Brown-braised Onions

Oignons Glaces a Brun

Brown-braised onions are used whenever you wish a brown effect, such as in brown fricassees like Coq au Vin and Boeuf Bourguignon, or in a mixture with other vegetables.*

Preparation is a two-step process: first browning the onions in a saucepan then braising in stock or wine. The braising can be done two ways: in a saucepan on stove top or baked in an oven.

For 18 to 24 peeled white pearl onions about 1 inch in diameter.

Browning

• 1½ tbsp butter
• 1½ tbsp oil
• A 9- to 10-inch enameled skillet

When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.

Braising

• ½ cup of brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, or red wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay leaf, and ¼ tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth

Then either braise them as follows:

Pour in the liquid, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are, or follow one of the suggestions at the end of the recipe.

Or bake them as follows:

Transfer the onions and their sauteing fat to a shallow baking dish or casserole just large enough to hold them in one layer. Set uncovered in upper third of a preheated 350-degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes, turning them over once or twice. They should be very tender, retain their shape, and be a nice golden brown. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are or according to one of the following suggestions.

* - The onions may be cooked hours in advance, and reheated before serving.

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Serving Suggestions

Parslied Onions
Roll the hot onions in 1-2 tbsp of butter. Turn them into a hot vegetables dish or place them around your roast, and sprinkle with 1 tbsp minced parsley.

Vegetables Mixture
Braised onions go nicely mixed with other vegetables such as glazed carrots, sautéed mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and sautéed potatoes.

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From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, vol. 1, by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle & Simone Beck, p.483

Cheese Boards

Make a cheese board for a party or an elaborate meal. A typical board has a selection of cheese with a few nuts, often walnuts, and some small fruits like grapes and blueberries or raspberries. Another accompaniment is various savory and sweet condiments. Here are a few suggestions by chef Vicky Bisht:

Celeriac Terrine With Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

This recipe can be used to make a large portion for brunch or a smaller portion as an appetizer.

Celeriac terrine

• 1½ lb celeriac
• 1 oz butter
• 5 oz strong Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tbsp snipped chives
• 3 eggs
• ¼ tsp celery salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Cherry tomatoes, parsley and chives for garnish

Red pepper sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 small onions, finely sliced
• 2 red peppers
• 5 fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
• Salt
• ¼ tsp hot sauce - Frank's Red Hot, Tabasco, etc. (optional)
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp heavy cream (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the terrine and while it is cooking prepare the red pepper sauce

Celeriac Terrine

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325℉.
2. There are two ways to prepare the terrine: (1) Grease and line a 1 lb loaf tin with a piece of non-stick parchment paper to cover the base and extend up the short sides. Grease again. (2) Grease individual terrines lightly inside then coat with fine bread crumbs.
3. Steam or boil the celeriac until tender: usually 12-15 minutes. Drain the celeriac and place in a bowl.
4. Add the butter to the celeriac and mash, but don’t purée because some texture is good in this dish. Mix in the grated Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, the chives, eggs and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spoon the mixture into the large tin or the terrines and level to the top. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the terrine feels firm to the touch, is golden-brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. When the terrine is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes or so before slipping a knife around the edges to loosen, then turn it out onto a warm plate.

Red Pepper Sauce*

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, put in the onions and cook over a gentle heat with the pan lid on for about 10 minutes until the onions are softened but not browned. Meanwhile, wash the peppers and cut into rough pieces.
2. Add the peppers to the onions, cover the pan again and cook gently for a further 5-10 minutes until the peppers are thoroughly cooked.
3. Pour in the stock. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
4. Liquidize the sauce in a blender, strain through a sieve or tamis into a clean saucepan. If sauce is not thick enough, simmer to reduce.
5. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and optional hot sauce to taste. Reserve butter.
   

