two countries. many kitchens. one table.

falling leaves in Paris and autumn simplicity on your plate

November 30th, 2012

 

paris fall leaves man with dog

falling leaves in Paris and autumn simplicity on your plate:
scallop “macarons” with chanterelles and thyme

I have only seen it snow once in Paris and the snow didn’t stick. This year while Paris has seen a couple rainy and “see your breath” chilly days, overall it has been beautiful and 5 or 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual for late November. Parisians have been out in droves, profiting from the gift of warmer weather. Although the holidays are approaching, right now it is not holiday decor which covers the city, but blankets of golden leaves. Watching Parisians play in the leaves (and the city workers haul mounds of the leaves to compost piles) I thought of the poem Gathering Leaves by Robert Frost where he talks about the lightness and the “harvest” of falling leaves. I wanted to “harvest” leaves. In particular, I wanted to capture  the color scheme and lightness of these golden leaves and the flavors of autumn and put it on a plate in a simply way. That thought inspired this week’s simple pleasure: seared scallop “macarons” with chanterelles and fresh thyme. 

scallop “macarons” with chanterelles and thyme

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seared scallop macarons with chanterelles and thyme

November 30th, 2012

 seared scallop macarons with chanterelles and thyme



seared scallop macarons with chanterelles and thyme

serves 4

what you need:

sauté
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
 cups sliced chanterelles and champignons de Paris (or white mushrooms) 
½ teaspoon fresh French thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh Italian parsley
⅛ cup dry white wine (or Grappa)
kosher salt (as needed)
freshly ground black pepper as needed

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comfort food perfect for the season: spaghetti squash à la carbonara

November 21st, 2012

 spaghetti squash carbonara

from a special cheese to a brasserie on Saint Dominque, 
comfort food perfect for the season:
spaghetti squash à la carbonara  

I held in my hand a beautiful ewe’s (sheep) milk Italian cheese, Pecorino Rustico Pepato, I got from Norbert (The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills). The cheese, spiked with black pepper, reminded me carbonara. Eager to use the cheese but hesitant to use it on routine spaghetti pasta with little nutritional value, a basket full of winter squash caught my eye. Inspiration for this week’s simple pleasure was found: spaghetti squash à la carbonara. 

spaghetti squash

  Read the rest of this entry »

 

spaghetti squash à la carbonara (spaghetti squash carbonara)

November 21st, 2012

squash carbonara with egg 

spaghetti squash à la carbonara (spaghetti squash carbonara)
(une carbonara pas commes les autres !)

(remember to read through the entire recipe to
understand the sequence of events. There are only a few steps, 
but its best to do them
in the suggested order)

 serves 6-8

what you need:

1 spaghetti squash (approx 2 pounds, 5 ounces)
fresh thyme sprigs Read the rest of this entry »

 

Happy Thanksgiving, warmly LM

November 19th, 2012
 

wild mushroom and chestnut brioche stuffing with fresh sage

November 15th, 2012

wild mushroom and chestnut brioche stuffing with fresh sage

THANKSGIVING TIP:
This is a rich and flavorful stuffing. Instead of using animal fat
as a tenderizer (additional melted butter, bacon, or sausage) this stuffing gets
its moisture from lowfat milk. The autumn flavors comes from well-browned,
earthy mushrooms and fresh sage and thyme. To make things easy for yourself on
Thanksgiving Day, you can prepare the stuffing in advance and bake it on Thanksgiving Day.

 

serves 8-10

what you need:
1 loaf or 4-5 large buns (5 heaping cups) quality brioche, cut into ½ – 1” cubes 1 ¼cup lowfat milk
1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf and 1 cluster of sage leaves)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves 8-10 fresh thyme stems, stripped Read the rest of this entry »

 

spicy sautéed kale and broccoli rabe

November 15th, 2012

spicy sautéed kale and broccoli rabe

THANKSGIVING TIP:
This is another good side to balance the starch-heavy meal of turkey, stuffing and potatoes.
You can omit the chili peppers if you or your guests do not want spice.
Tuscan kale is also referred to as “black kale” or “dinosaur kale”

 serves 4

 what you need:
1 pound Tuscan kale and rapini leaves, thick stems and ribsremoved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon koshers salt 
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon crushed red peppers Read the rest of this entry »

 

roasted sweet potato and citrus farce

November 15th, 2012

 roasted sweet potato and citrus farce

 

THANKSGIVING TIP:
This side is a crowd pleaser. It is great for the host too because it can be prepared in advance
and the purée  
can be re-warmed  just before service (or served at room temperature).
It also can be garnished  in various ways. 
I prefer garnishing the purée with nothing more
than toasted pecans. However, you can use the 
traditional
toasted marshmallows or brulée brown sugar on top…let your Thanksgiving spirit be your guide…

makes 4-6 oranges 

what you need: 
4-5 sweet potatoes 
½ cup light sour cream
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice Read the rest of this entry »

 

radicchio and fennel salad with pears and hazelnuts

November 15th, 2012

 

radicchio and fennel salad with pears and hazelnuts

THANKSGIVING TIP:
Serve a balanaced (in color, texture, the food and its components itself).
This seasonal and crunchy, light  salad is perfect to  balance to a starchy Thanksgiving meal!

 serves 8

what you need:

salad
1 small head radicchio, core removed
2 small fennel bulbs, core removed
1 ripe Taylor’s Gold or Bosc pear, sliced (core and seeds removed)
¼ cup hazelnut pieces, toasted
¼ cup dried currants
⅓ cup fresh pomegranate seeds

dressing
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
4 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon heavy cream
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon gros sel de Guérande (or sea salt) Read the rest of this entry »

 

kabocha pie with flaky chestnut crust

November 15th, 2012

 

kabocha pie with flaky chestnut crust

THANKSGIVING TIP:
Try to make your desserts the day before Thanksgiving (use Thanksgiving day to cook/finish the things that have to be done that day…gravy, the turkey). In fact, to spread out your workload,
the pie crust and the filling can be made separately at least two days before Thanksgiving and stored in the refrigerator.
Combine the crust and filling and bake the pie the day before Thanksgiving. 

serves 4
makes 1  pie crust large enough for a 12” tart pan

what you need:

flaky crust
½ ounce chestnut flour, sifted

11 ounces unbleached all-purpose King Arthur flour, sifted Read the rest of this entry »