Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (158 page)

2 to 2½ lbs. zucchini

About 2 lbs. fresh spinach

A large kettle of boiling salted water

A colander

Following the
directions
, trim, wash, grate, salt, squeeze, and dry the zucchini. While it is draining with salt, trim and wash the spinach; drop it into the rapidly boiling water and boil for a minute or two, just until limp. Drain, refresh in cold water, squeeze dry, and chop.

2 to 3 Tb olive oil

1 or 2 large cloves of mashed garlic

Salt and pepper

2 to 3 Tb soft butter

When zucchini has been squeezed and dried, sauté, tossing and turning frequently, in the hot oil with the garlic. When almost tender, stir in the chopped
spinach. About 10 minutes before serving, reheat, tossing and stirring, then cover pan and let cook several minutes over low heat, until spinach is as tender as you wish it to be. Season carefully to taste. Remove from heat and fold in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. Turn into a hot dish and serve immediately.

Tian de Courgettes au Riz

[Gratin of Zucchini, Rice, and Onions with Cheese]

The
tian
is, or was in the old days, a shallow, rectangular, earthenware Provençal baking dish. Anything cooked in it becomes a
tian
, just as something like chicken cooked in a casserole becomes a casserole of chicken. The
tian
, as a name, has been in vogue lately, but its shape and contents can vary considerably. Zucchini and rice are typical, as are additions of Swiss chard and spinach; thus you could use the preceding combination of zucchini and spinach, if you wish, rather than zucchini alone as suggested here. Serve with roasts, steaks, chops, calf’s liver, broiled fish or chicken, or as a first course.

For 6 people

2 to 2½ lbs. zucchini

½ cup plain, raw, untreated white rice

1 cup minced onions

3 to 4 Tb olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, mashed or finely minced

2 Tb flour

About 2½ cups hot liquid: zucchini juices plus milk, heated in a pan

About ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese (save 2 Tb for later)

Salt and pepper

A heavily buttered 6- to 8-cup, flameproof baking and serving dish about 1½ inches deep

2 Tb olive oil

Following the
directions
, trim, wash, grate, salt, squeeze, and dry the zucchini. While it is draining (reserve the juices,) drop the rice into boiling salted water, bring rapidly back to the boil, and boil exactly 5 minutes; drain and set aside. In a large (11-inch) frying pan, cook the onions slowly in the oil for 8 to 10 minutes until tender and translucent. Raise heat slightly and stir several minutes until very lightly browned. Then stir in the grated and dried zucchini and the garlic. Toss and turn for 5 to 6 minutes until zucchini is almost tender. Sprinkle in the flour, stir over moderate heat for 2 minutes, and remove from heat. Gradually stir in the hot liquid, being sure the flour is well blended and smooth. Return over moderately high heat and bring to the simmer, stirring. Remove from heat again, stir in the blanched rice and all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Taste very carefully for seasoning. Turn into buttered baking dish, strew remaining cheese on top, and dribble the olive oil over the cheese. (Preheat oven in time for baking.)

(*)
AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE
: May be prepared several hours or a day in advance of final cooking.

About half an hour before serving, bring to simmer on top of stove, then set in upper third of a preheated 425-degree oven until
tian
is bubbling and top has browned nicely. The rice should absorb all the liquid.

Timbale de Courgettes

[Molded Custard of Zucchini, Onions, and Cheese]

Here is a delightful concoction that is elegant to serve either as a first course, a luncheon dish, or to accompany roast or broiled chicken, a saddle of lamb, or veal or lamb chops. It is a mixture of grated and sautéed zucchini, cooked onions, cheese, cream, and eggs that is unmolded after baking, and then sprinkled with buttered bread crumbs and parsley. One of its most attractive qualities, besides its flavor, is the rather moist texture given it by the cheese, reminiscent of the soft center in a fine soufflé.

EGG PROPORTIONS FOR UNMOLDED CUSTARDS
: For a custard of this type, count on 2 “large” eggs for every cup of other ingredients; one quart of ingredients, then, calls for 8 (1½ to 1⅔ cups) “large” eggs and a 6-cup baking dish.

For 6 people

1)
The zucchini mixture

About 2 lbs. zucchini

2 cups minced onions

3 Tb butter

1 Tb olive oil or cooking oil

Salt and pepper

A 1-quart measure

A rubber spatula

Following
the directions
, trim, wash, grate, salt, squeeze, and dry the zucchini; you should have 2 to 2⅓ cups approximately. While zucchini is draining, cook the onions slowly for 12 to 15 minutes or longer, with the butter and oil, in a large (11-inch) frying pan until onions are very tender, translucent, and just beginning to brown. Raise heat, stir in the zucchini; toss and turn for 5 to 6 minutes. Cover pan and cook zucchini several minutes longer over low heat, until tender. Season to taste and scrape into quart measure.

2)
The custard mixture—for about 5½ cups

4 ounces (1 cup lightly pressed) mixed grated Parmesan and Swiss cheese