Author Topic: Book review : "La Belle Cuisine de Mme. E. Saint-Ange"  (Read 1612 times)

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Online Peripatetic Phil

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Book review : "La Belle Cuisine de Mme. E. Saint-Ange"
« on: March 12, 2017, 07:46 AM »
Postscript Books were recently remaindering the 2005 translation (by Paul Aratow) of this 1927 French culinary classic, and I took the opportunity to acquire a copy.  Although I blanched on finding that the translator would have us believe that Mme. described herself in 1927 as a "homemaker" [1], once I was past this particular politically-correct anachronism I soon found that the translator appeared to have otherwise done a very good job indeed, and that Mme. Saint-Ange most certainly deserved all the fame, credit and plaudits that have accrued to her in her native France.  She is punctilious in explaining not only what needs to be done in order to accomplish a certain culinary end, she also explains (and in depth) how it is to be done, and most importantly of all, why it must be done if good (nay, perfect) results are to be routinely achieved.  And it was not long before I began to wish that an Indian (or Bangladeshi, or whatever) chef had written a similar work covering the typical cuisine of the sub-continent [2].  But then I started to read the section on braising white meats, and particular on how to reduce to a glaze :  here I quote verbatim --
Quote
To reduce to a glaze: Moistening. With the sweating process complete, the meat should not have taken on any colour, but rather have become white.  Don't move any of  the ingredients.  Add a decilitre of liquid, stock or white wine.  This amount hardly varies since the liquid is used to draw out more of the juices from the meat and vegetables so that nothing sticks.  Rise the heat and boil, uncovered, until there is nothing left but a scant tablespoon (20ml) of pale golden syrup when you tilt the braiser.  This process is called "reducing to a glaze".  Add another decilitre of liquid and repeat the process.  This reduction yields an extract of the juices from both the meat and the vegetables and this, in turn, will add depth of flavour to the braising liquid.
   Having completed this second phase of "sweating", add the remainder of liquid required for the definitive cooking process.  The liquid, or moistening agent, must reach the top, or part-way to the top, of the meat.  It must never be completely covered.  Bring it to a boil over high heat.  When it has begun to boil, put a piece of baking parchment directly on top of the meat, fitting it snugly in the braiser.  Cover as tightly as possible.  Put it into the oven.
Now, apart from the final phase ("put a piece of baking parchment . . . on top of the meat", is this process not virtually identical to the process whereby we create a curry from part-pre-cooked chicken ("the meat should not have taken on any colour") and base sauce / garabi ("liquid, stock or white wine"), right down to the quantities and number of stages involved (100ml of base, reduced to circa 20ml, repeated twice, then add the remainder of the base) ?  I cannot help but feel that there is more than co-incidence involved here, and that the process that Mme. St.-A. outlines is virtually identical to the process which the received wisdom would lead us to believe is necessary to achieve a really good BIR main course, and especially (if the final reduction is taken as far as the first two) a bhuna.

Thoughts/comments ?

** Phil.
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[1] I also blanched, of course, at "color" and  "broiler", and was puzzled by the repeated references to "fatback".  But until publishers realise that what is appropriate for the American market is most decidely not appropriate for the British, we will have to put up with these Americanisms in American-published texts.
[2] If one has, and I am unaware of his/its existence, please draw the author/text to my attention.
« Last Edit: March 12, 2017, 09:46 PM by Pedantic Phil »

Offline SoberRat

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Re: Book review : "La Belle Cuisine de Mme. E. Saint-Ange"
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2017, 09:44 AM »
Thanks for posting that Phil that is very interesting indeed. As you say it is describing a very similar technique to bir cooking. I have been reducing my first 2 ladles of base down a lot more recently and I have found it has given me a lot more depth of flavour even with very simple recipes. I think I will be changing the way I cook my precooked chicken also I think when I next cook a curry (this afternoon).

