Veggies, Glorious Veggies Archive

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 »

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 »

June 12, 2007

Salicorne

Not quite a vegetable but not quite a seaweed, salicornia must have gone through a tough identity crisis as a teenager. And that's not even taking into account the multiple names it has to answer to -- sea bean, sea asparagus, glasswort, or marsh samphire in English, perce-pierre, salicot, cornichon de mer, or criste-marine in French. Whatever t...

"Salicorne" 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 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 »

February 20, 2007

Betterave Crapaudine

[Crapaudine Beet] It is a common misconception that the wintertime opposes the hurried cook with a dearth of ready-to-eat vegetables that could be prepped and dressed in under five minutes. But what of endives and young winter greens, what of radishes and kohlrabi? What of lemon-squeezed mushrooms, what of thinly sliced fennel and cabbage, what...

"Betterave Crapaudine" 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 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 »

August 25, 2006

Courgette Bicolore de Rocher

[Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Zucchini] It's probably safe to assume that I pay more attention to zucchini than the average joe, but if you had been walking by Joël Thiébault's market stall* with me that day, you wouldn't have missed these either: there, between the hostess-gift-worthy bouquets of fresh herbs and the off-white bulbs of hélianthi (a c...

"Courgette Bicolore de Rocher" 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 »

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 »

October 24, 2005

Zucchini Polenta Tart

[This is a republication of a post originally published in September of 2004.] I have a particular soft spot for polenta and anything cornmeal. Unfortunately, they are not at all common in France : I have occasionally seen polenta served at restaurants (and I will reliably dart onto any dish that mentions it as a component, especially if it cl...

"Zucchini Polenta Tart" 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 5, 2005

Gems from the Market

Last Saturday I went to the Marché des Batignolles, an all-organic market that's just a short bus ride from where I live. I don't go nearly as often as I'd wish: many different activities compete for my attention on Saturday mornings, and the whole sleep-in-and-laze-around-in-your-pj's seems to win the game more often than not, especially when Fr...

"Gems from the Market" continues »

August 25, 2005

Tomates Coeur de Boeuf

On this rainy August day (this is not the weather I signed up for! I want a refund!) I just had to share with you the perfectness of these here tomatoes, bought at our produce store on rue des Abbesses. They are everything you could possibly hope for in a tomato -- stark red, heavy in your hand, thin-skinned and fleshy, fragrant, sweet and juicy....

"Tomates Coeur de Boeuf" continues »

July 15, 2005

Salade de Blé Tendre, Courgette et Abricot

[Soft Wheatberry Salad with Zucchini and Apricots] I am a great lover of all things grain. Quinoa, bulgur, kamut, buckwheat, barley, amaranth, millet -- each of them nutritious, filling and tasty in its own personal way (although they all seem to be indifferently described as "nutty" on the package, or un goût de noisette in French). I also love...

"Salade de Blé Tendre, Courgette et Abricot" continues »

April 21, 2005

Ratatouille Confite au Four

[Oven-Roasted Ratatouille] The quality and selection of produce is often a good criterion by which to judge a grocery store and its general attractiveness/cleanliness, because it's the first thing to look terrible if it's not carefully taken care of. A bit like peeking at the state of somebody's fingernails -- not that I actually do this and dra...

"Ratatouille Confite au Four" continues »

April 6, 2005

Confit d'Asperge aux Amandes et au Romarin

Head over to NPR's website today for my Spring piece, a recipe for Asparagus Confit with Almonds and Rosemary! This is the first occurence of their Kitchen Window column that will be published online every other Wednesday, featuring different guest writers....

"Confit d'Asperge aux Amandes et au Romarin" continues »

March 21, 2005

Salade de Roquette, Vinaigrette d'Echalote et Amandes Toastées

[Rucola Salad, Shallot Vinaigrette and Toasted Almonds] Last week I had lunch (at the Café Fusion, where else?) with someone who, incidentally, told me about a cooking class she had attended. It was one of those conversations between two persons who don't know each other too well, who suspect they are in the company of a fellow food enthusiast, ...

"Salade de Roquette, Vinaigrette d'Echalote et Amandes Toastées" continues »

March 10, 2005

Salade de Pleurotes, Pomme et Bergamote

[Oyster Mushroom Salad with Apple and Bergamot] Pleurotes, also known as oyster mushrooms or tree oysters, are these large greyish beige mushrooms with a round funnel-shaped hat, that grow in clusters on the trunk of trees -- they don't care much if said tree is dead or alive, if you must know. The flesh underneath the hat (and that part is call...

