French Country Cooking

Anne Willan, has run the legendary La Varenne, cooking school in France, is a leading authority on French cooking and its culinary history. Willan, who's just moved to Santa Monica, celebrates French culinary culture in her book, The Country Cooking of France.

La Chaudrée

Fish Chowder

Serves 4

Chaudrée are described in La Cuisine du Poitou, a local cookbook originally published in 1932. "To any recipe, add a thread of lemon juice towards the end of cooking, another while eating. Serve in a deep dish, heated and as thick as possible. Before pouring in the chaudrée, garnish the bottom with little pieces of good fresh butter." Just follow this advice!

• 2 lbs/900 grams mixed fish fillets, without skin

• 1/2 cup/110 grams/4 ozs butter

• 4 onions (about 1 1/2 lbs/675 grams total), peeled and quartered

• 5 garlic cloves, chopped

• 2 whole cloves

• 2 cups/500 milliliters/16 fluid ozs dry white wine

• 3 cups/750 milliliters/1 1/4 pints water, more if needed

• 1 small bunch of parsley (about 1 ounce/ 30 grams)

• 1 large bouquet garni

• Salt and pepper

• Baked croûtes made with 1 baguette, sliced

• 1 lemon

• Large flameproof casserole or soup pot

croûtes and keep them warm. Chop the reserved parsley sprigs, cut the lemon in half lengthwise, and divide one half into 4 wedges.

croûtes passed separately.

The Country Cooking of France.

Music break: Take it Easy my Brother Charles by Milton Banana Trio