Coquilles Saint Jacques

Coquilles Saint Jacques
Book: Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 9th Edition
Chapter: Fish &Shellfish
Makes 6 servings
Prep: 45 min; Cook: 15 min; Broil: 5 min

Coquilles is French for "shell" and can also mean "scallop". Oven-to-table scallop shells (either authentic shells or porcelain reproductions) are available in kitchenware or gourmet food shops, and add a pretty touch.

1 1/2 pounds bay scallops
1 cup dry white wine, nonalcoholic white wine or chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
6 ounces mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
2 shallots, or green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 ounces)
1 cup soft bread crumbs (about 1 1/2 slices bread)
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted

1. Lightly grease six 4-inch baking shells or ramekins with butter. Place in jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch.

2. Place scallops, wine, parsley and salt in 3-quart saucepan. Add just enough water to cover scallops. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 6 minutes or until scallops are white.

3. Remove scallops with slotted spoon; reserve liquid. Heat reserved liquid to boiling. Boil until reduced to 1 cup. Strain and reserve.

4. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in same saucepan over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and shallots in butter 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender. Remove from saucepan.

5. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in same saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
Gradually stir in reserved liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in half-and-half, scallops, mushroom mixture and 1/4 cup of the cheese; heat through.

6. Toss bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Divide scallop mixture among baking shells. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the bread crumbs.

7. Set oven control to broil. Broil baking shells with tops 5 inches from heat 3 to 5 minutes or until crumbs are toasted.

*2 packages (12 ounces each) frozen scallops, thawed, can be substituted for the fresh scallops.

French Duck Soup

French Duck Soup
serves:- 4,

Ingredients

* 1 litre or 2 pints of chicken stock
* 8 cloves of garlic, minced
* 75g or 3oz of duck fat
* 2 eggs, separated
* 1 bouquet garni
* salt & pepper
* 4 slices of stale bread toasted
* 75g or 3oz of grated cheese.

Method

* bring the stock to the boil
* fry the garlic in the duck fat, then add to the stock
* add the bouquet garni and simmer for 20 mins
* remove the bouquet garni
* beat the egg whites lightly and add to the soup
* as soon as they have set remove from the heat
* whisk some of the soup with the egg yolks a bit at a time
* then pour into the rest of the soup
* add salt and pepper to taste
* put a slice of the stale, toasted bread in the bottom of the bowl
* cover with grated cheese
* pour on the soup, cut the egg whites into pieces if you like

Calmars en sauce tomate

Calmars en sauce tomate

2 pounds frozen calamari rings (or 3 pounds of fresh, cleaned and sliced)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, diced
2 shallots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove,chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon concentrated tomato puree
1 bouquet garni
pinch (or two) of dried cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground pepper

Defrost the calamari rings, then rinse with cold water and dry them with paper towel.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the carrot, shallots, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are starting to soften.

Add the squid and saute for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the tomatoes, wine, tomato puree, bouguet garni, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down low and cover. Cook covered on low heat for 30 minutes.

Serve hot on plain white rice.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Le Trou's Mouclade

Le Trou's Mouclade

3 quart mussels -- cleaned
6 tablespoon unsalted butter (75g)
6 shallots -- chopped fine
1 bouquet garni (celery -- bay leaf, th; yme, parsley stems)
1 cup white wine (240ml)
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup heavy cream (240ml)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley -- chopped
1 clove garlic -- mashed

This one is almost enough to get me off my duff and over to the coast to gather some mussels.
Robert Reynolds, chef/owner of Le Trou Restaurant Francais in San Francisco provides this recipe. He has used it as a vehicle for teaching his students about saffron's special qualities. This recipe originated in the French Bordeaux region.

Steep threads in wine for 30 minutes. Saute 6 shallots in butter until limp. Add Bouquet garni and wine. Simmer for 1 minute. Add cleaned mussels, cover pan with tight-fitting lid, and steam mussels
open, shaking pan occasionally. Check after 3 minutes. Remove opened mussels and set in colander over a bowl to catch their juices.

Discard any mussels not opened after 6 minutes. Saute remaining shallots in butter until limp. Add mussel juice and cream and reduce to desired consistency. Add parsley and garlic, then toss mussels in
sauce until well coated. Serve in soup bowls.

From "Wild About Saffron A Contemporary Guide to an Ancient Spice", by Ellen Szita. Published by Saffron Rose, 28 John Glenn Circle, Daly City, Ca., 94105. 1987.  Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; March 30 1993.
Yield: 1 servings

Bouillabaisse Et Rouille

Bouillabaisse Et Rouille

3 lb assorted white fish *
1/3 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves -- chopped
5 saffron threads -- (5 to 10)
1 pinch thyme
2 large onions -- coarsely chopped
3 lb clean fish bones **
5 large tomatoes ***
1 bouquet garni ****
2 carrots -- coarsely chopped
2 leeks -- coarsely chopped
1 salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cup water
1 1/4 cup dry white wine
2 lb clams -- washed
1 teaspoon saffron threads
2 teaspoon pernod
2 baguettes (french bread) cut diagonally into thin slices
2 large garlic cloves -- peeled
1 rouille (see recipe)

* such as sea bass, flounder, red snapper, grouper, perch, sole, pike, haddock, and cod. ** (remove fins, skin, etc. and all traces of blood) *** peeled, cored, seeded and chopped. **** 1 bay leaf, 1 thyme sprig, 6 parsley sprigs pinch each of grated orange peel, ground fennel seeds, basil, and oregano.

Provencal fish stew with garlic toast and Red Pepper Mayonnaise Fillet the fish or have your fishmonger do it for you. Save the bones. Cut the fish into 1-in (2.5-cm) chunks. Marinate with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 clove chopped garlic, a few saffron threads, and a pinch of thyme for at least 1 hour.

Saute the onions and remaining chopped garlic in 4 tablespoons olive oil for 4 minutes. Add the fish bones, tomatoes, bouquet garni, orange peel, fennel seeds, basil, oregano, carrots, leeks, salt and pepper, and cook covered for 10 minutes. Add the water and 1 cup of the wine and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, using a wooden spoon from time to time to crush the bones. Remove from the heat. Blend the mixture in a blender for a few seconds and then strain it into a soup pot through a fine strainer lined with
cheesecloth. Discard the residue in the strainer. Taste the stock for seasoning. If it tastes a little thin, reduce over high heat for a few minutes until the flavor is more fully developed.

Add the clams and simmer until they just begin to open. Add the fish and the remaining wine and cook at a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Add the saffron threads and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Taste
and season with Pernod, salt and pepper. Pour into warmed individual bowls.

Meanwhile dry the baguette slices in the oven for a few minutes and then rub them with the whole cloves of garlic. Top the slices of bread with plenty of rouille and float them in the bowls of soup.

Serve immediately.

Michael Roberts writing in the Oregonian FOODday, 1/12/93.Posted by Stephen Ceideburg
Submitted By DALE SHIPP On 04-02-95
Yield: 6 servings