Assembly

1. Just before serving, reheat the sauce. Take off the heat and whisk in the cold butter, a little at a time, to make the sauce glossy. Stir in the heavy cream.
2. Serve the terrine with the sauce and garnish with halved cherry tomatoes, sprigs of parsley and small strips of chives.
3. For brunch, serve along with some cooked green vegetables like green beans or broccoli.

* - for a quicker sauce, replace the red pepper sauce with ajvar. Purée in a blender adding water or stock if too thick; finish as above.

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Additions to the above recipe:

1. Make a thick purée of sun dried tomato and pipe on top of plated dish.
2. Reduce some balsamic vinegar to a syrup stage and squeeze a small amount on top.
3. Add parsley, tomato or red pepper tuile.

Tuile Recipes

Tuile is the name for the very thin pastry made to be formed into a wafer or a roll to hold appetizers. Another use of a tuile preparation is to make molded creations for decoration using tuile molds.
Following are some sweet and savory preparations for tuile.

Red pepper tuile

Honey Tuile

Ingredients

• 1¼oz (35gm) butter
• 1¼oz (35gm) honey
• 1¼oz (35gm) egg white (about 1 egg white)
• 1¼oz (35gm) all purpose flour
• 1-2 drops of yellow food colouring
  
• Honeycomb tuile mold
  

Method

1. Melt butter and honey together in a microwave
2. Add all ingredients together and mix with whisk until smooth
3. Spread on mold and bake for about 8 minutes at 320°F (160°C)
4. Carefully remove from mold before cooled. The tuile will be soft until it cools.

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Chocolate Tuile

Ingredients

• 2oz (60gm) icing sugar
• ¾oz (20gm) Cocoa powder – 100%
• 1¾ (50gm) wheat flour
• Pinch (2gm) salt
• 2 Egg whites
• 1oz (30gm) Butter

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients very well with the help of a whisk, spread in a very thin silicone mold.
2. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 4 minutes or until dry.
3. Let cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

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Raspberry Tuile

Ingredients

• 18oz (500gm) raspberry purée
• 3½oz (100gm) water
• 3½oz (100gm) sugar
• 1¾oz (50gm) lemon juice
• ⅓oz (8gm) gelatin

Method

Mix all ingredients together and pass through a fine sieve. Spread into molds. Refrigerate for 1 hour then unmold.

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Sugar Tuile

This is a neutral recipe for a sweet tuile that can be used for decoration for a variety of dishes or drinks without altering the taste.

Ingredients

• 1¾ (50gm) Butter
• 1¾ (50gm) Egg White
• 1¾ (50gm) Flour
• 1¾ (50gm) Powdered Sugar
• Food coloring (optional)

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan
2. Add the egg white, flour and sugar
3. Mix the ingredients until you get a homogeneous mixture
4. If you want, add food coloring based on the intensity of color you want to obtain
5. Pour the mixture into the mold and remove the excess
6. Cook in a preheated oven at 150°C for 6 minutes
7. Let the mold cool and remove the garnishes
8. The garnishes are ready to use on your drinks

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Garlic Tuile

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3-4 large garlic cloves, mashed into a paste
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely minced
• 1 tbsp Italian parsley, finely minced
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• A pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 extra-large egg whites
• 1 tsp confectioner’s sugar

Method

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When bubbling, stir in the garlic and allow to sizzle for a few seconds then and remove from the heat. Add minced chives, parsley, freshly ground black pepper to taste and cayenne.
2. Position oven rack to center shelf and preheat to 350°F.
3. Whisk together the flour and salt, and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until just frothy, not stiff. Add the sugar and whisk till smooth.
5. Sift in the flour, then pour in the garlic-chive butter and whisk till smooth.
6. Spread on mold and bake for 5-8 minutes. This mixture can also be spread on a plastic or silicon mat to make wafers.

