Voici la fête de Sainte Bernadette

Unlike last year, when the Feast Day of Saint Bernadette was overshadowed by Divine Mercy Sunday, this year Bernadette has her feast day all to herself. Not that it took away from last year’s honoring of this simple woman. You see, Bernadette has not one but two feast days.

The first is celebrated in her home country of France on February 18 in honor of a very personal message she received from our Blessed Mother. According to tradition, Mary promised the frail, sickly child a life of eternal happiness. It is this promise that is remembered throughout France.

Church tradition is to honor a saint on the day of their death. For it is upon their transition from this existence to the next that a saint enters into heaven. Catholics are encouraged to strive for sainthood, so that upon our passing we may stand in the glorious presence of our Lord. Saints are not perfect people. There is but one who lived a perfect life, and He died on the cross. Some of the most notorious scoundrels in history went on to become persons of God, surrendering to His will.

My motto if you will is that I would rather be clay in the hands of God than to be a stone. God never gives up, He continues to reach out to us, to guide up, mold us in His image and bring us forever into His presence. I don’t know about you, but I would think it’s far easier to be that formless lump of clay in the hands of a potter than a hard piece of granite beneath a sculpture’s chisel. We were created to be transformed by faith into something greater than ourselves. That transformation requires cooperation. We have free will and it is up to us to say Yes to His call. Mary said yes when she bacame the Mother of God. Just as the Saints understand and accept their role in God’s continuing plan. Saint Bernadette dedicated her life to serving God. The healing waters of Lourdes were never meant to ease her pain, but the pain of others. She knew that, she accepted that, and she believed our Blessed Mother’s promise of eternal happiness would be fulfilled in heaven.

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If I have completely botched the French Language, please forgive me. I took French as a foregin language over 50 yeas ago, failed and haven’t spoken it since. Taking French is a whole other story, one we won’t get into today.

I am so thrilled to share with you this delicious, French inspired supper to honor the Feast Day of Saint Bernadette. Enjoy!

Poulet Rôti à la Poêle à la Normandie
(Normandy Pan Roasted Chicken)
8 bone-in Chicken Thighs
Salt to taste
4 Shallots
1 Celery Rib
2 Garlic Cloves
6 strips Bacon
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
4 Thyme Sprigs
2 tablespoons Apple Brandy
2 tablespoons Flour
1/3 cup Chicken Stock
1-1/2 cups Hard Apple Cider
2 Fuji Apples
Pat of Butter
1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, season all over with salt and set aside.

Peel and dice shallot. Clean, trim and dice celery. Peel and mince garlic, Stack bacon strips, cut lengthwise, then dice. Set aside.

In a large oven-safe skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, brown skin-side down for 5 minutes. Turn, brown skin-side up for about 3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, cover and set aside.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat in the skillet, discard the rest. Fry bacon lardoons in the same pan until the fat is fully rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, plate with the chicken.

To the same skillet, add shallots and celery with 2 sprigs of thyme. Cook over low heat until soft but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic; continue to cook another 30 seconds longer. Hit the skillet with the brandy, scraping the bottom with a spatula to lift any browned bits. Continue to cook until the alcohol burns off.

Add flour, stir to create a roux of flour, vegetables and pan drippings. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, stir until mixture resembles a thick gravy. Thin with the apple cider; stir to combine. Remove skillet from heat.

Arrange chicken in the skillet, burning pieces several times to coat in the sauce. Scatter bacon over the chicken. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place skillet in the heated oven to bake for 30 minutes. Uncover skillet, continue to cook in the oven for 30 minutes longer.

While the chicken bakes, peel and slice the apples into wedges. Fry the apples in a pan with a pat of butter. Remove from heat, let in the skillet until ready to use.

Once the chicken as baked for an hour, remove skillet from oven. Remove chicken; set aside. Whisk in the heavy cream; then return chicken to the pan. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove skillet from the oven. Arrange apple wedges in the pan just before serving.

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Pommes de terreà la Lyonnaise
Lyonnaise Potatoes
2 lbs medium Red Potatoes
2 Yellow Onions
8 tablespoons Butter, divided
1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard Deed
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh Parsley, minced for garnish

Scrub the potatoes under running water. Cut into round slices. Place the rounds into a colander, rinse under cold running water to eliminate as much starch as possible. Transfer the slices to a powl; submerge in hot water for at least 1 hour.

Peel and cut the onions into halves from root to tip, then into half-moon slices. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with a pinch of salt and the mustard seeds in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions; cook until golden brown and nicely caramelized, stirring occasionally as needed.

While the onions caramelize; heat the oven to 450-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil sprayed with cooking spray. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Rinse the potatoes one more time; dry well with a clean kitchen towel. Place potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Pour melted butter over the potatoes, toss to coat. Spread potatoes out in a single layer in the prepared baking sheet. Season generously with salt. Place potatoes in the oven to bake for about 35 minutes, turning mid-way through.

Remove potatoes from oven. Scatter caramelized onions over the potatoes. Reduce oven to 350-degrees; bake potatoes 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, sprinkle with black pepper.

Transfer potatoes and onions to a serving bowl. Snip parsley of more color, garnish and serve.

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Haricots Verts à L’étouffée
(Stewed Green Beans)
1 lb frozen Thin Green Beans
1 good-size Shallot
1 Garlic Clove
2 tablespoons Butter
Fresh Finishing Salt (Gray or Blue Sea Salt) to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste

Rinse green beans under cold running water to thaw. Pat dry; set aside. Peel and slice shallot paper-thin. Peel garlic, set aside.

Melt the butter in a sturdy skillet on low medium heat. Add the shallots and pressed garlic, saute for about 1 minute.

Add the green beans, give a few twists of the salt and pepper mills. Toss to coat, cover tightly and allow to cook on low for about 15 minutes.

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Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit