Recipe Inside! Archive

April 14, 2008

Squeeze Cookies (A Roasted Flour Experiment)

Among the many things I learned during that memorable conference on molecular gastronomy, one idea has been whirling around my brain with particular insistence since then, and it is that of farine torréfiée*, or roasted flour. It was introduced to us by way of a truism: raw flour is bland, browned flour isn't. This is why we bother to make roux,...

"Squeeze Cookies (A Roasted Flour Experiment)" continues »

February 13, 2008

Super Simple Nutella Ice Cream

My sister's husband has a passion for Nutella. When Ferrero put out a 40th-anniversary Nutella jar* of woolly mammoth** proportions, Christian bought one and actually spooned his way through it. Not in one sitting, admittedly, but still. I love my brother-in-law dearly, so when he and my sister came to dinner a few weeks ago, I thought I'd treat...

"Super Simple Nutella Ice Cream" continues »

February 6, 2008

Salade Tiède de Potimarron et Haricots Blancs

[Warm Hokkaido Squash and White Bean Salad] I write this from a café where I like to go and get some work done when I find it difficult to concentrate at home. Today, however, an unforeseen challenge has materialized on my path. Sitting a few tables from mine are two living clichés: a blond, middle-aged, French casting director and a young, crag...

"Salade Tiède de Potimarron et Haricots Blancs" continues »

January 31, 2008

Guimauve à la Rose et au Chocolat

[Rose and Chocolate Marshmallows] Guimauve is the stuff clouds are made of, it has the soft and cottony flavor of childhood, and resistance is futile when I spot the pretty pastel cubes in pastry shops. Rarely am I disappointed, but I do have to mention that one recent time when I bought an assortment from Pain de Sucre and got mostly weirdo f...

"Guimauve à la Rose et au Chocolat" continues »

January 15, 2008

Crumiri

[Italian Cornmeal Cookies] We all have our siren ingredients, those that call to us in voices of sugar from the printed page of a cookbook -- or the pixelated page of a food blog -- and charm us into dropping whatever we're doing to run to the kitchen and reenact the recipe. Cornmeal is one of my sirens, and I find it particularly beguiling in ...

"Crumiri" continues »

January 8, 2008

Soupe Poireaux Pommes de Terre

[Leek and Potato Soup] It has been far too long since last I wrote about soup. Have I stopped making soup? This is like asking if I've stopped breathing, and the answer -- as I type this, at least -- is no. The reason for this soup drought is that I've mostly been making variations of soups already featured on this blog, or über-simple combina...

"Soupe Poireaux Pommes de Terre" continues »

December 22, 2007

Rochers à la Noix de Coco

[Coconut Macaroons] Today's recipe, which conveniently doubles up as a holiday greeting card, is a beloved classic I wrote about eons ago on this here blog. I am normally reluctant to feature the same recipe twice, if only because it wreaks havoc in my recipe index, but in this instance, more than four years separate the two posts, and I do hav...

"Rochers à la Noix de Coco" continues »

November 17, 2007

Rognons de Boeuf, Cèpes et Oignons

[Beef Kidneys with Ceps and Onions] Squeamish eaters, avert your eyes, and let me direct you here, here, or perhaps here. For the others, those who don't blanch at the mere mention of the words "tripe" or "beef tongue," those who own a dog-eared copy of the nose-to-tail bible* or have it on their wishlist, here is the dish I made last weekend w...

"Rognons de Boeuf, Cèpes et Oignons" continues »

November 9, 2007

Sablés Croquants Poivre et Noisette

[Crisp Hazelnut and Pepper Cookies] If you're the observant type, you may have noticed the walk-on actor in the fig sorbet picture two weeks ago. And you know what happens to walk-ons when they're talented and good-lookin' and lucky: they graduate to leading roles. Today is the cookie's big break; today, the cookie gets to be the hero of the pos...

"Sablés Croquants Poivre et Noisette" continues »

November 2, 2007

Epaule d'Agneau Frottée au Romarin, Anchois et Zeste de Citron

[Slow-Roasted Shoulder of Lamb, rubbed with Rosemary, Anchovy, and Lemon Zest] I say, one can never have too many recipes for lamb shoulder. A versatile cut, the lamb shoulder, one that can be grilled, stewed, braised, or here, slow-roasted. This dish was born out of a typical moment of greenmarket frustration, which I shall get off my chest j...

"Epaule d'Agneau Frottée au Romarin, Anchois et Zeste de Citron" continues »

October 23, 2007

Glace aux Deux Figues

[Two-Fig Ice Cream] The fig season seems intent on lasting forever this fall: it is now late October, yet produce stalls still boast plentiful trays of purple figs, soft at the hips and oft leaking a drop of sap from their, um, bottom. Of course, they cost an eye -- figs are a luxury in Paris any time of the year -- but the fig fanatic in me is ...

"Glace aux Deux Figues" continues »

October 17, 2007

Mini-Scones à la Carotte et au Romarin

[Carrot and Rosemary Miniature Scones] Ah, the Curse of the Potluck and its familiar dilemmas that grip and nag -- what to bring, what to bring? Something sweet, something savory? Something indulgent that will please everyone who doesn't know how much butter went into it, or something healthful so your friends will live longer with a healthy he...

