Halibut En Papillote

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This is one of the few Easters I have ever spent away from home and, food wise, one of the most exciting.  Not only did I not have to cook for a crowd but I was served a dish that reminded me of a technique I haven't seen in years....  En papillote! 

My neighbor and friend is Swedish and, although she has been here for a number of years, she still adheres to a few European traditions such as fish on Easter Sunday instead of the traditional ham we serve here in the States.  Can you imagine halibut for eight en papillote?  Rather than make individual packets which can be a chore for eight, she overlapped the filets and cooked them in one.  I think we settled for 30 minutes and it was perfect.  So good I can't remember the rest of the menu.

En papillote was a technique popular in the fifty's and sixty's, particularly in the bastions of Haute Cuisine like the iconic Le Pavillon.  I remember my grandparents always ate there when they came to New York and if my parents were in town,  they got to tag along.  From there everyone went to El Morocco, although my grandmother always pleaded a headache much to my grandfather's delight.  Unlike her brothers, she was not much of a night clubber preferring to stay at the hotel to rest up for another day of shopping.

En papillote (French for "in parchment"), or al cartoccio in Italian, is a method of cookingin which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from folded parchment paper but other material, such as a paper bag or aluminium foil, may be used. The parcel holds in moisture to steam the food. The moisture may be from the food itself or from an added moisture source, such as water, wine, or stock.

This method is most often used to cook fish or vegetables, but lamb and poultry can also be cooked en papillote. Choice of herbs, seasonings and spices depend on the particular recipe being prepared.

The pouch should be sealed with careful folding.

Although restaurants know how much panache en papillote brings to a dish, there is an additional beauty, one appreciated by too few home cooks: it is fast and uncomplicated in its execution, once you get the knack and understand the principles that underlie the method.

When food is sealed in paper, it cooks in its own juices. It is a more flavorful approach than ordinary steaming and less restrictive than cooking in a hermetically sealed pot. There is no water beneath and no lid above. Ingredients cook quickly because they are surrounded by moist heat. As the package is heated, the air inside expands, and the flavors of the ingredients are swept into it, swirling and mingling, with no escape. The ingredients are, in a sense, cooked with flavored air and form a sauce purely of their own essence.

Yesterday when I went to Costco I found fresh halibut, much to my delight.  I couldn't wait to get home and start on my little pouches.   The end result was memorable, better than I remembered.  

Here is what I did:

You will need parchment paper to make the pouches.  Don't be a sissy, parchment is more elegant than tinfoil and it's a cinch to do the pouches.  Watch this.

Cut the fish in half so you can layer the pieces one on top of the other. Figure on 1/2 lbs per person. For this recipe I used about 3/4 lbs halibut and it was too much to finish (although I did).  The Sous Chef got a bite and she almost bit my hand off.

Take 1 lemon and slice it thin.  Also thinly slice some red and yellow peppers. A TB of minced shallots might be good too!

Lay your paper out as instructed.  Sprinkle some olive oil.  Lay a piece of the fish on the paper.  Salt and pepper. Cover it with overlapping lemon slices and a spring of tarragon.

 Lay the other half of the fish on top. Salt and pepper.  More overlapping slices of lemon and top with the peppers.

 Lay a spring of tarragon (or two) on top and sprinkle with more olive oil.  Add about 2 TB. dry Vermouth or white wine.  If you are not watching your weight you might add a tad of sliced butter.  Fold the pouch as instructed.

Cook at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Time will depend on the amount of fish you are cooking.  When you start smelling the fish it's done!

The possibilities are endless.  I am not too excited about cooking meat or poultry en papillote but fish?...it is the best.  My halibut tasted as if it had come out of the water just that afternoon!  I am going to dig into some of my old French cookbooks and get more ideas.  En papillote...here I come!  Oh, and I forgot...no pans to clean. I was truly in heaven! Thanks dear Karin.

A Red Carnation For Mother's Day

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Mother's Day is celebrated throughout the world in many ways and on many different days.  The holiday was started in Grafton, West Virginia in 1907 by Anna Jarvis  as a tribute to her mother, Ann Maria Reese Jarvis who founded The Mothers Day Work Clubs to improve health and sanitary conditions.  The clubs also treated, fed and clothed wounded soldiers during the U. S Civil War.

She grew disenchanted after the commercialization of the holiday and actively campaigned against it.  According to her New York Times obituary, Jarvis became embittered because too many people sent their mothers a printed greeting card. As she said,

A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother—and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment.

