Showing posts with label Porcini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Porcini. Show all posts

Caille - Quail. Quail on the Menu in France.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

  
Quail and their eggs.
Photograph courtesy of Yay Micro.
  
Farm-raised quail taste slightly sweeter than chicken and when simply roasted you will note that slightly sweeter taste.  N.B. Quail is also more easily flavored than chicken and so often that slightly sweeter taste is lost among the other flavors in the cooking process.

Roast quail for three.
Photograph Yay Micro

A serving of quail, a whole European quail, will most likely weigh in at less than 150 grams (5.30 ounces)  and that’s with the bones; if the quail are smaller you will often be served two.
  
Quail on the French menu:
   
Caille à la Stanislas - Quail in the manner prepared for Stanislas, Duke of Bar and Lorraine, France. In the original recipe, the quail was deboned, roasted and then served stuffed with fattened goose liver, foie gras de oie. Caille à la Stanislas is still on some French menus today; however, the amount of fois gras will be greatly reduced from the serving in the original dish. That should not be too surprising, given today's cost of foie gras in France.

Stanislas, before he became a French Duke, was a Polish king who was fired from that job, twice! Unemployed kings do not usually have good job prospects. Nevertheless, Stanislas received the title Duke of Lorraine with a job to go with it from his son-in-law, who was King Louis XV of France. Stanislas also received a chateau outside the city of Nancy in the Lorraine. The chateau was not a small one, and it is still known as the Versailles of the Lorraine. Stanislas's building of three stunning squares in the City of Nancy would make the city world-famous, and the squares are now UN World Heritage sites. Despite Stanislas's great works and (for the times) progressive rule, he is best remembered as the man who gave the name to the dessert Rhum Baba.  Rhum Baba or Rum Baba and other dishes that were first served in Stanislas's chateau.   The Savarin or Savarin au Rhum is based on the Rhum Baba but named after Jeanne Anthelme Brillat-Savarin who lived over 100 years later.

Fig and quail egg salad.
Photograph courtesy of Yay Micro
   
Caille Rôtie Farcie de Girolles, de Cèpes et de Roquette, Sauce Porto – Quail roasted while stuffed with the girolle chanterelle mushroom,  and cèpes, the French Porcini mushroom,  along with rocket leaves. The dish is served with a port wine sauce.  Despite France having its own Port style wines, both Port and Madeira wines will be in every French kitchen and in many sauces.
 
Caille Aux Raisins - Quail prepared and served with grapes.
  
California quail
www.flickr.com/photos/71073348@N08/6920753719/
     
La Crème de Topinambours en Cappuccino et Son Effilochée de Poitrine de Caille – A frothy cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup served with small pieces of quail breast.
 
 The use of the word cappuccino in this menu listing refers to the froth on the soup and not to coffee. When the Italians named their coffee creation cappuccino little attention was paid to the froth. Cappuccino coffee received its name from the color of the milky coffee, which is similar to the color of the hood of a Capuchin friar's robes. However, do not let us get confused by the facts.  On today's French menus cappuccino, apart from when the word is actually used for cappuccino coffee, means froth. The word effilochée in this menu listing indicates the way the quail meat has been cut. Your French-English dictionary  will show the translation of effilochée as frayed; however on a French menu effilochée refers to the way  meat is cut and here it indicates the slicing of quail breast into small pieces to serve in the soup.
  
Salade d'Oeuf de Caille, Pointe d'Asperge et Aiguillette de Canard -  A salad of quails’ eggs, they will be served either fried or boiled, whichever looks better, along with asperge, asparagus spears, and slices of  Magret de Canard, duck breast.
     
Fig and quail egg salad.
Photograph by Apolonia courtesy of freedigitalphotos
    
Salade de Cailles Rôties au Vinaigre Balsamique – A salad of roasted quail dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.     
  
Quail Eggs
      
The European quail is a little smaller than the American quail. Despite the quail family's connection to pheasants you would not know it to taste one or to look at one. Farms that raise quail also raise these birds for their beautiful eggs; quail eggs are an essential part of quail farming economics.
    
Quail eggs
Photograph by Phiseksit courtesy of freedigitalphots.net
   
Quail eggs taste exactly the same as a chicken egg; however, if you were planning to make an omelet the size of a two chicken-egg omelet you will need about 10 quail eggs.
    
A hen’s egg and a quail egg.
Photograph courtesy of Yay Micro.
    
During the short hunting season, wild quail are legally hunted in France; if they appear on a restaurant’s menu the term used will be caille sauvage, wild quail. Wild quail are smaller and stronger tasting than the farmed variety, but they are also tougher and so they will be prepared with different recipes to farmed quail.
   
