Chefs for a Day

Not a day goes by I don't think of something special, funny, or delicious I experienced in France.  One of the highlights of my trip was cooking in a restaurant kitchen in Paris.  I've been waiting for just the right moment to tell you about it and finally that moment is upon us.

Kelsy (who you may remember guest blogged here about those delicious sloppy joes!) was searching for cooking classes and stumbled upon an opportunity of a lifetime.  She told me about Un Jour Un Chef's concept...   Vouz vez les recettes, nous avons le restaurant (you have the recipes, we have the restaurant).  This means that we'd get to work in a professional kitchen with professional chefs who would help us execute our own menu!  My immediate reaction was that it sounded terrifying, but something that we had to do, and would be reminiscing about forever.  The next thing I knew, we were planning our menu with an American food theme and writing a bio that would be posted on their website along with our menu. We were locked in for June 1st.  We wanted to represent classic American food (which I hear is a growing trend in Paris right now) with a home-made, dressed up spin.  

Our menu:

spicy fried chicken strips 

on a green salad with herb buttermilk "ranch" dressing and cornbread croutons

Petits beignets de poulet épicé sur lit de salade 

bourbon and beer BBQ marinade pork ribs 

with green bean casserole and fennel garlic mashed potatoes. 

Ribs de porc caramélisés bourbon/bière, sauce BBQ, haricots verts à l'américaine

red wine brownie, carrot cake cupcake, and peanut butter cookie

Brownie, cupcake carottes et cookie au beurre de cacahuètes 

Les chefs du jour!

Kelsy and I set out early for a  coffee and croissant as we imagined what our big day would be like.  Giddy with excitement but not sure how much we'd get to do, or how everything was going to work we quickly headed to the restaurant after breakfast to make sure we'd be on time!  We arrived at the restaurant at 9 a.m. to find Ludovic, one of the chefs who would help us all day, putting away vegetables.  He showed us where to put our things and where to find chef jackets to change into.  Chef Jackets?!  We were in the big time now.  Very official.

 We got right to work in the kitchen, which was tiny by the way, chopping vegetables.  We were set free at the counter,where a long magnet stocked with knives hung along the wall at eye level.  We set to work on a large pile of potatoes, fennel, mushrooms, and onions.  Then, Ludo left us alone to finish preparing the pork ribs, which had been marinading over night.  It was here where we quickly picked up on the rhythm of the how this day in the kitchen was going to play out.

We got to work and the work didn't stop until after lunch service when everything was clean.  But it didn't feel like work since we were having a ball!  

As you know, I love to chop things, so this was a comforting way for me to get my bearings in a kitchen  where I didn't speak much of the language. The food was the one way I was certain I could communicate what I was capable of.  I really appreciated how we were trusted in the kitchen and nobody was overly concerned as to just how were were cutting the mushrooms, only that we were being safe.  Our second chef arrived, Pauline, the pastry chef/sous chef who spoke some English.  Between that and my limited French and Kelsy's translations, it was smooth sailing. 

we chopped giant bag of onions

While the chefs were not hanging over our shoulder at all, they were aware of what we were up to the entire time.  Every so often, we'd hear "les filles, cava?" (girls are you ok?) to which I'd reply "tres bien chef! oui!"  They loved to teach and share their love of cooking,  and stop to give us a good kitchen tip now and then.  They also never wasted a minute.  Every time we ran out of vegetables to chop, something new to do arrived in the kitchen as Ludo seemed to disappear every few minutes to retrieve ingredients or run a quick load of dishes through the dish machine. 

  

pork ribs marinating

green bean casserole!

After about 90 minutes of chopping vegetables, Kelsy and I prepared our chicken for the salad.  This included making a spice mixture, dredging and frying the chicken strips.  Then in came Ludo with a huge pile of fresh herbs for our ranch dressing.  Kelsy and I tried to get this dressing to a beautiful creamy consistency by whisking buttermilk but it just wasn't working.  We added cream cheese and mascarpone to the buttermilk and herb mixture, but it just wouldn't thicken.  Then Pauline stepped in and saved the day.  She taught us to mix the thinner liquid into the thick liquid to get the right consistency.  Ah-hah!!

I didn't get a picture of us making the chicken, so here is Kelsy stirring a gigantic vat of our mashed potatoes!!

At about 11:30 the restaurant manager peeked into the kitchen to see if things were ready to taste before lunch service began at noon.  When we finally got everything together, he tasted our dishes. 

