Chickpea Pancakes with Five Spice Roasted Apple and Veggies

Chickpea pancakes with chunks of roasted apple, eggplant, and green pepper, topped with a garlicky yogurt sriracha dressing and slices of fresh green pepper.

It’s not often I get a bag of freshly grinded chickpea flour straight from the mill, and I’ll let you know that once I cooked with it, I realized that it just doesn’t compare to the store bought stuff. The pale-champagne yellow colored flour is baby powder soft, where lies the temptation to roll around in it If there had been kilos of it spread out on the floor. Instead, I pour the bag of flour into a mixing bowl and sink my hands into it to feel its coolness as its dust rise above and delicately lands on the top of my hands. There is something oddly soothing about this sensation, kind of like squeezing one of those squishy foam toys.

Light and fluffy chickpea pancakes.

Five spice roasted apple and veggies.

I had some precious flour here: I wanted to eat it in its simplest state, so pancakes it was. I went straight to Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for the chickpea pancakes. I was inspired by his toppings; however, I wanted a touch of sweetness to this savory pancake dish so I improvised with what I had and tossed in an apple or two to the recipe and added my favorite Chinese seasoning, five spice powder: cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn and cloves, et voilà.

Chickpea Pancakes (adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi)

INGREDIENTS//Yields 6 pancakes
• 100 grams flour
• 1/2 sachet fast action yeast (4g)
• 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 small (or ½ large) egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Roasted Apple and Eggplant Topping

• 2 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped into bite-size squares
• 2 medium eggplants, peeled, medium dice
• 1 green pepper, medium dice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon five spice powder

Garlicky Yogurt Sriracha Dressing

• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 250 grams Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tablespoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• salt, adjusted to taste

Instructions
Pancake

In a medium size mixing bowl add the first three dry ingredients: flour, yeast, sugar.

Add the egg and 100ml water, and whisk until smooth.

Cover with cling wrap and set it aside for an hour. It will double in size.

Then mix in the baking powder and let it sit for 10 minutes longer.

Heat up a large pan on medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil.

Add a a ladle of batter per pancake into the pan (I fit up to 4 in mine).

Cook for approximately four minutes, turning it over halfway through, until they are light and fluffy, and golden-brown.

Roasted Apple and Eggplant Topping

Preheat oven to 245° celcius (475° F).

Salt the diced eggplant and leave it to drain for about forty minutes to an hour.

Pat the eggplant dry with a clean towel.

Add all the ingredients into a baking dish, stir in the five spice powder and cinnamon powder, and drizzle some olive oil.

Place in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes.

Stir the vegetables around every 10-15minutes.

Garlicky Yogurt Sriracha

In a medium size mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and stir.

Add salt accordingly.

NOTE

While the chickpea batter is set aside I would prepare the roasted vegetables and the sauce. Otherwise, you can prepare the roasted vegetables and sauce ahead of time. The idea is to have the veggies and sauce ready to top the pancakes as they come off the skillet, nice and hot.

Tarte au Figue

Tarte au figue and a ranunculus bloom.

Nowadays, my social life revolves around market days and they are more precious than ever since France is still in confinement until December 1st due to the nasty corona virus. It’s one of the few privileges ( “to do essential shopping”) we can tick off on our permission slip when stepping out of house arrest. This means no social outings, gatherings, or outdoor activites until futher notice.

Fortunately, the open air markets remain open so we can continue to eat well and enter a space of sensory overload—that’s a good thing these days. My market days are Thursdays and Sundays, my “new church days”. This is when I hop out of bed to get my Sunday best on, fix my hair, and dab on a bit of lip balm. I have a permissible hour to stroll down the alley of food stands which more or less sell the same fruits and vegetables but with different faces and sounds of hollers enticing you into buying their best selections; you’ll find a price incentive thrown in for those who are reluctant.

These stands mostly get their produce from Rungis, one of Paris’ (located in a suburb south of Paris) and the world’s largest wholesale food market. Restauratuers ( it is the French word for restaurant owners without the “n”) and people in the food business come together there in the wee hours of the mornings to haggle for the best deal and quality in meats, poultry, seafood, dairy products, flowers, fruits and vegetables. Apparently, there are over seventy open air markets in Paris; some markets are smaller, bigger and offer organic, local and/or more culturally diverse produce, and many are supplied by Rungis.

Autumn fills the stands with the vibrant orange potiron (pumpkin), Romanesco cauliflower—like the color of a Chartreuse Verte liquour, the fall fungi of la girolle (chanterelles), les cèpes (porcini), and les lactaires ( a new discovery added to my French and fungi lexicon. I think they are a wild mushroom bunch indeginous to Europe), and tray-filled deep purple figs next to a variety of apples and plums of different size, shape, and color. Catching my eye are the rabbits dangling at the butcher stalls along with slabs of meat and poultry leaving behind traces of a bloody red while passing the piles of dried, smoked, cured, and fresh sausages alongside the potted rillette (like a pâté) at the charcuterie stand. This is just the visuals.

While perusing the produce , one has to watch out for the puddles of water accumulated from the melting, dripping ice at the seafood stall where the fishmongers are in action, gutting and filleting. Be sure not to stand too close when making a purchase as you may find your favorite shirt or pants marked with squid ink and your toes feeling a tingly kind of wet all of a sudden —yes, from that melting, dripping ice.

The whiff of seafood, aromatic spices, strong odored cheeses, and the fragrance of flowers are all bottled up in one mélange of perfume scent. My market is usually filled with people from all around speaking different languages, bumping into one another and winding through narrow gaps to get a step ahead; some forget they are attached to their granny carts while running over your toes or swiping you in the back of the legs so hard that it can take you down.

I leave unscatched and stainless with no heavy bags to carry on this particular Sunday. I walk away with only fig and flowers feeling so free.

fig & flower

Tarte au Figue

INGREDIENTS//Serves 6

Pâte Brisée (pastry crust)
• 220 grams of flour
• 110 grams of unsalted butter, cut up and just out of the fridge
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 50 ml water
• 1 egg yolk (optional- for egg wash)

Mascarpone Chantilly Filling
• 150 grams mascarpone cheese, (cold, straight out of the fridge)
• 250 ml heavy whipping cream, (cold, straight from the fridge)
• 50 grams powdered sugar
• 1/2 sachet of vanilla sugar

Fruit

• 10-12 fresh figs (or your choice of seasonal fruit)
 

INSTRUCTIONS

To prepare the pastry crust use a medium size mixing bowl and sieve the flour and cinnamon powder into it. 

Then knead in the pieces of butter so that you have pieces that resemble coarse breadcrumbs.

Add some water into the mixture and keep on kneading gently until you can roll the dough into a ball.

On a flat surface add some flour and roll out the ball of dough with a rolling pin to fit a 23 cm (9 inch) tart mold or little individual molds.

Pat the the pastry into the round mould carefully pressing in the sides.  Cut away any excess dough and use it fill gaps in round.

Wrap the dough lined mold in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for an hour.

Prick the dough all over with the tips of the fork.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and line the dough with some baking sheet paper and baking beans or line the dough with aluminum and fill it with rice to weigh down the pastry dough.

Preheat the over to 200°C (390° F) and place the pastry in the oven and pre-bake for aprrox. 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it and remove it when it turns golden brown.   Remove the baking beans and baking sheet paper and you should have a biscuit like texture.

If you opt to coat your individual or large tart crust with an egg wash to give it that extra sheen, this is the time to do it. Pop it back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes (lower heat to 180° C or 350° F).

While your crusts are cooling down you can prepare your filling.

Spoon the mascarpone cheese out into a marge mixing bowl and give it a stir. Add the heavy cream and whip it together on medium-high speed.

