Our garden canapés, which we serve to guests in the courtyard of the French Laundry, are meant to be simple and elegant bites you can eat standing, with a glass in one hand; they’re especially delicious with Champagne before dinner.
Gougères are a classical preparation often served at wine tastings in France. The puffs are made from a savory pâte à choux, or cream puff dough—flavored here with Gruyère. They’re best served hot out of the oven, offering that creamy-dough gratification. Don’t add the cheese, and the puff is a base for a dessert.
“Chips and Dip” are, of course, the French Laundry equivalent of an American favorite, which we make a little more elegant by adding truffle to the chips and to the crème fraîche dip. The size and shape of the potatoes will determine how many chips each will yield. Once you begin cutting the potatoes, work quickly, as the potatoes will oxidize and discolor.
1 cup water
7 tablespoons (3½ ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
Pinch of sugar
1¼ cups (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
4 to 5 large eggs
1¼ cups grated Gruyère (5 ounces)
Freshly ground white pepper
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats (see Sources) or parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add all the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium, and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, or until the mixture forms a ball and the excess moisture has evaporated (if the ball forms more quickly, continue to cook and stir for a full 2 minutes).
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle and beat for about 30 seconds at medium speed to cool slightly. Add 4 eggs and continue to mix until completely combined and the batter has a smooth, silky texture. Stop the machine and lift up the beater to check the consistency of the batter. The batter in the mixing bowl should form a peak with a tip that falls over. If it is too stiff, beat in the white of the remaining egg. Check again and, if necessary, add the yolk. Finally, mix in ¾ cup of the Gruyère and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a ⅜-inch plain pastry tip with the gougère batter. Pipe the batter into 1-tablespoon mounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the gougères as the mixture will spread during baking. Sprinkle the top of each gougère with about ½ teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they puff and hold their shape. Reduce the heat to 350°F. and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. When the gougères are done, they should be a light golden brown color. When you break one open, it should be hollow; the inside should be cooked but still slightly moist. Remove the pans from the oven and serve the gougères while hot.
pictured here makes about 4 dozen gougères
Potato Chips with Truffle Dip
TRUFFLE CHIPS
1 cup Clarified Butter, melted
Kosher salt
1 to 2 russet potatoes
24 to 48 thin slices fresh black truffle (1 to 1½ ounces)
TRUFFLE DIP (makes ⅔ cup)
⅓ cup crème fraîche
½ ounce fresh black truffle, finely minced
2 tablespoons white truffle oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
FOR THE CHIPS: Place a Silpat (see Sources) on a baking sheet and generously brush it with clarified butter; sprinkle with kosher salt.
Peel the potatoes and trim them into long ovals approximately 2 inches long and 1½ inches wide. Using a mandoline, cut the potatoes into paper-thin ovals. As you work, stack the potatoes in the order you cut them so that you will be able to match them up as closely as possible.
Lay the potato slices on the Silpat in pairs, keeping each one’s match at its side. Place one or two truffle slices each on half the potato slices and cover each with its match. Press and smooth each chip to remove any air pockets between the two potato slices.
Brush the potatoes generously with clarified butter and place a second Silpat over them. Top the potatoes with a baking sheet to weight them and keep them flat. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, reversing the pan halfway through the cooking process. Remove the chips when they are golden brown and drain on paper towels.
FOR THE DIP: In a bowl set over a larger bowl of ice, whip the crème fraîche until stiff. Reserve 1 to 2 teaspoons of the minced truffle to garnish the dip and stir the remaining truffle into the crème fraîche. Add the truffle oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon the dip into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the reserved truffles. Serve the chips on the side.
pictured here makes 24 to 36 chips
PARMESAN CRISPS
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (from a moist piece of cheese)
GOAT CHEESE MOUSSE
6 ounces fresh goat cheese (or other soft goat cheese)
4 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
A clean egg carton
Here, these easy Parmesan crisps form small cups for a creamy goat cheese mousse. It’s best to bake only half the crisps at a time, because they may harden while you’re working with them.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
FOR THE PARMESAN CRISPS: Line a baking sheet with a Silpat (see Sources), or use a nonstick baking sheet.
Place a 2½-inch ring mold (see Sources) in one corner of the Silpat and fill it with 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese. Using your finger, spread the cheese into an even layer. Repeat to make 8 rounds, leaving at least 1 inch between them.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crisps are a rich golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for about 30 seconds to firm the crisps enough so you can remove them with a spatula. One by one, remove the crisps and gently press each one into a hollow in the egg carton to form a tulip shape. After a few minutes, remove the cooled crisps from the carton and make 8 more crisps.
FOR THE GOAT CHEESE MOUSSE: Place the goat cheese in a food processor and process (depending on the cheese used, it may look smooth or crumbly). Pour ¼ cup of the cream through the feed tube and continue to process until the mixture is smooth but will hold a shape when piped; if necessary, add a little more cream. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste and mix just to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The mousse can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days; let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften slightly before piping.
Place the mousse in a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Pipe 2 to 3 teaspoons of mousse into each Parmesan crisp and serve.
makes 16 crisps
½ recipe Court Bouillon
6 large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound) in their shells
AVOCADO SALSA
3 tablespoons very finely diced red onion
3 tablespoons very finely diced cucumber
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons very finely diced avocado
1 teaspoon olive oil
Squeeze of lemon juice, or to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Because both the shrimp and sauce are served on the fork, this is an excellent canapé to serve guests who are standing.
FOR THE SHRIMP: Bring the court bouillon to a simmer in a large saucepan, add the shrimp, and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, pour the shrimp and bouillon into a container, and let the shrimp cool in the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for up to a day before serving.
FOR THE SALSA: In a bowl, mix the red onion and cucumber together. Carefully fold in the avocado, taking care not to crush it. Season with the oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
TO COMPLETE: Peel the shrimp, removing the shells but keeping the tail tips intact. Dry the shrimp on paper towels. Cut each shrimp lengthwise in half down the back and use a paring knife to remove the vein that runs the length of the shrimp.
Spear each shrimp half on the tip of a fork. Place a spoonful of salsa on the fork behind each shrimp. Arrange the forks on a platter and garnish each mound of salsa with a tomato diamond.
pictured here makes 12 canapés
2 quarts water
2 carrots, cut into ½-inch rounds
1½ cups coarsely chopped onions
2 leeks, split lengthwise, washed, and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 medium fennel bulb, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups; use only if cooking seafood)
6 black peppercorns
1 cup crisp, dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
½ cup dry white wine vinegar
1 lemon
Court bouillon means “short” bouillon, or quick stock—an acidic liquid flavored with vegetables and aromatics in which fish or shellfish are poached. The liquid is distinguished by fresh herbs and high acidity, so it’s important to add that acid, whether in the form of wine, lemon juice, and/or vinegar, just before you cook the fish. This is enough to cook one Dungeness crab or 12 to 18 shrimp.
Place the water in a large pot. Add the vegetables, bouquet garni, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and add white wine and wine vinegar. Halve the lemon, squeeze in the juice, and add the halves (acid stabilizes proteins in the seafood, giving it a better texture).
TO COOK SHRIMP: Bring the liquid to a simmer, add the shrimp, and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the shrimp to a bowl and pour the liquid over them. Let them cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until chilled; or for up to a day.
TO COOK DUNGENESS CRAB: Bring the liquid to a simmer, drop in the crab, return the bouillon to a simmer, and cook for 4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the crab and liquid cool to room temperature. Transfer the crab and liquid to a container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
makes about 2 quarts
