Elizabeth David's "French Provincial Cooking"

[sophia]

Sometimes, I think writing about food is the only place where opinion is still highly valued, so I am both amused and delighted reading Elizabeth David's book about the cooking of Provincial France after WWII. This little recipe brought a chuckle.

Saucisson Chaud a la Lyonnaise

This is an exceedingly simple, almost primitive, dish which is very popular in Lyon and in many country distrcts of central France. It consists of a large pork sausage, the seasoning and exact composition of which varies according to local tradition, simply poached very slowly (a 12 to 160oz sausage takes about 1 hour) in plenty of water to cover, and served on a long dish surrounded by a hot potato salad.

This is made by slicing boiled waxy potatoes into thick rounds while they are still hot, and seasoning them with a little oil, vinegar, salt and pepper dressing. The dish is usually served as a first course, or hot hors-d'oeuvre, although it can wlel make a main luncheon dish. Given a good sausage and well-seasoned poatoes, it is a most delicious dish, which will not be despised by the most fastidious. (My question: do the most fastidious eat sausage? - just struck me funny.)

Francis Amungategui, a distinguished French gastronome and journalist, writes of this Lyonnais sausage in deeply emotional terms: 'The appearance,' he says, 'of a hot sausage with its salad of potatoes in oil can leve nobody indifferent. . . it is pure, it precludes all sentimentality, it is the Truth.' "

So, hope you like that, too.

A question re sausage. When you run across recipes for European fresh pork sausages, what do you use? Sometimes
Italian sausage is not right, but brats don't cut it either, and I'm not too familiar with all of the possibilities.

[Atticus]

What I use is a local one: Bass Brothers, made in a tiny cinderblock facility about twenty miles from here. They buy only locally raised hogs, on the hoof, their quality is consistent, and it being local and thereby without heavy shipping and storage charges I can get it cheaply. I suspect that too is the essence of good French ingredients.

[Fincher]

good point atticus, long time no see buddy

[dpm75]

the "a la Lyonnaise" is the modifier because of the potatoes, pommes Lyonnaises that accompany them. There is also a Saucisson de Lyon which is normally pork with fresh garlic and white wine plus seasonings. In Toulouse I often found a similar sausage "de Toulouse a l'ail rose" which was made with pink garlic and was delicious. But they are fresh sausages, not cooked or smoked like a kielbasa. If you can't find them, make them, it is a fun adventure!

I find the title interesting too. Province means pretty much anything outside of Paris, so the entire book is dedicated to food not from the city. But the majority of the ingredients in Paris come from outside of Paris. So it really leaves a lot of food to be covered! Whereas Provence means that lovely area in south-central France, not to be confused with south-central L.A., otherwise known as Compton!

Darrin

[sophia]

Interesting you mentioned the a la Lyonnaise, because that usually means that onions are a key ingredient, but not here. We lived in France for three years years ago and one of the things I remember learning is that the names of different cities attached to different recipes often meant specific local ingredients, as in Crecy - carrots, Florentine, Florence - spinach, etc., etc.

We were in the North of France so there were a lot of recipes with apples and Calvados, but seafood and dairy, too. Not quite as specific as some of the other regions.

Making my own sausage is a good idea! I've made Italian sausage with good results, so ought to give this a try.
The sausage you describe sounds sooo good!

Just don't think I'm 'fastidious' enough for this recipe though.

[Atticus]

Howdy, Fincher! Things have been busy, or at least that sounds as good as any other excuse. How've you been?

[dpm75]

you're right about the onions and i failed to notice she didn't include them, because they are a definite ingredient in pommes lyonnaises.

[Lorraine]

Saucisson de Lyon which is normally pork with fresh garlic and white wine plus seasonings.

I'm going to check out my sausage books for a recipe. Thanks, sounds like a fun book.

[ChefJune]

Saucisson de Lyon which is normally pork with fresh garlic and white wine plus seasonings.

I'm going to check out my sausage books for a recipe. Thanks, sounds like a fun book.

and if you don't find one, Lorraine, I'm sure I have several in my Lyonnais books. Some of them are in French, but I know that doesn't matter to you.

[Lorraine]

I only found one from Lyon. A pork sausage with brandy and pistachios. If you have others.....

[sophia]

Great discussion! I found some answers to some of the discussion questions in a book by Linda Merinoff called "The Savory Sausage", 1987 Poseidon Press. It is excellent; her research is incredible, and the recipes look inviting. I'll quote here about the sausage and then post the recipe in the shared recipes forum:

"Lyonnais, Burgundy, and Franche-Comte, in eastern France, are renowned for both elegant, nouvelle cuisine restaurants and those serving cuisine paysanne. These chefs demand, and get, the highest quality sausages. Some are made with truffles, pistachios, or both, others with garlic, most of them quite large and often dried. Goat-meat sausages, common several hundred years ago, can still be found in small Burgundian villages. Salami-type-sausages inlclude the dried-peppercorn-and-garlic-filled saucisson de Lyons and the smoked saucisson de Morteau ..Platters piled high with meats and highly spiced blood sausages, and andouilles are all local favorites."