French Cooking Academy: 100 Essential Recipes for the Home Cook, written by Stephane Nguyen with Kate Blenkiron, features a wonderful collection of sweet and savory recipes from across France for every occasion. A few highlights include Tomato and Mustard Feuilleté, Lyonnaise Bistro Salad, Braised Lamb Shanks in Port Wine, Fish with Saffron Velouté Sauce, and Classic Flambéed Crêpes. I will also be sharing their recipe for French-Style Pilaf Rice following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Page Street Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
Stephane Nguyen and Kate Blenkiron
Stephane Nguyen is a self-taught cook originally from Fontainebleau, France. Kate Blenkiron is a self-taught photography from Australia.
Together, they founded the French Cooking Academy in 2019 as an online resource on French cuisine for home cooks with a focus on “simple steps, authentic recipes, and step-by-step guidance.” Their work has been featured by France-Ameriques, Air Canada’s enRoute, and My French Country Home Magazine.
Stephane and Kate are currently based in regional Victoria, Australia. This is their first cookbook.
French Cooking Academy
Stephane and Kate begin French Cooking Academy with a short introduction and a few helpful notes to get started.
The book is divided into four parts: French Staples; To Start; Exquisite Mains, Seafood and Sides; and Treats, Tarts and Desserts to Please Everyone. The contents page has a list of included recipes with page number for easy reference.
They guide the home cook through every step from the mise en place and picking ingredients to avoiding waste. I especially love the variety of base recipes to build flavor including homemade stocks, dressings, herb butters, sauces, and pastries.
The photography is provided by Kate Blenkiron. Most of the recipes are paired with a vibrant, full-page photo of the finished dish.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in French and/or English. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, yield, mise en place steps, tips, and ingredient notes.
French-Style Pilaf Rice
I didn’t initially plan on pairing this post with French-Style Pilaf Rice. I had a couple of other recipes in mind, but I became completely enamored when making it as a side for the Beef Daube with Spring Carrots.
As someone who generally prepares rice using the rice cooker and has very mixed results when using the stovetop, I was so excited with the resulting texture of this pilaf rice. The instructions and timing were absolutely spot on down to the minute.
Start by gently cooking the onion just until fragrant, then stir in the rice and cook briefly. Add the water/stock and herbs. Once everything comes to a simmer, immediately top the rice with the cartouche (paper lid), cover, and transfer the pan to the oven.
Bake in the oven until the rice is tender and well puffed (it was exactly 17 minutes for me). To finish, discard the herbs and stir a final dab of butter through the grains.
Stephane and Kate have provided a couple of variations for the recipe. To make a golden rice, stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric along with the water or stock. Other ingredients can also be added to enhance the flavor such as sautéed meat, diced vegetables, mushrooms, spices, or other herbs.
Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. The amount will vary based on whether you use water, White Chicken Stock, or another good quality premade stock as the base. I personally went with water and just added a little extra salt. The recipe for the White Chicken Stock is included in the book.
Other Dishes
I also made the Classic Parisian Salad, Cucumbers in Cream Dressing, Beef Daube with Spring Carrots, and Potato Gratin with Mushrooms.
There are so many wonderful salad options with an assortment of dressings in French Cooking Academy. I started with the Classic Parisian Salad. This refreshing salad pairs together butter lettuce, ham, Emmentaler cheese, and boiled eggs with a light mustard vinaigrette.
The Cucumbers in Cream Dressing were another light and refreshing starter. Sliced cucumbers are coated with a cream mustard dressing and served with a sprinkling of fresh herbs, pepper flakes, and green onion.
Compared to other beef stews with red wine, the Beef Daube with Spring Carrots recipe uses a dry white wine and cognac! It was such a delicious contrast with the tender beef pieces, bacon, carrots, pearl onions, and spices. Recommended pairings include either mashed potatoes or the French-Style Pilaf Rice.
The Potato Gratin with Mushrooms was another wonderful side, especially for fall. Thinly sliced potatoes are arranging in a dish with sautéed mushrooms and baked in cream until tender and golden. It is best served lukewarm after giving everything a chance to settle.
French Cooking Academy is a fantastic pick for those interested in French cuisine for the home cook. Recipes have a wide range for every cooking level from quick and easy salads to more technical desserts.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include gourmet forest mushrooms, endive, juniper berries, pearl onions, Belgian dark beer, Calvados, saffron, duck/goose fat, Arborio rice, fresh mussels, and other seafood.
French-Style Pilaf Rice Recipe
Excerpt from French Cooking Academy
French-Style Pilaf Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (300 milliliters) water, White Chicken Stock, or good quality premade stock
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) butter plus an extra dab to finish the rice
- 1/2 cup (80 grams) finely diced onion
- 7 ounces (200 grams) long-grain rice (jasmine)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- Salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Bring the water or stock to a light boil and set aside.
- Prepare a paper lid (cartouche) by cutting a circle of parchment paper to the diameter of your ovenproof sauté pan or pot with a lid.
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
- Place a large sauté pan over low heat and melt the butter, then stir in the onion and cook gently for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add the rice, mixing well so that the grains are well coated, and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour the warm water or stock gently over the rice, add the bay leaf and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
- Increase the heat to high to quickly bring the liquid to a simmer, then immediately switch the heat off.
- Place the cartouche inside the pan so that it rests on the rice. Cover with a lid and slide the pan onto the middle rack of the oven.
- Set a timer to cook for 17 minutes. When the time is up, taste the rice to check whether it's done; it should be tender and well puffed. If not, return it to the oven for a few more minutes.
- When cooked, let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Just before serving the rice, discard the cartouche, bay leaf and thyme, and to finish, stir through a dab of butter.
- Use a fork to separate and loosen the grains a little before enjoying with your favorite main dish.
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