Tarte flambee with Andre Saltner

ALSACE REGION OF FRANCE AND EXPECTED TO JOIN HIS FATHER AND BROTHER IN THE FAMILY CABINET MAKING BUSINESS.

BUT HIS MOTHER DISCOURAGED HIM SAYING, "THERE WERE ALREADY TOO MANY WOODWORKERS IN THE FAMILY."

SINCE THEIR REGION OF ALSACE WAS RICH IN ANCIENT GASTRONOMIC CULTURE, AND THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE RANKED HIGH, ANDRE DECIDED TO BECOME A CHEF.

HE BEGAN HIS APPRENTICESHIP WITH ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM IN A NEARBY HOTEL AND AT AGE TWENTY-SEVEN HE WAS ALREADY DIRECTING A BRIGADE OF SEVENTEEN CHEFS AT CHEZ HANSI IN PARIS.

WHILE THERE HE WAS DISCOVERED BY ANDRE SURMAIN, WHO WAS SEARCHING FOR A CHEF AND PARTNER FOR HIS NEWLY OPENED NEW YORK RESTAURANT, LUTECE.

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THIS TALENTED PAIR, LUTECE BECAME AN ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS SUCCESS.

AND IS STILL RENOWNED, REVERED, AND CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE AMONG THE VERY BEST RESTAURANTS IN NEW YORK, IF NOT IN THE WHOLE OF THE USA.

CHEF ANDRE IS SOLE OWNER NOW FOR A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS, HAS BEEN BEHIND THE STOVE AT LUTECE CONTINUOUSLY SINCE HIS ARRIVAL IN 1961, AND IS THE CLASSIC OLD-SCHOOL CHEF/PROPRIETOR.

HE AND HIS WIFE SIMONE, LIVE ABOVE THE RESTAURANT IN THIS LANDMARK EAST SIDE TOWNHOUSE.

WE ASKED CHEF ANDRE TO SHARE SOME OF HIS TRADITIONAL ALSATIAN DISHES WITH US.

AND AS AN OPENER HE'S MAKING US A TARTE FLAMBEE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A FLAMING DESSERT, BUT IS, IN FACT, A DELICIOUS ONION AND BACON TARTE FORMED ON A THIN CIRCLE OF PUFF PASTRY.

HE'S NOT SHOWING US HOW TO MAKE THE PASTRY BUT YOU CAN BUY THAT READY-MADE OR FOLLOW JACQUES PEPIN'S DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING YOUR OWN IN ANOTHER EPISODE OF THIS MASTER CHEFS SERIES.

ANDRE SOLTNER'S TARTE IS SO LIGHT, CRISP, ONIONY AND BACONY, I CAN EAT A WHOLE ONE RIGHT NOW.

YOU'LL SEE.

WE'RE GOING TO DO A FLAMMEKUECHE, A TARTE FLAMBEE, AND I USE PUFF PASTRY, BUT YOU CAN USE OTHER PASTRY TOO.

WE ROLL IT OUT.

WE HAVE TO DO IT VERY FINE BECAUSE IT'S A TARTE WHICH COOKS PRETTY FAST.

WE GO TO FULL, WITH THAT, WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN OUNCES OF PASTRY.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, WE HAVE THIN ENOUGH I THINK, NOW WE CUT FOUR PIECES, BUT ALSO YOU CAN DO IT A WHOLE ONE IF YOU WANT TO DO THEM, NOT INDIVIDUAL.

ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE TO OIL THE PAN, OTHERWISE THEY STICK WHEN THEY BAKE, JUST A LITTLE BIT.

ONE...

THERE WE GO... WE HAVE TO PRICK IT WITH A FORK.

AND NOW WE REFRIGERATE IT.

ALL RIGHT FOR THE TOPPING, WE NEED COTTAGE CHEESE.

A HALF A CUP, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

AND FIRST WE HAVE TO SMOOTHEN IT BECAUSE IN FRANCE WE USE FROMAGE BLANC, BUT HERE THE CLOSEST IS COTTAGE CHEESE, WHICH IS VERY GOOD.

SO THAT'S SMOOTH ENOUGH.

NOW, WE ADD THE CREME FRAICHE, HALF A CUP ALSO.

ONE TABLESPOON OF FLOUR, A LITTLE SALT, PEPPER, AND ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONS OF OIL.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

THAT'S SMOOTH ENOUGH.

YES, THAT'S PERFECT.

AND WE HAVE OUR CREAM.

AND NOW WE ARE READY TO PREPARE THE BACON AND THE ONION.

