{"id":134406,"date":"2019-03-15T09:00:27","date_gmt":"2019-03-15T13:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theparisreview.org\/blog\/?p=134406"},"modified":"2019-03-15T14:40:27","modified_gmt":"2019-03-15T18:40:27","slug":"cooking-with-colette","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theparisreview.org\/blog\/2019\/03\/15\/cooking-with-colette\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooking with Colette"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Valerie Stivers\u2019s Eat Your Words<\/a> series, she cooks up recipes drawn from the works of various writers.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Any writer who has recently been the subject of a film starring Keira Knightley can be said to be having a moment, and this is especially true of Colette (1873\u20131954), a star of the belle epoque Parisian literary scene whose life lends itself well to the themes of our own time. Colette, born Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, was a gender nonconformist more than a hundred years ago who adopted her surname as a one-word moniker. She was born to prosperous parents in the French village of Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, and at twenty years old, with a \u201clittle pointed face,\u201d a \u201cwell-made body,\u201d and braids that touched her calves like \u201cwhips\u201d or \u201creins,\u201d she made an improbable love marriage to \u201cWilly\u201d (Henry Gauthier-Villars), a wealthy thirty-four-year-old Parisian aristocrat and publishing impresario. Willy was the ultimate networker, a critic, society hound, and a provocateur who ran a workshop where impecunious young writers pumped out popular novels under his name. He brought his countrified young bride to Paris and was disowned for the ensuing scandal.<\/p>\n

Colette quickly went to work for him, and the series of semierotic autobiographical novels she wrote as \u201cWilly,\u201d which begins with Claudine at School<\/em>, was \u201cone of the greatest, if not the greatest\u201d success stories in French literature, according to a contemporary. Colette\u2019s biographer Judith Thurman even credits her with having invented the teenage girl. Later Claudine books reveal the queer and genderqueer ferment in Parisian society at the time (Proust was a contemporary); Colette\u2019s affairs with women, including Mathilde de Morny, Marquise de Belbeuf, a woman who dressed as a man and went by \u201cMissy\u201d; and Colette and Willy\u2019s open marriage, which could be considered an early attempt at polyamory. The approach of the Keira Knightley movie is to portray Colette\u2019s struggles to leave Willy, regain the rights to her work, and begin writing under her own name as a feminist parable.<\/p>\n

As a person allergic to orthodoxies, I never want to like the writer who is having a moment, especially when the reasons are ideological (even when the ideologies are ones I mostly share). I\u2019d been resisting Colette until cracking a spine and discovering, like most of Paris did once before me, that she\u2019s irresistible. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The author reading Colette with bottles of chartreuse, Brooklyn-made wormwood liquor, and Etienne Dupont cider in the background.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

She\u2019s irresistible\u2014sorry, Hollywood\u2014exactly because of her unorthodoxy. Colette, born in the countryside, considered herself a \u201cchild of nature.\u201d She did not try to be good, nor did she try to be particularly real or truthful. She followed her appetites and wrote about them and observed others sharply. Her characters are driven by desire: for food, for love and money, for gratifying their vanity and buying new clothes. She flouted the conventions of her time, danced on stage, dressed like a sailor boy, wrote nasty revenge stories with unflattering portraits of her ex-husband, got fat, stayed sexual into old age. If she had any credo, it was her commitment to art, which shows only through the beauty of her prose, since she wasn\u2019t one to moralize or make grand statements. (Colette\u2019s belief that art should be apolitical\u2014that a worthy goal was \u201cto forget reality, to promise the world miracles, to sing of victory, and to deny death\u201d\u2014was so strong that late in her life, during the Vichy regime in France, she deliberately published in the Nazi-controlled press, a decision for which she has been widely criticized.)<\/p>\n

The food in Colette\u2019s books, following this child-of-nature approach, is some of the most interesting and particular I\u2019ve encountered in literature. It appears frequently, craved by characters broke enough to be hungry, but it is equally important for pleasure. I suspect the author didn\u2019t separate these two functions of good food. She has a knack for finding the beauty and sensuality in everyday things and doesn\u2019t need the imprimatur of a restaurant to tell her what\u2019s good.<\/p>\n

