The idea to write this book was born twenty years ago, thanks to our dear and, unfortunately, now deceased teacher Urbain Dubois, who inspired me to create it. Due to the multitude of cases, it was not until 1898 that I, together with Philéas Gilbert, began laying the foundation for this book. However, even then I had to postpone the implementation of this project until another, more peaceful time, for I was soon called to London to open the Carlton Hotel, where I took up the organization of the culinary services of this large house.
And yet, at the urgent request of my colleagues, and also thanks to the cooperation with devoted friends F. Gilbert and E. Fetu, who showed perseverance, and the support of many other people, this colossal work was carried to the end.
I must clarify that I did not want to create a collection of culinary recipes, but a tool that leaves everyone free to act according to their tastes and views, and therefore I tried, relying on my forty years of experience in this field, to adhere to its fundamentally traditional foundations.
And I hope that this work, even if it did not turn out the way I dreamed of, will nevertheless be of great help to my colleagues. To this end, I have sent the book to all employment offices, especially small ones, because I dedicate it to young people, those who, starting today, will be at the head of corporations in twenty years. I dream that she will become a companion in their work, whose clear advice is always at hand.
Despite the fact that there are more than 5,000 recipes collected here, I do not claim to have a complete list of them. Even if today it looks like this, tomorrow it will still be perceived differently, because life moves forward and every day gives birth to new recipes. But this shortcoming can be easily eliminated - you just need to constantly update the book, adding innovations to it and correcting the inevitable omissions of each previous edition.
I believe that this book is under the auspices of my late friends Urbain Dubois and Emile Bernard, whose shadows still fill the culinary horizons. And I am happy to express with renewed vigor my admiration for those who, following Karem, raised the glory of culinary art even higher.
Circumstances have prepared for me the honor to also bring to this kind of activity, renewed by them, profound changes related to the demands of our ultra-fast life. I came to the conclusion that it is necessary to create new, simpler methods. However, I can honestly say that both today and when I happened to use the sumptuous recommendations of U. Dubois and E. Bernard in practice, I felt a deep connection with their ideas. These brilliant people who admired Karem never doubted that harmony with the trends of their time was achievable only through reforms in creativity. They were the first to realize that the need for them would constantly arise. After all, everything changes and transforms, and against this background it is absurd to consider one of the arts unshakable, which has so many facets and is changeable in itself.
However, the basics of cooking are something that will always exist, no matter how tastes change and the cuisine improves to satisfy them.
And in this sense, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of the three great masters of the 19th century who created them - Karem, Dubois and Bernard.
Of course, we owe a lot to Gouffe, Favre, Elui, Reyuola, whom we will generously quote below. Their work has an undeniable value, but none of the works of these chefs can be compared with the masterpieces, whose name is "classical cuisine".
I present this book to my colleagues, and it is my duty to recommend that they carefully study the immortal works of these great masters.
Popular wisdom says: there is no such thing as too much knowledge. The more you learn, the more opportunities and the simplest means for the practical improvement of our art.
The only benefit that I would like to derive from this work, and the only reward that I claim, is to see that my advice will be heeded and followed by those to whom they are addressed.
Auguste Escoffier
Culinary guide
Recipes from the king of French cuisine
I
Sauces
Our product is intended primarily for practicing cooks. However, we consider it necessary to emphasize that base sauces form the basis of the cuisine, because they play a leading role in our work.
Indeed, base sauces are a kind of foundation, the most important and necessary element, without which further work is impossible. That's why it's so important to learn how to cook them.
However, neither the desire to do quality work, nor even talent will be enough if it is not possible to purchase the necessary products.
We are opposed to both destructive waste and excessive economy, which hinder the development of talent, provoke the decline of the spirit of the conscientious worker and lead him to failure.
Even the most skilled cook can't make something out of nothing. And consequently, it is also illegal to demand from him results worthy of our art, if you provide him with products of poor quality or in insufficient quantity.
As for the main base sauces, the most important thing here is to give the chef everything he needs in terms of quality and quantity.
It is clear that it is possible in one restaurant, impossible in another, the work depends on what the clientele is, and on how it is served, as well as on the ultimate goal that the company sets for itself.