Wild quail in the bushes.
www.flickr.com/photos/sidm/4220112535/

In the Old Testament, Exodus 16, it is the quail, along with Manna that God sent for the Israelites to eat in the desert. The original recipe served at that time, has been lost in the sands of the Sinai desert. In France, there are many new and recreated recipes for quail.  

Caille - Quail in the languages of France's neighbors:
  
(Catalan - guatlla, guatla, guàtlera), (Dutch - kwartel), (German - wachtel), (Italian - quaglia comune), (Spanish -  codorniz común).

--------------------------------

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

 

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

Copyright 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019.
 
--------------------------------

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Lotte or Baudroie - Monkfish or Anglerfish. Monkfish on French Menus.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

  
Grilled monkfish..
www.flickr.com/photos/stuart_spivack/3253855079/
  
Lotte, Lotte de Mer, Diable de Mer, Baudroie  - The Angler Fish, Monkfish or Goosefish, one of the tastiest of all saltwater fish with succulent, very firm, very white meat. On French restaurant menus, I would place monkfish as number four or five in the top ten popularity stakes. (Baudroie is the Occitan and Provencal named for Monkfish and as most of France’s monkfish are caught in the Mediterranean this is the name on most local menus), 

. If you see a whole monkfish in fishmongers you quickly understand why one of its French names is Diable de Mer, the devil of the sea; it is an extremely ugly fish.  You will also see that there is no meat whatsoever in its hollow body, and even when a 1 meter (3.3’) fish is caught all the meat is in the last third, which is its tail. A large fish may weigh 20 kg (44 lbs)  of which 12 kg (26 lbs) is the tail.
  
Facing down a monkfish.
www.flickr.com/photos/slapers/40531567550/

Apart from this fish’s meat, all of which come from its tail, its cheeks and liver have always been considered a Provencal and Japanese delicacy; now the monkfish’s cheeks are also growing in popularity in the rest of France, and they will be on the menu as Joues de Lotte or Joues de Baudroie.
     
    
Monkfish with Ratatouille

www.flickr.com/photos/edsel_/19676933856/
     
  N.B. On some restaurant menus, there may be another fish called lotte or lote de rivière; this is a freshwater fish.  In English, this fish is the Burbot, and while it cannot compete with the monkfish it is a meaty fish; by the lakes and rivers where Burbot are caught in France, they will be on the menu. The Burbot may look somewhat like a catfish, but it is a freshwater member of the cod family if the menu is not clear ask.

Monkfish on French menus:
 
Blanquette de Joues de Lotte, Soufflé de Légumes de Saison et Riz - A stew made with the cheeks of the monkfish served with a soufflé made with the season’s vegetables and rice.

    A blanquette is a stew originally created for white meats, that is: rabbit, lamb, pork and veal; today a blanquette will often be seen with fish.  Blanquette recipes usually include mushrooms and white wine in a cream or crème fraiche sauce. Now that the cheeks of the monkfish have begun to be enjoyed outside of Provence, they may be on your menu; they taste somewhat similar to scallops with a different texture. The renewed popularity of monkfish cheeks in the north of France where they were initially ignored has sent the prices up. Additionally, the popularity of monkfish cheeks has brought the cheeks of many other fish into contention. Other menus show that French chefs are experimenting with cod cheeks, tuna cheeks, and more.
  
Pan roasted monkfish.
www.flickr.com/photos/naotakem/3676846367/
  
    Bourride de Baudroie - Provence’s most popular and famous monkfish stew, often flavored with saffron; monkfish is the only fish in the bourride de baudroie. The Bourride de Baudroie is traditionally a large stew a so you may pass on any hors d’ oeuvres or entrees unless you are really very hungry. The only fish in this stew is the monkfish; the rest of the stew is vegetables and, of course, plenty of garlic flavor and aïoli a garlicky mayonnaise. Depending on the chef, this stew will be accompanied by potatoes, and usually, additional aïoli or a rouille sauce with garlic toast will be on the side.
      
Monkfish in safaron.
Photograph by courtesy of horax zeigt hier
         
Lotte de Quiberon  Rôtie, Risotto Carnaroli  aux Cèpes Français   Roasted monkfish from the area of Quiberon in Brittany,  accompanied by a risotto made with the Italian carnaroli rice and French porcini mushrooms.
         
When I saw this menu item I wished that I had been able to order it right there and then; all the parts of the offered dish are special, and when offered with a carnaroli rice risotto they become unique. Monkfish are also one of the few fish that really can be roasted and that alone would make this dish special. 