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Red Pepper Tuile

Ingredients

Red pepper purée

• 5 red peppers
• 3½ fl oz of olive oil
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• salt

Tuile base

• 1½ tbsp of sugar
• 1½ tbsp of water
• 1⅔ fl oz of lemon juice
• salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. For the red pepper purée, halve the peppers, cut the cores out, discard the seeds and then cut each half pepper in half again.
3. Heat the olive oil in a roasting tray. When it is hot, add the peppers and then the rosemary, thyme, garlic cloves and sea salt.
4. Cook in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes or until all of the ingredients are well roasted
5. Remove the rosemary stalks and any thyme twigs, then place into a blender and purée to a very fine texture. Pass through a fine sieve or tamis and leave to cool
6. To make a sugar syrup, combine the sugar and water in a pan. Place over a medium heat, stirring constantly, to completely dissolve the sugar before the mixture begins to boil. Heat gently until the mixture starts to thicken, remove from the heat and leave to cool.
7. To make the tuiles, add the syrup, glucose, lemon juice and salt to the red pepper purée. Spread the purée very thinly onto a plastic or silicon mat and place into the oven at 190ºF for about 2½ hours.
8. While still warm from the oven, cut the tuile into strips about 4 inches wide and roll into tubes or shaped into cones to serve as a holder for purées or other appetizer mixtures. See my equipment page for cone molds.

Alternately the uncooked mixture can be spread onto tuile molds and baked as per the above instructions. Leave to cool then remove from the molds.

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Parsley Tuile

Parsley could be replaced with thyme or rosemary to suit the dish. It may be necessary to finely grind rosemary and even pass through a tamis.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch parsley, leaves only
• 3½ oz (100gm) wheat flour
• 4 egg whites
• 1½ oz (50gm) butter
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients in a blender until it forms a very uniform paste, spread in the silicone mold and place on the tray.
2. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) until dry — approximately 6 to 7 minutes.
3. Let cool on a rack.
4. Store in an airtight container.

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Get some tuile recipes from Frida Molds here.

Patum Peperium - The Gentleman's Relish

The recipe for Gentleman's Relish has remained a secret since it was first invented by John Osborn in 1828. It is wonderful spread on hot toast and added to scrambled eggs. It is the essential ingredient for Scotch Woodcock - a Victorian snack served at the end of a meal! This is my interpretation of this famous English relish.

Ingredients

• 7 oz (200gm) anchovies, drained & coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsps fresh white breadcrumbs
• 5⅓ oz (150gm) butter
• 1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground mace
• 1 pinch ground ginger
• 1 dash fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. For a less salty relish, soak the anchovies in warm water for an hour or so.
2. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the anchovies and butter until they resemble a smooth paste. You could also use a food processor.
3. Stir in the breadcrumbs, spices and pepper and spoon the paste into a large ramekin. Cover and chill before serving.
4. Serve with scrambled eggs, toast, sandwiches and as a "kick" to savoury sauces!

 

Source: Food.com

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Scotch Woodcock is Victorian dish served as an after dinner course as an alternative to dessert but now more often served as a snack or accompaniment to lunch. It is a simple recipe of scrambled eggs and toast. Spread the Gentleman's Relish on the warm toast and top with a large dollop of scrambled eggs and sprinkle with chopped parsley. For those wishing a more intense anchovy flavour, top the scrambled eggs with one or two anchovy fillets.

Scallops with Leeks

From the Two Fat Ladies cookbook

• 12 fresh large (or 24 small) scallops on their shells
• 8 young leeks
• 2oz unsalted butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 5oz dry white wine
• 4 tbsp dry vermouth
• 5oz thick cream
• salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• a bunch of parsley, flat-leaf preferably, roughly chopped

Remove the scallops from their shells or ask your fishmonger to do this. Separate the white flesh from the corals, and detach the hard skin round the whites and the tiny black sac from the coral. Wash clean under a running tap. Halve the whites horizontally. Leave to dry off on some paper towel.

Wash the leeks and discard the green parts (you can use them for soup or stock). Slice the white stems lengthwise into narrow strips about 2in long. Place in a saucepan with 1 oz of the butter, a pinch of salt and 8 tablespoons of water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Keep hot.

