Fresh from the South of France
by Tom Herndon
I just led my third culinary adventure, taking eleven people, most of whom were also personal chefs, to France. We travelled for six days on two small barges up the Canal du Midi, then five nights in Paris. It was glorious, and I’m delighted to be able to share the recipes inspired by this amazing adventure.
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Cassoulet (easy)
serves 6
One of the first nights we spent in the medieval city of Carcassonne and enjoyed the local specialty, Cassoulet, served in the traditional clay pot called a Cassole. This recipe can take up to three days to prepare properly, in order to make the duck confit, soak the beans, prepare your own stock, let it rest, etc. (like this recipe from Paula Wolfert). If you have the time and inclination to do this, the efforts are more than worth it. However, most of us don’t, so this recipe, which still honors the original, can be done in an hour.
3 ounces sliced bacon
8 whole chicken thighs
1 pound smoky Andouille (chicken) sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces (read your label first for any allergens)
1 medium onions, chopped
1 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 can diced tomatoes (14.5-ounce) drained
1/2 large sprig fresh thyme
1/2 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (a pinch, no more!)
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup low-sodium GF chicken broth
2 cans cannelini beans (drained and rinsed)
1. Cook bacon in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
2. Add half of the chicken to the pot, skin-side down, and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and brown on the other side, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large platter, cook remaining chicken and set aside.
3. Return the pot to medium-heat. Add sausages and sauté until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer sausages to bowl with bacon. Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from pot.
4. Reduce the heat to med-low and add chopped onions. Cover and sauté, stirring from time to time, until onions begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf and cloves. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add white wine and chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chicken, submerge in liquid, then the beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until chicken is fully tender and cooked through.
6. Remove the cover from the pot and gently stir in bacon and sausage. Remove and discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Coq au Vin (easy)
serves 4
I’m also including a very traditional French dish, Coq au Vin. This was originally invented to turn an old, tough bird (often a rooster) into something magical. We love the French! Again, the traditional way of doing Coq au Vin is a slow braise that can take several hours, but for the sake of today’s pace, this is a quicker, easier version. It’s still deelish.
2 tablespoons ghee
2 large onions, sliced thick
8 chicken thighs
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups red wine (pinot noir, burgundy, or zinfandel)
2 bay leaves
Several fresh thyme sprigs
Several fresh parsley sprigs
1/2 lb button mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp ghee
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
1. Caramelize onions in ghee over med-low heat for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and remove from pan.
2. Add a tablespoon of oil and brown chicken well, on all sides, about 10 minutes. Halfway through the browning, add the garlic and sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. (Note: it is best to add salt while cooking, not just at the very end. It brings out the flavor of the chicken.)
3. Meanwhile, sear mushrooms in a separate pan. On high heat with a little oil in the pan, place sliced mushrooms, cover and let cook for a minute until they release their juices. Stir and continue to cook, covered, for another minute. Remove the lid and cook the liquid down to nothing, stirring occasionally and allowing the mushrooms to get a good brown sear. This intensifies the flavor of the mushrooms.
3. Spoon off any excess fat from the chicken pan. Add the chicken stock, wine, and herbs. Add the mushrooms and onions. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken to a separate platter. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Reduce sauce by 1/3 until thickened and return chicken and vegetables to pot.
4. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve.
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Roasted Smashed Potatoes in Duck Fat
serves 6
I learned this recipe on a previous culinary tour I did in Italy, and it called for using olive oil. Liz, a chef on one of the two barges, served duck fat potatoes to the acclaim of everyone on board. To surprise Liz and Ute, the other barge chef, we passengers volunteered to cook the last meal of our trip, and I decided to make the Italian recipe…using duck fat! Chef Ute liked them so much, she’ll be including them in her repertoire for future guests and Chef Liz said “These are gorgeous!”
6 whole medium-sized waxy potatoes, washed (Yukon Gold, Red Bliss)*
water and salt for boiling
1/4 cup melted duck fat
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Add the whole potatoes to a large pot and cover with a few inches of cold water. Pour salt into the water until it tastes like the sea. Cover and bring the water to a boil. Remove the lid and simmer until you can pass a fork through a potato, but it still has some give (not too soft).
3. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool completely. Meanwhile, melt the duck fat. Carefully spread half of it in the bottom of a foil-lined, shallow roasting pan.
4. Once the potatoes are cool to the touch, using the palm of your hand, choose one potato and on a flat surface, gently push the potato down so they it’s about 3/4″ thick. Do this to the rest of the potatoes, placing each ‘potato cake’ into the prepared roasting pan. If the potatoes are still too hot to touch, you can use a folded kitchen towel as protection.
5. Drizzle the remaining duck fat evenly over the top of the potatoes and place them uncovered into the hot oven. Roast for 30-45 minutes, or until well-browned and crispy. Flip the potatoes gently with a spatula and roast for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Drain on a paper towel lined rack and serve immediately. Test one first and add a sprinkle or two of good sea salt and some ground pepper, if necessary.
*NOTE: Basically it’s one medium sized potato per person as a side dish.
Note: If you’re too nervous about using duck fat, or you can’t find any, you can use a good olive oil. Still delicious, but it just ain’t the same.
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Roasted Peppers with Cherry Tomatoes
per person
This is a lovely, light and savory side dish that Chef Liz prepared for us, to rave reviews. Simple, really tasty and colorful (use contrasting colors of peppers and tomatoes).
Half of one red, orange, or yellow bell pepper
8-10 cherry tomatoes
2-3 thin slices garlic
1 anchovy filet
olive oil
squeeze of lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Optional: a ½ tsp. chiffonade of basil
1. Preheat to 375.
2. Slice bells in half and discard stem, pith and seeds. Oil the bottom of a shallow foil-lined roasting pan and place the bell peppers cut side up (shallow pans allow a faster roasting and caramelizing). Place the anchovy filet on the bottom of the bell pepper, toss the cherry tomatoes in a small bowl with the garlic, a bit of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Place tomato mixture on top of the anchovy filet and season everything with salt and pepper. Optional: add a chiffonade of fresh basil to the cherry tomato and garlic mixture before roasting.
3. Roast the peppers and tomatoes, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until bells are soft and browned on the bottom.
NOTE: The anchovy filet actually melts in the heat, making a yummy sauce with the olive oil, garlic and juices from the pepper and tomato.
