France (10.1.18)
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Recipes contributed by Nathalie Schorr.
French cooking often takes a lot of time, but both of the recipes featured here are relatively quick -- and so delicious! They are also flexible; while the recipes both call for bacon, it can be easily left out for a vegetarian variation. Quiche is especially adaptable, as you can start with the basic egg & cream mixture, and add whatever ingredient combination suites your palette. And while really good bread is sometimes hard to find around here, in France, bread is a staple with any meal and there is always a bakery nearby, where a baguette might cost just a dollar. Nathalie shared a couple of sayings with us, roughly translated as "No bread, no meal," and "Eat bread, live well." Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more French recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2011. Click here for the archive from our program in 2019. |
Ratatouille
Ingredients
1 large purple onion, chopped
½ lb bacon cut in small pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced coarsely
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 small zucchini, scrubbed, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
A generous sprinkling of Provence herbs
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped coarse (I like to boil them and peel them first)
2 bouillon cubes
Preparation
In a large skillet cook the onion, the bacon and the garlic in 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and the bacon is golden.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and heat it over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the eggplant and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for a couple minutes, or until the eggplant is softened.
Stir in the zucchini and the bell peppers, season with salt, pepper and Provence herbs, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the tomatoes, add the bouillon cubes and cook the mixture with a lid on the pan, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables are tender. You may add a little bit of water if you feel it is too dry, but the juices of the vegetable may be enough. The ratatouille may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated before serving, or eaten cold.
1 large purple onion, chopped
½ lb bacon cut in small pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced coarsely
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 small zucchini, scrubbed, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
A generous sprinkling of Provence herbs
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped coarse (I like to boil them and peel them first)
2 bouillon cubes
Preparation
In a large skillet cook the onion, the bacon and the garlic in 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and the bacon is golden.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and heat it over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the eggplant and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for a couple minutes, or until the eggplant is softened.
Stir in the zucchini and the bell peppers, season with salt, pepper and Provence herbs, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the tomatoes, add the bouillon cubes and cook the mixture with a lid on the pan, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables are tender. You may add a little bit of water if you feel it is too dry, but the juices of the vegetable may be enough. The ratatouille may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated before serving, or eaten cold.
Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients
1 refrigerated pie crust
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
7 large eggs, beaten
8 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup milk
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Dash of ground black pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate; fold edges under, and crimp. Prick bottom of crust with a fork.
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy; drain on paper towels. Whisk together beaten eggs and the rest of the ingredients, including the bacon. Carefully pour egg mixture over crust.
Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and set in middle. Cool a few minutes before serving.
1 refrigerated pie crust
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
7 large eggs, beaten
8 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup milk
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Dash of ground black pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate; fold edges under, and crimp. Prick bottom of crust with a fork.
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy; drain on paper towels. Whisk together beaten eggs and the rest of the ingredients, including the bacon. Carefully pour egg mixture over crust.
Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and set in middle. Cool a few minutes before serving.