oeufs cocotte a la creme
For each egg use a small ovenproof custard cup or a 3-inch miniature french souffle ramekin. Put a piece of butter in each cup, break an egg over the butter and add a tablespoon of very heavy cream. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Put the cups in a large shallow pan and carefully fill the pan with boiling water just to the level of the cream in the cups. Cover the pan, keep the water barely simmering and cook the eggs for about 6 minutes or until the whites are set. Test the edges with a spoon before serving, as the cooking time depends soewhat on the thickness of the cups. Sprinkle each egg with minced truffle and serve immediately.
vintage french cooking
i picked up a great vintage cooking book a few years ago - a secondhand bookshop find. it's called French Menus for Parties by the Chamberlains. it was written in 1968 and contains menus and recipes for all kinds of entertaining - old school, french style.
the menus are great - they detail each course and include wine suggestions. you get page after page of information on the most fabulous dishes - they cover every kind of party one can imagine - christmas, informal sunday lunch, summer lunch party, country weekend lunch or dinner, provencal or basque menu for a dinner party...even luncheon for lent. there is no excuse anymore!
until today i didn't realise zucchini are green italian squash. am i the only person in the world not to have known that??
here is a menu suggestion for a Dinner Party for Eight Guests:
cocktail hors d'oeuvre
Hot Miniature Cheese Pastries
Pickled Mushrooms
Shrimp on Toothpicks, Lemon Mayonnaise
Eggs Poached in Cream
Squab or Rock Cornish Game Birds with New Peas
Red Bordeaux (such as Chateau Cheval Blanc*) or California Pinot Noir
*Served also with the cheese
Ripe Camembert or Brie
Sliced White Clingstone Peaches and Whole Small Strawberries, marinated in Kirsch and sugar
Petit Fours
Demitasse
Cognac
i love it - I know there is a recession on and Cheval Blanc, game birds etc are not on one's regular menu, but it is fun to imagine, no?
straight from the book, here's the recipe for the eggs poached in cream:
oeufs cocotte a la creme
For each egg use a small ovenproof custard cup or a 3-inch miniature french souffle ramekin. Put a piece of butter in each cup, break an egg over the butter and add a tablespoon of very heavy cream. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Put the cups in a large shallow pan and carefully fill the pan with boiling water just to the level of the cream in the cups. Cover the pan, keep the water barely simmering and cook the eggs for about 6 minutes or until the whites are set. Test the edges with a spoon before serving, as the cooking time depends soewhat on the thickness of the cups. Sprinkle each egg with minced truffle and serve immediately.
oeufs cocotte a la creme
For each egg use a small ovenproof custard cup or a 3-inch miniature french souffle ramekin. Put a piece of butter in each cup, break an egg over the butter and add a tablespoon of very heavy cream. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Put the cups in a large shallow pan and carefully fill the pan with boiling water just to the level of the cream in the cups. Cover the pan, keep the water barely simmering and cook the eggs for about 6 minutes or until the whites are set. Test the edges with a spoon before serving, as the cooking time depends soewhat on the thickness of the cups. Sprinkle each egg with minced truffle and serve immediately.
