More Recipes from the Paris Bistros

Of the thirty recipes given here, seventeen originate from bistros the names and addresses of which appeared in Paris Bistro Cookery (published in London, in 1957, by MacGibbon & Kee; in New York, in 1958, by Alfred Knopf; in Zurich, in 1958, by Rascher Verlag; and in Bussum, Holland, in 1959, by G. J. A. Ruys).

These new recipes, from some of our favorite old haunts in the bistro world of Paris, comprise several worthwhile and interesting discoveries, such as the extremely simple Croque Moujic Russe* (Chez Georges), the clever combination of the Beurre d'Escargots with the Coquilles Saint-Jacques* (Le Grand Comptoir), the incomparable Rognons Flambés* (Le Ruban Bleu), and the intriguing Irish Stew a la Provençale* (Chez Quinson).

The other thirteen recipes have been kindly supplied by the proprietor-chefs of eight newly discovered bistros. Those in possession of Paris Bistro Cookery may care to append details of them to the book, by way of bringing the list of rec­ommended Paris bistros up to date. As for these recipes, many a housewife may now discover that it is not nearly so difficult as thought to prepare a Terrine de Foies de Volaille Truffee* (Au Bocage Fleuri). As far as easy vegetable dishes are concerned, I recommend highly the Ratatouille* (Aux Charpentiers). We have tried this out several times in our own kitchen and have slightly altered the quantities of some of the ingredients to suit our own taste, which brings me back to what I have mentioned in the Culinary Introduction, about exactness in cooking being difficult to achieve.

PART ONE

Soups:

Minestrone au Riz (serves 4).

Entrees:

Terrine de Foies de Volatile Truffee (serves 15).

Fowl:

Poularde Marie-Louise (serves 6).

Poulet au Blanc, Pommes Dauphine (serves 4).

Poulet Saute a l'Estragon (serves 4).

Meat:

Boeuf Saignant a la Ficelle (serves 6).

Blanquette de Veau (serves 4).

Steak au Poivre Albert (serves 4).

Rognons Turbigo (serves 4).

Vegetable Dishes:

Pommes Dauphine (serves 4).

Ratatouille (serves 4).

Risi-Bisi (serves 6).

Salads:

Salade Nigoise (serves 4).

PART TWO

Soups:

Soupe Normande (serves 4).

Creme Valdeze (serves 4).

Entrees:

Jambon Florentine au Gratin (serves 4).

Croque Moujic Russe (serves 4).

Fish:

Homard Grille a la Diable (serves 2).

Coquille Saint-Jacques, Beurre d'Escargot (serves 3).

Fowl:

Canard aux Pdches (serves 4).

Rabbit:

Rable de Lapin a la Moutarde (serves 4).

Meat :

Rognons Pamplona (serves 4).

Irish Stew a la Provencale (serves 6).

La Potee (serves 8 to 10).

Rôti de Veau Thermidor (serves 8 to 10).

Rognons Flambes Ruban Bleu (serves 4).

Côtes de Mouton Champvallon (serves 4).

Rognons a la Moutarde (serves 4).

Steak au Beurre d'Echalotes avec Gratin Dauphinois (serves 4).

Vegetable Dishes:

Gratin Dauphinois (serves 4).

Epinards a la Creme (serves 4).

PART ONE

CHEZ MARIE-LOUISE

52, Rue Championnet

Paris, i8éme. Tel. Montmartre 86-55

Closed Sunday evenings and Mondays;

also during August

Three years ago I discovered a tiny bistro way up in Mont­martre called Le Saint-Pierre. The name of la patronne was Marie-Louise and it was she who did all the cooking which was excellent. But the next time I called there I found that she and her husband had moved to a small restaurant of their own in the neighborhood, called Chez Marie-Louise. This is in a rather lost district of Paris but a most useful address to know for those who may be visiting the nearby Marche aux Puces. When I returned recently to enjoy some of Marie-Louise's specialties, I found that she was no longer there: she had retired.

This is the way it often goes with the bistros in Paris and one has to keep continual track of them or, rather, of their proprietors. But once a bistro proprietor has earned a reputa­tion for the constant good quality of his wine and food then he may be sure that his clientele will remain faithful to him and follow him wherever he may reopen in the city, as in the case, for example, of Monsieur Moissonnier who has re­cently reopened his bistro opposite the main entrance to the Halles aux Vins.

I was given a warm welcome Chez Marie-Louise by the new chef-proprietor, Monsieur Coillot, who has attempted to make little alteration in the restaurant, its interior, and its cuisine. Monsieur Coillot is an experienced chef; the last place he was working at was the Laperouse (three-star) Restaurant on the Quai des Grands-Augustins. Monsieur Coillot is from Burgundy and his very attractive wife, who serves in the restaurant, is from the Allier.

Chez Marie-Louise is small, quiet, unassuming. There are seven tables on the ground floor and eight on the first floor. It is pleasantly decorated: copper pans hanging on the walls, green tablecloths, and a bouquet of flowers always standing by the neat little bar.

With very few changes, Monsieur Coillot has retained Marie-Louise's menu card. The specialties remain as before: Lotte Mayonnaise, Filets de Saint-Pierre, Boeuf Saignant a la Ficelle,* and the famous Poularde Marie-Louise.* One of Monsieur's Coillot's most successful additions to the menu is his Entrec6te "Marchand de Vin."

Monsieur Coillot's list of vins de provenance directe is a standard one of the better quality wines. I recommend the Pouilly Fuisse and the Pouilly Fume among the whites; the Cotes de Provence and the Rose de Sancerre among the pinks; and the Chiroubles and Saint-Amour among the reds. I also

recommend either the Marc de Bourgogne or the Eau-de-Vie de Poire William with your coffee. Prices are very reasonable.

POULARDE MARIE-LOUISE(CHICKEN MARIE-LOUISE)

Serves 6

1 large frying chicken

½ cup butter

2 tablespoons cognac

½ cup onions, chopped

2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and quartered

¾ bottle dry white wine

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons flour

Salt, pepper

½ tablespoon French mustard

¼ cup fresh cream

Cut up the chicken. Brown the pieces slightly on all sides, in the butter, in a casserole, for about 10 minutes. Pour over the cognac—which should be slightly warmed—and blaze. Re­move the pieces of chicken and keep hot. Add the onions to the casserole and cook till soft, then add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, then pour in the white wine and bring gently back to the boil. Add the garlic.

Remove the casserole from the fire. Make a thin paste of the flour mixed with a little of the liquid from the casserole. Pour slowly into the casserole, stirring all the time. Replace the chicken. Salt and pepper. Mix well together all the in­gredients in the casserole, cover, and cook gently for about half an hour, or until the pieces of chicken are tender.