Julie de Carneilhan, a divorced woman who has come down in the world, sits down to savor \u201ca cold pork cutlet, a slice of bread and butter, half a pound of red currants and a cup of excellent coffee.\u201d The Colette stand-in in the story \u201cGreen Sealing Wax\u201d says her favorite thing to eat is \u201cwhole meal bread, cream cheese, pink onions.\u201d In an attempt to capture the writer\u2019s spirit, I invited a handful of literary friends over for a belle epoque dinner party. I served Colette\u2019s simple, earthy food: a tomato salad that barely required a recipe, a cassoulet from Gigi<\/em>, and a clafouti, after the \u201csimple cake\u201d that, other than various forms of fresh fruit, is Colette\u2019s most oft-mentioned dessert.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The wine expert Hank Zona recommended a \u201cpure\u201d red wine from the organic producer Chateau Maris to accompany a cassoulet mentioned in Gigi<\/em>. The dish and the title character both represent simple country virtues, a favorite theme of Colette\u2019s.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The only dish that caused complications was the cassoulet, which takes two days to assemble\u2014or more, if you\u2019re going to make your own duck-legs confit (I didn\u2019t)\u2014and which probably requires a lifetime to perfect. Mine was good but possibly not two-days good. The meal became great with the addition of wine and spirits, which are mentioned almost any time someone eats something in Colette\u2019s work. An example that epitomizes her casually decadent approach to alcohol comes in the story \u201cOne Evening,\u201d when travelers stranded by car trouble in the countryside consume a \u201cpotluck of cold meat, washed down with champagne.\u201d Another example that captures the beauty of her writing is when a character \u201clunching outdoors\u201d notices that spring has arrived because \u201cthe petals of the apple tree were drifting down into the pitcher of frothy cider.\u201d<\/p>\n

I served a classic French cider and attempted a vintage Parisian atmosphere with a pitcher of chartreuse cocktail and another of wormwood liquor over ice. I also asked my friend Hank Zona, of the New Jersey\u2013based wine business The Grapes Unwrapped<\/a>, to recommend a red wine that would work well with cassoulet. His suggestion was a bottle from Chateau Maris<\/a>, a winery known for impeccable organic and biodynamic standards, located in the heart of the Languedoc region, where cassoulet was invented. The winery makes two Syrahs specifically recommended for cassoulet: the Les Planels, which is richer and denser, and the La Touge, which is lighter and more approachable.<\/p>\n

I thought both wines had the vigor to stand up to the cassoulet and to Colette. I also have to admit that, in the end, I really enjoyed the movie.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Colette invented the teenage girl. Here, a friend\u2019s teenage daughter displays my heirloom tomato salad.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tomato Salad <\/strong><\/p>\n

Heirloom tomatoes, pretty and of a high quality
\nOlive oil
\nSalt
\nPepper
\nBasil
\nTarragon<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Slice the desired quantity of tomatoes on a large platter. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with torn leaves of tarragon and basil, to taste.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Alysia Abbott, the author of Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father<\/em>, holds the cassoulet. Alysia\u2019s book is about growing up as the only child of the gay poet and writer Steve Abbott in Haight-Ashbury, a milieu Colette would have approved of.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Classic Cassoulet <\/strong><\/p>\n

This recipe is adapted from <\/em>Bon App\u00e9tit<\/a> and required an order of specialty ingredients from D\u2019Artagnan<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

For the beans: <\/strong><\/p>\n

2 cloves
\n1 large onion, peeled and halved
\n1 lb dried Tarbais, corona, or cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained
\n8 oz pancetta (leave in one thick piece)
\n2 carrots, scrubbed and halved crosswise if large
\nA head of garlic, halved crosswise
\n4 sprigs thyme
\n1 bay leaf
\nFreshly ground black pepper
\nKosher salt<\/p>\n

For the pork ragout:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 1\/2 lb skinless, boneless pork shoulder, cut into one-inch pieces
\n1\/2 tsp kosher salt
\nFreshly ground black pepper
\n2 tbs vegetable oil
\n1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
\n2 sticks celery, chopped
\n4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
\n4 sprigs thyme
\n1 bay leaf
\n14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes
\n6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth<\/p>\n

For a<\/strong>ssembly<\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

3 duck-legs confit
\nKosher salt
\nFreshly ground pepper
\n1 lb fresh pork sausage
\n3 cups bread crumbs, divided
\nDuck fat (optional)
\n1\/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
\n1 clove of garlic, cut in half
\n1 lb precooked garlic sausage, sliced crosswise, a quarter inch thick (optional)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cook the beans <\/strong><\/p>\n

Two days ahead of serving, soak the beans.<\/p>\n

One day ahead of serving, drain the beans. Stick a clove into each onion half. Place in a large pot along with the beans, pancetta, carrots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Pour in cold water to cover the beans by two inches. Season with several grinds of pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer, skimming the surface occasionally and adding more water as necessary to keep the beans submerged. Don\u2019t add salt until the cooking process is complete (and then only if necessary, to taste) because the pancetta will probably be enough and many of the dish\u2019s components are salty.<\/p>\n

