Cooking French

I think a lot of people are under the common misconception that it’s difficult and expensive to cook French food or to eat well in general. Admittedly, I was once one of those people, but after stumbling across this man’s blog and very willingly falling victim to the charms of Julia Child, I’m determined to counter that stereotype and I’d love to share it with all of you! Obviously, as a college student, I’m not the wealthiest woman in the world, and I’ve come even farther from that title since coming to France. Luckily, food is beloved and cheap here and I have free reign to experiment. I’m realizing, however, that the staples of classic French cooking can be had in the States as well without breaking the bank. As I found out last week you can do any number of things with just butter, bread, eggs, and cheese. A few days ago I decided to splurge in order to broaden my horizons for many weeks to come. One of my treasures, and seemingly, the theme for this week’s meals has been a massive 3.5 kg (almost 8lbs!!!) bag of potatoes. That treasure, along with the recipe for a sauce I was taught and wearily comprehended my first day here inspired the following recipe:

What: Gratin Provençal avec Sauce Béchamel

What that actually means: Potatoes, tomatoes, and onions layered, baked together and covered in béchamel sauce.

Serves 1

Before you Start:

You can make this either in the oven or on the stovetop in a skillet. If you’re going to use the oven, preheat it to 350.

I recommend having a baguette or other type of bread to accompany this meal.

You’ll Need:

–       1 Potato, a little smaller than fist-sized, sliced into thin pieces

–       1 Med-Large slicing tomato, sliced thinly

–       half an onion (if that), again, sliced thinly

–       About ¼ cup of a dry White wine

–       Olive oil

–       1 clove of garlic, crushed (just lay the flat part of your knife over it, unpeeled, and hit it with your fist. The peel will come right off)

–       Herbs de Provence (or any of your other favorite spices)

–       Butter

–       Flour

–       Milk

–       Salt

–       Pepper

For the Gratin:

1. Rub the crushed clove of garlic over the bottom of the pan or dish and set it aside for the sauce if you like. Then pour in enough olive oil to cover the bottom.
2. Lay down a single layer of potato slices, followed by onions, and tomatoes
   

   Oh so good.

3. Drizzle on a little more olive and some of the wine. Season with herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Repeat the layering and drizzling and such until all the vegetables are in the pan.
5. If making this in the oven, bake uncovered at 350 for about 40 minutes or until the liquids are bubbling and the edges of the vegetables are just starting to brown. If making this in a skillet, cook covered over low heat for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

For the Sauce:

I couldn’t tell you how much of anything I used for the sauce as I just went by the texture. But you will need equal parts butter and flour. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or pot on low heat. When it’s melted, whisk in the flour and whisk the milk into the mixture in small amounts until the sauce is combined and looks sauce-like.

I added salt and pepper to mine and when I was done with the garlic clove for the gratin I threw it into my sauce as well. Then, I melted a little bit of cheese into it for added flavor.

The recipe for béchamel sauce is basically just the recipe for a plain sauce. If you’re feeling adventurous try throwing different things in. May I suggest making homemade mac&cheese? Cook some macaroni noodles and melt some cheddar cheese (or any kind you like) into the sauce after you’ve whisked the milk in. They don’t sell mac&cheese here in France so I fully plan on making some with this sauce at some point in time.

When both are finished, pour the béchamel over the gratin, and mix slightly with the wine and oil in the gratin. Eat well, with a huge piece of bread to soak up any extra sauce, you won’t want to let a drop go to waste. Bon Appétit!