The Cook's Atelier

Never a dull moment

One thing about us Americans, we are passionate about pursuing our dreams.  We think we can do anything.  Those who know me will testify that I have, on occasion, done some pretty crazy things.  For example, during K and L's wedding reception, while chatting away and enjoying a glass of wine, I nearly caught the place on fire when I put my napkin too close to the candle on the table.  Thank goodness someone noticed.  As you can imagine, I've been teased endlessly about this and it is now referred to as the "napkin incident".

Now, there's another crazy tale.  The one, where I proceeded to flood K and L's new house that we are in the process of renovating.  While moving the ladder, I lost my grip and the latter tumbled forward hitting the main water line.  Which, for some crazy reason, is located on the inside of the house!  Needless to say, I learned a few new curse words in French last night during the excitement while we were all bailing water with dustpans into buckets.  This little mishap required shutting off the main water supply to the entire village.  The good news, L had the opportunity to meet the mayor of his new village who stopped by to see what was happening.

K and L have a tight move-in schedule and we need to get the house ready by the middle of December.  We are not talking simply a coat or two of paint.  I'm not kidding when I saying a "major renovation".  We've been documenting the process and you can see the photos here. I think this renovation will go down in history as one of the quickest renovations of a 200 year-0ld house.

To say the least, this adventure is not for the faint of heart.  It is really much more of a Frank McCourt/Lucille Ball type of adventure rather than Under the Tuscan Sun.  Either way, I wouldn't change it for the world.  When things get crazy, I head back in the kitchen and start cooking.  There's a rabbit in the oven and I'm braising a pork roast and it's not even 7:00 am.

Here's to following your passion and enjoy the process along the way.

Picture perfect day in Burgundy

Today was an absolutely perfect day in Burgundy.  We've finished with the Thanksgiving celebration and are back at work renovating K & L's little stone cottage.  L's family has come up from the south to join in the renovation process. There are walls to patch, wide-plank floors to install, and gallons of white paint to apply.  Their little stone cottage is nestled in a village about 20 minutes south of Beaune along the route des grandes crus.  It is a magical drive along the old vineyard roads.  As you drive along the country road, it feels as though time really has stood still.  You'll see potagers and beehives and perhaps an old hunting dog waiting near the gate for his owner to take him on his morning rounds.  Today was particularly special as everything was dusted with the season's first blanket of snow.

 

The winter months are quiet in Burgundy and something that I personally love. There are seasons here and each one brings something special.  The first arrival of snow reminds you that the holidays are just around the corner.  Christmas seems much more special on this side of the pond.  There are no "black Friday sales" or the impulse to run out for the latest gadget.  I'm thinking about gingerbread, steaming cups of hot chocolate and strings of white lights on the Christmas tree. A simple, cozy holiday.  I have much to be thankful for this year and the icing on the cake is that I have just found out that I am going to be a Grandmother.  Pure bliss.

You see, dreams really do come true.

 

The one that got away

We are in full Thanksgiving Day mode here at The Cook's Atelier.  The down side is, Beaune is not the easiest place to source an entire turkey.  We ordered our heirloom turkey way back in August only to find out a day or so ago, that it would not be ready until Christmas.  In the spirit of cooking with what's available at the market, I promptly visited my favorite boucher, Monsieur Vossot.  At the center of our Thanksgiving table this year will be a capon.  Our Thanksgiving will be traditional, using my favorite recipes from Edna Lewis.  Salt-brined turkey (in our case, capon), cranberries cooked in port, oven-roasted cipollini onions, and these carrots.

We have much to be thankful for this year.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Roasted potimarron soup

On a recent visit to La Ferme de la Ruchotte, I enjoyed a velvety soup made from potimarron squash. Monsieur Ménager served his soup with a poached farm egg. One word, sublime!  The soup had a delicate flavor and was the most beautiful deep-orange color.  

This year I'll be hosting the first "French family" Thanksgiving.  L's family will be arriving from the south of France to join us in the celebration.  I've ordered my heritage turkey from Monsieur Ménager  and think that this soup will be perfect for the first course.

Potimarron is a favorite in France and its flesh is not too sweet and has a delicate flavor of chestnuts. The name comes from Potiron, for pumpkin, and Marron, for chestnut.  It is a nice alternative to butternut squash and in addition to being pureed for soup, it can be roasted and served in a warm salad or pureed with carrots for an elegant side dish. It's easy to prepare, just cut it into slices and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil or brown butter.  Add a pinch or two of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper and roast in a hot oven until nicely caramelized.

 

roasted potimarron soup

adapted from Bouchon, by Thomas Keller

 

3 to 3 1/2 pounds of potimarron squash (or butternut squash)

2 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 sage sprigs

1 cup thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

1/2 cup thinly sliced onions

6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 tablespoons honey

6 cups vegetable stock (recipe follows)

Bouquet garni

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup crème fraîche

freshly grated nutmeg

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Cut the squash in half and scoop out and discard the seeds.  Note, if using Butternut squash, cut the neck off the squash and set it aside.  Brush each half inside with olive oil.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and tuck in a sprig of sage into each.  Place cut side down on the baking sheet and roast for about 1 hour, or until completely tender.

