French Classics Made Easy

F
RENCH
C
LASSICS
MADE EASY

RICHARD GRAUSMAN

Workman Publishing, New York

Copyright © 1988, 2011 Richard Grausman

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced—mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying—without written permission of the publisher. Published simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son Limited.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

eISBN 9780761165361

Originally published as
At Home with the French Classics,
now revised and updated.

Cover design: Jean-Marc Troadec Cover photo: Michael Paul/StockFood Munich Interior design: Lisa Hollander Illustrations: Alan Witschonke based on illustrations by Donna Ruff

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

There are many people to thank for the creation of this book and for its new life, so I start by offering thanks to Peter Workman for his steadfast support over the years.

In the beginning, there were my loving and nurturing parents, Elizabeth and Roland Grausman, who urged me to find a profession that I would work hard at and enjoy. My passion for cooking was sparked when, while working in the import business, a friend offered me his place at a series of cooking classes with the legendary James Beard, whose praise and encourgement started me thinking in new directions. The spark was ignited and fueled by a two-year stint in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu. The strict, yet gentle and humorous Madame Elisabeth Brassart, who single-handedly resurrected and strengthened the famed school after World War II, supported my interest in teaching and gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. As the school’s first and only representative (1969–1985), I was privileged to bring the tastes and techniques of the Paris school to people in cities across the United States and Canada, doing for them what James Beard had done for me. Thank you Jim and thank you Aunt Lizzy.

I am indebted to my loving wife, Susan, without whose encouragement and assistance this book might never have been written; to my agent, Jane Dystel, whose persistent efforts brought this book to print in the able hands of Workman Publishing; to my very talented brother Philip and nephew David, whose love for the food on these pages keeps me happily busy in the kitchen for family gatherings.

My appreciation to all the dedicated teachers in the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) who have used this book over the past 20 years to inspire their students to broaden their palates and their horizons.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Kate Slate, whose exceptional editorial and organizational skills helped me to shape this book; to Alan Witschonke, for his illuminating drawings, which add so greatly to the pages; to Jean-Marc Troadec and Lisa Hollander, whose cover and interior design and graphics give this book its fresh new look; to those at Workman Publishing responsible for the production of the book; and special thanks go to my editor, Suzanne Rafer, for her enthusiastic support and overall guidance in the production of this volume. Last, but certainly not least, to all my fans who over the years have told me that my recipes have made them better cooks, their children better eaters, and their spouses happier. For this reaffirmation of my work, I am truly grateful.

CONTENTS

I
NTRODUCTION

C
OMING TO
T
ERMS

FIRST COURSES
PAGE 14

The perfect entry into a meal, many of these dishes also work well as light lunches or suppers.

S
OUPS

S
ALADS

E
GGS
& O
MELETS

S
OUFFLÉS

F
ISH
M
OUSSES

P
ÂTÉS
& T
ERRINES

C
RÊPES

Q
UICHES

S
AVORY
C
REAM
-P
UFF
P
ASTRIES

S
AVORY
P
UFF
P
ASTRIES

P
ASTA

MAIN COURSES
PAGE 86

Here are timeless favorites from the repertoire of French main courses simplified for ease in the home kitchen.

S
EAFOOD

P
OULTRY

M
EAT

VEGETABLES & OTHER ACCOMPANIMENTS
PAGE
170

Enjoy a selection of French dishes that work well as side dishes in an American-style dinner.

PASTRIES & DESSERTS
PAGE
210

Marvelous desserts complete the meal, and the selection in this section can be created without fuss or excessive amounts of time.

P
ASTRIES

D
ESSERTS

BASICS
PAGES
300

These basic recipes are the cornerstone of French cuisine.

S
TOCKS

S
AUCES

B
READS

D
ESSERT
S
AUCES

A
PPENDIX
A:

T
HE
M
ETRIC
S
YSTEM IN
C
OOKING AND
P
ASTRY
M
AKING

A
PPENDIX
B:

H
IGH
-A
LTITUDE
C
OOKING

C
ONVERSION TABLES

I
NDEX

INTRODUCTION

For close to four decades I have traveled from coast to coast, teaching and giving demonstrations on classic French cooking for Americans. Although many books have been written on the subject, I have come to realize that just as classical music can be transformed by the individual style and interpretation of the performing artist, so can recipes be “played” differently and thus made to reflect the personality and sensibilities of the individual cook.

