As I threatened to do six months ago, we're starting our food blog. Right now my idea is to post 3-4 times per month, two or three times with photos and descriptions of our food life in Paris, and at least once with interesting things for the expats and tourists -- favorite bistros, great bakeries, et cetera. Juliette and I both have a thing for great food, and Juliette moreover knows her way around some very exclusive eateries. But we're on a *tight* budget, so Michelin-starred restaurants are out. The good news is, there's a revolution going on here, with many small restaurants and bistros opening all over Paris with talented young chefs, showing their skills and inspirations. Some of these chefs are well known here, some not known at all, but the point is: one can eat very well, interesting, even inspired meals, with the freshest ingredients ... for surprisingly little.
We've been shooting my kitchen creations pretty frequently and built up a backlog of photos. Some of these are of a step-by-step nature, but most are one shot of a finished product. Let us know which you prefer, or if you prefer a mix.
Due to preferences and food allergies, you won't see oysters, eggplant, or big desserts. Organ meats are pretty much out, too, though the rare piece of foie gras is nice ... we just don't usually buy it to bring home. But if you have suggestions, either for recipes for us to try, or ways to improve my technique :-) , please chime in.
As far as sharing our favorite addresses goes: there are so many here that I'm sure everyone has theirs. We just want to share the ones we know and have been to that we thought were exceptionally good and/or reasonably priced.
So off we go! I'll be posting the first dish soon!
T&J
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
Tarte à l'oignon (Onion tart)
Juliette has a real good touch for this. And we love varying the recipe each time, so it's never the same way twice. She buys the prepackaged crust dough at the supermarket. It comes rolled up in a long triangular package. There are two kinds: brisée and feuilletée; the latter is the favorite but the former works also. They are quite thin.
We have a two-piece form for making this, one part is a beveled ring and the other a flat base that fits into it. It's made of a light, cheap metal. What she does is unroll the crust and press it into the mold. She's found that baking just the crust in the oven makes for a crisper, more finished crust. Then take three eggs, a bit of light cream or soy cream, and a splash of milk and beat them in a bowl, adding a good dose of salt and pepper. More than you think, especially the salt. At about the same time, pan sauté three or four medium onions, chopped, in olive oil and a generous splash of white wine, also seasoned with salt and pepper. Two cloves of minced garlic go in, too.
And that's just a starting point. Yellow, white, and red onions, shallots, green onions, fennel, tomatoes, and mushrooms have all found their way into various tarts. Also, bacon (BACON!), chorizo, olives... you get he idea. Sauté until soft, then pour the egg mixture onto the crust, followed by the pan contents. Season again... we love Spanish pimentón, thyme, a few drops of hot sauce, whatever, and into a 175C/350F oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with a nice tossed green salad and a refreshing white or lighter red wine. Easy, light, tasty!
We have a two-piece form for making this, one part is a beveled ring and the other a flat base that fits into it. It's made of a light, cheap metal. What she does is unroll the crust and press it into the mold. She's found that baking just the crust in the oven makes for a crisper, more finished crust. Then take three eggs, a bit of light cream or soy cream, and a splash of milk and beat them in a bowl, adding a good dose of salt and pepper. More than you think, especially the salt. At about the same time, pan sauté three or four medium onions, chopped, in olive oil and a generous splash of white wine, also seasoned with salt and pepper. Two cloves of minced garlic go in, too.
And that's just a starting point. Yellow, white, and red onions, shallots, green onions, fennel, tomatoes, and mushrooms have all found their way into various tarts. Also, bacon (BACON!), chorizo, olives... you get he idea. Sauté until soft, then pour the egg mixture onto the crust, followed by the pan contents. Season again... we love Spanish pimentón, thyme, a few drops of hot sauce, whatever, and into a 175C/350F oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with a nice tossed green salad and a refreshing white or lighter red wine. Easy, light, tasty!
We're just a couple of musicians living in Paris who love good food, fresh ingredients, and all kinds of flavors. We don't have the time or budget to eat out, so we try to recreate the experience at home. I'm Tom, she's Juliette. Pull up a chair and join us!
What we want to do is share what we're eating and how we're making it, on limited time and budget. We're not writing a cookbook, or even really a food blog, at least not intentionally. Rather,this is a way to share ideas, passion, and the joy of food.
We'll post a new dish (basically all dinners for two, occasionally four or five) about every fifteen days. Also, about once a month, we'll post something else of interest, whether it be our favorite bakeries in Paris, an interesting restaurant or two, or a hot tip on a great wine or cheese ... all on a smallish budget.
Your feedback is everything, and we'll keep posting and cooking and shopping and trying new things, as long as you're interested. And it doesn't matter where you live, France, Finland, or Fresno. We hope you enjoy reading and seeing all that we're doing.
We'll post a new dish (basically all dinners for two, occasionally four or five) about every fifteen days. Also, about once a month, we'll post something else of interest, whether it be our favorite bakeries in Paris, an interesting restaurant or two, or a hot tip on a great wine or cheese ... all on a smallish budget.
Your feedback is everything, and we'll keep posting and cooking and shopping and trying new things, as long as you're interested. And it doesn't matter where you live, France, Finland, or Fresno. We hope you enjoy reading and seeing all that we're doing.
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