Mousse au Chocolat

For my French Cocktail Hour party, I prepared the following recipe. What French party would be complete without a chocolate mousse for dessert? This recipe was found on David Lebovitz's site and the recipe was originally Julia Child's. If there was anyone that knew French cuisine well, it was Julia Child!

Chocolate Mousse
recipe adapted from
Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Knopf) by Julia Child

6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces (170g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup (60ml) dark-brewed coffee
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup (170g), plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) dark rum
1 tablespoon (15ml) water
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat a saucepan one-third full with hot water, and in a bowl set on top, melt together the chocolate, butter and coffee, stirring over the barely simmering water, until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.

3. In a bowl large enough to nest securely on the saucepan of simmering water, whisk the yolks of the eggs with the 2/3 cup of sugar, rum, and water for about 3 minutes until the mixture is thick, like runny mayonnaise. (You can also use a handheld electric mixer.)

3. Remove from heat and place the bowl of whipped egg yolks within the bowl of ice water and beat until cool and thick, as shown in the photo above. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy. Continue to beat until they start to hold their shape. Whip in the tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until thick and shiny, but not completely stiff, then the vanilla.

5. Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites just until incorporated, but don't overdo it or the mousse will lose volume.

6. Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl or divide into serving dishes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm.

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Salade d'Endives, Noix et Roquefort

For my French Cocktail Hour party, I prepared the following recipe. There's something so elegant about salad served in endive leaves. The presentation is not only beautiful but the leaves also make for a great vessel for appetizers. I adapted the original recipe to serve as an appetizer and also included dried cranberries for my favorite salad combo - nuts, cheese, and fruit...

Salade d'Endives, Noix et Roquefort
(Endive Salad with Walnuts & Roquefort)
recipe adapted from French Food & Cook

6 - 8 medium endive
1/2 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup candied walnut halves
1/2 cup dried cranberroes
1/4 cup extra olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Remove the outside leaves from the endives; separate the other leaves. Place the leaves on a serving platter.

In a bowl, combine the cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts. Place a tablespoon of the mixture inside each of the endive leaves.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper to create a vinaigrette. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the filled endive leaves and serve.

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Vichyssoise (cold potato & leek soup)

For my French Cocktail Hour party, I prepared the following recipe. Rather than serving this traditionally as a soup course, I served these as an appetizer in shot glasses. It's a fun way to serve up soup without having to use bowls and spoons!

Vichyssoise
recipe from AllRecipes

2 leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup thinly sliced potatoes
2 1/3 cups chicken stock
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 1/8 cups heavy whipping cream


Gently sweat the chopped leeks and the chopped onion in butter or margarine until soft, about 8 minutes. Do NOT let them brown.

Add potatoes and stock to the saucepan. Salt and pepper to taste; do not overdo them! Bring to the boil, and simmer very gently for 30 minutes.

Puree in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Cool. Gently stir in the cream before serving.

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Nutella & Caramel Banana Crepe

For my French Cocktail Hour party, I prepared the following recipe. I wanted to make sure crepes were on my menu and decided to serve them as a dessert. The crepe recipe i used is from Alton Brown. It's best to make the batter the night before you plan on using it so that the crepe doesn't break while it's cooking. This is probably the best crepe recipe I've ever tried and I like that it can be altered to either sweet or savory.

Crepe Batter Recipe
recipe from Alton Brown

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Butter, for coating the pan

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

*Savory Variation Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.

*Sweet Variation Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.

Sae cooking up crepes while John cheers her on!

Nutella Banana Crepes

Prepared crepes above
Nutella spread
Sliced bananas
Powdered sugar for garnish

Prepare the crepes as directed above.
Spread the Nutella in a thin layer over once side of one crepe.
Place a few slices of fresh bananas on 1/4 of the crepe.
Fold the crepe into fourths to form a triangle.
Repeat for all the crepes you'd like to use and place on a serving platter or plate.
Dust all the crepes on your serving platter/plate with powdered sugar and serve.

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Moules a la Mariniere

For my French Cocktail Hour party, I prepared the following recipe. I chose to add this to my menu because it's one dish I tend to order when eating at a French restaurant. I love how simple this dish is to prepare and how elegant it presents itself to guests!

Moules a la Mariniere
recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 pounds medium to large black mussels, scrubbed and debearded
(I used split mussels making it easier to eat as an appetizer)
1/2 cup Vouvray or Viognier wine (or any white wine you have)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves


Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter, shallots, garlic, bay leaf and thyme.
Once the butter has begun to melt, stir the ingredients and place the lid over the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the mussels.

Replace the cover and cook the mussels for 1 minute, or until they begin to open. Remove the lid and add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, cover, and remove from the heat. Allow to sit for 2 to 3 minutes, or until all mussels are opened.

To serve, divide the mussels between four large soup bowls and pour the cooking juices over the mussels. If you use split mussels like I have, plate them on a platter and pour the cooking juices over the mussels.

