Perfectly Seared French-style Duck Breast. Magret de Canard.

By mid-December seasonal refrigerators in French supermarkets are full of local delicacies for Christmas luxury dinners: foie gras, escargot, oysters, seafood of all sorts, roasts of all kind, goose, and of course, whole duck and duck breast.

After spending some months in France nothing is more natural than serving Magret de Canard for Christmas Eve dinner. The preparation from the beginning to serving takes about 45 minutes and it requires your 100% presence.

For many years I had been afraid to handle duck breast - it had seemed to me beyond grand mastery to create a perfecly seared duck breast, the way they make it in France - tender, juicy, with crispy golden skin that melts in your mouth. But all of the hesitation is a thing of the past. After a few recipes and try-outs, I've aggregated this experience into this lengthy to read, but quick to implement, technique. 

• 2 duck breasts
• salt, pepper

1. Take the duck breasts out of the fridge and leave to come to room temperature, about an hour or so.
2. Wash and pat dry with paper towels. Do NOT season yet!
3. Preheat the oven to 200C.
4. Using a very sharp knife, score the duck breast by making long diagonal incisions across the duck skin going from top left corner to bottom right, 1 inch / 2cm apart. The incisions should be deep enough to cut through the fat but should not reach the meat. Once done, make incisions going from from the top right corner to the bottom left.
   This will help that duck fat melt faster and create that beautiful golden crispy skin.
5. Put the duck in a heavy frying pan skin-side down. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Once you hear the sizzle, set the timer to 5 minutes. Now duck fat will start melting and it will sizzle and splash all over the place - be careful as the sizzling fat can shoot pretty far. It helps you have a splash guard to put over the pan.
6. After a minute or so, you will notice the outer edges of the breasts start contracting. If you press down the meat with thongs on both ends of the breast for 30 seconds, you will have a perfectly-shaped piece and an even colour!
7. As the fat melts, you need to remove it from the pan as it will overcook and will taste bitter - you just can't do this to the pride of French gastronomy!
   Usually, I remove the pan from the heat, pour the fat into a prepared bowl, and return the pan back; about 3 times during the searing process. But you can do the same by removing fat with a spoon with a long handle. If you can multi-task, you can also baste the top side of the duck with fat and juice from the pan, while removing the fat.
   Reserve the fat for future use by freezing. But I generally have pre-cooked potatoes ready in an oven-proof dish. At this point I pour some fat over it, mix potatoes with some herbs de Provence, garlic, and paprika and put the dish in the oven.
8. After 5 minutes carefully, lift the breast off the pan. The skin should be golden and feel quite crispy. If not, you can increase the temperature and leave for another minute or two.
9. Flip the breasts over and immediately lightly salt the seared skin. 
10. Sear the turned-over breast for another minute or two, basting with pan liquid: 2min for small breast, 3 minutes for medium-sized pieces.
11. Place the pan in the oven (some move the breasts in a roasting pan). Now cook until ready - 6-7 minutes for rare and 10 minutes for well-done meat. A good rule is to compare the feel of the meat to your face:
    
    Cheek = rare
    Chin = Medium
    Forehead = well done.
    By the way, none of the magret (and steaks) served in French restaurants are well-done: they are medium-rare to rare by default. If you ask for a well-done steak (bien cuit), it'll be overcooked or burnt. French cooks just refuse to acknowledge another degree of readiness for meats that these two.
12. The last essential step is to let duck rest. This helps the moisture spread evenly. Remove the breast and place them on a cutting board, skin side up. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
13. Cut into thin slices. Serve.

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Prosciutto Rolls with Mixed Greens

I absolutely love good dry-cured ham, any type - prosciutto, Serrano, Bayonne, Iberian jambon, etc. I think I could live off of it alone! So I'm always on a lookout for recipes that bring out the smokiness of these wonderful ham and add an unusual flavour.

This prosciutto-wrapped greens recipe is a great alternative to the traditional asparagus-prosciutto or a proscuitto-melon duos. The crunch of the greens and a hint of honey, add a bit complexity to the taste. This appetizer is easy and quick to put together and has a beautiful presentation.

