Behind the French Menu

Pleurote – The Oyster Mushroom in French cuisine. The Mushrooms of France VI

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Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Wild oyster mushrooms.

Photograph courtesy of a.bower

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The oyster mushroom is very popular and with at least five members of the family cultivated in France, they will be on many menus. These family members also come in at least five colors and so they are popular not only for their taste but also for their looks.

The oyster mushrooms is found in many French recipes.

The different strains of these mushrooms vary in texture from very soft to very chewy. Their association with oysters comes from the looks of a number of family members and not from any oyster taste or texture.

Farmed pink oyster mushrooms.

Photograph courtesy of velacreations

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In the kitchen oyster mushrooms are usually added at the last stage of cooking as they cook quickly and if left may cook down to virtually nothing, for that reason they are often used in combination with other mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms cooked for longer will often be part of a sauce.

Oyster mushrooms on French menus:

Grenadin de Veau aux Pleurotes - A small cutlet of veal prepared with oyster mushrooms.

Wild golden oyster mushrooms

Photograph courtesy of Bob Richmond

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobrichmond/5943493278/ FF

Ravioles de Champignons à la Crème d’Épinard et Pleurotes Sautées – Ravioli stuffed with button mushrooms and served with a cream of spinach and lightly fried oyster mushrooms

Filet de Bœuf, Sauce au Porto, Fricassée de Cèpes, Pleurotes et Champignons de Paris - A cut from a USA beef tenderloin and in the UK a beef fillet. Here the fillet is prepared with a Port wine sauce and served with a stew of French Porcini mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and button mushrooms. (The mushrooms offered in this dish are chosen with care. The oyster mushrooms will become the sauce in the mushrooms stew. The cepes, the French porcini mushrooms are wild mushrooms and have the most mushroom taste and the button mushrooms will offer the most texture).

Magret de Canard Roti Sauce aux Pleurotes, Pommes Sautées Maison - Roasted duck breast served with an oyster mushroom sauce and potatoes fried in the manner of the house.

Farming yellow oyster mushrooms.

Photograph courtesy of Alison Harrington

https://www.flickr.com/photos/125349922@N05/14559733175/ FF

Rognons de Veau, Mousseline de Charlottes, Crème de Pleurotes – Veal kidneys, served with a Charlotte potato moose and a cream of oyster mushroom sauce.

Filet De Canette Grillé, Risotto Aux Pleurotes Et Jus Corsé De Champignons – Breast of grilled duckling served with an oyster mushroom risotto and a sauce made with the natural cooking juices and button mushrooms.

Blue oyster mushrooms

Photograph courtesy of Wendell Smith

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wendellsmith/16937987821/ FF

Oyster mushrooms in the languages of France’s neighbors:

(Catalan -Pleurotus ), (Dutch - oesterzwam), (German –austernseitling), (Italian - gelone), (Spanish - seta de ostra).

The King Oyster mushroom or King Trumpet Mushroom

The Eringy or Pleurote du Panicaut.

This is the largest and meatiest of the family of oyster mushrooms. It tastes and looks very different to the rest of the family with a much meatier texture and a different taste.

The King oyster mushroom

Photograph courtesy of Wendell Smith

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wendellsmith/16732835620/ FF

When young the mushroom has practically no cap, and the cultivated variety has a small cap. However, in the wild, if allowed to grow it will have a brown cap up to 6 or 7 cms across and the white stalk can be as tall as eight cms.

This is a mushroom that can be grilled, put into a soup or served raw in a salad; they cook slowly; I like them best when lightly fried and crunchy.

The King Oyster mushroom on French menus:

Risotto aux Pleurotes du Panicaut – A risotto made with the king oyster mushroom.

Ris de Veau croustillant, Cannelloni de Pomme de Terre et Eringuy Poêlé - Crispy veal sweetbreads served with potato cannelloni and king oyster mushrooms.

Filet de Bar Sauce Thé fumé, Écrasé de Pommes-de-terres et Champignon "Eringi" - European Sea Bass prepared with a smoked tea flavored sauce and served with hand-mashed potatoes and king oyster mushrooms.

A king sized wild King oyster mushroom.

Photograph courtesy of Wendell Smith

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wendellsmith/16919390681/ FF

N.B. When picking mushrooms in the wild remember an expert must identify them before they are eaten. In France, most pharmacists will have the phone number and addresses of volunteer mushroom experts who will check the mushrooms before you cook them.

The King oyster mushroom in the languages of France’s neighbors:

(Catalan - gírgola gírgola d'espinacal gírgola de card), (Dutch - koningsoesterzwam, kruisdistel oesterzwam), (German – kräuterseitling), (Italian - cardoncello, cardarello, gelone), (Spanish - cardo).

Connected Posts:

Bar or Loupe, the European Sea Bass. Bar or Loupe on French Menus. Searching for the Most Popular Fish in France.

Button Mushrooms - The Champignon de Paris. The Mushrooms of France I.