"Salade de Pleurotes, Pomme et Bergamote" continues »

March 8, 2005

Petite Salade Rouge

[Little Red Salad] "C'est assez amer, vous savez?", said the pretty salesgirl at the market. Beautiful purplish-red leaves with a white spine. Oh, I knew they were going to be bitter and I wouldn't like them so much and I would just end up pushing them to the side of my plate in favor of the baby spinach leaves I'd have tried to blend them with...

"Petite Salade Rouge" continues »

January 28, 2005

Mmh, Corn on the Cob

Oh I know, I know, this is completely and utterly out of season. But really, just this once, I don't want to know where this particular ear of corn was grown, or what circumvented route it had to follow to land on that grocery store shelf. What I do know is that right in the middle of a particularly glacial winter week, a little edible sunshine...

"Mmh, Corn on the Cob" continues »

January 23, 2005

Salade Tiède de Haricots Tarbais à l'Huile de Noix (IMBB11)

[Warm Tarbais Bean Salad with Walnut Oil] The 11th edition of Is My Blog Burning?, the world-famous collaborative food blogging event, is hosted by Cathy and her theme of choice is Beans! For my contribution, it seemed only fitting that I use the prince of beans, a.k.a Le Haricot Tarbais. Originally brought back from the New World in the 16th c...

"Salade Tiède de Haricots Tarbais à l'Huile de Noix (IMBB11)" continues »

January 18, 2005

Hello, Gorgeous!

On Saturday morning, from the attractive stall of my favorite produce merchant at the Marché des Batignolles, a potimarron is beaming up at me. Plump orange cheeks, smooth skin with faint white lines -- who could resist? I pick it up to get a better feel of its perfect shape and weight, cup it in my gloved hands, and adopt it instantly. The st...

"Hello, Gorgeous!" continues »

November 9, 2004

Topinambours

It's not everyday that one gets to discover a whole new, previously unpublished vegetable. It's not everyday that this new vegetable seems to belong to a little tribe of bulb-headed, purple-hooded munchkins. And it's not everyday that said munchkins turn out to have a delightful taste, halfway between an artichoke and a sweet potato. As I'm well...

"Topinambours" continues »

October 4, 2004

Purple Potato

It must be the child in me speaking, but I love it when food dresses up in unusual colors : blue bread! pink garlic! black tomatoes! green rice! red pesto! ... and wow, purple potatoes! I had heard of vitelottes potatoes before, and I had seen them used to make stunning potato chips in particular, but I had never seen them sold anywhere. Until r...

"Purple Potato" continues »

September 4, 2004

Zucchini Polenta Tart

I have a particular soft spot for polenta and anything cornmeal. Unfortunately, they are not at all common in France : I have occasionally seen polenta served at restaurants (and I will reliably dart onto any dish that mentions it as a component, especially if it claims to be croustillante), but it is rather hard to find in French food stores. ...

"Zucchini Polenta Tart" continues »

June 17, 2004

Roasted Green Peppers

I had been wanting to roast my own peppers for years, but never had. I'd always loved roasted peppers, be they red, green, yellow or none of the above. I had read about the different possible methods, about the tips and tricks, about the things that could go wrong and how to avoid them, about how freshly roasted peppers were astonishingly better ...

"Roasted Green Peppers" continues »

June 14, 2004

Gâteau Renversé Brocoli et Polenta

[Broccoli and Cornmeal Upside Down Cake] I love surprises, and I'm sure you'll agree that cooking surprises are among the best. You start out to make something, unsure where you're going, assembling things, changing course as you go ; you don't really know what you're doing, half-thinking "oh dear that doesn't look right", but still, you're goi...

"Gâteau Renversé Brocoli et Polenta" continues »

June 4, 2004

Terrine de Légumes au Fromage de Chèvre et aux Herbes

[Goat Cheese and Herb Vegetable Terrine] When trying to decide what to bring to the Paris Potluck the other day, my thoughts immediately turned to a terrine. I love terrines : I like the name, I like the dish you make them in (and specifically my own), I like the nice, country feel they have to them. They are also a wonderful thing to bring to a...

"Terrine de Légumes au Fromage de Chèvre et aux Herbes" continues »

June 3, 2004

Paillassons de Pomme de Terre

[Potato Hashbrowns] If you're perfectly honest with yourself, you'll probably realize that a lot of the things you do are in fact an alibi for something else. Example? Example : I loved going out for breakfast in the US. I would order eggs, but really, that was just an alibi to get the hashbrowns. Of course, I could have just ordered hashbrowns...

