French

This is a special party dish, elegant and costly. Select large Chateaubriands of about 1 pound each per serving. Buy marrow bones and have the butcher cut them so the marrow can be extracted in one piece.

Risotto de Bulgour aux Pois et Asperges At the restaurant, this is made with spelt, a chewy grain that requires much longer cooking than does the more readily available bulgur called for here.

(Cake aux Olives) This version of cake originated in Provence, where olives, basil, and garlic create a harmonious triumvirate. Here they combine with roasted red bell peppers and Parmesan cheese to create a bread that is gutsy, aromatic, and lovely to look at. Serve this as an appetizer, in tandem with fresh goat’s- or cow’s- milk cheese, or even lightly toasted with a poached egg on top.

Sinfully rich chocolate mousse was introduced to Americans by Julia Child on television during the sixties. The combination here of fresh berries, white chocolate cream and dark chocolate mousse has timeless appeal.

(Purée de Pommes de Terre, de Topinambours, et de Céleri-rave) At the market in Le Neubourg, not far from where I live in Normandy, each Wednesday farmers bring out their produce in a panoply that directly mirrors the seasons. This dish, which I make with vegetables from that market, is a celebration of fall. Farmers in Le Neubourg are really mostly market gardeners or truck farmers, or maraîchers. They and others like them are the backbone of the French agricultural system, providing from their small plots the best and the freshest produce in the country. Because they are small and sell direct, they can grow a wide variety of vegetables, which is why I can find Jerusalem artichokes alongside potatoes and celery root, dandelion greens, and wild mushrooms gathered in the surrounding woods. Though the vegetables in this dish are unglamorous, the balance here is luscious, rich, and satisfying.

Stir-fried Sugar Snap Peas and Cherry Tomatoes and buttered couscous are great sides. Round out the meal with sugared strawberries and toasted pound cake.

Chocolate and cherry — the flavors of Germany's famous Black Forest torte — combine in this moist, fudgy cake. Baked in a metal bowl and covered with whipped cream, it resembles a snowball (boule-de-neige). Begin making this at least one day ahead.

Chervil's delicate anise flavor enhances the season's baby vegetables. If you don't have chervil, substitute fresh dill.

A simple aquavit-spiked version of the classic French sausage and sauerkraut dish.

This recipe was created to accompany Ginger Cakes with Molten Chocolate Centers and Ginger Crème Anglaise.

Beurre composé, or compound butter—butter creamed with various flavorings—is a classic French accompaniment, used to top anything from broiled steak or fish to steamed vegetables. Compound butter can be frozen and a few slices cut off whenever the need arises.

La Famille gives these sweet petits fours new personality by adding cumin. To make them, we started with Faye Levy's recipe, from our October 1990 issue. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr