French Provincial Cooking - Elizabeth David [57]
Muscade, Noix de NUTMEG Used a good deal in French cookery, for flavouring stuffings, sauces, spiced cakes, even vegetables, particularly spinach. In Italian cookery, nutmeg goes into almost every preparation containing cheese.
Oignons, Ognons ONIONS Onions are one of the basic aromatic vegetables of all European cookery. The French grow several varieties which we lack here, chiefly the small flat ones called grelots, which are so much used for garnishes and which are often cooked in their fresh state, while the skins are still green and the flesh very white and strong. The mild red Spanish type of onions are grown mostly in southern France, while another popular one in the south and south-western districts is a red flat Italian onion. In the north the straw-coloured flat oignons jaune paille des Vertus and the orange rouge pâle de Niort are popular; the equivalent of our own round white onions are known as Lisbon or Portugal onions, and oignons de Mulhouse (Alsace) are the equivalent of our pickling or silverskin onions.
Olives Both black and green olives are, naturally, used a good deal in southern French cookery for stuffings and sauces, as well as for garnishes. Green olives are gathered immature and, after a preliminary steeping in a solution of potash, which helps to eliminate the bitter flavour, are preserved in brine. Black olives are the ripe fruit treated simply in brine, the best varieties of black olives for the table being subsequently preserved in a marinade of olive oil. Black olives make a delicious stuffing for a chicken (see page 395) and I have also come across them used as a flavouring for a duck pâté, which was quite excellent. When olives are bought loose, whether black or green, the best way to store them is to pack them into jars and cover them with olive oil. In times when olive oil is scarce, as it was during the war, its flavour can be imitated for salad dressings, to a certain extent, by steeping olives in otherwise tasteless groundnut oil. And since I have mentioned groundnut oil (huile d’arachides) it is as well to remark here that the people of northern France, who understand the use of butter in cookery better than that of olive oil, often express a preference for groundnut oil both for cooking and for making mayonnaise. Personally, I cannot agree with them, but on the other hand it is often difficult in the country, even in Provence, to obtain really good olive oil, for a great quantity is sent to Paris, where it fetches high prices, which means that badly seasoned salads are all too prevalent in country and provincial restaurants. To a real Provençal, however, the quality of his oil is very important and he will be able to tell you, just as a wine grower recognises the variety of grape used for any wine, from what kind of olives any given oil has been pressed. Le Rougeon, le Redoutant, le Broutignan, la Coucourelle are some of the different varieties of Provençal olives.
Orge perlé PEARL BARLEY.
Origan, WILD MARJORAM Origanum is generic latin for all marjorams.
Oseille SORREL The acid green leaves of wild and garden sorrel and of wood sorrel are treated as a flavouring herb for salads, omelettes and soups, as well as being cooked in the same way as spinach to make a garnish for veal and certain white fish, particularly the shad (alose) of the Loire and the white fish of the cod family known as merluche or hake. A recipe for sorrel sauce is on page 127.
Panais PARSNIP Used in very small quantities as a flavouring vegetable for the pot-au-feu and for soups.
Panne de porc Fat from round the kidneys of the pig. See also Axonge and Saindoux.
Paprika A mild red pepper made from dried and pounded sweet peppers. A speciality of Hungarian cookery adapted by French cooks.
Pavot, Graines de POPPY SEEDS These figure in the bread and cakes of Alsatian Jewish cookery.
Perce-Pierre SAMPHIRE Also called Christe-marine and fenouil marin.
Persil commun Single-leaved parsley.
Persil frisé CURLED