Remove the chicken and keep hot. Reduce the sauce in the casserole by almost half, then strain it through a fine sieve, having removed the 2 cloves of garlic. Pour the sauce back into the casserole and mix in the mustard. When the sauce has almost reached the boiling point again, remove from the fire and add, carefully, the cream, stirring with a wooden spoon, being careful that the sauce does not boil again, otherwise it will turn, as there is also flour among the ingredients. Pour the sauce over the pieces of chicken and serve at once.

BOEUF SAIGNANT A LA FICELLE (rump of beef cooked in a vegetable broth)

Serves 6

Pot-au-Feu*

2 pounds beef, cut from the rump

Prepare the Pot-au-Feu as indicated but without the shin of beef. Boil, with all the vegetables, for 1 hour, then drop the piece of beef into the pot, having tied it up with a butcher's string and leaving a length of it hanging outside the pot. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to cook gently for about 30 minutes. Then pull out the meat with the aid of the string. It will be tender, slightly underdone, and imbued with the flavor of the vegetables and the herbs. You can judge the state of doneness of the meat by pressing it with the fingers. If you think it is too "rare" for your taste, then replace for a few more minutes in the pot.

Serve the meat, sliced, in the middle of a large, hot serving dish with the vegetables from the pot, in addition to small new potatoes and French Beans,* arranged neatly all around.

AU BOCAGE FLEURI

19, Rue Duranton

Paris, i5éme. Tel. Vaugirard 43-17

Closed Sundays and Mondays and during August

There is much to be said in praise of this charming little restaurant which is located in a lost quarter of Paris. As far as tourists are concerned there is absolutely nothing of interest to be seen in this district. But many are the foreign gastro­nomes "in the know" who come this far from the center of the city to enjoy Monsieur Bak's exceptional cuisine.

Admittedly, Au Bocage Fleuri is not a bistro of the rough-and-ready type. But I like to think of it in terms of a bistro as Monsieur Bak, the proprietor, does all the cooking, while his wife and one waitress serve at table. Thus, the atmosphere is intime and friendly. The interior is cosy and comfortable and is gaily decorated in the fashion of a Normandy inn.

Monsieur Bak, who comes from Normandy, makes a specialty of Grenouilles and Coquilles Saint-Jacques; a mag­nificent (and not overrich) Terrine de Foies de Volailles Truffee*; and, of course, the three great Normandy specialties, Sole Normande, Ris de Veau Normand, and Poulet de Bresse Vallee d'Auge. In my opinion there is no other restaurateur who can surpass Monsieur Bak in the preparation of his Poulet Vallee d'Auge. It is superb. Among the desserts I recommend the Peche Cardinal and the Soufflee Grand Marnier.

The wines to drink are the Sancerre, the Muscadet, and the Zwicker (a delightful, light, dry Alsatian wine) among the whites; and the Fleurie as the red wine. Don't fail to taste the wonderful old Calvados with your coffee.

Charges Au Bocage Fleuri are reasonable for a comfortable little restaurant of this category.

TERRINE DE FOIES DE VOLAILLE TRUFFEE (terrine of chicken livers and truffles)

Approximately 15 slices

Most recipes for terrines and pates are complicated and take a long time to prepare. But this is certainly not the case with this terrine which is one of Monsieur Bak's specialties.

1½ pounds chicken livers

Equal quantities:

Dry white wine

Cognac

2 pounds lower neck of pork, finely chopped

2 pounds breast(hand) of pork, finely chopped

Salt, pepper

3 medium-sized onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 truffles

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon flour

3 broad strips of larding pork

Bouquet garni

Place the chicken livers in a bowl and pour in sufficient equal quantities of dry white wine and cognac just to cover them. Leave to marinate for 24 hours.

Remove four of the chicken livers and reserve them for later use. Chop up the rest of the chicken livers very finely along with the neck and the breast (hand) of pork. Season with salt and pepper. Add the onions, the garlic, and 2 of the 3 truffles also finely chopped. Mix well together with 2 table­spoons of cognac, the 2 beaten eggs and the flour.

Line the terrine with the larding pork and place the mixture inside. In the center, arrange the remaining four whole chicken livers and the remaining truffle, sliced. On top, place the bouquet garni. Cover the terrine with the lid (which should have an escape hole) and cook in a hot oven for about 3 hours, after which time remove. Take out the bouquet garni and place a weight of approximately 3 pounds on a dish on top of the uncovered terrine. Leave to cool and compress for 5 or 6 hours. Remove the weight, replace the lid of the terrine and leave to chill in the refrigerator.

LE PETIT CLOS 62, Rue de Babylone and 37 Rue Barbet-de-Jouy

Paris, 7eme. Tel. Invalides 47-73 Closed Sundays and during August

And it is small, this little "enclosure" of a restaurant at the corner of the rues Babylone and Barbet-de-Jouy. There are seven tables only and almost half of this tiny restaurant is devoted to the neat, very comfortable little bar which you find on your left as you enter. Here Monsieur and Madame Bern-heim will greet you and serve you an aperitif while you await your table, but I strongly recommend that you tele­phone and make a reservation, for this miniature restaurant is the only one of its kind in this quarter which is crowded with ministries and town houses.

I must admit that this is hardly a bistro in the strict sense of the word but I am including it here as the atmosphere is that of a sympathique bistro with le patron and la patronne waiting on you.

Apart from ministers and their minions from around the cor­ner, Le Petit Clos is also frequented by a discerning clientele among whom are several of the well-known titled residents-dukes and countesses galore—in the adjacent Rue Barbet-de-Jouy who appreciate the fine wine and food that is served here in a friendly, unpretentious, and relaxing atmosphere.

Le Petit Clos was formerly owned by Le Comte de Chavagnac, a direct descendant of Lafayette, hence the rea­son why it is likewise frequented by both American and British tourists. Monsieur Bernheim has made few changes in the restaurant since he took over a few months ago. The decor remains much the same, the waiters are still there and the service is very attentive.

What is most interesting is that the chef at Le Petit Clos, Monsieur Georges Dubost, has had the rare distinction of working under Alexandra Dumaine, the greatest living chef in France, to whom this book is dedicated. Monsieur Dubost's specialties are Foie-Gras a rArmagnac, Jambon de Savoie Fume a la Chemin£e, Croutes au Fromage, Le Lapin Clos (rabbit served with a delicious French mustard and cream sauce), Cous-Cous (served on Thursdays), Pot-au-Feu a la Moelle (served on Saturdays in winter), Poulet au Blanc,* and FOmelette Fouree aux Framboises. Now another new recipe has been added to this intriguing menu. It is the sensa­tional Crepes de Sole Petit Clos (fillets of sole with a mush­room and cream sauce wrapped and cooked in pancakes).