Cook until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Let the beans cool in the liquid, which you will be using in a later step. Pick out the onion, carrots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, and discard. Remove the pancetta, chop into quarter-inch pieces, and add back to the bean pot. Reserve the beans and the liquid.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Make the ragout <\/strong><\/p>\n

One day ahead of serving, sprinkle the pork shoulder with a half teaspoon of kosher salt and several grinds of pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the pork, turning until browned all over. Transfer the meat to a plate as you go.<\/p>\n

Reduce heat to medium, and place garlic, carrot, and celery in the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about eight to ten minutes. Return the pork to the pot, and add thyme, bay leaf, tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook, skimming fat occasionally, until the meat is fork-tender, around two hours. Pluck out the bay leaf and thyme. Let cool.<\/p>\n

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bean mixture to the pot with the ragout, continuing to reserve the bean liquid. Add enough liquid from the beans to just cover the bean-ragout mixture. Reserve the rest of the liquid. Chill the bean-ragout mixture for at least twelve hours before assembly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Putting it all together<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the day of serving, remove the ragout mixture from the refrigerator, and skim the fat from the surface. Discard the fat. Cover the pot, and bring the ragout to a gentle simmer. Taste and season conservatively with salt and pepper. (The duck and sausages will add considerable saltiness when mixed in.)<\/p>\n

Remove the skin from the duck legs, keeping it as intact as possible. Shred the remaining meat from the bones, and set aside. Place the skin in a single layer in an eight-quart Dutch oven or other large heavy pot (the same one you\u2019ll use to make the finished cassoulet). Cook on medium-low heat, about twenty minutes, until the skin is completely dried out and crispy and breaks apart easily in your fingers. Remove and set aside.<\/p>\n

Prick the pork sausages all over with a fork, and fry in fat in the same pot, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, and let cool slightly. Cut into two-inch pieces.<\/p>\n

Add the bread crumbs to the pot and cook, stirring frequently and watching carefully, until uniformly toasted a golden brown. If the bread crumbs seem dry or are sticking to the pot, add some duck fat (or other fat, optional). Transfer the bread crumbs to a medium bowl, and let cool slightly. Add parsley, and toss to combine. Wipe out the pot, and let cool.<\/p>\n

When ready to assemble, preheat the oven to 375. Rub the inside of the cooled pot with a cut clove of garlic. Ladle in one third of the ragout mixture. Top with half of the pork sausage, garlic sausage, and duck meat, then another third of the ragout mixture. Top with the remaining duck meat and sausages, then the remaining ragout. The liquid should come to the top of the beans. Add some of the reserved liquid if necessary, and keep the rest for the cooking process. Top with two-thirds of the bread-crumb mixture. (The assembled cassoulet can also be fixed ahead and stored; just don\u2019t add the bread crumbs until you\u2019re ready to bake.)<\/p>\n

Bake, uncovered, until a golden crust forms, about twenty-five to thirty minutes. Remove from the oven, and use a spoon to break up the crust, pressing gently so the crust absorbs a little liquid. Smooth the surface. Bake until another crust forms, about twenty-five to thirty minutes, and repeat. Repeat two more times (for a total of four times). If the mixture starts to look dry, moisten with the reserved liquid. Top the cassoulet with the remaining bread crumbs, and bake until golden, about fifteen minutes. Let rest at least twenty-five minutes, and then sprinkle crumbled duck skin over the top before serving.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cherry Clafouti <\/strong><\/p>\n

Recipe from <\/em>The Bonne Femme Cookbook<\/a>,<\/em> by Wini Moranville.<\/em><\/p>\n

12 oz pitted fresh or frozen cherries
\n3 large eggs
\n1\/2 cup sugar
\n1\/2 tsp vanilla extract
\n1 tbs kirsch (cherry brandy)
\nPinch of salt
\n1\/2 cup flour
\n1 cup milk
\n1\/4 cup heavy cream
\n1\/4 cup confectioners\u2019 sugar (for dusting)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter and sugar a nine-inch round nonmetal baking dish with two-inch sides.<\/p>\n

Spread the cherries in the baking dish. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, kirsch, and salt on medium speed until well combined. Pour the batter over the cherries.<\/p>\n

Bake until a thin knife inserted near the center of the clafouti comes out clean and the top is a deep golden color, about forty minutes. If the top is brown before the custard is done, loosely cover with a sheet of foil. Place on a wire rack to cool, but serve warm. Just before serving, dust the top of the clafouti with confectioners\u2019 sugar, and serve in either scoops or wedges.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Valerie Stivers is a writer based in New York.\u00a0<\/em>Read earlier\u00a0installments of\u00a0Eat Your Words<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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