In another pan melt the rest of the butter and then gently cook the shallots until they are soft. Add the wine, vermouth and the scallops with their corals. Bring just to boiling point, then turn the heat very low and simmer for exactly 2 minutes, or less if the scallops are small.

Remove the leeks from their liquid using a slotted instrument and place in a heated dish. With the same implement place the scallops on top. Add the leek juice to the scallop juice and boil briskly until the liquid is reduced to 8 tablespoonsful. Pour in the cream, bring back to the boil and bubble for a moment or two. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the arranged scallops and leeks. Scatter the chopped parsley over all.

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This recipe could be modified to make a terrine by putting a layer of the cooked leaks on the bottom of a terrine form and topping with one or two scallops (depending on their size). Push out of the form and sprinkle with some chopped parsley (or finely chopped chives). Reduce and strain the liquid ingredients to make a sauce poured around the base of the terrine.

The Two Fat Ladies, Ebury Press, London, 1996. p.26

Food & Drink Festivals

St. Moritz Gourmet Festival, St. Moritz, Switzerland
January 29-February 3, 2024

Since 1994, the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival has attracted a lavish epicurean crowd, luring over 80,000 lovers of all things food and drink. Participants and chefs alike are rewarded with carefully prepared dishes and meals in hotels and venues throughout the region.
Ticket-buying participants can count on a fusion of culinary tastes and styles. Culinary professionals are matched up to cook multi-course meals in hotels like the Carlton, Suvretta House, and Grand Hotel Kronenhof. Wine tastings, a mountaintop brunch, and the festival's finale, introduce participants to many of the award-winning chefs for open conversation as well as great food and wine.

Download itinerary PDF here.

Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, Melbourne, Australia
March 15-24, 2024

This festival celebrates Victoria’s world-class food scene by having famous chefs, masterclasses, wine tastings, and other food-themed events that bring foodies from all over the world.

Royal Bath & West Food & Drink Festival, Shepton Mallet, England
March 22-24, 2024

"The British Cheese Awards will be front and centre of the Food & Drink Festival, taking place in our main hall with visitors being able to view and taste some of the award-winning cheeses! Delicious food & drink stands will surround the British Cheese Awards, giving you the opportunity to peruse and enjoy a huge range for mouth-watering food & drink from the Southwest of England."
Accommodations near the Showgrounds: Prestleigh Inn (1/2 mile), The Pecking Mill Inn (1.2 miles), Middleton House Bed & Breakfast (2.5 miles), Maplestone (2.9 miles), The Lion at West Pennard (6.7 miles). Note that Wells, the nearest large town, is 7 1/2 miles from the Showgrounds; Glastonbury is 11 1/2 miles away.

Toronto Food & Drink Fest, Metro Toronto Convention Centre
April 5-7, 2024

"Taste the very best from local chefs, restaurants, winemakers, spirit, beer and cider companies, quality culinary products plus get all the latest food & drink trends.
Grab your friends and prepare your tastebuds for 3 epic days of tastings, classes, pairings and music."

Taste of Chicago, Chicago, IL
September 6-8, 2024

Taste of Chicago is one of the most popular and biggest food festivals in the world. It shows off the city’s diverse food scene by having many vendors sell tasty bites along the famous Grant Park.

Salon Du Chocolat, Porte de Versailles, Paris
October 30 - November 3, 2024

For 5 days, you met the key players in the chocolate and cocoa industry. They all came to give you an unforgettable experience! Chocolatiers, pastry chefs, confectioners, cocoa producers, major brands, food bloggers: they shared their passion with you.

Le Dîner en Blanc - Worldwide
Various dates depending on location

Le Dîner en Blanc is a unique global event where people dress in white and meet at secret places to enjoy a gourmet picnic. This creates a visually stunning and elegant dining experience.

Tuna Tapenade

Use this as a sandwich spread or on crackers or rounds of bread for appetizers.

