Watercress and Scallion Soup

The healthy side of my body/brain always breaths a sigh of relief once the spring produce starts hitting the greenmarket stalls. It knows that many meals full of fresh veggies are on the way and that heavy dishes or junk food will be a little fewer and farther between for a while. It's not that I never eat these things which aren't quite as good for me, but it's hard to ignore the piles upon piles of fresh things that are on offer through the warmer months. It's easier for me to say no to a bag of chips (yes, a whole bag sometimes) when I can make myself a fast heirloom tomato salad or saute a bundle of asparagus.

Though the weather is turning, the market isn't at it's booming point just yet but last week I did stumble onto a huge pile of wild watercress and some gorgeous scallions. With my soup binge I seem to be on around here, it seemed the most natural conclusion. 

This is fresh and bright and truly tastes of Spring and the promise of all that is to come. With a drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil and a dollop of creme fraiche, it becomes truly elegant. I would be proud to serve this as a starter at a fancy dinner party.

Watercress and Scallion Soup

about 4 servings

1 bundle of scallions, washed and trimmed of roots

2 TB olive oil

2 bundles watercress, thoroughly washed and any rough stems and roots trimmed

32 oz. chicken or vegetable stock

3 TB fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper

creme fraiche

extra virgin olive oil

Finely chop the white parts of the scallions. Chop the green parts into large pieces and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the white parts of the scallions and saute until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the green parts of the scallions and the watercress and toss in the hot oil for about 1 minute. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes, letting the watercress and scallions become tender but not completely overcooked. Remove from the heat and then use a blender or immersion blender to puree the soup. If you are ok with a coarse texture you can leave as is, but if you would like a smoother, more elegant soup pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

Return the soup to the pan and heat through. Stir in the lemon juice and then taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Dish into soup bowls and garnish each with a dollop of creme fraiche and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

Eating in Paris (and Dijon)

The number one reason I couldn't wait to go to Paris? To eat. And drink wine. And then do it all over again.

If I have to be 100% honest, the food on this trip wasn't overall as mind-blowing as what I remember eating in Barcelona. However, every single restaurant seemed to have solid, delicious food--even the touristy spots. I was rarely disappointed with a dish and never dissatisfied with a meal. Plus there were a few dishes that were among the best I've ever eaten. Really, can you go wrong when foie gras, escargot, oysters, sweetbreads, bone marrow and cheese are found on most every menu you see? The answer is a resounding "no".

Septime
I made this reservation for us for our first night in Paris. I knew we probably wouldn't want to just wander around hoping for a good meal after such a long plane ride and I have heard amazing things about this place. For good reason. The first two courses were seriously some of the best dishes I have ever eaten. Specifically the first dish was unlike anything I've tried: raw fish topped with goat cheese (!) hazelnuts, mushroom granita, anise. And the follow-up was supremely tender baby leeks with speck, poached egg, leek puree and perfect bread crumbs (there is such a thing as perfection in this simple ingredient). Unfortunately I became suddenly very sick by the 3rd course and couldn't stick around to finish out the meal. The staff were so helpful and wrapped up my veal steak for me to take home and got the husband his dessert as he took care of the bill. Unsure what happened (allergic reaction? plane food catching up to me??) but very disappointed to not be able to finish this one out. The wine and champagne were also possibly the best we had on the trip (wine was Les Foulards Rouge, La Soif du Mal, Cotes du Roussiollon 2011).

Vivant Table

The only other reservation we had for the trip. Beautiful space (in an old exotic bird shop), friendly staff, food that was not anything fancy or shocking but was perfectly executed in every step.

VDB
We stumbled upon this wine bar one night looking for a simple snack and some wine for dinner after a huge lunch. One of the other clients at the bar asked how we found the place and when we let him know we just walked by and thought it looked like our type of place he told us: "You are so lucky." Casual, with excellent wine and simple yet delicious nibbles, we felt like we were in our favorite neighborhood joint back at home. Highly recommend.

Inaro

Yet another place we were insanely lucky to stumble into. A wine bar with a simple menu divided up by how long you'd like to stick around (i.e. "here just for an hour", "here for the night", etc.). We had just had dinner so only wanted some wine but our server told us he had the best cheesecake in Paris. With that bold statement we knew we would return another night to try it out and I can say that it is absolutely delicious, with an unbelievable crust. The cheese/meat/cured fish board was perfectly curated. The vibe is like you are passing the evening at your best friend's home.

Cafe Roussillon

On the north end of Rue Cler street market. Classic, hearty fare. Huge portion of gorgeous bone marrow with grey salt.

Berthillon

The ice cream gets a lot of attention, but somehow all of the good reviews did not prepare me for how perfect this ice cream is. Honestly have never had better. Salted caramel for me and wild strawberry for the husband.

Mireille Meringues
133 Rue Vielle du Temple
I love meringues and these were the most beautiful I saw in all of Paris. Huge piles with a variety of fun flavors.

Munoz Traiteur

33 Rue Rambuteau
A small shop in the Marais that sells many prepared foods. A great stop before a picnic or if  you are having a dinner party, if you are so lucky to live in Paris. Right next door to a bakery since you'll want some bread with that. I highly recommend the "Foie Gras Cone" filled with black truffles. Not to shabby for a picnic along the Seine.