Another specialty at Le Petit Clos is the Fondue Bourgui-gnonne. To the best of my knowledge and belief this is the only restaurant in Paris where this original dish is served. What makes La Fondue Bourguignonne fascinating is the cook-it-yourself idea of the dish. Each person is supplied with a bib and a long bone-handled fork with which to cook the cubes of sirloin steak in a mixture of boiling oil and butter which bubbles in a small enameled steel pot set atop a burner placed in the middle of your table. You spear the meat and hold it in the pot until cooked to your own desired state of doneness. You then place the pieces of meat on your hot plate —you must be very careful not to pop the meat straight into your mouth from the burning cooking fork—and consume them with one of the three sauces, curry, ketchup, aioli (garlic), or a mixture of chopped gherkins, raw onions, and parsley which are neatly arranged around the cubes of raw meat set in the center of the serving dish.

With this gay and entertaining dish—such a pleasant change from the humdrum dishes a la carte—you have some excellent vintage Bordeaux and Burgundies to choose from the wine list, which also includes an authentic Muscadet to drink with the hors d'oeuvre and the entries, and a Brouilly to accom­pany the meat and fowl dishes. You should taste the ex­ceptional Eau-de-Vie de Poire with your coffee.

POULET AU BLANC, POMMES DAUPHINE Serves 4

A tender chicken of 2½ pounds

2 egg yolks

½ pound butter

Salt, pepper

Cut the chicken up into four pieces and sauté gently in a casserole in the butter. Be careful that the chicken does not color as the meat must remain white (hence the name for this dish). Salt and pepper and close the casserole hermetically and cook gently for three quarters of an hour. Remove the quartered chicken and keep hot.

Beat the egg yolks in a little water. Remove the casserole from the fire and mix in the butter with the juice from the chicken. Pour the sauce over the quartered chicken and serve at once with . . .

POMMES DAUPHINE

. . . which are made by mixing one part of Páte d Chou with three parts Mashed Potatoes*:

pate a chou (cream puff paste)

½ cup hot water

½ cup flour

¼ cup butter

2 eggs

Pinch of salt

Melt the butter in a small casserole. Pour in the hot water and add the pinch of salt and bring gently to a boil. Add the flour and stir vigorously over a low flame until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball in the center. Remove the casserole from the fire and incorporate the eggs one at a time. Beat thoroughly until the batter thickens.

Add this Pate a Chou to the dried Mashed Potatoes and leave to cool. Make Pommes Dauphine by shaping the mixture into balls the size of golf balls. Roll them in flour and fry them in hot fat until they are puffed and golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve very hot along with the chicken.

AUX CHARPENTIERS

10, Rue Mabillon

Paris, 6éme. Tel. Danton 30-05

Closed Saturday and Sunday and during August

This is a real honest-to-God bistro where the atmosphere is friendly and the comfort adequate. Here you will find le zinc to the left as you enter, sawdust on the floor, paper table­cloths, the inaccessible peg for your coat and hat, the pigeon­hole rack for the napkins of the regular customers, and the upright basket for the "bastards," the long French loaves of bread.

Aux Charpentiers is located in a quiet, narrow little street that runs alongside the March6 Saint-Germain, a fascinating market on the left bank where I myself do most of my shop­ping. It is close to Saint-Germain-des-Pres with its collec­tion of famous cafes, Les Deux Magots, Le Flore, and Brasse­rie Lipp, meeting places of the theatrical crowd, the litterateurs, and well-known artists; as well as phoney poets and painters. This is an ideal bistro to dine at before sipping your coffee on the terrace of one of these cafés and watching this strange world go by.

Aux Charpentiers got its name from the fact that this bistro was the rendezvous, in the early thirties, of the carpenters of the quarter, who used to come, and sometimes still do come, to enjoy a hearty and cheap meal.

Le patron is Monsieur Puyalon (otherwise known as Charles) who surveys the simple, but very good bourgeois, cooking in the kitchen. His wife, Maria, makes all the cakes and pastries, for which the bistro is famous, such as the impos­ing Gateau Napoleon.

Specialitds de la maison are the Ratatouille,* the Timbale de Homard et Langouste Shanghai, grilled meats, and the Filets de Caneton, Sauce aux Olives. Prices are in the definitely cheap category. The white wines to drink are the Aligote and the Sylvaner; the reds, the Beaujolais and the Cote du Rh6ne.

RATATOUILLE (vegetable casserole provencale)

Serves 4

This easily prepared vegetable dish originates from the shores of the Mediterranean. It can be eaten hot or cold. It can also be used as a filling for an omelet.

2½ cups zucchini(vegetable marrow), peeled and sliced

¾ cup onions, chopped

1 cup sweet green pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

2½ cups aubergines(egg-plant), sliced

2½ cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and quartered

1 tablespoon tomato puree

Salt, pepper

Fresh tarragon

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped

Cook the vegetable marrow, the onions, and the sweet peppers in the oil for 5 or 6 minutes. Slice or quarter, but do not peel, the well-washed aubergines. Add to the pan along with the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, add a little fresh chopped tarragon, cover, and cook gently until the mixture is well blended and just starts to soften. Add the garlic and the parsley and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the liquid in the pan starts to disappear and the sauce thickens.

CHEZ RENE

12, Boulevard Saint-Germain

Paris, seme. Tel. Odeon 30-23 Closed Mondays and during August

Chez René is one of my favorite Paris bistros. Rene himself used to manage the popular and crowded bistro, Le Beaujolais, on the Quai de la Tournelle. Then, about four years ago, he opened his own bistro just around the corner, on the Boule­vard Saint-Germain. Chez Rene is the ideal place for you to go and have lunch after wandering around the He Saint-Louis and visiting the historic mansions on the island, the Hotel de Lauzun and the Hotel Lambert.

Rene's little bistro is very neat and tidy. Apart from the rows of salami sausages hanging from the ceiling, there is little decor; it is the wine and food that count. You sit on comfort­able red banquettes at bakelite tables covered with paper tablecloths. You will be greeted by Rene himself as soon as you enter and he will offer you a glass of vin blanc cassis (dry white wine with black currant juice) at the bar before you sit down at table which, it is imperative, you should have reserved beforehand.

Here, in Rene's small, animated, tightly packed bistro, a faithful clientele of exacting French gourmets come to enjoy Madame Rene's specialties from the Maconnais and Beau-jolais regions, among which I recommend the Quenelles de Brochet a la Creme and the Coq au Vin; not to mention the grilled meats.