The recipes in this book are my interpretations and updates of French classics, based on my years of teaching. No recipe has been put into this book without my first asking: Is it really delicious? Does it deserve to be re-created? If the answer is yes, I then ask: Is it too rich? Too sweet? Too heavy? Too costly? Does it take too long to prepare? If the answer is yes again, which often is the case, I then go about changing it.

“My goal is to provide clear, easy instructions, free of some of the restraints of the classic French kitchen.”

The most rewarding part of updating classic recipes is making them more compatible with today’s health and calorie concerns. The results are the meals I’ve enjoyed day after day with my family and friends, both informally and on the most festive occasions. Over the years I have found that the amounts of salt, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and cream called for in most classic French recipes far exceed the dishes’ needs. I have, therefore, reduced such ingredients without altering the essential nature of the dishes. Salt, for example, is traditionally called for in all pastry recipes to enhance flavor; I find, however, that if sugar is present, salt is dispensable, and I have adjusted such recipes accordingly.

Most of the techniques used in preparing French classics are handed down from one generation of French chefs to the next by means of a strict apprentice system. Under this system you do as you’re told and never ask
why. In doing so you learn the “one right way.” This system of learning may be one of the reasons that French cooking has remained distinctive through the ages and that many of the original techniques are still in use today.

Although I was taught by chefs who trained under this system, I have learned through my own teaching that there is always more than one way to achieve a desired result.

In updating French recipes, my goal is to provide clear, easy instructions, free of some of the restraints of the classic French kitchen and more appropriate to the time constraints of today’s busy home cook. Where a step is not imperative, I have eliminated it. If a shortcut works, I have used it. When something can be done in advance, I do it.

It has also been a concern of mine that Americans are intimidated not only by the lengthy, detailed preparation they feel to be inherent in French cooking, but by the ingredients as well. Since my desire is for the American cook to feel comfortable and at home with the French classics, I have used ingredients in this book that for the most part can readily be found at local supermarkets. Items that may not always be available I have made optional or have given other, more accessible ingredients as substitutes.

Above all, my primary objective has been foolproof recipes that remain unmistakably French even though their proportions and preparation may have changed. It is my hope that this book will bring understanding and enjoyment of fine French cooking to all who read it, and give pleasure to all who feast from it.

Since 1990 this book has served as an inspirational text for the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). I began this program in the public high schools of New York City in an effort to upgrade Home Economics to the culinary arts and to offer students opportunities for jobs in the food service industry. C-CAP is now a not-for-profit organization, growing nationally and increasingly having a positive effect on a large number of high school students. The development and growth of C-CAP has been extremely gratifying for me.
Pressure Cooker,
a documentary film (2009) produced and co-directed by my daughter Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker, gives you a look into one of the high school classrooms where C-CAP is helping to effect change in the lives of the culinary arts students.

COMING TO TERMS

One of the most important things I try to give my readers, and that I hope my recipes succeed in doing, is the knowledge, and therefore the confidence, to be creative. If you understand what it is that you want to accomplish, you most likely will find several ways of doing it. The techniques used in this book are those that work best for me. You may already know techniques that are more efficient for you than mine. Give my methods a try, but if you find that some of yours work better, continue to use them.

I also believe that there should be considerable flexibility in cooking, with your own palate and senses being the ultimate guides in seasoning a dish or in determining whether or not it is properly cooked. I do encourage you to follow my recipes exactly the first time you try them. Once you have tasted my finished dish, you may agree that it is delicious and no changes are needed. On the other hand if you do want to change it, you will have a frame of reference in which to work. What follows is some information that should help you understand how I cook and why the recipes are written as they are.

THE INGREDIENTS

As mentioned earlier, these recipes were developed using ingredients largely available in supermarkets. If I have called for an exotic ingredient, it is either presented as optional or given a substitute.

Unless otherwise specified, all fruits and vegetables are medium size.

APPLES

In France I often use an apple called the Reinette du Canada, which has a firm flesh that is not too juicy, holds its shape when cooked, and can be browned like potatoes when sautéed. If you can find Russet apples (which are similar), you should try cooking with them, but in all the recipes in this book the widely available Golden Delicious has been used. In the past few years the growth
of farmers’ markets has been a boon for everyone. The variety of available fruits and vegetables has grown. New varieties of apples—and sometimes the reappearance of heirlooms—always add to my enjoyment of shopping in the fall. Ask the farmer for a taste of any unfamiliar variety. The flavor of one might be better for your tart or applesauce and another for eating out of hand.