WAFFER A small crisp, light biscuit with waffle like marks from the cooking plates used for the dough. Waters are mainly produced industrially. They can be plain, shaped like a fan, rolled up like cigarettes or filled with jam or praline cream.Wafer dough is also used to make ice-cream cornets.
WAFFLE A thin, light batter cooked on the stove
between the two buttered and heated plates of a waffle iron. The waffle batter
is made of flour, butter, sugar, eggs and water or milk, sometimes with a
flavouring such as vanilla, or orange flower water, cinnamon, aniseed, brandy
or citrus fruit zest.
The ancient Greeks used to cook very flat
cakes, which they called obelios, between two hot metal plates. This method of
cooking continued to be used in the Middle Ages by the obbloyeurs who made all
sorts of oublies, which were flat or rolled into cornets. The oublie became the
waffle in the 13th century, when
a craftsman had the idea of forging some cooking plates, reproducing the
characteristic pattern of honeycombs, which at that time were called ganfres
(from the Old French wafla)
Waffles like fritters and pancakes, were one
of the most common foods in country cooking. Sometimes they were simply made of
flour and water or milk.The richer country people added eggs, cassonade .Each
area has its own recipe for waffles they can be savoury, made with ham, cheese
or pumpkin or sweet. The batter can be enriched with fresh cream or butter, or
made lighter with whisked egg whites.
Waffles from the central regions of France
are delicate and crunchy and can be kept in a tin . In Champagne and Franche
Comte the waffles are very crisp and sprinkled with sugar.The waffles of
norther France, called dtrenies, are
thick and greasy and eaten hot. The batter contains a lot of butter and fresh
cream, and the flour is mixed with milk rather than water.
Waffles, like pancakes, are traditionally
sold in the street and at fairs, particularly in the northern provinces of
France and Flanters. They are extremely popular in the United States,
especially served with maple syrup for
breakfast. It is thought that the Pilgrim Fathers brought them from
England in 1620.
Waffles are usually eaten hot, sprinkled
with sugar and acocmpanied by whipped cream or jam.
RECIPES
Waffles
In a large earthenware
bowl sift 500 g ( 18 oz. 4 ½ cups) plain all-purpose) flour with 2 teaspoons
bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), 4 teaspoons baking powder and 2 teaspoons
salt. Add 30-40 g (1 –1 ½ oz 2-3
tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar. 150 g ( 5 oz, 2/3 cup) melted butter., 5
beaten eggs and 750 ml ( 1 ¼ pints, 3 ¼ cups) milk ( or more if very light
waffles are preferred) Mix well until the batter is runny and completely smooth.
Heat
and, if necessary grease a waffle iron. Pour a small ladle of batter in
one half of the open waffle iron. Close the mould and turn it over so that the
batter is distributed equally in both halves. Leave to cook.Open the waffle
iron, take out the waffle, sprinkle with icing (confecitoner’s) sugar and serve.
Bricelets vaudois
Beat 65 g (2 ½ oz. 5
tablespoons) butter with 100 g (4 oz. ½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar into a
foamy mixture. Add 1 whole egg plus 1 yolk, 250 ml ( 8 ft oz. 1 cup) crème
fraiche, a pinch of salt and the grated zest of 1 lemon. Mix together, then add
200 g ( 7 oz. 1 ¾ cups) sifted plain (all-purpose) flour. Work together quickly
to make a runny batter. Using a ladle or spoon, pour small quantities into a
waffle iron. Close and cook, then remove and serve hot.
Filled waffles
Mix 15 g ( ½ oz. 1
cake) fresh (compressed) yeast or 1 ½ teaspoons dried yeast with 300 ml ( ½
pint, 1 ¼ cups) tepid water.Blend in 500
(18 oz. 4 ½ oz,. Generous ½ cup) butter. 40 g ( 1 ½ oz, 3 tablespoons) caster
(superfine) sugar and 2 teaspoons salt, and knead to obtain a smooth dough.
Leave to prove (rise ) under a cloth overnight, then shape it into little balls
and again leave to rise on a floured board for 1-2 hours.
In a warm basin, cream 250 g ( 9 oz.
Generous 1 cup) butter, 200 g ( 7 oz. 1 ½ kcups) icing (confectioner;s) sugar
and 200 g ( 7 oz) praline. Use to fill the waffles.
Liege waffles
Take 500 g ( 18 oz. 4 ½
cups) sifted strong plain (bread) flour. Mix 15 g ( ½ oz. 1 cake) fresh (compressed)
yeast or 1 ½ teaspoons dried yeast with 125 ml ( 4 oz. ½ cup) tepid water and
blend with a quarter of the flour. Leave to rise until doubled in size. Then
add the rest of the flour, a generous pinch of salt. 125 g ( 4 ½ oz generous ½
cup) caster (superfine) sugar, 4 beaten eggs and 200 g ( 7 oz. Scant 1 cup)
softened butter. Mix well.
Work the dough with the palm of the
hand.Divide it into balls, each the size of an egg. Roll into sausage shapes
and leave to stand on a floured board for 30 minutes. Heat a waffle iron and,
if necessary., grease it. Put a piece of dough between the plates. Close the
waffle iron and leave to cook. Repeat with the remaining dough.Serve the
waffles lukewarm or cold, sprinkled with icing (confectioner’s) sugar.
WAFFLE IRON A hinged cast iron mould, consisting of two
honeycomb patterned plates between which waffle batter is cooked.
Hand operated waffle iron, of which the oldest date from the 15th
century, are sometimes veritable masterpieces, richly adorned with designs and
engraved with coats of arms, crosses and religious or magic symbols. They are
placed over a heat source. For this purpose they are equipped with long
handles.
Traditional waffle irons are still used but
the majority are electric, with a thermostat and non stick plates. Some models
have interchangeable plates so that toasted sandwiches, grills and even
pancakes can also be cooked in them.
WALDORF A mixed salad consisting of diced apple and
celery and walnuts, dressed with a thin mayonnaise. It is named after the
prestigious New York hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, where it originated as a
simple apple and celery salad, dressed with mayonnaise.
This name has also been given to a dish of
marinated conger eel fillets, floured, grilled (broiled) and sprinkled with
melted butter. It is served with small baked potatoes and mayonnaise Americane
(with mustard and the coral of a lobster or langouste added).
WALEWSKA, ALA The name given to fish poached in a fumet
garnished with slcies of lobster (or other crustacean) and thinly sliced
truffle, coated with Mornay sauce finished with lobster butter and glazed in
the oven. This dish, typical of the rich cuisine of the Second Empire, appears
to have been dedicated to Count Walewski, natural son of Napoleon 1 and Marie
Walewska, who was ambassador in London and minister for foreign affairs under
Napoleon III.
RECIPE
Fillets of sole a la
Walewska
Poach some sole filelts
in a fish fumet for 5 minutes, using very little liquid. Arrange on a long
ovenproof dish and on each filelt place a slice of lobster or langouste flesh
(cooked in court bouillon) and a slice of raw truffle.Coat with Mornay sauce
containing 1 tablespoon lobster or langouste butter to every 150 ml ( ¼ pint,
2/3 cup) sauce.Glaze quickly in a very hot oven.
WALNUT Thje fruit of the walnut tree, consisting of
a hard shelled nut surrounded by an outer green fleshy husk, called a shuck.
The delicious kernel is shaped like the two halves of a brain. (which is why
the ancient Greeks and Roman believed that walnuts cured headaches).The kernel
is 35-50% of the total weight, depending on the quality of the nut. It is
covered with a fine skin, light to dark yellow in colour and the kernel is
white, turning greyish with age. Some thin shelleved varieties can be crushed
in the hand, but normally nutcrackers are required.
RECIPES
Cream soup with walnuts
Blend 1 egg yolk into 1
litre ( 1 2/4 pints, 4 ½ cups) chicken stock. Peel some fresh walnuts, pound
them in a mortar and add them to the soup. Finish with a little double (heavy)
cream.
Green walnuts in
verjuice
Clean some fresh green
(unripe) walnuts without breaking them, place them in cold water, drain and dry
them sprinkle with coarse salt, then pour over some verjuice (the acid juice of
unripe grapes) Scatter some chopped herbs over the walnuts and serve with cold
meat, sucha s roast veal or pork.
