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Answers: Lately I've been curious about French cuisine and would love to experiment with some new recipes. Would you give me some of your favourites?

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I've made this for so many dinner parties I've lost count (it always worth making sure they like fish first). It's kind of elegant, but it's incredibly easy.

Saumon a la Fondue des Poireaux (Salmon with leek sauce)

To serve 6:

--3 tablespoons butter
--3 leeks, white parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, and then well-rinsed in a colander and patted dry with paper towels
--5 shallots, minced
--2 tablespoons flour
--2 cups bottled clam juice or homemade fish stock (but here's what I usually use instead: I wash and coarsely chop the green parts of the leeks, put them in a medium saucepan, and cover with water, adding a little salt. Bring to simmer, cook 30 minutes, and strain the liquid through a sieve. This makes a fantastic, delicate-flavored leek stock--just measure 2 cups and freeze the rest to use in other soups and sauces.)
--1/3 cup creme fraiche (you can now buy this in many supermarkets), or use regular heavy cream instead--it works fine
--salt and pepper to taste
--juice of 1 lemon
--1 3-pound salmon fillet, skinned and boned, or six 6-ounce salmon fillets, skinned and boned

In a saute pan or skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat and saute the leeks for 10 minutes, or until tender; scrape them into a bowl and set aside. Don't bother to wash skillet.

In another, small skillet, melt remaining teaspoon butter and saute shallots for 3 minutes, until translucent. Sprinkle with the flour and stir about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the stock/clam juice to make a smooth, creamy sauce. Stir in the creme fraiche or cream, leeks, lemon juice, and salt and pepper; set aside and keep warm.

In the same skillet you used for the first step, bring about 3 inches of water and a pinch of salt just to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add salmon and poach for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it's springy to the touch. With slotted spatula, carefully transfer salmon to a warm platter. Pour the leek sauce over and serve immediately.

I always serve this with roasted new potatoes, but a rice dish might be nice too. Add a salad of butter lettuce with a mustardy vinaigrette, and lots of good bread to mop up the sauce, and you're in business. I hope you'll try it! Have fun and bon appetit.

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Raclette is so good but you need a special machine.

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check these out
www.ffcook.com
www.cuisine-france.com
but my favourite is www.jacquespepin.net
he's the best! recipes are easy and some more complicate but overall everyone can experiment in their own kitchen.
Bon Appetit!

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fillet mignon with this sauce....

Bearnaise Sauce

First take:

1/4 medium onion chopped
1 1/2 tsp. dry tarragon, or a good wad of fresh
Good grind of black pepper
1/2 cup Chablis wine

Simmer in a small pan until liquid reduced to a couple tablespoons

Meanwhile, in another small pot put:

1/2 pound unsalted butter
Melt gently and bring to a gentle simmer.

In the blender put:

6 egg yolks
2 to 3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

The trick is to have all three parts ready at the same time. When the wine has simmered down about right, the butter should just be coming to the simmer, and the blender with eggs should be ready. Then:

Turn on the blender and dribble in the butter, sort of slowly at first. When the butter is all added, add the wine reduction. Let it whirl for a few seconds, then put it into a bowl and chill it for a couple of hours.
Nothing in the world better on a rare filet of venison, say elk or moose topped with an artichoke heart and smothered with Bearnaise. Terrific on eggs and lobster. Asparagus not asparagus without it. Good eating!! Enjoy..

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