World Recipes

Madeleines

2 eggs (at room temperature)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup clarified butter, melted and cooled

Grease and flour well 12 Madeleine shells.

Beat eggs with salt until frothy; then gradually beat in sugar. Beat the mixture at high speed until very thick and lemon colored, about 15 to 20 minutes. Fold in the flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, and the lemon peel, if desired. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and fold it in quickly. Fill shells about 3/4 full and bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from shells to wire rack to cool.

Makes 12.

Gateaux au Rum (Rum Cakes)

1 angel food cake
1 cup butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tablespoons light rum
1 (1 pound) box confectioners sugar
2 cups finely chopped pecans

Buy or prepare angel food cake. Slice horizontally through middle of cake, then make perpendicular slices 1 inch apart around cake, creating 1 x 1 x 2-inch wedges.

To cooled butter add unbeaten egg white and rum and beat in enough sugar to make mixture an easy spreading consistency. Spread mixture on all sides of cake wedge. Roll immediately in pecans. May be prepared ahead 3 to 4 days. Store in refrigerator in airtight container. Freezes well.

Makes about 35 cakes.

Coquilles St. Jacques

1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 lemon, juiced
5 tablespoons butter
1 pound fresh scallops, cut
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup light cream
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs, buttered

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle mushrooms with lemon juice. Saute in 2 tablespoons butter. Place next 6 ingredients in saucepan. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve 1 cup of broth.

Make white sauce with remaining butter, flour, broth and cream. Add scallops and mushrooms. Spoon into individual buttered shell dishes or casseroles. Top with bread crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes until browned.

French Scallops

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
3/4 to 1 pound scallops
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Mix together four, salt and pepper. Coat scallops with flour mixture. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add scallops and cook mixture 4 to 5 minutes, turning over in pan until scallops are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Keep warm. Lower heat. Add butter. When melted, add garlic and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook until golden brown. Pour over scallops. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yields 3 to 4 servings.

Shrimp de Jonghe

2 cups finely chopped scallions with tops
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 cup butter
2 pounds medium raw shrimp, cleaned and shelled
3 tablespoons fine bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In large skillet, saute scallions and garlic in butter until lightly browned. Add shrimp. Cook for 3 minutes, turning several times. Add bread crumbs. Cook until they are browned, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients.

Serve very hot in individual dishes, or on toast points, as an appetizer, or over rice as an entree.

Beef Stew Provencale (Daube de Boeuf, la Provensale)

"Daube" is the French word for a meat stew cooked in a tightly covered dish.

1/4 pound salt pork
1 1/2 pounds beef boneless chuck, tip or round
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
6 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, cut into fourths
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
Minced parsley
French bread

Remove rind from salt pork; cut pork into 1/4-inch slices. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes. Fry salt pork in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp; remove with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Cook and stir beef in hot fat until brown, about 15 minutes.

Drain fat. Add wine, water, garlic, salt, thyme, rosemary, pepper and bay leaf. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour.

Stir in salt pork, carrots, onions and olives. Cover and simmer until beef and vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.

Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve in bowls with French bread for dipping.

Yields 6 servings.

Vegetable Ragout (Ratatouille)

1 small eggplant
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
4 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch cubes. Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil in skillet until onion is tender. Add eggplant and remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

Yields 8 servings.

Scallops and Mushrooms in Wine Sauce (Coquilles Saint-Jacques, la Parisienne)

Coquille is the French word for "shell." Coquilles Saint-Jacques is the French name for "scallops."

2 (12 ounce) packages frozen scallops,
    thawed, or 1 1/2 pound fresh scallops
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
2 scallions or shallots, chopped
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

If scallops are large, cut into 1-inch pieces. Place scallops, wine, parsley and salt in 3-quart saucepan. Add just enough water to cover scallops. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until scallops are tender, about 8 minutes. Remove scallops with slotted spoon; reserve liquid. Heat reserved liquid to boiling. Boil until reduced to 1 cup. Strain and reserve.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in 3-quart saucepan until melted. Cook and stir mushrooms and shallots in margarine until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan. Add 3 tablespoons butter; heat until melted. Remove from heat; stir in flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in reserved liquid. Cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in half-and-half, scallops, mushrooms, shallots and 1/4 cup of the cheese; heat until hot.

Toss bread crumbs in melted butter. Lightly brush 5 or 6 baking shells or ramekins with margarine. Divide scallop mixture among baking shells. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and the crumbs.

Set oven to broil or 550 degrees F. Broil 5 inches from heat until crumbs are toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Yields 6 servings.