—Anna Jarvis.

She never married and had no children.

In Pre Castro Cuba we had what I thought was a  beautiful tradition.  Everyone got dressed and went to church wearing a carnation in honor of one's mother.  Red if your mother was alive,  white if she had passed away.  Better than a printed card no?

In honor of my favorite Madame Mere,  tomorrow I will be proud to wear a red carnation. 

Salmon Rilletes

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 A few of you asked for the recipe for the salmon rilletes.  It is from the famous New York restaurant Le Bernardin and can be found in Eric Rippert's cookbook On The Line which you can buy here .

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 pound skinless salmon fillet (preferably wild), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 ounces smoked salmon, cut into 1/4" pieces
• 1/2 cup (or more) mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 baguette, thinly sliced, toasted

Preparation

• Bring wine and shallot to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low; add salmon. Gently poach until salmon is barely opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Strain poaching liquid through a fine-mesh sieve; set aside shallot and discard liquid. Place salmon and shallot in a large bowl; cover and chill until completely cooled.
• Add smoked salmon, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, chives, and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to salmon and shallot. Gently mix just to combine (salmon will break up a little, but do not overmix or a paste will form). Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more mayonnaise and lemon juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Rillettes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
   
• Serve rillettes cold with toasted slices of baguette.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/09/salmon-rillettes#ixzz2SMloo2ru

A Mother's Day Menu... Navarin Printaniere

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Navarin Printanier, a most delectable lamb stew with its carrots, onions, turnips, potatoes, peas, and green beans, is presumably done in the spring when all the vegetables are young and tender. But as it can be made any time of the year, it is not a seasonal dish any more thanks to deep freezing. The written recipe is long as each detail is important if the navarin is to taste like a French masterpiece. But none of the steps is difficult and everything except the addition of the green vegetables at the very end may be made ready in the morning although I prefer to do it the day before. The stew can then be finished in 10 to 15 minutes just before dinner time.

With the stew serve hot French bread, and a red Beaujolais or Bordeaux wine, a chilled rose, or a fairly full-bodied, dry, chilled white wine such as a Macon, Hermitage, or one of the lesser Burgundies.

Navarin Printanier is one of Madame Mere's most favorite recipes.  That and anything shrimp. I have been making Julia Child's recipe for her ever since I can remember.  It is always met with a big smile.

As with all long recipes, read it through to the end before you start. I have adapted the recipe format to make it simpler for you.

Here is a menu that I think works particularly well on this occasion or for a Spring lunch.

Mother's Day Or Spring Lunch Menu

Le Bernardin Salmon Rilletes

Navarin Printanier

Savannah Sponge Cake With Berries And Madeira

or

Strawberries With A Sabayon Sauce

Other Mother's Day Menus here. here and here.

Julia Child's Navarin Printanier

For 6 people
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.


3 lbs. Lamb stew meat
2 to 4 Tb rendered fresh pork fat or cooking oil

A 10- to 12-inch skillet
A fireproof covered casserole large enough to hold the meat, and all the vegetables to come

Cut the lamb into 2-inch cubes and dry with paper towels. The meat will not brown if it is damp. Brown a few pieces at a time in hot fat or oil in the skillet. As they are browned, place them in the casserole.

1 Tb granulated sugar

Sprinkle the lamb in the casserole with sugar and toss over moderately high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the sugar has caramelized. This will give a fine amber color to the sauce.

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 Tb flour

Toss the meat with the salt and pepper, then with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle level of preheated oven for 4 to 5 minutes more. This browns the flour evenly and coats the lamb with a light crust. Remove casserole and turn oven down to 350 degrees.

 2 to 3 cups brown lamb- or beef-stock or canned beef bouillon

3/4 lb. ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped (1 cup of pulp), page 505; or 3 Tb tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/4 tsp thyme or rosemary

1 bay leaf

Pour out the fat; add 2 cups of stock or bouillon to the saute skillet. Bring to the boil and scrape up coagulated saute juices. The pour the liquid into the casserole. Bring to the simmer for a few seconds shaking and stirring to mix liquid and flour. Add the tomatoes or tomato paste and the other ingredients. Bring to the simmer for 1 minute, then add more stock if necessary; meat should be almost covered by liquid.

