After 25 years of marriage, my husband should know that I am in over my head when he hears the words: “It started out so simple! I am not sure what happened?”
This is exactly what occurred with our annual Christmas Eve party a few years ago. It all started out very simple, like a small snowball at the top of a very large hill.
We watched the movie Julie and Julia that chronicles the life of a young writer trying to cook all the recipes from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” I also read the book about Child’s early life in France, “My Life in France.” Both are charming accounts of Child, France and the country’s wonderful cuisine.
My daughter and I decided to start trying to cook through some of Child’s landmark cookbooks and wanted to try a few recipes for ourselves. The recipes we tried were all amazing and each inspired us to do more. Before long, the theme for our annual Christmas party was set to be French and the fun was just getting started.
Each year on Christmas Eve, we host family and a few friends. A few years ago we began planning the dinner around a theme or a country. That year, it would be French. Since costumes are always encouraged, I quickly found a supply of bulk berets on the Internet. We also found some little French style mustaches at the dollar store and purchased some French flags, streamers, and other silly French decor.
The party planning was well under way and the menu was coming together. Everything seemed calm and reasonable until the berets arrived at our house. Perhaps seeing 50 red and black berets and all the other decorations got us a little excited. Perhaps it was the copious amounts of butter we were eating or the French champagne we decided to try. But whatever caused it, we got really excited. We found a friend who had built an exact scale replica of the Eiffel Tower for a high school music set. It was complete with twinkling lights. That is when things got a little wild.
I needed that Eiffel Tower. I wanted that Eiffel Tower. It was perfect and it even lit up and twinkled like the real thing. Of course, arrangements were made and before I knew it, we had a 20-foot-tall Eiffel Tower twinkling in our backyard.
Our menu was set, our costumes and gifts were arranged, and our cooking was under way. Paris is a special place and we celebrated that wonderful city with family and friends on Christmas Eve. That night, we fed about 75 people (most wearing berets) under the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower - Jackson, Mississippi style. I think Julia Child would have been tickled with our efforts and proud of the amount of butter we used that evening.
French 75
I must admit that while I was in France, I tried to order this cocktail in several restaurants and no one had ever heard of it. I consider it France’s loss, because it is my favorite cocktail.
This mixture makes enough for four drinks but feel free to double the mixture and store everything separately in the refrigerator. I add the champagne immediately before serving.
1/2 cup gin
1/2 cup simple syrup (simple syrup is a combination of one cup water and one cup of sugar that has been boiled until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Can be made ahead and stored in refrigerator
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about two lemons)
1 bottle good champagne (chilled)
4 strips of lemon zest
Combine gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Store in refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.
Fill four champagne flutes about 2/3 full of gin mixture, then fill the remaining space with champagne. Garnish with lemon zest and serve ice cold.
Salmon Rillettes
In France, many tables are graced with some sort of smoked or poached salmon dish during the holidays. This has a little bit of both types of salmon and the contrast with the smoked flavor and the fresh cooked salmon texture is outstanding. This recipe makes a lot so it is perfect for a crowd.
To poach salmon:
8-ounce salmon filet
2 green onions, chopped
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
Mix all ingredients to poach salmon in a shallow pan along with about half to one cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer salmon for about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for 10 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to one day.
To assemble the rest of the salmon spread, combine:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 small shallot, thoroughly minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound smoked salmon cut into thin strips or small squares
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, patted dry and finally chopped
1/2 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Mix all ingredients and fold in the cold poached salmon. Serve immediately or preferably cover and refrigerate overnight or up to three days.
Serve with sliced baguettes or crackers.
Mayonnaise with Roasted Garlic
The French love mayonnaise like we love ketchup or ranch dressing. It seems like they serve it on almost everything.
I must admit that I love homemade mayonnaise and will attest that the flavor is very different than store-bought. I have never tried to mix it by hand, but have found that the food processor version is so easy. Feel free to add any mixture of herbs or flavors that you like.
Serve this mayonnaise with any mixture of steamed or fresh vegetables, or even as a salad dressing.
To roast garlic:
Wrap four cloves of peeled fresh garlic, a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt in a small foil packet. Bake in a 350° oven for about 20 minutes until the garlic cloves are soft. Set aside.
To make mayonnaise:
Process one egg and two egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor for about one minute. With a machine running add 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar. Allow to process for about 30 seconds.
With machine running, slowly start adding 2 cups of your best quality olive oil or salad oil. Add in a small stream or droplets. Do not stop processing until you have added all the oil and the sauce is thick.
Pulse in roasted garlic and additional salt and pepper. Add in a little additional lemon juice or vinegar if mayonnaise needs to be thinned. Allow mayonnaise to rest an hour before serving.
Croque Monsieur Crepes
A croque monsieur is a delicious ham and swiss cheese sandwich that is served with a white bechamel sauce over the top and then broiled. Since our Christmas Eve dinner would not allow me to assemble a lot of sandwiches, we decided to combine two French dishes into one: the croque monsieur and French crepes. We decided to roll the ham and Swiss cheese into pre-bought crepes. (Please feel free to make your crepes but it is a timesaver to just buy them.) We also added Dijon mustard to the bechamel and poured it over the top. Bake crepes in a large casserole dish. It was fantastic and required very little hands on during a big party.