Makes 12 rolls 

• 12 prosciutto slices, sliced thinly
• 1 cup mixed spring greens, packed

Dressing

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

1. Combine the dressing ingredients, mix well.
2. Place the greens in a mixing bowl, pour the dressing over it and mix gently to coat.
3. Place about 1 tbsp of greens on a slice of prosciutto, roll up.

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Oysters in Garlic Butter

Oyster purists might argue that oysters don't require any condiments. True, but sometimes, adding a bit of a punch to the oyster is just what's needed. This garlic butter is subtle enough to bring the flavour of the oyster to its high. The oysters in garlic butter is a simple but great recipe to add something different.

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 tablespoons minced parsley
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 24 oysters
• coarse salt for baking sheet

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Put the butter in a bowl. Press the garlic cloves over the butter and mix well. Add the parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate. 
3. Open the oysters and put them, in their shells, on a baking sheet filled with coarse salt. Add about 1⁄2 teaspoon of the parsley butter mixture to each oyster and broil for 1 to 2 minutes. 
4. Serve the oysters in garlic butter immediately with rye bread.

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Food for thought and not only that: Les Compagnons de la Grappe

Photo Credit: http://www.cartesurtables.com/

Les Compagnons de la Grappe
**** (out of 5)

26 rue Lepelletier
Lille, 59000, France 

Neatly-tucked away from the hustle of Lille's centre, Les Compagnons de la Grappe offers traditional Flemish and French fare in a wonderful cosy rustic setting. The restaurant makes simple, honest, and great-tasting home-like meals in a similar setting.

The outdoor patio / terrace looks lovely and welcoming but even though the heaters were on, it was too chilly for a November night to enjoy food outside. It was pretty adventurous of us to head out on a Friday night with no reservations. The place was packed, but amazingly enough, we were seated immediately at a cute corner table by the fireplace. 

The decor is simple, bright and cheerful; the place exudes great ambiance. The menu was extensive with the regional Flemish specialties and French regulars; I picked a duck salad that I adore ever since visiting Gascony - Le Salade Composee (or Salade Landaise) with the best of the season - foie gras, magret de canard and gesiers. The plate was overflowing with goodness of regional produce - with potatoes on the side, the foie gras was very tender, the magret had just the right texture and smokiness, and the dish, overall, hearty and great-tasting. For desert we split a light rum baba that came with a generous portion of rum on the side.

The service was fantastic, quick and unobtrusive. The extensive menu options and the variety were a pleasant surprise in a restaurant that competes with hundreds of others in the category of Northern French gastronomy. I wouldn't hesitate going there again, actually, I just might.. soon!

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Chantilly Cream

Chantilly Cream over raspberries.
Photo credit: http://www.domainedechantilly.com/sites/default/files/M.Savart-IMGdessert.JPG

One cannot leave Chantilly without trying the Chantilly cream. Each village in France has its own culinary traditions and specialties, with Chantilly being no exception - this is an area that for centuries catered to the nobles' refined tastes.

Chantilly cream is what we might call whipped cream sweetened with sugar and flavored with vanilla, and sometimes, orange water or brandy. The origins of the recipe are ambiguous; some attribute it to Francois Vatel, an unfortunate chef at the Chantilly Castle, who committed suicide over the fish order that didn't come in time at the reception of Louis XIV in 1661. However, there is no mention of the cream in historical records until late 18th century.

Chantillois take pride in their cream - they say the amazing light taste of the cream starts with the grass and the grounds of the area that are unlike anywhere else. The cows must take their job seriously too - as replication of the recipe in any other area of France doesn't taste the same.

Truly, the cream we tasted there is like no other whipped cream - simply divine, light, subtle, and deep.

Official recipe of the Chantilly cream 
(http://www.domainedechantilly.com/domaine-de-chantilly/cr%C3%A8me-chantilly/recettes-officielles)

Preparation 15 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 50 cl cream 
• 40g icing sugar  
• 1 vanilla pod

Put very cold cream in a bowl previously cooled in the refrigerator. Add the vanilla sugar and icing sugar. Vigorously beat the cream with a whisk or electric mixer until the cream thickens and forms waves. The cream is rising "Chantilly" when cream waves appear retain their shapes. Be careful at this stage as overeating transforms cream into butter!

