Le French Oven

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Le French Oven

$30.00

SKU: 9781423640530
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Description

The companion to French Comfort Food, Le French Oven showcases authentic, tantalizing French recipes that can be created in the cocotte—the French version of a Dutch oven—in all of its sizes and shapes, from mini to large.Using various techniques such as braising, stewing, roasting, baking, stovetop, and frying, Le French Oven will teach how to create appetizers, soups, main courses, desserts, and more.

It includes information about the major French made cocotte brands, and how to use them to create fabulous recipes such as Warm Mushroom Custards with Garlic Toast, French Carrot Rice Soup, Basque-Style Paella, Two-Hands Praying Rack of Lamb Roast, Lemony Braised Chicken with Green Olives, and Beef Pot-au-Feu. The sweet recipes include fabulous fare such as Raspberry Clafoutis and Hot Brandied Peaches Over Ice Cream.

Le French Oven fills a need for the coterie of French cookbook fans and lovers of French food. It is an amazing collection of recipes with stunning photography.

The companion to French Comfort Food, Le French Oven showcases authentic, tantalizing French recipes that can be created in the cocotte—the French version of a Dutch oven—in all of its sizes and shapes, from mini to large. Using various techniques such as braising, stewing, roasting, baking, stovetop, and frying, Le French Oven will teach how to create appetizers, soups, main courses, desserts, and more. Le French Oven fills a need for the coterie of French cookbook fans and lovers of French food. It is an amazing collection of recipes with stunning photography.
HILLARY DAVIS, food journalist, cooking instructor, and writer and creator of the popular food blog Marche Dimanche, is a long-time food columnist and restaurant critic for New Hampshire Magazine. Her work has been featured in many national and international magazine and website articles. She is also the author of French Comfort Food and Cuisine Niçoise and has been a food and travel lecturer on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise lines. She lives in New Hampshire.

So come join me on this journey to discover the French ovens of France, who creates them, what makes them so special, and why they are the most valuable pot you can have in your kitchen. I have developed recipes for them to show you how versatile they are and to illustrate the many ways they can be used. Try them then come join me at the table. À table!

EASY PIZZA FOR TWO

Pizza Facile pour Deux SERVES 2

French ovens make the best pizza ever, giving them a marvelous crust. I make this pizza recipe for two, but you can also slice it into 6 pieces to serve with wine for a snack before dinner.

It couldn’t be easier. First, buy a ball of dough from your local pizza shop and tell them you want one for a small-size pizza. Take it home, cover it, and leave it on the counter until ready to use. Once you see how quick and easy this pizza is to make, you’ll want to make it again and again with whatever toppings you are in the mood for. I often make this with anchovies and oil-cured black olives, and after it comes out of the oven, I grate sharp Parmigiano-Reggiano all over the top.

In fact, pulling this together goes so quickly that you can remove the pizza to a cutting board, leave the oven on, fit in another disk of pizza dough, arrange toppings, cook it for 3 minutes on top of the stove, and pop it in the oven for another round that will be ready in 14 minutes.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT BOX GRATER; 5-QUART (5-L) OR LARGER FRENCH OVEN

8 ounces (225 g) fresh mozzarella

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1/4 small onion, sliced very thinly

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1/ 2 teaspoon salt

1 ball pizza dough for a small pizza purchased from your local pizza shop

4 tablespoons (60 ml) canned or bottled pizza sauce

1 heaping tablespoon herbes de Provence

8 fresh basil leaves, torn

3 ounces (90 g) prosciutto

3 ounces (90 g) Parmesan cheese

PREP

Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Grate half the mozzarella on the large holes of a box grater. Slice the rest into big pieces.

COOK

Heat the oil in the French oven over medium heat, toss in the onion, garlic, and salt, and cook until the onion slices are tender, about 6 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, scoop out the onion mixture to a plate and reserve, leaving the oil at the bottom. The onions and garlic will have flavored the oil and will flavor the underside of the pizza.

When the French oven is cooler and can be touched, place the pizza dough into the bottom over the oil, and stretch it out to fit, bringing up a slight rim around the sides.

Spread the pizza sauce over the dough and spoon on the cooked onions and garlic. Sprinkle with the herbes de Provence and basil, arrange slices of mozzarella and prosciutto all over, distribute the grated mozzarella, and then grate the Parmesan to finish.

Place the French oven on the stovetop, cover with its lid, and cook over medium high heat for 3 minutes.

Remove the lid, place in the oven, and bake for 14 minutes, until crisp and golden.

Remove the pizza from the oven. With a fork, gently coax up the edges then, with a spatula, lift the whole pizza to a cutting board. Slice and serve.

IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS

Fry pepperoni slices in the oil, remove to a plate, and fit the pizza dough over the pepperoni-flavored oil in the French oven for an incredibly delicious crust. Use the pepperoni slices for the top of the pie.