"Mini-Scones à la Carotte et au Romarin" continues »

October 10, 2007

Deluxe Potatoes

[Jo Jo Potatoes] Perhaps you remember Braden and Laura from the post I wrote about their underground restaurant venture: Hidden Kitchen has been doing well since then, waiting list and all, and Maxence and I have had the finger-licking pleasure of going back to their apartment a few times, as friends, on their off nights. Last time we did was b...

"Deluxe Potatoes" continues »

September 24, 2007

Glace Coco du Placard

[Coconut Ice Cream from the Pantry] The really nice thing when you come back from a vacation, however lovely, is the fresh set of eyes you can lay on your living quarters, and all the things that make them homey and yours. Your bed, not too firm but not flabby either, and wide enough that two normal-size individuals can stretch their legs witho...

"Glace Coco du Placard" continues »

September 10, 2007

Tarte aux Quetsches et Crème de Noix

[Quetsche Plum Tart with Walnut Cream] I love plums. I love that they are small and that you can rinse a few of them at a time, whirling them in your hand like Baoding balls. I love that they come in sundry shapes and colors to match your outfit, I love that they have a pit that you can spit out into the sink, and I love that they grow on trees ...

"Tarte aux Quetsches et Crème de Noix" continues »

September 4, 2007

Coquillettes au Comté et Pousses d'Epinard

[Elbow Macaroni with Comté Cheese and Baby Spinach] A lot can be learned about your cooking self by considering what you eat when you're on your own. I have friends who are simply not hungry when they're alone, who forget to eat (who what?), who don't consider it a real meal if there's no dining companion, or -- and I am not making this up -- wh...

"Coquillettes au Comté et Pousses d'Epinard" continues »

August 29, 2007

Langues de Chat au Thé Vert

[Green Tea Cat's Tongues] Langues de chat are classic French cookies that fall into the category of petits fours secs ("dry" petits fours, as opposed to miniature versions of pastries with buttercream, pastry cream, etc). They used to be a frequent accompaniment to ice-cream in restaurants, in rotation with cigarettes russes, but I haven't seen ...

"Langues de Chat au Thé Vert" continues »

August 21, 2007

Sorbet Chocolat Noir

[Dark Chocolate Sorbet] So. Batch #1 in my brand new ice cream machine was dedicated to Maxence, in gratitude for such an exciting, perfectly tailored, and all-around thoughtful gift. But when the time came to make batch #2 -- that is, the next day, as soon as the bowl had had time to refreeze -- I decided I had paid my dues, and I could now ma...

"Sorbet Chocolat Noir" continues »

August 8, 2007

Sorbet Mangue

[Mango Sorbet] La sorbetière (ice cream maker) is up there with la yaourtière (yogurt maker) in the list of appliances that were hot Mother's Day gifts in the seventies but ended up in said mother's attic pronto. And yet, when Maxence came home with my birthday present and it was a bulky box hiding a spaceship of a sorbetière, I could not have ...

"Sorbet Mangue" continues »

August 1, 2007

Birthday Chicken

I normally host a big birthday bash every year, or at least that's what I've done the past four summers, inviting friends, old and new, to celebrate the fact that it is late July and the weather is nice and Paris is empty and I'm a year wiser. But this time, no. I was a little bummed to break from this young tradition, for I really do enjoy the...

"Birthday Chicken" continues »

July 9, 2007

Biscuits Epeautre et Miel

[Spelt and Honey Crisps] There is nothing like a good cookie to celebrate the completion of a big project, and even though this project of mine* is not 100% completed -- I've written the bulk of the manuscript, but I have a few remaining elements to deliver --, cookies were 100% in order. If you are a long standing reader of this blog, and I do...

"Biscuits Epeautre et Miel" continues »

July 3, 2007

Salade de Quinoa Rouge, Poivrons et Pignons

[Red Quinoa Salad with Bell Peppers and Pine Nuts] I am just a few days -- three, to be terrifyingly exact -- away from delivering the manuscript for my second book*, and although it is nowhere near as stressful a time as it was for my first (why do I sound like a young mother all of a sudden?), it is still a time of waking up bright and early a...

"Salade de Quinoa Rouge, Poivrons et Pignons" continues »

June 6, 2007

Chermoula

The June/July issue of Régal* has just been released, with its fresh batch of inspiring ideas**, and it was my reading material of choice when Maxence and I went out for a drink on a terrace on Saturday afternoon, to bask in the fine weather. And in the midst of the section on farmed vs. wild fish, a ray of sunlight fell on a recipe for barbecue...

"Chermoula" continues »

May 9, 2007

Muffins Carotte et Cacahuète

[Carrot and Peanut Muffins] In the interminable list of blessings that come with having a food blog is this one: readers will come forward and share their favorite recipes with you. I am always honored to receive these gifts and the stories that are delivered with them, and even though I seldom get around to making the dishes (my epitaph will r...

"Muffins Carotte et Cacahuète" continues »

April 23, 2007

Gelée au Chocolat, Ananas et Violette

[Chocolate Jelly with Pineapple and Violet] This is the dessert I served to close my recent spring lamb dinner: it was a few days before Easter so chocolate was definitely in order, but since lamb shoulder is a rather rich cut (though I must note that French lambs seem to be much leaner than their American cousins; French Lambs Don't Get Fat), I...