There is a fixed plat du jour for every day of the week, except Mondays when the restaurant is closed. Thus, you are enabled to decide, according to your gastronomic preference, when to lunch, or dine, Chez Rene. On Tuesday, Haricot de Mouton is served. On Wednesday, it is Boeuf Bourguignon. On Thursday, Boeuf a la Mode. On Friday, Blanquette de Veau.* On Saturday, Boeuf Gros Sel. And on Sunday, Gigot de Mouton. Prices are very reasonable.

The Beaujolais wines, which Rene has sent direct from the vineyards and which he bottles himself, are of truly excep­tional quality and are also very reasonable in price. Rene himself comes from Julienas, in the heart of the Beaujolais country, which explains the regular attendance of wine con­noisseurs at his bistro.

BLANQUETTE DE VEAU (blanquette of veal)

Serves 4

There are different ways of making this classic dish. I, myself, always refer to Madame Rene's recipe as I find it the easiest and one that never fails.

2 pounds shoulder of veal

½ cup butter

8 small onions

4 tablespoons flour

½ cup dry white wine

Bouquet garni

2 carrots, sliced

Salt, pepper

Warm water

½ pound mushrooms, sliced

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup fresh cream

Cut the veal into 1½-inch cubes and brown them in the butter, in a casserole. Add the onions and also brown them slightly. Add the flour to make a roux, then pour in the white wine. Add the bouquet garni, carrots, salt and pepper. Pour in sufficient warm water to come to the surface of the meat. Cover and simmer for one and a half hours. A quarter of an hour before removing the casserole, add the sliced mush­rooms.

Whisk the egg yolk in the lemon juice. Remove the cas­serole from the fire and slowly add the egg and lemon juice to the Blanquette, stirring all the time. Pour in the cream and mix well. Keep hot, but be careful not to let it boil, otherwise the sauce will turn. Serve at once with rice.

CHEZ ALBERT

122, Avenue du Maine

Paris, 14éme. Tel. Suffren 47-62

Closed Mondays and during August

Albert's trim little bistro type of restaurant in the Avenue du Maine, over in the fourteenth arrondissement, is an address well worth noting for it is the only place of its kind in this distant quarter of Paris. If you are interested in painting then you should lunch, or dine, Chez Albert, for here you will be served fine quality food and wine and, maybe, have the chance of sitting next to some of the better known of the younger generation of the artists of the School of Paris, such as Carzou and Clav£, both of whom live nearby.

Albert comes from Normandy, his wife from Burgundy. So it is only natural to expect that the food that comes out of their kitchen should be something out of the ordinary as, indeed, it is. There is always plenty to choose from on the menu card. Apart from a very substantial plat du four, the specialites de la maison are Terrine de Canard du Chef, Terrine de Foies de Volaille,* Truite aux Amandes, Cuisses de Grenouilles Sautees Provencales, Steak au Poivre,* Coq au Vin, Poulet Saute a TEstragon.* In addition, there is an appetizing selec­tion of grilled meats.

For a restaurant of this size there is a remarkable range of wines to accompany these dishes. If you are a real connoisseur, Albert can produce something exceptional for you in the way of vintage Burgundy or Bordeaux. Otherwise, there is an ex­cellent choice of regional wines: Quincy, Muscadet, Chavi-gnol, among the whites; and Brouilly, Chiroubles, C6tes du Rh6ne, among the reds.

It is very pleasant, in summertime, to be able to sit out-of-doors Chez Albert and enjoy a quiet lunch on the flowered terrace on the sidewalk. The restaurant inside is cosily furnished, with bouquets of flowers and several paintings by young artists hanging on the walls.

Albert, who surveys the cooking in the kitchen, has a very capable chef working for him. He has spent some time in Canada and in America, so if you feel like tasting something that will remind you of home, you can, perhaps, persuade Albert to have it prepared for you.

Charges at Chez Albert are reasonable.

It is advisable to telephone and book your table as the restaurant is always full, the reason being that many a faithful client of Albert—when he was director of the well-known Dagorno Restaurant, opposite the Villette slaughter­house—has followed him to this new and fashionable little restaurant of his own in the Avenue du Maine.

POULET SAUTE A L'ESTRAGON (fried chicken with tarragon)

Serves 4

1 tender frying chicken

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons flour

¼ cup butter

2 shallots, chopped

½ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon tomato puree

Bouquet garni:

1 bay leaf

Sprig thyme

Sprig parsley

1 branch fresh tarragon

Chicken bouillon(or water)

Croutons

Cut the chicken into four pieces. Salt and pepper them and dredge them in flour. Melt the butter in a stew pan and brown the pieces of chicken lightly on all sides. Add the shallots and sprinkle the pieces of chicken with the remaining flour, and turn several times so as to absorb all the flour into the juice in the pan.

Add the white wine and the tomato puree and the bouquet garni and pour in sufficient bouillon (or water) to cover the pieces of chicken. Stir well and simmer for about 20 minutes then add most of the fresh chopped tarragon. Leave to simmer for about another 10 minutes.

Remove the pieces of chicken and arrange them on a hot serving dish, with croutons around. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with what is left of the chopped tar­ragon. Serve with new potatoes and French Beans.*

STEAK AU POIVRE ALBERT (pepper steak)

Serves 4

4 small, unsweetened pancakes

Coarsely ground black pepper

4   sirloin steaks

Salt

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons oil

¼ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons cognac

½ cup fresh cream

Make four plain, unsweetened pancakes. Keep warm.

Press plenty of coarsely ground black pepper into both sides of the steak. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Heat the butter and the oil in a frying pan and sear the steaks quickly on either side over a fast flame. Lower the heat and cook as required (preferably "rare"). Remove the steaks and keep hot on a serving dish that will go into the oven.

Discard the juice in the frying pan and pour in the white wine. Add the cognac and the cream. Allow the sauce to reduce gently, stirring all the time, by about one third; or until it starts to thicken. Place a folded pancake partly over each one of the steaks. Pour over the sauce and heat under the hot grill until they start to brown. Remove and serve at once with straw potatoes or Pommes Pont-Neuf.*

UNSWEETENED PANCAKES

(This is calculated for twelve portions: from a practical point

of view it is a waste of time to prepare only four pancakes.)

Anyway, if there are ten or twelve for lunch or dinner, then all you have to do is to adjust the proportions of the other ingredients for making these Steaks au Poivre Albert accord­ingly.

¾ cup flour

Pinch of salt

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons oil

1½ cups milk

1½ tablespoons melted(nut brown) butter

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat together to obtain a smooth and not too thick batter. Cook the pancakes, as for Crepes Suzette, in a hot, slightly oiled frying pan.

