two countries. many kitchens. one table.

spicy veal meatballs with dates and bacon

February 2nd, 2011

spicy veal meatballs with dates and bacon

spicy veal meatballs with dates and bacon

yield:

makes approximately 50 meatballs (1/2 ounce each)

what you need:

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup onion, diced brunoise
1 tablespoon rendered duck fat
4 bacon slices, chopped and trimmed
1 pound ground veal  (or beef)
3 Medjool dates, pits removed and chopped
1 egg, mixed
2 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon piment d’espelette
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2  teaspoons kosher salt (and as needed)
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (and as needed)

1-2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups of Pomi strained tomato sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

chicken drumettes simmered in beer with mustard sauce

February 2nd, 2011

chicken drumettes simmered in beer with mustard sauce

yield:

serves 12-14

what you need:

chicken

18-20 chicken drumettes (or 12-14 chicken legs)
kosher salt (as needed)
freshly ground black pepper (as needed)
all purpose flour  (as needed)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 can (12 ounces) pilsner beer
1 cup chicken stock
1 bouquet garni (with fresh Italian parsley and 1 fresh bay leaf)

sauce

2 tablespoons honey
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup reduced cooking liquid

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

venez avec moi à Rouen

February 1st, 2011

venez avec moi à Rouen

“Normandy at large…is, undoubtedly,
one of the most beautiful tracts of country
on this fair Earth, and repays,
with accumulated gratifications.”

– George Musgrave
A Ramble Through Normandy


Musgrave was right.  Take your own ramble through Normandy and start with Normandy’s capital, Rouen.

Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !

LM

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

C’est quoi ce truc sur la carte ?

February 1st, 2011

C’est quoi ce truc sur la carte?

(what is that on the menu ?)

How many times have you stared at a French menu, scanning it for foods you recognized, only to order something familiar to you rather than trying something new. Steak au poivre avec pommes frites? It seemed easier than asking the waiter and less problematic than ending up with tripe or sweetbreads, or some other soft organ from an unknown animal.  Worse yet, did you chose a restaurant because it posted an English menu?

Taking the safe route deprives you of the experience of learning and discovering something new.  True, the internet and our hand-held devices allow us to review a menu, have it translated, or even pull it up on your phone while at dinner.  However, this assumes many things including that the current menu is posted, that the translations are correct, or that you will have a working phone (and really wouldn’t you rather enjoy your meal than be glued to your phone?).  Better to arm yourself with a little knowledge, making your dependence upon outside sources unnecessary.

This section is dedicated to understanding French menus.  Even if you do not speak French, you can learn some tips that will help you to understand what you can expect (what dish is comprised of and/or how it was prepared).   This way you can make an informed decision rather than a decision based upon fear, routine, or speculation. Essayez quelque chose de nouveau et mangez bien (try something new and eat well).

Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !

LM

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

green (bean) salsa

January 27th, 2011

green (bean) salsa

salsa verte à ma façon
(green salsa my way)

Countdown to Super Bowl XLV.  Next week I will post a couple of meat dishes that you can serve and enjoy during the game which involve the things you typically think of when you think of Super Bowl food (meat, a little spice, a little sweet, and beer).  However, this week I wanted to give you something lighter so this week’s simple pleasure is salsa (with a twist).

In anticipation of the game, stores everywhere are displaying game snacks, primarily corn tortilla chips and salsa. Admittedly, fresh tomato salsa is delicious and a perfect companion to tortilla chips but tomato season ended in September and salsa in a jar is more like a sauce or purée, neither fresh nor  chunky.  However, salsa does not have to be made only with tomatoes.   This green salsa, salsa verte (à ma façon), takes the idea of a salsa but uses haricots verts (green beans) instead of tomatoes or tomatillos (which are used in the “salsa verde” found in Mexican/Mexican-American cuisine).

There are many varieties of green beans and their peak season is late summer/fall. However, in California the season for green beans is relatively long and there remain delicious green beans at the farmer’s markets and grocery stores (although I would consider this to be the very end of their season so buy them now).

Green beans, snap beans and string beans are all the same thing: green beans where both the pod and the small seeds inside are eaten.  Today we rarely see green beans with the string filament on them (which is where the name “sting bean” comes from) so the designation “string bean” is obsolete.  “Snap beans” is just another name given to green beans due to the snapping sound they make when broken.  Green beans varieties include Blue Lake, Green Daytona, and common snap beans.  What Americans know as “Haricots Verts” and identify as “French green beans” are simply beans picked early and thus, thinner and smaller in size than the common green bean varieties that this salsa calls for.

A couple of ingredient and production notes.  First, use a standard-size green bean that is round (not flat) and make sure it is green. The reason is visual as well as for taste.   The yellow varieties are pretty but they have less flavor than the green.  The purple varieties turn dark green when cooked and the bright green of the green varieties looks nicer in the salsa.