"Gelée au Chocolat, Ananas et Violette" continues »

April 16, 2007

Canapés Radis Avocat au Sel Fumé

[Avocado and Radish Canapés with Smoked Salt] I've been on an avocado kick lately, and I blame my favorite produce stall for that: they keep running specials on them and really, who can resist a special on a trio of avocados when the stall keeper will hand-pick them for you so each will be ripe a couple of days after the previous one? (And since...

"Canapés Radis Avocat au Sel Fumé" continues »

April 11, 2007

Epaule d'Agneau Confite et Flageolets

[Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Flageolet Beans] Spring lamb is the traditional centerpiece of Easter Sunday menus in France: the agneau pascal symbolizes the sacrifice of the innocent, and the breeding cycles mean it is at its best this time of year, conveniently enough. My family isn't religious at all and the only thing we've ever commemora...

"Epaule d'Agneau Confite et Flageolets" continues »

April 5, 2007

Carottes Rapées à l'Avocat

[Grated Carrot Salad with Avocado] As subscribers to the Chocolate & Zucchini newsletter already know, a French publisher has purchased the rights to my very-soon-to-be-published cookbook. And because the tone of writing is very personal, I've asked to translate my own words: the recipes themselves are taken care of by a pro, while I translate -...

"Carottes Rapées à l'Avocat" continues »

March 27, 2007

Petit Salé aux Lentilles

[Cured Pork Shoulder with Green Lentils] If you had told twelve-year-old me that a Sunday morning, fifteen years later, would find me cooking this dish, I would have laughed so hard I might have choked on my petit suisse. Petit salé aux lentilles is a splendid specialty from Auvergne in which cured pork is slowly cooked and served with lentils....

"Petit Salé aux Lentilles" continues »

March 20, 2007

Cha Soba, Concombre et Tofu

[Green Tea Buckwheat Noodles with Cucumber and Tofu] So verdant is this dish that it could have been my contribution to Saint Patrick's Day. But because the French don't really celebrate it (unless they happen to find themselves at one of the Irish pubs on boulevard de Clichy) and because my father's name is Patrick, March 17th is simply that: m...

"Cha Soba, Concombre et Tofu" continues »

March 12, 2007

Salade de Mâche, Endives et Betteraves

[Mâche Salad with Endives and Beets] As the weather in Paris becomes increasingly springlike -- hello daffodils! come sit by me on the kitchen counter! -- I thought it was high time I illustrate the point I recently made about salads and the ones that carry us through to the end of winter (however mild ours has been). The original motive for th...

"Salade de Mâche, Endives et Betteraves" continues »

March 2, 2007

Gratin de Pâtes, Noisettes et Lardons

[Pasta Gratin with Hazelnuts and Lardons] Inspiration came from a recent meal at Le Caméléon, during which one of my dining companions ordered a jumbo foie de veau (veal liver). It appeared, a stately Pasha in a mantle of reduced vinegar, with a side of gratin de macaroni au Parmesan served in one of those miniature cast-iron cocottes that are a...

"Gratin de Pâtes, Noisettes et Lardons" continues »

February 27, 2007

Compotée d'Echine de Porc au Cidre

[Cider-Stewed Pork Loin Blade Roast] I find cuts of meat confusing. I find them confusing because the terminology straggles from the technical to the vernacular and back again, because readable diagrams are few and far between, and because the matter only gets murkier when you try to juggle French and English terms used in different countries. ...

"Compotée d'Echine de Porc au Cidre" continues »

February 23, 2007

Chips de Pita au Zaatar

[Zaatar Pita Chips] Zaatar is a popular spice blend in Middle-Eastern cuisines -- those of Syria and Lebanon in particular --, made of thyme, toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. (Note: The Arabic word also means simply "thyme", and is sometimes transcribed as za'atar, zahtar, or zatar.) As with all generic spice blends, the flavor profile of...

"Chips de Pita au Zaatar" continues »

February 9, 2007

Le Fondant au Chocolat de Tante Amélie

[Aunt Amélie's Smooth Chocolate Cake] None of my aunts are named Amélie, I thought I should make that clear from the start. And if I am to explain the origin of this recipe, I will need to rewind the tape back to early January, when French food writer Thierry Roussillon asked if I would answer a few questions for one of the interviews gourmandes...

"Le Fondant au Chocolat de Tante Amélie" continues »

February 5, 2007

Crème de Feta à la Tomate

[Tomato Feta Dip] Every once in a while I get the sudden impulse to hop on a stool and spring-clean my pantry. The urge strikes with no warning, often at the most inconvenient moment, and I get pulled into the task like those cartoon characters who slip a finger into a spinning cogwheel. I will be looking for an item that time has pushed to the...

"Crème de Feta à la Tomate" continues »

January 28, 2007

Jarret de Veau Braisé à la Cuiller

[Spoon-Tender Braised Veal Shank] May I introduce to you my new favorite dinner party recipe, a recipe of the sort hosts and hostesses ardently wish for, a recipe that requires minimal effort and produces spectacular results? Yes, I thought that might interest you. The recipe in question is a recipe for veal shank that one braises for three to...

"Jarret de Veau Braisé à la Cuiller" continues »

January 26, 2007

ŒOeufs au Lait

I don't really do milk. I don't drink it, I don't cook with it, I don't add it to my cereals, and I like my coffee black, thanks. As a result, I rarely have any in the fridge, and when I do buy a bottle for a recipe, the leftovers usually sit in the fridge and spoil with boredom. But I hate to toss food as much as the next girl (or perhaps even ...