"Paillassons de Pomme de Terre" continues »

May 26, 2004

Tomates Confites

[Slow-Roasted Tomatoes] I've been wanting to make my own Tomates Confites for a little while, especially after eating and tremendously enjoying the Semi-Dried Tomatoes I posted about recently. And then in the tranquillity of Sunday afternoon, I spotted a few roma tomatoes lying lazily on our kitchen counter, getting contentedly riper and riper...

"Tomates Confites" continues »

May 20, 2004

Semoule de Chou-Fleur aux Fruits Secs

[Cauliflower Semolina with Dried Fruits] Forenote : in the US, the term couscous is used to mean the North-African wheat pasta, shaped like very small beads. The actual name for this is, in fact, semolina -- "semoule" in French. Couscous is the typical North-African dish which includes steamed semolina, as well as vegetables and grilled meat. I...

"Semoule de Chou-Fleur aux Fruits Secs" continues »

May 13, 2004

The Rolls Royce of Potatoes

What we have here, ladies and gentlemen, is not just any old potato. No no no. Oh, no. These are Bonnotte potatoes, from the island of Noirmoutier, just South of Brittany. Noirmoutier potatoes, which benefit from copious rains imbued with sea salt, are considered to be the best, and the Bonnotte variety is the cream of the crop. I bought a kilo ...

"The Rolls Royce of Potatoes" continues »

May 3, 2004

Fèves Fraîches

[Fresh Fava Beans] I'd never had fresh fava beans before, so it was a pleasant surprise to discover some in my Campanier basket this week. I decided to have them for lunch the other day. Boy, do those little guys like to play hard-to-get! What you initially have are those large, fat, green pods, that look a lot like giant green beans. I had q...

"Fèves Fraîches" continues »

April 24, 2004

Asparagus! Yay!

Let us rejoice, my friends, for asparagus season is upon us! They are starting to appear on produce stalls, the really thick white ones, and the thinner pinkish white ones, and my favorite, the glorious green with purple hues, and their pretty pointy little heads, curling onto one side or the other. Simplicity is key. I discard the tough ends,...

"Asparagus! Yay!" continues »

April 22, 2004

Strudel de Blettes

[Swiss Chard Strudel] Last Saturday, I recruited a few dear friends to help me eat the Chocolate & Zucchini Cake I had baked : with Maxence away on a business trip, it was just me and that good-lookin' cake, and although I can always be trusted to do my fair share of the eating, that's exactly the problem. Plus, I needed opinions! So Ludo and Ma...

"Strudel de Blettes" continues »

April 15, 2004

Tomates Mi-Séchées

[Semi-Dried Tomatoes] Remember how I mentioned buying a bottle of balsamic vinegar and some coriander anchovy tapenade at the balsamic vinegar tasting the other day? Well, I lied. I also got a little bag of semi-dried tomatoes, moist and plump. They come in a sealed package which seems to protect them well because the best-by date is in June ...

"Tomates Mi-Séchées" continues »

April 12, 2004

Punk Leek

It might have become apparent by now that leek is pretty high on my top-5 list of vegetables. The playful way in which it hides lumps of dirt between its leaves, reminding you how freshly from the earth it comes ; the distinctive sound of the knife, cutting through the layers when you chop the whites ; the sweet oniony taste, so good it hardly ...

"Punk Leek" continues »

March 30, 2004

Salade de Lentilles Pomme et Cumin

[Apple and Cumin Lentil Salad] This past Saturday, our dear friends Laurence and Jean-Christophe threw a housewarming party (pendaison de crémaillère if you remember) in their cool new apartment, just off Bastille. Laurence had asked if we could bring a little something and I had gathered from reliable sources that Marie-Laure and Ludo were goin...

"Salade de Lentilles Pomme et Cumin" continues »

March 26, 2004

Leek and Ricotta Frittata

Food never tastes as good as when you are really hungry. And although the temptation is strong to just grab and scarf down the first thing that crosses your path (tasty or nasty, edible or otherwise), it's a much better move to resist the urge, and pay attention : what does your stomach yearn for, what appeals to you the most, what would really f...

"Leek and Ricotta Frittata" continues »

March 22, 2004

Salade de Chou Rouge aux Figues Séchées

[Red Cabbage and Dried Figs Salad] If you look for recipes to use up a head of red cabbage before it applies for permanent residence in your vegetable drawer, you will find that the general agreement is "red cabbage shall be sublimated by fruit" : popular uses include braising it with apples or chestnuts, cooking it with pears, or pairing it wit...

