Flirt
Art Print
Mucha, Alphonse
Buy at AllPosters.com

    La Belle Cuisine

Dinner with the Baron:
a Wiesbaden Reminiscence

Fine Cuisine with Art Infusion

"To cook is to create. And to create well...
is an act of integrity, and faith."

Sur La Table - Free Shipping on Select Items

Recipe of the Day Categories:

   Recipe Home

   Recipe Index

   Recipe Search 

   Appetizers

   Beef

   Beverage

   Bread

   Breakfast

   Cake

   Chocolate

   Cookies

   Fish

   Fruit

   Main Dish

   Pasta

   Pies

   Pork

   Poultry

   Salad

   Seafood

   Side Dish

   Soup

   Vegetable

   Surprise!

Baden Baden by Airship Hotel
Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
 

Pile of White Asparagus, Clos des
Iles, Le Brusc, Cote d'Azur,
Var, France
Photographic Print
Karlsson, Per
Buy at AllPosters.com
 

Shop igourmet.com

A Morel Sits in a Patch of
Four-Leaf Clover
Photographic Print
Murawski, Darlyne...
Buy at AllPosters.com
 

Strawberries
Art Print
Brookshaw, George
Buy at AllPosters.com
 

Chocolate Amatller, Luna
Giclee Print
de Penagos,...
Buy at AllPosters.com
 

Your patronage of our affiliate partners supports this web site.
We thank you! In other words, please shop at LBC Gift Galerie!

Strolling on the Avenue
Art Print
Kieffer, Christa
Buy at AllPosters.com
 

La Belle Cuisine

Dinner with the Baron:
A Wiesbaden Reminiscence
 
Recipes reminiscent of the Wiesbaden Kurhaus:

Smoked Trout Mousse
Gourmet December 1996

2 smoked trout fillets* (about 8 ounces total),
skin and bones discarded and fish broken into
small pieces (about 1 cup packed)
3/4 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons salmon roe
1/4 cup fresh dill sprigs, chopped coarse
3 tablespoons black sesame seeds

*available at fish markets and deli counters of many supermarkets

Lightly oil a straight-sided 2-cup mold or soufflé dish.
In a food processor purée trout with 1/4 cup cream, butter, lemon juice,
and salt until smooth and transfer to a bowl. In a very small saucepan
sprinkle gelatin over water and let soften 1 minute. Heat mixture over
moderately low heat, stirring, just until gelatin is dissolved (do not let
boil) and cool to room temperature.
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat remaining 1/2 cup cream until it just
holds stiff peaks and fold into trout purée with gelatin mixture and salt to
taste until combined well.
Spoon half of mousse into mold or soufflé dish and smooth top. Spoon
the roe evenly over mousse (roe will not cover mousse completely) and
sprinkle evenly with dill. Spoon remaining mousse over dill, spreading
mousse evenly (being careful not to disturb the roe and dill), and gently
smooth the surface. Chill mousse, covered, at least 12 hours and up
to 2 days.
To unmold mousse, run a thin knife around edge of mold or soufflé dish
and dip bottom into a bowl of hot water 5 seconds. Invert mousse onto a
plate and cut into 8 wedges (reserve 2 wedges for another use).
Put sesame seeds in a shallow bowl and carefully dip outside edge of
each wedge in seeds to coat. Makes 8 small wedges.

Oxtail Soup with Red Wine
and Root Vegetables
Bon Appetit September 1999

"During hard times, luxury cuts like steaks and chops give way to
humbler ones. None are humbler than the oxtail, and all across the
country, depression-era cooks made much of it, frequently in soup.
Even in these days, when humble cuts have become restaurant menu
stars, soup is still a good way to go with oxtails. Simmering them
slowly with garlic and vegetables in red wine yields a rich broth
and tender, succulent meat, making a lavish feast for us all."

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
31/4 pounds meaty oxtails (about seven
3-inch segments), patted dry
10 cups water
5 14 1/2-ounce cans beef broth
[or homemade beef stock]
3 cups dry red wine

2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium leeks (white and pale green
parts only), chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled, very finely chopped
2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into
1/2-inch cubes
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 large russet potatoes, peeled,
cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle oxtails with salt and pepper. Add oxtails to pot and brown
on all sides, about 20 minutes. Add 10 cups water, beef broth and 2
cups wine. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover
partially and simmer gently until meat is tender, stirring occasionally,
about 3 hours.
Using tongs, transfer oxtails to large bowl. Carefully pour cooking liquid
into 8-cup glass measuring cup or large bowl. Freeze cooking liquid until
the fat separates from liquid, about 45 minutes. Spoon fat from top of
cooking liquid. Remove meat from oxtails; discard bones. Add meat to
cooking liquid. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add onions,
leeks, carrots, parsnips, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Sauté until vegetables
are golden, about 12 minutes. Add cooking liquid with meat and remain-
ing 1 cup wine. Bring to boil. Add potatoes. Cover and simmer until the potatoes |are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Add parsley to soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into
bowls. Serves 8.