"ŒOeufs au Lait" continues »

January 23, 2007

Gratin de Chou-Fleur

[Cauliflower Gratin] Ever since my casual mention of my mother's cauliflower gratin a few weeks ago, requests for the recipe have been steadily pouring into my inbox. A silent protest was even organized at the foot of my apartment building the other day, with eager, apron-clad cooks walking in circles and brandishing signs that read, "Cauliflowe...

"Gratin de Chou-Fleur" continues »

January 19, 2007

Le Gâteau Piège

[Piège Cake] Oh no, don't worry, despite the name (piège means trap in French), this is not the sort of cake that's designed to snap closed onto the unsuspecting, eager-for-a-slice hand. I've named this cake le gâteau Piège -- with a capital "P" -- after Jean-François Piège, chef at Les Ambassadeurs [warning: muzak ahead], who shared the recipe ...

"Le Gâteau Piège" continues »

January 8, 2007

Salade de Pomme de Terre au Paprika Fumé

[Smoked Paprika Potato Salad] Although bread is without a doubt the carb I'd have the most trouble giving up, the potato is a close second. You can fry it mash it boil it roast it broil it stuff it, and be quite certain you'll get my vote. The preparations I most enjoy are sautéed potatoes, especially my mother's (which, before you ask, don't h...

"Salade de Pomme de Terre au Paprika Fumé" continues »

December 27, 2006

Croquants Châtaigne et Noix de Pécan

[Chestnut Pecan Biscotti] Because I know you've been hanging on to the edge of your seats and I'm not such a bad person after all, here is my report on this year's batch of edible gifts. The recipe I ended up making on Saturday afternoon -- in between a few last-minute errands, but I'm fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood that offers plent...

"Croquants Châtaigne et Noix de Pécan" continues »

December 19, 2006

Macarons Maïs Violette

[Violet Cornmeal Macarons] If you are still trying to get your act together about what homemade edible presents to give out this holiday season, I'm here to tell you that you are not alone. I myself have done precisely zilch about it, but that's okay: today is Tuesday, Christmas eve is this Sunday, and that still gives me plenty of time to pick ...

"Macarons Maïs Violette" continues »

December 13, 2006

Soupe de Chou-Fleur, Curcuma et Noisette

[Cauliflower Soup with Turmeric and Hazelnuts] I know a lot of people who dislike cauliflower. Perhaps I am biased since I grew up eating my mother's killer gratin de chou-fleur, but I really don't see what's not to like in a vegetable that's mild-flavored without being bland, that's so good-looking it is described as a flower in numerous langua...

"Soupe de Chou-Fleur, Curcuma et Noisette" continues »

November 30, 2006

Le Pain qu'on ne pétrit pas

[No-Knead Bread] Complete fiascoes are few and far between in my kitchen. I'm not sure whom to thank for this -- my lucky star, my karma, my mom? -- but the fact is that the things I cook or bake very rarely end up in the trash. I have disappointments of course, dishes that turn out a bit meh despite my high hopes, but nothing quite as débâcle-l...

"Le Pain qu'on ne pétrit pas" continues »

November 28, 2006

Biscuits Très Gingembre

[Very Ginger Cookies] One should always be careful what one writes about on one's blog, for one never knows what hungry demons one might unleash as one mulls over edible memories from one's past. After I wrote about shortbread last week and listed some of the things we liked to buy at Marks & Spencer's, I could not get their stem ginger biscuit...

"Biscuits Très Gingembre" continues »

November 22, 2006

Cours de Boulangerie

[Bread Baking Class] Hi, my name is Clotilde, and I have conquered my fear of yeast. For years and years, everytime a recipe called for yeast -- dry, instant, fresh, whatever -- I would write it off with a resigned sigh, like the plain teenaged girl writes off the popular unkempt boy, thinking, "He's not for me." I didn't know the moves, I did...

"Cours de Boulangerie" continues »

November 14, 2006

Soupe de Haricots Verts aux Amandes

[Green Bean and Almond Soup] None of my friends need to be reminded how I feel about Rose Bakery, their salad plates, their assortment of British goods (including Neal's Yard cheeses), and their superb sweets that one simply must try and reproduce at home. "Where should we go for lunch in your neighborhood?" they ask. "I like Rose Bakery," I rep...

"Soupe de Haricots Verts aux Amandes" continues »

November 10, 2006

Scones au Gouda Vieux et Poires Séchées

[Aged Gouda and Dried Pear Scones/Biscuits] Before we begin, I would like to address the scone/biscuit question. To Americans, a biscuit is the hand-held version of a quick bread, leavened with baking powder. Usually round and savory, the American biscuit may be served in place of bread to accompany a main course, especially if said main course ...

"Scones au Gouda Vieux et Poires Séchées" continues »

November 8, 2006

Poires Séchées

[Dried Pears] I oven-dry tomatoes all through late summer, when I can lay my hands on cheap and tasty specimens, and I like to apply that method to pears in the fall, too: the drying sublimates the pear flavor into a hauntingly sweet concentrate of itself. This does mean it is a good way to cut your losses on below-average pears, but for superb ...

