French

When I was a student in France, Rose Minkel was a fixture at Friday night dinners at my friend Nanou’s home. Called Mémé, an endearing term for “Grandmother,” she brought with her the recipes from her family’s native Metz, a city in the province of Lorraine with a long Jewish presence. Though the Jews had been in Metz for many generations (some say the first Jews settled there in 221 C.E.), up until the eighteenth century they lived a very different life from non-Jews in the town. They paid extra taxes on meat, wines and liqueurs, and other provisions. It was easy to spot a Jew on the street, because the men wore yellow hats to distinguish them from the black-hat-wearing gentiles. But over time they did assimilate, and already at the beginning of the eighteenth century, the Jews of Metz began to speak French instead of Yiddish. One Rosh Hashanah recipe that I remember most fondly was this simple roast chicken with peeled apple quarters, cinnamon, sugar, and wine.

Floating islands are similar to snow eggs but are baked in the oven in a bain-marie (water bath). The dessert can be made in individual portions, as here, or in a large soufflé mold. The bottom of each mold is coated with a caramel finished with butter to keep it a bit softer. The filled molds are then cooked, surrounded by water, in a roasting pan. Some of the caramel adheres to the bottom of the dishes when the floating islands are unmolded, but some of it drips down over the desserts to mix with the custard sauce. The rum-custard sauce is made with fewer egg yolks than traditionally called for in a custard cream. The milk, cornstarch, and sugar mixture is brought to a rolling boil and poured directly on top of the yolks. Because of the small proportion of egg yolks to milk, the temperature of the mixture rises to 180 degrees, ensuring that the lecithin in the egg yolks wil thicken. The sauce doesn't need further cooking and is strained to eliminate any curdled pieces. Here the custard sauce is flavored with rum, but it could be flavored with cognac, bourbon or vanilla instead. Floating islands can be cooked a day or so ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator so the tops don't get rubbery. Covering also keeps the dessert moist, preventing the sugar from hardening around the edge of the molds, and thus making the floating islands easier to unmold.

Baked Alaska is called an "omelette norvégienne" in French when made in the oval shape of an omelete. However, this dessert is done in a conical shape to emulate a volcano; hence its name. The top of a "volcano" is adorned with a hollowed-out lemon half that is filled (as soon as it comes out of the oven) with warm brandy, which is ignited, and the dessert is brought flaming to the table. The lemon mousseline cake, used here to hold the ice cream in the center, can be made a day or two ahead and stored in a plastic bag to keep it moist. If you prefer, a standard genoise or a sponge cake or pound cake can be substituted for the mousseline cake, as can ladyfingers. The volcano bakes quickly, in 10 to 12 minutes, and should be brought to the table as it comes out of the oven. Although the egg whites shouldn't be beaten until the last moment, the ice cream and cake can be assembled ahead and kept covered in the freezer.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse is an elegant variation on Chocolate Mousse with hazelnut paste. Like Chocolate Mousse, this can be spooned into attractive goblets, topped with a bit of whipped cream, and served as is, or used as a filling for a layer cake. It also can be piped over the cooled Hazelnut Brownies, creating a simple but surprisingly memorable dessert.

These Provençal eggs, laced with softened onions and chard, never fail to elicit sighs of appreciation. I'm forever grateful to Nathalie Waag for making trouchia when she came to visit—it has since become a favorite. The trick to its success is to cook everything slowly so that the flavors really deepen and sweeten.

This old "gourmet" standby can indeed be spectacular, or it can be exceedingly dull. Everything rests on the quality of the ingredients. With good cheese, first-rate ham, homemade crumbs, and a little care in the cooking, you can't go wrong. If, however, you use indifferent, packaged boiled ham and ordinary cheese, and add insult to injury by overcooking them, you'll kill yourself wondering what all the fuss is about.

A green salad dressed with tangy red wine vinaigrette is the perfect accompaniment to this rich cheese custard tart from Le Temps des Vendanges.

Navarre adds hard-boiled eggs to his version of this classic green French sauce, good on anything from fish and cold meats to grilled foods.

This subtly spicy mayo is great on fish and sandwiches—and on fries, too.

This rich, creamy gratin of beautiful white asparagus wrapped in a cozy blanket is delicious paired with a simple roast chicken. A leafy green salad—tossed with a dressing that has a note of acidity—is the only other accompaniment you need. Alternatively, you can serve this gratin as it is, with some warm bread to mop up the sauce and, perhaps, some finely sliced porcini mushrooms on the side, dressed with no more than beautiful olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.

The grandfather of dessert soufflés! When folding the whites into the basic mixture, it is important not to overmix. Overmixing will make the egg whites deflate and you won't get the proper consistency for a light soufflé. (If we repeat ourselves, it's to make an important point.) Finely chopped orange zest can be added for additional flavor. When serving with a sauce, it is best spooned into the soufflé at the table.

Mary made a version of this cake for Baking with Julia, the television series with Julia Child. (The recipe was included in the cookbook based on the series.) It's based on our Chocolate Chiffon Cake, which we spread with filling and then roll, making this the most delectable "jelly" roll you have ever tasted. When the Spago staff sampled the cake, they all came back for second helpings—and they're a tough audience.

Tiny egg-shaped candies tucked into the filling are a cute addition to this delicious dessert.

At the center of the spiky leaves of the artichoke is the heart, the most tender, flavorful part of the vegetable. It takes a little work to get to the heart, but the extra effort is well worth it.

A take on the Provençal tart known as pissaladiére, this galette can be served as an hors d'oeuvre or, with a salad, as a light lunch. It gets fullness of flavor from a tangle of sweet caramelized onions that tops a smear of tomato paste enlivened with garlic and anchovies (left over from Mediterranean Eggplant Relish). A flaky homemade pastry crust ups the richness even more.

It might seem like a joke to include a recipe designed to use up leftover white wine (from our Roast Turkey with Black Truffle Butter and White–Wine Gravy )—after all, why not just drink it?—but if you take the time to make this marvelous one–dish lamb dinner, you might find yourself hoarding half–empty bottles so you can make it again and again. Lamb shoulder chops are an inexpensive cut that benefits from braising, and the wine really helps tenderize the connective tissues running through the flavorful meat. Snuggling the lamb between sheets of thinly sliced potatoes, plus scatterings of golden garlic, onions, and thyme sprigs, creates a handsome and wonderfully aromatic dish.

With its mischievous cherry-stem fuse and sleek chocolate shell, this ice cream bombe should definitely get the fireworks started at your Fourth of July cookout. Cut into the bombe and you'll see cherry ice cream dotted with crisp chocolate wafer cookies and toasty walnuts. Look even further and you'll find the gunpowder—er, a center of chocolate ice cream.

Leftover quatre épices from our Confit Duck Legs adds mellow depth to this smooth, velvety pâté spiked with Cognac. The classic flavors of this tried–and–true starter served with baguette toasts are sure to brighten any cocktail party.