Nut Free

Pot-au-feu (literally “pot on the fire”) is sometimes described as the national dish of France. It certainly embodies one of that country’s primary tenets of cooking: taking inexpensive and widely available ingredients and, with a bit of careful tending-to and extended cooking, turning them into a dish fit for a king. Calling it a one-pot dish, however, is a bit of a misnomer; sure, most everything is cooked in the same pot, just not at the same time (the potatoes are always cooked separately). What you end up with is a multifaceted meal that retains the taste of each of its components. If you want to follow tradition, serve the broth as a separate course, then present the sliced meat and vegetables on a platter. Choose among mandatory accompaniments—fresh horseradish, assorted mustards, cornichons (or gherkins), and sea salt—and be sure to offer toasted bread for spreading with the marrow scooped from the bones.

The allure of crème brûlée, French for “burnt cream,” lies in its apparent contradiction: a topping of sugar, singed to golden brown, crackles over a cool, creamy-smooth custard. To achieve that silky consistency in baked custards, it’s critical that the oven temperature be regulated (to be both even and gentle). This is why the custard molds are set in a bain-marie, or hot-water bath, made by pouring water around molds into a roasting pan, which insulates the custard from hot spots in the oven. Another precautionary measure is to eliminate any excess bubbles in the custard after it is poured into the ramekins (just before baking). These bubbles will rise as the custard bakes, causing holes to form in the top. To get rid of them, pass the flame of a kitchen torch briefly over the liquid in the ramekins. Don’t worry if some remain, since the tops will be caramelized, hiding any imperfections.

The secret to perfect fries—crisp on the outside and soft within—is to “fry” them twice, first to cook through, then to crisp and color. The first step is called blanching rather than deep-frying, since the temperature of the oil (300°F) is sufficient to soften, but not brown. (If you tried to cook them at a high temperature the whole time, the outsides would burn before the insides were cooked through.) The second step involves true deep-frying: the oil is brought up to 350°F—hot enough to quickly brown the outside without needing to cook the interior further. As with the sautéed rosti (page 329), the potatoes are soaked in water before cooking to remove excess starch, then dried thoroughly. Whenever deep-frying, remember that the oil should be maintained at the proper temperature, so you will need to adjust the heat as necessary. Unless you have a deep-fryer, use a cast-iron pot; it holds its heat better and distributes heat more evenly than other types. Also, frying can leave oil marks on stainless steel and other surfaces that are difficult to clean. To keep the temperature from dropping too much, add potatoes in batches; this will also ensure that they fry evenly and quickly. If the temperature spikes at any time, cool down the oil by adding some room-temperature oil to the pot. Be sure to salt the fries immediately after removing from the oil, when they are still piping hot. Any other seasonings (such as the lemon zest and rosemary below) are purely optional. Homemade mayonnaise (page 95) is an indulgent option for dipping. Or drizzle with malt vinegar for a tangy taste.

This roasting technique is unique to duck. For the skin to turn crisp, the thick layer of fat that covers the breast needs to be rendered. That’s the reason for the slow roasting at a low temperature (300°F as opposed to 450°F for chicken). This allows the duck enough time in the oven to render the fat before the breast meat has finished cooking, producing a duck with crisp, golden skin. To offset its richness, duck is often coated with a tangy glaze. In this recipe, the classic duck à l’orange, which put French-style duck on the American map, has been updated with a glaze that combines the flavors of pomegranate, honey, and orange.

With its clean taste and light body, Court Bouillon is used to poach fish, shellfish, and lean white meats such as chicken and veal, when you want to impart only subtle flavor. It can be as simple as a few aromatics steeped in water or more complex with a fruity white wine or other acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or lemon juice. As with stocks, you should feel free to improvise with whatever is in your vegetable bin (or garden, if you have one). The ingredients called for here are common, but you can leave out some or replace them with other mild-tasting herbs or vegetables. The goal is to avoid overpowering the food that will be poached in the liquid.