AUBERGE NOTRE-DAME

65, Quai de la Tournelle

Paris, 5eme. Tel. Danton 52-69

Closed Sundays in summer and during latter half of August

After a tiring tour sightseeing on the He de la Cite (La Con-ciergerie, La Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame) go and relax and enjoy the comfort and the excellent wine and food that are served at the Auberge Notre-Dame, a relatively new, chic little restaurant which is much en vogue. Dominique and Janine, the owners, who help serve in the restaurant, cater to a discerning clientele of Parisian and foreign gourmets who, if I am not mistaken, are keeping quiet their "discovery" of this entertaining little restaurant.

The interior decoration of the Auberge is amusing and original. A wooden banquette with comfortable, brightly colored cushions, wooden tables, and wooden chairs are ranged along one side of the narrow little room, the wall of which is decorated with multicolored little bowls and saucers, in which V.I.P.s visiting the restaurant are requested to sign their names in red paint. An original way of keeping a Livre d'Or!

On the opposite side of the room is an attractive bar a Vespagnole, built of white stone and wood. There is soft, indirect lighting and, in the evenings, there are long tapering candles flickering on the tables which cast a warm glow on the straw mats and the gay little napkins. There are twelve tables in all, four of which are on the enclosed terrace from where you get an impressive view of Notre-Dame, especially at night when the great cathedral is floodlit.

The cuisine at the Auberge Notre-Dame, prepared by the chef, Monsieur Robert, is Franco-Spanish. There is a different plat du jour for every day of the week, except for Sundays when the restaurant is closed. This might be a Poulet Grille American, Petit Sale aux Lentilles, Potee aux Choux, Piccata, Paella a la Valencienne, or a Puchero, which is a sensational Spanish Pot-au-Feu consisting of pork, beef, chicken, stuffed sausage, potatoes, cabbage, and chick peas.

Everyday specialties of the Auberge are the Terrine du Chef (made of duck, goose, and rabbit), Assiette de Cochon-ailles (an endless selection of pates and sausages that are de­livered regularly to the restaurant from different regions of France and which are served with various kinds of country bread). Coquelet a la Broche aux Aromates, and C6te de Boeuf Grillee a la Moelle. There is also a carefully prepared Salade Nieoise* with a special sauce, for which I give the recipe here.

There is a good selection of vintage wines to choose from. Among the regional wines, I recommend the dry, white Pouilly-Fuisse and the Magon Blanc; and the Beaujolais to accompany the grilled meats.

You must telephone and reserve your table, otherwise you will never get into the Auberge Notre-Dame.

SAUCE DOMINIQUE

4 fillets of anchovies

1 tablespoon mixed herbs(see above)

½ hard-boiled egg

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ tablespoon wine vinegar

Salt, pepper

Pound together thoroughly the anchovies, herbs and the half egg. Add to the mixed olive oil and the vinegar. Add a little freshly ground pepper. Salt should not be necessary, on ac­count of the anchovies.

AUBERGE DES DOLOMITES

38, Rue Poncelet

Paris, 17éme. Tel. Carnot 94-56

Closed during August

There exist a considerable number of Italian restaurants in Paris, many of them excellent, but one which, I think, is unique in its own way, is l'Auberge des Dolomites. For the very able proprietor, Signor Vitti, has had the foresight to offer his Parisian, Italian, and foreign clientele a continual selection of Italian regional specialties. A French restaurant abroad usually serves the standard dishes of France; just as Italian restaura­teurs serve their own national dishes in other countries. But, in this respect, Signor Vitti differs, for here, in Paris, he specializes in the dishes of northern Italy, and there are many of them, such as Scampi Grilles Comme a Venise, Escalope Farcie a la Bolognese and, when in season, Civet de Lievre a la Grappa avec Polenta (served on Wednesdays), and Bolliti Misti (served on Saturdays). This last-named dish is a stag­gering display of viandes et volailles gros set.

Signor Vitti opened his comfortable, very well serviced little Auberge des Dolomites, situated in a quiet street off the Place des Ternes, near the Etoile, five years ago, since when he has done non-stop business. Apart from the quality of the food served (and the specialty of the delicious, light Vin des Dolomites) it is, of course, the careful and expert preparation of the dishes that contribute so much to the success of the attractive and intime Auberge des Dolomites. The chef is Signor Gianni Filiberti, who was formerly in charge of the kitchens of the Gritti Palace Hotel in Venice; which explains much.

The Italian hors d'oeuvre, especially those served in sum­mer, are sensational. Here you will have presented to you a tantalizing assortment of dishes such as Courgettes a la Milanaise aux Amandes, Courgettes au Basilic, Piments farcis, Aubergines farcies, Tomates au Riz a la Romaine, Fonds d'Artichauts a la Juive, Petits Oignons confits aux Raisins Sees, Salade Espagnole, etc., along with innumerable charcuteries italiennes and a huge bouquet of crudites!

Charges are reasonable. To complete a very satisfactory meal, I recommend the very delicate Zabaione au Marsala.

RISI-BISI(VENETIAN RISOTTO WITH PEAS)

Serves 6

½ cup onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups long-grain rice

1 tablespoon dry white wine, warmed(optional)

4 cups boiling consommé(or water)

1½ cups cooked peas

1½ cups chopped ham

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt, pepper

Soften the onions in one tablespoon of butter in the bottom of a medium-sized copper casserole. When they start to color, add the dry, unwashed rice and mix well together with a wooden spoon, over a medium flame for about one minute only. Pour in the warmed white wine and the boiling consommé or water. Cover the casserole with a folded, clean dishcloth, and on top place four plates. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, by which time the liquid should have evaporated and the rice should be perfectly cooked. If the rice is still somewhat soggy, then cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Remove the casserole from the fire and add the hot cooked peas and the chopped ham. Next, add the grated cheese, salt and pepper, and then the remaining tablespoon of butter (which should be softened). Mix well all together carefully and slowly. Place in a preheated mold. Cover with a large serving plate, turn upside down and serve at once.

ROGNONS TURBIGO(VEAL KIDNEYS TURBIGO)

Serves 4

2 veal kidneys, each weighing ½ pound

Salt, pepper

Flour

4 tablespoons butter

Olive oil

2 croutons, for the kidneys

4 heats of artichokes

8 medium-sized mushroom caps

4 chipolata(pork) sausages

5 medium-sized firm tomatoes

¼ cup Madeira

Beurre manie

Soak the kidneys in cold water with a dash of vinegar for ten minutes, then remove and drain on absorbent paper. Salt and pepper them, and then roll them in a little flour. Heat the butter in a deep frying pan, add a teaspoon of olive oil and brown the kidneys on all sides, over a medium flame, for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare two croutons by cutting slices of bread the same size as the kidneys and frying them lightly, till golden brown, in butter. Remove the kidneys from the pan, place them on the croutons, and keep hot.