"Poires Séchées" continues »

November 2, 2006

Cake à la Banane Flambée et Noix de Pécan Caramélisées

[Flambé Banana Bread with Caramelized Pecans] One of the things I love the most about kitchen activities is that they come in all shapes and sizes to fit your mood, and how much time you have on your hands. Whether you're looking for instant gratification or a way to spend some quality moments with your pans and spatulas, there is a project out ...

"Cake à la Banane Flambée et Noix de Pécan Caramélisées" continues »

October 30, 2006

Rôti de Porc au Chou Rouge Epicé, Pommes et Pruneaux

[Pork Roast with Spiced Red Cabbage, Apples, and Prunes] I don't normally buy meat at the farmers' market: I have a good neighborhood butcher that I like -- his name is Mario, what's not to like? -- and my usual crop of fruits, vegetables, cheese, and flowers is usually so bulky in my rainbow-colored basket (a birthday gift from my neighbors) th...

"Rôti de Porc au Chou Rouge Epicé, Pommes et Pruneaux" continues »

October 23, 2006

Compote de Pomme et Potimarron à la Vanille de Mayotte

[Apple and Hokkaido Squash Compote with Mayotte Vanilla] I recently read that online shopping -- or just online window-shopping -- was a widespread form of procrastination. I cannot for the life of me remember where I read this, but it's probably because reading random stuff on the Internet is another way in which I squander vast amounts of my t...

"Compote de Pomme et Potimarron à la Vanille de Mayotte" continues »

October 16, 2006

Fondant Chocolat Noix de Coco

[Coconut Chocolate Cake] I have known Marie-Laure for nineteen years. This represents more than two thirds of our lives, and our friendship has accompanied us through primary school, junior high, high school, university, a year in Brazil for her, two years in California for me, and a variety of jobs, relationships, and haircuts, without us ever ...

"Fondant Chocolat Noix de Coco" continues »

October 9, 2006

Spiced Chocolate Peanut Butter

Considering my love of good-for-you nut butters and my passion for the unabashedly trashy peanut butter cup, it was only a matter of time before I attempted to coalesce the two and make a peanut butter cup spread of some sort. I thought I would simply use unsweetened cocoa powder to flavor an otherwise classic homemade peanut butter, but when I ...

"Spiced Chocolate Peanut Butter" continues »

October 3, 2006

Le Poulet de Muriel

[Muriel's Chicken] Cookbook writing guidelines tell you that naming a recipe after someone is not a good idea: it doesn't tell the reader much about the ingredients or the process, the reader doesn't know this person, and frankly, the reader doesn't really care. This is all true of course, but I have a certain fondness for those recipes that sou...

"Le Poulet de Muriel" continues »

September 26, 2006

Gâteau Sirop Muffins

Amongst all the towns Maxence and I cruised through on our roadtrip across the US, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana is the one that stands out the most in my memory (and no, I don't receive any money from the mayor's office). We stayed there a bit longer than originally planned -- car troubles will do that to you, have you seen U Turn? -- but unlike Sean...

"Gâteau Sirop Muffins" continues »

September 20, 2006

Faisselle de Chèvre à la Ciboulette

[Goat's Milk Faisselle with Chives] Originally, a faisselle (feh-sell) is a container pierced with tiny holes, in which fresh cheese is placed so the whey will drain out. But then metonymy came into play (or perhaps came in to play) and the word now also designates an unsalted soft curd cheese sold in such a container, itself nested in a larger,...

"Faisselle de Chèvre à la Ciboulette" continues »

September 5, 2006

Cinq-Cinquièmes à la Pistache

[Pistachio Five-Fifths] Le quatre-quarts ("four fourths") can be described as the French pound cake. It has earned its name because the batter is made with the same weight of eggs, butter, sugar, and flour, thus amounting to a fourth of the cake each: you weigh the eggs first, and measure the rest of the ingredients accordingly. There's baking p...

"Cinq-Cinquièmes à la Pistache" continues »

August 29, 2006

Osso Buco

Complaining about the weather is a national sport in France, but as is true of most sports -- except perhaps for swimming -- I am not very good at it. I have generally adopted the maxim, "Don't worry about the things you can't control," and while I will do the chit-chat thing with taxi drivers and random people seeking shelter under the same awni...

"Osso Buco" continues »

August 10, 2006

Fiadone

Fiadone can be described as the Corsican cheesecake. Crustless and no more than an inch in thickness, it is prepared with one of the most famous specialties from l'Ile de Beauté, a fresh cheese called brocciu (I am told that this is pronounced "brooch", not "bro-choo"), made with sheep's milk and/or goat's milk. Like all fresh cheeses, good artis...

"Fiadone" continues »

August 2, 2006

Chicken Family Green Beans

As much as one likes to cook, one has to admit that on some nights, a bit of convenience and instant gratification doesn't hurt. And when our mood clamors for an effortless yet satisfying dinner at home, it is a true comfort to know that we can turn to the Chicken Family, and that the Chicken Family will be there for us. Chicken Family is the na...

"Chicken Family Green Beans" continues »

July 23, 2006

Beurre de Cajou

[Cashew Butter] My jar of old-fashioned chunky peanut butter having mysteriously evaporated somewhere between the store where I bought it and the apartment where I thought I'd brought it back, I had to devise a strategy to assuage the feeling of disappointment and vexation, the kind that makes you bang your fist on the kitchen counter as you mut...