Canard – Duck on French Menus.

Duck Breast- Magret de Canard or Lou Magret, Duck Breast Dishes and Recipes on French Menus.

Jus – Fruit or Vegetable Juice and/or a cooked dish’s natural juices on French Menus.

Rognons - Kidneys on French menus.

The Cèpe, The Porcini Mushroom, Grows Wild in France. The Mushrooms Of France III.

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Jambe d’Agneau in French Cuisine.The foreleg or lamb shank.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

De-boned slices of roasted lamb shank.

Photograph courtesy of Ernesto Andrade

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dongkwan/5419985578/ FF

Jambe d’Agneau - A foreleg leg of lamb. Also a cut from the leg, a cut across the bone. Cuts across the leg, with the bone left in, may come from the front or rear legs. Larger cuts will be treated like lamb steaks or chops, and the smaller cuts; cuts from lower down the leg may be on the menu as another cut completely. These cuts may also be made as an Osso Buco d'Agneau, a lamb Osso Buco. While Osso Buco is traditionally made with veal, lamb does qualify even in Italy. (For the link to Osso Buco click here).

A lamb sandwich with the meat cut from a jambe d’agneau.

This lamb sandwich is served on toasted bread with lightly pickled red onion, watercress, and rosemary aioli.

Photograph courtesy of Kurman Communications, Inc

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurmanphotos/14550232547/ FF

Côtelettes de Jambe d'Agneau – Lamb steaks cut across the foreleg.

Jambe d'Agneau au Four - A roast foreleg of lamb.

Jambe d'Agneau Braisé – Braised foreleg of lamb.

Jambe d'Agneau Cuit à la Broche. 2 – Lamb shank grilled on a spit. (For 2 persons).

Lamb shank.

Photograph courtesy of stu_spivack

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart_spivack/4321723488/ FF

Jambe Braisée Tendre d'Agneau avec de la Sauce à Vin Rouge et la Purée de Pommes de Terre - A braised tender cut from a foreleg of lamb, prepared with a red wine sauce, and accompanied by mashed potatoes.

Deboned lamb shank.

Photograph courtesy of stu_spivack

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart_spivack/3310761898/ FF

Ragoût de Jambe d'Agneau – A ragoût d'Agneau, a lamb stew. Usually, a hearty stew cooked with turnips, and or Swedes, carrots, beans, onions, carrots, and whatever else the chef decides to add. In a stew like this if the cut from the leg and includes, the bone it will improve the gravy, which will be enriched with red wine and herbs. If you, like me, are interested in what goes in the pot, it may be worthwhile asking for more information.

Ragoût de Jambe d'Agneau

Photograph courtesy of Kim.

Connected Posts.

Aioli in French Cuisine. Aioli on French Menus. Le Grand Aioli in France.

Cresson, Cresson de Fontaine - Watercress on the French Menu.

Jarret de Veau. The Dish Called Osso Buco in Italian. In France Jarret is Also a Cut Used for Many Other Dishes Made With Veal, Beef, Lamb and Pork.

Romarin - Rosemary, the Herb in French cuisine.

Turnips, (Navets) Parsnips (Panais) and Swedes (Chou-Navets or Rutabaga). Traditional Root Vegetables in Modern French Cuisine.

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Fleur de Sel - The flower of salt. The Special Crystals of Sea Salt Used in French Cuisine.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

The crystals of Fleur de Sel.

Photograph courtesy of Hallgeir Holien

https://www.flickr.com/photos/77311996@N04/14872966443/ FF

Fleur de Sel - The flower of salt.

Fleur de Sel
is taken from the top of the drying pans of French Sea Salt.

Crystals of dried sea salt, hand-harvested for its unique qualities. These are thin salt crystals, that together with other minerals have risen to the top of the salt pans that hold the rest of the drying sea salt.

In the kitchen Fleur de Sel’s unique attributes are its texture as well as taste; when Fleur de Sel is used, as it should be, it will be added at the last moment before a dish is served and eaten just before it melts. If it melts in a dish, all that is left is a taste of salt; however, when the thin crystals of Fleur de Sel touch your tongue their thin and format and taste affects your taste buds differently to ordinary salt.

A 'paludier', a traditional collector of Fleur de Sel at work

Photograph courtesy of ernie.else

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31005283@N08/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31005283@N08/3492704112/ FF

Most Fleur de Sel will be slightly gray, but the best contains flashes of violet and other colors. The Fleur de Sel will have dried on top of the salt pans and the salt harvesters identify the crystals by eye; it is the flashes of color in these crystals that indicate the added minerals. When properly served Fleur de Sel crystals will pop in your mouth; they add a new taste and a new texture to the dish with which this salt is served.

Fleur de sel on sale.

