Living Restaurant

Consommé de Tapioca

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:47:30 +0000

Serves 6

One of Puycelsi’s long running mayors, M Bousquet, celebrated his wedding with a multi-course feast at Sarah Mercadier’s Gargotterie on the Place d’Eglise in Puycelsi. The banquet began with Consommé au Tapioca. Her traditional recipe includes both beef and poultry and involves the process of clarification, which was probably not always followed.

2 lbs (800 g) lean beef, such as rump, chuck or round

2 veal bones or 1 lb (450 g) beef knuckle

Chicken neck, wings, giblets

8 cups ( 2 l ) water

1 large carrot – scraped and chopped

1/2 cup each of white of leek, turnips, celery

2 tomatoes – quartered

Salt, pepper

2 egg whites and 2 crushed egg shells

2/3 cup small grain tapioca.

1/3 cup(12 g ) of tapioca per quart/liter of bouillon

2 tbs (12 g ) parsley – finely chopped (optional)

Place the beef, bones, chicken parts, vegetables and water in a 4-quart pot, bring to a boil and continue to gently boil, skimming as necessary, during the first half hour. Then heat so that the water ripples in a slow simmer for 4 hours. Skim as necessary.
The regional technique of clarification is to add the egg shells and whites to the stock, cook gently for 20 minutes and pour through a sieve lined with damp muslin or cheesecloth. Sieve a second time. Discard the solids and return the bouillon to the pot.
Bring the consommé to a boil and adjust seasoning. Add the tapioca and continue to boil for 2 minutes.
Pour into a warmed tureen or individual cups and serve immediately. A garnish of chopped parsley is optional.

Le Potage

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:45:30 +0000

Serves 4

This basic potage recipe is a broth thickened by a purée of vegetables. It becomes a hearty family meal by the addition of vegetables, pasta, croutons, leftover meats or poultry, etc. Indeed there are as many variables to these recipes as the ingenuity of the cook can devise. The ingredients change with the season and with the groceries stored in the larder.

2 onions – peeled and sliced

1/3 cup lardons or 6 rashers bacon – diced

1 tbs goose fat/duck fat or sweet butter

2 medium white turnips – peeled and chopped

2 medium leeks, equal parts of white and green – chopped

3 stalks of celery including leaf greens – chopped

3 medium tomatoes – quartered

6 cups (1.5 l ) chicken stock or vegetable water

1 clove

salt, pepper

Gently sauté onions and bacon in a 2-quart pot over low fire for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
Add the other vegetables. Cover and sweat over a low fire for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add stock. Season with salt and pepper, add the clove, and simmer, partially covered, for two hours. The surface of the liquid should only lightly ripple. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Pass the soup through a food mill or purée in a blender or food processor.
Re-heat the potage, pour into a warmed tureen or individual bowls and serve.

La Soupe

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:43:29 +0000

Serves 4

To ensure the proper temperature of the various ingredients and the texture of the vegetables, it is important to add them to the soup in the suggested order.

2 medium carrots – scraped and cut into 2-inch match sticks

1 medium white turnip – peeled and cut into 2-inch match sticks

1 recipe for Le Potage, above

1/2 cup soup vermicelli
If soup vermicelli is not available crushed angel hair pasta may be substituted.

or 1/2 cup long grain rice – cooked

or 2 cups of boiled potatoes -cut into small cubes.

1 cup leftover meat or poultry – cut into small pieces

or a small dice of dry sausage or sautéed fresh sausage maybe substituted

2 cups croutons (optional)

Prepare the carrots and turnip à la printanière – cut into fine strips and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes. Refresh vegetables in cold water, drain and set aside.
Bring the potage to boil, reduce the flame and simmer. Add the meat, rice or potatoes and finally the vegetables. If vermicelli is the choice, add it along with the vegetables.
Pour the soup into a warmed tureen or individual bowls and serve with croutons.

Crème Saint-Germain

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:40:57 +0000

Serves 4

This soup featured as the first course in the menu for a wedding attended by then mayor of Puycelsi M Bousquet and his wife at the Hostellerie St. Antoine, Albi in 1925. Fresh peas, usually puréed, are linked with Saint Germain.

Generally the fresh peas are cooked à la française, and then puréed; they may also simply be cooked in salt water. The soup is made by simply adding bouillon and cream to the purée.

