La Creme de Careme : Recreate <i> la grand cuisine</i> in your own kitchen : Don’t Eat the Socle

Care^me’s most famous creations, his pieces montees, consist of pastries and confectionery displayed on elaborate stands called socles, which look as if they must be pottery. Actually, the stands were usually created in the kitchen out of such (mostly) edible ingredients as butter, marzipan, sugar, pastry and stale bread.

But some of the grandest were molded out of fat--by preference, sheep fat whitened with a little lemon juice, because of its hard, waxy consistency. A mixture of sheep and beef fat could be used if you were in a hurry or were planning to tint the fat and didn’t require it to be perfectly white.

The decorations on the surface of the socle might be gum, pastry, wax, butter or even fresh leaves and flowers arranged on thread to make swags. To form colored butter into decorative shapes, Care^me advised putting it on ice and working it with a wooden chisel. If you’ve tinted the socle fat lilac, Care^me wrote, make the ornaments white and pink; if red, sky blue and yellow; if green, either bright or pale rose.

But whatever you did, you’d eat only the stuff displayed on it. The socle itself was strictly for looks.

HOT SALMON PIE

This is a lovely recipe as it stands. Care^me’s serving instructions are to mask it with a ragout of carp roe, crayfish tails, oysters, mushrooms, artichoke bottoms and truffles, which does seem like gilding the lily.

CRUST

1 1/2 cups flour

6 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening

4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Put flour in large mixing bowl. Cut butter and shortening into small pieces and add to flour. Work mixture with pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal. Mix with hands or rubber spatula while adding ice water, 1 tablespoon at time, just until dough holds together. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead few times to combine ingredients thoroughly.

Pinch off lemon-sized portion of dough, wrap in plastic wrap and set aside. Roll remaining dough out to fit 8-inch pie plate. Transfer dough to pie plate and crimp edges. Prick bottom of dough all over and bake at 375 degrees 10 minutes. Set crust aside to cool.

Roll out reserved piece of dough and cut into decorative shapes such as fish or leaves to top pie filling. Keep decorative shapes covered in plastic wrap until use.

FILLING

2 pounds salmon fillets

3 slices bacon, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup minced shallots

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup dried mushrooms, soaked in warm water

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Salt

Pepper

1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Remove bones from salmon. Cut fish into 1-inch chunks and set aside.

Saute bacon in butter until it starts to crisp. Add shallots and cook until shallots start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms and cook 5 minutes longer. Drain reconstituted mushrooms, chop and add to saute pan along with parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until fresh mushrooms begin to brown and dried mushrooms soften, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, add salmon pieces and stir gently. Transfer filling to prepared crust. Top filling with decorative crust shapes. Brush exposed crust and cutouts with egg wash. Bake at 375 degrees until crust is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.

HOLLANDAISE

1/4 cup butter

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cayenne

Salt

White pepper

Melt butter in small saucepan. Set aside.

Put water in bottom of double boiler, bring to boil and lower heat to just below boiling. In top of double boiler, off heat, mix egg yolks and lemon juice, then set on bottom of double boiler and whisk eggs until smooth. Slowly whisk in melted butter until thick.

Remove from heat and season to taste with cayenne, salt and white pepper. Serve wedges of pie while hot and pass hollandaise.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each of 6 servings contains about:

657 calories; 437 mg sodium; 291 mg cholesterol; 47 grams fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 31 grams protein; 0.58 gram fiber.

VEAL BRAINS A LA MAGNONNAISE

The idea of poaching brains in veal stock with bacon and other flavorings and then throwing the stock away is the kind of expensive showoffiness that many people associate with haute cuisine. It does give a nice flavor to the brains, though, and an elegant appearance, and to tell the truth, you needn’t throw the stock away. You can reduce it to a sauce and serve it on, say, green beans. The aspic is strictly for looks and could be omitted. By the way, Care^me made mayonnaise with tarragon vinegar instead of lemon juice.

ASPIC

1 tablespoon gelatin

1 cup cold water or clarified veal stock

Sprinkle gelatin over water and let sit 1 minute. Place in saucepan and heat to simmer, stirring with wooden spoon. Pour into flat dish and chill until set.

BRAINS

2 pounds veal brains

2 quarts veal stock

12 slices bacon

1 lemon, sliced

4 cloves

1 onion, cut in half

3 sprigs thyme

Handful of fresh parsley

Rinse brains in several changes cold water. Put veal stock in saucepan, add brains and poach 20 minutes. Remove brains from stock with slotted spoon and slice. Reserve stock.

Line bottom of large saucepan with 6 slices bacon. Place brains on bacon. Cover brains with lemon slices, then remaining bacon. Cut out round piece of wax paper and place over bacon. Stick 2 cloves in each onion half and place on waxed paper, along with thyme and parsley. Pour reserved stock into saucepan to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer gently 1 hour. Let brains cool in liquid.

GARNISH

1 1/2 cups petit peas, simmered, 2 minutes

6 to 10 artichoke bottoms

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Remove brains from liquid and discard wax paper. Arrange on serving dish with petit peas in artichoke bottoms. Chop aspic into cubes and arrange around brains. Spoon dollop of mayonnaise on brains or serve mayonnaise separately.

Makes 6 to 10 servings as an appetizer.

Each of 6 servings contains about:

308 calories; 571 mg sodium; 1,811 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 17 grams protein; 1.62 grams fiber.