Everything in the world is, of course, relative, but there is a golden mean that cannot be deviated from. And this is especially true for the basics of cuisine - basic broths and sauces. So the director of a restaurant (or other enterprise), who is stingy and saves, has no right to make comments to the chef and his subordinates. And if he still does them, he must understand that they are unfair and based on nothing. He must know that it is impossible to create good cuisine if the quality of the products is bad or their quantity is not enough, how absurd it is to expect that sour, poured into a bottle, will ever become good wine.
But if the chef has everything he needs, he must be especially careful when creating the main base sauces and constantly monitor their composition so that they are perfect. The course of his work must be accurate, the rules of preparation must be impeccable, but this already depends on his efforts.
The basics of the kitchen consist of plain or lightened consommés; basic brown or white broths, poultry, game, fish base broths, thick broths or basic base sauces;
fish broths and concentrated fish broths, which are additional elements of compound sauces;
thick broths from meat, poultry and game; sauces (flour sauces) brown, clarified and white;
main base sauces: "Spanish", "Velvety", "Bechamel", tomato; fatty and lean jellies. And also under the main base sauces are meant cuts "Mirepois" and "Matignon";
kurt-broths and clarified broths for meat and vegetables;
marinades and brines; various minced meats, fatty and lean; a mixture of various additional elements for garnishes, etc.
So, in the Sauces chapter, you will find ways to prepare basic base broths, concentrated fish broths, stock extracts, chilled stock stocks, marinades, jelly, oil mixtures, etc.
In the chapter "Soups" - recipes for cooking consommé, clarified soups, garnishes for soups.
In the chapter "Garnishes" - recipes for minced meat and various elements for side dishes.
In the chapter "Fish" - recipes for cooking kurt-broths, special minced meat, etc.
From the chapter "First and second courses" you will learn how to grill, stew, fry in a pan.
Fundamental principles
Sauces are the main part of cooking. In French cuisine, they occupy a dominant position, and therefore it is necessary to approach their preparation with particular care.
The basis for brown sauces is brown broth, or estufad, for velvety sauces, a clear or white broth. All of these broths must be flawless. After all, a person who makes sauces, according to the Marquis de Cussy, “is a real chemist, a creator who creates the cornerstone of haute cuisine.”
In ancient French cuisine, in addition to cooking roast on a spit, special methods of stewing meat or steaming it were used. And the amount of ingredients that was required in that era for making soups, in our time of all kinds of savings, seems simply fabulous. Sauces with flour and butter came to French cuisine from Spain with Anne of Austria, but for a long time they remained practically unnoticed - then there were enough broths. And only the coming domination of economy made the "Spanish" sauce necessary for simplified broths.
It was improved, and at the end of the 19th century it reached its highest peak of popularity. However, the abuse of this sauce led to the emergence of a neutral cuisine, without pronounced aromas, where all flavor notes were mixed into one insipid tone.
After some time, a powerful reactionary movement came out against such a one-taste, placing it as a reproach to the culinary specialists. As a result, transparent, light-colored veal broths with a pure and refined taste have regained their positions in haute cuisine, and the "Spanish" sauce has begun to lose popularity.
What is the essence of such a wonderful sauce? Taste tonality is provided by the base broth. The gravy of flour and butter that complements it, in addition to contributing to the formation of density, adds little taste value. But in order for the sauce to be flawless, all small elements must be removed from it. This sauce usually has a starchy flavor. To avoid this, to give the sauce softness and velvety, it is necessary to keep it on fire as little as possible. And it is quite possible that after some time, well-refined potato starch in such sauces will completely replace flour.
In modern cuisine, the simultaneous use of these two elements - "Spanish" sauce and thick broth - is necessary when stewing meat and cooking stews (except for lamb and lamb). "Spanish" sauce, together with tomatoes, causes abundant juice secretion of constituent elements. And in the semi-chilled form, it is an excellent basis for sautéing. It should also be borne in mind that refined and light first courses of meat or poultry benefit from the use of thick broths. Modern cooking is widely used.
