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BABA  A cake made from leavened dough that contains raisins and is steeped, after baking, in rum or kirsch syrup. Typically it is served either as individual small cakes baked in dariole moulds or individual ring moulds but may be a large cake, often decorated with angelica and glace (candled) cherries.

     The origin of this cake is attributed to the greediness of the Polish king Stanislas Leszcsynski, who was exiled in Lorraine. He found the traditional konglof  to dry and improved it by adding rum. As a dedicated reader of The Thousand and One Nights, he is said to have named this creation after his favourite hero, Ali Baba. This recipe was a great success at the court of Nancy, where it was  usually served with a sauce of sweet Malaga  wine. Careme write, however. It was well known that the true Polish baba should be made with rye flour and Hungarian wine.

     Sthorer, a pastry cook who attended the court of the Polish King, perfected the recipe using a brioche steeped in alcohol, he made it the speciality of his house in the Rue Montorgueil in Paris and called it bab”. Around 1850, several renowned pastrycooks, taking their inspiration from the baba, created the fribourg in Bordeaux, the brillat-savarin (later known as the savarin) in Paris, and the gorenflot.

RECIPE

Rum babas

Soak 100 g (4 oz. ¾ cup) raisins in 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼ cups) rum and soften 100 g (4oz. 1./2 cup) butter at room temperature.

   Mix 25 g (1 oz. 2 cakes) fresh (compressed) yeast or 2 teaspoons dried yeast with 2 tablespoons warm water. Make a well in 250 g (9 oz, 2 ¼ cups) sifted strong plain (bread) flour and add 2 tablespoons sugar, a generous pinch of salt, 2 whole eggs and the yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spatula until the ingredients are combined, then add another egg. Work this in, and then add a further egg and work that in. Finally add the softened butter and work the dough until it is elastic before adding the drained raisins. Reserve the rum from the raisins for soaking the babas.

rum  from the raisins for soaking the babas.

     Melt 50 g (2oz. ¼ cup) butter over a low heat and use to brrush the insides of 16 dariole moulds or individual ring moulds. Divide the dough equally among the moulds. Leave in a warm place until the dough has risen to fill the moulds. Bake in a preheated oven at about 200 C (400 F, gas 6) for 15-20 minutes. Turn the babas out immediately on to a rack and allow to cool completely.

    Prepare a syrup using 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups) water and 500 g (18 oz. 2 ¼  cups) sugar. Dip each baba in the boiling syrup and leave submerged until no more air bubbles are released. Drain and place on a wire rack resting over a dish. When the babas have cooled slightly, soak them in the reserved rum, adding extra rum as necessary to soak the babas generously. As the rum syrup collects in the dish repeatedly spoon it back over the babas to ensure they are very moist.

    Serve the babas topped or filled with whipped cream and fresh fruit, such as raspberries.

Crème anglaise may be served with the babas, streak the sauce with a little chocolate sauce and add a few rum-soaked raisins for decoration.

BABA CHANNOUJ – A  mezze or vegetable side dish eaten throughout the Middle East. The smoky flesh of grilled (broiled) aubergine (eggplant) is pureed with garlic, salt, lemon juice and good olive oil (sometimes tahini) to make a paste known as poor man’s caviar. Widely eaten in the West, the dish started the whole tradition of vegetable caviars, while this name is an inspired translation of spoiled old daddy;, which is its Lebanese meaning.

BABACO – A fruit related to the papaya, originating in the highlands of Ecuador, it is grown in temperate climates in New Zealand, Britain and America. Also known as chamburo. Resembling an elongated, fluted melon with a star shaped cross-section when cut, the babaco can measure up to 30 cm (12 in) but it is usually smaller. The whole greenish to yellow fruit is edible for it has a soft skin and no pips. The babaco is juicy but low in sugar, so not especially sweet dishes when sweetened.

BACCHUS In Roman mythology, the god of vines and wine, the counterpart of the Greek god Dionysus. His functions were many he represent

Nature (symbolized by the rod he carried, which was wrapped in ivy and vine leaves, with a pine cone at one end), he was the father of viticulture, since he had taught man to cultivate the vine and make wine, and  he was the incarnation of fertility and became the god of procreation, often symbolized by a goat or a bull. Bacchus is usually accompanied by a cortege of satyrs, sirens and bacchantes. Dionysus, in whose honour mysteries were celebrated, inspired the birth of Greek dramatic poetry, whereas Bacchus has essentially remained part of the sensual and carnal world of drunkeness and the pleasure of drinking (hence bacchic).

BACON Lean cured sides of pork, generally sold as thin slices, rashers in Britain, which are eaten fried or grilled (broiled), especially with eggs (see breakfast), principally in the British Isles and Canada. The cured side of pig, smoked in one piece, keeps almost indefinitely. In Britain it has been a traditional cottage food for centuries. Large scale bacon curing dates to the 1770s  in Wiltshire, still a bacon centre. Cures may be dry (in salt), like the classic Wiltshire cure, or wet (in brine) of which Danish exports are  the leading example. Since the introduction of refrigeration the amount of salt used has dropped considerably, though regional tastes (and cures) persist and the Irish and the Scots like their bacon salty.

Bacon remains a gourment product in the English breakfast world, with differing cures and types of smoking on offer, for example over apple wood.

    Sides are cut to give slices consisting of lean back meat and a fatty streaky belly end. Sold with or without the cured skin (rind), which may be retained for cooking. As well as slices, in Britain larger steaks (thick slices) or joints are prepared, the latter for boiling or roasting. The traditional pigs, bred for bacon, were the gloucester Old Spot, Blacks, Saddleback and Tamworth, now the white Danish Landrace is the prominent breed.

    The Italian pancetta is belly with a slightly sweeter cure than the English type. It is best known in its  rolled form, which is flavoured with cloves and pepper, and sliced for use. Some is smoked. German Specke, Spanish tocino and Polish slonina are streaky fatty products, sold as slabs with rind, so they may be used for barding. Many pan dishes are started with a  a fried mixture of onions and bacon, called soffritto in Italy. In France lard has the same uses, cured loin, dried, steamed and smoked.

French bacon is cured loin, dried, steamed and smoked, either could go into quiche lorraine. Strips, or lardons, of fatty bacon are used for larding, cut short, they are fried and used to flavour cooked dishes or salads.

       The word derives from the old French bakko, meaning ham, itself from the German for pig. In pork or even the whole pig ( a repas baconique was a festive meal where only pork dishes were served). The word was then adopted by the English and returned to France with its present meaning.

RECIPES

Bacon omelette

Cut thick slices of rindles bacon into cubes and fry in butter. Add to the eggs, beat  together  and make an omelette. It may be

Calves’ liver with bacon

Seaosn slices of calves’ liver with salt and pepper and then coat in flour, shaking them  to remove any excess. Fry and then drain two thin slices of  rindless bacon for each slice of liver. Cook the liver for about 10 minutes in the same frying pan, arrange on a plate, and garnish with the bacon and slices of lemon. Keep warm. Make a sauce in the frying pan using the meat juices and lemon juice or vinegar. Pour over the liver and sprinkle with parsley.

BAEKENOFE  Also  known as backenoff, An Alsatian dish comprising a stew of various meats. The origin of this speciality is linked to the traditional way of life in the country.  On their way to the earthenware pots prepared by their wives (containing meat marinated overnight, onions, potatoes and seasoning added that morning) with the village baker, who would bake (baeken) them in his oven (ofen) after batch of bread. The baekenofe was usually prepared on Mondays (washing day) when the housewife was too busy to cook. The baker himself sealed the pots with bread dough.

     The baekenofe, which is still prepared in Alsace, requires long slow cooking in the oven to bring our the full flavour. It is often served with a green salad.

BAGEL

RECIPE

Backenofe

Cut 450 g (1 lb) shoulder of mutton, 450 g (1 lb) shoulder of pork and 450 g (1 lb) beef into large cubes and marinate overnight in 500 ml (17 ft. oz. 2 cups) Alsace wine. 1 large finely chopped onion, 1 onion stuck with 2-3 cloves, 2 crushed garlic cloves, a bouquet garni and salt and pepper. The next day peel and slice 2 kg (4 ½ lb) potatoes and 225 g (8 oz) onions. Grease a large casserole with lard, then fill with layers of the ingredients, as follows: a layer of potatoes, a layer of meat and a layer of onions. Repeat  until all the ingredients have been used, ending with a layer of potatoes. Remove the bouquet garni and the onion stuck with cloves from the marinate and pour the liquid into the casserole. The  liquid should just reach the top layer, if necessary top up with water. Cover and cook in a preheated over at about 160 ^oC (325 ^oF gas 3) for 4 hours.

BAGEL A small Jewish roll-with a hole, bagets are also identified with the American East Coast from the turn of the 20^th century, and with New York in particular, where a brakfast may be  bagets, lox (pickled salmon) and cream cheese.Created by a Jewish baker in Vienna in 1683, the dough includes both  yeast and egg (and nowadays a choice of other flavorusings). The dough is left to rise, then shaped into overlapping rings. Traditionally these are poached briefly in boiling, salted water until they rise to the surface, giving them a characteristically close texture and firm, moist crust which is slightly chewy. They are then glazed with egg and may be sprinkled with poppy or caraway seeds before baking until golden.

BAGNA CAUDA A hot dip (literally a hot bath) this speciality of Piedmont in northern Italy is a festival dish, dating back to the 16^th century. The puree is macle from olive oil with a little butter, pounded  garlic and anchovy fillets, heated for some minutes, then served over a lamp, like a fondue. White truffles may be added in season. It is scooped up with pieces of raw vegetables, for example cabbage strips, celery, fennel, cauliflower and peppers, Cardoons are also traditional for dipping. Red wine goes with bagna cauda which is not eaten at a meal, but as a party snack.

BAGNES A Swiss cheese made from cow’s milk (45% fat content), it is a cooked pressed cheese with a slightly rough brushed crust. Firm but springy to the touch, it has a fruity flavour which makes it suitable for the table, but it is most widely known along with Conches, Gomser and Orsieres, as a cheese for making raclettes. A product of Valais (particularly the  Bagnes valley), it is a flat round cheese, 35-40 cm (14-16in ) in diameter, 7-8 cm (3-4in) thick, and weighing about 7 kg (16 lb). Some gourmets prefer it slightly more mature (up to six months old instead of the usual three), which makes it quiet a strong cheese.

BAGRATION  The name given to various dishes inspired by recipes dedicated by Careme to Princess Bagration, whose service he entered on his return from Russia in August 1819. These recipes often include macaroni (to accompany meat soups, salad and stuffed eggs) Russian salad (to accompany cray fish and fillet of sole), creamed chicken or salpicon of truffles and pickled on (beef) tongue, but the garnishes have changed and are now more sijple than in the original recipes.

RECIPES

Bagration egg

Butter a number of dariole moulds and line with cooked chopped macaroni mixed with quenelle forcemeat. Break 1 egg into each mould. Cook in a bain marie for 6-8 minutes. Turn out into small pastry cases. Coat with a cream sauce and garnish with a slice of truffle warmed through in butter.

Bagration fish soup

Prepare in the same way as Bagration meat soup, but use 225 g (8 oz) fillet of sole instead of veal, Reduce cooking time to 30 minutes.

Bagration meat soup

Saute 450 g (1 lb) diced lean veal in butter to seal in the meat juices.Add to 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups) veloute soup and simmer for 1 hour.  Strain the veal, chop it finely, and return to the veloute. Stir in 3 egg yolks mixed with 100 ml (4 ft oz. 7 table spoons) cream  to bind the soup and adjust the seasoning. Stir in about 50 g (2 oz ¼ cup) butter and hot chopped macaroni. Serve accompanied by grated cheese.

Bagration salad

This dish is composed of equal quantities of blanched artichoke hearts and celeriac (celery root), cut into thin strips, and cold chopped macaroni. The ingredients are bound together with tomato mayonnaise and shaped into a mound, sprinkled with chopped hard-boiled (hard-cooked) egg yolk and chopped parsley, and garnished with a salpicon of truffles and pickled ox (beef) tongue.

Bagration timbales

Butter  a number of dariole moulds. Stick small pieces of truffle and pickled tongue to the sides of the moulds. Line with smooth chicken forcemeat. Fill with a mixture of cooked macaroni (chopped and mixed with cream) and alpicon of truffles and picked ox (beef) tongue. Cook in a bain marie for about 15 minutes. Turn out on to a plate and coat with supreme sauce.

BAHUT   A deep cylindrical container with two handles. Of variable size, it has no lid and is made of tin, stainless steel or aluminium (enamelled plate is to be avoided). This catering vessel is designed for storing cooked food, sauces, creams or anything that needs keeping.

BAIN MARIE  A water bath for keeping cooked food or dishes, such as sauces and soups, warm or without allowing them to continue cooking. A bain marie is also used for melting ingredients without burning them or for cooking delicate foods and dishes very slowly.

    Bain  marie was originally a term used in alchemy. It was then referred to as bain de marie (Mary’s bath) after Mose’s sister, who was known to be an alchemist. It was also considered to refer to the Virgin Mary, the symbol of gentleness, since the term implies the gentleness of this method of cooking.

     In the classic catering kitchen a cylindrical bain marie (with a handle and a lid) is used to hold soups, sauces andcreams. This is placed in a shallow rectangular bain marie dish, containing warm water, which may be large enough to hold up to ten such containers. Large restaurants and cafeterias have heated was arranged on these principles.

    A special double saucepan (double boiler) is used for cooking individual  sauces. This pan is in two parts which slot one inside the other (the lower part contains hot water) In domestic cookery, a gratin dish or baking tin (pan)  containing water is often used as a bain marie for cooking delicate ingredients or mixtures, such as pates, custards, chicken-liver mouse or baked eggs, either on top of the stove or in the oven. Whichever method is used, the water must not be allowed to boil in case the mixture inside overheats and then curdles, or water in the form of condensation gets into the preparation.

BAISER  A French petit four consisting of two small meringues, joined together with thick cream, butter cream or ice cream.

BAKE BLIND  Also referred to as blind bake, this is a method of cooking an empty pastry flan case (pie shell). Pastry cases are part-cooked before adding a liquid or creamy mixture, which would otherwise soak into the pastry base, or completely cooked before filling with fruit or any other filling that does not need to be cooked.

   Prepared a short pastry and use to line the flan dish or tin Prick the base all over, then leave to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The pastry case can be covered with cling film (plastic wrap) and chilled for up to 24 hours.

    Line the pastry case with greaseproof (waxed) paper and sprinkle with baking beans or dried beans.Bake for 10-15 minutes in a preheated oven at 200^oC (100^o C gas 6) Remove the paper and beans and add any filling, then continue baking as required. Alternatively, to cook the pastry case completely, after 15 minutes baking, remove the paper and beans, then return the pastry case to the oven for a further 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and lightly browned. Cool before adding a cold filling that does not require cooking.

BAKED ALASKA.   The novelty of this dessert lies in the contrast between the ice cream inside and the very hot meringue surrounding it. The classic baked  Alaska consists of a base of Genoese sponge soaked in liqueur on which is placed a block of vanilla ice cream, the whole thing being masked with plain or Italian meringue. This is cooked in a hot oven for a very short time so that the meringue is coloured but the ice cream is not melted. It is served immediately, sometimes flamed.

    The original recipe is said to have been perfected, or rather brought back into fashion, at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, by the chef Jean Giroix. An American doctor, and investor, honoured as Count Rumford, is credited with the invention of this dessert, which is based on the principle that beaten egg white is a poor conductor of heat. However, according to Baron Brisse, in his cookery column in La Liberte (6 June 1866), a chef to a Chinese delegation visiting Paris introduced this dessert to the French:

   During the stay of the
Chinese delegation in Paris, the chefs of the Celestial Empire exchange courtesies  and recipes with the chefs at the Grand Hotel. The French dessert chef was delighted at this opportunity, his Chinese colleague taught him the art of cooking vanilla and ginger ices in the oven. This is how the delicate operation is performed, very firm ice cream is enveloped in an extremely light pastry crust and baked in the oven. The crust insulates the interior and is cooked before the ice cream can melt. Gourmands can then enjoy the twofold pleasure of biting into a crisp crust and  at the same time refreshing the palate with the flavoured ice cream.

RECIPE

Baked Alaska

First prepare some vanilla ice cream, make a custard using 7-8 egg yolks, 200 g (7 oz. 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar, 750 ml (1 ¼ pints, 3 cups) single (light) cream and a vanilla pod (bean) or 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar. Freeze in an ice-cream churn. When the ice cream is fairly hard, pack it into a square cake tin (pan) and leave it in the freezer for 1 hour.

    Meanwhile, make a sponge by beating 125 g (4 oz., ½ cup) caster sugar with 4 egg yolks until the mixture turns thick and white. Sprinkle with 150 g (5 oz. 1 ¼ cups) sifted plain (all- purpose ) flour, then add 40 g (1 ½ oz. 3 tablespoons) melted butter and fold in 4 egg whites whisked to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt. Pour the batter into a greased square cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for 35 minutes. Turn the sponge out and leave it to cool.

     Immediately before serving make a meringue mixture whisking 4 egg whites, a pinch of salt and 6 tablespoons caster sugar and put the mixture into a large piping (pastry) bag. Split the sponge in two through the middle and trim the edges neatly, if necessary, then arrange the pieces side by side on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar flavoured with Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Unmould the ice cream and place on the sponge. Mask the sponge and ice cream entirely with half of the meringue, smoothing it with a metal spatula. Use the rest of the meringue to decorate the top with swirls. Dredge with icing (confectioner’s) sugar and place in a rpeheated oven at 250 ^oC (475 ^oF, gas 9) until the meringue is coloured. Serve immediately. Baked Alaska can be flamed when it is taken out of the oven, using the same liqueur that was used to flavour the sponge.

BAKERY The place where bread is manufactured and sold. The application of industry to the production of bread, the ability to distribute it, once made very widely and quickly, and the knowledge of how to produce and package loaves that do not become state immediately were all made possible during the 20^th century. The latter part of the century, however was marked by a movement back towards better quality bread and more diversity of choice. Many industrial countries elected consciously for smaller, and more local, bakeries. While the uses of industry were obvious- bread avaialble in supermarkets and grocers shops customers wanted more choice. In France, bread was baked at home until after World War I, and bread making is still carried out largely in small-scale establishments. French history provides an example of the organization of this envied food over the years.

History of Baking.  Well organized bakeries were depicted on the frescoes of ancient Egyptian tombs. These establishments produced mainly unleavened griddle cakes but also, for the upper classes, bread leavened with brewer’s yeast.  Herodotus reported that the Greeks learned the secret of leavened bread from the Egyptians.

   In 168 BC, following the victorious campaign agaisnt Perseus, King of Macedona, the bakers who travelled with the Greek army were taken as slaves by the Romans. They were known as pistores (grinders) because they ground the corn  with a mortar. Even  today many Italian bakers have Greek names. In AD 100, the emperor Trapan crated a bakers guild that was granted many privileges. In this way, he compelted the measures taken by his predecessors to ensure that Rome was supplied with food thus avoiding insurrection. Bread was distributed free to the poorest citizens, numbering about 300,000 to 400,000 people. In the reign of Augustus, there were 326 bakers in Rome catering for a million inhabitants. This lead eventually to the nationalization of the bakerss, who were paid directly by the state and were not allowed to sell their business. The brick ovens that were found in the bakeries  among the ruins of Pompei had flat beds and vaulted roofs and were very similar to those used in rural France today.

     After the Roman conquest and under Roman law, the Gallic bakers were united into organizations, and in this way the oldest food profession was created. As early as the beginning of the Middle Ages, feudal lords raised taxes by making their serts grind their corn in the baronial mill and bake the dough in the communal oven.

    In the 12^th century the guild of bakers was established in France they were known as lamiliers (silters) because they had to silt the flour that was delivered to them. There were 62 of them at the time and Philip Augustus granted them the monopoly on the manufacture of bread within the bound aries of Paris. According to the Fier des meltiers  of  Etienne Boileau  1268) the tannelter bought his entitlement from the king (the Grand Baker). He served an apprenticeship of four years and had to complete various formalities. The master baker had a junior, or first boy, at his command. The guild also provided instance against illness every day the baker delivered one or two loves to a hospital and in return was guaranteed free priority hospitalization. The baker who supplied free bread to the executioner placed the bread that was intended for him upside down so that the other customers could be sure that the executioner’s hand would not touch any other loaves. This gave rise to the superstition that it is unlucky to place bread upside down. The word boudanger which eventually replace the word lamelier, comes from the Prearly  word  boulenic, meaning one who makes round bread. The quality, weight and price of bread were precisely fixed by royal decree. Any loaves below the prescribed weight were confiscated and distributed to the poor. The Grand Panetier judged the bakers misdemeamours.

Bakery reforms in France Philip the Fair reformed baking legislation so that any times mixed out became proportional to the misdemeanour. He also reduced the bakers privileges and authorized private individuals to buy gram. In  1366 Charles V. introduced regulations concerning the places and times for the sale of bread, as well as the price, which varied according to the type of flour used. Charles VII introduced further regulations and imposed limits on the places and times wheat and flour could be bought. In the meantime, it became more and more usual to make bread at home.

     The 17^th century saw many changes in the Parisian bakery trade. Bread manufacture was improved, flour (without bran) was delivered in  larger quantities, the use of brewer’s yeast was prohibited, and the number of markets increased. In 1635 Richelieu introduced the following measures. Bakers of bread rolls and pastry cooks will not buy grain before eleven o’clock in winter and noon in summer, bakers of large loaves will not buy grain the town to obtain their supply first. Bakers shall put a distinctive trademark on their loaves, and keep wieghts and scales in their shops, under penalty of having their licences removed. Bakers were also obliged to sell their own bread, and not through a third party.

    Towards 1710, markets were established in Paris for the sale of bread and they were frequented by 600-600 bakers from Paris and the suburbs. A further thousand came from the surrounding area because the bread they produced was famous from Gonesse, Corbeil, Chilly and Saint German en Laye. In 1721 there were 1521 bakers most of whom sold their bread in the Great Hall in the Place Maubert, at the Marche Neuf de la Gite in the Rue Saint Honore, and at the market of Marais-du Temple Marie de Medici brought in Italian bakers who introduced new products. Gradually the Parisians became more and more partial to light while bread made with pure wheat flour.

From the French Revolution During the 18^th century methods of wheat cultivation and production made real progress,  and the spectre of famine was gradually eradicated. But the farsighted royal administration accumulated large quantities of grain. When a shortage of food occurred in 1775, the people accused the laminers and merchants of signing a pact of famine in order to speculate on grain. In reality, these preventative purchase were to be resold at the normal price.

    In  1771 Tungot decided that there should be free trade in grain throughout France. Unfortunately, this decision was premature and in the following year there was noting and pillaging of grain stores. This was called the war of famine.

    The day after the storming of the Bastille, the continuing shortage of food exasperated the people the bakers asked for sentries to protect them and prevent their shops from being ransacked Paris did not have enough bread and to cries of let’s get the baker, the bakers wife and the baker’s assistant, the people led by the market women, took the road to Versailles. On 2 march 1791 the Constitution did away with guild wardenships and masterships, and bakery supposedly become hee but was still subject to the regulations of the public authorities. Bakery products continued to evolve in 1810, Viennese products became popular and many Austrian bakers came to Paris.

Modern times Bread continues to be an essential part of the daily diet in France, as in most European countries. Though there is now the convenience of being able to buy bread elsewhere, the bakery is a part of small town life. In France, however, the craze for the Parisian baguette has resulted in the disappearance of many regional breads, while some regional bakeries have now become merely bread  shops.

     In former times, the village baker’s oven was often the only one locally, and certain slow cooked dishes, such as meat stews, including Boston baked beans in Puritan America, and even roast and pastries, were taken by the villagers to the baker, to be cooked in the residual oven heat after the bread had been removed. In some Mediterranean countries peppers are still baked this way and sold by bread shops, but the social function of a communal village oven has passed away now that domestic ovens are commonplace. Commercial bakeries have been in operation in France since 1959, but in the latter part of the 20^th century only accounted for about 10% of the total production. Most and this is typical throughout continental Europe – bread-making continues to be carried on in numerous small scale bakers.

Bakery equipment  From antiquity to the beginning of the 20^th century the baker’s equipment changed very slowly. Roman frescoes show a kneading machine d riven by animals and it is known that the workers of this period wore  hygienic masks. The mechanical  kneader used in modern bakeries dates from 1920. Ovens, formerly heated by burning wood and then coal, are now heated by gas, electricity of ol. Since the original Roman vault shaped cooking chamber, the bread oven has seen the introduction of the rotating disc and stacking in layers. The most commonly used oven nowadays rotates internally and contains a vertical trolley which can be removed when the bread is cooked.

There have been many improvements. High speed kneading machines oxygenate and bread. Refrigenerated fermentation chambers (instead of incubators) means that the baker can prepare the bread the previous evening because the fermentation process taken longer. However, the high proportion of yeast required does not improve the quality. Deep-freezing is very commonly practiced in the United States.

    In addition to various types of bread, many local bakers also make pastries and sell confectionery.

BAKING POWDER  A raising (leavening) agent invented in America and introduced to Europe in the 1840s, it consists of 2 parts bicarbonate of soda and 1 part cream of tartar mixed with a flour of starch. Several types are distinguished in America. Fast action baking powder works immediately in the cold dough, another type only on the dough going into the oven. Baking powder is commonly used in domestic baking, particularly for cakes and scones (biscuits)

BAKING SHEET.  A tray, with only a very slightly raised edge, on which all kinds of unmoulded pastries, biscuits, (cookies), small cakes and tarts are placed to be baked in the oven. It can be lined with grease proof (waxed) paper or greased and coated with flour if required.

BAKING TIN (PAN)  A wide flat cooking utensil that comes in various sizes and depths. The roasting tin (pan), made of aluminum or tinned copper plate, is usually rectangular with two handles and shallow vertical sides, it may be fitted with a grid so that the meat or poultry does not rest in its own cooking juices.

BAKLAVA A sweet pastry widely eaten in the Middle East consisting of several very thin layers of filo pastry filled with chopped toasted almonds, pistachios and walnuts mixed with sugar and then cut into lozenges (diamonds) before baking. When they are taken out of the oven, a honey or sugar syrup flavoured with rose water and lemon juice is poured over the baklavas.

RECIPE

Baklavas with pistachio nuts

In a food processor mix 575 g (1 ¼ lb. 5 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, 25 g (1 oz) salt and enough water to obtain a firm, elastic dough. Make 12 balls, of equal size. Flatten the first ball with the hand. Sprinkle a pinch of cornflour (cornstarch) over it to  prevent it from sticking.Place a second ball on top. Flatten this with the hand and sprinkle a pinch of cornflour over it. Repeat with the other 10 balls. This results in a pastry consisting of 12 layers. Gradually flaten this pastry with a rolling pin, taking care not to crush or tear it, stretching it g entry along  the edges in order to obtain a circle of about 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. Cover the pastry with a cloth and allow to rest or 1 hour.

     Then remove the first layer of the pasry, turn it over the sprinkle it with a pinch of cornflour. Repeat with the other layers, so that both sides of each layer are coated with cornflour, and pile them on top of each other again. Sprinle cornflour on a marble surface and place the stack of pastry on top, then stretch it out gently with the hands into a circle 50 cm (20 in) in diameter and 3-4 cm (1 ¼ -1 ½ in) thick.  Because the top stretches more than the botton, turn the stack of pastry over and repeat the stretching operation. Roll out carefully with a very long rolling pin into a circle about 80 cm (32 in) in diameter. Place the rolling pin in the middle of the pastry and roll 6 layers around it, one, sprinkling each with cornflour, then roll them on the table. Repeat  the operation with a second rolling pin and the 6 remaining layers. Finally, bring the 12 layers together, by now they will have become extremely thin.

Chop shelled pistachio nuts. Place the pastry over an overproof dish 70 cm (28 in) in diameter. The edges will overhang by about 20 cm (8 in) cut out the circle of pastry and set aside. Cut the rest into 4-6 lozenge (diamond) shapes. Divide in two (6 layers). Decorate with the chopped pistachio nuts and cover with the other half (6 layers). Cover the lozenges with the circle of pastry and carefully seal the edges. Melt 1.5 kg (3 ¼ lb, 6 ½  cups) butter and pour slowly on to the pastry. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4) for 20-30 minutes. Take the baklavas out of the oven and llow to cool. Mix 7 parts of sugar, 2 parts of water and 2 tablespoons orange flower water and cook gently for 5 minutes. Pour the hot syrup over the baklavas and leave them to cool.

BALLON  A round French bread roll made from fleur (French while flour), with a crisp, crumbly crust. It must be eaten very fresh.

BALLOTINE  A hot or cold dish based on meat , poultry, game birds on fish in aspic. The flesh is boned, stuffed, rolled and tied, up with string, usually wrapped in muslin (cheese cloth) sometimes in the skin then braised or poached

RECIPES

Ballotine of chicken in aspic

Bone a 2.5 kg (5 ½ lb) chicken as in the recipe for braised ballotine of chicken. Dice the flesh from the chicken together with 150 g (5 oz.) cooked ham, 150 g (5 oz) pickled tongue and 150 g (5 oz) bacon. Combine this meat with 225 g (8 oz) sausagemeat, 225 g (8 oz) lean minced (ground) veal, 2 eggs, 7 tablespoosn Cognac, 150 g (5 oz) chopped truffles or pistachios, a generous pinch of mixed spice and salt and pepper. Knead the mixture well with wet hands. Shape the stuffing into an oblong, place on the bone chicken and shape the ballotine by drawing the skin all round the stuffing. Rinse and squeeze out a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and roll up the ballotine tightly in it. Tie with string at both ends, slightly compressing, the ballotine, then tie in the middle and between the middle and each end.

    Prepare a jelly (aspic) stock using 2 calf’s feet, 300 g (11 oz) pork rind, 800 g (1 ¼ lb) kunuckle of veal, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 2 leeks (white part only) a bouquet garni, about 3.5 litres (6 pints, 3 ½ quarts) chicken stock (or water,) and 400 ml (14 ft oz. 1 ¾  cups) Madeira, adding the chicken carcass  and giblers (except the liver) and other giblets if desired. Simmer the ballotine gently in the prepared stock for 1  ¾  hours. Remove from the stock and allow to cool.  Unwrap, Rinse the muslin in warm water, squeeze out thoroughly, and wrap up the ballotine again. Tie up and allow to cool for 12 hours under a weight. Clarify the stock, adding gelatine if necessary, and coat the cold ballotine with the half-set aspic, then chill and serve when completely cold.

Ballotine of chicken in chaud froid sauce

Prepare the ballotine as for ballotine of chicken in aspic, but  coat with chaud-froid sauce instead of aspic.

Ballotine of duck

Bone a 2.5 kg (5 ½ lb) duck, remove all the flesh and dice the breast meat. Draw the sinews from the rest of the meat and finely chop with an equal weight of unsmoked fatty bacon, half this weight of lean veal, and 75 g (3 oz. 1  ½ cups) fresh bread crumbs soaked in milk. Combine these ingredients in a food processor with 4 egg, yolks. Season with salt, pepper and allspice. Add to this stuffing 150 g (5 oz) fresh foie gras, cut into large cubes and quickly fried in butter, 1 truffle and the diced breast meat. Add 2 tablespoons Cognac and mix well.

   Wet and squeeze out a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and spread out on the table. Place the duck skin, opened flat, on the muslin and spread evenly  with the stuffing. Roll into the ballotine shape. Tie at both ends and in the middle.

   Boil the ballotine immersed in a rich stock for 2-3 hours, arrange on a serving dish, and garnish as desired (chatelaine, chipolata, forestiere, Godard, Lucullus, braised chestnuts, or lettuce and other vegetables braised or cooked in butter. Baste the ballotine with a few spoonfuls of reduced sleved pan juices. Serve the remainder of this liquid separately.

To serve the ballotine cold, increase the foie grass to at least 200 g (7 oz). Once the cooked ballotine has been unwrapped, rewrap it very tightly in the same muslin, rinsed and wrong out, and allow to cool between two plates, under a weight. Refrigerate overnight, then glaze with aspic jelly made from the well reduced stock and chill to set before serving.

Ballotine of guinea fowl Jeanne d’Albret

Bone 2 raw guinea fowl without damaging the skin and reserve the breasts whole. Make a forcemeat with the flesh of the thighs  and their trimmings, 300 g (11 oz) lean Bayonne ham, 300 g (11 oz.) fat bacon and 200 g (7 oz) mushrooms. Use a food processor to reduce these ingredients to a paste or mince (grind) them finely, then bind together with  2 raw eggs. Press through a sieve. Spread a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) on the table, place on it two strips of uncured fat bacon, and spread the skin of the guinea fowls over these. Spread with half of the forcemeat. Slice the breasts into thin strips and arrange half of them on the forcemeat, add a slice of foie gras and two truffles on either side, lengthways. Make two more layers with the rest of the sliced breasts and the remaining forcemeat.

Roll into a ballotine in a muslin cloth and tie it up at both ends and in the middle. Place in a braising pan with a good white stock and a crushed calf’s foot, the bones and carcasses of the guinea fowls, a carrot, a small bouquet garni, the white part of a leek and 100 g  (4 oz) of bacon rind or pork rind. Cook for 1 ½ hours.

The  following day, strain the stock through a cloth and clarify it using 2-3 eggs to obtain a full flavoured aspic jelly.  Turn out the ballotine on to a long dish and glaze with the half-set aspic. Make  a crown with a piece of truffle and some chopped aspic and garnish the ballotine with cubes of aspic jelly and truffles.

Ballotine of lamb in aspic

Make a stuffing of a salpicon of picked tongue, ham and stoned (pitted) black olives. Spread this mixture on a boned flattened shoulder of lamb, roll it up, wrap it in muslin (cheesecloth) and tie with string. Cook the lamb in a casserole on a bed of vegetables with bacon and stock for about 1 ¾  hours, as in the recipe for braised ballotine of lamb. Drain and unwrap the ballotine (straining and reserving the liquor), squeeze out the muslin and use it to wrap up the ballotine again. Tie at both ends and in the middle and allow to cool for 12 hours under a weight. Unwrap and place in a dish. Warm the liquor and pour it over the ballotine, adding more warmed jellied stock, if necessary, to cover. Chill for at least 24 hours until firmly set before serving.

Ballotine of pork

Prepare a boned shoulder of pork in the same way as for braised ballotine of lamb.

Ballotine of veal

Prepare using boned shoulder or breast of veal, in the same way as for ballotine of lamb.

Braised ballotine of chicken

Cut off the feet and pinions (wing tips) of a chicken. To bone, cut through the middle of the back from the neck to the tail and then, using a small sharp knife, working one side of the backbone at a time, gently ease the flesh away from the bone, taking care not to pierce the skin. Then carefully remove the bones from the legs and wings. Spread the chicken out flat on the table. Remove the breast meat and as much as possible of the legs and wings and cut it into cubes.

Prepare a stuffing from finely minced (ground) pork and veal – about 225 g (8 oz) of each – mixed with 100 g (4 oz) cooked ham, 2 eggs, 7 table spoons Cognac, a generous pinch of allspice, and salt and pepper. Continue as for braised ballotine of lamb.

     The same method can be used to make hot or cold ballotines of turkey or pigeon, adding foie gras and truffles, if required, in proportions corresponding to the size of the bird.

Braised ballotine of lamb

Ask the butcher to bone a shoulder of lamb. To prepare the stuffing, first finely chop 3 onions, and cook in 20 g ( 3/4 oz, 1  ½  tablespoons) butter until soft. Mince together a bunch of parsley and 2 garlic cloves.  Combine this mixture with the onions, cloves. Combine this mixture with the onions, 450 g (1 lb) sausagemeat and salt and pepper and work together by hand or in a food processor. Open out the boned shoulder, spread with the stuffing, then roll up and tie with string.

    Dice  100 g (4 oz) carrots, 3 onions, 1 celery stick and 100 g (4 oz) bacon. Melt 25 g (1 oz. 2 table spoons) butter in a large flameproof casserole and brown the stuffed lamb. Remove and set aside. Cook the vegetable mixture in the butter  remaining in the pan until soft. Add a small sprig of thyme, then replace the vegetables. Add 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾) cup dry white wine, 200 ml (7 ft. oz, ¾ cup) stock or meat juices, a bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Turn the shoulder over in the vegetables, cover the casserole and continue cooking in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC(400 ^oF, gas 6) for 1 ½  hours. Remove the bouquet garni. Untie the ballotine and serve very hot, either on its own or with spinach, mixed vegetables, noodles, pilaf or risotto.

Cold ballotine of eel

Prepare and cook the ballotine as for hot ballotine of eel. Drain and unwrap, squeeze out the muslin (cheesecloth), and wrap the balltoine up again in the same cloth, tie up with string and cool for 12 hours under a weight. In the meantime, make a fish aspic using the stock in which the ballotine was cooked. Unwrap the eel and place in a dish, coat with aspic and chill until firmly set.

Hot ballotine of eel

Skin a large eel weighing at least 900 g (2 lb) cut off the head and tail, open out and remove the backbone. Flatten the eel and season with salt and pepper. Spread with forecemeat for fish and reshape the eel, taking care to ensure that it is the same thickness all the way along. Wrap it in muslin (cheesecloth), tie it up with string and place on a grid in a fish kettle. Prepare enough fish court bouillon to cover the eel in its pan. Allow to cool, then pour over the eel. Cover and poach very gently for about 20 minutes. Drain the ballotine, unwrap it and put it in an ovenproof dish. Strain the stock and reduce by boiling until syrupy. Coat the fish with the stock and put in the oven for a few minutes. Serve very hot.

Hot ballotine of eel bourguignonne

Add chopped parsley to godiveau Lyonnais (pike forcemeat) or a foremeat made from whiting. Use to stuff an eel which has been prepared according to the previous recipe. Poach in a court-bouillon of red wine, drain and keep warm. Prepare a bourguignonne sauce with the cooking stock and pour over the eel. This dish can be garnished with small fried croutons.

Small ballotines of chicken

Bone and stuff legs of chicken and cook until tender in the same way as for ballotine of chicken in aspic.

BALTHAZAR This word is used to describe both a magnificent feast and, since 1800, a large bottle of champagne. In both cases it refers to an episode in the Old Testament in which Balthazar, the last king  of Babylon, offers a sumptuous banquet to a thousand of his dignitaries. During the banquet he has the wine served in sacred vases which his father, Nebuchadnezzar, stole from the Temple in Jerusalem.That same night the sacrilege is punished by the hand of God. The word Balthazar has an ironic meaning when applied to a banquet. However, it still remains the technical name for a bottle of champagne containing the equivalent of 16 ordinary bottles. The next size up, containing 20 bottles, is known as a Nebuchadnezzr.

BALZAC, HONORE DE  French author (born periods Balzac, the author of La Comedle Humanine, shut himself away, drinking too much coffee and he displayed a gargantuan appetite. At the very restaurant, he was seen to devour a hundred Ostend oysters, twelve cutlets of salt-meadow mutton, a duck with turnips, two partridges and a Normandy sole, followed by desserts, fruit, coffee and liquers.

     Balzac has created a number of gourmets in his novels, such as Cousin Pons, who lvoed escargots an gratin and bocuf introton. Pere Rouget (from La  Raboutheuse), who considered that an omellette was more delicate when the whites and the yolks were beaten separately, and the Vidame de Pamiers (from Le Cabinet des antiques),  who decreed that for a dinner party to be successful no more than six guests must be present.

    The author often used famous restaurants of the Paris of the 1830s as his setting and described their specialties in his books  turbot with oysters from the Rocher de Cancale, outlets Soubise from the Café de Paris, cod in garlic from the Freres  Provenaux and grilled meats from the Café Anglais, where Rastignac gave a princely welcome to Delphine de Nucingen. However, provincial cooking was often more highly esteemed by Balzac because dishes were more studied and better thoughout Angevin potted meat (Le Lys dans la vallee), cling peach jam (Eugenie Grandei) and I soudun mazzipan (La Raboulleuse) were considered worthy of his praise.

   Balzac also edited a collected of gastronomic texts (Le Gastronome francats on Fart de bien vivre, 1828), for which he wrote an unsigned preface, and published the Physiologic gastronomique in 1830. He  also published  a study of contemporary stimulants *1838) and wrote a treatise on the same subject as an appendix to the new edition (1839) of the Physiologic du gofit by Brillat-Savarin.

BAMBOCHE, EN  The French term applied to a preparation of fried cod, sometimes served with fried eggs. The word is derived from the Italian bamboccio, meaning jumping jack, perhaps facifully referring to the way the pieces of cod jump around in the hot fat.

RECIPES

Fried eggs bamboche

Bind together a mixture of hot cooked vegetables with cream and arrange in a ring on a serving dish. Fill the centre with strips of fried cod. Arrange fried eggs on the ring of vegetables.

Salt cod en bamboche

Soak the fish to remove the salt and cut into thick slices the size of fillets of sole. Moisten with milk, dust with flour and plunge into boiling fat. Drain, pat dry and arrange on a bed of assorted vegetables mixed with butter or cream.

BAMBOO   A plant several metres tall, common throughout tropical Asia, whose young, tender and slightly crunchy shoots are served as a vegetable. The Japanese also enjoy bamboo seeds, which have a slightly floury texture, and in Vietnam and China food is steamed in bamboo leaves. In Cambodia, the bamboo canes themselves are used for cooking minced (ground ) meat in.

     Bamboo shoots used for cooking are ivory white in colour, spring from the base of the plant and are cut when conical in shape, averaging 7 cm (2 ½ in ) in diameter at the base and 10 cm (4 in) in length. When fresh, the fine needle sharp hairs which cover them must be removed before use. In Europe they are usually found dried or canned in water, brine or vinegar (under their Japanese name of takenoko or their Chinese name of sun ki)  Once opened keep preserved bamboo shoots in the refrigerator in a closed container filled with water.

   Popular throughout Chinese and the whole of tropical Asia, bamboo shoots cut into stripes or sticks are an ingredient of many dishes, including soups, stews and braised dishes, and stir fries. In China the shoots are salted, dried in the sun and macerated in sweet wine with star anise and rose petals to make a seasoning.  In Japan bamboo shoots are the basic spring time vegetable added to sukiyaki. They are  used in family stews and in the delicate dishes of the tea ceremony all year round.

    Strips of mature fine bamboo are used in the Far East for making lattice mats, on which to cook food or to roll sushi, and also for Chinese steamers, which are set over a wok.

RECIPE

Chicken with bamboo shoots

Place a chicken in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Immediately remove and drain the chicken. Cool the stock by standing the container in cold water. Skim the stock, replace the chicken and bring back to the boil. Add 5-6 shiitake mushrooms, 1-2 scented Chinese mushrooms, 100 ml (4 ft oz., 7 tablespoons) soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and pepper, and continue cooking. After 1 hour, drain 225 g (8 oz) preserved bamboo shoots, rinse in a colander with cold water, then cut into thick sticks, add to the pan and simmer gently until the cicken is cooked- about 20 minutes for a tender bird or 1 hour for a boiling fowl.

    Drain the chicken, remove the skin and cut all the meat into thin strips. Arrange the chicken on a serving dish and surround with the mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Just before serving trim 3-4 spring onions (scallions) and fry quickly in oil. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and use to garnish the dish. The stock, highly seasoned with pepper and with fine rice stick vermicelli added, can be served at the end of the meal.

BANANA  The fruit of the banana tree, a long leaved plant originating in India and cultivated in tropical regions (West Indies, Africa and South America), Each plant bears clusters of 50-200 fruits with sweet, white, floury and fleshy pulp.

   There are two major kinds of banana: fruit bananas, which are eaten cooked or raw, and plantain bananas, which are cooked as vegetables.

* Fruit bananas  According to an Indian legend, where Paradise is on the island of Sri Lanka, the banana was the forbidden fruit and Adam and Eve, banished from the Garden of Eden, covered their bodies with banana leaves.Because Europeans first called bananas figs, this explains the ancient names of Adam’s fig” and paradise banana”  Still rare in the Renaissance, bananas, introduced to France by the Portuguese, became from the 18^th century onwards.

     Indigenous varieties bear a short roundish fruit with a purplish red skin and highly scented flesh Bananas cultivated for export in South America (poyo, gros Michel, Cavendish, grande name) are long with brown-stained yellow skin. They are harvested green, shipped in banana boats at a temperture of about 13 ^oC (55 ^oF), and stored in a humid environment where they ripen at a temperture between 16.5 ^oC (61.5 ^oF) and 20 ^oC (68 ^oF). There are also sweet dwarf Canary bananas, lady fingers from Thailand and apple bananas from East Africa and malaysia.

    Cooking bananas brings out their full flavour and, when combined with sugar, butter or alcohol, they make a delicious, if heavy dessert.

   Bananas also contain pectins, which contribute to the smoothness of the flesh, and malic acid, which makes them refreshing when eaten raw. Well protected by their thick skin, they are transported unripe so continue to  ripen after purchase. ( They should not, however, be put in the refrigerator because they turn black at very low temperatures) The  skin is generally removed, as are the white threads which cling to the flesh. Bananas make  many sweet dishes poached, sauteed, flambeed, fritters, fruit salads, sweet omelettes, ice cream, flans and purees.

   Dried bananas are black in colour and sweet with a good flavour. Slices of unripe fruit are made into banana chips.

   In South America and the Far East, curled banana leaves are used to steam or wrap food such as rice or minced (ground) meat.

   Plantain With its green skin and fairly firm pink flesh, the plantain is the staple food of East Africa and accounts for roughly half of banana production. The plantain is usually flatter and longer than the fruit banana and contains more starch and less sugar. They are firmer in texture and have a slighly dry flavour. Cooking time varies according to the variety and state of maturity, but they are baked, boiled (in salted water for 15-45 minutes) fried, mashed or used in stews. Plantains are served as an accompaniment to many West Indian, South American or African dishes.

RECIPES

Savoury Banana Recipe

Bananas with bacon

Peel the required nubmer of bananas. Wrap a rasher (slice) of rindless smoked or unsmoked bacon around each banana as it is peeled and secure with wooden cocktail sticks (toothicks). Cook the bacon wrapped bananas under a hot grill (broiler) until the bacon is browned. Turn and cook the second side. Serve at once, Alternatively, the bananas can be fried in a little olive oil.

   Chunks of bananas can be wrapped in short lengths of bacon and threaded on metal skewers, then grilled on both sides until golden.

  Serve with cooked rice tossed with raisins, a pinch of cayenne, a few roasted peanuts and a little grated fresh root ginger.

   Bananas fried in a little unsalted butter are delicious with grilled bacon for breakfast or a light lunch serve with warm crusty bread or on warm waffles or lightly toasted English muffins.

Sweet Bananas Recipes

Baked bananas

Bake unpeeled bananas in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC  (425 ^oF, gas 7) for 10-20 minutes. Peel off a third of the skin lengthways to form a boat shape and serve with melted butter and caster (superfine) sugar or with redcurrant jelly.

Banana ice cream

Peel firm, ripe bananas and puree in a food processor or blender with lemon juice (use 1 lemon for 6 bananas). Mix with an equal volume of sugar syrup. Flavour with rum and freeze in the usual way.

Bananas a la creole au gratin

Select firm bananas and peel off a wide strip of skin from each. Remove the flesh in one piece, without crushing and sprinkle with lemon juice. Blanch the skins for 2 minutes in boiling water, cool by dipping in cold water and pat dry. Slice the flesh and soak for 30 minutes in lemon juice. Blanh the skins for 2 minutes in boiling water, cool by dipping in cold water and pat dry. Slice the flesh and soak for 30 minutes in lemon juice, sugar and rum. Put a layer of cooked rice pudding mixed with finely chopped crystallized (candied) fruit into each skin. Arrange the banana slices vertically on top and cover with finely crushed macaroons. Coat with melted butter and place under a hot grill broiler).

   They can be served with a rum-flavoured apricot sauce.

Bananas flambe

Peel some firm bananas and cook in butter or a vanilla-flavoured sugar syrup, without allowing them to become soft. Drain. Warm some rum, Calvados, Armagnac or Cognac and pour over the bananas. Set alight and serve immediately.

Bananas in butter

Peel some just-ripe bananas and arrange in a buttered overproof dish. Pour some melted butter over and dush with sugar. Bake in a preheated oeven at about 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for 15 minutes.

Banana souffles

Select some firm ripe bnanas. Peel off a strip of skin and remove the flesh. Sprinkle the flesh with lemon juice, mash and mix with a very little confectioner’s custard (pastry cream). Fold in whisked egg whites to prepare a souffle mixture. Fill the skins with the souffle mixture. Smooth the surface.Bake in a preheated oven at about 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6 ) for 8-9 minutes, Serve immediately.

Grilled bananas

Peel some bananas, brush with melted butter and grill (broil) gently for 15 minutes. Arrange the bananas in a dish, dust with caster (superfine) sugar and coat with sour cream, soft (whipped) cream cheese or a dessert sauce.

BANANA SPLIT. An ice-cream dish created in the United States, the main ingredient of which is a banana split in two lengthways. This is topped with three balls of ice cream (of the same or different flavours, vanilla, chocolate and strawberry) coated with chocolate sauce and decorated with whipped cream and glace (candied) marashino cherries. The melted chocolate may be replaced by strawberry sauce. An alternative decoration is sliced almonds or chopped walnuts, with a meringue shell on either side.

BAN DES VENDANGES. In medieval times, the proclamation of the date when the picking of grapes for the wine harvest could begin depended on the condition of the grapes and certain local traditions, for exmaple, the Hundred days aftr the flowering of the lilies in Burgundy or the flowering of the vine anywhere else. The Ban des Vendanges might be subject to the control of the overlord or vineyard owner in feudal times there were equally strict dates when prunning, sowing and so on might start and prevented anyone from making wine from grapes not fully ripe.Even today the earliest date for harvest is arrived at by discussion between the growers and the wine authorities of each region. Some wine fratenities still proclaim the Ban des Vendanges, holding reunions and ceremonies, such as that of the Jurade de Saint Emillion, second oldest of all the wine orders, when the vintage is announced from the top of the Tour du Roi.

BANDOL  An AOC wine produced in the wine growing region of Bandol,  a small Provencal port between Toulon and La Ciotat. The vines are cultivated in terraces (Provencal: restanques) on  red and rose wines are mostly Mourvedre (50% minimum) Cinsault and Grenache. Other varities cannot exceed 20% of the entire crop. The main varieties grown for white wine areL Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Bourbculenc. A subsidiary variety is Sauvignon, which does not exceed 40% of the crop.

   Red wines of this region are rare but it is to these that Bandol owes its reputation. Clean, solid, generous and harmonious, they have a good dark-red colour. They are a little rough when young, but mellow during the compulsory 18 month (at least ) aging period and become remarkably velvery thanks to the Mourvedre grape. The white and rose wines are fresh and versatile with a pleasant bouquet and are  best drunk fairly young.

BANON  A French  cheese bearing the name of a village in Haute Provence. Made from cow’s goat’s  or ewe’s milk (45% fat content), it has a soft texture, a natural crust and is a squat round shape, 7-8 cm (3 in) in diameter and 3 cm (1 ¼ in ) think. It is presented wrapped in chestnut leaves steeped in brandy and tied up with raffia. With its sweet or nutty flavour, Banon is very good from May to November. It is sometimes scented with springs of savory and is then known as Banon au pebre d’al, pebre d’al being the Provencal name for savory.

BANQUET An ostentatious or formal meal for a large number of guests, either for a festival or to mark the occasion of a political or social event. In view of the large amount of food to be prepared and served, banquets are rarely of great gastronomic quality, but their purpose is to unite people rather than to feed them lavishly. The word, which dates from the 14^th century, coems from the Italian bancheto, meaning a small bench on which the guests used to sit.

·         Sacred right and civic function. Since the earliest times the idea of the communal meal has been associated with magical rite. Every man had to gain the favour of the mysterious forces of nature to be lukcy in the chase, by eating the animal he had killed with his  companions, he regenerated his mental and physical strength. Greek sacrifices were also followed by a banquet, the meat was roasted, distributed amongst the participants and eaten close to the altar. This was one of the rare occasions on which citizens are meat (especially beef). In this way, the banquet was a very important act of communion, as it was for the early Christians in their love feasts (see agape). There were also banquets in ancient Greece where the main purpose was conversation, philosophical debate, games and song. Plato describes one of these in The Banquet.

·         The Greeks also held civic banquets to commemorae the Elders. These ceremonial city meals took place within the Prytaneum and were attended by chosen citizens dressed in white and wearing a crown of flowers They even became obligatory in Revolution with Lacedaemonian Tables for the nation to hold its great banquet in the hope of seeing rich and poor united in joyful public reunions  drinking toasts to the sound of all the bells. But these convivial meals were short-lived.

·         Private and public celebrations. With the Romans, the banquet became an occasion for ostentatious luxury with great attention to the setting, regardless  of whether the occasion was public or private. From the time of Charlemagne, custom required that vassals offered a banquet  to their lords at least once a year. Pmp and circumstance were the order of the day. Table settings, even richer, were part of the sumptuous ostentation. Banquets were organized whenever an occasion brought the people and their soverign together. In February 1548 Swiss ambassadors visiting Fontaineleau for the baptism of Claude, seventh child of Henry H and Catherine de Medici, were invited to an historical banquet. As this was during Lent, fish was served instead of meat and included lamprey, turle, trout, char, anchovy, herring, snalls, frog pale, carp and eels. In 1571 the City of Paris celebrated the arrival of Elizabeth of Austria in the capital with lavish banquet which included whale on the menu.

·         Power  and politics  Banquets inevitably became more numerous when used as the tool of political ambition. When Louis XIV entertained hundreds of courtesans at Versailles, he sought to demonstrate his power by the splendour of the reception Talleyrand, who used culinary art in the service of diplomacy, said to Louis XVIIIL Sire, I have greater need of cooking pots than of instructions.

The banquet was also an instrument of internal politics. Under Louis-Philippe, minister Guizot removed the right to hold public meetings of political purposes, so voters met at banquets where they discussed politics under the guidance of famous men such as Lamartine and Ledru-‘Rollin. Guizot eventually prohibited these banquets, but he was too late. It is reported that the King declared confidently that the Parisians will never trade a throne for a banquet.

* The biggest banquet in the word. On 14 July 1889 Gambetta assembled all  the mayors of France at the Palace of Industry in Paris to celebrate the centenary of the storming of the bastille. Eleven years later, the idea was repeated by Emile Loubet for the famous mayors banquet on 22 September 1900. The menu included  fillet of beef.  Bellevue, Rouen duck loaf, chicken from bresse and ballotine of pheasant. This menu was designed to revive the republican spirit in the city officials. 22,295 mayors were entertained in the Tuileries Gardens in tents specially erected for the occasion and served by waiters from Porel and Chabot, who covered the 7 kilometres (4 miles) of tables on bicycles.

   Nowadays banquets are less extravagant.Although still fashionable for heads of state, they hardly ever take place otherwise, except for associations, corporations and fellowships in banqueting halls rented out by restaurants equipped to provide this kind of service. Social events now tend to be celebrated at luncheons, cocktail parties and garden parties.

BANQUIRE  A rich French garnish (hence the name, which means banker) composed of quenelles of chicken, mushrooms and slivers of truffle, served as an accompaniment to poultry and calves sweet breads and used as a filling for pies and vol-au-vent with banquiere sauce. The same garnish (without mushrooms) also accompanies tournedos (filet mignons) or sauteed noisettes of lamb arranged on croutons and coated with the pan juices mixed with Madeira and stock.

RECIPE

Banquiere sauce

3 tablespoons Madeira to 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¼ cup) supreme sauce. Sieve, then add 2 tablespoons chopped truffle or truffle peelings.

BANYULS  A high-class French vin doux naturel that rivals port. Its name comes from one of the four communes of Roussilon where it is produced (Banyuls, Cerbere, Colloure and Port-Vendres). The vineyards, where the garape traditionally grown is the Grenache noir, are situated on the steep dry hillsides where the work of the vine growers is particularly hard. Little arable soil is available and this is washed away each year by torrential rain and must be brought back to the tops of the  slopes. This happens in spite of the terraces which have been built on the hillsides in an attempt to control the run-off effect and to protect the vines from the icy blast of the north wind.

