Oille

Oille
Type	Soup
Place of origin	France
	Cookbook: Oille Media: Oille

Last updated April 29, 2019

L'oille is a French potée or soup believed to be the forerunner of pot-au-feu composed of various meats and vegetables.^[1]

Potée preparation historically cooked in an earthenware pot

A potée is a French culinary term which, in general, refers to any preparation cooked in an earthenware pot. More specifically, it refers to a soup or stew made of pork and vegetables, most frequently, cabbage and potatoes of which choucroute is the most characteristic.

Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot, that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.

Pot-au-feu is a French beef stew. According to the chef Raymond Blanc, pot-au-feu is "the quintessence of French family cuisine, it is the most celebrated dish in France. It honours the tables of the rich and poor alike."

It has been suggested by some authorities that the derivation of the word oille is from the Spanish olla podrida but it seems more likely that it is derived from oule, which is used in south-west France to describe an earthenware pot in which the dish is prepared. There are many examples of pot-à-oille (tureens) on display in museums, some of them very ornate indicating that this dish was enjoyed by people from all social classes, ingredients varying greatly.^[2]

Olla podrida is a Spanish stew made from pork and beans and a wide variety of other meats and vegetables, often including chickpeas, depending on the recipe used. The meal is traditionally prepared in a clay pot over several hours. It is eaten as a main course, sometimes as a single dish, and sometimes with ingredients separated. It is a specialty of the city of Burgos.

There are three kinds of oilles:

A soup dating from the time of Louis XIII called Grand-oille and this is the Ouille-en-pot referred to in the correspondence of Madame de Maintenon.
Olla podrida , a Spanish dish, which, at one time in France, protocol decreed be served to Spanish dignitaries.
Oille-moderne à la française

An old recipe for this dish contains chicken and pigeons, all stuffed and trussed, beef, veal, onion, parsnips, carrots, turnips, leeks, purslane, orach and chard. All are simmered for five hours. At the end of this time, slices of lightly toasted bread are placed in the bottom of a tureen and this is heated until the bread starts to stick to the bottom. The birds are removed from the soup and placed on the bread and the rest is strained over them. The remaining meat and vegetables are discarded.^[1]

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Gazpacho or Andalusian gazpacho is a cold soup made of raw, blended vegetables. A classic of Spanish cuisine, it originated in the southern region of Andalusia. Gazpacho is widely eaten in Spain and Portugal, particularly during the hot summers, as it is refreshing and cool.

Tripe Edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals

Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various farm animals. Most tripe is from cattle and sheep.

A mirepoix is a flavour base made from diced vegetables that are cooked, usually with butter, oil, or other fat, for a long time on a low heat without colour or browning. It is not sautéed or otherwise hard cooked because the intention is to sweeten the ingredients rather than caramelise them. It is a long-standing cooking technique in French cuisine. Further cooking, often with the addition of tomato purée, creates a darkened brown mixture called pincage.

Fondue is a Swiss melted cheese served in a communal pot over a portable stove (réchaud) heated with a candle or spirit lamp, and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. It was promoted as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s, and was popularized in North America in the 1960s.

An entrée in modern French table service and that of much of the English-speaking world is a dish served before the main course of a meal. Outside North America, it is generally synonymous with the terms hors d'oeuvre, appetizer or starter. It may be the first dish served, or it may follow a soup or other small dish or dishes. In the United States and parts of Canada, the term entrée refers to the main dish or the only dish of the meal.

A perpetual stew, also known as hunter's pot or hunter's stew, is a pot into which whatever one can find is placed and cooked. The pot is never or rarely emptied all the way, and ingredients and liquid are replenished as necessary. The concept is often a common element in descriptions of medieval inns. Foods prepared in a perpetual stew have been described as being flavorful due to the manner in which the foodstuffs blend together, in which the flavor may improve with age.

Peasant foods are dishes specific to a particular culture, made from accessible and inexpensive ingredients, and usually prepared and seasoned to make them more palatable. They often form a significant part of the diets of people who live in poverty, or have a lower income compared to the average for their society or country.

French onion soup is a type of soup usually based on meat stock and onions, and often served gratinéed with croutons and cheese on top or a large piece of bread. Although ancient in origin, the dish underwent a resurgence of popularity in the 1960s in the United States due to a greater interest in French cuisine. French onion soup is usually served as a starter.

Cazuela is the common name given to a variety of dishes, especially from South America. It receives its name from the cazuela in which it is cooked. The ingredients and preparation vary from region to region, but it is usually a mid-thick flavoured stock obtained from cooking several kinds of meats and vegetables mixed together.

Garbure is a thick French soup or stew of ham with cabbage and other vegetables, usually with cheese and stale bread added. The name derives from the use of the term garb to describe sheaves of grain depicted on a heraldic shield or coat of arms. Thus the name of garbure, which is eaten with a fork, is a reference to the use of pitchforks to pick up sheaves of grain. It originated in Gascony in southwest France. It is similar to potée.

Cocido (Spanish) or cozido (Portuguese) is a traditional stew eaten as a main dish in Spain, Portugal, Brazil and other Hispanophone and Lusophone countries.

Extremadura, Spain is known for its different ways of preparing the Iberian pork and mutton. The main characteristics of the traditional Extremaduran cuisine were its simplicity, its lack of clutter and its low cost. It is also a cuisine reflecting a generous spirit, for many of its preparations used to be cooked in large pots to share with visitors, friends, and neighbors. The resulting dishes are eaten with local bread.

Stew combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, stock is also common. Seasoning and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature, allowing flavours to mingle.

References

1 2 Larousse Gastronomique (1961), Crown Publishers
(Translated from the French, Librairie Larousse, Paris (1938))
↑ Association l'eau à la bouche

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[larousse-1] 1 2 Larousse Gastronomique (1961), Crown Publishers
(Translated from the French, Librairie Larousse, Paris (1938))

[2] Association l'eau à la bouche

Oille

See also

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References