"Salade de Chou Rouge aux Figues Séchées" continues »

March 10, 2004

Tarte aux Blettes et Graines de Courge

[Swiss Chard and Squash Seeds Tart] Had you been in my kitchen last week, you would have heard a small squeal of joy. That would have been me, unloading the contents of my weekly Campanier basket of fruits and vegetables, and discovering a lush bunch of swiss chard. The next day found me picking up a couple of ingredients from the grocery store...

"Tarte aux Blettes et Graines de Courge" continues »

March 9, 2004

Frites de Carottes aux Epices

[Spiced Carrot Fries] Winter is the blessed season of root vegetables. Since it is noticeably drawing to a close here - longer days, sunny and mild weather, daffodils all around -, now's the time to make the most of the kind of carb comfort our winter friends have to offer, before we turn the page and say hello to nature's spring collection. Ha...

"Frites de Carottes aux Epices" continues »

February 29, 2004

Chips de Radis Noir

[Black Radish Chips] This week's Campanier selection included three black radishes, oblong and rather large. Black radish is another one of those forgotten vegetables, so I was quite happy for the chance to experiment with it. Last time I had bought a black radish, I had used it raw in a yogurt-dressed salad, and had been rather unimpressed. I ...

"Chips de Radis Noir" continues »

January 24, 2004

Le Délicieux Confit d'Oignon de Jackie

Remember how I told you that Jackie and I, the cooking twins, had met in real life, in London? Remember how she had showered me with yummy food gifts? Well, this is one of them, coming directly from her kitchen, in its little jar. I held the opening ceremony the other night. Cautiously removed the cute purple tulle hat and bow. Marvelled at the ...

"Le Délicieux Confit d'Oignon de Jackie" continues »

January 4, 2004

Salade de Pois Gourmands aux Lardons et aux Noix

Veggie lover that I am, our new year's eve party buffet had to include something green. Maxence and I love snow peas, because of the taste and the crunch and the look, but they’re seldom served in France, so I’m always happy to give them the space in the sun that they rightfully deserve. I think they're perfect in salads, and this is what struck ...

"Salade de Pois Gourmands aux Lardons et aux Noix" continues »

December 6, 2003

Frites de Patates Douces d'Egypte

[Egyptian Sweet Potato Fries] When Maxence and I went grocery shopping in the ethnic stores of the rue de Clignancourt last week, we bought sweet potatoes. There were five (five!) varieties to choose from, so we asked the store attendant which variety was the sweetest, and he pointed us to the ones from Egypt, white-fleshed with a dark pink skin...

"Frites de Patates Douces d'Egypte" continues »

November 29, 2003

The Incredible Thick-Lipped Vegetable

This morning, Maxence and I went for a stroll towards Barbès and Chateau-Rouge, a more ethnic part of the 18th arrondissement, just a few blocks from where we live. In the rue de Clignancourt, we stumbled upon a few small stores selling food (mostly) from the Antilles - the French Caribbean. We both love browsing around exotic grocery stores, and...

"The Incredible Thick-Lipped Vegetable" continues »

October 21, 2003

Salade de Pois Gourmands aux Trois Sésames

[Triple Sesame Snow Pea Salad] In French, snow peas (or sugar snap peas, apparently the difference is that snow peas are a lighter green) are called Pois Gourmands (Gourmand Peas) or Haricots Mangetout (Eat-Everything Beans). The reason for that, I just found out, is that unlike regular peas, you eat the pod as well, so you "eat everything". And...

"Salade de Pois Gourmands aux Trois Sésames" continues »

October 3, 2003

Courgettes Rondes Farcies au Quinoa et à la Ricotta

"Man, I'm stuffed!" said the zucchini. Tonight, Laurence and Marie-Laure are coming for dinner, and as a main dish, I will serve them Quinoa Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini. Those small round zucchinis had caught my eye in the sidewalk stall of our produce store and I immediately saw, in blinking letters : "stuffed zucchini!". I got nine of them as th...

"Courgettes Rondes Farcies au Quinoa et à la Ricotta" continues »

Swiss Chard Pie

Spinach is one of the rare vegetables I will not eat. Possibly, this has to do with the green puke they were trying to pass off as spinach at summer camp. I did try real supposedly yummy fresh spinach, but could not take it. Bleh. The only form I can eat it in, is when it doesn't taste like spinach at all, in spinach ravioli for instance. Now,...

"Swiss Chard Pie" continues »