Remove the squash from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle, then scoop out and reserve the flesh.  (discard the sage)  If using butternut squash, using a paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler, peel away the skin from the neck of the squash until you reach the bright orange flesh.  Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch pieces (these will be pureed, so don't be concerned if the pieces are irrigularly shapped).  (You should have approximately 4 cups of diced squash.)

Put a drizzle of olive oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat, add the leeks, carrots, shallots, and onions, and cook, stirring often, for about 6 minutes.  Add the diced butternut squash if using, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and cook gently for 3 minutes, reducing the heat as necessary to keep the garlic and the squash from coloring.  Stir in the honey and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the vegetable stock and bouquet garni, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

Add the roasted squash and simmer gently for about 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.  Remove from the heat and discard the bouquet garni.

Transfer the soup to a blender, in batches, and puree.  Be careful as the hot soup may splash out of the top of the blender.  Strain the soup through a fine strainer into a bowl, tapping the side of the strainer so the soup passes through.  Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning.  Let the soup cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, ladle the soup into serving bowls.  Top each with a dollop of crème fraîche.  Grind some black pepper over the top and garnish with minced chives or sage leaves and a drizzle of brown butter.

 

for the vegetable stock

From Bouchon, by Thomas Keller

 

1/2 pounds leeks, white part only well washed and coarsely chopped (about 4 1/2 cups)

1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 pounds (about 2 large) Spanish onions, coarsely chopped (about 4 1/2 cups)

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

2 bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

About 1 large bunch Italian parsley sprigs

Cook the vegetables in the olive oil in a medium stockpot over low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, or until softened. Add the bay leaves, thyme, parsley, and enough water to cover.  Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming frequently, and cook for 45 minutes.

Prepare an ice bath.  Strain the stock through a chinois or fine-mesh sieve into a container and submerge the container in the ice bath.  Refrigerate the stock for 1 to 2 days, or freeze in several containers for longer storage.

 

Caramelized apple tart

This apple tart recipe is a classic French dessert and is the perfect ending for the autumn menu that has been featured this past month in Pia Jane Bijkerk's (blog) house kitchen.  It is not too sweet and has a little touch of vanilla.  You can serve this with chantilly cream  spiked with a little Calvados, or a spoonful of crème fraîche.  Of course, you can't go wrong with just a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.  Merci Pia for inviting The Cook's Atelier in your kitchen.

 

caramelized apple tart

serves 6 to 8

1 recipe pâte sucrée (recipe follows)

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced into even 1/8-inch slices

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

 

for the apple purée

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled cored and diced

1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line the tart pan with the pâte sucrée.  Prick the bottom with a fork and line the shell with parchment.  Fill the lined tart with dried beans or pie weights and bake for 15 minutes until the edges are set and lightly browned.  Take the tart out of the oven and carefully remove the parchment paper and dried beans.

To make the apple purée, put the diced apples, vanilla bean pod, sugar and butter in a saucepan with 3 to 4 tablespoons of water.  Cook gently, stirring often until soft, adding more water if necessary, for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Using the tip of a knife to scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean, then discard the pod. Transfer the mixture to a food mill or mash with a fork until smooth.

Heat the butter in a sauté pan and gently sauté the apple slices to coat them in the butter until just softened.

Spread the purée evenly in the partially baked tart shell.  Carefully arrange the apple slices in a neat circle around the edge.  They should be tightly overlapping but not squished together.  Depending on the size of your tart pan and the apples, you can repeat to create an inner circle or just fill in the center in a decorative pattern.  Sprinkle over a tablespoon or two of sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven until just browned and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of crème fraîche or Calvados spiked whipped cream.

 

pâte sucrée

adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, by Suzanne Goin

makes enough for 2 tarts

 

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 large egg yolks

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

a pinch of sea salt

8 ounces unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Whisk the cream and the eggs together in a small bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter.  Using your fingers, incorporate the butter until you have a course meal.  Gradually add the cream and yolks, and mix just until combined.  Be careful not to overwork the dough.  Bring the dough together with your hands to incorporate completely.  Divide the dough in half, shape into disks, and wrap one of them to freeze and use later.

If the dough is soft, put it into the refrigerator for a few minutes prior to rolling. Place it on a lightly floured work surface, and sprinkle with a little bit of flour. Roll it into a 1/4-inch-thick circle, flouring as needed. Starting at one side, roll and wrap the dough around the rolling pin to pick it up.  Unroll the dough over the 9-inch tart pan.  Gentle press the dough into the pan, being careful not to stretch it as this will cause it to shrink when baking.  To remove the excess dough, work your way around the edge pinching off the excess dough with your fingers.  Chill for 1 hour before baking.