Pheasant with walnuts
Pound together 60
peeled fresh walnut kernels, 3 Petit-Suissee cheeses (o r 3 oz. Cream cheese),
½ wine glass grape juice, the juice of 1 lemon, a with boiling spiced vinegar, making sure that
the walnuts are completely covered. Seal the jars and store them in a cool
place. Serve with cold meats.
Scampi with walnuts
Soak the walnut kernels
in cold w ater overnight.Dry peel and fry quickly in hot oil, then drain them
and keep hot.Season some shelled scrampi with white wine, fresh root ginger
juice, salt and pepper.Roll them in flour and fry in very hot oil, In another
pan, quickly fry some green onion stalks. Turn all these ingredeints out on a
hot dish, mix together and sprinkle with stock to which white wine, soy sauce
and ground ginger have been added.
Walnut cake
Cream 125 g ( 4 ½ oz.,
generous ½ cup) butter, then beat in 300 g ( 11 oz, 1 ½ cups) caster
(superfine) sugar, 5 eggs ( one by one) 125 g ( 4 ½ oz, generous 1 cup)
ground green walnut kernels. Then fold
in 2 tablespoon rum and 75 g ( 3oz. ¾ cup) sifted self raising flour and mix
well until smooth.
Butter a 20 cm (8 in) sandwich tin (layer
cake pan) line the base with a circle of buttered greaseproof (wax) paper and
transfer the mixture of the tin. Bake in preheated oven at 200 oC
(400 oF. gas 6 ) for 35-40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before
turning it out. Decorate the top with walnut halves.
WARBLER A small songbird of which there are many
species, including the garden wabler and blackcap.During the autumn migration,
they cross the south of France when the figs and grapes are ripe and eat the
seeds. Brillat Savarin was particularly enthusiastic about them, although they
were already appreciated in Roman times. Once hunted to excess they are now a
protected species.
WASABI A Japanese plant, Wasabia japonica, found
growing wild on river banks or cultivated in running water for its root (a
rhizone, in fact) It is related to watercress, but the roots has a hot flavour,
similar to horseradish but not as harsh.
Fresh wasabi root, which is given in colour, is grated and used in sushi
or mixed with soy sauce and served as a condiment for sashimi.Fresh wasabi is
expensive, as is the true dried and
ground root. The common dried or paste product sold as wasabi outside Japan is
often made from horseradish, mustard and colouring.
WASHINGTON A garnish for poached or braised chicken
consisting of boiled sweetcorn bound with very thick cream. The name is
somewhat paradoxical, because although maize (corn) is considered the national
cereal of the United States, George
Washington is renowned for having encouraged the growing of wheat.
WATER CARRIER Large houses and princely residences were the
first to have private water soruces, at least their own wells, but the rest of
the popualtion had to make do with public fountains, which were few and
unevenly distributed. It was not until
1860, under the auspices of Baron Haussmann, that these fountains began to be
systematically sited in Paris, heralding the gradual installation of running
water to buildings. Before this people relied on the services of the water
carriers.
WATER CHESTNUT The tuber of an aquatic plant originating in
South East Asia under similar conditions to those for rice cultivation.The w
ater chestnuts are corns that form on the runners from the rhizomes from which
the plants grow. They have dark brown skin enclosing crunchy white flesh, which
is edible raw or cooked. One of the characteristic of the water chestnut is the
fact that it does not become soft or tender during cooking, but retains its
pleasing crunchy texture. The flavour is delicate and slightly nutty.
WATERFISC A hot or cold sauce for freshwater fish, of
Dutch origin. Hot waterfisch sauce (mainly for pike and perch) is made by
cooking a julienne of vegetables in white wine until reduced, then moistening
with court bouillon, reducing once more, then adding hollandaise sauce and
parsley.
Cold waterfisch sauce is an aspic jelly
prepared with the court bouillon of the fish it is accompanying with the
addition of a julienne of vegetables, sweet red pepper, gherkins and capers,
the fish is coated with the aspic, then decorated with thin strips of anchovy
and served with remoulade sauce.
RECIPES
Cold waterfisch sauce
Prepare a julienne of
vegetables as for hot waterfisch sauce, moisten with 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup) of
the court-bouillon used to cook the fish that the sauce is to accompany and
simmer until the liquid has evaporated.Dissolve 2 leaves or 7 g ( ¼ oz, 1
envelope) gelatine in 200 ml (7 ft. oz. ¾ cup) fish court bouillon, add the
vegetable julienne while still hot, then allow to cool.Add 1 tablespoon each of
chopped gherkins, chopped sweet red pepper and capers, mix together.
WATERMELON A large spherical or oval fruit, weighing 3-5 kg ( 6 ½ -11 lb) with a dark green rind and pink
flesh, which is sweet and very
refreshing but slightly insipid, the pulp is studded with large, flat black seeds.
Of tropical origin and known since
antiquity, the watermelon is grown in many countries, particularly Spain and
parts of the United States. When it is
bought, it should be heavy and not sound hollow. It is generally cut into slices and eaten just
as it is to quench the thirst . When the seeds have been removed, watermelon
pulp may be included in fruit salads (possibly served in the empty rind) In
some countries, it is picked when green and unripe and prepared like a
vegetable marrow (squash).
RECIPE
Watermelon a la
provencale
Make a circular
incision around the stalk of a ripe watermelon. Cut off the end and scoop out
some flesh. Shake the fruit so that some of the seeds fall out. Fill the
wtermelon withTavel wine, stop it up with the cut-off end and seal it with wax.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Just before serving take off
the end, strain the wine, cut the watermelon into slices and serve it with the
wine.
WATER PARSNIP A perennial herb with tubercous roots, which
are prepared like salsify, and leaves, which can be eaten in salads. Cultivated
in Japan and China, water parsnips were introduced into Europe in the 16th
century and were once highly esteemed as a vegetable, they have now practically
disappeared.
WATERZOO. Also known as waterzootje. A Flemish speciality
consisting of freshwater fish and eel cooked in a court bouillon with herbs.
Hamburg parsley roots and vegetables. The preparation is finished with a
generous amount of butter and crème fraiche and is sometimes thickened with
breadcrumbs.Waterzoo is also made in
Ghent, using chicken.
RECIPES
Chicken waterzoo
Poach a chicken until
three quarters cooked (about 40 minutes ) in a white stock containing an onion
stuck with 2 cloves, a bouquet garni, 1 celery stick and 1 leek, both
sliced.Slice 1 leek, 1 carrot and 1 celery stick and cook in a flameproof
casserole with some of the chicken stock, as for fish waterzoo. Cut the chicken
into 8 pieces and arrange them on the vegetables. Add sufficient stock to cover
the chicken and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Remove
the chicken pieces and the vegetables with a slotted spoon.Add 200 ml (
7 ft oz. ¾ cup0 double (heavy) cream to the casserole and reduce to smooth
sauce, adjsut the seasoning. Replace the chicken and vegetables, and serve from
the casserole, accompanied with bread and butter or buttered toast.
Fish waterzoo
Cut 200 g ( 7oz ) white
part of leeks and the same quantity of celery into fine strips, butter a large
flameproof casserole and cover the base with the vegetables, add salt, pepper
and a bouquet garni containing 4 sage leaves.Add sufficient fish fumet (or
court bouillon) to cover kg ( 4 ½ lb)
freshwater fish (about 1.25 litres 2 ¼ pints, 5 ½ cups) and add 100 ( 4 oz ½
cup) butter in small pieces. Cover and cook gently for about 30 minutes, then
allow to cool. Meanwhile clean the fish and cut into sections. Place them in
the cold cooking liquid, adding a little more court bouillon if necessary
partly cover the pan, bring to the boil, and poach for at least 20 minutes.
Remove the fish with a slotted fish slice, dscard the bouquet garni and mix 200
ml ( 7 ft oz, ¾ cup) double (heavy) cream into the cooking liquid. Reduce this
sauce, then replace the fish and reheat. Serve from the casserole, accompanied
with bread and butter or slices of buttered toast.
WEDDING FEAST The ceremonial meal that follows a wedding
traditionally known as the wedding breakfast in Britain, no matter when it is
served has an important role. According to the New Testament, it was at a weeding
feast that Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine, this
illustrates the importance of the wedding feast as a social gathering from the
earliest times.