It is known that game should be served with game sauces or with neutral sauces, and not with sauces made from minced meat. Such sauces are less spicy, but retain the original flavor that is unique to game. The same applies to the preparation of fish, which, in addition to neutral sauces, requires a special fish sauce made from thick fish broth.
We understand that the need to save money prevents compliance with these rules; but despite this, a reasonable and responsible culinary specialist will do everything possible to achieve, if not excellent, then at least a satisfactory result.
Preparation of bases for sauces (broths)
(proportions per 10 liters)
Main products: 6 kilograms of meaty beef shank, 6 kilograms of veal shank or the same amount of lean veal, boiled ham on the bone, 650 grams of well-washed fresh pork skin, 650 grams of carrots, 650 grams of onions, 100 grams of parsley, 10 grams of thyme, 5 grams bay leaf, garlic clove.
Separate the bones from the meat and chop them, then fry the bones, meat, carrots and onions in the oven until they are dark brown. Put everything into a saucepan, pour 14 liters of water, add parsley, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, put on a small fire and boil for 12 hours, constantly adding boiling water to keep it at the same level.
Separately, fry the pork skin cut into large pieces until brown. Pour a little cooked broth into it and boil. Combine with the main broth, boil, remove the foam and fat. Strain the finished broth. The broth should be 10 liters. Pour the chilled broth into bottles, store in the cold.
Note. We consider it a big mistake to remove all small elements from the broth. Practice shows that just the presence of meat crumbs contributes to the coloring of the broth and is the best, natural way to give it color.
(proportions per 10 liters)
10 kilograms of shanks and shoulder parts of veal, or veal trimmings, offal of 4 poultry or their boneless carcasses, 800 grams of carrots, 400 grams of onions, 300 grams of leeks, 100 grams of celery, 100 grams of parsley, cumin sprig, one bay leaf, 4 cloves, 12 liters of water, 60 grams of salt.
Separate the bones, chop them finely. Put the meat and bones in a saucepan, pour water, salt, put on fire. When the broth boils, remove the foam, add the rest of the ingredients. Bouillon cooking time 3 hours.
Note. This broth should turn clear due to a long boil. You need to remove foam and fat from it all the time.
You can do as in the case of brown broth, that is, first process the bones, then add water and make sure that it remains at the same level, cooking the broth over low heat for 5 hours.
This broth serves as the base of the sauce for the meat, and this way of cooking it will give it a gelatinous appearance thanks to the bones.
(proportions per 10 liters)
It is prepared in the same way as white meat broth, but you need to add a little offal and bones of poultry, 3 large chickens.
(proportions per 10 liters)
6 kilograms of beef shank and shoulder, separated from the bones and tied with twine, 5 kilograms of finely chopped veal bones, 600 grams of carrots, 400 grams of onions, 100 grams of parsley, 2 bay leaves, 2 cumin sprigs, 12 liters of white broth or water . If water is used, then it must be salted at the rate of 3 grams per 1 liter.
Place sliced carrots and onions on the bottom of the pan, then pre-fried bones and meat.
Cover with a lid, then simmer for ten minutes so that vegetables and meat release juice, add a little water, fry until brown and repeat this operation one or two times. Pour in the rest of the water, put the parsley, bay leaf, cumin, bring the broth to a boil and keep boiling over low heat for 6 hours.
(proportions per 5 liters)
3 kilograms of necks, breasts and trimmings of adult fresh roe deer, 1 kilogram of hare meat, 2 large wild rabbits, 2 partridges, 1 large pheasant, 250 grams of carrots, 250 grams of onions, 2 sprigs of sage, 15 juniper berries, parsley root, thyme, bay leaf, 6 liters of water and a bottle of white wine.
Fry the game in the oven, put it in a saucepan, on the bottom of which place the pre-fried vegetables along with seasonings. Add white wine and fry everything again until brown, then add the same amount of water as the wine, and fry everything again.
Add the remaining water, bring to a boil, remove the foam and cook over low heat until tender. Cooking time 3 hours.
