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Farmhouse in Provence
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Recipe Source
 
Patricia Wells at Home
in Provence: Recipes Inspired
by Her Farmhouse in France
by Patricia Wells, 1996, Scribner
Soups from
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence
"Soup is one of the
world’s greatest communal dishes. Nothing can replace
the warmth of a steaming soup
tureen, placed at the edge of the table, ready
to serve a gathering of hungry family and
friends. …Main-course soups fit
to feed a crowd
have become a signature at our
farmhouse, where gatherings
of fifteen or twenty
are common affairs. So year-round, the
Provençal aromas
of fennel, saffron, anise, and tomato waft from my kitchen, as I concoct
another batch of Monkfish Bouillabaisse, a colorful pot of Summer (or
Winter) Pistou, or a
warming
rendition of Maggie’s Vegetable Potage."
Monkfish Bouillabaisse with
Aïoli
"I created this
vibrant golden soup one summer afternoon after the local
fishmonger, Eliane Berenger,
presented me with a plump, glistening
monk
fish
fresh from the Mediterranean. Chunks of
mild-flavored, firm-
textured
monkfish
are bathed in a tomato-rich broth punctuated with
the sharp, lively
flavors of
fennel, saffron, garlic, and orange zest. A dab
of
garlic-rich aïoli
adds a
crowning touch to this modern bouillabaisse."
2 pounds (1 kg) very fresh monkfish, bone-in, or
substitute tilefish,
grouper, striped bass, or cod
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 head plump, fresh garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Bouquet garni: a generous bunch of flat-leaf parsley,
celery leaves, fresh
bay leaves, and
sprigs of thyme
tied in a bundle with household twine
2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons pastis, or anise liqueur
1 small can (14 1/2 ounces; 400g) imported
whole plum tomatoes in juice
6 plump, ripe tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 quarts (1 1/2 l) water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
4 small, firm, fresh fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds; 750g),
trimmed, quartered lengthwise,
and cut into bite-size pieces
A small pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon) of saffron threads
Grated zest of 1 orange
3 tablespoons minced fennel fronds or leaves
1 recipe Aïoli (follows)
1. Fillet the fish: With a fillet knife, cut away the thin membrane
covering
the outside of the fish. Cut along one side of the central bone to remove
the
fillet. Repeat with the other side. Cut the monkfish fillet at an angle
into 3-inch
(7.5-cm) escalopes (or ask your fishmonger to do this for
you). Place the escalopes on a
large platter, cover, and refrigerate until
serving time.
Reserve the bone and crack
slightly.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot, heat the oil over moderate heat
until hot. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, bouquet garni, salt and monk-
fish
bone. Sweat
– cook gently without browning – for 8 to 10
minutes.
This will create a
condensed, flavorful soup base. Add the
tomato
paste, anise liqueur,
canned tomatoes,
fresh tomatoes, water
and
cayenne pepper, if using.
Cover and bring to a boil over high
heat.
Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove and dis-
card the
bouquet garni and
monkfish bone. Using
an immersion mixer,
roughly
purée the liquid in the casserole.
(Alternatively, pass the liquid
through
the coarse blade of a food mill and return it to
the casserole.)
Taste
for seasoning. Add the fennel bulbs, cover, and simmer gently
until
soft, 15 to 20 minutes more. (The dish can be prepared several
hours
in advance up to this
point and reheated when adding
the monkfish.)
3. At serving time, bring the liquid to a very gentle simmer to assure
that
the soup will be thoroughly heated. Add the saffron and monk-
fish. Lower
the
heat and
cook the fish gently just until tender, 3 to 4
minutes more.
Taste
for seasoning.
4. To serve, transfer portions of the fish and fennel to warmed shallow
soup bowls. Spoon the broth over the fish. Sprinkle with the orange zest
and fennel
fronds. Pass the aïoli, allowing the guests to swirl a teaspoon
or two into their soup.
Serve with plenty of toasted homemade bread.
Four to six servings.
Aïoli: Garlic Mayonnaise
6 plump, fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large egg yolks*, at room temperature *
1 cup (25 cl) extra-virgin olive oil
"Aïoli intoxicates gently, fills the body with warmth, and the
soul
with enthusiasm. In its essence it concentrates the strength, the
gaiety of Provence: sunshine."
~ Frederic Mistral
1. Pour boiling water into a large mortar to warm it; discard the water
and
dry the mortar. Place the garlic and salt in the mortar and mash
together
with a
pestle to form as smooth a paste as possible. The
fresher the garlic,
the easier it will
be to crush.
2. Add the egg yolks. Stir, pressing slowly and evenly with the pestle,
always in the same direction, to thoroughly blend the garlic and
yolks. Continue stirring
and gradually add just a few drops of the
oil. Whisk
until thoroughly incorporated. Do not
add too much oil
in the beginning,
or the mixture will
not emulsify. As soon as the
mixture begins to thicken, add the remaining oil in a slow, steady
stream, whisking
constantly. Taste
for seasoning. Transfer
to a
bowl and serve immediately. The sauce can
be refrigerated, well
sealed, for up to 2 days. To serve, bring to room temperature
and
stir once again. About one cup (25cl) sauce.
*Egg
Safety Information
Winter Pistou
"Like a symphony of winter flavors, colors, and
fragrances, this soup plays
a warming tune: The squash and carrots add a brilliant tone,
the beans
an earthy
note, while the turnips play percussion, waking the palate like
the sound of a cymbal. Anointed with a touch of wither summerlike pistou
sauce or all-season
aïoli, it’s the soup I make on Saturdays while puttering
about the kitchen with
a
warming fire nearby."
