Recipes By Pierre Franey
495 recipes found

Pierre Franey's Guacamole

Quick Pepper Sauce

Chicken Breasts With Lemon
In this recipe, which Pierre Franey brought to The Times in 1992 in one of his 60-Minute Gourmet columns, two teaspoons of lemon zest are added to a simple sauce of lemon juice, thyme, garlic and shallots. It is, at once, lively and elegant. To round it out, it needs a sturdy accompaniment. Mr. Franey suggested mashed potatoes with garlic and basil, with just a little olive oil swirled in.

Sesame-Coated Sautéed Chicken Breasts
Here is a classic recipe from Pierre Franey’s “60-Minute Gourmet,” one that happens not to take quite that long to cook at all. Sesame was a novel ingredient for him, he wrote in 1981, introduced to him by the cooking of “the late Virginia Lee, one of the finest Chinese chefs I have ever met. She used a lot of sesame oil and sesame paste in her flavorings, both in main courses and sauces such as that which accompanies a Mongolian hot pot.” Mr. Franey used sesame seeds as a coating quite a bit after that — on fish fillets, for example — and here adapted the idea to a main course, using whole, skinned, boned chicken breasts. “The dish turned out admirably in texture and flavor,” he wrote. Even better, “it is certainly easy to make, involving nothing more than coating the breast halves with the seeds and sauteing them briefly on both sides in butter. There is a final touch, a light ‘sauce’ made of hazelnut butter to which a dash of lemon juice is added.” (By that, Mr. Franey meant butter that is browned until it is hazelnut in color.)

Chicken Breasts With Curry
Here, standard weeknight chicken breasts are transformed into a dish that's fragrant and spicy. It's very easy to prepare: just make a quick stew of butter, onions, celery, garlic, apple, tomatoes and curry powder. Blend that together in a food processor until it forms a thick sauce, then combine with chicken breasts that have been lightly browned. Simmer until heated through, and enjoy with a snowy pile of rice. It beats takeout curry by a mile.

Chicken Breasts With Tomatoes and Capers
This recipe was originally developed by Pierre Franey in 1991 for the 60-Minute Gourmet column, a weekly feature dedicated to Times-worthy dishes that were easy, quick and inexpensive. This recipe fit the bill perfectly, and it still does. Just sauté the chicken breasts until they are lightly browned. Then add shallots and garlic, tarragon, tomatoes, vinegar, capers, white wine and tomato paste. Stir well and cook for about 9 minutes more. That's it.

Grilled Chicken Breasts With Turmeric and Lime
The secret to these five-star chicken breasts is a simple, flavorful marinade of turmeric, rosemary, garlic, lime juice and olive oil. Most importantly, as with all white meat chicken, don't overcook it or you'll end up with well-seasoned shoe leather.

Broccoli With Anchovies and Garlic
Admit it. Broccoli, that ubiquitous vegetable side dish, gets old. This take, which Pierre Franey brought to The Times in 1987 as part of his 60-Minute Gourmet column, will not. It is not much different – and no more difficult – than your standard broccoli sauté except for the addition of anchovies. If that word normally frightens you, fear not. Here, they are barely detectable as such, but provide a complex salinity that salt alone cannot. You'll never eat boring broccoli again.

Meatball and Sausage Casserole
As the grandfather of six oft-hungry children, Pierre Franey sought to develop dishes that would “capture their attention.” This hearty, kid-friendly casserole of meatballs, sausage, onions, peppers and mushrooms did not disappoint. It's sort of a cross between a casserole and a stew, and can be served over pasta or polenta, or with a huge hunk of bread to sop up the herb-y tomato sauce. If you'd like, you can easily substitute ground chicken, turkey, pork or veal for the beef in the meatballs (or any combination of them all). The meatballs are seasoned with Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, cumin, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Depending on the composition of the meatballs, you might want to try other favorite spices, too, like ginger, coriander seed or fennel.

