from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com
Aiguillette
was a term originally used for slices of beef, but now will be on menus for
slices of chicken, duck and even fish. In any case, read the menu
carefully as there is also a cut for roast beef with the name aiguillette.
Aiguillette
de Boeuf on your menu
typically signifies slices from a rump steak. In France, this cut, which
is naturally tasty but lean, is often barded during cooking—meaning it's tied
with a layer of fat to prevent it from drying out. This technique results in
French rump cuts, whether roasted or served as steaks, being notably more
flavorful than similar cuts experienced elsewhere. N.B. The North American and
UK rump steaks do not come from the same cut.
Aiguillettes
on French Menus:
Aiguillettes de
Bœuf aux Girolles – Slices
of beef served with the wild chanterelle mushrooms.
Chanterelles or Chanterelle
Girolle - The wild girolle,
or common chanterelle, is the best-known member of the chanterelle mushroom
family in France, and in season, you'll find it gracing many menus. (Three
other family members are considered nearly as delicious, and their subtle
differences would be hard to identify in a blind tasting when served with a
rich, juicy meat dish.) From late May through October, the incredible power of
fresh chanterelles can elevate a simple dish to a star. During their peak
season, it's rare to find a French restaurant that doesn't include at least one
creation featuring these vibrant, earthy mushrooms. (Out of season, these
mushrooms are used dried; while they successfully preserve much of their
aromatic qualities, chefs are keenly aware of the superior depth and texture
that fresh ones impart).
Aiguillettes de
Salers Braisée – Braised slices of beef from the magnificent Salers
breed of cattle. The cows from the Salers breed produce the milk for the famous
Cantal
and Salers AOP cheeses from the Auvergne. Despite their fame for milk, these
cattle were historically bred and valued for both their dairy products and
their superb beef.
Sliced duck in red wine, grapes, and thyme
served with asparagus and potatoes.
Photograph courtesy of Alpha.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/4729783387
Aiguillettes
(L’) de Rumsteck en Croûte d’Herbes Fraîches –The rump steak
here is covered in herbes and then
roasted. You will be served slices. When finding a dish on the menu like
this ask more about it Those who do not ask may well be missing out on an
excellent meal.
Rumsteck: Rump Steak. The French
name 'rumsteck' often confuses English-speaking diners, and for good reason!
North American and UK butchers and restaurants never agreed on the definition
of 'rump steak' themselves. To clarify, a French rumsteck encompasses parts of
what the UK calls Rump, Silverside, and Topside. In the USA, it falls under
cuts known as sirloin and round. This intercontinental divergence is profound;
a UK sirloin and a USA sirloin are different cuts! Given its history of varied
terminology, it's perhaps no surprise that the French maintain their precise
standards. As Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw famously observed, Great
Britain and the United States are indeed two countries separated by a common
language. In France, chefs work closely with their butchers, who meticulously
prepare each cut of beef and veal. Unlike the USA's Prime or Choice grading
system, France relies on the extensive training of its chefs, who learn to
expertly grade, choose, and prepare beef, lamb, and pork from culinary school.
This rigorous approach ensures that French rump steaks, while perhaps not the
tenderest steak on the menu, promise to be among the most flavorful.
En Croûte: Historically,
this term referred to dishes cooked within a pastry or a hollowed-out loaf of
bread, but as seen in this listing, 'en croûte' has evolved. Today's creative
chefs also prepare dishes with innovative coverings made from vegetables,
herbs, or fruits.
Aiguillettes de
Canard, Sauce Montmorency –
Slices of duck served with Sauce Montmorency. This traditional sauce is made
from Montmorency (sour) cherries, orange juice and kirsch, (a clear cherry
brandy). Over time, variations have emerged: kirsch may be replaced by Port,
wine vinegar, or another spirit, each bringing its own nuance to the sauce
while preserving its characteristic balance.
Cerises
de Montmorency: Montmorency cherries are small, bright red and
slightly sour. They are prized around
the world for their crisp, intense flavor, making them ideal not only for
sauces but also for desserts, pastries and preserves. Montmorency cherries remain the most popular
sour cherry variety in France with most other sour cherries simply listed as griottes.
