PATRICIA WELLS AT HOME IN PROVENCE: Recipes Inspired By Her Farmhouse In France [Paperback]

Tomato clafoutis, herb-cured filet of beef Carpaccio, garlic family soup, Catalan tuna daube: these and 171 other recipes pour off the pages of this sumptuous coffee-table cookbook by the author of Bistro Cooking and Simply French. Wells concentrates on coaxing the utmost flavor out of simple, fresh food, and her French recipes are not all swimming in cream, oils, and fats: the filet, for example, profits not from a heavy sauce but from being wrapped for two days in tarragon, parsley, basil, thyme, and salt. In a couple of places Wells even commits the heresy, for a French-style chef, of switching a red wine used to simmer meat to a white wine. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Patricia Wells. Scribner, $40 (352p) ISBN 0-684-81569-9 Relaxed and unfailingly enticing, this superb collection of 175 recipes will make readers feel as comfortable in their kitchens as its accomplished author is at Chanteduc, her 18th-century farmhouse in northern Provence. Wells (Bistro Cooking; Simply French) is not the first to underscore the appeal of simple, fresh food, but she coaxes new tiers of flavor from many of the dishes here by her creative arrangements of basic ingredients. Instead of the standard cherry clafoutis, for example, she offers Tomato Clafoutis as appetizer or Chanteduc Clafoutis, made with mixed fruits, for dessert. Herb-Cured Filet of Beef Carpaccio, in which the filet, wrapped for two days in tarragon, parsley, basil, thyme and salt, attains a savory goodness with surprising ease. The True Salad Fan's Salad, composed of finely chopped tops of very young root vegetables (carrot, radish, beet, celery, etc.) with vinaigrette, and Garlic Family Soup (with leeks, onions, shallots and a head of garlic) fairly vibrate with an abundance of flavor. Catalan Tuna Daube marries anchovies, capers, onion, lemon zest, tomatoes and cubes of tuna steak in a memorable union. La Broufade is another outstanding daube, but with beef simmered in white wine instead of the usual red. Wells is sensible in her use of oils and fats, calling, for example, for whole milk and cream in judicious amounts. The diner's delight flows from the wisely prepared ingredients; the cook gets the added pleasure of reading Wells's warm, intelligent prose?and serving up excellence. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Wells, author of the well-known Food Lover's Guide to Paris (Workman, 1993. rev. ed.) and Simply French (LJ 9/15/91), among other titles, presents recipes for the dishes she cooks at home when she's not hot on the trail of the best food France has to offer. Like Lydie Marshall (Chez Nous: Home Cooking from the South of France, LJ 3/15/95), Wells has ingredients at hand any cook would envy, from olives, perfect fruit and even truffles on her own land to the fresh cheeses and Mediterranean fish offered by local merchants. With its dozens of full-color photographs, Wells's book is a more lavish affair than Marshall's, and her recipes are often richer and more elaborate as well: Artichoke, Parmesan, and Black Truffle Soup; Minted Crabmeat Salad; and Herb-Cured Fillet of Beef Carpaccio, accompanied by detailed wine suggestions (which may often be out of reach of those who do not have a farm in Provence). In any case, not to be missed.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Francophile Wells has produced another in her series of paeans to the glories of French foodstuffs and cooking. This time she focuses on Provence, where Italian and French cooking couple so fruitfully. Provencal cuisine depends heavily on the herbs of the region, but many of those herbs have found their way to American cooking, making it relatively simple to reproduce the region's recipes. Lack of butter and the ubiquity of olive oil have made Provencal cooking particularly popular among the cholesterol-consumption fearful. Imaginative cooks on the lookout for something novel will relish Wells' treatment of penne, whereby pasta is cooked as if it were arborio rice: browned and then cooked slowly in chicken stock. Recommended for libraries where Wells' previous volumes have circulated well. Mark Knoblauch --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Florence Fabricant The New York Times There is hardly a recipe in this cookbook that does not insist on being tried and served to family and friends.

Patty LaNoue Stearns Detroit Free Press The photos alone will transport you, but the recipes will make you sign up for her cooking school in France.

Gillian Duffy New York magazine ...promises to produce yet another generation of home-schooled experts in pistous and daubes.

For the past thirteen years, Patricia Wells has been carrying on a love affair-not with an individual, but with a region of France, a centuries-old stone farmhouse, and a cuisine. Now, in a cookbook that captures the soul of modern regional French cooking, the award-winning journalist and author invites readers to share the passion, the joy, and, best of all, the cooking of her adopted home.

