Toum! (an interpretation)

So this is a variation of a variation of a variation…but geeze ‘o man is it good. What, you may wonder, am I talking about. Garlic mayonnaise and it’s many variation. The south of France (and Italy and Spain) have Aioli (the French word for garlic is ail), in the Middle East there is theContinue reading “Toum! (an interpretation)”

Five (or Seven) Quotes from Julia Child

Julia Child (née McWilliams) August 15, 1912 — August 13, 2004 “Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.” “I think every woman should have a blowtorch.” “The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.” “Everything in moderation… including moderation.” “Remember, ‘NoContinue reading “Five (or Seven) Quotes from Julia Child”

Ratatouille!

Ratatouille is the perfect summer vegetable dish. The ingredients are at peak season, and are easily grown in a home victory garden…I in fact grew these. The main ingredients–zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and basil–need very little tending, they almost grow like weeds. With its tongue-twisting title it may come off as a somewhat intimidating recipe,Continue reading “Ratatouille!”

Moules Marinière!

I’ve posted this recipe before but not in a while. It is really delicious and so easy to make…quite literally put everything in a pot and place it over a fire. Anyhow, I made a large pot of these at work this evening (a scoop of them is pictured straight from the pot) and thoughtContinue reading “Moules Marinière!”

Confit d’ail

The French name for this two-ingredient but flavor-packed recipe translates simply as preserved garlic, but what it is in the literal sense is garlic that has been slowly simmered in olive oil. And this has many great outcomes. The most obvious is that it removes the garlic’s sharpness (but I like that, too). It alsoContinue reading “Confit d’ail”

Tapenade!

Tapenade. Mmmm. Delicious. I haven’t made this in a while but it once was a staple on multiple restaurant tables where I was chef. And I made this for a dinner I served this evening. It is basically an olive puree seasoned with anchovies, capers, and lots of garlic. It’s of Southern French origin andContinue reading “Tapenade!”

La Quiche…

 Mmm…Quiche Lorraine. Incredibly decadent and delicious; simple to make, too. The beauty of this is that you can have all of the ingredients ready (including the pre-baked shell) and put it together and bake it a half hour before serving. Heck, you can pre-bake and slice the entire thing–if you think you’ll be pressed forContinue reading “La Quiche…”

Broth, Bouillon, Brodo (y Caldo)

“Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.”–LouisP. De Gouy A couple things… Firstly, I have relatively little trouble eating (and ultimatley sustaining on) meatless or near-meatless meals. Actually, I prefer it. But IContinue reading “Broth, Bouillon, Brodo (y Caldo)”

Four Photos of Food

OK, so I’m not sure what these have to do with the subject of Urban Simplicity other than the fact that they are photos of some of the things I do at work, which of course is a big part of my life (whether I like it or not). I took these over the lastContinue reading “Four Photos of Food”

Salade Niçoise

Mmm…I love this salad; delicious; one of my favorites. I’ve also been fortunate enough to visit the beautiful city of Nice on a couple occasions, which of course is the namesake of this particular recipe. Anyhow, we served this salad for a luncheon today and thought it appropriate to post the recipe…it is also theContinue reading “Salade Niçoise”

Le Nouveau Tarte Tatin

This recipe is a play on the classic Tarte Tatin, which of course is normally made with apples. I’m currently researching and testing recipes for an article I’m writing about Tarte Tatin for Buffalo Spree Magazine and thought I’d try a couple savory recipes (the poor Tatin sisters must be rolling in their graves); thisContinue reading “Le Nouveau Tarte Tatin”

Quiche Lorraine

I made this today at my job (for 120 people actually) and it looked so beautiful and was so delicious I thought I’d post a few pictures and share a very simple recipe for it. The classic recipe calls for bacon, but in this version I use ham (both are equally delicious). I also includedContinue reading “Quiche Lorraine”

Hearty and Meaty Spring Ragout

I’ve mentioned a few times on this blog that while I am far from being vegetarian I have been making efforts to eat less meat for a variety of reasons…but sometimes I crave it. Today was one such instance. Maybe it was that I swam 1/2 mile and hauled concrete blocks about 5 miles (oneContinue reading “Hearty and Meaty Spring Ragout”

Ma recette préférée de moules

This is by far my favorite mussel recipe. It is so delicious and so easy to make…simply put everything in a pan and cook it for a few minutes. I made this for staff lunch today at work. They can be eaten alone or served over pasta or rice (the recipe yields a delicious broth).Continue reading “Ma recette préférée de moules”