"Beurre de Cajou" continues »

June 14, 2006

Courgette au Coquelicot en Carpaccio

[Zucchini Poppy Carpaccio] As promised, here is the recipe for the first course in the flower menu I created for the French edition of ELLE (issue #3154, June 12, 2006). My thanks to Catherine Roig for allowing me to reproduce the recipes here. The picture above is a shot of the magazine page: the food styling is by Valérie Lhomme, the photograp...

"Courgette au Coquelicot en Carpaccio" continues »

Magret en Croûte de Lavande

[Lavender-crusted Duck Magret] As promised, here is the recipe for the main course in the flower menu I created for the French edition of ELLE (issue #3154, June 12, 2006). My thanks to Catherine Roig for allowing me to reproduce the recipes here. The picture above is a shot of the magazine page: the food styling is by Valérie Lhomme, the photog...

"Magret en Croûte de Lavande" continues »

Framboises et Violettes en Tartelette

[Raspberry and Violet Tartlets] As promised, here is the recipe for the dessert in the flower menu I created for the French edition of ELLE (issue #3154, June 12, 2006). My thanks to Catherine Roig for allowing me to reproduce the recipes here. The picture above is a shot of the magazine page: the food styling is by Valérie Lhomme, the photograp...

"Framboises et Violettes en Tartelette" continues »

June 8, 2006

Pesto Fraise Basilic

[Strawberry Basil Pesto] What do you do when your deepest desire is a little homemade pesto in your sandwich, but you discover with a sinking heart that you have but a handful of basil? Sure, you could go out and buy more, certainly, yes, that would be the sensible thing to do. But what if you can't go out for some reason, say, because you've ju...

"Pesto Fraise Basilic" continues »

June 5, 2006

Petits Beurres

I have told you before about the cookbooks my grandmother has given me, old, tattered, and much-loved volumes that used to belong to my great-grandmother before her. One of them is called Mes Recettes pour votre dessert, and it contains 710 recipes for sweet things, arranged in alphabetical order from Amandés de Liège to Visitandines. And on page...

"Petits Beurres" continues »

May 28, 2006

Cacao & Zucchini Absorption Pasta

Chose promise, chose due*, here is my take on absorption pasta, or risotto-style pasta. The idea of this technique is to coat the pasta with a little olive oil, add just enough liquids to cover, and cook until desired tenderness. According to Virka -- who read it in the Italian paper La Reppublica so it simply must be true -- this cooking techniq...

"Cacao & Zucchini Absorption Pasta" continues »

May 15, 2006

Macadamia Maple Granola

When I was little, I had long and exclusive relationships with my breakfast menus. For years on end a particular food item was all I would have in the morning, until suddenly and without warning, a new monomania came to replace it. The earliest phase I remember involved pain de mie (white sandwich bread) and Nutella. Two slices of bread would be...

"Macadamia Maple Granola" continues »

May 1, 2006

When your sister gives you lemons

...make almond lemon curd. I like it when I can count the degrees of separation between an ingredient and myself, especially when I only need the fingers of one hand to do so. In this case, there were just four degrees of separation between me and three large lemons: my sister Céline has a boyfriend I adore, named Christian. Christian has a fath...

"When your sister gives you lemons" continues »

April 24, 2006

Soupe aux Orties

[Nettle Soup] How often do you get to cook with a hostile ingredient? Sure, you could hurt yourself with pretty much anything -- drop a head of celeriac on your toes, rub your eyes after chopping chili peppers, stab yourself with a carrot -- but nettle leaves are actively belligerent. Stinging you is their life calling, it is what they were mean...

"Soupe aux Orties" continues »

April 17, 2006

Hot Cross Buns, Take II

If you have a book to write, I recommend hiding out for a few days in the comfort of a mountain house, preferably in a region where spring is a bit tardy, so the weather will make it easy for you to stay in and type. For fresh air, throw in a few healthy walks to spot the first daffodils (the mist will also make your hair nice and wavy) and a few...

"Hot Cross Buns, Take II" continues »

April 12, 2006

Ganache Sandwich Cookies

I am not very good at falling asleep. Once I manage to drift off I sleep soundly till morning -- which is a blessing, no doubt -- but it can take a while before I achieve that state of blissful nothingness. However much I try to relax before bedtime, my mind is reluctant to let go of the day's activities, and seems to take the head-hits-pillow ev...

"Ganache Sandwich Cookies" continues »

April 4, 2006

Soupe de Betterave, Pâte d'Anchois aux Noix

[Beet Soup with Anchovy-Walnut Paste] I went to the market on Saturday morning, walking at a brisk pace up the boulevard in the shy sunlight, stopping by the bank to deposit a check (aren't you glad to know), and reaching the stands about a minute after the greasy smells of potato pancakes had reached me -- how anyone can be tempted by these is ...

"Soupe de Betterave, Pâte d'Anchois aux Noix" continues »

March 27, 2006

Petites Brioches

Amongst the many good things a food blog will do to you, is this one: even when you feel you are completely ruining a recipe, your mind is already working on how to turn this potential disaster into a hopefully entertaining, tale-of-a-near-fiasco post for your readers -- a much more constructive way to look at the situation than curling up on the...