Add the sugars and continue to whip for at least 8 minutes until you start seeing soft peaks form.

Keep whipping until the peaks stiffen, then it is ready to be used.

Fill your tart crust with the marscarpone chantilly.

For the fig, you can slice them or quarter them into pieces to arrange the top in a pattern.

NOTE

I used mini individual tart molds as seen in the photos and brushed a coat of egg yolk (egg wash) around the crust to give it that golden sheen. The pastry dough can be used in a 9 inch round mold too for one large tart to share.

Black Sesame Ice Cream—Handmade, No-Churn

Kuro goma (黒ゴマ') ice cream. Handmade, no-churn.

If any of you have ever had black sesame ice cream in Japanese restaurants or matcha (green tea) and azuki (red bean) flavor then you know how rare and special this treat is.

It’s not like in Asia where you can find pints of these flavors in an ordinary supermarket. One may be able to find it in the shops on rue St. Anne in Paris but you’ll find a hefty price tag to go along with it.

Homemade no-churn black sesame ice cream.

Ingredients such as these black sesame seeds are widely used in Taiwanese desserts. I dream of the hot dessert soup with tang yuan(湯圓)— which is like the Japanese mochi — filled with black sesame paste…perfect for winter days.

Black sesame seeds are great to have on hand. With the left over sesame seeds from this ice cream recipe I usually make a mix of gomashio (ごま塩) which is a condiment made up of slightly grounded black and white sesame seeds and coarse sea salt. This is a great topping to add to salads and rice bowls.

Black sesame flavored ice cream.

We’ve been blessed with sunny days recently, strolls outside with an ice cream cone in hand from the local ice cream shop seems like a distant dream. Tomorrow our city opens up and we will be permitted to move freely without our permission forms. I wonder how long it will be before we find ourselves back on the streets enjoying the warm and casual days licking the bit of ice cream that has melted down the cone and onto our hands.

Black Sesame Ice Cream

PREPARATION

For homemade black sesame paste:

In a skillet, toast the black sesame seeds until you hear them crackle (you can also toast them in the oven). Make sure to stir occasionally.

In a mortar and pestle grind 3 tablespoons of toasted black sesame seeds. Once it has turned into a powder, add 2 or 3 tablespoons (depends on how sweet you want it) of honey and pound it together.

INGREDIENTS//Yields approximately 2 1/2 dozen

• 4 egg yolks
• 60 grams sugar, granulated
• 400 ml organic whole milk
• 2 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds, grounded
• 3 tablespoons sesame paste (this is also found as a ready made paste product in the stores)
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 200 ml heavy cream (la crème entière) , refigerated

INSTRUCTIONS//Serves 4

Warm up your milk in a pot on low heat.

In a mixing bowl combine the egg yolks and sugar and blend together until smooth.

We want to make a smooth like custard.. We need to temper the eggs in the wet mixture by slowly drizzling the warm milk into the wet mixture while using a spatula to stir.

Then whisk it back into the pot while keeping the heat on low temperature. Keep stirring to keep it from curdling.

Add the salt and vanilla and continue to stir until you have a smooth thicker version.

Prepare a cold ice bath with a bowl (large enough to hold the mixture and the whipped cream) in it. Ttransfer this mix into a bowl sitting in the ice bath and stir with the spatula to help it cool down. Let it sit while you prepare your whipped cream.

Take out the heavy cream from the fridge. Add the heavy cream in a seperate mixing bowl and blend on medium to high speed until it gets thick and turns into whipped cream with stiff peaks.

Slowly fold in the whipped cream into the mixture sitting in the ice bath. Do not over mix it.

Transfer it into a container and place some cling wrap or wax paper over the surface (it should touch the surface) and put it into the freezer. This keeps air from getting to it and prevent some ice crystals that will form.

After 2 hours before it completely freezes, take out the container and stir to break up the large ice crystals.

Repeat a couple of times if you can. You will get a creamier texture.

Serve and enjoy.

Time For Apéro— Gressins, Grissini, Breadsticks

Breadsticks accented with parmesan and oregano.

Ahhh, the golden hour. Nothing beats a moment like soaking in the light just before the day’s end; a perfect backdrop to apéro, where friends get together for pre-evening drinks. To me, apéro is like happy hour; it’s drinks with the radishes, charcuterie, pâté, olives, veggie sticks and/or dips. If you want to get even fancier, you can flaunt your stylish verrine glasses to star your amuse bouche; however, It can also be as simple as having a bag chips and nuts.

Apéros can override dinner and last late into the night. My only gripe with it is not knowing whether dinner will follow or not, and not being able to gauge how much I should eat and drink just in case the main course does make an appearance with that special bottle of reserved wine. Apéros can be held in the comforts of one’s own home or sprawled out in a common open space, with those extras I mentioned above. Bascially, if you find a nice spot and have nice weather, you can just plop yourself down anywhere and start your apéro…simple as that.

Hosting apéros is not my forte but I am the perfect guest. Invitations are nil now—it’s Corona’s fault. Since confinement, “Zoom” and “Houseparty” apéros have popped up. It’s really not my thing but I can appreciate it on occasion. I’m holding out for the real thing.

We’ve been blessed with beautiful weather since our lockdown. Most of the days, hubby and I are lucky enough to step out onto our balcony to enjoy the warm embrace of the sun rays. We’ve been keeping apéro to a minimal— as it tends to override dinner and last late into the evenings— otherwise, our diet would consist of just pastis and peanuts. So remember, I am that perfect guest.

Breadsticks accented with parmesan and oregano. Call it gressins, grissini, or breadsticks but they have one thing in common; they are crunchy.

On a late afternoon, hubby and I were glowing away under the spell of the golden hour with a pastis in hand ready to make a birthday toast to our friend, Stéphane, over a computer screen. We found him and his wife crunching away on these homemade breadsticks with a glass of wine in hand. Always so elegant.

I received this homemade gressin recipe in my inbox the next day. Stéphane makes everything from scratch and he’s my go-to guy when I have any doubts about French cooking. He doesn’t complicate things although he has the patience to make intricate recipes when he wants to and he’s also very generous in sharing cooking tips and recipes. He’s also on my list for a Peek in the Kitchen, so keep an eye out for him. Lucky him, he’s paired up with Sandrine, who makes the most delectable desserts. Together, they are very crafty with their hands; they love to while away time thrifting through flea markets. Their house is designed with pieces they refurbish and thoughtfully decorated with the hidden gems they find. Often, apéro is served in some old find of theirs which lends to beautiful stories shared with us. This is one of my favorite places to be invited to for apéro, something is always cooking or coming out of the oven.

Gressins

INGREDIENTS//Yields approximately 2 1/2 dozen

• 500 grams flour
• 10 grams salt
• 3 grams sugar, finely granulated sugar
• 15 grams fresh yeast (I used dry yeast)
• 240 ml water, room temperature
• 90 ml olive oil
• A handful of semola (optional)
• A handful of your preferred choice of drid herbs, grains, and/or parmesan cheese.

INSTRUCTIONS

Sift your flour into a large mixing bowl and combine wtih the sugar and salt. Make a well.

Seperately, activate the yeast in the room temperature water. Then pour it along with the olive oil into the well of the dry mix.

Knead quickly with your hands or with a dough mixer. If you are kneading with your hands you may want to dust your hands with some extra flour and knead the dough until it becomes a smooth malleable ball that doesn’t stick and springs back when you push a finger into it. (Kneading by hand takes about 12-15 minutes)

Cover the ball of dough with a tea towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Dust your dough with flour and flour your workspace. Place your ball of dough on the workspace and start to press down on it with the heel of your hand and roll it out.

Roll it out into an oblong shape, then fold in the ends to meet in the middle, and then fold again in half.

