Published in 1927, La bonne cuisine de Madame E. Saint-Ange, which contains over 1,000 recipes, became a bible of cooking for French housewives and inspired culinary superstars such as Julia Child. Here I have adapted her variation of pots de crème, which contains the delectable combination of chocolate, coffee, caramel and vanilla. Serve this with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
This is a great side dish. A particularly mouthwatering combination of flavors, it makes a perfect accompaniment to grilled meat, fish or seafood. Leftovers make a delicious filling for an omelet.
Here’s a perfectly luscious side dish that makes a great companion for grilled or roasted fish and meats or a splendid topping for hot whole grains such as wheat berries, barley or brown rice. The gratin variation, which adds a fancy finish and nice texture, is particularly attractive on a buffet table.
Braised in a light tomato sauce and finished with lemon gremolata, these lamb shanks have Mediterranean overtones, which is why I like to serve them with polenta. That said, a bed of mashed potatoes is pretty good, too.
This is a great dish for a Friday night dinner with friends. Serve the chicken over whole-grain couscous, or cooked millet or quinoa for a gluten-free alternative. Accompany it with a green vegetable such as steamed beans or sautéed spinach.
This delicious soup has a mild flavor but is very substantial. Serve it as a light main course or the centerpiece of a soup-and-salad dinner, or serve smaller portions as a prelude to an elegant meal. If you’re serving this soup to guests and want to dress it up, top with garlic croutons or bacon bits.
Groats are the whole oat kernel that hasn’t been cut or flattened in any way. Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish or Scottish oatmeal, are whole oat groats cut into smaller pieces. These are the most nutritious versions of the grain. They are flavorful and nicely chewy and can be eaten with your favorite finish – milk or a non-dairy alternative, sugar or honey, raisins, chopped bananas, toasted nuts or seeds – almost anything that strikes your fancy will work.
Rice pudding is a dessert I love and this is one of my favorite versions. It’s exotic and delicious. You can serve it if you’re looking for a Wow! factor but it’s so easy to make you can also prepare it for a personal treat.
This delightfully different dessert is so easy to make, yet sumptuous enough to satisfy even the most sophisticated palate. It’s delicious topped with whipped cream, but I love to serve it as an oh-so-chic sundae, over vanilla ice cream or a complementary sorbet. Yum!