    The grapes are picked  when extremely ripe.After partial fermentation, alcohol is added to stop the action of the yeast (a process known as mutage). The wine is aged in barrels or large glas jars. The AOC Banyuls requires that the mutage takes place before the end of the year in which the grapes are harvested and that the wine remains in the cellars until I September of the following year. The Banyuls grand cru (vintage Banyuls) must be aged in wooden barrels for at least 30 months before sale. It is classed as sec or brut (dry) when it contains less than 54 g (about 2 oz) natural sugar per 1 litre (1 ¾  pints, 4 1/3 cups) The name rancho is given to the vintage when particular ageing conditions have given it a mature taste.

BAR A retail outlet for drinks, which are generally consumed standing up (or sitting on a bar stool) in front of a counter which may be fitted with a copper or wooden bar as a foot rest (hence the name). The word appeared in the French language in 1837 and also applies to the counter itself.

    The tradition of the American bar begin in Paris in about 1910 and developed between thewars with the fashion for cocktails. Some bars frequented by celebrities became famous. This fashion has been in decline in France since the 1950s but the neighbourhood bar flourished in the USA.

    Some French restaurants, such as the Coupole or the Closeric des Lilas, and some hotels, such as the Crillon or the George V, have bars reserved for their own customers, and these are sometimes used as a background for political, society or artistic events. Other establishments, opening in the evening and sometimes all night, often with musical entertainment, are simply bars where only alcoholic beverages are consumed. Among the famous bars of Paris are Fouquet’s , a meeting place for the world of cinema, the Bar  Romain, a favourite baun of show business artistes, and the Pont-Royal, a focal point of literary life.

    In France, as elsewhere, by far  the majority are café bars or bars cafes tabacs, which are open all day and serve snacks, as well as alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks.

BARACK PALINKA.  An unsweetened apricot brandy produced in Hungary from a distillation of fresh apricots, the best of which come from the orchards of Keeskemel, Barack Palinka from Austria and Hungary are often sold in long necked bottles known as futyulos

BARBADINE African name for the giant granadilla, related to passion fruit.

BARBARESCO  A red Italian wine from Piedmont made from the Nebbiolo grape. It comes from the communes of Barbaresco and Neive and is characeterized by its line fruity flavour.

BARBECUE. An open-air cooking apparatus or outdoor grill, usually charcoal burning, for grilling or split-roasting meat or fish and, by extension, a social occasion, much favoured in America and Australia.

    Charcoal cookery is the most ancient of cooking methods, still the common way of cooking in Mediterranean and tropical climates, while roasting an animal on a fire has been a way of feasting in all places and in all eras. In America the outdoor grill is associated with the push westward and opening up the new continent. In its modern form, out door cookery has become a leisure activity, characterized by tongs and the apron and, sometimes, expensive cooking equipment, and is dinstinct from day to day cookery.

   The word probably comes from the Haitian barbacoa, meaning grill, but some attribute its origin to the French de la barbe a la queue (from the beard to the tail), referring to the method of impaling the animal on the roasting spit. There may even be a connection with the French barbaque, which comes from the Romanian berbec, meaning roast mutton. In Japan the bibachi or table barbecue is a small castiron hearth, equipped with a grid. Traditionally, each guest grills his or her own kebabs or other items, which have been cut up in advance. Hibachi grills are now popular outdoor alternatives to large barbecues, used in the same way.

Equipment.  Types of barbecue vary according to the site. The most basic consist of a hearth containing charcoal and grid (rack). The most complex are complete garden cookers with a spit (often electric) removable hood, oven and dripping pan. Camping barbecues are made to fold away and are equipped with a wind break.

   A hearth barbecue is made either of cast iron (they do not lose their shape but are heavy and breakable) or steel plate (this must be fairly thick) which sometimes tips to a vertical position. The rectangular or circular grid is made of steel and the height is adjustable.

   The most commonly used fuel is wood charcoal, specially prepared from carbon purified sticks, which greatly prolong the intense heat of the charcoal. When wood is used, its type affects both the speed of cooking and the flavour the smoke gives to the food. Very hard wood gives intense heat and in Europe vine prunings have always been used, in America mesquite. The US also favours hickory and oak. A classic addition to the fire in  France, to flavour fish, is fennel stalks.

   Some barbecues operate with lava stones heated by butane gas or even solar energy. There are various accessories which may come in handy, poker, tongs, bellows, oven gloves, long-handled spoon and fork, and a variety of racks for enclosing fish and meat and enabling them to be turned neatly.

 * Cooking methods. Almost anything can be grilled or roasted on a barbecue, with the exception of thin veal and delicate fish. Corn cobs, peppers, tomatoes and large mushrooms can be cooked directly on the grid, brushed with oil or melted butter and other vegetables (such as potatoes) can be enclosed in foil, or be chopped and cooked inside sealed foil parcels. Cooking begins when the charcoal has reached the glowing ember stage.

   Some meats have a better flavour if they have been marinated. Barbecued food can be served with any of the sauces which traditionally accompany grills and fondue bourguignonne (pepper, bearnaise or tartare).

·         Spit-Roast Meat Distribute the weight of the meat to be cooked evenly along the length of the spit. If chicken is being cooked, hold the limbs in place with small wooden skewers so that they do not become charred. Initially place the meat close to the embers so that the heat causes a crust to form, sealing in the juices, and then move it further away so that the meat will cook slowly right through.

·         Grilled Fish or Meat. Since they are either enclosed in a folding grill rack or cooked directly on the grid, each item must be brushed with oil over so that it does not stick to the hot metal. Large fish should be gutted (cleaned) and washed, but not scaled (so that the flesh remains tender). Remove the scales and skin together before serving. Split  a small chicken in two, remove the giblets, flatten and season. Scample Gumbo shrimp) and oysters (in their shells) can be placed directly on the grid without further preparation.

·         Kebabs Brush each piece of food with oil before putting the kebabs on the grill.Wrap fragile pieces (such as shellfish and liver) in a thin slice of lean bacon.

BARBEL Barbeau A freshwater fish related to carp with a brown back, yellowish sides and white abdomen, named for the beardlike projections from its lower jaw. It is found in many rivers in Europe, Asia and Africa. In France the common river barbel is about 50 cm (20 in) long, weighing up to 2 kg (4 ½ lb), while the southern barbel is smaller. Its flesh is bland and full of bones. In the Loire and Burgundy regions it is served poached or braised and flavoured with red wine and herbs, Young barbel are either fried or grilled (broiled).

BARBERA. An Italian grape which has given its name to a red wine produced in large quanties in Piedmont. Barbera is a full-bodied dark wine, often drunk when young.

BARBERRY   A quickly European shrub, also found in America, that favours dry soil and sunny spots. In  October it produces tart, bright red very slim berries in bunches. They are rich in tartaric and malic acids, which are used to make jellies and syrups, and also for flavouring rice pilaf in Iran. Cooked and dried they can be made into a fine powder, which was formerly used as a seasoning. The unripe green berries can be preserved in vinegar, like capers.

BARD.  Thin slices of pork or bacon fat which are placed around meat, some game birds and poultry, and even some fish before roasting to prevent them from drying out in the heat of the oven.  Barding is not advised for some very tender meats as the strong flavour of the bard might overshadow the taste of the meat. Bards are also used as a lining for pates cooked in pastry or terrines.

   In order to bard a roast, the meat is covered with strips of bard held in place with string. To bard terines and pates, the inside of the pie crust or mould is lined with bards.

    The bards are generally removed before serving, but it is usual to serve partridge, other game and pates still barded.

BARDATTE   A Breton speciality from the region of Nantes, which used to be prepared at harvest time and eaten cold by the peasants in the fields. It consists of a cabbage stuffed with rabbit or hare meat flavoured with herbs, which is wrapped in a thick wide slice of bacon (barde, hence its name), put in an earthenware dish, moistened with stock and baked slowly in the oven.

BARIGOULE, A LA  The French term used to describe a particular method of preparing stuffed braised artichokes. Barigoule is the Provencal name for the milk cap mushroom, once solely used in the recipe. Originally, the country recipe consisted of cooking the artichokes like mushrooms, that is, cut off flat at the base, sprinkled with oil and grilled  (broiled). Provencal cooks subsequently developed a stuffing of ham and mushrooms for the artichokes.

RECIPE

artichokes a la barigoule

Prepare the artichokes for stuffing. Clean and chop 76 g (3 oz. 1 cup) mushrooms for each artichoke. Mince (grind) 50 g (2 oz) fat bacon and the same quantity of ham. Mix these ingredients together with chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Fill the artichokes with the mixture, bard, tie up with string, and braise in white wine to which a little olive oil has been added.  Thicken the cooking liquor with a very small amount of softened butter.

BARLEY  The earliest known cereal to be cultivated, used formerly for bread and, still, for beer. Barley is the staple grain of northern lands, where it is too cold for whetat, and has been grown in the Neart East since 8000 BC. High in sarch, it produces a low gluten flour and consequently a heavy, flat nourishing loaf (but one that keeps well). Until the 16^th century it supplied Europe’s main bread. Its flat loaves were used as plates, which were then eaten. Something of this tradition continues in the ever popular Scandinavian flat breads, and its Scottish use for griddle cakes like bannocks (and for porridge).

    It is also used for drinks, like barley water (with lemon juice), gives its name to orgeat and makes barley beer. The grain’s main modern use is a basic ingrdient in malting and beer brewing (the best varieties for brewing are those with a double row of seeds).

    Pearl barley is the bulled and milled grain, pot barley is unhulled, both are used chiefly in soups, broths and stews, such as oxtail soup, cholent and Scotch broth. Pearl barley can be boiled and served as an alternative to rice.

RECIPES

Consomme with pearl barley

Wash 100 g (4 oz, ½  cup) pearl barley in warm water and add it, with I celery stick to 2.5 litres (4 ¼ pints, 11 cups) clarified beef stock. Simmer for 2 hours, then remove the celery and serve the soup in cups.

Cream of barley soup

Wash 300 g (11 oz. 1 ½ cups) pearl barley and soak it for 1 hour in warm water. Add the barley and 1 sliced celery stick to 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4  1/3 cups) clear white stock and simmer for 2 ½ hours. Rub the soup through a fine sieve and dilute with a few tablespoons of stock or milk. Heat the soup through again and add 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup) double (heavy)cream.

BARLEY BEER  cervoise  An alcoholic drink that the Gauls made from fermented barley, oats, rye or sometimes wheat, flavoured with various spices. It was an earlier  form of beer, which appeared with the introduction of hops in the 14^th century. The French word possibly derives from the Gallic cerevista, a combination of Ceres, Roman goddess of harvests, and the Latin vis (strength)l. Barley beer was originally matured in pottery jars and later in casks. Throughout the Middle Ages, because of privileges granted by Charlemagne, monks were the major producers. In 1268 the Livre de metiers laid down regulations for the cervoister (barley-beer maker) No one may brew barley beer from anything except water and grain, either barley, wheat and rye mixture, or dragie (barley residue). The maker was forbidden to add to it berries, spiced honey sweetened wine or resin. In present day Iberian languages, cerveza and cerveja are words for beer.

BARLEY SUGAR  A traditional sweet (candy) of cooked sugar in both France and Britain, made originally  from a mixture of hot sugar syrup and a decoction of barley to colour it.

     Back in fashion under the French Second Empire because Napoleon III enjoyed it, barley sugar became a speciality of the spa  towns of France (Evian, Plombieres, Cauterets and Vichy,in particular) It  has been made in the form of small cylindrical sticks (from a ribbon of drawn sugar rolled by hand, then wrapped in coloured cellophane), twisted sticks and flat tablets, cut out on an oiled baking sheet. Modern forms are made of cooked sugar without barley, with various flavourings, shaped into a round stick or cut out by a pressing machine.

   Two specialities are worth mentioning. Tours barley sugar, flavoured with apple or cherry, and Moret barley sugar, amber coloured, in the shape of a heart marked with a cross. The latter was created in 1638 by the nuns of the convent of Moretsur-Loing (Seinet-Marne) and its recipe remains a secret, lost under the Revolution, it was preserved by one of the nuns and later sold to a lay confectioner of the town.

    The Nancy bergamot, the Vosges granit, and the honey flavoured pastille of Saint Benoit sur-Loire (in the shape of a little monk) are also barley sugar.

RECIPE

Old fashioned barley sugar

Gently cook 250 g (9 oz. 1 ¼ cups) hulled barley in 5 litres (8 ½ pints, 5 ½ quarts) water for 5 hours. Strain this liquid (which resembles white jelly) and return it to the pan. Add 1 kg (2 ¼ lb, 4 cups) warmed sugar, stir until dissolved over a gentle  heat, then boil the mixture just to the hard crack stage (see sugar) and pour it over an oiled marble slab. As soon as the barley sugar begins to cool, cut it into long strips and twist them.

BARNACLE, GOOSE pouce-pied  A crustacean which lives on sea washed rocks, fixed at the foot and standing about 5 cm (2 in) high.   It is difficult to harvest and therefore very expensive. The outside is blackish and mottled and, fancifully, a group look like a gaggle of geese with upstretched necks  because the tips are whitish, like parted beaks.  Found on the stormiest parts of Europe’s Atlantic coast, and in Canada, it is a speciality in  Galicia. The Spanish name is percebe.

    Cooked briefly in court-bouillon or boiling water, it is eaten with or without vinaigrette after peeling, or squeezing out the soft orange cylindrical inside.

BAROLO  An Italian red wine from the hills of Piedmont around the village of Barolo. It is a wine with a fairly high alcoholic content made from the Nebbiolo grape, which is improved by being aged in flavour giving hints of raspherries, truffles and chocolate, Barolo is a powerful but smooth wine with a burnt aftertaste.

BARON   The cut of mutton or lamb that includes the saddle (loins) and both hind legs.  The term was applied originally to beef, but since a baron of beef is so big, it is hardly ever cooked as such. Baron of lamb is oven or spit-roast, and is served with vegetables such as braised chicory (endive), green beans, flageolets and potatoes, and moistened with the meat juices. It is one of the most spectacular roasts of French cuisine.

   The noble title given to this cut has an historical origin.  Henry VIII of England was presented with a spit-roast double sirloin and was so impressed by this magnificent joint that he dubbed it Sir Loin, Baron of Beef. The corresponding cut of mutton was subsequently given the same name.

    In 1952 the Academie Francaise attempted to impose the name has-roud but, because of the protests, it was decided that the French would keep to the original English name.

RECIPE

Baron of lamb a la perigourdine

Cook and shell 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) chestnuts. Cover the baron with a light even coat of butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6 ) for about 20 minutes. Turn out and allow to cool on a wire rack. Coat each barquette with sieved apricot jam and decorate with 2 blanched almonds. Puff pastry can also be used. Afternatively, the pastry boats may be baked blind, filled  with crème au beurre and topped with apricots cooked in a syrup.

Barquettes a Pamericaine

Fill cooked barquette cases with a salpicon of shell fish a I’americaine. Sprinkle with fried breadcrumbs and bake in a preheated oven at 230 ^oC (4050 ^oF, gas 8) until the filling is hot and the crumbs are crips.

Cheese barquettes

Finely chop some mushrooms and sauce them. Prepare a bechamel sauce and add some grated Gruyere cheese, then the sauteed mushrooms. Fill the cooked barquettes with the mixture, sprinkle with white breadcrumbs and melted butter, then brown under the grill (broiler).

Mushroom barquettes

Prepare some scrambled eggs and a mushroom duxelles. Spread a layer of scrambled eggs and a layer of mushrooms in each cooked barquette. Fry some breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the barquettes. Bake for a few minutes in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF gas 6 ) just to warm the barquettes through.

Scrambled egg and asparagus barquettes

Prepare some scrambled eggs and asparagus tips. Fill the cooked barquettes with scrambled eggs. Garnish with asparagus tips, sprinkle with melted butter and warm through in the oven.

Soft-roe barquettes

Poach some soft roe (carp, herring or mackerel) in court bouillon. Finely chop and saute some mushrooms. Prepare a small quantity of bechamel sauce. Fill the botton of each cooked  barquette with mushrooms. Place one piece of roe in each barquette. Coat with bechamel sauce, sprinkle with grated Gruyere cheese and brown under the grill (broiler).

Other recipes See Bagration, Beauharmais, bouquetiere, normande.

Sweet Barquettes

Apricot barquettes

For about 15 barquettes, prepare pastry using 225 g (8 oz, 2 cups) sifted flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 egg yolk., 100 g (4 oz. ½ cup) butter, and about 7 tablespoons water. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 3 mm (1/8 in). Cut with a fluted oval pastry (cookie) cutter. Line the moulds with the pastry, prick the botton of each one, and sprinkle with a little icing (confectioner’s) sugar. Remove the stones (pits) from the apricots and cut each one into four. Lay the apricot quarters length ways in the pastry boats, skin-side down. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for about 20 minutes. Turn out and allow to cool on a wire rack. Coat each barquette with sieved apricot jam and decorate with2 blanched almonds. Puff pastry can also be used. Alternatively, the pastry boats may be baked blind, filled with crème au beaurre and topped with apricots cooked in a syrup.

Chestnut barquettes

Bake some pastry barquette cases blind and then fill them with chestnut cream. They can be decorated with piped whipped cream and a sugar violet. Alternatively, shaped the cream into a done with two sides and ice (frost) one side with coffee icing and top with pipe crème au beurre.

BARRACUDA  A tropical fish of the Sphyrenidae  family.  There are several species, all with an elongated body, a long, wide head and a pointed muzzle. The small barracuda, seldom longer than 1 metre (3 ft 3 in), has a golden band along its side, and is sometimes called false pike (faux brochet) It is fished off the coast of Africa and sold fresh in french markets. The Pacific barracuda is a sporting fish, weighing up to 5.5 kg (12 lb), and prized for cooking in California. Easy to cook, either grill (broil) or eat as carpaccio, thinly sliced and raw.

  The great barracuda, common in the Western Atlantic and the Caribbean islands, is not recommended, as it may cause ciguatera poisoning.

BARRAMUNDI The giant perch of the Lates family of northern Australia, named by the aboriginals. This is the best eating fish in Australia. Golden brown, up to 1.5 m (5 ft.) long and prized as a game fish, the barramundi ranges from the Philippines to the Persian Gulf.

BARREL. Probably developed by the Celts for transporting many types of goods, the wine barrel has an important influence on wine styles. Barrels are made in many sizes, from a standard Bordelaise at 225 litres (49 UK gallons, 61 US gallons) to traditional large Italian or German casks which may contain 10 or 20 times more. Wood is shaped into staves and held in a  cylindrical shape by iron hoops – nails are not used in the construction of a barrel. Oak, from forests in France, Eastern Europe or America, is most favoured although other woods, such as chestnut, may be used for large casks.

BARSAC  A sweet wine from Bordeaux, Barsac is the largest of the five communes in Sauternes and may call its wine either AOC Barsac or AOC Sauteness. Made from Botrytis affected Semillon and Sauvignon graps, Barsac wines are often slightly less sweet and more fruity than Sauteness.

BASELLA   A tropical climbing plant, also known as vine spinach, Ceylon spinach or Malabar spinach. Ceylon spinach is used for the red-leaved variety while Malaban spinach refers to the green leaved plant. The stem, which can grow as high as 2 m (7 ft), bears leaves which are harvested as the plant grows and are eaten like spinach. Thought to be native to India, basella is grown inChina, Southeast Asia and Awfrica. In the West Indies, basella is prepared like bredes.

BASIL   An aromatic herb, both the main types originated in India, its name is derived from Greek bastlikos, meaning royal, for only the sovereign Obastleus) was allowed to cut it. At is still important in the cooking of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, in salads and curries.

    Sweet basil is now widely grown as a herb with many cultivars. Common basil has large soft leave 3 cm ( 1 ¼ in) long, but there are ruffled, lettuce-leaved and purple varieties, with lemon and cinnamon among their smells. Basil is a warm weather annual, one reason why it is grown in pots inside windows, another is that it keeps away flies. In France it is associated with Provence, but the strongest association is with Liguria in northern Italy, and Genoa, where it is ground with Parmesan to make the famous pesto sauce. The leaves have a strong flavour of lemon and jasmine. Basil has an affinity with tomatoes, and is used in salads, stuffings, sauces and omelettes as well as soups (see pistau and pasta dishes.

BASIN.  Originally, a basin in France was a wide deep circular container made of copper or tin, which was used to collect the water poured over the hands during table ablutions. These gradually became richly worked gold pieces used more as ornaments on side boards and dressers. From the 17^th century onwards pottery basins were used in France either for ablutions or, more commonly, for serving meat or fruit. Some reached such dimensions that it required two men to carry them. They disappeared as serving dishes in the 18^th century and were replaced by smaller bowls or dishes.

BASQUAISE, A LA   The French term used to describe several recipes (particularly for omelettes and sautted chicken) using tomatoes, sweet peppers, garlic and often Bayo nne ham associated with the French Basque country. A basquaise garnish, for large cuts of meat, consists of Bayonne ham with cep mushrooms and Anna potatoes.

RECIPES

Consomme a la basquaise

Cook 4 tablespoons rice and 3 tablespoons diced red pepper cut into strips in 1.5 litres (2 ¼ pints, 6 ½ cups) clear beef or chicken broth. Add 2 table spoons diced tomatoes 5 minutes before the rice is cooked. Sprinkle with chopped chervil before serving.

Sauced squid a la basquaise

Wash and dry 500 g (18 oz) ready cleaned white squid and cut it into strips. Seed and chop 4-5 red and green peppers, finely chop 4 onions, and peel and finely chop 500 g (18 oz) fresh tomatoes. Fry the peppers in oil, the add the onions, the squid and 1-2 crushed garlic clove. After cooking for 15 minutes, add the tomatoes and a bouquet garni and season with salt and pepper. Half-cover and cook gently for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Stuffed potatoes a la basquaise

Prepare a tomato sauce flavoured with garlic. Dice some red and green peppers and fry in oil. Hollow out some large peeled potatoes, place in boiling water for 5 minutes and wipe dry. Dice some Bayonne ham and moisten it with the tomato sauce, adding the peppers. Fill the potatoes with the mixture. Oil a dish, arrange the potatoes in it and season them with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with oil or melted goose fat. Cover the dish and bake in a preheated oven at about 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4) for 30-40 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked, sprinkle with breacrumbs and melted fat and brown under the grill (broiler).

BASS   bar A fish of the family percichthyidae, the sea bass is caught principally in the Medieterranean. Also known as sea perch (because of its similarity to the perch) and around the Provencal coast as loup (wolf) and lubina in Spanish, because of its reputed ferocity, it is a voracious predator, 35-80 cm (14-32 in ) in length. It is also relatively rate and, therefore, expensive. Valued since Roman times, the sea bass has fine, compact and delicate flesh with few bones. It is served poached, grilled (broiled) braised, stuffed or flabeed. Normally fillets are only prepared from very large fish which are difficult to cook whole. Once the skin has been removed, these fillets can be cooked simply by frying in a little butter or olive oil.

   The striped base (bar tacbete) has an olive green back and is distinguished from the sea bass by its many horizontal  black stripes, it is normally tip to (60 cm 24 in) long. It lives off the Atlantic coast from the Baby of Biscay to Senegal, off the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico, and has successfully been introduced to the Pacific as a sporting fish. It is an inshore fish, preferring calm muddy water. In France it is caught only off the Vendee, where it is baked covered with sea salt.

   The black sea bass ranges north from Florida, and is a common catch off Cape God. It is another excellent fish for frying and baking. The speckled bass, which is smaller and has less flavour, is fished off the coasts of Morocco.

RECIPE

Preparation of bass

Clean the fish through the gills and through a small incision at the base of the stomach in order to grasp the end of the gut. If the bass is to be braised, fried or grilled (broiled), remove the scales, working from the tail to the head. Do not remove the  scales if it is to be poached because the scales help to hold the fragile flesh intact. Wash and dry the fish. When grilling, make a few shallow incisions with a sharp knife in the fleshy part of the back.

bass a la livournaise

Scale and clean 4 bass each weighing 250-300 g (9-11 oz). Season with salt and pepper. Butter or oil an ovenproof dish. Spread 200 ml (7 ft. oz, ¾ cup) well seasoned tomato sauce over the bottom and arrange the bass on top. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and melted butter or olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at about 230 ^oC (450 ^oF, gas 8) for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

bass a la portugaise

Scale and clean 2 bass each weighing about 400 g (14 oz). Make incisions in the back and season with salt and pepper. Butter an ovenproof dish, arrange the bass in the dish, and moisten with a mixture of equal proportions of dry white wine and fish stock. Bake in a preheated oven at 230 ^oC (450 ^oF, gas 8) for about 15 minutes, basting the fish two or three times during cooking. Drain the fish. Pour the liquor into a small pan, reduce and add butter. Cover the bottom of the cooking dish with tomato sauce, arrange the bass on top and cover with the remaining sauce. Glaze in a preheated oven at 240 ^oC (475 ^oF gas 9) and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Bass braised in red Graves wine

Fillet a 1.5 kg (3 ¼ lb) sea bass.Season with salt and pepper and fry both sides quickly in butter in a frying pan.Drain, in the same butter,f ry 100g (4 oz) thinly sliced mushrooms and 100 g (4 oz) small white onions. Put the fillets, back on top of the  mushrooms and onions. Add ½ bottle red Graves and a little fish stock. Cover with buttered grease proof (waxed) paper and simmer for 5 minutes over a low heat. Drain the fillets on paper towels, remove the skin and place them in an oven proof dish. Drain the garnish and arrange it around the fish.Reduce the cooking juices and thicken with butter, just before serving stir, in a little hollandaise sauce, strain and pour over the fillets. Brown under the grill (broiler) and garnish with croutons fried in butter.

Braised bass

Select a bass weighing 1.25 kg (2 ¾ lb). Peel and finely chop 2-3 carrots, 2 onions and 1 shallot. Melt 25 g (1 oz. 1 tablespoon) butter in a frying pan, add the choped vegetables and cook until they begin to change colour. Chop a small bunch of parsley and mix with 1 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper. Stuff the fish with the parsley butter. Spread the partly cooked vegetables in a large buttered ovenproof dish and gently place the fish on top of the vegetables. Add a bouquet garni and 300 ml. Vegetable.  Add a bouquet garni and 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼ cups) dry white wine. Melt 25 g (1 oz. 1 tablespoon) butter and pour over the bass, then cover the dish. Bake in a preheated oven at about 220 ^oC (425 ^oF, gas 7) for about 25 minutes.Drain the fish, arrange on a serving dish and keep warm.Discard the bouquet garni, sieve the pan juices and reduce. If desired, beat in butter to thicken the sauce. Skin the bass and cover in sauce. The braised bass may be served on a bed of mushroom duxelles or sorrel fondue, or surrounded by slices of aubergine (eggplant) lightly friend in oil.

cold poached bass

Prepare as for hot poached bass and allow the fish to cool in the poaching liquor. Drain, arrange on a napkin and remove the skin. Garnish with lemon halves, artichoke hearts and small tomatoes stuffed with chopped vegetables.Serve with mayonnaise, vinaigrette or any other sauce suitable for cold fish.

Cream of ginger bass

Prepare the cream of ginger: soften 4 chopped shallots in butter, add 100 ml (4 ft. oz ¾ cup) fish fumes, and reduce.Add 325 ml (11 ft oz. 18 cups) double (heavy) cream and a pinch of salt. Reduce by half, until you have the required consistency. Add  1 tablespoon grated fresh root ginger and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Strain through muslin (cheesecloth) or a fine strainer. Thicken the sauce with 75 g (3 oz. 6 tablespoons) butter (cut into small knobs) beating with a whisk.

   Prepare 400 g (14 oz) well washed spinach without stalks and braise in butter. Take 4 escalopes (scallops) of sea bass, each weighing 175 g (6 oz), and season with ground white pepper and salt. Fry quickly in oil.  Drain them on paper towels so as to remove all traces of cooking oil. Make a bed of spinach in the middle of e ach plate and arrange the sea bass on top. Pour the cream of ginger over them and garnish with sprigs of chervil.

Crowns of bas s with red peppers

Fillet and clean a 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) sea bass. Cut the flesh into strips and plait (braid) 3 strips together. Repeat with the remaining strips. Season with salt, Shape the plaits into crowns and keep chilled.

   Grill (broil) 2 red peppers until their skins are blistered and blackened. Cool slightly, then peel, havlve and seed them. Cut out 4 strips and 5 small petal shapes. Puree the rest and reduce the puree over a gentle heat. Cook some broccoli in boiling salted water, drain, reserve a little for the crown centres and puree the remainder.

   Brown 2 chopped shallots in butter, then add some white wine and reduce by half. Add 500 ml (17ft oz, 2 cups) single (light) cream and heat through. Divide this mixture in two stir the pepper  puree into one h alf, and the brocoli puree into the other.Check the seasoning and keep warm.

    Fry the crowns of sea bass in butter. Spoon the sauces on to the plates.Arrange the sea bass crowns on top and garnish with the pepper strips and petals. Spoon the reserved broccoli into the centres. Serve the rest of the sauce separately.

Fillets of bass with lettuce

(from a recipe by Roger Verge) Clean and scale a 1.4 kg (3 lb) bass. Remove and skin the fillets. Divide each fillet into two pieces, season with salt and pepper, and dust with flour. Melt a knob of butter and a dash of olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the fillets for 1 minute on each side, then put to one side. Flunge the outer leaves of 2 or 3 lettuces into 2 litres (3 ½  pints, 9 cups) boiling salted water and transfer immediately to a colander. Rinse in cold water and drain.Split the leaves in two vertically and flatten slightly. Then dry them on towel and wrap the fillets up in them.

     Butter a gratin dish, sprinkle with finely chopped shallots and arrange flattned lettuce hearts on top, followed by the fillets wrapped in lettuce leaves. Pour over 3 tablespoons dry white wine and the same amount of vermouth. Bake in a preheated oven at about 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4 ) for 12 minutes. Drain the fillets and the lettuce hearts and arrange on a warm serving dish.

   Strain the cooking liquor into a pan and reduce to about 175 ml (6 ft oz, 3/4 cup) over a fierce heat. In a bowl mix together 3 tablespoons cream and 1 egg yolk and add to the pan. Whisk the mixture. Remove from the heat and heat in 50 g (2 oz. 1/4 cup) cubed butter. Season with salt and pepper. Use to coat the fillets and serve. A little diced, peeled and seeded ripe tomato may be added as a garnish, if required.

Fried bass

Clean and scale bass weighing not more than 400 g (14 oz) each. Make incisions along the back, dip in milk and coat in flour. Deep fry in fat or oil. Drain, pat dry and dust with fine salt. Arrange on a serving dish and garnish with lemon halves. Steaks of a larger bass can be prepared in the same way.

Grilled bass

Scale and clean a bass weighing not more than 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) Make a few small incisions in the back and brush with seasoned olive oil. Cook gently, preferably using a folding double grill (broiler) grid to enclose the bass so it can be turned during cooking without breaking. In the south of France, small bass are cooked on charcoal, on top of sprigs of dry fennel, which flavour the fish.. Serve with anchovy or garlic butter or one of the special sauces for grilled fish, such as bearnaise or remoulade.

Hot poached bass

Clean and wash the bass without removing the scales and place in a fish kettle. Cover with cold salted water and heat gently until simmering. As soon as the liquid is about to boil, reduce the heat and poach the fish in a barely simmering water. Drain the bass, arrange on a dish covered with a napkin (or on a rack) and garnish with fresh parsley. In a separate dish serve melted butter, hollandaise sauce, or any other sauce suitable for poached fish. Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes, spinach, fennel or broccoli.

BASSELIN, OLIVER  15^th century French poet from Vire, in Normandy. A fuller by trade, he found his inspiration in the bottle. His lively satirical poetry, known as vaudevire after his birthplace, is the origin of many table songs. Basselin’s vandevires were published at the end of the 17^th century. Vaudevire gave its name to the type of musical entertainment known as vaudeville.

BASTE  The term for lightly moistening food cooking in the oven, on a rotisserie or under a grill (broiler) by spooning over melted fat or the cooking juices from the dish itself. This operation is repeated several times and stops the surface of the food from getting too dry.  A dish cooked au gratin may be basted with melted butter to facilitate browning.

BASTELLA  in Corsican cookery, a turnover stuffed with vegetables and meat. Bastelle are called inarbittate when they are made with Swiss chard or spinach, inzuchatte when made with marrow (squash) or pumpkin, and incivulate when they are made with onions. The ingredients are blanched and drained, then finely chopped and mixed with pork or veal. Basetelle should properly be made with bread dough, but puff pastry is now more commonly used.

BA-TA-CLAN  A French cake made from fresh almonds, ground using a pestle and mortar, to which the following ingredients are added: eggs (one at a time), sugar, rum and flour. The cake is cooked in a flat or flutted mould and coated with vanilla flavoured fondant icing (frosting). Its name derives from the Parisian café concert famous at the end of the 19^th century, but the recipe is attributed to Lacam a 19^th century, but the recipe is attributed to Lacam, a 19^th century pastry chef who wrote treatises on patisserie.

BATARDE  A hot French sauce, also known as butter sauce, served with vegetables and boiled fish.

RECIPE

Sauce batarde

Prepare a sauce using 25 g (1oz, 2 tablespoons) melted butter 25 g (1 oz. ¼ cup ) plain (all-purpose) flour and 250 ml (8 ft. oz, 1 cup) boiling salted water. Beat in 1 egg mixed with 1tablespoon very cold water and 1 tablespoon lemonjuice and then, over a very low heat, add 100 g (4 oz, ½ cup) butter, cut into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper and sieve or strain if necessary.

BATELIERE,  A LA  The French term desccribes a fish dish garnished with poached button mushrooms, small glazed onions, fried eggs and prawns (shrimp). The name also applies to a preparation of fillets of sole arranged as small boats (hence the name) on a salpicon of prawns and mussels in a white wine and herb sauce. Mackerel a la bateliere is simply grilled (broiled) and served with a separate green sauce.

BATON  also known as batonmet. A French petit four in the form of small stick made of puff pastry or almond paste. They are served with desserts and buffets.

  Vegetables may be cut en batommets (in thin sticks) for cooking.

RECIPES

Almond  batonnets

Pound 225 g (8 oz. 1 2/3 cups) blanched almonds with 225 g (8 oz. 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar, or carobine in a blender. Bind to a thick paste with 2-3 egg whites and then add 7 tablespoons white rum.Roll out thinly on a floured marble slab or work surfac.e Cut into strips 8 cm (3 ½  in) wide and cut these into sticks 2 cm (3/4 in) wide. Lightly beat 2 egg whites.Dip the sticks in the egg whites, then in sugar. Arrange on a buttered and floured baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at about 170 ^oC (325 ^oF, gas 3 ) until the sugar crisps.

Batons with vanilla icing

In a processor combine 225 g (8 oz, 1 2/3 cups) ground almonds and 225 g (8 oz. 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar to a firm paste with 2-3 egg whites. Flavour with 2  teaspoons natural vanilla essence (extract). Roll out the paste to a thickness of 1 cm (1/2 in). Cover with vanilla-flavoured royal icing (frosting). Cut into strips 2 cm (3/4 in) wide by 10 cm (4 in) long. Place the sticks on a buttered and floured baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at about 160 ^oC (325 ^oF, gas 3) for about 10 minutes or until the icing turns white.

Chocolate batonnets

Proceed as for almond batonnets, but use a paste made from 225 g (8 oz. 12/3 cups) blanched almonds, 225 g (8 oz. 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar, 200 g (7 oz, 1 ½ cups) cocoa powder (unsweetened cocoa), 2 tablespoons vanilla-flavoured sugar and 3 egg whites.

Ice batons

Roll puff pastry out to a thickness of about 3 mm (1/8 in) Cut into strips 8 cm (3 in) wide and coat with royal icing (frosting). Cut across these strips to make sticks 4 cm (1 ¾ in) wide. Place on a buttered baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at about 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for about 5 minutes until the pastry puffs up and the icing turns white.

BATONNAGE  A French term for lees stirring or stirring the wine in a barrel with a stick so as to disturb the fine lees deposited on the bottom. This allows better development of the wine by controlling its contact with oxygen and with the wood. The practice was developed in making the best white wines, particularly Chardonnays.

BATTER  A term based on the texture of a mixture. A liquid, varying in thickness from a thin pouring consistency to an elastic mixture which is too soft to hold its shape but not thin enough to pour easily and evenly. A wide variety of ingredients may be used, from the classic, basic batter made with flour, eggs and milk to a mixture of ground rice and pulses used to make Indian pancakes known as dosa.

Types of batter  Batters may be unleavened or include raising agents.Fine French crepes are made from a thin batter of flour, eggs and milk without raising agent, and the batter is allowed to stand before cooking so that air bubbles disperse, preventing the crepe from bubbling.(The standing time also allows the flour to absorb liquid, so that a little extra may be added to make a thin batter for fine textured pancakes.)

    The same type of batter can be baked to make Yorkshire pudding or a variety of sweet puddings, slightly thicker version may be used to coat ingredients before deep frying.

   Leavened batters are used for making waffles and for coating. A raising  agent may be added to the batter or a thick batter may be prepared, then stiffly whisked egg whites may be folded in, both raising agent and egg whites are used for waffle batter. The egg whites soften the batter and make it puff up during cooking. This type of mixture is also used to make Polish style apple pancakes by stirring the fruit into the batter, then flattening small portions on a hot pan. Thick batter containing raising agent is also used to make small, thick and light British pancakes, known as drop scones or Scotch pancakes.

   Some enriched breads are made from a mixture resembling batter rather than dough. The yeast mixture for Italian panettone is too soft to be kneaded but usually too stiff to be beaten with a spoon, so the palm of the hand is used to beat it with a slapping motion until it becomes smooth and elastic. Small Greek doughnuts, loukoumades, served in honey syrup, may be made from a thick, yeasted batter rather than being shaped from a dough (some recipes use a dough).

   The ingredients for many cakes are mixed to a thick, pouring batter, rather than a mixture with a firmer, dropping consistency. Those made by the melted method, such as gingerbread and parkin, and American muffins, are made from batters. American combread is also made from a thick cornmeal batter.

  Generally, it is important that the dry and liquid ingredients are thoroughly combined and beaten until smooth.(There are exceptions to this, notably the batter used for Japanese tempura, where wished egg whites are very lightly folded through the flour mixture, leaving the ingredients partly mixed).Achieving the right balance of ingredients and texture for the particular batter is also important, a coating batter that is too thin will not coat and one that is too thick will be stodgy when cooked. The correct proportion of flour, eggs and liquid are important for making thin, fine pancakes if there is too little egg and flour, the pancakes will not set and too much flour will make the pancakes stodgy.

RECIPES

Basic batter

This is a simple, British style batter used for thin pancakes or baked puddings, such as Yorkshire pudding. Sift 100 g (4 oz. 1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Make a well n the middle and add 2 beaten eggs. Gradually beat in 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼ cups) milk and 1 tablespoon oil or melted butter, working in the flour and milk a little at a time. Beat until smooth, Leave to stand for 30 minutes, then stir in 2 tablespoons water.

Coating batter

This batter is suitable for coating food before deep frying. Sift 200 g (7 oz. 1 ¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour into a bowl.Add 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons groundut (peanuta) oil, a pinch of salt and 250 ml (8 ft oz. 1 cup) warm water. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and beat until smooth, then leave the batter to rest in a cool place for at least 1 hour. Just before using, fold in 2 stiffy whisked egg whites.

BAUDELAIRE, CHARLES  French poet (born Paris, 1821, died Paris, 1867) Baudelaire who loved to play chess at the Café de la Regence and the brasserie in the Rue des Maryrs with his artist and poet friends, sang the profound joys of wine in verse and prose (Wine and Hashish, 1851) Although has usual restaurant was Dinochau, he dreamed of a more exotic cuisine rich in truffles and spices,  pimiento, English powders, saffron, musk and incense (Fanfario, 1847), which was supposed to combine the violence of prussic acid with the volatile lightness of ether.

BAUME SCALE  An old scale of measruement for the density or specific gravity of sugary liquids, evaluated using saccharometer. It has been replaced in the measurement of cane and beet sugars by the Brix scale. However, the Baume scale is still used in the corn refining industry for measuring the density of sugar syrups derived from constarch.

BAUMKUCHEN  A celebrated Austrian festival cake, hollow inside and usually conical because it is cooked on a spit. It has also been adopted for family celebrations in Luxembourg. It is made with a sponge batter, often flavoured with cardamom and other spices, grated lemon zest, vanilla and rum. This liquid batter is poured layer by layer on to a roller, which is rotating in front of open heating elements. The layers remain visible after cooking giving the cake the  appearance of a cut tree trunk, from which it gets its name (literally, tree cake) Baumkuchen must remain soft and it is served set upright and decorated. It may be as much as I metre (3 ft 3 in) high.

BAVARIAN CREAM  bavarois  A cold dessert made form an egg custard stiffened with gelatine mixed with whipped cream and sometimes fruit puree or other flavours, then set in a mould.

   It is not known whether  there is a connection between this dessert and Bavaria, where many French chefs used their talents at the court of the Wittelsbach princes. Careme gives various recipes under the name of frontage bavarots (Bavarian cream with a similar dish, the moscouvite, which was perhaps invented by a French chef in the service of a great Russian family.

RECIPES

Bavarian cream

Soak 15-20 g (1/2 –3/4 oz, 2-3 envelopes) gelatine in 3 tablespoons cold water. Heat 600 ml (1 pint, 2 ½ cups) milk with a vanilla pod (bean). Work together 8 egg yolks, 100 g (4 oz. ½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar and a pinch of salt. When the mixture is smooth, strain in the milk, stir well, then add the gelatine and mix. Stir continuously over a gentle heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. The mixture must not boil. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool, then refrigerate until the custard is cold and just beginning to thicken.

   Chill 350 ml (12 ft oz. 1 ½ cups) double (heavy) cream and 75 ml (3 ft oz, ½ cup) milk in the refrigerator. Then whip together.As soon as it begins to thicken, add 50 g (2 oz. ½ cup) caster sugar. Fold the cream into the cooled mixture. Brush the inside of a Bavarian cream (or souffle or savarin) mould with oil, preferably almond oil. Fill to the brim with the Bavarian cream mixture. Cover with lightly oiled paper and rrefrigerate until firmly set. To loosen the cream, dip the bottom of the mould in hot water, place a serving dish on top of the mould and quickly turn them over together.

·         Coffee Bavarian cream Add 2 tablespoons instant coffee to the milk instead of the vanilla pod.

·         Chocolate Bavarian cream Add 100 g (4 oz, 4 squares) melted plain (bittersweet) chocolate to the milk.

·         Lemon or orange Bavarian cream Add the juice of 2 lemons or oranges.

·         Bavarian cream liqueur Add about 2 teaspoons liqueur or more depending on its particular strength of flavour.

Bavarian cream a la normande

Line the base of a suitable mould with a thick layer of the basic Bavarian cream flavoured with Calvados. Leave to set. Prpare an apple puree and stir in sufficient dissolved gelatine to set it. Allow 15 g (1/2 oz. 2 envelopes) gelatine for 300 ml (1/2 pint 1 ¼ cups) puree. Whip 150 ml (1/4 pint, 2/3 cup) double (heavy) cram with 2 tablespoons icing (confectioner’s) sugar until thick. Mix the whipped cream with the apple puree, spoon into the mould and top with a layer of the basic Bavarian cream.

Bavarian cream au parfait amour

(from a recipe by Careme) finely shred the zest of half a lemon and place in a bowl. Add 475 ml (16 ft. oz. 2 cups) boiling milk, 6 cloves and 100 g (4 oz. ½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar, stir well, then leave to infuse for 1 hour. Strain the mixture and add-15-20 g (1/2 –3/4 oz, 2-3 envelopes)  gelatine dissolved in 6  tablespoons hot water and sufficient cochineal or red food colouring to give a pink colour.  Chill the bowl and as soon as the mixture begins to set, stir in 125 g (4 ½ oz, ½ cup) soft cream cheese. Turn into a dish and refrigerate until firmly set.

Bavarois aux fruits

Soak 25 g (1 oz. 4 envelopes A) gelatine in  5 tablespoons cold water. Warm 500 ml (17 ft. oz. 2 cups) thick fruit puree (apricot, pineapple, blackcurrant, strawberry, raspherry) and refrigerate until on the point of setting. Whip 450 ml (3/4 pint, 2 cups) double (heavy) cream with 50 g (2 oz. ¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar until softly thick and gently fold into the half set fruit jelly. Turn the mixture into an oiled mould and refirgerate until firmly set, then turn out. iT may be served with a fruit sauce (preferably matching the fruit used in the cream)

Striped chocolate and vanilla Bavarian cream

Cream of different colours and flavours placed in alternating layers in the mould. Striped Bavarian cream can also be made directly in crystal or glass bowls, preparation is quicker and the cream more delicate because the amount of gelatine used can be significantly reduced as the bavarois will not be turned out.

   Soak 15020 g (1/2 –3/4 oz. 2-3) envelopes) gelatine in 3 tablespoons cold water. Heat 500 ml (17 ft oz. 2 cups) milk with a vanilla pod(bean) Put 225 g (8 oz, 1 cup) caster (suprfine sugar, a pinch of salt and 8 egg yolks in a saucepan and stir together. Add the vanilla flavoured milk (without the vanilla pod) and the dissolved gelatine and mix. Warm this cream over a gentle heat, stirring constantly. As soon as it coats the back of spoon, remove from the heat. Strain or sieve and then divide into two portions. Melt 50 g (2 oz. 2 squares) plain (bitter sweet) chocolate and add to half the Bavarian cream mixture.

   Complete each half of the cream separately and add to each, as soon as they start to thicken, half the prepared whipped-cream mixture made from 350 ml (12 ft oz. 1 ½ cups) chilled double (heavy) cream and 60 ml (2 ft oz. ¼ cup) cold milk. Brush the inside of a mould with oil. Fill with alternate layers of the two creams, taking care not to pour in the next layer before the previous one has set. Chill until completely set, then turn out.

  All kinds of flavourings and combinations may be used, such as vanilla and strawberry, vanilla and coffee, chocolate and coffee, pistachio and strawberry and vanilla with praline.

BAY A Mediterranean evergreen tree, Laurus hobilis, also known as bay laurel or true laurel, that is widely cultivated in temperate regions for ornament and for its glossy aromatic leaves, which have a slightly bitter smell. The English name derives from the French baatle, meaning and the tree has conspicuous black fruit, which yield an oil.

   Bay leaves are among the most commonly used culinary herbs, a leaf is always incorporated in a bouquet garni and court bouillon.  Bay leaves may be used fresh or dried when the flavour is stronger. The leaves are used to pack dried fruit, like figs, and to line a grill for barbecuing fish. They are indispensable to season stocks, ragouts, stews, pates and terrines.

   In ancient times bay leaves were used to make the laurel wreaths with which poets and victorious soldiers were crowned and the tree gives its botanical name to the poet laureate.

   The cherry laurel, Prous laurocerusus, is cerisier in France, where it has long been associated with custards, but it should be shunned because the leaves contain prussic acid.

BAZINE A leavened semolina cooked in boiling water with oil. In Arab countries, this boiled springy dough constitutes the traditional morning meal during Ramadan, served before sunrise. Bazine is served with butter, honey and lemon juice. This basic preparation is also part of everyday cooking, served in fish soup or with raisins and small pieces of fried meat. It can also be cooked unleavened in chicken stock and served with scrambled eggs or shaped into balls to be cooked in stock.

BEANS, DRIED  The dried matured seeds of legumes or fresh beans,  these are known as pulses. They are an important source of protein  for poorer communities and in vegetarian diets. Being the most important source of nutrition after cereals, there is a vast range of dried beans, including many regional varieties. Different names are applied to similar beans or the same name is sometimes used for related types.

   The Old World had brown broad (fava) beans (with the closely related full medames), a bean sent back by Alexander  the Great from Mesonotamia (probably the horse bean), the Indian lablab bean, and black eyed beans and pigeon peas in Africa. It is a nice irony of history that these latter  two were carried  back to America (where so many others originated) with black slaves and they are now identified with the cooking of the Caribbean and the American Deep South.

   Columbus introduced kidney beans, butter (lima) beans and the scarlet runner bean call belongings to the Phaseolus family to Europe from south America in the first decade of the 16^th century. They were quickly adopted, for they were easier to cook and had greater palatability. In their new localities, however, the podded beans were given the old names. The Spanish baba, or fava, is no longer the broad bean (Victa faba).

   Spain seized joyfully on the new products. It boasts some of the best varieties, and is a country of bean fanciers, with hundreds of regional  varieties in all colours and sizes from arrancin (rice sized ) up to monsters the size of two thumbanails like judiones kidney beans were so enthusiastically adopted in Florence in Italy under the patronage of Alexandro Medici (murdered 1537), the first duke, that the tuscans became known as mangie-fagioli, the bean eaters.

  Piero Valeriano described haricot beans as these multicoloured red and white  seeds, resembling precious stones that might have been lodged in the earth.Catherine de Medici probalby brought beans in her entourage to France, when she married the future Henri II. First cultivated on the banks of the Loire, les baricots spread rapidly to other French regions, and over the centuries different varieties were cultivated. Beans, frigoles, are particularly important in Latin America (where all kidney shaped beans originated) as valuable protein in a region that lacked the European sources of cattle, sheep goats, and pigs until the 16^th century. They  have remained  on the menu for rich and poor. In Mexico, for example, small bowls of beans are served after the main course and before dessert. Frijoles refritos or refried beans (cooked beans, pan-fried to serve) is a well known Latin American dish.

Bean types  The following are the main varieties of beans eaten dried. See also broad bean (fava bean), ful medames, mang beans, pigeon (gunga) peas, soya beans and beans sprouts.

·         Black beans . The shiny smooth frigles negros, or turle beans, are black skinned kidney beans, white inside. They are identified with the cooking of Africa, the West Indies and Latin America (and Tolosa in Spain) particularly Venezuela, where they make caviar criollo, and Brazil, where the national dish, felfoada completa, is black bean stew, complete with sausages and ham hocks. Black bean soup is a common Latin America dish.

·         Black eyed peas (Beans) Small creamy beans with pulses. There are two almost indistinguishable strains, one from China, also eaten in India and Africa, and the other from Latin America. Of the several varieties, one is the cow pea named for its use  as a forage plant) Now much cultivated in California, they are an ingredient in traditional dishes of  the southern states of America, cooked with ham hocks and collard green or, in Hoppin John with spiced rice.The puree is used for friger in Centrol America.

·         Bornlorn beans. These attractive italian  longish beans range from pale creamy pink to large with brown speckles (which disappear on cooking). In France they are called rose-cocos. Pleasnatly moist, with a creamy consistency and slightly sweet when cooked, they are Italy’s most popular bean. Used in salds, they also give their pink colour to the tuscan oil-and bean soup frantoiana.

·         Butter Beans Flat and white, these are a type of lima bean. The so-called true lima bean was introduced to East Africa in the 18^th century, which now exports the Madagascar (or calico) a large flat bean about 2 cm (3/4 in), mainly to Britain. The Italian blanco de spagna is this type. America prefers a smaller sized dried bean (called the steva or Carolina bean), and also exports these beans Butter  beans cook compartively quickly, and become mushy when overcooked. They may be cooked with onions and tomatoes, Mediterranean style, or made into a puree. They are also used in salads and for fabada outside Spain.

·         Cannellini Beans Small white kidney beans originally from Argentina, these have been adopted by Italy (which also grows a smaller version called toscanelli) Cannellini are used for Florence’s fagtoli all uccelletto, stewed with tomato, garlic, sage and olive oil, and both types are good sauteed or in salads like tonno e fagloli (with canned tuna).

·         Flageolets Gournei kidney beans, perhaps the finest of all pulses, they are harvested when very young and small (August and September inFrance), pale green or while. The flagcolet is so named because the French decided it resembled a flute. Flageolets were produced by chance in 1872 by Gabriel Chevrier who lived near Arpajon in Brittany. (Flageolets are therefore also known as chevriers in France)

    In France they are grown in the Arpjon region and central France, and are the classic accompaniment to leg of lamb and blade of pork.

·         Greek Beans This is the common description in the Middle East of a type of dried broad bean that has no brown skin. They are large, flat, almost round and pale similar to a butter bean (the usual substitute), but without the kidney shape. In Greece fassolia giganies are stewed with vegetables, including tomato, the local oregano, oil and perhaps honey, and served hot or cold with a little lemon juice.            The beans puree splendidly, so old dishes like the Italian macco or maccu are of interest to modern cooks.

·         Large White Kidney Beans. The Spanish fabes de la graja, vast, flat and buttery in texture, is a prince among kidney beans, but is little exported.Even in its own country it commands a price higher than lamb, it is the Spanish bean for fabada. The fudiones from the west of Spain are probably the biggest of all beans, challenged by the garrafones of Valencia. Large white French beans incude the soison and the longots of northern France and the Vendee, which keep for a long time.Cocos are grown in Brittany, the Vendee (where they are also called mogetes) and south eastern France, and often used for cassonlet and ragouts.

·         Pinto Beans A smaller kidney bean than borloth, pink and speckled, pintos are identified  with the American south west, and are eaten in Latin America too.

·         Red Kidney beans Not much eaten in France, but popular in northern Spain, these shinny kidney beans are at home in the US and Canda, north east Spain and Latin America. Traditionally cooked with bacon and onion, these are favoured in the West Indies and for spicy dishes like chilli con carne.

·         Small white haricot (Navy) beans. The seeds of the haricot (French bean) these are used in France for cassoulet ( a south western name is mounfetos). There are several similar ones in Spain that have DO (legally protected) names, for examples the alubtas of Leon and the Judias of El Barco de Avila.

The navy bean is a strain specially bred in the US for the canning industry, the navy connection dating from 1875, when the beans were canned with molasses to feed the fleet. Mr. H.J. Heinz., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, entered on the scene in 1895 with a canned brand, beans in tomato sauce. The first printed recipe for Boston baked beans appeared in Mrs. Putnam’s Receipt Book in 1856.

    The Great Northern bean is another American white bean, about twice the size of the navy bean.

   Cooking dried beans Dried beans are usually soaked before cooking as this reduces the cooking time. Soaking also allows the skins to rehydrate and the beans to plump up preventing both from separating during boiling. Overnight soaking in plenty of cold water is best, through soaking in plenty of cold water is best, though soaking in boiling water will reduce the time.Beans should not be left in warm water or in a warm room and they should not be soaked for more than 24 hours, as they may ferment and produce poisonous substances. or this reason always use fresh water for cooking. Boil beans rapidly to destroy natural toxins, then reduce the heat to keep the water just boiling. Cook for 45 minutes to 1  ½  hours, or longer for soya beans to become tender. A bouquet garni, 1 onion studded with 2 cloves, 1 garlic clove and 1 diced carrot can be added during cooking.Do not add salt, as this will prevent the beans from becoming tender or will even harden part cooked beans.Season beans when they are thoroughly tender. The old way was to soda) in the cooking water to speed cooking, but this is not advised now, for nutritional reasons.

    The repertoire of bean dishes includes stews, salads, beans creams and deserts.

RECIPES

Haricot bean salad

Cook the beans, allow them to cool and then drain. Add a chopped mild onion to the beans, mix with a well flavoured vinaigrette, and sprinkle with chopped herbs (parsley, chevil and chives).

Haricot beans with onions

Cook and drain the beans. Cook some sliced onions gently in butter allow 200 g (7 oz) onions for each 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) cooked beans. Add the beans, cover the pan, simmer for 6 minutes and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Haricots a la crème

Cook he beans, drain them and warm them gently in a saucepan until nearly all the moisture has evaporated. Cover with fresh cream, warm through again, add some chopped savory, serve very hot.

  An alternative method is to butter a gratin dish, pour in the cooked beans mixed with cream, sprinkle the dish with white breadcrumbs and melted butter, and brown in a very hot even or under the grill (broiler)

Haricot beans in tomato sauce

Cook the beans with 500 g (18 oz) lean bacon in one piece for each 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) beans. When the beans are cooked drain them and mix with 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼  cups) tomato sauce .Drain the bacon, dice it and add it to the beans. Simmer for about 10 minutes and serve very hot. This dish can also be browned in the oven.

Red kidney beans with red wine and bacon

Cook the beans adding bacon (as above) a bouquet garni, onion studded with cloves, garlic and carrot. Use a mixture of half water and half red wine. Part drain them, leaving enough cooking liquor to lightly coat the beans, and put them into a sauce pan. Cut the bacon into dice,  fry it in butter and add it to the beans, Finally, thicken with a knob of beurre manie.

