Your Best French Bistro Dishes

[David Ross]

13 hours ago, gfweb said:

Strip steak, brandy dijon sauce and roasted root veg

 

Brandy Dijon sauce sounds delicious

[gfweb]

31 minutes ago, David Ross said:

Brandy Dijon sauce sounds delicious

 

Not a whole lot different than steak Diane sauce( maybe a little sweeter). But since that's an American invention I renamed it for this thread...

😀

Edited January 19, 2020 by gfweb (log)

[David Ross]

28 minutes ago, gfweb said:

 

Not a whole lot different than steak Diane sauce( maybe a little sweeter). But since that's an American invention I renamed it for this thread...

😀

 

One of my favorite dishes when I was a teenager is when my Father would take the family to a restaurant at a hotel on the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon.  They had Steak Diane that the captain would make at the table and flame it in front of us.  I loved that dish.  

[David Ross]

I haven't made salt cod for about two years, and now I understand after that long absence why I love it so much.  I mainly didnt make it because the local seafood shop that sold it closed, and I couldn't find it in the markets during the Holidays last year.  This year, Holidays 2019, it was in all the markets.  This little 1lb. box was only 12.99, which is a reasonable price for salt cod.  One year I bought a whole dried cod, a scary splayed-open fish.  It was almost 2 feet long and I would have had salt cod for 10 years. 

 

It's a recipe based on the Brandade de Nimes-Pureed Salt Cod recipe from the Saveur Cooks Authentic French cookbook.  Nimes was the southern French town that was the conduit for cod that was brought from Scandanavia.  

 

Friends at a dinner club I belong to asked me about it last Saturday at our "Soup and Grilled Cheese" night.  Some are passionate home cooks, others like to eat, some just like the company and never cook at home.  But to a tee they all said it sounded delicious and they would at least try my salt cod dish.  We'll see what they think if I bring it sometime, maybe to a French Bistro theme dinner.

 

The recipe is really easy but does take two days.  Mainly because I soak the salt cod in water overnight.  I add mashed potato to the gratin, but you can leave it out.  This dish is also a delicious side for roast cod or salmon, and I like it on toast for breakfast.  

 

Brandade de Nimes-Salt Cod Gratin-

Ingredients-

1 lb. dried salt cod

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup milk

1 cup mashed potatoes we use instant mashed potatoes blended with boiling water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme substitute fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

toasted baguette slices

 

 

Instructions-

Day One, Soak the Salt Cod-

Place the salt cod into a large container and add cold water to cover. Cover and refrigerate the salt cod overnight. Change the water 2-3 times during soaking.

 

Day Two, Prepare and Bake the Salt Cod Gratin-

Heat the oven to 400. Rinse the salt cod and place it into a saucepot. Add cold water and the bay leaves and cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the salt cod for 6-7 minutes. Drain the salt cod and remove the bay leaves.

 

Return the salt cod to the saucepot over medium heat. Add 3 tbsp. of the olive oil and saute the cod, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the rest of the olive oil and the milk and cook the mixture for 5-6 minutes.

 

Pour the salt cod mixture into a food processor and spoon in the mashed potato and puree. Add the salt, pepper, thyme and chives and pulse again to combine.

Spoon the salt cod gratin into the gratin dish. Use our technique for cutting small indentations on the top of the gratin.

 

Place the gratin dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven up to broil and broil the top of the gratin until it's golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.

 

Serve the Salt Cod Gratin hot from the gratin dish with toasted baguette slices.

 

I use Galeco Bacalao from Newfoundland-

 

 

This is the salt cod rehydrated after one day in cold water-

[David Ross]

38 minutes ago, David Ross said:

I haven't made salt cod for about two years, and now I understand after that long absence why I love it so much.  I mainly didnt make it because the local seafood shop that sold it closed, and I couldn't find it in the markets during the Holidays last year.  This year, Holidays 2019, it was in all the markets.  This little 1lb. box was only 12.99, which is a reasonable price for salt cod.  One year I bought a whole dried cod, a scary splayed-open fish.  It was almost 2 feet long and I would have had salt cod for 10 years. 