Provence is uniquely blessed with natural beauty as well as some of the world's most appealing foods and liveliest wines. Patricia's culinary skills have transformed the signature ingredients of this quintessential French countryside into recipes so satisfying and exciting they will instantly become part of your daily repertoire.

Here are 175 recipes from Patricia's farmhouse kitchen. Simple but imaginative "palate openers" such as Tuna Tapenade are followed by a profusion of salads, from All-Star Herb Salad, which captures the essence of the herb garden in a single bite, to the vibrant, cream-dressed greens of the Cheesemaker's Salad.

Vegetables have a special place in the hearts and palates of Provence's cooks, so Patricia presents an entire chapter of quick-and-easy vegetable creations. From the crunch and herbal freshness of Fresh Beans with Garlic & Herbs to the elegant simplicity of Potatoes Roasted in Sea Salt, these are recipes for the vegetarian and nonvegetarian alike.

Soul-satisfying soups have their own chapter, with such delights as Summer Piston and the deeply flavorfull Caramelized Fennel Soup. This chapter is highlighted by Monkfish Bouillabaisse with Aioli, Patricia's own brilliant interpretation of a Provencal classic. Pastas, too, are on the menu, with inventive dishes like Provencal Penne and Spaghetti with Green Olive Puttanesca, inspired by the produce of Patricids village market. A chapter on breads includes everything from Crusty Wheat & Polenta Bread to an olive oil brioche, a local classic.

Poultry and game are represented with everything from Butter-Roasted Herbed Chicken to Monsieur Hennys Rabbit Bouillabaisse. In the fish and shellfish department, you will savor Seared Pancetta-Wrapped Cod and The Valson Fishmonger's Fresh Tuna Casserole. When it comes to meat, Patricia offers recipes for earthy daubes, the slow-simmered almost-stews so beloved by the French, along with homey favorites like Lemon-Thyme Lamb Chops, and Spit-Roasted Brine-Cured Pork.

To round out the meal, there is a treasure trove of desserts based on seasonal fruits-Cherry-Almond Tart, Winernaker's Grape Cake, and Patricids Apricot-Honey-Almond Tart, as effortless as child's play but as impressive as the most exacting work of the pastrymaker's art.

As you read and cook from this book, generously illustrated with the captivating color pictures of famed photographer Robert Freson, you will feel as if you have actually joined Patricia Wells in her beloved stone farmhouse, and her passion for the foods, flavors, and people of Provence will become yours. As comforting as an old friend, as enlivening as a trip to the sun-dappled hills of southern France, this book will truly bring Provence into your kitchen, and you will want to visit its pages again and again. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Patricia Wells is the author of five bestselling books The Food Lover's Guide to Paris, The Food Lover's Guide to France, Bistro Cooking, Simply French, and Patricia Wells' Trattoria. She and her husband divide their time between Paris and Provence, where she conducts cooking classes. She is the restaurant critic of the International Herald Tribune

Roasted Tomato Soup with Fresh Herbs

At the end of summer when plum tomatoes are still in abundance in our garden and the days are growing cooler, this flavorful soup is perfect. The process of roasting the tomatoes is the same one used to prepare homemade sun-dried tomatoes, yet the tomatoes are baked in a slightly hotter oven and not nearly as long. What you're looking for is similar to what the French call a confit, an intensely flavored, reduced essence of tomato. (Yet unlike the true tomato confit, these tomatoes are baked with all their pulp and seeds, making for a less dense, more juicy flavor.) This soup is an ideal gift for anyone who gardens and grows tomatoes.

EQUIPMENT: A food mill

2 pounds (1 kg) fresh plum tomatoes (Roma)

Fine sea salt to taste

4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herb leaves, such as a mix of summer savory, basil, parsley, and thyme

About 1 quart (1l) homemade Chicken Stock (page 327) or Potager Stock (page 325)

1. Preheat the oven to 275°f (135°c; gas mark 2).

2. Trim and discard the stem end of the tomatoes. Halve each tomato lengthwise. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking sheet side by side. Sprinkle lightly with salt and about half the herbs.

3. Place in the oven and bake until the tomatoes are nearly dried and shriveled, about 2 hours. Check the tomatoes from time to time. They should still be rather flexible but not at all brittle, and most of their juice should have baked away.

4. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Place a food mill (fitted with its coarsest blade) over a large bowl. Transfer the tomatoes to the food mill and puree.