STEWED APPLES

2 pounds apples

3/4 cup apricot jam

1/4 cup butter

Juice of 1 lemon

The French name of this dish is pommes a la beurre a la minute. The apples form a neat, geometrical surface like a tortoise shell. Fuji apples are good for this dish because they keep their shape well.

Peel, core and quarter apples. Place apples, apricot jam, butter and lemon juice in medium saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender but not mushy, 12 to 15 minutes.

Butter dome mold 6 inches in diameter and 4 inches high. Select most intact pieces of apple and build up along sides of mold. Pour in rest of apples and sauce. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate thoroughly before unmolding.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each of 6 servings contains about:

219 calories; 81 mg sodium; 21 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1.43 grams fiber.

ALMOND-SPICE BAVARIAN CREAM

Bavarian cream, which Care^me called “Bavarian cheese,” is usually flavored with fruits today. Care^me did make fruit Bavarians (pineapple, yellow plum, maraschino, apricot), but he also used nuts, mint, green tea, caramel and flowers such as roses, pinks and orange blossoms as flavorings. This recipe combines almonds with some of Care^me’s favorite spices.

1 1/2 cups blanched almonds

3 cups milk

3 fennel seeds

1/8 teaspoon anise seeds

1 pod star anise

1/8 teaspoon coriander seeds

6 egg yolks

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1 cup whipping cream

Toast almonds on baking sheet at 400 degrees until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Grind almonds fine in food processor.

Bring milk, almonds, fennel seeds, anise seeds, star anise and coriander seeds to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat and let steep 20 minutes. Strain milk into second saucepan (you should have about 2 cups) and discard nuts and spices. Bring milk back to simmer.

Mix egg yolks and sugar in mixing bowl at low speed until thick. With mixer running, slowly add hot milk. Add vanilla and mix briefly. Pour mixture into top of double boiler and cook, stirring occasionally, until custard thickens slightly and coats back of spoon.

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand 5 minutes. Stir gelatin into hot custard until dissolved. Remove custard, pour into clean bowl and chill in refrigerator, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps, until cool but not set.

Whip cream to soft peaks and gently fold into cooled custard with spatula until incorporated. Pour into molds or glass dishes that have been sprayed lightly with cooking spray or coated with oil.

Chill until completely set and unmold when ready to serve.

Makes 6 to 10 servings.

Each of 6 serving contains about:

528 calories; 90 mg sodium; 336 mg cholesterol; 42 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 16 grams protein; 0.85 gram fiber.

PETITS PAINS A LA REINE

These cream puffs are filled with Care^me’s favorite pastry flavorings: apricots and pistachios.

CHOUX PASTE

1 cup water

3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup beaten eggs, about 5 eggs

Zest of 1 lemon

1 egg

1 teaspoon water

1 pinch of salt

Bring water, butter, salt and sugar to boil in medium saucepan. As soon as butter has melted, remove pan from heat, pour in flour all at once and beat vigorously. As soon as mixture is smooth, set over low heat until paste forms into ball and cleans itself from sides, 1 to 2 minutes.

Turn paste into large mixing bowl and stir 30 seconds. Make well in center of dough and beat in 1/4 cup beaten egg. When egg is incorporated, slowly add remaining 3/4 cup egg, beating continuously, until paste looks moist and holds its shape. Quickly incorporate lemon zest into paste.

Fill pastry bag with warm paste. Squeeze 12 to 15 round blobs 1 inch high and 1 1/2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets.

Mix egg, water and salt to make glaze and brush each blob lightly with egg wash. Place immediately in 425-degree oven and bake until puffs have doubled in size, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and rapidly make small slash in side of each puff to allow steam to escape and keep puff from falling. Transfer puffs to rack to cool.

Puffs may be used immediately or stored 2 to 3 days in airtight container when thoroughly cooled. Puffs can also be frozen and defrosted for use at later time.

PISTACHIO CREAM

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup flour

2 cups milk, heated

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup pistachio nut meats, ground into paste

Whisk yolks in saucepan over moderate heat and gradually beat in sugar and salt. Continue to whisk until mixture is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Quickly sift in flour and whisk to incorporate. Whisk in 1/4 cup milk, then slowly add remaining milk, whisking vigorously, until mixture is creamy but not watery. Not all milk may be needed.

Continue to whisk vigorously. When most lumps are worked out, switch to wooden spoon and continue to cook over low heat until mixture loses taste of raw flour, 2 to 4 minutes. If mixture looks too thick to put through strainer, add milk as needed.

When mixture is proper consistency, remove from heat and strain into bowl to remove lumps. Stir vanilla extract and pistachio paste into cream, let cool and refrigerate. May be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.

ROYAL ICING

1 egg white

1 1/2 powdered sugar

Moss green food paste

Beat egg white and sugar until thick icing forms. Whisk in green food paste, adding in very small quantities (as much as can be picked up on point of toothpick) to keep icing from becoming too brightly colored.

ASSEMBLY

1 (10-ounce) jar apricot jelly

Pistachios, optional

Slice cooled puffs horizontally 2/3 through, leaving puffs partially attached. Spread 1/2 teaspoon apricot jelly on bottom half. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons Pistachio Cream over jelly. Close choux puffs.

Ice each puff by drizzling on about 1 tablespoon Royal Icing. Alternatively, top puffs with few crumbled pistachios.

Makes 12 to 15 servings.

Each of 12 servings contains about:

359 calories; 172 mg sodium; 253 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.14 gram fiber.