(proportions per 10 liters)
10 kilograms of bones and trimmings of flounder, whiting or kalkan, 500 grams of thinly chopped onions, 100 grams of greens and parsley root, 250 grams of mushroom peels, juice of 1 lemon, 15 grams of black peppercorns, 10 liters of water, 1 bottle of white wine, 3 -4 grams of salt per 1 liter of liquid.
Put onion, parsley, mushroom peelings on the bottom of the pan, flounder and its trimmings on them, pour water and wine, put on a big fire. Remove foam and keep boiling constantly. Add pepper 10 minutes before the end of cooking. Cooking time 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve.
Note. Poor quality white wine will give the broth a grayish tint, so if the quality of the wine is in doubt, it is better not to use it at all.
This fish broth serves as the base for many sauces. Most of all, it is suitable for "Spanish" lean sauce. In this case, all the products necessary for the broth must first be stewed in oil.
(proportions per 5 liters)
These broths are prepared on special occasions because they require the fish itself to be boiled first.
Since modern practice requires the fish to be deboned, we must especially note this recipe, which is now increasingly needed.
In principle, to prepare such a broth, fish bones and cleanings are used to give it a characteristic aroma. But regardless of the type of fish, the preparation remains the same.
2.5 kilograms of fish heads, bones and peelings, 300 grams of finely chopped boiled onions, 100 grams of herbs and parsley root, thyme stick, 2 small bay leaves, 5 cloves of garlic, 100 grams of mushroom peel, 3.5 liters of water, 2 liters of good red wine, 15 grams of salt.
Prepared in the same way as white fish broth. Cooking time 30 minutes.
(proportions per 1 liter)
2 kilograms of heads, bones and peelings of whiting or flounder, 125 grams of finely chopped onions, 300 grams of mushroom husks, 50 grams of parsley, juice of 1 lemon, 1.5 liters of very light white fish broth, 3 deciliters of high-quality white wine.
Lightly fry onion, parsley and mushroom peels in 100 grams of butter until golden brown. Add fish bones and cleaning, simmer for 15 minutes in a sealed container, stirring constantly, add white wine. When half of the liquid has evaporated, add fish broth, lemon juice and 2 grams of salt.
Simmer for another 15 minutes and strain through a cloth. Cooking time 45 minutes.
Note. It is good to pour over the fillet of flounder or halibut with boiling fish broth.
This broth is later thickened and used as an accompaniment to fish fillet sauce.
As the name suggests, concentrated fish broths are less watery than regular broths, which end up giving dishes a distinct flavor. Their use is optional if the broth is prepared with all the necessary ingredients. It is much easier to prepare a perfect-tasting broth than to add concentrated broth to a mediocre one. The result will be better, and the savings will be greater.
And we emphasize once again that in nine cases out of ten it is better to use all the necessary products during the preparation of the main broth, and not save.
Therefore, we do not consider it necessary to dwell on concentrated fish broths, since the main broths themselves contain all the necessary flavor components.
Condensed broths from meat, game, poultry or fish, which are widely used, are prepared directly from broths cooked on these products by thickening them and giving them the consistency of syrup.
Condensed broths are used either to pour a thick and shiny layer on the dish, or to give them oiliness, flavor tone and piquancy to unleavened broths.
We believe that condensed broths are always preferable to concentrated ones. Nevertheless, there are still chefs, adherents of the old school, who do not recognize thick broths.
However, the theory has the right to exist if it is not limited either in time or in means. When thick broths are made as carefully as they require, the result is beyond all expectations.
Concentrated condensed meat broths
They are achieved by thickening the brown broth (estufad).
As it thickens and reaches the desired concentration, the broth is filtered through a cloth and poured into small pots. The purity of the broth depends on carefully skimming off the foam and fat as it thickens.
The fire on which the process of condensation takes place must be strong at first, but towards the end of the process it must be gradually reduced.
The broth is ready if it sticks to a spoon lowered into it in a thick layer.
Note. If it is necessary to prepare a white puffed broth, replace the brown broth with regular veal broth.
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People go to Tuscany for fragrant cheeses, to Thailand for unusual spicy treats and exotic fruits, and to Georgia for juicy khinkali and tart wine. And many do not even think of going on such a journey through the expanses of Russia! But in vain!
