M-J’s Low-Carbohydrate Celery Soup
- M-J de Mesterton’s Potage de Celeri (Cream of Celery Soup), a Perfect Dish for an Elegant Luncheon
- Cream of Celery Soup, by M-J de Mesterton Photo Copyright 2009
Elegant Cuisine
by M-J de Mesterton, Author of Elegant Survival
Archive for the month “April, 2009”
My Original Recipe: Low-Carbohydrate Celery Soup
Potage de Celeri
Wash thoroughly a whole head of celery, by cutting the bottom off and bathing the stalks in a sinkful of water. With French chef’s knife, chop finely. Include the celery leaves, which are packed with flavour. In a large pot, melt two tablespoons of butter. Put the chopped celery in, and add a teaspooon of salt, one half-teaspoon of cumin, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Saute until bright green and almost soft. Stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch (cornflour), which has seven grams of carbs. Saute for two more minutes, and then add one cup of cream and two cups of water. Simmer for ten minutes. Serves six. This soup is a good accompaniment to croques monsieurs for luncheon.
~~Copyright M-J de Mesterton, February 2007
More of M-J’s Original Recipes are Found on Elegant Survival
Tarte Bourbonnaise, Created by Taillevent for King Charles VI of France
Photo from Certi'Ferme, France
Quiche, which is said to have originated in Lorraine, was preceded by such cheese tarts as this 600-year old one, prepared by Taillevent for the Well-Loved King Charles VI of France.
Tarte Bourbonnaise
Short pastry (dough made with flour, lard and butter–see my Apple Pie recipe), for a one-crust pie or tart
2 cups of cream
1 egg-yolk
1 tablespoon of flour
4 whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Cayenne pepper to-taste
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
2 cups of shredded or grated Gruyère cheese
2 tablespoons of butter
Method:
Roll short pastry dough and line a pie-plate or pie-pan with it. Make a series of tiny holes all over the dough with a fork. Line the dough with parchment or foil and fill with dry beans, then bake in a hot 425* oven for ten minutes. This step prevents the crust from puffing up during baking. Empty the pie-shell and let it cool.
In a saucepan, cook the cream until it scalds, not quite boiling. Let it cool.
In a large bowl, beat the egg-yolk into the tablespoon of flour. Beat in the two whole eggs, and gradually add the scalded and cooled cream. Beat this mixture until smooth. Add salt, nutmeg, and Cayenne pepper. Spread the Gruyère cheese evenly around the bottom of the crust. Pour the smooth custard from the bowl into the pie shell to cover the cheese. Sprinkle the two tablespoons of butter over the top in little bits. Bake in a moderately hot 375* oven for about forty minutes. If the pie puffs up too much, just pierce it with a fork. Serve Tarte Bourbonnaise warm; this recipe is enough for six people.
~~M-J de Mesterton, April 2009
Italian Easter Pie: Torta di Pasqua
Torta di Pascua
Puff pastry or pie dough, enough to line and cover an 11-inch pie-plate
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 lbs. of ricotta cheese, well-strained to remove all liquid (setting the ricotta cheese in a strainer over a bowl overnight is best)
1/2 lb. mild or hot Italian sausage, sliced and lightly fried in olive oil
8 to 10 slices of prosciutto ham, coarsely chopped
1/2 lb. of diced mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons of chopped or dried parsley
Freshly ground pepper, and salt, to taste
One egg-yolk and one tablespoon of water for glaze
Prepare your pastry. Beat the eggs into the ricotta cheese, and add the rest of the ingredients. Roll out the pastry or pie dough, and line the pie-pan with one-half of it. Pour filling into the dough-lined pan, and lay the rest of your dough on top of it, sealing, trimming, and crimping the edges. Brush the top with an egg-yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water. Make pretty slits in the top of the crust, and bake in a moderately hot 350* oven for forty-five minutes to an hour, until the top of Easter Pie is golden. Serve Torta di Pasqua either warm or at room temperature. This recipe serves 8 people.
~~Copyright M-J de Mesterton