 

For a pleasant change
Here are some other recipes:
All ingredients are to be incorporated in the cream when it has the texture of a sour cream.

Chantilly with herbs: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 1 bunch dill, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt and pepper (to taste)

Chantilly Espelette pepper and tomato: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 250g tomato paste, salt and pepper (to taste), sprinkled with Espelette pepper

Chantilly curry: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 3 tablespoons curry powder, salt and pepper (to taste)

Pistachio Chantilly: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 4 tablespoons pistachio flavor, 3 tablespoons icing sugar

Chocolate Chantilly: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 4 tablespoons cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons sugar

Chantilly Raspberry: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 150g raspberry jam, 2 tablespoons icing sugar

An official recipe of the cream in Chantilly Gardens

 

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Aioli Sauce

This classic Provencal specialty combines olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice for a pungent variation of a mayo; in Occitan region of France, it is served with fish soup and croutons. It is a great accompaniment to seafood and / or salads. Try adding mustard for more of a kick, herbs for more flavour.

• 4 Clove(s) garlic, crushed
• 2 yolk egg
• 1 cup light olive oil
• lemon juice to taste

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks well with a wire whisk. Stir in garlic. Gradually add oil in a thin stream, beating constantly until light and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate. 

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French Crepes

These crepes are not exactly what you'd get in France but pretty close. And when making them is so darn easy, who cares about the French standards?! The crepes you get are very versatile and can hold any filling - from Nutella to meat and can be used as a base for any recipe that calls for a crepe.

Makes 18-20

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 cup water (can be subbed for milk)
• 1/4 cup tablespoons butter, melted

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar.
2. In another bowl whisk together the eggs. 
3. In a different bowl, mix in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add butter.
4. Gradually add in the milk mixture to the eggs; beat until smooth.
5. Finally, add the dry ingredients into the milk / egg mix. Stir to combine.

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Easy Asparagus Quiche

This recipe is so flexible - you can substitute asparagus for any other vegetable combation, e.g. leeks, tomatoes, etc. You can also use any other sharp cheese you like and add any other selection of spices. Omit the bacon for a vegetarian option.

Servings: 6
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty level: easy 

• a frozen pie-shell
• 300 grams fresh asparagus, cut into 1cm pieces
• 3 slice(s) fried and crumbled bacon
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup(s) half-and-half
• 1 cup(s) grated Parmesan or any other sharp cheese
• nutmeg, pepper, salt to taste

1. Heat a pan, fry bacon, dry on paper towels, crumble.
2. Pour out excessive fat, add asparagus pieces, and saute till just about tender, 5-7m.
3. Arrange bacon in a pie shell, then lay asparagus on top. Sprinkle cheese over bacon and asparagus.
4. In a bowl, beat together eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture on top of cheese.
5. Bake uncovered in preheated oven until firm, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving. 

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Sweet Roasted Figs

When I had a basket of fresh figs left over from Mothers' Day, I had to think hard on what, and mainly, HOW to use them. Luckily, David Lebovitz has a wonderful way of dealing with them and the result, not surprisingly, was too good to ignore.

Servings: 4 
Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

• 1 pound (450g) fresh figs
• 4-6 branches fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons Cointreau
• 1 tablespoon dark or light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• three 1-inch (3cm) strips of fresh lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
2. Slice the touch stem end off the figs and slice each in half lengthwise.
3. Toss the figs in a large baking dish with the thyme, red wine or liquor, brown sugar, honey, and lemon zest. Turn the figs so that they are all cut side down in the baking dish, in a single layer.
4. For figs that are softer and juicier, cover the baking dish snugly with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the figs are softened and cooked through.
For figs that are firmer, with less liquid, roast them in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. When done, remove the baking dish from oven, lift off the foil, and let the figs cool completely.
Variation: For more savory figs, replace the liquor with one or two tablespoons balsamic or sherry vinegar.

