Behind the French Menu

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Organic spelt

Photograph courtesy of Lene Lyndrup Nørgaard

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tusnelda/3694275083/

Spelt wheat in France

Épeautre – Spelt or dinkel wheat is a relatively course, but mild, and slightly nutty flavored ancient member of the wheat family, it is the forerunner of modern wheat. In France, spelt is grown commercially in Provence, and there it may be cooked like a rice dish, prepared as a risotto, served as a vegetable or used to give body to a soup or stew. (Like all wheat spelt contains gluten).

Spelt wheat on French menus:

Risotto d’Épeautre, Jus d’Herbes – A risotto made with spelt and flavored with the juices from herbs.

Spelt bread

Photograph courtesy of Jeremy Keith

Noix d'Entrecôte d'Angus, Épeautre Crémeux aux Asperges et Lentin de Chêne, Sauce au Vin – The center cut from an Angus Beef rib steak (entrecote) served with creamy spelt, asparagus, shiitake mushrooms and a wine sauce.

Spelt

Photograph courtesy of Maja Dumat

https://www.flickr.com/photos/blumenbiene/6511001983/

Filet de Rouget de Méditerranée, Juste Saisie, sur Risotto d’Epeautre, Crémeux de Homard – Filet of red mullet from the Mediterranean, served exactly when ready, on a spelt risotto prepared with a cream of lobster sauce.

Spaghettis d'Epeautre au Saumon et Scampis – Spelt flour made in into spaghetti and served with salmon and Dublin Bay Prawns.

Wild spelt and poppies.

Photograph courtesy of Hacheme 26

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hacheme26/27969216274/

Spelt in the languages of France’s neighbors:

(Catalan - espelta gran), (Dutch - spelt ), (German – dinkel, spelz), (Italian - spelta, farro spelta), (Spanish – espelta, trigo espelta).

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Petit Épeautre – Small spelt or einkorn.

Small spelt wheat in France.

Small spelt or einkorn is another ancient family member of modern wheat; as its name indicates it is a smaller grain than spelt. Unlike spelt small spelt is a grain that did not develop any further. Small Spelt is grown in Provence, in France, and in a few other places in Europe. It may brighten up the menu with a recipe not seen every day and in Belgium, Germany, and Austria there are beers made using both spelt and small spelt.

Cultivated small spelt.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Nesbitt

https://www.flickr.com/photos/markanddelwen/108335901/

Small spelt wheat on French Menus:

Risotto de Petit Ėpeautre aux Cèpes – A risotto made with small spelt and French porcini mushrooms.

Small spelt beer from Austria with 4.75% alcohol.

Photograph courtesy of Bernt Rostad

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brostad/8728318453/

Ragoût de Petit Épeautre, Châtaignes et Pommes – A stew of small spelt, chestnuts and apples.

Filet de Turbot Rôti au Thym, Risotto de Petit Epeautre et Jus de Viande a l'Huile de Truffe - Filet of turbot, the fish, roasted with thyme and served with a risotto of small spelt flavored with truffle oil.

Wild small spelt.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Nesbitt

https://www.flickr.com/photos/markanddelwen/109362137/

Filet de Canette, Risotto de Petit Epeautre – A filet of duckling breast served with a risotto of small spelt.

Small Spelt in the languages of France’s neighbors:

(Catalan - espelta petita), (Dutch - eenkoorn), (German - einkorn), (Italian - piccolo farro), (Spanish - escand).

Connected Posts:

Asperges en La Cuisine Française – Asparagus in French cuisine. The Artists who painted Asparagus or Lived Near Argenteuil.

Canard – Duck on French Menus.

Châtaignes and Marrons on French Menus. You Will Have Chestnuts From Your Hors d’œuvre to Your Digestif.

Entrecôte (Entrecote). Ordering a Perfect Entrecote Steak in France.

Homard. The Two Clawed European Lobster on French Menus. Also Called, in France, the Homard Bleu and Homard Breton.

Langoustine – The Dublin Bay Prawn, Scampi or Norwegian Lobster on French Menus.

Rouget Barbet and Rougets de Roche, Red Mullet and Striped Red Mullet, the Fish on French Menus.

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The Cèpe Grows Wild in France. The Cepe is the French Porcini Mushroom. The Mushrooms Of France III.

Thyme in France. Thym, Serpolet, Farigoule and Thym Citron, Lemon Thyme in France. Thyme. One of the most important herbs in French cuisine.