Turn the folded dough so that the longer ends are at the top and bottom, roll it out and repeat one-two more times.

Roll it outand shape it into a rectangular shape about a half inch thick to fit on your baking sheet. Cut around the edges to create a smooth edge.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and dust it with some semola, then transfer the dough onto it.

Lightly brush the surface of the dough with some olive oil nd sprinkle your choice of dried herbs, grains, and parmesan cheese all over along with a small handful of semolina. Press it in with the palm of your hands.

Cover with cling wrap and let it sit for an hour and a half in room temperature. It will rise.

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees celsius( 375 degrees fahrenheit)

Cut the dough into 1.5 cm width strips (you can twist the strip in opposite directions) and place it on a seperate baking sheet . Place them about an inch and a half apart.

Place in oven for around 6-8 minutes depending on your oven or until golden.

Let it cool on the rack. It should be nice and crunchy.

What's the Secret Ingredient to this Veggie Burger Patty?

Lentil veggie patty with arugala, grated beets and carrots with a sriracha mayonnaise sauce sandwiched between a baguette.

A friend of mine called me up the other day asking if I had a good veggie burger recipe and I admitted to her that I didn’t. All my previous attempts left me unsatisfied and salivating for a memorable veggie burger that I last had in NYC. Back in my old days—the early 90’s— portobello mushrooms were the fab fungus about town, that’s what veggie burgers were made of. Restaurants could put these on their menu since it sold itself as an exotic and meaty-tasting mushroom and it was the perfect meat substitute to lure all the vegetarians and diet conscious crowd; turning it into the ultimate veggie burger by-product. It became so popular that it turned into a household staple and made it easy to host vegetarians at barbecues alongside the carnivores. Ah yes, there was the Boca Veggie Burger option too, a frozen soybean-based patty sold as a health alternative to the meat patty. Those were the days.

I miss those mushrooms, I don’t find them easily in Paris. Nowadays, veggie burgers are found everywhere and their main ingredient seems to be beans.

In my kitchen lab faced with the leftover lentils I ponder about the major issue I have with a poorly made veggie burger. For me, it’s the texture—no mushy patties please!

I decided to keep to a standard recipe which calls for any type of beans with lots of herbs and spices; seeds and nuts; and rice or quinoa.

It’s complicated these days to run about town in search of specific ingredients. I used whatever was in my pantry and that’s how I stumbled upon my secret ingredient, le petit épeautre (small spelt grain). I agree this is not something you would find easily in a supermarket nor a product that most of you would have on hand but it is easily found in a healthfood store. For me, this did the trick. It substituted the rice, quinoa, oats, the grain part of the recipe and it really was the best replacement I have used to give it that true grit. It adds a nutty and meaty heartiness to the veggie burgers made with beans. All of a sudden, my burgers were not so mushy anymore.

The secret ingredient, petit épeautre , which is a small spelt grain. Unfortunately, there is none left over to show you what they look like: it’s across between brown rice and barley in shape and color. I was lucky enough to find them in my pantry. I usually use this grain as a rice substitute for salads. It doesn’t get soggy.

I also grilled the patties this time rather than just cooking them in a pan. Honestly I can’t tell you if it turns out the same way; we all enjoyed them so much grilled that I didn’t get a chance to cook them on a pan. I’ll let you know next time.

Lentil veggie burger topped with chedder cheese. Le Creuset grill is perfect for achieveing those charred grill marks.

And the sauce, don’t forget the sauce that goes with! Choose your own but this sriracha mayo one just really does it for me.

Lentil Veggie Burger

INGREDIENTS//Yields 8 medium size patties

• 500 grams lentils, cooked
• 1 cup of spelt grain
• 1 medium onion, diced and sautéed
• 150 grams corn, tinned
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 80 grams of sunflower seed
• 1 tablespoon chia seed (optional)
• 150 grams panko, (Japanese bread crumb)

PREPARATION

Cook your cup of spelt grains like you would do with rice. Start with equal parts water and grain ( Add about a quarter cup more or water).

SAUCE

Sriracha Mayonnaise // Yields 1 cup

Mix one cup of mayonnaise with a tablespoon of sriracha sauce.
Grate a half clove of garlic (if no garlic is in your mayonnaise recipe) and squeeze some lemon juice or orange juice (anything citrusy and sweet)
Salt accordingly.

INSTRUCTIONS

Mash the lentils with the back of a fork in a large mixing bowl until you get a chunky purée.

Add the next 9 ingredients and stir: spelt grain, onion, corn, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, chili powder, paprika, sunflower seeds and chia seeds.

Finally, add the panko breadcrumbs to combine with the rest of the ingredients before starting to form your patties.

You can form eight medium size patties with your hand.

Heat up your grill (I use a a Le Creuset grill pan) and cook each side for approximately six minutes and when you see char marks.

NOTE

If you are using lentils or other beans from tins be sure to drain all the liquid out. Same for the corn. We want to make sure the patties are not too wet.

Chia seeds are optional but does help keep the patty together as it acts as a binder but I don’t mix it with water to get its gelatinous texture. I throw the seeds in direct as it will absorb any liquid from the lentils. The spelt grain, sunflower and chia seeds all add texture to the patty.

Dim Sum Turnip Cakes

Luo bo gao (蘿蔔糕）served with a savory hot sauce.

Luo bo gao is a dim sum staple.

Do you remember those bountiful green turnip tops I was boasting about the other day? Yep, it fed me well and it’s an easy-peasy, nourishing, clean feeling green soup to make. Well, I got stuck with the turnips after that. Turnips have turned up in my AMAP basket in the past two weeks. Their tops get eaten rather quickly but what to do about the bulbs? I enjoy the occasional raw turnip grated into my salad, especially when I mix it up with grated carrots and beets. I tend to keep this grated mix on hand in a jar to top off my salads whenever I find turnips in my weekly basket. That takes about one or two turnips but what about the rest?

Roasting is another way to go. I try to conceal them in with the potatoes and other vegetables but I find my kids ignoring them and casting them off to the side for me to pick up and eat, which I do,— with a smile— to show them that they are just as good as the others. Really though, deep down inside I do prefer the other veggies.

As I stared at all the beautful white and purplish turnip bulbs on my kitchen table I had to find another solution for them. That’s part of the fun when receiving locally grown seasonal vegetables. We’re not meant to love them all but finding a way for them to be liked and acceptable at the table is a position I take pride in. I hate leaving other veggies behind and I think of my kitchen as a lab experimenting, incorporating and introducing new and old flavors with their individual characteristics and playing with texture to give it a makeover. Then, we can give it another chance. This is my No Vegetables Left Behind Act.

My white purplish turnips (western turnips) are not the typical turnips that one would use to make the traditional Chinese turnip cake, lo bo gao (蘿蔔糕）. Usually it’s a daikon, a Japanese radish which is long and white. Lo bo gao is a dim sum dish that is always ordered as a part of my family’s menu at brunch. I am missing my NYC Jing Fong days. Jin Fong is a must on the list of eats in NYC. It’s a gastronomical and visual experience and you feel like you’ve been transported to Hong Kong. You can get your traditional dim sum there along side with 800 other people sitting around sharing round tables. I really hope it will survive this horrible coronavirus period, sigh.

Returning to all those turnips staring back at me, I had the perfect opportunity to recreate this dish and to use up all my turnips. Here I stood cooking and reminiscing about the many brunches at Jin Fong with friends and family from the past and daydreaming hopefully to bring new friends and family to share in this tradition.

Grated turnips.

Simmer unitl softened.

Rice flour and corn starch mix.

Combination of turnips, rice flour/corn starch mix, shitake mushrooms/onions toppings.

Batter poured into a mold ready to steam.

Luo bo gao steaming inside wok for approximately 45 minutes.

