Florida Agenda

Marchand de Vin (French for “wine merchant”) sauce is a classic red wine reduction. It’s made by reducing red wine and chopped shallots, and then simmering in a basic demi-glace. Marchand de Vin sauce is delicious served with roasts and steaks.

Ingredients

1 quart of demi-glace

1 cup of red wine

¼ cup of chopped shallots

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, combine the wine and the shallots. Heat until the liquid boils, and then lower the heat a little and continue simmering until the liquid has reduced by three-fourths. Add the demi-glace, then lower heat to a simmer and reduce for about five minutes. Most chefs will then strain through a mesh strainer; I love shallots, so I just leave the sauce “as is.” Remember: You are the chef.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and serve right away.

The name of this sauce comes from the Italian word marinaro, which means “seafarer” or “sailor.” This easy-to-make red sauce was first made for returning 16th century Neapolitan sailors. Recipes vary, but a basic marinara sauce consists of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. While other pasta sauces contain meat, such as ground beef or sausage, marinara sauce does not: it’s all veggie.

Ingredients

2 cans of stewed tomatoes

1 can of tomato paste or sauce (no additives)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon of dried oregano (or you can use fresh thyme or herbs de Provence)

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

6 tablespoons of olive oil

1 big finely diced onion

½ cup of white wine

1 dash of hot sauce

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, herbs, and bay leaf, and all the other ingredients, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about one hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. The sauce can be made one day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. (I always make a big batch and freeze it in small quantities.) You are the chef!

Chili con carne (usually known simply as chili) is a spicy stew. The name of the dish derives from the Spanish phrase which means “chili pepper with meat.”

Traditional versions are made at a minimum from chili peppers, garlic, onions, and cumin, along with chopped or ground beef. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included. Variations, both geographic and personal, may involve different types of meat, as well as a variety of other ingredients. It can be found worldwide in local variations and also in certain American-style fast food restaurants.

I got this recipe from a chef and customer in the “West Saloon,” our Tex-Mex restaurant in Vienne, France.

Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz each) of red kidney beans, drained

1 tablespoon of good olive oil

1 large onion, quartered, sliced

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and chopped

1 lb of ground beef

1 can (14.5 oz) of tomatoes

1 can (8 oz) of tomato sauce

1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon of cumin

½ bottle of full bodied red wine (this gives a fantastic “earthy” flavor)

1 small can of corn (optional, but I think it adds nice color)

1 ½ teaspoons of salt

1 bay leaf

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and brown the onion, then add the ground beef. Cook for a few minutes, and add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, peppers, the wine and seasonings. Simmer for one to two hours, checking and stirring frequently. Add the canned beans and corn and heat through. I usually serve with white rice and garnish with parsley, but you are the chef! (This dish is on special this week at Le Patio.)

Some recipes are just too good to overlook and this one, for All-American Chocolate Fudge, certainly qualifies. It originally ran in Florida Agenda on September 8, 2011.

The smooth consistency of delicious chocolate fudge is what makes it a delectable treat. It’s the cooking temperature that separates hard caramels from fudge and tiny micro crystals of sugar in fudge gives it its firm but smooth texture. The secret to great fudge is getting these crystals to form at just the right time. American-style fudge contains chocolate, while in Europe it’s all or mostly caramel.

• 1 lb pack of miniature marshmallows

• 2 bars (200g) of chopped cooking chocolate (I use Lindt’s Dessert chocolate which is 70% cocoa)

• 2 cups sugar

• ½ cup salted butter

• 1 12-oz can of evaporated milk

• 2 teaspoons of vanilla

• 1½ cup hazelnuts

Roast the hazelnuts for six-to-eight minutes until lightly browned. Don’t skip this step as the roasting really brings out the flavor. Keep your eyes on them so they don’t burn. Using cooking spray, liberally spray a 9×13 inch pan and an 8 inch square pan. Measure out 1¼ cup of marshmallows and set aside for later use. Place the chopped chocolate and remaining marshmallows in a large glass bowl with the roasted hazelnuts.

In a pan, combine sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and 1¼ cup of marshmallows. Bring to a low boil and stir for ten minutes. (This is an important step; skip it and your fudge won’t set and will become gooey.) Remove from the stove and add the vanilla. Pour this mixture over the chocolate, hazelnuts & marshmallows in the glass bowl, stirring quickly as it will begin to set. Pour into sprayed pans with a spatula and cool.

You can replace the hazelnuts with walnuts, pecans or dried fruit…you are the chef!

Although born in Dublin, Ireland, chef Jean Doherty spent most of her life in Lyon, France, the gastronomical capital of the world. Together
with Vero, her partner of 25 years, Jean has owned and run multiple restaurants including Fort Lauderdale’s Le Patio.

