By Barbra Austin

Here is a savory tart that will take you to the South of France. The base is a mass of caramelized onions, cooked slowly with thyme and bay. Thinly sliced tomatoes, a young goat cheese and plenty of fresh herbs complete the package.

I did a rustic, free-form tart, but you can use a baking pan if you’d like. In fact, you can make the tart any size or shape you’d like. I used a pâte brisée, but ultimately you can use whatever pastry you prefer. If you do a free-form shell, leave a border of about two inches to fold over the filling.

It’s important that the onions aren’t too juicy. The crust should turn out crisp, so drain the onions of any liquid before putting them in the pastry. The same idea applies to the tomatoes, so slice them thinly and don’t add too many. Beyond that, there aren’t too many rules. You can use whatever herbs you like, and any good melting cheese will do if you don’t like chèvre.

This tart is best enjoyed the day it is made, preferably while sitting outside with a glass of cold rosé.

Tomato and Onion Tart

Serves 6.

A 9- or 10-inch tart shell, unbaked, or about 10 ounces (280 grams) of pastry of your choice, rolled to a 14-inch circle
4 tablespoons olive oil, with more for drizzling
6 onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3–4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1 large tomato or 2 small ones, thinly sliced
6–8 ounces (170–225 grams) fresh goat cheese, sliced or crumbled
2–3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, tarragon, marjoram or oregano would be good)

1. Put the onions, garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaf in a wide, shallow pan with the olive oil, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft and caramelized, for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour, depending on the onions. Reduce the heat if they start to brown too much before they are soft, and don’t rush them. Season well with salt and pepper, and cool completely before filling the tart shell.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. If making a free-form tart, transfer the rolled pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Drain the cooled onions of any excess juice, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, and spread the onions in the bottom of the tart shell. If making a free-form tart, spread the onions into a circle on the pastry, leaving a two-inch border.

4. Arrange the tomatoes and goat cheese over the onions, and top with the herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper.

5. To make a free-form tart, fold the edges of the dough up around the filling in a series of pleats, gently pressing the dough to seal each fold. If the dough is very soft at this point, transfer the tart to the fridge to firm it up for several minutes before baking.

6. Bake the tart for about 30 minutes—until the pastry is done, the tomatoes are cooked and the cheese is melted and browned.

Serve this tart warm or at room temperature the day it is made.

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By Barbra Austin

This is a summer dish that features something I typically associate with cold-weather cooking: duck confit. In France duck confit is widely available preprepared. Sometimes it is in jars, and sometimes the legs are individually vacuum packed. In the States you can find it in specialty shops or online from D'Artagnan.

The duck is already fully cooked. You have only to warm it gently to render the fat, then turn up the heat a bit to crispen the skin. Some of the fat is used to cook the potatoes to a nice golden brown. Green beans, a vinaigrette laden with herbs and mustard, and frisée complete the salad. Serve with bread, a hunk of blue cheese and red wine for a great warm-weather meal.

Duck Confit, Potato and Green Bean Salad

Serves 4.

2 confit duck legs
1 pound (450 g) waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cm)
8 oz (225 g) slender green beans
1 head of frisée
a handful of toasted walnuts

For the vinaigrette:

½ shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon walnut oil
2–3 tablespoons fresh chives and parsley, chopped

1. Place the duck legs in a heavy skillet and cook gently over low heat to render the fat. Pour off the fat and set it aside for the potatoes. Turn the heat up to medium and fry the duck legs until the skin is crispy and the meat is warmed through. (You may want to cut some of the meat off the bone so that all of the skin touches the surface of the pan.) Remove the duck from the pan and set aside. When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull it off the bones in bite-sized pieces.

2. Return 2–3 tablespoons of duck fat to the pan, and cook the potatoes in it until they are golden and crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside, about 20 minutes. Drain them on paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, cook the green beans in a pot of boiling salted water until they are tender but still bright green. Drain and rinse them in cold water immediately to stop the cooking.

