5 (Covid Confinement) Things

1) We have a great fromagerie around the corner, so we're still able to enjoy French cheese. Phew!




2) The nuns at the Catholic maternity clinic across from our apartment have been coming out on their roof terrace to join the 8pm applause for the health care workers, and then staying on to sing a couple of songs for the neighborhood. Complete with tambourines




3) Zonked out




4) Sunday is now pizza day! This one from last week was sautéed red onions, red peppers and Spanish chorizo




5) There were flour, egg and sugar shortages at the beginning of the lockdown, so when I walked into our local G20 grocery store and spotted this, I felt like I'd won the lottery



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Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart - Day 34 of Confinement

As life has thrown us all a curve ball and we're advised to stay inside as much as possible, I'm heeding that advice. With that, I'm being extra conscious about not wasting food (something I will definitely be better at in the future!) and being creative with what has been lurking in my kitchen cupboards. I also, like so many others, have a lot of time on my hands to cook.

It's rare that I follow a recipe to the letter. When I cook I feel pretty comfortable swapping a minor ingredient or two if I don't have what the recipe calls for and if I don't think it will change the flavor of the final dish.

Last night I needed to use up some fresh goat cheese and zucchini, and after looking in my cookbooks and searching online, I found this tart recipe that looked interesting, but I still felt the urge to tweak it. I thought about swapping the walnuts for toasted almonds and omitting the honey entirely, but in the end I made it almost exactly as it was written (I used dried thyme instead of fresh - didn't have any - and fresh puff pastry instead of frozen) and was super happy with how it turned out!

Keep cooking, stay healthy and stay at home!

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What I Learned While Making Gumbo

1) A deep, rich roux waits for no man. Or woman. It refuses to be abandoned, even for a minute.

2) Leave the iPhone in the other room. Concentrate on the slow and steady stirring and quit trying to multitask all the time.

3) Between Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, the radio or TV constantly playing in the background and the neediness of our dogs, I get distracted often and easily. I need to work on this.

4) Use those 25-30 minutes of roux making to brainstorm, clear your head and/or just be.

5) Patience pays off. Especially when it comes to gumbo.



The recipe is Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo from Emeril Lagasse.


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A Rainy Day Chickpea and Spinach Curry

I think spring got it all wrong this year.

March was beautiful, soft, sunny and warm. Which we totally deserved after the big freeze of February.
So I figured the worst of it was over.

Well, April has had other ideas.


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Simple. Satisfying. Soup.

This is the only decent photo I took. I was in too much of a hurry to dive in.

I am a serious believer and lover of soup.
As soon as the evenings start getting even a slightly bit chilly, I happily grab my favorite soup pot, head to the fridge, freezer and cupboard and start concocting soup recipes.
Almost a different one every night.

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A Polite Introduction to Jamie Oliver

 

Jamie Oliver.
I remember when his Naked Chef series first hit America. People thought he was so cool, so hip. So very British.

Me, I just couldn't get past his informal, chatty demeanor and those expressions:  Cracking. Lovely jubbly. A glug of olive oil. A knob of butter. A swig of vinegar. Whack it in the oven.  Brill.
Jamie just didn't do it for me.  His cooking style was too imprecise and too unconventional.  I was used to watching the very professional, composed Mario Batali in Molto Mario and the serious Lidia Bastianich in Lidia's Italy. 

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Shurpa Lagman

How I stumbled on to this dish is a mystery. I must have seen it mentioned on a website or in an article somewhere and immediately knew that I had to try it.

Basically, Shurpa Lagman is a soupy stew with chunks of meltingly tender boneless lamb, diced vegetables and chickpeas swimming around in it.
That alone should be enough to tantalize, but then you gild the lily by adding fresh, thick cut egg noodles, some minced garlic and cilantro, and a splash of white vinegar to round out the flavors. It is absolutely delicious, rich and hearty. The kind of one dish meal that we subsist on during the winter.

I took a chance and made it for some friends who take their food very seriously. At the end of the meal there wasn't a drop left their bowls and the satisfied sighs and smiles around the table were proof that this is indeed a very special dish.


This intensely flavored mélange is now considered one of the national dishes of Uzbekistan, even though Shurpa and Lagman are actually two different dishes.
Shurpa, a thin meat and vegetable broth, is Kazakh and Lagman, a lamb and vegetable soup with fresh noodles, is Uzbek.

Shurpa Lagman
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

From the New York Times

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1½ pounds boneless lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 10 cups beef stock
• 2 large turnips, peeled, cut into ½-inch dice
• 2 carrots, cut into ½-inch dice
• 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, cut into strips
• 1 28-ounce can diced plum tomatoes, with juice
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt to taste
• White or rice vinegar (optional)
• 8 ounces thick Chinese noodles (or fresh fettuccine), freshly boiled, for serving

1. In large heavy pot, heat oil over high heat, and brown meat, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add onions and stir often, until softened and slightly colored.

