You don’t have to be a chef to cook my recipes, but it sure was nice to have a professional chef present them!
In April, I counted myself among the luckiest of bonnes femmes, as Michael Bailey, the chef at the phenomenally good Embassy Club in Des Moines, Iowa, showcased some of my recipes for a special “Bonne Femme” night. Here are some highlights:
Chef Bailey couldn't decide which soup to serve, so he did a flight of three: Cool Arugula Soup, Pureed Turnip Soup, and Le Puy Lentil and Sausage Soup.
Salmon with Pernod Sauce in Kitchen (before sauce is added)
Chef Bailey asked if it was okay to improvise a bit on the recipe. He had scored some lovely ramps (wild leeks) and wanted to use them. Of course it was okay! Bonne Femme cooking is all about using whatever you have that's at it's freshest, in-season best.
We didn't get a chance to snap an actual photo of the cheese course, but it looked something like this: Three cheeses served with a little puff of salad for a bright contrast. Photo by Richard Swearinger.
Chef Bailey served one of my favorite desserts: Floating Islands--poached meringues on a pool of crème anglais, with caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. Oh my.
Yes! You can make all these recipes at home—all are in the Bonne Femme Cookbook. And here's my recipe for the Floating Islands. Photo by Richard Swearinger.
Here’s the recipe for Floating Islands.
I remember that you mentioned someone poaching meringues in a microwave. Have you tried this method yet? I will always remember the Floating Islands we had at Le Bistro L’Octroi in Sarlat-la-Caneda. Yum!! I have made Floating Islands several times, but am anxious to try your recipe. I had trouble with the caramel sauce In my old recipe. It hardened way too fast, and was way too sticky. I may go the purchased caramel sauce that you have sweetly “okayed”!!
The chef did you proud!
Thanks for the thoughts, Rosemary. I have not tried the microwave poaching idea, but at the Embassy Club, another chef said that he thought it would work (though they didn’t do it that way).
I have a recipe for caramel sauce in my book (two, in fact, a real one and a “cheater’s” version, which isn’t quite as tricky). But if you don’t want to make your own caramel sauce, try Trader Joe’s salted caramel sauce. It’s really good! (Whatever sauce you use, just make sure it has cream or butter in it; otherwise, it’s just a sugary thing that isn’t that interesting).
Sarlat is one of my favorite places in the world!
Ramps?! Yes, Chef!! Are they gathered locally, Wini?
Yes-Chef Bailey got them from a farmer southwest of Des Moines. He also has a beautiful “potager” (kitchen garden) outside of his West Des Moines location, and he grows great things, including herbs and greens and Chard….
Thanks, Wini. I will try the Trader Joe’s salted caramel sauce. A Trader Joe’s recently opened right near my house. Speaking of salted caramel, is there anything better than salted butter caramel ice cream in France? I think not!!
Wow-I don’t think I’ve had that ice cream in France! I’ve got to try it in June!
My fave ice-cream combo is creme de cassis sorbet and vanilla ice cream-one scoop of each. It’s like a French dreamsicle!
When the chefs from France were at DMACC earlier this year doing demos they showed us how to make this in the microwave and I have done it that way in the past. You just put your meringue in a glass loaf pan and cook on high for about 2 min depending on your microwave. I like to mix in mini chocolate chips and a little orange zest, then you serve slices rather than a quenelle. Right now I am staging in a restaurant in Montbrison, France and we make about 75 of these little babies twice a week using the traditional poaching method.
Josh! Awesome info. Thanks so much for sharing this. I’ve got to give it a try. Why not serve slices of meringues? It makes sense.
I just emailed you…I’d love to have you do a guest post on “staging in France”!