper round and press it down on the onions. Cover the saucepan and cook the onions over low heat, stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, in another saucepan, pour in the stock and bring it to a boil. Continue to boil it until it is reduced by one-third. (20-30 minutes).
When the onions are done, remove the lid and the paper and sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of sugar.
Cook the onions a further 10-15 minutes, until they are carmelized. Do not let them burn.
Add the reduced stock and the wine to the onions and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. While waiting prepare the topping.
For the topping:
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut the baguette into 1/2 inch slices. You should have 12 slices.
Melt the butter and brush it on both sides of the baguette slices. Place them on a baking sheet.
Bake them in the oven until they are lightly browned. Turn them once.
Grate the Gruyère on the coarsest grid of a box grater.
To finish the soup:
Heat the broiler and ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls.
Top each bowl with 2 slices of bread and sprinkle on the grated Gruyère.
Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil about 2-3 minutes. (If you don’t have ovenproof bowls, you can sprinkle the cheese on the baguette slices, broil them, then float them on top of the soup.)
To Serve:
Transfer the bowl to individual plates and serve. Take care!! The bowls will be very hot.
B-man
Gratinée lyonnaise
French Onion Soup from Lyon.
Pronounced: grah tee neh / lyuhn nehz
INGREDIENTS:
7 oz. onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
8-1/2 cups homemade chicken stock
1 day old baguette
1-2/3 cups grated Gruyère, plus extra for serving
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup port
freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes. They should be golden, but not brown.
Add the chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil; simmer for 10 minutes.
Slice the baguette into thick rounds and place on a cookie sheet.
Place in preheated oven until the rounds are crisp and lightly colored.
Place a layer of the toasted baguette slices on the bottom of an ovenproof tureen. Sprinkle with some of the cheese. Alternate the layers until all the bread and cheese have been used, finishing with the cheese.
Carefully ladle the soup over the bread/cheese layers.
Place the tureen on the lowest shelf of the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg, pepper and port.
When the topping in the tureen is golden brown, remove it from the oven.
Gently push aside the crust and take out a ladleful of soup.
Carefully pour the hot soup into the egg mixture, whisking contantly.
Pour the egg mixture back into the tureen, under the crust along with the port and carefully stir to combine.
To Serve:
Serve the soup immediately and pass around an additional bowl of grated Gruyère.
B-man
Soupe au Pistou
Vegetable soup flavored with bacon and basil paste.
INGREDIENTS:
1 can (19-oz) cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
10 oz. package frozen lima beans
1/2 lb. green beans, strings removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 small potatoes, peeled & diced
5 onions, peeled & diced
5 carrots, peeled & diced
3 small turnips, peeeld & diced
3 zucchini, diced
2 oz. lean bacon, diced
1 leek, cleaned & coarsely chopped
1/2 head small cabbage,shredded
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
10 cups water
2 bay leaves
pinch of sage
salt & freshly ground pepper
For the Pistou:
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups fresh basil
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt & freshly ground pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, then add the bacon, potatoes, leeks, carrots, sage and as much of the other vegetables the pan can hold and sauté for 5-8 minutes.
Pour the 10 cups of water into a large stockpot and bring to a boil . Add the sautéed vegetables, along with the rest of the vegetables, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for at least 40 minutes.
Check the seasoning and continue cooking slowly for another 40-50 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
For the pistou: Put the basil in a food processor bowl. Using a garlic press, press the garlic on top of the basil. Process until finely chopped.
With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil continuing until the mixture becomes pasty. Add the parmesan and process some more. Season with the salt and pepper.
To serve:
Ladle the soup into bowls and stir in a tablespoon of the pistou into each bowl. The extra pistou should be passed at the table so that more can be added if desired.
B-man
Crème DuBarry
Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Pronounced: krehm / du /bahry
A soup fit for a Comtesse, the Comtesse du Barry to be exact. She was a favorite mistress of King Louis XV and dishes labled with her name, du Barry, will contain cauliflower.
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 lbs. cauliflower
6 Tablespoons butter
6 Tablespoons flour
1-1/4 cups milk
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and ground white pepper
Preheat oven to 425F.
Break the cauliflower into florets. Reserve about 1 cup of the florets to roast. These will be used to garnish the soup.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and some salt. Bring back up to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and set cauliflower aside.
In the meantime, place the reserved florets on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven until golden, 20-25 minutes. 4. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan, remove from heat and blend in the flour.
Add the milk and the stock, mix well. Return to the heat and cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly.
Put the boiled cauliflower in a food processor and purée. Add the puree to the saucepan. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Mix the yolks with the cream, then mix into the soup.{br]
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
To serve:
Ladle the soup into 6 serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with some of the roasted cauliflower and serve hot.
B-man
Potage aux Fines Quenelles
This soup with homemade dumplings comes from Alsace where you may find it called by its’ German name Riwelesupp.
Pronounced: poh tahj / oh / feen / kuh nel
INGREDIENTS:
For the soup:
8 cups beef broth
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 cup crème fraîche
salt and freshly ground black pepper
.
For the dumplings:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
To make the dumplings: Put the beaten eggs, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
Remove from the processor bowl and gather into a ball. Pinch off small pieces and rolling between your palms, make thimble sized ovals.
To finish the soup: In the meantime, bring the beef broth to a boil. Reduce heat and when the broth is gently simmering, drop in the dumplings.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid. The dumplings will rise to the surface when done.
Stir in the parsley and crème fraîche. Simmer for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve:
Ladle into heated soup plates and serve.
B-man
Cipaille or Cipâte ~ Layered Meat Pie
Cipaille, (pronounced sea pie) is a layered meat pie that was traditionally made with the local game of the Quebec region. This is an updated recipe that uses chicken, beef and pork.
Makes 8-10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. boneless chicken, use a combination of boneless breasts and thighs
2 lbs. lean stew beef
2 lbs. lean pork
4 onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 lb. salt pork, thinly sliced
2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon mixed spices (use a combination of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice)
2 cups chicken stock
pastry for a double crust 9-inch pie
Cut all the meats into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large bowl along with the onions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight.
Using a large casserole or cast iron dutch oven, layer the salt pork on the bottom.
Preheat oven to 400F
Place 1/3 of the meat cubes on top of the salt pork, then top the meats with 1/3 of the cubed potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and spice mixture.
Roll out the pastry into a circle large enough to cover the above layers. Place the pastry round on top of the potatoes and cut a small round hole in the center.
Repeat with 2 more layers of meat, potatoes and seasonings.
Cover with the remaining pastry, cutting a small hole in the center.
Carefully and slowly pour the chicken stock into the hole. Place a cover on the dish.
Place in the oven for 45 minutes or until the liquid is simmering.
Reduce heat to 250F and bake, covered, for 5 to 6 hours.
B-man