A Vagabond Life - Food

French Onion Soup An ancient soup with unclear origins, some say it comes from Lyon and others from Paris...wherever it comes from it certainly is delicious. Ingredients Serves 6 50g butter 750g onions finely sliced 2 garlic cloves finely chopped 40g plain flour 2 litres chicken stock 250 mls white wine 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs thyme 12 slices baguette 100 g finely grated Gruyere cheese Method Melt the butter in a large heavy based saucepan, add the onions and cook on a low heat stirringin occasionally for about 25 minutes or until they are golden brown and starting to caramelise. Add the garlic and flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually add the stock and the wine stirring constantly, bring to the boil. Add the bay leaf and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cookat a simmer for 25 minutes. Remove the bay and thyme and taste for seasoning. Heat the grill and toast the baguette slices and divide them amongst bowls and sprink

Potato and Leek Soup  This dish can be served hot or cold - in France it is traditionally served hot. It is believed the the cold version Vichyssoise, was first served in New York. Ingredients Serves 6 50g butter 1 celery stick finely sliced 3 leeks finely sliced 1 onion finely chopped 1 garlic clove finely chopped 750ml vegetable stock 200g potatoes peeled and diced 185mls cream (nice but not necessary) 2 tablespoons chopped chives Method Melt the butter in a large heavy based saucepan then add the leek, onion, garlic and celery and cook covered until the vegetables have softened add the potato and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and then blend in either a blender in batches or with a stab mixer. Bring gently back to the boil, add the cream if using and season with salt and white pepper. Garnish with chives when serving. If serving cold it will need to be well chilled. Images on this page are sourced from

Truffle Sauce – the French way. Excellent with red meat Ingredients 1 leek finely chopped 1 3/4 cups finely chopped shallot 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 cups dry white wine 2 large fresh thyme sprigs 1 1/4 oz black truffles, finely chopped 4 cups chicken stock 4 cups heavy cream  1/4 teaspoon black truffle oil Method Wash chopped leek in a bowl of cold water and drain. Cook leek, shallot, and garlic in a heavy saucepan, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and truffles and boil, uncovered, until most of liquid is evaporated, this will take about 10 minutes.  Add stock and boil until reduced to about 2 cups, about 25 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2 3/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into another saucepan, pressing on and discarding solids. Whisk in truffle oil and season with salt and pepper. This sauce can be made 2 days ahead

Brouillade de Truffes (Scrambled Eggs with Truffles)  I first had this dish in a tiny restaurant in a back lane of Sarlat many years ago...the restaurant is no longer there but the memory of this delicious dish stays with me.  Serves 4  Ingredients;  8 large eggs  25 grams black truffles, finely chopped or shaved  6 tablespoons butter, softened, cubed  3/4 teaspoon salt  1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper  Method:  Break the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk together. In a double boiler bring water to simmering.  Whisk together the eggs and truffles in the top portion of the double boiler and add the butter. Continue whisking the eggs over the simmering water until they form small curds resembling cottage cheese. Remove the eggs from the heat, season with the salt and pepper, and then serve immediately, while hot.   Note: I have cooked this recipe in a frying pan like traditional scrambled eggs however get a much better result using the double boiler.    Bon Appetit!

Truffles -  Black Diamonds In Perigord you will find black truffles which often go by the name 'black Perigord truffle' after the region. The tuber grows at the base of oak and hazelnut trees. Truffles can be found in the late autumn and winter, as you drive the Perigord country roads in the winter you will see people 'hunting' truffles with their truffle dogs. Every year for a few short weeks in December Sarlat holds its annual truffle market. The market takes place in a building quite close to the covered market and trades for only 3 hours each Saturday morning. The doors only promptly as the town hall clock strikes the ninth chime of 9 'o'clock and the crowds that have been gathering waiting patiently outside in the cold rush in to secure their prize.  Inside the truffle sellers are stationed behind long tables covered in cloth their truffle harvest displayed before them. The truffles range in size but most are about the size of a walnut.