Releasing My Inner Francophile

I have an especially big appreciation for many parts of French culture—particularly the food. This is why it's quite fortunate that my twin, Kristen, is married to a very nice Frenchman, Arnaud (pronouced "Arno"), and lives in France. Among many other things, they bring Jay and I (or we go get) amazing cheeses, liquors, pates, and cardoons (a tasty vegetable that looks like celery but tastes like artichokes—it's nearly impossible to find it in the states unless you grow it yourself). I am very fortunate to have such a solid connection to this wonderful country.

This weekend, I had an irresistible urge to give in to my inner francophile. So Jay and I spent an evening relishing the some of the fine foods from the region of France in which Kristen and Arnaud live, Haute-Savoie. It's located in the French Alps and shares a border with Switzerland—a VERY beautiful area of the world. We roasted chestnuts (les marrons), ate fois gras,and shared a fabulous cheese fondue. It was the perfect way to satisfy my strong craving for French deliciousness. 

Les Marrons

Look for these sweetly delicious nuts in the produce aisle of your supermarket during the wintertime. Use this recipe to make as little or as much as you'd like.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using a paring knife, carefully cut an X into the flat side of each of the chestnuts. Place the nuts in a cast iron skillet or baking sheet. 

2. Roast the nuts for about 30 minutes, turning them once. They are done when the shell curls up around the X and you can see that the nutmeat is lightly browned. 

Fois Gras with Crackers and Pickles

Fois Gras is made from the liver of a goose that, to put it nicely, has been very well fed. It is quite expensive to purchase the liver by itself in order to make fois gras yourself, so canned prepared fois gras is the really the next best thing. I recommend trying a few different brands until you find one you like best. My sister brought us a very delicious one the last time she visited, but you can purchase canned fois gras at many fine food stores.

The acidity of the pickles is the perfect compliment to the rich but subtle flavor of the fois gras. 

1. Chill one can of fois gras pate for about 30 minutes. Remove the fois gras from the can to a small platter. Arrange crackers (I prefer saltines for their saltiness) and cornichons and/or dill pickles around the fois gras. Serve immediatly.

Cheese Fondue with Caramelized Shallots and Chantarelles

Jay and I were lucky enough to visit Haute Savoie last September, just shortly after the harvesting season for chantarelle mushrooms. While we were there, we did a fondue with Arnaud's parents, and they tossed in some of the recently picked chantarelles. It was amazingly delicious! I happened to have some dried chantarelles on hand, so I opted to include them, along with caramelized shallots, in my fondue. It was truly wonderful.

1. Into a small bowl, place a small handful of dried chantarelle mushrooms. Pour enough boiling water over the mushrooms to cover. Cover the bowl and let steep for about 10 minutes. Remove mushrooms and roughly chop; set aside. In a another small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons brandy, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, and a tiny bit of freshly grated nutmeg; set aside. 

2. Dice about 1/2 pound or more of Gruyere cheese and about 1/2 pound of any other cheese you have on hand to equal about 1 pound of cheese total. (You may use all Gruyere cheese, but I think it gives more depth of flavor to add a few others. This time I used about 10 ounces Gruyere, 3 ounces Tomme de Savoie, and 3 ounces provolone, which tasted delicious. I've also used Emmenthaler, Fontina, white Cheddar, Edam, blue cheese, Parmesan, Asiago, and Swiss—all make a tasty fondue.) Tear or chop into bite-size pieces 1 large baguette or 2 small baguettes. Place in a bowl. Set cheese and bread aside.

3. In a small (2 quart) enameled cast iron Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add 2 shallots (minced) and one smashed clove of garlic. Cook over medium-low heat until the shallot is translucent, lightly browned, and smells sweet. Remove the smashed clove of garlic. To the Dutch oven, add about 1  1/4 cups dry white wine. Raise heat to medium and bring wine mixture to a simmer. Using a wooden spoon to stir in a figure 8, slowly add the cheese by the handful. Continue to stir constantly after each handful until the cheese is mostly melted before adding the next handful. The mixture should remain at a low simmer; adjust heat accordingly. This process should take about 10 to 15 minutes. 

4. After all the cheese is melted, stir in the brandy mixture and the chopped chantarelles. Remove the Dutch oven to a fondue burner with medium heat. Use fondue forks to dip bread pieces into the fondue.