By JEAN DOHERTY

This is a “hot” vegetarian dish, or vegetable accompaniment to any poultry, meat, or fish dish you like. It will make any reluctant squash-eater a total fan— believe me I know what I’m talking about. I was one. For 4 servings you’ll need:

Ingredients:
• 2 lbs of zucchini (about 4 or 5 mediumsized
ones), sliced
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Béchamel sauce
• 1 cup of Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated

Place the sliced zucchini in a saucepan and pour in enough water to cover the top. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the water quickly to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini is tender (but still firm). Drain thoroughly. You can mash them, or leave them in slices (depending on your energy or mood, remember: You are the Chef). Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil, and add the onion, frying it until golden brown. Add the fried onion to the zucchini and a little grated cheese, and generously season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a lightlygreased gratin dish, pour in the mixture combined with the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the surface. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Although born in Dublin, Ireland, chef Jean
Doherty spent most of her life in Lyon, France,
the gastronomical capital of the world. Together
with Vero, her partner of 25 years, Jean has
owned and run multiple restaurants including
Fort Lauderdale’s Le Patio.

By Jean Doherty

Traditional steak au poivre has been served as a pan sauce since at least the mid-19th century. Regardless of the concoction, the same pan should be used to create the sauce as was used to cook the steak. But we are in South Florida, and a grill is as likely to be used as a pan, so I’m giving you a simple way to make a delicious sauce, without the smoky pan smells left over in your kitchen.

Ingredients:
• 1 tin or jar of green peppercorns, in brine
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 oz. of cognac, brandy, whiskey, or bourbon
• 2 small shallots
• 1 small onion
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 1 cup of beef or veal stock, or demi-glace
(demi-glaze)
• 1 cup of heavy cream

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and, after chopping the onion into small pieces, sauté it until it is nice and browned, then add the shallots (cooking quickly over high heat) until transparent, approximately two to three minutes. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of flour, and using a whisk, incorporate the liquor and the stock. Add the whole green peppercorns (to taste; the amount you use is up to you). Add the heavy cream. Bring the liquid back to the boil, and cook for three to five minutes (to thicken the sauce), stirring constantly. Taste and adjust seasoning. (Some chefs believe heavy cream doesn’t belong in the traditional steak au poivre recipe, although many restaurants and at-home chefs include the cream. It does make the sauce so much better.) Voila! Use this sauce for steaks, chicken, duck— anything you can grill will be perfect with this sauce. You are the chef!

Although born in Dublin, Ireland, chef Jean Doherty spent most of her life in Lyon, France, the gastronomical capital of the world. Together with Vero, her partner of 25 years, Jean has owned and run multiple restaurants including Fort Lauderdale’s Le Patio.

By Jean Doherty

Crème brûlée, French for “burnt cream,” (in Spanish, “crema catalane,” and in English “Trinity cream”) is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base, topped with a layer of hard caramel. Most people assume that crème brûlée is a French dish, since the name is French. Chances are, crème brûlée is another version of a custard recipe that was passed around during the Middle Ages. It’s almost impossible to trace its exact roots to a specific origin, so the “Battle of the Brûlée” still goes on between French, English, and Spanish adherents.

The only hard part about making this recipe is that it requires you to caramelize the sugar topping just before serving. (I do this directly at your table at Le Patio.) The aim is to get a “hard” finish without warming the cream underneath, and this can be difficult without the right tool.

I suggest you splurge on a blow torch. (I love using the blow torch: I actually think I was a plumber in another life!)

It’s well worth it, because crème brûlée is so easy and delicious, you’re going to want to make it again and again

Ingredients:

• 10 egg yolks

• 8 oz. of sugar

• 1 liter of heavy cream

• 1 vanilla pod

• Brown sugar (for “finish”)

Preheat the oven at 205°. Open the vanilla pod, remove the grains out, and put them in the cream. Place on the stovetop, and start heating slowly. “Whiten” the eggs: Mix the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, beating them like mad until the mixture becomes a “whitish,” light yellow color. Add the boiling vanilla cream, mixing SLOWLY, making sure that the mixture does not become too bubbly. Delicately pour this new mixture into small individual porcelain or terracotta molds. (You should make from six to eight, depending on the size of your dishes) Cook for 1 hour and 15 min; the crème should come out wobbly. Cool well.

Before serving, cover with brown sugar, get the blow torch out, and start caramelizing it. C’mon baby light my fire: You are the chef!

Although born in Dublin, Ireland, chef Jean Doherty spent most of her life in Lyon, France, the gastronomical capital of the world. Together
with Vero, her partner of 25 years, Jean has owned and run multiple restaurants including Fort Lauderdale’s Le Patio.

By Jean Doherty

This delicious and easy-to-make soup is loosely derived from Russian and Ukrainian variations of traditional borscht. (Who knew?) I made it last week because we had bought too many carrots and other veggies, including beetroot, for our juicing—and, of course, we weren’t juicing! “Right,” says I, “I’ll make a soup with that,” and I did. OMG: Everyone LOVED it.