A thousand and one pies of Dagestan
Dagestan cuisine is an incredible combination of color, aroma and, of course, taste. Each small nationality living in the republic has its own secrets of cooking the same dishes! So, in one place you will be treated to a thin cake with pumpkin filling, and in another - a delicate omelette with an egg - and both of these dishes will be called a miracle! Here they prepare their own kind of dumplings, which is called kurze, and in some regions they put nettles instead of meat. And Dagestan is one of the few regions of Russia where pomegranates and grapes grow - fruits that are traditionally considered "overseas" by Russians. At the same time, they are so tasty and juicy here that the creators of Dobry juices and nectars dedicated the taste of Granat-Grapes in the new Corners of Russia line to Derbent. Residents of Russia should definitely be more actively interested in the peculiarities of their country, then they will be able to discover many new and unexpected things.Altai sour milk paradise
Altai is mainly visited by tourists who are in the mood for long walks and overnight stays in the open. And travelers often neglect the interesting cuisine of nomadic peoples. Meanwhile, local dishes are not only incredibly tasty, but also very healthy! So, kaimak, aarcha, byshtak and other dairy and sour-milk products have been used by nomads since ancient times to maintain good health. Locals are very fond of treating their guests with kan black pudding made from lamb or horse meat. Local teas deserve special attention, or rather, the methods of their preparation and serving. For example, tea with talkan is prepared on the basis of barley, butter and milk, and salt is added to it before drinking. Yes, it is truly exotic! Tatar food with stories
Knowledge about Tatar cuisine is limited to chak-chak and belyash. But in fact, in Tatarstan you can find really amazing - if not strange - dishes. For example, pea porridge or boiled tutyrma sausage made from offal and rice. You should definitely try the local plov in Tatarstan. The locals learned his recipe from their neighbors from Central Asia, but, of course, they seasoned it with their own spices and added national “zest”. It is easy to get lost here in the complex names of the varieties of pies: echpochmak, teke, kubat, peremyach… Each of them has its own complex traditional recipe. Traditions are an integral part of Tatar cuisine. For example, a sweet pie with dried fruits, rice and kort (cottage cheese) is a must-have treat at all major Tatar holidays. Ural not only dumplings
Fans of mushroom dishes should head for the Urals! Local residents skillfully and very diversely prepare mushrooms, chanterelles, honey mushrooms and other mushrooms. Even just marinating them for a snack in the Urals turns out in a special way. In addition, juicy Ural berries are famous throughout Russia, and if you haven’t had a chance to try them fresh here, then you should definitely pay attention to jams! Especially the locals love to serve lingonberry and sea buckthorn for tea. In the Urals, dishes familiar to all are also modified. For example, in okroshka (even on kefir), locals often add sauerkraut, and sometimes even fish. Those who like really unusual combinations should like it! Karelian cuisine
Karelia is another Russian destination where you can arrange an unforgettable gastro tour. The local national cuisine borrowed some notes from Finnish and Estonian, but at the same time remained authentic. Unexpected combinations are a favorite of Karelian chefs. So, one of their favorite dishes is fish and onions boiled in milk. And in the filling for traditional kalitok pies, potatoes, oatmeal and various cereals are combined here. But the most amazing Karelian treat is, of course, fish soup with the addition of moss! Of course, it uses a special kind of plant, which turns out to be very useful. May 25, 2019There are places in the Eternal City that are silent witnesses of individual moments or even entire periods in the life of the city itself, which have absorbed history, culture, politics - the whole stream of everyday life. These hidden places are found in numerous cafes in Rome. Preserved…
The culinary traditions of each region and each individual city of the Apennine Peninsula are an integral part of the history of Italy. We have compiled a short express guide that will tell you what and where to try in Rome to make your acquaintance with the Eternal City even brighter.
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Especially for lovers of food, we have prepared a list where, in our opinion, the best pastry shops in Rome are presented with addresses. Be sure to save it and go to one of them as soon as possible. Paradise pleasure guaranteed!
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