Pappardelle in Lemon Cream Sauce
with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon
Gourmet June 1999

1 pound asparagus
2 large shallots
2 lemons
1/4 pound sliced smoked salmon (optional)
1 pound dried pappardelle or fettuccine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream

Trim asparagus and diagonally cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Finely chop shallots. Finely grate enough lemon zest to measure 1 1/2 teaspoons and squeeze enough juice to measure 3 tablespoons. Cut salmon into 2 x
1/2-inch strips.
Fill a 6-quart pasta pot three fourths full with salted water and bring to a
boil for asparagus and pasta. Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water.
Cook asparagus in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, and
with a slotted spoon transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Reserve water
in pot over low heat, covered. Drain asparagus and set aside some
asparagus tips for garnish.
In a deep 12-inch heavy skillet cook shallots in butter with salt and pepper
to taste over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream and zest and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and remove skillet from heat. Return water in pot to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente and ladle out and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta in a colander and add to sauce with asparagus, 1/2 cup pasta water, three fourths salmon, remaining tablespoon lemon juice, and
salt and pepper to taste. Heat mixture over low heat, gently tossing (and adding more remaining pasta water as needed if mixture becomes dry),
until just heated through.
Serve pasta garnished with reserved asparagus tips and remaining salmon. Serves 4 as a main course.

Grilled Veal Chops with Morel Sauce
Gourmet May 1995

Six 1 1/2-inch-thick veal chops
(about 4 pounds total)
vegetable oil for rubbing on chops
Morel Sauce (recipe follows)

Prepare grill and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bring veal chops to room temperature (about 20 minutes).
Rub chops lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill chops on
a rack set about 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until evenly browned, 3
to 4 minutes on each side. (Alternatively, chops may be grilled in a hot
well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat). Arrange chops
in one layer in a shallow baking pan. Roast chops in middle of oven 15 to
20 minutes for medium, juicy barely pink meat. Serve chops with sauce.
Serves 6.

 Morel Sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar plus
additional to taste if desired
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
24 fresh morels (about 1 pound),
washed well, patted dry, and
trimmed, or 1 ounce dried morels,
soaked, reserving 1/2 cup
soaking liquid
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups rich veal stock or demiglace
Fresh lemon juice to taste if desired

In a small heavy saucepan boil water with sugar, without stirring, until a golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully add red-wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar down side of pan (mixture will bubble
and steam). Stir mixture over moderate heat until caramel is dissolved,
about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
In a heavy saucepan cook morels in butter, stirring, over moderate heat
until liquid from morels is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer morels
with a slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve. Add shallots to pan and cook,
stirring, until golden. Stir in wine and boil until reduced to about 1 cup,
about 15 minutes. Add stock and reserved morel soaking liquid (if using
dried morels) and reduce to about 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in caramel mixture. Sauce may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Chill morels separately, covered. Reheat sauce over moderate heat before proceeding with recipe. Add morels to sauce with salt and pepper to taste. If desired stir in addi-
tional balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon at a time, and lemon juice.

To soak dried Morels:
Dried morels should be rehydrated in twice their volume of warm water
until tender, 10 to 30 minutes. Lift morels out of soaking liquid and strain
liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving it if desired. Pat drained
morels dry with paper towels. (Do not eat raw morels as they can cause
digestive disorders.)

White Chocolate and Strawberry Terrine
with Dark Chocolate Sauce
Bon Appetit February 1996

Terrines
2 3/4 cups frozen unsweetened strawberries,
thawed, drained
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate
(such as Lindt or Baker's), chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

Dark Chocolate Sauce
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line bottom of 9x5x3-inch loaf pan (with 7-to 8-cup capacity) with aluminum foil, extending foil over shorter ends. Puree strawberries in processor. Transfer 1 1/4 cups puree to small bowl; reserve remaining
puree for another use.
Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering
water until melted. Remove pan from over water.
Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan. Stir over
low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until candy thermometer
registers 250 degrees F, tilting pan if necessary to submerge bulb of thermometer and occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet
pastry brush, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in
large bowl until soft peaks form.
Gradually add boiling syrup to whites, beating until firm peaks form and meringue is cool, about 5 minutes. Fold white chocolate into meringue.
Beat cream and vanilla in large bowl until medium-firm peaks form; fold
into white chocolate mixture. Transfer 4 cups white chocolate mousse to medium bowl. Fold 1 1/4 cups strawberry puree and Grand Marnier into
4 cups mousse.
Spread half of strawberry mousse in prepared pan. Chill remaining white chocolate mousse and remaining white chocolate mousse and remaining strawberry mousse. Freeze strawberry layer until almost firm , about 15 minutes.
Spread white chocolate mousse over strawberry layer. Freeze until almost firm, about 25 minutes.
Spread remaining berry mousse over white chocolate layer. Cover terrine with plastic and freeze overnight. (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
Uncover terrine. Cut between foil and pan side to loosen terrine. Invert onto platter. Lift off pan and peel off foil. Serve with Dark Chocolate Sauce.
To make chocolate sauce:
Combine half and half, sugar, cocoa, butter and espresso powder in heavy small saucepan. Whisk over low heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Increase heat to medium and whisk until sauce just begins to simmer. Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla. Cool sauce.
Serves 12.

Dinner with the Baron, page 1
 

Article Archives Index
Food Features Index
La Belle Cookbook
Daily Recipe Index
Recipe Archives Index
Recipe Search