THE BACON HAS TO BE CUT VERY THIN BECAUSE IT DOESN'T STAY TOO LONG IN THE OVEN, YOU SEE, VERY THIN.

TARTE FLAMBEE, EVERYBODY THINKS FLAMBEE MEANS "FLAMED", BUT IT ISN'T, BECAUSE ORIGINALLY IT WAS MADE IN A BAKER'S OVEN AND THE FLAMES WENT OVER THE TARTE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED, "FLAMBEE", IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FLAME TO, BIG FLAMES, NO.

NOW WE CUT THE ONIONS, ALSO THE ONIONS VERY THIN.

TARTE FLAMBEE IN ALSACE IS VERY POPULAR TODAY AGAIN.

IT WAS DONE MANY YEARS AGO AND EVEN HERE IN NEW YORK, I DID IT TWENTY YEARS AGO AND THEN I FORGOT ABOUT, AND WHEN WE WENT BACK LAST SUMMER FOR VACATION MY SISTER TOOK US TO A CAFE AND THE SUNDAY EVENING WITH TARTE FLAMBEE AND WHITE WINE, AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH I SAID, "WELL, I GOT TO DO THAT AGAIN FOR THE NEW YORKERS".

AND NOW I DO IT HOME AND IN THE RESTAURANT.

HERE WE GO, AND WE ARE READY TO SAUTE IT NOW.

VOILA.

WE HAVE TO SAUTE NOW THE ONIONS AND THE BACON WITH A LITTLE OIL, BUT WE START WITH THE BACON BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THE FAT OUT A LITTLE BIT.

WE JUST SAUTE IT FOR A FEW SECONDS HERE, JUST TO GET THE FAT OUT OTHERWISE IT'S TOO FATTY WHEN YOU BAKE IT, BUT WE DON'T COOK IT TOO MUCH, JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IT GOES BACK IN THE OVEN AGAIN.

WE DON'T NEED MUCH OIL BECAUSE THE FAT MELTS AND THAT'S ENOUGH FAT TO SAUTE IT, TO SAUTE THE ONIONS.

THERE, WE'RE ALMOST THERE.

AND THAT'S ENOUGH.

WE ADD THE ONIONS NOW.

AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT THE ONIONS TO BE SAUTEED TOO MUCH.

THEY STILL STAY A LITTLE CRISP.

YEAH, THAT'S COOKED ENOUGH NOW, AND WE ARE READY TO PUT IT ON THE TARTE.

WE ARE READY NOW TO ASSEMBLE THE TARTE FLAMBEE, SO, WE SPREAD THE CREAM OVER, DON'T GO COMPLETELY TO THE EDGE BECAUSE WHEN IT BAKES IT WOULD OVERLAP OTHERWISE.

THAT'S IT.

AT THE RESTAURANT, WE USE IT AS A FIRST COURSE, BUT ALSO SOMETIMES WE USE IT FOR HORS D'OEUVRE OR AS A COMPLIMENTARY, LITTLE THING WHAT WE GIVE, TO GIVE IT TASTE FROM ALSACE.

BUT AT HOME, MOSTLY IN ALSACE OR AT YOUR HOME, YOU CAN USE IT FOR MAIN COURSE AND YOU SERVE IT THEN WITH A LITTLE SALAD.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DINNER DISH.

SO, JUST SPREAD THAT A LITTLE OUT.

OOPS.

YOU HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT ON EACH.

SO,... AND WE ARE READY TO BAKE IT IN A OVEN.

AND HERE WE HAVE THE TARTE FLAMBEE, FLAMMEKUECHE IN ALSATIAN, THE ITALIANS SAY IT'S LIKE A PIZZA BUT THAT'S A REAL ALSATIAN DISH.

NUM, NUM.

WITH THAT LIGHT SOUR CREAM CHEESE FILLING AND THE SWEET ONION/BACON TOPPING, ALL ON THAT CRISP PASTRY, UMM, LET'S HAVE ANOTHER PIECE.

BUT YOU WANT TO SAVE ROOM FOR THIS NEXT DISH RIGHT OUT OF CHEF ANDRE'S ALSATIAN'S CHILDHOOD.

THE BACHEOFE, IT'S A HEARTY MEAT AND POTATO STEW PACKED IN AN EARTHEN POT.

ALSATIAN HOUSEWIVES USE TO SEND IT OFF TO COOK IN A LOCAL BAKER'S OVEN, BACHEOFE.

WHEN YOU DO IT AT HOME, YOUR KITCHEN FILLS WITH THE HEAVY AROMAS OF HERBS AND WINE AND MEAT AND A WONDERFUL MEAL IN THE MAKING.