Second, you must use fresh, quality ingredients: fresh cilantro (coriander), fresh green beans (not frozen…they can be soggy), a tasteful, ripe avocado, a crisp red onion, and fresh lemon juice.  The benefit to this salsa is the light, fresh taste with the crunch of the onions and beans with the contrast of the creamy avocado.  If your ingredients are substandard or tasteless, so too will be your salsa.

Third, cook the green beans in salty water for no longer than 2-3 minutes and then immediately cease their cooking in an ice bath and drain them.  If  you overcook the beans or leave them to soak in water, they will not maintain the bright green color that you want and/or they will be mushy.

In addition to a tortilla chip companion, this salsa can stand on its own and pairs well with grilled, pan-fried, or roasted steaks, chicken, and seafood (shrimp, salmon, tuna, and sea bass, to name a few).  The salsa takes 10 minutes to make and tastes good the following day.  It is not only a delicious change from the usual routine, but the salsa is good for you too which makes salsa verte a touchdown for everyone.

Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !

LM

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

goût de luxe: caviar taste. legume budget. perfect.

January 20th, 2011

goût de luxe:

caviar taste.  legume budget.  perfect.

Goût de luxe means “luxurious taste” or “taste of luxury.”   Sometimes you want to indulge your taste for luxury without paying the monetary price typically associated with it.   So what is easy to do that tastes expensive, but isn’t?  Beluga lentils and that is why a Beluga lentil hors-d’oeuvre is this week’s simple pleasure.

Lentils are a legume   (which is a fruit with edible seeds in a pod).  Other legumes include soybeans, green beans,  fava beans, garbanzo beans, and peanuts.  Legumes are full of dietary protein and fiber  (both soluble and insoluble) and are often used as a meat substitute.   Legumes are not only good for your health but a delight for your budget (compare one pound of organic aged beef which can cost around $22-24 per pound with a pound of heirloom beans for about $3-4).

When we think of lentils, generally most people think of the dark green Puy lentils from Velay, France (which admittedly are wonderful).  These green lentils are commonly prepared creamy-style or served in a salad (often with roasted red beets).  However, lentils come in a variety of sizes and colors, including red, orange, ivory, canary yellow, various shades of green and brown, and black.  The green, brown, and black varieties retain their shape better then the orange, red and canary colored varieties.  The orange, red and canary colored lentils are often found in Indian cuisine and take on a very creamy consistency when simmered.  Lentils (eaten out of the pod) do not need to be rehydrated and take only 20-30  minutes to simmer.

Beluga lentils look exactly like the famous caviar for which they are named.    They are shiny, dark black, small, and round.  Beluga lentils are delicate and mild-flavored.  They can be prepared al dente or simmered longer for a creamier texture.  They are wonderful additions to soups and salads and they pair well with fleshy white fish (i.e., Sea Bass or Cod) as well as with pork and game (including two of my favorites:  wild boar and crispy pork belly).   Beluga lentils are also good puréed.

This Beluga lentil hors -d’oeuvre is true to the caviar theme.  Beluga caviar is typically served with sour cream on top of halved boiled new potatoes (and accompanied by a bottle of ice-cold vodka encased in ice).  Here, instead of sour cream, we use crème fraîche with freshly grated horseradish.  Instead of potatoes or toast points, we use thinly sliced raw turnips.   Instead of water or vegetable stock (which is the typical fare in which to simmer lentils), we use white wine and fish stock, keeping with the caviar theme and giving the lentils a slightly salty, seafood boost.

This hors -d’oeuvre takes about 20 minutes active time.  It can be prepared in advance and tastes best when it has chilled overnight.  The crème fraîche and the turnips can also be prepared in advance.

So fancy, here is to your luxurious — budget and health conscious —  taste.   The chilled vodka is optional.

Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !

LM

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

chocolate praline tartine … miam-miam !

January 13th, 2011


chocolate praline tartine … miam- miam !

One day last summer I taught a class as a guest chef for a children’s camp.  There were two featured ingredients and I was asked to teach the “campers” a few recipes with each ingredient.  In class, we discussed what other flavors paired well with our subject ingredients. When the topic of nuts arose, one camper asked if I knew how to make a certain chocolate hazelnut spread.  So that day we not only made our recipes with the featured ingredients, but we also made a chocolate-hazelnut spread which we added to some crêpes. The spread was a hit with all of the campers.

Ski season brings with it cold-nosed ski bunnies (of all sizes) with hungry tummies to match.  While hot chocolate is the customary snacking treat, it does not fill you up after you have been zipping down the slopes (and it is often made with a terrible powder, barely hydrated with water, and the result is usually not worth the styrofoam cup it comes in).   I thought about this spread and how a warm chocolate praline spread on crisp French bread would be the perfect alternative.  Easy and delicious, on the slopes or off, this week’s simple pleasure is a chocolate praline tartine.

