Who would you have dinner with and where?

A dinner-time conversation aid aimed at the younger set recently became something quite extraordinary.

The gift was from American Girl. It is simply a ring of hole-punched cardboard printed with questions designed to break the ice and bridge generational conversational gaps.

We were introduced to it first at an American Girl restaurant and, as with about everything associated with this remarkable company, is for sale.

My husband and I bear every responsibility for our granddaughters’ interest and borderline passion for their American Girl dolls. We did buy them their first dolls...and we do love continuing with all manner of gifting.

Thus the conversation starter as a Christmas gift.

As we started around the table, responses were somewhat predicable on several rounds with favorite colors and what they say about you, seasons and what you like best.

It was the question “What person in history would you like to have dinner with and where?” that caused me to go deep. My choice was Jesus and my geographic location: Provence.

Later I pondered how the answer came so easily. Then, I could hardly wait to have time to cruise through some of my recipes from Southern France just to revisit favorite foods and flavors…ones that might be considered for my most Special Guest.

The truth is, however, I found myself unable to make such choices…there are just too many. As for Jesus, one dinner would be a divine foretaste of all of the time I’d treasure with the Lord.

For your culinary pleasure, here are a few of my favorites from Southern France. I trust you’ll enjoy these creations and pause as time may allow to who you might have dinner with and where.

Quiche is “so” French and eggplant so prevalent in the Mediterranean area that this combination evokes culinary kudos wherever it is served.

Eggplant Quiche

Pastry:

¼ lb. chilled butter

1 2/3 cups sifted flour

Pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 tbsp. ice cold water

Filling:

1 ½ lb. eggplant

Salt

2/3 cup olive oil

Black pepper

6-7 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 eggs

1 ½ cups Italian plum tomatoes, drained and pureed

2 tbsp. fresh chopped basil or 1 tbsp. dried basil

2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

3 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

¼ cup shredded Swiss cheese

Cut chilled butter into tiny bits. Put in mixing bowl with flour and salt. Cut into dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two knives. Beat egg yolk with oil and iced water.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour egg-water mixture into the hole and mix lightly with knife or large-tined fork to make a dough that will begin to cling together. Use hands to quickly press into a ball. Flatten lightly, smoothing edges. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least l hour.

For the filling, peel and cut eggplant into ½-inch dice. Heat oil and saute eggplant for about 10 minutes or until soft and lightly browned. Salt as you like. Remove to paper toweling. Cook bacon in the same skillet. Pour off excess fat. Beat eggs in mixing bowl just to combine. Add eggplant, bacon, fresh ground pepper, tomato puree and herbs. Season with more salt and pepper, as desired.

To bake and serve: roll chilled pastry to about 1/8-inch thickness. Line tart pan or pie tin with pastry. Brush bottom of pastry with mustard. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Prick bottom of pastry in several places. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Pre-bake in a 375-degree oven about 15 minutes or until pastry is lightly colored and beginning to draw away from the pan. Fill with eggplant mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in a 375-degree oven 18-25 minutes or until top is set. Cool slightly before removing from tart pan or before cutting. Serve warm. Serves 6.

Simone Beck had so much culinary experience that it seemed as if she had little fear. Thus, for her, she would attempt and successfully create a rolled soufflé. With some practice you can do it, too! And it is spectacular!

And it is worth the effort!

Simone Beck’s Rolled

Seafood Souffle

For soufflé:

Soft butter

Flour

½ cup flour

2 cups cold milk

4 egg yolks

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

Fresh grated nutmeg

5 egg whites

½ cup finely shredded Swiss cheese

For tomato puree:

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 cups rough chopped canned tomato

1 stalk celery, 1 tbsp. parsley, few sprigs thyme, and l bay leaf

1 clove garlic, unpeeled, on a wooden pick

For filling:

1 ½ cups fresh or canned crab, cooked shrimp, lobster, cooked clams, etc.

Tabasco sauce

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup tomato puree (above)

For sauce:

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp. flour

½ cup chicken bouillon

1 ½ cups tomato puree

Salt and fresh ground pepper

For Souffle: Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with heavy foil, extending edges. Butter generously, then coat with flour, tapping upside down to remove excess.

Put ½ cup flour in a heavy saucepan. Add milk in small quantities, whisking and stirring to make a smooth paste. Set over moderate heat, cook, stirring, until mixture has thickened and come to a boil.

Remove from heat and whisk vigorously. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff but not dry. Stir ¼ of the egg whites into the warm flour mixture to lighten. Fold this into remaining whites at the same time folding in shredded cheese.

Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake in a 375-degree oven 18-20 minutes or until it has swelled and lightly browned.

When soufflé is done, remove from oven. Place a warm damp towel over soufflé. Turn out on flat surface. Remove foil. Spread soufflé with Seafood Filling. Using towel, reroll. If not serving immediately, wrap roll in foil and keep in warm oven. Can be held up to one hour. Spread some of the sauce over the soufflé. Serve remaining sauce in sauceboat.

For Seafood Filling:

Combine seafood (remove tendons and cartilage as necessary)with a few drops of Tabasco sauce and moisten with ¼-cup Tomato Sauce . Warm in double boiler or in covered microwave dish.

To make Tomato Puree: Stir tomato paste into rough chopped canned tomato. Lay the celery flat, put parsley, thyme and bay leaf onto ½ of the celery. Fold celery over and wrap well with kitchen string. Add to tomatoes in a medium saucepan. Add garlic. Cook at simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove garlic. Puree or put through blender.

For Tomato Sauce:

Melt butter, stir in flour and cook stirring for a few seconds. Remove from heat and stir in bouillon. Whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring, until thick. Add Tomato Puree and continue to cook, stirring until sauce is smooth. If sauce is too thick, thin slightly with chicken bouillon.

Serves 6-8.