8 ounces (250 g) dried small white beans
8 ounces (250 g) fried cranberry beans
1/2 cup (12.5 cl) extra-virgin olive oil
Bouquet garni: several fresh bay leaves and
several sprigs of
summer
savory and thyme,
tied securely with household twine
2 medium leeks, white and tender green
parts only, cut into thin rings
2 medium onions, peeled and cut
into thin half-moons
1 head plump, fresh garlic, peeled
and quartered lengthwise
Sea salt to taste
1 pound (500 g) Hubbard, or pumpkin squash,
seeded, peeled and diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut
into thick half-moons
1 pound (500 g) potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 ounces (250 g) turnips or parsnips,
peeled and cubed
1 small can (14 1/2 ounces; 400 g) imported
whole plum tomatoes in juice
3/4 cup (60 g) angel’s hair pasta, broken
into small pieces
1 recipe Pistou (recipe follows)
1 cup (4 ounces; 125 g) freshly grated
imported Gruyère cheese
1. Rinse the white beans and cranberry beans, picking over them to
remove any pebbles. Place the beans in a large bowl, adding boiling
water to
cover, and
set aside for 1 hour. Drain the beans, discarding
the water.
2. In a 10-quart (10 l) stockpot, combine the oil, bouquet garni,
leeks,
onions, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Soften over medium heat,
stirring regularly
for about 10 minutes. Add the drained beans, stir
to blend, and
cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the squash, carrots,
potatoes, turnips, and tomatoes; stir
to blend, and cook 5
minutes
more. Add 5 quarts (5 l) of water, season with salt, and simmer
gently, uncovered,
until the beans
are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
(Cooking time will vary according to the
freshness of the beans.)
Taste for seasoning. Add the pasta and boil
until pasta is
cooked,
about 10 minutes more.
3. Serve the soup hot, passing the Pistou or Aïoli and cheese to
blend
into
the soup. Six to eight servings.
Pistou: Olive Oil, Basil & Garlic Sauce
"Pistou comes from the Provençal word pista, which
means to grind, pound,
and crush, which is what one does with this universally loved
garden-fresh
sauce.
Pistou is an essential accompaniment to the Provençal vegetable soup
of the same name and does double duty as a perfect sauce for homemade
fettuccine or as a sauce for flavoring whole roasted fish. Unlike the Italian
pesto, this sauce does not
contain pine nuts or cheese. Each summer I make
sure that my garden’s basil crop
is
abundant, and to bottle that summertime
flavor, I always keep small containers
of this
simple sauce in the freezer.
Pistou can be prepared in the food processor,
but the sauce
will be superior
in texture and flavor if prepared by hand."
4 plump, fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Fine sea salt to taste
2 cups (50 cl) loosely packed fresh
basil leaves and flowers
1/2 cup (12.5 cl) extra-virgin olive oil
1. By hand: Place the garlic and salt in a mortar and mash with a
pestle
to form a paste. Add the basil, little by little, pounding and turning the
pestle
with a grinding motion to form a paste. Slowly add the oil, drop
by drop,
until all the
oil has been used and the paste is homogenous.
Taste for seasoning. Stir again before
serving.
2. In a food processor: Place the minced garlic, salt, and basil in
the bowl
of a food processor and process to a paste. Add the oil and process
again.
Taste
for seasoning. Stir again before serving.
3. Transfer to a small bowl. Serve immediately. The sauce can be
stored, covered and refrigerated, for 1 day, or frozen for up to 6 months. Bring
to room
temperature and stir again before serving.
About one cup (25 cl) sauce
Amazing Sorrel Soup
"While traveling around Germany one summer, I sampled
many versions of
sorrel soup – a flavor I truly adore – and was astonished and
puzzled to find
that the
soups were all a brilliant, healthy-looking green. One common prob-
lem with cooking sorrel is that the herb loses its happy green color, turning
sort of
a dull military drab when it is heated. It was chef Dieter Müller who
shared his secret:
Blend the sorrel with butter, adding it at the end of the
cooking time. Even after
the
soup has been sitting for a while, it remains
green. I love this soup hot or cold and have
also prepared it with fresh
watercress leaves, a worthy substitute."
3 ounces (90 g) fresh sorrel leaves,
stemmed, thoroughly washed,
and
spun dry, or substitute watercress
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces; 45 g)
unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
6 ounces (180 g) starchy potatoes, peeled and diced
1 quart (1 l) homemade
chicken stock or
potager [vegetable] stock
1 cup (25 cl) heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
1. In a food processor, purée the sorrel, pulsing on and off for
30 to 45 seconds. Add the butter and purée. Transfer to a small bowl, cover,
and
set
aside in a cool area of the kitchen. (Do not refrigerate, or the
sorrel
butter is likely
to be too cold to add to the soup at the end.)
2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil until it is hot but not
smoking. Add
the onion and sweat over low heat until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add
the
potatoes
and cook over low heat until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remember not to
cook over
too high a heat, or they will burn in-
stead
of coloring a beautiful golden brown.
3. Add the stock and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the
potatoes
are fully cooked. Stir in the heavy cream. Using an immersion mixer,
purée the
soup directly in the stockpot. (Alternatively, pass the soup
through the coarse blade of a
food mill or use a blender. Return it to
the stockpot.) The potatoes will give thickness
and body to the soup
without detracting from the sorrel. Taste for seasoning. Just before
serving, whisk the sorrel butter into the hot soup, taking care to mix
thoroughly and
quickly. Serve in heated soup bowls.
Four to six servings
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