Poach the hearts of artichokes and the mushrooms in acidu­lated water. The mushrooms will require about 10 minutes to cook; the hearts of artichokes about half an hour. Grill the chipolatas and four of the tomatoes.

While these vegetables are cooking, prepare the sauce by adding the Madeira to the pan in which the kidneys have been browned. Stir well and, after 5 minutes, incorporate the beurre manie (one ounce butter mixed with half a tablespoon flour) piece by piece. Reduce the sauce carefully by half. Peel, seed, and dice the fifth tomato and add to the sauce along with a walnut-size piece of butter. Simmer the sauce for another 5 or 6 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.

Arrange the kidneys on the croutons in the middle of a very hot serving dish and place the chipolatas and the vegetables around them. Pour over the sauce from the pan, bring to the table, halve each of the kidneys and serve at once.

MINESTRONE AU RIZ(ITALIAN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH RICE)

Serves 4

½ medium-sized onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons oil

½ cup butter

½ cup carrots, diced

½ cup turnips, diced

¾ cup potatoes, diced

¼ cup leeks, diced

¼ cup fresh peas

¾ cup white cabbage, cut in strips

4 pints bouillon(or water)

½ cup rice

Salt, pepper

Seasoning

Grated Parmesan cheese

SEASONING

Finely chop:

2 tablespoons fat bacon

2 leaves sage

4 sprigs parsley

1 small clove garlic

2 sprigs rosemary

1 walnut-size piece of butter

Soften the finely chopped onion in the oil and butter in a pot, preferably an earthenware one for making soups. Add the diced vegetables, with the exception of the cabbage which should be cooked separately in boiling, salted water. Braise the vegetables gently for 10 to 15 minutes then add the bouillon (or water). Cover and simmer until the vegetables are almost cooked, then add the cabbage and the rice, salt and pepper slightly, and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the seasoning by mixing well all the ingredients into a paste which should be incorporated into the soup a few minutes before removing the pot from the fire. Serve the grated Parmesan cheese separately.

PART TWO

LE CATALAN

16, Rue des Grand-Augustins Paris, 6éme. Tel. Danton 46-07

Open for dinner only

Closed Sundays and during August

In Paris Cuisine (published in Boston, in 1952, by Little, Brown and Co.; and in London, in 1953, by MacGibbon & Kee) I described Le Catalan and gave recipes of three of its specialties. There have been certain minor changes in the restaurant since then. Now it is open for dinner only: excellent Spanish dancing is performed and authentic Flamenco music played while you leisurely enjoy certain new specialites de la maison, such as the Paella a la Valencienne and Rognons Pamplona* (for which I give the recipe here). You are advised to book your table, for Le Catalan is, and will continue to be, very popular.

ROGNONS PAMPLONA(lamb kidneys pamplona)

Serves 4

1½ cups Creole Rice*

½ cup mushrooms, sliced

Large walnut-size piece of butter

8 lamb kidneys

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 wineglass sherry

3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

½ cup cooked peas

Salt, pepper

Chopped parsley

2 sweet red peppers(canned)

Start preparing the rice. Sauté the mushrooms gently, for about 5 minutes, in a little butter, in a large, deep frying pan. Remove and keep hot.

Cut the kidneys in half, chop them coarsely, and saute them rapidly, in the very hot oil, for no more than 2 minutes. Add the chopped onion and allow to color, then the garlic and the butter. Stir gently and then pour in the sherry. Allow the sauce to reduce a little before adding the tomatoes. Cook for another 1 or a minutes then add the cooked peas and the mushrooms. Mix carefully together with a wooden spoon. Salt and pepper and remove at once.

Make a hollowed mold of the cooked rice in the middle of a serving dish. Pour the contents of the frying pan over the rice, sprinkle with the parsley, and decorate with the pre­heated red peppers, cut in julienne strips. Serve very hot.

PHARAMOND

24, Rue de la Grande Truanderie Paris, ler. Tel. Gutemberg 06-72

No closing day

SOUPE NORMANDE(NORMANDY SOUP)

Serves 4

2 pound potatoes, thinly sliced

Salt, pepper

½pound carrots, finely chopped

Toast

Small handful finely chopped

2 large leeks, sliced

chervil

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons fresh cream

3 pints warm water

Stew the potatoes, carrots, and leeks in the butter in a small covered casserole over a low flame for about 10 minutes, or until they start to soften. Remove to a larger pan, pour in the warm water, salt and pepper, cover, and simmer for 40 min­utes.

Meanwhile make thin slices of toast and add them to the soup, along with the chervil, just before serving. At the last minute, stir ½ tablespoon fresh cream into each plate of soup.

CANARD AUX PECHES (duck with peaches)

Serves 4

1 4-pound duck

Salt, pepper

4 large fresh(or canned) peaches

2 tablespoons cognac

Beurre manie(1 ounce butter mixed with ½ tablespoon flour)

Croutons

Salt and pepper the duck and roast it for about 40 minutes in a hot oven. Meanwhile, poach the fresh, halved peaches in slightly sugared water (or else heat, gently, halved canned peaches in the oven).

Remove the duck and drain off the fat from the pan. Pour in the cognac, then incorporate the beurre manie, piece by piece. Stir well and bring to a boil. Allow to reduce by one third, then remove, pass through a fine sieve. Rectify the seasoning.

Cut up the duck and arrange on hot croutons on a serving dish. Arrange neatly the hot, halved peaches around the duck. Pour over the sauce and serve at once.

CHEZ PIERRE 10, Rue Richelieu and 7, Rue Montpensier

Paris, ler. Tel. Richelieu 36-41 Closed Sundays and during August

RABLE DE LAPIN A LA MOUTARDE (saddle of rabbit with mustard sauce)

Serves 4

Brown the saddle of rabbit slightly in the butter in a stew pan. Remove and smear the mustard all over it. Replace in the pan and cook, covered, over a medium flame, for 1 hour. Remove the rabbit, and place it on a hot serving dish. Remove the pan from the fire, add the cream, and stir well. Pass through a fine sieve and pour the sauce over the rabbit. Serve with new potatoes.

CHEZ PAUL 15, Place Dauphine and 52, Quai des Orfevres

Paris, ler. Tel. Odeon 21-48 Closed Mondays and during August

CREME VALDEZE (cream of bacon and tomato soup)

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

Bouquet garni

1   full cup lean bacon, diced

2   Salt, pepper

3   onions, finely chopped

4   Pinch cayenne

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 cups consomme"

4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled

1 cup fresh cream, boiled and seeded

1 glass port wine, warmed

½cup rice

Brown slightly in the oil the diced bacon, the chopped onions, the crushed garlic, and, finally, add the tomatoes. Meanwhile poach the rice by bringing it to a boil. Remove at once and strain. Add the rice to the pan with the bouquet garni. Season with salt and pepper and the cayenne.