In former times, the festivities of the
wedding feasts of the nobility and royalty lasted for several days. On these
occasions, roast meat, cakes and public fountains of wine were offered to the
people Marriages with princes or princesses from foreign lands were also
occasions when new kinds of food were introduced into France .
WEDGE-SHELL A small marine bivlave molluse with a pastel
coloured wedge shaped shell, 3-4 cm ( 1
½ - 1 ½ in) long which lives in the sand at the water’s edge. In France it is
known as baricot demer flion or vament. It is eaten in the same way as cockles,
either raw or cooked, after having been soaked to clean it, it has a very good
flavour.
WEEVER A sea fish that often lies buried in the sand
on the sea bed. It is appreciated for the quality of its flesh but feared for
its poisonous spines, the spines and the
fins should therefore be cut off before any other preparation and the fish
handled with gloves on.The greater weever which is usually 25 cm ( 10 in) long
but may reach 40 cm ( 16 in) has a long
body (bron back striped with blue, yellow sides, and white belly) and a short
head, with a wide mouth and large eye close together. Its flesh is firm and
fragrant, and fillets are cooked in the same
way as sole fillets. Whole and cleaned it may be grilled (broiled) or prepared
like red mullet.Weever steaks can be
used in a matelote made with white wine. The lesser weever (the size of a
sardine) has hardly any flavour.
RECIPE
Grilled weever
Gut and clean the
weevers. Make shallow slits on the back of each fish and on each side of the
central fin. Marinate them for an hour in a mixture of oil, lemon juice, salt,
pepper and chopped parsley, with a little chopped garlic. Then gently grill
(broil) them for about 15 minutes, turning once.
Serve
with melted butter strongly flavoured with lemon and mixed with chopped
herbs or with a mixture of olive oil and raw, crushed tomato pulp.
WEISSLACKER A German cow milk cheese produced in foil
wrapped blocks weighing about 1.5 kg ( 3 ½ lb Golden yellow right through with
a dense texture and a washed rind, it has a pronounced flavour and smell. It
originated in Bavarian and is also called. It is traditionally served with rye
bread and Doppebock beer.
WELSH RAREBIT A welsh speciality consisting of a slice of
toasted bread covered with a mixture of Caerphilly, cheshire of Cheddar cheese
melted in pale ale with English, mustard pepper and sometimes a dash of
Worcestershire sauce and an egg yolk. It is then grilled (broiled) and served
very hot.
RECIPE
Welsh rarebit
Grate 250 g ( 9 oz. 2 ¼
cups) Cheddar or Caerphilly cheese and place in a saucepan. Add 200 ml ( 7 ft
oz, ¾ cup) pale ale, 1` large teaspoon prepared English mustard and a pinch of
pepper. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and
runny.Toast 4 slices of sandwich bread and butter them. Put each slice on an
individual flameproof plate, also buttered and coat with the cheese mixture
without spilling any over the edges of the bread. Brown under the grill for 3-4
minutes. Serve very hot.
WENSLEYDALE Originally made from ewe’s milk and now from
cow’s milk, this English cheese from small or medium size drum shapes. It is
clothbound or waxed. The cheese has a thin, dry natural rind and a firm, but
crumbly, paste. The taste is sweet and
milky, with a tangy finish. The white version is a traditional accompaniment
for apple pie or fruit cake. There are also blue and smoked versions.
WEPLER A brasserie that opened in the Place Clichy
in Paris in 1891, not far from the Pere Latheuile, whose declining custom it
hoped to capture. In its early days it was particularly well known as a place
for wedding feasts and banquets, In 1906 its proprietor switched to the formula
pioneered by the Duval restaurants, and in about 1930 the Wepler reverted to a
brasserie. It was in this sad and
freezing aquarium enlivened by a gypsy orchestra, that the American author
Henry Miller set up house, for the price of a cup of coffee with cream never
reordered, he had at his disposal writing paper, envelopes, ink and pen. All
that for free. This can only happen in Paris.
WEST INDIAN PUMPKIN
Local varieties of winter squash, also known as giraumon, green pumpkin,
roadback, Culban squash or calabaza. They vary in skin colour and and size, but the flesh is orange yellow. It
can be prepared and cooked as for ordinary pumpkin or other squashes, such as
butternut squash.
WHALE A large aquatic mammal hunted for its lait in
some parts of the world (the tar north of Canada, Norway and Japan) in spite of
increasingly strict measures intended to protect it from complete extinction.
WHEAT A cereal used to produce flour and semolina
that can also be eaten cooked, crushed and so on.
Wheat was cultivated in Neolithic times and was
used in girlic griddle cakes and broth. The Egyptians, followed by the Greeks
and Romans, used it to make g read, and it is in this form that wheat has mostly been used in southern and
western Europe. It has virtually replaced other cereals in this part of the
world, whereas other civilizations have grown up on rice or maize.
Each grain of wheat consists of a husk
(bran) and kernel. The latter is made of starch and a mixture of proteins
called gluten, which varies according to the particular type of wheat. Inside
the kernel is the seed or embryo the area rich in nitrogenous material and
fatty substances.
There are several varieties of wheat with
different uses within the food industry. Gluten rich hard wheat is used for
making semolina, especially for pasta and couscous.soft wheat is ground for
flour of varying degrees of whiteness, depending on how much of the husk is
removed.
RECIPE
Germinated wheat
Place wheat grains in a
flat container and cover them with water. Leave for 24 hours. Wash the grains
in running water, then replace in the container, without water, for another 24
hours. The grains must, however remain moist. Wash again the next day. The
grains now have a little white point (this is the germ) and are ready for use. They do not keep and must be
used the same day. They are eaten either in their natural state or dried and
ground and then added to soups, salads or purees.
WHELK A marine gastropod of the Buccintiddae
family, with a whitish, conical, pointed shell, very common on the coasts of
the English Channel and the Atlantic. It is known as ran or buccin, while on the Medierranean coast it is known as
casque epineux (spiny helm ) Cooked in salted water for just 8 to 10 minutes so
as not to make them tough whelks are eaten with buttered bread and, sometimes
mayonnaise.
WHISK A kitchen utensil made of tinned or stainless
steel wire bent into loops and held together in a handle.
An egg whisk, which is short and rounded,
with flexible wires attached by a ring to a wooden or metal handle, is used for
whisking egg whites. It is also used to make potato puree, to beat egg yolks
with sugar (especially for zabaglione) and to whisk crème fraiche.
A sauce whisk, which is longer and has
stiffer wires and a metal handle, is used to beat and emulsify sauces and also
to beat custards and various mixtures so that they will not be lumpy.
Nowadays electric beaters, fitted with steel
or plastic attachments are often used instead of fiand whisks. Whisking is made
much easier, especially for egg whites and mayonnaise, but the results are
inferior for delicate mxitures, such as hollandise and bearmaise sauces and
Chantilly cream.
WHISKY A spirit originating from Scotland and made from malted grain. It
is spelled whiskey in Ireland and the United States, but Irish whiskey is
different from American whiskey, which is made from rye or maize (corn).
WHITEBAIT The young
of herrings, sprats, and so on which are very common along coasts and in
river estuaries. These small fish are usually fried and eaten whole.
The French word, blanchaille, is also used
to describe various small freshwater fish.
WHITE FISH This anodyne term is accepted for lake fish
of the family Corigonidate in the United
States of America and Europe They
are beloved by restaurants in areas with no coast line, because simple service (fried, with
lemon or poached) suits the fresh fish best. They are also good smoked.
WHITING A sea fish similar to haddock and cod but
without barbs. The whiting is 25-40 cm (10-16 in ) long, with a greenish grey
back, golden coloured sides and a silvery belly with a line of small brownish
yellow streaks above the pectoral fin. It lives near the coast and is fished
mainly in the Atlantic, from the north of Norway to Spain. Available most of
the year, it is sold whole or in fillets.
Whiting flesh is fine textured and friable
and contains less than 1% fat, making it easy to digest. It must be cooked
carefully because the flesh tend to fall apart easily. Whitting is an
essential ingredient in some regional
soups along the French coast. It dissolves in the soups along the French coast.