INTRODUCTION 15

FRENCH OVEN BRANDS 18

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR FRENCH OVEN 25

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR FRENCH OVEN 26

USING THIS COOKBOOK 27

APPETIZERS IN MINI COCOTTES 29

Vegetable and Feta Cheese Pot Pies 31

Crustless Smoked Salmon and Zucchini Quiche 32

Fondue Mac ’n’ Cheese 35

Warm Scallop Mousse with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes 36

Summer Garden Crudités with Lyonnaise Herb Dip 39

Marinated Goat Cheese with Roasted Garlic 40

Shrimp Cocktail with Spicy Dipping Sauce 43

Mini Antipasto 44

Warm Mushroom Custards with Garlic Bread 46

SOUPS 49

Gorgeous Chilled Beet Soup with Beet Greens Salad 50

White Soup with Pomegranate Seeds and Pistachios 52

Artichoke Parmesan Soup 54

French Carrot Rice Soup with Homemade Croutons 56

Cream of Red Cabbage, Tomato, and Beef Marrow Bone Soup 59

Radish Leaf, Potato, and Leeks Soup with Shredded Radish Salad 60

Fireside Duck and Cabbage Soup 61

Alsatian Beer and Munster Soup 63

Velvety Pumpkin Pie Soup 64

Red Clam Soup with Saltine Crumb Garnish 67

French Green Lentil and Toasted Walnuts Soup 68

BAKING 71

Homemade Basil Garlic Bread 73

Date and Raisin Soda Bread 75

Super Creamy Goat Cheese Vegetable Lasagna 76

Lamb Hachis Parmentier 78

Easy Pizza For Two 80

Cauliflower and Very Artichoke Gratin 83

Red Pepper, Potato, and Tomato Casserole 84

STOVETOP 87

Super Moist Olive Oil-Poached Salmon and Meyer Lemons 89

Thick Alsatian Pork Chops with Gingersnap Gravy 91

Mushroom and Fresh Herbes de Provence Risotto 92

One-Pot Niçoise Pasta 95

Soft Parmesan Polenta with Arugula Salad and Poached Egg 96

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Ham, Mushrooms, and Cheese 98

Basque-Style Paella 101

Whole Stuffed and Poached Chicken with Apples and Cider Sauce 102

ROASTING 105

Simply Delicious Roasted Vegetables 106

Quick Roasted Steak au Poivre 109

An Elegant Standing Beef Rib Roast 111

Roast Turkey Breast with Provençal Vegetables 112

Spicy Chicken à la Diable with Mustard Sauce 115

Two Hands Praying Rack of Lamb Roast 116

BRAISING 119

Braised Leeks and Swiss Chard with Feta and Raisins 121

Fork-Tender Wine-Braised Short Ribs 122

Beer-Braised Beef Brisket 124

Braised Cod with Potatoes and Onions 126

Lemon-Braised Chicken with Green Olives 129

Country-Style Pork and Beef with Lentils and Vegetables 130

Braised Lamb Shanks Ossobuco with Gremolata 133

STEWING 135

Beef Stew à la Bordelaise, Caramelized Carrots, and Turned Potatoes 136

A Sunday Cassoulet 139

Mussels, Shrimp, Scallops, and White Fish Dieppoise 141

Poached Halibut Pot-au-Feu 143

Chicken in Riesling with Grapes and Mushrooms 144

Basque Fish Stew 146

Beef Pot-au-Feu, Deconstructed 148

FRYING 153

Nun’s Sighs 154

Sweet Potato Chips 156

Crispy Fried Shrimp 157

Leftover Mashed Potato Croquettes 158

DESSERTS IN MINI COCOTTES 161

Vanilla Pudding and Raspberry Tarts 162

Butterscotch Pots de Crème 165

Individual Chocolate Fondue 167

Lemon Lovers’ Panna Cotta with Lemon Curd 168

Banana Rice Pudding 170

No-Machine-Needed Chocolate Ice Cream 171

Christmas Eve White Chocolate Mousse with Macadamia Nut Brittle 172

Fresh Orange Crème Caramel 175

Raspberry Clafoutis with Funneled Warm Ice Cream 176

Vanilla Cheesecakes with Fresh Strawberry Compote 178

DESSERTS IN FRENCH OVENS 181

Warm Apple Almond Crumble with Salted Butterscotch Sauce 182

Warm Chocolate Semolina Spoon Cake 185

Poached Pears, Rosemary Chocolate Sauce, Blue Cheese Wedge 187

Hot Brandied Peaches Over Ice Cream 189

Fresh Cherry Soup with Sugar Cookies 190

JAMMING 193

Luscious Green Tomato and Lavender Jam 194

Fresh Strawberry Jam 197

Fig and Port Chutney with Crumbly Aged Cheddar 198

DRINKS FOR A CROWD 201

Do-It-Yourself Hot Chocolate Bar 202

Holiday Party Mulled Wine 205

Snowstorm Hot Rum Punch 206

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 208

RESOURCES 211

INDEX 213

Additional information

Weight 3 oz
Dimensions 1 × 9 × 11 in