12 crêpes (found these in the vegetable or dairy section of your grocery store)
12 slices deli ham, sliced very thin
12 slices Swiss cheese, sliced thin
2 cups hot milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of nutmeg
4 cups of grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese divided
1 to 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
To assemble the crepes, put one slice of ham and one slice of Swiss cheese in each crepe and roll up tightly. Place in a well-greased casserole dish.
Once all the crepes are assembled, begin to make the bechamel sauce.
Melt butter over low heat in a small sauce pan and add flour all at once stirring until flour is slightly browned (about two minutes.) Slowly whisk in the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and cook whisking constantly until sauce is thickened. Off the heat, add in all the spices, mustard, and 2 cups of the shredded cheese. Pour sauce over crepes and top with remaining 2 cups of cheese.
Crepes can be refrigerated for up to two days.
When ready to serve, allow to come to room temperature for about an hour and bake in a 350° oven for about 15-20 minutes until sauce is bubbly. Turn on the broiler and broil for about two minutes until topping is bubbly and brown.
Pork with Green Peppercorns
This dish was added to our menu when I sent my husband to the grocery to get capers and he accidentally came back with a small jar of green peppercorns. They are delicious but I had never cooked with them before. We found this French recipe from the Barfoot Contessa and it was a big hit. The green peppercorns have a very different flavor from black peppercorns and are not spicy.
1 whole pork loin roast, trimmed and tied
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup green peppercorns in brine, drained
Preheat oven to 400° and allow pork to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, 2 teaspoons of each kind of mustard, fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Rub mixture all over pork and roast for about one to one and half hours until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 140°. Remove roast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board to rest.
To make the sauce:
Remove most of the fat from the roasting pan and add 1/4 cup butter directly to the roasting pan. Allow the butter to melt and whisk in the flour while scraping up any of the bits and pieces in the bottom of the pan. Add wine and continue to scrape brown bits from the pan. Add the chicken stock and the remaining 2 teaspoons of each of the mustards. Add the green peppercorns, two additional teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for five to 10 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Slice the roast serve the sauce over the top
Boeuf Bourguignon
This might be Julia Child’s most famous recipe, and I can still remember the first time I tasted the amazing beef with the wine sauce that is created when this dish is finished baking. It takes some time to prepare and please be sure and make this one day before you plan to serve and allow it to slowly reheat in the oven. The flavors will only get better after a day.
I have combined several different recipes to make one that I think is delicious and a tad bit easier than Child’s original recipe. I hope you will find it is worth your effort.
8 ounces of bacon, finally diced
2 1/2 pounds beef roast trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes, thoroughly dried
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 bottle of very good dry red wine
2 to 2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 stick butter at room temperature
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen small whole onions
1 pound mushrooms cleaned and sliced
Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve drippings. Dry beef cubes thoroughly with paper towels and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In small batches so as not to overcrowd, sear the beef in the hot bacon fat for three to five minutes turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared beef cubes and continue until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
Toss the carrots, onions, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper into the fat and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are slightly browned.
Add the garlic and cook one minute more. Put the meat and the bacon back in the pot with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Add wine and enough beef broth so that the meat is completely covered. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cover the pot with the tight-fitting lid. Place it in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven.
At this point, the dish can be cooled and placed in the refrigerator for a few days.
When ready to serve, warm the beef stew and combine 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons flour with a fork and then stir that into the warm stew to thicken, if needed.
In a separate pan, brown onions, and mushrooms until both are slightly browned. Add to the stew. Bring this to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Season to taste and serve with sliced bread and top with fresh parsley.
French Onion Casserole
We could not manage French Onion Soup for a large crowd so we decide on this old recipe that my father discovered years ago. It is easy, must be made ahead, and is delicious. Perfect for any holiday gathering.
3 medium sweet onions
2 tablespoons butter
1 8-ounce package mushrooms, sliced
1 10 3\4 ounce can of cream of mushroom soup
1 5 ounce can evaporated milk
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 teaspoons soy sauce
6 1/2 inch thick slices French bread
Chopped fresh parsley
Slice onions crosswise and cut each slice in half. Melt butter and cook onions and mushroom, stirring, until tender. Pour mixture into greased two quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of Swiss cheese. Combine soup, evaporate milk and soy sauce and pour over cheese. Top with bread and remaining cheese. Top with parsley. Cover and refrigerate at lease four to eight hours. When ready to bake remove from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for at lease 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 and bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake additional 15-20 minutes.
French Baguettes
No French Christmas dinner would be complete without some amazing French breads. We purchased croissants but decided to try our hand at making baguettes. I love to make bread and while it does take a little prep time this recipe is worth the effort.
