The Villa Park Women’s League Dinners come with tested recipes.  They are printed below.

Lets Get Fresh On our Visit to Provence

Wild Mushroom Pate
Cheese and Olive plate

La Crème de Tomatoes en Coute soup

Turkey Breast Provencal
Harcourt’s Verte
Cheese Souffle

Pavlova with Fresh Fruits

Cheese Tray with Olives

Choose 3 cheeses enough to serve 10

Suggestions:
A French Camembert
A brie
A blue Cheese
Any hard cheese
A sliced Baguette
A bowl of assorted olives

Wild Mushroom Pate

Ingredients:

• 3 Tab unsalted butter
• 1/2 c finely chopped shallots
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 8 oz wood ear or shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, wiped clean and coarsely chopped
• 8 oz fresh morel mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean, and coarsely chopped
• 8 oz fresh chanterelle mushrooms, stems trimmed, wiped clean and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tab chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tsp truffle oil
• 4 oz softened cream cheese
• 4 oz softened goat cheese
• Toast points and crackers, accompaniment

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
2. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until wilted and starting to brown.
4. Add the wine, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the wine is nearly all evaporated, 5 minutes.
5. Add the parsley and truffle oil and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Transfer to a food processor.
7. Process with the cheeses until well combined.
8. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
9. Transfer to a decorative ramekin or bowl, cover and refrigerate until set, 3 to 4 hours.
10. Serve chilled with toast points (Trader Joes has little bread ovals)

Madroña’s La Crème de Tomates en Croute

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. Fresh tomatoes, quartered
• 11/2 lb. Yellow onions, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• pinch thyme
• 5 Tbs. Butter
• 4 C. heavy cream
• salt and white pepper
• 3 Tbs. Tomato paste, depending on ripeness of tomatoes
• 2 lbs. Frozen puff pastry
• 8-10 ovenproof soup crocks

Directions:

1. Cook onions in butter until soft, then add tomatoes and seasonings.
2. Cook slowly, uncovered, for four hours.
3. Run through a blender or food processor and strain.
4. Add the cream and correct the seasonings.
5. Bring to a boil and set aside.
6. Preheat oven to 450°.
7. Roll out pastry to about 1/8″ thick.
8. Paint the surface with an egg wash.
9. Cut circles of pastry about 2″ larger in diameter than the soup crocks (ovenproof) in which the soup will be served.
10. Cool the soup slightly; place it in the crocks.
11. Lay the circle of puff pastry on top of the crocks. Make sure the pastry is very cold or slightly frozen so it does not sink into the soup. The egg wash should be down so it helps form a seal between the bowl and the pastry.
12. Bake for 20  minutes in a 450° oven, or until golden brown. Do not open the oven during baking, as this will cause the pastry to fall.
13. Serve immediately. (Tank frozen dough and soup to hosts house.  Heat soup, assemble and bake at hosts house.)

Harcourts Verte (French Green Beans)

Ingredients:

• 2 lb French string beans, both ends removed
• Kosher salt
• 1 1⁄2 red onion, large- diced
• 1 red bell pepper, large diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
• Good olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Blanch the string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for just 4 minutes.
3. Drain immediately and immerse in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
4. When they are cool, drain and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl toss the onion and bell peppers together with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
6. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, tossing with a spatula from time to time to be sure the vegetables roast evenly.
7. Just before serving, reheat the string beans in a large saute pan drizzled with a little olive oil.
8. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange on a platter. Spoon the roasted vegetables over the string beans and serve hot or at room temperature.

