Happy Bastille Day !!!

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Here are some photos from the Bastille Day Parade in Paris earlier today. Source: BBc News




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Vive la France! Instead of storming a Parisian prison, storm into that kitchen and get cooking.

To set zee mood you will need :
Musique

You can’t have a French-theme event without Edith Piaf singing La Vie en Rose. Here are other selections to add to your playlist.

J’ai Deux Amours, Josephine Baker
La Belle Vie, Dee Dee Bridgewater
Les Portes du Souvenir, Les Nubians
L-O-V-E (French version) Nat King Cole
La Belle Dame Sans Regrets, Sting
Belleville Rendez-vous, the Triplets of Belleville
C’est Si Bon, Eartha Kitt
Quelqu’un m’a dit, Carla Bruni
Boum, Charles Trenet
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Etiquette

Greet your guests with two air kisses. Left side first, then right. Shake hands with those you don’t want to kiss.

Let your guests know it is OK to eat by saying bon appetit.

When making a toast, say a votre sante (Ah voh truh SAN tay): "To your health."
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Bastille Day Menu

Bread (Crusty baguette variety)
Wine (Pinot Grigio, but feel free to substitute your wine of choice)
Cheese (Your choice)
French Onion Soup
Arugula Salad
Pan Roasted Monkfish
Ratatouille
Pastries from Bakery (Your choice, but my choice is the Apple Tatin and a Chocolate (but of course)Chiboust Tart from Payard Patissere (Lex bet 73rd and 74th) or online
see http://www.payard.com/tarts1.php for details)
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French Onion Soup

1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette, sliced
1/2 pound grated Gruyere

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.
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Arugula Salad

1 large bunch fresh arugula, rinsed and stemmed
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
Small wedge of Parmesan

1. In a salad bowl, place the arugula leaves.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the mixture is blended. Stir in the shallots.

3. Toss the arugula with the dressing. Divide among 6 salad plates. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. With a rotary vegetable peeler, shave pieces of Parmesan onto the greens.
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Pan Roasted Monkfish Filets

Ingredients

2 monkfish filets
red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Salt
Black Pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Season the monkfish filets on both sides with a light sprinkling of salt, fresh ground black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Combine the vegetable oil and butter in the sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the butter's foam subsides, add the monkfish to the pan. Cook the fish, turning once, until it browns, 4-6 minutes per side.

2. Put the pan in the oven and roast the filets until they are opaque in the center but still moist, 20-30 minutes depending on their thickness.
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Ratatouille

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups small diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups medium diced eggplant, skin on
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini squash
1 cup diced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature.
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Dessert (from Payard Patisserie)

Apple Tatin (Carmelized Apple on Puff Pastry topped with Whipped Cream)


Chocolate Chiboust Tart (Tart Shell filled with Caramel Ganache, Candied Nuts and Chocolate Chiboust Cream


Enjoy. Bon Appetit !!!