Montmorency cherries remain the
preferred choice for French kirsch liquor, although other sour cherries are
used.
Montmorency in the 1800s was a
small village near Paris, and the cherries from its orchards brought it fame in
all French kitchens. Today, it is a residential suburb only 14 kilometers (9
miles), as the crow flies from central Paris. (If you wish to visit
Montmorency, consider taking the train, as driving during rush hour can take up
to 40 minutes).
The village was famous in
France for its cherries, but it was the work of two individuals that made it
internationally renowned. The first was Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), the
writer and philosopher who lived and wrote many of his works in Montmorency; he
was captivated by the area’s tranquility. The
second, but no less important, was the Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro
(1830–1903), who lived in the nearby village of Pontoise and made Montmorency
famous with his paintings of its cherry orchards.
Aiguillettes de Canard.
Photograph
courtesy of Digital Wallpapers
https://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalwallpapers/7490021798/
Aiguillette
de Saint-Pierre et Crumble de Noisettes, Topinambour Jus de Volaille
Acidulé - A filet of John
Dory, the fish, served
with a hazelnut crumble, Jerusalem artichokes, and a slightly acidic veal
sauce.
Saint-Pierre: John Dory is called St Peter’s Fish in French and is
a firm, tasty, white-fleshed sea fish, and one of the most popular fish on
French fish restaurant menus. The English name John Dory comes from the French Jaune
Dore, meaning golden yellow, and that is this fish's color when freshly
caught. The dark spot on the fish’s side that looks like a thumb print inspired
the name Saint-Pierre or San-Pierre and is a whimsical allusion to the thumbprint
of Saint Peter, the fisherman-turned-apostle. St. Peter was a fisherman before
becoming the leader of Christ’s Apostles. Unfortunately, for this particular
tradition the real St Peter, the fisherman, was a fresh water-fisherman and the
John Dory is a salt-water fish. St. Peter never fished in the Mediterranean or
Atlantic. Problems with historical
traditions do not, however, interfere with the excellent taste of the fish.
Aiguillette de Saumon – Slices of salmon.
Photograph courtesy of Alpha
https://www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/4354980706/
Brochette
d'Aiguillettes de Volaille Marinées à l'Huile d'Olive and Citron
Vert – Skewers
of slices of chicken breast marinated in olive oil and lime.
Ris de Veau, Aiguillettes
de Poulet, Champignons, Crème, Porto – Veal sweetbreads served with slices of chicken and button mushrooms; accompanied by a cream sauce flavored with Port Wine.
Ris
de Veau: Sweetbreads are the best of the organ meats, the
inside cuts like liver, tongue, and kidneys. Sweetbreads are the pancreas and
thymus glands, with some gourmands preferring one to the other; others preferring
veal over lamb. I, however, cannot tell the difference when these delicate cuts
are fried and served with a light sauce. Sweetbreads have a somewhat similar
texture to the most delicate milk-fed calf's liver, but there similarity ends,
and please note that I only said similar, not the same.
Salade
d'Aiguillettes de Canard au Sésame Déglacées au Vinaigre Balsamique de
Modène - A salad of
slices of duck with a sauce made with sesame oil deglazed with Balsamic Vinegar.
Balsamic
vinegar:
This unique vinegar is legally produced only in and around the city of Modena,
Italy. Its distinctive taste stems not only from the Trebbiano grape but also
from a meticulous aging process. France appreciates the best in the world’s
cuisines and Balsamic vinegar is part of many recipes.
The vinegar matures through a
series of five different wooden barrels—typically oak, chestnut, cherry, ash,
and mulberry—with each type of wood contributing to its complex flavor.
Much like fine wines, a cellar
master carefully monitors the vinegar's development as it passes through these
barrels. A young balsamic vinegar is rarely less than five years old, while the
finest varieties are aged for 15 to 30 years, and often cost more than many
fine wines. The vinegar's aging creates a distinct and much-appreciated flavor
in a wide variety of foods and salads."
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com
Copyright 2010, 2016.
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