"Petites Brioches" continues »

March 22, 2006

Clafoutis à la Fraise

I have a new piece appearing today on NPR's Kitchen Window: it is a recipe for strawberry clafoutis, to which I've added, as a free! no-strings-attached! bonus, an easy recipe for strawberry coulis. (If you've missed them, my previous contributions to Kitchen Window include: ~ Mango Scallop Tartlets ~ Pear Pastilla ~ Cheese Course 101 ~ Fresh He...

"Clafoutis à la Fraise" continues »

March 15, 2006

Boudin de Langue

[Tongue Blood Sausage] Paris is filled to the brim with little stores that sell produits du terroir, artisanal products from different regions of France: condiments and spices, jam and honey, cookies and candy, traditional canned dishes such as cassoulet or duck confit... You push the door and feel like you've stepped right into Hansel and Grete...

"Boudin de Langue" continues »

March 6, 2006

Croissants aux Amandes

[Almond Croissants] A couple of weeks ago, as I was writing about brunches and the possibility of leftover croissants, I gave a passing mention to croissants aux amandes. Such a teaser could not go unnoticed: I received a few requests for instructions, and promised I'd share them as soon as I had a picture to illustrate the recipe. You will fin...

"Croissants aux Amandes" continues »

February 13, 2006

Biscuits Chocolat et Fèves de Cacao

[Chocolate and Cacao Nib Cookies] Soft and cakey and thrice chocolate-flavored -- from the velvet of melted chocolate, the strength of cocoa powder, and the aromatic crunch of cacao nibs -- these bite-size cookies should fit into either one of these Valentine's Day scenarios: 1. You tend to throw yourself rhapsodically into the whole gift-and-c...

"Biscuits Chocolat et Fèves de Cacao" continues »

January 18, 2006

Gâteau Choco-Coco

[Coconut Chocolate Cake] It was Maxence's birthday last week, and one of the things we did to mark the occasion -- in addition to one glorious meal at Les Ambassadeurs -- was to invite friends to join us and celebrate at a small cocktail bar that recently opened in our neighborhood, on an improbable little street we'd hardly ever noticed before....

"Gâteau Choco-Coco" continues »

January 2, 2006

Crumble Pomme Mangue

[Mango Apple Crumble] I cultivate a relationship of deep trust and mutual appreciation with the Fruit Crumble Family. We send each other holiday cards and such, we remember our respective birthdays, and I often turn to them when I'm looking for a simple dessert that won't keep me busy for half the day, one that will be comforting and reliably ta...

"Crumble Pomme Mangue" continues »

December 28, 2005

Tartelettes de Saint-Jacques à la Mangue

[Scallop Mango Tartlet] What do you mean, you're still trying to recover from the Christmas celebrations? Come on, New Year's Eve is just around the corner, time to hit the ground running and plan for it! If you intend to host a little dinner party but are still scratching your head about the menu, stop it: it's bad for your scalp, and my late...

"Tartelettes de Saint-Jacques à la Mangue" continues »

December 21, 2005

Soupe de Courge à la Vanille

[Butternut Squash and Vanilla Soup] If it sort of seems from my recent postings that all I eat these days is soup, well, it's not very far from the truth. But see, all those winter vegetables are really begging for it, and I don't have the heart to turn them down. Besides, since I am now equipped with a cast-iron cocotte and an immersion blender...

"Soupe de Courge à la Vanille" continues »

December 19, 2005

Mijoté de Boeuf aux Légumes Racine

[Beef Stew with Root Vegetables] I've noticed that my cooking is most often vegetable-driven: I will buy fresh veggies at the market or at the produce stall, and then decide what fish or meat will complement them -- not the other way around. On Saturday morning I returned from the farmers' market with a basket of mostly root vegetables, not s...

"Mijoté de Boeuf aux Légumes Racine" continues »

December 16, 2005

Gâteau au Chocolat et Pralines Roses

[Pink Praline Chocolate Cake] Pralines can be a confusing thing, considering that the same pretty word (It would make a cool name for a little girl, no? Or would this ruin her life you think?) is used for different confections. The original praline is made by cooking almonds in melted sugar: the mixture is left to cool then reheated several tim...

"Gâteau au Chocolat et Pralines Roses" continues »

December 7, 2005

Pommes et Poires aux Caramels

[Apples and Pears with Caramels] I love having friends over for an impromptu weeknight dinner. I love going out to restaurants too, I've probably made that clear by now, but having them at home is something else entirely -- warmer and more intimate. It allows you to choose your own musical ambiance (a nice random mix from the Squeezebox), move t...

"Pommes et Poires aux Caramels" continues »

November 25, 2005

Soupe de Céleri et Patates Douces au Gingembre

[Celeriac and Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger] It has been very cold in Paris lately* -- which I guess should be expected in late November but still comes as something of a shock after the lovely été indien we've had -- and naturally my thoughts turn to, I'll let you guess: fondue savoyarde? Well, that's one, but it's not what I meant. Soup, then?...

"Soupe de Céleri et Patates Douces au Gingembre" continues »

November 18, 2005

Gâteau au Yaourt à la Myrtille

[Blueberry Yogurt Cake] I seem to have become the official birthday cake baker on the 3rd floor of my apartment building -- should this be added to my résumé you think? -- a mission I am proud and happy to take on. It was recently Peter's birthday -- Peter who's half Italian half Scottish, and who lives with Ligiana, herself from Brazil, in the...