4. Make the vinaigrette: in a small bowl combine the shallot, garlic, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oils, then stir in the herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

5. To serve, divide the frisée among four plates. Evenly distribute the duck, potatoes, beans and walnuts, then top with the vinaigrette.

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By Barbra Austin

Here is a pretty, pale green spring soup, easy to make for a casual meal but elegant enough to serve to guests.

Recipes for pureed vegetable soups are among the most forgiving. Because the ingredients need to be soft, there is little risk of overcooking. Most recipes follow the same basic method: onions or other aromatics (in this case, leeks) are cooked, the main vegetable is added, then all the ingredients are covered with liquid and simmered until the vegetable is tender enough to be blended. The liquid in this case can be a light chicken or vegetable stock, or water.

The addition of cream is optional, but it takes the soup from good to great. I served it with some crumbled goat cheese and with croutons that I made by frying pieces of fresh bread in butter. Delicious.

Look to the Loire Valley for a crisp, sauvignon-based white to drink with this.

Creamy Asparagus and Leek Soup

Serves 4.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, washed thoroughly and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pounds (1 kg) asparagus, cut into ½-inch pieces (snap off woody ends first)
4 cups (1 l) light chicken or vegetable stock, or water
½ cup (125 ml/120 g) heavy cream or crème fraîche
salt and freshly ground pepper
croutons and crumbled goat cheese to garnish (if desired)

1. In a heavy four-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are very soft, about 10 minutes. You don’t want the leeks to color, so turn down the heat if they start to brown.

2. Add the asparagus to the pan, add a bit more salt, then pour in the stock or water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook until the asparagus is very soft, 20–30 minutes, depending on its thickness.

3. Let the soup cool slightly, then puree it, one small batch at a time, in a blender until very smooth. As always, be very careful when blending hot liquids (I avoid the risk by using a handheld immersion blender).

4. Return the soup to the pan and stir in the cream or crème fraîche. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper. Gently reheat the soup if necessary, then serve in warm bowls, topped with the croutons and goat cheese if using.

Serving Suggestions

Garnish the soup with asparagus tips that have been briefly cooked in boiling salted water. Herbs like tarragon and chervil make a nice addition. To make the soup into a meal, serve a poached egg in each bowl.

By Barbra Austin

There is no surer sign that spring has arrived than the appearance of morels on Paris menus.

On my last night in Paris before a trip to the States, I wanted the kind of meal that I knew I wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else. I booked Chez Michel, and when I saw coucou de Rennes aux morilles on the ardoise I knew I had chosen well.

Unless you are a wandering mycologist, fresh morels can be hard to find. This recipe uses dried morels, which plump up beautifully and absorb all the flavors of the pot. Yes, they are expensive (I paid $17.99 for three-fourths of an ounce at a grocery store in Ohio), but the rest of the ingredients are not.

You’ll need to soak the dried morels in hot water for a couple of hours. That soaking liquid becomes an important addition to the sauce. Just be sure to strain it well—a coffee filter is a good idea—because all of those crannies in the mushrooms hold a lot of dirt and grit. In fact, after you take the mushrooms out of their bath, give them another rinse in fresh water.

This is a dish that can go straight to the table, a fine place to use your Le Creuset or Staub. I served it with that other harbinger of spring, asparagus, and bread to mop up the sauce.

Chicken with Morels

Serves 4.

¾ oz (25 g) dried morel mushrooms
2 cups (500 ml) boiling hot water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or clarified butter
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4–5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup (250 ml) full-bodied dry white wine
½ cup (125 ml) crème fraîche or heavy cream

1. Put the mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot water over them. Let them soak for at least two hours. Remove the mushrooms and strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter. Reserve about a cup of the strained liquid for the sauce. Give the soaked mushrooms another rinse in fresh water.

2. Rinse the chicken parts and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper on all sides.

3. Heat the oil in a large casserole or dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot and nearly smoking. Brown the chicken parts, skin side down first, about three minutes on each side. Do not crowd the pan: if the chicken doesn’t fit easily in a single layer, brown it in two batches. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate.

