Gourmet | November 2005
From La Bonne Cuisine de Madame E. Saint-Ange: The Original Companion for French Home Cooking
Moules à la Marinière
This preparation has a few variations: with or without white wine; with or without lemon;
and with a different liaison. Only the shallot, a characteristic element of the "marinière,
" always remains.
Of the different recipes for the marinière, we give the simplest, which is also the best.
In this, the sauce is bound with bread crumbs. If you prefer a liaison with beurre manié,
you should replace the bread crumbs with 10 grams of flour (1/3 ounce) worked with
20 grams (2/3 ounce, 1 heaping tablespoon) of butter. Mussels à la Marinière
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Time: Time: 1 brief hour
2 liters (8 cups) of mussels cooked as above
3 deciliters (1 1/4 cups) of cooking liquid 1 1/2 deciliters (5 fluid ounces, 2/3 cup) of white wine 20 grams (2/3 ounce) of shallot finely minced 2 good pinches of minced parsley 75 grams (2 2/3 ounces, 1/3 cup) of butter 2 good soup spoons of bread crumbs ground into a fine semolina
In order to use the same casserole used for cooking the mussels, decant the liquor
that they have released, carefully pouring it into another container to eliminate the
sand.
Rinse the casserole. Add the white wine and shallot. Reduce it vigorously until
about 3 tablespoons are left. Then add 3 deciliters (1 1/4 cups), carefully measured,
of cooking water from the mussels. Make sure that it is not too salty, or you will
have to add some water, thereby diluting the cooking liquid. Boil it for only a few
seconds without reducing it. Turn off the heat.
Next, add to the sauce, always off the fire, the pepper, if this has not already been
included as peppercorns; and the butter, divided into very small pieces the size of
very small hazelnuts. Sprinkle over the bread crumbs, mixing well and shaking the
casserole to melt the butter; and then some minced parsley; and some lemon juice,
if using.
Put the mussels back into the casserole. Shake them in the sauce for a few seconds
only without putting them directly over the heat. The point is to heat the mussels
thoroughly and to cover them completely with sauce, but not to allow this to boil
or even overheat, because the butter just added would lose its creaminess and
turn to oil.
Then pour everything in a pile, pell-mell, into a warm timbale or a warm plate.
the mussels with 1 sliced medium onion, 5 thyme sprigs, 1/3 Turkish bay leaf, a pinch of white pepper, and 1 cup water, covered, over high heat until mussels just opened wide, 6 to 8 minutes, discarding mussels that didn't open after 8 minutes.A note from Gourmet's food editors: The cookbook provides a lengthy explanation of cooking mussels. We cooked |
Shrimp Filled Crepes
Crepes
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, melted Filling
1 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 lb. shrimp
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 Tbsp. dill, chopped fine
3/4 c. grated cheese
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, melted Filling
1 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 lb. shrimp
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 Tbsp. dill, chopped fine
3/4 c. grated cheese
Directions:
Whisk flour, water, and milk into a batter. Beat in eggs, salt, and melted butter. Let stand 30 minutes.
Spray a skillet with nonstick spray and heat it over medium-high heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet to make a thin, delicate pancake. It will cook quickly. Watch it - the moisture will cook out towards the middle. When the crepe top is dry, remove it from the pan.
Now do it again, until the batter is all cooked into crepes. Set aside.
Now for the filling.
Clean and peel the shrimp.
In a saucepan, heat butter and flour. Stir in water and cream with a whisk. Cook gently a few minutes. Add shrimps. Heat without boiling. Stir in dill.
Lay a crepe in a baking dish. Put a portion of the shrimp mixture in the crepe, roll it up. Repeat with the other crepes.
Sprinkle the crepes with grated cheese.
Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown.
Spray a skillet with nonstick spray and heat it over medium-high heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet to make a thin, delicate pancake. It will cook quickly. Watch it - the moisture will cook out towards the middle. When the crepe top is dry, remove it from the pan.
Now do it again, until the batter is all cooked into crepes. Set aside.
Now for the filling.
Clean and peel the shrimp.
In a saucepan, heat butter and flour. Stir in water and cream with a whisk. Cook gently a few minutes. Add shrimps. Heat without boiling. Stir in dill.
Lay a crepe in a baking dish. Put a portion of the shrimp mixture in the crepe, roll it up. Repeat with the other crepes.
Sprinkle the crepes with grated cheese.
Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown.
Submitted by Gretchen Grant
Contributed on: Friday March 31st, 2006
Contributed on: Friday March 31st, 2006
Spicy Tomato Shrimp with Creamy Polenta (Serves 2)
Shrimp
- 14 Large shrimp, deveined and peeled.
- 16 grape tomatos
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/2 small red onion
- 2 Tbs tomoato paste
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp groud pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 Tbs olive oil, divided
- In a pan, heat 1 Tbs of olive oil at a medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic and tomato paste, stir breaking up the tomato paste. If you like you can add 2 Tbs of water or chicken stock to thin it. Once the paste has broken up and the onions are starting to get tender add you tomatoes.
- Stir in the tomatoes. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add season shrimp. Cook until the shrimp is a light pink and begins to curl. Shrimp cook very quickly, usually in 3 to 7 minutes. Don’t overcook them because it makes them a little rubbery. As soon as they are done remove from heat.
Basic Polenta
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.
Seafood Stew
1 Tbls olive oil
1 Tbls butter
1 carrot diced
1 stalk celery diced
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup diced green pepper
6 small red potatoes cut in small pieces
Cayenne pepper
Salt
2 cups seafood stock
1 can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
A couple threads of saffron
1 cup white wine
1/2 lb firm white fish (we used whiting) cut into chunks
1/2 lb mussels
One dozen small clams
1/2 lb raw shrimp (shelled and de-veined)
In a large stockpot heat oil and melt butter, add the carrot, celery, onion and potatoes. Add some salt, cayenne pepper and bay leaf, stir and let cook over medium heat for 6 minutes (or until onions and peppers are soft). Add your seafood stock, wine, tomatoes and saffron. Bring to a boil and simmer for about a half an hour (potatoes should be soft).
Add the white fish and clams, simmer until the clams open. Add the mussels and shrimp, once again let simmer until mussels open and shrimp turn pink.
Serve with crusty bread!