Put the lid on the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven; regulate heat so casserole simmers slowly and regularly for 1 hour. Then pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a bowl. Rinse out the casserole. Remove any loose bones and return the lamb to the casserole. Skim the fat off the sauce in the bowl, correct seasoning, and pour sauce back into casserole. Then add the vegetables which have been prepared as follows:

6 to 12 peeled "boiling" potatoes

6 peeled carrots

6 peeled turnips

12 to 18 peeled white onions about 1 inch in diameter

While the lamb is simmering, trim the potatoes into ovals 1 1/2 inches long, and cover with cold water until ready to use. Quarter the carrots and turnips, cut them into 1 1/2 inch lengths, and, if you have the patience, trim the edges to round them slightly. Pierce a cross in the root ends of the onions so they will cook evenly.

Press the vegetables into the casserole around and between the pieces of lamb. Baste with the sauce. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove, cover and return to the oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers slowly and steadily for about an hour longer or until the meat and vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, tilt casserole, and skim off fat. Taste sauce again, and correct seasoning.

1 cup shelled green peas

1/4 lb. or about 1 cup green beans cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 quarts boiling water

1 1/2 Tb salt

While the casserole is in the oven, drop the peas and beans into the boiling salted water and boil rapidly, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are almost tender. Immediately drain in a colander. Run cold water over them for 2 to 3 minutes to stop the cooking and to set the color. Put aside until ready to use.

(*) May be prepared ahead to this point. Set casserole aside, cover askew. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove before proceeding with recipe.

Shortly before serving, place the peas and beans in the casserole on top of the other ingredients and baste with the bubbling sauce. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until the green vegetables are tender.

Serve the navarin from its casserole or arrange it on a very hot platter.



VARIATIONS

The preceeding navarin is a model for other stews. You may, for instance, omit the green beans, peas, and potatoes, and add navy beans or lentils simmered in salt water until almost tender, or canned kidney beans, then finish them off for half an hour with the lamb.



Excerpted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck with permission from Alfred A. Knopf. All rights reserved.

Ode To A Mockingbird

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At first I wanted to kill him, now I worry when I don't hear him at night.  He sings his heart out, under my window every night, all night.  At first he kept me up,  now I sleep like a baby knowing he is somewhere around.  He sings at night, all day long and even in the rain...and all this in his quest for a mate.   Now that I know why he sings it breaks my heart.

There are nights when he sounds like Pavarotti AND Friends with the New York Symphony and Zubin Mehta at the helm.  He came into my kitchen one day, a balmy April afternoon when the sky was clear and the breeze was blowing into the house from the back door I had left opened while I made lunch. That is when I fell in love.  Now I worry if I don't hear him.  Is he still around, did he find a mate, will he have babies? shudder (!).  Pavarotti and friends... what a nightmare!

Of course I'm talking about a mockingbird. THE Northern Mockingbird to be exact.   Being a city girl,  at first I thought he was a nightingale.  After all it sang at night, all night.  But those do not habitate North America.  Oh the things one learns when one does not live in a condo!

The Northern Mockingbird, the most well known representative of this family above the equator, is known scientifically as Mimus polyglottos, which comes from the Greek “mimus” to mimic, and “ployglottos” for many-tongued. The song of the mockingbird is actually a medley of the calls of many other birds. Each imitation is repeated two or three times before another song is initiated. A given bird may have 30, 40 or even 200 songs in its repertoire, including other bird songs, insect and amphibian sounds, and even the occasional mechanical noise.

Part of the mockingbird’s advantage over other avians is physical; it uses more of the muscles in its vocal organ, the syrinx, than most other passerines do, many more than non-passerines like raptors or waterfowl. But the mockingbird also has a mind for music. It’s been theorized that this species has more brain matter devoted to song memory than most other birds do. Why does the mockingbird sing? The vocal mimicry trait seems to indicate that lyrical flow is an especially potent aphrodisiac in mockingbird circles, although some lonely males warble and whine the whole night through when unable to find a mate. 

Well!  Now we know.  At first,  I seriously considered finding a way to shut him up.  Seriously, when one can't sleep at 3 o'clock in the morning for more than a week the mind works in strange ways. The next morning the thought process changed to a quest for a mate.  Just where did  one find a female mockingbird?  A pet shop? Mail order bride?  Amazon! they have everything! Seriously, deprived of sleep a person's thought process can go bonkers.