BEANS, FRESH  A vegetable of which there are many varieties. They can be divided into two main groups, those with edible pods (green beans) and those of which only the seeds are eaten. The former group includes the French bean (baricot veri) called string bean in the United States, and the runner bean. The latter group is described in beans, dried.

French (string) beans.  The colour varies in different varieties from pale green or yellow to dark green, sometimes spotted with purple. Grown at first for their seeds, it was not until the end of the 18^th century, in Italy, that the whole pods began to be eaten. In France they were still rare and expensive throughout the 19^th century. These can be further divided into dwarf beans and snap beans. They may be podded, and the seeds sold fresh. Fresh podded beans (the seeds) do not absorb the flavour of a sauce in the same way as dried ones.

    Dwarf French beans (baricots filets or baricots aiguilles) have long thin green pods which are picked while still young, before they become stringy and tough. There are many varieties for commercial cultivation or growing at home, varying from very fine beans to dark green or green and purple types.

   Snap beans are either green or yellow (baricots beurre, called butirro in Italy), and large and plump without being stringy. When harvested young, they are used in the same way as dwarf French beans.

The yellow variety is generally juicier than the green.

Runner beans, flat beans and long beans. The scarlet runner bean, originating in Mexico, is not much liked in France, nor is it a popular commercial crop, since their long pods up to 30 cm (12 in) have to be hand-picked, though they have plenty of flavour. They are green, rough-surfaced and are eaten complete with their flecked seeds (normally pink). As they become tough (with a scaly inside), they should be picked at about half this size, when slightly unripe, and the strings scrupulously removed. Available in the US, their consumption is limited in Europe, but they are popular in Britain, where most households in the middle of the 20^th century owned a small square kitchen gadget for thinly slicing these beans on the diagonal, the best way to cook them.

  Flat beans (sometimes sold as stringless beans) are similar in size and appearance. They became popular towards the end of the 20^th century, being exported by Spain and East Africa. They are paler and smoother than runner beans, and are snapped into lengths for cooking. Both these are simply called beans from Spain in France. The flat bean is the Spanish ferrula, a classic ingredient of the Valencian paella.

   Long beans, originating in Africa, are the principal bean of Southeast Asia. They are eaten immature, at about 38 cm (15 in) but will grow longer, hence the names yard long or yard beans.

RECIPES

Cooking French beans

Top and tail (stem and head) the beans, remove strings (if necessary on either side), and wash them. Cut long beans into shorter lengths if required, or slice runner beans. Plunge the prepared beans into salted boiling water and boil rapidly, without covering them.Cooking times vary with size, whereas fine young beans are tender and still crisp in 3-5 minutes, large beans may need more than 10 minutes, They should retain some crispness and not be soft. Drain them immediately, if they are to be used cold, refresh them under running cold water after draining and then drain them again.

   The cooked beans can be mixed with butter or cream, purred, cooked as a gratin or served cold in a salad. In Italy the are served with garlic and anchovies (a la genovese) or cream and Parmesan (a la milanese). In France, however, they are used chiefly as an ingredient of dishes typical of the French countryside (a la lyonnaise, a la berichonne, and with charcuterie).

Cooking podded fresh haricot beans

Cook in boiling salted water with a bouquet garni and vegetables to flavour (such as carrots, turnips, looks and diced celery).

   Alternatively, cook either 1 sliced onion and 1 sliced carrot or the white parts of leeks and some sliced celery sticks in butter until soft. Then add sufficient water to amply cover the beans when they are put in, together with a bouquet garni and a 300 g (11 oz) blanched and drained piece of lean green bacon. Cook for 30 minutes. Add the beans, and simmer until they and the bacon are cooked (the time required will depend on the freshness and tenderness of the beans).

French beans a la lyonnaise

Cook the beans in boiling salted water and drain them well. For every 800 g (1 ¾ lb) beans, prepare 225 g (8 oz) sliced onions and cook gently in butter in a saute pan until golden brown. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper, and sauce until the beans are slightly browned. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and mix well. Turn into a dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

French beans in tomato sauce

Boil the beans in salted water until they are three quarters cooked, and drain thoroughly. Cook them gently in butter  for about 5 minutes, add a few tablespoons of concentrated tomato sauce and simmer. Turn into a dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley or basil.

French bean salad

Cook the beans just long enough for them to remain slightly crisp. Drain them and dry off any remaining water. Cut them in two and leave them to cool. Add a few chopped spring onions (scallions) and some well flavoured vinaigrette. Mix and sprinkle with chopped parsley.Alternatively, the beans can be tossed in olive oil, sprinkled with pine kernels, and arranged in a lattice with long strips of marinated red peppers.

French beans sauteed  a la provencale

Cook the beans in the usual way and drain them thoroughly. Heat some olive oil in  large saucepan and brown the beans lightly. At the last moment add some chopped garlic and parsley, use 1 garlic clove and a small bunch of parsley for every 800 g (1 ¾ lb) beans.

French beans with cream

Boil the beans in salted water until they are three quarters cooked. Drain, Cover with single (light) cream and simmer until the cream is reduced by half. Add salt and pepper and transfer to a serving dish. A sprinkling of chopped parsley can also be added.

   This dish can be prepared o la normandel for  every 450 g (1 lb) beans, and 1 egg yolk and 40 g (1 ½  oz, 3 tablespoons) butter after removing the pan from the heat.

Mixed green beans

Take equal quantities of French beans and flageolets and cook them separately. Drain well and mix together. Blend in some butter or cream and sprinkle with chopped fines herbes.

Puree of French beans

Half-cook the beans.Drain them thoroughly and  then cook gently in butter for 7-8 minutes, allowing 50 g (12 oz, ¼ cup) butter for every 800 g (1 ¾ lb) beans. Puree the beans in an electric blender or rub them through a fine sieve. (A quarter of its volume of mashed potato can be added to the bean puree) To serve, warm through and add more butter.

Puree of fresh prodded haricons beans

Cook the fresh white beans using the basic method above. Drain them, then rub through a sieve to remove the skins. Pour this puree into a saucepan and warm gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. If it seems to be too thick, add a few tablespoons of boiling cream or milk. Just before serving blend in 50-100 g (2-4 oz, ¼ - ½ cup) butter for each 1 kg (2 ¼ lb, 4 ½ cups) puree.

BEAN SPROUTS  Most beans and lentils can be sprouted, to produce a fresh shoot 2-5 cm (1-2 in) long. The Chinese sprout beans 9though Indians prefer lentils) and they are an important part of vegetarian diets. Alfafa yields the finest threads, but green mung and yellow soy are the common choice. Soy shoots should be blanched, as they can be slightly poisonous, but other shoots can be eaten raw though they are normally stir-fried. Other seeds can also be sprouted, for example fenugreek and triticale (wheat crossed with rye), which is quick to sprout because it has no husk, and will yield eight times the original weight.

BEAR  A large quadruped, once common in Europe but now very rate, even in montainous areas. In Canada and Russia the bear is still hunted as a game animal. The Gauls enjoyed it stewed, and in North America the fat was valued for cooking. At the beginning of the 19^th century a few Parisian restaurateurs, encouraged by Alexandre Dumas, brought bear back into fashion.Chevet created the speciality of bear ham. The best parts of this animal are its paws. Urbain Dubois suggested a recipe for bear paws marinated and braised with bacon, then grilled (broiled) and served with a highly seasoned sauce. In China bears palm is listed among the eight treasures of traditional cuisine.

BEARN  The cuisine of Bearn inFrance’s southewest is rich and wholesome with southern touches, rather reminiscent of that of the Basque country. The unrivalled specialties of Gascony, the land of Henri lV, are the poule an pot (boiled chicken) and garbure, a thick, nourishing soup which is accompanied by pieces of preserved goose or pork) to  make a unique dish. There is an endless variety of soups, such as the coustant or coustuelle, containing subtly spiced chard and carrots, and ordillea,  a kind of onion soup.Game and fish play an important part in local gastronomy while lamb and beef are famous for their very special flavour. Leg of Lamb and daubes made with beef from the Ossau or Bareges regions, conserves, hams, saucissors and andouilles (chitterlings made into sausages) from Oloron, and pate de foie gras from Orthez are all much appreciated by gourmets.

   Meals are rounded off with hearty deserts sucha s broye 9a kind of porridge made from maize flour). Millas (the same friend as a cake) pastis (an orange blossom flavoured yeast cake galettes aux prumeaux (prune pastry) and puff pastries made with goose fat. The dishes are washed down with the strong regional wines, among the best known being Jurangcon. Pacherenc du Vic hul and Madiran.

Wine   The vineyards of the region situated in the eastern part of the Pyrenees Atlantques department overflow into the departments of Hautes Pyrenees (six communes) and Gers (three communes) Since 1975, the three traditional appelations (Jurancon and Pacherene du Vic-Bihl representing white wines and madiran representing red) have been joined by the Bearns OAC. This appellation which previously applied to VDOS wines, now covers very pleasant dry white wines and particularly reds and roses with a low alcoholic content, popular with both tourists and locals.

BEARNAISE   A classic hot creamy  French sauce made from egg yolks and reduced vinegar, whisked together over a low heat and mixed  with butter. It is usually served with grilled (broiled) meat or fish. Sauces derived from it (artesienne, Choron, Foyot, paloise, tyrolienne and Valois) are bearnaise flavoured with additional ingredients. A bearnaise sauce which has cardled can be saved by gradually beating in tablespoon of hot water (if the sauce is cold) or cold water (if the sauce is hot)

   The association between the name of this sauce and the birthplace of Henri lV has probably arisen because  it was first made by Collinet in the 1830s in a restaurant in Saint-Germain en-Laye called the Pavillon Henri lV. But a similar recipe appears in La Cuisine des villes et des campagues published in 1818.

   Some recipes are called a la bearnaise even when they are not accompanied by this sauce. These are dishes directly inspired by the cuisine of Bearn, such as daube, poule au pot, and game confits with cep mushrooms.

RECIPE

Bearnaise sauce

Put 1 tablespoon chooped shallots, 2 tablespoons chopped chervil and tarragon, a sprig of thyme, a piece of baby leaf, 2 ½ tablespoons vinegar, and a little salt and pepper in a pan. Reduce by two thirds, then allow to cool slightly. Mix 2 egg yolks with 1 tablespoon water, add to the pan and whisk over a very low heat. As soon as the egg yolks have  thickened, add 125 g (4 ½ oz, ½ cup) butter  in small pieces, a little at a time, whisking continuously.

 Bearnaise sauce is a liaison of egg yolks and butter, prepared on a reduction of herbs in a little vinegar.Do not overheat or overcook the sauce as it will curdle. Here the reduction is cooled sufficiently for the egg ylks to be whisked straight into it and clarified melted butter is added a little at a time. Alternatively, the egg yolks can be combined with a little cold water before adding to the reduction and the butter can be added in small knobs.

Adjust the seasoning, adding a dash of cayenne pepper if desired, and a little lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon each of chopped chervil and tarragon and mix. The sauce can be kept in a warm bain marie until required, but it must not be reheated once it has cooled.

BEAT   To work a substance or mixture energitically to modify its consistency, appearance or colour. The operation is performed in many ways according to the nature of the ingredients, the utensils used and the purpose.A variety of mixtures are beaten, usually with a wooden spoon to incorporate air.To give volume to a yeasted dough, it is beaten with the hands either in a bowl on a worktop or in a food processor. When eggs are to be used as a binding agent, they are lightly beaten with a fork.

BEATILLES  An old French terms for various small ingredients (such as cockscombs and kidneys, lamb’s sweetbreads, diced fore gras and mushrooms) bound with cream sauce and used as a filling for vol-au-vent cases or savoury tarts.

BEATRIX  The French name given to a garnish of spring vegetables for large cuts of meat, which includes fresh steamed morel mushrooms, small glazed carrots, sauteed artirole hearts (quartered) and fried or boiled new potatoes.

   It is also the name of a mixed salad of chicken breasts with pottoes and asparagus tips dressed with a light mayonnaise flavoured with mustard, a slice of truffle is the final touch.

BEAUCAIRE  The French name given to various recipes, including a mixed salad, soup and chitterlings (intestines) associated with Provencal cuisine.

   The Beaucaire fairs were celebrated by the poet Mistral, who wrote of merchants who are celery hearts in the open air. Celery still figures in the traditional Christmas supper salad which inspired a mixed salad, thin strips of  celery and celeriac (celery root) with chicory, ham and sharp apples, with beetroot (red beet) and potatoes arranged around the edge. The ingredients of Beaucaire soup are cabbage, leek and celery (sweated in butter and mixed with whtie chicken stock flavoured with basil and marjoram). It is garnished with pearl barley and diced chicken liver and served with grated cheese. Eel Beaucaire is boned, stuffed with a fish mixture, placed on a bed of shallots, onions and mushrooms, and braised in a mixture of white wine and Cognac.

RECIPE

BOEUF A LA MODE DE Beaucaire

This is the traditional dish of the Beaucaire fair. It is  delicious but takes a long time to prepare. Take 1.2 kg (2 1/2 lb) thin slices of beef cut from the thigh or shoulder blade allowing about 200 g (7 oz) per person. Bard the meat with fat which has been rolled in salt and pepper and moisten with brandy.

Then marinate for 24 horus in 4 tablespoons vinegar to which a chopped onion, a bouquet garni, 4 tablespoons brandy and 4-5 teaspoons olive oil have been added.

  Cover the bottom of an earthenware cooking pot with 225 g (8 oz) bacon, cut in thick rashers (slices).Chop 4 onions and 2 garlic cloves and place on top of the bacon. Place the slices of beef on this bed, season with salt and pepper, and then pour the marinate over the meat. Cover and cook in a preheated oven at 120 ^oC (250 ^oF, gas ½ ) for 2 hours. Then slowly (so as not to overcool the contents) add 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 ½ cups) red wine, a bouquet garni, 1 tablespoon capers and an onion stuck with 3 cloves. Cover and cook gently for a further 2 hours.

   Just before serving thicken the sauce with a generous 1 tablespoon flour and add 3 pounded anchovy fillets. When the dish is ready, pour 3 tablespoons olive oil over and serve.

BEAUFORT,  A French AOP cheese from the Haute Savoie made  from upasteurized cow’s milk (at least 48% fat content). It is  cooked and then pressed until it is firm and ivory coloured with a natural brushed crust. It is a round cheese without holes (but occasionally with a few threads thin horizontal splits), and it has concave base (these characteristics differentiate it from other Gruyeres). It  can weigh up to 50 kg (110 lb) with a diameter of 40 cm (16 in) and a height of 20 cm (8 in) but some rounds are smaller. Made from the milk of cows from the mountain pastrues of Maurienne, Beaufortin and Tarentaise, ti has a fine fruity flavour.

    The best  cheese are labelled Beaufort d’ Alpage. They are made high in the mountain chalets from the lae summer milk. After maturing for 5-6 months, these cheese reach the shops in March or April. The dairy Beaufort produced in cooperative cheese dairies is not entitled to the appellation controlle. It is finer than Emmental and is used for gratins and fondues.

BEAUHARNAIS  A French garnish  usually served with small grilled (broiled) or fried cuts of meat, made of stuffed mushrooms and sauteed or steamed artichoke quarters. Beauharnais also describes a recipe for soft-boiled (soft-cooked) eggs on a bed of artichke hearts. It is thought that these recipes were dedicated to Countess Fanny de Beauharnails, cousin by marriage of Empress Josephine, who had a reputation for being a gourmet. Sweet Beauharnais recipes (based on bananas and rum) reflect the Creole origins of Napoleon’s first wife.

RECIPES

Savoury Preparations

Beauharnais sauce

Mix together 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup) bearnaise sauce and 25 g (1 oz,. 2 tablespoons) tarragon flavoured butter. This sauce is served with grilled (broiled) and fried meat and grilled fish.

Soft boiled or poached eggs a la Beauharnais

Sweet some artichoke hearts in butter and garnish with Beauharnais sauce. Place a softobiled (soft cooked) or poached egg on each artichoke heart and coat with a reduced demi-glace sauce to which butter has been added.

Sweet Preparation

Beauharnais bananas

Peel  6 bananas and arrange in a buttered ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with sugar and 4 tablespoons white rum. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for 5-8 minutes. Pour some double (heavy) cream over, sprinkle with crushed macaroons and a little melted butter, then glaze in a rpehated oven at 240 ^oC (475 ^oF gas 9) Serve in the baking dish.

Beauharnais barquettes

Bake some  pastry barquette cases blind. Peel some bananas, mash the flesh and add lemon juice and a little white rum. Fill the barquettes with the mixture and bake in a rpeheated oven at 240 ^oC (475 ^oF, gas 9) for 7-8 minutes, then sprinkle with a little stale, finely crumbled brioche and melted butter. Bake for a further 5 minutes in a very hot oven.

BEAUJOLAIS  One of the best known red wines in the world, made from the Gamay grape (full name Gamay Noir a Jus Blanc) Although the region may be said to be acontinuation of the Burgundy vineyard, Beaujolais is, in fact, more correctly a Lyonais whine, because the vineyard are in that department, with the exception of one seciton which is actually in Burgundy. These days, however, Beaujolais is usually considered separately from Burgundy. The writer LeonDaudet said that three rivers flow through Lyon, the Rhone, the Saone and the Beaujolais. Until fairly recently the locals were the main consumers of this lip-smacking wine, often served in 450 ml (3/4 pint, 2 cup) pots in the bistrots. However, during World War II many Parisian writers, including the author of Clochemerie, came to live in the Beaujolais, discovered the local tipple, and published  it with gusto. Much additional publicity has been gained by the annoucnement of when the Nouveau, or first consignments of the young Beaujolais, are released. It is carried literally all over the world and has inspired many other wine countries to publicize their own  Nouveaux within weeks of it being vintaged.

   There are ten growths (crus) of Beaujolais and, within them, a few estate wines, although the majority are sold under their regional lnames plus the name of the shipper.These growths are Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Julienas, Saint-Amour, Morgon, Moulin-a Vent and Regnie. Each ahs its own AOC. In addition to straight Beaujolais, there are Beaujolais Villages wines from a number of communes (parishes) entitled to this AOC. Most Beaujolais is at its delectable best when fairly young, although the wines of both Morgon and Moulin a Vent can age agreeablyh for a few years. Traditionally, young Beaujolais is served cool at cellar temperature.

   In addition to the region’s red wine, some white and rose,  Beaujolais are also made.

BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES Wine from 39 communes from the northern part of Beaujolais may be called Beaujolais Villages. This accounts for around a quarter of the total production. It has more body and more alcohol than Beaujolais.

BEAUNE  This town, capital of Burgundy, is situated at the southern end of the Cote de Nuits, the Cote de Beaune encircles and extends to the south. Both red and white wines are produced, there are a number of AOCs, many of them world famous names, and also many specific vineyards  of repute. It is generally true to say that, although the red wines of the Cotes de Beaune can be very good indeed, the region is chiefly famous for its white wines, of which the Meuraults, Puligny, the various Montrachet wines and the exceptional Corton Charlemagne can be magnificent.  The wines of the southern sections below the Cote de Beaune are becoming extremely popular too.

    Beaune itself is one of the most attractive of wine towns. In the centre, the HotelDieu is part of the Hospices de Beaune, Established in the 15^th century by the Chancellor of Burgundy, Nicolas Rolin, and his wife Guigone de Salins, this charitable organization runs the Hospice de la Charite, which is an old people’s home, and a modern hospital.

   Since the middle of the 19^th century, wines from the vineyards beglonging to the Hospices de Beaune have been publicly auctioned every November, on the second Sunday of the month (in very poor years they are sold privately). For the occasion, many other tastings and ceremonies take place in or near Beaune, including the Trois Glorieuses’ (the Saturday banquet at Clos de Vougeot, the post-sale dinner in the Baston de Beaune and, on the Monday, the Paulee luncheon at Meursault). The  occasion provides the first indication of the charactr of the year’s vintage.

BEAUVILLIERS   A rich nourishing French cake made of crushed almonds and sugar mixed with butter, eggs and a lot of flour ( wheat flour and rice flour). After cooking it is wrapped in foil to ensure that it keeps well. It is the oldest form of travelling cake. It was intented at the beginning of the 19^th century by a M. Mounier, a pastry cook in Paris, who named it after the great cook, to whom he had been apprenticed.

BEAVER   An aquatic rodent native to North America, but also found in Savoy in France, Scandinavia and Germany, hunted for its meat as well as its fur. Despite its distinctly games taste, the medieval church classed it with water fowl, and permitted its consumption during Lent. The meat was made into pate and preserves.  Nowadays it is a protected species.

   It should not be confused with the South American coypu, which was introduced into Europe in the 20^th century for fur ranching. Several French producers have promoted its meat for quality pates.

BECHAMEIL, LOUIS DE   French financier (born 1630, died 1703), Farmer general and steward of the house of the Duke of Orleans, Louis de Bechamell, Marquis of Nointel, became major domo to Louis XIV. Saint Simon reported that he was rich, a gourment, an informed an lover and a handsome man, but it is very unlikely that he created the sauce which bears his name, abbreviated to be claimed. This sauce is probably an improvement of an older recipe by one of the King’s cooks, who dedicated his discovery to the King’s major domo, which made  the jealous old Duke of escars say, That fellow Bechameil has all the luck! I was serving breast of chicken a la crème more than 20 years before he  was born, but I have never had the chance of giving my name to even the most modest sauce.

BECHAMEL  A while sauce made by combining original bechamel sauce, which owes its name to  the Marquis of Bechameil, was prepared by adding large quantities of fresh cream to a thick veloute.

   One of the basic sauces, the classic recipe calls for milk flavoured by heating it with a bay leaf, a slice of onion and a blade of mace or some nutmeg. Celery, carrot, ham and/ or  mushroom peelings may even be added. This is them left for about 30 minutes to infuse. The Italian balsamella (sometiems infused with garlic, bay leaf and/or onion) is now a white sauce with nutemeg Bechamel commonly refers to a white sauce with simple seasoning.

   Bechamel is widely used, particularly for egg, vegetable and gratin dishes, and for filled scallop shells. It can be used as a basis for other sauces, made by adding different ingredients.

RECIPE

Bechamel sauce

Gently heat 500 ml (17 ft oz. 2 cups) milk with ` bay leaf, a thick slice of onion and 1 blade of mace. Remove from the heat just as the milk boils, cover the pan and set aside for at least 30 minutes.Strain the milk and discard the flavouring ingredients. Melt 40 g (1 ½ oz. 3 tablespoons) butter over a low heat in a heavy based saucepan. Add 40 g (1 ½ oz. 6 tablespoons) flour and stir briskly until the mixture is smoothly blended, without allowing it to change colour. Gradually stir in the milk and bring to the boil, beating well to prevent any lumps forming.Season with salt and pepper and (according to the use for which the sauce is destined) a little grated nutmeg. Simmer the sauce gently for 3-5 minutes, stirring from time to time.

BEECHNUT  fame The small triangular brown nut of the beech free Beechnuts grow in twos of threes in a hairy brownish capsule and are gathered in October. They have a high oil content and a similar flavour to the hazelnut. They can be eaten raw but have a slightly bitter taste, it is best to grill (broil) or roast them. The oil extracted from them is considered to be second only to olive oil in quality. It keeps well and is excellent for frying and salad dressings.

BEEF  The meat of all the large domestic cattle, including heifer, cow, ox, bullock and bull.

   Our prehistoric ancestors hunted the wild ox for food and domestic cattle are descended from it. Cattle have been domesticated for more than 40 centuries. In the Middle Ages noble dishes were prepared using the better cuts of beef, from the upper and rear parts of the animal. In 1756 the Due de Richeilieu  chose the menu for a famous meal that was given for his illustrious prisoners during the Hanoverian War. The 12 dishes of the first course and the 10 dishes of the second course were all of beef.

   The quality and the yield (the weight of edible meat in relation to the weight of the live animal) vary according to the breed of cattle. Beef cattle are specially bred for meat production. The most popular breeds in France are the Charolais and Limousin.Scotland produces the Abendeen Angus, England the Hereford, the Belgians have blanc-bleu and the Japanese their Wadakin. Sometimes whole regions are known for their beef, like the Val di Chiana in Italy and Texes in the USA. The proportion of muscle is high with relatively little fat.  Young males may be castrated (steers) to accelerate the fattening process. But uncastrated males grow more rapidly and can therefore be slaughtered young, but their meat is sometimes criticized for its lack of flavour. Young bullocks are also a source of meat (under 24 months they are termed bottle flours in France).Heifers that are not required for breeding are also slaughtered to provide meat which is very tender and full of flavour.

    The problem of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalitis), commonly known as mad cow disease precipitated a major review of cattle rearing and slaughtering in the late 20^th century in Britain.

   All continents, and almost all countries, enjoy beef, the notable exception being southern India. And some countries likeArgintina, Australia and, to a certain extent, North America, eat a great deal of it. Britain once known and mocked by the French for its huge consumption of rosbft, had changed its habit by the close of the 20^th century. The main exporting countries are South America, Australia and New Zealand, the principal importers being the United States and Japan.

·         Choosing beef Good-quality beef is bright red and shiny in appearance and firm and springy to the touch with  a sweet light scent. It has a network of white or slightly yellowish fat, when a lot of fat is present in the muscle, the meat is described as marbled. In order to be tender and palatable, beef must be matured after slaughtering, for a period varying from few days to a week.

   Traditional Cuts  The method by which the meat is butchered varies, with portions being removed and prepared differently according to country and even region. The diagrams and lists provide in this section illustrate classic beef cuts from Britain, France and America. There are many more cuts available in supermarkets, with the emphasis on boneless protions that require minimum preparation and provide maximum flexibility in choice of cooking method. Ultimately, the choice of cut depends on the cooking method and type of dish. Many consider the best beef cut to be sirloin, while the great classics are tournedos (filet mignons), chateaubriand, fillet (tenderloin) en croute, and rib. The hindquarter provides the so-called noble cuts, which can be cooked quickly, while the forequarter gives mostly slow cooking and boiling pieces.

   Beef cuisine is as varied as the countries that enjoy it. But certain methods are common to many of them. Beef may be boiled (the Austrian Hungarian Tafelspitz) pot roasted (like the German Sauerbrauten marinated in buttermilk, wine and vinegar) or baked inside pastry (like British beef Wellington) Strips may be quick fried (like Japanese teriyaki0 and subsequently sauced (like beef Stroganov), of stuffed in medieval fashion, like beef olives. It can be casseroled slowly, like the Flemish carbonade, go into pies and puddings or be picked (Irish spiced brisket) Beef is eaten raw (carpachio and steak tartare) and twice-cooked in dishes using left overs from a roast joint, such as rissoles. It is even made into an old fashioned invalid drink (beef tea).

   Mince (Ground) Beef. This may be bought ready minced, prepared as required or prepared in larger batches and deep frozen. It is usually made from less tender cuts, such as stewing beef (hind shank or neck) or silverside (bottom round). The meat is trimmed of excess fat. If prepared from a superior beef cut, it will be so labelled. Mince is used to make hamburgers and bitokses and is made into spiced meatballs, such as fricadelle and kofta.

   Offal (Variety Meats) Edible offal includes heart, liver, kidneys and brains, while the word ox identifies the lesser types in English. Only tongue (smoked or pickled), ox tail, bone marrow and tripe are highly regarded in gastronomic circles.

   Beef Products. The simplest types of dried beef are jerky (from the Spanish charqut, dried), which the American colonists inherited from the Indians, and the South African biltong (often dried and smoked). Pastrami, originally a wind dried meat from America is spiced brisket of beef, a Jewish speciality, while smoked beef goes into cholent, Sophisticated air-dried meats include the Italian bresaola and rather similar Swiss Bundnerfleisch from the Jura mountains.

   Corned beef is the American name for salt beef. (In Britain, corned beef is a type of canned meat). Suet is processed beef fat for reuse, it has its own role in steak and kidney pudding and a host of dumplings.

    Roast beef Cuts of beef for roasting are generally taken from the bindquarter and include fillet, sirloin, rump, topside and rib, theprime roasts are fillet, sirloin and rolled rib.

   In France the meat is usually barded and tied up by the butcher it will taste fresher cut and prepared on demand. In Britain the cooked roast is served pink and very tender inside, browned, outside rather browner.

    Roasting Tiems Take the beef out of the refrigerator at leat 1 hour before cooking. The meat will be more tender if it is cooked steadily in a moderately hot oven, rather than rapidly in a hot oven. pUt the meat in a preheated oeven at 230 ^oC (450 ^oF, gas 8) for about 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) and cook for 15-20 minutes  per 450g (1lb) for a medium roast (a little longer if the joint is thick). A very tender prime roast can be cooked rapidly in a hot oven, allowing 12-15 minutes per 450 g (1lb)

    Before slicing the beef, cover it with foil and leave it to rest for 10 minutes in a warm place so that the juices are distributed throughout the meat and do not run too much when the joint is cut.

    Making Gravy Put the roasting tin (pan) on top of  the above over a low heat. If they are not already well browned, brown the juices lightly without burning them, pour off some of the fat, then deglaze the pan with a little light brown veal stock or water. Continue adding stock and stirring to remove all cooking residue from the roasting tin. Make double the volume of gravy finally required, then reduce it by half. Adjust the seasoning, strain and keep hot.

   Accompaniments. There is  a wide choice of accompaniment serve French style the following may be offered dauphine potatoes, artichoke hearts filled with mushrooms, braised lettuce, sauteed tomatoes, potato croquettes, stuffed mushrooms. Garnishes are du Barry, bouquetiere, forestiere and Richelieu. Alternatively, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, mustard or horseadish sauce, glazed carrots, buttered spinach and .or other lightly cooked vegetables may be served.

Bocuf a la mode

Cut about 250 g (0 oz) fat bacon into thick strips and marinate for 5-6 horus in 100 ml (4 ft. oz, 7 tablespoons) Cognac. Use the strips to lard a piece of rump weighing about 2 kg (4 ½ lb) Season with salt and pepper and marinate for 5-6 hours (turning the meat several times) in the Cognac used to marinate the bacon mixed with at least 1 litre (1 ¾  pints, 4 ½  cups) good red wine, 100 ml (4 lb oz, 7 tablespoons) olive oil, 250 g (9 oz. 2 ¼ cups) chopped onions, 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) sliced carrots, 2-3 garlic cloves, a bouquet garni and a few peppercorns.

   Blanch a boned calf’s foot and some bacon rind from which some of the fat has been removed. Drain the meat and dry it, and then drain the other ingredients of the marinade. Brown the meat on all sides in olive oil, then place in a large casserole. Add the drained ingredients of the marinade followed by the bacon rinds and the calf’s foot. Moisten with the marinade and about 750 ml (1 ¼ pints, 3 ¼ cups) stock and season with salt.

   Place the covered casserole in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) and cook for about 2 ½ hours, until tender. When the beef is cooked, slice it evenly and serve surrounded with the carrots and the diced meat of the calf’s foot. Strain the braising stock over the meat. Small glazed onions may be added to garnish.

Boeuf bourguignon

Cut 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) braising steak (rump) into cubes and coat with flour. Cut 150 g (5 oz) belly pork into thin strips and fry in a flameproof casserole or heavy based saucepan. Add the steak, a chopped shallot and 2 sliced onions and continue to fry. If desired, add a small glass of brandy and set alight. Add 500 ml (17 ft. oz, 2 cups) red wine and a  generous glass of stock. Season with salt and pepper and add a bouquet garni and a crushed clove of garlic. Cover and simmer gently for at least 2 hours. A dozen small onions lightly fried in butter may be added 20 minutes beofre cooking ends. Just before serving, bind the sauce with 1 tablespoon beaurre manie.

Boiled beef

For 6 servings, palce about 800 g (1 ¾ beef or veal bones in a large saucepan with 2.5 litres (4 ¼ pints, 11 cups) water, and bring to the boil. Skim the surface of the liquid and remove the foam deposited on the sides  of the pan. Boil for about an hour, then remove bones.Add 1.25-2 kg (2 ¾ --4 ½ lb) beef, depending on the cut and the proportion of bone to meat, silverside (bottom round), cheek,  shoulder, chuck, flank or oxtail may be used. Bring back to the boil and skim. Then add the following vegetables, 6 carrots, 3 medium turnips, 6 small leeks (tied together), 2 celery sticks (cut into short lengths and tied together), piece of parsnip, 2 onions (one stuck with 2 cloves), a good bouquet garni and, if desired, 1-2 garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper, cover to bring back to the boil, and simmer for about 3 hours. Drain the meat, cut into even-sized pieces, and serve surrounded with the drained vegetables. Serve with coarse salt, pickled onions, gherkins and mustard.

   If a marrow bone is available, wrap this in muslin (cheesecloth) and add it to the pan not more than 15 minutes before serving. tHe bone may be served with the dish or the marrow can be  removed and spread on toasted croutons. To make the dish look more attractive, select vegetables of a similar size, cut the leeks and celery to the same length and form into neat bunches, and serve the onions slightly browned.

Braised beef a l ancienne

Trim and tie a piece of rump and braise until almost cooked, but still slightly firm. Drain and untie the meat and place it either under a press or on plate under a weight until cool. Trim the sides of the cooled meat.  Cut away the central portion, leaving a thickness of about 2 cm ( ¾ in) of meat on the sides and bottom. Brush with beaten egg and cover with a mixture of soft breadcrumbs and grated. Parmesan cheese (3 parts breadcrumbs to 1 part cheese). Ensure that the breadcrumb mixture covers the meat completely. Place the hollow meat case on a plate, sprinkle with melted butter and brown in the oven.

   Meanwhile, slice the remaining portion of meat very thinly. Place the slices in a saute dish, add some thin slices of tongue and some sliced mushrooms, which have been gently fried in butter, and moisten with a few tablespoons of the reduced, strained braising stock (from which the fat has been removed). Add 2 ½  tablespoons Madeira and simmer without boiling. To serve, place the hollow piece of beef on a large serving dish and arrange the sauteed meat slices inside it. Serve any extra sauce in a sauceboat.

Braised beef a la bourgeoise

Marinate a rump cut of beef in white wine and then braise it with a calf’s foot. Half way through the cooking, remove the meat to a casserole, adding some sliced carrots and small glazed onions. Complete the cooking in the casserole.

Braised beef a la creole

Cut 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) braising steak (top round or rump) into cubes and threat a large piece of larding bacon into each cube. Marinate in a mixture of spice (especially cayenne) and Cognac for 5-6 hours. Heat some lard and oil in a heavy frying pan, then add 3 large sliced onions and the drained pieces of  beef. Saute together for several minutes, then turn into a casserole. Add 2 tablespoons tomato puree (paste), 1 crushed garlic clove, a sprig of thyme, a small bunch of parsley and a pinch of saffron powder. Season with salt and pepper, cover the cook very gently in a low oven for 3 hours. During the cooking period, add a few tablespoons of either boiling water or, even better, stock. Adjust the seasoning.

Braised beef a la gardiane

Ask the butcher to lard and tie a piece of topside (beef round) weighing about 1.25 kg (2  ¾ lb). Peel and slice 800g (1 ¾ lb) onions. Heat some olive oil in a  flameproof casserole and brown the meat in the oil. Add the sliced onions, 5-6 peeled garlic cloves, 2 cloves, a pinch of nutmeg and the same amount of basil, bay, rosemary, savory and thyme. Cover and cook very gently for at least 2 ½ hours. Serve the meat sliced and coated with the cooking liquor.

Braised beef a la mode

Prepare in the same way as braised beef a la bourgeoise, but marinate the meat in red wine instead of white wine.

Braised rib of beef

The cooking method is the same as for braised rump of beef. Ask the butcher to cut a large rib weighing 2-3 kg (4 ½ - 6 ½ lb).

Braised rump of beef

Cut 200 g (7 oz) fat pork or bacon into larding strips.Season with spices, soak in Cognac and use them to lard a piece of beef (cut from the rump) weighing 3 kg (6 ½ lb).Season the meat with salt, peper and spices, and tie into a neat shape with string. Marinate for 5 hours in either red or white wine with thyme, bay, parsley and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Blanch, cool and tie 2 boned calf’s feet. Peel and slice 2 large onions and 2 carrots and heat gently in butter. Crush into small pieces a mixture of 1.5 kg (3 ¼ lb) beef bones and veal knuckle  bones together with the bones from the calf’s feet. Brown in the oven. Place the browned bones and the vegetables in a flameproof casserole or a braising pan. Add the beef, a bouquet garni and the marinate. Cover and simmer gently until the liquid has almost completely reduced. Add 3 tablespoons tomato puree (paste) and enough veal bouillon to cover the meat. Place the covered casserole in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4) and cook for about 4 hours until tender. To serve, drain the meat, untie it and glaze in the oven, basting it with thestrained cooking liquor.  Arrange the meat on a large serving dish and surround with the chosen garnish. Keep warm. Remove the fat from the braising pan, reduce the cooking liquid and pour over the meat.

Oven roast rib of beef

Place the rib in a roasting tin (pan), brush with butter or dripping, and roast uncovered in a preheated oven at 240 ^oC (450 ^oF, gas 9) for 15-18 minutes per 450 g (l lb) plus 15 minutes. To ensure that it is cooked through completely, treat as for spit-roast rib of beef.

Poached  rump of beef

Lard the meat or not, as preferred. Tie the meat into a neat shape with string and cook in a large pan using the same method as for a pot-au-feu and the same vegetables. Bring to the boil, skim and season.Simmer gently for 4-5 hours, but do not cover the pan completely. To serve, drain and untie the meat and place it on a large serving dish with the garnish. Serve with the strained  cooking liquor, grated horseradish and coarse salt.Cooked int his way, rump provides both a soup and a main course. To provide additional flavour to the soup, add small pieces of fleshy beef bones to the cooking liquid.

Pressed beef

Take 3 kg (6 ½ lb) lightly larded brisket. Prick with a large larding needle and soak the meat in brine for 8-10 days, depending on the season (brine penetraes the meat more quickly in summer). The brine used is the same as that in the recipe for pickled ox tongue. The meat must be completely submerged and it is advisable to use a weighted board to achieve this. Just before cooking, wash the meat in cold water. If more than one ould is used, then cut the meat into pieces to fit them. Cook in water until tender with some carrots, cut into pieces. Place the meat in square moulds is used, then cut the meat into pieces to fit them. Cook in water until tender with some carrots, cut into pieces. Place the meat in square moulds, each covered with a small weighted board. When the meat is quite cold, turn it out of the moulds  and coat with several layers of meat aspic, coloured reddish brown by adding caramel and red food colouring. This provides the meat with a strong protective coating that retards deterioration. To serve, cut into very thin slices and garnish with fresh parsley.

Salt (corned) beef

This method is mostly used for preparing brisket, but may also be used for flank and chuck. The meat is soaked in brine for 6-8 days in summer and 8-10 days in winter. It is then rinsed to desalt, and cooked in water for 30 minutes per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb). Salt beef is served hot with vegetables that are traditionally associated with it, such as braised red or green cabbage and sauerkraut. It is also used for pot roasting.

Spit-roast rib of beef

Trim the boned rib and tie firmly to hold in shape, covering the exposed meat with thin rashers (slices) of fat bacon. Pierce evenly on to a spit and brush with butter or oil. Cook rapidly at first and then at a moderate heat, allowing 15-18 minutes per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb). Remove from the spit, untie, trim, season with salt and serve with the desired garnish. To ensure the meat is cooked through, remove from the spit just before completley cooked, wrap in foil and leave in a hot oven that has been turned off or in a very low oven for 30 minutes.

BEEFSTEAK MUSHROOM  langue-de-boeuf. The common name for Fistulina bepatica, a mushroom that gorws on oak and horse chestnut trees in the form of a red fleshy mass with a sticky surface. The think flesh, which exudes an acidic reddish juice, can be sliced and fried like liver or eaten raw with a green salad. It is cut into thin strips, soaked in salted water, then drained and dressed with chives and a vinaigrette.

BEEF TEA  A highly nutritious concentrated meat juice used chiefly in the past as food for invalids. Lean beef is cut into small dice, placed in a hermetically sealed container without any water, and cooked in a bain marie.

BEER  An alcoholic beverage obtained by the fermentation of extracts of malted cereals, principally barley, and flavoured with hops. Most countries allow a percentage of maize and rice, but in Germany this practice is forbidden and beers are made solely from barley, malt, hopes, yeast, and water. British beer varies from 100% malt to 70% malt plus 30 % unmalted cereals, together with sugar, hopes, yeast and water.

   Beer is both the most widespread and the oldest alcoholic drink in the world. The first traces of liquid bread based on fermented cereals were found in  Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamians and the Egyptian  were the greatest beer drinkers of the ancient world and drank their beer warm. It was made from barley bread crumbled in water and fermented in date juice flavoured with cumin, myrtic, ginger and honey.

    The Gauls, Celts and Saxons, produced beer which, like earlier fermented drinks, did not contain hops with ingredients such as sorbapples. Hops were introduced for making beer in the 13^th century by Bavarian monks.

Manufacturer .  The brewer’s basic raw material is a cereal rich in starch, the latter does not ferment naturally in the presence of yeast (whereas the sugar contained in apples or grapes can be directly fermented to produce cider and wine). The cereal must therefore be processed in order to obtain a fermentable extract (known to brewers as wort) For the cereal barley, this is usually done by first malting the raw grain and then extracting the soluble sugars with hot water using the natural enzymes of the malt.

    Malting. The grain is soaked, allowed to start germinating, then dried under control in a kiln.

  Brewing. The malt is ground, then mixed with hot water. Malt enzymes release soluble sugars from the starch, the solution being run off from the insoluble husk.  The resulting wort is heating to boiling point and hop flowers are added to give the beer its bitter flavour and hop bouquet. Yeast is added when the liquid is cold.

   There are two major types of beer according to the type of yeast used. Traditionally, lager yeast is used at lower temperatures than ale yeast, therefore the fermentation period is longer.

    Lager Fermentation. Typically seven days at a temperature of 7-12 ^oC (45-54 ^oF), giving a lightly flavoured  product whose character is mainly determined by the hops and the malt used. Lager beers dominate the world beer market.

     Ale Fermentation Typically three days at a temperature of 18-25 ^oC (64-77 ^oF), giving more fruity beers in which the flavour is more directly influenced by the fermentation process. In continental Europe these are special beers, Belgian Trappist beers and brown beer, whereas in Britain they are the very popular ales. In very dark beers, such as stouts, the use  of roasted cereals contributes significantly to the flavour as well as to the colour.

   After fermentation the beer is placed in a cool celar, where it is allowed to mature. The maturation period can vary from a few days to several months, depending on the nature and strength of the beer. Finally, it is clarified before being bottled, canned or racked into barrels. Clarification is commonly done by a combination of settling and filtration. In Britain, however, settled beer is traditionally racked directly into casks, final clarification being achieved by addition of fining directly into the cask followed by a period of stillage.

  Colour and content. The colour is not related to the length of fermentation, degree of processing or alcoholic strength, but to the degree to which the malt is heated during kilning.  The heating produces caramel, which is extracted from the malt and eventually colours the beer brown. Highly kined malt  gives English stout, Belgian Chimay and Munich basses their particular flavours. Pale beers (porter and ale, Czech Pilsner and German Dortmund) are distinguished by their bitter flavour.

Beer around the world  Beer  is the drink of the people. Industrially produced beer for mass consumption, with the emphasis on quenching thirst  rather than flavour, is the mainstream in many countries, including France.

   The countries that show most interest in beer making as an art are Germany, the Czech Republic and Belgium.But from the late 1970’s there has been a renaissance of interest in beer, reflected in the real ale campaign in Britain.

   Germany (with its Munich Beer Festival in October and its custom of drinking beer all the year round and at every opportunity) has as many breweries as the rest of Europe put together, while Bavaria has the world’s largest hop industry. The beer is unpasteurized (swift consumption  is guaranteed) which means it is bottled not canned—they are the experts in bottle conditioning the beer, which usually tastes rather bitter. Its production is very widespread but the most famous German beers come from Bremen, Cologne, Dortmund and Munich (Spaten, Kapuziner and Lowenbrau).Also worthy of mention are Berliner Weisse, a   white ber from Berlin which is drunk with raspherry syrup or lemon, and smoked Bamberg beer.

   Belgium is the country of origin of the legendary Gambrinus, who is said to have invented brewing and Belgian beers are noteworthy for their originality, Gueuze, which is strongly flavoured and similar to Mort Subite (considered to be one of the best), Krick (red beer with cherries)k Roodenbach (amber coloured, with a sharp flavour) and Chimay and Jumet brewed in abbeys. Cooking with beer is especially popular here.

   Czech Pilsner is pale, hoppy beer with a flowery bouquet and dryness of palate that is initiated by pills or pillsner types of beer all over the world. It is labelled pilsner Urquell (original source of Pils) when exported. It is a land of breweries, making the full range (including the Czech Budweis).

   Traditional pubs, selling task conditioned beer, are at the heart of British beer drinking, and pub ownership by the breweries influences sales. The last decades of the 20^th century saw new smaller breweries appearing. Among English beers, brown and pale Whitbread are typigil, the latter being suitable as a apertif. Pale ale refreshing as well as being good for cooking. Scottish Gordon is prepared only at Christmas, whereas the dark and sweet Scotch ale is drunk all year round. Irish Guinness is a famous strong beer very dark, dry and bitter.

    France makes some de lux beers, not generally drunk with meals, include Clampigneulles, Kanterbrau, Mutzig and Meuse, corresponding to the two main brewing regions of France, the north and Alsace. Special French beers are finer (such as Kronenbourg and Ancre Old Lager).

   Danish and Dutch beers are light yet quiet bitter (for exmaple, Carlsberg and Heneken).

    Russia is a large beer consumer, while Australia both consumes a great deal of cold beer from tinnies and stubbiers (cans and polystyrene cooling tubes) and exports it. The US makes the world’s biggest selling brand in Budweiser (transplanting  the name in 1856 to St. Louis, Missouri) American beer is also made from other grains than barley, corn is widespread as an adjust. However the last quarter of the 20^th century saw many microbreweries appear, while a city like Milwaukee has numerous breweries, beer festivals and a critical public. In the United States beers are very light, delicately flavoured with just a hint of bitterness. They are drunk very cold.

  India and the East East have also turned to beer drinking. The Tiger beer of Singapore is known abroad, Japan has Kirin, the biggest brewer outside the US., while San Miguel is another big brewer in the Philippines.

  Consumption.  There are three characteristic features of any beer, its bitterness (which should never reach acridity), produced by hops and tannin, its clarity, proving that is has been well produced and properly clarified, and finally its head, which must be well formed and stable.

   Beer is served with meals and as a refreshment. It is also used in the preparation of drinks and various cooked dishes (soups, fish- particularly carp- stews and carbonnades), to which it adds smoothness and a slight bitterness. It can also accompany some cheeses successfully ( such as Gouda and Maroilles) and is used instead of yeast in the preparation of pancakes and friters.

   Lager should be served at 7-9^oC (45-48^oF), dark beer is consumed at room temperature. Bottles should be stored upright, once open, beer goes flat very quickly.

    Ballons glasses and tumblers are suitable for normal beers. Very  frothy beers are best served in tulip or tall beer glasses. In Germany stone tankards are used as they keep the beer cool. Pewter tankards are favoured by connoisseurs of English beer.

   Beer is poured by directing the flow to the bottom of the glass to corn a layer of froth, then along the side of the glass to prevent too much froth being formed, and finally righting the glass to produce the head.

RECIPES

Beer soup

Pour 2 litres (3 ½  pints, 9 cups) chicken stock into a saucepan with 300 ml (1.2 pint, 1 ¼  cups) German beer and 250 g (9 oz) stale bread with the crust remvoed. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook very gently for 30 minutes. Puree in a blender and then add a little grated nutmeg and 100 ml (4 ft oz. 7 tablespoons) single (light) cream. Check the seasoning and serve scalding hot.

Carp cooked in beer

Prepare a carp weighing about 2 kg (4 ½ lb)  and carefully remove the roe. Season with salt and pepper inside and out. Chop 150 g (5 oz) onions and fry them gently in butter in a covered pan until transparent. Dice 25 g (1 oz) celery. Butter an ovenproof dish. Place the onions, gingerbread and celery in the bottom and arrange the carp on top, adding a bouquet garni and sufficient, Munich-type German beer to almost cover the fish. Cook in a rpeheated oven at about 170 ^oC (325 ^oF, gas 3) for 30 minutes. In the meantime, poach the roe in a little stock, then drain and slice thinly. Remove the carp from the oven, arrange on a serving dish with the slices of roe and keep warm. Reduce the cooking stock by one third, strain and add butter. Serve in a sauce boat with the carp.

Chicken cooked in beer

Cut a 1.25 kg (2 ¾ lb) chicken into pieces and brown in butter on all sides in a flameproof casserole.Add 2 chopped shallots and cook until brown. Pour 3 tablespoons gin on to the chicken pieces and set alight.  Then add 400 ml (14 ft oz. 1 ¾ cups) Alsatian beer, 3 tablespoons crème frache, a bouquet garni, salt and a little cayenne.Cover and allow to simmer. Chop 225 g (8 oz) cleaned mushrooms and add to the casserole.Cook for about 45 minutes, then drain the chicken pieces, arrange on the serving dish and keep warm.Remove the bouquet garni from the casserole, add 3 tablespoons crème franche and reduce by half. Mix an egg yolk with a little of the sauce, add to the casserole and stir well. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve very hot with steamed new potatoes.

BEET, BEETROOT  Beet includes any of several varieties of a plant with a fleshy root. Some are cultivated for the sugar industry and distilling (sugar beet), others for fodder (mangel  wurzed) The beetroot (beet) with its fine dark red flesh, is used as a vegetable and as a food colouring. Beetroot was eaten in antiquity and was described in 1600 by Olivier de Serres, who was self-appointed publicist of newly imported products in France, as a very red, rather fat root with leaves like Swiss chard, all of which is good to eat. Nowadays, the leaves are rarely eaten, but they can nevertheless be prepared like spinach and are commonly used in soups in eastern Europe.

   Beetroot can be eaten raw (grated) but is usually cooked and served cold (as an hors poeuvre or in salads). It is occasionally served hot in traditional dishes, particularly with game or in soups, and is more widely used in contemporary recipes, both hot and cold, including mixed vegetables dishes and risottos. Beetroot is especially characteristic of Flemish and Slav cuisine.

   The long rooted varieties (rouge voir des vertus and rouge crapaudine, which are both of good quality) have more flavour and are sweeter than the round varieties (red globe and dark red Egyptian), but the latter are more widely cultivated. They are harvested in Europe from the end of June to the first  frosts. The roots are stored in silos or cellars and are mostly marketed in autumn and winter. Often sold cooked, they can also be bought raw for cooking at home (baked in the oven or boiled in salted water.).

BEIGLI

This takes at feast 2 hours. Very small beetroots are also preserved in vinegar (especially in Germany, where they are served with boiled meat) and are used for making pickles.

RECIPES

Beetroot a la lyonnaise

Parboil some beetroot (beet) in salted water, peel and slice. Cook until tender in butter with thinly sliced onions. Add a little thickened brown stock or bouillon to which 10 g ( 1/3 oz.,1 teaspoon) or softened butter has been added. Heat through and serve.

Beetroof salad a alsacienne

Peel some baked beetroot (beet) and slice or dice. Make a vinaigrette dressing with mustard and add some finely chopped shallots and herbs. Pour over the beetroot and marinate for 1 hour. Just before serving, garnish with slices of saveloy.

Braised beetroot with cream

Parboil some beetroof (beet) in salted water, peel and slice. Cook in a little butter in a covered pan until tender. Remove the beetroot and keep hot. Boil some cream, add to the cooking liquor and reduce to half its volume, seasoning with salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in 25 g (1 oz. 1 tablespoon) butter. Pour this sauce over the beetroot slices.

Cold beetroot soup

Wash thoroughly 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) small raw beetroots (beets), cook gently in salted water, then add the juice of 1 lemon and allow to cool. Cook 3-4 egg whites in a small flat-bottomed dish in a bain marie. Wash and chop a few spring onions (scallions), including the stems. Peel the cold beetroot and slice into thin strips. Add with the diced egg whites, 2 diced Russian gherkins and the chopped onions to the liquid in which the beetroot was cooked, together with a generous pinch of sugar and  150-200 ml (5-7 ft oz,  2/3 –3/4 cup) crème fraiche. Stir well and place in the refrigerator. Just before serving sprinkle chopped parsley over the soup.

Scandinavian beetroot salad

Peel some baked beetroot (beet) and cut into cubes. Peel and slice some onions and separate the rings. Hard boil (hard cook) some eggs and cut into quarters. Cut some sweet smoked or unsmoked herring (a speciality of Scandinavia) into pieces. Sprinkle the beetroot with highly seasoned vinaigrette and place in a salad bowl.Garnish with the herrings, hard-boiled eggs and onions, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

BEIGLI  An item of Hungarian pattscarie made from a high brioche dough rolled  around a filling of almonds, walnuts or poppy seeds. It is made particularly for the festivals of Christmas and Eastern.

BELLE-HELENE  In about 1865 several chefs  from the restaurants of the Grands. Boulevards of Paris started to use the title of this famous operetta by Offenbach to name several different recipes.

   Grilled tournedos broiled filet magnons) Belle Helene are garnished with crips potato straws, springs of watercress, and artichoke hearts filled with bearnaise sauce. Sauteed chicken supremes Belle Helene are arranged on croquettes of asparagus tips crowned with a slice of truffle. Large cuts of meat Belle-Helene are surrounded with chopped tomatoes, fresh green peas with butter, glazed carrots and potato croquettes.

   Belle-Helene is also the name of a cold dessert consisting of fruit (usually pears) poached in syrup, cooled, drained, served on vanilla ice cream, and coated with hot chocolate sauce (the latter may be  served separately in sauceboat if desired).

BELLET  An AOC wine from Nice, which comes from the hillsdes above the Var valley. The small vineyard produces delicate red wines, light roses and definite whites with a fresh bouquet. The reds and roses are made from Polle and Braquet grapes and the whites are made principally from the Rolle, Roussanne, Clairette and Chardonnay, but other varieties can be included in the wines.

BELLEVUE, EN  The French term applied to cold preparations of shellfish, fish or poultry glazed with aspic jelly. For lobster, the flesh is cut into medallions, which are garnished, glazed and arranged in the shell. For small birds (the woodcock, quail and thrush), the animal is boned, stuffed, poached in game, stock, cooled, coated in a brown chaud-froid sauce, garnished and glazed with aspic. The name would appear to come from the Chateau de Belleville, owned by Madame de Pompadour, who used to prepare attractive dishes to stimulate the appetite of Louis XV.

RECIPE

Glazed salmon en bellevue

Prepare and poach the salmon whole in a concentrated fish stock. Allow to cool completely in the cooking liquor, then drain. Remove the skin  from both sides and dry the fish gently with paper towels. Clarify the stock to make an aspic jelly and glaze the salmon with several coats, allowing each coat to set in the refrigerator before applying the next. Coat the bottom of the serving dish with a thin layer of aspic and lay the glazed salmon on top. Garnish with diced or cut shapes aspic and keep in a cool place until ready to serve.

BEL PAESE  One of Italy’s best known cheeses, enjoyed world wide and manufactured in Lombardy since 1906. Made from cow’s milk (45% fat conent), it is creamy and mild, an uncooked pressed cheese, creamy yellow in colour, with a washed crust, it is usually wrapped in foil in small rounds, 20 cm (8 in) in diameter. Meaning beautiful country it was named by its creator, Egidio Galbane, after a children’s book, whose author’s portrait (along with a map of Italy, appears on the wrapping in Europe).

Benedictine  An amber coloured herby French liquer used primarily as a digestive.Don Bernardo Vincelli, an Italian Benedictine monk from the old Abbey of Fecamp, is credited with first producing it. The recipe was discovered in 1863 by a local merchant, Alexandre Le Grand, in some family archives. He perfected the formula and began selling the liqueur, which was immediately successful. As a homage to the monks, he called it Benedictine and printed D.O.M. (Deo Optimo Maximo, To God, most good, most great) the motto of the Benedictines, on the bottle.

   Benedictine is based on 27 different plants and spices, which are incorporated in what is still a secret formula at the distillery at Fecamp in Normandy.  B and B (Benedicine and Brandy) is a compounded version of the liqueur.