Photograph courtesy of sanfamedia.com

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kudo88/10122977614/ FF

The most well-known of France's Fleur de Sel producers are along France's Atlantic coast. The top three are Guérande, the Island of Noirmoutier, and the Island of Ile de Ré. Of these Guérande in the department of the Loire-Atlantique, just over the border from Brittany is the most famous. On the Mediterranean, the most well known is the salt field of the Camargue. All these may be visited.

Visiting the salt fields of Guérande.

(Next to the Parc Naturel régional de Brière).

The salt fields of Guérande may be visited by car, but they also have an interesting option that allows a real understanding of their use of the sea marshes and rest of the salt industry by taking a barge tour. Both tours may stop at their Maison du Sel, their House of Salt Museum for more information on this unique industry. When you have seen and heard all you wish to know it is a five-minute drive, 6 km (4 miles) to relax on the beach in the nearby coastal resort of La Baule. La Baule is also very well known for its many seafood and fish restaurants. Guérande is 79 km ( 49 miles) from Nantes and 21 km (13 miles) from Saint-Nazaire.

You may also enjoy the beautiful National Park of Briere that is next to Guérande. It has a French language website, but that is easily understood using the Google or Bing translate apps.

http://www.parc-naturel-briere.com/

Fleur de Sel sprinkled on caramels.

Photograph courtesy of Gail

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gail_thepinkpeppercorn/4221376064/ FF

Fleur de Sel on French Menus:

Carpaccio de Saumon à la Fleur de Sel - Carpaccio of salmon served with Fleur de Sel.

Chèvre Frais à l'Huile d'Olive et Fleur de Sel – Fresh goats' cheese served with olive oil and fleur de sel. The Fleur de Fel will be served separately to the cheese and olive oil. With a piece of bread dip a small piece of goat’s cheese in the olive oil and then in the fleur de sel before popping it into your mouth. The taste and texture of the cheese and the olive oil is tasted and then accented by the texture of the salt melting in little pieces on your tongue. The combination creates a fresh appreciation for both the cheese and oil. Wonderful!

Chipirons à la Plancha Fleur De Sel - Small calamari, squid, cooked on the plancha and served sprinkled with Fleur de Sel.

Contre-filet Simplement Tranché a La Mignonnette De Poivre et Fleur de Sel – A USA strip steak, a UK Sirloin, simply sliced and served on pepper mignonette with Fleur de Sel. (Pepper mignonette is grossly ground or crushed pepper).

Dark chocolate with Fleur de Sel

Photograph courtesy of jamieanne

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Le Pavé de Rumsteck Grillé a la Fleur de Sel Frites Maison et Salade. - A large cut of rump steak grilled with Fleur del Sel and served with the chef’s special French fries and a salad. Here the salt will not have been rubbed into the steak, rather added to steak and fries just as they are ready to be served.

Os A Moelle et Ses Toasts, Fleur De Sel De Guérande - Bone marrow on toast served with Fleur de sel. This is a true delicacy and if it is on the menu do not pass it by.

Pavé de Bar Rôti à la Fleur de Sel de Guérande – A thick cut of European sea bass, the fish, roasted over the Fleur de Sel from Guérande on the Atlantic coast. The Fleur de Sel should be added just before serving.

Collecting Fleur de Sel

Photograph courtesy of elPadawan and CC BY-SA.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/elpadawan/20843910155/ FF

Fleur de Sel may be on your menu in many forms; for example fish or meat may be baked completely surrounded by a thick coating of Fleur de Sel. After cooking this salt crust is cracked open, and the dish served. The taste will not be salty, and the restaurant theater here is impressive. The menu may also offer a simple hors d’œuvre of fresh uncooked vegetables to be dipped in Fleur de Sel and then eaten as they are. Here the salt crystals popping inside your mouth affect the taste and texture of the vegetables in a manner that cannot be repeated with regular sea salt.

Cherry tomato salad finished with a sprinkle of Fleur de Sel.

Photograph courtesy of Naotake Murayama

https://www.flickr.com/photos/naotakem/8569941815/ FF

Fleur de Sel On the Mediterranean coast.

Visit the lovely town of Aigues-Mortes at the edge of the Camargue on the Mediterranean and from there visit its salt industry. Wherever you are on France’s mainland coastline, you will not be far from salt farms and sources of Fleur de Sel. Salt is, in any case, essential to our well-being, so enjoy.

Connected Posts:

A Contre-filet, or Faux- filet - A UK Sirloin, a USA Strip Steak.

Bar or Loupe, the European Sea Bass. Bar or Loupe on French Menus.

Carpaccio on French Menus.

Calmar, Calamar, Chipirons, and Encornets. Dining on Calamari in France;

French Fries, Frites, Pomme Frites, Chips in the UK. French Fries on French Menus.

French Olive Oils. Enjoying France's Best Olive Oils.

Poivre - Peppercorns. Peppercorns in French cuisine and on French Menus. For hundred of years pepper was the most important spice in the world.

Saumon - Salmon. Atlantic Salmon is the Salmon on French Menus

The Plancha or Planxa in French cuisine.