Paula Wolfert called this dish “one of the great combinations of Moroccan cookery”, and its hard to argue with her. Its a very satisfying dish indeed, especially when made with the legs of older, free-range farm chickens, full of flavor. And be sure to use lemons you have preserved yourself (see my recipe for preserved …
Chicken tagine with olives and preserved lemon Read More »
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Tiny violet artichokes are one of the joys of late spring. The pale green new leaves are tender enough to eat whole, especially if slowly braised. Pairing them with rich, meaty pork cheeks simmered in Normandy apple cider, is a sure winner; the region of Normandy is known for pork, apples and artichokes so it …
Pork cheeks braised with Normandy apple cider and violet artichokes Read More »
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When planting fava beans for ground cover and to add nutrients to poor soil, one tends to forget that, with very little work, you may end up with a whole bunch of fava beans. One of the beauties of favas is that, not only are the beans delicious, but the leaves and flowers are edible …
Pork chipolatas sauteed with fava beans, fava leaves and green garlic. Read More »
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Living need the Pyrenees, where sheep’s milk cheese is king, inevitably means spring lamb. Ewes need to have lambs to continue producing milk, and the male lambs are of very little use on a dairy farm. Thus in the spring, when they are between 30 and 50 days old, the male lambs are culled from …
Spring lamb sweetbreads with cream and leeks Read More »
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Late winter-early spring is a lean time at the farmer’s market (wow, hearing myself say that, it is hard to believe that it is already turning toward spring!). The last of the fall harvest – winter squashes, pears, apples, onions, garlic – are getting old and a little rough looking. Spring veggies are still just …
Gratin of green chard Read More »
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Confit de canard, or preserved duck, is an indispensable dish of southwestern France and a warm, comforting dish on a cold winter evening. Its origin lies in the culture of duck farming that has shaped the entire region, from the Pays Basque in far southwest, north to Gascony and east to the area around Toulouse. …
Confit de canard – preserved duck legs Read More »
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A pigeon purchased from a butcher in les Halles de Pau was the inspiration for this spring meal. This bird caught my eye because of its robust size (the butcher described it as assez pour deux, basically meaning it is a monster!) and because of its absolute freshness. Note that, when a bird still has …
Pigeon cooked two ways, roasted breast and legs simmered with red wine Read More »
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This recipe, which comes from the region of the Jura in the foothills of the Alps, is one of the marvels of French country cooking. In France it is often made with the famous blue-footed chickens from nearby Bresse. Vin jaune is a white wine from the Jura that undergoes extensive aging in oak barrels, …
Poulet au vin jaune Read More »
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This version of the classic veal and beef based specialty of the Basque countries is named for the town of Espelette, which produces the famous ground chile powder that is one of the trademarks of Basque cooking. In Espelette, the Axoa is made with ground meat, in contrast to other versions that call for the …
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The recipe that we use at Le Pichet and Cafe Presse for falafel owes a lot to Claudia Rodin’s seminal cookbook, A Book of Middle Eastern Food. This recipe will make enough to feed 8 people generously.
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