When my grandmother was a young bride in France, the rules of Lenten fasting were very strict, and the variety of foods that could be served was limited indeed. But the observation of Lent, like other aspects of human behavior, has undergone many changes and modifications in keeping with the rapidly increasing tempo of life. My mother was as devout a woman as Grand-mère, but her Lenten meals included many dishes which Grand-mère would not have approved. Martian's food patterns were those of a small town of the 1880's, rather than of a farming community of the 1860's. and the change was inevitable. Now I, in my turn, follow the more sophisticated ways of the world capitals in which 1 have lived and worked; Paris, London, New York. To me, as it did to my mother and to my grandmother, Lent means fewer rich foods, fewer desserts, less wine, and meatless meals on Wednesday and on Friday. But my Lenten meals could hardly be called sacrificial. I am convinced that planning appetizing, delectable, and satisfying menus during Lent is posse, even required, for the cook who has imagination and skill at his command.
I hesitate to state categorically that the austere Lenten fare of Grand-mère's day was imposed on the devout not so much because of their piety as because of nature's limitations. But it is a fact that the forbidden foods were coincidentally those which were unavailable, or at least not plentiful, at that time of year. By Mardi Gras, there was not much left of the hogs Grand-père had slaughtered in the fall; the salted meat was gone, and the lard barrel was all but empty. There-was no game, of course, and the lambs which had been born in March would not be ready until Easter Sunday. The early spring months are off-season for hens, and eggs were not as plentiful as usual. But there were fish aplenty in the local ponds and streams—and fishermen available to catch them, as well the men of the household were enjoying their annual respite; the fields could not yet be plowed for the spring planting and the repair and maintenance work that farmers save for the winter months was long since done. Grand-père and mon oncle were more than willing to spend their time profitably and pleasantly at the water's edge, and to enjoy the delicious stews and soups that Grand-mère would reward them with when they brought their catch home. If they could produce a mess of eels after a day by the stream, they knew that they could count on one of Grand-mères special matelotes, or fish stews, that evening.
Fortunately the pleasures of the Lenten fast are not restricted to those whose religious convictions require the observation, for the foods of Lent are liked by almost everyone. The simpler dishes are a pleasant change after the rich foods of the holidays and of the winter social season. Fish is always in demand, and during Lent fish is so varied, and offered in so many different ways, that it enjoys even greater popularity than usual. The egg dishes and the cheese specialties that appear during Lent are a welcome novelty. And no gourmet will miss meat if he can have his fill of hearty chowders, creamy bisques and rich shellfish stews.
It is with these Ax-MSN soups that our lesson in classic cuisine concerns itself this month. Some of them require chicken stock to conform with the requirements of haute cuisine, but some of them are absolutely maigre.
Of the two types of soup I wish to discuss, one is French: the bisque. The other is not French at all, but typically American. Like every French chef who ever came to this country, I had to learn how to make chowders. And 1 had many willing teachers. Many of our regular guests at the old Ritz were New Englanders, by birth or by adoption, who would not willingly have let a week go by without enjoying a bowl of clam chowder. Many of these guests were anxious to share their family recipe for clam chowder. The recipe I give you here, for instance, was given to me by Mrs. Edison Lewis, who was the wife of one of our directors. It was she who impressed upon me the importance of absolutely fresh clams and a generous amount of clam broth in a fine authentic chowder.
All the chowder recipes given to me by our New England guests, I noticed, began with diced salt pork and onions, and usually included potatoes and milk and cream. This assumption saved me an embarrassing experience. I was visiting a friend in Maine one summer early in my career, and my host, proud of his excellent crop of sweet corn, asked me if I would take over the kitchen on the cook's night out and make a corn chowder. Could I shamefacedly admit that I had never made a corn chowder in my life—that I didn't even know what it was? Of course not! So I thought fast and reasoned that since this was New England, my friend undoubtedly wanted a New England chowder, and that one chowder was probably very like another. I remembered my often-used recipe for clam chowder and substituted corn for clams. And it was a huge success! I reflected later that there was, after all, very little in a name, because my clam chowder made with corn was what 1 would have called a plain corn soup. In any event, the corn chowder went onto the Ritz menu, and was a perennially popular item thereafter.
There are so many variations of clam chowder, each with its adherents, that I know very well that no matter how many recipes 1 give you, someone is going to say, “But that's not the way I make clam chowder.” So I must ask you to compromise your convictions and try my two basic styles of clam chowder.