Ingredients:
• 4 big carrots
• 2 beetroots
• 1 big onion
• Fresh rosemary or thyme
• Good olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Hot sauce

Chop all the vegetables. Sauté the onion in hot olive oil for 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring often so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Add the beetroots, carrots, fresh rosemary, and water, and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes. Fish out the rosemary stalk. Blend and season to taste. (I threw in a good splash of hot sauce.) You are a chef!

Although born in Dublin, Ireland, chef Jean Doherty spent most of her life in Lyon, France, the gastronomical capital of the world. Together
with Vero, her partner of 25 years, Jean has owned and run multiple restaurants including Fort Lauderdale’s Le Patio.

By DALE MADISON

Do the names Jean Doherty and Veronique Leroux sound familiar? These women own one of the hottest little restaurants in South Florida. Le Patio boasts just 282 square feet, making it one of the most intimate dining places around. It has certainly become one of my favorite eateries. On April 1, the duo celebrates three years as proprietors of “the tiniest, cutest restaurant” in town.

Sitting at the bar–which serves beer and wine—a sign caught my eye: “This is not Burger King: you don’t get it your way.” I chuckled about it as Veronique (“Vero”) quickly pointed out “that is NOT our philosophy! We will do what we can to make your dining experience just that, an experience.”

Friends took me to Le Patio last month for my birthday, and it was one of the best meals I have ever had. That was not the first time that I had been there, and I have always been intrigued by the tiny size of the place. When I finally caught up with these delightful women to get their back story, it turns out that it spans 24 years, and is fascinating.

Doherty and Leroux met while both were working as sales reps for a company in Leon, Spain. Jean’s boss told her “you need to take the new rep out for training.”

“At 4:00 p.m. we went to the local pub,” Doherty recalls. “Vero thought it was a test for her, but that was 4:00 p.m. and I think at 6:00 p.m. we were at U-Haul. Of course we all laugh about the fact that the girls always do that. We did rent a truck and moved in together. Been together ever since and neither of us can see us being apart,” she adds.

Leroux picks up the story: “We bought a house together. Our daughter Kathleen was so important in the relationship. She has been so supportive.” She remembers their first restaurant. “It was a little Tex-Mex with a bar,” recalls Leroux. “It worked out well but it wasn’t what we wanted.” It was while they owned the bar and restaurant in Leon, “The West Saloon,” that the couple made their partnership permanent. “The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence held our commitment ceremony,” says Doherty. “They waived a toilet bowl brush over us and pronounced us ‘wife and wife.’”

Three years ago, Leroux and Doherty were scouting locations for their signature Wilton Manors café. “We wanted the space where the tattoo parlor is next to Matty’s,” says Doherty. “We called the owner and were told, ‘Sorry, I just leased it. BUT, I have another space around the corner.’ We met him and fell in love with the space. And we have been so happy that we have it. It’s become our home.”

Doherty and Leroux attribute the success of Le Patio to its patrons. “One of the greatest testaments for our little restaurant is 98 percent of our clientele is gay, one percent is lesbian, and one percent is straight,” says Doherty. “We love our gay boys. They come in, have a wonderful time, they bring in their mothers, and all have a great time, and we love them,” she adds.

The couple is grateful also for their friends in the community. “If it not been for our general contractor, Jeb Sherer, I don’t know where we would be. He was our saving angel,” notes a thankful Doherty. “You know only one-in-10 restaurants succeed. We are proud to still be here and are energized every day to be here,” she says.

By Jean Doherty

A Scotch egg is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. The Scotch egg’s origins are obscure. The exclusive London “Fortnum & Mason” claims it invented the portable snack in 1738 for rich coach travelers. “The eggs would have been smaller in those days,’’ says the company’s archivist Dr Andrea Turner. “They would have been pullet’s eggs rather than hen’s eggs, and the meat would have been gamier.’’(And here I am wondering what a pullet’s egg is) The finest Scotch eggs I can recall, freshly cooked and of first-rate ingredients, are those I have noshed on in the pubs of Dublin, but then of course I’m biased, and just a wee bit patriotic.

Oil for frying
4 eggs
2 pounds pork sausage
4 cups dried bread crumbs, seasoned
A little all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten

Place the eggs in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let them sit in the hot water for about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool and peel.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to  375 degrees F.

Flatten the sausage and make a patty to surround each egg. Roll it around in the palm of your hands so it’ll stick. Make a ball. Very lightly flour the sausage ball and then coat with the beaten egg. Roll that in the bread crumbs to cover evenly. Rock n roll.

Deep fry until golden brown. Place on a paper towel to soak up excess cooking  oil. Cut in half and serve over a bed of lettuce and sliced tomatoes for garnish. These eggs can be enjoyed with any sauce you love…mayo, ketchup…ranch?

You are the chef!