Le Blanc Cassis

6 Rue du Petit-Thouars
A lovely spot for an aperitif. Perhaps a kir, rose, or absinthe?

Paris-Peche

At the top of the Marche d'Aligre, this fishmonger has a few tables and serves up oysters and seafood pulled right off their market shelves. They have an oyster special where you get 6 oysters, a glass of white wine, bread and flavored butters for 11 Euros. Lovely spot for people watching as well.

Bozart Bistrot
9 Rue JP Timbaud, 11th arrond.
Our last night in Paris we wanted to make sure to have an amazing meal. When we walked by this place, we knew that's what we would get. Scallop carpaccio with passionfruit vinaigrette, tartine with goat cheese, smoked duck and poached egg, cod crusted with chorizo: it was all good. Charming service, changing local art on the walls, regulars sharing wine at the bar, perfect cheese for dessert. Exactly the note we wanted to leave Paris on.

Grill and Cow
In Dijon, next to Les Halles in the old part of town. The decor is cheesy, and I probably never would have chosen to eat here if it wasn't Sunday and everywhere else was closed, but surprisingly the food was really good and I would recommend it to others passing through Dijon. Excellent steak and you get to choose from a large variety of sauces to accompany your meal (like an Epoisses sauce or Au Poivre).

Le Bistrot de L'Amiral

In Dijon. The man who ran the restaurant, the bar, and served us was warm, friendly and had a long conversation with everyone who was eating here. So pleasant and inviting. Lots of great classic Burgundy dishes, especially fond of the escargot in a Epoisses sauce.

E. Dehillerin

Of course we couldn't visit Paris without a trip to the well-known kitchen supply store. I came away with a couple of escargot dishes for our future French meals at home.


I'll leave you with a bit more French food porn:

In heaven oggling the cheeses at Marie-Anne Cantin (off of Rue Cler)

Seriously.

So many types of poultry and all more gorgeous than any we see in the states.

French breakfast radishes. 

Farmer's market fish stall.

Farmer's market cheese stall.

Pastries for breakfast.

Cake filled with a creamy, pudding-like interior, topped with crunchy sugar bits? Ok.

I'm obviously into that.

Making our Breton crepe at the Bastille Farmer's Market.

And enjoying said crepe. 

Picnic behind Notre Dame.

Remedy Quarterly Article

In case you missed it, my first ever true byline in a publication came out last month. Pick up a copy of the "Risk Issue" of Remedy Quarterly to check it out! Lots of fun food stories and recipes involved in the cute magazine.

French Goat Cheese Salad

Sometimes I think it is difficult to talk about a vacation when you first arrive back home. All of the emotions, memories, experiences are piled up on top of one another in your head and seem to be too much to process in a way that would make sense to other people. It takes some time to really let it all sink in, and for the truly memorable pieces to achieve focus so the stories can be told without all of the superfluous details.

And thus, I have not yet been able to discuss our trip to Paris/Dijon here on the blog. There were too many things to say. Now after being back for close to 2 weeks I am finally feeling the ability to put it all into words for you, so will be covering some of the important bits over a couple of posts.

To begin, I mostly want to discuss how truly lovely the French are. Almost every restaurant, bar, grocery store, shop, etc. that we walked into felt like our local neighborhood joint thanks to the warm welcome we received  The shopkeepers would ask us questions, talk about our day, give us suggestions on things to eat or drink. Certain places felt so comfortable that you it was as if we were passing the evening at a friend's home. I can't get over the sense of warmth that the French seemed to constantly exude. How wonderful to feel so welcomed despite my dreadful attempts at their home language.

This warmth carried over to all of the food we were served: how can something not taste delicious when you truly feel that the proprietors of the establishments are so happy to have you there with them. The sense of pride in French food doesn't hurt, either.

There were many dishes that you would see on multiple menus throughout the city, but one that seemed to be on every single menu we saw was the goat cheese salad. Basically the French bread was sliced (and oh, god, the French bread really is that much better than the bread anywhere else in the world) and topped with goat cheese and then baked. This warm, cheesy "crouton" was then served on top of a salad. Simple as that.

When we returned home I knew this easy to prepare yet complex tasting salad must grace our table. My version was also inspired by our side trip to Burgundy by flavoring the dressing with sweet yet tart creme de cassis and Dijon mustard. The sweet and spicy dressing pairs so nicely with a rich goat cheese and figs over top of mesclun greens. I've come back a bit of a cheese snob and knew I didn't want the too mild, boring grocery store goat cheese, so bought a little Le Chevrot which had a little age and more depth. However, I won't judge if the grocery store variety is all you have on hand.

French Goat Cheese Salad
serves about 3-4
8-10 slices French bread
7 oz. Le Chevrot cheese or other goat cheese
6 c. mesclun mix
9-10 figs, thinly sliced

4 TB creme de cassis
2 TB Dijon mustard
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the goat cheese and place slices on each piece of French bread. Place the bread onto a baking sheet and bake until the cheese has become gooey and melted a bit and the bread is slightly toasted, about 4-5 minutes.
Meanwhile place the mesclun greens and figs into a large salad bowl.
To make the dressing mix the creme de cassis, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Then toss the dressing with the salad. Top with the goat cheese toasts to serve.