BENEDICTINE, A LA  The French term applied to several dishes using either a puree of salt cod and potato, or salt cod pounded with garlic, oil and cream. Cod is traditionally eaten during Lent, hence the allusion to the Benedictine monks. Many of these dishes can be enriched with truffles.

RECIPES

Bouchees a la benedictine

Add diced truffle to a puree of salt cod with oil and cream.Use to fill small cooked puff pastry bouchee cases. Garnish each bouchee with a slice of truffle. Heat through in a hot oven.

Salt cod a la benedictine

Soak 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) salt cod in cold water to completely remove the salt.Poach the fish very gently in water without allowing it to boil.Boil 450 g (1 lb) potatoes in water. Drain the cod, remove the skin and bones, and dry in the oven for a few minutes. Drain the potatoes. Pound the cod with the potatoes in a mortar, then gradually work in 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¼ cup) olive oil and 300 ml ( ½  pint, 1  ¼  cups) milk. (Ablender or food processor may be used, but for no longer than strictly necessary, otherwise the starch in the potatoes will agglutinate). Spread the mixture in a buttered gratin dish and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with melted butter and brown in the oven.

Soft boiled or poached eggs a la

Benedictine

Add white or black truffles to salt cod a la benedictine. Prepare soft-boiled (soft-cooked) or poached eggs. Shape the puree in a dome, arrange a circle of eggs around the dome and cover with a cream sauce.

BERCHOUX, JOSEPH  French solicitor (born Saint Symphorien-de Lay, 1768, died Marcigny. 1839). His name survives as the author of a l ong poem in four cantos entitled Gastronomie out Homme des champs a table, published in 1801)  This lively composition was very popular in the Directory period, following the Reign of Terror, during which the French rediscovered the joy of good food in the first canto, Histoire  de la cuisine des Anciens Berchoux, describes, in brisk alexandrine verse, such subjects as the death of Vatel and Spartan gruel. In the following cantos, Le Premier Service Le Second Service and Le Dessert, he sings the praises of good simple cooking. His philosophy is summed up in the following lines. A poem was never worth as much as a dinner and Nothing must disturb an honest man while he dines. It was he who introduced the word gastronomic to the French language.

RECIPE

Salmon trout Berchoux

Stuff a 2 kg (4 ½ lb) salmon trout with a creamy pike forcemeat with chopped truffles. Place the trout in a buttered ovenproof dish on a bed consisting of a chopped carrot, a medium sized chopped onion (lightly fried in butter) a good handful of mushroom trimmings and a bouquet garni. Add fish stock with white wine until it comes halfway up the trout. Season with salt and pepper, cover, place in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (359 ^oF, gas 4 ) and cook for about 40 minutes, basting frequently until the fish is just cooked. Remove  the central portion of skin and the dark parts of the flesh. Strain the cooking liquor, pour a few tablespoons of this liquor over the trout and glaze slightly in the oven.

   Prepare the garnish 8 small pastry barquettes filled with soft carp roe and coated with normande sauce, 8 small croquettes made of diced lobster, mushrooms, and truffles bound with a thin veloute sauce, and 8 very small artichoke hearts, partly cooked in while stock, sweated in butter, filled with a salpicon of truffles bound with cream, sprinkled with Parmesan, and browned in the oven. Add 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼ cups) veloute fish sauce to the remaining cooking liquor and reduce over a high heat, gradually adding 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼ cups) double (heavy) cream to the sauce. Add butter and  ¼ cup) softened butter, finally, add the chopped parsley, salt and pepper. This sauce is a suitable accompaniment to poached fish.

Brill a la Bercy

Prepare a brill weighing about 800 g (1 ¾ lb), making an incision along the middle of the dark side of the fish and gently loosening the fillets. Season with salt and pepper inside  and out. Butter a flameproof dish, sprinkle with chopped shallots and parsley and lay the brill on top.Add 7 tablespoons dry white wine and the same quantity of fish stock. Dot with 50 g (2 oz. ¼ cup) butter. Start cooking on top of the stove, then transfer to a preheated oven at the stove, then transfer to a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4) and cook for 15 minutes, basting frequently. Then place the dish under the grill (broiler ) to glaze the fish. Finally sprinkle with a dash of lemon juice and chopped parsley. The fish stock may be replaced by dry white wine dilluted with the juice of half a lemon and water.

Calves liver a la Bercy

Toss some slices of calves liver in seasoned flour and grill (broil).Serve with Bercy butter.

Calves kidneys a la Bercy

Cut cleaned calves kidneys crossways into slices 1 cm (1/2 in) thick and brush with melted butter.Season with salt and pepper and dip in white bread crumbs.Grill (broil) quickly and serve with Bercy butter. The fish may be marinated in a little olive oil with salt, pepper and chopped parsley before cooking.

Sole Bercy

Butter an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with chopped shallots and parsley. Place the prepared sole in the dish, add 2 tablespoons dry white wine and a dash of lemon juice and dot with 15 g (1/2 oz, 1 tablespoon) butter. Cook in a preheated oven at 220 ^oC (425 ^oF, gas 7) for 15 minutes basting the fish several times in order to glaze it.

BERGAMOT A small yellow sour citrus fruit similar to the orange, mostly cultivated in Calabria (Italy). The rind contains an essential oil used in perfumery (the basis for eau-de-cologne) confectionery and Earl Grey tea. Thezest is used in patisserie.

    Bergamot is also the French name of a small, square, honey-coloured barley sugar, flavoured with natural bergamot essence, which has been a speciality of the town of Nancy since 1850. There is also a variety of pear called bergamot, it is almost round with a yellowish skin and very sweet, fragrant, juicy flesh.

    A family of herbs native to North America and related to mint is also known as bergamot. One of them was used by the American Indians to make Oswego tea, and any of them can flavour iced drinks. The flavour is similar to that of the citrus fruit.

BERGERAC  Wine from the Dordogne area of south-western France. This wine growing region, situated in the district of Bergerac, has been famous since the Middle Ages for the quality of its white wines. Now its red wines are equally important while the rose wines are appreciated locally.

   Bergerac blanc, which may be a crisp white wine or a full bodied slightly sweet one, is made from the Sauvignon, Semillon and Muscadelle grapes. The red wines are made from the Bordeaux grapes Cabernet Sauvignon,Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Merlot.The reds from the left-bank vineyards of the Dordogne are more full-bodied than those on the right, where the wines are more supple.All are subject to controls, for theAOC Bergerac and Cote de Bergerac.

BERLINGOT   A pyramid-shaped French boiled sweet, usually flavoured with peppermint, with alternating clear and opaque stripes (called a humbug in Britain).Some authorities say that it was created in the Middle Ages, but its present formula was perfected under Louis XVI by a certain Madame Couet, who handed it down to her descendants. In 1851, at Carpentras, Gustave Esseyric revived the recipe using peppermint cultivated in Vaudluse . This peppermint gives a particular flavour to the berlingots which are produced in this town, using sugar syryps left over from the preparation of crystallized (candled) fruit. Nantes (since 1780) Saint-Quentin and Caen are also famous for their berlingots.Although most are flavoured with peppermint, fruit flavoured mixtures are also used.

   Berlingots are manufactured by wrapping a sausage shape of boiled, flavoured and coloured sugar in bands of transparent sugar alternating with bands of beaten sugar. The sausage is then stretched and shaped in a berlingotiere (a rotating machine with four blades) or a ring press.

  Some say the name is derived from the Italian berlingozzo ( a very sweet cake), others that it comes from the Provencal berlingan (knucklebone). By extension, the word is also used (in France) for a pyramid shaped cardboard container for milk.

BERNIS, PIERRE DE French diplomat (born Saint-Marcel d’ Ardeche, 1715, died Rome, 1794) A protégé of Madame de Pompadour, he was elected to the Academic protego of Madame de Pompadour, he was elected to the Academic Fancaise at the age of 29 for his elegant verse, he then became a cardinal and ambassador, first to Venice, then to Rome at the Holy see. In all these posts, he proved himself to be a remarkable ambassador of French cuisine and his table was known as the best inn in France.Chefs have given his name to serious egg dishes using asparagus.

RECIPE

 Cold eggs in white chaud-froid sauce and garnish with truffles. Line a dish with chicken mouse.Arrange the eggs on the mousse, separated by bunches of green asparagus tips. Coat with a light covering of half set aspic.

BERNY  A  French method of preparing croquette potatoes, which are coated in chopped almonds, then fried. Berny garnish consists of small tarts  filed with lentil puree and served with game.

BERRICHONNE, A LA  The adjective for regional dishes from Berry. Large joints of meat garnished a la herricboune are served with braised green cabbage (stuffed or plain), poached chestnuts, small glazed onions and slices of lean bacon, the meat juice is slightly thickened. Chicken fricassee a la berrichone is served with new carrots, potatoes a la berricbonne are cooked with onions and fat bacon.

RECIPES

Chicken fricassee a la beerichonne

Scrape some new carrots and fry in butter with a small onion, then drain. Using the same butter, brown a chicken cut up into portions.Add 250 ml (8 ft. oz. 1 cup) boiling water or clear chicken stock, then the carrots, a bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Cover and cook gently for 30 minutes. Drain the chicken and keep warm. Mix together 2 egg yolks, a pinch of salt. 2 tablespoons cream and 1 tablespoon vinegar and add to the cooking liquor, heat but do not allow to boil.Roll the chicken pieces in the sauce and serve very hot.

Potatoes a la berrichonne

Chop 2 onions. Cut 100 g (4 oz) streaky bacon into small strips.Brown the onions and bacon in a flameproof casserole, then add 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) very small potatoes and brown slightly. Pour in just enough stock to cover, add a bouquet garni, salt and pepper, then cover and cook gently for 20-25 minutes (test the potatoes with a fork to check they are cooked.) Serve sprinkled with hopped parsley.

BERRY   The gastronomy of this old French province ( now called Limousin) in the Loire valley is influenced by pig, poultry and sheep farming. This is well illustrated in its typical meat dishes: seven hour braised leg of lamb, saupiquet, sagourne, Easter pate made from pork and hard boiled (nard-cooked) eggs, sanguette, black roast turkey, and chicken en barbouille (a red wine sauce thickened with blood). Cuisine a la berrichonne is typified by the tasty, sometimes rustic, simplicity of its slow-cooked dishes. Soups and stews (with fritons known as gringnaudes) play an important role, together with the accompanying vegetables, tartoufes (potatoes) and pumpkin (also used in a cake).Chestnuts and field mushrooms have inspired recipes for carp (steamed) lamprey and salmon 9braised).

   One of the characteristics of this wine growing region, which produces AOC wines (such as Reuilly, Chateumeillant, Sancerre, Quincy and Menetou Salon) and rose wines, is the use of wine in cooking, eggs in red wine, and meat and fish stews cooked with wine.Cheeses are made mostly from goat’s milk (Valencay, Pouligny, Chavignol, Levroux, Sellessu-Cher) Fruit and nut trees are grown cherry (for kirsch), pear, walnut and hazelnut and fruit is used in sweet desserts (see  sanclay) and fritters. Lichouneries (confectionery  shops) sell forestines from Bourges (with hazelnuts), marzipan, barley sugar and croquets.

BERRY, Any small fleshy stoneless (pitless) fruit containing one or more seeds.Berries occur singly, in bunches (such as grape and redcurrant) or in clusters (elderberry) Wild berries may be eaten raw or cooked.

BERYX  Fish of the Berycidate family, reddish orange in colour and with delicious flesh. The long beryx is about 35 cm (14 in) in length., while the longer common beryx has a thicker body and grows up to 40 cm (16 in) long. They are fished 600 metres (1,970 ft) deep in the North Atlantic from Ireland to Norway, and are sold under the name of pink bream, usually as fillets.

BETISE  A mint flavoured boiled sweet (candy) manufacured in France since 1850. Although the Afchain company Cambrai has long claimed to be sole inventor of betises, their exact origin is not known. Legend has it that a clumsy apprentice poured the ingredients (sugar, glucose and mint) carelessly, but perhaps it was a flash of genius on the part of a confectioner who had the idea of blowing air into the sugar. The microscopic air bubbles incorporated into the hot boiled sugar make  the sweet light and opaque. Betise remain a speciality of Cambrai but are imitated by the sottises made inValenciennes.

BEURRE BLANC A classic French sauce made with reduce vinegar and shallots to which butter is added, called white butter sauce in English. It is the standard accompaniment to pike and shad. The Nams region and Anjou both claim to be its birth place. It is said that a chef from Nantes called Clemence longot to include the eggs when attempting to make a bearnaise sauce for a pike for the Marquis de Goulaine. It was nevertheless a success and Clemence subsequently opened a restaurant at La Chebeutte near Nantes.This is where Mere Michel learned the secret of beurre blanc, before opening her famous restaurant in the Rue Rennequin in Paris.Curiousky praised the beurre blanc of La Poissonniere, a fish restaurant near Angers.

RECIPE

Beurre blanc

Put 5-6 chopped shallots in a saucepan with 250 ml (8 ft. oz 1 cup) wine vinegar, 325 ml (11 ft oz 1 ½ cups) fish stocks and ground pepper, reduce by two thirds, Cut 225 g (8 oz. 1 cup) very cold butter  (preferably slightly stalted) into small pieces. Remove the pan from the heart and add all but one piece of the butter all at once, beating briskly with a whisk until smooth.Finally, add the last piece of butter and mix it in gently, stirring and turning the pan so that the sauce is not frothy.Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce into a warmed sauceboat and place in a lukewarm bain marie until required for serving.

   The emulsion can be stabilized by adding 1 tablespoon double (heavy) cream-this is Nantes butter (berre nantais)

BEURRE MANIE A mixture of butter and flour used as a thickening for soups, sauces, stews and other liquors towards the end of the cooking time. Equal quantities of butter and flour are used to make  the paste. Soften the butter, then work in the flour with a fork or by creaming the mixture until the paste is smooth. Add small knobs o the simmering liquid, whisking or stirring vigorously, and allow each knob to melt before adding another. Bring to the boil, still whisking or stirring, and simmer for at least 3 minutes to cook the flour. Large quantities of bearre manic can be made in a food processor and frozen in small lumps, ready for whisking straight from the freezer into boiling liquid.

BHAJI   A spicy Indian vegetable fritter consisting of one or more vegetables, such as onion, potato, aubergine (eggplant) and/or cauliflower, in a chicke pea flour butter.

BIARROTE, A LA  A French garnish for small cuts of meat, which are arranged on a vase of potato galettes (prepared as for duchess potatoes) and surrounded by a ring of grilled (broiled) cep mushrooms. This  name refers to the resort of  visits by the emperor Napoleon III and the empress Euginie. It is also applied to a recipe for sauteed chicken in white wine, which may also be garnished with ceps.

RECIPE

Sauteed chicken a la biarrote

Cut a 1.4 kg (3 lb) chicken into pieces and saute until brown on all sides and cooked through. Deglaze with 100 ml (4 ft oz. 7 tablespoons) dry or medium white wine.Reduce the liquid, then add  100 ml (4 ft oz. 7 tablespoons) tomato sauce and a small crushed garlic clove. Using a separate pan,  saute 100 g (4 oz. 2 cups) ceps, 100 g (4 oz. ¾ cup) diced pottoes and 1 diced aubergine (eggplant) in olive oil. Fry a thinly sliced onion, separating the  rings. Arrange the chicken in a heated serving dish, coat with the sauce and arrange the garnish in bouquets around it.

BIB  a coastal fish (family Gadidae) similar to cod (but less good), commonly found in the English Channel and the Bay of biscay.Shaped like an elongated triangle, with a copper coloured back and silvery sides and belly. It measures 20-30 cm (8-12 in) and weighs about 200 g (7 oz). It has a short barbel on the lower jaw, long thin pelvic fins, and two abdominal fins connected by a membrane. The flesh, although lean, is rather tasteless and full of bones and deteriorates rapidly. Bib must therefore be prepared and eaten as soon as it is caught. It is cooked like cod (but is mostly used for fish meal).

BICARBONATE OF SODA (BAKING SODA) An alkaline powder used in medicine as an antacid. In former times bicarbonate of soda was used to soften water for cooking vegetables, such as dried beans, and to preserve the colour of green vegetables. This has been rejected, as it results in the destruction of vitamins.

  Bicarbonate of soda is one of the main ingredients of raising (leavening) agents, it improves the action of baking powder in many commercial preparation such as cake mixes and processed flour. It is used as a raising agent in some non-yeast breads, such as soda bread, and certain cakes. Combined with cream of tartar, it is the  traditional raising agent for British Stones.

BIERWURST  A large cured, German pork and beef sausage, flavoured with garlic, and sliced as an accompaniment to beer, hence its name. Its always eaten cold and has a peppery taste. Blierschinkemourst includes small chunks of ham.

BIGNON, LOUS French restaurateur (born Herisson 1816, died Macan 1906) He began his career in Paris as a waiter at the Café d Orsay, then moved to the Café and Foy, which he acquired and passed on to his brother in 1847. He then took over the management of the Café Riche, redecorated the restaurant, and made it one of the best in Paris. His  activities also extended into viticulture and agriculture. He was a founder member of the Societe des Agriculteurs de France and during the World Fairs from 1862 to 1880) he won the highest prizes  for various agricultural products, wines and foods. He became a knight of the order of the Legion d’ honneur in 1868 and an officer in 1878, and was the first restaurant owner to wear the rosette of the Legion d honneur.

BIGOS  The Polish national dish, also called hunter stew, made of sauerkraut and meat simmered for a long time. Traditionally it was stored in wooden casks or stoneware pots, taken travelling (and hunting) and reheated many times, which improved the flavour,. Large Polish boiling sausage is also cut up and added to the stew, which often includes wild mushrooms. Trditionally bigos preceded the soup course. It may be prepared with just one type of meat or with any mixture of duck, boiled beef, ham, mutton, pickled pork or even venison, and there are many variations.

RECIPE

Bigos

Rinse 4 kgs (9 lb) sauerkraut and drain it well, Peel core and dice 4 dessert apples, sprinkling the pieces with lemon juice, and add to the saucerkrut with 2 large chopped onions. Melt 4  tablespoons lard in a flameproof casserole and cover with a fairly thick layer of saucekraut, then add a layer of diced meat. Continue filling the pot with alternate layers of meat and saucerkraut, finishing with sauerkraut and adding a little lard every now and then. Pour in enough stock to cover the sauerkraut. Cover the pot and cook in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4 ) for 2-3 hours. Make a white roux and add some of the cooking liquor. Pour this sauce over the bigos and cook for a further 30 minutes.

BILBERRY myrtille A low, healthland shrub of the genus Vaccinium native to northern regions of Europe, America and Asia. Related to the blueberry, it is also known as whortleberry. Its small purplishblue  berries have a slightly acid flavour, but they can  be eaten uncooked, with sugar and cream. However, billberries are usually used for making tarts, ices and sorbets, as well as compotes, jams, jellies, syrups and liqueurs. They freeze well.

RECIPES

Bilberry flan

Make some shortcrust pastry (basic pie dough) with 200 g (7 oz. 1 ¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, 100 g (4 oz. ½ cup) butter cut into pieces, a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar and 3 tablespoons cold water (see short pastry). Form into a ball and leave it to  stand for 2 hours.

   Wash and dry 300 g (11 oz. 2 ¼ cups) fresh bilberries  ( or use frozen fruit). Prepare a syrup with 100 g (4 oz. ½ cup) sugar and 250 ml (8ft oz. 1 cup) water. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the bilberr as and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Return to a gentle heat and cook for 8 minutes until all the syrup is absorbed.

  Roll out the pastry and line a buttered 23 cm (9 in) flan tin (pie pan). Line with greaseproof (wax) paper, sprinkle with baking beans and bake blind in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for 12 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, and continue cooking for a further 6-7 minutes until the flan base is golden. Leave until lukewarm before unmoulding.

   Fill the cold pastry case with  the bilberries, smoothing the top.Warm together 2 tablespoons apricot puree and 1 teaspoon water, sieve and coat the bilberries with the glaze. Leave until cold.

   Prepare a Chantilly cream by whipping 7 tablespoons double (heavy) cream with1 tablespoon chilled milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar and 1 tablespoon icing (confectioner’s) sugar. Using a piping (pastry) bag fitted with a fluted nozzle, pipe the cream on top of the tart and decorate with a few sugared violets, if wished.

Bilberry jam

Stalk and wash the berries briefly, then dry and weigh them. Put them into a preserving pan with 100 ml (4 ft zo, ½ cup) water per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) berries. Bring to the boil, skim and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add a weight of sugar equal to the weight of the fruit. Bring back to the boil, skim again, then leave to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring, regularly. Pot and seal in the usual way.

BILLY BY A French mussed soup, also called bilibi, said to have been created by Barthe, the chef of Maxim’, for  a regular customer called Billy, who adored muscles. Billy by is made of mussels cooked in white wine with onions, parsley, celery and fish stock. The soup is served hot or ice-cold with double (heavy) cream, the muscles and grated Parmesan cheese being served separately. Other sources claim that billy by was invented in Normandy, after the Normandy landings, when a farewell dinner was given to an American officer called Bill. So it was called Billy, bye bye, which degenerated to billy by.

BIRDS  Many varieties of wild and domesticated birds are used in cookery.The consumption of small wild birds has decided as protection orders become more stringent everywhere. However, a wide variety of birds for the pot is still plentiful inSpain. In France all birds smaller than the thrush are protected, except for larks, ortolans and sparrows in some reigons. In times past, however, bird catcher supplied the gourmand with many small birds tits, warblers, curlews, jays, sandpipers, robins, wagtails and sparrow (whose delicate meat was reserved for the sick and convalescent)

As a general rule, the only birds to escape the slaughter were nightingales and wrens. The rook was much sought after for soup or, in England, for pies. The  wild birds most esteemed were whole roast heron, scoter duck and plover roasted with hot pepper, roast partridge and turtle doves served with cinnamon or ginger sauce and turtle dove pate.

    The rearing and consumption of domestic poultry, on the other hand, continues to expand. Quail rearing has to some extent filled the gap left by the banning of other wild birds.

BIRDSEYE, CLARENCE  American businessman and inventor, father of the frozen food industry (born New York, 1886, died New York, 1956) During a journey to Labrador in 1920 he observed that fish caught by the Eskimos and exposed to the air froze rapidly and thus remained edible for several months. On his return to the United States, Birdseye succeeded in perfecting a mechanical process for ultra-rapid freezing. In 1924 he formed a company to produce and distribute these frozen products, but the economic crisis forced him to sell his process and name to a food company. The name of this pioneer of cold storage, split into Bird’s Eye, became an international trade name for deep frozen food.

BIRD-S FOOT TREFOIL A common leguminous plant of North America and Europe, known in France as lotier, melilot, trefle de cheval or mirlirot, according to the species. When dried, the leaves flowers and stems impart a very plesant smell and can be used to flavour marinades. In some areas it is used to flavour rabbit, which is stuffed with the leaves and flowers after it has been cleaned. In Switzerland melilot is used to make herbal tea. Some  cheeses (notably the German cow’s milk cheese Schazieger and curd cheeses) are flavoured with the yellow flowers of bird’s foot trefoil.

BIRDS NESTS  Nest built by the salangane, a type of Chinese swallow, in the Philippines and New Guinea and used in traditional Chinese cookery to make bird’s nest soup. Just before the breeding season, the birds feed on gelatinous seaweed, which makes their salivary glands secrete a thick whitish glutinous saliva with which they construct their nests. After being soaked in water the nests become transparent and gelatinous, giving the soup its characteristic odour and sticky  texture. The nests  may also be used in stews and as an ingredient in certain garnishes. The first European travelers to discover them, at the beginning of the 17^th century, believed that they consisted of a mixture of lime and sea foam, or else the sap of trees. It was the French naturalist Buffon who established their true composition, after heating an eye witness account of the nests from the explorer Poivre.

BIREWECK  An Alsatian cake, also called pain de fruits (fruit loaf) It is made from leavened dough flavoured with kirsch and mixed with fresh, dried and crystallized (candied) fruit. Usually shaped into small balls, it can also be made in one large piece and sold in slices.

RECIPE

Bireweek

Cook 500 g (18 oz) pears, 250 g (9 oz) apples, 250 g (9 oz) peaches, 250 g (9 oz) dried figs and 250 g (9 0z) prumes in a little water, but do not allow them to become pulpy. Mix 1 kg (2 ¼ lb, 9 cups) sifted plain (all-purpose)flour and 25 g (1 oz. 4 packets) easy blend dried yeast with enough hand hot cooking water from the fruit to form a soft dough. Leave to rise  until doubled in size. Meanwhile, finely dice 100 g (4 oz. 2/4 cup) can died citron and 50 g (2 oz. 1/3  cup) angelica. When the dough has risen, mix in the diced candied fruit, 250g (4 ½ oz. ¾ cup) hazelnuts, 125 g (4 ½ oz. ¾ cup) almonds, 125 g (4 ½ oz, 1 cup) walnuts, 50 g (2 oz) blanched strips of orange zest, 125 g (4 ½ oz. ¾ cup) stone (pitted dates, and the drained cooked fruit. Add 200 ml (7 ft oz ¾ cup) kirsch and mix well. Divide the dough into 200 g (7 oz) portions (about 28) Shape into rolls and smooth the surface  with water. Place on a greased baking sheet, cover loosely and leave to rise until doubled in size. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 ^oC (325 ^oF, gas 3) for about 1 ¾ hours.

BIRIANI  A north Indian rice dish of Persian origin. Lamb or mutton were the original meats, but chicken or fish may be used. Channa dal may be added and in the West prawns (shrimps) are popular.Basmati rice, spiced with saffron, turnneric and black cardamon, and often enriched with raisins and almonds., is layered with the spiced cooked meat mixture. The  the briani is cooked in a  tightly covered pot to which ghee or milk may be added. When served for special occasions, birianis may be finished with a garnish of edible silver leaf.

BISCOME A type of gingerbread traditionally eaten in Lucerne, Switzerland, on the feast of Saint Nicholas, celebrated on 6 December.At the culmination of the festival a large procession sets off across the city led, by two heralds who are followed by Saint Nicholas, laden with an enormous basket of and a number of bogeymen charged with punishing children who have not been well behaved during the year.

BISCOTTE PARISIENNE  A light French biscuit cooked once in the oven unlike the true biscottle or rusk, which is cooked twice) It is made from almonds egg yolks whisked egg whites and cornflour cornstarch,flavoured with kirsch and piped on to a buttered baking sheef.

BISCUIT (COOKIE)  A small dry, flat cake, traditionally with good keeping qualities, eaten as a snack or accompaniment to a drink, and sweet or savoury.

   Sweet biscuits are eaten as an accompaniment to coffee, tea or milk and mid morning wine in Italy and partner desserts or ice cream. They are used to make desserts charlottes, in particular and macaroon crumbs are often added to custards or creams.There is also a long European tradition of crumbling biscuits into soups and sauces as a thickener.

   Savoury biscuits, or crackers, make snacks with alcoholic drinks or are served with cheese.

   In Britain biscuits are historically plainer and less expensive than on the European continent, where they have associations with entertaining, Christmas and present giving.. Biscuits consumption is high in Britain, the US, Ireland and Belgium. In France biscuits are simply regarded as one aspect of petits fours, with their own wide repertoire. Although biscuits have become a convenient supermarket item, regional specialties continue to be produced in many countries, while they remain a popular item with the home baker.

History  Their English and French name comes from the Latin bis meaning twice and coctits meaning cooked, for biscuits, should in theory be cooked twice, which gives them a long storage life. The French Reins biscuit was originally a flat cake that was put back in the oven after being removed from its tin (pan). This made it drier and harder but improved its keeping qualities.

   This very hard, barely risen biscuit was for centuries the staple food of soldiers and sailors. Roman legions were familiar with it and Pliny claimed that  Parthian bread’ would keep for centuries. In his account of the Crusades, the Lord of Joinville talks of bread called bequis” because it is cooked twice” Soldiers biscuits or army biscuits were known under Louis XIV as stone bread (pain de pierre) In  1894 French army biscuits were replaced by war bread made of starch, sugar, water, nitrogenous matter, ash and cellulose, but the name army biscuit stuck. It did not to disappear until soldiers on campaign were supplied with proper bread.

   Animalized biscuits were also made. These were flat cakes containing meat juices and thought to be very nourishing. Vitamin biscuits appeared during World  II and these were distributed in schools in France. The cereal bar (with or without dried fruit) is the modern successor.

   Biscuits were also a staple item in explorers provisions. In his record of his adventures in the New World, Chateaubriand wrote: Reduced to a solitary existence, I dined on ship’s biscuits, a little sugar and lemon, Travellers biscuits, in the 19^th century, were hard pastries or cakes wrapped in foil, which kept well.

   Biscuit manufacture    The industrial manufacturer of biscuits (cookies and crackers) began in Britain. The Carr establishment, founded in Carlisle in 1815, was the first factory that specialized in the production of biscuits, and was soon followed by mac Earline in Edinburgh and Huntley and Palmers in Reading. These manufacturers exported their specialties all over the world, often sponsored by famous names. For example, the Albert was a small savoury biscuit bearing the name of the Prince Consort. It was not until 1840 that Jean Honore Olibet, a banker’s son from Bordeaux, founded the first French biscuit factory. Soon other industrialists followed suit. In 1882, the lefere Utile factory invented the petit beaurre (butter biscuit)

  Biscuit making is an active branch of the food industry. The ingredients used include varying proportions of flour, vegetable fats (shortening) or butter, sugar (usually sucrose, but sometimes glucose or maltose) starch milk, eggs and baking powder, Permitted additive such as antioxidants, colouring agents, emulsiffur and flavourings, must be listed on the packaging.Flavourings include coffee, vanilla, chocolate, coconut, aniseed, cinnamon and ginger. Liqueurs, jam, dried or crystallized (candied) fruit and nuts may also be incorporated. Production is automatic at all stages, which include kneading, shaping, baking cooling, sorting and packing.

    Sweet or savoury, biscuit are classified in France, by the consistency of the dough.

  Hard or semi-hard Dough Used for petits griddle cakes and various crackers and aperitif biscuits that may be seasoned with salt and other flavourings (cumin, cheese or paprika).These biscuits, which are the most widely consumed, contain about 70% flour and are made without eggs.

   Soft dough Used to make either crips or soft biscuits, such as cigarettes, tuiles, palets, langues de chat, palmiers, sponge fingers, nonettes, madeleines, macaroons, rochers, some petits fours, congolais and croquignoles.These biscuits are made with a high proportioned of egg white.

   Batter Used to make water biscuit 9dry, iced or filled) These biscuits have a high liquid content (water or milk) and small amounts of fat and flour.

   The cookie jar. The American term evokes the comfort of the sweet, ready snack, which is a feature particularly of German and American kitchens.   The word cookie comes from the Dutch koek (cooked), and the repertoin is enormous.

  Sugar and butter are predominant tastes, and also make a very short biscuit.Scottish shortbread, the French Nantes  and Normandy sable and the plain maria.

   Spiced biscuits are a leature of Germany and Central Europe.The German Leblechen and Pfeffermusse are part of the buttle Teller                                              good biscuit display a feature of Christmas Eve, with 15 or more varieties  and shapes, including chocolate kisses (small balls decorated with a nut) wasps nests almond and chocolate  macaroons, vanilla crescents and cinnamon stars.  This group may also include the white, south German anised Springele, which is shaped with a carved wooden mould or an embossed rolling pin.

   Nuts  are a favourite in southern Europe, flaked almonds often decorate the tale, the French also make almond sticks (like croquets and the Alsatian schenkeles) The popular macaroon is known as an amaretto in Italy, though this name is applied in other countries to a tissue wrapped delicacy, ratafias (flavoured with bitter almonds) are the miniature version. The Italian cantuccini, sliced and then baked once more, hark back to earlier biscuit history. Other nuts also go in a host of biscuits, for example pine nuts in the Catalan pinones.

   Among chocolate biscuits, two sandwiches stand out, the British bourbon, a neat rectangle with a cream filling and the round, all-American Oreo (used to make Mississippi mud pie). Other notables are the luscious Italian florentine, a combine of flaked almonds, candle peel and cherry, backed by forkraked chocolate, the jaffa cake where chocolate covers a sponge drop topped with orange jelly, and the American chocolate chip cookie, which continues to conquer Europe.

   Some countries have their own associations, like that of Britain with golden (light corn) syrup (imported from the US from 1885) combiend with oats for flapjacks, and the lacy rolled brandy snaps, from which brandy quickly disappeared.Coconut is used in Australia for anzacs (named after the Australian and New Zeland Army Corps, which fought at Gallipoli in 1915) America has also contributed molasses, apple sauce and peanut butter cookies, and the concept of an icebox or refrigerator cookie (where dough waits to be sliced and backed in an instant.)

·         Savoury biscuits  Dry descendants of the original ship’s biscuits(thin and dry, with slight brown bubbles over the surface) and cream crackers, favoured since the late 19^th century, are eaten with cheese and, sometimes, other spreads. Both Olivers athe most recherche of these, while other popular choices are the digestive (a mildly sweet wheatmeal biscuit), wheat wafers, Sandinavian rye crisphbreads, rice cakes and Scottish  oat cakes.

Flavoured crackers have been taken up in the Us, salty (or with chilli) to stimulate the appeticte, like the salted German pretzel (traditionally eaten along side beer), and a range that incudes cheese straws, tortilla chips and small shapes flavoured with cheese, onion or bacon bits.

RECIPE

Galettes bretonnes

In a bowl, mix 1 egg yolk and 3 eggs with 600 g (1 lb 5 oz, 2 2/3 cups) sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix in 750 g (1 lb 10 oz. 3 ¼ cups) softened slightly salted Breton butter until the mixture is smooth. Add a little brown rum, vanilla essence (extract) and essential oil of bergamot. Sift 1 kg (2 ¼ lb, 9 cups) plain(all-purpose) flour, add a generous pinch of baking powder and work into the butter mixture. Turn out the resulting dough on to a cloth dusted with flour.Fold the cloth over and knead the dough from sticking. Leave the dough wrapped in the cloth overnight in a cool place but not in the refrigerator. (Too cold an environment hardens the butter).

    The following day, divide the dough into 5 lumps, each about 500 g (18 oz.) flatten them into shallow pie dishes, glaze with beaten egg and a little milk and decorate by scoring with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 220^oC(425^oF, gas 7) for about 20 minutes, until deep golden brown.Take care not to allow the galettes to burn.

Rolled brandy snaps

Melt 100 g (4 oz ½ cup) butter with 100 g (4 oz., ½ cup) sugar. Stir  in 100 g (4 oz. ¼ cup) golden (light corn) syrup. 100 g (4 oz, 1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour and 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Mix well.Ladle the mixture in small heaps, very well spaced, on to a baking sheet. Place in a preheated oven at 180^oC (350^oF gas 4) and bake for 7-8 minutes. Take the biscuits (cookies) out of the oven and wrap each one round a wooden spoon handle, pressing them together where they join so that they do not unroll.

  

BISHOP An ancient punch made with wine, citrus fruits and spaces, served either hot or iced. In his Dictionarie di cuisine, Alexandre Dumas says that this drink was called bishop (German Bischof) when made with red Bordeaux (because of its purpose colour) cardinal when made with red Rhine wine, and pope when made with Tokay (white) Originality in the Rhineland, it came to France through Alsace, where hot spiced wines are popular.The classic English bishop is made by heating claret with orange and lemon peel, cinnamon and cloves. It is still a popular winter drink.There are many other traditional British recipes for punches of this sort, namd after church officials prebendary headle and churchwarden.

RECIPE

Ice bischop

Pour a bottle of champage and 500 ml (17 ft oz, 2 cups) strained lime blossom tea into a large bowl. Add an orange and half a lemon, thinly slice.Add sufficient sugar syryp (density 1.2850) to obtain a mixture with a density of 1.425. Leave in a cool place to macerate for 1 hour. Strain, then freeze to a slushy consistency. Just before serving, add 4 small liquueur glasses brandy.Serve in punch glasses.

Rhine wine bishop

Dissolve 250 g (9 oz. 1 cup0 sugar in 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼ cups) water over a low heat with the zest of an orange and a lemon, 2 cloves and a cinnamon stick.Simmer for 5 minutes.Add a bottle of Rhine wine and heat until a fine white froth begins to appear on the surface. Strain and serve in a jug (pitcher) or in a large puch bowl. This drink is sometimes flavorued with a little madeira, sherry or Marsala.

BISON  A wild ox or buffalo formerly widely distributed over the plains of North America and also in Europe, and still in reserve in Poland. It was the symbol of prosperity and plenty for the American Indians, who sued its mealt, fat, hide and horns. It was systematically hunted from the end of the 19^th century onwards and now reconstirtuted herds live either on reserves or on ranches, where they are bred for the meat trade.Bison flesh is juicy with a pronounced flavour and is eaten mostly in the American West and Canada.(A cross between the bison and the cow has produced beefalo, whose meat is popular in some areas)Bison is most commonly eaten iether smoked (especially the tongue) or marinated.The hump is considered to be a delicacy. A typical Canadian dish is bison in                             brine, desalted, boiled for several hours, and then served with cabbage, carrots, potatoes, cream and seasoning. Bison meat may also be minced (ground) for making meat balls or smoked, powdered, mixed with fat and used eithert to make soups or to spread on bread.

  These methods of preparation are mostly inspired by ancient Indian recipes such as the Cheyenne recipe described by C. Levi Strauss in The Origin of Table Manners. They placed thin slices of hard meat carefully on a bed of charcoal, first on one side, then the other. They beat them to break them into small pieces which they mixed with melted bison fat and marrow. Then they pressed it into leather bags, taking care that no air was left inside.When the bags were sewn up, the women flatened them by jumping on them to blend the ingredients.Then they put them to dry in the sun.

   The Polish bison  is of interest chiefly because its chosen fodder, bison grass is a major flavouring of vodka, notably the Polish zubrowka.

BISQUE  A seasoned shellfish puree flavoured with white wine,   Cogne and double cream, used as the basis of a soup. The flesh of themain ingredient (crystalish, lobster or crab) is diced as for a salpicon and used as a garnish.The shells are also used to make the initial puree.

   The word bisque has been n use for centuries and suggests a connection with the spanish province of Vizcaya, which lends its name to the Bay of Bishop Bisque was originally used to describe a highly spiced dish of boiled meat or game.Subsequently bisques were made using pigeons or quails and garnished with crayfish or cheese croutes. It was not until the 17^th century that crayfish became the principal ingredient of this dish, which soon aftr was also prepared with other types of shellfish.The word is now used imprecisely for several pink pureed soups.

RECIPES

Crayfish bisque

Prepare 5-6 tablespoons mirepoix cooked in 40 g (1 ½ oz. 3 tablespoons) butter until soft. Allow 1.25 litres (2 ¼ pints, 5 ½ cups) consomme or fish stock.Cook 75 g (3 oz. 1/3 cup) short-grain rice in 500 ml (17 ft. oz 2 cups) of the consomme until soft. Dress and wash 18 good sized crayfish.Add the crayfish to the mirepoix together with salt, freshly ground pepper and a bouquet garni, and sauce the crayfish until the shells turn red. Heat 3 tablespoons Cognac in a small ladle, pour on to the crayfish and set  alight, stirring well.

   Add 7 tablespoons dry white wine and reduce by two thirds. Add 150 ml (1/4 pint, 2/3 cup) consomme and cook gently for 10 minutes.

   Shell the crafish when cold.Finely dice the tail meat and reserve for the garnish. Pound the shells, then process with the cooked rice and the cooking liquor.  Press as much as possible through a fine sieve. Place the resulting puree in a saucepan with the remaining consomme and boil for 5-6 minutes. Just before serving, cool the bisque slightly, then add dash of cayenne pepper and 150 ml (1/4 pint, 2/3 cup) crème fraiche, folowed by 65 g (2 ½ oz. 5 tablespoons) butter cut up into very small pieces. Add the diced tail meat and serve piping hot.

Lobster bisque

Prepare in the same way as crayfish bisque, but replace the crayfish with an equal weight of small lobsters cut into pieces and sauteed in the mirepoix. If  desired, it can be prepared using only the meat from the thorax, legs and claws (the meat should be finely diced) The tails can then be used for medallions.

BISTRO  A bar or small restaurant, also known as a bistrot. The origin of this familiar word is obscure. It first appeared in the French language in 1884, and perhaps comes from the Russian word bistro (quick), which the Cossacks used to get quick service at a bar during the Russian occupation of Paris in 1815. There also appears to be a relationship with the word bistrovan which in the dialects of western France describes a cow herd and by extension, a jolly fellow begin apt description of an innkeeper. The most likely origin is doubtless an abbreviation of the word bistronille. Modern French bistros are of modest appearance and frequently offer local dishes, cold meats and cheese with their wine.

BISTROUILLE Also known as bistoutille, the term used in northern France for a mixture of coffee and brandy. It is derived from his (twice0 and toutiller (to mix) and may be used to describe cheap brandy.

BITOKE   A French dish made with minced (ground0 lean beef moulded into a flat, oval or round shape. It was itnroduced into French cuisine by Russian emigres in the 1920s. In Russian cookery, minced meat is often used for meatballs (bitki) and croquettes.

RECIPE

Bitoke

To make a single bitoke, finely mince (grind) 125 g (4 ½ oz. ½ cup) lean beef and add 25g (1 oz. 2 tablespoons) butter, salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg. Shape the mixture into a flattened ball, coat in flour and sauce in clarified butter. Add 1 tablespoon cream and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the cooking liquor to make a sauce. Coat the bitoke with the sauce and garnish with fried onion.Serve with sauce potatoes.Alternatively, the minced beef may also be coated with egg and breadcrumbs before cooking.

BITTER  Having a sharp or acid flavour.Certain bitter plants  are used in cooking they include chicory (endive), bay, ginger, rhubarb, orange and bitter almond. Others, whose bitterness is brought out by infusion or distillation, are used essentially in drinks, wormwood, camomile, centaury, gentian, hops and cinchona.

BITTERS An aromatic alcoholic or non alcoholic drink with a bitter flavour. The very aromatic types are usually drunk alone or with soda, the others, such as peach or orange bitters, are used for flavouring mixed drinks. Many bitters comes from Italy (for example, Campari and Fernet- Branca) They are usually wine based, and common flavourings are gentian and orange rind. Bitters may be served as aperitifs, digestives or pick-me-ups and in various cocktails.French bitters incude Amer Picon, Selestat, Toni-Kola, Arquebuse and Suze.

It is used to make jam, compote, jelly, tarts, pies, iced desserts, syryp, liquer and ratafia. It is also used in confectionery (for fruit jellies).

RECIPES

Blackberry jam

Wash and weigh the blackberries, put them in a deep bowl with 175 ml ( 6 ft oz. ¾ cup) water per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) fruit, and leave to soak for at least 12 hours. Pour the fruit and water into a preserving pan, add lemon juice, using l lemon per  1 kg (2 ¼ lb) fruit, bring to the boil and cook gently for 10 minutes.Then add 900 g (2 lb. 4 cups) sugar per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) fruit, bring back to the boil, skim and cook for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Pot and seal in the usual way.

Blackberry syrup

Wash and weigh the blackberries, put them in a deep bowl with 175 ml (6 ft oz, ¾ cup) water per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) fruit, and leave to soak for at least 12 hours. Then crush the fruit in a food processor and pour the fruit and juice into a jelly bag or muslin (cheesecloth) bag. Squeeze over a bowl and measure the juice. Pour it into a preserving pan and add 400 g (14 oz.  1 ¾ cups) sugar per 600 ml (1 pint 2 ½ cups) juice. Stir until dissolved (without heating,) then pour it into bottles to within 2 cm (3/4 in) from the top.Seal and store in a cool place.

Blackbeery tartlets

Put into a food processor 200 g (7 oz. 1 ¾ cups) plain (all purpose) flour, 5 tablespoons sugar and 1 egg, and work to a coarse dough.Add 100 g (4 oz. ½ cup) softened butter cut into small pieces and work quickly until smooth. Form into a ball and leave it to stand for 2 hours.

   Roll out the dough and use to line 6 buttered tartlet thns (moulds) Prick the bottom with a fork, sprinkle with caster (superfine) sugar and fill with 800 g (1 ¾ lb) washed blackberries, packing them closely together. Sprinkle with sugar again. Bake the tartlets ina preheated oven at 200 ^oC(400 ^oF, gas 6) for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave until lukewarm, then unmould them on to a wire rack.Serve warm or cold accompanied by crème fraiche, or decorated with piped Chantilly cream.A tart is prepared in the same manner.

BLACKBIRD  A bird of the thrush family ranging from northern to southern Europe.The female has a brown plumage and the male is black; both have yellow beaks. Its flesh has a fine texture and its taste varies  depending on the diet of the bird, which itself depends on the reigon in which it lives and the season of the year. The flavour is usually slightly bitter but is at its most fragrant in the autum Blackbirds are cooked in the same way as thrushes, although they are less delicate.Corsican blackbirds are used to make a delicious pate.

BLACKCURRANT  A shrub native to northern Europe but now widely cultivated for its black juicy berries, which are sour and aromatic.The medicinal properties of both the fruit and leaves were known by the 14^th century. The French casts comes either from casse, the husk of the blackcurrant, or from  cassia (senna) known for its purgative qualities. In France its cultivation really began in the Cote  d’ Or following the perfection of blackcurrant liqueur. The  first bushes were established in the park of the chateau at Montmuzard near Dijon in 1750.

    Blackcurrants are grown especially in Burgundy but also in Orleanals and Haute, Savote, as well as in at the end of June or the beginning of July. The variety Noir de Bourgogne, with dense clusters of small berries, is exceptionally tasty and aromatic, varieties with larger less dense fruit tend to be more watery.

   The fruit is used to make jellies, jams, syrups and liqueur.Frozen or concentrated into a puree, the berries can also be used in the preparation of sorbets, Bavarian cream, charlottes, souffles and tarts. Dried blackcurrants are sometimes sold commercially, they can be used instead of raisins in cake making.

RECIPES

Blackcurrant jelly (1)

Wash, dry and stalk some blackcurrants.Weigh them, place in a saucepan and add 150 ml (1/4 pint, 2/3 cup) water per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) fruit. Heat until the berries burst (if a perfectly clear jelly is required0 then place the fruit in a cloth and  wring to extract the juice. (If a thicker jelly is preferred, rub the contents of the saucepan through a sieve or mouli.)  Measure the liquid obtained, then, for every 1 litre (1 3¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups) fruit juice, put 850 g (1 lb 14 oz., 3 ¾ cups) preserving sugar into a saucepan together with the juice of a lemon and 175 ml (6 ft oz, ¾ cup) water. Heat to a temperature of 109 ^oC (228 ^oF), then  add the blackcurrant juice.Stir thoroughly over a high heat until the jelly coats the back of the spoon. Skim  and pour the boiling jelly into sterilized jars. Allow to cool compeltely. Cover, label and store in a cool place.

Blackcurrant jelly (2)

Prepare a blackcurrant jelly as described in the previous recipe but using 1 kg (2 ¼ lb, 4 ½ cups) sugar per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) of fruit. Cook the sugar in the same way, then take the saucepan off the heat, add the juice and stir throughly. Then pour the jelly into sterilized jars, leave to cool and proceed as in the previous recipe.

Blackcurrant sorbet

Place 250 g (9 oz. 1 ¼ cups) sugar and 400 ml (14 ft oz, 1 ¾  cups) water in a saucepan. Heat to dissolve the sugar. (The density should be 1.14, if it is less than this, add a little more sugar ) Warm the syrup, then add 350 ml (12 ft. oz. 1 ½ cups) blackcurrant juice and the juice of half a lemon. Mix  well and pour the mixture into an ice cream machine or freeze, beating at intervals. Real sorbet is made by adding a quarter of the volume of Italian meringue to the ingredients.

Blackcurant syrup

Crush the blackcurrants, put into a muslin (cheesecloth) bag and leave to drain, do not pres.s The pulp is very rich in pectin, which turns the syrup into jelly. Measure the juice and allow 800 g (1  ¾ lb 3 ½  cups) sugar per 500 ml (17 ft oz. 2 cups) juice. Put the sugar and juice into a saucepan and heat, stirring well until the sugar has completely dissolved. When the temperature reaches 103 ^oC (217 ^oF), skim and pour into sterilized bottles. Label and store in a cool dry place.

Frozen blackcurrant charlotte

Line the base and sides of a charlotte mould with sponge fingers dipped in blackcurrant syrup and cut to fit the mould. Fill the mould with alternate layers of blackcurrant ice cream and sponge fingers soaked in the syrup. Finish with a layer of fingers. Weight the top, then place in the freezer.Turn out the frozen charlotte just before serving. It can be served with custard or decorated with Chantilly cream and blackcurrants cooked in a sugar syrup.

BLACK FORST GATEAU   A chocolate cake, Schuwatzwalder Kirschtorte, made in Bavaria during the summer.The fame of this rich gateau has risen since the early eyars of the 20^th century. It consists  of dark chocolate sponge layered with sweetened whipped cream and sour black Schmidt cherries. The cherries are lightly cooked and macerated in kirsch, and this liquor is used to moisten the cake before it is layered.

RECIPES

Black Forest gateau

Whisk 250 g (9 oz. 1 generous cup) caster (superfine) sugar with 6 eggs until pale, very thick and creamy. Then gently fold in 100 g (4 oz. 1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour sifted with 50 g (2 oz., ½ cup) cocoa, and 150 g (5 oz. 2/3 cup) melted butter.Butter and flour 3 round 23 cm (9 in) cake tins (pins)and pour in the  cake mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4 ) for about 25 minutes.Turn the cakes out of the tins and allow to cool.

  Make a syrup with 200 g (7 oz, ¾ cup) caster sugar and 350 ml (12 ft oz 1 ½  cups) water. Flavour with kirsch. Grate 200-250 g (7-9 oz. 7-9 squares) bitter (semisweet) chocolate into thick shavings and put in the refrigerator.Soak the cooled layers of cake in the syrup.

   Make some Chantilly cream by whipping together 750 ml (1 ¼  pints, 3 ¼  cups) chilled double (heavy) cream, 200 ml (7 ft oz. ¼ cup) very cold milk, 75 g (3 oz, 2/3 cup) icing (confectioner’s) sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar.Cover each layer of cake with a quarter of the cream and a dozen brandy flavoured cherries.Cover the sides of the cake with the remaining cream. Decorate the whole cake with chocolate shavings.Serve chilled.

BLACK PUDDING (BLOOD SAUSAGE)  boudin noir A savoury sausage made across Europe and Russia consisting largely of seasoned pig’s blood and fat contained in a length of intenstine, which forms the skin. It may be sold whole, cut from a length or in presealed pieces. Ox, calves’ or sheep’s blood can also be used, but this results in a coarser pudding. In  France the fat consists partly of chons, which are granular fragments (cracklings) obtained from melting down pig’s fat. One of the oldest known cooked meats, black pudding is said to have been ivnented by Aphtonite, a cook of ancient Grece.Some are eaten fresh, others are semi-preserved by drying or smoking.

    With few exceptions, blood sausages are cooked to serve (and often poached, then fried). In France they are traditionally fried or grilled (broiled) and served with apples or mashed potato, in Germany with hot potato salad.  In Spain they commony flavour pulses, but in Britain and Ireland bacon and potatoes ae favourite accompaniments.

French boudins noirs. There are as many types of boudin noir as there are pork butchers. Although the boudin de Paris traditionally contains equal quantities of blood, fat and cooked onions, the proportions can vary widely, butchers may use a range of different seasonings and add fruit or vegetables, aromatic herbs, milk, cream, semolina and curstless bread. In Lyon, they add raw onions, sometimes marinated in brandy and herbs, in Nancy, they add milk. The Auvergne boudin contains milk together with a pig’s head cooked with its crackling.Strasbourg smoked boudin contains cooked pork rind and bread soaked in milk.  Poitou boudin is prepared without fat but with cooked spinach, cream, semolina and eggs. Various regional boudins contain fruit, including apples (Normandy) prunes (Brittany) raisins (Flanders) or chestnuts (Auverne) Alsace has two local specialities that are similar to black pudding, Zungenwurst, or tongue sausage, which in addition to the basic ingredients includes pieces of ox or pig’s tongue, wrapped in bacon, and arranged geometrically in an ox intenstine, and Schwarzwurst, or  smoked black sausage, whih is made from a paste of pig’s blood, pork rind, ears, boned head and trotters, fat trimmings and onions, with diced pork fat and enclosed in ox intestine.

Blood sausage worldwide   Italy makes fresh sanguinaccio in Lecce made with pig’s brains and blood and there are many Germany varieties of Blutuwurst (some including calf’s or pig’s lung and bacon) Belgium has the Brussels bloedpens and a boudin noir (cousin to a french one) that contains eggs, butter and cream.

   In Spain there are butifarras on the east coast and the Balearics and morcillas in the north and south. In the north these may be flavoured with aniseed, cloves and other spices, and are plumped with either onions or rice. Both the Burgos and Aragon morcillas contain rice with pine nuts.The asturian morcilla is smoked and wrinkled, swelling up in the pot.  Most southern morcillas are in loops, again onions and rice are the common fillers. Morcilla dulce (a sweet one) highly spiced with creamy fat (like fruit cake), is eaten as a tapa. It is a taste shared in Sicily, wehre raisins, almond pieces and candied pumpkin may be included and in Scandinavia where they may contain raisins.

   British black puddings are different in using  cereals (oatmeal or barley) to absorb the blood, and traditionally are horsehoe shaped. They remain popular in Scotland and the English Midlands and north (and interest London chefs)  The best are the short, fat ones made in Bury in Lancashire, flavoured with marjoram, thyme, mint, penny royal and celery seed. Irish drusheen is made with pig’s blood in cork (sometimes with liver) and sheeps blood in Kerry. The finest sausage include cream and breadcrumbs, with pepper and mace, tansy is a traditional herb.

RECIPES

Boudin noir

Add 1 tablespoon wine vinegar 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3  cups) pig’s blood to prevent it coagulating.Chop 400 g (14 oz) onions and gently cook them in 100 g (4 oz, ½ cup) lard without browning. Dice 800 g 1 kg (1 ¼  2 ¼ lb) fresh pork fat and soften in a pan very gently without frying, until it becomes translucent.Add the onions and a bouquet garni and cook for about 20 minutes.Remove from the heat and, stirring constantly, add the blood, 2-3 teaspoons salt, 175 ml (6 ft oz, ¾ cup) white wine, ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper and ½ teaspoon allspice.Sieve to remove remaining lumps of fat at this stage, if reqired, then add 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup) crème fraiche.

   Turn some clean pig’s intestines inside out, wash and dry them, rub with lemon juice, and turn right side out. Knot the end of one of the pieces of intestine and using a funnel, fill the intestine with the mixture, pushing it with the hand towards the knotted end. When the sausage is about 10 cm (4 in) long,  twist the intestine several times to seal it. Repeat for the other sausages.

  Plunge in boiling water and poach for about 20 minutes without boiling.As the puddings rise to the surface, prick them with a pin to release the air, which would otherwise vurst them.Drain them and leave to cool under a cloth.

Boudin noir a la normande

Chop about 800 g (1 ¾ lb) dessert (eating) apples for 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) sausage, sprinkle with lemon jucie (if desired) and fry in butter in a large pan. Poach the black pudding, slice into portions and fry in butter in a separae pan.Add the slices to the apple and fry together for a few seconds. Serve piping hot.

Boudin noir bearnais

Gently cook 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) minced (ground) pig’s throat, or fatty pork, for 30 minutes in the bottom of a alrge stock pot or heavy based saucepan. Peel 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) onions and 250  g (9 oz) garlic and add to the meat, together with 5 tablespoons chopped thyme and a bunch of chopped parsley.Simmer for 1 ½ hours. In a large saucepan, boil half a pig’s head seasoned with coarse salt, with1 kg (2 ¼ lb) leeks, 500 g (18 oz) onions stuck with cloves, 4 red sweet (bell) peppers and 500 g( 18 zo) carrots. When the head is cooked, bone it, chop the meat and vegetables, discarding the cloves from the onions, and add to the stock pot. Adjust the seasoning and add some allspice.Add 5 litres (8 ½ pints, 5 ½ quarts) blood. Stir well. Put in containers, cover and sterilize in a pan of boiling water for 2 hours.Serve sliced cold or grilled (broiled).