Pour the consommé into the pan. Cover and cook in a moderate oven for half an hour, after which time remove, discard the bouquet garni, and make a puree of the contents in the electric blender. Return to the pan and reheat. Remove and then stir in the hot cream and the warmed port wine. Serve at once.

CHEZ QUINSON

5, Place Felix-Faure

Paris, i5eme. Tel. Lecourbe 48-54

Closed Mondays and during August

IRISH STEW A LA PROVENCALE

Serves 6

2½ pounds boned shoulder of mutton or lamb

½ cup onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 carrots, sliced

2 turnips, sliced

4 or 5 green cabbage leaves, cut in strips; or 3 or 4 leeks, sliced

7 tablespoons butter

Bouquet garni

Salt, pepper

2 pounds small potatoes(1 pound sliced; 1 pound whole)

24 baby onions

½ pound mushrooms, sliced

Worcestershire sauce

Parsley

Cut the mutton, or lamb, into cubes and soak in cold water. Remove, place in a stew pan, cover with water, and boil for 5 minutes. Strain and cool the pieces of meat under the tap. Replace in the rinsed pan.

Cook gently the chopped onions, the garlic, carrots, turnips, and the (previously blanched) cabbage leaves, or the leeks, in 3 tablespoons butter, along with the bouquet garni, in a small, well-covered casserole, until they start to soften. Add the vegetables to the mutton in the stew pan, salt and pepper and pour in sufficient warm water to cover, and cook over a low flame for three quarters of an hour, after which time add the sliced potatoes and leave to cook, covered, for another half an hour.

Remove the meat and place in another preheated pan. Take out the bouquet garni and pass the vegetables and the liquid through a sieve to make a puree, or better still, make a very fine puree in the electric blender. Add to the meat and reheat very slowly.

Meanwhile, boil the remaining whole potatoes, and cook the baby onions and the mushrooms gently, in 4 tablespoons butter, in a small covered pan (the onions will require to be cooked for double the length of time of the mushrooms). Add the onions and mushrooms to the stew, rectify the seasoning, and pour in the Worcestershire sauce (one or more table­spoons, according to taste). Stir well. Remove at once and place on a very hot serving dish with the whole potatoes, sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley, arranged around.

CHEZ OLIVIER

21, Rue Mederic

Paris, 17éme. Tel. Carnot 86-67

Closed Sundays and Mondays and from mid-July until mid-September

HOMARD GRILLE A LA DIABLE (blazed grilled lobster)

Serves 2

1 lobster, of about 1½ pounds

2 tablespoons seasoned butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3  2 tablespoons armagnac, or cognac

4  2 tablespoons fresh cream

Split the lobster in half lengthwise. You can first plunge it into boiling, salted water for 3 minutes. This will kill it in­stantly and make the flesh firmer.

Detach the claws. Pour the oil into a frying pan. When very hot, place in it the claws and the two halves of lobster, the cut side facing downwards. Press them down on to the pan for 3 or 5 minutes, then remove. Leave the claws in the pan for another 10 minutes.

Place the claws and the two halves of lobster in a shallow Pyrex dish with the cut side facing upwards. Spread a table­spoon of cream and a tablespoon of seasoned butter on each half of the lobster and grill for 12 minutes, basting frequently. Remove the lobster and place on a very hot serving dish along with the claws broken. Pour over the warmed armagnac, or cognac, and blaze. Serve at once.

CHEZ MAITRE PAUL

12, Rue Monsieur-le-Prince

Paris, 6eme. Tel. Odeon 74-59

Closed during August

LA POTEE (country stew)

Serves 8 to 10

2½ pounds shoulder of cured salted pork

¾ pound breast of cured salted pork

4 quarts of water

Bouquet garni

5 cloves garlic

1 pound medium-sized carrots, halved

½ pound onions

1 pound small turnips, halved

¾ pound leeks, halved

2 pounds medium-sized potatoes, halved

1 large white cabbage, quartered

Pepper(no salt)

¾ pound cooking pork sausage

Croutons

Soak the shoulder and the breast of pork in water, for about 2 hours. Remove and rinse well. Place in an earthenware pot. Pour in the water. Bring to a boil and skim thoroughly. Lower the heat and add the bouquet garni and the garlic along with the carrots. A quarter of an hour later, add the onions; a quar­ter of an hour later, the turnips and the leeks; and, a quarter of an hour later, the cabbage (which should have been pre­viously blanched for 5 minutes). Add the pepper. Simmer, covered, for one and a quarter hours, then add the potatoes and the pork sausage, pricked, to prevent it from bursting. Cook, covered, for another half an hour.

Strain the vegetables and arrange them neatly around a large, hot serving dish. In the middle, place the shoulder of pork cut in slices. On one side arrange the sliced pork sausage, on the other the breast of pork. The potatoes should be placed either end of the serving dish.

To serve the soup, strain the liquid through a sieve and pour into a tureen containing croutons.

ROTI DE VEAU THERMIDOR(ROAST VEAL THERMIDOR)

Serves 8 to 10

¼ cup butter

3 pounds shoulder of veal

Salt, pepper

½ cup dry white wine

2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

2 cups fresh cream

Heat the butter in a cocotte, or a stew pan, that will go into the oven. Brown the meat in the butter, on all sides. Salt and pepper, lower the heat and cook gently, covered, for about three quarters of an hour. Then add the white wine and an equal quantity of warm water. Add the tomatoes and cook, covered, for another three quarters of an hour, or until the veal is done.

Remove the meat from the stew pan and keep hot on a serving dish. Add the cream to the juice in the pan and cook gently, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sauce thickens. Slice the veal and pour the sauce over the meat. Serve at once with new potatoes or Creole Rice.*

The cream will not turn during the cooking process so long as it is fresh and no flour has been added to the pan.

CHEZ GEORGES

34, Rue Mazarine

Paris, 6eme. Tel. Danton 69-49

Closed Mondays and during August

JAMBON FLORENTINE AU GRATIN(HAM AND SPINACH AU GRATIN)

Serves 4

Epinards a la crème*

Butter

8 slices cooked ham

1 cup Bechamel Sauce*

½ cup mixed, grated Parmesanand Gruyere cheese

Madeira

Prepare the:

EPINARDS A LA CRÈME(CREAMED SPINACH)

1½ pounds spinach

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon flour

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons cream

Wash thoroughly and cook the spinach. Drain and squeeze out all the water. Chop and pass through the vegetable mill, or make a puree of the spinach in the blender.

