French Recipes

Endive Leaves with Smoked Salmon

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp chopped dill weed
• Salt and pepper
• 4 heads of Belgian endive
• 3 oz smoked salmon (lox), cut in 30 pieces

In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon peel together. Stir in chopped chives and dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate. Separate endives into leaves. Pipe or spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoon of cheese mixture at the wide end of each endive leaf. Top with a piece of smoked salmon. Arrange in concentric circles on a round platter. Makes about 30 appetizers.

Makes about 30 appetizers

Scallops in Saffron Sauce

• 12 sea scallops
• 3 large carrots
• 2 medium turnips
• Guérande sea salt
• 1/2 lb string beans, cut in 1 inch length
• 1/4 lb green peas, shelled
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• White pepper
• Saffron Sauce
• 2 shallots, chopped fine
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads
• 1 small head red leaf lettuce
• Chervil leaves (or parsley) for garnish
  

Rinse the scallops in cold water and drain. Pull off and discard the small hard muscle on the side of each scallops. Cut the scallops horizontally into slices 1/8" thick; set aside. Peel and cut carrots and turnips into sticks 1" long and 3/8" wide. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 mn; drain. Refresh under cold water and drain again. Cook the peas in the same way. Heat the butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook 7 mn. Add the turnips and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 6 more mn. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cooked beans and peas. Cover and set aside. Preheat the oven to 475º. Prepare the saffron sauce: combine the shallots, white wine and vinegar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated. Whisk in the cream, lower the heat and simmer until reduced by one-half. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the softened butter, little by little. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the saffron. Keep the sauce warm off the heat over a saucepan of hot water. Season the sliced scallops with salt and pepper. Arrange on top of the mixed vegetables and bake until the scallops are just opaque, about 4 mn. To serve, arrange a crown of lettuce on a serving platter. Mound the vegetables in the center of the platter and arrange the scallops on top. Spoon the sauce over and garnish with chervil leaves.

Serves 6