Bastille Day 14.7.2018

To celebrate Bastille Day I made leeks vinaigrette and salmon rillettes. 

I tested the leeks when they were simmering by poking them with a knife, but I didn’t really know what I was trying to feel for, so I undercooked them.  They were not meltingly tender.  You can’t tell in the picture.

After tasting the salmon rillettes three times now, they start to taste different.  This time, I thought there was too much smoked salmon flavor and too much butter.  I looked up some more rillettes recipes online and found that the salmon ratio fresh to smoked of 2:1 by weight is indeed the highest out there.  I also did not find many other butter/oil-based recipes.  Many used mayonnaise or crème fraiche.

Leeks in vinaigrette (Poireaux à la vinaigrette)

Salmon rillettes (Rillettes de saumon)

The French Flag 13.7.18

I'm turning over a new flag! The French Flag! I love all things French: the food, the culture, the language, art, music, wine... And France winning the World Cup this weekend has propelled my new obsession with this wonderful country into the peak heat of summer.

I went to a cooking class at the Boston Center for Adult Education with instructor Jacqueline Church.  She was amazing, a very good instructor.  I would certainly recommend one of her classes to anyone interested in taking a cooking class at BCAE.

The theme was “Paris in July: Summer French Cookery with Wine”. Although I was hoping we would cook with wine, maybe make some beautiful French sauces, instead we drank lots of rosé while we cooked.  A fine alternative.  😊

Eggs mimosa with artichoke tapenade (œufs mimosa)

Leeks in vinaigrette (Poireaux à la vinaigrette)

Cherry clafoutis (Clafoutis aux cerises)

Plum tarts with honey and black pepper (La tarte aux prunes et au miel et au poivre)