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Tartines: French open faced sandwiches

For my French Cocktail Hour party, I prepared the following recipes. Tartines are open faced sandwiches that are simple to prepare yet elegant even for guests. I learned about Tartines when I visited France a few years ago and I loved how delicious even a simple sandwich can be. For my menu, I chose to make four different kinds of tartines that would appeal to all my guests.

Tartin Corner

Tartines are all prepared similarly. To start, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Taking large slices of bread (I used a sliced sourdough boule), lightly butter one side of each slice and lay them on a baking sheet. Toast the bread in the preheated oven until they barely start to brown. Remove them from the oven and top the slices with any of the following or use whatever you have on hand to create a sandwich! After you've topped your slice, bake it again in the oven to heat up your toppings and melt any cheese you've added. Slice your tartine into pieces and Viola! Your tartine is ready to enjoy!

mozzarella, tomato & basil

(top toasted bread with tomato slices, top with slices of fresh mozzarella and garnish with fresh basil leaves)

ham & swiss

(top toasted bread with slices of deli ham, a little dijon mustard and sliced swiss cheese)

chicken pesto

(top toasted bread with a mixture of shredded or chopped cooked chicken breast and homemade pesto, then top with shredded italian cheese)

smoked salmon, dill & cucumber

(top toasted bread with a mixture of cream cheese, dill and garlic salt, some flaked salmon and top with slices of cucumber)

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Apple Galette

The following recipe was prepared during my International Chefs Dinner. You can read about it and check out the other recipes that were made for the event HERE.

Apple Galette
shared at the event by Joelen
recipe courtesy of Jacques Pepin

1/2 recipe pate brisée (or prepared pie crust dough) 5 large apples

1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tablespoon Calvados or Cognac (optional)

Roll out the dough 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick, in a shape that fits roughly on a cookie sheet—approximately 16 X 14 inches. (The best cookie sheets are made of heavy aluminum that is not too shiny.) If the dough is not thin enough after you lay it on the cookie sheet, roll it some more, directly on the sheet.

Peel and cut the apples in half, core them, and slice each half into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside the large center slices of the same size and chop the end slices coarsely. Sprinkle the chopped apple over the dough. Arrange the large slices on the dough beginning at the outside, approximately 1 1/2 inches from the edge. Stagger and overlap the slices to imitate the petals of a flower.

Cover the dough completely with a single layer of apples, except for the border. Place smaller slices in the center to resemble the heart of a flower. Bring up the border of the dough | and fold it over the apples. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar and pieces of butter, and bake in a 400-degree oven for 65 to 75 minutes, until the galette is really well browned and crusty.

Slide it onto a board. Dilute the apricot preserves with the alcohol (or use 1 tablespoon of water if the jam is thick and you prefer not to use spirits) and spread it on top of the apples with the back of a spoon. Some can also be spread on the top edge of the crust. Follow the design so that you do not disturb the little pieces of apple.

Serve the galette lukewarm, cut into wedges.

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Potato Galette

The following recipe was prepared during my International Chefs Dinner. You can read about it and check out the other recipes that were made for the event HERE.

Potato Galette

shared at the event by Joelen

recipe courtesy of Jacques Pepin

1/2 recipe pâte brisée (or prepared pie crust dough) 1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound potatoes, peeled, cut into very thin slices, washed, and dried
1/2 cup heavy cream

Roll out the dough as indicated for the Apple Galette, about 1/16-inch thick and in a 1 3-inch circle. Place on a large cookie sheet.

Melt the butter in a skillet and add the oil. Add the potato slices and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat until the slices start to look transparent and a few are slightly browned. Let cool a few minutes and spread the potatoes on the dough. Fold over the border of the dough as for Apple Galette.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes, until it is nicely browned. Spread the cream on top and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve lukewarm in wedges.

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Butternut Squash Gratin

The following recipe was prepared during my International Chefs Dinner. You can read about it and check out the other recipes that were made for the event HERE.

Butternut Squash Gratin

shared at the event by Laura

recipe courtesy of Jacques Pepin

1 large butternut squash (3 1/4 pounds), peeled and seeded (2 1/2 pounds)

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cut off and discard the stem of the squash, then cut the squash into two pieces by cutting through it horizontally at the bottom of the neck. This will make it easier to peel.

Peel the cylindrical neck lengthwise, removing enough skin so that the orange flesh underneath is revealed. (Under the outer skin there is a layer of green, which should be removed.) Peel the round part of the squash by cutting around it in a spiral fashion with a sharp knife; it is easier to peel a round object in this manner. Cut the rounded part in half lengthwise, and, using a spoon, scoop out the seeds. Then cut the squash into 1/8-to-1/4-inch slices either with a knife or in a food processor fitted with the slicing blade.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash slices in a large saucepan, cover them with water, and bring to a boil. Boil over high heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then drain in a colander. The pieces will break a little in cooking. Arrange pieces in a gratin dish, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Pour on the cream, and stir gently with a fork to distribute the additions properly. Cover with the cheese, and bake for about 30 minutes.

At serving time, brown the top of the gratin by placing it under a hot broiler for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

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Steamed Mussels in White Wine

The following recipe was shared during my French Fare event. You can read and view other recipes from the event HERE.

