This was my first time making gougeres. I hear that Thomas Keller serves them often at The French Laundry. I wouldn't know. The French Laundry is considered by many to be one of the best restaurants in the world. Yeah, the world. Solar-system even. And it is only about an hour away from my parents' house, and less than 30 minutes from my in-laws. Although my in-laws have been there once for dinner, my parents, who include a restaurant-obsessed father, have not. They find it difficult, as I do, to rationalize the $600 bill that would accompany a meal for two there. And that is with maybe a glass of house wine each. Many of the bottles of wine on their wine list are over a grand. I saw one for $15,000, a 2005 Burgundy. The 2005 Screaming Eagle Napa Valley Cab will set you back $10,500 for a bottle. So that's not that bad. Completely within the average working stiff's budget...NOT. We're talking 1% action here. It is hard to imagine that a bottle of wine could be worth that to someone. I could build a wine cellar AND stock it for money like that.
My, how I digress.
Back to dinner. I made a simple potato leek soup. Saute chopped onion, garlic, and leeks in generous olive oil and butter. Season with dill (or thyme) and salt. Cook thin-skinned potatoes, peeled or un-peeled in vegetable or chicken or beef broth/stock. Add sauteed mixture to broth. Let cool. Blend till smooth. Heat and salt to taste.
And then I made these French puffed-pastry things called gougeres. Really easy to do with unique and impressive results. I won't post the recipe here. You can follow the link to it on Heidi's blog above. I tried crushed rosemary on some and fennel on others. They were equally good. It is hard for me to think of a hot-from-the-oven bread creation that doesn't just call out for a slathering of pure butter. These gougeres were an exception. They are rich, moist, buttery, and super-flavorful just as they are. Husband loved these!