4. Turn the heat down to medium and put the onions, garlic and thyme in the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are soft, about five minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another minute. Add the wine to the pan and let it reduce by half. Add the reserved mushroom soaking liquid.

5. Put the chicken back into the pan and cook, covered, at a gentle simmer for about 35 minutes, until the chicken is done. Once again remove the chicken from the pan while you finish the sauce.

6. Turn up the heat and add the crème fraîche to the pan. Let it bubble and reduce until it has thickened slightly. Taste for seasoning. Return the chicken to the pan and serve.

Notes and Variations

The chicken can be any part you like. If you or your family prefer thighs, for example, there’s no reason you can’t make this with thighs only. Chicken with skin and bones will have more flavor, but you can use boneless, skinless breasts; just keep in mind that the cooking time will be much shorter. This dish is often made with Madeira, which gives the sauce a nutty sweetness—try it if you like. Finally, if you don’t want to serve this from the pan, transfer the cooked chicken to a warmed serving dish and cover loosely with foil while you finish the sauce, then pour the sauce over the chicken. A few thyme sprigs make a nice garnish.

By Barbra Austin of Serve It Forth

Though irrefutably Bordelais, the little cakes known as cannelés have conflicting origin stories. One attributes their development to a group of nuns. A more sentimental spin credits resourceful Bordeaux residents, who scooped up flour spilled from sacks during unloading at the port and used it to make the cakes for impoverished children.

Cannelés have a reputation for being difficult to make, and I'm not going to completely debunk that notion here. The batter is simple enough. What’s challenging is achieving the proper texture—that caramelized crust encasing a creamy vanilla- and rum-scented interior—that makes a cannelé a cannelé and not just any other cake.

Traditionally, copper molds are coated with “white oil,” a mixture of beeswax and vegetable oil that helps develop the crust while ensuring easy unmolding. If you are deterred by the use of hot wax in a recipe (I know I am), fear not: I found that a generous buttering did the trick, and any cakes that didn’t immediately release were easily coaxed out with a toothpick.

Less traditionally, you can use flexible silicon molds, which guarantee easy release. Like any nonstick surface, silicon doesn’t seem to encourage the kind of caramelizing that is characteristic of the best cannelés, but if you are willing to sacrifice a small amount of crustiness for greater ease, then the flexi-molds are for you.

I prefer the copper molds myself. Yes, they are more expensive (about 7 euros apiece at E. Dehillerin), but they are beautiful and will last forever.

Before you begin, there are a few things you should know:

The batter MUST rest at least a full 24 hours before baking, and I actually had my best results with batter that was two full days old. If you bake prematurely, you will get something resembling a popover.

If the exposed tops begin to darken before the baking time is up (and they will), cover the cakes with a sheet of foil to prevent burning.

If you are concerned that your oven’s thermostat is inaccurate, invest in an oven thermometer before attempting these.

Finally, don’t be discouraged if your first batch doesn’t come out. Cannelés can throw even experienced bakers for a loop.

Cannelés

Makes 12.

2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
1 vanilla bean
¾ cup (100 g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (180 g) sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons (45 ml) dark rum
A few tablespoons melted butter for the molds (not necessary if you’re using silicon molds)

1. Put the milk and butter into a small saucepan. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the milk, and add the pod too. Gently heat the milk over medium heat until the butter has melted and the milk is steaming hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the egg and yolk and whisk until thoroughly combined. Slowly add the milk to the egg and flour mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in the rum. Let the batter cool to room temperature, then cover it and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (and up to three days) before baking. (Leave the vanilla bean pod in the batter but fish it out before baking, obviously).

3. If you are using metal molds, grease them thoroughly with melted butter, making absolutely certain that every surface is thoroughly coated (I use a finger); then turn them upside down so that any excess butter doesn’t pool at the bottom of the molds. Refrigerate the molds until you’re ready to bake.