Best regards

Rob


Offline Stephen Lindsay

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Re: Book review : "La Belle Cuisine de Mme. E. Saint-Ange"
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2017, 06:21 PM »
As regular forum members know I have stuck with the Taz base and method pretty faithfully for the past few years. I find it produces consistently good curries so I've felt no need to change and have spent most of my energy taking existing recipes and adapting them. One of the key features is taking the first reduction of spices, tomato paste and base right down until it reaches a dry thick paste. I find that this really caramelises and intensifies the flavour so I guess it has a pretty good connection with what Phil's post describes.

littlechilie

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Re: Book review : "La Belle Cuisine de Mme. E. Saint-Ange"
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2017, 06:04 AM »
Interesting post Phil, Hi Stephen I thought a while about your post and you sticking faithfully with Taz base. Im intersted to know if you belive its the base that produces your consistent results. Or your now well practiced technique?
See I believe a base sauce is only a way of adding onion gravy to a curry, and that the real magic is in technique. Given that different restaurants use different base this would seem logical to me.
Why not try something different a different base ? Give your opinion as to the change or differences, Im sure you would find these changes small and just like eating somewhere new.
With regards to the reduction of the spice and tom paste, well im on board and use this method especially for hotter curry's requiring larger amounts ov chili powder.
However i also belive in using little amount of mix powder as for me it can overpower very fast.
Thanks and would love to hear your thoughts.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2017, 07:46 AM by littlechilie »


Offline Stephen Lindsay

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Re: Book review : "La Belle Cuisine de Mme. E. Saint-Ange"
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2017, 10:56 PM »
Hello LC, yes there are many base recipes and I believe they share more similarities than differences. For a while in this forum, some years ago, the forum seemed to be awash with new base recipes that were being received enthusiastically. There seemed to be a belief that somewhere there was a base with some sort of secret ingredient that held the key to BIR nirvana. I likened this in my own mind with a sort of search for the holy grail. Some members even got their local curry house to supply them with a tub of base and they seemed underwhelmed with what they got.

So yes I do believe that a good curry can be made with any decent base. As far as technique is concerned I am fairly open minded as long as the initial reduction gets enough heat to be brought down. I also remember a time on the forum where some members bought huge gas burners and bottles to ensure the heat was of an incendiary variety. I don't cook on a high heat at all. What I do is start the base of full power (I have an electric cooker) then as soon as it boils I turn it right down and let it simmer for as long as it takes. Consequently my curries can't be finished in BIR time, they take longer but I really don't want curry splatter all over the cooker and walls so that is what I choose to do.

Taz is not the first base I've used. The path to where I am just now has been KD, Bruce Edwards and Ashoka bases. I was really inspired by Panpot's Ashoka recipes which he got from his time in one of their kitchens. Ashoka is a Scottish chain with branches around the country and they do pretty good curries. His recipe for garlic/ginger paste and bunjarra really gave me something to think about and I developed some of my Taz recipes (e.g. Chasni) from his Ashoka posts. At my peak a few years ago I was cooking two curries per night for 4 to 5 nights per week as I went from one Taz recipe to the next and I think this really helped me develop a consistent technique.

So that's where I am at just now,. I don't turn out curries in such numbers now, but enjoy cooking for pleasure and go on a wee splurge every now and then. For example last week I did 2 x CTM, one Chasni and one Pathia. I really wish I could produce a decent naan with the same consistency. I am thinking I should go back to trying the h4ppy naan recipe and see where I get to.

Hope this helps LC.

littlechilie

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Re: Book review : "La Belle Cuisine de Mme. E. Saint-Ange"
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2017, 05:43 AM »
Hi Stephen, thanks for the great reply you have really hit the nail n the head. I still feel the CRO forum  is a good place for discussion, however due to the total lack of management and frequent use by trolls, I personally would not consider sharing anything new to forum. Its been such a shame to witness many great and inspiring chefs bullied away from posting here, Like a thriving pub that is infiltrated by a few bad apples, the trade and reputation will never fully recover or lose the reputation.
Thanks.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2017, 01:39 PM by littlechilie »



 

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