In the early 70s, a rite of passage for foodies worth their salt was the pilgrimage to the very small, rather undistinguished village of Plascassier in the hills behind Cannes, there to train in the kitchen of the late Simone Beck.
Or at the very least, to visit and pay homage to one of the most talented architects of the new gastronomic movement .
True, James Beard was the father of modern gastronomy in the United States, or as Julia Child put it, ”In the beginning there was James Beard.” And Child, as the first culinary media star, taught more of us technique and got more of us to try new dishes than anyone else.
But it was her French partner, ”Simca,” who created most of the recipes that appeared in ”Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” which Julia cooked on television and which hooked us on good food forever.
When Beck`s first solo book, ”Simca`s Cuisine,” appeared, I doubt if there was a serious food person in the country who sooner or later didn`t have a well-worn copy. All over, chefs borrowed recipes and ideas, adding them to their menus. Caterers wowed clients with her utterly delectable creations, rarely acknowledging their source. Hundreds of her students went forth teaching the gospel as fervent missionaries. Who soon could forget her diabolo, a stunning chocolate masterpiece by the woman who gave us our first taste of a chocolate mousse cake?
What few knew was that her chemist husband, Jean, with his highly developed palate, was an integral part of her team.
Simca`s maddening attention to detail and technique, bringing out every bit of taste and complementing it with other ingredients designed to elevate the taste of a dish to its ultimate point, may have frustrated some, but it made converts of most.
As with most truly creative people, Simca, the name she preferred to be called, was happy to share her ideas with others because many more new ones were there the next day. Rarely would she not find a new ingredient, change the proportions of others or arrive at a better technique when repeating or developing a dish. Sometimes only the name would remain the same, the dish itself having evolved into something new.
With her death Dec. 20, we have lost one of our culinary treasures, a French woman who devoted herself professionally entirely to training Americans to cook well and appreciate good food.
This recipe is adapted from her last book ”Food & Friends: Recipes and Memories from Simca`s Cuisine.”
MONA`S DIVINE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 45 to 55 minutes
Cooling time: Several hours
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
For cake:
7 1/2 ounces dark bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate
3 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
4 jumbo eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For glaze:
3 1/2 ounces dark bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
3 tablespoons water
Softly whipped cream, optional
Finely chopped macadamia nuts, optional
1. Prepare a 10- by 2 1/2-inch round cake pan by lining the bottom and sides with heavily buttered parchment paper. Keep in the refrigerator until time to fill. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For cake, break the chocolate into small pieces and melt with the water and instant coffee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, in a double-boiler, or in a saucepan placed in simmering water. Stir constantly until the mixture is completely smooth, then stir in the butter, bit by bit, off heat to prevent the butter from melting too fast and forming an oily film on the chocolate. Stir vigorously, if necessary placing briefly over low heat or hot water while adding the butter. When the butter is thoroughly incorporated and the mixture is quite smooth, set aside to cool.
3. Separate the eggs and place the yolks in a food processor. Blend the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is very pale and forms a ”ribbon,”
then add the egg whites and vanilla and pulse a few more seconds, until all is homogenous. Pour the chocolate mixture into the food processor and blend all for 30 seconds, to obtain a very smooth mixture. Pour into the prepared cake pan, and bang the bottom of the pan against the counter to settle the batter. 4. Bake, occasionally rotating the pan in the oven while it bakes to ensure even baking, about 45 to 55 minutes. Test for doneness after 40 minutes. When the cake is done, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out moist, showing a creamy consistency in the center. Let cool before unmolding onto a serving dish.
5. For the glaze, melt the chocolate and instant coffee with water as in step 2, stirring constantly. When melted, pour the glaze over the cake and use a metal spatula to spread it evenly over the top and sides. If you wish, serve the cake with softly whipped cream, or sprinkle the top and sides with finely chopped macadamia nuts.