Pine Tar Press Round-Up

In case you've missed what I've been cooking up over on Pine Tar Press the past few weeks:

Guacamole

Chorizo and Bean Quesadillas

Mexi-corn

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Blood Orange Punch

Tortellini in Tomato Broth

I know it's technically Spring but we can't seem to quite kick the colder temps here yet. My fingers are crossed that when the husband and I return from Paris those warmer winds will have made their way to New York City and touch us with blooming flowers and trees and promises of lounging in the park.

Yet one more soup recipe to help get us over the hump. This one is a touch lighter than some, making it a nice choice for the changing seasons, when we aren't quite there with the spring produce yet we want something bright in flavor. I made a homemade tortellini filled with ricotta and spinach, which I think paired well with the acidic yet rich broth. I think any cheese tortellini would work well, but a meat version may be too much.

This recipe was toying around in my brain after seeing a recipe somewhere for a tomato water bloody mary, but really came together after seeing the version made by Smitten Kitchen (she always does it prettier, doesn't she? Gorgeous work over there, as per usual). I saw it in my head as a meatier, richer flavor so utilized beef stock instead of the veggie. I loved using tortellini in the broth as I tend to pair them with a heavier sauce and enjoyed the lighter version, but now after visiting SK's page again I'm actually really craving those gnocchi. Her version will probably be hitting my table before the warmer temps finally settle in...

Tortellini in Tomato Broth
serves 3-4

1 TB olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
32 oz. beef stock
1 bay leaf
4 servings worth of tortellini, fresh or dried

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the carrot and celery and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the whole can of crushed tomatoes, the beef stock and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or so. Strain the whole mixture through a fine mesh sieve, and place the liquids back into the pot (the solids can be used as a marinara type sauce).
Bring the mixture to a simmer. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Add in fresh tortellini and cook until warmed through and tender. If using dried tortellini, cook first in boiling water, then strain and add to the tomato broth. Serve immediately.

Matzo Ball Soup

I feel so lucky to live in such a well-traveled location. New York City is so often on peoples' lists of places to travel that we get friends passing through frequently. Last week I was fortunate enough to have one of my closest and oldest friends in town for the week.

We've known each other since grade school, but somewhere around middle school really discovered the depths of our friendship. I think I'd never met anyone so much like me in so many ways, yet different enough to keep things interesting. She challenged me to learn more and explore new things, introduced me to many great people, and always made my day brighter when I heard her (very loud) infectious laugh. We became close through photography camp, trips to the State Fair, driving around (and getting lost), and by skipping out on classes--not to do anything bad, but to go for a walk around the track and talk about our problems. She is that friend that, no matter how much time has passed, will never feel awkward or changed in ways we can't overcome. My lifetime companion, no matter how many miles separate us--and right now there are many.

When Kendra was planning this trip we knew we wanted to eat a lot--especially those things that she can't get in her current home in Mexico. Most notably this was Asian cuisine: ramen, Korean fried chicken, dumplings. But Kendra also had a request to try a New York deli classic: Matzo Ball Soup. I thought about the different places we could go to get it (which were multiplied by the fact that it was Passover) and then decided the best thing to do would be to make it at home. It would give us a chance to cook together, catch up, and have a relaxing evening in (plus save a bit of money in the process).

I'm not sure quite how traditional this version is, but turned out well enough that I look forward to having it again (which I can soon thanks to some frozen leftovers), hopefully shared once again with an old friend.

Matzo Ball Soup
serves about 4

2 large full chicken chicken legs (including thighs), skin on
salt and pepper
2-3 TB cooking oil
1 onion, quartered
6 small carrots, divided and washed
6 stalks of celery, divided and washed
2 large parsnips, washed
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 package matzo ball mix (should make 9-12 balls)

Sprinkle the full chicken legs with salt and pepper. In a large soup pan/stock pot heat the cooking oil over medium high heat. Once hot add the chicken and sear until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes or so per side. Remove the chicken to a plate and pour the cooking oil and accumulated fat from the pan into a small heat-proof bowl.
Return the pot to the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add the onion, 3 of the carrots, 3 stalks of celery, the parsnips, garlic, thyme and bay leaf to the pan along with the chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Pour in about 10-12 cups of water. Sprinkle in about 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Bring the whole mixture to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 1- 1 1/2 hours, until the chicken meat is falling off the bone.
Meanwhile, chop the remaining 3 carrots and 3 celery stalks into 1/2" cubes. Make the matzo balls according to the directions on the package, but substitute the chicken cooking oil/fat for any oil called for in the recipe.
Once the chicken has become extra tender, remove to a platter and then strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve, reserving the liquids and discarding the solids. Return the broth back to the large soup pot.
Once the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and shred the meat. Add the meat back to the broth and return to a boil. Add in the matzo balls and the chopped carrots and celery. Cook for about 20 minutes until the matzo balls are ready and the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve hot.