5. Meanwhile, pour the stock into a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the tomatoes and stir to blend. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. Taste for seasoning. Serve in warmed shallow soup bowls and sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Copyright © 1996 by Patricia Wells

Poulet Aux Fines Herbes:

Butter-roasted Herbed Chicken

Every time I roast a chicken, I learn something new. Perhaps my greatest "training" came when I was taught the following "rotation" method by chef Joël Robuchon. Roasting the bird on both sides, then breast side up, then finally breast side down, results in a bird that is evenly, uniformly browned and roasted. I've also added a final step: roasting it breast side down at the end, tail in the air, so the juices begin to run to the breast even as it is still roasting. I also find that the bird roasts more evenly if it is set on a rack in the roasting pan, allowing the heat to circulate around the chicken.

In this recipe I've given the breast -- which tends to dry out in roasting -- a protective coating of butter, which is slipped beneath the skin with the fingers, creating a stunning presentation and a very moist chicken. Basting is not necessary here; in fact, the chicken skin will be crisper if you do not baste at all. This is a good picnic bird, for the dish is truly wonderful served the next day at room temperature.

EQUIPMENT: One oval baking dish, just slightly larger than the chicken (about 9 x 13 inches; 23 x 33 cm), fitted with a roasting rack

1 lemon, preferably organic

1 free-range roasting chicken (about 5 pounds; 2.5 kg), with giblets

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 bunch of fresh thyme

5 tablespoons very finely minced fresh herbs, carefully stemmed, preferably a mix of chervil, tarragon, chives, and parsley

5 tablespoons (2H ounces; 75 g) unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 425°f (220°c; gas mark 7/8) (see Note).

2. Rinse the lemon in cold water and dry. Soften the lemon by rolling it back and forth along a flat surface. Using a two-pronged fork, a trussing needle, or a toothpick, pierce the skin of the lemon at least 20 times, to help the lemon release its juices during roasting. Generously season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the giblets, lemon, and thyme in the cavity and truss.

3. In a small bowl, combine the herbs, H teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and 4 tablespoons (2 ounces; 60 g) butter. Mash with fork and blend evenly.

4. Before putting the butter beneath the skin of the chicken be sure to remove any rings from your fingers, for they might pierce the skin. Entering from the neck end of the chicken, push your fingers through the skin over one side of the breast to separate the skin from the flesh. Be gentle so as not to tear the skin. Working with the tips of your fingers, spread half of the butter and herb mixture over one side of the breast meat. Repeat the same process on the other breast side. Pressing down on the exterior of the skin, even out the butter mixture and pat the skin back into place. Rub the skin of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Season all over with salt and pepper.

5. Place the chicken on its side on the roasting rack in the baking dish. Place in the center of the oven and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken to the other side and roast for 20 minutes more. Turn the chicken breast side up, and roast for 20 minutes more, for a total of 1 hour roasting time. By this time the skin should be a deep golden color. Lower the heat to 375°f (190°c; gas mark 5). Turn the chicken breast side down, at an angle if at all possible, with the neck down and the tail in the air. (This heightens the flavor by allowing the juices to flow down through the breast meat.) Roast until the juices run clear when you pierce a thigh with a skewer, about 15 minutes more.

6. Remove from the oven and season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to a platter and place on an angle against the edge of an overturned plate, with the neck down and the tail in the air. Cover loosely with foil. Turn off the oven and place the platter in the oven, with the door open. Let rest a minimum of 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes. The chicken will continue to cook during this resting time.

7. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Place the baking dish over moderate heat, scraping up any bits that cling to the bottom. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping and stirring until the liquid is almost caramelized. Do not let it burn. Spoon off and discard any excess fat. Add several tablespoons of cold water to deglaze (hot water will cloud the sauce). Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

8. While the sauce is cooking, carve the chicken and place on a warmed platter.

9. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and pour into a sauce boat. Serve immediately with the chicken. (If serving the chicken at room temperature, use the sauce to prepare a vinaigrette for an accompanying salad.)

four to six servings

WINE SUGGESTION: A dry white or a fine old red are perfectly at home here. My choice is a good Burgundy, such as a silky Volnay.

NOTE: When you don't have time to wait for your oven to warm up, try the cold oven method. Turn the oven to 425°f (220°c; gas mark 7/8) and follow the recipe, allowing about 15 additional minutes of roasting time. Since some ovens heat up more quickly than others, roasting time may vary.

HOW'S YOUR HERB AWARENESS? A little quiz to test your herb awareness: Do you know the difference between herbes de Provence and fines herbes? Herbes de Provence is usually a mixture of dried fennel, rosemary, sage, savory, and wild or domestic thyme. Fines herbes are composed of fresh chervil, tarragon, chives, and parsley.

Copyright © 1996 by Patricia Wells