Let it cool after steaming and then slice into small rectangular or square pieces and pan fry each side until golden.
You can actually eat it steamed and opt out of the pan fry option but most people prefer the pan fried turnip cakes.

Turnip Cakes

PREPARATION

Rehydrate the shitake mushrooms by soaking the dry mushrooms in tepid water until it softens.

INGREDIENTS//Yields 8 rectangular pieces and a couple of odd ones

• 500 grams turnip, freshly grated
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 140 grams rice flour
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 3 dry shitake mushrooms, rehydrated (see NOTE below for other common traditional options)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• white pepper, adjust accordingly

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot add your grated turnips and a cup and a half of water and bring it to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer unitl the turnips soften. About 10 minutes after boiling point.

Drain the turnips and keep the liquid. It should give you a 1 1/3 cup of water. If not, just add more water to it to make up the difference.

In a skillet, sauté your mushrooms and onions (or other dry ingredients, NOTE below) together. Set it aside once cooked.

Prepare another mixing bowl for the rice and corn starch. Add the salt and white pepper to this dry mix.

Then use the drained liquid from the turnips and mix it in with the dry ingredients.

Add the turnips and stir, following with the sautéd mushrooms and onions.

This will produce a wet paste-like batter.

Set up a steamer and bring the water to a boil.

Using a mold that fits into a steamer (I had a 9-inch round cake pan I used for my mold but you can use a rectangular or square mold that fits in a steamer).

Be sure to oil it all over and then pour the batter in. With a back of a spoon spread it across the batter to smooth it out.

Steam the turnip cake for 40 minutes over high heat, replenishing the water in the pot as necessary.

Take a toothpick and poke through the cake to test if it comes out clean. If so, set it aside and let it cool.

After it has cooled down take a knife and slide it around in between the cake and the mold to loosen it.

Flip it over onto a cutting board using a spatula to help it out if necessary.

Cut it into rectangular or square shape pieces.

Add some oil to a cast iron skillet or a non-stick frying pan and fry each side until golden brown.

Serve with a dipping sauce (hot chili oil, soy sauce, bean sauce, oyster sauce ,chili garlic sauce, sriracha or a combination of any of those)

NOTE

In the last photo above you will see the steamed turnip cake out of its mold. In this particular cake I used Chinese sausages and shitake mushrooms. These are traditional fillings and I made that for my family who are omnivores. We generally use dried sausages, dried shrimps, or dried scallops (my fave) and dried mushrooms since they hold less water and add flavor. You could probably add pork bits for flavor and texture too. I made a second one that is vegetarian, only with mushrooms and onions as that’s what I had available.

I’ve only made this twice and both times I used different amounts of rice flour and water. I found, with less water and rice flour, the consistency of the turnip cake was less dense.

You can actually eat it steamed and opt out of the pan fry option but most people prefer the pan fried turnip cakes.

Days of Nothingness

Seasonal turnip with its bountiful tops that gifted me a soup from it.

Within this time of confinement winter has rolled into spring, the bare branches that once stood before our balcony is now full of green leaves, and the immersive punctual 8 p.m. corona symphony of clapping and tapping pots and pans bring us out onto the balcony where daylight savings time has us springing ahead unveiling the dark curtains of winter to greet our neighbors hanging out by their window or standing on their balcony a block away waving at anyone who will wave back.

My kids have just entered their second week of Easter break and if you were to look up the term couch potato in the dictionary I’m pretty sure you would find a picture of them in there. Normally, I would be aghast but due to the circumstances I now wish I had a bigger couch.

The time we are often chasing down throughout the school year has surrendered to us and it seems to say “go ahead, what are you going to do to me?”

So I switched out the “optimize your time” parardigm of thinking to embrace “nothingness” and to celebrate simplicity. I like to think of it as an experiment. It may be considered something along the lines of mental cleansing, pressing the “off” button, or whatever you like.

With no warning I handed over the parental reigns to my husband to see if he’d pick them up. He did. You can call this bad faith on my part but I prefer to see it as authenticism. Before he picked up those reigns I found half my day was spent negotiating screen time with my childen on limiting or eliminating it from their schedule and then patrolling the apartment throughout the day to keep them off the screens as much as possible. Once the reigns were in hubby’s hands it was a mental unload even when I found the children on the screen longer than usual it somehow didn’t affect me. That pretty much freed up a whole lot of time to devote to nothingness.

Next, cooking when I feel like it and only out of necessity such as times when my stomach actually starts to growl—and not the way the French do it (like clockwork) nor when my family starts sniffing around in search for something to eat—turned out to be an eye opener. I would act upon my hunger calls and not anyone else’s. Try putting that into practice. It’s a tough conundrum for mums.

Since we aren’t supposed to be going out shopping for daily groceries during the confinement period we keep a small supply of dried and frozen goods. Pasta and burger patties are the easy go-to dishes that my husband and kids can make and seem to profess their love to so why not let them have their affair and eat their heart out? When their hunger calls they can answer for themselves. My time spent preparing, cooking, and educating them towards eating a balanced meal was now next to nil since I didn’t spend time over conscious choices. I call this letting go.

Velouté de fanes de navets just sounds fancier than turnip top soup.

With my bountiful turnip tops and swiss chard leaves all I could envison for it was a soup. Batches of it. This is all keeping in line with celebrating simplicty. I also found a bag of dried mung beans in the pantry and turned that into soup too, a Chinese dessert soup called Lu Dou Tang (綠豆湯) literally translated into “green bean soup “ in which you can add yams to. This is a classic Chinese soup that has cooling benefits so it is prepared mostly during the hot weathered months. When temperatures soar, tempers rise. Who knows, this may be beneficial in the process of keeping my cool and would sustain me for days too. With my soups all jarred up and ready to be reheated at my hunger’s beck and call I was free to devote myself to nothingness.

Chinese Lu Dou Tang (綠豆湯) soup with cooling benefits.

Lunch these days is starting to push back to 2:30 p.m. and dinner is closer to 9:00 p.m. On this particular Saturday this meant I could have a lie-in, go for a run, be back for a shower, take my time to head back out to pick up my AMAP (you can see a picture of where I collect my veggies every Saturday) vegetables, and not have to rush back to get a meal on the table. AMAP is a French equivalent of a commmunity supported agriculture (CSA).

This blows away the Saturdays from the last years when wake up call was at 8:15 a.m. and by 8:45 a.m. I was out the door accompanying my son to his tennis lesson, having a run along the canal during his lesson, picking up my AMAP veggies on the way home, washing the soil off the vegetables, preparing lunch, jumping into the shower, eating lunch together, cleaning up, and then back out again for Chinese classes that started at 1:30 p.m. and finished at 5 p.m. with my time alternating between both kids for that special one on one time while the other was in class. Don’t get me wrong, I love my one on one time with my children but the routine of it all—well, ya know. I think I can embrace nothingness pretty well.

Days of solace could be found by a trip to the sea and traveling wherever you wanted as long as it took you away. We could meet up with friends where support and cheer could be found. That’s all temporarily on hold. Now we must ease our minds within our isolated worlds.

I wake up earlier than usual these days. Eating less, running, and detaching myself from my smartphone has helped in my devotion to nothingness. I wake up clear-headed and light weighted sometimes with feelings of anxiety, anger, giddiness, calm, clarity, happiness, confusion. Basically it’s a mixed bag. I then quietly sit in a room to myself in half lotus position and wait for the light of dawn to shine upon me as I awaken to the day that lies before me ready to accept nothing as it is.

I leave you with this mantra by TIna Turner…

Chawanmushi- Steamed Egg in Teacups

Steamed Egg that is silky and smooth with a hint of umami flavor served in chawanmushi cups.

