Salade de carottes

I eat carrots for lunch. Probably about 2 of them, with a piece of bread at least 3 days of the week. I am ridiculously obsessed with the carrot salad at Eric Kayser which also has cabbage, raisins and a vaguely asian tasting vinaigrette (rice vinegar?). 

Sometimes I come too late and they don't have it. Sometimes they just don't have it that day in which case I unwittingly take a plain shredded carrot salad (€3.10 for three carrots, a mini bottle of vinaigrette and a petit pain or slice of baguette) since I'm too lazy to go elsewhere. In which case I also get a madeleine. They are ridiculously good there. They once over-baked  them and they were darker than usual but I really like the crispy edges of madeleines so I totally didn't mind. But I've also been eyeing Kayser's tarts lately (as well as the tart cookbook) and it seemed like a good day to get the tarte monge, which is filled with a llight mousse and topped with fruits rouges. Sweet from the mousse, sour from the the fruit and the base providing that perfect amount of crunch. Mmmmm, yum. Too bad I can't let it become a daily indulgence.

The days (evenings?) I like Paris

Summer in Paris is most definitely the best time of the year. I don't know why my coworkers keep complaing when its "hot" outside but I love it. And I don't feel the humidity which they claim exists (nothing compared to NYC). The best thing to do during the summer? Sit around at a restaurant or cafe and people watch. Lucky for me, summer means people go on vacation so less of a workload for me. Which translates directly to leaving earlier and being able to have dinner! Even more convenient if it's in my neighborhood, as was the case with Le Petit Marche.

Only steps away from Place des Vosges, this restaurant with outdoor seating serves simple food with clean flavors. And sometimes that (along with a nice bottle of chilled wine) is all you need. 

To start,  ME, SM and I shared some warm goat cheese wrapped in what seemed like phyllo (delicious and easily one of the tastiest savory things I've eaten in Paris) and gravlax spring rolls. 

SM and I both got the filet d'agneau with a basil rub, served with mashed potatoes and haricots verts on the side (he copied my order). It was the perfect portion size, tender and not gamey at all. I didn't try ME's dish but it looked really pretty - a sesame-crusted seared tuna napoleon.

For dessert, the three of us shared a passion fruit creme brulee (classically smooth) and a raspberry panna cotta (although I didn't really share).

A good, simple and reasonably priced dinner outside on a beautiful evening with great company. Sometimes, I'm reminded why I like Paris.

West Country Girl

I don't know why someone would name their creperie West Country Girl. Regardless, this place has some seriously delicious galettes, or buckwheat crepes. I prefer ble noir batter to the regular sweet batter one sees everywhere. The ham and cheese had nothing on Breizh Cafe. But the salted butter caramel...oh man. I can barely ever say no to dessert with caramel beurre sale and I'm glad I didn't say no to this one. 

A slightly-overcooked crepe, crunchy from the butter (the only way regular-battered crepes should be made in my opinion) with a puddle of homemade salted butter caramel that has slightly bitter undertones on top. I practically licked my plate clean.

Americana

July 4th festivities! It was kickball and picnic time with the Americans at the Bois de Boulogne. Cheese, baguettes, wine, chicken and thyme flavored potato chips (and bbq flavor too!), cherries, more wine...and RICE KRISPIES! Courtesy of yours truly. It just seemed like the right thing to make when its super hot outside and you're in a foreign country celebrating July 4th.  I forgot to take pics except for the "garbage pail" ones, which have a slightly green tint to them (more on that later).

They were pretty much devoured over the course of a couple hours which made me quite happy and made me feel very American. Plus, these things are so easy to make - butter, marshmallows and cereal. I'm not one for overly processed foods but I can make an exception here.

I had scoured 4 grocery stores for Rice Krispies (Kellogs website says they are available in France). No Snap, Crackle or Pop to be seen. I found a little monkey and a frog (how french). And then, remembering I needed butter, I walked into a G20 supermarket and found them. So you do exist...

And where did I find marshmallows? They're not marshmallows, they're Haribo chamallows. Ok Haribo, sure why not. Lessons learned about Haribo chamallows:

- The best ones for rice krispies are the pink and white marshmallows

- The "barbecue marshmallows" which I thought would melt better had a funny sweet aftertaste (do you see the big marshmallow roasting the little one? So wrong...)

