by Bonnie Carroll

Jean Francois Meteigner talking turkey

Several years ago, at the twenty-fifth anniversary party for "The Moulin," world renowned chef, Roger Verge made a joke about new wave of light French cooking in Los Angeles. He said, "Where's se butter?" Everyone laughed because we all understand how important huge amounts of butter and cream are to great French chefs. However, Jean Francois Meteigner says "who can eat that?" In an effort to accommodate the needs of serious California cholesterol counters Meteigner has created innovative and delicious recipes using very little butter.

Jean Francois Meteigner chef/owner of La Cachette restaurant in Los Angeles, is a master when it comes to preparing light and delicious French food. Throughout the year this very talented and highly entertaining chef offers cooking classes in his kitchen to assist those wishing to prepare special holiday menus and shares his short cuts to serving and planning perfect brunches and dinners.

I selected to try his Thanksgiving Dinner, however lessons are offered for most holiday meals throughout the year. Jean started with the turkey of course! The Diestel Turkey with Dressing was paired with Pumkin Soup & Spites; Celery Root Salad; Carrot Salad; Beet Salad; Stuffed Turkey and Gravy, Corn Gratin; Yam and Butternut Squash Mash and Pecan Pie. The cooking class, which includes a sit down lunch with wine, took about 3 hours and the cost is $100.00 per person.

Chef Meteigner's own unique style with food often blows-out historic concepts and traditions regarding food preparation. He does not use trussing or trivets when cooking the bird, which surprises many of his students. However, because he serves at least 18 delicious birds every Thanksgiving Day in his restaurant, no one questions his tried and true methods.

The fine art of cutting vegetables, including corn for the corn gratin, was also of interest to his audience. A special lesson in how to make a perfect flower and butter, white or blond roux, for white sauce and a brown roux for brown sauce was helpful. The white sauce is used in the Corn Gratin. Jean explained that his favorite meal is boiled cauliflower, rolled in endive with ham and covered with white sauce and cheese. According to Jean, "this is something my mother makes that I really love."

He warned never to use canned beets when cooking. The best way to cook the beets, he said, is to boil them or rub them in oil and bake them. Then drop the beets in ice water and the skin will fall off. Chop the beets, shallots and onions, add salt, pepper and Francisco Santiago Raspberry Vinaigrette with Mosto Olive Oil; hard boiled eggs are optional. I made this recipe for my family at Thanksgiving and it was outstanding, while simple to prepare.

This charming and talented chef has a great sense of humor and a true love of food and flavor combinations. He says "think about flavor, try to visualize flavor combinations and blend them. Soon it will be very natural...it only took me twenty-five years!" He laughed heartily near the end of the class and commented that his staff arrives following his cooking classes to set up for the dinner seating and they cannot find one clean pot. When he suggested he might stop these classes, the group moaned with disappointment.

Jean and his wife Allie Ho are expecting their second child, and met each other when she came to work for him several years ago in the restaurant. Allie Ho was our charming hostess for the day and provided us with recipes and handouts to use as Jean gave his hands-on instructions.

Celery Root Salad (6 people)
2 large celery roots peeled and cut in 4 pieces
1 lemon juice
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
Shred celery root in Cuisinart, add lemon juice, salt, pepper and
mayonnaise. May be prepared 1 hour before cold serving.

Red Beet Salad (10 people)
4 lbs. of large red beets
Raspberry vinegar
Olive oil
5 Shallots chopped fine
1/4 red onion chopped fine
Cook Red Beets in water with a little salt until soft in the center. Peel and cut red beets in medium dices. Mix 5 tbs. raspberry vinegar with 1 tbs. olive oil. Season red beets with vinaigrette, add shallots and onions. Serve as salad before turkey.

Turkey and Gravy
1 turkey 18 to 20 lbs.
1 cup croutons or cubed bread
2 large duck legs - deboned and ground
1 cup chestnuts poached in milk
1/2 cup spinach, blanched
Nutmeg
Black pepper
Salt
Mix duck meat with chestnuts, spinach and croutons. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Melt 1/2 cup of butter and 2 tbs., honey. Stuff turkey. Brunch turkey with honey. Ad salt & pepper on top. Roast in a 350º degree oven for 1& 1/2 hours until top of bird is brown. Lower oven to 200º for another 3 hours. Baste turkey.

Gravy sauté neck & trimmings together until carrot, celery, onions, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine and 1 cup of port wine. Add 3 cups of duck stock or chicken stock and 1 cup water. Cook 2 hours. Strain stock and reduce 1/3rd of volume. Put aside.

In a pan cook 2 tbs butter with 1 tbs flour for 5 minutes to a light brown color. Add cold stock to flower with a whisk. Cook 1/2 hour. Sauté 10 sliced mushrooms with garlic, salt and pepper. Add to sauce. You may add 1/3rd of a cup of cream to sauce for a richer consistency. Take stuffing out of turkey as soon as bird is cooked.

Corn Gratin (6 servings)
6 to 8 corn-on-the-cob
2 tbs. flour
2 tbs. butter
2 cups milk
1/8 tsp.ground nutmeg
Salt
Ground pepper
Grated Swiss cheese or parmesan cheese

Sauté corn with 1 tbs olive oil - 10 minutes. Put aside. Melt butter than add flower. Cook for 2 minutes in low heat. Flower mix should be white. Add milk, nutmeg, salt & pepper Slowly cook for 5 minutes, add corn into the white sauce. Put aside. In a small soufflé mold, add corn mix (leave 1/2 inch space). Top with cheese and bake at 370º for 15 minutes. Finish in broiler for nice brown color.

Pecan Tart (1 tart)
4 oz. butter
8 oz. of pecans
5 oz. sugar
1 cup eggs
3/4th cup corn syrup
1/8th tsp. salt.
Mix all ingredients and put in a mold.
Place on top of dough. Bake at 375º for 45 minutes.

Pate Brisee
1 lb. butter
2 lbs. flour
½ tsp. salt
Mix together and add 1cup water. Prepare dough 2 or 3 hours ahead (best one day in advance).

Pumpkin Soup with Spices (10 people)
4 lb. Peeled and diced pumpkin or 4&1/2 of baked pumpkin flesh
2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large leeks, diced, washed twice
3 onions diced
1 large celery root diced

Saute' leek onion & celery root 5 minutes with 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil. Add salt (no pepper). Add the remaining spices and diced or baked pumpkin. Cover with chicken stock for raw pumpkin. Cook 40 minutes and blend. For baked pumpkin cook for 25 minutes then blend and serve.

Tips:

When pureeing the pumpkin in the blender, wait until the soup is warn to avoid accident. Ginger Snap Cookies would be good with this soup!

The finished dinner is light, delightful and makes a smashing presentation for your Thanksgiving table. Bon Appetit!