And then one day I heard a commotion down below and the Sous Chef going nuts.  A flutter, wings flapping against the walls of the great room and there he was.  I just knew it was HIM,  my tormentor.  But then I saw him so helpless, so frightened and soooo small I couldn't believe such a little thing could have so much firepower.  Finally after a couple of attempts and a little push from the Sous Chef and me, off he went into the wild blue yonder to sing for yet another day...and night.

See him in the orchid?

Let' s face it, neither one of us was ready for this

Get me outta here!!!

Sitting on my daughter's experiment for growing (?) and obviously not working 

Poor thing, this photo broke my heart!

When the big rains came a couple of days ago,  I could still hear him singing in the middle of the downpours.  I haven't heard him today...perhaps and hopefully he is on an extended honeymoon!

Here is a cool site for more info and stories about mockingbirds!

And here is a concert .  I know, beautiful, but not at 3:00 am!

An Embarrassment Of Riches And An Asparagus Souffle

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I have been on a mission all week to get everything planted before Summer arrives.  That's the way it goes with me...rush, rush, rush.  Everything done at once and then I collapse.

The yard is a nightmare.  Just the spring cleanup is a full time job and the yard crew we had last year  is nowhere to be found this Spring. No matter how much you do (and spend) there is always more that needs to be done.  I thought I would spend my years of retirement in a nice condo like the one I had in Key Biscayne...on the penthouse with a view of the ocean and no grass in sight. Instead I spend my days worrying about the grass, the never ending weeds that grow better than anything I ever plant and the pruning.  Of course I have to insist in doing the latter by hand, the old fashioned way, and I keep forgetting that I am not as young as I used to be, although my chest is pretty perky these days. Oh God, you sure have a funny way of kicking me in the rear sometimes!

and rewarding me on the other side....

In the meantime, the southern azaleas are putting on quite a display this year,  I've been rewarded after all the loving care and pruning I did last year.   A few bags of fertilizer didn't hurt...organic, of course. We are expecting rain tomorrow, lots of it.  Everyone was out at the nursery buying plants to put on the ground before it arrives. I have 80% of what I bought in the ground and most of the fertilizing that needs to get done by this time of the year.  My daughter is sick with a cold so not much help from that end but she did help getting the stuff on the ground last weekend...her Mother's Day present (or so she thinks!) Her big project is the vegetable garden and at least the heirloom tomatoes and peppers went in today.

There is lots of stuff coming out already but my biggest surprise is saved for the next post.  My friends from  the Atlanta Hydrangea Society are going to be pea green with envy...who would have thought!

 The hydrangeas with those *$%# weeds all around them.  And it's not even May.  I discovered Roundup last year and in my enthusiasm killed half the plants in the front.  Now I keep it hidden from my daughter in the trunk of the car.  It was Madame Mere's suggestion, the trunk not the Roundup.

 The fence is the barrier between "them" and us...them being the deer that come everyday around nightfall.  They laugh at the barking of the dogs and go on about their business, whatever it is.  Sometimes there is a couple, sometimes a whole herd.  They are fun to watch as long as they keep on their side of the fence.  I've never seen the brook, or stepped outside the gate. I'm terrified of the snakes.  They are mean here in the South, copperheads and others I don't care to find out. It's a different world on that side of the fence!

Sandra Jonas my dear friend and noted landscape designer gave me this hydrangea when she came for lunch last Fall.  The name escapes me but it's one I liked on the tour with lacey little caps for blooms.

This is my work in process...the rhododendrum which didn't bloom last year but hopefully will after all the love and care I've given it.

And this is my pride and joy...the Night Blooming Jasmin or cestrum nocturnum which EVERYBODY told me wouldn't come back, even the books! No way...we shall see (look closely)

And guess what else came back...the lemon balm, the curly parsley and the lemon verbena.  Now that was a surprise!  Make sure you plant some of the balm this year if you haven't before.  Great for cooking, especially for pastas.

This is turning into God's Little Acre!

 

And finally the front.  The ferns did not survive the winter, as EVERYONE told me they wouldn't but they sure put up a good fight.  They made it through Christmas much to my chagrin as I wanted to put something else in the urns.  This year no impatients, except for the New Guineas which are rapidly becoming a favorite.

 

 

Mother tells me regular impatients have all disappeared from the gardens in Miami.  Sandra told me about the disease last year and she was right...as usual.

The crew on a break

By the way, those Merrell shoes you see are the best gardening shoes I've ever had.  They are rubber and wash beautifully.  Got them at TJ Maxx on sale!