2. Pour off fat, add stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1½ hours. Add turnips, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, hot pepper flakes, coriander, chickpeas and ¼ cup cilantro, and salt to taste. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes more. If flavors seem flat, stir in vinegar 1 tablespoon at a time, until bright and tasty. (I added 1 minced clove of garlic as well). Cover and let stand 15 minutes.

3. Ladle into bowls, top with noodles, and sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

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Bidding Adieu...

Upon learning of the sudden demise of Gourmet magazine the other day I sat down in front of my cookbook/cooking magazine bookshelves to take a little trip down memory lane with the issues of the magazine that I've collected over the years.

On the shelves, surrounded by over a dozen copies each of Food & Wine, Saveur (both English and French versions), Bon Appetit and Cuisine et Vins de France, were a measly four copies of Gourmet.

Four.

I was sure that in the last eight or so years I had compiled a larger number than that. Nope.


It made me realize that as sad as I am for the loss of a 68 year old institution and for the cooks, writers, photographers, etc. who lost their jobs so suddenly, I never really had an enduring love affair with Gourmet.
So I bid you adieu.

And in your memory I vow that I will never buy a copy of Everyday With Rachel Ray or Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade. But I can't promise I won't check out Cooking With Paula Deen, because she's just so bad, she's good. Pin It

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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Homemade Pizza Recipe

Pizza is an extremely popular meal in our house.
Mon mari was born and raised in New York City so he has a great love for pizza (and for Chinese food, but that's another story). No pizzeria within a 4000 mile radius of our village meets his high standards, thus I've taken it upon myself to become an expert pizza maker. And I have to admit, I love it!

Pizza is fun. It is versatile. And it allows for endless creativity.

What is your favorite combination of ingredients? Make some pizza dough and use your imagination. It is the perfect blank canvas.

Got a can of plum tomatoes and some leftover cheese? Throw it on.
Maybe you have a bit of pesto, half a container of crème fraîche, a zucchini and an onion...a great combination.
How about some fresh sausage, roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes...those make delicious toppings too.

Yesterday I used up a link of smoked sausage, a yellow onion, a ball of fresh mozzarella and half a brick of feta cheese that I scattered over homemade pizza sauce. It was fabulous!


The Dough recipe that I use comes from the New York Cookbook by Molly O'Neill. It never fails to come out crispy and perfect.

Evelyne Slomon's Perfect Pizza Pie

• 1 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees) water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 3 to 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt

1. Pour the water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Stir gently with a fork until the yeast dissolves and the liquid turns a light beige in color.
2. Add 1 cup of the flour and the salt; mix well. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add a second cup of flour. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and begin to form a soft, sticky mass.
3. Sprinkle some of the remaining cup of flour over a work surface and your hands. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead in the additional flour a bit at a time, until the dough no longer feels sticky. Push the heel of your hand down into it and hold it there for 10 seconds. If your hand comes up clean, the dough is done; if it sticks, a bit more kneading is necessary.
4. Lightly oil a 2-quart bowl with vegetable oil. Roll the ball of dough around in the bowl to coat it with the oil. Tightly seal the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place, preferably in a gas oven with a pilot light. For electric ovens, set the thermostat at 200 degrees F for 10 minutes, turn the oven off, and place the bowl inside. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, 30-45 minutes.
5. Punch down the dough, remove it from the bowl, and knead for about 1 minute. Set aside to rise a second time until doubled in size, 1 hour.
6. After the second rising, the dough is ready to be shaped, topped, and baked. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
7. Roll into two 18-inch pies or into four 10-inch individual pies. Add the toppings of choice now. Bake on clay baking tiles for even baking if possible (if not, use a baking sheet) until the crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes for a large pie, 15 to 20 minutes for small pies.

Serves 2 pizza fanatics or 4 polite people.


The Sauce is my own creation.
Sautée 2-3 whole, fat cloves of garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sized saucepan until light brown.
Crush up a large can of Italian plum tomatoes and add to the browned garlic. Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) and simmer for about 25-30 minutes. Smash the softened garlic cloves against the side of the pan and mix it into the sauce.
Taste and adjust seasoning.

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Notebooks

About 10 years ago I had accumulated an insane number of cooking magazines. They were piled up in the kitchen, on bookshelves and down in the basement. Now that I think about it, I had decorating and home magazines all over the place too. I had recently bought my first house and was going through a nesting stage...
Then one fine day I was in Office Depot or Staples or some other office supply store (I have a secret fetish for paper products and pens) and saw some clear, plastic sheet protectors and a little light bulb went off in my head.
These are the result.

I tore out all the recipes I wanted to keep from those magazines, resulting in loads of space in my house for some new magazines! And new cookbooks!

The original ring binder notebook style.

