God bless Victor Hugo. I cannot count how many times this author, poet, and statesman has brought me back from the abyss with his thoughts and images. We’re plunged into political chaos here right now, so I turned to M. Hugo and he’s come through again:
“However strange the present moment may seem, however bad it may look, no serious soul should despair. Surfaces are what they are, but there is a moral law in destiny, and undercurrents exist. While the flow is agitated, they are at work. We don’t see them, but what they do always ends up suddenly emerging from the shadows, the unseen building the unforeseen. Let’s understand the unexpected in history. It’s just when evil thinks it’s triumphant that it collapses.” From Actes et Paroles number 5, written on his return to France from exile and published in 1876.
I was also very fortunate last week to have, as more solace, a major distraction in the form of a private student who came to me with a request to learn the basics of French cuisine and culture in four days. This is the kind of challenge that gets my blood racing, so I planned – and possibly over-planned – a course for her. It included slow-cooked dishes, every seasonal ingredient I could think of, iconic desserts, and more.
Our experiences together weren’t just cooking. We toured food shops and different markets, then went to Normandy for a taste of the country. One cannot learn the ins and outs of France by staying in Paris. In addition to visiting a country town and market, I’d been invited to a “fête champêtre” hosted by my friend and favorite farmer, Baptiste, and I figured it was a must-do for my student. She was game.
Baptiste’s summer fête is legendary. The group is mostly made up of the same people each year who, over time, become convivial and familiar. This year was no exception as sixty or so farmers, factory owners, local politicians, teachers, musicians, and others converged on the field in front of Baptiste’s and his wife, Mathilde’s, converted barn of a house. We ambled into the annual pétanque competition, then spent the evening under a tent, protected more or less from the unseasonable rain. Conversations were held against the backdrop of a French rockabilly band. Food was abundant, and we sampled everything from head cheese to andouillette (innards sausage), lopped off slices of cheese from huge chunks, and generally tasted the best the region has to offer, which included the textbook Norman main dish of farm vegetables simmered with chicken in cream, perfectly prepared with the help of Baptiste’s father François, a former chef.
I’m not sure what I enjoyed most this year; observing friendly people try out their English on my student, or perhaps spending time with local flax farmers who are regulars and the funniest bunch of men I’ve ever met (I think they do well – we’re all wearing linen these days). This year the head of their cooperative was in attendance, and with him I learned everything I didn’t know about this amazing crop, which is referred to as the “pride of the Norman farmer,” since Normandy is the world’s primary producer. As a plus, they’d come in uniform, sporting navy blue linen shirts that the cooperative had given them this year. Very stylish.
We stayed until the early hours, leaving well before the heart of the group who, no doubt, finished up the re-heated chicken and vegetables for breakfast.
When I delivered my student to her airport taxi the next day, she thanked me with a big hug and said, “I have NO idea how to describe these last four days. No one will believe me. ”
She will soon be working here on a regular basis, and I certainly hope her induction into French cuisine and culture helps!
POULET A LA CRÈME
Here is a version of the “fête champetre” chicken! It’s a simple classic that you will love! Serve it with an ample helping of rockabilly.
One 3-1/2 to 4 pound (1.75-2kg) chicken cut in serving pieces, or 6 chicken thighs
1/2 cup (70g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 to 6 tablespoons (60-90g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon neutral oil
4 starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch (5cm) pieces
4 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, cut into 2-inch (5cm) lozenges
12 spring onions, trimmed, cut in half or 3 medium onions, cut in eighths
½ cup (125ml) white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc, or hard apple cider
3/4 cup (185ml) crème fraiche
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
For garnish:
Flat leaf parsley sprigs
Fleur de sel
If using a whole chicken, cut it into six pieces.
1. If using dried morels, place them in a medium-sized saucepan with water to cover by 1-inch. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the water is simmering and cook until the morels are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the morels over a bowl. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve.
2. Place the flour, salt, and a generous amount of pepper in a paper bag, or on a sheet of parchment. Mix well, then flour all the chicken pieces, shaking off any excess flour.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter with the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. When the butter is frothing, add the chicken pieces and brown them on both sides, which should take about 6 to 8 minutes per side. You want to cook the chicken pieces about three-fourths while they brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate or dish.
4. If the pan is dry, add an additional tablespoon of butter and oil, then add the potatoes, carrots, and onions and cook, season with salt and pepper and stir. Cook, stirring, just until they soften slightly and get a hint of color, about 5 minutes.
5. Deglaze the pan with the white wine or cider. scraping any caramelized bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the crème fraiche to the pan, stir, then return the chicken with its juices to the pan. Increase the heat if necessary to bring the cream to a simmer. Turn each piece of chicken, cover the pan, turn the heat to low and cook until the chicken is done all the way through, and the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning it once during cooking. Taste for seasoning.
6. To serve, transfer the chicken to a serving dish, garnish with the parsley sprigs, and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Serve immediately.