Peaches are used in this very basic recipe for fruit jam, but you could substitute an equal amount of apricots or plums in their place. Add it to ice cream, or use it to fill a jelly roll cake such as the one on page 464. The jam is quickly made and can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. If you prefer, strain the jam in a fine sieve before storing.

Custard serves as an incomparable ice-cream base. Also called French ice cream, frozen custard usually consists of a combination of egg yolks, milk, and cream. What makes it different from other ice cream, such as Philadelphia-style (which contains no egg), is the base, which is a variation of crème anglaise, a cold sauce that often accompanies soufflés, cakes, poached fruit, and meringues. (To make the sauce, simply follow the recipe below, substituting 3 cups whole milk for the skim milk and cream and omitting corn syrup; do not freeze after straining and chilling.) Unlike many store-bought versions, ice cream made from scratch has a deeply luxurious texture. It’s voluminous and soft, able to envelop whatever delectable flavors you plan to blend into it. And as long as you have an ice-cream machine, there’s not much to the preparation. It’s just a matter of cooking the custard, chilling it, and then letting the machine handle the bulk of the work. Ice cream has the best texture when it has just finished churning; it’s somewhere between soft-serve and regular ice cream. If making ice cream ahead of time, make sure to take it out of the freezer 15 to 30 minutes before serving (depending on the room temperature) to soften slightly.

Rack of lamb is a good candidate for roasting, as the bones and external layer of fat guarantee that the meat will be flavorful and incredibly juicy. That layer of fat, however, requires more than the heat of the oven to sear, so the lamb is first browned on the stove, just on the one side. Rather than the more traditional mustard and herb crust, this rack is coated with yogurt, which adds subtle flavor and tang. The coating also contains bread crumbs, parsley, mint, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, all of which lend other flavor components as well as visual and textural contrast. For a more straightforward but still delicious version, simply rub the lamb with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper before roasting.

Rosti is a favorite Swiss potato dish made with grated potatoes and, depending on the cooking technique (deep-frying, pan-frying or even baking), butter, oil, or a combination. It can be formed into one large cake, as in the recipe below, or shaped into smaller patties. The ideal rosti is crisp and light.

The effect of salt-baking is similar to baking (or rather steaming) in parchment paper (en papilotte; see page 215): the salt absorbs steam and becomes a hard shell when baked, creating a vacuum inside that seals in flavor and moisture (without making the fish taste overly salty). As when cooking en papillote, you can layer the fish with aromatics—lemons and herbs as in this recipe, or ginger, scallions, and lemongrass for Asian flavors—for more complexity. Since the skin will not have crisped in the oven, you will need to remove it before serving the fish. Before doing this, you might want to invite your guests into the kitchen for a glimpse of the fish in its salt crust (it’s an impressive sight) and perhaps to assist you in cracking it open.

Fresh shell beans such as cranberry beans and black-eyed peas have a creamy yet dense texture; they are also easier and quicker to prepare than their dried counterparts, since no soaking is required and they cook in a fraction of the time. For this dish, everything is eventually sautéed in the same pan, although a few preliminary steps are required to make the most of the various components. The beans are simmered in an aromatic liquid until tender and infused with hints of cinnamon and herbs, and the kale is blanched to soften its sturdy leaves. If you want to skip this step, shred the kale finely so it will cook more quickly. Or substitute kale with more tender greens, such as escarole, dandelion, or chard, which can go straight into the sauté pan without being shredded or blanched.

Basically a chocolate génoise rolled around rum-flavored whipped cream, this is another supremely simple dessert that always manages to please. It’s a not-too-rich ending for any celebratory meal.