It dissolves in the soup, giving a velvery texture. It can be prepared in many
ways, fried, grilled fried in breadcrumbs or poached in wine. It is can also be stuffed, rolled into paupiettes
or used in forcemeats, fish loaves or mouses.
RECIPES
Fried whiting en colere
Soak the whiting for 10
minutes in milk or pale (light) ale. Drain pat it dry, season with salt and
pepper and roll it in flour. Shape the fish into a circle by putting the tail
into the mouth and clenching the jaws so that it remains in this position during
cooking.Deep-fry in hot (but not smoking) fat, making sure that it is evenly
browned on both sides. Drain it on paper towels
and serve with fried parsley, slices of lemon and tartare sauce. Whiting can slao be fried flat, but in this case a
shallow incision should be made along its back.
Fried whiting en
lorgnette
Make a deep incision in
the fish along each side of the backbone. Do not separate the fillets from the
head. Remove the backbone, starting at the tail and breaking it off at the base of the head.
Season with salt and pepepr and dip in egg and breadcrumbs. Roll up the filelts
on either side of the head and secure each of them with a small wooden skewer
so that they stay in position. Deep fry in very hot ( but not smoking) fat.
Arrange on a napkin and garnish with fried parsley and slices of lemon.
Poached whiting with
melted butter
Put a large whiting
into a cold court bouillon in a pan. Bring to the boil, cover and poach gently
for 10 minutes. Drain the fish and arrange it on a serving dish. Pour a little
melted butter over the top and sprinkle with chopped parsley.Serve any
remaining butter in a sauceboat. Garnish with steamed potatoes, rice, cucumber
slices spinach or leeks cooked in butter or sauteed courgettes 9zucchini) or
aubergines (eggplants)
Stuffed whiting with
cider
Remove the backbone from 4 whiting each weighing
about 300 g ( 11 oz) Gut (clean) them through the back and season with salt and
pepper. Cut 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks and the white parts of 2 leeks into very
fine slices. Cook very gently for 5 mintues in a covered pan with 25 g ( 1 oz.
2 tablespoons) butter, salt and pepper. Leave to cool. Stuff the fish with the
vegetables and place them in a large ovenproof dish with 1 tablespoon olive
oil. Pour 350 ml ( 12 ft oz, 1 ½ cups) dry (hard) cider and 175 ml ( 6 ft oz, ¾
cup) fish stock over the fish.Cook in a preheated oven at 220 oC (425 oF, gas
7) for 15-20 minutes or until cooked,.
Remove the fish boil down the stock
until it is almost dry, then add 250 g ( 9 oz. Generous 1 cup) curd cheese and
heat gently, stirring, without boiling. Pour this sauce over the whiting,
sprinkle with chopped chives and serve very hot.
Whiting a I anglaise
Open the fish from the
back and remove the backbone.Season with salt and pepper, roll in flour dip in
egg and breadcrumbs and brown in butter on
both sides. Arrange it on a dish and coat with slightly softened maitre
d’ hotel butter. Serve with boiled potatoes.
Whiting a I espagnole
Dip the whiting in egg
and breadcrumbs, brown it in oil and serve on a bed of tomato fondue seasoned
with a little crushed garlic. Garnish with fried onion rings.
Whiting hermitage
Remove the bone from a
large whiting and gut (clean) it through the back. Stuff it with a mixture of
breadcrumbs, creamed butter, chopped shallot, egg, chopped herbs, salt and a
pinch of cayenne. Put it into a buttered gratin dish with a little cream and
some fish stock. Cover with buttered greaseproof (wax0 paper and bake in a
preheated oven at 220 oC (425 oF, gas 7) for 15 minutes. Drain the whiting and
keep it hot. Boil the cooking liquid to reduce and add some butter, cream, salt
and pepper. Bring to the boil again and pour over the fish.
WILD BOAR The ancestor of the domestic pig which has
been hunted since ancient times and is now increasingly rare. It is known in
French hunting terms as bete noire. The young animals have delicate flesh, but
the flavour of the meat becomes more pronounced with age and is very strong in
the adults.
Horace was once of the first to acclaim wild
boar as a noble, highly flavoured dish. If you shun insipid meat, let a wild
boar from Umbria fed on flex accorm, make your table bend under its weigh.
Martial was equally enthusiastic.
RECIPE
Boar’s head brawn (head
cheese)
Cook in court bouillon
4 pigs tongues, which have been blanched, peeled and soaked in brine for 4-5
days.Singe a boar’s head weighing about 5 kg (11 lb) scrape it out carefully,
and bone it completely, without tearing the skin. Cut off the ears and set aside remove the tongue and the fleshy parts
attached to the skin. Cut the pieces of lean meat into large, evenly sized
cubes, leave them, with the tongue and the skin of the head, to marinate for 10
hours with 5 carrots, 4 chopped onions, thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon
mixed spice.
Cut into dice 2 cm ( ¾ in0 square the boar’s
tongue, the cooked pigs tongues, 500 g ( 18 oz) picked tongue, 800g ( 1 ¾ lb)
ham, 1 kg ( 2 ¼ lb) boned and trimmed chicken meat and 500 g ( 18 oz) fat bacon.Add 400 g ( 14 oz ) truffles (peeled
and coarsely diced) 150 g ( 5 oz. 1 cup) shelled pistachio nuts and pieces of
lean meat from the head. Marinate for 2 hours in brandy salt, pepper and ½
teaspoon mixed spice.Add 4.5 g ( 10 lb) fine pork forcemeat and 4 whole eggs,
mix all together well.
Spread out the skin of the head, with the
outside underneath, on a cloth that has been soaked in cold water and wrung
out. Lay the stuffing in the middle and fold the skin over the mixture. Wrap
the head in the cloth, reshaping it into its original form, and tie it firmly.
Cook in aspic jelly stock to which the bones
and trimmings from the boar’s head and the carcas and trimmings from the
chicken have been added, simmer very gently for about 4 ½ hours. One four before it is ready, put the
ears into the stock to cook. Drain leave to stand for 30 minutes, then unwrap
the head, wash the cloth and wring it out well. Roll the head in the cloth
again and bind with wide tape, taking c are to keep the shape (start binding at
the sour end) Leave to cool for at least 12 hours, then unwrap and wipe dry.
Using thin wooden cocktail sticks
(toothpicks), fix the ears, coated with a layer of brown chaud froid sauce or
dissolved meat glaze, in their correct positions. Place the head on the a rack
and coat with the same sauce, put the tusks back in their sockets and make eyes
with hard boiled (hard cooked) egg white and truffles. Lay the head on a large
dish, garnish with truffles and shelled pistachio nuts and glaze with the aspic
(which should have the consistency of unbeaten egg white0 Chill in the
refrigerator. In domestic cookery, where the truffles are omitted, the cooled
head is simply covered with golden breadcrumbs. The ears are diced and added to
the rest of the stuffing.
WINE A drink made from the juice of the grape, the
sugar in the fruit being converted into alcohol by the action of yeasts in the
process of fermentation.
According to the definition of the wine and
spirit Association of Great Britain, wine is The alcoholic beverage obtained
from the juice of freshly gathered
grapes, the fermentation of which has been carried through in the district of
its origin and according to local tradition and practice, This means that drinks made from fruits other
than grapes are not, strictly speaking, wines. Nor can alcoholic drinks
made from dried grapes, imported grapes
concentrate and grape and fruit extracts be described as wine, and in it is
important to recognize the distinction between British wine and English wine which is made from grapes
grown in England.
WINE CELLAR A cellar is the best place to store wines,
being (ideally) dark, airy and quiet, with a constant temperature and protected
from unpleasant smells. It should not be subject to seasonal temperature
changes and should also be slightly damp and draught free. If conditions are
too damp, moulds may grow on the outside of the corks and the labels may
deteriorate, although this does not affect the wine.
WING Either of the front limbs of a bird,
including the muscles that operate it. The latter form the delicate white meat
of the breast. When cooked whole, both the wing and breast of young and tender
birds (especially chicken of young turkey) is called a supreme on older birds
it is called (incorrectly) a poultry cutlet.
WINKLE A small marine small harvested from coastal
waters. It is recognized by its brown or black shell with its pointed spine,
the hard operculum must be removed before eating.
