Steak Frites

Frites Olympique
The Olympics kick off Friday night in Paris and if you ever needed an excuse to fire up something French for dinner, now would be an appropriate time. But, honestly, do you really ever need an excuse?

For those who want to go all out while watching the Opening Ceremonies, there are so many amazing possibilities for French noshing. A French-inspired charcuterie platter would be fantastique with a little brie, port salut, camembert, or, one of my favorites, Boursin. Add some paté, a little jambon (French ham), a bunch of crispy cold grapes, a few cornichons, a lovely French mustard, and some sliced baguette and you’ve got yourself un repas fantastique!

Personally, I think the best bet would be to go with a tried-and-true staple of many a Paris bistro, Steak Frites. Steak Frites is a simple dish of a well-prepared steak accompanied by equally well-cooked potato fries. Very simple. When paired with the French wine of your choice you could almost imagine being seated outdoors on the banks of the Seine with the faint sounds of La Vie En Rose playing in the distance. Ahhh! Il n’y a pas mieux que ça. (Translation: It doesn’t get better than that.)

I’m not going to lie, you could drive yourself crazy looking for the perfect recipe for steak frites. YouTube alone can send you down a rabbit hole from which there is no return. The reality is that it doesn’t matter if you use a bearnaise sauce, a green pepper sauce, or even a compound butter on top of your steak. Any way you choose to make it, you will have a steak and french fries and you can never really go wrong with that.

Steak Frites Recipe
Adapted from Food and Wine
Yields 6 Servings Read more…

Salmon Rillettes

Gone Fishin’
We’re going camping with friends this weekend which means I am knee-deep in planning. The packing is the easy part because most of what we need lives in our little teardrop. The bulk of the planning energy is focused on the food.

You don’t have to be a foodie to struggle with what to bring to feed yourself when off the grid. It takes quite a bit of thought as to what will hold up over a number of days—regardless of how good your cooler is and how much ice you have. Some things are just not camping-appropriate. And, giving your family food poisoning is not my idea of a good time. That doesn’t mean I don’t have my bougie favorites for camping.

For example, Happy Hour with adult beverages and snacks is non-negotiable. When five o’clock rolls around and we are back at the campsite relaxing in our chairs after a day of hiking, I want a legitimate reward for my hard work. I have nothing against Wheat Thins. In fact, I love Wheat Thins. But, after a day of toiling up a mountain in the sun, I’m looking for something more. A lovely dip. Some nice cheese. A crisp glass of white wine….

One of my favorite options for camping is this Salmon Rillette recipe. It’s great for camping because the process you use to make it is similar to making a confit, which historically has been used for preserving food without refrigeration. Granted, you will need to keep this cold but if you pack the container low in the cooler with the ice you should be just fine.

Salmon Rillettes Recipe
Adapted from Food and Wine
Yields 2 Cups Read more…

Marseille Style Shrimp Stew

Seafood Summer
When the mercury starts to climb, my diet becomes sushi, ceviche, and shrimp cocktail heavy. Maybe it is because the high temps outside make a lighter meal sound more appealing. Or maybe it’s because I spend more time at the beach. And, you can’t not have seafood at the beach. But, during the summer months, I eat a lot of seafood.

I am especially fond of anything steamed or stewed in a light broth that requires some gorgeous crusty bread for dunking. Mussels, clams, shrimp…? Bring ‘em on. They are tasty. They are fast. And, any of the possibilities pair well with a salad and a cold glass of white or rose.

The added bonus? There is just something about a tasty bowl of mussels or shrimp that immediately transports you to a seaside village in the South of France. The smell of the salty air. The sound of the boats rocking on the water. Ahhhhhh!

Marseille Style Shrimp Stew
Adapted from Melissa Clark for Food and Wine
Yields 4 generous servings

In our recipe for Marseille Style Shrimp Stew, jumbo shrimp are stewed with savory fennel, cloves, tomatoes, orange zest, and wine. It is served with a rouille, or delightfully flavored mayonnaise, spread on a toasted baguette slice. Read more…

Nectarine Tart with Frangipane

Almond Joy
My great-grandmother was a big fan of marzipan. And, as a kid, I struggled to understand why. I do not like the consistency of marzipan nor the flavor even though I can appreciate the artistry of the master confectioners who use all sorts of colors and shapes to make beautiful pieces. Marzipan candy can be absolutely stunning to look at, but you will never see me eating it.

The funny thing is I love frangipane which has the same basic flavor profile as marzipan. It is also made with almonds, though frangipane has a more delicate flavor. The two are wildly different—but it still makes no sense. You would think if you liked one you would like the other, right? That would be a no for me. Who knows? Maybe I was just mentally scared by the abundance of marzipan available around Christmas and the decided lack of chocolate…

Frangipane can be used in so many ways. A personal favorite is to use it in fruit tarts, especially during the summer months when the fruit is at its peak. (Though I would never refuse an almond croissant. Hint Hint.)

You could use any fruit you like—but the almond flavor of frangipane is a natural complement to any stone fruit, especially cherries, apricots, and nectarines.

This Nectarine Tart with Frangipane is my adapted version of a recipe from David Lebovitz of Chez Panisse fame. The tart shell recipe he uses is unconventional but worth a try if only for that reason…the results are superb.

Nectarine Tart with Frangipane Recipe
Adapted from David Lebovitz
Yields 8 servings Read more…