"wee!! they liked our food!"

First the salad, then the pork, then deserts.  Every time we presented our dishes, which Ludo and Pauline showed us how to plate exquisitely (and instructionally since we'd be preparing each plate during service!!) , Eric would taste and we'd anxiously wait his reaction. 

"yesssss!"

It was nothing but mmmmmmmmmms as he shared it with the rest of the staff.  Our ingredients were prepared and our dishes had passed the taste test!  We were open for business.






It seems that this restaurant, which seats around 40-50 diners at a time, was a lunch spot for locals. They could choose any dish from our menu, the chefs menu or a traditional menu. 

As soon as customers began to arrive, Ludovic began calling out orders in the kitchen, "deux entrees du chef, un plat du chef, !"  It was time to work!  Funny side note here... in French, the appetizer is called the "entree" which threw me for a loop since in America the entree is the main dish... but  thanks to Kelsy I figured out that when he said entree I needed to make my salads asap!

So the service continued for two hours.  Orders would arrive, Kelsy and I would heat things up and plate them, place them in the window for pick up and hit the bell... ding!

DING!

 

 

Kelsy plating the ribs, potatoes and beans.  I think that I was one drizzling the sauce while holding the camera with my other hand!

The four of us worked in harmony during the busy service and whenever there was a lull, Pauline put me to work preparing the deserts as they were going to be flying out of the kitchen any minute!  

At the end of lunch, the manager called us into the dining room.  There sat six people finishing the last crumbs of their dinner and when Kelsy and I appeared out of the kitchen they started to applaud.  I took a little bow and said "merci, merci!" while Kelsy and the diners started having a conversation in French.  I tried to follow along, but the words began to flood together as my mind wandered and I took in the moment in.  Here I was, with one of my best friends, in France, having just served our American themed lunch to Parisians.  My feet hurt, my chef jacket was utterly food-stained but my heart was soaring.  


Find out about more Un Jour Un Chef here.  If you are ever planning a trip to Paris, I highly recommend this as an adventure.  It's free, but they really put you to work for the day!  It was fantastic. 

Kelsy has also blogged about our experiences on her blog A l'Americaine.

Les gourmandes!!!

In lieu of a weekly menu...

With new veggies popping up in my garden every few days, and a lot more time in my schedule I haven't been planning weekly menus (or taking many pictures-- sorry!). 

But don't worry, we've been eating!

a nice fresh salad from garden greens

There have been a lot of salads from our abundant crop of arugula.


And lot of quinoa with garden veggies mixed with produce from the farmers market or supermarket.

our rhubarb red swiss chard-- see recipe below!

The other night, I pulled all the beets from the garden.  They were tiny, but Ryan and I grew them!  I was excited.  They made a great little salad.  I almost felt bad eating them.  Almost.

they had cool white spirals!

 

 I sliced the little beets and roasted them at 400 for about 15 minutes and put them with the arugula.  

I saved the beet greens and sauteed them like spinach for dinner the next day.  I have also been putting them in salads.  Don't throw them out, unless they are wilted or damaged.  Eat them! Here's an idea....

 

simple recipe for swiss chard 

or beet greens 

or any other greens!

greens, from a bunch of beets for instance, washed
olive oil
salt and pepper
walnuts or pinenuts
fresh lemon juice (greens go well with citrus, try lime or flavored vinegar!)
garlic, minced

heat olive oil in sautee pan
add garlic until softened
add greens and nuts, season with salt and pepper
sautee until greens have wilted
add lemon juice at the last minute, stir and cook for 30-60 more seconds
transfer to serving dish
enjoy!


The other night, as a friend and I were parting ways to head to our respective homes for dinner, she asked me what I usually made... did I cook vegan or organic?? 
No, I said... I just... 
-- cook yummy?  she interjected.
Well, yes, of course... 

I've been thinking about that a lot lately.  How do I describe what I cook in a simple conversation? 
I cook simple.
I appreciate complicated dishes, but usually leave that to the professionals.  At home, I really focus on the simple, solid flavors I have come to know and love, such as adding the citrus to the greens.  Knowing that cumin and coriander go well together.  That adding a drizzle of basalmic and olive oil to a tomato, basil mozzarella sandwich is divine.  Oh and you must add salt and freshly ground pepper.  That's how I do it...   it's simple and it makes me (and Ryan!) very happy in our kitchen. 

