by Krista | Dec 3, 2009 | Winter
I’ve devoted Plucky Thursdays to writing about recipes and foods that intimidate me, and I’m amused to find almost all of them are French! I’m not sure where this fear stems from, but it is also accompanied by a firm belief that all French recipes involve difficult steps or finicky cooking instructions.
How wrong I’ve been!
When my friend Kat wanted to try making vichyssoise with me, I was delighted! She tracked down a recipe for Lemon Zucchini Vichyssoise from an old issue of Gourmet. It sounded so fresh and yummy that we simply had to try it.
Since it was the end of the month and we were both broke, we pooled our resources and had just what we needed. She brought broth, leeks and zucchini and I contributed potatoes, onion and a lemon.Perfect!
Then we got down to business. Kat thinly sliced zucchini, leeks and lemons, while I chopped potato and onion, and ground white pepper in a mortar and pestle.
We cooked the leeks, onion and garlic in a large saucepan until the leeks were soft, added the potato, zucchini and broth and simmered until the potatoes were tender. This mixture was pureed and blended with the cream, lemon juice and seasonings, then chilled until we were ready to eat.
That first spoonful was a little burst of summer. Light, creamy, and silky smooth with the mellow flavors of the vegetables heightened by the wonderful zing of lemon and the sharp contrast of white pepper. I can’t wait to make it again!
Vichysoisse
Lemon Zucchini Vichyssoise
Gourmet – August 1994
Yield: Makes about 6 cups
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.
Ingredients:
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), chopped fine and washed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
a 1/2-pound russet (baking) potato
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced thin (about 4 cups)
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus additional to taste
ice water for thinning soup
lemon slices for garnish
Directions:
- In a large heavy saucepan cook leek, onion, and garlic with salt and pepper to taste in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until leek is softened.
- Peel potato and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add potato, zucchini, and broth to leek mixture. Simmer mixture, covered, 15 minutes, or until potato is very tender.
- In a blender purée mixture in batches until very smooth, transferring as puréed to a bowl.
- Stir in cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and chill soup at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Thin soup with ice water and season with additional lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- Garnish soup with lemon slices.
by Krista | Dec 2, 2009 | Compatriot Wednesday
Much to my chagrin I spent both Thanksgiving and my birthday tucked up in bed, swathed in blankets as I sipped tea, watched old movies and tried to feel better.
I was very sad to miss out on all the festivities, so it was doubly special when my lovely friends in the CEG (Culinary Experimentation Group) made up for it with a fantastic French birthday dinner. 🙂
Amy and Don brought French red wine and Toby assembled crackers and brie to tide us over while we cooked. Kat and I tackled Gourmet’s Lemon Zucchini Vichyssoise (more on that tomorrow!) and I attempted a sharp cheese sauce with a particularly stinky cheese a new friend in France sent home with me. Toby stirred while I followed the recipe to the letter. In spite of our best efforts we ended up with an amazingly awful French glue that stuck to teeth and gums and wouldn’t come off without much prying. 🙂
On the bright side, we managed not to ruin the arugula and tomato salad, a simple little dish with a lively dill and lime vinaigrette. Deborah and Kat made a lovely stove-top ratatouille with eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and onion, and Cameron smoked gorgeous scallops with his own savory blend of spices. The grand finale was Darren’s marvelously rich chocolate mousse with rum and espresso. Yowsers!!
It was a perfectly wonderful birthday! Thank you, dear friends! 🙂
by Krista | Nov 24, 2009 | Gulliver Tuesday
Next to making and sharing delicious food, traveling is my favorite pastime. I gladly give up movies, new clothes and such, and put every spare penny towards plane tickets, hotel rooms and oh so fabulous meals.
This fall I spent a couple of weeks in Paris visiting family and dear friends. One brisk afternoon my friend Amy and I donned coats and scarves and set off for the Jardin de Luxembourg, instantly slowing to a saunter as we entered the gates.
Wide, leaf-strewn gravel paths meandered past twisted old trees, around great stretches of green grass bordered in short, scalloped iron fencing. At the center of nearly every grassy place was an intricately carved marble statue, its base festooned with flowers, the lawns dotted with fallen leaves.
It was lunchtime and clusters of teenagers parked themselves on chairs, benches and even the pathways to eat their meal, laughing, talking and smoking happily in the warm fall sunshine. Here and there an artist sat in the sun, capturing the autumnal beauty in chalk or paint. Well-dressed women sat alone with their thoughts, or shared them animatedly with a friend. My favorites were the elderly couples, the women in heels, dresses and wool coats, the men in dress pants and overcoats, both wearing hats, strolling hand in hand along the winding pathways.
We emerged from the park ages later, our hearts richly satisfied with the beauties we’d seen, and walked towards the Pantheon. By this time our stomachs were crying out for victuals, and we spotted a crêperie across the road. We had the cheeriest waiter, a young fellow about 22 who behaved as though nothing pleased him more than to see his customers happy.
He seated us outside at a tiny round table and brought us flat water and our buckwheat crêpes of choice. I chose a savory one filled with white ham, Emmental cheese, tomato and fried egg, while Amy indulged her sweet tooth with Nutella, banana and coconut. The crêpes were amazing – delectably crisp yet chewy, with fresh and flavorful fillings. Ooeee, SO good on a cold day! 🙂
They were delicious, so earthy, rich and hearty that within a day or two we were positively craving them!
We found another crêperie down a twisting side street and were directed to a teensy table by the window with two round-seated wooden chairs. Within a few minutes it was packed to the gills with locals – nary a tourist to be seen – so we were quite proud of our choice. 🙂 Amy’s crêpe was filled with melty, caramelized pears and I had a buckwheat one with cheese, ham and egg topped with a fabulous green salad with a vinegary dressing that dripped down onto the crepe. Deeeelicious!
Wanting to replicate these beauties at home, I experimented with flour and milk and came up with my own version that I love. I hope you will too!
Buckwheat Crepes
Ingredients:
2 cups coconut milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup flour
3 large eggs
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients in non-metal bowl and let sit overnight.
- Heat non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Use 1/4 batter per crepe, pour into pan and tilt to cover bottom. When nearly set, flip and brown other side for 10-30 seconds. Repeat until batter is used up.
- (The first couple of crepes may be flops – mine always are – but you’ll get the hang of it in no time.)
- Spread warm (or cold!) crepes with Nutella or top with shredded ham and Swiss cheese and heat until cheese is melted.