The 20-40 page pre-made sheet protector notebooks they sell in France. I've had mixed results with these. Some have very flimsy plastic so when you slide the sheet of paper into it, the seams rip open. Now I look for heavy duty plastic pages.

I keep notebooks for home and decorating ideas, places I want to travel and miscellaneous stuff, in addition to the growing number of cooking, food and wine related one's.
Organizing at its finest!

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What's Happening Here in France

Seems like I haven't written about France much lately. And I've hardly cooked a thing in three weeks, so there hasn't been much to write about that either. I was looking forward to settling back in to "life in general" here in our little village when a call came Monday afternoon from my sister in California. Our mom had been checked back into the hospital Sunday night and was needing surgery as soon as they could get the raging infection in her body under control. I'll spare you the details, but she's been sick for a couple of months and was in the hospital two weeks ago, but it looked like everything was ok. It wasn't.
Surgery took place last night, everything went well and she should be heading home from the hospital Sunday or Monday. My sister is going there today to help and I'm heading back to Spokane, Washington on Tuesday morning to be there when my sister has to go home.
So, "life in general" is being put on hold until I return on the 19th of March. I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that I have to head back across the pond. Another 20 hours of airplanes and airports. Merde.

Until Tuesday I plan on getting over the virus I contracted last week either on the airplanes, airports or in New Orleans and enjoy some cooking!
I'm making dinner for six tomorrow night and want to try either a coconut chicken curry or a chicken and potato curry recipe that I found on Hooked on Heat and some vegetable side dish with cauliflower.
Spring is definitely in the air which means driving at night is a toad obstacle course. They're out and trying to mate and they're all over the place! The almond trees are in bloom and the bulbs are coming up. We're looking forward to asparagus and strawberries and sitting outside in the sun. Pin It

Top 100 - 86 Through 90

86. Phad Prik Moo (pork with red chili sauce). A super easy, quick dish that is full of crunchy vegetables and nice and spicy. I found the recipe in Simply Thai Cooking by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu.

Pork With Red Chili Sauce

10 ounces trimmed pork tenderloin
1/2 medium green pepper
6 long green beans
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 cup water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup bamboo shoot strips
20 whole fresh basil leaves
strips of red pepper
2 1/2 cups freshly steamed rice

1. Slice tenderloin into strips that are 1/4 inch thick, 2 inch long and about 1 inch wide. If you find it difficult to cut thinly through fresh meat, leave it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden slightly, and then slice. Reserve.
2. Cut pepper into 1 inch squares. Trim ends of long beans and then chop into 1 inch pieces. Reserve peppers and beans together.
3. Heat oil in a wok (or large frying pan) until it is just about to smoke. Lower the heat and add garlic and curry paste and stir fry for 45 seconds. Immediately add water and raise heat to maximum. Stir-cook for 1 minute and add fish sauce and sugar. Stir-cook for 2 minutes, until the sauce is smooth and bubbling.
4. Add reserved pork and stir-cook for 2 minutes. Add reserved peppers and long beans, as well as the bamboo shoot strips, and stir-cook for 4-5 minutes, until everything appears to be cooked and the sauce has thickened somewhat. Add 3/4 of the basil leaves and stir into the sauce. Take off the fire and transfer to a serving dish. Top with some red pepper strips and the rest of the basil leaves. Serve immediately, accompanied by steamed rice.
Serves 4

87. The Fried Shrimp Po' Boy. I order it undressed because I don't like mayonnaise, but then pour on lots of Crystal hot sauce. A dressed po' boy comes with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. The shrimp are sweet and firm with a hot, crunchy coating. I like them at Elizabeth's, with a side order of praline bacon. (because the fried shrimp just aren't fattening enough!)

88. A French Market Bag. We use them at the grocery store and outdoor markets, for carrying wine and food to friend's houses and they're perfect to take to the beach.



89. Roasted Red Peppers. I like them marinated in olive oil and garlic, on sandwiches, in tarts or quiches, on salads and mixed with scrambled eggs. Making you own is easy, even if you don't have a gas stove.
Turn on your oven's broiler, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and roast the peppers about 6 inches from the broiler, turning them as the skin starts to blister and blacken. Once they are all roasted, take them out of the oven, wrap them up tightly in the foil and cover the bundle with a kitchen towel and leave to steam, about 20-30 minutes. When they're cool enough to handle, slip the skins off and remove the stem and seeds, but never under running water! Even though it makes the process easier, the flavor goes down the drain with the skin. Tear the flesh into strips and either eat that day or cover in olive oil and keep in the fridge for several days.

90. Dooky Chase's Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana. Until August 29, 2005, chef Leah Chase had been serving up some of the best Creole food in the city. Hurricane Katrina flooded the restaurant, but I read that she planned to reopen on January 6, on her 84th birthday. I remember her gumbo and fried chicken were the best I've ever had!

2301 Orleans Ave
New Orleans, LA
(504) 821-0535 Pin It