4 cups fresh peas – shelled
1 lb (450 g) of peas in pod yields about 1 cup

6 cups (1.5 l) chicken stock or vegetable water

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

2 tbs butter

2 tbs flour

1/4 cup fresh peas – shelled and blanched for five minutes

1/3 cup fresh water cress – finely chopped

Boil the peas as quickly as possible uncovered in salt water until they are soft. Remove 1/4 cup of the peas for the garnish while they are still crunchy. Drain, if desired save the water for use instead of stock.
Pass the peas through a food mill or grind in a blender or food processor adding 1 cup of stock. If necessary work through a sieve with a wooden spoon to remove any remaining skins.
Return the purée to the pot and add the chicken stock. Whisking constantly to develop a smooth texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Blend the butter and flour until smooth in a saucepan and add 1/2 cup of hot stock. Whisking until well dispersed, then add to the remaining stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook gently while adding the heavy cream.
Pour into a warmed tureen or individual bowls and garnish with the blanched peas and chopped watercress.

Soupe de Fanes de Radis

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:38:31 +0000

Serves 4

In Puycelsi Radish Leaf Soup is a sign of spring. Spring greens were valued not only for their taste and also for their purgative effects. The radish leaves may be replaced by young watercress, white nettle leaves, lamium album; sorrel or any number field greens like dandelion or wild chicory. The proportion of greens to potatoes in weight is one to two. A thicker soup can be made by slightly increasing the ratio of the potatoes.

This recipe is best when made from a tubular and rose colored French radish which is milder than the small globular red radish. Using the latter will produce a stronger, more peppery, but tasty soup.

1 bunch of young radishes with leaves – detach leaves from bulbs
select 10 radish bulbs – washed and finely sliced or chopped

6 cups (1.5 l ) water or chicken stock

1 lb (450g ) small new potatoes – peeled and chunky sliced

Salt and white pepper

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup heavy cream

Cut the leaves from the radish bulbs and discard any discolored leaves. Wash the leaves in a pan with several changes of cold water to remove sand and grit. Wash, trim and finely chop 10 radishes and set aside.
Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Drop in the radish leaves and potatoes and gently boil, partially covered, for about 30 minutes.
Young potatoes and leafy spring greens are best dropped into boiling water, rather started in cold water and brought to a boil.
Transfer vegetables and 1/2 cup of stock to blender. Purée and return to pot. Season with salt and pepper.
Whisk egg yolk and cream together in a warmed tureen. While continuing to whisk stir in 1/2 cup of stock. Add remaining stock, garnish with the chopped radishes and serve. If individual servings are desired use a large pre-warmed bowl instead of the tureen.
Do not boil again after the yolk has been added.

Soupes aux Fèves Nouvelles

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:36:08 +0000

Serves 4

Young fresh broad beans have a delicate flavor although some consider them bland. This soup is best when the flavor of the beans is enhanced and each Puycelci cook seems to have her own secret ingredient. Some of them use more garlic, others substitute pork fat for bacon; whilst others use dried sausage or a piece of confit de porc instead of the confit de canard or d’oie.

 (1.2 k ) broad beans – shelled
1 lb (450 g) of beans yields about 2/3 cups shelled. If the beans are larger and slightly opaque remove their outer skins.

2 tbs goose/duck fat

3-4 cloves of garlic – peeled and minced

6 cups (1.5 l ) chicken stock or vegetable water

bouquet garni of 1 sprig parsley and several spinach and sorrel leaves

1/2 cup lardon or slab bacon – cut into 1/4 x 1 inch strips, sautéed and drained
Partially freeze the slab bacon to facilitate the cutting

or 1/4 lb dried sausage

or a piece of confit (drumstick and thigh from a goose or duck, a meaty piece of porc confit)

3 onions – peeled and diced

3 potatoes – peeled and cubed

Heat the fat in an 4-quart pot over a low fire, add the beans and garlic and allow them to warm and soften in the fat. Then remove the pot from the fire and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes.
Boil the stock and add to the beans along with the bouquet garni; cook gently, partially covered, for 45 minutes.
If not using lardons, add a piece of dried sausage or a piece of confit; cook gently for 1/2 hour.
Place the potatoes and onions in the pot and let the soup cook gently, partially covered, for another 1/2 hour.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour soup into a warmed tureen or individual bowls.

Tourin à l’Ail

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:33:47 +0000

Serves 4
Traditionally Garlic Soup was served to newlyweds on the morning after their wedding and it remains a revered dish for most country weddings. The soup was brought to the bedroom in a chamber pot and served accompanied by chocolate and champagne; symbolizing that married life can be both sweet and bitter.