 

It's a recipe based on the Brandade de Nimes-Pureed Salt Cod recipe from the Saveur Cooks Authentic French cookbook.  Nimes was the southern French town that was the conduit for cod that was brought from Scandanavia.  

 

Friends at a dinner club I belong to asked me about it last Saturday at our "Soup and Grilled Cheese" night.  Some are passionate home cooks, others like to eat, some just like the company and never cook at home.  But to a tee they all said it sounded delicious and they would at least try my salt cod dish.  We'll see what they think if I bring it sometime, maybe to a French Bistro theme dinner.

 

The recipe is really easy but does take two days.  Mainly because I soak the salt cod in water overnight.  I add mashed potato to the gratin, but you can leave it out.  This dish is also a delicious side for roast cod or salmon, and I like it on toast for breakfast.  

 

Brandade de Nimes-Salt Cod Gratin-

Ingredients-

1 lb. dried salt cod

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup milk

1 cup mashed potatoes we use instant mashed potatoes blended with boiling water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme substitute fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

toasted baguette slices

 

 

Instructions-

Day One, Soak the Salt Cod-

Place the salt cod into a large container and add cold water to cover. Cover and refrigerate the salt cod overnight. Change the water 2-3 times during soaking.

 

Day Two, Prepare and Bake the Salt Cod Gratin-

Heat the oven to 400. Rinse the salt cod and place it into a saucepot. Add cold water and the bay leaves and cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the salt cod for 6-7 minutes. Drain the salt cod and remove the bay leaves.

 

Return the salt cod to the saucepot over medium heat. Add 3 tbsp. of the olive oil and saute the cod, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the rest of the olive oil and the milk and cook the mixture for 5-6 minutes.

 

Pour the salt cod mixture into a food processor and spoon in the mashed potato and puree. Add the salt, pepper, thyme and chives and pulse again to combine.

Spoon the salt cod gratin into the gratin dish. Use our technique for cutting small indentations on the top of the gratin.

 

Place the gratin dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven up to broil and broil the top of the gratin until it's golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.

 

Serve the Salt Cod Gratin hot from the gratin dish with toasted baguette slices.

 

I use Galeco Bacalao from Newfoundland-

 

 

This is the salt cod rehydrated after one day in cold water-

I'm planning a menu on Superbowl Sunday that defies tradition.  This salt cod gratin is perfect with chips, as in homemade potato chips, and slices of baguette.  Who says I can't serve French bistro dishes for an American football game!

 

[heidih]

1 hour ago, David Ross said:

I'm planning a menu on Superbowl Sunday that defies tradition.  This salt cod gratin is perfect with chips, as in homemade potato chips, and slices of baguette.  Who says I can't serve French bistro dishes for an American football game!

 

 

Like there will not be "French onion dip" on every coffee table

[Margaret Pilgrim]

We were introduced to brandade many yesrs ago by a friend who was taught by his French grandmother;     Not only a dip but a main course.    Since then, we've learned to make it also from freshly salted fish, fresh tasting and equally good.

[Robenco15]

Croque Madame 

Made this last night. I love it and saw this thread so wanted to post. 

[FeChef]

My favorite is French  potatoes ala mode with a ancho chile and aged cheddar sauce.

[David Ross]

I think a Bisque would qualify as a French Bistro dish.  I've been making my Shrimp Bisque for years, but this time changed to Dungeness Crab Bisque.  We've had a pretty good Dungeness season so far in the Pacific Northwest and I made a lot of crab dishes over the Holidays.  Thankfully I saved all the shells and kept them in the freezer.  The recipe works for shrimp bisque or lobster bisque, which I think would probably be more common on a bistro menu rather than crab.  Lobster shells and shrimp shells work great in the base for the bisque.

 

This is so rich, I felt guilty having a big bowl.  But probably more indulgent was using bread, a lot of bread, to soak up the soup.  

 

Ingredients-

3 tbsp. butter, softened

3 tbsp. olive oil

4 cups Dungeness crab shells

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

3 cloves garlic, crushed

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup canned, fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato paste

dash saffron threads optional

1/3 cup brandy

2 cups white wine use a dry white wine like chardonnay

2 cups clam juice

3/4 cup cream

1 cup crab meat

salt and pepper to taste

serve with baguette slices

 

Place the softened butter and flour in a small bowl. Use a spoon to mash the butter and flour into a thick paste. Cover and reserve while you make the bisque.