Manhattan clam chowder is made with tomatoes, and is always seasoned with thyme and other herbs. New England clam chowder is made with milk and seasoned only with salt and pepper, If the large hard-shell clams are used, they should be chopped. The soft-shell clams may be left whole, but the neck and muscle should be discarded. Use clam broth instead of water whenever you can; it makes a richer chowder.
Clam Broth
Scrub well 18 large hard clams and open them, Reserve the juice and chop the meat. Put clams, juice, and an equal volume of water in a saucepan with 2 stalks of celery. Cook the broth for 20 minutes, strain it through several thicknesses of cheesecloth, and add salt to taste.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Sauté until golden, in 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion and 2 leeks, chopped. Add 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into dice, 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, 1 stalk of celery and 1 green pepper, free of pith and seeds, both chopped, 2 teaspoons each of thyme and marjoram, a small hay leaf, and, if desired, 1 teaspoon curry powder. Add 2 quarts clam broth or water, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the broth for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked. Meanwhile open 1 dozen large bird clams and reserve the juice. Chop the meat and add clams and juice to the simmering broth. Cook the broth for 5 minutes longer and serve the chowder with soda crackers.
New England Clam Chowder
Scrub 2 quarts soft clams, open them, and remove the clams. Cut off the soft bellies and reserve them. Cook the necks and muscles for 15 minutes in the clam liquor plus enough water to make 2 1 2 cups liquid in all. Strain the broth.
Brown lightly in a kettle 1/4 pound fat salt pork, diced. Add 1 onion, sliced, and cook it until it is soft but not brown. Skim off the pork and the onion and in the fat saute lightly 2 cups diced potatoes. Add the strained clam broth and simmer it until the potatoes are soft. Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a little milk to make a paste and add it to the kettle with the rest of 1 quart milk. Bring the soup to a boil and cook it for 3 minutes. Add the soft bellies of the clams and cook the chowder for 1 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons butter and serve the chowder with pilot crackers.
Fish Chowder
Brown lightly 1/4 pound fat salt pork, cut in small dice, in a kettle and add 2 medium onions, 2 leeks, and 2 stalks of celery, all chopped. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are golden. Add 2 quarts clam broth or water and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer the broth for 15 minutes and add 1 1/2 pound white-fleshed fish, such as sole, cod, or sea bass, skinned, boned, and cut into small cubes. Add 2 cups milk and simmer the broth for 20 minutes longer, until the fish is cooked. Add 1 cup cream, salt and pepper to taste, and if desired, 1/4 cup Sherry.
Corn Chowder
Brown lightly 1/4 pound fat salt pork, cut in small dice, in a kettle with 1 tablespoon butter. Add 2 onions, 2 leeks, and 2 stalks of celery, all chopped, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are golden. Add 1 quart chicken broth and 1 cup diced potatoes, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer it until the potatoes are soft. Add 1 quart milk, bring the chowder again to the boiling point, and add 2 cups corn scraped from the cob. Simmer the chowder for 5 minutes and correct the seasoning. Finish the chowder with 2/3 cup cream and 2 teaspoons butter, and serve it sprinkled with finely chopped parsley.
The bisque is a far more elegant concoction than the chowder, and cannot be so easily or so quickly made. Its texture must be fine and smooth as satin, but it must have a full, robust flavor. The soup must be thick enough so that its rich texture can be appreciated, but not so thick that it is more sauce than soup. To ensure smoothness, the bisque must be strained, sometimes twice or even more. And when the richest flavor of the shellfish used is in the shell, as is the CMC with lobster and crayfish, the shells must be ground and crushed so that the last bit of flavor may be extracted. In all, the making of a perfect bisque requires patience and sensitivity. I think you will agree that the results are worth the effort.
Fish Velouté Base for Bisques of Shellfish
Put the bones and trimmings of 6 whitings or other white-fleshed fish in a pan with 2 quarts water, 1 cup white wine, 1 carrot and 1 onion, sliced, half a bay leaf, a little thyme, 2 sprigs of parsley, and 8 peppercorns. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer it for 30 minutes, skimming as necessary. In another pan melt 1/4 cup butter and stir in 3/4 cup flour. Rice flour is traditionally used. Cook this roux, stirring, until it begins to turn golden. Strain the fish stock into the roux, stirring constantly, and cook, stirring, until the velouté is thick and smooth. Cook it for 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally and skimming as necessary. Strain the velouté through a fine sieve.