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Dinner Menu: Pyrenees - Orientales

Tapas

• almond-stuffed olives
• anchovies
• marinated red bell peppers
• sliced sausage
• marinated mushrooms

Soupe

• bourride

Main dish

• Beef Bourgignon 

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Bourride. Fish Soup

A Mediterranean classic that you will find in Provence and Languedoc, bourride is a fish stew made with white fish and served with rouille and crusty bread. I wanted to recreate the most delicious thin fish broth I had in Le Chalut in Port Vendre, by Collioure, served with rouille (aioli with garlic and saffron) and slices of crusty bread. This particular recipe creates a burst of flavors and it can be served as broth or puree, or as traditional fish stew, similarly to Bouillabaisse.

Since I was looking for a thin broth, I've strained the soup and served only the broth, just as I tasted it Le Chalut.

Level: difficult
Serves: 8
Makes in: 2 hours

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• ¼ tsp. cayenne
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 leeks, white parts only, roughly chopped
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 1½ cups dry white wine
• 4 cups seafood stock
• 2 lb. skinless firm white fish, such as halibut or monk fish, pin bones removed
• 10 oz. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
• ½ tsp. saffron threads
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• Toasted baguette, for serving

For the rouille

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 egg yolks
• 150ml (5fl oz) olive oil
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 tsp tomato purée
• lemon juice 

1. Heat oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add fennel, cayenne, garlic, leeks, onions, tomatoes, and bay leaf; cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Add wine; simmer until reduced by half, 4–5 minutes. Add stock and 2 cups water; boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until broth is slightly reduced, 12–15 minutes. Strain broth; return to saucepan over medium heat. Add fish, shrimp, saffron, salt, and pepper; cook until fish is firm and shrimp are pink, 2–3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, divide fish and shrimp between 6 bowls.
2. For the rouille, put the garlic into a pestle and mortar with some salt and grind to a purée. The salt acts as a good abrasive. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the yolks, then start adding the oil drop by drop, beating all the time (use a wooden spoon or an electric hand beater). The mixture should thicken as you add the oil. Stir in the cayenne. Add the tomato purée, then lemon juice to taste. Add more lemon juice or cayenne if you want.
3. Serve the soup hot, offering bowls of gruyère, toasted baguette, and rouille on the side. 

Original source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/, http://www.saveur.com

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Quick and Easy Fish Stew

•  300g white fish
• 100g shrimp
• 1 white onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1kg canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup white dry wine
• 1 teaspoon red pepper / chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, thyme, oregano, chopped

1. Saute a single sliced onion in a few tablespoons of olive oil, toss in a pinch of red chile flakes and a couple of cloves of garlic.
2. Add a pound or two of good Italian canned tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), and pour in a half-cup or so of dry white wine, like pinot grigio. 
3. Add some chopped fresh parsley, thyme, or oregano, and let it simmer a few minutes before adding two pounds of fish cut into rough, two-inch chunks. 
4. Stir a little, but don’t break the fish.
5. Once the fish flakes, it’s done. It won’t take more than four to five minutes, depending on how thick the fish is.

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Cheater's Duck L'Orange

•  1 whole duck, about 5 lb
• 2 tablespoons 5-spice mix
• 1 can pale beer
• 2 apples / 2 oranges / 2 lemons for stuffing
• veggies for roasting: potatoes, green beans, carrots, etc
• 100g of any jam for sauce

1. Rinse the duck inside and out, and pat dry. Cut off tail, fat deposits and discard. With a sharp knife make diagonal incisions across the skin trying to pierce the skin but not the flesh (the latter will dry the meat). Alternatively, you can pierce duck skin in several places using a fork or a skewer. Both methods will help duck absorb the flavour of the spices and sauces and release fat.

2. Rub salt, pepper, and your favourite spices into the skin of the duck (I've used 5-spice mix with honey and maple syrup and a splash of soy sauce). Stuff lemon, oranges or apples inside of the duck.

3. Preheat oven to 200C or 400F. Place the duck in a dutch oven breast side up and pour 1 can / bottle of pale / light beer. Cover with a lid and forget about it for an hour.

4. Transfer duck on a rack of a roasting pan, tilt to drain any liquid from cavity into pan. Place vegetables of your choice (potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, etc) in a roasting pan and pour some broth out of the Dutch oven on top. Make sure that harder veggies, like potatoes, have been precooked.

