Two other regional specialties are the matelotes of Bourbonnais and of Normandie. The former is typical of the cuisine bourbonnaise with which I am so very familiar because that is mon pays — the section of France where I was raised. The Bourbonnais kind of matelote has the salt pork dice, the mushrooms and onions and the red wine that we love to combine in all sorts of dishes from coq au vin to matelote. The Normandie matelote is made, as you might suppose, with salt-water fish, with cider instead of wine, and ignited with Calvados instead of cognac.
Matelote à la Bourbonnaise
Clean 3 to 4 pounds fish (carp, perch, tench, bass, eels) and cut in 2 inch pieces. Parboil ½ cup diced salt pork for 5 minutes in water to cover; drain. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, add the pork dice and 12 small onions, and cook them until golden-brown. Add ½ pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced, 3 shallots, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, and 1 tablespoon flour. Mix all together well. Add the fish, seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt and a little pepper, and 1 quart red wine. Bring to a boil and add a fagot made by tying together 3 sprigs parsley, 1 bay leaf, and a little thyme. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the fish is done. Put the fish in a deep serving dish. Discard the fagot from the sauce, correct the seasoning, and add 2 tablespoons butter. Arrange the onions and mushrooms over and around the fish and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chopped parsley and garnish with crayfish cooked in court-bouillon or with fried goujons and with slices of French bread sautéed in butter.
Matelote à la Normande
Clean 3 ½ to 4 pounds fish (sole, striped bass, sea bass, and other firm fish) and cut in 2 inch pieces. Put in a saucepan 2 onions, finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, 2 tablespoons butter, and a fagot made by tying together 3 sprigs parsley, 1 bay leaf, and a little thyme. Add the fish seasoned with ½ teaspoon salt and a little pepper. Add 1 quart cider, bring to a boil, pour on 1 pony of Calvados, and light it. Cover the saucepan, bring to a rapid boil, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the fish is done. Put the fish in a deep heatproof soup tureen or casserole. Add to the fish in the serving dish ½ pound cooked mushrooms, quartered if very large, 12 or more each cooked mussels, cooked oysters, and cooked shrimp. In another pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter, add 1 tablespoon flour, and cook until it just starts to turn golden. Combine with the cooking liquor of the fish and cook for 25 minutes. Finish the sauce with ¾ cup heavy cream, bring to the boil, and correct the seasoning. Strain over the fish and garnish with French bread triangles fried in butter.
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