I came back from visitng my folks in Taiwan a few months ago with these chawanmushi cups securely wrapped in my carry-on. I was bringing back to France a piece of my childhood. These cups are just about as old as I am and that’s counting at least a few decades old.

Chawanmushi iliterally translated from Japanese is comprised of two words: teacup and steam. These cups are specifically used for this Japanese delicacy. It holds a celestial silky, steamed dashi egg mixutre that is just a palate pleaser for those who like a hint of umami in their lives.

I grew up with these ceramic cups.

My mum’s daily cooking duties were relinquished once retirement arrived but her cooking activies had already been reduced once my sister and I moved away from home. Those empty stomachs she once fed are now living abroad and salivating in retrospect of her cooking. I’m happy to see retirement suits her well and she’s happy to pass on remnants of her ceramics collection to anyone who will use them.

These are days of confinement as France goes into its eleventh day of lockdown. I am back to making meals 2-3 times a day and find myself bouncing between concocting a quick fix from the fridge or really taking my time to make something with meaning. So this is one of those meaningful recipes, to me at least.

Steamed Egg that is silky and smooth with a hint of umami flavor.

Mum used to make chawanmushi for breakfast, sometimes a much simpler version without all the optional fillings I listed in the recipe. When I reflect back to my childhood I think about all the love that went into those meals, the fragrant aroma of what’s cooking, and the morning hours she had to rise to in order to get those power meals on the table for us to start our day right, I find myself doing the same now but on a subpar level. Meals were not just deliciously served but aesthetically presented.

I don’t own all the pretty dishes like we had when growing up, especially dishware meant specifically to serve or to cook just one thing. If this seems like a frivolous purchase to you buying a set of chawanmushi cups for something you’ll make or try to make once a year you can certainly use ramekins or any heatproof tea cups you have in the house.

Owning these cups gave me the incentive to make this appetizing side dish and it brought me gratification to see my kids and husband tasting it out of the same chawanmushi cups I ate out of while growing up with my parents.

Chawanmushi

INGREDIENTS//Yields 4 servings

• 3 eggs
• 300 ml dashi
• 1 teasppon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon mirin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

Rehydrate the shitake mushrooms if you are using dried ones.
Soak the konbu for the dashi stock. Pre-cook, steam or blanch certain vegetable fillings that take longer to cook such as carrots, edamame beans, gingko nuts.

Fillings

• 80 grams of seafood, or poultry, cut up in small pieces (scallops and salmon work well)
• 20 edamame beans or peas
• 2 shitake mushrooms
• 2 tablespoon corn kernels
• Sliced carrots, gingko beans, and naruto (fishcakes) are used as tradtional garnishes.

INSTRUCTIONS

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk it by hand. Then whisk in the dashi stock, soy sauce and mirin.

Be careful not to overbeat it.

Take a sieve and strain the mixture into a bowl or large measuring cup.

Divide your choice of fillings and place them into the bottom of the teacup.

Pour the mixture into the 4 cups equally.

Cover each cup with aluminum foil.

If you don’t have a steamer, in a large pot (enough to hold and cover your teacups) place the bottom of a bamboo steamer or a metal steamer rack inside and add an inch and a half of water. Bring it to a boil on high heat.

Then carefully place your heatproof cups into the pot and steam for 8-10 minutes.

At this point carefully take out the cups (be careful, it’s hot! I wear kitchen mittens), uncover them, and add your garnishes so that they float at the top ( I added more corn kernals and mushroom slices in the photos shown) .

Recover the cups with the aluminum, reduce the heat, put the cups back into the steamer and continue to steam for another 15 minutes (approximately 25 minnutes altogether).

Take your cooked chawanmushi out of the steamer carefully and cover with the individual lids to set or just keep the aluminum on for another couple of minutes.

If you have the chawanmuwhi cups serve it with the lid so that the individual can uncover their heavenly surprise.

NOTE

If using edamame, peas, and carrots as choices for your vegetable filling I like to pre-steam them beforehand halfway into fully cooking through. Then, take them out and put it on the side until you add them into the recipe.

You can use ramakins if you don’t have teacups.

Lost in the time of corona, Pain Perdu—Lost Bread.

We are experiencing a historic time in our lives. France has banned all social gatherings and closed its borders. Other countries are following suit. We are living in confinement, practicing social distancing while fighting this war together against the coronavirus. It’s a testing time for us city dwellers who share smaller spaces and don’t have the luxury of a balcony, garden, or rooftop to just step out and take in the fresh air and stillness of the city.

Sounds of sirens are no longer screaming. I guess the cops, firefighters, and other emergency vehicles have the streets to themselves. I wonder if crime has gone down too?

We now need to fill in permission forms to exit our homes and it must be for an acceptable reason on the list issued by the French government. Fortunately, exercising outdoors in close proximity to where one lives is still acceptable as long as you do it on your own. For me, this is running around my block like thirty times and it has become an everyday affair since life on lockdown.

Pain perdu literally means “lost bread”. Traditionally it’s leftover stale bread reconverted into a sweet deliciousness by coating and soaking it in milk, egg and sugar. This traditional recipe dates as far back to the ancient Roman times.

The French do not like to waste food and tossing bread probabably has religious connotations and may be frowned upon, especially in economic dire times…this is a triple whammy. We are facing those economic dire times NOW. So what best to do with any leftover baguette, brioche, and Wonder bread—does that even still exist?!

Pain Perdu

INGREDIENTS//Yields 8-12 slices

• 60-80 grans butter
• 200 ml milk
• 2 large free-range egg
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• Bread of your choice (my faves: brioche, baguette,challah—preferably older bread), sliced

Toppings

• 1 tablespoons confectionary sugar
• Maple syrup as desired
• Fresh fruit

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium size mixing bowl beat the eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Set it aside.

Heat up your skillet with your knob of butter.

Begin by dipping a slice of bread into your wet mixture and let it soak from both sides.

Transfer it to the hot skillet and cook until each side is golden brown.

Assemble it on a plate with your favorite toppings.

Kimchi and Carrot Top Mung Bean Pancakes

Mung bean pancakes with kinchi and fresh carrot tops.

The best thing about these Korean inspired pancakes is that you can use any leftovers you have in the fridge to create your personal favorite combination. These make for a hearty and nutritious breakfast for those with a savory palate but they are just as good any other time they are served.

For the omnivores out there you can add your meats, poultry, and seafood bits to this mung bean and glutinous rice batter too.

Mung bean pancakes with kinchi and fresh carrot tops.

The mung beans and the glutinous rice make up the starch in this combo so for those looking for a gluten free option this is a great recipe to add to your list!

Korean Mung Bean Pancakes

INGREDIENTS//Yields 12 pancakes

• 2 cups dried and peeled mung beans
• 1/4 cup glutinous rice
• 1 large free-range egg
• 1 cup kimchi or a combination of vegetables (mung bean sprouts, scallions, carrot tops, etc)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

The mung beans and glutinous rice needs to be soaked for at least a few hours (approx. 5-6 hrs)

Dip

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free option)
• 1 tablepoon black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chili spice (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl combine your mung beans and your glutinous rice. Rinse several times under cold water until the the water is not cloudy. Then cover with water and soak overnight or for the day.

Drain the bean and rice mixture and save a cup of its liquid on the side.

In a food processor or blender grind the bean and rice mixture together while adding some of the water that was saved on the side until the consistency is slightly creamy with a sand-like texture. Use as much water necessary to loosen the batter while grinding the mixture.

In another mixing bowl combine your vegetables of choice. I usually add any leftover kimchi which makes these pancakes very flavorful. I used some fresh carrot tops that I had on hand so I added that to the blend.

Add your egg, sesame oil, white pepper, and salt and stir the combination together.

Mix it in with your mung bean and glutinous rice batter.