I PRACTICALLY GREW UP ON THAT AND IT'S A PEASANT DISH, NOT EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WE USE, WE USE MEAT WHICH IS NOT TOO EXPENSIVE.

WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT MEATS; WE HAVE BEEF, WE HAVE LAMB, AND WE HAVE PORK.

OF COURSE WE HAVE PORK'S FEET, AND PORK'S TAIL, IF WE CAN GET IT.

SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, WE CUT IT IN PIECES, LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S THE LAMB.

THAT IS THE PORK.

AND HERE WE GO WITH THE BEEF.

WE USE, FOR THE BEEF - WE USE CHUCK, FOR THE PORK - WE USE BUTTS, FOR THE LAMB - WE USE THE, THE SHOULDER MOSTLY, BUT YOU CAN USE, REALLY, DIFFERENT PIECES, BUT DON'T TAKE FILET MIGNON OR SIRLOIN.

FIRST IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THAT AND IT DOESN'T WORK AS WELL.

FILET MIGNON OR SIRLOIN WILL BE A LITTLE DRY FOR THAT.

HERE WE HAVE THE PORK'S FEET, AND THAT WE LEAVE IT WHOLE.

AND WE USE THE PIG'S FEET AND THE TAIL BECAUSE IT'S GELATINOUS.

NOW IF YOU CAN NOT GET IT, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD, BUT IT'S MUCH BETTER WITH THAT.

NOW, CUT THE ONIONS.

AND WE NEED A CLOVE OF GARLIC; YOU CUT IT IN HALF AND YOU ALWAYS TAKE THE GERM OUT BECAUSE THE GERM, THAT GIVES THE BAD TASTE OF GARLIC.

YOU CAN CRUSH IT A LITTLE BIT, OKAY.

AND WE NEED THE BOUQUET GARNI.

HERE, JUST PUT THAT TOGETHER WITH A STRING.

CUT IT HERE, MAKE IT LOOK A LITTLE NICER.

HERE WE GO.

TO MARINATE IT, WE SALT IT JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE SALT THE DISH TOMORROW, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF SALT, PEPPER - PEPPER YOU CAN PUT A LOT, BECAUSE THAT'S OKAY.

AND, WE PUT THE WHITE WINE, YES, THE WINE.

THE WINE GOES IN THE MEAT NOW OVERNIGHT, THAT'S THE MARINADE.

I GO TO COVER IT, ONCE IN A WHILE YOU CAN TOSS IT, AND NOW WE PUT IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR AND TOMORROW WE'LL BE READY TO COOK IT.

AND HERE WE HAVE OUR MEAT NOW MARINATED OVERNIGHT.

YOU SEE IT CHANGES COLOR A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE ACIDITY OF THE WINE.

WE DISCARD THE PARSLEY.

FIRST WE HAVE TO GO WITH THE POTATOES.

WE CUT THEM THIN, BUT NOT TOO THIN BECAUSE THEY GOT TO COOK FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.

HERE WE GO.

WE HAVE TO WASH THE POTATOES.

BE SURE TO WASH THEM GOOD BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'LL FEEL A LITTLE - NOT A GOOD TASTE.

ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE THE POTATOES, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE ONION NOW.

THE ONIONS, WE SLICE THEM PRETTY THIN.

YOU ALWAYS CUT THE CORE OUT BECAUSE THAT'S LIKE WOOD.

YEAH, WE HAVE THE ONIONS.

THERE WE ARE.

NOW WE CAN LAYER OUR COCOTTE.

FIRST, WE GO TO PUT HALF OF THE POTATOES IN THE BOTTOM, SALT A LITTLE BIT, PEPPER, AND HERE WE GO TO PUT OUR MEAT.

NOW, BACHEOFE IS A TYPICAL ALSATIAN DISH.

WHEN WE SPEAK OF ALSATIAN CUISINE, EVERYBODY ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE STATES, WE THINK OF CHOUCROUTE, BUT BACHEOFE IS EVEN MORE ALSATIAN THAN SAUERKRAUT.

WE CALL IT BACHEOFE BECAUSE ON MONDAYS, THE WOMAN'S DAY, THAT WAS THE WASH DAY FOR THE WOMEN AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO COOK.

SO WHAT THEY DID, THE DAY BEFORE THEY PREPARED THE MEAT AND MARINATED IT.

THE NEXT DAY, BEFORE THEY WENT WASHING, THEY PREPARED THE COCOTTE.