Curried Chicken Breast With Zucchini
Here is an unbelievably easy though super flavorful weeknight dish that's bound to become a household favorite. Just toss boneless chicken breasts (chicken thighs would work here, too) and zucchini with curry powder, olive oil, salt and pepper then brown everything over medium heat in a skillet. Empty the pan, then make a quick sauce of shallots, chicken broth, heavy cream, olive oil and butter. Return the chicken and zucchini to the pot and warm through. That's it. Serve it over rice or couscous, or with a side of mashed potatoes.

Zucchini With Shallots
This simple dish from Pierre Franey is light and delicious. It takes only 15 minutes and would be a great side dish for grilled beef or chicken or for any type of seafood. The bread crumbs added at the end provide excellent texture.

Pasta With Eggplant and Zucchini
This timeless summer pasta dish was brought to The Times in 1991 by Pierre Franey in one of his 60-Minute Gourmet columns. Like so many of his dishes, it is at once elegant and easy, and no trouble to put together on a weeknight. Sauté the sliced eggplant and zucchini until golden while you make a quick sauce of canned crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and herbs in another pot. Throw everything together, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Toss with cooked pasta and a shower of Parmesan. Dig in.

Couscous with Raisins

Couscous With Zucchini

Macaroni and Beef Casserole
This homey casserole was developed by Pierre Franey in 1991 for the 60-Minute Gourmet column. It is hearty sustenance that evokes memories of childhood and sweater weather. Its preparation is simple, but its flavors veer elegant. Sauté onions, celery, green peppers and garlic. Add the meat, then oregano, basil and tomatoes. Whisk together a quick Cheddar cheese bechamel that's seasoned with cayenne and nutmeg then pour it on top. At the last minute, sprinkle a little Parmesan on top and slide it under a broiler to brown. Serve with crisp green salad and a hunk of French bread. Comfort food at its finest.

Crab Cakes Baltimore-Style
This is a classic crab cake inspired by those that were served at Obrycki's Crab House, a rollicking fish restaurant in a former row house on East Pratt Street in Baltimore. They are simply delicious.

Lamb Chili With Lentils
Mr. Franey brought this French-inspired variation of the American classic to The Times in 1993 his 60-Minute Gourmet column. In a nod to his country of origin, he calls for lamb instead of beef, and tiny green lentils for red kidney beans. Beyond that, you'll recognize most of the players – onions, garlic, celery, red pepper, jalapeño, cumin and chile powder. It is a sophisticated take on traditional cowboy fare. Serve it alone or over rice.

Pierre Franey’s Coleslaw
Pierre Franey, that consummate reinterpreter of American cooking, provided this recipe for a Dijon-and-honey spiked coleslaw to The Times in a “60 Minute Gourmet” column in 1990. (It takes much less time to prepare than that.) The result pairs beautifully with any fried seafood and many grilled meats, particularly those scented with soy or curry. It will improve in flavor over the course of a few hours, so it is a good recipe to make in the heat of a weekend day, ahead of an evening barbecue.

Deviled Chicken Legs
So-called deviled foods have one element in common: heat. Not necessarily the jalapeno type of heat, but some ingredient that gives them a slight warmth. Applying this technique to chicken legs yields delightful results. Rather than stuffing the legs, though, coat them with a mixture of mustard and chicken broth, then with shallots, garlic, bread crumbs and parsley.

Mashed Potatoes With Garlic and Basil

Chicken Marengo
In the middle of June 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte's troops were engaged in battle with Austrian forces near the small village of Marengo in northern Italy. The battle was fierce, or so the legend has it, and Napoleon, of course, emerged victorious. And hungry. He asked his chef to prepare a meal quickly and the cook scoured the countryside looking for foods to prepare. He scurried around and discovered a chicken, olive oil, tomatoes, herbs, eggs and crawfish. Within minutes, a fire was started and the chef prepared a quick sauté of the chicken with tomatoes, oil and herbs. It is said that he garnished the dish before serving it with a fried egg and crawfish. In my version, the chicken, cut into serving pieces, is simply browned in a little olive oil (I add a touch of butter to give it flavor) on both sides. I then prefer to add sliced mushrooms (there are those who declare that truffles were among the original ingredients), seasonings, wine, tomatoes and parsley and cook covered until done, about 10 minutes longer.

Broiled Quail With Raisin and Apple Stuffing

Rib Steak With Marrow and Red-Wine Sauce