Turkey Breast Provencal

• 2 full turkey breasts, split (or enough for your party ~6 oz per person, one larger breast may do)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1⁄2 t pepper
• 1/8 tsp t cayenne
• 4 tsp Herbes de Provence
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1⁄2 c thinly sliced shallot
• 1 c pitted and sliced green olives
• 1 c brine cured pitted olives (such as Klamata) halved lengthwise, brine reserved
• 2 c chicken or turkey broth
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1⁄4 c fresh, chopped parsley
• 1⁄4 c cold butter, cut into bits
• Roux – 1 Tab butter, 1 Tab flour
• 1/2 c minced parsley

Turkey Breast Directions:

1. Sprinkle skin sides of turkey with half the salt, pepper and cayenne.
2. Turn them over and sprinkle skinless sides with herbes de provence, remaining salt, pepper and cayenne.
3. Let rest, skin side up, at least 10 minutes.
4. Arrange turkey breasts in baking pan, cover with olive oil, the shallot and olives.
5. Pour 1⁄4 cup of White Wine in bottom of pan to prevent burning.
6. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for about an hour. The internal temperature should be 165 at the thickest part of the breast, and juices should run clear.
7. Let rest at least 15 minutes.

Sauce Directions:

1. Separate the drippings from the fat with a fat separator.
2. Mix in the chicken or turkey broth, lemon zest and juice, 3 T reserved olive brine and cumin.
3. Simmer until reduced by about half.
4. Make the roux by melting the 1 Tab butter in a pan and adding the flour. Cook until the roux is a light brown (a whisk or gravy maker works well here).
5. Add reduced broth mixture and incorporate into the roux.
6. Swirl in the butter until creamy.
7. Add parsley.
8. Slice turkey.
9. Serve turkey slices, olive & shallot mixture with a bit of sauce over.
10. Pass remainder of the sauce.

Classic Cheese Souffles in Individual Ramekins

Ingredients:

• 3 Tab finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 c whole milk
• 5 tab unsalted butter
• 6 Tab flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 10 large egg yolks
•  1 1/2 c coarsely grated Gruyère or sharp cheddar cheese
• 10 large egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Butter 10 individual ramekins.
3. Add Parmesan cheese to each dish, rotating at a tilt, coating bottom and sides.
4. Heat milk in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering.
5. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
6. Add flour and whisk until mixture begins to foam and flour loses its raw taste (about 3 minutes — avoid browning).
7. Remove saucepan from heat for 1 minute.
8. Pour in warm milk, whisking until smooth.
9. Return to heat and cook, whisking constantly until thick (2 to 3 minutes).
10. Remove from heat, and whisk in paprika, salt, and nutmeg.
11. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, whisking to blend after each addition.
12. Sprinkle in cheese and whisk to incorporate.
13. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, scrape soufflé base into large bowl.
14. Cool to lukewarm.
15. Using electric or stand mixer, beat egg whites in a clean, large bowl until stiff but not dry (whites that are too dry cook and taste grainy).
16. Fold 1⁄3 of whites into the soufflé base to lighten.
17. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions.
18. Transfer batter to prepared dishes, divided equally.
19. Set dishes onto the sheet pan.
20. Place in oven on the lowest rack level.
21. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 375°.
22. Bake until soufflés are puffed, tops golden brown, and center moves slightly when dish is shaken gently (about 25 minutes). Avoid opening oven door during first 20 minutes.
23. Serve immediately.

Serves:  10

Pavlova 

• 6 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 c (superfine (castor) sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 tsp white vinegar
• 2/3 Tab cornstarch (corn flour)

Topping:

• 1 c heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 Tab granulated white sugar (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Fresh fruit – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or other fruit of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250°.
2. Place rack in center of oven.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Draw a 10 4” circles on the paper. They do not have to be perfect
5. Turn the parchment paper over so the circle is on the reverse side.
6. In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they hold soft peaks.
7. Start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat, on high speed, until the meringue holds very stiff and shiny peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a
   little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers).
8. Beat in the vanilla extract.
9. Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue.
10. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in.
11. Spread the meringue inside the circles drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges, making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center. (You want a slight well in the center of the meringue to place the whipped cream and fruit.)
12. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the outside is dry and is a very pale cream color.
13. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.)
14. The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container, for a few days.
15. Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate.
16. Put a generous serving of the whipped cream in the center of each serving and top with the Berries