Steamed Mussels in White Wine
shared at the event by Joelen
recipe HERE

2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded (see companion article linked above)
2 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
3-4 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
a pinch of thyme
1-2 cups of good-quality white wine

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and sauté the onion until just translucent. Add the garlic and sauté just 30 seconds longer.
Turn the flame up to high and add all of the rest of the ingredients to the pot. There should be enough wine to have half an inch covering the bottom. When it comes to a boil, put the lid on tightly. Cook until most of the mussels open, about five minutes.
Take the pot off the burner. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mussels to serving bowls. Discard any shells that did not open.
Let the broth rest a minute to allow the remaining sand and grit to settle to the bottom. Then either carefully ladle the broth over the mussels, or carefully tip the pot to pour the broth into an intermediate vessel. In either case you want to leave the sediment at the bottom. Alternatively you can strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander. The downside to that method is that you loose the tasty onion and herb bits.

Serve with plenty of crusty French bread to sop up the gorgeous liqueur. That’s almost the best part.

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Baked Tomato w/ Basil

The following recipe was shared during my French Fare event. You can read and view other recipes from the event HERE.

Baked Tomato w/Basil
shared at the event by Yumi
recipe HERE

6 large tomatoes sliced
2 onions peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper
garlic croutons to serve


- Take a shallow oven proof dish.
- Put one layer of tomatoes in the bottom of the dish, sprinkle with chopped basil and season.
- Put a layer of onions on top of this and then repeat layers until all tomatoes, onions and basil have been used up.
- Pour olive oil and sugar over the dish and bake for 20 minutes in a moderate oven.
- Serve with hot garlic croutons.

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Potatoes Anna

The following recipe was shared during my French Fare event. You can read and view other recipes from the event HERE.

Potatoes Anna
shared at the event by John
recipe HERE

1 kg waxy potato, peeled and very thinly sliced
225 g butter, melted
salt
fresh ground black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
Put the potato slices in a colander and rinse under running water to get rid of the starch. Place on a cloth in a single layer and pat dry.
Generously grease the base of an ovenproof pan or baking dish with melted butter.
Arrange the potato slices in the pan in overlapping circles , brushing butter over each layer and seasoning as you go.
Cover with greaseproof paper or a lid. Bake in the oven for 45minutes or up to 1 hour. Test with a skewer to see if the potatoes are done.
Cooks Notes:.
Cook this in a cast-iron, heavy-bottomed, stubby-handled frying pan that goes in the oven. Traditionally it should be lidded - mine isn't, so I use greaseproof paper.
Historical Note:.
Mrs. Landemare's original recipe is:.
Potatoes. Fresh butter.
Peel some potatoes and cut into very thin rounds the size of a florin. Wash in salted water and dry very well in a cloth. Well butter an omelette pan. Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Cover with oiled [melted] butter, pepper and salt. Repeat these layers until the pan is full and cook in a medium [350°F] over until brown [40-60 min.] Remove from the oven, turn out and cut into slices or serve whole in a dish.

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Spinach Quiche

The following recipe was shared during my French Fare event. You can read and view other recipes from the event HERE.

Spinach Quiche
shared at the event by Nina
recipe HERE

1/2 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
1 (6 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Read Watch & Eat!: French Fare

Some things I enjoy are reading and watching movies. At the beginning of the year, I came up with the idea of pairing these two things with food... and my Read, Watch & Eat events were born. I hosted these events for girlfriends and decided to share the event idea with my cooking group... since they love a reason to cook!

For the month of August, we read the book, The Diving Bell & The Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby prior to coming together. Today, we watched the 2007 movie version and had a potluck of French inspired dishes. Unfortunately I was so busy in preparing and hostessing my event that I wasn't able to get any pictures in of our French spread. However here are the dishes and links to the recipes of the items that came to the table:

Steamed Mussels in White Wine
shared at the event by Joelen

Spinach Quiche
shared at the event by Nina

Pate
purchased & shared at the event by Joyce

Baked Tomato w/Basil
shared at the event by Yumi

Potatoes Anna
shared at the event by John

To join in the fun, my fellow bloggers have submitted their favorite French inspired recipes! As I do with each blogging event I host, a lucky blogger receives a giveaway related to the food theme. This event's winner is Laura of Laura's Home Cookin! Laura will be receiving Herbs de Provence and dried Lavendar buds to play with in her kitchen. Congratulations Laura and thanks to all that participated in the blogging event! Read on to check out the recipes submitted by my fellow bloggers...

Laura of Laura's Home Cookin
from Minnesota
Crepes
What's a French Food blogging event without Crepes?! Laura shares with us her favorite crepe recipe and shows how versatile they are for something sweet or savory. For her recipe, check out her blog!
Kate of Paved With Good Intentions
from California
Brie and Ham Quiche
Kate shares with a one of my favorite French dishes - quiche! Her quiche takes brie cheese and ham to a whole new level and I'm anxious to make this myself. Check out Kate's blog for the recipe!

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