Recreate Monsieur Christian Dior's Favourite Recipes

Photo: Bloor-yorkville.com

Years after his passing, the world came to meet a different side of Christian Dior. More than an icon of couture, he is also a true gourmand at heart. Marvel at some of his recipes and get to know him better through food: 

• 1 large handful fresh chervil
• 100g butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 ¼ litres chicken broth
• 3 eggs yolks
• Salt and pepper
• 1 small handful fresh chervil springs

1. Prepare a chicken velouté: Make a roux using the butter and flour. Add chicken broth and salt.
2. Bring to a boil, then add fresh chervil, chopped with scissors.
3. Let the velouté, then reheat. Whisk yolks and cream together for a few minutes, then add to the velouté. Add fresh chervil sprigs, minced with scissors.
4. Do not let soup come to a boil.

• 8 eggs
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 170 g butter
• 150 g button mushrooms
• ½ cup fine breadcrumbs
• 1 handful chopped herbs
• Cream sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Cream Sauce:

• 200 g double cream
• 60 g butter
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 10 g fresh herb minced
• 10g salt
• Garlic to taste

Procedure:

1. Hard-boil the eggs. Peel and halve lengthwise. Remove the yolks
2. Chop mushrooms and sauté them with the herbs in 70g butter
3. Combine eggs yolks, cooked mushrooms, and tomato paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Fill the egg whites with this mixture.
5. Spread the cream sauce in a fine layer to cover the bottom of a baking dish. Place the filled egg halves on top.
6. Cover with breadcrumbs, then melted butter.
7. Place in a warm oven to brown.
8. Serve from the baking dish.

For the Cream Sauce:

1. Over low heat, melt butter and add garlic to taste without letting the mixture to brown, then sieve.
2. Return mixture to pan, add cream, minced herbs, salt, and tablespoon of vinegar.
3. Blend well without letting it come to a boil.
4. Pour into the bottom of the dish.

• 1.25 kg potatoes
• 300 g chaux pastry
• Soft breadcrumbs
• 4 egg yolks
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying Dauphine Potatoes

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water. Drain the potatoes, put them in a warm oven for a few minutes, then sieve them.
2. Season with salt and pepper and place in a dry frying pan, on high heat, stirring constantly, until the potatoes are thoroughly dry.
3. Remove from heat and mix in the choux pastry and the egg yolks. Pour the mixture in a buttered dish and let cool.
4. Form the balls the size of a pigeon egg. Roll the balls in soft breadcrumbs.
5. Fry the balls in oil until they are well-cooked and look golden.
6. Set on a paper towel to drain excess oil and season lightly with salt.

• 250 g chocolate
• 250 g butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 30 g butter

1. Melt the chocolate with a little and let cool
2. Melt butter and let cool
3. Mix melted chocolate with sugar, melted, butter eggs, and flour
4. Pour this mixture in a well-buttered charlotte cake mold and bake in a moderate oven, in a bain-marie, for 40 tot 45 minutes.
5. Let cool and remove from the mold
6. Serves the next day, coated with crème anglaise

• 2 kg bananas
• 10 slices
• 400 g caster sugar
• Juice of 4 lemons
• 1 large tub crème fraiche

1. Puree bananas and pineapple slices. Add sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and cream, and mix well.
2. Let cool in the refrigerator
3. The next day, freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker.
4. Serve with a cold apricot sauce, made by pureeing a full jar of apricot jam with a little water.

All illustrations are from Monsieur Christian Dior’s digital recipe book, “La Cuisine Cousu-Main”. To view more of his favourite recipes, click here.