les œufs à la coque

May 6th, 2013

 

chef morgan les oeufs 1

birds, you, and my friend nicknamed Goo

les œufs à la coque (à ma façon)

soft-boiled eggs with toast spears and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus

 

My friend Celine has a love-hate relationship with birds: they love her; she dislikes them. If there is a bird to be found, Celine will quickly walk the other way. When in Paris, I often photograph the Parisian pigeons (which are everywhere) and email the photos to her with a caption that the pigeons miss her and want her to come home. The joke never seems to get old (at least on my end, but Celine takes it well). Recently, Celine passed through LA and it was her visit which inspired this simple pleasure: les œufs à la coque (with my own twist).  Read the rest of this entry »

white asparagus as large as logs and lighting your fire: roasted white asparagus with browned butter

June 19th, 2012

white asparagus as large as logs

white asparagus as large as logs and lighting your fire:
roasted white asparagus with browned butter
(asperges blanches rôti au beurre noisette)

Greetings from Paris where it is raining off and on but quiet as the tourists have not yet arrived and the children are still in school. The calm before the storm. It is business as usual and joyfully I am left to pick up where I left off and nothing here – the daily urban Paris life that I so love  – has changed except for the market displays. Every market, from the neighborhood and open air markets to the Casinos (grocery stores), is prominently displaying end of the season white asparagus. They cannot be ignored. It is a combination of these hand-picked treasures and a cover of a Door’s song which inspired this week’s (very) simple pleasure: roasted white asparagus with browned butter (asperges blanches rôti au beurre noisette).

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roasted white asparagus with browned butter (asperges blanches rôti au beurre noisette)

June 19th, 2012

roasted white asparagus with browned butter

roasted white asparagus with browned butter 
(asperges blanches rôti au beurre noisette)

serves 4-6

what you need:

4-6 large white asparagus (or 12 smaller asparagus)
olive oil (as needed)
kosher salt (as needed)
freshly ground white (or black) pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley Read the rest of this entry »

It is just the way I see things; baby spring vegetable and Puy lentil salad

March 10th, 2012

 

It is just the way I see things; baby spring vegetable
and Puy lentil salad

Spring is my favorite season. Budding bulbs and blossoming trees bring a sense of renewal and the promise of a fresh start. Returning to my apartment from my baguette run, I was filled with anticipation. Partly, because I could not wait to slather apricot jam on this airy piece of crispy goodness I clutched in my hand, but also because the morning air was filled with the smell of narcissus, daffodils, and hyacinths. The corner florist had opened their doors. Spring has sprung and the evidence was artfully presented in round baskets for shoppers to take home and bring a little bit of spring indoors (even if the radiators were still turned on). I stopped and as I looked at the displays this week’s simple pleasure was born: baby spring vegetable and Puy lentil salad. Read the rest of this entry »

green vegetable vichyssoise

July 7th, 2011

bathing suit ready: a vichyssoise to dive into

“Soup is good food.” Hot soup warms you in the winter and chilled soup refreshes you in the summer. I often devote entire classes to soup-making and the classes are always full. Vichyssoise is cold potato and leek soup thickened with heavy whipping cream and garnished with fresh chives. It is a classic. However, when the temperature is in the 90’s (Fahrenheit), starchy potatoes ladened with cream sounds neither light nor refreshing. So I updated this classic: I kept it cold but made it vegetarian and turned it green and this green vegetable vichyssoise, light in texture and calories, is this week’s simple pleasure.

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asparagus salad (video)

October 22nd, 2010