Winkles are eaten cold with bread and butter,
after poaching for five minutes in salted water (iit should be possible to
remove them whole from their shells with a pin, if they are cooked for too
long, they become brittle) They are also eaten in salads.
WINTERTHUR A dish of langouste prepared like lobster
cardinal but filled with shrimps and a salpicon
of langouste. It is named after a Swiss town in the canton of Zurich.
WOK A large pan with a rounded base.
Traditionally made of cast iron, the wok is designed for cooking over a brazier
or gas butter. It is widely used in Chinese cooking mainly to prepare
stir-fried dishes, but also for roasts, sautes, steamed dishes and even soups.
Similar pans are used in other South
East Asian countries, and a smaller shallow rounded pan (tauva) also features in Indian equipment.
The wok’s advantage for stir frying is that it allows food to be tossed and
stirred constantly while cooking, in this way it can be cooked rapidly over a
high heat. The wok has become popular all over the world.
WOOD BLEWIT The generic name given to a range of plump
gilled mushrooms, with cap or stem, or both, of a violet amethyst or lilac blue
colour. Wood blewits are very late, and they are found in woods, at the edge of
forests or in cool, damp fields. Three species are of particular gastronomic
interest, the wood the wood blewit, naked tricholoma (tricholome nu) the msot
sough after, is violet blue all over, with a delicate floral aroma, the
sinister tricholoma (tricholome sinistre) or amethyst foot, is very pretty,
with a fine, intense violet colour, on the stem only, the squalid tricholoma
(tricholma sordide), or squalid blue foot, is often of modest size, with a very
intense amethyst colour. After cooking the tender flesh of this blewit has a
smooth flavour, which is an excellent accompaniment for white meats and dishes
of fish served with sauce.
WOODCOCK A migratory bird with a wingspan of 60 cm (24
in) a long bill and short legs. In France woodcock are hunted in March and
April and October and November they are latter and more tender in the autumn)
in Britain they are classified as game birds and can be shot only between
September and January. The bird is fairly rare and difficult to find because it
is well camouflaged its plumage is the colour of dead leaves. It has long been
regarded as a delicacy. In classic
cuisine, it is hung for 4-8 days until the skin on the bodily is shiny,
the feathers and tail come away easily, and the beak can be broken with the
fingers and then used to make salmis pates and mouses. Modern recipes, however,
prefer it not and to be hung, and it is usually roasted undrawn, except for the
gizzard, and often served on a toast base.
The parts of the bird most esteemed by such French authors on gastronomy as
Godard d’ Aucour are the entrails. These should be collected from cooked birds, seasoned with spices and lemon juice, then
mixed with chopped fatty bacon or foie gras laced with brandy and each ten
spread on fried bread or toast.
RECIPES
Preparation of woodcock
Unlike poultry and
other game, woodcock is not trusted with string, it trusses itself. The long
pointed beak goes through the thighs and the legs are raised and held together.
It is customary to remove the eyes of the woodcock, but not the intestines
(except for the gizzard) After cooking the intestines are spread on toast.
Casserole of woodcock
Truss the woodcock and
bard with thin bacon, Brown in some butter season, then place in an ovenproof
dish and roast in a preheated oven at 240 oC (475 oF, gas
9 ) for 15-18 minutes, basting frequently, until the bird is cooked.Drain the
bird, remove the bacon and keep warm. Pour a dash of brandy into the dish and, if possible, a few
tablespoons of game stock.Remove the intestines and chop with an equal quantity
of fresh bacon.Add salt and pepper, a pinch of grated nutmeg and a dash of
Cognac, Armagnac or Calvados.Fry a slice of bread (white or brown) spread it
with the intestines and then put it in a very hot oven for a few minutes to
cook the bacon.Serve the woodcock on the toast canape and moisten with the
cooking juices.
Casserole of woodcocck
a la crème
Prepare and cook a
woodcock as in the recipe for casserole of woodcock.Add to the casserole a dash
of Cognac. Armagnac, or Calvados and a few tablespoons of crème fraiche.Return
to the oven to warm through.
Cold timbale of
woodcock
Line a raise pie dish
with lining pastry and then with thin slices of bacon.Cover the bottom and
sides of the lined dish with a game
forcemeat flavoured with diced truffle.Bone 2 woodcocks, stuff with foie gras
studded with truffle, roll into ballotines and seal by frying in butter. Place
the woodcock in the dish and fill the gaps between with the fine forcemeat
mixed with foie gras and the chopped intestines, well seasoned and flavoured
with a dash of Cognac.Spread a layer of game forcemeat over the whole, shaping it
into a dome, then top with thin rashers
(slices) of fat bacon.Cover with hot water crust shaped to fit the top of the
pie.Seal the edges to form a crimped ridge and garnish the top of the pie with
pastry shapes. Make a small hole in the pastry lid to allow steam to
escape.Bake in a preheated oven at 180 oC (350 oF, gas 4)
for 1 ¼ hours.Allow to cool thoroughly before turning out of the mould.Serve on
a dish covered with a napkin.
Cold woodcock a la
Diane
Roast the woodcock
until rare and slice the meat. Pound the intestines with a knob of foie gras, a
knob of butter, rutmeg and brqndy.Sieve and season well. Reshape the slcied
flesh around the intestine mixture, arranging it on large slices of raw truffle
marinated in brandy to resemble a woodcock and coat with a firm game aspic.
Chill well in the refrigerator before serving.
Hot woodcock pate a la perigourdine
Bone 2 woodcocks, spread out the birds on a table,
and fill with stuffing as in the recipe for woodcock casserole a la
perigourdine,. Roll the woodcocks into ballotines and wrap each one separately
in muslin (cheesecloth) Poach for 12 minutes in a Madeira braising stock
prepared with the carcass and trimmings. Drain and allow to cool. Unwrap when
cold. Meanwhile, prepare a fine forcemeat composed of two thirds game forcemeat
and one third veal forcemeat. Line the bottom and sides of an oval pate mould
with a thin layer of shortcrust pastry (basic pie dough) and spread the
forcemeat over this. Place the ballotines side by side in the mould. Cover with 10 slices of foie gras fired in butter
and 20 slices of truffle. Cover with the remaining forcemeat. Cover the pate
with a layer of pastry and seal and trim the edges. Make a hole in the pastry
lid for the steam to escape.Garnish with shaped pastry trimmings and brush with
egg. Place the pate on a baking sheet
and bake in a preheated oven at 180 oC (350 o
F, gas 4) for 1 ¼ hours. Just before serving pour a few tablespoons of Periguex sauce into the pate through the hole in the lid.
F, gas 4) for 1 ¼ hours. Just before serving pour a few tablespoons of Periguex sauce into the pate through the hole in the lid.
Roast woodcock on toast
Truss the woodcock,
bard, tie up with string and roast on a spit or in a preheated oven about 240
oC (475 oF, gas 9) for 18-20 minutes. Prepare a toast canape
as for casserole of woodcock and serve the woodcock on top of the canape. The
dish may be garnished with large peeled
grapes.
WOOD PIGEON A species pigeon that is prepared in the same
way as ordinary pigeon although its flesh is more delicate and flavoursome. In
the Bordeax region it is enjoyed in a slami or roasted in the Basque country it
is eaten lightly, grilled or as a confit.
In south western France, where it is known as
palomibe, the wood pigeon is traditionally hunted with nets during its annual
migration over the Pyrenees.
WOODRUFF Also known as sweet woodruff, Galitiun
odoratum is a herb with a flavour described as similar to new mown hay, honey
and vanilla. In Germany where it is known as waldemeister, literally master of
the forest, and Eastern European countries, woodruff is used to flavour
sausages. It is also steeped in Rhine wine to make an aromatic wine drink
Maibode or Matrink, traditionally consumed on May Day.
WORCESTERSHIRE
SAUCE An English condiment whose recipe
was apparently discovered in the East Indies by Sir Marcus Sandys, a native of
Worcestershire. On returning home, he asked the English grocers Lea &
Perrins to make up a sauce that resembled his favourite condiment. It was
launched commercially in 1838. The present day Originally and Genuine
Worcestershire sauce, which still bears the names of its inventors, is made of
malt vinegar, molasses, sugar, onions, garlic, tamarind, anchovies and other
secret flavourings and spices. It is used to season ragouts, soups, stuffings,
vinaigrette, devileled or tomato sauces, steak tartare and exotic dishes, it
also flavorus various cocktails and tomato juice.