About 3 1/2 cups bread flour, more for dusting
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon table salt
About 1 1/2 cups warm water
Semolina or fine cornmeal for sprinkling on the baking sheet
In the bowl the stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Stir and with the dough hook attached, pour in 1 1/2 cups of the warm water. Mix on low speed for about one minute. Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula. The dough should be very sticky. Mix and scrape down the bowl and dough hook every few minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides, or about six minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully fold the edges of the dough into the middle and gently knead the dough adding more flour as necessary for about two minutes. Cover the dough with a linen towel and allow to rest for about one to two hours or until it has doubled in size.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a linen towel that has been covered generously with flour. I have also used parchment paper with a good result.
Once the dough has doubled in size, begin folding the dough into the middle and pressed down firmly along the length to make a rectangle. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and dredge each of the four pieces in a little flour. Working with one piece at a time, put dough smooth side down on a lightly floured work surface. Press it into a rectangle of about 1/2 inch thick. Continue to fold the long edge of the dough into the center pressing firmly with your fingertips all the way down folding with one hand and pressing with the other. Fold the other long edge into the center in the same way. Continue to fold and press alternating edges until the baguette is about 12 inches long. Dredge the smooth side into additional flour and set the baguette on your towel or parchment lined baking rack. Repeat with remaining dough using plenty of flour to separate each baguette. Allow to double in size for about one to one and a half hours. While the dough rises, preheat oven to 500°.
Generously sprinkle a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with semolina flour. When the baguettes are ready, carefully transfer them to the baking sheets. With a thin very sharp knife, make 4 to 5 slashes on a sharp diagonal on the top of each baguette. Open the oven and quickly put the baguettes in the oven and toss in five ice cubes. This will create the steam in the oven and help form the crispy crust on the outside of the baguette. Quickly close the door to trap in the steam and reduce the oven temperature to 475°.
Bake baguettes for 6 minutes and then quickly turned them over on their baking sheets. Cook additional 5 minutes. Remove baguettes from the baking sheets and put them scored side up directly on the oven rack. Bake additional five minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Raspberry Crumble Bars
Of all the pastries we sampled in France, my daughter and I agreed that the Raspberry Crumble Bars were our favorite. In fact, we both agreed that these bars might have been the best food we ate in France. Maybe it was the fresh pastries, or maybe it was because we were eating them while our feet were dangling in the fountains in front of the Louvre Museum. Pretty memorable!
For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
For raspberry filling:
2 cups or 9 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed
1 cup seedless raspberry preserves
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
a pinch of salt
For the strudel topping:
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces, softened
To make the crust:
Preheat oven to 375° and cover a 9 x 13” baking pan with foil that is been sprayed with nonstick spray. Be sure to push foil into all the corners and up the sides of the pan. This will allow you to easily remove the cookies when finished baking. Process flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles wet sand, about 15 pulses.
Remove 1 1/4 cups crust mixture and reserve in another mixing bowl.
Pour remaining crust into the prepared baking pan and press evenly to distribute the crust over the entire bottom of the pan. Use the bottom of a dry measuring cup to firmly press the dough into an even layer. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until crust is light golden brown.
To make the raspberry filling:
Put all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped.
To make strudel topping:
Combine oats and sugar to the reserved crust dough. Add butter and rub mixture between your fingers until butter is fully incorporated in the mixture forms small clumps.
Once the crust has been baked to a golden brown, spread raspberry filling over crust and sprinkle streusel topping over filling. Bake in a 375° oven for about 24 to 28 minutes turning the pan halfway through baking.
Allow bars to thoroughly cool before lifting out of the pan. Cut bars into squares and serve.
We always send our guests home with little goodie bags from the party. This year, we made palmiers, sparkling lemonade, and containers of Herbs de Provence and lavender infused tea for everyone to enjoy.
Palmiers
These are the easiest French cookie to make because you use premade, store-bought puff pastry. The French call them Palmiers because they are intended to resemble palm leaves. They are perfect served with a cup of hot French-roast coffee or a glass of French wine.
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 box or 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
Combine sugar and kosher salt in a bowl. Preheat oven to 450°.
Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the sugar and salt mixture on a flat surface and unroll the first sheet of puff pastry directly on mixture. Sprinkle additional 1/2 cup salt and sugar mix on top of the pastry and roll out pastry to make a 13-inch square. Begin to roll up both sides of pastry toward the center so they meet halfway in the middle. Put rolled up dough in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill.
While the first roll is chilling, repeat process for second sheet of puff pastry and using the remaining sugar and salt mixture.
Once both rolls are chilled, cut into1/4-inch slices and place the slices cut side up on baking sheets that are lined with parchment paper. Bake palmiers for about six minutes at 450°. Small bits of sugar should caramelize and the puff pastry should brown.
Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.
French Pink Lemonade
Actually, I do not think there is anything truly French about this lemonade but it certainly is fun to serve at a party as a non-alcoholic drink.
1 envelope pink lemonade mix
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1-liter sparkling water or club soda
Mix Kool-Aid mix and sugar in warm water until sugar has thoroughly dissolved. Add sparkling water or club soda and serve chilled.