In a large skillet, heat some vegetable oil over medium heat and spread it all over the pan.

Scoop a ladle full of your batter and drizzle it onto the skillet to make medium size pancakes. Depending on the size of your skillet you can make a few at a time.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until each side is golden brown.

Serve with a soy sauce and black vinegar dip on the side.

Comforting Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can’t just have one…

As I bite into my umpteenth cookie, I stare off into the winter sky reminiscing the flurry of visits in the past year from old and true friends. I love seeing Paris through their eyes, eating our way through town, and taking in this beautiful city with them. I stroll down memory lane with eyes gazing into the sky, a cookie follows suit while I weave dreamily in and out of the cities where our friendships have been sowed.

Another umpteenth cookie is popped into my mouth as I reflect upon my biggest feat in France last year, obtaining my driver’s license. As I think about the stress, time, and money (900€ —and I got off cheap!) involved just to get to the point of taking the exam it certainly merits another umpteenth cookie popped into my mouth. That was in June of 2019. And yes, I am still riding on that coattail called glory—I deserve a cookie.

My mind then wanders to another thought, Mitzi & Thea, while my mouth waters for another cookie. How fortunate I am to be able to work with someone I enjoy spending time with. Feeling content I pop in another one of these chocolate chip babies. Drifting…

“Mom, you're eating all the cookies!” my kids holler. And just like that I snap out of it.

Comforting Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS//Yields 34 medium size cookies

• 2.5 cups flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 226 grams butter, room temperature or melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 200 grams chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 320° Fahrenheit (160° Celsius)

In a mixing bowl add the first three dry ingredients and set it aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a hand mixer. Mix well and then add the eggs and continue to mix.

Mix in the following dry ingredients in three parts: flour, baking soda, salt.

Do not overmix.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the dough out and roll into ping pong size balls (for medium-large cookies).

Place in rows about 3 inches apart from each other.

Bake in oven for a total of 14-16 minutes (halfway thru baking time turn the tray around and let it bake for the remainder of the time).

Let it cool on the baking tray for a minute before transferring it onto a flat surface to let it finish cooling down.

NOTE

I usually melt the butter over the stove and take it off before all of it gets melted (half melted butter, half room temperature softened butter) and then pour it directly into the batter to mix with the other ingredients.

Make sure the cookie is not over baked. Don’t let the tops turn brown if you like your cookies soft and chewy. 14 minutes is the baking time in my oven but it may be more or less in yours.

Cozy Cabbage Soup

I read somewhere recently that one on the signs of getting older is if we find ourselves incorporating soups into our lives more often. I haven’t lost any teeth yet so I’m really not that old but I do find myself eating more soup only because it saves me time and it is a bowl of hearty nutrition—2 in 1!

I am someone who is prone to cold—that said in french would be frileuse. I’ve been working on my latest website with my newest partner ,Thea, this year. She also, is frileuse. It doesn’t matter that it’s cold in Paris now because you’ll probably find us under our duvet covers in the heat of summer too.

We work together rotating between our homes and soup is a common theme for lunch. It’s quick to make and it’s filling, especially when there’s a selection of cheese to go with, not to mention the fresh baked bread from the bakery you’ll find on every corner in Paris.

Best thing about soups is that you can make a ton and freeze the rest for another time. I like to scoop out personal batches and freeze them for the future, that is if there is any left!

Cozy Cabbage Soup

INGREDIENTS//Serves 4

• 3 cardamom seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
•  A small knob of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 litre vegetable broth
• 1.5 cups (195 grams) yellow split peas or Chana Dal
•  1 tin (400 grams) chopped tomatoes
• 450 grams cabbage, chopped


PREPARATION

Rinse your yellow split peas clean of the white foamy bit that rises.


INSTRUCTIONS

In a large Dutch oven, add some olive oil and sauté the first four ingredients together.

Add the vegetable broth and the yellow split peas.  Bring it to a boil .  Then turn the heat down to simmer and skim away as much white foam that rises to the top.

Add the tomatoes and cover with a lid.  Let it cook for 15 minutes and then add the cabbage, cover, and let it simmer for another 20 minutes.

Radish Top Soup—More Bang for the Buck.

One Saturday, I came home with my AMAP goodies which included radishes and their very green leafy tops. I was supposed to have 240 grams worth of radishes and I felt slightly cheated when I saw that the greens took up so much volume and added weight until I bumped into my neighbor and fellow amapien friend who must have seen the slightly disgruntled face I must have pulled while weeding through the crate of radish…

Je fais une bonne soupe avec les fanes de radis, said Marcel.

C’est vrai? Dites-moi …I quipped.

Radish leaves have an earthy and peppery taste. If you like watercress soup, you’ll love this. The recipe is so simple and quick to make and it’s delish. It’s a healthy green soup that just keeps you feeling clean and good.

Apparently it is full of vitamin C, more per serving than in the radish itself and a high concentration of vitamin B6, magnesium, phosporus, iron, calcium, and vitamin A.

So next time you buy radishes from the market don’t get rid of your radish tops. You’ll get more value and get a meal out of it!

I didn’t pull a face last Saturday when I got radishes on my list again.

Radish Top Soup

INGREDIENTS//Serves 2-3

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium potato, diced
• 1 bunch fresh radish leaves, chopped
• 1 litre water
• Salt, adjust accordingly
• Chili pepper, adjust accordingly
• crème frîache, dallop (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

RInse the radish leaves and leave aside until needed.

In a medium size pot, add about a tablespoon of olive oil and cook up the onions.

Add a litre of water and the potatoes to the pot and bring it to a boil.

Once it hits boiling point bring the heat down to a simmer. Add your salt.

When the potatoes are cooked through add the radish greens and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Adjust with chili pepper powder and more salt if necessary.

Let it cool and whizz it up in a blender.

NOTE
Re-heat the soup before serving after it is all blended together. You can add a dallop of crème fraîche to the soup for a creamier texture and perhaps a more balanced taste but personally I find the starchiness of the potato makes it creamy enough.

Try using turnip tops for this soup too!

Tuna and Egg Filled Bricks—A Mahgrebian Classic Snack

Brick, brik, bourek—you’ll see them with these various spellings on most menus serving Moroccan, Tunisian, and Algerian cuisine and they are a classic snack in any Mahgrebian household.

My “belle” belle-mère (my “beautiful mother-in-law”) as I like to call her made this for me years ago for the first time. I was curious about what was found and sold in these greenish plastic wrapped bags for I had seen them in the local supermarkets but I never knew what was inside the packaging. The minute she plopped the bag down on my table top from her grocery shopping I asked her what was in it and she said “c’est un vrai délice, tu vas voir.” This usually means I get to sit back and to be fed something I’ve never had which will be really delicious!

So I finally discoverd the brick sheets that were hidden inside the packaging and all the various fillings that would be wrapped in them.

In the same vein as a potsticker, samosa, and egg rolls there are so many different fillings (meat, poultry, cheese, vegetables, etc) to be had in this classic snack. So if you can get your hands on some brick sheets you can have a lot of fun making your own fillings and creating your own concoctions with various spices.

Personally I prefer to bake mine but I believe traditionally it is pan-fried.

Tuna Filled Bricks—A Mahgrebian Classic

INGREDIENTS//Yields 20

• 10 sheets brique sheets
• 1 tin tuna (140 grams), drained
• 2 eggs, hard boiled and diced
• 1 medium size potato, boiled and cut into small chunks
• 1 small onion, diced and sautéed
• 50 grams green olives, pitted and sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of spice ( ex: harissa, chili pepper powder, paprika, or cumin)
• 2-3 sprigs of flat parsley, chopped finely
• Salt and pepper, adjust accordingly
• 2 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

Instructions

Filling

In a medium size mixing bowl combine the tuna, eggs, potato, onions, green olives and mix well.
Then stir in the lemon juice, harissa, and the parsley.

