Breton Marriage Soup with Galettes & Herb Butter Breton Marriage Soup This recipe was found in the town of Guimiliau (also Helias' Finisterre). It is from a book about Breton cooking in the Ossuary, or former bone house, of Guimiliau's parish close, an old holy place that had been preempted for tourism. Yet it is also a think piece about the first food of newlyweds being served in the place where food and life end physically, while at the same time nourishing the spiritual life of the village. * 1 nut of butter * 1 big onion, peeled and sliced very thinly * several cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly (less for the faint of heart *S*) * 1 quart milk * sea salt (preferably sel de mer, with its tang of the sea) * 1 dried juniper berry, finely ground * side serving of Galettes (to mop up the soup with) In a good-sized cauldron, melt butter and brown it over a wood fire. Add sliced onions and cook them until browned. Add garlic and stir until all is well browned. Pour in milk, sea salt, and ground juniper berry. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Pour into bowls and serve with Galettes--either to the newlyweds or to your own family. Serve hot to 2 after a wedding, or to 4 for a snack or hot lunch. A tasty, filling, spicy meal! Source: Breton Marriage Soup (Song (formatted for MC5: 02-09-2000) by Joe Comiskey--jcomiskey@krypto.net) Traditional Buckwheat Galettes The most famous (exported) Breton dish--if one ignores cider! * 2 large eggs * 600 ml. milk * 1/2 kg. buckwheat flour (or wholemeal or white flour for the delicate) * a little over 100 g. melted butter Add eggs and milk to buckwheat flour. Mix in melted butter. Fry in butter, preferably on a clean, hot non-stick flat rock. *wink* Remember to grease your hot rock using a clean lint-free cloth dipped in butter. Don't give up if at first you don't succeed, for as they say: "The first one is for the dog." Arrange on a platter and serve with piping hot Marriage Soup. Source: Breton fairy tales and recipes Herb butter * 1 lb. salted butter * generous amount of chopped herbs (eg., parsley, chervil, chives, mustard, cress) * shallots and garlic to taste Mix butter with chopped herbs, shallots and garlic. You can serve this green mixture moulded, in fancy shapes or pats, or melting dollops on hot food. Herb butter goes well on almost anything, from vegetables to galettes. Source: Breton fairy tales and recipes Fleur de sel (best quality unrefined sea salt) The Eastern winds cause salt crystals to form in salt pans on the surface of sea water. This salt is called Fleur de sel. The salt is pink when collected, and becomes white as it dries naturally in the sun. A "lousse" is used to collect the salt from the pans. Source: Azureva Breton Recipes