WORK To incorporate one or more ingredients into
another using a spatula, mixing spoon or a small palette knife, until they are
thoroughly mixed. This operation is particularly used in making beurre manie.
WRASSE A fish of the bridgae family, which is fished
on coasts from Norway to Senegal and also in the Mediterranean. The wssse also caleld labre, is about 40 cm ( 16 in)
long and can live for 20 years.
RECIPE
Wrasse with potatoes
Blanch 250 g ( 9 oz)
thick, streaky lightly salted bacon in water and cut into small strips. Peel
and slice 150 g ( 5 oz, generous 1 cup) shallots. Peel 1 kg ( 2 ¼ lb) potatoes,
cut into thin slices, wash and wipe dry Grease an ovenproof dish with land and
arrange the strips of bacon and potatoes in it in alternate layers, sprinkled
with shallots.Season with salt and pepper. Moisten with 500 ml ( 17 ft oz. 2
cups) white wine. Place in a preheated
oven at 200 oC (400 oF, gas 6) for 30 minutes.
Kmeanwhile, scale, clean and wash 4 wrasse,
each weighing about 400 g ( 14 oz) and rub them outside and inside with salt
and pepper. Place them on the potatoes, sprinkle with small pieces of lard and return to the oven for 10
minutes. Turn the fish over and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes. Serve
very hot in the baking dish.
WUCHTELN An Austrian dessert consisting of squares of
yeast dough folded over a plum jam filling put in a warm place to rise, then baked and served
hot, dusted with icing (confectioner’s) sugar and accompanied with a compote of
prunes.
X Y Z
XAVIER A cream soup or consomme thickened with
arrowroot or rice flour and garnished with diced plain or chicken royale. It
may also be flavoured with Madeira, garnished with small savoury pancakes or
served with oeufs files (threads of egg white cooked in the soup)
RECIPE
Xavier soup
Prepare 1.5 litres (2 ¾
pints, 6 ½ cups) chicken consomme. Thicken it with 3 tablespoons crème de riz
(rice flour) or cornflour (corn starch0 slaked with milk or water. Away from
the heat, add 3 egg yolks mixed with 100
ml (4 ft oz. 7 tablespoons) double (heavy) cream. Stir in 50 g ( 2 oz. ¼ cup)
butter. Garnish with diced chicken royale and serve in cups.
XIMENIA A small tropical shrub with edible, though
rather sour, fruit.
YAK A long haired,
domesticated ruminant that lives on mountainous pastures of central Asia. It is
used as a pack animal and also provides meat and milk. Yak meat (gyak in
Tibetan) is cooked mainly as thin slices fried quickly in butter or grilled
(broiled) on bamboo sticks, larger joints are boiled after marinating if the
animal is old. Dried complete with the bones, the meat is sometimes reduced to
a coarse powder used as a basis for soups and porridges made with yak milk. The
Tibetans use yak’s milk also to make small very hard, cube-shaped cheeses and
butter, which is eaten when rancid.
YAKITORI A Japanese dish of chicken kebabs cooked over
charcoal embrers. They usually include pieces of chicken meat, skin, gizzard
and liver. Balls of minced (ground) chicken mixed with spring onions
(scallions) mushrooms and sometimes quail’s eggs, peppers or ginkgo nuts can be
used. Other birds are also used for yakitori. The ingredients are threaded on
to thin bamboo skewers, then grilled for 4-5 minutes. Yakitori are served with drinks as snacks rather than
as part of a main meal. In Japan restaurants specialize in yakitori, offering a
whole range of these kebabs. They are also sold in the streets.
YA-LANE A tree originally from China whose buds are
cooked before flowering and preserved in vinegar to make an excellent
condiment. The dried flowers are used to spice rice dishes.
YAM The round or elongated edible tuber of a
tropical climbing plant of the Dioscorea genus, of which several species are
cultivated in Africa, Asia and America. The flesh is white, yellow or pink, and
the skin may be rough or smooth and white, pink, yellow or blackish-brown in
colour, depending on the species. The tubers vary in size from small examples
resembling large potatoes to giants of 20 kg (45 lb) or up to three times that
size.The typical yam in the Western supermarket has rough, thick, brown skin,
white flesh and is about twice the size of a potato.
In the United States the name yam is used
for the sweet potto, the tuber of Ipomocea batatas and plant in the
Convolvulaceae family, commonly known as the morning glory family of plants.
Yam can be used in the same way as potatoes or
sweet potatoes. They can be boiled peeled or in their skins, or baked, or used
in a wide variety of dishes, including soups, ragouts, purees, souffles,
croquettes, fritters, gratins, chips and so on, as well as in various sweet dishes. The flesh tastes
similar to that of potato and its texture is floury. A starch extract from yams,
called Guyana arroroot, is widely used in cookery and confectionery.
YASSA A Senegalese dish
consisting of pieces of grilled (broiled0 mutton, chicken or fish (originally monkey) which have been
marinated in lime juice and highly seasoned condiments. It is served with rice
or millet, and the marinade is used as a
sauce.
RECIPE
Chicken yassa
The day before the meal
( or at least 2 hours in advance) cut up a chicken into 4 to 6 pieces, marinate
them in the juice of 3 times with half a chilli pepper, finely chopped, 1
tablespoon groundnut (peanut) oil, 3 large onions (sliced) salt and pepper.
Remove the chicken pieces and grill
them, preferably over hot embers, browning them well all over. Remove the
onions from the marinade and brown them with a little oil in a sauce pan, then
moisten with the marinade and 2 tablespoons water. Add the chicken pieces, over
the pan and simmer for about 25 minutes. Serve the chicken very hot coated with
the sauce, in the centre of a ring of rice a la creole.
YEAST A microscopic fungus that multiplies rapidly
in suitable conditions and is used as a raising (leavening) agent in various
kinds of dough. In the right conditions, when yeast is mixed with flour and
liquid to make dough, it ferments and converts sugar and starch into ethanol.
(ethy alcohol) and carbon dioxide. This gas causes the dough to rise The use of
brewer’s yeast in baking dates from 1665, when a baker had the idea of adding some to his leaven,
Empress Maria Theresa ofAustria was so delighted with the bread produced in
this way that the loaf was called a queen loaf.
Types of yeast. Yeast for cooking is available fresh or dried, brewer’s yearst is not used.
The same results can be achieved using fresh or dried yeast, but the technique by which they are incorporated with the main
ingredients differ. When dried eyasts are used always check the manufacturer’s
instructions for the correct method of incorporating the product and for the
optimum temperature of liquids to promote fermentation.
YOGURT Also known as yoghurt and by various other
spellings. A fermented milk product with a slightly sour taste, obtained by the
combined action of two species of bacteria, Streptococcus thermophilus and
Thermobacterium bulgaricum, these were discovered in the early 20th
century by the Russian biologists llya Metchnikoff.
Make for centuries in the balkans. Turkey
and Asia, yogurt appeared briefly in France during the reign of Francois I,
Jewish doctor from Constantinople treated the king’s intestinal trouble with yogurt, but later returned to the East with
the secret of its preparation. The product really caught on only after World
War I, when Greek and Georgian immigrants started serving it in their
restaurants or producing it on a small scale for local dairymen. Marcel Ayne,
in Maison basse (1935) still considered it necessary to explain the term, One
morning he was putting away some pots of yogurt, a kind of curdled milk which
was rather popular, but whose spelling was uncertain.
Yogurt (both the product and the word) is of
Turkish origin, although many French dictionaries give the French yourt as
derived from the Bulgarian jaurt. However, the product is also traditional in
India, Arabic countries, central Asia and countries of the former Ottaman
Empire, whose peoples attribute to it their health and longevity.
Yogurt products. There
is a wide choice of plain yogurts, with various fat, contents and textures.