BLADDER  A membranous bag in animals in which urine is stored, after slaughter it has various uses in cooking and charcuterie. Pig’s bladder is used to enclose poultry (chicken or duck0 for poaching in stock. It must be soaked in water with coarse salt and vinegar to remove impurities, then carefully rinsed and dried before inserting the bird. The poultry is then presented at table en vessie or en chemise. If the dish is to be served cold, it is left to cool in the intact bladder. This cooking method, in which the bird is effectively sealed, concentrates the flavours of the forcemeat and the aromatic cooking liquid inside the bladder.

   In former times dried pig’s bladders were used as containers for tallow and melted lard. Sometimes they were filled with air and used as shop signs for chacutiers (suppliers of cooked meat).

RECIPE

Chicken en verssie marius Vettard

Singe and carefully clean a roasting chicken weighing 1.701.8 kg (3 ¼ - 4 lb) Leave it to soak in iced water for 4 hours to ensure that the flesh remains white. Menwhile soak a pig’s bladder.

   Prepare a forcemeat with the chicken liver, 150 g (5 oz) fresh truffles, and 250 g (9 oz) foie gras, using an egg to bind it.Season the forcemeat with salt and pepper and add about 150 ml (1/4 pint, 2/3 cup) champagne.Stuff the chicken with the forcemeat and truss it.

   Insert the chicken into the well-rinsed and dried bladder in such a way that the opening  of the bladder is along the back of the chicken. Add 2 generous pinches of coarse salt, a pinch of peeper and a glass each of Madeira and good quality champagne.Sew up with fine string pulled tightly and prick it about 10 times all around to stop it from bursting. Then poach in a good consomme for 1 ½  hours. Serve the chicken in the bladder with shaped potatoes, carrots,  turnips and the white part of some leeks (or with rice pilaf) Open the bladder at the last moment, slitting it along the seam.A light Burgundy is a good accompaninent to this dish.

BLANC,  A French term used to describe a stage of cooking when food is cooked or partially cooked but not coloured, for example by gently frying onions without allowing them to colour.

   Cuire a blanc is also the French term for baking  a pastry flan case blind.

BLANC, Au The  French description of food (especially poultry and veal) n either a lbanc de cuisson or a white stock.

RECIPE

Chicken au blanc

Poach a boiling chicken in white stock for 1 ¼ -1 ¾  hours, depending on its size and tenderness. The legs and wings should come away in the hand without using a knife. Reduce a bowlful of the cooking liquor and add an equal volume of alternade  sauce. Coat the chicken with the sauce and serve piping hot with rice and carrots cooked in stock.

BLANC DE BLANCS White wine made solely from white grapes.  Until recently, this term was used mainly in reference to champagne made from the Chardomay grape. Today the term is often applied to other wines made only from white grapes and is used in many countries both for all and sparkling wines.

BLANC DE CUISSON  The French term for a liquor used for cooking white offal and certain vegetbles. It is used both to aid whitening and to prevent discolorationn of the lood. A simple blanc is made by blending a little floru with water, then adding more water, with lemon juice or vinegar to acidulate it. Butter is another possible addition to float on the  surface and insualte the vegetables (or other ingredients) from the air.

RECIPE

Blanc for offal and meat

This stock is used for cooking certain types of offal, such as sheep’s tongue and trotters, calf’s head and cockcombs and kidneys.

   Blend together 25 g (1 oz, ¼ cup) flour and 4 tablespoons water.Add a further 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups) water, mix and strain. Season with 1 teaspoon salt.Add the juice of half a lemon, 2-3 tablespoons chopped raw calif’s or ox kidney fat, 1 quartered carrot, a bouquet garni and 1 onion stuck with a clove.Place the ingredients to be cooked in the stock when it is boiling.

BLANC DE NOIRS  White wine made from black grapes, the juice beging run off before the skin pigments can tin it. The term is used in Champagne for wines made exclusively from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes.Wines such as white Zinfandel, which are pale pink in colour, may also be described as Blanc de Noirs.

BLANCHING  This term is used for several different operations.

Par-Boiling. Lightly cooking raw ingredients for varying amounts of time in boiling water with or without salt or vinegar.  The ingredients are then refreshed in cold water and drained or simply drained and then cooked normally. Blanching may be carried out for several reasons to make firmer, to purify, to remove excess salt, to remove bitterness, or to reduce the volume of certain vegetables. In some cases, the ingredients are placed in cold water and brought to the boil, potatoes  diced bacon previously soaked white offal poultry, meat and bones  and rice. In other cases, the ingredients are plunged directly into boiling water, for example, cabbage and lettuce. Blanching is equivalent to compelte cooking with such vegetables as spinach, very young French (green) beans and fresh peas.

Part Frying. Prelimary frying of certain potato, preparations such as chips, so that they partially cook without changing colour. They become crisp and golden when fried for a second time at a higher temperature, just before serving.

Soaking Briefly Covering fruit, vegetables or nuts with boiling water for a few seconds to facilitate removal of the skin. Tomatoes, peaches, almonds and pisctachios are treated in this way, the skin can then be remvoed easily without damaging the inside.

Beating Egg Yolks .  This usage is not common, it refers to the vigorous beating of a mixture of egg yolks and caster (superfine) sugar until the volume icnreases and it become light a fluffy. This method is used partiularly for making custard and some sponge cake mixture.

BLANCMANGE   In classic cuisine a much prized jellied almond cream. One of the oldest desserts, it was said by Grimond de La Reyniere to have originated in Languedoc. In the Middle Ages blancmange was both a white meat jelly made of pounded capon or veal and a dessert made from honey and almonds. Although the modern word is used to embrace milk jellies, often based on cornflour (cornstarch), traditional blancmange is made with sweet almonds and a few bitter almonds that are pounded, pressed, sweetened and mixed with a flavouring and gelling agent. The latter was originally grated stag’s horn, subsequently replaced by beef or mutton juice, isinglass and finaly gelatine. This dessert was often regarded as difficult to make because it had to be white and perfectly smooth,

RECIPES

Traditional almonds blancmange

Blanch 450 g (1 lb. 3 cups) sweet almonds and about 20 bitter almonds. Leave them to soak in a bowl of cold water, which renders them singularly white. Drain in a sieve and rub in a napkin to remove the skins. Pound in a mortar, moistening them, little by little, with 1 ½ tablespoons water at a time, to prevent them turning into oil. When they are pounded into a fine paste, put into a bowl and dilute with 1.15 litres (2 pints,  5 cups) filtered water, added a little at a time. Spread a clean napkin over a dish pour the almond mixture into it and, with two people twisting the napkins, press out all the almond milk. Add to the milk 350g (12 oz 1 ½ cups sugar and rub through a fine sieve.Strain the liquid through a napkin once again and add 25 g (1 oz plus 4 grains) clarified isinglass a little warmer than tepid- or use 25 g (1 oz., plus 4 grains) clarified isinglass a little warmer than tepid or use 25 g (1 oz, 4 envelopes ) gelatine dissolved in warm water.Blend with the blancmange. Pour into a mould and place in a container with curshed ice.

Variations To make rum blancmange, add ½  glass rum to the mixture described above. To make a Maraschino blancmange, add ½ glass maraschino.

   To serve this dessert in small pots, prepare two thirds of the quantity given in the recipe, you will, however, need less gelling agent, as when the blancmange is served in small pots it should be more delicate than when it is to be turned out.

  Blancmanges can be flavoured with lemon, vanilla, coffee, chocolate, pistachio nuts, hazelnuts and strawberries. Whipped cream can also be incorporated.

Modern almond blancmange

Blanch and skin 450 g (1 lb, 3 cups) sweet almonds and 20 bitter almonds (or use all sweet almonds). In a blender puree the almonds with 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups) hot water, when the liquid is  milky and the almonds are v ery fine, strain the mixture through muslin (cheesecloth). Sprinkle 25 g (1 oz. 4 envelopes) gelatine over 5 tablespoons almond milk and leave to swell. Heat the remaining almond milk with 100 g (4 oz ½ cup) sugar, stirring frequently. When the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is almost boiling, stir into the gelatine, and continue stirring until the gelatine has melted. Pour the almond blancmange into a 1.15 litre (2 pint, 5 cup) mould, leave until cold, then refrigerate unti lfirmly set.

BLANQUETTE  The French term for ragout of while meat (veal, lamb or poultry) cooked in white stock or water with aromatic flavourings. Theoretically, the sauce is obtained by making a roux and adding cream and egg yolks. However, the roux is more often than not omitted. Blanquette had a very important place in historical cuisine and became a classic of bourgeois cookery. Blanquettes are also made with fish (monkfish) and vegetables (chard and celery)

RECIPES

Preparation of Blanquette

Cut the meat or fish into about 5 cm (2 in) cubes. Seal by frying the cubes in butter without browning. Cover with white stock or bouillon, season, quickly bring to the boil and skim.Add 2 onions (one stuck with a clove) 2 medium sized carrots cut into quarters and a bouquet garni.Simmer gently (15 minutes for monkfish, 45 minutes for poultry, 1 ¼  hours for veal).Drain the pieces of meat or fish and place in a sauce pan with small onions and mushrooms that have been cooked au blanc, in a thin white sauce. Heat gently and, just before serving, bind the sauce with cream and egg yolks and flavour with a little lemon juice. Place in a deep serving dish, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with heart shaped croutons fried in butter.

   Blanquette  is usually served with rice a la creole but may also be served with celeriac (celery root), halved celery hearts, carrots, braised parsnips or leeks, cucumber (cut into chunks and blanched for 3 minutes in boiling salted water), braised lettuce or lettuce hearts.

Blanquette of lamb a Francienne

This is prepared with shoulder, breast and best end (rib chops) of lamb. The stock for 1.8 kg (4 lb) lamb is made with 2 carrots cut into quarters, 2 medium onions (one stuck with a clove) and a vegetable bouquet garni consisting of 2 celery sticks and 2 small leeks (white part only). The garnish is made with 200 g (7 oz) baby onions, 200 g (7 oz) mushrooms (preferably wild) and 8 croutons fried in butter.To bind the sauce use 50 g (2 oz, ¼ pint,  2/3 cup) double (heavy) cream, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of grated nutmeg.

Blanquette of lamb with beans and lamb’s feet

Cut the meat from a shoulder of lamb into large cubes. Cover with iced water and keep for 12 hours in the refrigerator, changing the water once or twice. Soak 350 g (12 oz. 2 cups) dried white haricot (navy) beans for about 12 hours in cold water with an onion stuck with a clove 4-5 whole carrots, a leek and a bouquet garni.

   Rub 3 lamb’s feet with lemon juice, blanch for 10 minutes in boiling water, refresh with cold water and trim. Make a paste of 1 tablespoon flour, lemon juice and w ater in a pan. Add the feet, together with 2 carrots, an onion, a bouquet garni and some peppercorns, and simmer for about 2 hours. When the feet area cooked, drain, skin and dice the flesh.

  Cook the beans with the flavoruing ingredients for about 1 ½  hours, skimming frequently at first, and add salt after 15 minutes.

   Drain the pieces of lamb shoulder.Start cooking them in cold water and add a lamb stock (bouillon) cube, 2 carrots, an onion a bouquet garni, pepper corns and a little salt. Simmer for about 1 ½ hours. When cooked, drain the pieces of lamb and arrange them in a large dish. Reduce the cooking liquor to  litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 ½ cups) In a separate pan, mix together 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼ cups) double (heavy) cream, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 4 egg yolks. Pour the sieved reduced cooking liquor on to the mixture and heat gently, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.As soon as he mixture approaches boiling, strain it over the pieces of lamb. Drain the beans and mix them and the diced feet with the blanquette.

Blanquette of monkfish

Cut 1.5 kg (3 ¼ lb) monkfish into 5 cm (2 in) cubes and seal in 40 g (1 ½ oz, 3 tablespoons) butter without browning. Complete the cooking as in the basic blanquette recipe using 150 g (5 oz., 1 cup) diced carrots, 2 medium onions (one stuck with 2 cloves), 2 leeks 225 g (80z) baby onions and 225 g (8 oz) very small button mushrooms (optional). To bind the sauce, use 2-3 egg yolks, 150 ml ( ¼ pint,  2/3  cup) double (heavy) cream and the juice of 1 lemon.

Blanquette of veal

This may be prepared with shoulder, breast or flank, either on or off the bone. For 1.5 kg (3 ¼ lb) meat use the same ingredients as for blanquette of lamb a ancienne. Seal the pieces of veal in butter without allowing them to brown and cook in bouillon.

BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX  A sparkling white AOC wine produced in the department of Aude near the town of Limoux (near Careassonne) It is made mainly from the Mauzac grape, which used to be called Blanquette because the undersides of the leaves are covered in white down. Increasing amounts of Chardonnay and some Chenin Blanc are also used. The wine is made sparkling by the traditional method. Blanquette Methode Ancestrale is a sweeter version, made without disgorgement of the sediment. The region also produces still white wines under the Limoux appellation.

BLAYE  A fortified town on the right bank of the Gironde, opposite the Medoc.Wine has been produced in this area for longer than in the Medoc, although now its importance is reduced. The most important wines are red, made from Merlot and GabernelSauvignon grapes under the Premieres Cotes de Blaye appellation.Some whites are also made from Ugni Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, sold under the names Cotes de Blaye, Blaye or Blayais.

BLENDER   An electric device used to liqudize, crush or mix foods. It is used in the preparation of sauces, soups, fruit and vegetble purees, fine forcemeats, mousses and mousselines.

   There are two kinds of blender, the hand held type and the goblet type. The former consists of a  motor unit with a handle and a column fitted with a blade which turns at about 10,000 r.p.m. It can be operated either in the receptacle used for cooking or preparing the food or in a tall narrow container,usefulformakingmayonnaise.Sometimes it is equipped with a slower blade, which can be used to mash potatoes and puree chestnuts (otherwise the e xcessive rotary speed of the mixer would  release the starch, making the puree sticky and viscous).

    In the goblet type the motor unit serves as a base and the blade turns in the goblet. The goblet has a limited capacity, so only relatively small quantities can be proceesed at a time. It is particularly useful for pureeing soups and sauces, and is used when a finer texture is needed than that obtained in a food processor.For thicker mixtures, when a blender would need to be stopped and the mixture scraped down on to the blades, a food processor does a better job.

BLENDING  Assemblage  The practice of combining several wines of different grape varieties or vintages. In the vineyards of northern Europe where the hours of sunshine are often inadquate, a fruity varietal, usually from a single grape variety, is often used to enhance another wine with its bouquet.

   Further south, varieties are sometimes mixed to achieve a better balance between the degree of alcohol, acidity and tannins in the case of red wines, so, for instance, in the Bordeaux one combiens Cabernet Sauvignon for its structure, Meriot for its roundness, and Cabernet Franc for its fruit, Wines of different years are also mixed to obtain the best possible results.

RECIPE

Blinis a la francalse

Blend 20 g (3/4 oz, 1 ½ cakes) fresh (compressed) yeast or 1 teaspoon dried yeast with 50 g (2 oz. ½ cup) sifted strong plain (bread) flour with 500 ml (17 ft oz, 2 cups) warmed milk and leave to rise for 20 minutes in a warm place. Then mix in 250 g (9 oz, 2 ¼ cups) sifted strong plain flour, 4 egg yolks, 300 ml (1/2  pint, 1 ¼ cups) warm milk and a generous pinch of salt. Mix the ingredients well. Leave the batter to rest for a minimum of 1 hour. At the last moment, add 4 stiffy whisked egg whites and 100 ml (4 ft oz. 7 tablespoons) whipped cream. mAke small thick pancakes by frying quanties of the batter in butter in a small frying pan, turning them over after a few minutes.

BLONDIR A French culinary term meaning to lightly brown food by frying gently in fat. Onions and shallots may be cooked like this and the term is also applied to flour, which is lightly browned in melted butter to make a white roux.

BLOOD   The vital fluid of vertebrates. Pig’s blood, an ingredient of black pudding (blood sausage), is that most frequently used in cookery. Fresh blood is either a symbol of vigour, or, for Jews, something to be shumned as unhugiene. It is a tapa in Spain, solidified and cut into squares, and it is considered a fortifying food, especially in cold countries, hence the ancient Swedish scartsoppa (black soup), made with goose blood, also the Polish czermina ( or techernina), eaten with rice noodles or fried croutons, to which fresh poultry, game or pig’s blood is added before it is thickned with a puree of hicken livers. There are also various French regional dishes using blood.

   To use, blood must be stirred with vinegar, salt or alcohold without delay, to prevent deterioration and clothing. Thickening with blood is widely used in traditional European cookery, for civets and, inFrance dishes described as en barbouille.When poultry or game blood is not available, fresh pig’s blood can be used instead.

   Duck an sang is very popular in the cookery of Rouen. A gamey  taste is induced by smoothering the duck (without blood loss) rather than shooting it. The a la presse method of presenting it also means the bloody juices from the partially roast, crushed duck enrich the final sauce.

  The French expression cuit a la goutte de sang (cooked to the drop of blood) is applied to young game or poultry which is just cooked, similarly, the  term saignant (rare, literally, bleeding) corresponds to a specific degree of cooking for grilled (broiled) or roast meat.

BLUEBERRY  Fruit of three species of shrub of the Chinon genus, related to billberry, and one of the only seven native norhter. American foods to be cultivated o n a large scale. The lowbush blueberry, called bluets or peries bleus in Quebec, is smaller, sweeter and very flavourful (and still sold as wild blueberry) The fruit of the highbush, cultivated in the northern United States since the 1920s is considerably langer than the billberry especially the aromaticDixie. Blueberries should not be stored in the refrigerator. They make excellent tarts, pies, upside down desserts, sauce for ice cream and blueberry muffins.

BLUE CHEESE Most distinguished and with the longest traditions, are the French ewe’s milk Roquefort English Blue Stillon and Italian Congazola.But several European countries, and America, make blue cheese from cow’s ewe’s and goat’s milk (whole or sent skimmed) using a penicillin fungus, either the Roquefort or gorgonzola strain, to induce veining. Flavours range from forceful to delicate, textures from hard and crumbly to creamy, while rinds vary from hard to the white Camembert style flor.

   Many soft blue veined cow’s milk cheeses are produced in France, mostly in the Auvergne, Savoy and Jura. If the cheese is made from other milk, the label must specify Bleu de Chevre (blue goat’s milk cheese) or Bleu de Grebis (blue ewe’s milk cheese).

  In France, the name Bleu also  applies to white cheese in which only the crust truns blue and is covered with a natural pale blue down, such as Olivet Bleu and Vendome Blue. The most important of the blue-veined cheese are produced in Auvergne, Bresse, the Causses, Corsica (from ewe’s milk) upper Jura, Lagneuille, landes, Quercy, Sainte Foy, Sssenage and Thiezae,

Making blue veined cheese  The precise methods by which blue cheeses are made vary accoding to type and regional techniques.The curds are cut into cubes, drained and moulded.During coagulation or, more frequently, during moulding spores of the fungus Penincillium glaucum are added. For some cheeses the fungus may be adeed earlier in the process, for example to the milk at the beginning of production. This fungus gives the blue veining. The moulded curds are then salted and finely perforated to encourage the growth of the spores, and finally matured for varying periods in damp cellars. The best seasons for the cheese are summer and autumn.

  A good blue cheese is ivory or cream coloured, firm and pirngy and rather fatty, with evenly distributed light or dark green blue veins. The naturally formed crust may be rough or smooth.Blue cheeses are sometimes wrapped in foil.

French blue cheeses

Bleu d Auvergne AOP (Cantal, Puy-de-Dome, Haute-Loire) A cylindrical cheese, varying  in size with a firm fatty paste (45% fat content), a strong smell and a slightly piquant flavour.

Bleu de Bresse A small cylindrical cheese with a soft smooth paste (50% fat congent0 a fine smooth blue crust and a medium to strong flavour.

Blue Des causes. AOC This cylindrical cheese, formerly made with cow’s milk mixed with ewe’s milk, has a firm fatty paste (45% fat content) a strong smell and a distinct bouquet.

Blue de corse. The name reserved for corsican while ewe’s milk cheeses that are not taken to Roquefort for maturing and are not therefore, as superb as the famous cheese matured in the cellars of Aveyron.Cylindrical in shape, it has a fine paste (45% fat content) a good piquant flavour and a strong smell.

Bleu de Haut Jura AOC (Ain and Jural Bleus de Gex and Septmoncel) made from unpasterurized cow’s milk. A flat wheel shape with a slightly convex base, the cheese is springy to the touch with heavy veining (45% fat content) slightly bitter and having a full flavour.

Blue cheese worldwide Because  the penicillin  fungus needs a cool temperature to multiply, blue cheese is a northern phenomenon or a mountain product.

   Italy, well-known for Gorgonzola, makes a lighter version in Dolcelate, which is smooth, milk and delicate ( the name means sweet milk) Castelmagno is a similar  blue veined cow’s milk cheese, named after a village near Dronero while the rare Montecenisio is produced on the Italian fRench border. In the mountains of the Asturias, Spain produces Cabrales and the associated Picos and Gamonedo.

   Britain is unsual in that the best known blue cheeses, blue Stilton blue Cheshire, Shropshire blue and blue Wensleydale are hard. Blue Cheshire and blue Wenslerydale are blue veined versions of white cheese. Blue Cheshire at one time was a randomly occuring blue version of Britain’s oldest cheese, made in Shropshire and Cheshire, Subsequent, production became more orderly, with Pencillium roqueforti added to the cow’s milk before remeting. Only the red Chesthire cheese is blued, to produce a rich cheese .

  The Danes have created successful cheeses on French and German models Danablue (simply Danish blue abroad) is an early 20^th century substitute for Roquefort made from cow’s milk, with a 50-60% fat content, it is 3 kg (6 ½ lb) in size and very sharp and salty.Bla Castello is a modern, small cow’s milk cheese, 70% fat content, with sharply defined dark blue veins and a downy white surface mould. It is mild and similar to Bavarian blue. Mycella is another Danish cheese, with a slightly creamy texture and greenish blue veins in bands, in a creamy yellow paste. A Norway has   a unique, old cheese in Gamelost, while Finland’s  cow’s milk Aura and the Swedish cow’s milk Adelost are both modelled on Roquefort.

  The German Edelpilzkise is literally glorious mould cheese. With very dark blue, vertical veins in a pale ivory paste, 45% fat content and 2-5 kg (4-11 lb) in size, it may be round or loaf shaped. The modern Bavarian blue, with a pale cream paste with blue sphodges has a 70% fat content because additional cream is added to the cow’s milk. The rind is white, with flor of the Camembert type, and the cheese weighs 1  kg (2 ¼ lb) Other blues worth mentioning are the Czech Niva, and the Israeli Galli, a strongish ewe’s-milk cheese, gren-veined, in the Roquefort style.

   Australia makes a Gorgonzola style cheese, while America has the renowened Maytag Blue Cheese from Iowa.

Serving blue cheese. Blue cheese are served at the end of the meal, preferably alone or as the last course, so that their often distinct flavour can be savoured with full-bodied aromatic red wines or with more fruty red wines. In France they may also be served with sweet dessert wines, such as Sautemes.They are often used for canapes  and may also be used in the preparation of mixed salads, regional soups and fondues. They are used to enliven such meat dishes as hamburgers and beef olives or as a sauce for game, and are often used in souffles and quiches, Avoid refrigeration.

BOARD  Traditionally a wooden slab usually 4-6 cm (1 ½ - 2 ½ in) thick (usually beech) rectangular, round or oval in shape.Various types of plastic boards are now used. Being dishwasher safe and non absorbent, plastic boards are often more hygenic than wooden ones. Toughened glass and laminated boards are available for lighter use. The kitchen board is used for slicing, chopping or cutting up meat, fish, vegetables and bread. Boards designed specially for carving meat or poultry have a wide groove around the perimeter for catching the  juice.Bread boards are sometimes made of horizontal laths fitted to a frame with a tray beneath to prevent crums from scattering. Pastry boards, used for kneading and rolling out pastry dough, must be smooth and big enough to hold the rolled out dough.

   Boards are also used for pressing fitting into the tops of tins (pans) or terrines and occasionally for cooking. An oiled board, put into a cold oven with a fish upon it, the heat then raised, is used for planked fish.

BOCKWURST A generic German name for all sausages that are very finely ground. These include frankfurters, the larger weiners and knackwurst, similar dumpy links of pork with beef, flavoured with garlic and cumnin. They are poached or fried.

BOHEMIENNE, A LA Various dishes have been named after Balfe’s successful comic opera, La Bohemienue(1869) These include a soft boiled (soft cooked) egg dish, a salpicon and a sauce served with cold dishes, which uses a cold bechamel base to bind an emulsion of egg yolks and oil flavoured with tarragon vinegar.

    The ingredients of sauceteed chicken a la bobemiene garlic, fenned, red or green (bell) reppers and tomato are similar to those of a Provencal dish called houmanie, which is a kind of rataouille. The dish is served with plain rice. Rice with crushed tomato and fried onion rings are also ingredients.

RECIPES

Salpicon a la bothemienne

Dice some foie gras and truffles. Reduce some Madeira sauce, add a little essence of truffle and use the sauce to bind the salpicon of foie gras and truffles.Diced onions cooked in butter and seasoned with paprika may also be added. This salpicon may be used as a filling for a vol-au vents, small flans, poached eggs and tartlets.

Sauteed chicken a la bohemienne

Season a medium sized chicken with paprika and saute in a flameproof casserole or large heavy saucepan until brown.Cover and continue cooking very slowly either on top of the stove or in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC(350 ^oF, gas 4) Cut 4 red or green (bell peppers into thick strips.Peel 2 tomatoes and slice thickly. Finely dice an onion and then blanch it. Prepare 1 tablespoon chopped fennel.Add all these ingrediets, together with a pinch of crushed garlic, to the pan when the chicken is half cooked (after about 20 minutes).At the end of the cooking time, when the chicken is tender, deglaze the casserole with 100 ml (4 ft. oz, 7 tablespoons) white wine.Add 60 ml (2 ft oz, ¼ cup) thickened veal stock or well reduced bouillon.Finally, add a dash of lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with saffron rice.

BOIL     To bring a liquid (such as water or stock0 to boiling point and maintain it at that temperature, thereby cooking ingredients that are placed in it. Boiling occurs at a fixed temperature, which for water is 100 ^oC(212 ^oF) If a recipe contains an isntruction to boil rapidly, this means that the ingredients should be agitated to prevent them from sticking to each other or to the bottom of the pan. In most cases, it is sufficient for the liquid to simmer.Liquids are also boiled to reduce them.

  Oild and other fats used for frying have boiling points of up to 200 ^oC (400 ^oF) The boiling point of sugar syrup varies according to the concentration, which increases as the water evaporates.

BOLETUS  The Latin name of a wild mushroom family easily recognized by the spore bearing tubes on the undersurface of its cap. They are prized in most European countries, as far as Russia, but also grow in North America and most other parts of the world.There are various edible species one of the best known being the cep, Bolettus edutis.

BOLIVIA  The country where the potato orginated Bolivia boasts some three hundred variaties.Chntos, potatoes which have been frozen then, dried, are a favourine potato product they are very light and are soaked before being cooked.Besides a fondness for chilles, spicy soups and fried food, Bolivia has another interesting specialty the conejo, estrado, a rabbit which is stretched as much as possible, making its flesh extremely tender and delicate.

BOLLITO MISTO A celebrated Italian stew originating in Piedmont. The name of the dish literally means boiled mixed and its composition can vary according to region, availability of ingredients and family traditions.As a general rule, it contains rump of beef, knuckle of veal and chicken (stuffed or plain) often with a pork sausage or a zampone stuffed pig’s food) Some recipes also incude pig’s trotters, ox tongue or rolled head of veal.The meat is cooked in stock with onions, carrots and celery. The accompanying vegetables, such as carrots, turnips and celeriac are then cooked in little of the strained stock. It is customary to serve pollilo misto with gherkins capers, small pickled onions, green salad and Cremona mustard a sweet and sour fruit mustard similar to chutney.

RECIPE

Bollito misto

Put 500 g (18 oz) flank of beef, 500 g (18 oz) oxtail and 500 g (18 oz) blade bone of beef (or silverside) in a braising pan and fill with water.Bring to the boil, skimming often.Add 2 onions, 3 celery sticks, 3 peeled garlic cloves, 5 sprigs flat leaved parsley,1 sprig rosemary, 10 peppercorns and a little sea salt.Cover and cook for 1 ½  hours.Remove the pieces of meat gradually as and when they become tender Meanwhile cook 1 split calf’s head and 1 split calf’s foot in water flavoured with 1 onion and 1 celery stick. In another braising pan, cook 1 calf’s tongue, skin it very carefully and set aside. Prick a cotechino (Italian sausage) and cook it in a little stock.Arrange the meats on a serving dish and serve very hot, accompanied by the traditional sauces spring onions (scallions) Verona mustard (a type of mustard (made from several kinds of fruit, cooked in a very hot mustard syrup).

BOLOGNAISE A LA The French term for several dishes inspired by Italian cookery, especially that of Bologna, that are served with a thick sauce based on beef and vegetables, particularly tomato, popularity associated with pasta. In Italy this becomes alta bologuese and the sauce is known as  ragi. It is richer than the French style sauce, as it contains chopped ham, various vegetables, beef, lean pork, chicken livers and white wine.

RECIPES

Bolognese sauce

Chop 4 celery sticks and 5 large onions.Add 4 sage leaves and 2 spris rosemary to a traditional bouquet garni.Coarsely chop 500 g (18 oz) braising steak (chuck or blade beef or flank)  Peel and crush about 10 large tomatoes and 4-5 garlic cloves. Heat 5 tablespoon olive oil in a  heavy based saucepan. Brown the meat and then the onion, celery and garlic in the olive oil.Add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes. Lastly, add the bouquet garni 350 ml (12 ft oz 1 ½ cups) beef stock, 250 ml (8 ft oz, 1 cup) red wine, salt and pepper.Cover and cook very gently for at least 2 hours, adding a little water from time to time.Adjust the seasoning.

   Bolognese sauce may be prepared in large quantities. The length of the cooking time means that it can be kept for several days in the refrigerator, and several months in the freezer.  It is served with spaghetti and macaroni, and in gratin dishes and lasagne.

Timbale of pasta with bolognese sauce

Cook and drain some short pasta (such as macarone).Add some mushrooms lightly fried in butter with chopped garlic, shallots and parsley, some diced ham (turned in hot butter to avoid drying out) and (optional) a little grated white truffle. Pack these ingredients firmly into a timbale mould, then turn out.Coat the timbale with a light bolognese sauce and reheat it in the oven.Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, or sprinkle with grated Parmesan and a little melted butter and brown in the oven before serving.

BOMBE GLACEE A frozen dessert made from a bombe mixture, often enriched with various ingredients, and frozen in a mould. The dessert was named after the spherical mould in which it used to be made. Nowadays, cylindrical moulds with rounded tops are used.

  Traditionally,bombe, moulds are filled with two different mixtures. The botton and sides of the mould are lined with a layer of plain ice cream, a fruit ice or a sorbet, the inside is filled with the chosen bombe mixture.The mould is then hermetically sealed, clamped and frozen. To serve, the bombe is turned out on a folded napkin placed on the serving dish.The bombe may be decorated in a number of ways depending on its ingredients crystallized (candied) fruit or violets, marrons glaces, psitachios, fruit macerated in qliuer or whipped cream.

RECIPES

Lining  the mould with ice cream

Chill the mould in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.At the same time soften the ice cream or water ice chosen to line the mould.Spread it roughly on the bottom and sides of the mould with a plastic or stainless steel spatula.Place the mould in the freezer for about 15 minutes to harden and then smooth the ice with the spatula. Replace the mould in the freezer for  a further hour before filling with the bombe mixture, unless the mixture is a parfait, in which case pour it down the sides of the lined mould until filled and place in the freezer for 5-6 hours.

Bombe mixture

In traditional cuisine, the mixture is made with 32 egg yolks per 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups) syrup (density, 1.285, see sugar) Pour the syrup  and egg yolks into a saucepan and place the pan in a bain marie over a moderate heat. Whisk vigorously until the mixtrue is thick and creamy, then press it through a very fine sieve. Whisk again, away from the heat, until completely cold by this stage it should be light, fluffy and white. Finally add an equal volume of whipped cream and the chosen flavouring.

   Bombes are often made with a far lighter mixture.For example, a 1 litre (1 ¾  pint, 4 1/3 cup) bombe Hawaii can be made using 500 ml (17 ft oz, 2 cups) pineapple sorbet to line the mould and 500 ml (17ft oz. 2 cups) kirsch parfait made with 2 eggs yolks, about 60 ml (2 ft oz 2/4 cup) syrup (density 1.2407) and about 250 ml (8 ft oz. 1 cup) whipped cream mixed with 1 ½ teaspoons kirch.

Bombe Aida

Line the mould with tangerine ice cream and fill with vanilla bombe mixture flavorued with kirsch.

Bombe Alhambra

Line with the mould with vanilla ice cream and fill with strawberry bombe mixrure (a combination of strawberry bombe mixrture (a  combiantion of strawberry puree, Italian meringue and whipped cream) turn out the bombe and surround with large strawberries macerated in kirsch.

Bombe archidus

Line the mould with strawberry ice cream and fill with praline bombe mixture.

Bombee chateaubriand

Line the mould with apricot ice cream and fill with vanilla bombe mixture mixed with crystallized (candied) apricot macerated in kirsch.

Bombee diplomate

Line the mould with vanilla ice cream and fill with maraschino bombe mixture mixed with diced crystallized (candied) fruit macerated in maraschino.

Bombee Doria

Line the mould with pistachio ice cream and fill with vanila bombe mixture mixed with pieces of marrons glaces macerated in rum.

Bombee duchesse

Line the mould with pineapple ice cream and fill with pear bombe mixture.

Bombee Grimaldi

Line the mould with vanilla ice cream and fill with kummel flavoured bombe mixture. Decorate with crystallized (candied violets and halved pistachio nuts.

Bombe Monselet

Line the mould with tangerine ice cream and fill with port flavoured bombee mixture mixed with chopped crystallized (candied) orange peel that has been macerated in brandy.

BONDON DE NEUFCHATEL A Normandy cheese made from cow’s milk (45% fat content), soft with a red tinged crust. Originating from the most important market town in the Bray region, it is cylindrical in shape, 4-6 cm (1 ½ -2 ½ in) in diameter and 6-8cm (2 ½ -3 in) high, with a fruity yet salty flavour.

BONE  The solid element in the carcass of a vertebrate animal. Bones are made of cartilage impregnated with calcium salts. When cooked in a boiling liquid they yield gelatine, essential for the smoothness and palatability of certain cooking stocks, veal bones are particularly valuable for this purpose. Crushed bones, which may be browned in the oven, are usually cooked with aromatic vegetables and herbs to make stock for sauces.

    Some bones, particulary those from beef and veal, contain marrow. The pot-au-feu may include thick slices of shin (shank) bone (fore or hind leg) complete with marrow. Osso bucco, a traditional Italian dish, is prepared with slices of unboned veal knuckle.

   Meat cooked on the bone is generally preferred to that off the bone, the surfae remains sealed in a natural way, while the bone is a good conductor of heat. Rib of beef on the bone is a prime cut, it can  be grilled (broiled) as it is or butchered to make the famous T-bone steak of American barbecues. York ham cooked on the bone should also be mentioned it is delicious. Lamb chops and cutlets (rib lamb chops), and rack of lamb (from which the latter are cut) all may need some little preparation. For example trimming the fat towards the end of the bone (and between them, too, in the case of rack) and shortening the bone itself. To serve, the bone tip can be garnished with a paper collar or frill.

BONE MARROW A soft fatty substance in the cavites of long bones. In cooking, beef marrow is usually used and it is an important feature in the Italian osso bucco, a new of veal shin cooked on the bone. Slices of gently poached beef marrow are served with grilled (broiled) or roast beef. Marrow is also used as a filling for artichoke hearts, cardoons, omellettes, bouchees and croutes and it may be included in salpicons, garnishes and soups, while the marrow from one bone will flavour a risotto. It is often used to prepare sauces for grilled meat or fish. A marrow bone is a favourite in the French stockpot and often cooked with boiled rolled beef. The bone is then served with the meat and the marrow may be extracted with a teaspoon.Bone marrow may also be bought in jelly form.Amourette is the French name for spinal marrow.

RECIPES

Bone marrow carnapes

Wrap some fresh or frozon bone marrow in a small piece of muslin (cheesecloth), plunge it into boiling salted beef stock and poach gently without boiling (about 6 minutes for fresh marrow and 7-8 minutes to frozen marrow). Lightly toast some small slices of bread. Unwrap the marrow, drain it carefully and cut half of it into small dice and the other half into rounds. Garnish each canape with diced marrow and place a round of marrow on top. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve immediately, as marrow loses its creamy texture very quickly.

Bone marrow sauce

Put 3 finely chopped shallots in a saucepan. Add 350 ml (12 ft oz. 1 ½ cups) white wine, season with salt and pepper and reduce by half. Stir in 2 table spoons thickened veal stock or well reduced meat sauce. Poach 75 g (3 oz) bone marrow and cut into small dice. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in 100 g (4 oz. ½ cup) butter cut into tiny pieces, then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the diced bone marrow. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

BONING   The removal of bones from meat, poultry, fish or game.Boning raw meat or poultry is carried out with a special boning knife and requires skill to avoid damaging the meat.

   The same term is used for the removal of the backbone of a fish that is subsequently stuffed and reshaped before cooking.

RECIPES

Brill bonne femme

Prepare and clean a brill, Butter a dish and sprinkle with chopped shallot and parsley.Add 250 g (9 oz. 3 cups) chopped button mushrooms. Place the brill in the dish and add 7 tablespoons dry white wine and the same  quantity of fish stock. Dot with very small knobs of butter. Cook in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (425 ^oF, gas 7) for 15-20 minutes, basting the grill two or three times. Towards the end of cooking, cover with foil to prevent thefish from drying out. The same method may be used for sole and whiting.

Chicken bonne femme

Trim a chicken weighing 1.8-2 kg. (4-4 ½ lb), season with salt and pepper, then truss.Brown the chicken slowly on all sides in butter in a flameproof casserole or heavy based saucepan.  Blanch 100 g (4 oz. 2/3 cup) finely diced unsmoked streaky (slab) bacon. Add the diced bacon and 20 small onions to the casserole. Cover and cook gently for 15 mintues. Add 500 g (18 oz)  potatoe balls or small new potatoes and continue cooking slowly, basting the chicken from time to time, until tender.Garnish with the cooked vegetables and serve.

Green beans bonne femme

Partially cook 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) green beans in salted water. Blanch 250 g (9 oz. 1 ½ cups) diced unsmoked streaky (slab) bacon. Brown the blanched bacon in a frying pan, then add the drained beans and 150 ml (1/4 pint, 2/3 cup) rich meatstock.Adjust the seasoning cover and cook until the beans are tender. Dot with butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Vegetable soup bonne femme

Cook 100 g (4 o.) finely sliced leeks (white part only) in butter.Add 1.5 litres (2 ¾ pints, 6 ½ cups) white consomme or chicken broth and 150 g (9 oz)sliced potatoes.Season with salt and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Just before serving add 50 g (2oz. ½ cup) butter and some chervil. Serve with thin slices of French bread that have been dried in the oven.

BONNEFONS, NICOLAS DE  A 17^th century French writer who was a valent in the court of Louis XIV. He published a work in 1654 (which was reprinted several times until 1741) called Les Delices de la campague. This book markes a turning point in the history of French culinary art which, at that time, was still influenced by the precepts of the Middle Ages, with its emphasis on decoration and excessive use of spices which detracted from the nature of the food.

   The work was divded into three parts.Drinks, bread and wine (this seciton was dedicated to the ladies of Paris). Vegetables, fruit, eggs, and milk (dedicated to the Capudchin monks famous for their skill as gardeners) and Meat, poultry and fish (with a foreword for head waiters and, as a supplemented cleanliness in the preparation of dishes, diversity of menus and, above all, simplicity. Let a cabbage soup be entirely cabbage, and may what I say about soup be a law applied to everything that is eaten. He quoted recipes of the era, such as a special health soup with four meats) and poupelin He also advocated the use of some well matched flavours, such as mackerel and green fenned.

BONNEFOY A Parisian restaurant of the 1850’s that is still associated with a type of bordelaise sauce, served with certain fish and fillets of fish prepared a la menoire. The sauce contains shallots reduced in white wine but not strained.

BONNES MARES  a  ground cru vineyard of just 13 hectares in the Burgundy village of Chambolle Musigny. It overlaps slightly into the neighboring village of Morey St. Denis. It produces exceptional quality wines which age well and after a few years attain a remarkable smoothness and fine  bouquet.

RECIPE

Bontemps sauce

Cook 1 tablespoon chopped onion in butter in a saucepan. Add salt, a pinch of paprika and 200 ml (7 ft. oz. ¾ cup) cider.Reduce by two-thirds. Add 200 ml (7 ft. oz. ¾ cup) meat based veloute and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and add 40 g (1 ½ oz, 3 tablespoons) butter and 1 generous tablespoon white mustard.Sieve before serving.

BOOPS  bogue. A spindlesharped fish (fmaily Sparidae) abundant in the Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay. It is 20-30 cm (8-12 in) long with spines along its back. It is mostly used in fish soups.

BORDELAISE, A LA  The name given to a wide range of dishes (eggs, fish, shellfish, kidneys and steak) which use such ingredients as bone marrow, shallots and significantly wine (white for fish and white meat and red for red meat). This is the adjective of Bordeaux, a principal wine region.

RECIPE

Bordelaise sauce

(From  a recipe by Careme) Place in a saucepan 2 garlic cloves, a pinch of tarragon, the seeded flesh of a lemon, a small bay leaf, 2 cloves, a glass of Sauterness and 2 teaspoons Provencal olive oil. Simmer gently.Skim off all the fat from the mixture and mix in enough espagnole sauce to provide sauce for an entrée and 3-4 tablespoons light veal stock. Reduce the mixture by boiling down and add half a glass of Sauterness while still  simmering.Strain the sauce  when it is the right consistency. Just before serving add a little butter and the juice of half a lemon.

Bordelaise sauce for grilled meat (1)

Boil down by two thirds 200 ml (7 ft. oz, ¾ cup0 red wine with 1 tablespoon chopped shallot, a sprig of thyme, a piece of bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Pour in 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¼  cup) demi-glace, sauce. Boil down by one thrid, then remove from the heat, dd 25g (1 oz, 2 tablespoons) butter and strain.  Add 25g (1 oz) beef marrow cut in diece, poached and drained, and 1 teaspoon chopped parsley.

    Grilled (broiled) meats served with bordelaise sauce are usually garnished with slices of poached, drained beef marrow.

Bordelaise sauce for grilled meat (2)

Prepare some concentrated red wine as in the preceding recipe, but boil it down only by half. Thicken with 40 g (1 ½ oz, 3 tablespoons) beaurre manie. Boil for a few moments.Add meat glaze or meat extract equal in bulk to a walnut. Finish as in the preceding recipe.

Calfs liver a la bordelaise

Quickly fry slices of Bayonne ham in butter. Season slices of calf’s liver with salt and pepper, coat with flour and fry in butter. Arrange on the serving dish, ALTERNATING WITH SLICES OF THE HAM. Coat with bordelaise sauce.

Fillets of sole a la bordelaise

Prepare some button mushrooms and baby (pearl) onions and cook in butter. Butter a small fish kettle or flameproof casserole and sprinkle the bottom with finely chopped onions and carrots.Season the fillets of sole with salt and pepper and arrange in the fish kettle.Add a bouquet garni  and 175-350 ml (6-12 ft oz, ¾ -1 ½ cups) white Bordeaux wine, according to the size of the container.Pach the fillets for 6-7 minutes, then drain, retaining the liquor. Arrange the fillets on the serving dish surrounded by the mushrooms and baby onions, cover and keep warm.Add 2 tablespoons demi-glace or fish stock to the cookingliquor and reduce by half. Add a knob of butter, sieve and pour over the fillets.

Sauteed calf’s kidney a la bordelaise

Poach 2 tablespoons diced beef marrow in salt water, drain and keep warm.Trim the callf’s kidney, slice thinly, season with salt and pepper, and fry briskly in very hot butter, turning the pieces over as they cook. Drain, retaining the juice, and keep the kidney warm, Deglaze the frying pan with 100ml (4 ft oz, ½ cup) white wine, add 1 tablespoon finely chopped hallots and boil off the liquid. Then add 250 ml (8ft) oz, 1 cup) veal stock and the juice from the kidney, and reduce by half. Thicken with a little arrowroot and adjust the seasoning. Replace the kidney in the sauce, add the beef marrow and stir. Arrange in a mound and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Tournedos (filet mignons) a la bordelaise

Poach some slices of bone marrow in salt water, drain and keep warm. Grill the steaks, over very hot charcoal (if possible use dry vine prunings) Place a slice of bone marrow on each steak and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with bordelaise sauce.

BORDER A mixture that is shaped, moulded or cut to form a border or ring around the edge of a dish, either for decorative effect or to hold other ingredients in the centre.Special round, plain or ridged moulds or savarin moulds are usually used to shape the border. The ingredients of the ring depend on whether the dish is hot or cold, sweet or savoury.

For hot Dishes Rice, semolina, quenelle mixture, duches potatoes.

For Cold Dishes Hard boiled (hared cooked) eggs, aspic jelly (cut into tringles, crescents or cubes) sliced tomatoes, oranges or lemons.

For dessert Moulded creams, creamed rice, semolina.

RECIPES

Savoury Rings

Egg ring a la princesse

Prepare in the same way as egg ring Brillat-

Savarin, but flavour the eggs with diced truffle and asparagus tips. The latter may be replaced by crayfish tails, shelled prawns (shrimp) shellfish or mushrooms.

Egg-ring Brillat-Savarin

Prepare a veal forcemeat ring as in the recipe for veal forcemeat ring with calves marrow or brains, turn the hot ring out on to an ovenproof dish. Meanwhile, prepare some crambled eggs and add either some Parmesan cheese or diced truffle (or  truffle peelings). Pour the scrambled eggs into the centre of the ring, sprinkle the eggs and the ring with grated. Parmesan and melted butter and brown rapidly in a preheated oven.

Fish forcemeat ring with medallions of lobster a lamericaine

Prepare a whiting forcemeat. Butter a ring or savarian mould  and press the forcemeat into it. Poach gently in a preheated oven at 180^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4) in a bain marie for 25 minutes or until fish is cooked, then cover and leve for 30 minutes in the oven with the door open (this helps the mould to relax and to set well). Turn the hot fish ring out on to a warm plate and fill the centre with medallion of lobster a lamericaine.

Fish forcemeat ring with shellfish ragout

Prepare the fish forcemeat ring mould as in the previous recipe. Cook shellfish (for example, muselss a la marinere, oysters, clams or scallops poached in white wine) and remove the shells. Cook some langoustines (jumbo shrimp) in court bouillon and shell the tails. Fry some mushrooms in butter.Bind all these ingredients with a well seasoned white sauce made from fish stock or with a shrimp sauce. Turn the ring out of the mould and fill the centre with the shellfish ragout. Garnish the ring with slices of truffle or add truffle peelings to the sauce.

Rice ring with various garnishes

Butter a  ring or savarian mould and fill with pilaf rice, risotto or rice cooked in consomme and bound with egg. Cover the mould and cook in a preheated oven at 160 ^oC (325 ^oF, gas 3) for about 10 minutes, then turn the ring out on to a serving dish. The filling can be a ragout of shellfish, poultry or offal, medallions of lobster a lamericaine, crayfish a la bordelaise or curried fillets of fish.

Ring of calves brains a la piemontaise

Prepare slices of calves brain a la poulette and add some chopped mushrooms which have been cooked in butter. Butter a ring or savarian mould, fill with risotto, and press in lightly. Heat through in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF gas 4) Turn the ring out on to a warmed plate and arrange the mixture of brains and mushrooms in the centre. Garnish with slices of white truffle, if desired.

Ring of sole a la normande

Prepare a forcemeant of creamed fish. Generously butter a ring or savarian mould and fill   with the forcemeat.  Pach in a ban marie in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4)for about 25 minutes. Let it stand for 30 minutes in the oven with the door open. Turn the ring out on to a serving dish. Fill the centre of the ring with a shellfish ragout mixed with normande sauce, then add some fried smelts. Poach some folded fillets of sole in white wine and arrange on top of the ring. Also poach some oysters and place one on each fillet. Garnish with slcied truffle.Warm the dish through and garnish round the edges with shrimps cooked in court bouillon.

Veal forcemeat ring with calves marrow or brains.

Prepare a veal forcemeat.  Generously butter a ring or savarian mould and press the forecemeat into it. Poach gently in a bain marie in  a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF gas 4) for about 25 minutes, then cover and leave for about 30 minutes in the oven with        the door open to set properly. Meanwhile, prepare some calves marrow or calves brains a la poulette and, separately, some lightly fried mushrooms cooked au blanc. Turn the veal ring out on to a heated serving dish. Pour the marrow or brains a la poulette into the centre of the ring and sprinkle  with chopped parsley.Garnish the ring with the mushrooms and cover with more poulette sauce.

Sweet Rings

Rice ring a la creole

Butter a ring or savarin  mould. Fill with thick rice pudding, press down, heat through in the oven then, turn out on to a serving dish. Poach 16 half slices of pineapple in vanilla flavoured syrup and fill the centre of the ring with them.Decorate with cherries and angelica. Serve either slightly warmed, or very cold, with apricot sauce flavorued with rum.

Rice ring a la montmorency

Prepare a rice ring as in the previous recipe.Separately prepare some confectioner’s custard (pastry cream) flavoured with kirsch (see custard) and also some stone (pitted) cherries poached in syrup.Fill he centre of the ring with alternate layers of confectioner’s custard and cherries. Sprinkle with crushed macaroons and melted butter and place in a preheated oven at 240 ^oC (475 ^oF, gas 9) for a few minutes.Serve with cherry sauce flavoured with kirch.

Semolina ring with fruit

Butter a ring or savarin mould and fill with a stiff, cooked dessert semolian mixed with a salpicon of crystallized (candled) fruit. Place in a preheated oven at 160 ^oC (325 ^oF, gas 3) for a few minutes, until set. Turn the ring out on to a serving dish. Fill the centre with whole, halved or cubed fruit, poached in vanilla-flavoured syrup. Heat again for a few minutes in the oven. Just before serving, sprinkle the ring with a very hot fruit sauce flavoured with rum or kirsch.

BOREK A cheese fritter in Turkey, where it is a national appetizer, and a rich fried or baked Middle Eastern pastry, generally savoury but sometimes sweet, also widely eaten in the Balkans.

    Its preparation was well described in the magazine Le Pot-au-Feu (1 January 1900). The true Turkish method consists of wrapping cigar shaped pieces of katschkawalf cheese in thin sheets of pasta dough and frying them in oil. This description remains valid, and boreks are made with a very thick bechamel sauce mixed with katschkwalf, a ewe’s milk cheese common throughout the East (this may be repalced by diced or grated Gruyere or Emmental).When cold, the mixture is shaped into thin rolls, which are then wrapped in pasta dough (or puff pastry) rolled out to a thickness of 2 mm (1/8 n) and cut with a pastry )cookie) cuter into oval shapes about 10 x 5cm (4 x 2 in0. Thefritters are sealed with beaten egg and deep fried for 8-10 minute., when cooked, they rise to the surface. The dough can also be shaped into rectangles or circles and made into turnovers, which may be coated with breadcrumbs before frying.

BORSCH  Also known as borsht. A beetroot (beet) soup, eaten hot or cold, popular in the Ukraine.Russia and Poland, and also an Ashkenazi Jewish dish. The essential character and colour come from the root, but the soup may include chicken or beef with other vegetables including mushrooms, which supply the stock in meatless versions. In the Ukraine the broth is served with proskki. The chilled version is Lashinable abroad.

RECIPE

Ukrainian borsch

Fry 2 chopped onions and 200 g (7 oz) raw sliced beetroot (beet) in lard, cover and continue to cook gently. Bring 1 kg (2lb) stewing (chucks) steak to the boil in 2.5 litres (4 ¼ pints, 11 cups) water, then skim. Add 500 g (18 oz) shredded white cabbage, 3 carrots, a bunch of parsley, small trimmed celery sticks, and the beetroot and onion. Season with salt. Cook 4 ripe tomatoes in a little water, sieve and add them to the soup. Cook for 2 hours, then add a few potatoes, cut into quarters. Prepare a roux with lard and flour, mix with a little stock and pour it into the borsch with 2 tablespoons chopped fennel. Boil for a further 15 minutes and serve.

    This Ukrainian borsch is served with a bowl of fresh cream, garlic cloves (which should be eaten between spoonfuls of soup) buckwheat kasha with bacon, and piroshki, little dumplings filled with meat, rice and cabbage.

BOTARGO Also known as boutargue or poutargue in French. The pressed, then salted and dried female roe of the grey mullet, caleld batrakb in the Middle East. The entire egg sack of the fish is treated whole. In  Greece the roe is lightly smoked and may be sold from barrels in markets, known as argotaraho, it is a winter and Lent speciality, preserved from summer, caught fish Roes are also sold singly, looking like longish, rather flat, red sausages. Sardinian roes are covered in beswax for protection. The method of preserving the roes seems to have been invented by the Phoenicians, but it may be Jewish in origin.

 Known as white caviar, botargo is the forerunner in Europe of caviar and it is mentioned more than once in Samuel Pepys Diaries. It is very salty and must be unsed. In France and Greece it is eaten sliced very thinly, with a drizzle of lemon juice  and or oil, sometimes on toast. In Greece it is more commonly grated and make into tamasalata. In Italy botarga makes an excellent pasta sauce and swordish roe is also used. In Sicily and Sardinia the  bluefin tuna gives a deep golden brown, slightly metallic tasting roe, weighing 2.5 kg (4 ½ -11lb) and looking like square sectioned sausage. Seabass roe is also used.

    In France grey mullet were specially bred in Lake Bere for their roes and poutargue became a specialty of Martigues, in Provence.

     North Africa is a main source supply. In California roe from the striped or black mulelt is served on crackers. It is also salted and dried for export to Japan, where it is known as karasumi.

BOTERMELK A Begium dessert, known in northern France as lait batta. It consists of milk boiled very gently for 1 ½ hours with pearl barley (or rice, semolina, tapioca or very fine vermicelli) and brown sugar. The mixture which is sometimes bound with potato starch, is then mixed with molasses or honey, raisins or other dried fruits soaked in warm water are then added.

BOTTEREAUX  Geometrically slaped French friters (square, round or triangular) made from raised (leavened) dough that has been flavoured with brandy or liqueur. They are traditionally made during mid-Lent in the Charentes and Anjou, regions and can be eaten hot or cold.

RECIPE

Botterreaux

Stir together 20 g (1/4 oz. 1 ½ cakes) fresh (compressed) yeast and 100 ml (4 ft. oz. 7 tablespoons)  slightly warm milk. Put in a food processor 400 g (14 z. 3 ½ cups) strong plain (bread) flour, a pinch of salt, 3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar and 2 tablespoons rum. Add the yeast mixture and process thoroughly to form a dough.Roll cut to a thickness of 5 mm (1/4 in) Distribute 125 g (4 ½ oz. ½ ) butter cut into small pieces evenly over the surface. Fold the dough in two and roll out evenly, then work the dough again to incorporate the butter roll into a ball, flatten and roll into a ball again. Leave to rise for 3 hours. Roll out the dough very thinly, about 3 mm (4 in) and cut out the shapes with a pastry (cookie) cutter. Fry them in very hot oil, then drain on paper towels before dusting with icing (confectioner’s) sugar.

BOTTLE  A narrow- necked vessel for holding boring liquids. It is a way of packaging and of marketing the contents.

        A successful design also advertises the contents. For many years in France claret was known for its high-shouldered bottle,while  Burgundy bottles had stoping shoulders: these now have become universal bottle types, adopted by purveyors only for their suitability. The champagne bottle ( both its wide profile and the gold foil top) is another French example, born of the technical requirements for thicker glass and a securer cork to hold a sparkling wine.   Bottles with successful marketing images are the round Portugues Mateus Rose bottle, the Paul Masson carafe, the Gallo pot bellied flask and the Coca-Cola bottle grippable round its waist (launched in 1916) at one time the world’s most universally recognized symbol.

