French -Canadian Recipes

Gratitude is expressed to the 

French-Canadian Society of the Kankakee River Valley 

and the American-French Genealogical Society for many of these recipes. 

The Kankakee Community College Western Civilization students 

and French-Canadian interviewees

have added a few more recipes as well as all the tantalizing

photographs.

CHICKEN BREASTS AU CHABLIS

Ingredients

2 to 4 Chicken Breasts (skinned & deboned)

3 tbsp. butter or 3 tbsp. peanut oil

2 tbsp. chopped shallots (heaping) - onions may be substituted

3 tbsp. flour

¾ to 1 cup Chablis wine (inexpensive Gallo fine)

Brown chicken breasts in melted fat (season with salt & pepper); add shallots, add flour and mix into fat, then add wine. Transfer to oven (250° to 300°) in covered pan. Cook gently 1 to 1 ½ hours (will keep well if oven lowered to 170° to 200°). If liquid evaporates, add water rather than more wine to avoid too much acidity.  

PATE' DE FOIE GRAS

Ingredients

1 lb. calf liver

1 lb. ground pork fat

1 cup milk

1 cup liver stock

1 onion (chopped)

garlic to taste

10- 12 crackers

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp. sage

1 tsp. margarine

1 tsp. thyme

1 bay leaf (crumbled)

Boil liver ½ hour, remove fibers, grind liver, crackers, onion and

garlic; mix well as each ingredient is added. Cook in hot oven 1 ½ hours, placing container (mold) in pan of water, mold should be covered with Parchment or waxed paper for 1st hour. Remove from hot water after 1st hour.

MOCK PATE' DE FOIE GRAS (LIVER)

Ingredients

½ to 1 lb. liver sausage (Jones very good)    2 tbsp. Brandy

2-3 tbsp. Butter                              herbs (thyme, margarine, tarragon)

½ - 1 cup duxelles (mushroom hash)            Fresh Parsley

garlic (2- 4 cloves)                          1 small can chopped black olives

½ cup wine (Gallo Chablis is fine)

Place liver sausage in melted butter in frying pan. Add duxelles and garlic; add wine and brandy; add olives; add herbs; add fresh chopped Parsley.  Transfer to mold and refrigerate at least overnight. Chop mushrooms (can use stems only); squeeze out juice in cloth; fry in butter with equal amount of chopped onions until rather dry.

FRENCH BEEF WITH BURGUNDY WINE

Ingredients

6 strips bacon, cut in ½ inch pieces

3 lbs. beef chuck into 1 ½ inch cubes

1 large carrot, sliced thin

1 medium onion sliced

3 tbsp. All-purpose flour

2 cans Condensed beef broth

2 cups red burgundy wine

1 tbsp. tomato paste

2 cloves garlic minced

½ tsp. thyme

1 bay leaf

1 lb. fresh mushrooms (or 1 large can)

1 lb. small white onions (pearl)

In Dutch oven -large iron skillet - cook bacon until crisp - remove - brown beef in fat, remove. In drippings brown carrot and onion - spoon off fat - return bacon and beef to pan. Season with salt and ¼ tsp. pepper; stir in flour. Reserve ½ cup broth add remainder to stew. Add wine, tomato paste and herbs. Cover - let simmer 3 hours.

Quarter large mushrooms - sauté in 3 tbsp. butter or oil - 5 minutes -lift out. Add small onions. Then add reserved broth. Simmer covered until tender about 10 minutes.

Thicken stew with "Beurre Manie" – ¼ cup flour with 2 tbsp. butter - roll into pea-size balls. Skim fat from stew, drop in balls. Stip over very low heat until thickened. Add mushrooms, onions, bring to bubbling.

Serves 8 people.

"BOULETTES -AU PORE" -CUISINIERE

(Pork meat balls)

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground pork

salt, pepper, parsley

Form into balls and roll in flour - fry in lard (use shortening of choice) until browned; then add water with salt & pepper; 6 cloves or more - allow to cook ¾ - 1 hour on low heat (a glass of wine in liquid if desired)

NOTE: Suggest at least ½ tsp. ground cloves

MUSHROOMS & SAUCE FOR BROILED STEAK  

Saute ½ lb. to 1 lb. mushroom in mixture butter and oil or margarine; pour liquid into frying pan. Use 1 tsp. BV Beef Extract - dash Kitchen Bouquet in ½ cup hot water - add ½ cup wine (Gallo Hearty Burgundy very good) - Add l or more Tarragon - 1 for more Chervil.       Reduce.

