Le français 50 par 50” (French 50/50)

Ok people, I have been inundated with requests for recipes and tips on spices and a myriad of other things. Also my wife loves to be in the kitchen with me and learning different cooking techniques SO I discussed this with her and I will do a Passport to France, a “Le français 50 par 50” (French 50 by 50). That is 50 French recipes in 50 weeks.

I will post a recipe on a Monday and discuss it during the week, substitutions, ease of, preparation etc. and I will actually cook it on the following Friday and post pictures and highlights. For instance I will start with a classic French dish, Alsace~Coq au Reisling, which is chicken in a white wine sauce. Now note that I am not a classically trained French Chef and I can still perfect and tweak theses recipes to the point that you would not be able to tell much difference from my dinner table to that of a restaurant.

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Now I will open up and let you know that there are a few things that any cook should have in their arsenal and one of those things is duck fat!

Duck fat is a staple in my kitchen that imparts delicious flavor to any dish. Nutritionally similar to olive oil, it is low in saturated fat, with a good combination of poly and mono-saturated fats. In a lot of ways, duck fat is considered better than butter! Don’t tell any true southerners I said that!

Offering a rich, silky mouth feel that transforms whatever it touches, without an overpowering flavor of its own, duck fat is the darling secret of many chefs today. And the high smoke point means it can be cooked at very high temperatures without smoking or altering its flavor, which is good for a beginner learning to work with new and different things.

Partner duck fat with its natural ally: the potato. Nothing crisps potatoes quite like duck fat does, which is why frites in bistros are fried in a fragrant pot of duck fat. Try duck fat in place of oil in salad dressing, and for sautéing mushrooms and vegetables, where its light umami quality is noticeable. Try making a garlic confit, (ask and I will give you a recipe for it…super easy) a secret weapon in the kitchen--on potatoes, spread on a slice of thick country bread, or on a pizza. The duck fat mellows the punch of garlic

Unlike butter or olive oil, duck fat can be recycled. Duck fat stores in the freezer for a long time, which is why you should never be caught without it! Take it out an hour before cooking to soften, or use a hot spoon to scrape off a small amount. Stock up with a few tubs and watch your cooking repertoire be transformed by the magic of duck fat.

The other is a good variety of wine, not just to drink but to cook with.

How to Decide Which Wine to Use

Cooking with wine, like drinking wine can add another dimension to a recipe. Cultivating and enhancing flavors while accentuating textures are the main incentives for adding wines to recipes.

When deciding what kind of wine to cook with, many agree that your best bet is to cook with a wine that you would drink. Remember, it is only the alcohol that diminishes during the cooking process, NOT THE POOR QUALITY OR UNDESIRABLE FLAVOR. Wines designated as “cooking wines” tend to be cheap, salty and often incorporate additional spices or herbs. Bottom line - they will do little to enhance your recipe. You do not need to spend big bucks on a wine that you intend to cook with, save that for the wine you plan on serving and drinking with the meal itself. However, if you shoot for ultra cheap (less than $5) you will likely be disappointed in both the flavor and the overall contribution to your recipe, consider forgoing the wine addition altogether.

Using Wine as a Spice

Think of flavoring a recipe with wine in the same light as you would adding a spice. The flavors tend to mellow the longer you cook the wine in the dish and it is recommended that a young, strong red wine is allowed to cook for at least 45 minutes. The next question is typically “Should I use a red or a white wine?” Reds tend to bring color, clarity and a distinctly dry characteristic to the foods they flavor. White wines are known to bring an acidic quality with a bit of pucker power. Use reds for flavoring red sauces with red meat. For example, a bold red wine would be perfect for a meatball marina or stout stews with lots of heavy vegetables. Steer towards white wines if you are making cream sauces or emphasizing white meats or seafood. (Which is why a white is being used in the Alsace ~ Coq Au Riesling I will be preparing on next week)

Alcohol and the Cooking Process

Keep in mind that not all of the alcohol will evaporate from the cooking process. The concentration of residual alcohol that remains in your dish depends on the length of time and way in which it was cooked. For example, boiling a sauce for 25 minutes will remove considerably more alcohol than merely baking a dish for 15 minutes.

A Rule to Remember

Cooking with wine should be fun

If you are just starting out, keep it simple - try a young bold red (Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon ) in your Aunt Baby's family spaghetti sauce recipe or a dash of Chardonnay in your Creamy Alfredo Chicken recipe. Experiment with using wines in recipes, it is not rocket science and shaking recipes up with a splash or two of wine will likely make your favorite recipe that much better!

You can find a good sommelier at most upscale specialty markets and believe me they LOVE to help and give advice with wine parings!

 Join in, follow and “Allez Cuisine” …. Start cooking!