   In the Middle Ages wine was served at table either in tin vessels or pots long term storage in glass bottles did not become widespread until the 18^th century. An etching dated 1750 and showing wine bottles with driven home corks makes it possible to date their appearance. The first French glassworks to specialize in making wine bottles was set up in Bordeaux in 1723 by an Irishman.

Serving wine. Current practice is to serve wine from its original bottle, placed directly on the table of on a coaster. The practice of laying the bottle on its side in a basket is only for very old wines, which may have a sedimen.They should be drawn from the wine bin in a recumbent position hours before decanting. If they are not to be decanted, they should stand upright for some hours.

BOTTLING AND CANNING FOOD A method of preserving food by hermetically sealling it in a jars, bottles or cans and then heating it to temperatures above 100^oC (212 ^oF), preferably 110-115 ^oC (230-239 ^oF), which destroys all the micro-organisms and enzymes liable to cause spoilage.The original process was invented by Nicolas Appert and is still referred to as appersation in France. This form of sterilization is now an industrial process.

    Thorough sterilization necessitates heating the foodstuff for long enough to destroy the microorganisms but not so as to impair its eating qualities, for example, milk is heated to very high temperatures 135 ^oC(275 ^oF) for a very short time 4 minutes UNT (ultra heat treated) milk is heated to 140 ^oC(284 ^oF) for 1-3 seconds, normally by steam injection, and then cooled and further processed in sterile containers to eliminate the cooked taste.

  Before home freezing was popular, domestic sterilization techniques were used for bottling fruits and vegetables.Canning was also used by the home cook.Although these methods are sometimes used, for food safety reasons they are no longer practical everyday methods for home preservation. Special pans, jars, cans and sealing equipment are necessary and reliable recipes essential for good, safe results.

BOTTOM CUTS Cuts of meat from the lowe part of the animal (when it is in a standing position).  The term is not derogatory but applies to second and third category meats (for braising and boiling) which are not considered as fine as fillet (sirloin) and other top cuts, include shin, brisket, flank, skirt and leg of beef, knuckle and breast of lamb and pork. Slow cooking dishes (braised, stewed, navarin0 are smoother and tastier when prepared with the bottom cuts, as these include a certain amount of fat and cartilage. The bottom cuts are the most economical and also represent 50% of the edible meat of a beef carcass.

BOTVINYA  A cold sweet and sour Russian soup made from beefroot (beet) leaves, spinach and sorrel. It is garnished with either cucumber or small pieces of fish.

RECIPE

Botvinya

Wash a tear up 400 g (14 oz) spinach, 250 g (9 0z) beetroot (beet) leaves and 200 g (7 oz) sorrel. Cook gently in melted butter until soft, then puree in a blender. Transfer the puree to a soup tureen and stir in 250 ml (8 ft. oz, 1 cup) dry white wine, 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 ½ cups) stock, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons sugar 100 g (4 oz) diced cucumber, a chopped shallot and 1 tablespoon each of chopped chervil and tarragon, and chill. Before serving add about 10 ice cubes, mix again and serve very cold.

BOUCAN  Originaly, boucan was meat smoke dried by the Caribbean Indians. Now it is a classic form of Caribbean barbecue, consisting of a stuffed sheep cooked in a trend heated with charcoal, then covered with hot sand and embers.

BOUCHE DU ROI  The French name for the combined royal kitchen saff at the French court before the Revolution (1789) The oldest order defining their duties dates from 1281, when there were ten people responsible for the bread pantry and for cupbearing, 32 for cooking and four for fruit. A hundred years later, the number had more than tripled and under Louis XIV there were over 500. Managed by the highest officials, it became a very hierarchial structure with numerous lower official. The goblet office included the pantry and the cupbearers and was closely allied to the cuisine office.There followed the three offices of common pantry, common cup bearing and common cuisine. There were also the fruiterer’s office and the quartermaster’s office (which provided wood porters and tradesmen like carpenters) The eight office was that of the transdesmen’s kitchen.

   The King’s kitchen was the most important office, with a team of four chefs, four roasters, four soup makers,  four pastrycooks, three kitchen boys, ten equerries, keepers of the table service (who looked after the gold and silver table services) and washers. There were also chair carriers and table carriers. As the king moved around, he was accompanied by warners, who gave the cooks timely notice of when the king wished to eat. When the king went hunting, a wine runner followed, carrying a light snack with him on his horse.A more substantial meal would be brought by carriage.

BOUCHEE, SAVOURY  A small round puff pastry case with any savoury filling is a bouchee salee in France Bouchees are served hot.A salpicon of one or more ingredients, with or without sauce, is added just before serving. The first  small bouchees were probably invented by Marie Leszcyinska.Queen of Louis XV. It is safe to assume that the queen at least made them fashionable as she did other dishes and delicacies- historian agree on the subject of her appetite.

RECIPES

Making traditional bouchees with lids

Dust the working surface with flour and roll out some puff pastry to a thickness of about 5mm (1/4 in). Using a round, crinkle-edged pastry (cookie) cutter, 7.5-10 cm (3-4in) in diameter, cut out circles of pastry and place them on a damp baking sheet, turning them over as you do so.Use a 7.5 –10 cm (3-4 in) ring cutter to stamp out rings of pastry. Brush the edge of the pastry bases with beaten egg and place the rings on top. Chill the cases for about 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 ^oC (425 ^oF, gas 7) for 12-15 minutes. Using the point of a knife, cut out a cricle of pastry from inside each bouchee, lift it out and set aside to use as a lid. If necessary remove any soft pastry inside the case. The bouchees are now redy to be filled.

Bouchees a la julienne

Cook a julienne of vegetables (carrots, parsnips, leeks, celery or fennel) in butter.Bind with cream and spoon into the cases.

Bouchees a lamericaine

Prepare the bouchee cases as above and fill with a salpicon of lobster, crayfish or monkfish a lamericaine.

Bouchees a la perigourdine

Make some very small cases, about 4 cm (1 ½ in) in diameter. Prepre a salpicon of truffle and foie grass and bind with Madeira sauce. Spoon into the cases.

Bouchees a la reine

Prepare and bake some bouchee cases. Prepare a salpicon a la reine for the filling as follows.Dice some chicken breasts poached in stock, also dice  some truffle and poach in white wine. Cut some trimmed button mushrooms into four, sprinkle with lemon juice and cook very gently in butter so they retain their original colour. Prepare a white sauce with the stock from he chicken, add some cream, and, if desired, some egg yolk. For 500 ml (17 ft oz. 2 cups) stock, use 40 g (1 ½ oz, 3 tablespoons) butter, 40 g (1 ½ cup) plain (all purpose) flour, 100 ml (4 ft oz. 7 tablespoons ) double (heavy) cream, and 1 egg yolk. Using this sauce, bind the chicken, truffles and mushrooms together.

   Heat the bouchee cases in a preheaed oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas 4) for 5 minutes. Fill them with the hot mixture and replace the lids. If the truffles are omitted from the filling, equal quantities of chicken breast and mushrooms should be used. A salpicon of calves sweetbreads, quenelles and brains braised in white sauce may be added to the filling.

Bouchees with bone marrow

Prepare some very small cases, 4 cm (1 ½ in) in diameter. Poach some beef marrow in court-bouillon, drain and cut into small cubes. Season with plenty of pepper, bind with Madeira sauce, then spoon into the cases.

Bouchees with crayfish in Nantua sauce

Fill the cases with a regout of crayfish rails in Nantua sauce.

Bouchees with mushrooms

Make smaller cases using a 6 cm (2 ½ in) diameter pastry (cookie) cutter. Fill with morel (or button) mushrooms in cream or in a cream sauce.

BOUCHEE, SWEET  A petit four made from sponge cake shapes with some type of fillng is a bouchee sheerve inFrance.The small cakes are hollowed  out, filled with confectioner’s custard (pastry cream) or jam, then sandwiched together and coated in coloured fondant icing (frosting) For example, a filling of confectioner’s custard flavoured with coffee or chocolate could be used with fondant icing of the same flavour. Alternatively, a rasphberry jam filling could be used with pink fondant icing. Other combinations include green confectioner’s custard flavorued with kirsch plus green fondant icing decorated with pistachios, and vanilla flavoured confectioner’s custard paired with white fondant icing.

RECIPE

Apricot bouchees

Place 250 g (9 oz, 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar and 8 eggs in a bowl and whisk together over  a pan of hot water. When the mixture is thick and fluffy, fold in alternately 200 g (7 oz. 1 ¾ cups) sifted plain (all-purpose) flour and 200 g (7 oz, ¾ cup) melted butter to which a small glass of rum has been added. Three quarters fill some small round moulds with the mixture and bake in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC(350 ^oF gas 4) for about 20 minute.s Turn out on to a rack and allow to cool.Cut in two, spread the bottom half with apricot jam flavoured with rum and sandwich the two halves together. Reduce some apricot jam, flavour with rum and brush it on the top and sides of the bouchees. Decorate with blanched with blanched toasted almonds and a glace (candied) cherry.

BOUCHERE, A LA  The French name (meaning the butcher’s wife way)  given to various dishes that feature a garnish of bone marrow.Examples are: chopped cabbage consomme, served with slices of poached bone marrow, soft boiled (soft cooked) or poached egg a la bouchere, and omelette filled with diced poached bone marrow, surrounded with a ring of demi-glace and garnished on top with slices of bone marrow.

BOUCHON A type of small bistro in Lyon where two of the gastronomic traditions of the city are maintained the lavish machon and the pot a 45 el bottle for tasting Beaujolais. The word literally means a bung and comes from the Old French bousche a bottle stopper made of hay, straw or leaves. The insignia of taverns used to be a bunch of greenery or a bundle of straw.

BOUDIN ANTILLAIS  A Caribean sausage, also called bondin cocbon, that is grilled (broiled) fried in lard or simply heated in very hot (not boiling) water. It is often eaten as an appetizer to accompany punch. The filling is fairly liquid and can be sucked out from one end of the skin.

RECIPE

Boudin antilais

For 6-8 sausages, add 2 tablespoons vinegar to 1.5 litres 92 ¼ ints, 6 ½ cups) fresh pig’s blood, this prevents the blood from coagulating. Moisten 250 g (9 oz. 2 ½ cups) stale white breadcrumbs (without crusts) with 120 ml (4 ½ ft oz, ½ cup ) milk. Turn some clean pig’s intestines inside out, wash and dry them, rub with lemon juice, and turn right side out. Finely chop 250 g (9 oz) onions and brown gently for 7-6 minutes in 100 g (4 oz, ½ cup) lard (shortening) As a food processor puree the breadcrumbs and blood, adding the drained onions. Then add 5 large garlic cloves, finely chopped, a small chilli pepper about 20 chopped chives or the same quantity of spring onions (scallions), salt to season and 1 tablespoon flour.  Work together well and adjust the seasoning. The mixture must be highly flavoured.

   Knob the end of one of the pieces of intestine and using a funnel, fill the intestine with the mixture, pushing it with the hand towards the knotted end. When the sausage is about 10 cm (4 in) long, twist the intestine several times to seal it. Repeat for the other sausages.

     Place them together in boiling water seasoned with chives, bay leaves, peppers and sandalwood and allow to barely simmer for about 15 minutes, or until no more fat comes out when they are pricked. Drain the sausages and allow to cool completely.

BOUDIN BLANC  A white meat sausage made throughout Europe, and in Britain, wherever black pudding (blood sausage) is made, and associated with the Christmas period in France.

    The filling is a fine white meat paste (poultry, veal pork, or rabbit), to which has been added pork or veal fat.Sometimes cream, milk eggs, flour (or crustless breadcrumbs) and spices are used, even fish. The filling  is stuffed into intestine casings and poached, fried gently, baked in the oven or cooked in buttered paper.

   In France  the traditional Christmas boudin blanc dates from the Middle Ages, after  leaving Midnight  Mass, the faithful would eat a milky gruel to warm themselves up. The pork butchers had the idea of binding it with eggs and adding minced (ground) meat.There are many types of boudin blanc, some of which contain truffles.The boudin a la Richelien is based onchicken forcemeat and a salpicon a la reine and is cooked in small individual moulds.

    Spain is anaother coutnry where white puddings are important, particularly the buttifara blanca in Catalonia and the Balearics, containing very finely chopped lean pork. The Catalan bishe blanc is spherical, stuffed into tripe intestines and tied string.

   White puddings are traditional in Ireland, shaped like a horsehoe and made of toasted oatmeal with flaked lard, seasoned with cloves, salt and black pepper.Eaten fresh they are sliced and fired for breakfast. The West Country of Britain also makes oatmeal and pork sausages.

RECIPES

Boudin a la Richelieu

Butter some small ovenproof moulds, smooth edged and oval in shape.Line the bottom and side of each with a finely ground chicken forcemeat. Now add a mixture similar to that used to fill bouchees a la reine but cut up more finely.Finally, cover with more forcemeat and smooth the surface using a knife blade dipped in cold water. Place the moulds ina bain marie and cook in a prehated oven at 180 ^oC(350 ^oF gas 4) for about 25 minute.s Turn the puddings out of the  moulds and allow to cool. Arrange them in a circle on a serving plate with fried parsley in the centre. Serve with Perigueux sauce or supreme sauce to which has been added diced truffle or truffle peelings.

Boudin blanc

 Skin and bone a chicken and finely mince (grind) the flesh together with 250 g (9 oz) York ham. To 250 g (5 oz. 2 ¼ cups) fresh breadcrumbs add just enough milk to moisten them. Cook over a gentle heat, stirring, to thicken, then leave to cool.

   Prepare a duxelles using 400 g (14 oz. 4 cups) button mushrooms, the juice of half a lemon and 4 finely chopped shallots.  Thoroughly mix the bread mixture, the minched chicken and ham and the duxelles with 2 egg yolks, 100 g (4 oz, 1 cup) ground almonds, 200 ml (7 ft oz. ¾ cup) double (heavy) cream, a glass of Madeira or sherry, a large pinch of paprika, salt, pepper, a dash of cayenne, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, a generous pinch of powdered thyme and (if desired) a few truffle peelings. Whisk 2 egg whites until stiff and add to the mixture. Prepare and fill the intestines as for boudin ontillois. Poach in the same way, then cool.

Boudin Blanc with prunes

Soak some prunes in a little lukewarm water or weak tea, then remove the stones (pits). Prick some boudins blacs with a fork, arrange in an oven proof dish and surround with the prunes. Sprinkle with melted butter and cook in a preheated oven at 240 ^oC(475 ^oF, gas 9) until golden brown.

Grilled boudin blanc

Prick some boudins blancs with a fork, roll each one in oiled greaseproof (wax) paper, and grill (broil) gently. Remove the paper and serve hot with mashed potatoes, apple sauce or celery puree.

BOUGNETTE   A charcuterie speciality  of southwestern France.  The bougnette de Castres is a flat saugsage made from chopped belly of pork combined with a mixture of bread and eggs, fried or baked in fat and eaten cold.Bougeuttle from Albi is larger.

BOUGON A goat’s milk cheese soft with a red unged crust.Made exclusively by the cooperative of La Mothe-Bougon in Poitou, Bourgon is a boxed round cheese. 14 cm  (4 ½ in) in diameter and 2.5 cm thick, weighing 250 g (9 oz.) Its pronounced flavour is at its finest from May to September, the period when goat’s milk is of the best quality.

BOUGRAS A vegetable soup from Perigord, prepared with the water used for cooking black pudding (blood sausages) It was traditionally prepared at carnival time, when the pig was killed.

BOUILLABAISSE  A dish comprising fish boiled with herbs, which is traditionally asosciated with the Provence region, especially Marselle, although it has long been enjoyed further a field.  The word is a contraction of two verbs, bottulur                  and abaisser  and in fact bouillabaisse is more a method of rapid cooking than an actual recipe, there are as many authenic bouillabaisses as there are ways of combining fish.

Boullabaisse was originally cooked on the bech by fishermen, who used, a large cauldron over a wood lines to cook the fish that was least suitable for market such as , The dish is flavoured with olive oil spices, including pepper and salffron, and dried orange zest.

   Provencal cuisine offers several variations on the bouillabaisse  soup. At Martigues, where it is ususal to serve the soup with potatoes, there is also a black bouillalaisee contianing cattle fish and their ink.Sardine and cod bouillabaisses are also characteristic of the region, as are bourride and revesset. White wine is sometimes added to the liquid.

Other French coastal regions have their own local methods of preparing fish soups. Boutillonada from roussillon, cotraide from Britany, chandre from Charntes (which gave use  to the American chowder) marnite from Dieppe, Flemish waterizool and horo, of the Basque region.

RECIPES

Bouillabaisse

For 8-10 servings, use about 3 kg (6 ½) fish and shellfish. Place the following ingredients in a large deep flameproof casserole: 300 g (11 oz. 2 ¾ cups) chopped onions or 100 g (4 oz., 1 cup) leeks and 200g (7 oz. 1 ¾ cups) onions, 2 large sliced carrots, and 3 large skinned and finelychopped tomatoes, 3-4 tablespoons crushed garlic, 1 sprig fennel, a small bunch of parsley 1 sprig thyme, a bay leaf and a piece of dried orange rind. Add the prepared shellfish, then the firm fleshed fish cut into uniform pieces with heads, bones and skin removed, as necessary. Moisten with 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup) olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add a generous pinch of powdered saffron and leave to marinate, covered and in a cool place, for a few hours.

  Add sufficient water (or fish stock prepared with the heads and trimmings of the fish) to cover the fish. Cover and boil rapidly for 7-8 minutes. Then add the prepared soft fleshed fish and continue to boil rapidly for a further 7 minutes. Remove the fish and shellfish and place in a large round dish. Line a soup tureen with dry bread and strain the soup on to it. Sprinkle the soup and the fish with coarsely chopped parsley and serve both at the same time.

Caribbean bouillabaisse

Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan and gently cook 1 large chopped onion, some quartered tomatoes. 1 large crushed garlic clove, and 1 small cruched chilli pepper, add some thyme, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper. Finally add some prepared West Indian fish (such as devil fish and bonito) a small lobster (or a large lobster tail) and 3 crabs.Cover, bring to the boil, and  cook for about 20 minutes for fresh, for frozen fish, continue cooking for 15 minutes after they have thawed. Five  minutes before cooking is complete, add a little curry powder and 2 generous pinches powdered saffron.

Marseille bouillabaisse

Scale, clean and remove the head of 2 kg (4 ½  lb) of several kinds of whole fish (conger eel, sea bream, red gurnard, monkfish, whiting, scorpion fish, John Daryl). Cut into pieces. Fry 1 onion, 1 garlic clove, 2 leeks and 3 celery sticks, all peeled and finely chopped, in 7 tablespoons of oil until golden. Add  the fish heads and trimmings.Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes Strain the mixture through a sieve and press to obtain as much of the cooking juices as possible. Crush 3 peeled tomatoes. Peel and chop 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves and 1 fennel bulb and fry in oil in a saucepan until golden. Add the stock, tomatoes and bouquet garni. Add the scorpion fish, red gurnard, monkfish, conger eel, sea bream, 10 little crabs (drilles brossees) and a few strands of saffron.Cook over a high heat. Then add the John Dory and whiting. Cook for another 5-6 minutes. Moisten a slice of bread with the stock and squeeze it. Pound it with 3 garlic cloves and 1 chopped red chilli. Add 1 egg yolk, then 250 ml (8 ft. oz, 1 cup) olive oil while whisking this rouille like a mayonnaise.Cut a baguette into slices and toast lightly or brown in the oven. Arrange the fish and trimmings on a large dish, pour the bouillon into a soup tureen, and serve with the rouille and croutons.

Salt cod bouillabaisse

Completely desalt 800 g (1 ¾ lb) fillets of salt cod, changing the water several times, then cut them into square pieces. In some oil, gently fry 100 g (4 oz. 1 cup) chopped onions and 50 g (2 oz., ½ cup) chopped leeks, without allowing them to change  colour. When these vegetables are soft, add 2 peeled, seeded, and finely chopped tomatoes and 1 crushed garlic clove. Cook rapidly for 5 minutes, then add 6 tablespoons white wine, 500 ml (17 ft. oz, 2 cups) water or fish stock and a generous pinch of saffron. Bring to the boil and place the drained cod in the cooking liquor, cover and continue to boil rapidly for about 25 minutes. Just before serving add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Serve the bouillabaisse in a deep dish with slices of dried bread. Alternatively, the stock may be served separately from the fish, garnished with slices of French bread.

Sardine bouillabaisse

Fried chopped onion and 2 chopped leeks (white part only) olive oil. Add 1 large peeled, seeded and chopped tomato, 2 large crushed garlic cloves, a bay leaf, a fennel stick, and a small piece of dried orange peel. Add 750 ml (1 ¼  pints, 3 ¼ cups) water. Season with salt, pepper and a generous pinch of powdered saffron.Add 6 potatoes, sliced fairly thickly. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, clean some fresh sardines and remove the scales under the cold tap, wash them and wipe dry. When the potatoes are almost cooked, lay the sardines on top and cook for 7-8 minutes. Pour the liquid on to slices of stale French bread arranged in a soup tureen, place the sardines and potatoes in another dish. Sprinkle both soup and fish with chopped parsley.

BOUILLETURE Also known as bouilliture. An eel stew thickened with beurre manie and garnished with mushrooms, baby onions, and prunes, it is served with toast and sometimes quartered hard boiled (hard cooked) eggs. In Anjou, boutilleture is prepared with red wine, white wine is used in Pottou.

RECIPE

Angevin bouilleture

For 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) eel, allow 750 ml (1 ¼ lpints, 3 ¼ cups) red wine, 10 medium-sized shallots, 40g (1 ½ oz, 3 tablespoons) butter, 1 glass brandy, 250 g (9 oz) sauteed button or wild mushrooms, 150 g (5 oz) glazed small onions, 250 g (9 oz) prunes, 2 tablespoons flour, a bouquet garni, salt and pepper.

  Skin the eel and cut into thick slices.Peel and chop the shallots and soften in butter in a flame proof casserole.Add the slices of eel, brown them, then flame with the brandy.Season with salt and pepper, add the red wine, the bouquet garni and the prunes.Cook for 20 minutes, then remove and drain. Prepare some beaurre manie, add it to the casserole and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour the sauce containing the prunes over the eel and garnish with the sauteed mushrooms and the glazed onions.

BOUILLEUR DE CRU In France a landowner, vine grower, fruit producer or owner of any other product that can be distilled who is allowed to carry out the distillation for himself or herself. The expression is much used  in the Cognac region, where the large establishments may buy in brandy already distilled by a boutilleur de cru if they do not carry out the distillation process themselves. There  are also some individual bouilleurs ambulants, who as the term implies, travel around with some kind of portable still and either operate this for anyone who hires them or rent it out.

  In the past such people were kept busy, but large scale distilling is now done at centrally placed establishment, while improved methods of transport enable the product for distillation to be brought to the distillery without loss of time.

   The more modest procedures of distillation can be and sometimes are carried out in a very small space, so that an individual type of spirit may be produced. The systems of taxation and controls, however, have compicated what was at one time quite a common way of life, and though the person entitled to be a bouilleur de cru may still proudly continue to practice, the occupation has now altered and is not followed by as many people as in former times.

BOUILLON (RESTAURANT) A type of cheap restaurant that was opened in France at the end of the 19^th century, serving meals at one set price. Originally its main dish was boiled beef served with its  stock but this ample and economical menu was later complemented by other dishes. In Paris, several chains of such restaurants were opened, including the Boulant and Chartier bouillons. One of these is still running, complete with its 1900 décor, sawdust on the floor.Thonet furniture and a menu written with purple ink.

BOUILLON (STOCK) The plain unclarified broth obtained from boiling meat or vegetables. It is used instead of water or white stock for cooking certain dishes and for making soups and sauces. Bouillon is the soul and quintessence of sauces, said F. Marin in 1739. The food industry has  now developed solid or liquid extracts that can be mixed with water to obtain an instant meat or chicken stock.

RECIPES

Giblet bouillon

Put the giblets from 2 chickens in a pan with 2 litres (3 ½ pints, 9 cups) cold water and bring to the boil. Chop 4 carrots, 2 turnips, 3 leeks (white part only), 2 celery sticks and a small piece of parsnip. Skim the liquid, then add the vegetables together with an onion stuck with cloves, a bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Simmer gently until completely cooked (about 1 ½ hours)  Just before serving, bone the giblets and return the meat to the bouillon, adding the juice of half a lemon and some chopped parsley. Adjust the seasoning.

  If desired, this can be prepared in the Greek way by cooking 2 handfuls of rice in the stock and thickening with a beaten egg yolk, or preferably a whole beaten egg.

Herb broth

Use 40 g (1 ½ oz) fresh sorrel leaves, 20 g (3/4 oz) lettuce leaves, 10 g (1/4 oz) fresh chervil leaves, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 5 g (1/4 oz.1 teaspoon) butter and 1 litre (1 ¾  pints, 4 1/3 cups) water. Wash the vegetables and cook them in the water. Then add the salt and butter,Strain.

Beetroot (beet) or spinach leaves may be added to the stock if desired and, just before serving, parsley and lemon juice can be included.

Quick stocks

Home cooks no longer have stockpots bubbling away permanently on a corner of the stove. However, stock is still the basis of many recipes, so here are a few simple and quick recipes.Depending on the purpose of these stocks, a little thyme or parsley and salt and pepper may be added. Stock can be kept for 2-3 days in the refrigerator or frozen for longer storage good quality stock is also available from supermarkets, usually sold chilled, rather than in cub or powder form.

   Quick beef stock Coarsely chop 100-150 g (4-5 oz) beef, a small carrot, a white leek, a small celery stick, a medium onion and a clove. Place all the ingredients in 1.5 litres (2 ¾ pints, 6 ½ cups) water and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain.

* (Qick veal stock  Use the same method as for quick beef stock but use lean veal (haunch or shoulder) instead of beef.

·         Quick chicken stock. Use the same method as for quick beef stock but with 400-500 g (14-18 oz.) chicken wings instead of the beef.

Vegetable bouillon

Use vegetables that are generally included in a stockpot carrots, onions, leeks, celery, garlic cloves, tomatoes and turnips are typical. Potatoes and parsnips tend to make the stock cloudy, strongly flavoured vegetables give the stock a distinctive flavour for example, broccoli, cauliflowers, swede (rutabag0 or fennel. Chop them, cook gently in butter, then pour boiling water over them to cover.  A bouquet garni, salt and pepper (optional) are added and the broth is simmered until the vegetables are cooked. Alternatively, simply add all the ingredients to boiling water and simmer until cooked, either conventionally or using a pressure cooker, either conventionally or using a pressure cooker. In both cases, the broth must be strained before it can be served.

BOUKHA Also known as boukbra. A Tunisian spirit made from figs and drunk as a digestive throughout North Africa. The figs most commonly used are Hordas figs from Turkey.

BOULANGER The owner of a Parisian café in the Rue des Poulies  who, in 1765, became the first restaurateur of the capital. Since he did not belong to the guild of caterers who sold sauces, cooked dishes and stews, Boulanger was entitled to offer his clients only drinks and restorative broths. One day in 1765 case against the caterers because Parliament had decreed that sheep’s feet were not a stew.  His success assured, Boulanger now added poultry au grossel to his menu. Diderot said that at the Boulanger establishment one was well but expensively fed Grimod de La Reyniere spoke of the first restaurateur of Paris, called Champ d’ Oiseau, established in the Rue des Poulies in 1770, this may have been a nickname for Boulanger or an early competitor. A certain Roze de Chantoiseau set up in the same street, but his business foundered a few years later.

  Boulanger is known only by this name some authorities claim that he was a baker whose real name has been lost.

BOULANGERE, A LA  Oven baked dishes, usually lamb but sometimes fish, such as cod (originally cooked in the baker’s oven, hence the term) garnished with potatoes and chopped onions, and sometimes topped with butter.At one time using the public oven was a common practice in Europe and America before domestic ovens became universal.

RECIPES

Cod a la boulangere

Season a piece of cod with salt and pepper and put it in an ovenproof dish.Thinly slice some potatoes and onions and arrange these around the fish, seasoning and adding a pinch of thyme and a pinch of crumbled bay leaf.  Sprinkle with melted butter. Cook in a preheated oven at 190 ^oC(375 ^oF, gas 5) for 40 minutes. Cover the dish as soon as the fish turns golden to prevent it from drying out. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve, piping hot.

Herring a la boulangere

Clean 6 good herrings, preferably some with soft roes, and season with salt.Butter an ovenproof dish and place the herrings in it.  Slice 400-500 g (14 –18 oz) potatoes and 150 g (5 oz.) onions and arrange around the herrings. Add salt, pepper, a pinch of thyme and a crumbled bay leaf.Sprinkle with about 40 g (1 ½ oz. 3 tablespoons) melted butter and cook in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC(400 ^oF, gas 6) for 30 minutes, basting from time to time. Cover the dish with foil if the potatoes begin to dry out in the final stages of cooking.

Loin of lamb (or pork) a la boulangere

Prepare and roast the meat as for a leg of lamb, allowing 22-25 minutes per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) Add sliced potatoes and onions 30 minutes before cooking is complete.

Roast leg of lamb a la boulangere

Season a 2.5 kg (5 1/1 lb) leg of lamb with salt, pepper and garlic, and rub with butter.Roast in a preheaded oven at 220 ^oC (425 ^oF, gas 7) for  40 minutes. Slice 675-800g (1 ½ -1 ¾ lb) potatoes and 300 g (11 oz.) onions. Arrange them round the joint, baste with the meat juices and about 50 g (2 oz, ¼ cup) melted butter, and season with salt and pepper.Reduce the oven temperature to 200 ^oC(400 ^oF, gas  6) and cok for a further 40-50 minutes, basting four or five times. Finally, cover the dish with foil and leave it in the open oven for a good 15 minutes for the meat to relax.

Shoulder of lamb a la boulangere

Bone a shoulder of lamb  and season the inside with salt and pepper.Roll and tie the meat, then season the outside with salt and pepper.Comlete the preparation and roast as for leg of lamb, allowing 25-30 minutes per 1 kg (2 ¼ lb).Add the garnish of potatoes and onions 30 minutes before cooking is complete.

BOULE DE BALE A small, short, stocky sausage, made in Basle consisting of a fine mixture of pork meat and pork fat forced into a straight synthetic skin.After being lightly hot smoked, the sausage is heated to 70 75 ^oC (158-167 ^oF) and then quickly cooked. It is eaten cold with bread and mustard, in a salad grilled or in pastry.

BOULE-DE NIEGE A small French cake, shaped like a bail, which is completely covered with whipped cream. It is made of layers of Genoese sponge spread with butter cream. The name means snowball.

    The same name is also used for a petit four the size of a large marble. It consists of either two small meringues sandwiched together with a cream or miniature cakes made of a rum baba dough filled with kirsch cream and decorated with white fondant icing.

  Boule-de-neige is also the French name for a moulded round ice-cream dessert.

BOULETTE Minced (ground), chopped or pureed meat or fish shaped into a ball (hence the French name) before cooking.Boulettes are usually coated with breadcrumbs and then deep-friend, but they may also be sauteed  or poached.They are often made to use up leftover meat or fish and may be served with tomato sauce or brown sauce.

BOULETTE D’AVESNES A French cow’s milk cheese (50% fat content) made by mixing Maroilles cheese with parsley, tarragon and spices. Its reddish crust is washed in beer.  A speciality of Thieraches, Boulette d’ Avesnes is shaped by hand into a cone, 8 cm (3 ½ in) in diameter and about 10 cm (4 in) high. It has a very strong pigquant flavour.

BOULETTE DE CAMBRAI  A French cow’s milk cheese with a soft smooth paste (45% fat content) flavoured with parsley, tarragon, chieves and salt. It is shaped into a small ball 6-8 cm (2 ½ -3 ½ in) in diameter. It is not matured and has a milder flavour than the Boulette d’Avesnes. Caffut cheeses, also from the Cambrai region, have a stronger flavour and are made from either spoiled or old cheese mixed with herbs. They are not entitled to the Boulette’ appellation. A similar type of aromatic, often strong smelting cheese is made in Belgium, especially in Charleroi and Romedenne. It is used to make cheese and leek flans.

BOUQUET  The aroma produced by the evaporation of the volatile products evident in wine. It is one of the main elements – together with colour, fruitness and vinosity – that may enable the origin of a wine and, for the experienced, also its area and vintage to be identified.

    Aronas are frequently described in terms of fruits, honey, nuts, spieces or wood, depending on the age and style of each wine.Aeration, which consists of uncorking a bottle in advance, perhaps decanting it into a carafe, and gently turning the wine in the glass while warming the glass in the cupped hand, allows the bouquet to develop.

BOUQUET GARNI  A selection of aromatic plants used to flavour a sauce or stock. They are usually tied together in a small bundle to prevent them from dispersing in the liquid and are removed before serving. A bouquet garni generally consists of 2-3 sprigs parsley, 1 sprig thyme, and 1-2 dried bay leaves, but its composition may vary according to local reosurces.Sage and rosemary go into the Italian mazzello and celery, leek and savory can be added or a strip of orange zest. In Provence rosemary is always included. In old French cookery, bouquets garnis contained cloves as well as herbs, and the whole bundle was wrapped in a thin slice of bacon. Abouquet garni may also be enclosed in a small muslin (cheesecloth) bag.

BOUQUETIERE, A LA   A French garnish composed of vegetables that are arranged in bouquets of different colours around large meat roasts, friend chicken or tournedos steaks. The term is also used for a macedoine of vegetables bound with bechamel sauce.

RECIPES

Barquettes ala bouquetiere

Bind a macedoine of vegetables with bechamel sauce and use the mixture to fill barquette pastry cases. Place a small bouquet of asparagus tips on top of each barquette, sprinkle with melted butter and heat through.

Bouchees ala bouquetiere

Bind a macedoine of vegetables with bechamel sauce.Gently heat some small bouchee cases in the oven and fill with the hot mixture. Garnish with chopped parsley and replace the lids on the bouchees.

Roast rib of beef a la bouquetiere

Prepare a bouquetiere garnish by cooking some small carrots, pod-shaped pieces of turnip, small green beans, artichoke hearts and small cauliflower florets in salted water. Drain the vegetables and warm them in clarified butter. Cook some peas and use them to stuff the artichoke hearts. Fry some small new potatoes in butter. Season a thick (two bone) slice of rib of beef with salt and pepper, brush with melted butter. Roast in a preheated oven at 240 ^oC(475 ^oF, gas 9) for about 16-18 minutes pr 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) or until cooked as required. Drain the fat and place the meat on a serving dish surrounded by the vegetables arranged in bouquets. Deglaze the dish in which the meat was cooked with a mixture of Madeira and stock. Reduce and pour the meat juices over the rib of beef.

BOURDALOUE  A French dessert created by a pastrycook of the Belle Epoque whose establishment was in the Rue Bourdaloue in Paris. It consits of halved William pears that are poached and then immersed in vanilla-flavoured frangipane cream. They are then covered with crushed macaroons, and glazed in the oven. A tart bearing the same name is filled with this dessert.

   Bourdaloue is also the name of a similar dessert made with semolina or pudding rice and other poached fruits Bombe boundaloue is flavoured with anisette.

RECIPES

APRICOTS BOURDALOUE

Poach 16 apricot halves in a light vanilla-flavoured syrup. Drain and wipe with paper towels. Two thirds fill a flameproof dish with cooked dessert semolina. Arrange the apricot halves onn top.Cover with a thin layer of semolina and top with 2 crushed macaroons and 1 tablespoon sugar. Place in a very hot oven for a shrot time to glaze the top. Serve with apricot sauce. Pudding (short grain) rice may be used instead of semolina and peaches or bananas instead of apricots.

Bombe bourdaloue

Line a mould with vanilla ice cream. Fill with an anisette-flavoured bombe mixture and freeze the ice cream until set.Turn out and decorate with candied violets.

BOURDELOT A baked apple or a pear enclosed in pastry from Normandy. The core is removed  and the centre of the fruit is filled with caster sugar moistened with 1 teaspoon Calvodos and topped with a knob of butter. The fruit is then placed on a square of shortcrust pastry or puff pastry that is large enough to wrap around it. The corners of the pastry square are folded and presed together and glazed with egg yolk. Bourdelots are baked in the oven and may be eaten hot or cold.

BOURG  A small town surrounded by vineyards of the Cotes de Bourg, situated o n the right bank of the river Dordogne, close to its confluence with the Garonne.Most wine is good quality drinking red, made from Merlot grapes  although a small amount of white is made from ugni Blanc and Colombard.

BOURGEOISE, A LA The French term used for dishes typical of family meals, without a set recipe, particularly those madw with braised meat chuck, silverside knuckle of veal, leg of mutton and calf’s liver. Such dishes normally include a garnish of carrots, small onions and pieces of bacon, which are usually arranged in bouquets around the meat.

RECIPES

Calf’s liver a la bourgeoise

Mix together in a shallow dish 4-5 tablespoons brandy and 2 tablespoons oil, then add some chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a  small amount of cayenne pepper. Marinate some pieces of bacon fat in this mixture for at least 30 minutes and then use to lard a piece of calf’s liver.  Tie the liver and braise it in a mixture of red wine and stock.Saute some mushroom in butter and glaze some small onions. When the liver is cooked, remove it to a serving dish with the mushrooms  and onions, and keep warm. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid, strain and reduce to make a thick smooth sauce. Pour it over the liver and serve

Chicken a la bourgeoise

Season a chicken with salt and pepper and cook in butter in a covered dish in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF gas 40 for 30 minutes. Then add 100g (4 oz,. 2/3 cup) diced fat bacon that has been lightly friend and 20 small carrots fried in butter. Cook for about another 35 minutes, basting the chicken with its own juice from time to time. Place the chicken and the garnish in a dish and keep warm.Deglaze the cooking pot with 7 tablespoons each of white wine and stock. Then strain the sauce and reduce it by about one third, adding about 20 glazed small onions, cooked in butter. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

BOURGUEIL Red or rose wines from the indre-et Loire region of Touraine, made from the Cabernet Franc grape (known in the locality as breton0 and up to 255 Cabernet Sauvignon.Rabelais celebrated them and put his legendary  Abbey de Theleme in the region. The soils are partly sand, partly clay, producing light and fragrant wines, those from the flat sections make good drinking when young, while those from the slopes tend to be more full-bodied and benefit from moderate to long-term maturation. Crisp and delicate, bourgueil wines somewhat resemble those of their neighbour, Chinon, although Bourgueil tends to smell of rasphberries, Chinon of violets. St. Nicholas de Bourgueil, in the west of the region, produces light, fragrant, elegant wines.

BOURGUIGNONNE, A LA  The French name for several dishes cooked with red wine (poached eggs, meat, fish and sauteed chicken) the most famous of which is boeuf bourguignon. They are usually garnished with small onions, button mushrooms and pieces of fat bacon. The term also apples to preparations inspired by the regional cuisine of Burgundy.

RECIPES

Bourgulgnonne sauce for fish

Prepare a fish stock using 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups)red wine, the bones and trimmings of the fish to be used in the finished dish, a medium sized chopped onion, a small bouquet garni, a handful of mushroom peelings, salt and pepper.Strain, reduce to half its volume and thicken with some beurre manie according to taste.

Bourguignonne sauce for meat and poultry Cut 75g (3 oz) bacon into small strips, blanch, drain and cook in butter until golden brown.Finely chop some onions and mushrooms, mix together and cook 4-5 tablespoons of the mixture in butter, together with 2 generous tablespoons mirepoix. Stir in the diced bacon and transfer the mxiture to the pan in which the chicken or meat has been cooked.Stir well and cook until golden brown.Add 2 tablespoons flour and stir well. Then add 500 ml (17 ft oz. 2 cups) red wine, 200 ml (7 ft. oz, ¾ cup)stock, a bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Reduce by two-thirds.When ready to use, sieve the sauce and thicken with 50 g (2 oz, ¼ cup) beurre manie.

Chicken a la bourguignonne

For a chicken weighing about 2 kg (4 ½ lb) use 100 g (4 oz) bacon, cut into larding strips and then blanched. Peel 20 small onions, and clean and slice 20 mushrooms. Put the cleaned and trussed chicken in a hot flameproof casserole and gently colour the outside in 25 g ( 1 oz. 2 tablespoons) butter.Remove the chicken and fry the bacon, onions and mushrooms in the same casserole.Remove and add 2 tablespoons mirepoix, stirring well.deglaze the casserole with 400 ml (14 ft oz, 1 ¼ cups) red wine and an equal quantity of chicken stock, boil down by half and add a bouquet garni. Return the chicken to the casserole, bring to the boil., then cover and cook gently for 20 minutes.Add the prepared garnish of bacon, mushrooms and onions, togethr with salt and pepper.Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for a further 45 minutes, or until cooked.

   Drain the chicken and its garnish and remove the bouquet garni.Add 1 tablespoon beurre manie to the juices in the casserole, stirring well for 2 minutes, adjust the seasoning and pour the sauce over the chicken.

BOURGUIGNOTTE, ALA In L Art de la cuisine franchise au XIV stock Curene gives a recipe for a sauce for freshwater fish that he calls a la bourguoignotte.

   Prepare a medium size eel, cut it into pieces and place the pieces in a saucepan together with 2 chopped onions, 225 g (8 oz. 2 ½ cups) chopped mushrooms, 2 garlic cloves, a pinch of ground pepper, 2 shallots, a bouquet  garni, a pinch of allspice, 4 rinsed anchovies and ½ bottle Volnay wine. Simmer, allowing the sauce to reduce a little, then press a through a sieve.Return the sauce to the pan and add 275 ml (9 ft oz 1 cup) reduced espagnole sauce and 225 g (8 0z., 2 ½ cups) fried mushrooms, together with their cooking liquor.Boil the mixture rapidly to reduce and add 1 glass of Volnay.When the sauce is sufficiently reduced, place it in a bain marie to keep it warm. Just before serving, add some crayfish butter, about 30 crayfish tails and the same number of while button mushroom.

BOURRICHE A  long wicker French basket used for transporting shellfish, especially oysters. The baskets were once used to transport game and fish.  The word is absorbed to described the contents of the basket.

BOURRIDE A Provencal fish soup. After cooking, the liquid is strained and bound with aroli  (garlic mayonnaise) The authentic  bourride from Sete is made with monkfish, but elsewhere whiting, sea perch, grey mullet and red mullet are sometimes mixed together.

RECIPE

Bourride

Cut 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) monkfish into pieces and boil rapidly for 20 minutes in a mixture of 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups) water and an equal amount of white wine, together with the sliced white part of 1 leek, 2 chopped onions, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped garlic cloves, a little dried orange peel, salt, and pepper.When the fish is cooked, place each piece on a slice of stale bread and sprinkle with a little saffron.Strain the stock, reduce by half, remove from the heat and blend in some very thick aioli. Pour the sauce over the fish.

BOURRIOL  A fairly thick French pancake made from a levened batter of potato puree, wheat flour and buckwheat flour mixed with milk. It is a speciality of  Auvergne.

BOUTEFAS  A large sausage from the Vaud region of Switzerland, much appreciated in the French speaking part of Switzerland, made from pork meat and fat coarsely chopped and stuffed into a skin. Boutefas is gently poached for a long time and eaten as an accompaniment to sauerkrant and winter vegetables.

BOUTON DE CULOTTE A French goat’s milk cheese that is classified as a soft paste cheese (40-45% fat content) but is eaten when it is very dry and brittle. Shaped like a truncated cone, with a greyish brown crust, it has a strong piquant flavour. The cheese is made in the Macon area and is also called Chevroton de Macon. Maconnert or Rougeret. It is often served at Beaujolais wine tastings.

BOUZOURAE  A refreshing Arab drink made from dried melon seeds. These are grilled, ground, soaked in water and squeezed through fine cloth bags. The liquid is then sweetened and served very cold. It may also is used to make sorbets and water ices.

BOUZY A common of Montagne de Reims, France, which has given its name to the appellation of a light, delicate red wine with a bouquet of fruit.

BOWL A hemispherical container with little or no handle. A wide selection is used for kitchen utensils or tableware, for preparing, cooking or serving food.There is a strong European tradition for breakfast bowls. Traditionally these hold more than coffee cups and are used inFrance for holding coffee and for drinking breakfast breads. A small bowl with handles, called a bolce, is traditional for drinking cider in  Normandy and Britany.  The British breakfast bowl is deep enough to hold breakfast cereal and milk. Similar bowls are popular for desserts.

  Small crystal, porcelain or metal bowls are used as individual finger bowls. A punch bowl is a very large container made of glass crystal or silver plate with a large ladle and possibly matching cups) used for serving punch, sangria or hot wine.

  Bowls used as kitchen utensils may be wide and shallow or deep and serving in size from those small enough to hold a tiny amount of chopped flavouring ingredients to others large enough to mix generous quantities of ingredients for cakes or doughs. Some are designed to case common kitchen taks.These include a pastry bowl with a flat side, so that the bowl may be tipped comfortably over for  handworking the contents, or a bowl with a lip for pouring. The classic British pudding basin is tapening in shape with a narrow base, widening and having a fairly deep external rim around the top.The rim allows string to be tied under it to keep a cloth or foil covering securely in place.

BRABANCONNE, ALA   A French garnish made with typical produce from Brabant, Brussels sprouts, chicory and hops. These are served with  large toast joints of lamb or multton  and also with tournedos (filet migron) and sauteed noisettes. The vegetables are arranged in barquettes, coated with Mornay sauce and glazed. They are served either with small round croaquette potatoes that have been lightly browned in butter or with creamed potatoes.

BRAGANZA     a French garnish named after the fourth and last Portuguese dynasty, made of croquette potatoes and small braised tomatoes filled with bearnaise sauce. It is used as a garnish for tournedos  or noisettes of lamb.

   Braganza is also a dessert made with Genoese  sponge cake. The cake is cut into two rounds and soaked in a syrup flavoured with orange liqueur. The rounds are sandwiched together with a layer of custard cream, to which has been added orange liqueur, chopped candied orange peel and butter. The cake is then completely covered with the same cream and decorated with candied orange peel.

BRAIN. This is a type of meat grouped with offal the itnernal organs of the animal, (4 oz) and sheep’s brain, weighing about 100 g (5 oz)Both are barely tinged with pink Calf’s brain, weighing 250-300 g (9-11 zo) has a similar flaour but is deeper in colour. Ox brain, weighing 500-675 g(18-24 oz) is finner and veined with red Pigs brain is rarely used Calf or ox brains, alhtough less choice, are also less expensive, they are used as a filling for pies and timbales and also in meat loaves and gratins.

RECIPES

Preparation of brains

Wash the brains in cold running water, then remove the membranes and blood vessels that surround them.Soak them in cold water for 1 hour and wash them again. The brains may then be blanched in salted water, cooked gently in a court bouilon, or cut into thin slices and cooked directly in butter or oil.

Brains with noisette butter

Cook the prepared brains in a court-bouillon about 10 minutes for lamb’s or sheep’s  brain and about 15 minutes for calf’s brain. Cut calf’s brain into even slices, leave smaller brains whole or divide them into two.

   Melt some butter in a shallow frying pan until it turns golden, then add some lemon juice or vinegar and some capers. Reheat the sliced or whole brains in this butter and serve with the butter, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Calf’s brain in tomato baskets

Cook a prepared calf’s brain in well flavoured court-bouillon. Drain and press under a light weight until cool, then cut into thin slices. Marinate in olive oil containing a pinch of chopped garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Choose 3 large well shaped tomatoes, remove their stalks, wash and wipe them. Make several vertical cuts stretching two thirds of the way up the sides and slip a slice of brain into each slit. Serve with anchoyade.

Calves brains in red wine

Prepare 24 glazed small onions and 24 mushroom caps and saute them in butter. Prepare 750 ml (1 ¼ pints, 3 ¼ cuts) court-bouillon with red wine and cook 2 prepared calves brains in the court bouillon. Remove, drain and cut into thin slices. Arrange these escalopes with the onions and mushrooms on a serving dish. Cover with foil and keep hot in the oven. Meanwhile, reduce the cooking liquid by half, then thicken it with  1 tablespoon beurre maine. Coat the brain and its garnishes with this sauce. Garnish with small triangular croutons fried in butter or oil.

Crumbed and fried calf’s brain

Prepare and cook calf’s brain in court bouillon for about 10 minutes.Drain and rinse in cold water, wipe the brain and press it lightly until cold. Cut into thin slices and marinate these for 30 minutes in 1 tablespoon cooking oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt and pepepr.”
Coat the slices with egg and breadcrumbs, fry them and arrange on a serving dish with some fried parsley.Serve with a well seasoned tomato sauce.

Sauteed brain a la provencale

Cook either a prepared lamb’s brain (whole) or a calf’s brain (cut into even slices) in court-bouillon.Remove, drain, dust with flour and saute in olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped basil, garnish with black olives and serve with a sauce of tomatoes a la provencale.

BRAISING  A moist cooking method using a little liquid that barely simmers at a low temperature on the top of the stove or in the oven.

    When cooking was carried out directly on the hearth, braising meant cooking slowly in hot embers.The cooking container had a lid with a rim on which embers could be placed, so that heat came from both above and below.

    In modern cookery, braising is used for semi tough cuts of meat, large poultry and also  for some vegetables such as cabbage, chicory artichokes and lettuce.

   As well as being long and slow, and therefore useful for rendering tough or firm foods tender, braising is a delicate method of cooking certain firm fleshed fish such as monkfish, carp and salmon.

* Braising techniques Braising joints or birds are often barded and marinated before cooking.. then they are browned in a little hot fat and arranged on a bed of lightly cooked vegetables, such as onions, carrots are celery. Liquid is added to cover the vegetables and come a short way up the joint or bird. The district pan is tightly covered to retain the moisture from the evaporating liquid. With long, slow cooking, the meat becomes tender  and a full flavoured sauce is obtained.

   When the food to be braised contains a lot of water particularly vegetables, it cooks mainly in its own juice and the minimum extra liquid is added.

   The cooking liquid is chosen according to the type of food that is to be braised, it may be a strained marinade, white wine red wine or meat or fish stock. Sometimes a few chopped tomatoes alone provide sufficient moisture for braising. However, the liquid added at the beginning may not be sufficient to maintain the level of humidity required for long cooking some joints of meat require a cooking time of 5.6  hours. In this case liquid must be added during cooking it must be at the same temperature and should be added gradually and in small quantities  to maintain a concentrated flavour.

    When the cooking is finished the juice is strained, excess fat is removed and the liquor reduced if necessary. The sauce may be intensified by adding wine or spirits and boiling, or enriched with cream. Beurre manie may be added to thicken sauces in the final stage.

BRANCAS  A French garnish for small joints of red meat, white meat and poultry, consisting of Anna potatoes and chiffonade of lettuce with cream. It was probably dedicated to Louis, a member of the Brancas family. A friend of Voltaire, Louis Brancas also gave his  name to a brill dish and to a consomme.

RECIPES

Brill a la Brancas

Clean a brill weighing about 800 g (1 ¾ lb) and cut it into even sized pieces. Finely shred 2 large onions, the white part of 2 leeks and half a head of celery.Braise the vegetables for  10 minutes with 25 g (1 oz, 2 tablespoons) butter and a pinch of salt. Then add 125 g (4 ½ oz, 1 ½ cups) mushrooms, also finely shredded, and braise for a further 6-7 minutes.

  Butter an ovenproof dish and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread half the shredded vegetables in the dish. Arrange the pieces of brill in the dish so that they form the shape of the original fish, season with salt and pepper, and cove with the remaining vegetables. Add a little lemon juice, 200ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup) white wine and a bouquet garni. Dot with butter.Bring to the boil on top of the stove., then cook in a preheated oven at 200^oC (400^oF, gas 6) for about 15 minutes, basting once or twice, until the fish is tender.

  Serve the cooked fish surrounded with tomato fondue, made by gently simmering 4 peeled and chopped tomatoes in butter for 30 minutes with 1 tablespoon chopped onion. Season the tomato fondue with salt, pepper and a little chopped parsley before spooning it around the fish.

  This method of cooking, derived from brill a la Dugere, can be used for other flatfish and also for whiting and slices  of hake.

Consomme Brancas

For 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 1/3 cups) consomme of beef or poultry, prepare a garnish using 2 tablespoons each of finely shredded lettuce and sorreil, finely shredded vegetables softened in butter and vermicelli poached in the consomme. Sprinkle with sprigs of chervil just before serving.

BRANDADE  A  puree of salt cod, olive oil and milk, which is a speciality of Languedoc and  Provence. It does not incude garlic, but in Marseille and Toulon crushed garlic is added to the dish, and even the croutons used as a g arnish are rubbed with garlic. A similar  preparation is made in many Mediterranean countries where dried cod is enjoyed, usually with oil and garlic. One of the best known is the Venetian barcala mantecato. However, most recipes include even in France, a potato puree, although this is  not the true brandade. Some French chefs have enriched the preparation further by adding truffles or even crayfish ragout a La Nantua

   The word is derived form the Provencal verb brandar, meaning to stir. Adolphe Thiers was known to be passionately fond of brandade and his historian friend Mignet sent him pots of  it from Nimes, wich he ate alone in his library. Alphonse Daudet founded the Diners de la Brandade in a cate in the Place de Odeon in Paris the meal cost 6 francs and included a brandade and two speeches.

RECIPES

Brandde sauce a la provencale

This sauce is not made with salt cod, but it is served with paoched salt cod. Put 2 tablespoons thin allemande sauce 3 egg yolks, a pinch of grated nutmeg, a pinch of fine pepper, a pinch of crushed garlic, the juice of a large lemon and a pinch of salt into a saucepan. Stir continuously over a low heat until the sauce is smooth and velvety. Remove the pan from the heat and add (a tablespoon at a time) about 250 ml (8 ft oz, 1 cup) good Aix olive oil.Just before serving add the juice of a lemon and 1 tablespoon chopped blanched chervil.

Nimes brandade

Desalt 1 kg 92 ¼ lb) salt cod, changing the wter several times.Cut the fish into pieces and pach it very gently in water for 8 minutes. Drain, then remove the bones and skin. Heat 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup) olive oil in a thick flat based saucepan until it begins to smoke. Add the cod, then crush and work the mixture with a wooden spoon, while heating gently. When it forms a fine paste, remove the pan from the heat. Continue to work the brandade and, while stirring contuously, gradually add 400-500 ml (14-17 ft. oz, 1 ¾-2 cups) olive oil, alternating with 250 ml (8ft oz, 1 cup) boiled milk or double (heavy) cream. Season with salt and white pepper. The result should be a smooth white paste with the consistency of potato puree. Pile the brandade into a dish and garnish with triangles of crustless bread friend in oil. It can also be put in the oven to brown, just before serving.

BRANDY   A spirit distilled from wine, the best known being Cognac and Armagnac.  The word is also used to denote a spirit distilled from certain fruits, sucha s kirsch, framboise or Mirabelle, and it is used more loosely to signify a liqueur made from fruits and berries, such as cherry brandy or apricot brandy.It is also a general term applied to distillates from the debris of wine, such as marc and the Italian grappa, and also to spirit distilled from cider, such as applejack, the American version of Calvados.

BRASSERIE  Originally a brewery, a brasserie is a café or restaurant where beer, cider and other drinks are served.The distinction of all brasseries is that they serve a limited menu at any time of day nd often until fairly late at night. A brasserie alsacienne is common in many French cities.

  In countries wher a lot of beer is consumed, there was at first little to distinguish the brasseries from inns. They had the same wooden benches and wooden tables, like the traditional brasseries found in Bavaria in Munich, one of the oldest is still in operation. In Paris, however, the refugees who came from Alsace-Lorraine, after the war of 1870, started a new fashion for brasseries. They became elegant places, and were as ornately decorated as the great cafes of the capital.

      From 1870 to 1940, the brasseries of Paris were frequented by writers, artists, journalists and politicians, customers, could argue, drink, play chess, write and eat all at the same table.  Among the  establishments that have now disappeared are the  Brasserie Pousset, once the rendezvous of journalists and artists, the Brasserie Steinbach, which was situated in the Latin Quarter and the brasserie in the Rue des Martyrs, frequented by Nadar, Baudelaire, Courbet and Manet. Those that have retained the turn of the century décor and atmosphere are Bofinger at the Bastille and Flo in the Passage des Petites Ecuries. Renewed interest in beer towards the end of the 20^th century encouraged several brasseries to specialize in French and foreign beers. Some Belgian bars or academies of beer offer up to 300 different brands, mostly served with cold meats, cheese or even mussels.

