Inspiration From A French Market

French markets inspire! How can they not?

Walking through our local market, I can't help but be seduced by the juicy berries, the snappy green beans, the tender lettuce, the shiny eggplant.

Each season has its highlights, which require only a minimal amount of effort in the kitchen, so planning a menu is easy. Simply purchase the freshest fruit and vegetables and mix and match with eggs, meat, cheese, more fruit, more vegetables, whatever you're craving.

Right now the stalls are piled high with asparagus, strawberries, radishes, artichokes, spring onions and spring garlic.
Here are a few recipes to tempt you.


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Zucchini and Ham Risotto Gratin

The shiny, sunny days of spring have been quite the capricious flirt this year.

A day of sun here, four days of rain there. A half a day of sun here, two days of rain there. With the exception of one little day, the last week has been downright dreary and I heard that it has been nicer in Copenhagen than in the south of France! To whom do I send my customer complaint card?

Ok, ok, enough moaning about the weather. On to the food!

These dark and drizzly days call for a bit of spring comfort food.
This risotto is topped with thick slices of golden, melted Brie that ooze down into the rice as they heat up, making a wonderfully rich and creamy dish. Just the thing to satisfy us as we huddle next to the heater and wait for some sun. We hope we won't be waiting for much longer.

photos of risotto never seem to do it justice


Zucchini, Ham and Brie Risotto Gratin
serves 4
Inspired by this recipe.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  
• 2-3 slices thick ham, chopped into small squares
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 3½ cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 6 ounces Brie*
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the zucchini and sautée for 10-12 minutes until it just starts to turn golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil to the pan, lower the heat and add the ham, onion and garlic.
4. Cook on low heat for about 6-8 minutes or until softened and lightly golden.
5. Add the rice and stir the grains for about 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the wine and stir until it is absorbed into the rice, then pour in about one third of the hot stock and increase the heat to medium.
7. Cook, stirring frequently, until the stock is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining stock, in two batches. This should take about 20 minutes, and the rice should be tender.
8. Preheat the broiler.
9. Remove the rice from the heat, gently fold in the zucchini and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. Put the mixture into a big, earthenware gratin dish.
11. Slice the Brie and lay it on top of the rice.
12. Put the dish under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, until the Brie is golden and bubbling.
13. Serve at once.

*Don't go all out and spend a lot of money on unpasteurized Brie de Melun or Brie de Meaux for this dish. The cheese's flavor really mellows during cooking.


Another delicious springtime dish is this Baked Asparagus Risotto recipe that I perfected last year.

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Still Eating As Much Asparagus As Possible...

Every week the outdoor food markets have several small asparagus growers who have set up their worn and battered trestle tables which are overflowing with green asparagus, ranging in size from delicate, pencil thin to sturdy, felt-tip marker fat.

Of course, I can't resist.
At least a kilo makes it into my shopping basket every week.


My latest asparagus recipe search led me to an interesting looking pasta recipe that incorporated sautéed hazelnuts - of which I have tons of in the freezer. (last time I found them for a decent price I bought a giant bag)
I adapted it to my tastes and the result was a rich, creamy and fresh tasting dish.


hazelnuts toasting in butter


a beautiful melange of fresh asparagus, onion, garlic and petit pois


Asparagus and Hazelnut Pasta

1 pound pasta - I used penne
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup frozen petit pois - I love them so I used a lot, you could use just ½ cup
½ cup dry, white wine
4 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced
¼ cup Pecorino-Romano cheese, freshly grated
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup hazelnuts, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and asparagus and sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes, until the onion just lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in another pan, preferably nonstick, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the hazelnuts to the melted butter and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the peas to the onion and asparagus, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the wine to the onion and asparagus mixture and bring to a boil.
Cook the wine for 2 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook pasta according to package directions, until just al dente. Drain the cooked pasta and place in a large serving bowl.
Add the cooked onion and asparagus mixture and toss everything together.
Add the parsley, cheese, and hazelnuts.
Season with salt and black pepper, and mix well.
Serve immediately.


the finished dish Pin It

Baked Asparagus Risotto - No Stirring!

Risotto is one of those dishes that I find particularly easy. I've made it so many times that it's kind of like second nature. And I love its versatility.
There is always some sort of vegetable or leftover meat lurking in the back of the fridge or freezer that I can mix with pearly, fat grains of arborio rice, hot stock and Parmesan to make a hearty meal.

