Le Crocodile ce

Edena
Sheldon

CUISINE SCENE

LIBERTE...EGALITE...et
choucroute! Deep in the
heart of every Alsatian you
will find the love of their
beloved choucroute sauer-
kraut! But this is no ordi-
nary treatment of the hum-
ble cabbage. It is a celebra-
tion of real eating, food to
tuck into and share with a
group of ravenous friends. _

Michel Jacob is celebrating in

grand style nex! week at his Le
Crocodile Restaurant Francais, with

his (now) famous Choucroute-

Garnie au Riesling at his yearly
soiree choucroute,

Each February, Miche?. facob
turns his entire restaurant into a prix

fixe menu gourmarid’s delight. The -

_ place fills each year to bursting, as
do all the patrons!

And just what is all this fuss
about sauerkraut, anyway? Well, it
is at the very core of all things alsa-
*. clen. A loving version prepared
“with Riesling wine from the region,

served heaped (a mountain-high
portion) under a staggering array of
sausages, smoked bacon, smoked
.pork chops, jarret de porc,-ham, and
“steamed potatoes. : po

“This year the dates ure next
Tuesday and Wednesday nights,
Feb. 22 and 23. Michel is celebrat-

ing the 10th anniversary of the.
feast, and his loyal customers antic-

ipate it ali year long.-

T sat with Michel jast week” and.

he shared his love of the dish with
me. “Choucroute is to Alsace what
steak-frites is to Paris, bouillabaise
is to Marscilles.

“It should be’ enjoyed when the

weather is cold, as it is a very rich.

and filling dish. 1 love cooking it

ONT VILLAGE
EDGEMO of Eegenor Siva. + Queens

with my team in the kitchen — il
allows me to get closer fo then and
share my heritage.” (Michel hails
from Strasbourg.)

The menu is complete and
begins with Tarte Flambe (Alsatian
Bacon and Onion pizza), followed
by Salade Frisce avec Cervelas
Grille (Curty Endive Salad with
Grilled Cervelas Sausage). Michel
kindly shared both recipes with us.

On to the main event (loosen
your belts for this one). The grand
Choucroute Garnie gu Riesling with
the requisite crocks of Dijon mus-
tard and hot crusty bread,

Then a serving of Michel's sig-
nature Sorbet “Poire Williams”
(pear brandy sorbet), followed by
dessert. This year an inspired Tarte
au Fromage Blane served with
Kirsch-soaked cherries.

The price for this gustatory

vourmiand'’s feast is a mere 150

French francs ($35 Canadian).
Phone Le Crocodile at 669-4298 fore
reservations.

ALSATIAN TARTE FLAMBE
(ALSATIAN PIZZA)

Tarte Flambe is paper-thin pas-
try dough spread with fromage
dblane and cream, scattered with
bacon and onions and quickly
baked in a wood-fired oven that
Mares up and “licks’* the edges of
the dough as it bakes. Here is
Michel Jacob’s recipe for a home-
style version — made. (and
devoured) in minutes! Serves 4,

350 g. package frozen puff-
pastry, thawed

250 g. carton quark (low-fat
pot cheese)

1/2 ¢. (125 mL) heavy cream
(approx)

2 Tbsp. (30 mL) milk

Salt, white pepper, nutmeg

1 large onion .

4 oz. (125 g.) smoked bacon

Divide puff pastry into 4 por-

tions. On a fissured surface, roll -

each piece into a. 10” (25 em)
round, paper-thin. Place each round
onto a baking sheet or pizza pan.

~ Chill 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

Combine the quark with enough
heavy cream and a dash of milk (so
that consistency ‘is like heavy sour

_cream and’ season with salt, pepper

and nutmeg to taste.
Peel onion, cut in half, and slice
inte paper-thin crescents.
Separate onions and set aside.
Cut bacon into thick slices,
stuck, and cut into thin matchstick
tardons (strips).

To assemble the tartes, divide
the cheese-cream filling over eseh
rolled pastry. Spread gently with a
spatula in a very thin layer over
pastry. leaving a 1" (2.5 em) border
all around edges.

Scatter the bacon and onions
over filling,

Bake the titrts on lower oven
shel! 8-12 minutes, watching care-
fully, until sizzling hot, bubbly,
dappled with pale golden color and
still tender.

Remove from oven, Serve at
ance on large round plates with
knife and fork.

SALADE FRISEE AVEC
CERVELAS GRILLE
(ALSATIAN CURLY ENDIVE
SALAD WITH GRILLED
CERVELAS SAUSAGE)

Serve with @ crusty loaf of
French bread. Serves 4.

2 small bunches frisee (curly’
endive or curly chicory)

1 Tbsp. (15 mL) imported
Dijon mustard

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Thsp. (30 mL) best-quality
imported red wine vinegar

1/2 ¢. (125 mL} vegetable or
peanut oit

2. cervelas (or knockwurst)
sausages

Rinse and dry the greens, dis-
carding any very dark outer leaves,
Tear into manageable pieces, not
too small. Set aside.

Combine mustard. salt and pep-
per in a small bowl. Whisk in the
vinegar until smooth, and begin
adding the oil very slowly ina
steady stream. Whisk in the oi! until
dressing is emulsified and very
smooth. Taste and correct for sea-
sonings. Set aside.

Slice the cervelas on the diago-
nal into 1/4°*-thick slices (24 slices
total).

To assemble the salads, grill the
sausage slices 1-2 minutes per side.

Toss the crisp greens with the
prepared vinaigrette to cuat lightly.
Mound the sala in the cenire of
four large plates. Garnish cach por-
tion with six slices grilled sausage,

Nows' photo Mike Wakefield

In the kitchen of Le Crocodile Restaurant Francais, chef
Michel Jacob (fereground).is surrounded by his staff (left to
right) Francois Bastian, Rob Feente and Christian Bourne.

arranging them spoke-fashion up
against the greens.

Serve at once, with freshly
ground black pepper served at the
table.

LE CROCODILE’S FAMOUS ©
TARTE A L°OIGNON | -

(ALSATIAN ONION PART)

Loyal readers stop and ask me
all the time to re-prisnt this recipe.
Makes one If" (28 cm) tart.

2/3 Nb. (350 g.) shortcrust pas-
try

t-1/3 Ib. (780 g.) onions

-$oz, (150 g.) butter:

Ti'bsp. (1S mL) off ©

402. (106 g.) smoky bacon .

2 04. (59 g.) butter

2 oz, (50 g.) flour

Le. (250 mL) home milk

Salt, pepper, nutmeg

le. heavy cream

4 eggs, beaten

Roll prepared shortcrust pastry
out, Press into a bultered deep-pie
dish or tart pan, covering bottom

See Alsatian page 58

7WIDE SALE!

February 16th to 26th only.
Floor and Demo models being cleared.

Extra Savings on Factory Direct purchases.
Fuil factory warranties apply.
We must reduce inventory now.

Filling traditional spaces with
non-traditional equipment ...©

Y. FRANKS

APPLIANCES LTD. °

503 - 15th Street, West Vancouver
Open s.t0 to

s0 daily except Sunday.

EST'D. 1896
926-0124

Open Friday ands pan,

Now at Peacock's Furniture Village, Clearbrook

J2009 South Fraser Way eee

+ BS0-3126 or 520-6425