BRATWURST  A fine German uncurred sausage with a coarse filling of pork and pork fat, soemtimes with veal. There are many regional variations in size and seasoning, usually named for the town or origin.Bratwurst can be grilled or boiled and are often served with sauerkraut.

BRAWN  Also known as head cheese, this is a charcuterie product of meat from a pig’s head set in aspic from the reduced cooking liquor.Brawn is well flavoured with seasoning ingredients and./or herbs, and set in a mould, which may be as simple as a small bowl or basin. The brawn is cut into slices and eaten as a first course or with bread and salad for a light meal.  In French brawn is also known as pate de tele and fromage de cochon.

BRAZIL NUT  A large nut with a very hard, brown three sided shell from one of the tallest forest trees, exported by Brazil and Paraguay. The white kernel can be eaten as a dessert nut or used in cooking.

BREAD   A basic food made from a flour and water dough, normally with yeast, which is baked in the oven. When yeast is used as the raising agent, it gives bread its characteristic texture. No other food is so redolent of myth, tradition and rite as bread. Central to meals until almost the end of the second millenium (more  so than meat) it is indeed the staff of life. The breaking of the bread is central to the Christian sacrament and our daily bread is a cuphemism for food. The custom of signing loaves with a cross before baking or making the sign of the cross before cutting bread, continues in parts of Europe where religion strongly influences everyday customs, such as southern Italy.

     The communal bread oven was a focal point for many communities as domestic ovens were not universal until the 19^th century or, in southern Europe, until the 20^th century. The supply of bread or lack of it has long been of concern to governments, ever since its link with civil unrest during Roman times, when the people were promised bread and circuses.

History.

    Breadmaking  dates back to at least 9000 BC.The first breads were cooked on heated bakestones, and many of this type still survive. The invention of leavened bread is attributed to the Egyptians, who made bread from millet and barley. They may have discovered fermentation by chance, when a piece of dough had become sour. At the time of the Exodus, the Hebrew did not take with them any leaven, hence the tradition of unleavened bread to commemorate the crossing of the Red Sea.

   The  Greeks cooked loaves made of rye or oats, or sometimes wheat on a grid or in a kind of oven.The Roman often flavoured their bread with the seeds of poppy, fennel or cumin, or with parsley and they cooked it in household ovens made of brick and earth.The use of bread spread throughout the Roman empire.Rotary hand querns, for producing a fine milled flour, appeared in Spain and spread during the 1^st AD. The Gauls kneaded barley beer into flour to make dough and obtained a well risen bread of good quality.

   It was in the Middle Ages that the bakery trade began to develop, from this time, bread became very varied and many different kinds were produced. These included hall bread, for distinguished guests, hulled bread intended for servants, whole meal bread, with a well cooked crust, kept for making breadcrumbs, and trencher bread, used as plates for meat (subsequently) given to the  poor or to dogs).Soft or queen’s bread was enriched  with milk and egg yolk. German wheat bread had a very light coloured crumb, chapter bread was flat and very hard, fine, white Gonesse and Melun loaves were supplied for a long time to the best bakeries of Paris, and variegated bread was made of alternate layers of brown and white bread.

     In the 17^th century a new method of fermentation was developed, using milk, salt and beer barn, to  manufacture finer loaves made in long moulds. Generally, Segovia, bread a bread a la marechale and horned bread. For a long time, the quality of bread depended on the flour used and therefore on its colour white bread for the rich, black bread for the poor. The principal government concern was to prevent adulteration of flour, and therefore bread.

    In 1840 the Viennese oven was introduced to France by a man called Zang, secretary of the Austrian embassy in Paris. Introducing moisture into the oven using high pressure steam jets caused the bread to expand rapidly, giving the maximum surface area and a thin golden crust when baked. The bakery used Viennese methods, kneading wheat flour with milk  and it started a tradition of fine patisserie, known in France as vienmoiserte. More conspicuously, it produced the long loaves, pandering to the Parisian taste for the maximum crips crust, that have become the classic French loaves.

   Oven temperatures and times affect both the crumb and the thickness and quality of the bread crust. Humid conditions, with very slow baking also help very heavily flours, such as used in the German Kastenbrol breads, to rise. Manipulating all these factors, as well as the careful choice of ingredients, is part of the baker’s art, developed over generations and throughout the world. It gives a huge spectum of choice.

Yeasted breads  Strong plain (bread) flour is the basis for most yeast doughs. It differs from ordinary flour in that it has a high gluten content.Gluten is a protein found in some grain, particularly wheat. The  gluten content varies considerably according to the type of wheat and its area of cultivation for example, wheat from northern countries., like Canada, contain more gluten than wheat from southern countries. Wheat with a high gluten content is referred to as hard wheat. Rye and barley do not contain as much gluten, and flours made from these grains are often mixed with a proportion of wheat flour for making bread dough.

   Gluten is important because it gives the dough elasticity.When combined with water or similar liquid and kneaded, the gluten becomes tough and stretchy. The dough becomes elastic and springy, in which state it traps the gas produced by fermenting yeast and rises, developing the characteristic light texture full of tiny holes. Yeast dough made with low gluten or soft flour of the type used for general cooking is not sufficiently elastic to trap gas from fermenting  yeast well and thus expand or rise, it is also likely to collapse during baking.

   Traditionally, dough is kneaded by pushing and folding for about 10 minute to develop the gluten. Then it is left to rise, knocked back, shaped and left to rise a second time. The second rising is known as proving. Warmth is important for the yeast for ferment and the dough to rise quickly however at a low temperature, such as in the refrigerator, bread will still rise over many hours. Breads made with wholemeal flour, added bran or non wheat flours tend not to rise as much as white bread and the process is slower.Added ingredients, such as butter, eggs, sugar and milk, reduce the elasticity of the dough and retard rising.

  Sourdough Breads  Historically French pain de campagne and many of the older types of bread are made with natural leaven or sourdough rather than yeast. In a warm place, flour and water will ferment over a period of produce a starter dough which can be used as a raising agent for a larger batch of dough. In a regular baking sequence, a little dough is kept back from each batch to start the next Sourdough bread are not as light as yeasted breads, they have a closer texture and may have a characteristically tangy flavours.

   Frend sourdough breads, called pain au levain, are characterized by their thick crust, spongy crumbs and sour sweet flavour. One famous modern sourdough is that prepared in San Francisco, where local bacilli or yeasts come from the Bay area to give the bread a characteristic taste.

Making bread commercially.  Bread making comprises three main operations, largely mechanical, kneading, fermentation and baking.

Kneading .  This combines the water, yeast or leaven, and flour, with a little salt to improve the final taste, into a homogeneous mixture. In the past, kneading was done entirely by hand. Modern bakeries use mechanical kneading, and ingredients are added to the dough to shorten the process of kneading and rising. However, the results obtained by traditional methods are often preferred and premium breads are made to such standards.

   Fermentation.  This occurs at a flavourable temperature when a raising agent is mixed into the flour and water dough. In endogenous fermentation a little of the leaven is reserved from one day’s dough and added to the next batch. In exogenous fermentation, the raising agent is industrial yeast.

    The prime purpose of fermentation is to make the bread lighter, it also gives the bread its characteristic texture, appearance and smell. Traditional slow fermentation with leaven gives bread a slight acidity. The yeasts ferment with sugars in the damp hot dough to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide, which forms gaseous bubbles that raise the dough.

    The first stage of fermentation takes place in the kneading trough. The dough is subsequently weighted and shaped into loaves and again left to rise until it has doubled its volume, called proving. The surface  may then be scarified and the bread is ready to be baked.

   Baking.  On a large commercial scale baking is as technically advanced as the mixing, kneading and fermenting. Vast ovens with rotating baking racks process a high volume of loaves at controlled temperature, levels. Traditional cooking using a wood line is still preferred by some. This may be in a domed buck oven where the fire is allowed to die down and the bread is cooked by the heat retained in the walls.

   The leaves are put in the oven as quickly as possible with the aid of a wooden shovel with a very long handle. When cooked  and a good colour, they are taken out of the oven and placed in the cooling off room, ventilated but without draughts, to cool to room temperature. The bread loses its humidity before being put on the shop shelves or packaged.

Daily Bread.  In many countries, bread is present on the table at every meal and remains there to be consumed with all the courses, to accompany almost all dishes, including a dessert of fruit and cheese. Concern about bread quality during two World Wars raised the quality of bread in industrialized countries. The traditional of bread in industrialized countries. The traditional baker’s targets of whiteness and lightness which were automatically equated with wholesomeness, have been balanced by concern for retaining the food value of the grain. The message about the benefits of wholemeal bread was preached in America by the Rev. Sylvester Graham,  a 19^th century Massachusetts clergyman.

   Most bread should be served fresh but not hot from the bakery oven Rye bread, however should be slightly stale, and large farmhouse loaves are best left until the day after they have been baked. Slice loaves just before serving. The slices should  not be too thin in order to retain all the flavour of the bread, and in many countries there is a tradition of breading bread. Baguettes and other long loaves should be cut in small diagonal sections.

Types of Bread.  Made from wheat, rice, maize  or rye. Western style bread is usually baked in the oven but in Africa and Asia, some breads are fried baked in earthenware vessels or steamed.

    Yeasted flat pocket breads, such as kboliz Arabi are well known outside the Middle East as white or wholemeal pitta, Lavash is the most widely eaten and also the most ancient Middle Eastern bread. Thin, brittle and some what crips, in 60 cm (2 ft) rounds, it is classically cooked in a saf with wood chippings and carmel dung. The Punjabi naan is a white flour, yeasted flat bread enriched with a little ghee its tear-shaped comes from being slapped on the side of a tandoor oven and baked partly hanging vertically.

   White Bread is traditional in Europe. The classic white loaf is the round, firm crumbed French pain de campagne. The 2 kg (4 ½ lb) pain poilane thick crusted, made with organic flour and sourdough, handshaped and wood baked, marks a conscious return to this tradition in the last decades of the 20^th century Similar European breads incude the bogaza of Castilian Spain.

   The French stick, or Parisian baquette, dates only from the 19^th century, and it is a very individual yeast bread, because it uses soft wheat flour instead of the usual strong flour made from hard wheat. It became so fashionable in the French provinces in the 20^th century that many traditional French breads began to be forgotten.

   Traditional British breads are frequently distinguished by their shape  the tin loaf  the bloomer the coburg  and the cottage loaf . The Greak daktyla  is another interesting shape, made of overlapping sections that pull into portions, and with a thick crust sprinkled generously with sesame seeds.

   The sandwich loaf, is a wider, square tin shaped, bread. This has been used as the model on which inferior quality pres-sliced  white loaf has an even, thin crust and good quality crumb which gives good thin slices.Called pain de mie in France, it is baked in a closed tin.

  Rolls and small Bread. The Swiss, with the reputation of being europe’s best bakers, have contributed several rolls to the restaurant table, known by their shapes among them the St. Gall quatrefoil, cornell and the rounded kaiser roll. The kaiser has five sections like a star, the points of which are flipped over to the centre and pressed down with the thumb.Bread sticks are another example of a small bread, particularly Italian grissini, Greek sesame coated bread sticks and the salted German Salzstange, which has the same function as a pretzel, to stimulate thirst.

   Slashed oval rolls include the French  and Belgian pistolet, and the more elaborate Amrican Parker House roll. Made from an oval creased along the centre, brushed with melted butter and with as edges pressed, this pod shape features plenty of extra crust.

Sweet Breads and teabreads.  There are many types, including the Welsh bara brith, a speckled, spiced fruit loaf, the Scots Seikirk bannock, and Irish barn brack. Malt bread is sweetened with malt. All  these are eaten sliced and buttered. The Belgian cramique, Alsacian bireuweek, and Swiss bimbrol all contain fruit- the latter has dried pears and prunes.

Holiday Breads or enriched breads. These exist in most countries. Notable ones include the Kugelhopf of Alsace Germany and Austria, the plaited Jewish challah, and the Italian panesttone. Christmas breads include Genoa’s pandolce, a shallow dome stuffed with crystallized pumpkin, citron and muscat grapes, and the Verona pandoro which is an iced golden star.  The Greek Eastern bread is tsoureki, made from a butter enriched dough, flaboured with caraway or lemon and with a dyed egg nestling in its centre.

RECIPES

White bread

Blend 15 g ( ½ oz, 1 cake) fresh compressed) yeast with a little warm water taken from 400 ml (14 ft oz. 1 ¾ cups) Add more of the water to thin the paste to a milky consistency, then cover and leave in a warm place until frothy. Alternatively, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in the warm water, then sprinkle on 2 teaspoons standard (regular) dried yeast. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes until dissolved and frothy.

  Mix 67 g (1 ½ lb 6 cups) strong white (bread) flour and 2  teaspoons salt and rub in 15 g (1/2 oz, 1 tablespoon) butter. Add the yeast liquid to the dry ingredients and mix to form a firm dough, adding a little extra flour if it is two sticky. Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball, place inside a large oiled plastic bag, and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Remove from the plastic bag, then knock back. Shape into loaves or rolls. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise until doubled in size.

     Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC(400 ^oF, gas 6) for about 40 minutes for a large loaf, 30-35 minutes for small loaves, or 15-20 minutes for rolls.

    Using dried yeast Always follow the packet instructions, as products vary. As a guide, standard (regular) dried yeast should be sprinkled over lukawarm water to which a little sugar has been added. Cover and leave, without stirring, until the yeast granules have absorbed the water, dissolved and become frothy. Then stir well.

  Easy blend dried (active dry) yeast should be added to the flour and other dry ingredients before any liquid is added. The liquid should be slightly hotter than normal hand hot, rather than lukewarm and the dough should then be mixed and kneaded as usual.

    Fast action easy blend dried (quick rising dry) yeast should be mixed with the dry ingredients and the water and dough prepared as for easy blend dried yeast. After kneading, the dough should be shaped and proved this yeast requires one rising, not two.

Wholemeat bread

Blend 25 g (1 oz, 2 cakes) fresh (compressed0 yeast with a little warm water taken from 400 ml (14 ft oz 1 ¾ cups) Add more of the water to thin the paste to a milky consistency, then cover and leave in a warm place until frothy. Alternatively, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in the warm water and sprinkle  on 3 teaspoons standard (regular) dried yeast. Leave in warm place for 10 minutes or until dissolved and frothy.

   Mix together 675 g (1 ½ lb, 6 cups) strong plain (bread) wholemeal flour and 2 teaspoons salt. Rub in 15 g ( ½ oz, 1 tablespoon) butter. Add the yeast liquid and mix to form a firm dough, adding a little extra flour if it is too sticky. Knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic.Shape the dough into a ball and place inside a large oiled plastic bag and leave to rise until doubled in size. Knock back (punch down) and shape into loaves or rolls. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise once more.

   Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC(400 ^oF, gas 6 ) for about 40 minutes for a large loaf, 30-35 minutes for small loaves, or 15-20 minutes for rolls.

Bacon bread

Grill (broil) 300 g (11 oz) smoked bacon, then chop it.Prepare a basic bread dough using 500 g (18 oz. 4 ½ cups) strong (bread) wholemeal flour with 300 ml ( ½ pint 1 ¾ cups) water and 15 g (1/2 oz, 1 cake) fresh (compressed) yeast, kneading until smooth and elastic. Work in the bacon and leave the dough to rise until doubled in volume. Shape the dough into an oblong and place it in a 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) eartheware dish. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in volume. Bake in a preheated oven at 200-220 ^oC (400-425 ^oF, gas 6-7) for about 25 minutes. Turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Milk rolls

Place 500 g (18 oz. 4 ½ cups) sifted strong plain (bread) flour on the worktop (work surface) and make a well in the centre.Add a generous pinch of salt 20 g ( ¼ oz. 1 ½ tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar and125 g (1/4 oz, 1 ½ tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar and 125 g (4 ½ oz, ½ cup) softened butter. Mix the ingredients, then mositen with 250 ml (8 ft. or. 1 cup) tepid milk. Work together, then add 200 g (7 oz) white bread dough. Combine them, then form into a ball, cover it with a cloth and leave to rise, sheltered from draughts, for 1 2hours. Then divide the dough into about 20 balls of about 50 g (2 oz) Make a cross shaped cut on the top, glaze them with egg and bake in a preheated oven at 200-200 ^oC (400-425 ^oF gas 6-7) for about 25 minutes. This type of Vienna bread is served at breakfast or tea.

Pains aux raisins

Soak 100 g (4 oz ¾ cup) currants in warm water to cover for at least 1 hour. Mix 15 g (1/2 oz, 1 cake) fresh (compressed) yeast with 3 tablespoons milk and 3 teaspoons flour and leave to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

   Put 300 g (11 oz 2 ¼ cups) strong plain (bread0 flour in an earthenware bowl, add the yeast mixture, then add 2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar, 3 eggs and 1 teaspoon salt. Knead for 5 minutes, slapping the dough flat on the worktop (work surface) to make it elastic. Sprinkle with3 tablespoons milk and mix well.Soften 150 g (5 oz. ¾ cup) butter and blend it with the dough. Drain the currants and work them into the dough. Knead for a few minutes, then cover and leave to stand for 1 hour in a warm place, or until doubled in volume.

   Shape the dough into long thin rolls, coil each roll into a spiral and palce on a baking sheet. Cover loosely and leave to rise until doubled in volume. Glaze with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for about 20 minutes, or until well broned and cooked through. Serve lukewarm or cold.

BREADCRUMBS  Fresh breadcrumbs are made from fresh bread and are soft and large crumbed.Dried  breadcrumbs  are finer, made from bread that has been dried in the oven or is slightly stale, or by drying fresh breadcrumbs and crushing them. Browned breadcrumbs are dried crumbs that are lightly toasted. Breadcrumbs are used in cooking for coating food or as a topping for dishes. They are also used for binding mixtures or thickening soups or sauces.

   Coating with breadcrumbs.  Breadcrumbs are used to coat delicate foods before frying, typically fish or seafood, chicken breast fillets, croquettes or fritters. Dry white crumbs do not absorb as much fat as fresh crumbs, they produce fine crisp coating and turn golden on cooking. The food is first dusted with flour, then dipped in beaten egg and finally coated with breadcrumbs. This gives a secure coating, ideal for soft mixtures which may melt during frying, ideal for soft mixtures which may melt during frying. Less delicate items can be moistered with melted butter or milk before a fine layer of crumbs is pressed on this is useful when baking or grilling the food. Dishes coated with fresh breadcrumbs must be cooked slowly so that the crumbs do not brown before the foods are properly cooked.

BREADFRUT  A tre 15-20 m (50-65 ft) high that grows in the Sunda Islands, Polynesia and India, and was introduced to the West Indies by Captain Bligh of the Bounty. Its egg-shaped fruits have a thick greenish warty skin, weigh from 300 g-3 kg (11 oz 6 ½ lb) and form a stape part of the diet in the tropics. The white flesh has a texture like bread and its flavour is similar to that of the globe artichoke. When peeled and the seeds removed, the breadfruit is cooked in water or simmered in a stew. The large seeds are also edible and have an artichoke flavour.

BREAD SAUCE an English sauce made with breadcrumbs and seasoned milk. It traditionally accompanies roast game and poultry.

RECIPE

Bread sauce

Place 300 ml (1/2 pint, 1 ¼ cups) milk, a bay leaf and a small onion stuck with 2-3 cloves in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Set aside to infuse for 15 minutes. Remove the onion and bay leaf, add 5-6 tablespoons fresh white breadcrumbs, then stir over a low heat until boiling. Gradually beat in 25 g (1 oz 2 tablespoons) butter, away from heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving hot. The sauce may be thinned down with a little cream if desired.

BREAKFAST  The first meat of the day, which literally breaks the fast of the night. Two quite different breakfast traditions can be traced the first hot drink  of the day, and the first meal of the day, which is much more substantial. In France this is the petit defeumer, milky coffee with bread in some form, now commonly called the continental breakfast, and often bought in a café, on the way to work. In hot climates this is often the only time milk is consumed by adults. Other simple foods that are popular for breakfast include fresh fruit and yogurt.

   The British breakfast has fried eggs and bacon at its foundation, perhaps with fried bread, grilled tomatoes and/ or mushrooms. Kippers  and various eggs dishes are also traditional. Other favorites are grilled kidneys and  the rice, smoked fish and egg dish known as kedgeree. A traditional full breakfast includes a first course of cereals much or fruit such as a half grapefruit or prunes, and a end with toast with marmalade, the whole accompanied by coffee or tea. There are regional variations, such as fried cakes of laver bread with bacon in Wales and black pudding with bacon and egg in Lacasture and Ireland.

   Lighter alternatives include poached eggs with haddlock, eggs on toast boiled eggs, or savouries such as grilled mushrooms on toast. In fact, on an everyday basis, most people have a far lighter breakfast such as cereal with milk, fruit or toast. A cooked British breakfast is very much a weekend or holiday meal.

    America has its own breakfast tradition, with freshly squeezed orange juice, eggs, bacon, ham or excellent peppery pork breakfast sausages as well  as toast and jam. Wattes pancakes and muffins also feature for breakfast. Brunch is a substantial alternative to breakfast, served later in the morning and combining lunch with the fist meal of the day.

    Before the arrival of coffee in Europe, the first drink of the day was soup, and this continued well into the 19^th century. Viehyssoise was created when Louis Dial remembered the breakfast leek soup of his childhood. The Basque zurraputuna in Spain is in this tradition, as is the sweetened gramalka of Poland, made with beer. The British seem to have preferred beer with bread on the side. A pleasant Italian variation albeit a more modern one is coffee with bread and lemon sorbet.

   The workman’s second breakfast  at about 10.30 a.m., is well recognized in all Mediterranean countries for those wh o dine at 2 or 3 p.m.. In Germany this is the Zareites Frubstick at which Frubstuckslase is eaten.

  In the late 18^th century the English bread and beer breakfast was joined by cold meat and cheese to become a full blown meal, with ham, ox (beef) tongue and omelettes served in Victorian times. Prime Minister Gladstone gave political brakfasts where considerable quantities of food were eaten.

    Cereal breakfasts Porridge made from oats is a traditional Scotish breakfst dish, but quick breakfast cereals are comparatively modern. In a clinic in Battle Greek, Michigan. De John Kellogg came up with cornflakes, made from maize. Dr. Max Bircher Benner invented muesli at his clinic in Zurich, combining fruits, nuts and soaked oats. He recommended the beneficial effects of raw food.

  Granola is a variation on muesli in which oats, and sometimes wheat and rye, is combined with various nuts, seeds, dried fruits, honey or brown sugar and oil and baked.The mixture is then allowed to cool, and is eaten as a cold cereal.

BREAK  A freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidue found across Europe in pools and slow rivers and in the Baltic. It is 30-60 cm (12-24 in) long, has a greenish brown back and its sides and belly are grey with shiny gold spots. Breaun was often used in medieval recipes. Although its flesh is soft, somewhat tasteless and full of bones, it is used for matelodes. In France and braised dishes, in the same way as carp. Only the large river bream are used, before being cooked they are soaked in fresh water to eliminate the taste of silt, for they rest and feed at the bottom of rivers.

RECIPE

Grape harvest bream

Clean a 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) bream and season the inside with salt and pepper.Butter an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the bottom with chopped shallots, add 2 thyme sprigs and a bay leaf cut into four and lay the bream on top. Koisten with white wine (about 250 ml 8 ft oz. 1 cup) Cook in a preheated oven at 230 ^oC (450 ^oF, gas ) for about 20 minutes, basting the fish 3 or 4 times. Meanwhile, peel some large grapes, removing the seeds and chop some parsley.When the bream is cooked, drain and keep warm.Strain the cooking liquor into a saucepan, add 7 tablespoons double (heavy) cream and reduce by a quarter. Adjust the seasoning.Add 1 teaspoon beurre manie and 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional) Heat the grapes in the sauce then pour the sauce over the bream. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

BREAST  a cut of meat consisting of the muscle of the chest. In beef this cut is known as brisket and is boiled, pot-roasted, salted or used for minced (ground) meat.

 Breast of mutton or lamb is slow roasted whole, boned and stuffed. It can also be marinated or cooked in stock and then cut into pieces for frying. Grilling, (broiling) or baking in a barbecue sauce, or for stews or soups.

   Breast of veal – a fairly lean cut may be sauteed  or braised (boned and stuffed)

   Fresh breast of pork is used in ragouts or can be grilled or baked. When soaked in brine, it is known as salt or picked pork. When  cured salted and sometimes smoked  too) belly pork becomes streaky bacon used for rashers  and lardons.

   Breast of chicken comprises the two pieces of white meat attached to the breastbone.When served with muffles, chaud froid or with a sauce, it is known as the supreme. Breast of chicken may be diced or chopped and used in the preparation of mixed salads or as a garnish for consomme.

RECIPE

Braised breast of veal a l alsaclenne

Open a breast of veal and remove the bones without piercing the flesh. Make a forcemeat by mixing 500 g (18 oz. 2 ¼  cups) fine sausage meat, 250 g (9 oz. 2 ¼ cups) dry breadcrumbs (soaked in milk and well drained), a bunch of chopped parsley, 1 crushed garlic clove. 125 g (4 ½ or 1 ½ cups) sliced mushrooms fried gently in butter, salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg, or mixed spice. Stir the mixture well until it is smooth. Stuff the veal with this forcemeat and sew up. Cook as for braised stuffed breast of veal, but only for 1 hour.

   Prepare some sauerkraut a 1 alsacienne. Add  the stuffed party cooked breast of veal 30 minutes before the sauerkraut has finished cooking. Remove the string from the veal and serve piping hot with the meat cut in slices.

Braised stuffed breast of veal

Open a breast of veal and remove the bones without piercing the flesh. Season inside and out with salt and pepper. Prepare the forcemeat as follwos, soak 400 g (14 oz. 3 ½ cups) dry breadcrumbs in milk and squeeze, then mix with 2 chopped garlic cloves, a chopped bunch of parsley. 250 g (9 oz) mushroom duxelles, 2 egg yolks, 100 g (4 oz  2/3  cup) chopped onions and 2 chopped shallots fried pepper. Stuff the breast and sew up the opening.

   Line the bottom and halfway up the sides of a lightly buttered casserole with pork rind from which most of the fat has been removed. Finely dice a carrot, the white part of 1 leek, 3 celery sticks and 1 onion seat them together in 25 g (1 oz, 2 tablespoons) butter in a covered pan for about 10 minutes and then spread them over the rind in the casserole. Brown the stuffed breast on both sides in 25g (1 oz, 2 tablespoons) butter and place it in the casserole. And half a boned calf’s foot and 2 tablespoons tomato puree (paste) diluted with 200 ml (7 ft. oz, ¾ cup) dry white wine and an equal quantity of stock.

  Cover the casserole and bring to the boil. Then cook in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6 ) for 1 ¾ hours.Drain the meat. Skim the fat from the cooking stock, strain it, then reduce by one third. Pour it over the meat. Braised spinach in butter or braised artichoke hearts may be served as a garnish.

Stuffed breasts of lamb

Open 2 breasts of lamb or mutton and remove all the rib bones without piercing the meat. Rub the flesh with garlic, and season both the inside and outside with salt and pepper.Prepare a forcemeat by mixing 300 g(11 oz, 2 ¼  cups) dry breadcrumbs (soaked in milk and well strained) with 2 beaten eggs, 150 g (5 oz,  2/3 cup) finely diced ham, 150 g (5 oz, 2/3 cup) finely diced ham, 150 g (5 oz, 1 2/3 cups) diced mushrooms, some chopped parsley and garlic, and salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing on one piece of meat and cover with the second one, with the skin sides outwards. Sew up all round the edge.

  Line a lightly buttered casserole with pork rind from which the fat has been removed, then add 2 sliced onions and 2 sliced carrots. Place the meat in the casserole, add a bouquet garni, cover and cook gently on the top of the stove for about 20 minutes. Add 200 ml (7 ft. oz, ¾ cup) dry white wine and boil down to reduce. Then add 100 ml (4 ft. oz. 7 tablespoons) tomato sauce seasoned with garlic and diluted with 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup0 stock. Cover and cook I a preheated oven at 220 ^oC(425 ^oF gas 7) for about 45 minutes.

   When the meat is cooked, remove the string, slice and arrange on the serving dish. Keep warm, Skim the fat from the cooking liquid, reduce if necessary to blend and thicken it, and pour over the meat. Serve piping hot.

BREDES  The name given in some of the old French colonies of the West Indies to a dish made from the leaves of various plants cooked with bacon and spices and served with rice u la creole. The most commonly used leaves are those of white or green cabbage, wateress and lettuce, although spinach, manioc leaves and pumpkin shoots are used as well. A variation of this dish,  bred, is a mixture of pounded cassava leaves boiled with fish and coconut.

RECIPE

Watercress bredes

Put some oil or lard in a cast iron casserole and fry 150 g (5 oz, 2/3 cup) diced bacon and a chopped onion in the fat until brown. Crush 2 garlic cloves with some salt and a peeled, seeded, crushed tomato.Add them to the casserole. When the mixture is quite hot, add 275 ml ( 9 ft oz, 1 cup) water. Slightly reduce the liquid and add a bunch of washed watercres. Cook for about 30 minutes, washed watercress. Cook for about 30 minutes. Serve with a separate dish of rice a la creole.

    Use the same recipe to make lettuce bredes, but soak the leaves in cold water beforehand. Blanch spinach leaves before making bredes.

BREHAN  A French garnish for large cuts of meat, consisting of artichoke hearts filled with broad (fava) bean puree, cauliflower florest, hollandaise sauce and potatoes with parsley.

BRESAOLA Salted and then air dried meat, eaten raw, and unusual in that it is one of the rare preserved meats made from beef  rather than pork. It is a speciality of Valtellina in lombandy and is ready to eat after about three months when it is a very dark red as an bors docuvre. Sliced very thinly it is dressed at the last moment with a few drops of olive oil lemon juice and black pepper.

BRESOLLES  An old French meat dish, consisting of alternating layers of meat and forcemeat. The forcemeal is made with lean ham, onions, chieves, mushrooms and a little garlic, seasoned with salt., pepper and nutmeg, and moistened with a dash of olive oil. A layer of forecemeat on the bottom of a buttered earthenware casserole is covered with thin slices of veal, beef or mutton, then the layers are altenated to fill the casserole. The casserole is covered and baked, then turned out and served with Madeira sauce and braised chestnuts.

   Controversy surrounds the origin of the recipe, which is traditionally attributed to the head cook of the Marquis de Bresolles in 1742 Menon gave a variation under the name of brezolles  (strips of veal with shallots) and Austin de Croze describes bresolles as a dish from Ages (round slices of veal with vondelaise sauce) The word could be derived from the verb braiser (to braise) or from the Italian brachoda

BRESSANE, A LA  A French term appleid to serveral dishes in which Bresse poultry is an important ingredient including chicken stuffed with fore grass and mushrooms (sometimes with slices of truffle slipped under the skin) and then braised or fried, a flan or cake prepared with light coloured.Bresse chicken livers, and puff pastries and mixed salads.

RECIPE

Bressee chicken salad

Season some whole lettuce leaves with vinaigrette and use to line the bottom and sides of a salad bowl.Hard boil (hard cook) some eggs, shell them and cut into quarters. Cook and drain some asparagus tips. Finely chop the white meat of a chicken cooked in stock and season with vinaigrette.Cut some red and green sweet (bell( peppers into very thin strips. Place all these ingredients on the lettuce leaves.Arrange a mayonnaise and colour with a little sieved and well reduced tomato sauce. Pipe a garnish of tomato mayonnaise on the salad and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve the remaining mayonnaise in a sauceboat (in the traditional recipe the top of the salad is garnished with slices of truffle)

BRESTOSIS A cake with a firm consistency and which keeps well, once a speciality of the town of Brest in Britany. It is made from Genoese sponge, to which are added blanched ground almonds, lemon essence (extract) and orange liqueur. The mixture may be poured into small brioche moulds and baked gently until golden brown. The cold cakes, wrapped in foil, will keep for several days. The mixture can also be cooked in a round cake mould. The cake is then split into two halves, filled with apricot jam, covered with apricot glaze and decorated all over with sliced toasted or raw almonds.

BRETON A table decoration, created in Paris around 1850 by the pastrycook ‘Dubuse, made of almond biscuits (cookies) of various sizes, glazed with fondant icing (frosting) of different colours, decorated and arranged in a pyramid. It was mostly used to decorate large sideboards and side tables.

   Breton is also the name of a large round fairly thick cake, rich in slightly salted butter and egg yolks. The surface is glazed with egg yolk and crisscrossed. The same mixture can also be used to make individual round or boat shaped cakes.

BRETONNE, A LA  The term given to dishes associated with the produce of Brittany in north west France. Primarily these are dishes with haricot (white) beans (famous there) served with mutton or shoulder or leg of lamb. Breton sauce, used to coat simply cooked eggs or fish, is a combination of leek, celery and mushrooms with cream.

RECIPES

Breton sauce

Cut the white part of 1 leek ¼ celery heart and 1 onion into thin strips.Soften gently in a covered pan with 1 tablespoon butter and a pinch of salt for about 15 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons thinly sliced mushrooms and 175 ml (6 ft oz, ¾ cup) dry white wine.Reduce until dry. Add 150 ml ( ¼ pint 2/3 cup) thin veloute sauce and boil vigorously for 1 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and stir in 1 tablespoon double (heavy) cream and 50 g (2 oz, ¼ cup) butter. Serve at once,. If the sauce is to be served with braised fish, cook the sliced vegetables with the fish, adding 175 ml (6 ft oz ¼ cup) fish stock or white wine and finishing with cream and butter.

Eggs with Breton sauce

Fry the eggs or bake them in butter in small individual dishes and surround with a ring of Breton sauce. Alternatively, line small buttered dishes with pureed haricot (white) beans, break an egg into each dish, bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) 6-8 minutes and surround with a ring of Breton sauce.

Sauce a la bretonne

(from Careme’s recipe) Cut 6 large onions into rings and brown in clarified butter.Drain and add 2 ladles each of consomme and thickned espagnole sauce. Add a little sugar, a little white pepepr, then a little butter and a little chicken stock.Finally, press this sauce through a fine sieve.

BRICK  A cow’s milk cheese (45% fat content) which originated in Wisconsin in the United States. John Jossi wanted to make a cheese like Limburg but with firmer texture, so be pressed the cheese between two bricks to obtain the required result. Hence the name Brick. It has a natural reddish rind and a firm but supple texture with numerous small holes. The flavour is fairly pungent, but not nearly as strong as Limburg. Sold in blocks 25 x 125 x 7 cm (10 x 5 x 3 cm) it is used mainly for sandwiches, canapes and cheeseburgers.

BRICQUEBEC   A French cow’s milk cheese (45% lat contents moulded uncooked and with a washed crust. Made by the monks of theAbbey of Bricquebec in the region of Cotentin, it is a flat disc 22 cm (8 ½ in) in a diameter and 4 cm (1 ½ in) thick.Bricquebec has a sweetish taste with a fine bouquet and is excellent all the year round.

BRIE  A cow’s milk cheese (45% fat content), originating in the Hede France, which has a soft texture and a crust that is springy to the touch, covered in white down and united with red. It is made in the shape of a disc of variable diameter, often placed on a straw mat since it is drained on an inclined surface, the finished cheese is sometimes of uneven thickness.The thinnest part is the most matured. The body of the cheese is light yellow, flaxen or golden in colour, with a delicate flavour and a bouquet of varying strength depending on whether the Brie is farmhouse or dairy. Brie is served towards the end of a meal but it is also suitable for use in solvent mosquettoes and carnapes.

    Conde the Great served it to celebrate the victory of Rocrol, andbouchees a la reine, inspired by Marie Leszczynska, were originally made with Brie. In 1793 it was said that Brie, loved by rich and poor, preached equality before it was suspected to  be possible. Talleyrand, an informed diplomat and gastronome, had it proclaimed king of cheese during a dinner organized during the Congress of Vienna. Of the 52 different cheese offered to the guests, it was a Brie from the farm of Estourville at Villeroy which was voted the best.

   Brie was also once used to make a pie pastry and brioches, according to Alexandre Dumas, who thus explained the etymology of the brioche, which was based o n Brie). Eugene Sue quotes Brie in The Seven Deadly Suns.

BRIK   A large triangle of very flaky pastry containing a soft boiled egg surrounded by succulent minced meat, one can imagine nothing better. This is how Andre Gide describe this Tunisian speciality in his Journal in 1943.  It is a very fine pastry shaped in a semi-circle around a filling of spiced vegetables or mutton with onions and mint. A small hole is made in the filling and an eggs is broken into the hole. The pastry is then folded to enclose everything  and the brik fried  in oil. It is usually served with slices of lemon.

     The success of this appetizer lies entirely in the fineness of the pastry, which is called malsouga in Tunisia. A dough of elastic consistency is obtained by boiling semolina in water, it is then prepared and cooked using a very delicate technique. The palm of the hand is dipped in cold water, then in the semolina, which is spread out on a griddle with circular movements, almost immediately it stiffens and the fine sheet of malsouqa is lifted with a knife  and laid on a dry cloth. It takes considerable dexterity  and patience to make briks by hand, but commercially manufactured sheets of brik pastry can be obtained.

RECIPE

Brik with egg

Spread out a sheet of brik pastry on a worktop (work surface), or use 2 layers of buttered filo. Break an egg on to it, then season with salt and pepper and add a pinch each of chopped parsley and coriander (cilantro) Fold the pastry in two diagonally, then fold over both edges and finally the tip so that the egg is well sealed. Fry immediately till golden, basting with spoonfuls of oil so that the pastry puffs up. Drain the brik on paper towels and serve piping hot.

BRILL   A marine flatfish of the family Both idea similar to the turbot, with the same fine white nutritious flesh. Brill is less expensive than turbot, in spite of the considerable waste involved in its preparation. Howevr, it is becoming scarcer in the sandy bed of the eastern Atlantic from which it is fished. It is 30-75 cm (12-30 in) long and weighs 1-2 kg (2 ¼ -4 ½  lb), sometimes 3 kg (6 ½ lb). The top of the body is smooth, grey or beige in colour, with small pearly markings. The underside is creamy white.

   Brill can be prepared in many ways, particularly with red or white wine, champagne or cider. It can also be grilled (broiled) whole or baked. It can be served cold with various sauces. When poached, it can be garnished with prawns (shrimp) mussels, oysters or crysfish. The famous chef Duglere gave his name to a recipe for brill, which  he created at the Cale Anglais in Paris.

RECIPES

Preparation of brill

Clean the fish by making a transverse incision underneath the head, on the dark side.Remove the scales. Trim all round the fish, slightly shortening the tail, and wash. If the brill is to be cooked whole, braised or poached, make a longitudinal incision along the centre of the dark side. Slightly loosen the fillets and break the backbone in two or three places. If prepared in this way, the brill does not lose its shape during cooking.

   To fillet the fish, lay the cleaned, scaled and washed brill on the table, dark side down. Make an incision along the centre from top to tail, then slide the knife blade underneath the flesh and, keeping it flat against the bone, gently ease away the fillets and lift them, detaching them at the head (by cutting round the head) and the tail. Turn the fish over and repeat for the other side. Lay the fillets on the table, skin side down. Holding the fillet by the tail end, slide the blade of a filleting knife between the skin and the flesh with one quick movement.

Braised brill

Season the brill and put it in a shallow pan on a bed of sliced carrots and onions which have been lightly fried in butter. Add concentrated fish stock, thyme, parsley and a bay leaf. Bring to simmering point, cove and cook in a preheated oven at 160 ^oC (325 ^oF, gas 3)  for 25 minutes for a 1.5 kg (3 ¼ lb) fish, basting frequently.

   Drain the brill and remove the backbone. This is most easily done by placing the fish, dark side up, on a well-buttered long plate or dish.  Remove the fillets with a very sharp knife, take out the bone and replace the fillets, Reheat briefly.

   Choose your garnish and matching sauce from the list below before cooking the fish. Make the sauce using the well reduced and strained cooking liquor. Braised brill moistened with red wine fish stock reduced to the consistency of a fumet can be served with the following garnishes, bourguignonne, Chambertin or mayonnaise. Brill braised in white wine can be served with one of the garnishes used for fish cooked in white wine, especially those recommended for sole.

Brill cherubin

Prepare and cook as for braised brill.Arrange thefish on a long dish and surround with small mounds of very thick tomato sauce, alternated (if desired), with died truffles. Fry thin strips of  red (bell) pepper in butter. Strain the cooking stock, reduce until syrupy,then add it to a hollandaise sauce with the strips of pepepr.Coat the brill with the sauce and glaze rapidly in a preheated oven at 230 ^oC(450 ^oF gas  8).

Brill stuffed with salmon

Clean a brill weighing about 2 kg (4 ½ lb) and slit it lengthways down the middle on the dark side. Remove the central bone through this opening, taking care not to tear the white skin. Season the brill and stuff it with a cream forcemeat made of salmon and truffles. Lay the fish in a buttered flameproof dish, season, moisten with 400 ml (14 ft oz 1 ¾ cups) white wine fish fumet, cover and bring gently to simmering point. Poach gently in a prehated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF gas 4) for about 30 minutes. When the brill is cooked, drain then blot with paper towels and transfer carefully to a serving dish. Keep warm, Boil down the juices, add to normande sauce and pour over the fish. The following garnishes are  suitable amiral, cancalaise, cardinal, champenoise, diplomate, Nantua, polignac or Victoria.

Fillets of brill with mushroom duxelles

Prepare about 400 g (14 oz. 3 ½ cups) mushroom duxelles, bind with tomato sauce and spread in the bottom of a serving dish. Keep warm, Season the fillets with salt and pepper,c oat with flour and fry in a mixture of butter and oil. Arrange the cooked fish on the mushroom duxelles and coat with the hot butter left in the pan after frying the fish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and garnish with slices of lemon.

Poached brill

Place the cleaned brill in a fish kettle or large saucepan. Cover with cold fish stock and poach gently for about 10 minutes after reaching simmering  point, until just tender.Drain and remove the dark skin. Prepared  in this way, it can be served with various sauces prawn (shrimp), Mornay or Nantua or garnished with spinach a la portugoise, a la provencale,  a la russe or with lobster escalopes (scallops) a  la americaine. It can also be served au gratin in the same way as sole.

BRILLAT-SAVARIN   A cow’s milk cheese from Normandy named after the French author who said that a meal without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye.

   The cheese was invented early in the 20^th century by Andronet, the famous Partisian master cheese maker. It has  a soft triple cream paste 975% fat content) a white downy crust and a mild flavour, and a smells of cream. Brillat Savarin is discshaped 13.5 cm (5 ½ in) in diameter and 3.5 cm (1 ½ in) thick. It is a more refined version of another cheese from Bray, called Excelsior.

BRILLAT-SAVARIN, JEAN ANTHELME  French magistrate and gastronome The eldest of eight children Jean Anthelme Brillant spent all his youth in

Bugey, where he became interested in cooking, his mother, whose Christian name was Autore, was an accomplished cordon bleu cook.

   After studying law at Dijon followed by elementary chemistry and medicine. Brillat Savarin joined the bar at Belley. In 1789 the young solicitor, elected  deputy to the National Assembly came to the notice of the Forum, in particular because of a speech against the abolition of the death penalty. Returning to his own region, he was elected president of the civil count at Ain, then mayor and commander of the National Guard. The fall of the Girondins forced him into exile because the Revolutionary tribunal accused him of moderatism and issued a summons against him. He said that  the day before his departure for Switzerland he had a memorable dinner at an inn in the Jura, where he enjoyed a fricassee of chicken liberally garnished with truffles, served with a sweet and generous white wine.

RECIPES

Boned partridge Brillant Savarin

Open out the patridge and remove as much bone as possible. Flatten the partride and season with salt and pepper.Seal by frying rapidly in butter. Cove both sides with a forcemeat of foie gras and truffle.Wrap the partridge in a piece of pig’s caul, coat with breadcrumbs, and grill (broil) gently. Place on a bed of lentil puree. It can be served with a well reduced Madeira sauce, containing game stock.

Croutes Brillat-Savarin

Bake some small savoury pastry cases (pie shells) blind. Fill with a salpicon of calves or lambs, sweet breads and sauteed mushrooms and, as n the original, some cockscombs and kidneys, all bound with a reduced demi-glace or Madiera sauce.

Flan Brillat-Savarin

Make a flan case (pie shell) of fine savoury pastry and bake blind. While still warm, fill with very creamy scrambled eggs with truffles. Heat some sliced truffles in clarified butter, season with salt and pepper, and arrange on the eggs. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and melted butter. Brown well.

Ocufs en cocotte Brillat Savarin

Butter some remekin dishes and fill with small cooked pasta shapes sauteed in butter. Break an egg into each remekin dish and bake in a bain marie. Heat some asparagus tips in butter and use to garnish the eggs. Add a ring of well reduced Madeira sauce.

Timbale Brillat Savarin

Bake some brioche dough in a charlotte mould. Scoop out the middle, leaving a thickness of 1 cm ( ½ in) lining the bottom and sides. Prepare a confectioner’s custard (pastry cream) containing crushed macaroons, then cook some pear quarters in vanilla-flavoured syrup. Heat some apricot puree mixed with kirsch and brush it around the inside of the brioche  case. Warm this through gently in the oven. Fill the timbale with alternate layers of confectioner’s custard and pears, finishing with a layer of pears.Decorate with crystallized (candied) fruit and warm it in the oven once more. This timbale may be served with apricot sauce.

BRIMONT  A name given in classic French cookery to certain decorative dishes, probably originally dedicated by a chef to his master.

RECIPES

Brimont salad

Cook and peel some potatoes and prepare cooked artichoke hearts. Dice both vegetables coarsely and mix with mayonnaise flavoured with sherry. Arrange in a dome in the centre of a serving dish and surround with clusters of stoned (pitted) black olives, crayfish tails and quartered  hard-boiled (hard cooked) eggs, all seasoned with olive oil and sherry vinegar. Garnish the salad with a few slices of truffle.The crayfish tails may be replaced by large peeled prawns (shrimp).

Soft-boiled (or poached) eggs brimont

Add some Madeira or cream to a chicken veloute and reduce. Fill a cooked, shallow puff pastry pie crust (shell) with creamed mushrooms. Arrange the eggs in a ring on top. Fill the centre with small chicken croquettes. Coat with reduced veloute sauce and garnish each egg with a slice of truffle.

BRINDAMOUR  A sheep’s milk cheese from Corsica (45% fat content) which is soft and has a crust sprinkled with thyme and savory.Brindamour is a large square with rounded corners, weighing 600-800 g (1 ¼ -1 ¾ lb) Also known as fleur du maquis it has a sweet, scented flavour.

BRINE   A salt solution used to preserve meat, fish or vegetables.Brine sometimes also contains saltpetre, sugar and flavourings. Small items can be pickled in brine on a domestic scale, but large items come within the sphere of industrial salting.

    The pink colour of ham is due to the saltpetre in the brine. In charenterie brine is often injected into the meat before immersion. Cooked hams were traditionally treated either with old brine, brought to the required concentration by the addition of salt and nitrate or with fresh brine mixed with the remains of the old brine, which provided some nitrate reducing bacteria and some ready made nitrite.Fresh brines containing selected bacteria strains are usually used for modern curing. Unfortunately, this change has led to faster salting, which, with the addition of polyphosphates, does not improve the flavour of ham.

BRINZEN  also known as Bryndza A Hungarian ewe’s milk cheese in the shape of a cylinder weighing 5, 20 20 or 30 kg (11, 22, ft or 66 lb) Left to ferment in brine and milk during the winter, it is eaten in spring and has a strong piquant flavour. Brinzen is similar to the Romanian brandza  and the Russian bryza.

BRIOCHE  A soft loaf or roll made from a yeast dough enriched with butter and eggs.

  The word brioche first appeared in 1404, and for a long time its etymology was the subject of controversy. Some maintained  that it originated in Brie, and Alexander Dumas claimed that the dough was originally kneaded with cheese from Brie. It is now consisdered that brioche is derived from the verb brier, an old Norman form of the  verb broyer meaning to pound. This explanation is all the more likely since the brioches from Gourmay and Gisors in Normandy have always been highly regarded.

   The dough is mixture of flour, yeast water or milk, a little sugar, eggs and butter. The substitution of baker’s yeast for brewer’s yeast made it ligher, Brioche dough can be moulded in many ways.The traditional brioche a iele, or Parisian brioche, is made with a smaller ball on top, like a head. Brioches are also moulded into hexagonal shapes with marked out sections these are  Nanterre brioches.The brioche mouselure is tall and cylindrical and is the most delicate. A traditional variation consists of adding raisins to the brioche dough.

    The brioche,often in the shape of a ring, is one of the most widespread regional pastries, eaten by all sections of society.When the revolutionary crowd marched on Versailles,protesting that they had no bread.Queen Marie Antionette in ignorance replied, let them eat brioche. Varieties worthy of mention are the brioche coulante (fallue) from normandy;brioche with pralines from Saint-Genix; the Twelfth-Night cake (tourtillon) from Bordeaux; gatais dela mariee from Vendee, which can measure up to 1.3 m (over 4 ft) in diameter; brioche stuffed with hazelnuts, raisins and dried pears from the Vosges; and brioche with cream cheese or Gruyere from Gannat. Not to be forgotten are fouaces, pompes, couques and cramiques, koeckbotteram from corsica; and pastis from bearn-all of which are rustic brioches with various flavourings

Brioche is served as a dessert or with tea., but it also has many culinary uses. Ordinary brioche dough is suitable for koulibiac and    fillet of beef en croute;brioches mousetine accompaneis fole gras, sausage andc ervelas from Lyons. Small individual brioches are used as cases for various sweet or savoury sauced mixtures served as hot main dishes or as desserts.

RECIPES

Classic brioche dough

Soften 225 g (8 oz. 1 cup) butter at room temperature.Crumble 7 g ( ¼  oz, ½ cake ) fresh (compressed) yeast and stir in 1 tablespoon warm water. In a separate container stir 1 tablespoon sugar and a pinch of salt into 2 tablespoons cold milk.Sift 250 g (9 oz. 2 ¼ cups) strong plain (bread) flour, make a well in the centre, and add the yeast mixture and 1 lightly beaten egg. After working in a little flour, add the sugar and salt mixture, and another lightly beaten egg. Continue to work the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. It should stretch easily. Mix a third of the dough with the softened butter, then add the second and finally the remaining third of the dough to the mixture.

   Put the dough in a 2 litre (3 ½ pint, 9 cup) container, cover with a cloth, and leave to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in volume. Then separate the dough into 3 pieces, knead lightly and leave to rise again. Leave to rest for a few hours in a cool place, the dough is now ready to be shaped and baked.

   Standard brioche dough.  This is prepared in exactly the same way, but the quantity of butter is reduced to 175 g (6 oz. ¾ cup).

   Pate levee pour tartes.This yeasted brioche dough is used for tarts and flans. Prepare as for brioche dough, but use 250 g (9 oz. 2 ¼  cups) plain (all – purpsoe) flour 7 g ( ¼ oz. ½ cake) fresh (compressed0 yearst, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons caster (superfine) sugar, 2 eggs, 100 g (4 oz ½ cup) butter and 6 tablespoons milk.

Bropcje bprde;aose

Lightly flour the worktop (work surface). Place 300 g (11 oz.) brioche dough (classic or standard0 on the floured surface and flatten with the hand to make a thick disc. Finely chop 65 g (2 ½ oz, ½ cup) crystallized (candied0 fruit and distribute it evenly over  the surface of the dough. Bring the edges of the dough to the centre to form a ball. Place the ball of dough on a buttered baking sheet and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. Push both thumbs into the centre of the ball and pull the dough gently into the shape of a ring. When the hole is about 10 cm (4 in) in diameter, leave to rest for about 1 ½ hours.

   Brush the ring with beaten egg. Crush 12 sugar lump with a rolling pin. Using scissors dipped in water cut 5 mm ( ¼ in) deep stopping notches into the surface of the ring.Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF gas 6) for at elast 30 minutes, then take the brioche out of the oven and decorate with whole crystallized (candied) fruits and crushed sugar.

Brioche mousseline

Cut 2 pieces of foil twice the height of a cylindrical 1 litre (1 ¾ pint, 4 1/3 cup) mould. Line the mould with the double thickness of foil shaped into a cylinder. Butter the bottom of the mould and the full height of the foil. Place a 300 g (11 oz) ball of fine brioche dough in the mould and leave to rise at room temperature until it comes to 1 cm ( ½ in ) below the top of the mould.

   Brush the surface of the brioche with a beaten egg and make 2-4 cross shaped incisions in the top of the dough using a pair of wetted scissors. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for about 30 minutes. Turn out of the mould while still warm.

Fruit brioche

Toss prepared and diced seasonal fruit (such as peaches and pears, plums and apricots, or plums and pears) in the juice of 1 lemon. Sprinkle with a little sugar and pour a little fruit liqueur or suitable spirit over and mix well. Cover  and set aside to macercate. Prepare frangipane cream and leave to cool.

  Line  a large or the required number of individual round moulds or tins (pans) with brioche dough.Spread with fragipane cream, leaving a border around the edge. Drain the fruit (reserve the soaking liquor to flavour a fruit coulis to accompany the brioche) and arrange it in a layer on top of the frangipane cream. Cover with brioche dough, pressing the edges together to seal in the filling, then leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

   Brush the brioche or brioches with beaten egg and bake until golden.  A large brioche or brioches with beaten egg and bake until golden. A large brioche will take about 30 minutes ina preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6), individual brioches will take about 15 minutes in a preheated  oven at 220 ^oC (425 ^oF, gas 7) Dust with icing (confectioner’s) sugar and serve hot, decorated with pieces of fresh fruit. Fruit coulis goes well with the crioche prepare it using the same type of fruit as in the filling and flavour the coulis with the reserved soaking liquor.

Parisian Brioche (brioche a tete)

Lightly flour the hands and the  worktop (work surface) then divide 275g (10 oz) brioche dough into 2 balls, 225 g (8 oz) for the body of the brioche and the remaining 50 g (2 oz) for the head. Roll the large ball by hand until it is perfectly round. Butter a 500 ml (17 ft oz. 2 cup0 brioche mould and place the larger ball inside it. Roll the small ball of dough into a pear shape. Make a hole in the top of the  large ball and insert the pointed end of the small ball, press down with the fingertips. Allow to double in volume  at room temperature, for about 1 ½ hours.

  Make some small incisions in the large ball, from the edges towards the head, using wet scissors. Brush the brioche with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for 30 minutes. Turn out of the mould while still warm.

    Individual Parisian brioches.These are made in the same way as the large brioches, using small brioche moulds. Bake in a preheated oven at 225 ^oC (425 ^oF, gas 7) but allow only 15 minutes for cooking.

Rolled brioche with raisins

Soak 75 g (3 oz. ½ cup) raisins in 4 tablespoons rum.Butter a 20 cm (8 in) Genoese mould ( a sponge cake mould with sides sloping outwards towards the top) and line it with 150 g (5 oz) flattened brioche dough. Cover with  thin layer of confectioner’s custard (pastry cream). Lightly flour the worktop (work surface). Place 165 g (5 ½ oz) dough on the floured surface and roll out to a rectangle  20 x 12 cm (8 x 5 in) Cover this rectangle with confectioner’s custard, then spread with the drained raisins. Roll the rectangle into a sausage 20 cm  (8 in) long and cut into 6 equal portions. Roll the rectangle into a sausage 20 cm (8 in) long and cut into 6 equal portions.Lay these portions flat in the lined mould and leave to rise for 2 hours in a warm place.

      Brush over the entire surface of the brioche with beaten egg. Bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC(425 ^oF, gas 7) Dust with icing (confectioner’s) sugar and serve hot, decorated with pieces of fresh fruit. Fruit coulis goes well with the brioche prepare it using the same type of fruit as in the filling and flavour the coulis with the reserved soaking liquor.

Parisian brioche (brioche a tete)

Light flour the hands and the worktop (work surface), then divide 275 g (10 oz) brioche dough and the remaining 50 g (2 oz) for the head. Roll the large ball by hand until it is perfectly round. Butter a 500 ml (17 ft oz. 2 cup) brioche mould and place the larger ball inside it. Roll the small ball of dough into a pear shape.Make a hole in the top of the large ball and insert the pointed and of the small ball, press down with the fingertips. Allow to double in volume at room temperature, for about 1 ½ hours.

