Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Chef Frederic's Best

iUniverse, Inc.

Contents

Preface..............................................................................viiAcknowledgments......................................................................ixThe Basics of Entertaining (It is That Simple!)......................................xiTo Start With .......................................................................1Appetizers and Accompaniments........................................................3Soup du Jour.........................................................................15Salads...............................................................................25Plats du Jour (Main Dishes or Those Hearty Enough to Become One).....................41The Hunt for the Elusive Cèpe—a Mushrooming Story.........................63Aside from That (Side Dishes and Vegetables).........................................67Fromage—Say Cheese!............................................................73Dessert, Anyone?.....................................................................75Pairing Wines—Does It Really Matter?...........................................87Notes................................................................................91

Chapter One

Classique Escargot Bourguignon

They say the three secret ingredients to French cooking are butter, butter, and butter. This recipe adds another: parsley!

Ingredients to serve four

2 dozen canned large certified Burgundy escargots (snails) 1 pound unsalted European butter, room temperature 8 garlic cloves 2 shallots 1 cup parsley 2 tablespoons almonds 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon white pepper 1 teaspoon Pernod

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Drain escargots and lightly rinse under water; pat dry and set aside.

In a food processor, finely chop garlic, shallots, parsley, and almonds. Add butter, salt and pepper, and Pernod, and continue to process until it is mixed well—you have just created escargot butter!

Place a small dab of the butter in the rounds of each escargot dish, add snails, and top each one with a dollop.

Put the dishes in a 350° preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The butter will be very hot and bubbly when finished.

Serve with a glass of white Burgundy and toasted baguette slices.

Antiboise Vinaigrette

A tasty appetizer when served on ciabata bread crostini or as an accompaniment for grilled fish. Frederic doesn't consider this dish finished unless it has mayonnaise or vinaigrette. He says the oils in either bring out the food's natural flavors.

Ingredients to serve six

2 well-ripened tomatoes, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon capers, chopped 1 large shallot, finely diced 1 teaspoon dried mixed seaweed salad, rehydrated ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 dried arbol chilies, crushed 4 French cornichon pickles, diced 1 lemon, juice and zest 1 teaspoon crushed coriander Salt and fresh-cracked black pepper to taste

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Combine all ingredients together one hour before serving.

Dolmas—Deb's Way

On occasion, Deb creates a dish that Fred takes under his wing. At a summer fête atThe Lakefront restaurant, Chef used Deb's Dolmas, a favorite at home for their parties, as the basis for a tasty starter course. He added his unique flair to it, which in this case was the mint, and voila!

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and, as Fred knows, it will get you everywhere ...

Ingredients to serve thirty—a party!

2 jars grape leaves—about 120 leaves ¼ cup chopped parsley 6 cups white rice, cooked and cooled (not sticky) 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 3 onions, chopped 1 (12-ounce) box yellow currants 2 pounds ground lamb meat 2 teaspoons dill Juice of 2 large lemons 1 cup virgin olive oil Fresh mint leaves (from approximately six bushy stems) Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup pine nuts, coarsely chopped

Preparation time: 50 minutes

Cook ground lamb on medium heat (seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper) in a large fry pan with a splash of the olive oil. Add in onions, pine nuts, and currants, and continue to sauté on medium heat until onions are clear.

Add garlic. Cover and then simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

Cool mixture and then add all remaining ingredients. Mix by hand. Put a teaspoon of mixture on a grape leaf and then fold in the sides and roll it up, like a burrito. Place on decorative platter. Rub a small amount of olive oil on dolmas, and drip on a dash of lemon juice prior to serving.

Garnish with lemons.

Tuna–Sea Scallop Tartare

Healthy and tasty, this dish can be served as an appetizer, atop greens, or alone, in a gorgeous glass bowl for a light meal. A highly requested special at The Lakefront, Frederic often spices it up with jalapeños.

Serve with Almond-Parmesan Sablé Crackers (recipe follows) and yellow frisée.

Ingredients to serve four

4 ounces diced sashimi-grade tuna, deveined and denerved 4 ounces diced fresh sea scallops 2 shallots, finely chopped ½ tablespoon cracked coriander 1 egg yolk 2 teaspoons olive oil Juice of 1 lemon Salt and white pepper to taste 2 green onions, finely chopped 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4 branch pieces yellow frisée

Preparation time: 15 minutes

In a large bowl, combine tuna, sea scallops, and all other ingredients at once. Mix well with hands or soft spatula to avoid tearing meat.

Serve in a decorative glass bowl lined with frisée for color and texture, and accompany with homemade Almond-Parmesan Sablé Crackers.

You may also choose to serve on plate atop a bed of butter lettuce.

Almond-Parmesan Sablé Crackers

A wonderful accompaniment to Tuna–Sea Scallop Tartare (previous page). And also good with Old-Fashioned Tomato Soup (page 23)!

Ingredients to serve four

½ cup freshly grated parmesan ½ cup flour ½ cup almonds ½ cup butter 1 whole egg 1 egg yolk A pinch of salt A pinch of sugar

Preparation time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Combine parmesan, flour, and almonds in a food processor. Process until it becomes a paste. Add butter, egg and egg yolk, salt, and sugar, and process again until dough forms a ball. Remove dough from processor, place in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Roll out chilled dough with pastry roller to about 1/8-inch thickness. This will create a crisp, light cracker.

Cut rolled dough into any size or shape you like. Place on baking sheet, and bake at 350° until golden brown and baked through—from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size and shape. Remove from oven and place on pastry rack to cool and become crisp.

Hummus

This versatile dish is a traditional Greek favorite and hearty appetizer. It can also be...