Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

Salsta in French Mode

Just so you all know how global Paperback Dolls is – we had to go all the way Down Under to get a a three course French meal! Our Friend Salsta shares recipes for simple but delicious foods that get her taste buds going – Welcome Salsta ~

I love eating good fresh food and even though French cooking has a reputation for being complex, there is plenty of good French style food to be made that is simple and relies on good produce rather than graduation from the school of Cordon Bleu. That’s all very good as I love food and I love cooking but I’m not a chef so the recipes I share are all good for making at home, are easy enough for anyone to tackle and will make a good three course meal.

French meal a-la-Salsta:

Buy two baguettes

Onion Soup

The trick to making onion soup is to caramelize the onions slowly. Slowly does it for all this food, we’re not making fast food here.

Ingredients:

6 x onions
Olive oil
Pinch of sugar
8 cups of beef stock (~2 liters)
1/2 cup of dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme
Salt and pepper
8 slices of toasted French bread
1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere with a little grated Parmesan cheese

French cut and caramelize 6 red or yellow onions in 2 tbs of olive oil. Put it all into a big pan and stir only every five to ten minutes. Add two cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped fine about half way through the process. When the onions are just starting to caramelize, add a mere pinch of sugar to hurry the process but it should take 30 mins to an hour overall. (Caramelized onions can be stored in the fridge for use elsewhere too.) Add two cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped fine and sauté for about a minute more..

Add the stock, vermouth or wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer for about 30 mins or more, until the flavors are well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

Chicken in white wine sauce

One fresh chicken or chicken pieces with skin on or off, per your preference. Skin on is more authentic.
1/2 bottle white wine (it’s good to use the same wine you’ll drink with the meal, the variety doesn’t matter much but make sure it’s not oaked)
2 large onions (or 4 medium onions)
¼ pound of bacon
4 cloves garlic
Bouquet garnish (or 4 bay leaves)
1 cup chicken broth (not absolutely required)
Butter
Flour

Cut the onions into small pieces and fry them in butter until they are cooked and clear. Stir and use a moderate heat to ensure they are not burnt. Once cooked, put the onions in a cooking pot or casserole dish
Using the same frying pan, cook the bacon. Stir and use a moderate heat to ensure it is not burnt. Once cooked, add the bacon to the cooking pot
If using a whole chicken cut the chicken into pieces
Fry the chicken pieces in butter until golden brown (taking care not to burn the butter or chicken). While frying, sprinkle flour over the chicken pieces, turn and sprinkle flour on the other side, then turn again. Once cooked, add the chicken to the cooking dish
Smash and chop the garlic finely then add to the pot.
Add the wine and chicken broth (if you don’t have chicken broth, use a bit of extra wine instead).
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Put into a moderate oven or simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken pieces are very tender
Serve

Side dish: Rice or potatoes
You can add any or all of the following per availability and your own taste:
A handful of small shallots (or baby onions); cooked in the pot with the other ingredients
Several carrots, scrubbed and quartered; cooked in the pot with the other ingredients
Celery, chopped as you like it; cooked in the pot with the other ingredients
Mushrooms (of whatever type you like or are available); cooked in the pot with the other ingredients
Thyme (fresh or dried); cooked in the pot with the other ingredients
Fresh parsley, chopped fine and sprinkled onto the top of the serving dish, after cooking and before serving. 

Dessert:

Clafoutis – traditionally cherry but can be done with berries or other seasonal fruit as available.

Grease a dish with butter

Put ~500 grams of cherries, berries or other fruit into the bottom of the bowl.

Mix together 1 cup of whole milk with three eggs, add I cup of sugar then one cup of four and whisk well.

Pour on top of the fruit and put into a medium oven and cook until golden brown on top – this should take roughly the time it takes to eat your main course.

Remove from oven and serve immediately with ice cream, fresh cream or crème fraiche depending on your taste buds.

Voila! A three course French meal with not a lot of effort but hopefully a lot of pleasure taken in the preparation and the eating.

Next, pack up a baguette or two with a couple of apples, some good cheese and a bottle of wine (or non-alcoholic cider if you have kids with you) and go for a picnic somewhere lovely, where the pleasure is to be taken in enjoying good company and good, simple food. There’s no need to complicate life after all and simple pleasures are often the best.

Bon jour and bon appétit!
~Salsta

Paperback Dolls is made up of women from different parts of the world, with different backgrounds, different tastes and beliefs that were brought together through a love of reading. We like to think of ourselves as a cyber version of "The View" that focuses on books, authors, and reading. We are proof positive that one common love can unite the most opposite of people and form lasting friendships that introduce other ways of life and perspectives to each other.

Paperback Dolls

View all posts by Paperback Dolls
s website