 

Heat a heavy stockpot over medium heat and add the 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Add the crab shells and saute, turning the shells in the olive oil. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.

 

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and saffron threads. Add the brandy and pull the pot off the heat. Light the brandy with a match. When the flame has waned, return the pot to the heat and add the white wine and clam juice. Cover the stockpot and turn the heat down and simmer for one hour.

 

Pour the bisque through a strainer into another stockpot over medium heat. Stir in the butter and flour mixture with a wire whisk. Add the cream and continue to stir until the bisque is thickened about 5 minutes. Stir in the crab meat and serve the bisque hot with baguette slices.

 

 

[David Ross]

On 1/21/2020 at 3:09 PM, David Ross said:

I haven't made salt cod for about two years, and now I understand after that long absence why I love it so much.  I mainly didnt make it because the local seafood shop that sold it closed, and I couldn't find it in the markets during the Holidays last year.  This year, Holidays 2019, it was in all the markets.  This little 1lb. box was only 12.99, which is a reasonable price for salt cod.  One year I bought a whole dried cod, a scary splayed-open fish.  It was almost 2 feet long and I would have had salt cod for 10 years. 

 

It's a recipe based on the Brandade de Nimes-Pureed Salt Cod recipe from the Saveur Cooks Authentic French cookbook.  Nimes was the southern French town that was the conduit for cod that was brought from Scandanavia.  

 

Friends at a dinner club I belong to asked me about it last Saturday at our "Soup and Grilled Cheese" night.  Some are passionate home cooks, others like to eat, some just like the company and never cook at home.  But to a tee they all said it sounded delicious and they would at least try my salt cod dish.  We'll see what they think if I bring it sometime, maybe to a French Bistro theme dinner.

 

The recipe is really easy but does take two days.  Mainly because I soak the salt cod in water overnight.  I add mashed potato to the gratin, but you can leave it out.  This dish is also a delicious side for roast cod or salmon, and I like it on toast for breakfast.  

 

Brandade de Nimes-Salt Cod Gratin-

Ingredients-

1 lb. dried salt cod

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup milk

1 cup mashed potatoes we use instant mashed potatoes blended with boiling water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme substitute fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

toasted baguette slices

 

 

Instructions-

Day One, Soak the Salt Cod-

Place the salt cod into a large container and add cold water to cover. Cover and refrigerate the salt cod overnight. Change the water 2-3 times during soaking.

 

Day Two, Prepare and Bake the Salt Cod Gratin-

Heat the oven to 400. Rinse the salt cod and place it into a saucepot. Add cold water and the bay leaves and cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the salt cod for 6-7 minutes. Drain the salt cod and remove the bay leaves.

 

Return the salt cod to the saucepot over medium heat. Add 3 tbsp. of the olive oil and saute the cod, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the rest of the olive oil and the milk and cook the mixture for 5-6 minutes.

 

Pour the salt cod mixture into a food processor and spoon in the mashed potato and puree. Add the salt, pepper, thyme and chives and pulse again to combine.

Spoon the salt cod gratin into the gratin dish. Use our technique for cutting small indentations on the top of the gratin.

 

Place the gratin dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven up to broil and broil the top of the gratin until it's golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.

 

Serve the Salt Cod Gratin hot from the gratin dish with toasted baguette slices.

 

I use Galeco Bacalao from Newfoundland-

 

 

This is the salt cod rehydrated after one day in cold water-

Getting ready to make this dish again for the holiday week ahead. 

[heidih]

Yes a comfort dish for me.

[gfweb]

20 minutes ago, David Ross said:

Getting ready to make this dish again for the holiday week ahead. 

Me too

I think

Still trying to figure which 7 fishes

[heidih]

46 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Me too

I think

Still trying to figure which 7 fishes

This may not be the year for it as I think it requires a gathering - at least for me. But the Eataly suggested menu really appeals. https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/culture/origin-feast-seven-fishes/ 2021?