The one thing about risotto is that you have to stand there and stir. And stir.
For about 30 minutes.
Sometimes this can be tedious. Especially when there are more interesting things to do. Like laugh at celebrities on gofugyourself.com read up on world events or study French.

So to give myself more time to be studious and worldly, I have a baked risotto recipe that cuts the amount of time in front of the stove by about two thirds.

The texture is a bit different that stovetop risotto. The grains are softer, not as al dente, but the flavor is wonderful!

Baked Asparagus Risotto

• 8 ounces/250g thick, smoky bacon, chopped into small pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons/25g butter plus 1 tablespoon/12g
• 10 ounces/300g risotto rice
• 8 ounces/ 250g fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup/125ml of white wine (optional)
• 3 cups/700ml hot chicken stock
• pinch salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup/50g Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oven to 200C/400F
Fry the bacon pieces in an ovenproof pan or casserole dish with a lid for 3-5 minutes until crisp.
Stir in the onion and 2 tablespoons/25g butter and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
Add the rice and stir for a minute or two, until all the grains are coated.
Pour in the optional white wine and cook for 2 minutes, until absorbed.
Add the hot stock, the salt and the asparagus pieces, then give it all a quick stir.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and bake for 20-30 minutes, until just cooked.
Stir in half of the Parmesan and remaining butter.
Serve, sprinkled with the remainder of the cheese and pass the pepper mill.

Serves 4


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Saturday Morning in Carcassonne

I know I was complaining the other day about the cold, windy weather here in the Minervois, but Mother Nature has decided to be generous with us again. Today it is 70 degrees and sunny. Can't complain about that!


The Place Carnot in the center of Carcassonne hosts a picturesque, lively food market every Saturday morning. It is much bigger and more diverse than our little Tuesday Olonzac market, but quite a bit further to drive. Every time I go I wonder why I don't make the effort to go more often.



Strawberries were on offer everywhere. Big, fat ones from Spain and smaller, very aromatic French strawberries called garriguettes.









The Canal du Midi runs through the center of Carcassonne. The locks reopened last week so the holiday boaters are back cruising the canal. It is estimated that over 50,000 tourists take a trip on the canal each year, either by guided afternoon trips, barge hotels or self-piloted weekly boat rentals.



I came home with a basket bursting with carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, eggs and a baguette. Tonight's menu: asparagus gratin and salad with bread and wine. Pin It

Saumur Spring

Spring, beautiful spring.
The almond trees are in bloom, the vines are waking up and strawberries and asparagus are in season.



Asparagus Risotto time. I look forward to this every year.
I picked up a fat bunch of asparagus and a basket of deep, red strawberries at the market on Tuesday morning. The cupboards were pretty bare when I returned from the States, so I had to make do with what I could find.
Asparagus risotto usually calls for white wine but I didn't have any. I did, however, have Saumur, a sparkling white wine from the Loire Valley. A quick look in the Internet and voilà, a recipe for Champagne and Asparagus Risotto.



This is my adapted version. I didn't even have cheese for the recipe! Fortunately, the flavor was great without it.

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
  
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth
  
• 2 cups Champagne
• 1 lb medium sized asparagus, trimmed
  
• black pepper, freshly ground
• salt
• 1 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs Pecorino-Romano cheese, freshly grated

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add onion and cook until the onion is translucent.
3. While onion is cooking, blanch asparagus for 2-3 minutes, plunge into ice water and cut into 1 inch pieces.
   
4. Add rice, stirring to coat all the grains. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes.
5. Add 1 cup stock. Cook, stirring, until stock is absorbed.
6. Add 1 cup Champagne or Saumur. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently.
7. When almost absorbed, add the rest of the Champagne.
8. After the Champagne is absorbed, add 1/2 cup of the stock. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is almost absorbed.
9. Add the rest of the stock in small amounts until rice is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes from when you put in the first cup of stock. I always find that the liquid to rice ratio is relative to the quality of the rice. You may need more than 4 cups liquid, you may need less.
10. Just before the last of the stock is added, add the asparagus to the rice.
    
11. Stir in freshly ground pepper, to taste.
12. Add the butter and cheese.
13. Stir well, taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary.
14. Enjoy!
    

The risotto had a really lovely, balanced flavor from the sparkling wine. It was creamy and delicious! I plan to do more experimenting with replacing regular white wine with the fizzy stuff in recipes.

For dessert: strawberries and the rest of the Saumur.

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