This is the standard technique for poaching most thick (at least 1 inch) fish fillets or steaks, such as halibut or salmon. Similar to braising, the fish is gently simmered in a flavorful liquid, only in this method the fish is completely covered in liquid. (To poach thinner fillets, follow the shallow-poaching method on page 210, as they may overcook if deep poached.) The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillet; plan for 4 to 5 minutes per inch. In this recipe, halibut fillets are poached in chicken stock enhanced with a few aromatics and then served in their cooking liquid (a manner of serving called “à la nage”).

This sauté makes good use of an abundance of summer vegetables, the small amount of cream adding a touch of richness without overwhelming the fresh flavor of the produce. A chopped ripe, small tomato would be a colorful addition.

Prime rib, or standing rib roast, has long been a mainstay at the holiday table (where it is often paired with Yorkshire pudding, a British specialty made from the pan juices and a simple batter of flour, eggs, and milk). As it is expensive, prime rib should be handled with extra care. It is imperative that you have an instant-read thermometer for determining the internal temperature; if allowed to cook too long, the meat will no longer be a rosy pink inside, the optimal color for any high-quality roast. Remove the roast when still rare, as it will continue to cook as it rests, rising as much as 10 degrees in 20 minutes. Rubbing meat (as well as chicken and fish) with herbs, spices, and a bit of oil will add tremendous flavor. Here, the beef is coated with a mixture of bay leaves, sage, and orange zest, all familiar holiday flavors. Allowing the meat to “marinate” in the rub overnight deepens the flavor even more. A similar result is achieved by simply salting the meat a day or two before roasting, whereby the salt will have penetrated the meat much like a brining solution (page 126). Larger roasts such as prime rib, crown roast, and a whole turkey are started at a high temperature (450°F) to sear the meat, then the temperature is lowered after 30 minutes to prevent the outside from burning before the meat is cooked through. The exterior won’t develop a crust right away, but the initial high heat gives the outside a head start so that it will be perfectly browned in the end.

For this nostalgic dessert, a génoise cake is baked and spread with raspberry jam and a thick layer of whipped cream before being rolled into a log. If you’ve never made a rolled cake before, you are in for a surprise: the génoise sheet cake will readily roll up without the slightest resistance (and any slight rips or tears will be concealed with a generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar). It’s so simple to prepare and so utterly delicious to eat, it’s a wonder it ever went out of style. Make it once or twice and you might be inspired to bring it back into fashion.

This recipe uses a combination of steaming to soften the texture and brighten the color (especially helpful when cooking green vegetables), and sautéing in butter to increase flavor. The method is similar to blanching then sautéing, only in the same pan. This steam-sauté method can also be used to cook green beans, snow peas, green peas, asparagus, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. In the recipe below, sautéed snap peas are combined with shaved raw baby turnips, which are slightly bitter and contrast nicely with the sweetness of the peas. Radishes would offer the same balance of taste and crunchy texture.

A composed salad of marinated seasonal vegetables becomes a main course when fortified with sliced poached chicken. Not only is this an economical way to stretch a meal, it is practical in other ways, too. For starters, many of the components can be prepared (and refrigerated) ahead, and when served as shown, guests can select the ingredients they prefer. This salad offers an array of springtime’s fresh bounty, including asparagus, new potatoes, leeks, and artichokes, all gently cooked just until tender. You can adapt this formula to take advantage of whatever is in season throughout the year.

Until fairly recently the best lamb was a luxury that could be found only in spring. Today, modern farming techniques make such lamb available year-round, although many of us still keep to tradition, preparing a roasted leg of lamb on Easter or Passover. The term “leg of lamb” generally refers to the hind leg and hip of the animal. Though the cut can be pricey, it is very straightforward to prepare, even for the novice home cook. For this recipe, the lamb is “larded” with slivers of garlic along with fresh rosemary and thyme, to infuse it with flavor. The pan sauce is flavored with Dijon mustard and red wine, then thickened with a paste of equal parts softened butter and flour. This classic thickener is called buerre manie, and is often used to thicken stews and braises, including the cider-braised pork on page 183.