Louisa Chu

The lifter in jars of cornichons/onions.

I'm making puff pastry tartlets tomorrow and I'd like to do them free form with a small opening on top. Any reason not to? I'll be using a quail, lamb sweetbread and shitake filling. Thanks.

Six dupes and I only saw them now. Lime leaves. I'm flattered that you think I'd know where to find them! So we know they're not in any of the normal shops. And you already tried Belleville and Arts & Metiers. I'd think the big markets down in old Chinatown in the 13th - Tang Freres or Exomart. But I'm going out to Rungis soon so I'll keep my eye out for a supplier so hopefully we can find a vendor in Paris. So tell me more about how you'll use them.

Re-reading the thread again as well I'd also like to amend that not only does it depend on the mushroom but the state of the mushrooms as well. The washing method - great for good, dry white mushrooms. And any others in a similar condition. But other mushrooms, especially wild mushrooms, do need a little knife work to clean out the bugs and slugs. And I'm sorry but I completely agree that few things irritate me more than sandy/dirty mushrooms. If you're going to mistreat Food of the Gods like that then why bother? Just use Green Giant canned.

CASSOULET PRÉPARÉ COMME À TOULOUSE Serves 4 as Main Dish. Principal ingredients 1 kg dry white beans (soaked overnight) Cooking of the beans 1 carrot 1 onion studded with a clove 2 garlic cloves 1 bouquet garni 300 g salted slab bacon Tomato “concassée” 80 g goose fat 300 g tomatoes, diced 2 onions thyme Navarin 600 g lamb neck “Navarin style” 1 onion 50 g goose fat 2 T tomato paste 2 T flour, roasted 1 bouquet garni 2 tomatoes Garnish 4 sautéed Toulouse sausages 4 preserved (confit) duck legs 8 slices garlic sausage salt, pepper Finish breadcrumbs Beans - rinse, drain, cover well with cold water, then just bring to boil. Add peeled bacon, carrot, onion/clove, garlic, bouquet garni. Skim well then cook low for about 1 hour. Lamb - melt goose fat, sear lamb, season, remove from pan. In same pan sweat onion, add tomatoes - tomato paste as needed, lamb, roasted flour, mix well. Just cover with water, add bouquet garni, season lightly. Just bring to boil, skim, cover with parchment paper cut into a circle, bake about 1 hour. Tomato - melt goose fat, add finely diced bacon rind, sweat, then add fine dice onion, sweat, season well with thyme leaves, add finely chopped garlic, sweat, add peeled/seeded/diced tomato, season lightly, paper cover, cook low to very soft. Just cover Toulouse sausage in cold water then just bring to boil. Slice garlic sausage, set aside. Melt goose fat in pan, rinse Toulouse sausage, dry well, colour well around over low heat, halve on bias, set aside. French duck legs, sear in same pan to colour well, set aside. Decant lamb, chinois sauce, reduce. Remove garnish from beans, large dice bacon. Ladle off all excess water, add tomatoes, bacon, lamb, reduced sauce, halved sausages, sausage slices, just boil, taste/season, duck, drizzle duck fat lightly over, breadcrumbs light to cover over, bake about 3 hours at 80°C. Keywords: French, Beans, Duck, Intermediate, Main Dish, Intermediate ( RG225 )

Just lightly poach it in salted water and use it as you would scallops. What did you make? Couldn't you have just used the coral too?

I have had decent canned cassoulets here in France. But now having made it myself I just can't. Here's the Cordon Bleu recipe. CASSOULET PRÉPARÉ COMME À TOULOUSE serves 4 Principal ingredients 1 kg dry white beans (soaked overnight) Cooking of the beans 1 carrot 1 onion studded with a clove 2 garlic cloves 1 bouquet garni 300 g salted slab bacon Tomato “concassée” 80 g goose fat 300 g tomatoes, diced 2 onions thyme Navarin 600 g lamb neck “Navarin style” 1 onion 50 g goose fat 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp flour, roasted 1 bouquet garni 2 tomatoes Garnish 4 sautéed Toulouse sausages 4 preserved (confit) duck legs 8 slices garlic sausage salt, pepper Finish breadcrumbs Beans - rinse, drain, cover well with cold water, then just bring to boil. Add peeled bacon, carrot, onion/clove, garlic, bouquet garni. Skim well then cook low for about 1 hour. Lamb - melt goose fat, sear lamb, season, remove from pan. In same pan sweat onion, add tomatoes - tomato paste as needed, lamb, roasted flour, mix well. Just cover with water, add bouquet garni, season lightly. Just bring to boil, skim, cover with parchment paper cut into a circle, bake about 1 hour. Tomato - melt goose fat, add finely diced bacon rind, sweat, then add fine dice onion, sweat, season well with thyme leaves, add finely chopped garlic, sweat, add peeled/seeded/diced tomato, season lightly, paper cover, cook low to very soft. Just cover Toulouse sausage in cold water then just bring to boil. Slice garlic sausage, set aside. Melt goose fat in pan, rinse Toulouse sausage, dry well, colour well around over low heat, halve on bias, set aside. French duck legs, sear in same pan to colour well, set aside. Decant lamb, chinois sauce, reduce. Remove garnish from beans, large dice bacon. Ladle off all excess water, add tomatoes, bacon, lamb, reduced sauce, halved sausages, sausage slices, just boil, taste/season, duck, drizzle duck fat lightly over, breadcrumbs light to cover over, bake about 3 hours at 80°C.