*** Tourtiere is the traditional pork pie served by French-Canadians early Christmas morning after midnight mass.  The heartiness of this dish makes it easy to see why it makes a festive meal on a cold winter morning.  The name for the pie comes from the old pottery casserole, called a tourte in which the French-Canadians first baked this flavorful pie.

"QUEBEC TOUTIERE" (MEATPIE)

Ingredients

1 lb. minced pork (ground)               

1 small onion

1 small clove garlic, minced

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sage

¼ tsp. celery pepper

¼ tsp. ground cloves

½ cup water

¼ to ½ cup bread crumbs

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan except bread crumbs. Bring to a boil and cook 20 minutes uncovered over medium heat, stirring often to break up meat - remove from heat. Add a few bread crumbs, let stand 10 minutes. If fat is sufficiently absorbed by the bread crumbs, do not add more. If not, continue adding bread crumbs. Cool and pour into pastry lined pie pan. Cover with pastry. Bake in a 400° oven until crust is brown.

Serve Hot.

ROAST PORK AND GRAISSE DE ROTI

Ingredients

4 or 5 lb. loin and pork           

2 cloves garlic

1 cup water

Make incision in loin and place pieces of garlic at random

salt & pepper liberally.  Put pork in Dutch oven (iron best) uncovered in a 325° oven - cook 45 minutes per lb., place on platter - Graisse de roti.  Add 1 cup water to drippings in pot, stirring and scraping bottom as liquid boils (may be necessary to remove some fat), serve roast warm, suggest garnish of chow-chow-mustard with pickles. Serve leftover pork cold with cold graisse de roti (leftover)

HASHIS BOURGEOIS

Original Recipe: "Grind meat, melt in a terrine (earthenware dish) a bit of pork fat with onions finely chopped. Let cook at low heat. Add a little flour and moisten with a little stock or some water. Let onion finish cooking, then put in meat and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg." - Marin, Les dons Comus
This recipe makes 4 servings.
Ingredients: 1 lb beef (top round), minced; ½ cup wine; ½ cup wine; 2 onions; 1 tsp. salt; 2 tbsp. butter; ¼ tsp. pepper; 1 tbsp. flour; 1 tbsp. wet mustard; ¼ cup bouillon, approximately; (or 1-2 tsp. vinegar).

Method: Saute the beef, remove and keep warm. Saute the onions in butter until almost cooked. Stir in flour, then add bouillon and wine slowly; add salt and pepper and allow to simmer until the onions are cooked. Stir occasionally until sauce is reduced. Add the meat and simmer until hot. Add the mustard, or vinegar, and stir well. Serve hot!

FRENCH BREAD

This is about as authentic a French bread as you can make at home.  You need unbleached hard-wheat flour (available at Health Food stores) and an oven with heat coming from top, bottom and both sides. If you place a pan of boiling water on the oven floor and sprinkle the cookie sheets with cornmeal after buttering them, you can approximate the commercial product.

Ingredients 

1 cake yeast                           

1 ½ cups lukewarm water

4 cups flour

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast in water. Stir dry ingredients, stir them into the yeast mixture and work the dough with your hands until it will absorb more flour. Knead the dough on a slightly floured board until it is no longer sticky.  Place the dough in the buttered bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, then punch it out on a floured board. Divide into two parts. Shape each piece into a long narrow loaf. Place loaves on a greased cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal, cover, let rise again. Brush tops with egg white glaze about 5 minutes before bread is done. Bake in a 400° oven for 35-40 minutes.

CORN BREAD

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup sour milk

4 tbsp. melted butter                   

Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, soda and sour milk. Mix and add melted butter, bake in hot oven 400° for 20 minutes.

  NOTE: Buttermilk can be substituted for sour milk.