6 cups ( 1.5 l ) chicken stock or vegetable water

12 cloves of fresh garlic – peeled and thinly sliced

If fresh garlic is not available substitute 8 dried cloves

2 tbs goose/duck fat or sweet butter

1 large egg – separated

Salt and pepper

Bring the water or chicken stock to a boil.
Melt the fat in a 2-quart pan and add the garlic. Radically reduce the heat so as to barely sweat the garlic. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 15 minutes.
Garlic burns easily; should this occur start over again.
Pour hot chicken stock over the garlic mixture. Cook gently, partially covered, for another 1/2 hour. Sieve to remove garlic pieces.
Beat the egg whites into peaks. Place the egg yolk in a warmed tureen and while gently whisking add one cup of the hot soup. When well mixed add the rest of the soup.
Immediately fold the egg whites into the soup and serve.

Tourin à l’Oignion

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:31:12 +0000

Serves 4

Onion soup can be prepared quickly and its popularity ranges from bistro to farm. It is definitely a remedy for a hangover and is often served at sunrise after a New Year’s celebration.

2 tbs duck/goose fat or sweet butter

4 medium onions – peeled and thinly sliced

6 cups (1.5 l ) vegetable water or water

1 tbs wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

1 large egg – separated

6 slices of bread (pain de campagne, buckwheat, or whole wheat)

Melt the fat in a 2-quart stock pot, add onions, cover and sweat slowly over a low fire, stirring occasionally. The aim is to soften, but not brown the onions, a process that can take up to 20 minutes.
Slowly add the vegetable water to the mixture.
Stir in the vinegar. Gently simmer, partially covered, for another 20 minutes.
Add the egg whites and whisk until it is completely worked into the soup.
Swirl the egg white into the cooking soup and then whisk to break up the pieces.
Place the egg yolk in a warmed tureen, add salt and pepper and half a cup of the soup. Whisk, and slowly add the remaining soup.
Ladle soup over slices of bread in individual soup bowls

Potage de la Fermière

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:29:02 +0000

Serves 4

Certain vegetables may be substituted for others in this standard recipe while the leek, celery, potatoes, carrots and onions are obligatory.

3 tbs goose/duck fat or sweet butter

1/4 cup of onions – peeled and chopped

1/4 cup white of leek – chopped

1 clove of garlic – peeled and chopped

3 small carrots – scraped and chopped

1 medium turnip – peeled and chopped

3/4 cup inner leaves of green (Savoy) cabbage – shredded

6 cups (1.5 l ) chicken stock or water

1/2 cup potatoes – peeled and diced

1/4 cup fresh peas – shelled

pinch of sugar

salt and pepper

Leaves from 1 sprig of chervil or 2 sprigs of leaf coriander – chopped

Place the fat in a 2-quart stock pot, and sauté the onions, leeks and garlic over a low fire for 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, turnip and cabbage, and for about 10 minutes cook slowly, covered, until the vegetables are tender. Stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken stock. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour. Add the potatoes and the peas. Gently cook for another 20 minutes.

Pour the soup into a warmed tureen or individually warmed bowls, garnish with chopped chervil or coriander.

Serve with chapon (garlic toast) sliced French bread rubbed with a halved clove of garlic and olive oil, toasted under the broiler.

Potage à la Purée de Pois Cassés

dorothee — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:26:43 +0000

Serves 4-5

This split pea soup recipe can be adapted to the many pulses used during winter, notably dried broad beans, dried white beans and lentils. Puycelsi cooks maintain that good broad and white beans which have been dried within the current year need not be soaked. Soaking pulses saps their flavor, encourages fermentation and does little to speed up the cooking time. Simply wash, pick over and bring to a boil. Lentils and peas however, should be soaked for a short time but never overnight. Sorrel is the best flavoring herb for pea soup, but savory should be used for all other pulse soups.

1 lb (450 g ) split peas

2 small carrots – scraped and coarsely chopped

1 medium onion – peeled and studded with a clove

1/2 cup celery with its leaves- coarsely chopped

 cups (2.5 l) chicken stock or vegetable water

1 tbs goose fat/duck fat

3 sprigs of parsley

1 sprig of thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt, pepper

1/4 lb lardon or slab bacon cut into 1/2” x 1 strips

4-6 sorrel leaves chopped (optional)

Wash the peas in a pan of water and pick over to remove any stones and grit. Soak in 3 cups of cold water for 4 hours, or bring the peas to a boil in water for 3 minutes, and let stand for an hour and drain. Or simply follow package directions or regional customs for soaking pulses.
Place the peas, carrots, onion and celery in a 4-quart pot. Add the stock, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce flame and simmer while skimming the surface as needed during the first 1/2 hour. Partially cover and simmer for another 1 1/2 hours. Stirring only occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
Pass the mixture through a food mill or purée in a blender or food processor. Return to the pot, add the sorrel and goose fat for flavoring and stir lightly.
Gently fry the bacon strips until they are tender. Pour the soup into a warmed tureen or individual serving bowls and garnish with the bacon strips.