How to Wash Mushrooms 101 Place mushrooms in a sufficiently large bowl. Cover with cold water. Agitate. Lift - do not pour - out to second bowl. Cover with cold water. Agitate. Repeat three or four times until little/no sediment remains in bowls. Lift out to paper towels then dry as needed.

Speaking of flesh I'd like to experiment with more with durian. Complex flavours and interesting texture. And a strong mystique. For example I think it could have a strong appeal as something very popularly American like cheesecake. But instead of cream cheese using a drained fromage blanc. And an extremely thin pate sucre with ground almonds. Served with a lime/kiwi coulis. And hot sweet soups. Take the traditional Chinese sweet red bean soup and puree it smooth and serve it with some counterpoints in temperature, texture and taste. Perhaps float a quenelle of slightly tart blood orange sorbet with a tuile of slightly bitter green tea. Just a couple of many ideas. And just ideas at the moment. And I'm sure similar variations are being done. And what I find exciting about Spain and Catalan in both cuisine and pastry is that there seems to be an openess to ingredients, preparation and presentation on so many levels of dining.

Yes, La Maison Rouge on rue des Archives in the 4th. Sounds interesting. Wondering if it's good. La Maison Rouge 13 rue des Archives 01 42 71 69 69

One of the few desserts that my grandmother made was the very classic Chinese steamed sponge cake. One of my goals in pastry is to start with a base in Asian classics/tastes/ingredients, apply them to French patisserie and then further refine them with the Spanish and Catalonian influence.

Has anyone tried Maison Rouge?

Jonathan, Please have your friend contact me directly with details - dates, budget, facilities, etc. Thanks.

Bring the kid! Parisians unabashedly love two things - dogs and kids. With truffle-loving Tom you have entree into a world you otherwise wouldn't. After school - around 4 o'clock - is the witching hour in Paris. When moms take their kids to the park - especially now that it's gorgeous outside - to play and picnic and take le gouter - the Parisian afternoon tea. I'd imagine that Place des Vosges is the center of activity in the 4th - as is the Champ de Mars where I am in the 7th. Grab a pain au chocolat - or a warm afternoon batch baguette and chocolate bar sandwiched within - and head to the park and partake in an idyllic Parisian ritual.

Bux, one of the benefits - or tragedies - of my Cordon Bleu education is that I can't eat certain things out. I prefer to make them myself. Like bearnaise. It was in fact our technical sauce for Intermediate Cuisine final exams. So you can imagine how particular I've become about that one. But I did go to a very good old school brasserie - Au Boeuf Coronne, way up in the 19th - with a couple of serious gourmand friends - Burke and Wells, for those who know them - and ABC does in fact offer bearnaise with their very classic menu. They're the kind of place that leaves you the whole ceramic terrine of pate de campagne to eat all you can - knowing you won't since you've ordered - let's say - their enormous steak tartare as your plat. Au Boeuf Couronné 188 AVENUE JEAN JAURES 75019 PARIS 01 42 39 54 54 BÉARNAISE SAUCE Reduction 50 ml cider or tarragon vinegar 20 g shallots, finely chopped 1 tbsp chervil stems, chopped 1 tbsp tarragon stems, chopped 1 pinch crushed peppercorns 50 ml dry white wine ------- 180 g clarified butter 4 egg yolks 50 ml water Finish 1 tbsp finely chopped chervil and tarragon leaves Boil cider and wine with shallots, chervil and tarragon stems and peppercorns – to syrup, set aside. Whisk yolks with water then continue in bain marie to ribbon. Then whisk in reduction. Off heat, drizzle/whisk in clarified butter. Taste/season. Chinois, taste/season. Add chopped chervil and tarragon leaves to warm sauce just before serving.

Top? Never. But a little bearnaise on the side.

I only really like my own French onion soup. I find the American version - what you find in the States or what you find in French restaurants that cater to tourists - too salty and too cheesy. And the French version too weak. Water's not authentic - but then again French chefs believe beef bouillon cubes are acceptable. Here's the basic recipe from Cordon Bleu. I'd strongly suggest using your best veal stock. SOUPE A L'OIGNON GRATINEE FRENCH ONION SOUP serves 4 400 g onions, thinly sliced 80 g butter 10 g flour 150 ml white wine 1.5 liter beef bouillon (broth) or consomme or chicken stock salt, pepper Garnish 20 slices baguette - day-old, thinly sliced 150 g gruyere, grated Finish 50 ml Madeira or Port (optional) Melt butter, add onions, sear well then caramelize well. Sift flour over, mix well. Deglaze with wine, add Madeira or Port. Add stock. Salt and pepper well. Cook low to taste. Dry baguette in low oven as needed. Ladle soup to ovenproof bowls - clean as needed - place croutons over, cover with cheese, bake to golden. Carefully serve immediately.