Oh I did say something about a souffle.  Yes I made one this weekend as an alternative for Mac And Cheese.  Those who read the last post will know exactly what I'm talking about!

Asparagus Souffle

The recipe is really for two and was made in two 5 inch souffle dishes, buttered and coated with grated Gruyere cheese.

Oven Temperature 350 degrees for 25 minutes

Cut the ends of 1/2 lbs of asparagus and steam.  Process them in a food processor.  You should have about 1/2 cup of the puree.

 Make a cup of bechamel with 2 TB. butter, 2TB flour and 1 cup of milk.  Melt the butter, add the flour cook for a minute and add 1 cup of hot whole milk.  Cook until it almost comes to a boil.  The sauce will be nice and thick.

Add the asparagus puree to the sauce and some grated Gruyere cheese if you wish, salt and pepper. 

Separate 3 eggs and add the yolks to the bechamel sauce. Mix well.

 Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks.  Make sure you beat well or souffle won't rise.  With a wooden spoon take some of the whites and incorporate into the sauce and then fold the rest carefully so as not to deflate.  Don't do this too much, it's okay if you have some patches of white "clouds".  

Fill the two souffle molds leaving about 1/2 inch at the top. I inserted a finger in one and went around the rim.  I didn't do it with the second and it really didn't make a difference.  Place in the preheated oven.

Pour yourself a glass of rose and mix a simple green salad.  By the time you are finished, your souffle will be done.

And that, dear readers, was all I accomplished this weekend!

As I am finishing this post it has started to rain...hard.  The garden will be happy.

Product Review...Barefoot Contessa's Frozen Meals

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 When my daughter is away on a business trip I take the opportunity to either cook something I love that she doesn't like, defrost something I have saved, or buy a frozen food dinner.  Yes dear readers, people like me sometimes want a break from the pots and pans! My favorites in the latter category are Stouffer's Macaroni And Cheese, and P. F Chang' s frozen meals particularly their General Chang's Chicken and their spring rolls. They are as close as you are ever going to get to Chinese takeout.

Last week, just as I was reaching out for a bag,  I noticed the new Barefoot Contessa line of frozen meals.  Eureka! something new to try out.  I must say the choices were not too inspiring, particularly at $8.99 a bag which serves two. Among the meals available were Barefoot Contessa Penne Pasta with 5 Cheeses, Sesame Chicken & Noodles, Beef Stew Bourguignon, Tequila Lime Chicken, Shrimp Scampi & Linguine, Creamy Chicken Stew, Pasta Carbonara with Pancetta, Garlic Ginger Chicken, and Jambalaya.   Ok,  no problem, I can do this. Since I had been salivating for Chinese the choice was easy...Sesame Chicken and Noodles, how easy was that?!
.

 I arrived home all excited, poured myself a hefty vodka on the rocks took out the wok and in no time dinner was cooking on the stove.  This is how it comes out of the bag. Pretty..so far so good!

I remembered I still had some  Wonton Strip's from Archer Farms at Target which I keep in the pantry for my Chinese Chicken Salad .

The meal comes together in no time and at first glance it looks quite good!

Ready to rock and roll, Mad Men on the screen and I am salivating...!!!

Won ton strips for a personal touch!

And I take a bite,then another and yet another.  I want to like this, seeing Ina is not only my hero but everyone's favorite chef. Every single recipe of hers that I have ever made has been a keeper and she has never let me down.  She is so nice and so reliable and so is Jeffrey.  They deserve a larger apartment in Paris and a bigger house in East Hampton.   Truly they do.

Needless to say I was thoroughly disappointed.  The whole thing was bland and dull, the chicken pieces although quite plentiful, tasted rubbery.  I ended up eating half of what was on my plate and throwing out the rest.  Maybe my expectations were too high but then again it is Ina.  She never disappoints. I am sure I could have rescued it by adding soy sauce or something else.  But not for $8.99 a bag.  Maybe some of the other choices are better but my first impression left such a bad taste I don't think I care to try again.  If I am going to eat frozen food it better be good and as far as I am concerned, there are other brands out there that deliver a better product, even for frozen food.  Sorry Ina, though I still love you!




I was not asked to review this product.  The opinions on this post are my own and are based solely on my purchase of one frozen bag of Barefoot Contessa's Sesame Chicken & Noodles

Top photo Google the rest Lindaraxa