ngredients 

• 2 cups (455 g) whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (see note)
• 4 ounces granulated sugar (1/2 cup; 115 g), plain or toasted
• 1 ounce (3 tablespoons; 30 g) cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
• Yolks from 4 large eggs, straight from the fridge (2 1/2 ounces; 70 g)
• 1 ounce unsalted butter (2 tablespoons; 30 g), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Directions

1. In a 2-quart stainless steel saucier, combine milk and scraped vanilla bean along with its seeds. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover to prevent evaporation, and let steep for 30 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, set up an ice bath by partially filling it with a combination of cold water and ice. Set aside.
3. In a medium heatproof mixing bowl set on top of a dampened towel (this serves as a stable base), stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in egg yolks until mixture is pale yellow, smooth, and fluffy, about 1 minute.
4. Uncover infused milk and remove vanilla bean (see note). While whisking continuously, slowly pour milk into egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, until all of it has been added.
5. Return the mixture to the same saucier. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until pastry cream begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Once it thickens, continue to whisk, pausing every few seconds to check for bubbles, about 1 minute. When it begins to bubble, set a timer and continue whisking for 1 minute. This step is important to neutralize a starch-dissolving protein found in egg yolks.
6. Off-heat, whisk in butter until melted and thoroughly combined. Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof medium bowl. Immediately place plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer bowl to prepared ice bath to chill for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
7. When ready to use the pastry cream, whisk until smooth.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 egg whites
1/4 cup white sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Line a 10×15 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whip cream, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt.

In large glass bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until whites form stiff peaks. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Dust a clean dishtowel with confectioners’ sugar. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and turn the warm cake out onto the towel. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel.
Cool for 30 minutes.

Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge. Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place seam side down onto a serving plate, and refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef stew meat
• 1¾ cups dry red wine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 8 bacon strips, chopped
• 1 pound whole fresh mushrooms, quartered
• 24 pearl onions, peeled (about 2 cups. I use one bag of frozen pearl onions. Thaw them overnight and make sure they are very dry before sautéing them.)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Method

Place beef in a large resealable plastic bag; add wine, oil and seasonings. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least an hour but preferably overnight.

Select sauté setting on the Instant Pot. Add bacon; cook until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 1 Tbsp. in pressure cooker.

Add mushrooms and onions to drippings; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Drain beef, reserving marinade. Add beef to pressure cooker. Sprinkle beef with flour and salt; toss to coat. Top with bacon and mushroom mixture. Add reserved marinade.

Lock lid; make sure vent is closed. Select manual; adjust pressure to high and set time for 25 minutes. When finished cooking, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick-release any remaining pressure according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Select saute setting and adjust for high heat; bring liquid to a boil. Cook 15-20 minutes or until sauce reaches desired thickness. Remove bay leaf. If desired, serve stew with noodles.

Serve with mashed potatoes or wide egg noodles.

• 3½ tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhone, Bordeaux, or Burgundy)
• 2 to 3 cups brown beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• A crumbled bay leaf

Optional

• 18 to 24 white onions, small
• 3½ tablespoons butter
• 1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat olive (or corn) oil in large casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides.

Once all the beef has been browned, add the sliced vegetables to the hot pan and brown for about 7-8 minutes until tender.

Add the tomato paste to the vegetables, stirring constantly until it is browned. (You will know when it is ready because they tomato paste is not bright red but brown, almost like light chocolate.)

Once the tomato paste is browned, add the garlic stirring continuously so the garlic doesn’t burn. Next, sprinkle on the flour and toss until the vegetables are coated. Add the beef to the pot and stir so the flour/vegetable mixture coats the beef.

Stir in wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily. Test the meat to see if it is tender. If not, cook for another 30 minutes or so.

Optional

Onions and mushrooms are traditional ingredients in beef burgundy. They are cooked separately from the beef and added 2 hours into the cooking.

Mushrooms. You can use any mushrooms you choose but white or porcini mushrooms are traditional. Once the beef is in the oven, clean and slice the mushrooms into ¼ inch slides. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it sizzles, and then add the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms until they have rendered their moisture and are tender. Take the mushrooms off the heat and hold. They should be added into the beef after it has been in the oven for 2 hours.

