close to nature: a two-starred Michelin restaurant; a Parisien canary; and a “super food”
quinoa risotto with mushrooms
At summer’s end, when we return from France, there seems to be some sort of an animal dilemma in our Los Angeles de facto farm. Last year it was the mean chicken scenario in the coup and the surprise male rabbit situation which necessitated an immediate trip to the veterinarian for Mister Snowy.
This summer it was the finch.
sole à la meunière
(sole meunière)
This is the classic way to prepare sole à la meunière.The method is surprisingly simple and a good recipe to keep on file. A simple combination of browned butter and fresh lemon juice will give the sauce a nutty and slightly tangy taste. I reduced the butter but if you want more sauce to brown, add more cold butter (clarified butter does not brown). Dover sole has a meaty but delicate taste. If you cannot find Dover sole you can subsitute other types of sole. You can use trout as well. If you add toasted almond slices you then have trout almandine.
serves 2
you need:
fish and sauce
4 fillets from 1 beautiful Dover sole (skin on or off)
all-purpose flour (as needed)
kosher salt (as needed)
freshly ground black pepper (as needed)
1 ½ tablespoons clarified, unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh Italian parsley
gros sel de Guérande (to taste)
freshly ground pepper (to taste) Read the rest of this entry »
what is a fig to do ?
tartelette aux figues
(fig tartlets)
Fig season in the U.S. is short, but sweet. They always seem to be here at the same time we are transitioning from Summer to early Fall with its demands of work and school. I like to think that the change in the market is giving us a sweet treat to ease the craziness of our schedules. Along with figs, the markets are filled with varieties of grapes and the early harvest of apples and pears. Heirloom tomatoes are disappearing with the sun.
this is farm to table: preparing food in the middle of a farm
panzanella
This week I did something I have never done: I gave a cooking demonstration in the middle of a farm field. McGrath Family Farm in Camarillo, California was the farm.
La Rentrée, l’art du cru, and what Parisens really eat
recipe: tartare de daurade (sea bream tartare)
If you have traveled to France in the month of August you know that the country really comes to a halt. As a friend aptly noted, “Ah… grandes vacances, where everyone is out and out of it.” C’est vrai (it is true).
For the month of August (although it is creeping into July as well) there is a customary and societal expectation of absenteeism. Everyone takes time to re-charge their battery and spend time with their family. This uniform expectation of doing nothing and getting nothing “accomplished” I have grown to love as there seems to be no downtime due to texts and emails sent to your portable phone. When you accept that nothing — nothing — will just get done in August, it is very liberating (although as an American it took me some time to come to terms with the notion). You plan around it and guess what? Everything still gets done. French time.
My daughter took this photograph on the train returning to Paris from Nice. I like it because to me it says “au revoir” (bye, see you again) to the summer.
Paris day trip: Château de Fontainebleau
emperors, strawberries, and a canoe on carp lake
recipe: summer strawberries with lime sugar and fresh mint
Not far from Paris is a château rich in history. Yes, there are many. However, this particular château was inhabited for seven centuries by the royal and imperial French elite (most famously by Napoleon I and Josephine). Surrounded by breathtaking courtyards, fountains, canal, gardens, a park, and a lake, it is a perfect Paris day trip. It is the Château de Fontainebleau and this week’s recipe, summer strawberries with lime sugar and fresh mint, was inspired by a visit to this château. So until you get there in person – venez avec moi (come with me) – à la Château de Fontainebleau.
Allez -y (let’s go) !
LM
Les Baux-de-Provence
green olive tapenade (with steamed cod)
Provence is full of olive trees but there is only one area in Provence where the olives and olive oil are certified “A.O.C.” It is the Vallée des Les Baux de Provence. When I discovered this piece of culinary trivia, the day trip was planned. The olives seduced me, but the history and culture kept me there. So come with me – venez avec moi – à Les Baux-de-Provence (which inspired this week’s recipe: green olive tapenade with steamed cod).
Allez-y (let’s go) !
LM Read the rest of this entry »
green olive tapenade with steamed cod
Tapenade is great for appetizers, served with bread, over tomatoes or grilled vegetables. Steamed fish is only one example and you can use a variety of white fish instead of Cod (i.e., Halibut, Swordfish, Lingcod). You can make this tapenade with any quality olives. Outside France you are unlikely to find la salonenque olives from Les Baux. If you want a bright green color, try Castelvetrano olives from Sicily.
makes approximately one cup
what you need:
tapenade
4 ½ ounces olives, pits removed (about 25 large olives)
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh basil
2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon quality olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
fish
4-6 beautiful Cod fillets
kosher salt (as needed)
freshly ground black pepper (as needed)
1 lemon rind
1 bay leaf
fresh Italian parsley (as needed)
olive oil (as needed)
this little piggy
oven-roasted pork tenderloin with
herb-caper salsa
This week’s post is inspired by a visit to 6 Paul Bert in the middle of a three day French visa adventure (which I will tell you about). My meal at 6 Paul Bert was definitely the highlight and I nearly licked my plate clean, which is why I call this post “this little piggy” (as well as the fact that the subject of this week’s recipe is pork). This week we are making oven-roasted pork tenderloin with herb-caper salsa.
à table !
LM Read the rest of this entry »
Paris Day Trip: Versailles et Le Potage du Roi
white peach and haricots verts salad with fresh chives
My quest to see a kitchen garden built for a king and my daughters’ desire to see where Marie Antoinette lived led us to Versailles. We came home with white peaches and our day trip inspired this week’s post and the recipe: white peach and haricots verts salad with fresh chives.
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