• 1 5oz. can of tuna, drained 
• 2 anchovies, minced 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• ½ cup pitted black olives 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 
• ½ tsp black pepper 
• 4 oz. olive oil, cream cheese or butter 

Place tuna, anchovies, garlic and olives in a food processor. Pulse until contents are finely chopped. Blend in lemon juice, pepper and olive oil, cream cheese or butter. Purée until smooth.

Aspic

The aspic adds that professional touch to a terrine or paté. You may also place thin carrot slices or other garnish in the aspic. If you wish to chop the aspic to garnish a dish use 4 tbsp of gelatin instead of 3.

Yields: 3-4 cups aspic

Ingredients

• 4 cups beef, pork or chicken broth, canned or clarified
• 3-4 tbsps unflavored gelatin (for a very stiff aspic use 4 tbsp gelatin)
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine or red wine

Directions

1. Pour 1 cup of the broth into a saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin on top.
2. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Heat until the gelatin has melted.
4. In another saucepan heat the remaining broth and wine to the boiling point and combine the two liquids.
5. Chill until syrupy and almost settled, then pour into paté molds and refrigerate.

Tomato Aspic Salad

By Martha Hall Foose

Yield: 8 servings

This tomato aspic is like a wobbly take on a Virgin Mary. Created by award-winning chef Martha Hall Foose, the base is a duo of canned tomato juice and gelatin, which is flavored with essential Bloody Mary ingredients. The savory gelatin is served in individual ramekins and studded with onion, bell pepper, and celery.

Ingredients

• 24 ounces canned tomato juice
• 2 envelopes unflavored powdered gelatin (~1½ tablespoons)
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp Bloody Mary rimming spice mixture*
• ¼ tsp cumin (if not in rimming spice above)
  
• ½ tsp hot sauce
• ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• ¼ cup mild onion―green onion, Vidalia, Spanish onion or Shallot, finely chopped (~1/16 inch slices for green onion or 1/8 inch dice for others)
  
• 2 tbsp green bell pepper, finely chopped (~1/8 inch square)
• ¼ cup inner celery ribs or celery root, finely chopped (~1/8 inch square)
• Sliced hard-boiled eggs, steamed asparagus (cooled) and leaf lettuce

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the tomato juice with the gelatin; let stand for 5 minutes. In a saucepan, combine the remaining tomato juice with the sugar, salt, rimming spices, hot sauce, lemon zest and lemon juice and heat just until warm. Add the gelatin mixture and stir until it dissolves completely. Return the mixture to the bowl and refrigerate until cold but not set, about 1 hour.
   
2. Lightly oil eight 1/2-cup ramekins. Stir the onion, pepper and celery into the tomato aspic and spoon it into the ramekins. [You could also add a piece of celery leaf to the bottom of each ramekin.]  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until chilled and set.
3. Unmold each aspic onto a lettuce leaf on a plate, and serve with a sliced hard-boiled egg and a few asparagus stalks. As an option also serve with a couple of inner celery stalks. Lightly salt and pepper the egg slices.
   

To add an additional level to this dish, add a smear of celeriac pureé to the plate. And could also add a tuile of parsley, celery, red pepper or onion (using onion powder).

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* – Use either a pre-made commercial Bloody Mary rimming spice mixture or follow the recipe below:

• ¼ cup Kosher Salt
• 1 tbsp Celery Salt
• 1 tbsp Cumin
• 1 tbsp Garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• ¼ tsp Dry Mustard Powder
• ¼ tsp Dry Powdered Ginger

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Download PDF.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth 
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
  
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp thyme
• 2 tsp dill
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tbsp flour
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Small bunch of spinach (optional)
  

Directions

1. Sauté mushrooms and onions in butter for about 15-20 minutes. Add broth, wine, soy sauce and seasonings, and simmer on low till reduced by half.
2. Mix flour and milk and add slowly. Simmer until thick, 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add optional spinach if you want and simmer until fully wilted.
4. Stir in sour cream and lemon juice just before serving.