Clam Bisque
Scrub and open 3 dozen hard clams and. reserve the juice. Chop the clams. Brown 2 tablespoons butter lightly in a saucepan and in it saute the chopped clams for 2 minutes. Add the clam juice, 1/2 cup white wine, and 2 quarts fish veloutè base. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, and strain the bisque through a fine sieve. Reheat the bisque to the boiling point without allowing it to boil, and swirl in 4 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and a little cayenne pepper.
Oyster Bisque
Poach 2 dozen freshly opened oysters in their own liquor for 2 minutes. Drain the oysters and crush and mash them to make a puree. Strain the liquor and add it to the oysters along with 2 quarts fish velouté base. Reheat the bisque to the boiling point without permitting it to boil and strain it through a fine sieve. Correct the seasoning with salt and a little cayenne pepper and add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons Madeira or Sherry.
Cream of Cbicken Base for Cream Soups and Bisques
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a sauce-pan, stir in 3/4 cup flour—rice flour is traditionally used—and cook the roux, stirring constantly, until it starts to turn golden. Add 2 quarts chicken broth and cook, stirring, until the bisque is smooth. Add 1 onion, I stalk of celery and 2 leeks, all chopped. 2 sprigs of parsley and a little salt if necessary, and simmer the soup for 30 minutes, skimming as necessary. Strain the bisque through a fine sieve and bring it back to the boiling point without allowing it to boil. Beat 2 egg yolks with 1 1/4 cups warm cream and add this to the soup, stirring vigorously. Heat the soup without boiling, stirring it constantly, and strain it through a line sieve.
Bisque d'Homard (Lobster Bisque)
Split a lobster down the back and cut it crosswise into several pieces, using a heavy butcher's knife. Discard the intestinal vein. Put the lobster in a saucepan with 1/4 cup brandy and 2 quarts cream of chicken base. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer it for 20 minutes. Remove the lobster and take the meat from the shells. Crush the shells in a mortar, or put them through the food chopper, and return them to the pan with the soup. If the soup seems too thick, add a little milk. Cook the soup for 25 minutes and strain it through a fine sieve. Add 1 cup cream and salt to taste and strain again through several thicknesses of cheese-cloth. At serving time, bring the soup to the boiling point and add 2 tablespoons sherry. Serve a few small cubes of lobster meat with each portion; the rest of the lobster meat may be used for another purpose.
Lobster Stew
Bring 1 cup each of milk and cream to the boiling point and add the cooked lobster, cut in dice, used in preparing the lobster bisque. Thicken the stew with 1/2 cup of the lobster bisque. Add salt and paprika to taste, and finish with a dusting of grated nutmeg. Serves the stew with crackers. Serves 2.
Bisque de Crevettes (Shrimp Bisque)
Make a mirepoix by stewing ½ carrot and ½ onion, both finely chopped, in 2 tablespoons butter with 2 sprigs of parsley, a little thyme, and ½ bay leaf. Add 1 cup white wine. and poach 24 shrimp in it for 8 minutes. Shell and devein half the shrimp, cut the meat in dice, and reserve it to use as a garnish. Crush the shells and the remaining shrimp in a mortar, or run them through the food chopper. Combine this puree with 2 quarts cream of chicken base, the mirepoix, and the liquid in which the shrimp were poached, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer it for 20 minutes. Strain the soup through a fine sieve, and if it seems too thick, add a little milk. Strain it again, through several thicknesses of cheese-cloth. At serving time, bring the bisque to the boiling point and finish it with 2 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cream, and 2 tablespoons brandy. Sherry, or Madeira.
Bisque d'Ecrevisses (Crayfish Bisque)
Make a mirepoix by stewing in 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 carrot and 1/2 onion, both finely chopped, 2 sprigs of parsley, a little thyme, and 1/2 bay leaf. Clean 30 crayfish and remove the intestinal vein at the tail. Cook the crayfish with the mirepoix until the shells are red. Add 2 tablespoons brandy and ignite the spirit. When the flame burns out, add 1 cup white wine, 1/2 cup fish stock or water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little pepper. Cook the crayfish, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the meat from the crayfish bodies and tails and reserve it. Crush the crayfish shells in a mortar with the mirepoix, or run both through the food chopper. Combine this puree with 2 quarts cream of chicken base and the liquid in which the crayfish were cooked. Bring the soup to a boil and strain it through a fine sieve. If it seems too thick, add a little milk. Strain the bisque through several thicknesses of cheesecloth. At serving time, bring the soup to the boiling point and add the reserved crayfish meat, cut in small pieces, 3 tablespoons cream, 2 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons brandy.