Set yogurt has a light, slightly jelled
texture. Strained yogurt is thick and creamy. Yogurt made from full fat milk is
creamy.Some yogurt products are thickened with starch or set with gelling
agents. Fruit and nuts are popular
flavouring ingredients, many flavoured commercial yogurts have a very high
sugar content. Yogurt drinks, dressings, dips and frozen yogurt are all
available.
Use There is a host of traditional uses for
yogurt. Apart from an iced drink, prepared by beating yogurt with water, it is
used as a medium in which to cook meat and vegetbles, as a topping for baked
dishes, to dress salads, in soups and in sauces. Yogurt is popular as a snack,
dessert or for breakfast., plain yogurt is often sweetened with sugar, honey,
jam, or fresh or dried fruit. It is widely used in contemporary Western cooking
in savoury dishes, dressings, sauces, refreshing drinks and desserts.
RECIPES
Cucumber salad with
yogurt
Peel a large cucumber,
split lengthways, and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into very thin half
slices, dust with 1 teaspoon fine salt and leave for 30 minutes in a colander
for the cucumber to lose some of its water. Rinse under the cold tap, wipe well
and mix with 3 tablespoons yogurt sauce.
Yogurt cocktail
Reduce to a puree 1
small peeled banana and 2 slices canned pineapple, using a blender or
processor. Blend in 2 pots of natural yogurt and 1 tablespoon pineapple syrup.
Add sugar to taste.
This cocktail may also be made with banana
and strawberries, pear and peach, or mango and lemon.
Yogurt sauce
Mix 1 small pot of
natural yogurt with 1 teaspoon paprika, season with salt and pepper, then add 1
teaspoon lemon juice and the same quantity of chopped chevil and chopped
chives.
Use to dress a salad of cucumber, tomatoes,
courgettes (zucchini) sweet (bell) peppers, cauliflower, green beans or
potatoes.
YORKAISE, ALA A term used for egg dishes containing York
ham. Cold eggs a la yorkaise are poached, arranged on small, round, thick
slices of ham, garnished with chevil and tarragon, then coated with madeira
jelly. Fried eggs a la yorkaise are made with hard boiled 9hardcooked) eggs,
these are cut in half and the yolks sieved and mixed with a salpicon of ham bound with bechamel sauce,
the eggs are then resembled, breaded, fried and served with tomato sauce.
YORKSHIRE PUDDING A British speciality from the north of
England, Yorkshire, pudding is made of a batter of eggs, flour and milk, which
is traditionally baked in the fat of roast beef, for which it is the classic
accompaniment. Fat from the cooked roast is poured into a shallow
ovenproof dish and the pudding batter then added, it is cooked in the oven
until well risen, crisp and brown and served with the roast, together with
gravy, roast potatoes, a green vegetable, mustard and horseradish sauce.
RECIPE
Yorkshire pudding
Whisk 2 eggs until
frothy with 2 teaspoons salt, mix in 150 g ( 5 oz. 1 ¼ cups) plain
(all-purpose) flour, whisking constantly. Add 250 ml ( 8 ft oz, 1 cup) milk in
a thin stream and beat until the mixture is smooth. Put in a cool place for 1
hour. In an ovenproof dish heat 2
tablespoons roast beef fat ( or, failing this, lard) until it sizzles, beat the
batter once more, adding 3-4 tablespoons cold water, and pour into the dish.
Bake in the top of a preheated oven at 220 oC (425 oF,
gas 7) for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 200 oC (400 oF,
gas 6) and bake for about a further 15 minutes, the pudding should be well
risen, crisp and brown. Serve very hot.
ZABAGLIONE A light, foamy dessert of Italian origin,
made by whisking egg yolks, wine and sugar together over a gentle heat.
Zabaglione is served barely warm in cups or glasses (like those of the Café Greco,
in Rome, of which it is a speciality) it can also be poured over a dessert,
poached over a dessert, poached fruit, a pastry or ice cream. The word is
derived from the Neapolitan dialect word zapillare, meaning to foam.
Zabaglione can be made with dry white wine
(Asti or champagne) sweet white wine (Sauternes) marsala fortified wine
(Frontignan, Malaga, Banyuls) port or else a mixture of white wine and a
liqueur (Chartreuse, Kmmel) or white wine and a spirit (brandy, whisky, rum,
kirsch) It can also be flavoured with lemon or vanilla. Its preparation
requires some skill, as the yolks must thicken without coagulating and the end
result must be very frothy. Sometimes whisked egg whites are added to
Zabalgione after it has been beaten, just before serving.
The term sabayon is also applied to a sort of
mouseline sauce, usually made with champagne, which is served with fish or
shellfish.
RECIPES
Zabaglione
Put 5 egg, yolks into a
basin and add the grated zest of half a lemon, a pinch of powdered vanilla or a
few drops of vanilla essence (extract) and 180 g (6 ½ oz, ¾ cup) granulated sugar. Whisk until
the mixture is thick and pale, then place the basin is a bain marie and
continue whisking, adding 200 ml (7 ft oz, ¾ cup) white wine and 100 ml ( 4 ft
oz. 7 tablespoons) marsala, a little at a time.When the zabaglione is thick and
frothy, take the basin out of the bain marie.Frost the rim of 6-8 sundae dishes
with lemon juice and granulated sugar. Divide the zabaglione among these dishes
and serve with plain petis fours.
Rum zabaglione with
marrons glaces
Beat 10 egg yolks and
200 g ( 7 oz. 1 cup) granulated sugar with a whisk in a bain marie, until the
mixture becomes pale and thick. Mix in 3 wine glasses white wine and 3
tablespoons white rum, beating all the time, until the mixture becomes thick
and frothy. Flavour lightly with a few drops of vanilla essence (extract)
Arrange some marrons glaces in sundae dishes, cover with zabaglione and chill
in the refrigerator until required.
Strawberry gratin with
lemon zabaglione
Cut 24 lrge
strawberries in half and arrange them on the bottom of a gratin dish, with the
cut side down. Make a lemon zabaglione, put 4 whole eggs, the grated zest and
juice of 4 lemons, 100 g ( 4 oz. ½ cup) granulated sugar and 100 g ( 4 oz.
½ cup)
butter into a saucepan (preferably copper bottomed) Beat the mixture with a whisk, in a bain marie,
until it becoems very frothy. Cover the strawberries with this mixture and
brown quickly under the grill (broiler).
ZAKUSKI In Russian cooking an assortment of small hot
or cold savouries served before a meal,
with vodka, as hors d’oeuvre. In former times the zakuski constituted part of
the meal, although they were served in a room adjacent to the dining room. The
extent and variety of the zakuski reflected the prosperity of the host and the
status accorded to the guest. The array of dishes was often such that dinners
would over indulge before starting the main meal. A full zakuski table, which is similar to the
Sandinavian smorgasbord, may consist of caviate and smoked fish eggs on
buttered black bread canapes, rye bread croutons, hollowed out and filled with
sauerkraut and slices of smoked goose, piroskki or (little dumplings or filled
apstries) with different fillings, soused or smoked fish (salmon, eel,
sturgeon) meatballs, herring pate, stuffed eggs, fish or chicken salads,
beetroot (red beef) and potatoes dressed with herbs, sweet and sour gherkins,
and pickled beetroot, quetsch plums and mushrooms.
ZAMPONE An Italian speciality from Moderna,
consisting of a boned and stuffed pig’s trotter (foot) sold ready to cook or
precooked and served hot or cold. It is stuffed with a forcemeat of pork, green
(unsmoked) bacon, truffles, and seasoning and then cured, smoked boiled and
often served with lentils.
The word comes from zampa (paw) a large
trotter is called a zampone, a small one a zampino.
RECIPE
Zampone
Soak a ready to cook
zampone in cold water for 3 hours, scrape the skin well and prick it all over
with a barding needle.Wrap it in a thin cloth, tie at each end and in the
centre, then put it into a flameproof casserole and cover with cold water.
Bring to the boil and poach for 3 hours .Serve either hot, with mashed potatoes
or lentil puree and braised spinach or cabbage, or cold, sliced like a sausage
with parsley.