The fish and seafood from Bretagne are considered among the very best in France and so their origin will be noted on many menus; however, here the chef is indicating a specific place and for the cognoscenti, Quiberon is a very special source for monkfish. Quiberon is a peninsula on the southern coast of the département of Morbihan and apart from its fishing industry and oyster and mussel farms Quiberon  is a very popular summer holiday vacation spot for the French.  In July and August do not even think about looking for a free hotel room; the hotels are often booked up to one year in advance.  The carnaroli rice used for the risotto is the rice that 99% of all Italian and French chefs will agree is unbeatable where risotto is concerned. The Arborio and Baldo rices may be better known, but carnaroli rice which comes from the same part of Italy as the Arborio and Baldo is even better.  Here the risotto is made with those very tasty French porcini mushrooms; what could be better.  French porcini mushrooms are equally tasty family members of the better known Italian porcini mushrooms. 
 
Grilled monkfish on lentils, 
    Photograph by courtesy of  Kake.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4410146450/

   Lotte Rôtie, Bouillon de Homard aux Herbes Fraîches, Rattes Safranées et Brunoise de Légumes.  A roasted cut of monkfish served in a lobster bouillon accompanied by saffron flavored ratte potatoes and vegetables cut in the brunoise manner.
 
    Ratte potatoes are one of France’s favorite potatoes and their name actually does mean a rat a or a mouse; however, that is nothing to do with their taste. Their name indicates that some can be considered a modern art version of a rat or a mouse when they are as yet uncut and uncooked. Brunoise is one of the ten or more special French cuts used for the shapes and sizes of vegetables and some fruits; a vegetable cut brunoise denotes a cut about 2mm thick.
  
   
Smoked Monkfish 
Photograph by courtesy of  boo_licious
        
   Ragoût de Queue de Lotte aux Légumes de Saison et sa Crème aux Huîtres -  A stew of monkfish tail prepared with the season’s vegetables in a cream  of  oyster sauce. 
  
A whole monkfish.      
Photograph by courtesy of alistairas.
     
Only rarely will you see a whole monkfish in a fish market as there is no meat on the body and its head is quite ugly; apart from its tail, cheeks and liver there is nothing to sell to most customers; the fishmonger will sell the head and body for those who are making fish stock.
    
                                      
Monkfish tails.
    
The meaty tails mostly weigh over one kilo, (2.2 lbs), and will be sold skinned; the cheeks and liver will both be sold separately and that is often to restaurants.  Monkfish livers may, however, may not be on too many menus as their price has risen very year, over the last few years;  the demand from Japan has created a very active export market. 

(Catalan - rap), (Dutch - hozemond), (German -  seeteufel  or angelfisch), (Italian - coda di rospo, rana perscatrice or diavolo di mare),  (Spanish – lophius  or rape).(latin - lophius piscatorius),

Connected Posts:
   

Ail - Garlic. Garlic in French Cuisine.
   
  
  
  
Champignons on French Menus. The Champignon de Paris, the Button Mushroom in French Cuisine. The Mushrooms of France I.  


  
  
  
  
  
  



 

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

 

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

Copyright 2010, 1013, 2017
  





The Cèpe - The French Porcini Mushroom. The Cepe in French Cuisine. The Mushrooms Of France III.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com


Cèpes, Porcinis, can grow quite large
Photograph courtesy of Maja Dumat
https://www.flickr.com/photos/blumenbiene/29757076764/

    


The Cèpe de Pins, the pine mushroom.
Photograph courtesy of jacme31
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jacme31/286202250/

     

The Cèpe (Cepe) or Porcini is one of the tastiest wild mushrooms. France is blessed with many pine, chestnut, and oak forests, and those are the trees that nearly all wild mushrooms like. Of the above, the Cèpe's favorite is pine forests. In season fresh French Cèpes, as Porcinis elsewhere will be on many menus. That is the time to enjoy the many ways that French chefs offer Cèpes. 
             
The cepe, the porcini mushroom, on French Menus:
 
Côte de Bœuf avec des Cèpes de Bordeaux et des Frites Maison A bone-in rib-eye steak, served with the French Cepes de Bordeaux mushrooms from the pine forests near Bordeaux. According to the menu, alongside the steak are the restaurant's uniquely made French fries. Traditional French fries are fried in beef fat with some areas using duck fat. 
   
Entrecôte Bordelaise aux Cèpes de Bordeaux –A rib steak (entrecote) served with that wonderful  Bordelaise sauce accompanied by the French cèpes de Bordeaux.


Filet de Féra du Léman aux Cèpes et Risotto – The broad whitefish from Lac Léman, (Lake Geneva) served with cepes and a risotto. The broad whitefish is a member of the salmon and trout family, and so it may be served grilled, fried, poached or smoked.