   Make some small incisions in the large ball, from the edges towards the head, using wet scissors. Brush the brioche with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for 30 minutes. Turn out of the mould while still warm.

   Individual Parisian brioches.These are made in the same way as the large brioches, using small brioche moulds. Bake in a preheated oven at 225 ^oC(425 ^oF, gas 7), but allow only 15 minutes for cooking.

Rolled brioche with raisins

Soak 75g (3 oz, ½ cup) raisins in 4 tablespoons rum. Butter a 20 cm (8 in) Genoese mould ( a sponge cake mould with sides sloping outwards towards the top) and line it with150 g (5 oz) flattened brioche dough. Cover with a thin layer of confectioner’s custard (pastry cream) Lightly flour the worktop (work surface). Place 165 g (5 ½ oz) dough on the floured surface and roll out to a rectangle 20 x 12 cm (8 x 5 in) Cover this rectangle with confectioner’s custard, then spread with the drained raisins. Roll the rectangle into a sausage 20 cm (8 in) long and cut into 6 equal portions. Lay these portions flat in the lined mould and leave to rise for 2 hours in a warm place.

   Brush over the entire surface of the brioche with beaten egg. Bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) If the brioche colours too quickly, protect it with a sheet of foil. Take the cooked biroche out of the oven, sprinkle with vanilla or rum syrup, then turn out of the mould while still warm. When the brioche is cold, brush with syrup made from 65 g(2 ½ oz, ½ cup) icing )confectioners) sugar mixed with 2  tablespoons hot water.

  

Filled Savoury Brioches

Brioches with anchovies

Using standard brioche dough without sugar, prepare some very small (cocktail size) Parisian brioches in tiny fluted moulds. When cooked, allow to cool completely, wrap in foil and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Then remove the heads of the brioches and carefully scoop out the insides of the brioche bases, using the bread taken out to make very fine breadcrumbs. Add these to the same volume of softened anchovy butter. Fill the brioches with this mixture and put the heads back on. Put in a cool place until required for serving. The mixture of breadcrumbs and anchovy butter can be lightened by adding a little whipped cream.

Brioches with cheese

Prepare  the brioches as for brioches with anchovies (but make them a little bigger). Fill with a thick Mornay sauce mixed with diced York or Bayonne ham. Reheat in the oven.

Brioches with foie gras

Prepare the brioches as for brioches with anchovies. Fill with a mousse of foie gras mixed with softened butter. Put in a cool place until ready to serve.

Brioches with mushrooms

Prepare the brioches as for brioches with anchovies (but make them a little bigger).Fill with mushroom duxelles mixed with a little bechamel sauce. Heat in the oven.

Filled Sweet Brioches

Brioche with raspberries

Make a large brioche mousseline and allow to cool completely. Slice off the top and scoop out the inside, leaving a thickness of about 1 cm (1/2 in) at the bottom and sides. Add some kirsch to melted butter and sprinkle this mixture over the inside of the bioches, fill with a mixture of raspberries and whipp d cream.

   Alternatively, the brioche may be filled  with confectioner’s custard (pastry cream) lightened with whipped cream and mixed with stoned (pitted) cherries, poached in syrup and drained.

Caribbean brioche

Hallow out a large brioche mousseline in the same way as for brioche with raspberries. Cut the brioche removed from the isnide into cubes and brown these in butter. Reduce the syrup from a can of pineapple by three quarters and flavour with rum. Cut the pineapple   dice in butter, place the fruit in the reduced syrup. Add the cubes of brioche, mix together, and fill the brioche with the mixture. Replace the top and heat in the oven.

BRISSE, BARON LEON French journalist (born Gemenos, 1813, died Fontenay aux-Roses, 1876). Having  begun his career in the Water and Forestry department, which he was obliged to leave after a scandal, he turned to jorunalism and specialized in gastronomic articles. It was  his idea to print a different menu every day in the newspaper La Liberte.These recipes were put together in 1868 in a collection called Les trois cents solxante-six menus du Baron Brisse. He also published Recettes a I usage des menages bourgeois et des petits menages (1868), La Pettite Cuisine du Baron Brisse (1870) and La Cuisine en Careme (1873). He was often reproached for not being able to cook and h is recipes are sometimes whimiscal and even extraordinary, such as scoter duck with chocolate, a burlesque way of preparing a kind of duck with tough oily flesh. But  he also gives a recipe for terrine of foie gras and garbure The  paper gastrophile as he was nicknamed by his colleagues, this enormous and truculent individual died at an inn in Fontenay aux- Roses, where he had taken up lodgings. For several years his friends, including Monselet and Gouffe, observed the anniversary of his death by meeting at the inn, where the landlord, Gigout, symbolically laid Baron Brisse’s place.

   His name has been given to garnish for large joints of meat, consisting of onions with chicken forecemeat and stuffed olive tartlets.

BRISTOL. A garnish served with large roasts of meat (beef or lamb), noisettes of lamb and tourmedos. Consisting of small risotto croquettes, flageolet beans cooked in butter and chateau potatoes, it probably takes its name from the Parisian hotel of the same name.

BROAD BEAN (FAVA BEAN)  An annual leguminous plant cultivated for its flat seeds, used as food for man and animals since the Bronze Age, possibly of Near East origin. It was known in ancient Egypt but the Greeks had religious reservations about eating it brought bad luck. Named from the Latin Vicia faba, it was the European staple for centuries. It is the original bean in the Twelfth-Night cake, which made it a good luck bean. They are cultivated across the world, including China.

    Broad beans are easily distinguished from kidney beans because they lie across the pod, so the contact point is on the end.There are several varieties, the pale green one being common, the Windsor bean, with four beans to the pod, is  the largest. Tiny fresh beans are eaten raw at the meal’s end in Italy, accomplished by Pecorino cheese. Cook fresh, podded beans in simmering salted water savory is the classic herb flavouring. Larger beans are best  skinned, to reveal their bright green interiors. In America favas are combined with sweetcorn, to make succotash, but the classic European preparation is a puree (good with pork0 because traditionally it was pressed through a sieve to remove the skins. Fava, the Greek salad with yogurt and lemon juice, is one example.

   Dried beans are more nutritious than fresh ones because they are allowed to grow to full size before being harvested. Broad beans contain a chemical substance to which some people, particularly in the Mediterranean and Iran, are allergic. The allergy, known as favism, is inherited and it leads to destruction of red blood cells, resulting in severe anaemia.

   Dried broad beans were the original bean used in the famous dried bean dishes cassoulet and fabada . The dried bean, dark and of brouse, meaning brush is eaten within  48 hours, Otherwise it is salted and left to dry, when hard it is wrapped in dry asphoded leaves and stored in a cool place. When it is used to flavour a dish, it must be desalted for some time in cold water.

BROCCOLI  A vegetable of the brassica family cultivated for its fleshy heads of flower buds. There are several varieties, including small headed purple sprouting and large headed calabrese.

   Originating  in Italy this  vegetable was popular in Roman times. It was introduced to France by Catherine de Medici.Calagrese  has  substantial dark green flower heads. It is  cooked like cauliflower. In Italy it remains one of the most popular new season vegetables, being cooked with olive oil, white vine and garlic. It was introduced to the US in the early 20^th century by Italian immigrants, and is now cultivated in California.

   Sprouting broccoli  became popular in northern Europe in the 18^th century. This has a number of loose terminal heads, about 15 cm (6 in) long, but also smaller heads in the axils of the leaves lower down the plant. It over winters, to provide an early spring vegetable. Known in America since the 18^th century, the heads are steamed or poached, while the stalks are sometimes eaten like asparagus.

   Romanesco is the autum broccoli with the large yellowish green heads divided into conspicuous little peaked groups.

RECIPES

Broccoli, potato and bacon pot with soup

Soak a piece of unsmoked streaky bacon about 500 g (18 oz) in cold water, then place in a large saucepan with 2 litres (3 ½ pints, 9 cups) cold water, simmer for about 1 ½ hours. Add 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) prepared broccoli, 2 crushed garlic cloves, with a little salt. Add 575 g (1 ¼ lb) quartened potatoes and boil for 15 minutes.

   Drain the broccoli, chop coarsely and heat with 40 g (1 ½ oz, 3 tablespoons) butter. Cut the bacon into slices and brown in 25 g (1 oz, 2 tablespoons) butter. Drain the potatoes and slice. Layer the broccoli, then the potatoes and finally the slices of bacon in a heated dish. Sprinkle with the butter used for cooking.

   Add 25  g (1 oz 2  tablespoons) butter to the water in which the bacon and vegetbles were cooked. Pour this stock into a soup tureen over thin slices of wholemeal bread dried in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve the soup before the hotpot.

Broccoli a la crème

Prepare 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) broccoli, then blanch it in 2 litres (3 ½ pints, 9 cups) boiling salted water for about 30 seconds. Drain the broccoli and chop about 30 seconds. Drain the broccoli and chop very coarsely. Lightly brown 50 g (2 oz. ¼ cup) butter in a frying pan and add 150-200 ml (5-7 ft oz, 2/3 – ¾ cup) double (heavy) cream. When the cream is coloured, add the broccoli. Season with pepper and again with salt if necessary. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve the broccoli very hot with roast or sauteed meat or with certain types of fish, such as bass, cod or hake.

BROCHETTE  A large slightly flatened skewer, usually made of stainless steel, on which pieces of meat, fish and vegetables are threaded for cooking under a grill (broiler) or over charcoal. If the ingredients are to be fried, the skewer is made of wood. There are single brochettes, with a ring or handle, and double brochettes  Electric rotating grills may be equipped with vertical brochettes and some rotisseries are fitted with brochette drums.

RECIPES

Brochettes of fish and seafood eel brochettes

Skin and clean a large eel, cut off the head and the tail. Wash, wipe dry and then cut the body into 8 portions. Marinate for 30 minutes in the same mixture as for seafood brochettes. Cut some streaky bacon into thick strips and marinate with the eel. Then, without draining them, thread the pieces of eel on to skewers with the bacon. Grill (broil) under a high heat for about 15 minutes, basting with a little flavoured oil.Serve these brochettes with green mayonnaise, tartare sauce, remoulade sauce or hot shallot sauce.

Monkfish brochette

Cut the flesh of a monkfish (taken from the tail, which is less expensive than the middle of the fish) into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes and marinate with halved slices of aubergine (eggplant) for 30 minutes in the same mixture as for seafood brochettes. Thread the skewers, alternating monkfish and aubergine, and grill (broil) under a medium heat for 16-18 minutes.

Mussel brochettes

Place some large cleaned mussels in their shells in a pan with some finely chopped shallots, chopped parsley, a good pinch of thyme, ground pepper and a little dry white wine. Cook over a high heat until the mussels have opened, then take them out of their shells. Stir a little cold water into some white mustard powder and spread on a plate. Roll the mussels in the mustard, then in bread crumbs and thread on to the skewers. Leave for 1 hour. Just before cooking, sprinkle with a little melted butter, grill under a medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Seafood brochettes

Prepare a marinate using olive oil, plenty of lemon juice, finely chopped herbs and garlic, fresh crumbled thyme, salt and pepper. Marinate an assortment of seafood for 30 minutes, oysters poached for 1 minute in their liquor, mussels opened by heating in the oven, raw scallops, lobsters tails, large peeled prawns (shrimp) and scampi Thread on to skewers without draining, alternating with very small mushrooms  and fresh blanched cubed bacon. Grill (broil) under a high heat.

Brochettes of Meat

Brochettes of marinated fillet of beef

Prepare a marinade using 150 ml (1/4 pint, 2/3 cup) olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped herbs. Cut up 500 g (18 oz) fillet of beef into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes and cut 150-200 g (5-7 oz) smoked belly pork or bacon into strips, marinate these for 30 minutes. Remove the seeds from a green (bell) pepper and cut the flesh into 2.5 cm (1 in) squares. Cut off the stalks from 8 large button mushrooms, sprinkle with lemon juice and saute briskly in oil with the pieces of pepper. Drain as soon as the pepper is slightly softened. Thread the ingredients on to skewers, adding 2 whole baby onions to each skewer, one at each end of the other ingredients. Grill (broil) under a very high heat for 7-8 minutes.

Lamb brochettes

Cut some well- trimmed fillet or leg of lamb into pieces 5 mm ( ¼ in) thick. Thread the pieces of meat  on to skewers, alternating with blanched bacon strips and sliced wild mushrooms (optional) tossed in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the brochettes with melted butter, roll in white breadcrumbs, sprinkle again with butter, then grill (broil) under a high heat.

Pork brochettes with prunes

Remove the stones (pits) from the prunes. Wrap each prune in a short piece of smoked streaky bacon.  Cut some pork loin into cubes. Marinate these ingredients for 30 minutes in a mixture of groundnut (peanut) oil, salt and pepper with a little grated nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Drain the pork and the bacon wrapped prunes, thread on to skewers and grill (broil0 under a medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Brochettes of Offal (Variety Meats)

Calf’s liver brochettes

Prepare the liver and some (bell) peppers as for lamb’s liver brochettes, but add some large quartered onions to the marinade. Soften some chopped shallots in a little butter, add a little chopped garlic, then some wine vinegar. Assemble the brochettes and grill (broil) under a very high heat. Bring the flavoured vinegar to the boil and pour over the piping hot brochettes.

Kidney brochettes

Skin some lambs’ kidneys, then cut in half and remove the white core. The kidneys may then be brushed with oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and threaded on to skewers to be grilled (broiled) under a very high heat.  Alternatively, the kidneys may be seasoned with salt and pepper, brushed with melted butter, rolled in white breadcrumbs, and threaded on to the skewers, alternating with blanched strips of bacon. The whole is sprinkled with melted butter and grilled under a high heat. Serve the kidneys with maitre d hotel butter.

   Sliced calves or lambs sweetbreads, small pieces of beef or lamb, and chicken livers can also be prepared in this way.

Lamb’s liver brochettes

Cut the lamb’s liver into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes. Seed some red and green (bell) peppers and cut the flesh into 2.5 cm (1 in) squares. After marinating thread these ingredients on to skewers, placing a cube of liver between a square of red pepper and square of green pepper. 

 Brodetto an italian soup containing a large assortment of fish and shellfish.it is possibly the mediterraneans oldest fish soup, and certainly older than bouillabaisse,with which it shares a large number of ingredients.There are many regional variation. The Venetian version contains no tomato, the one made in the Marches contains saffron, while in the Abruzzi the latter is replaced by chilli.

BROU DE NOIX  A  liqueur made from green walnut husks. The soft shells are hollowed out, ground, flavoured with cinnamon and nutmeg, and macerated in alcohol. Sugar syrup is added and the mixture is then filtered. This traditional liqueur from digestive. Similar walnut liqueurs are made elsewhere in Europe.

BROUET  In modern France brouet is a pejorative term applied to any coarse and weak soup or stew. Originally it referred to the national dish of the Spartans, in  particular under the tyranny of Lycurgus. Black brouef was a sort of liquid stew made of fat, meat, blood and vinegar. It was served at communal civic meals which all citizens aged between seven and 60 years were required to attend. It is said that Denys the Ancient brought a Spartan cook to Syracuse and ordered him to prepare a brouet according to the rules. When he indignantly rejected it, his cook pointed out to him that the essential seasoning was missing this was hunger, fatigue and thirst.

   The word broutet was commonly used in French cooking in the Middle Ages for a soup, a stew or a sauce . The Menagier de Paris gives a recipe for broutet from Germany, a very popular soup at the time. From it was derived brouet d accoucbee, a broth made from eggs, milk and sugar which used to be given to women the day after their wedding.

BROUFADO  A Provencal speciality made with marinated beef cooked in a casserole with herbs, gherkins  or capers, and fillets of anchovy. Mistral describes this dish as a fried meat with pepper sauce, but it is more of a stew or casserole, and is probably and old seaman’s recipe.

RECIPE

Broufado

Cut 900 g (2 lb) stewing beef into 5 cm (2 in) cubes. Marinate in a cool place for 24 hours in a mixture of 5 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, a large bourquet garni, a large sliced onion and some pepper. Desalt 6 anchovies.Drain the meat and heat in a flamerproof casserole with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add a large chopped onion, then the marinate and 175 ml (6 ft oz, ¾ cup) red or white wine.Bring to the boil, then cover and cook in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for 2 hours. Add a few small pickled onions and 3-4 sliced gherkins (sweet dill pickles) Cook for a further 15 minutes. Wash the desalted anchovies, remove the fillets and cut them into small pieces, mix with 2 teaspoons beurre manie and add to the casserole. Stir the broufado well for 2 minutes and serve piping hot with jacket potatoes.

BROUILLY  A distinguished Beaujolais cru. The vineyards around the Montagne de Brouilly produce a very fruity wine, which must be drunk young. Cote-de-Brouilly, from the slopes of the mountain, owes its quite remarkable qualities to the soil and aspect. A little more full bodied than Broiully, it is one of the best Beaujolais wines and its bouquet is refined by a few years maturation.

BROULAI  A Caribbean fish stew cooked with sweet cassava roots or potatoes.The vegetables are browned in oil in a stewing pan, then removed and replaced by pieces of firm fleshed fish, tomato puree (paste) onion and chilli pepper.Water is added and the mixture brought to the boil, then the vegetables are put back in the pan with a bay leaf.When the fish and vegetables are cooked, they are taken out of the pan and rice is cooked in the stocks. The rice and stew are served together.

BROWN   To cook meat or poultry in hot fat or oil until it takes on a golden brown colour. The term is also applied to chopped or sliced onion which is first sweated, then cooked until dark.

BROWNIE  A very sweet moist sponge cake bar or square much loved in America, made with dark chocolate and named for its colour. Originally a cookie the present form with a high sugar and butter  content, which gives it a crisp outside and a fudgy inside, has been known at least since the Boston Cooking School Cook Boo, by Fannie Merrit Farmer, was first published in 1896. Baked in a cake  and then cut, there are many forms. Chopped walnut are a popular addition.

BROYE  Also known as broye In Bearn, broye is a broth of maize flour (cornmeal) Simin Palay gives a recipe in la Cuisine  du pays which differs by using white or browned flour.

RECIPES

Broye bearnaise

When white (not roasted) maize flour (cornmeal) is used, broye is prepared like an ordinary gruel.Vegetable stock or plain salted water is boiled and flour is added little by little until the consistency is fairly firm. When the gruel is cooked, and it must be stirred constantly during cooking, it is served with a greased ladle so that the gruel does not stick to the utensil. If the flour is first roasted to brown it, a well is made in the centre of the flour in an earthenware container, the stock or water is added and mixed well, and the mixture is then cooked.The cold broye can be sliced and fried in very hot fat until well coloured.

Broye poitevin

Place 250 g (9 oz. 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar and a pinch of salt in an earthenware dish, make a well and drop 1 whole egg and 250 g (9 oz. 1 cup) butter, cut into pieces, into the centre. Knead by hand to mix thoroughly. Add 500 g (18 oz. 4 cups) plain (all purpose) flour, a spoonful at a time, then 1 tablespoon rum or brandy and knead until the dough no longer sticks to the fingers (it should be fairly soft) Butter a pie dish 25 cm (10 in) in diameter and spread the dough in the dish, smoothing it with the palm of the hand. Brush the surface with 1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoon black coffee.

 Draw a crisscross pattern or geometric designs with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas  4) for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before turning out of the mould dish as the cake is very crumbly.

BRULE  The French term means burn Crème bruke, in which the sugar topping is caramelized with a red hot iron, under the grill (broiler) or with a blow-torch, is one of the most famous desserts. In common French kitchen use, however, brulee usually identifies a disaster.

   In France dough is said to be brulee when flour and fat have been mixed too slowly and the mixture has become oily.

   When egg yolks are left with caster (superfine) sugar without beating, small bright yellow particles appear and are difficult to mix into creams and doughs the yolks are said to be brules.

BRULOT Alcohol that is flamed before being drunk or before being added to food.Brulot is  a familiar term inFrance for a sugar lump soaked in alcohol, held in a spoon over a cup of coffee, and flamed before being dropped into the coffe.

   Café brulot is a typical drink of Louisiana. It is made by heating rum with sugar, cinnamon, an orange stuck with cloves, and lemon zest. When the sugar has dissolved, scalding coffee is poured on to the mixture and the resulting liquid is filtered and served in hot cups.

BRUNCH   A meal originating in America, being a combination of breakfast and lunch. This type of meal is commonly eaten on Sundays, when people gather round the table in a relaxed atmosphere between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The menu combines traditional British breakfast items with those of a cold meal, cereals bacon and fried or scrambled eggs, salads of fruit and green vegetables, pancakes with jam or maple syrup, fruit juice, tea and coffee,. Pie and cold meats may also be served. There is often a fruit loaf corn bread or French toast (slices of bread dipped in breaten egg, then fried and sprinkled with sugar).

BRUNOISE  This French term is applied both to a method of cutting vegetables into minute dice and to the resulting diced vegetables (either a single type or a mixture).Often braised in butter, brunoise is used as a garnish for soups, sauces and stuffings and also serves as a flavouring.

Recipes

Brunoise stuffed pancakes

Stew a brunoise of vegetables in butter. Bind with a little light bechamel sauce.Make some pancakes and fill lwith the mixture, roll up, cut into thick slices, coat in breadcrumbs and fry.

Consomme a la brunoise

For 4 servings finely dice 200 g (7 oz) carrots, 100 g (4 oz) new parsnips, 100 g (4 oz) leeks (white part only) 25 g (1 oz) onions and 75 g (3 oz) well trimmed celery sticks.Braise gently in 25 g (1 oz. 2 tablespoons) butter then add 750 ml (1 ¼ pints, 3 ¼ cups) consonme and cook for 15 minutes. Just before serving, adjust seasoning and add 150 g ( 5 oz) each cooked green peas and green beans (cut into short lengths).

BRUSCHETTA   A slice  of bread, grilled (broiled) on both sides and eaten warm with olive oil and, frequently a savoury garnish. Of Italian origin, bruschetta was a way of checking the quality of the new seasons olive oil.Best made with clabatta or an open textured, light bread, and excellent plain, rubbed with garlic, it has become both a barbecue item for example, topped with bake peppers and a carnape base to accompany drinks.

BRUSSELS SPROUT  A vegetable that is widely cultivated for as green buds, which resemble tiny cabbages 2-4 cm (3/4- 1 ½  in) in diameter, and grow in the leaf axils along a stem up to 1 m (3 ft) high. Although now cultivated mainly in northern Europe, the Belgians consider that Brussels sprouts were imported into their country from Italy by the Roman legions. Brussels sprouts are an over winter vegetable. They also freeze very well.

  Brussels sprouts should be very green and compact, without yellow leaves, the best are usually found after the first frosts. They are prepared by removing the stump and one or two leaves around it, then washed in water to which vinegar has been added.Cooked in boiling water they are generally served with meat but are also used for grains and purees. They can also be braised and mixed with thin strips of bacon and chestnuts. They may be served raw, very finely sliced in a salad.

  Sprouts are essential for bruxelloise and brabanconne garnishes.

RECIPES

Brussels sprouts au gratin

Prepare some buttered Brussels sprouts.Butter a gratin dish, tip the sprouts into it, sprinkle with grated cheese and melted butter, and brown for about 10 minutes in a very hot oven.

Brussels sprouts mornay

Heap some buttered Brussels sprouts in a buttered gratin dish, coat generously with Mornay sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and melted butter, and brown for about 10 minutes in a very hot oven.

Brussels sprout puree

Puree some well cooked buttered Brussels sprouts in a food processor. Then pour into a saucepan and heat, stirring to lose some moisture. Add a quarter  of its volume of potato puree and double (heavy) cream, using about 100 ml ( 4ft oz 7 tablespoons) cream for 1 litre (1 ¾ pints, 4 ½ cups) puree. Season with salt and pepper and serve very hot, preferably with roasted or braised white meat.

Brussels sprouts with butter or cream

Plunge the sprouts into boiling salted water and cook them quickly, uncovered. When they are still slightly firm, remove and drain. Melt some butter in a shallow frying pan, using about 25 g (1 oz, 2 tablespoons) for 800 g (1 ¾ lb) sprouts, and brown the sprouts. Adjust the seasoning , cover and simmer until the sprouts are completely cooked.

   If desired, the sprouts may be coated with double (heavy cream, using 100 ml (4 ft oz. 7 tablespoons) for 800 g (1 ¾ lb) vegetables, before they are covered to finish cooking.

Sauteed brussels Sprouts

Cook some sprouts in boiling water until tender, then drain thoroughly. Melt some butter in a frying pan and toss the sprouts lightly in it. Transfer them to a vegetable dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

   They may also be served with noisette butter (moistened first with lemon juice) a indienne a la milanaise or a la polanaise, liie cauliflower.

BRUXELLOISE, A LA   A French garnish of stewed Brussels sprouts, braised chicory and chateau potatoes, served with small joints of meat, either sauteed or roasted .Egg dishes a la bruxelloise are garnished with Brussels sprouts or chicory.

RECIPE

Eggs a la bruxelloise

Bake some small pastry cases (pie shells) blind. Gently cook some thinly sliced chicory (endive) in butter, bind with a little bechamel sauce and put into the pastry cases. Place a soft boiled (soft cooked) or poached egg in each case and coat with piping hot cream sauce.

B’STILLA  Also known as bisteeya and bestilla. The celebratory pigeon pie of Morocco, and Fez in particular, eaten as a first course using the fingers of one hand. It is also distinguished  by its layers of extremely thin warga pastry the fact that it is made with butter, and its size, which may be 50 cm (20 in) across. The name is related to the Spanish pastilla (little pie) and the pastel murciana is similar, though it is certainly of Moorish origin. Briouts are small pastry envelopes stuffed with similar fillings.

   The pastry layers are arranged in a buttered round mould, interleaved with layers of filling. Besides pigeon (unboned), the pie may include chicken, hard boiled eggs and almonds with sugar. The filling is highly spiced with cinnamon, saffron, ginger, fresh cornander (cilantro) and parsley, and garlic, mint or harissa may be added. Other versions may include mutton or beef and spinach. The  pastry layers are folded over and the top glazed. Traditionally, it is cooked on glowing charcoal and turned out on to a dish of the same size to cook the second side. Alternatively, it is gently fried until  golden brown on both sides, while versions with filo as a substitute may be baked, well moistured with butter, without turning. The b’stilla is served dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

   Dessert versions are also made, filled with rice and almond milk, custard or vermicelli cooked in milk with sugar and cinnamon.

BUCHTELN  A plum desert, much appreciated in Austria. Buchten consists of squares of yeast dough, folded over plum jam, white cheese or chopped nuts, left to rise in the warm, then baked and served hot with prune jam or custard.

BUCKET  A roughly cylindrical container with a handle, originally used for carrying water. The champagne bucket, which is made of stainless steel or silver plated metal, is used for keeping a bottle of champagne, dry white wine, rose., Asti or sparkling wine cool in iced water. The ice bucket, which is smaller, is used to store or serve ice cubes for drinks. Modern ones are insulated, with double walls and a lid, to prevent the ice cubes from melting.

BUCKWHEAT  A cereal plant originating in the Orient and cultivated in Europe since the end of the 14^th century. The name is derived from theMiddle Dutch boecuette, from boeke (beech) and welte (wheat) probably because the seeds resemble beechnuts. The name Saracen corn in France and Italy probably comes from the dark colour of the grain. In France it is also called ble noir, beaucuit or bucail.

    Buckwheat flour is grey with black flecks. It is unsutable for making bread, but is used in Russia for blinis and in France for traditional buckwheat pancakes porridge and fars. When husked, crushed and cooked, buckwheat forms the basis of the Russian  dish kasha. In Japan, buckwheat flour is used for making soba noodles, which are eaten in soup, or served cold on ice with dipping sauces. Nowadays some pasta is made with buckwheat too.

   Until the end of the 19^th century buckwheat was one of the staple foods of Brittany and Normandy, and also of north eastern Europe and Russia, but its cultivation has damnished considerably. In southern Normandy buckwheat porridge was formerly a very common meal, the flour was soaked either in curdled skimmed milk or in plain water and then stirred in a pan over the heat.  Then the pan was placed on a trivet and a hollow was made in the centre of the porridge and filled with melted butter. Everyone took a spoonful of the porridge, and then dipped it into the butter before eating it. When the meal was over, the leftover porridge was either put aside in a large dish, to be eaten with sweetened warm milk, or taken to the fields to be eaten later as a light meal. Thin slices of porridge, known as soles de gueret, were fricasseed and browned in sizzling butter.

BUFFALO  Members of the ox family, including a ferocious wild one in Africa and a domesticated one in India, important for both food and its labour. The buffalo was first imported to Italy, Hungary and the Balkans by the Romans.

  The meat of the young water buffalo, especially the female, is  tender and tastes very similar to beef. Buffalo milk contains 40% fat . In India, it is used to make surati, a cheese matured in earthenware vases which are also used to transport it. In Italy, provolone was originally made from buffalo milk. However, it is best known as the milk from which top quality mozzarella is made, it must be eaten a few days after manufacture. Buriello is an Italian cheese with a light paste and a ball of buffalo butter in the middle. The milk is also used in Egypt to make dumyati a cheese eaten fresh or brinepacked, aged and dark.

BUFFET  A buffet in a restaurant is a large table, often set near the entrance, on which dishes of meats, poultry, fish cold desserts and pastries are arranged in a decorative manner. It is, in fact, a show of choice edibles.

   At a reception  the food is dispensed from a buffet or the guests come to the table to be served with sandwiches, cold meats, pastries and various drinks. It is an idea copied, for its ease of serving, for larger domestic parties.

    In France buffet restaurant were established in the principal railway stations. The speed of transport has considerably reduced their importance, especially when buffet cars provide food and refreshments on trains. However, there are still some celebrated buffets, such as those at Lille, Epermay,Avignon, Valenciennes and Colmar. In Paris the buffet at the Gare de Lyon is classed as an historic monument for its architecture and paintings, the quality of its cuisine attracts a larger clientele than just travellers.

BUGLOSS  A herbacerous plant common inEurope. Its name, derived from the Greek buglossa (meaning ox tongue) comes from its fleshy, bristly, slightly rough leaves Similar to borage, it has the same uses and its flowers are also used to prepare a refreshing drink.

BUGNE  A  large fritter from France’s Lyonnais region, traditionally eaten on feast days, especially Shrove Tuesday. In the Middle Ages fritter makers sold bugnies in the open air, from Arles to Dijon. They have become a speciality of Lyon, as common during the rogues as waffles are in other regions. Bugue dough was originally made from flour, water, yeast and orange flowers. When the consumption of dairy products until Ash Wednesday became permitted by the Church, the dough was enriched with milk, butter and eggs, and bugnes became true pastries.They are cut with a pastry wheel into ribbons which are then knotted.Bugnes are better hot than cold.The beugnon is a smaller version from central France.

RECIPE

Bugnes

Put in a food processor 250 g (9 oz. 2 ¼ cups) plain (all purpose) flour, 50 g (2 oz. ¼ cup) softened burger. 2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar, a large pinch of salt, 2 large beaten eggs and 1 ½  tablespoons rum, brandy or orange-flower water. Process thoroughly, then shape into a ball and allow to rest for 5-6 hours in a cool place. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 5 mm ( ¼ in)Cut the dough into strips about 10 cm (4 in) long and 4 cm (1 ½ in) wide. Make a slit in the middle 5 cm (2 in) long.Thread one end of the dough through the slit, this makes a kind of knot. Fry the bugnes in hot oil, turning once. Drain, place on paper towels, and sprinkle with icing (confectioner’s) sugar.

BUISSON Traditionally a method in France of arranging food, especially crayfish and  asparagus, pressed together in a pyramid. The term is also used for fried smelts and goujomettes of sole arranged in a dome with a garnish of fried parsley.

RECIPES

Buisson of asparagus in pastry

Cook some very thick white asparagus tips in salted water, keeping them slightly firm. Drain and wipe dry. One by one, coat them in a little mayonnaise stiffened with gelatine. Bake a thin pastry case blind and half-fill with a salad of green asparagus tips and very fine slices of truffle. Arrange the white asparagus tips on top in a pyramid.

Buisson of crayfish

Boil the crayfish in plenty of w ater, then drain them.Roll a napkin into a cone shape, tucking in a bottom to make it flat and thus keep it stable, and place it on a round serving plate. Truss the crayfish by tucking the ends of the 2 claws over the top of the tail.Arrange the crayfish along the napkin, tails in the air, wedging them against each other.The top of the dish can be garnished with asprig of parsley.

BULGUR   Also known as boulghour, bulghur or burghul.  The Turkish and Persian names for  a treated whole wheat grain product, including the wheat germ. It is made by cooking the wheat, then drying and cracking it. It is then cooked in twice its volume of boiling water for about 10 minutes, until the liquid is  absorbed. It is often used in vegetarian cooking to make soups and gruels with pulses and flavourings, to stuff vegetables or served as a salad garnished with raw vegetables in  vinaigrette.

BULLHEAD Although it is also called sea scorpion or sea devil, it is a freshwater or coastal fish, common in Britain and found in Russia and the Balkans. It is distinguished by its large head and fan shaped fins, the fins and the gill cover are spiny. It can be eaten fried or in soup.

BULL’S BLOOD   The best known Hungarian red table wine, from vineyards around the town of Eger. It is made from the Kadarka, merlot and Pinot Noir grapes.

BUN  A small, round yeast roll, usually sweet. The name comes from the French bugne, which defines them beautifully. In Britain, burns are made from an enriched dough and may have dried fruit added. They may be glazed or iced.

   There are many traditional regional or seasonal specialities.Bath buns are made from a rich egg dough with small lumps of sugar on top. Chelsea buns are dough spirals filled with fruit and baked I n a tin giving them a square shape.. Cornish splits are large plain buns filled with clotted cream and jam. Hot cross buns are made from a spiced fruited dough and have a cross of lighter dough or icing on top or are cut in the shape of a cross on top.Eaten on Good Friday, the tradition was to keep one bun for a full year, and throw it away when the new batch was made.

    Many countries  bake similar goods and the distinction between a roll and a bun can be difficult to define. Buns are generally eaten alone as a snack or for breakfast, or with tea or coffee. In America the term is more loosely applied to bread rolls such as the large flat rolls in which hamburgers and hot dogs are sandwiches. In Chinese cooking, the bun can be savoury the steamed, white and fluffy bunsfilled with a full flavoured savory pork, mixture are good examples or sweet.

RECIPE

Buns

Crumble 25 g (1 oz. 2 cakes) fresh (compressed) yeast into a bowl, then gradually stir in 150 ml (8ft oz, 1 cup) lukewarm milk. Cover and leave at room temperature until frothy. Mix 675 g (1 ½ lb, 6 cups) strong plain (bread) flour with a 1 teaspoon salt and the grated zest of 1 lemon.Rub in 125 g (4 ½ oz. ½ cup) butter then stir in 125 g (4 ½ oz, ¾ cup) raisins. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add 500 ml (17 ft. oz. 2 cups) lukewarm milk. ` beaten egg and the yeast mixture. Gradually mix the dry  ingredient into the liquid to make a dough. Knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

  Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a cloth and leave in a warm    place until doubled in volume (about 5 hours). Then divide the dough into balls about the size of a tangerine. Place them on a greased large baking sheet, brush them with butter, cover with cented foil and allow to rise for a further    5 hours or until 2 ½ times their original size.

   Bake the burns in a preheated oven at 200 ^oC (400 ^oF, gas 6) for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 250ml (8 ft oz. 1 cup) milk with 1 tablespoon sugar and bring to the boil. A few minutes before they are cooked brush the buns with the syrup  and return them to the oven. Cool on a wire rack.

BUTCHER’S BLOCK  A solid block of wood with a flat top used as a base for chopping meat with a cleaver. It is cut across the grain of wood to give it more strength when used. Butcher’s blocks were for merly set on three wooden feet.

BUTCHER’S SHOP  A shop for selling meat, especially lamb and beef. Horse and donkey flesh tends to be sold by specialist butchers inFrance, as is the meat from the bull ring in Spain and hallal meat . Pork, although sold in butcher’s shops, is mostly retailed through delicateness or specialist pork butchers in both France and Italy.

  In ancient Rome the butcher’s profession was regulated, carried privileges and was specialized according to the various types of meat. The Roman legions were accompanied by butchers, who were responsible for buying beasts to feed both their own troops and the occupied countries.

History in France  Inspired by the Roman master butchers a tradition of hereditary butchers was well established throughout the ancient province of Gaul, now France, by the Middle Ages. In 1996 the first butcher’s shop in Paris began trading. Under King Philippe II there were about 18 shops and butchers obtained a permit from the king granting them the right to own their stalls in perpetuity. Thus was formed the rich and powerful butchers guild, which dominated for a long time by a few families, wielded considerable political  power.

   Until abattoirs were set up under Napoleon I, the Grande Boucherie quarter, around the Chatelet,  remained a dreaful palce, Blood flows in the streets and congeals under the feet, wrote Mercier in mentions the Rue de la Triperie.

BUTIFARRA  A black pudding of eastern Spain made of pig’s blood and pieces of fat, sometimes with meat.There are many types the Catalan sausage is botifarra. Bise meaning bishop is another large., black sausage. Many contain rice typically in the Valencia area though the region also has a highly spiced meat version. Boufarras are sliced and fried, then added to casseroles. Boutifarra is the North African version containing blood, fat and meat about 8-10 cm (3 ½ - in) in diameter, and is eaten cold.

  White butifarras  often made with lean pork and stuffed into tripe skins, are popular in Catalonia and the Balearic islands.

BUTTER  A fatty substance obtained from churned cream, containing at least 80% fat, 2% milk solids and not more than 16% water. Butter hardens at low temperatures, becomes soft in  warm environment and melts when heated. The colour varies from creamy white to golden yellow.

The history of butter.  Butter was known in ancient times and was introduced to the Greeks by  the Scythians. Herodotus, quoted by Montesquieu, spoke of the Scythians who poked out the eyes of their slaves so that nothing would distract them from charning their milk. The Greeks and Romans, however, used it mainly as a remedy and relied almost entirely on oil for cooking purposes.

   Butter was produced by the Gauls, but it was the Normans, using knowledge acquired from the Danes, who firmly established its reputation.  By the Middle  Ages, the small scale local production of butter had become widespread. Large pats of butter, sometimes wrapped in leaves of sorrel or herbs, were sold in French markets and stored in earthenware pots covered in salt water. Colouring was prohibited, as was selling butter on a fish stall. Butter was not supposed to be eaten during Lent.

   In Europe butter is made from cow’s milk but in Africa and Asia the milk of the buffalo, carmel, goat, ewe, mare and donkey is used to manufacture butters with very strong flavours. In Britain a few small independent producers make nanny butter.

Alternative to butter. There are many alternatives to butter, both for cooking and as spreads. Margarine is the long standing substitute for use in baking and there are many brands for table use. Low fat spreads and reduced fat butters are spreadable products with a high moisture content, aimed at people who want to reduce either their calorie intake or consumption of animal fats. Some of these products are not suitable for cooking.

Butter making. The milk is skimmed and the cream is used for making butter The cream is pasteurized and transferred to an ageing or maturation tank. The cream is then churned so that globules of fat form and the buttermilk is separated.The cream is cooled and ripened at a low temperature to produce sweet cream butter the traditional British butter.Alternatively, the cream is ripened at a higher temperature with the addition of a culture of lactic bacteria. This produces a butter with more flavour, known as lactic butter, the type traditionally preferred in France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany. The butter is then washed and blended or worked to give the right water content and characteristic texture. During this stage the butter may be salted and permitted ingredients may be added. Finally the butter is weighted and packaged.

Types of butter.There are two main types of butter produce by the different ripening or ageing processes described above. Sweet cream butter is the traditional British type and lactic butter is the classic French butter Sweet cream butter is usually salted or lightly salted. Lactic butter may be lightly salted or unsalted.

  Butter keeps well in the refrigerator, with the salted type having a longer shell life than unsalted butter.Butter also freezes well, but in the case the unsalted type has a longer storage life. Butter should always be stored in a covered container or sealed  packet, as it readily absorbs around given off by other foods and these taint its flavour. Butter left in warm, light conditions becomes rancid, especially the unsalted type so it should be covered and replaced in the refrigerator after use.

Cooking with butter.  Butter has numerous uses in cooking and unsalted butter is often preferred as it is less likely to burn when frying and it enriches food without adding too much salt, which is particularly important for baking, when salted butter can spoil the flavour of sweet pastries, cakes and biscuits cookies.

   As a cooking medium butter can be used to sweat sauce or fry foods and to moisten them before and during grilling roasting or baking. Clarified butter is butter from which the water content has been evaporated and the milk solids separated, leving a clear yellow fat which can be heated to a high temperature without burning.This is ideal for frying of other cooking. When ordinary butter is used it should be heated gently and slowly to avoid burning.

   A little oil is often added to butter for cooking, contributing a good flavour and reducing the risk of burning. This is also a good compromise for those who enjoy the flavour but want to avoid consuming large quantities of animal fats.

   For making pastries, biscuits, cakes and enriching doughs, butter gives superior flavour to margarine.When heaten with sugar, it become light and creamy.Combined with flour and wat er, butter flavours and shortens doughs, producing a crumbly texture.When butter is incorporated by being rolled between layers of flour and water dough, it produces fine, crisp layer that separate as trapped air expands during baking giving a light result. This technique is used for making puff pastry and crossants.

  Butter is also a key ingredient in a variety of sauces and it can be added to soups and casseroles to enrich the cooking liquor.Plain or flavoured butter can be served with food to moisten and enhance plain ingredients, for example, it is the classic dressing for vegetables, grilled fish, meats or poultry. In the same way as other fats, butter complements starchy foods, making them more palatable.

   Butter also has a variety of uses in desserts and sweet dishes, for example to make British butter cream when beaten with icing sugar or French crème au beurre and other custards enriched with softened butter.Butter is also a valuable flavouring for confectionery, such as toffee.

Flaroured Butter.Various herbs and other ingredients can be added to salted or unsalted butter to produce different colorus and flavorus. They are sometimes referred to as compound butter or beurres composes. They may be served cold with freshly grilled meat, fish or boiled vegetables. Flavoured butters are added to sauces or the other dishes. They are also spread on canapes or between  slices of bread to be heated and served hot.

Butters that are prepared hot can be flavoured with crushed crustacean shells. Most flavoured butters are prepared cold. Raw addition (such as garlic, shallot, tarragon or horseradish) are rubbed through a sieve, crushed, chopped, finely grated or pureed. Other ingredients are cooked in liquid until well reduced.

  To accompany grilled meat or fish, a flavoured butter of a creamy consistency is served separately.Alternatively, it may be shaped into a small cylinder, wrapped in greaseproof paper or foil, and hardened in the refrigerator. It is then unwrapped and cut into slices 1 cm ( ½ in) thick, to top the meat or fish.

RECIPES

Flaoured Butters

Preparation of flavoured butter

Whatever the ingredients, the butter must first be creamed, using a spoon or (for large quantities) an electric mixer. The following recipes give ingredients to flavour 225 g (8 oz. 1 cup) butter.

Almond butter

Blanch 100 g (4 oz 1 cup) sweet almonds and reduce to a paste in a blender with 1 tablespoon cold water.Add to the softened butter and press through a sieve. Very fresh ground almonds can also be used.This butter is used in the preparation of petits fours and cakes. Make walnut butter the same way.

Anchovy butter

Soak 100 g (4 oz) canned or bottled salted anchovies to remove the salt.Puree the filelts in a blender, season and, if liked, add a dash of lemon juice. Work into the softened butter.This butter is used for vol auvents, canapes and hors d’oeuvres and to accompany grilled meat and fish or cold white meat.

Caviar butter

Blend 100 g (4 z) pressed caviar, work into thesoftened butter and then press through a sieve.This butter is used to garnish canapes, or various cold hors d oeuvres and to flaovur some fish sauces.

Crab or prawn butter

Blend 225 g (8 zo) shelled prawns (shrimp0 or crabmeat (cooked in court bouillon and with all cartilage removed)

Work into the softened butter.This butter is used to garnish            canapes, cold fish or hors d ‘oeuvres, and to complete fish and shellfish sauces.

Crayfish butter

Pound I a mortar 250 g (9 oz) chopped and cooked crayfish shells and trimmings.Add to the softened butter in a bain marie. Melt the butter mixture slowly but thoroughly. Place some muslin (cheesecloth) over a bowl containing iced water. Pour the melted butter on to the cloth and wring so that the butter goes into the bowl. Place in the freezer or refrigerator to set the butter quickly. As soon as the butter has set, remove from the bowl and blot it dry. Crayfish butter is used for preparing canapes, soups, stuffing, shellfish dishes and sauces.

Garlic butter with raw garlic

Crush 2-4 garlic cloves and add to the softened butter. Mix well, a little finely chopped parsley and grated lemon zest can be added to complement the raw garlic.

Green butter

Wring 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) raw crushed spinach in muslin, (cheesecloth) until all the juice is extracted. Pour this juice into a dish and cook in a bain marie until separated, then filter through another cloth.Scrape off the green deposit left on this cloth and work it into the softened butter. This butter is used to garnish hors d ‘oveuresn and cold dishes.

Hazelnut butter

Lightly grill(broil) some hazelnuts, then make and use like almond butter.

Horseradish butter

Grate 100 g (4 oz) horseradish. Work it into the softened butter in a blender, then sieve, it is used in the same way as garlic butter.

Hotelier butter

In a blender, puree an equal quantity of chopped parsley, lemon juice and mushroom duxelles. Work into the softened butter in a blender, with a dash of lemon juice, salt and pepper. This butter is used to garnish cold hors d’oeuvres.

Jobster butter

This is prepared in the same way as prawn butter using the meat and eggs of the lobster cooked in court bouillon, It is used for the same purposes.

Maltred d’ hotel butter

Work 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, 1-2 dashes lemon juice and a pinch of salt into the softened butter. This butter is served with grilled fish, fish fried in an eggs and breadcrumb coasting, and various steamed or boiled vegetables.

Montpellier butter

Blanch 10 g (1/2 oz., ½ cup) each parsley leaves, chervl leaves, cross leaves, spinach and 1 shallot in salted water. Rinse in cold water  and drain thoroughly. Blend with a gherskin a small garlic clove and a hard boiled egg.Work in the softened butter and season with salt and pepper. Montpellier butter is served with large cold fish. It is sometimes softened by adding a very fresh raw egg yolk and 4 tablespoon olive oil.

Mustard butter

Add 2 tablespoons tarragon mustard to the softened butter and season with salt and pepepr.A hard boiled (hard cooked) egg yolk, some chopped herbs and a dish of lemon juice may also be added.Use like anchovy butter.

Pepper butter

Remove the seeds from a large green or red (bell) pepper, dice and cook very gently in butter until it is soft dough to be pureed.Work the purred pepper into the softened butter, season with salt and peper, add a pinch of cayanne, pepper and press through a sieve. Pepper butter is used to finish some sauces or garnish hors d’oeuvres.

Red butter

Prepare with the crushed shells of various shellfish, in the same way as crayfish butter.The uses are the same.

Roquefort butter

Puree 150 g (5 oz) Roquefort cheese with 1 tablespoon Cognac or white brandy and 2 teaspoons white mustard. Work into the softened salted and permitted colouring ingredients may be added.Finally the butter is weighed and packaged.

RECIPES

Flavoured Butter

Preparation of flavoured butter

Whatever the ingredients, the butter must first be creamed, using a spoon or an electric mixer. The following recipes gives ingredients to flavour 225 g (8 oz. 1 cup) butter.

Almond butter

Blanch 100 g( 4 oz 1 cup) sweet almonds and reduce to a paste in a blender with 1 tablespoon cold water. Add to the softened butter and press through a sieve.Very fresh ground almonds can also be used.This butter is used in the preparation of petits fours and cakes. Make walnut butter the same way.

Anchovy butter

Soak 100 g (4 oz) canned or bottled salted anchovies to remove the salt. Puree the fillets in a blender, season and, if liked, add a dash of lemon juice. Work into the softened butter. This butter is used for vol au-vents, canapes and hors d’oeuvres and to accompany grilled (broiled) meat and fish or cold white meat.

  Sardines butter is prepared the same way, using the filleted and skinned canned fish.

Caviar butter

Blend 100 g (4 oz) pressed caviar, work into the softened butter and then press through a sieve. This butter is used to garnish canapes or various cold hors d’oeuvres and to flavour some fish sauces.

Crab or prawn butter

Blend 225 g (8 oz) shelled prawns (shrimp) or crabmeat (cooked in court-bouillon and with all cartilage remvoed).Work into the softened butter. This butter is used to garnish canapes, cold fish or hors d’oeuvres, and to complete fish and shellfish sauces.

Crayfish butter

Pound in the mortar (or crush in a processor0 250 g (9 oz) chopped and cooked crayfish shells and trimmings.Add to the softened butter in bain marie. Melt the butter mixture slowly but thoroughly. Place some muslin (cheesecloth) over a bowl containing iced water. Pour the melted butter on the cloth and ring so that the butter  goes into the bowl containing iced water. Pour the melted butter on to the cloth and wring so that the butter goes into the bowl. Place in the freezer or refrigerator to set the butter quickly. As soon as the butter, has set, remove from the bowl and blot it dry. Crayfish butter is used for preparing canape, soups, stuffings, shellfish dishes and sauces.

Garlic butter with cooked garlic

Peel 8 large garlic cloves and plunge in boiling salted water. Boil for 7-8 minutes, dry and puree. Work into the softened butter. Garlic butter is used to complete some sauces, and adds the final touch to garnishes for cold hors d’oeuvres.

Garlic butter with raw garlic

Crush 2-4 garlic cloves and add to the softened butter. Mix well.A little finely chopped parsley and grated lemon zest can be added to complement the raw garlic.

Green butter

Wring 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) raw crushed spinach in muslin (cheesecloth) until all the juice is extracted. Pour this juice into a dish and cook in a bain marie until separated, then filter through another cloth. Scrape off the green deposit left on this cloth and work it into the softened butter. This butter is used to garnish hors d’oeuvres and cold dishes.

Hazelnut butter

Lightly grill (broil) some hazelnuts, then make and use like almond butter.

Horseradish butter

Grate 100 g (4 oz) horseradish. Work it into the softened butter in a blender, then sieve. It is used in the same way as garlic butter.

Hotelier butter

In a blender, puree in equal quantity of chopped parsley, lemon juice and mushroom duxelles. Work into the softened butter. This butter is served with fish and grilled (broiled) meat.

Lemon butter

Blanch the zest of a lemon, chop as finely as possible, and work it into the softened butter in a blender, with a dash of lemon juice, salt and pepper. This butter is used to garnish cold hors d’oeuvres.

Lobster butter

This is prepared in the same way as prawn butter using the meat and eggs of the lobster cooked in court bouillon. It is used for the same purposes.

Maitre d’hotel butter

Work 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley.1-2 dsahes lemon juice and a pinch of salt into the softened butter.  This butter is served with grilled (broilled) fish, fish fried in a egg and breadcrumb coating, and various steamed or boiled vegetables.

Montpellier butter

Blanch 10g ( ½   oz ½ cup) each parsley leaves, chervil leaves, cress leaves, spinach and 1 shallot in salted water. Rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly. Blend with a gherkin (sweet dill pickle), small garlic clove and a hard boiled (hard cooked) egg. Work in the softened butter and season with salt and pepper. Montpellier butter is served with large cold fish. It is sometimes softened by adding a very fresh raw egg yolk and 4 tablespoons olive oil.

Mustard butter

Add 2 tablespoons tarragon mustard to the softened butter and season with salt and pepper. A hard boiled (hard cooked) egg yolk, some chopped herbs and a dash of lemon juice may also be added. Use like anchovy butter.

Pepper butter

Remove the seeds from a large green or red (bell) pepper, dice and cook very gently in butter until it is soft enough to be pureed. Work the pureed pepper into the softened butter, season with salt and pepper, add a pinch of cayenne pepper and press through a sieve. Pepper butter is used to finish some sauces or garnish hors d’oeuvres.

Red butter

Prepare with the crushed shells of various shellfish, in the same way as crayfish butter. The uses are the same.

Roquefort butter

Puree 150 g (5 oz) Roquefort cheese with 1 tablespoon Cognac or white brandy and 2 teaspoons white mustard (optional).Work into the softened butter. This  butter is used to garnish canapes, vol-au-vent and puff pastries, or served with raw vegetables.

Shallot butter

Peel 150 g (5 oz) shallots and chop finely. Blanch for 2-3 minutes in boiling water, blot and puree in a blender. Work into 150 g (5 oz, 2/3 cup) softened butter. Season with salt and pepper.This butter is served mainly with grilled (broiled) fish and meat.

Tarragon butter

This is prepared in the same way as watercress butter and is used to finish sauces or garnish cold hors d’oeuvres.

Watercress butter

Blanch 150 g (5 oz) watercress leaves, soak in cold water and blot. Puree then, work into the finely softened butter, season with salt and pepper.Watercress butter is used principally for canapes and sandwiches.

Plain Butters and Butter Sauces

Beurre noir

This recipe for black butter is a very old one, dating from the 16^th century. Cook some butter in a frying pan until dark brown in colour.Add capers and chopped parsley, together with a little vinegar, which is warmed through in the same pan.

  Black butter was formerly an essential accompaniment to skate poached in s tock.

Clarified butter

Melt some butter gently in a heavy based saucepan, do not stir. Continue to heat gently until the butter ceases spitting this indicates that the water content has evaporated. There should be a small amount of white residue in the bottom of the pan. Carefully pour the butter into another container so that the whitish sediment stays in the pan. Clarified butter is used particularly for frying and for emulsified sauces.

Creamed butter

Cream the butter in a warm earthenware container, carefully adding lemon  juice and a litte cold water. Serve with fish in court bouillon and Vichy carrots.

Landais butter

Roll small balls of butter in breadcrumbs until thickly and evenly coated, then cook under a hot grill (broiler) to form a golden crust, turning and sprinkling with melted butter. Serve with grilled (broiled) meat and fish.

Melted butter

Melt the butter very gently in a heavy based saucepan with lemon juice, salt and white pepper.This butter is used with poached fish or steamed or boiled vegetables.

Noisette butter

Gently heat some butter in a frying pan until it is golden and gives off a nutty smell. Serve scanding hot with lambs or calves sweetbreads. Serve scalding hot with lambs or calves sweetbreads, fish roe, vegetables (boiled and well drained) eggs or skate poached in stock. Noisette butter is known as meuniere butter when lemon  juice is added.

BUTTER DISH A container for keeping butter or serving it at the table.For  storage it must have a lid. Since fresh butter is particularly delicate and readily absorbs smells.For setting on the table, the appearance of the dish and its size must be the main guide. Flavoured butters are usually served in a sauceboat or a small dish.

   Formerly butter had to be stored either submerged in salted water or in a glass container placed in a double porous earthenware bell into which water was poured daily. Refrigerators made such methods obsolete.

BUTTER MILK.  A slightly sour whitish liquid obtained after churning cream to separate the butterfat. Buttermilk is slightly acidic with a tangy flavour. Buttermilk was once recommended for feeding children and was used for making soups. Traditionally, buttermilk is used in combination with bicarbonate of soda  to act as a raising agent for scones and breads, such as soda bread, and thick pancakes, such as drop scones. It is still a popular drink in Scandinavian countries. The supermarket product is often skimmed milk thickened with a culture.

BUVETTE Under the Ancient Regime in France, a buvette was a small bar set up within the precincts of the courts of law, where judges and lawyers could take light refreshments between sessions. The word has retained this meaning in the case of the Buvette de I’Assemblee nationale. Nowadays a buvette is a small bar in a railway station, theatre or public garden. It can also serve ice creams, sandwiches or sweets. In a spa, the buvette is the place where people drink the waters.

BUZET  Red AOC wines from a small vine growing area situated east of Agen in soutth western France. The reds are from Bordeaux grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Francm Merlot and Malbec. They are usually matured in wood, thanks to the efforts of the Buzet sur Baise cooperative, Up to the end of the last century the region was large, but the vineyard was completely destroyed by phylloxera and has only recently been rehabilitated.A small amount of white wine is made from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes, these are best enjoyed when fresh and young.

BYZANTINE, A LA  A French side dish for meat, particularly beef, consisting of potato shells browned in the oeve, garnished with cauliflower a la crème, and lettuce halves stuffed with mushroom duxelles and braised in the oven on a bed of herbs. Also called a la bisontine, meaning from Besancon.