ZARZUELA A Catalan speciality consisting of a fish and
seafood ragout Zarzuela (the name literally means opereta) combines many kinds
of seafood such as clams, mussels, squills, squid shrimps and scampi, as well
as various rock fish, cut into sections, lobster, langouste (crawfish) or
scallops may also be added. The ingredients are cooked with onions and peppers
browned in olive oil and garlic together with sliced smoked ham, chopped
tomatoes, ground almonds, bay leaf, saffron, parsley and pepper, all moistened
with white wine and lemon juice.
Zarzuela is served in the casserole in which
it is cooked, with small croutons fried in oil, it is sometimes
seasoned with a few drops of absinthe.
ZEBU A domesticaed ox,
originally from India and widespread also in Malaysia, Africa and especially,
Madagascar. The zebu is distinguished by its humped back. It is used as a
draught animal and for its meat.
ZEPHYR The
name (meaning literally a light wind) given to various savoury or sweet
dishes, served hot or cold, characterized by a light and fronthy consistency.
A zephyr is often a souffle, The name is also given to quenelles, mouses or
small lsavoury puddings made in dariole moulds and consisting of pounded lean
veal, chicken meat or fish mixed with butter, egg yolks, and either crème
frache or stiffly whisked egg whites.
In the
West Indies zephrs are balls of vanilla rum ice cream surrounded by meringue
shells and accompanied by a chocolate zabaglione, served as a dessert. Zephyrs
may also be small light cakes made of layers of sweet pastry or merinque
covered with praline or coffee flavoured buttercream, sandwiched together, then
iced (frosted) with fondant.
RECIPE
Seafood zephyr
Wash 2 litres ( 3 ½
pints, 2 quarts) mussels and open them, shell 300 g (11 oz) shrimps. Reserve 6
mussels and 12 shrimps and finely chop the remainder together.
Now prepare a souffle, mix together over a
low heat 50 g ( 2 oz. ¼ cup) butter and 65 g (2 ½ oz, ½ cup) plain
(all-purpose) flour, then mix in 500 ml (17 ft oz. 2 cups) cold milk and bring
to the boil, Add 5 egg whites so stiff peaks and fold them lightly into
mixture. Butter a 20 cm ( 8 in) souffle dish and empty the mixture into it,
three quarters filling it. Level the surface by shaking the dish. Cook in a
preheated oven at 190 oC (375 oF, gas 5 ) for about 20
minutes.
Meanwhile, dip the reserved mussels and
shrimps in a mixture of half an egg yolk and 25 g ( 1 oz. ¼ cup) grated Gruuere
cheese.When the souffle is almost cooked (after about 20 minutes), scatter
these mussels and shrimps over the top, together with a little grated cheese (
this must be done extremely rapidly so that the souffle does not collapse)
Brown in a very hot oven for about 5 minutes and serve immediately.
ZEST The coloured and perfumed outer rind of an
orange, lemon or other citrus fruit.The zest is separated from the whittish
part of the skin by using a special knife (called a zester) or a potato
peeler.Cut into the strips or small pieces, the zest is used to flavour creams,
cake mixtures and desserts. It may also be candied pickled in vinegar, grated
or rubbed on to lump sugar. Candied orange zest, sometimes chocolate coated, is
called ecorces d’orange or orangettes.
RECIPE
Lemon zest preserved in
vinegar
Remove the zest from 3
lemons and cut into fine strips, making jullienne. Put this into a small
saucepan of boiling water and boil gently for
10-15 minutes. Remove and drain the juelienne, clean the saucepan, then
repalce the julienne along with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 wine glass
vinegar.Cook very gently until all the liquid has evaporated, then thoroughly
mix the julienne with the caramel that has formed.
Zests prepared in this way are used
particularly to flavour chicken terrines and can also be used as a condiment,
like chutney.
ZEWELEWAI An onion tart made in Alsace, traditionally
served as ahot entrée. A tart place lined with shortcrust pastry (basic pie
dough) is filled with a mixture of sliced onions, lightly cooked until soft in
butter or lard, cream, beaten eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Before baking a
few lardons of blanched and browned smoked streaky (slab) bacon may be placed
on top.
ZINFANDEL A black grape variety, very widespread in the
United sates, particularly in California. Zinfandel makes light, elegant, blush
wines, ranging from dry to sweet, as well as fragrant roses and reds, which can
be light and fruity to concentrated and full bodied with excellent structure.
It is thought to be related to the Italian
Primitivo grape variety.
ZINGARA A sauce or garnish containing paprika and
tomato Zingara sauce is a mixture of demi-glace and tomato sauce mixed with
ham, pickled tongue and mushrooms and
seasoned with paprika. It is served with small cuts of meat, poultry and soft
boiled (soft cooked) or poached egg. The garnish consists of the same
ingredients and goes with veal escalopes
or sauteed chicken, dusted with paprika and served with a sauce made by
deglazing the pan juices with tomato sauce and Madeira.
RECIPES
Sauteed chicken a la
Zingara
Season a 1.25 kg ( 2 ¾
lb) chicken with salt and pepper, cut it into 4 pieces and dust with
paprika.Brown the pieces in oil in a flameproof casserole reduce the heat,
cover and continue cooking. After 30 minutes add 4 tablespoons strips of ham
and the same quantity of pickled tongue and mushrooms, add a little truffle and
a small sprig of tarragon. When the chicken is cooked arrange it on a
serving dish, together with its garnish
(without the tarragon) and keep hot.
Deglaze
the casserole with 60 ml ( 2 ft oz. ¼ cup) Madeira and 2 tablespoons
tomato fondue. Reduce until almost dry,
then add 150 ml ( ¾ pint, 2/3 cup) until almost dry, then add 150 ml ( ¼ pint,
2/3 cup) demi-glace sauce and heat thorough. Toast 4 slices of sandwich bread,
quickly fry in butter 4 small round
slices of ham, palce the ham on the pieces of toast and arrange alongside the
chicken. Coat the chicken with the sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serve very hot.
Soft-boiled (or
poached) eggs a la zingara
Brown some slices of
stale sandwich bread in butter and cover with strips of unsmoked ham with the
fat removed. Arrange soft boiled (soft-cooked) or poached egg on each of these
croutons, coat with zingara sauce and serve very hot.
Zingara sauce
Prepare 250 ml ( 8 ft
oz. 1 cup) demi-glace sauce, 2 tablespoons sieved tomato sauce and julienne
consisting of 1 tablespoon each of cooked ham, pickled tongue and mushrooms
cooked gently in butter for about 5 minutes, until their liquor has evaporated,
plus a little truffle.Add the julienne to the demi-glace sauce and mix in the
tomato sauce. Add a dash of paprika and taste the sauce for seasoning then keep
hot in a bain marie until ready to serve.
ZOLA, EMILE French novelist (born Paris, 1840, died
Paris, 1902) His Italian ancestry (on his father’s side) and his childhood
spent at Aix-exProvence gave Zola an abiding taste for Mediterranean, Provencal
and Piedmontese dishes. Escoffer, whom he met in London, relates that he
worshipped stuffed cabbage a la mode de Grasse he also liked grilled (broiled )
sardines sprinkled with olive oil, as well as blanquette of milk lamb a la
provencale. Zola himself admitted.What will be the death of me are
bouilabraisses, food spiced with pimiento, shellfish, and a load of exquisite
rubbish which I eat in disproportionate quantities..
His contemporaries described him as more of
a gourmand than a refined gourmet. Zola regarded luxury food as a status
symbol, and for this reason was soemtimes regarded as a parvenu, indeed the
dinners he gave were often ostetations.
Was his aim, as in his novels, to denounce
the pleasure seeking taste of the bourgeoisie Whatever his motives, his works
offer us a panorama of contemporary Parisian cuisine.
ZUPPA INGLESE A dessert invented by Neapolitan pastrycooks
and ice cream makers who settled in the big cities of Europe during the 19th
century. Inspired by the English puddings that were fashionable at the time
zuppa inglese (literary English soup) usually consists of a sponge soaked with
kirsch, filled with confectioner’s custard (pastry cream0 and crystallized
(candied) fruits macerated in kirsch or Maraschino, then covered with Italian
meringue and browned in the oven. In another version, alternate layers of
slices of brioche loaf browned in the oven and crystallized fruits macenated in
rum are placed in a gratin dish and soaked in boiling milk mixed with beaten
eggs and sugar, after cooking, the dessert is covered with Italian merinque and
browned in the oven.