4. Put an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C). When the oven is ready, pour the batter into the molds, to about ½" (1¼ cm) from the top. Put the molds on a baking sheet and place in the oven. After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 75–90 minutes, depending on how dark you want the cannelés to be. If the tops start to get too dark before the baking time is up, cover the cakes with a piece of foil.

5. If you’ve used copper molds, grab each mold with a towel and whack it against the counter a few times to loosen the cake. If the cakes don't slide out when inverted, use a toothpick to loosen them from the molds. If you’ve used silicon, wait about five minutes before unmolding—they should pop right out.

Serving Suggestions

Let the cannelés cool completely before eating. They will hold for a few days in an airtight container at room temperature, though the crust will lose some crispness. Five minutes in a 400° oven will refresh them. Cannelés can be eaten for breakfast, a snack or dessert, with coffee, tea or a glass of wine.

By Barbra Austin of Serve It Forth

Though loyal to Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon, I felt like a change this winter. There is a recipe for beef stew in Alice Waters’s The Art of Simple Food, and I was surprised to see the addition of orange peel and cloves to the pot. She includes tomatoes, too, but that wasn’t what I had in mind. I turned to the beef and veal volume of The Good Cook series, published by Time-Life in the 1970s. (These books are fantastic. Look for them at used bookstores or online.) There I found a recipe for Daube de Boeuf that also included orange and spices. It’s attributed to one C. Chanot-Bullier, who wrote a book called Vieilles Recettes de Cuisine Provençale. Suddenly the Alice Waters recipe made sense—it is no secret that her cooking is inspired by Provence.

All beef stews are basically the same: the meat is browned, usually in bacon fat; vegetables and seasonings are added to the pot; and the whole thing is covered with wine and/or stock and kept at a bare simmer for a few or several hours, until the meat is very tender. At this point it can be served directly from the pot, but here I turn back to Julia Child, who removes the meat, strains the vegetables from the cooking liquid and returns the beef to the pot with the smooth sauce. It sounds complicated, but it can all be done in advance, and the result is more elegant.

The wine you choose to cook with should be drinkable but not expensive. Save your money for the stuff that will go in your glass. For a nice bottle to drink, a hearty Rhône red would be perfect. See what Girls' Guide to Paris contributor Diana Rice has to say about these wines.

Then start cooking!

Daube de Boeuf
Adapted from The Good Cook: Beef and Veal (Time-Life) and The Art of Simple Food, by Alice Waters (Potter).

Serves 4 to 6.

1 tablespoon (15 ml) cooking oil
4 oz (115 g) bacon, cut into ½" (1½ cm) pieces
2½–3 lbs (1 kg) beef chuck, cut into 1½" (4 cm) chunks, rinsed and dried thoroughly with paper towels
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium onions, sliced
1 carrot, cut into 1" (2½ cm) pieces
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon (9 g) flour
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
3 peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
A 2" (5 cm) strip of fresh orange zest (use a vegetable peeler to achieve this)
1 bottle (3¼ cups/750 ml) dry red wine (or half wine and half meat stock)

1. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper and set aside. In a heavy 9" oven-proof casserole (a Le Creuset Dutch oven is perfect here) heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the bacon in it until it is lightly browned and has released some of its fat. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Increase the heat to medium high. When the oil is nearly smoking, brown the beef on all sides, a few pieces at a time. (If you crowd the pan, the meat will steam and not brown properly, so do it in batches.)

3. When all of the beef is browned, turn the heat down to medium and remove the beef and all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Put the onion, carrot and garlic in the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook for several minutes until lightly browned and starting to soften.

4. Return the beef and bacon to the pan with the vegetables. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir everything together so that the meat and vegetables are evenly coated with flour.

5. Add the herbs, spices and orange zest to the pan, then pour in enough wine/stock to just cover the contents. Bring the stew to a simmer on the stove top, cover it and transfer it to the oven. After 15 minutes or so, check to make sure the stew is barely simmering—if it isn’t simmering at all, turn up the heat a little, and if it’s rapidly bubbling, turn it down. Continue cooking for at least 2½ or 3 hours, until the meat is very tender.

