Smoked Cod & Pesto Crostini

This is sort of an unlikely combo and really stimulates the palate.

good quality smoked cod slices (or any white fish)

genovese pesto (see blog recipe)

ciabatta

EVOO

1. slice bread thinly and grill on stove top (or toaster)
2. cut up into smaller pieces, rub a bit of garlic and drizzle EVOO over toasts
3. spread pesto generously on each piece of toast, followed by a couple slivers of smoked fish
4. drizzle more EVOO and serve ASAP

Grape, Mozzarella & Tarragon

A long lost favorite that I just came across in my endless piles of notes and recipes. I cannot remember where I got the idea for this, but will take full credit for the combo. Not really a mid-winter dish but want to include here before I forget. This dish somehow doesn't taste right unless you use maldon or some kind of crystal-like, coarser sea salt.

best quality buffalo mozzarella

green seedless grapes

EVOO

lime

maldon sea salt

tarragon

1. rip mozzarella up into pieces and scatter over platter
2. cut grapes in half and scatter over mozzarella (put as much as you like)
3. tear tarragon and scatter over mozzarella and grapes
4. drizzle EVOO and squeeze juice of lime over whole lot
5. season with salt

Crudites de Bistrot

These are some of my favorite things in the world. It all started with the carottes rapees my grandmother taught me. I've entertained myself (and will continue to do so in this here post) by listing them in order of preference.

carottes rapees

leek vinaigrette david

creamy cucumber salad

celery & green apple remoulade

beets & walnuts with walnut oil dressing

beets with creamy horseradish dressing

celery & roquefort salad

Mac & Truffle Cheese

This is a good one to do after the poule au pot. The extra chicken broth is perfect for reducing into a syrupy glaze and topping this luxurious Robuchon mac and cheese!

500 ml chicken stock

300 ml whole milk

3 tblsp sea salt

3 tbsp EVOO

large macaroni (zitoni)

3 tblsp truffle butter

100 gr gruyere

chopped chives

fresh ground white pepper

black truffles, or best quality forest mushrooms

truffle butter

60 gr unsalted butter, room temperature

10-15 gr of chopped truffle (preferably the real deal, or else the stuff in a jar)

1 tsp coarse sea salt

1. make truffle butter by combining the ingredients, transferring to a ramekin, covering securely
2. reduce chicken stock to a nice syrupy glaze (125 ml); transfer liquid to a double boiler and set over simmering water; cover and keep warm
3. bring 3 liters of water, the milk, salt and EVOO to a gentle simmer over moderate heat in a pasta pan; be careful that the liquid does not boil over
4. add the macaroni and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes; put macaroni in a colander with a slotted spoon so that they do not break or tear; eliminate as much as the pasta water as possible; reserve the cooking water
5. in a large non-stick pan, melt the truffle butter over moderate heat; when melted add the macaroni again taking care not to break the pasta; add a few ladlefuls of the cooking water to create a sauce; sprinkle gruyere evenly over the macaroni and cook, without turning, for 2 minutes
6. transfer macaroni to warmed plates, season with pepper (try not to use black pepper!); shave some truffles over macaroni (or else saute forest mushrooms in EVOO, butter, S&P and truffle oil for fake truffles)
7. spoon the reduced chicken stock over the whole lot; sprinkle with chives, season further if needed and serve immediately

Poule au Pot & Aioli

An easy, St John poule au pot less the stuffing and other embellishments. The method of first bringing to a boil, then setting the chicken aside, should yield a tender and tasty bird. Of course, the dish isn't really complete without the aioli.....

good quality free range chicken (slit between the leg and breast)

2 carrots

1 onion

head of garlic, skin on

2 celery stalks

bundle of thyme, rosemary and thyme

2 bay leaves

whole peppercorns

maldon sea salt

8 leeks, ends trimmed, left whole

aioli

cornichons

1. make aioli, set aside
2. put all the ingredients in a pot except the leeks, bring to boil; once boiling remove pot from burner, cover and set aside to cool
3. remove chicken from pot, skim broth of any scum; poor some broth into a smaller pot to cook leeks and return chicken to larger pot; simmer latter for a half hour (don't boil!), and cook leeks for latter 10 minutes before the chicken is done
4. to serve, divide chicken breast, legs and thighs among bowls; do the same with leeks and ladle broth over the whole lot; everyone helps themselves to the aioli and cornichons!

Tartiflette Epoisses

A favorite Savoie dish, using Epoisses rather than the usual Reblochon. The bolder Epoisses works wonders here, and if I had Maroilles that would be even better. I had a tartiflette at Terroirs last week (Maroilles version), reminding me how satisfying this dish is in the midst of winter. This goes perfectly with a little endive & radicchio salad and thick mustardy vinaigrette and tons of herbs. Mind you this version omits the onions, white wine and creme fraiche --often found in the dish-- out of respect for the cheese!

maris piper potatoes

pancetta, chopped

sprig of thyme

couple cloves garlic

Epoisses

S&P

1. steam or boil potatoes, peel and slice and put in an oven-proof dish with pancetta, thyme and garlic; grill in the oven for a few minutes until the bacon crisps up
2. remove dish from oven, spoon over Epoisses (as much as you like!), return to oven for a few minutes until cheese is bubbling
3. remove from oven, season with some maldon sea salt and lots of ground pepper

Tarama & Chili Creme Fraiche

One last entry for the year! Since tarama can be bitter the creme fraiche is a nice offset. The oat cake should hold equal quantities of the tarama and creme fraiche, but only if the latter is half-fat. Key ingredient is the green pepper tobasco!

best quality tarama

half-fat creme fraiche

ton of chives

a half lemon

green pepper tobasco

S&P

oat cakes

dill

1. mix creme fraiche with chives, grated lemon rind, tobasco to taste, S&P, squeeze of lemon
2. put spoonful of tarama on oatcake, topped by another spoonful of creme fraiche
3. sprinkle lots of dill, followed by another squeeze of lemon, some drops of tobasco and a sprinkle of maldon sea salt