Just wanted to define "a la grecque". Dish prepared with typically Greek flavours - olive oil, lemon, etc. Usually vegetables - artichokes, fennel, etc. - marinated then braised then served warm or cold. No meat or caul fat. Normally.

SOUPE A L'OIGNON GRATINEE (French Onion Soup) Serves 4 as Soup. I only really like my own French onion soup. I find the American version - what you find in the States or what you find in French restaurants that cater to tourists - too salty and too cheesy. And the French version too weak. Water's not authentic - but then again French chefs believe beef bouillon cubes are acceptable. Soup 400 g Onions 80 g Butter 10 g Flour 150 ml White Wine 1-1/2 l Beef Bouillion (Broth) or Consomme or Chicken Stock Salt and Pepper 50 ml Madiera or Port wine, Optional (deglaze) Garnish 20 Slices of Baguette, day old and thinly sliced 150 g Gruyere cheese, grated Melt butter, add onions, sear well then caramelize well. Sift flour over, mix well. Deglaze with wine, add Madeira or Port. Add stock. Salt and pepper well. Cook low to taste. Dry baguette in low oven as needed. Ladle soup to ovenproof bowls - clean as needed - place croutons over, cover with cheese, bake to golden. Carefully serve immediately. Keywords: Soup, Cheese, Main Dish, Vegetables, Intermediate, Beef, French ( RG218 )

Cafe du Marche on Rue Cler at Rue de Champ de Mars in the 7th. Generally I've found the best of that kind of food right in and around markets. Locals eat there everyday and expect good food and good value. Edited to add that Marie-Anne Cantin - cheese lady - is right around the corner.

The long beans. I never thought I'd crave these but I find myself wanting green beans sauteed with stinky, funky fermented tofu. One of my mom's favourites, hated it as a kid, want it now.

Doing the rice thing - lots of soy and hot sauce. Plus - can't believe I forgot to mention these, you'll be happy Maggie - shrimp chips. Shrimp chip, scoop, eat. No other utensils needed. And just discovered my new favourite potato chips in the world - two flavours tied - dijon mustard and herbes de provence. It's amazing how fast whole bags can go. And chocolate cake. A la mode. With chocolate/chocolate chip ice cream. And chocolate cereal. What's the evolutionary reason is for PMS? And cravings? I'm guessing to keep faint-hearted would-be mates away!

They don't make my favourite anymore - graham cracker crust with chocolate filling. But the unfrosted brown sugar cinnamon is good too. Especially as an instant pastry crust. Topped with vanilla ice cream and apple sauce - instant hot apple pie a la mode. And sometimes microwaved chocolate chip sauce drizzled over.

Yes, use my method. And yes, most everything separately. But no layering needed. And this is simple. Ingredients from Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Recipe mine. Adapted with assistance from one of my favourite chefs, Chef Thivet, who spent his formative stagiere years in the Michelin maisons on the Cote d'Azur. Best served after resting for 24 hours. Chill then bring to room temp. Authentic flavour and I think better consistency and texture than any other ratatouille. I don't like the wateriness of most. With all due respect to Chef Bourdain I think it's important to note that the onions should be sweated before adding the garlic otherwise the latter can turn bitter. And if Chef Robuchon says add saffron, then add it. I've adjusted the recipe for 20. RATATOUILLE serves 20 Ingredients 15 garlic cloves 5 thyme stalks 5 rosemary stalks 1 bunch of basil 10 zucchini 3 red bell peppers 3 onions 20 tomatoes 5 small eggplants olive oil bouquet garni salt pepper Peel garlic, degerm as needed, crush lightly. Add to medium pot with rosemary, thyme stalks only, basil stems only and about 2 cups of olive oil. Boil then remove from heat and set aside. Brunoise onion then sweat with thyme leaves in garlic/herb oil. Brunoise zucchini and eggplant then sear to just golden in hot oil, drain and set aside. Peel and brunoise peppers then add to onions and sweat, add oil as needed. Peel, seed, brunoise tomatoes then add to onions/peppers with bouquet garni, add oil as needed, sweat to soft. Add zucchini/eggplant to onions/peppers/tomatoes, soft garlic from oil, mix carefully/well, taste/season, cook low to desired texture. Serve warm or set aside to cool/rest. Just before service add basil chiffonade, taste/season as needed.

The McDo's comment. They all say it. French chefs that is. Self pitying bunch. And this is just a slice of Parisian fall/winter restaurant life. Come back in summer when the foie gras and truffles are gone and you'll find tomatoes with your mains and mirabelles on your tartes. Even on your fattier cafe/bistro plates.