5. With a brush baste duck with your favorite sauce and marinade. Typically, I take a spoonful of the broth, add more spices, honey and brush the duck generously. Orange / cranberry / rasperry jam will work as well.

6. Place the duck in the oven for 20-30 minutes. This will give it wonderful caramel color. For smaller ducks 15 min will suffice.

7. In the mean time, make sauce: take 1/4 cup jam (raspberry is my fav), 2 tablespoons whisky or cognac, 1/4C duck broth. Mix well, bring to boil, and leave to simmer on medium till the sauce becomes thick enough. Corn starch can be added to thicken it up.

8. Serve and enjoy!

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Roasted Peppers, Eggplant and Feta Terrine

This beautiful terrine takes some time to put together and then some more, but the result is absolutely stunning in its presentation and taste!


Serving: 12
Time: 10+ hours
Difficulty level: medium

• 2 eggplants, sliced length-wise, 0.5 cm thick
• 1 yellow bell pepper, quartered and seeded
• 1 red  bell pepper, quartered and seeded
• 300g feta cheese
• 1 clove garlic
• bay leaf
• 1 juiced lemon 
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• salt pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 190C / 375F.
2. In a bowl mix vegetable oil, garlic, bay leaf, lemon juice, salt, pepper & eggplant quarters. Mix gently.
3. Arrange vegetables in a layer on a greased baking sheet. Bake till tender, 20-30min.
4. Once cooled, remove the skin from the peppers.
5. Spread the bottom of a shallow bowl with plastic wrap so that the wrap hangs over the edges of the bowl. 
6. Arrange the eggplants spreading from the centre so that half of each slice hangs over the bowl and each slice goes over the following slice by 1cm.

Filling:

1. Place a slice of red and yellow pepper at the bottom centre of the bowl.
2. Layer the cheese and pepper slices.
3. Fold over the plastic wrap so the veggie slices lay over each other. Pierce the wrap in a couple of places. Place a water-filled pan on top of the bowl and place a dish under the bowl.
4. Refrigerate for at least 10 hours.  

Original recipe Edimdoma.ru

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Céleri Rémoulade

Remoulade is one of those words that came up in French menus very often - from the little Nomads school to high-end restaurants... Remoulade is a cute name for a mayo-based dressing. I first encountered it in a restaurant where I had a fish pate called remoulade de maigre. More often, a typical remoulade is mixed in with celery root to make a splendid, refreshing, and light salad - céleri rémoulade, often served in charcuterie shops across France, and as omni-present in the country as a cabbage salad in Russia or coleslaw in the US.

Celery root is a bit off-putting, knobby and shapeless. Bigger sized bulbs can be stringy and tough. Chop off the wider end and the opposite, then quarter and peel. If you feel the ends are tough and stringy, cut them off and save / freeze to add when making broth. Now, take out your powerful food processor and grate the root, then add an apple and grate it as well (add two if you have a big root).

Servings: 6
Time: 30 minutes 

• 1 celery root, grated
• 2 granny smith apples, grated

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoon creme fraiche or cream to dilute the sauce if too thick.

1. Sprinkle the grated celery and apple with juice of a 1/2 freshly-squeezed so they don't turn black. 
2. Prepare remoulade: mix the following ingredients and fold with the grated celeriac and apple:
3. Season the salad with salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle a bit of chopped parsley before serving

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Prunes in Armagnac. Pruneaux à l’Armagnac

• 500g dried prunes 
• 200g (1 cup) sugar
• 1/4 liter (1 cup) water
• 1 lemon
• 1 pod of vanilla
• 1 bottle of good Armagnac

1. In a small sauce pan, add the sugar and water and heat until boiling. Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to peel strips of skin from the lemon, add them to the pot. Slice the vanilla bean in half, and drop them into the pot.
2. When the pot comes to a boil, let it continue boiling for two minutes. Then, put the prunes in a medium bowl and pour the boiling liquid over it. Let the ingredients steep for 12 hours. 
3. After 12 hours, remove the lemon peel and vanilla pod. Spoon the prunes into a large mason jar. Pour the Armagnac into the remaining liquid in the bowl, mix well. Pour the content of the bowl through a sieve into the mason jar. Close the jar tightly and let stand for at least two weeks, or preferably one month, before use.