On flat working surface, lay your brick sheet flat in front of you. Cut it n half. They are usually round so you will end up with half a circle laid out in front of you.
With the straight edge topside fold up the bottom round bit so that the edge comes near the top of the straight edge. Press down to flatten.

Start at the far left end of the brick sheet and place about a tablespoon of filling, then take the top corner of the sheet and fold it down to meet the opposite end of the bottom edge to form a triangle.

Pat the filling in place. Then take the left bottom corner and fold it directly over along the bottom straight edge. Continue to fold following the shape of the triangle. Towards the end tuck in the end of the brick sheet between the folds.

Two ways to cook:

Bake

Pre heat your oven to 200° C or 390° F.

Line up your folded bricks on a baking tray and lightly brush some olive oil on each side.

Place it in the oven and bake it for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pan Fry

In a large skillet on medium-high heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Place the folded bricks in the skillet when the oil is hot. Pan fry each side until golden.

NOTE

There are other ways to fold and to present bricks. You can also add more filling and make a square shape brick. Using an entire sheet, add and flatten 2-3 tablespoons of the filling a third up from the bottom. Just bring the two ends (left and right side) of the brick sheet to meet in the middle and fold up from the bottom along the filling and repeat until you have a square. This presents nicely as a main meal with a salad on the side.

Ma Po Tofu—Without the Pork Bits

Winter is not giving up a tough fight in these last few days of its demise. I am eagerly awaiting the spring equinox as if magically all will be warmer and sunnier on my side of the earth. The morning light is showing itself earlier so that when I walk out the door at 7:15 a.m. to accompany Mila to school we no longer walk in the dark.

Despite the cold, even the birds are beginning to think spring is here. I am stirred awake by their morning chorus at 5 a.m. It’s a wild guess because I don’t actually rise out of bed to check the time. It is still nocturnally dark out at this time so I snooze for at least another hour to their singing. I love this bit of my day.

I crave spicy and stewy-ish types of meals in cold weather and this very simple Ma Po tofu dish hits the spot. My small bag of special fermented black beans, heidouchi (黑豆豉), given to me by my aunt in Taiwan is tucked in the freezer to use for dishes like these—definitely not to be confused with Mexican black beans please! They are basically dried out soy beans fermented with salt. It’s not quite the same as the jarred black bean sauce which you will find easily in the Asian grocers but you can use it as a replacement. These beans are pungent and natural. They really offer an umami tone to any dish. Have a poke around in the Asian grocery stores to see if you can find some and give it a try! They can easily be added to poultry, seafood, meat and vegetable dishes.

Ma Po Tofu- Without the Pork Bits

INGREDIENTS//Serves 2-3

• 500 grams soft tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn
• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans(黑豆豉)
• A knob of ginger, freshly grated
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon spicy doubanjiang(豆瓣酱), fermented bean paste
• 1 teaspoon Five Spice powder
• 30 grams wood ear black fungus mushrooms, rehydrated (in tepid water for an hour) and chopped—optional
• 1 cup vegetable broth or water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 3 tablespoons water
• A couple of scallions, chopped

Instructions

Add oil in a wok or large cooking pan over medium heat.

Fry the Szechuan peppercorn and black beans. Stir for about a minute then add the ginger, garlic and the spicy fermented bean paste. Stir until fragrant.

Add the chili powder, five spice powder, and the wood ear black fungus mushroom. Stir for about another minute.

Add the vegetable broth and bring it to a low boil.

Slide in the tofu. Stir gently making sure not to break the tofu into smaller bits.

Drizzle in the cornstarch water mixture, cover the wok and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped scallions when ready to serve.

NOTE

I toned this recipe down but it’s probably still spicier for those who are not accustomed to the citrusy numbing tones of the Szechuan peppercorn. Usually this is topped over a bowl of rice.

Chinese Style Cucumbers—Smashed!

There’s something very curious going on with the weather. We still have a good month to go before spring but it’s been off with the coats and on with the sunglasses for the past few days this week. Maybe not so curious after all but more frightening, something called global warming.

It’s hard to think about doomsday when it’s all very cheery with the sun shining upon the kids at play in the park and cool looking couples with their shades on sipping their mid day drinks with no intent on leaving their sunny spots on the terrasse. This city is filled with smiling tourists and French families on the school winter break from the other zones in France lending to this collective positive vibe.

Meanwhile I can’t get a spot on that terrasse cause it’s too damn crowded so I’m home taking it out on the only thing I could find in my fridge—cucumbers! So there you have it, a crunchy and refreshing cucumber garlicky salad on a fine, warm winter’s day.

Chinese Style Cucumber—Smashed

INGREDIENTS//Serves 2-3

• 1 large organic cucumber, peeled and cut length-wise, de-seeded
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari sauce (gluten-free option)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 red chili pepper, sliced thin, use accordingly

Instructions

After washing the cucumber, peel the skin, de-seed, and cut it lengthwise. I like to keep some of the skin on for the added texture and color so I alternate between peeling the skin on and off the cucumber.

Pat it dry.

Lay the cucumber cut side down on a chopping board and with a cleaver (using the flat side) or a wide surface knife lay it on top of the cucumber and smash down on it with your other hand. Once you’ve smashed down on all the length of the cucumber, chop into bite size pieces to separate them.

Transfer it to a strainer and add the salt and sugar. Be sure to mix well.
Optional: Let it sit in the strainer above a bowl for 10-15 minutes. Discard the liquid.

In a small bowl combine the cucumber and the last five ingredients, then toss.

Ready to serve.

Anne's Vegan Bounty Chocolate Treats

Four ingredients: Shredded coconut, dark chocolate, maple syrup, coconut oil.

With four simple ingredients you’ve got a sweet vegan treat, a Bounty chocolate bar as easy as one, two, three!

Anne is my neighbor friend who is training to be a reflexology practitioner at the moment. As we were crossing paths we stopped to give each other a bisous , and then had a quick chat. She mentioned she had just received compliments from her daughter’s teacher on some vegan Bounty bars that she had made and delivered to her the other day. Miam, j’adore les barres de chocolat bounty! — It’s pronounced boonty here.

Anne picked up the cue rather quickly…

…and kindly suggested that the next time she made some she would let me have a taste. Leaping on that opportunity I asked to be there while she made them so I could share this with you folks.

Then she asked me for a favor in return, to be her cobaye — noted, new vocab added to the list (guinea pig)—for her reflexology practice sessions. It seems to me a win-win situation: Bounty treats and a reflexology treatment. Who could say no to that!

Homemade coconut chocolate bars.

Not counting the refrigeration time, this took about 15 minutes to prepare. This is a wonderful treat to prepare with young kids too. Good to keep in mind on a rainy day.

Anne and her vegan Bounty bars.

Anne’s Vegan Bounty Bars

INGREDIENTS//Yields approximately 22 pieces

• 200 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
• 2.5 tablespoons maple syrup
• 150 grams dark chocolate, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium size mixing bowl combine the first three ingredients and mix well.

Using an ice cube tray, fill each square with the mixture.

Place it in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to set.

Melt the chocolate.

Take out the refrigerated coconut squares.

Dip each piece into the melted chocolate, turning it around so that it is all coated in it.

Place it on parchment paper. Then refrigerate them until firm.

NOTE

Don’t waste any leftover melted chocolate, just make chocolate drops on your parchment paper and add some nuts and raisins to it or whatever you have in your cupboards.

Butternut Squash With Wild Rice Medley

Roasted Butternut Squash With Wild Rice Medley

Happy Thanksgiving y’all! Hollering out to my compatriots worldwide…I just feel like shouting out. It’s a day to remind us to be grateful for the love that surrounds us and the abundance of food that keeps us alive so let’s be loud about it.