I hope you're enjoying your summer. 

Cooking with Garlic Scapes

Garlic Scapes! This summer is the first time I've ever cooked with garlic scapes. They are everywhere at the farmer's market right now and I've been cooking with them all week.Garlic scapes are the curly green top of a growing garlic bulb. These are trimmed away early in the season so the actual bulb grows bigger. I've been using them in cooking wherever I might use garlic. I find that one finely chopped garlic scape is about the same garlic-y-ness as 2 cloves of garlic.
Here are some ideas for using garlic scapes with some of our kitchen table favorites:Chop up one or two scapes with your Kale Pesto, instead of garlic. Spread over fresh grilled zucchini and sprinkle with paremesan cheese.Add to egg dishes, like quiche or Allison's frittata.Chop up and sprinkle over homemade pizza with mushrooms and red onions.Saute in a little oil with beet greens, sunflower seeds, and a dash of soy sauce.

Enjoy!

xx Cara

Weekly Menu June 18-23 and a recipe for hummus

Recently, we have been enjoying salad from our crop of arugula, spinach and mixed lettuces on the side of most meals, and often I take a little salad to work for lunch.




As I anxiously await the arrival of the rest of our garden produce, this week I tried to utilize some pantry items to keep our grocery bill low.  When I searched through the pantry, I found several cans of beans and tomato products as well as a variety of grains.


barley salad with (canned) tomatoes and basil

Ryan's chili (it's not chili weather, but it just sounded good to both of us!)

black bean burritos with wild rice

quinoa veggie bowl (mushrooms, onions, peppers)

rice with spinach lemon and dill from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

update! here is the recipe for  black bean burgers I used.  When I was searching for inspiration to make my own recipe, I found one that looked delicious.  It was really good, kinda spicy, and my only note is that I would omit the cinnamon though Ryan liked it alot.  It was too hot for the red potato fries so we had a salad. :) 

I also found half a bag of dried chickpeas when looking through the pantry and used it to make dinner last night, and a batch of hummus.  The recipe for hummus follows:

Classic Hummus Bi Tahini
adapted from Bean by Bean by Crescent Dragonwagon 

The author gives many methods and instructions for soaking the beans prior to use. I used the quick soaking method which involved covering the dried chickpeas with about 1 inch of water and bringing them to a boil for 5 minutes.  Then I let them rest with the lid on and the heat off for about 90 minutes.

3 cups chickpeas (or two 15 oz. cans) cooked chickpeas, drained, plus 1/4 C liquid reserved (I didn't reserve the leftover soaking liquid so I added plain water to my mixture until it reached the consistency I liked.)
3 Tablespoons tahini
2 Tablespoons olive oil (I actually forgot to add this ingredient and the hummus is fine, but would probably be more creamy with the oil.  Perhaps I'll go stir some in now.)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
juice of 1-2 lemons to taste
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon paprika, toasted

combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until very smooth.
add water if necessary to reach desired consistency.
taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.

Perfect for snacking, or for a nice lunch wrap!  Spread hummus on a tortilla and add fresh veggies.  Done!

I'm Back with a Weekly Menu

I think I'm finally recovered from the jetlaggy weekend induced by my long vacation and long journey home from France. I have much to share about the food and my adventure with Kelsy at Un Jour Un Chef.  But for now, let's get back to basics while I clear my thoughts and take some time to write some nice posts worthy of the amazing time I've had.  It'll be worth the wait. 

It's finally summer and I'm starting to let the available produce from my garden and farmer's market finds as well as the desire to avoid heating up the house with roasting and baking drive my menu...

I've only planned for three nights since somehow Ry and I have found ourselves busy yet again with summer class and tickets to Billy Elliot, and our own theater volunteer projects. We may have to eat on the go, or hopefully grab some leftovers.

Homemade pizza!  Featuring homegrown arugula!!

Veggie Kabobs with a yogurt/dill mint sauce.  I love how inexpensive fresh herbs are at the farmer market...!  They give way to all kind of experiments for me. 

Roasted Chicken with potatoes.  Yes, I just said I didn't want to heat up the house by roasting things, but my Father in law is likely to be dining with us to help Ryan finish a home improvement project and I like to thank him by making a delicious dinner.

AND I realized that I never posted about my roasted chicken... so here it is just a few weeks later than promised... I am on summer vacation after all.  :) Click the "read more" link below... 