Cèpe Dusted Scallops
Photograph courtesy of Pan Pacific
https://www.flickr.com/photos/panpacificvancouver/8134213554/


Gros Ravioli de Foie Gras et Cèpes de Nos Ramasseurs – Large ravioli stuffed with fattened duck's liver and cèpe mushrooms collected by our own mushroom gatherers. N.B.: Many restaurants have special agreements with ramasseurs, wild herb and mushrooms gatherers.  Throughout the year, these gatherers will bring to the restaurant wild mushrooms and wild herbs including wild garlic . They may also bring wild fruit and vegetables, including wild asparagus and wild berries.

Les Noisettes de Chevreuil aux Cèpes.- Small cuts from the ribs of a  Roe Deer prepared with cèpes.
   
Noix de Ris d'Agneau Cuit aux Senteurs de Cèpes d'Été et Noix de St Jacques. -  The center cut of lamb sweetbreads flavored with summer cèpes and the meat of the King Scallop. The cèpe season varies with the weather and the region. Rain or damp conditions followed by lots of sun is ideal cepe weather. Fresh cèpes may be on the menu beginning from mid-June through early December. Nevertheless, if the weather is right do not be surprised when they are on the menu at an earlier or later date,
              
Salade de Cèpes aux Copeaux de Foie Gras, Jambon de Pays Cèpe salad with shavings of fattened duck's liver served with locally cured ham.
  

Saumoneau de Fontaine Sauce Suprème aux Cèpes - Young salmon (smolt) from the river served with a sauce supreme and cepe mushrooms. (Sauce Supreme is a white sauce usually made with veal or chicken stock, butter and crème fraiche; here the stock will probably be changed to a fumet, a fish stock).
                      
Velouté de Cèpes - A velvety cèpe mushroom soup.


Cèpe in a pine forest
Photograph courtesy of Maxime THIBAULT (Public domain).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/153101601@N05/37729797801/


                         
The Cèpe des Pins, the pine porcini.
   
Cèpe des Pins or the Cèpe de Bordeaux – This cèpe is found in the pine forests close to Bordeaux.  In France, it is the best-loved member of the porcini family. The Cèpe des Pins has a cap that can, occasionally,  grow to 30 cms (12") in diameter.  While the cepe is not unique to Bordeaux, the locals consider it their own. Those picked in the pine forests close to Bordeaux are called the Cèpe de Bordeaux, the Bordeaux mushroom.  Those picked in other areas of France are known as the Cèpe des Pins, the pine porcini. It matters not that these are the same mushroom; do not argue with tradition. It also does not matter that these mushrooms grow wherever there are pine forests. When the Cèpe des Pins or Cèpe de Bordeaux is on the menu go for it.   The  Cèpe des Pins, the pine porcini,  are difficult to see in the forest; you can practically step on them without realizing that a beautiful mushroom is hiding in the pine needles.
                          
All the cèpe mushrooms are tasty, so much so that many commercial mushroom products contain this mushroom as a flavor component.  Porcini mushrooms retain nearly all of their taste when dried, and when later reconstituted are still stars. For that reason, cèpes, porcini, are one of the wild mushrooms that many French chefs use when fresh cepes are not available. 
  


Soupe de Châtaignes au Lard, Copeaux de Cèpes'
Chestnut soup with bacon and porcini mushrooms
From Alain Ducasse's  book: Nature: Simple, Healthy and Good
Photograph courtesy of Shou-Hui Wang
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vector_tf/17517898672/

   
Foraging for wild mushrooms
   
If you are traveling in France and go foraging for wild mushrooms be careful.  Do not cook or eat a single one of your finds until an expert has checked your collection. Most French villages and all towns have mushroom experts, and volunteers who are trained by the government.  Pharmacists have a list of the nearest mycologist. The name is the same in French.  To ask for a mushroom expert ask for a “mycologue”.  Their services are free. N.B.: Many mushrooms have close look-alikes that are poisonous.  
  
The Cèpe mushroom in the languages of France’s neighbors:
(Catalan – cep, buixó), (Dutch - gewoon eekhoorntjesbrood), (German – steinpilz, herrenpilz, edelpilz), (Italian - porcini), (Spanish –rodellón, cep, hongo, boleto blanco).
   
Other mushrooms posts:
    
    
Connected Posts:
      
 
 
  
   
      
   
 
 
    
 
 

 
 
    
    
   
 Behind the French Menu’s links include hundreds of words, names, and phrases that are seen on French menus. There are over 470 posts that include over 4,000 French dishes with English translations and explanations.  Just add the word, words, or phrase that you are searching for to the words "Behind the French Menu" and search with Google.
      

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman 
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com 

Copyright 2010, 2012, 2017, 2023.
     
   





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