FRENCH POTATO SOUP

Ingredients

¼ cup butter                       

2 cups chopped onion

5 cups boiling water

2 cups potato buds

salt & pepper to taste

1 pkg. chopped spinach (unthawed)

1 carton half & half cream

Melt butter. Add onions and simmer awhile. Add boiling water and potato buds, stirring as you add. Add salt and pepper, spinach, then cream. Cook ½ hour. As any soup, if allowed to simmer longer, it gets tastier. If you forget to unthaw the spinach and have more time, drop it in frozen.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Ingredients

2 tbsp. oleo

1 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. dry mustard

2 cups onions, sliced

4 cups hot water

2 tbsp. meat extract paste or 6 beef bouillon cubes

4 slices butter French bread

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt oleo in a large saucepan; blend in sugar and mustard. Add onion; cook over low heat, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes or until tender but not brown. Pour in water; bring to boil. Blend in and dissolve meat extract (for rich dark soup) or bouillon cubes (for alight, delicately-flavored soup). Simmer uncovered about 15 minutes. Pour into individual heat-proof serving bowls. Top with slices of bread; sprinkle with cheese. Broil 3 inches from heat 2-3 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

DRESSING FOR CHICKEN OR TURKEY

Ingredients

1 lb. – 1 ½ lbs. Pork Sausage (Jones good)

1 lb. – 1 ½ lbs. Ground Beef

1 Bunch celery - chopped

1 onion (large) or more chopped (1 cup or more)

1 bunch Parsley (chopped)

Dry bread crumbs (at least 1-2 loaves bread)

Garlic (4-5 cloves)

Water - at least 1 quart depending on amount of dressing

Herbs (to taste) - suggest 1 tbsp. margarine, 1 tbsp. tarragon

1/2 cup or more wine (Gallo Chablis)

1 tbsp. Brandy

Dash sugar

Salt & Pepper to taste

Fry pork sausage (use Dutch oven), add ground beef, add onion and garlic, add water, wine and brandy (boil), add herbs (at end to avoid bitterness), add celery -keep some crispness, add bread crumbs -toss, (correct seasonings to taste), add Parsley.

GREEN BEANS

Ingredients

1 lb. or more fresh green beans

2-3 tbsp. butter

2-3 heaping tbsp. chopper shallots (or onion)

1 tbsp. (or more) crumbled bacon (can use commercial)

1-2 tsp. summer savory

salt & pepper to taste

Steam or blanch beans 3 to 5 minutes, fry shallots in butter (do

not brown), add beans and fry. Add bacon, summer savory, salt & pepper (sometimes dash of sugar helps bring out taste.)

GREEN TOMATO CASSEROLE

Ingredients

3-5 green tomatoes (sliced)

sliced onion (1 medium)

chopped celery and parsley

herbs (basil, oregano, etc.)- Italian seasoning satisfactory.

Olive oil

Bread crumbs

salt & pepper to taste

Oil casserole. Layer sliced tomatoes with layer of celery, onion,

herbs, salt & pepper, ending with layer of green tomatoes with

seasonings.  Sprinkle top with bread crumbs, add olive oil (rather sparingly -can mix bread crumbs with olive oil if desired.) Bake uncovered in 350° oven 3/4 to 1 hour (until tomatoes are cooked.)

FRENCH APPLE CAKE

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sugar                         ½ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter                           2 beaten eggs

1 cup milk                             2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. soda                            ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder                   20 finely chopped apples

Topping

2 tsp. brown sugar

coconut or chopped nuts

Blend all ingredients. Pour into pan. Sprinkle topping over cake batter.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

  PEACHES AND RASBERRIES

1 large can (or more) lite - sliced or half peaches

1 pkg. frozen raspberries

Mix and serve (can garnish with cool whip if desired). Serve with macaroons, cookies or cake.

STRAWBERRIES AND AMARETTO 

WITH ICE CREAM

1 pint or quart Strawberries (sliced)

½ cup Amaretto liquoir (Sarrona) or more (can use orgeat syrup if desired)

French bitter almond syrup (if desired)

Allow strawberries to steep at least ½ hour. Serve strawberries over ice cream (Amaretto and cream suggested) - can use vanilla if necessary.

