As France's Minister of Finance under King Louis XIV, Jean Baptiste Colbert recognized that among France's most valuable assets were her ability to produce high fashion and superb cuisine. "For economic security," said Colbert, "the nation must turn to the houses of the great designers, for fashion must become to France what gold mines are to Peru". He also believed that for his nation to earn the eternal gratitude and respect of the world, the French should prove that theirs was the finest cuisine in the world.

Colbert was truly dedicated to both of these concepts. When he reflected on the fact that Champlain had founded Quebec in 1608 and on Robert Chevalier de la Salle's conquest of Louisiana in 1682, he was simultaneously disappointed and delighted. Although he could see no way to "convince the savages that inhabit these lands to buy our fashionable frocks", he saw these colonies as ways of enriching the French larder. He was delighted with the corn, sugar, sweet potatoes, squash and other new food products that began to come to France. Most of all he was pleased when French chefs started to devise recipes for turkey, "large, ugly birds that smell so bad when they are alive but taste so marvelous once our good own chefs have finished with them".

In his private life, Cobert passions were divided equally between his love for gastronomy, wine and women. "I enjoy nothing more", he wrote to a friend "than making love, dining well and drinking the rich red wines of Bordeaux. And I am never more pleased when I can carry out these activities all at the same time". Because he was a well known gastronome, Colbert's name has been incorporated into more than thirty well known dishes.

Colbert Butter

Note: This versatile butter mixture is ideal for use with fried and grilled fish and with small cuts of meat.

1 cup beef or veal stock
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped finely
2 tsp. tarragon, chopped finely
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a saucepan boil down the meat stock until it is reduced to a thick syrup. (There should be about 2 Tbsp. left in all). Remove from the flame and add all of the remaining ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a completely smooth paste. If not to be used at once, the Colbert butter may be packed tightly into a container, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 2 - 3 days.

To serve Colbert butter with fish, let the butter come to room temperature before spooning it over the fish. To serve with lamb chops, steaks or other small cuts of meat, place a generous tablespoon of the cold butter on the hot meat. As it melts it will make its own sauce.

Trout Colbert

4 trout
1/4 cup Colbert butter (see preceding recipe)
2 small bunches parsley
3 eggs, beaten lightly with 1 Tbsp. water
1 cup breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika to taste
deep oil for frying

Split the trout along their backs and remove the central bones. Place the eggs in a small bowl and the seasoned flower on a flat plate. Dip the trout into the eggs and then dip in the flower, coating well. Set aside.

Wash the parsley well, dry on paper toweling and pick off small sprigs. Place these in a wire basket and dip into deep hot oil for about 30 seconds. Drain on paper toweling.

Fry the trout in the hot oil until the fish are crisp and golden brown. Drain, transfer to a preheated serving plate and on each trout place 1 Tbsp. of the Colbert butter. Garnish each end of the plate with the fried parsley. (Serves 4).

© Daniel Rogov