The French Laundry Cookbook

Read an Excerpt

SAUCE

• 2 hard-boiled egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons Chicken Stock, heated, or hot water
• 3 tablespoons cornichon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3tablespoons minced cornichons
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons Brunoise
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

  Canola oil for deep-frying

• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 6 live soft-shell crabs
• Clarified Butter, for panfrying
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Flour for dusting
• 6 brioche Croutons
• 6 pieces Tomato Confit, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup baby arugula (or regular arugula cut into chiffonade--long narrow strips)

This is not really a sandwich, of course, but the dish was inspired by my love of traditional soft-shell crab sandwiches heaped with tomatoes and tartar sauce. I've refashioned the ingredients of a classic tartar sauce--egg yolks, dill pickles, capers--as hard-boiled yolks, Dijon mustard, and cornichons. On top of the sauce, I put a crouton, then the crab, trimmed down to just its body and claws, then tomato confit, arugula, and fried capers.

FOR THE SAUCE: Blend the egg yolks, chicken stock, cornichon juice, and mustard in a blender. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil so the mixture emulsifies. Remove the sauce to a small bowl and stir in the remaining sauce ingredients. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days: bring to room temperature before serving.

FOR THE CAPERS: In a very small pot, heat about 2 inches of canola oil to 250 F. Add the drained capers and fry slowly for 12 to 15 minutes, or until bubbles have stopped forming around the capers and they are dry and crunchy. Drain them on paper towels.

TO CLEAN THE CRABS: Using a pair of scissors, cut off the crabs' faces and discard. Cut off the two large claws where they meet the body and reserve. Cut off and discard the smaller legs and trim the sides of the body for a smooth edge. Lift off the apron, the pointed piece on the underside of each crab. Remove the lungs and any other matter beneath the apron. Rinse the six bodies and twelve claws and pat dry with paper towels. Heat 1/8 inch of clarified butter in a large skillet over meduim heat. Season the pieces of crab with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, patting off any excess. Add the crab bodies shell side down to the hot butter. The butter should be hot enough to sizzle when the crabs are added, but not so hot that it pops and spurts from the pan. Saute the crab bodies for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are golden brown and crusty on the bottom. Turn the bodies, add the claws, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes; turn the claws after about 1 minute. Remove the crab pieces and drain on paper towels.

TO COMPLETE: Place a spoonful of sauce in the center of each serving plate. Center a crouton on the sauce and top it with a crab body. Fold a piece of tomato confit in half and place it over the crab. Arrange 2 claws over each piece of tomato and finish with a stack of baby arugula. Sprinkle the plates with the fried capers. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings

Strawberry Sorbet Shortcakes with Sweetened Creme Fraiche Sauce

STRAWBERRY SORBET Makes 1 Quart

• 2 1/2 pounds strawberries, preferably organic, rinsed and hulled
• 1/4 cup honey, or to taste
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt

  BISCUITS Makes 8 or 9

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for cutting the biscuits
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted cold butter, cut into chunks
• About 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons milk

  CREME FRAICHE SAUCE Makes 3/4 Cup

• 3/4 cup creme fraiche
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 vanilla bean, split
• 3/4 cup chopped strawberries, drained Sugar to taste Powders sugar, in a shaker

All the components of this dessert can be made ahead. The uncooked biscuits can be frozen and bakes directly from the freezer. Or, since the biscuit doubles easily, you may want to make a double batch and freeze half the unbaked biscuits for another time.

FOR THE STRAWBERRY SORBET: Puree the strawberries in a blender and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. You should have about 4 cups. Add the honey, superfine sugar, and salt. Freeze in an ice-cream machine, then transfer to a container and place in the freezer.

FOR THE BISCUITS: Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the butter and rub the butter and flour through your fingertips until they are completely combined and the butter is in small beads. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in 1/2 cup buttermilk and the milk. Use a dough scraper to incorporate the milk and flour from the edges toward the center. If the dough seems too dry, add a little more buttermilk. The finished dough should feel damp, but not wet, and be a "shaggy mess," not a solid mass. Turn the dough out onto parchment and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 500 F. Stack two baking sheets (for more even heat distribution) and place a piece of parchment on top. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out 1/2 inch thick. Dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter in flour and cut out rounds. Place the rounds 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool.

FOR THE CREME FRAICHE SAUCE: Combine the creme fraiche and sugar in a small saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the creme fraiche, add the pod, and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the sauce from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Keep the sauce warm, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sweeten the drained chopped strawberries with sugar to taste.

TO COMPLETE: Rewarm the creme fraiche sauce over low heat. Cut the biscuits into neat round with a 1 1/2-inch biscuit cutter and split them in half. Dust the tops with powdered sugar. Put a spoonful of sauce on each plate. Top with the bottoms of the biscuits. Spoon the chopped berries over the biscuits and cover each with a quenelle, or small scoop, of sorbet. Set the tops of the biscuits on the sorbet and serve. Serves 8 Gazpacho

• 1 cup chopped red onions
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped English cucumber
• 1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups tomato juice
• Sprig of thyme
• Balsamic Glaze, in a squeeze bottle

Don't always think of gazpacho as a soup. Think of it as a sauce. Think of it hot as well as cold. It goes beautifully with grilled chicken or fish. Gazpacho is served in small portions as a canape at the French Laundry, garnished with balsamic glaze, or as a sauce with the Salad of Globe Artichokes with Garden Herbs and Gazpacho. It can also be served in larger portions as a traditional cold soup. This soup couldn't be easier; it achieves its powerful flavor simply by overnight maceration, which is the only "cooking" involved. Mix all the ingredients except the balsamic glaze together in a bowl or other container, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove the thyme and blend all the ingredients in a blender until the gazpacho is smooth. You will have about 2 quarts. For a smoother texture, strain the soup to yield about 1 quart. Refrigerate the gazpacho until ready to serve.

TO COMPLETE: Ladle the cold soup into bowls and squeeze dots of balsamic glaze over the top.