  PENUCHE FUDGE

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup milk

2 tbsp. corn syrup

¼ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup chopped pecans

Butter pan. Mix sugar, milk, syrup, salt. Cook, stirring occasionally to 234°. Remove from heat. Add butter - cool to 120°. Do not stir. Add vanilla. Beat until thick and not glossy. Add nuts, spread in pan, cool, cut in squares

***Among the French-Canadians, Christmastime doesn’t count if it does not include Buche de Noel, a jelly roll cake with chocolate filling. The cake is arranged and decorated to resemble the festive Yule Log of Christmases past.

BUCHE DE NOEL 

Ingredients

4 eggs yolks                             

  ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup granulated sugar                    

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla                          

Powdered sugar

4 egg whites                              

2 tablespoons rum

½ cup granulated sugar                      

Chocolate Filling

1 cup sifted cake flour

In mixing bowl beat egg yolks till thick and lemon-colored.  Gradually add ½ cup granulated sugar, beating constantly.  Stir in vanilla.  Beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup granulated sugar, beating till stiff peaks form.  Fold in egg yolk mixture.  Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; fold into egg mixture.  Pour into greased and floured 15½ X 10½ X 1½ inch baking pan.  Bake at 375° till done, 10 to 12 minutes.  Promptly loosen edges of cake; turn out onto a dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Drizzle warm cake with rum.  From the long side, roll warm cake and towel together; cool.  Unroll cake; remove towel.  Spread cake with half the Cholcolate Filling.  Reroll. Diagonally cut a 4-inch piece of cake from the roll.  Place the cut edge of piece against longer roll on a serving plate.  Frost with remaining Chocolate Filling; mark with fork times to resemble bark.  Decorate as desired.

      Chocolate Filling; In a small saucepan melt 1 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate; cool.  In small saucepan combine 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water.  Bring to boiling.  Cook to soft ball stage (240°). In small mixing bowl beat 2 egg yolks till thick and lemon-colored.  Very gradually add the hot syrup, beating constantly; continue beating till mixture is completely cooled.  Beat in ½ cup softened butter or margarine, 1 tablespoon at at time. Stir in melted chocolate, 1 tablespoon rum, and 1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals; beat till mixture is thick.

***New Year’s Day is very special because it signals the Ceremony of Benediction when the family gathers together and Grandfather asks God to bless everyone.  After the ceremony, the great moment comes…food.  The holiday meal usually features such delights as Maple Syrup Pie.

MAPLE SYRUP PIE

Ingredients 

3 slightly beaten eggs

1 cup pure maple syrup

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dash salt

½ cup chopped pecans

1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell

      Mix eggs, syrup, sugar, butter, flour, vanilla, and salt.  Beat smooth with rotary beater.  Stir in nuts.  Fill pastry shell.  Bake at 350° about 40 minutes.

***The special holiday features were offered by Louis Lecour Roy.  He is a third cousin to Paul Pallissard, the husband to Lenore Pallissard.

RHUBARB COBBLER

Ingredients

4 cups diced rhubarb

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. lemon juice

½ cup water

3 tbsp. butter

¼ tsp. vanilla

Mix and pour into shallow baking dish, cover with crust.

Crust

1 ½ cups flour, 3 tsp. baking powder, ¼ tsp. salt, 3 tbsp. shortening, 1 egg, 1/3 cup milk.

CHERRY CREPES

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Blend sour cream and brown sugar; set aside. Beat baking mix, egg and milk with rotary beater until smooth. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into hot lightly greased 6" or 7" skillet. Rotate pan until batter covers bottom. Bake until bubbles appear. Gently loosen edge; turn and bake other side. Spoon 1 tablespoon sour cream mixture onto one half of each crepe; roll up. Place crepes seam side down on oven proof platter. Bake about 5 minutes. In saucepan heat pie filling until warm. Spoon over crepes and sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional); serve warm. Makes 12 to 15 crepes.

GRANDPÈRES - GRANDFATHERS

                                                           
This is a very old Canadian recipe that was handed down from one generation to the next. It is still as good today as it was then. This was Grandma Gauthier's favorite dessert. I still can remember how happy she was when she ate this dessert.

2 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsps. butter
3/4 cup milk
2 cups maple syrup
2 cups water

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender. Add milk and mix well. Combine maple syrup with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Drop the dough in the hot maple syrup by the tablespoonful. Cover and cook 25 minutes. Serve very hot, pouring over them the syrup in which they were cooked.