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Toulouse Impressions: Gascony cuisine

Recipe of Cassoulet Castelnaudary in Carcasson

The Gascony area has had many scientists stupefied by what is called "a Gascony paradox": the diet in the region has the highest fat content in France, but people here live the longest in the country, while their blood pressure and coronary heart diseases rates are the lowest! The Gasconians themselves attribute it to the healthiest ingredients, garlic, wine, and Armagnac, of course!

Typical meals of the Gascony region embody three adjectives - hearty (as in rich), unpretentious (as in rural), and delicious. In spite of its proximity to Provence, the cuisines of the two regions have nothing in common. Quite opposite to the sun-lit Provence with the abundance of olive oil, vegetables, and a variety of meats and fish, in Gascony duck rules the table.

Duck is stewed, cured, poached, smoked, dried, fried, and roasted; all parts of it are utilized including liver, which is used for making spectacular foie gras; neck, which is served stuffed with truffles; gizzards are fried and used in salads. Finally, goose and duck fat is used instead of butter and olive oil.

The four most renowned dishes of the regions are these:

1. Cassoulet is the heart-and-stomach-warming casserole that signifies the richness of Gascony. The key ingredients are local white beans, duck, pork rind, and Toulouse sausage. I've also seen recipes that include lamb, pork, and even ribs. Very similarly to pilav there are dozens of recipes of the dish, each one claiming to be authentic. However, Toulouse, Carcassonne, and Castelnaudary lay most serious claims to the origin and the authenticity of the perfect cassoulet. I've had it in both Toulouse and Carcassonne and found the latter much tastier and more delicate, in a way.

2. Saucisse de Toulouse - the origins of this garlicky fatty sausage, which is a key ingredient of Caussoulet, is not being disputed by rivals. You'll many see shops in Toulouse displaying coils of uncooked sausage in the windows.

3. Confit de Canard - a centuries-old method of preserving duck legs is very much in vogue today. First, the meat is cured for at least 36 hours, then poached till done and stored in its own fat. I'm not sure if this process is followed to a "t" in restaurants, but the confits I had were incredibly tender and delicious, with a distinct flavor that is typical in duck. Usually, it is accompanied by potato slices, fried to perfect crispness in ... well, you guessed it - duck or goose fat!

4. "Foie Gras belongs to the protected cultural and gastronomical heritage of France".

French rural code

Is there anything else to be added? This is the dish that I had fresh and well-prepared. Its buttery texture and unique delicate flavor make a rare combination that would want me cross the Atlantic again!

The wine
The Gauls and later, the Romans knew what they were doing when settled in the territory. The sun is hot and soil rich and quite different in the terroirs, which are the perfect conditions for growing grape. Gaillac appellation traces its history back to the Gallo-Roman times and is the second-oldest wine-growing region in modern France. Cotes du Frontonnais - another appellation, which makes wine predominantly from the Negrette grape variety, which is rarely found outside the area. It is used as the dominant variety in both red and rose wines, and brings a perfumed character to the wines, which are best drunk young.

Armagnac - "It makes disappear redness and burning of the eyes, and stops them from tearing; it cures hepatitis, sober consumption adhering. It cures gout, cankers, and fistula by ingestion; restores the paralyzed member by massage; and heals wounds of the skin by application. It enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility. And when retained in the mouth, it loosens the tongue and emboldens the wit, if someone timid from time to time himself permits."

Cardinal Vital Du Four

Little needs to be said in addition to this quote of a Dominican philosopher, turned Cardinal, of the late 13C. Haven't experienced its effect on retardation of senility, but I certainly like the preservation of youth claims!

Somehow heavy flavoruful meals, light-textured wines, desserts, and Armagnac as the finishing touch, easily come together for a tremendous-sounding concerto of rural gastronomic sophistication it its purity and simplicity! Beware though, that if you have a lot to see and do, this type of food brings your mental and physical activity to null.

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How to raise a gourmand

1. Start with sending your kid to school in France, which participates in a municipally-run lunch program.

Lunch is serious business, which takes two hours (including a round-trip to the canteen). At lunch children are not coerced to eat everything on their plates but rather encouraged to always try everything that was served. Meal consists of at least 4 dishes - a starter salad, main dish + side dish, cheese and dessert. In the 6 weeks the Little Nomads attend school, none of the menu items were repeated (except fries, which I've seen a couple of times).

