This Is How a French Chef Warms Up Customers

The doors have been thrown open at Westfield's new French restaurant -- but slip in quickly to warm up and get out the chill. 

The new 19-table bistro Amuse has been launched at 39 Elm Street during this month of unrelenting snow, ice and cold. Chef C.J. Reycraft Jr. is ready with a bowl of good soup, a hearty stew and hot apple pie, three favorites from his mid-priced restaurant menu. 

Here's Chef's recommendation for comfort food, à la Française: 

French Onion Soup, $10: 
"We use a duck stock in ours. It's like between a veal and a chicken stock -- less heavy than the traditional beef stock. We use sweet onions, like Vidalia. It is served with a baguette from Balthazar Bakery, which we have shipped in every morning. This is the bread that is most like the famous Paris bread, La Poilâne.

We serve it in a beautiful white crock. A lot of people use Provolone, Gruyere, but I like Emmanthaler. It gets nice and brown on top and the oils come out." 

Boeuf Bourguignon / Beef Burgundy ($24)
"If you have a hearty soup, then you need to follow it with a hearty beef dish. We use boneless short ribs. We cook it four or five hours. We braise it in a combination of chicken and veal stock, and wine. I use Cabernet Sauvignon." 

Apple Crisp $8

"For dessert, I would suggest a beautiful warm Honey Apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. The crumbles are made of oatmeal, with cinnamon and sugar. It's a recipe my fiancée gave me."

Do you love French food? Tell us about your favorite dish in the comments.