In France, praliné is everywhere.  Praliné is a general term to describe sugar coated almonds (sometimes hazelnuts).  Whenever there is a fête (celebration) be it Bastille day or a seasonal food or flower festival, the elaborate candy carts roll in and with them come the praliné vendors (although praliné vendors are in Paris year round). Pâtisseries (pastry shops), including my favorite Pierre Hermé, add praliné to macarons as well as croissants, cakes, and brioche. In the States, “praline” is generally understood to mean sugar coated pecans with the addition of  butter and/or cream.  Unfortunately, there are as many poor renditions of pecan praline as there are instant hot chocolate,  so do not let that dissuade you from trying something new.

This spread is a combination of a hazelnut praline and chocolate with a little olive oil.  No cream or butter is added.  The spread takes 10-15 minutes to prepare and it stores for a long time in the refrigerator (assuming you can keep your family’s hands off of it).  It does solidify when cold,  because it contains no preservatives, but it only takes 1 minute in the microwave to revive it.

The spread is extremely versatile. In addition to tartines, you can pour the spread over a banana slice, apple wedges, pear slices, pineapple slices, orange slices (in the summer, strawberries).   You can put it in a fondue bowl and dip fruit (fresh or dried), marshmallows, graham crackers or bread sticks in it.  It is a delicious topping for ice cream or yogurt.  Pour it in the middle of a hot soufflé or use it as a crêpe filling (or to top your Sunday pancakes or waffles).   Honestly, you could simply eat it right off of your own fingers and you would be a “happy camper.”

A couple of production and ingredient notes.  First, if you do not have hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, or macadamia nuts are excellent substitutes. Second, be very careful when cooking sugar (definitely not a time to cook with the baby in the Bjorn).  When the sugar reaches an amber color, it will be between 310 and 320 degrees Fahrenheit.  If you splash it on you, it will stick to your skin and burn you. Third, when cooking sugar, as the moisture is cooked out, the sugar becomes hotter, darker, and cooks quicker.  Turn down the heat when the sugar is thickening because when it gets close to an amber color, it will go fast and if you cook it too long it will turn bitter.

Lastly, when cooking (and cooling) sugar there is a potential for crystallization or “seeding.”  You do not want this.  This is when the sugar (sucrose) molecules seek out one another and bond, forming crystals.   It results in a gritty, sandy texture and if you have ever had Christmas fudge that tasted gritty instead of smooth, then you know what crystallization tastes like.

You can tell if your sugar had seeded because the bubbling sugar will take on a cloudy/chalky appearance.  Once seeding has begun, it will rapidly continue and you cannot recover from it.   To prevent it, make sure that there are no sugar granules on the interior sides of the saucepan (because sugar pieces on the side of the pan have no water to separate the molecules from one another they have the freedom to attach to one another and spread “the seed”, my slang).

I wrote the attached recipe to minimize the chance of seeding.  Placing a bowl on top of the saucepan creates condensation which will drip down the pan sides washing down any misbehaving sugar granules; however, do not leave the bowl on the pan too long or your sugar will not cook.  If you still have some granules on the pan sides, use a wet pastry brush to wipe down the sides.  Do not stir the sugar or otherwise dip the brush into the sugar; only use the brush to wipe down the interior sides of the pan.  Also, do not shake the pan while the sugar is cooking because the agitation can cause seeding (the movement will cause the sugar molecules to collide).  You can add some “inverted” sugar (i.e., a tablespoon of corn syrup or honey) to help prevent crystallization (inverted sugar is when the majority of the sucrose has been broken down into fructose and glucose and results in a syrup consistency which is only 1/4 sucrose).   However, if you follow the recipe as written and follow these tips, you will not need to add the inverted sugar.  Fifteen minutes of effort and your campers and ski bunnies will all say: “chocolate praline tartine …

miam-miam !” (yummy).

Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !

LM

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

a paper crown

January 6th, 2011

a paper crown

For Christians January 6 signifies l’épiphanie (the Epiphany).  The Epiphany is the twelfth day after the birth of Jesus; the day the three Magi found the baby in Bethlehem and bestowed upon him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  In France, the Epiphany is celebrated with la galette des rois (also known as the “twelfth night cake” or simply “king cake”).

La galette des rois consists of two layers of puff pastry with a frangipane (almond cream) filling.  It is garnished with a paper gold crown.  What makes the cake special; however, is the trinket, la fève (a fava or broad bean), that is hidden inside.  Tradition dictates that the person who’s slice contains la fève is crowned king or queen for the day and gets to wear the crown.  To ensure that the distribution of la fève is completely random, the youngest person present goes under the table and calls out the order of the cake recipients.  An extra piece of the cake is sliced, “la part du pauvre“ (the poor man’s share), should anyone of lesser financial means happen to stop by the house.  Today the tradition of la galette des rois extends beyond the religious context and the cake is sold and enjoyed in January generally, not just on January 6.