Homemade Cranberry Almond Granola with DIY Yogurt

This is by far the best and easiest homemade granola recipe I have ever made. Its inspired by a recipe I came across a few years ago in Yankee Magazine.

The ingredients are simple enough that I almost always have them on hand in my pantry to bake up a batch of granola. Its great on its own, or with milk or yogurt. In fact, I've recently started making my own homemade yogurt! Its magical. I found a great yogurt tutorial online, I'll share that below as well.

Easy Homemade Granola
makes about 5 cups

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole, raw almonds
3/4 cup shredded coconut*
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup safflower oil
1 cup dried cranberries*

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, coconut and sea salt. Add maple syrup and safflower oil and stir until all dry ingredients are evenly coated. Spread out on one large, or two small baking sheets. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes for even browning.

Remove the baking sheets from oven and let cool completely. Scoop granola into large bowl. Add the cranberries and mix well. Store in well sealed bags or large mason jars. Lasts about two weeks.

*Watch out for coconut and dried cranberries which are sweetened with lots of sugar. Go for unsweetened coconut whenever possible. Look for cranberries which have been sweetened with fruit juice rather than sugar.

Homemade Yogurt

Now that you've made your own granola (it wasn't so hard!) it's time to try your hand at yogurt.

I've had the best luck with this homemade yogurt tutorial from The Kitchn. You'll need a big pot, a thermometer that hooks to the side of your pot, milk (so long as it is not ultra-pasteurized) and some yogurt to use as a starter. I always try to use whole, organic dairy products. 

Store bought yogurt often contains pectin to artificially create a smoother, thicker product and to extend shelf life. Your homemade yogurt might appear curdled or clumpy, and this is as it should be! Plus the taste is far superior and so much fresher than anything you buy at the supermarket. If you like it sweet, add your own honey and fruit.

I keep mine in a sterilized mason jar in the fridge for up to two weeks. Save the last half cup to start your next batch!

Now add it all together for your super good homemade breakfast. Yum.

For another homemade breakfast recipe perfect for mornings on the go check out Blueberry Coconut Chia Pudding over on the Bliss Journal.

The Magical Masala Box

When I was in India I bought two masala dabba boxes, one for me and one for Allison, my kitchen table friend!

A masala box is a stainless steel tiffin with little bowls inside for holding your Indian cooking spices. One lid covers the whole spice box, so the aromas of the spices begin to mingle without actually mixing the spices together.

This is the box I got for Allison. We stocked it at the fab little spice shop All Spice when I visited her in Des Moines a few weeks ago. Click here for a photo from our visit.

Spices are (from top right): Fenugreek, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, ground turmeric, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds (in the center). This is how I learned to fill a spice box from my cooking class with Anu in Mysore, India back in February.

What to do with a masala dabba spice box? The Indian ladies keep it next to the pot and toss their spices in while the food is cooking. I'm not quite so adept at mixing spices in properly, so I like to blend spice mixtures together to use in my cooking.


Below are a few of my favorite spice blends. These are all inspired by Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of health and healing through the use of food, oils and spices.


Directions:

For all of the mixtures listed below, blend them together with a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder. Store in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Spice mixtures lose their potency after about 30 days, so grind only as much as you need.


Homemade Curry Powder

1 tsp whole coriander seeds
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp whole fennel seeds
1 tsp whole mustard seeds
1 tsp whole fenugreek seeds
1 tsp whole cardamom seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cloves

This is a favorite homemade curry powder recipe from the Ayurvedic cookbook Eat, Taste Heal. I like to mix it into dahls and rice dishes, and spontaneous stir fries with coconut milk and veggies.


Vata Seasoning

2 tsp whole fennel seeds
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 tsp asafoetida (also known as hing)

This one is also from Eat, Taste, Heal. Its an easy kitchen staple for flavoring Eastern dishes. Its called Vata seasoning because it helps to balance excess Vata in the body. It's also delicious!

If you have no idea what I'm talking about (Vata what?) you can read up on the Ayurvedic dosha types at Joyful Belly. Or you can ask me questions here on the blog



Summer Spice Mix

1 tsp whole coriander seed
1 tsp whole fennel seed
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp cardamom seed
1 tsp ground turmeric

This one comes from my Ayurvedic teacher, Kate O'Donnell. Mix it into into quinoa salads with fresh summer vegetables, olive oil and lemon juice.



I hope you enjoy. And I'd love to hear how you like to use your spice blends!