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Showing posts from January, 2010

JULIA...once again

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Julia Child in our lives. Last night we were invited out to supper with friends. French friends.  We sat down to a simple table with a huge bowl of steaming noodles in the middle,  A large black casserole pot was proudly placed on the table, off with the lid... The odors of a 'melt in the mouth' Boeuf Bourguignon filled the table with a presence of its own. Teamed with an excellent Pauillac 2004, our hostess's Boeuf Bourguignon had us oooing and ahing in total respect and awe of her 6 hour preparation -it was worth every minute.  What film had our hostess just watched...you guessed, Julie and Julia .  The spirit of this amazing portrayal of what I consider as food's finest ambassador, Julia Child, makes even the busiest of 21st century modern business women run back to the kitchen and start cooking.     This amazing woman broke down all the cultural and macho barriers to cooking. She democratized cooking for the world. She took the "for French chefs only&

Winter Suppers again - RED ONION TART

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Give you and yours a vitamin burst with Classic Red Onion Tart. Classic Red Onion Tart for the pastry 225g sifted flour, plus extra for dusting   100g butter, diced and chilled 75gr parmesan, grated 1 medium egg, beaten Splash of milk in case Put the pastry ingredients in a food processor and pulse, add a splash of milk if the dough seems dry (this will depend on the climate). Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out the pastry and line tart tin. Place in fridge.   for the filling 50g butter 1 tbsp olive oil 3 large red onions, sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 eggs, plus 2 extra egg yolks 250ml creme fraiche or double cream Fresh thyme, about 1 tablespoon leaves only 75gr goats cheese (optional) Preheat the oven to 180°. Melt the butter and oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 20 minutes or until soft and golden. Salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs, yolks and cream. Stir in the onio

HANGOVER BRUNCH CURE

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Bagels, Capers, Red onions,  Salmon  and divinely, hip-devastating Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Plus Bloody Marys made by a New York hand. This is not the first time I have blogged my utter delight over Brunch. Today I once again salute my american friends for their brunching brilliance. Not only did it cure me of a nagging hangover but also chased away the Sunday blues. I strongly recommend it!! What really got me today were the tubs of Philadelphia Cream Cheese....this is rare treasure in France. If you are a "professional" it is available in 2kg sin-tubs from Metro. For the rest of us pleasure can be found online at My American Market,  http://www.myamericanmarket.com Build up  a hot toasted bagel  with cream cheese,  capers, sliced red onion rings and salmon lox. Lounge back with a classic NYC Bloody Mary.   Mondayitis?..... bring it on!!! Classic NYC Bloody Mary 1/2 cup tomato juice jigger vodka 2 teaspoons fresh lemon/lime juice 1

more WINTER SUPPERS - Pesto Salmon

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Pesto excites me.  It always has.  Its the George Clooney of my pantry. PANTRY, she said, not panty!  Tonight, a family basic, Pesto Salmon. Nothing could be easier. I serve this doddle of a recipe with steamed Chinese greens ( bok choy and family) and new potatoes. Salmon is full of Omegas and an important growth food for teenagers whose bones don't always keep up with their growth spurts. Choose your salmon carefully. The white stripes shouldn't be too wide - if they are it risks being fatty. Never overcook your salmon. If it flakes its too late! 10 mins per inch maximum.  Pesto Salmon Salmon fillet s ( as many as you need!) Tablespoon pesto per fillet, good quality pesto Preheat oven to 180°. Spoon pesto over fillets. Cook, skin down, for about 10 mins per inch/3-4 cms.

WINTER SUPPERS - back to easy desserts

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I am not really a dessert person. It took me a while to be polite enough to eat the busy creamy French patisserie at dinner parties here. I await spring and its simple strawberry and raspberry tarts with melt in the mouth pastry. In France it's almost considered a little hokey to make your own desserts...the trend is more towards buying some fabulously expensive ornamental cake from the patisserie for your guests. When I first arrived in Bordeaux I remember a rather bordelaise woman saying " oh how charming she has made her own dessert"...the dripping condescending sarcasm did not  go over my head. I still make my own desserts. We are having our usual Sunday Chicken today replete with roasted potatoes and green beans. I have made my mother's Lemon Soufflé which I will serve chilled. My children adore this light lemony dessert...It's also a lovely end to a heavy evening meal after entrée, main course, cheese etc etc...... Soothing Lemon Souflé, circa 1954

WINTER SUPPERS 3 - The Glory of Mashed Spuds

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Just looking at a potato masher makes me want to start peeling potatos and search for parsnip... "Mash" is one of those comfort foods which has the ability to make even the strictest of your non-carb-eating friends back down and chow down! My mother used to steam potato and parnip, mash them up with lashings of butter and parsley...it really doesn't take that much time and its a far call from the french industrial  "purée" which comes in dried flake form where you just add water. Take the time to read the ingredients on these packets and you will certainly drop it quickly back on its shelf. A reader asked me how to jazz up mashed potato so here's a few ideas my family enjoy. Basic Mash Peel, cut and cook potatoes . To check whether they are cooked poke with a knife, if the knife just slides out without pulling they are perfect. Drain. Add a 10 - 20g knob of good salted butter , roughly ground pepper , a dash of milk or cream and mash until li

WINTER SUPPERS 2

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A simple, warming, one pot Saturday night supper that you can serve to anybody.  Simple enough for a family and delicious enough for friends.  Braised Vegetable Hot Pot with Piment d'Espelette Chicken 700 g chicken breast 1 teaspoon piment d'espelette ( Basque chilli pepper ) 1 teaspoon flaked salt 25g butter 200g   bacon/lard, preferably from a whole piece, avoid using pre-cut "lardons" full of salt 1kg ratte/new potatoes peeled and cut into lengths 3 red onions, 1 yellow onion ½

SUPPER FOR WINTER TERM 1

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Blasting away the winter blues The winter term in France is slightly north of  "mad."  You trudge your way, in my case somewhat willingly, through 'les fetes"/xmas, new year...foie gras again, bottle after bottle of superb wines, jaw dropping calorific feasts. Recall :Christmas day, a moment of heightened gastronomic excitement ( food version of multiple orgasm!) as I plunge my silver fork into my motherinlaw's asparagus pannacotta and take a sip of a 2007 dry white Meursault...I knew that if I tried to stand my legs would have simply crumbled underneath me such was my total total pleasure . Out the other side of this period and its a time when schools start really putting on the pressure - tests, exams, case studies. For "we, the teachers" its a race to write and grade exams, deal with students in crisis mode and those who have totally lost their motivation. My belief is that its important to feed ourselves well to battle against the stress an