2. In a few weeks the child will start using napkins, use silverware, and ask you which sauce you'd serve with meat tonight (:0). Viola!

Here is an excerpt from the last and this weeks' menu at the Little Nomads' school (last week / this week):


Monday

• starters - x / tabbouleh
• main dish - cordon bleu in tomato sauce / turkey saute in curry sauce
• side dish - macaroni / green beans
• cheese - garlic cheese with fine herbs / Camembert
• desert - season fruit / season fruit

Tuesday

• starters - cucumber vinaigrette / x
• main dish - pork saute with mushrooms / ham cooked in a towel served with ketchup
• side dish - white beans in juice / fries
• cheese -  yogurt whipped with fruit / St-Paulin
• desert - season fruit

Wednesday

• starters - grated carrots / celery remoulade (a salad with mayo-based dressing)
• main dish - omelette / ground beef steak with sweet pepper sauce 
• sidedish - vegetable piperade (a Basque dish prepared with onion, green peppers, and tomatoes) and potatoes / torti (sauteed veggies with zucchini being the main ingredient)
• cheese - mimolette / yogurt
• desert - apricot tart / x

Thursday - Farmers' day

• starters - x / carrots and cauliflower florets served with chive and cream dip
  
• main dish - veal roast in herbs / beef in Miroton-style sauce (mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic)
• side dish - vegetable cordiale (another veggie saute) / pumpkin puree
• cheese - gouda / x
• desert - season fruit / creamed fruit with caramel and almond sauce

Friday (fish day)

• starters - tomatoes and basil / green salad
• main dish - fish fillet in Provencal sauce /  pollack fillet in sauce Aurore
• side dish - rice Creole-style / carrots in butter and fries
• cheese - petits-suisses / x
• desert - x / chocolate flan

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Sauerkraut is faux pas

Ok, with the weather getting chilly, my brain gives out a signal screaming for comfort food. A very common Russian винегрет would do it. Nor problem making it, really, IF you manage to find sauerkraut. Seems like the closest place where you can get is Alsace! After a 2-hour treasure hunt I found it in a HUGE supermarket... It was real sauerkraut... in Riesling...

I guess that's the only way you'd make French eat it!

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The First Day in Lille

We arrived in Lille in the afternoon. Having taken 2 moderately smooth AC flights with the Little Nomads, we picked up our 4 suitcases and walked out of Gare Lille Flanders to the sight of the oddest exterior design of the Crown Plaza hotel.

The house, located in north Lille, was a 15-minute drive from the station. The 'house help' or the 'servants' house (as I called it), where we will live for the next 3 months, is quite lovely. It is a part of an impressive residential structure built in a traditional style of the 17th-century Flemish architecture.  Three distinct buildings constitute a square (with entrance gates on the fourth side): the main house or what I call the chateau, the 'house-help' quarter where we live and the 'stables' on the other side (now converted to another living quarter with three garages). A spacious courtyard is private, laid with large cobble stone.

The courtyard of the residence. Our 'house' is located on the left

Both owners speak impeccable English. The wife has an air of a relaxed golf-playing soccer-mom than a proud mother of many children and sounds like a graduate of an elite private English boarding school.

I spent some time creating as much of an open-concept as I could in our 2 bedrooms, which are decorated in a classic Provencal style. I cleared out countless knick-knacks, trays, vases, lamps, miniature sculptures, stacked numerous little coffee tables, cute chairs, etc. These details are quite lovely but not in a household with two extremely active boys!

Apparently, the modern open-design concepts are extremely contagious! I feel that I prefer IKEA furniture much better to the heavy wooden chiffoniers, closets and cupboards hand-painted with pastorals of palaces and fields. I guess I'm not much into antiques either...


The Impression of the day. God, wine is cheap here!
A terrific 5-EU bottle of Loire valley Cabernet Franc made me cry. It was beyond good! The dry sausage was a great accompaniment and we were done with both quite quickly. It will take a while till I get used to the wine and cheese prices here but I'm afraid the reverse transition will be much harder.

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