THEY GAVE IT TO THE CHILDREN WHO WENT TO SCHOOL.

THE CHILDREN, THEY LEFT IT AT THE BAKER'S, AND BY THEN THE BAKER'S OVEN WAS NOT TOO HOT, SO ALL WHAT THE BAKER HAD TO DO WAS TO PUT THE COCOTTE IN THE OVEN.

WHEN THE CHILDREN CAME OUT FROM THE SCHOOL, THEY JUST HAD TO PICK UP THE COCOTTE, WENT HOME, AND THE LUNCH WAS READY.

THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE "BAKER'S OVEN".

NOW WE COVER THAT WITH THE ONIONS, THE REST OF THE POTATOES.

HERE WE GO.

A LITTLE MORE SALT.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERSALT IT BECAUSE WHEN IT COOKS A LONG TIME THE SALT COMES MORE OUT.

PEPPER.

AND WE JUST STRAIN THE MARINADE OVER.

HERE WE GO.

NOW AT THIS POINT, YOU CHECK IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH MARINADE IN, IT'S ALMOST ENOUGH BUT AT THIS POINT WE CAN ADD A LITTLE WHITE WINE.

HERE.

AND NOW WE ARE READY TO SEAL THE COCOTTE.

IT HAS TO BE VERY GOOD SEAL AND WE DO THAT WITH A PASTE.

WE DO FLOUR AND WATER AND WE JUST SEAL IT GOOD, I'LL SHOW YOU.

ADD THAT SLOWLY OR THE PASTE IS NOT TOO SMOOTH.

HERE WE GO.

HERE WE GO.

LET'S SEE.

HERE WE HAVE THE SMOOTH PASTRY.

DO IT IN TWO TIMES.

OKAY.

AND WE JUST SIT THE PASTE ON THE RIM HERE THAT WILL HELP TO CLOSE IT COMPLETELY.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS THAT NO STEAM ESCAPES BECAUSE WHILE IT'S COOKING IT STEAMS AT THE SAME TIME.

IF THE STEAM ESCAPES IT DOESN'T COOK THE SAME, IT WILL EVAPORATE THE LIQUID AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT RESULTS.

SO HERE, NOW WE PUT THE LID ON TOP AND THAT WILL BE HERMETICALLY SEALED.

THE ONLY THING IN MOST OF THE COCOTTES, THERE IS A HOLE HERE, AND WE DON'T WANT THE STEAM TO ESCAPE FROM HERE SO WE CLOSE THAT TOO.

MAKE A LITTLE, THAT'S IT, AND WE ARE READY TO PUT THAT INTO THE OVEN FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS.

AND NOW THAT IT'S COOKED, WE HAVE TO BREAK THAT OFF, GET THE TOP OFF.

YOU SEE HOW TIGHT THAT WAS SEALED.

THERE WE GO.

WOW!

AND WE ARE READY TO SERVE.

SMELLS BEAUTIFUL.

SO WE PUT FIRST THE POTATOES, AND WE PUT OUR MEAT - THAT'S THE PORK, THAT'S THE LAMB, LET ME FIND A LITTLE BEEF, PORK'S FOOT, AND WE PUT THE TAIL ON, AND WE'VE GOT TO SPRINKLE IT WITH A LITTLE PARSLEY AND THERE WE ARE.

ISN'T THAT A NICE ALSATIAN DISH?

DURING HIS MORE THAN FOUR DECADES IN THE BUSINESS, ANDRE SOLTNER HAS SEEN MANY CHANGES IN STYLES OF CUISINE.

AND, ALTHOUGH, HE HIMSELF REMAINS VERY MUCH THE TRADITIONALIST, HE ADMIRES CREATIVITY, BUT HE SAYS, "IT TOOK OVER TWO HUNDRED YEARS TO DEVELOP A GOOD BASE OF COOKING AND WE SHOULDN'T FORGET IT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE."

COMING FROM LUNCH OR DINNER AT LUTECE AND BEING GREETED BY CHEF ANDRE IN HIS TALL WHITE TOQUE, AND HE ALWAYS DOES GREET YOU, YOU FEEL IN A WAY THAT YOU'RE COMING TO VISIT HIM IN HIS HOME.

YOU'RE SHARING NOT ONLY HIS BEAUTIFUL FOOD, BUT ALSO A BIT OF HIS LIFE AND THE TRADITIONS OF HIS ALSACE.

FOR COOKING WITH MASTER CHEFS, THIS IS JULIA CHILD.

BON APPETIT.

DETA Julia Child: Bon Appétit