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Pompano Dolphin

http://www.zeevruchtengids.org

Coryphène, Dorade Coryphène, Chatrou, Mahé-Mahé – The Pompano

Dolphin Fish; a close relative to the Common Dolphin Fish. The pompano dolphin fish, is caught worldwide in tropical and semi-tropical seas, but its name should not confuse the diner with real dolphins which are mammals; these are 100% fish. Dolphin fish have very tasty, white, firm, slightly sweet meat. For France’s mainland market the pompano dolphin fish is caught in the Mediterranean. You will still need to be lucky to see the fish on a menu as is not caught in great numbers in the Mediterranean. The picture below, of a small school of dolphin fish, indicates that these are juveniles; as they grow older they become more solitary. Nevertheless, the tasty dolphin fish may be on the menu as a daily special. Its larger cousin, the common dolphin fish is available in the supermarkets as frozen imported fillets. N.B. The pompano dolphin fish is often called in the USA by its Hawaiian name the Mahi Mahi.

A school of pompano dolphin fish

Photograph courtesy of http://www.mahi.me

The pompano dolphin fish is the smaller of the two most well-known dolphin fish. Despite being the smaller member of the family, it can still reach over one meter in length though most are caught weighing between 7 and 10 kilos.

The pompano dolphin fish.

Photograph courtesy of gray taxidermy

The Pompano Dolphinfish on French menus:

Dorade Coryphène au Coulis de Poivrons Doux - The Pompano Dolphinfish served with a purée of sweet peppers.

Dos de Dorade Coryphène aux Épices – A large cut from the pompano dolphin fish prepared with spices. French cuisine is rarely very spicy in the sense of hot and spicy, but, if you are concerned, ask.

Le Pavé de Dorade Coryphène et Gambas Grillés à la Plancha – A thick cut of pompano dolphin fish served with shrimps cooked on the plancha,

Pavé de Dorade Coryphène, Légumes Confits à l'Huile D'olive, Sauce Vierge au Basilic - A thick cut of pompano dolphin fish served with a vegetable jam (confit) flavored with olive oil and sauce vierge flavored with basil. Sauce Vierge, as its name suggests it includes virgin olive oil and with the oil will be fresh tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, basil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. The sauce will be served slightly warm but not cooked as olive oil loses flavor when cooked. The sauce will be poured on the fish just before it is served.

Tartare de Dorade Coryphène à la Coriandre – A fish Tatar made with the pompano dolphin fish and flavored with coriander.

(Catalan - llampuga borda), (German - pampano-goldmakrele), (Italian - corifena, pompano mahi mahi), (Hawaiian – mahi mahi), (Spanish - dorado).

Coryphène, Coryphène Dauphin, Clic – The Dolphin fish, the Common Dolphin Fish. This is the larger of the two well-known members of the dolphin fish family. This fish is caught in the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Indian Ocean.

The Common Dolphin Fish; the larger of the two well-known dolphin fish.

Photograph courtesy of Animalia-life.com

The larger common dolphin fish will be unlikely to make it to your menu in mainland France. Nevertheless, if you are visiting one of France's overseas regions it is a popular offering.

France's overseas regions are Guadeloupe, a group of islands in the Caribbean; Martinique, an island in the Caribbean; Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean; Mayotte, two islands in the Indian Ocean that became part of France in 2011 and Guyane (French Guiana), on the Atlantic coast of South America just above Brazil.

(Catalan - llampuga ),(Dutch - Goudmakreel), (German – goldmakrele, grosse goldmakrele), (Italian – lampuga ) (Spanish – dorado),(Hawaiian – mahi mai lapa, mahi mahi oma, mahihi),

Connected Posts:

Basil, Common Basil or Sweet Basil. Basilic or Herbe Royal; Herbs and Spices in the French Kitchen II.

Citron – The lemon; the fruit behind many of France’s culinary successes. Also the Citron Vert - Lime, the Cedrat – the Citron, the Combava – the kaffir lime and the Chadec - the Pomelo.

Crevettes - Shrimps and Prawns. Some of the Many Tasty Crustaceans 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.

Tartare, Tartar, on French Menus: Steak Tartar, Fish Tartar and Vegetable Tartar. Tartare on Your French Menu?

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Traveling in Mainland France but Dreamingof the French Caribbean? Look for One of the Many Mainland Restaurants ServingFrench-Créole Antillaise Cuisine .

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