- The green, pink and white marshmallows (also Haribo but I picked them up the morning of the picnic for the last batch so they're not in the picture) have a fleur d'oranger taste to them

I made four batches:

- Cocoa pops (chocolate krispies) with salted brown butter - by far the best and my go-to recipe in the future

- Regular rice krispie treats

- Smacks (puffed bulgur wheat) with chocolate caramel on top - I didn't bring these out for people to try, they were so bad. Never use puffed bulgur wheat for krispies. blah

- Garbage pail - the remains of the cereals, also with salted brown butter and marshmallows that randomly had a hint of fleur d'oranger and ended up being my second favorite after the salted brown butter

Salted brown butter Cocoa Krispies

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen 

7 cups cocoa krispies (Cocoa pops)

10 oz marshmallows (I wish I had Jet-Puff but the Haribo pink and white work well)

4 ounces butter

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Coat a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray (I had none so I rubbed it with a neutral oil). Combine the cereal and salt in a bowl and mix well.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. It will first foam, then it will become clear yellow with white milk solids floating around on top and then the milk solids will start to brown. At this point, start stirring frequently (wooden spoon) and scraping the browned milk solids from the bottom.  And don't even think about leaving for a minute. Burning butter makes it bitter (yes say it 10 times fast please)

Once the melted butter is a tan color and smells nutty, remove from heat and immediately add the marshmallows. Stir stir stir until your arm is tired. At that point, most of the marshmallows should have melted. If they're not all melted, return to medium-low heat and stir the mixture until everything is a smooth paste. 

Remove from heat and add the cereal with the salt mixed in. Again, work your arm muscles to mix everything together, making sure to pick up all the marshmallow mixture at the bottom of the saucepan. Invert the mix into the baking pan and use a buttered piece of wax or parchment paper to press down the krispies and get them into the corners. Cool, cut and eat. Or put in an airtight container and serve the next day.

Vienna in under 24 hours

Received a call Wednesday during dinner at 10pm from the Managing Director on my project. "You're going to Vienna tomorrow morning. Book a flight, be at the lawyers' offices by 1pm." Erm, ok sure.

In a taxi from the airport with my London associate. He apparently hadn't eaten breakfast. We were 20 minutes early. I suggested some wurst. Vienna! Sausage! Omnomnomnom. We didn't even reach the law offices. I got out with my suitcase and laptop bag, walked up to the sausage stand (they're everywhere), ordered a currywurst and a bratwurst and stood at the little counter eating cut up fried porky sausages with a little fork, the currywurst pieces being slathered in ketchup and, what else, curry powder.

Best idea ever after getting off a plane and before heading to see clients. Especially because they brought out some measly looking sandwiches an hour after we got there. Fortunately, I was still stuffed from the wurst. Unfortunately, negotiations lasted late into the night and I had no time to tuck a wienerschnitzel into my tummy before catching the following morning's 7am flight to Paris. Alas, next time.

And it wasn't the worst thing ever to wake up at 5am to this view out your window (it was much cooler than it looks):

Although this kinda freaked me out:

In a cooking frenzy - Part 2

I learned a new french word last Sunday. I can't believe I didn't know the word for watermelon! It's pastèque, which, to me, does not make me think of watermelon but whatever. I won't judge. I decided I'd be strong enough to lug 1/4 of one back to my apartment when I went to the market on Sunday (they sell them by the quarter at markets, and they're still huge). Result? Watermelon, feta and basil (with a touch of olive oil) salad for lunch. Delicious. Why did I not do this before?!

In a cooking frenzy - Part 1

I went on a cooking frenzy after going to the market. Cherries and apricots are both in season so I got a bunch, among other things.

I can't resist when sweet, juicy apricots are €2 per kilo! Of course, most bruised and I was forced to make them into jam!

It was my first foray into jam making. Pretty tasty so far but a little too sweet. I was also afraid I wouldn't boil it long enough and it would come out soupy but no. Its quite the opposite...but the taste is there. I swear!

Recently I had a panna cotta-like fromage frais 0% fat dessert somewhere so in my attempt to recreate it, I got some fromage blanc (I couldn't find fromage frais) and mixed it with some gelatin and now its sitting in the fridge. We'll see how it turns out. And I think I'm just going to stick with this as my yogurt from now on. So sad hasn't been in my life for the past 5 months!

I also got some broccoli. I used to really dislike it (its a texture thing) but its recently grown on me and it makes a very satisfying and filling dish (especially when making it with garlic and red pepper flakes and pairing it with some parm, bacon (!), toasted almonds). I burnt the garlic, as always. I ate it as a main but you can make it as a side or toss it with some pasta.

Spicy broccoli with other stuff

Broccoli cut into florets
1/2 cup of lardons, or diced bacon
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes (I like mine spicy!)
Small handful of toasted almonds
Parmesan or other hard cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and remove to an ice bath after 3-4 minutes. While the broccoli is blanching, you can mince the garlic.

Fry up the diced bacon (the key is doing it on low-medium heat otherwise it smokes because bacon fat has a fairly low smoking point). Remove and let drain on a paper towel.

Add some olive oil to the same pan used for the bacon, and on low heat, saute the red pepper flakes with the garlic until fragrant, about 30 second to 1 minute. Add the broccoli (which, I hope, you remembered to drain...I didn't so I kinda added it wet and things splattered because hot oil and water aren't friends). Saute for a few more minutes but don't burn the garlic like I did.

Put it on a plate, add the bacon, add the toasted almonds, and top with some freshly grated Parmesan. Alternately you can chop the broccoli and mix it with some pasta along with the bacon, almonds and cheese (add some reserved pasta water to bring it all together).