6. When the meat is ready, remove the pot from the oven. Carefully remove the beef, then pour the cooking liquid through a strainer set over a bowl big enough to hold all of the sauce.

7. Put the strained sauce back in the pan. Taste it for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. The sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. If it isn’t, bring it to a boil and reduce it slightly.

8. Return the beef to the sauce and reheat thoroughly before serving.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

This recipe can be made a day in advance. A dish like this cries out for mashed potatoes, though I’ve also seen daubes served with buttered noodles. Garnish it with fresh parsley if you like. Try adding black olives or prunes to the sauce. You can make this stew with all wine, or replace some of it with meat or veal stock—the finished dish will be richer and the sauce a bit thicker.

By Barbra Austin of Serve It Forth  

Standing in line at the Raspail market on a recent Sunday, I overheard a woman telling her young granddaughter about the meal they were going to have later.

“Et, j’ai fait un gâteau au chocolat,” she said, to the great joy of the girl.

I imagined the cake would be something like this one: a deeply chocolaty single layer, with a richness and elegance that belie the fact that it is actually fairly easy to make. It’s a sort of Little Black Dress of cakes, really.

This recipe is adapted from David Lebovitz’s last book, The Sweet Life in Paris. I made it to bribe my French teacher in New York, and I go back to it again and again when I need something that will impress.

The not-so-secret ingredient is crème fraîche, the thick, fermented cream that is one of the glories of the (let’s face it) glorious array of dairy products found in France. Cheese shops and market stands sell crème fraîche made from unpasteurized cream, and it is utterly delicious. The pasteurized version found at the supermarket is not nearly as flavorful, but it will do just fine here.

Truthfully, this is barely a cake; the final texture is mousselike, thanks to many eggs, no flour and the crème fraîche. The chocolate flavor is pure and unadulterated. It will taste like the chocolate, so choose one that you really like in its raw state. I use Valhrona 61 percent.

It’s very delicate, so don't be sad if you cannot achieve perfect slices. Honestly, I don’t think anyone will mind once they taste it.

Chocolate Cake with Crème Fraîche
Adapted from The Sweet Life in Paris, by David Lebovitz (Broadway).

Serves 12–16.

12 oz (340 g) high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup (160 ml) strong coffee or water
1/4 cup (60 g) crème fraîche
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly butter a 9- or 10-inch springform pan and wrap the outside of it with foil to make it watertight. Place the pan into a roasting pan wide enough to hold the cake pan and deep enough to hold at least an inch of water.

2. Put the chocolate and coffee or water in a large heatproof bowl, and place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, then remove the bowl from the heat and set aside to cool. Stir in the crème fraîche and vanilla.

3. Put the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and salt and whip on high speed until the mixture is thick and pale and holds its shape when dropped from the whisk, about 5 minutes. (You can use a handheld mixer, but it will take significantly longer for the eggs to reach optimal volume.)

4. With a large rubber spatula, fold about half of the egg mixture into the chocolate, then gently fold in the rest.

5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Set the cake pan in the roasting pan and transfer to the oven. Pour enough warm water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the side of the cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the cake is firm on the surface but still feels soft when gently tapped.

6. Carefully remove the cake pan from the water bath, take off the foil and cool the cake, still in its pan, on a rack. When it has cooled to room temperature, run a knife along the edges of the cake to separate it from the pan, and remove the outside of the springform.

To serve the cake, use a thin knife dipped in hot water to make thin slices (it's very rich!), and wipe the blade clean between every cut. You can also use dental floss to cut it. Refrigerating the cake will make it easier to slice, but it does change the texture a bit, though not at all in a bad way! The cake will keep, well covered, at room temperature for a day, in the fridge for up to 5 days or well-wrapped and frozen for one month. Serve plain, or with ice cream, caramel sauce or whipped cream.