Make a roux with the butter and the flour. Add the spinach and a little salt and pepper, stir well until the mixture starts to dry, then add the cream. Bring gently to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.

Butter a shallow Pyrex dish and place in it 4 slices of ham over which spread the creamed spinach. Cover with the other 4 slices of ham and pour over it the Bechamel Sauce. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and brown in the oven for quarter of an hour or until a light golden crust is formed. Just before serving sprinkle about a teaspoon of Madeira over each portion of ham and spinach.

CROQUE MOUJIC RUSSE (beef mabrow on toast)

Serves 4

Beef marrow

Salt, pepper

4 slices of bread, about 3 inches square

Ask your butcher to remove the marrow from 2 large beef marrow bones. Slice and place 6 rounds of marrow on each piece of bread. Salt and pepper, place in a shallow baking dish and cook in a very hot oven. As soon as the marrow is golden color and starts to turn crisp on top, remove and serve very hot with ice-cold vodka.

LE RUBAN BLEU

29, Rue d'Argenteuil

Paris, ler. Tel. Opera 67-17

Closed Sundays and during August

ROGNONS FLAMBES RUBAN BLEU(BLAZED KIDNEYS RUBAN BLEU)

Serves 4

¾ pound mushrooms, diced

1 pound veal kidneys

½ cup butter

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons cognac

1 teaspoon strong mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons fresh cream

Wash the mushrooms thoroughly and dice them. Blanch them for 2 minutes in a little acidulated water (with lemon juice). Strain and reserve. Remove the fat and sinews from the kid­neys and also cut up into dice.

Cook the mushrooms and the kidneys together, for 4 or 5 minutes, in the butter, over a slow flame, in a small, heavy copper pan. Season with a little salt and 10 or 11 turns of the pepper mill. Pour in the cognac and ignite and keep shak­ing the pan. Add the cold, fresh cream, the mustard, and the Worcestershire sauce. Lower the heat immediately and cook very gently for about 3 or 4 minutes, shaking the pan all the time so as to sauté the contents. Serve at once on very hot plates.

Once the cold cream has been added to the pan, the dish must not come to a boil, otherwise the sauce will turn. All it requires is that the cream, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce become hot enough to bind the sauce.

COTES DE MOUTON CHAMPVALLON(MUTTON CHOPS CHAMPVALLON)

Serves 4

4 thick mutton shoulder chops

½ cup butter

½ cup onions, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

Bouquet garni

Dry white wine

½ pound potatoes, thinly sliced

Salt, pepper

Chopped parlsey

Consomme or bouillon

Brown the chops on both sides, in a frying pan, in most of the butter. Remove the chops at once and keep warm in a Pyrex oven dish. Soften the onions in a walnut-sized piece of butter. Do not let them color. Spread the onions over the chops, add the garlic and the bouquet garni. Rinse the pan in which the chops have been browned with equal quantities of white wine and consommé or bouillon and pour over sufficient of the liquid so as to just cover the chops in the oven dish. Cover and cook in a medium oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and strain off the juice into a small pan. Cover the chops with the sliced potatoes, salt and pepper, and pour back some of the reheated juice. Cook in the oven, adding now and again some more of the juice, for another 15 minutes or until the meat and potatoes are cooked. Remove the bouquet garni and sprinkle the meat and pota­toes with chopped parsley and serve straight from the dish. Serve Haricots Verts (French Beans)* separately.

LA CHOPE DANTON

4, Carrefour de l'Odeon

Paris, 6eme. Tel. Danton 67-76

Closed Mondays and during August

ROGNONS A LA MOUTARDE (kidneys with mustard cream sauce)

Serves 4

4 small veal kidneys

1 tablespoon oil

Salt, pepper

Sauce Moutarde a la crime*

2 tablespoons butter

Cut the fat from the kidneys and slice them in half length­wise. Salt and pepper them and brown quickly, on all sides, in the butter and oil, in a frying pan. When they take color, remove from the pan (discard the juice) and roast them in a hot oven for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the:

SAUCE MOUTARDE A LA CRÈME

½ cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup butter

1½ cups very dry white wine

4 tablespoons fresh cream

Salt and Pepper

2 tablespoons French mustard

Sauté the mushrooms in the butter, in a small pan, for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the wine and then the cream. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Salt and pepper slightly and simmer for a few minutes. Remove the pan from the fire and stir in the mustard. Pour the sauce over the kidneys and serve at once.

LE GRAND COMPTOIR

4, Rue Pierre Lescot Paris, ler. Tel. Gutemberg 56-30

Closed Sundays

STEAK AU BEURRE D'ECHALOTES AVEG GRATIN DAUPHINOIS(steak with shallot butter and baked potatoes au gratin)

Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter

Beurre d’Echalotes*

1 tablespoon oil

Gratin Dauphinois*

4 thick fillet steaks

Sear the steaks quickly, on either side, in the hot butter and oil. Lower the heat slightly and cook until done as required.

Meanwhile prepare the:

BEURRE D'ECHALOTES

¼ cup butter

2 shallots, chopped very finely

Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the shallots and cook very gently until the butter turns nut brown. Remove at once and pour over the steaks.

Serve with:

GRATIN DAUPHINOIS

3 pounds potatoes, sliced

Butter

Salt, pepper

½ cup milk, scalded

¼ cup fresh cream

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Take 3 pounds of even-sized potatoes. Peel them, wipe them well, and cut in slices. Butter a shallow Pyrex dish and arrange the sliced potatoes neatly in it. Salt and pepper and add sufficient warm water to reach one third of the level of the potatoes. Cover the Pyrex dish and place it on top of a pro­tective asbestos pad over the gas or electric ring and cook for about 20 minutes, by which time the water, or most of it, should have evaporated.

Meanwhile, beat together the milk, cream, and 1/4 cup of the grated cheese and bring to a boil. Pour over the potatoes and sprinkle with the rest of the grated cheese. Dot with small pieces of butter and brown gently in the oven until the potatoes are well cooked.

COQUILLES SAINT-JACQUES GRAND COMPTOIR(SCALLOPS GRAND COMPTOIR)

Serves 3

4 pounds scallops in their shells

½ cup butter

Beurre d’Escargot

Salt, pepper

Beard and wash thoroughly the scallops and brown them very gently in the butter in a heavy (copper) frying pan for about quarter of an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the:

BEURRE D'ESCARGOT (SNAIL BUTTER)

6 tablespoons butter

½ clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped

½ tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

Salt, pepper

Soften the butter and mix all the ingredients together into a smooth paste. As soon as the scallops are golden brown, re­move from the pan and place on a hot serving dish. Liquefy and heat the beurre d'escargot and pour over the scallops and serve very hot.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...