"Gâteau au Yaourt à la Myrtille" continues »

October 12, 2005

Gâteau au Yaourt

[Yogurt Cake] As I've mentioned before, Maxence is a big advocate of the adage "if it ain't broke don't fix it". In other words, when a classic recipe is fabulous, don't meddle with it, and just do what you're told. Obviously I have trouble following that piece of advice, and more often than not I'll surrender to the urge and tweak a little some...

"Gâteau au Yaourt" continues »

October 7, 2005

Salade Tiède de Poireaux aux Noix Fraîches

[Warm Leek Salad with Fresh Walnuts] There is a special kind of grace in the simple combination of a few ingredients that you have on hand. The resulting dish has an air of spontaneity, a certain modesty, that makes it easy to love: you didn't put much time or thought into it, there is little pressure on its shoulders to be successful, and this ...

"Salade Tiède de Poireaux aux Noix Fraîches" continues »

October 3, 2005

Canelés

I tasted my first canelé some seven years ago, at Eric Kayser's boulangerie on rue Monge. Maxence had a friend who lived nearby, they often worked on school projects together, and whenever they felt like a break and a snack, this is where they would go. Maxence adored their canelés, ordered them often, and made me try them. Delicious. Simply del...

"Canelés" continues »

September 26, 2005

Soupe de Carotte à la Brise de Châtaigne

[Carrot Chestnut Soup] Fall officially came into office barely a week ago, and while the weather hasn't been particularly drab (we've even had a few unseasonally beautiful days), it seems as though a giant switch had been flicked in some great control room somewhere: all of a sudden, with no warning at all, I felt like eating soup. So. Veggies ...

"Soupe de Carotte à la Brise de Châtaigne" continues »

September 22, 2005

Galettes de Riz

[Rice Cakes] "Waste not, want not", saith popular wisdom. I do hate having to throw out good ingredients or tasty leftovers. I generally strive to make the most of my supplies, and in fact it's an excellent exercise for your creative muscles to try and find ways to do so. But I have to admit it's a constant battle between this thrifty side of me...

"Galettes de Riz" continues »

August 29, 2005

Brochettes d'Agneau au Thym

[Lamb Skewers with Thyme] It's strange how much more comfortable I am around vegetables than meat. Vegetables are familiar, safe and easy to work with. I never run out of things to do with or to them, I know how to choose them, how they're supposed to feel in your hand, how long they keep and how they react to various treatments and seasonings. ...

"Brochettes d'Agneau au Thym" continues »

August 24, 2005

Fresh Herb Muffins

I have a new piece up on NPR's website: this one includes some tips about picnics and a recipe for fresh herb muffins! For my metric-minded readers, here are the measurements to make the muffins: - A small bunch of fresh flat parsley, about 25 sprigs - A small bunch of fresh cilantro, about 25 sprigs - A small bunch of fresh chives, about 20 spr...

"Fresh Herb Muffins" continues »

August 5, 2005

Compote Pêche Abricot à la Crème de Coquelicot

[Peach Apricot Compote with Red Poppy Cream] I seem to have a particular fondness for the red poppy, its fragile fluttering silhouette and its thread-thin stem, too thin it seems to support its flamboyant scarlet petals and contrasting black heart. I like that it is easily spotted from afar -- in the middle of a field, on the banks of a country ...

"Compote Pêche Abricot à la Crème de Coquelicot" continues »

August 3, 2005

Ricotta Maison

[Homemade Ricotta] The minute I read Heidi's post about making your own ricotta and her comment that "this ricotta tastes and smells like the milk it is made from so use the best and freshest dairy you can find", I instantly thought what a perfect use it would be for the bottle of raw milk that Christoph and Susanne gave me for my birthday as pa...

"Ricotta Maison" continues »

July 28, 2005

Salade de Courgette et Poulet au Vinaigre de Framboise

[Zucchini and Chicken Salad with Raspberry Vinegar] Ever since I served raw zucchini sticks with my anchoïade a few weeks ago and experienced a private tastebud epiphany, I have felt it my personal mission to let the world know how incredibly delicious and subtly sweet zucchini tastes in its most natural simple naked state. It is best to keep t...

"Salade de Courgette et Poulet au Vinaigre de Framboise" continues »

July 19, 2005

Gratin de Nectarines à la Noisette

[Hazelnut and Nectarine Gratin] In French, a portrait chinois (literally "Chinese portrait") is a kind of riddle in which one person tries to guess a famous person's name by asking a set of questions and working by analogy: if he were an animal, what would he be? And if he were a flower, a city, a song, a color, a movie? Since this is incredibly...

"Gratin de Nectarines à la Noisette" continues »

July 18, 2005

Dip Fromage Frais et Coriandre

[Fresh Cheese and Cilantro Dip] Last Saturday we organized a little impromptu dinner party at our place with our dear neighbor-friends Stéphan and Patricia, and our new neighbor-friends Ligiana and Peter. Ah yes! Didn't I tell you? We have new neighbors! They moved in a few weeks ago and now occupy the apartment just to the left of ours. A littl...

"Dip Fromage Frais et Coriandre" continues »

July 15, 2005

Salade de Blé Tendre, Courgette et Abricot

[Soft Wheatberry Sal