I’m so far away from all the festivities of family, long weekends, parades, football playing on the t.v. set (who really cares but it has its role on this day) , turkey basting, the savory and sweet scents wafting through the house like living in a gingerbread house with a dash of falling salt snow. Then there’s the stuffing recipes, oh! and the classic tempting pecan pies, pumpkin pies, sweet potato mash— might as well throw in the marshmallow fluff. Every which way you turn in the kitchen there is some side dish or dessert to stick your nose or fingers into until the big bird is ready to be served. Alas, stuffing ourselves silly with these cornucopia of Thanksgiving ritualistic delights, then spending the long weekend recovering from food coma.

So you see I am slightly nostalgic about this day although I really hadn’t had a thought to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for today since we will be acknowledging and celebrating Thanksgiving with friends on December 1st ( a Saturday) due to the work and school schedule tomorrow. I can’t cash in on all the U.S. holidays over here in France but it’s alright because overall we get more holidays in France than in the States.

There is a warmth that flows through my blood on this cold and grey looking Thanksgiving day and it’s my duty to share that with my kids and my French hubby. Our usual ritual is to go to a local American diner-themed restaurant called Breakfast of America where we are transported momentarily to the States and milkshakes are the first call to order as we continue our own family tradition living in Paris and give thanks to what we have today.

Butternut Squash With Wild Rice Medley

INGREDIENTS//Serves 4

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• A pinch of ginger, freshly grated
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 250 grams wild rice
• 240 grams or 1 cup green lentils, cooked
• 30 grams butter, divided
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 small cauliflower, grated
• 1 teaspoon curcuma(tumeric) powder
• 1 tablespoon nut oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bunch flat parsley, chopped
• 60 grams of pecan, roasted and brown sugar coated
• 2 tablspoons brown sugar


PREPARATION

Roasted Pecans

In a small pot melt the butter (15 grams) and the brown sugar together.
Stir in the pecans and try to coat all the pecans with the syrupy mix.
Pour it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so that it’s ready to go in the oven.

Butternut Squash
In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar, ginger, and honey together.
Halve the butternut squash and score the flesh with a knife.
Pour the sauce mix over the butternut squash before placing in the oven.

Cauliflower Fluff

In a pan, heat up 15 grams of butter.
Add the grated garlic and cauliflower. Cook for about 8 minutes.
Add the curcuma and stir. Take it off the stove until ready to add to the wild rice medley.

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre heat your oven to 170°C.

Then place the pecans in the oven for about 10 minutes to roast.
Take them out, let it cool, and place it aside until ready to use.

Pre heat your oven to 200° C or 400° F. Place the butternut squash in a baking pan with the flesh face up and place it in the oven for 45 minutes.

Wild Rice Medley

Combine your cooked wild rice and lentils.

Add your olive oil and nut oil.

Then toss in the cauliflower fluff and the parsley.

Add salt and pepper according to your taste buds.

Once the butternut squash is roasted, take it out and place some of the wild rice medley in the groove, garnish with the roasted pecans and serve.

NOTE

If your butternut squash is small enough you can serve each half individually. If it is a large butternut squash, you can quarter it with a knife or tear it apart with your hands (make sure not to burn yourself!). Then plop a few spoonfuls of the wild rice medley on top and it’ll be ready to serve.

Open Face Tortillas With Seared Tuna and Mirabelle Chutney

The great thing about open face tortillas is that it’s a fun and colorful presentation added to the dining table. It’s simple as long as you have all your ingredients laid out before you to choose from.

The best thing is that you can even immerse your guests or entertain the kids in their own experience by letting them build their own tortillas (less work for you to do!). This is the way we do it at home.

It’s one of our favorite meals as it resembles our maki-making meals too. As long as you offer enough veggie choices and a protein option you won’t have to worry about your kid not eating a balanced meal.

This mix and match combo is an enjoyable meal for the family.

Seared Tuna With Mirabelle Chutney

Open Face Tortillas With Seared Tuna and Mirabelle Chutney

INGREDIENTS//Yields 6 tortillas

• 6 tortillas or corn tortillas (gluten-free option)
• 500 grams fresh tuna, seared and sliced
• 2 tablespoons sake
• A handful of fresh coriander, chopped up or torn into pieces
• 1 red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 tomato, sliced thinly
• 1 beetroot, steamed or boiled and sliced thinly

Mirabelle Chutney

• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 clove
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 lime juiced
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 -1/2 inch fresh chili pepper
• 250 grams mirabelle, de-seeded and quartered (mangoes are another option)

Preparation

Marinate the tuna in the sake for at least 15 minutes before searing. Before cooking, make sure to pat it dry.

Instructions

Mirabelle chutney

Place the first nine ingredients in a medium size pot on medium heat.

As it starts to simmer, add the mirabelles and let it simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

It will start to thicken and get syrupy.

Take it off the stove and let it cool.

Tuna

To sear your tuna simply coat your cast iron skillet or pan with some cooking oil and turn your stove up on high heat.

Gently place one side of the tuna down and let it cook for about a minute and a half depending how thick your tuna is and how rare you like it. Turn it over and repeat. I also like to give the sides a quick turn as well.

When it cools down, cut it in slices about a quarter to half inch thick.

Assembling your torillas

Lay out your warm torilla and place your vegetables over them, following with a piece or two of the seared tuna.

Sprinkle some coriander over it, finally topping it off with some chutney.

NOTE

I used whatever vegetables were in my fridge so it happened to be a green tomato and beetroot. You can use whatever vegetable combination you have in your fridge. It’s a great way to use what’s left in your fridge.

Kale Azuki Power Bowl With Tahini Almond Dressing

Kale has long been hailed as a superfood and with its health halo its been trendy for quite some time now. I took a break from kale when I arrived in France in 2005. It was hard to be found if it was even offered at all.

By now, fall 2018, it has popped up in a bunch of health food stores all over Paris. I just noticed this season I am even starting to find some in my AMAP basket.

Inconvenient to find at times, I’ve been disappointed when preparing this salad while starting off with all the other ingredients and then discovering that I have to go out and search for my kale only to come back with replacement chicories. Replacement chicories are fine too, don’t get me wrong—but it’s just that when you have your heart set on something…

It has gained popularity here and no wonder since it’s packed with vitamins A, C, K and is rich in antioxidants. And if you want twice the amount of antioxidants go for the red kale !

This cruciferous vegetable has a hearty leaf and will soften up when coated in a dressing. You can prepare this ahead of time since the leaves won’t wilt straight away.

I love it on a bed of mixed brown rice and quinoa for a full meal accompanied with some beetroot hummus and avocado. This power bowl will keep you plowing through the day.

Kale Azuki Power Bowl with Tahini Almond Dressing

INGREDIENTS//Serves 3-4

• 250 grams fresh kale leaves, chopped finely
• 50 grams azuki beans, dried (black beans work nicely too. Use tinned beans if pressed for time)
• 1 eggplant, roasted
• 2 zucchinis, grilled
• 1 beetroot, steamed and diced

Dressing

• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 1/2 tablespoons almond butter (Purée Amande Complete en français)
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 100 ml water

PREPARATION

For the dressing combine the first six ingredients in a blender ( a mini blender is convenient for dressings like these) with half the water (50ml) and whizz it up. Gradually add the rest of the water to get loosen the dressing up.

INSTRUCTIONS

Put the chopped kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and add the dressing. Be sure to coat the kale all over.

Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale if need be.

I like to let the kale marinate for 15 minutes if I’ve got the time.

Then toss in the beans and the rest of the vegetables: eggplant, zucchinis, beetroot.

Ready to serve!