Onions. Pearl onions are the traditional ones used in beef burgundy. Buy a 1 lb. bag of frozen pearl onions for this recipe. Before you begin cooking the beef, thaw the onions and bring them to room temperature. I always put them in a colander so they drain; you will want the thawed onions to be very dry when you start preparing them. Once the beef is in the oven, dry the onions with paper towels. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a sauté pan and heat until the oil is very hot. Add the pearl onions, stirring them to ensure they brown on all sides. That should take about 8-10 minutes. Once the onions are brown, remove from heat and hold. The onions can be added after the beef has been in the oven for about 2 hours.

Beef Burgundy can be served with mashed potatoes or flat noodles. Green beans, Brussels sprouts, or other green vegetables can be served as a side. Apple/pear compote can also be served. To make the apple pear compote, use 6 granny smith apples and 4 pears. Wash, halve and core the apples. Toss them in 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of white sugar, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon on the apples. Bake in the oven at 350ºF for about 34 minutes. When they are soft, remove from the oven and let them cool. Use a potato masher to roughly mash the apples and pears before serving them.

• 1½-2 lbs haddock or other firm white fish
• 8-10 large scallops
• 12-15 medium/large shrimp
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tablespoon butter
• 2 Tablespoon canola/vegetable oil (not olive oil)
• 1 cup cider  (you can replace the cider with 1 cup white wine or 1/3 cup sherry or calvados and 2/3 cup water)
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• A dash of nutmeg

For the topping:

• 3 lbs potatoes
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons of butter
• 2 egg yolks

Directions

1. For the potatoes: boil and mash the potatoes, adding the sour cream and butter but not the yolks just yet. Add the yolks just before you top the pie with the potatoes.
2. For the pie: Place the haddock in a large pan. Add milk, bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Bring to a  and simmer.  Cover and cook on a low heat for 4 minutes. Let the fish cool enough to handle. Strain the milk into a bowl and reserve. Flake the fish coarsely, discarding the skin.
3. Wash the scallops and remove any gristle. Slice each scallop into 2 discs. Peel and devein the shrimp. Set the scallops and shrimp aside. Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and let it cook for a minute or until lightly browned. Work in the cider until the mixture is smooth. Next, add the strained milk, sour cream and mustard. Bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring.  Remove the mixture from the heat.  Gently fold in the fish, scallops, and shrimp. Turn into a shallow dish and spoon the mashed potatoes on the top. Bake at 350º for 40 minutes until golden.

This modern and fun French restaurant at 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington DC was a favorite of many, not just us.  This location closed around November 2008 after 15 years.  Two Les Halles locations remain, both in New York City, though we’ve not been to either of them.  The current menu in New York is similar to the menu we enjoyed at the DC location, though some familiar dishes don’t seem to be on it.

Ah, but the memories.  We always looked forward to seeing Aisha and Mehti, waiters and sometimes sommeliers.  Celebrating New Year’s Eve and the new year through noisemakers, hats, and fine meals and drinks… plus the great desserts.  We even participated in one of the waiter’s races that they sponsored and conducted for many years.  We have many photographs to share.

We enjoyed the hanger steak (onglet à l’échalote), the merguez, the choucroute garnie, the pétatou de chèvre, the frisee lardons, and lots of other dishes.  Plus I remember having a special squab of pigeon.  And I always asked for a side of sautéed spinach (not on the menu).

Les Halles, a favorite restaurant where our memories will last forever.

Website: http://leshalles.net/brasserie/

• 2 cups dried navy beans, rinsed and picked over
• 1 cup strong chicken stock
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 bouquet garni: the following tied in a cheesecloth
  • 8 parsley sprigs
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons thyme
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound very lean bacon, cut into julienne strips
• 1 pound boneless smoked chicken or duck, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 pound smoked Polish sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 tart apple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup Armagnac or brandy
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

1. In a large, heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add beans and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.
2. Add onions and bouquet garni to the beans and bring to boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer for 1 hour. Drain beans.
3. In a small saucepan, cover the bacon with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes, then drain the bacon.
4. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine the beans, chicken stock, smoked chicken, sausage, bacon, apple, wine, Armagnac, tomato paste, and pepper. Toss to mix well. Turn into a large heat-proof casserole.
5. In a medium bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the parsley and melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and bake for 1 hour longer.