For me, la galette de rois, takes a very personal significance as well.  Three years ago to the day an ICU nurse gave me her crown (she had found la fève).   I still have it and the crown reminds me of how fleeting and precious life is.  This year my New Year’s resolution is the same that is has been for the last two years:  to eat a piece of la galette des rois because I know that the ability to look down at the crown on the cake and enjoy a piece with those you love is like finding la fève every day.

This week’s simple pleasure is la galette des rois. It is very simple to make and a fun tradition.  The active recipe time is about 20 minutes.  Nuts are decisive: you either like them in dessert or you do not.  If you like almonds, you will love this cake. However, if you are a person who is not crazy about almonds, you can replace the almond extract with vanilla extract or another extract such as orange.  You can also minimize the almond flavor by adding melted chocolate to the almond cream or mixing in a little strawberry jam with rose water.  However, do not add too much moisture (maxiumum of 2-3 ounces) or you will have soggy puff pastry.  With respect to the crown, you can buy the gold crowns at speciality stores or on the internet; however, you can easily make one of your own.

Forget the diet.  This week let’s all eat a piece of cake. Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !

LM




Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

venez avec moi en Normandie

January 1st, 2011

venez avec moi en Normandie

la cuisine de Normandie
(the food of Normandy)

There is nothing subtle about Normandy or its food.   Normandy is dramatic and its food is substantial.  Endless grasslands dotted with hay stacks and grazing cattle, apples orchards that stretch for miles, and cliffs that drop off to the Atlantic waters crashing far below.   In terms of its cuisine, Normandy is probably best known for its cream, the Camembert in a box, and the rich butter; however, Normandy’s culinary treasures extend far beyond its dairy.  While I will occasionally post additional pieces on specific regions in Normandy or a particular food, this is only a brief overview of the food and flavors you can expect to find in this rich region of France.

LM

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

start the new year with something good

December 31st, 2010


a new hors d’oeuvre for the New Year

2011 is almost here and I cannot wait.   I am ready to get past the large meals, stuffings, and the sugary treats that dominated my December 2010.  Seafood is a wonderful contrast but it seems like I see the same hors d’oeuvres over and over.   New year.  Time for something new.  So the issue is whether we can have a lighter hors d’oeuvre that is special enough for a New Year’s celebration but easy to prepare at the same time?  Of course we can.   This week’s simple pleasure is just that: shrimp saor cocktail.

The shrimp saor cocktail is my take on shrimp cocktail. Saor is a traditional dish from Venice, Italy.  It is thinly sliced onions (usually white or yellow) that have been marinated in a sweet and sour sauce made of wine, sometimes vinegar, and sugar.  Typically saor is served on top of steamed or grilled sardines (“sarde in saor”) although it can grace the likes of more expensive lean fish such as dover sole. Saor is served with raisins, currants, pine-nuts, and often polenta cakes.  It can also be served with a small green salad.

This dish is ideal for New Year’s because you can prepare the saor the day before (it actually tastes better if you let it refrigerate overnight) and it is served at room temperature.   While you can steam the shrimp, I think sautéing the shrimp and serving them warm is ideal for this cold weather.   Either way  the active time for this recipe is about 25 minutes.

The saor shrimp cocktail can be a passed hors d’oeuvre or served as a first course if you are having a sit-down dinner.  If you want to fancy it up a bit, you can serve it on a bed of creamy white, warm polenta or a squash purée (the sweetness of the squash pairs wonderfully with the tartness of saor).  If you have leftover saor, it is great on burgers or on a brie sandwich with green apple slices.  It will also keep in the refrigerator for at least a week.

A couple of notes on the ingredients.  Do not use expensive balsamic vinegar for the reduction.  Use good balsamic vinegar, but do not use balsamic vinegar that has been aged longer than you have been alive.  It is a waste.  Save the expensive vinegar for finishing salads or drizzling over other items.  With respect to the shrimp, you can use either prawns or smaller shrimp.  Make your choice depending upon your individual circumstances (whether these are passed hors d’oeuvres,  stationary at a buffet, or plated as a first course).  You will see that in the recipe in parenthesis there is a number next to the shrimp (i.e., “11/15” for the prawns).  That means that you will get 11-15 prawns per pound, just so you have an idea of how many to buy and the price.  Also, because the saor stores so well, you do not have to buy and make 24 prawns.  If you only need 12, make 12 and use the extra saor for something else delicious.

Je vous souhaite bon appétit, de joyeuses fêtes et une très bonne année (I wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year).

 

LM

Read the rest of this entry »

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »