Monthly Archives: March 2013

Gigot d’agneau à la marocaine

Just in time for Easter, here’s a recipe with a twist — a leg of lamb coated in spices that infuse the meat with a seductive Moroccan flavor. Add a little couscous on the side, and you will have an … Continue reading

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Asperges braisées

I think there’s something we can all agree on — the first taste of asparagus each year is one of the rites of spring. Not that spring has sprung in Paris quite yet, but the first green spears have just … Continue reading

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Champignons à la crème et au cerfeuil

My friend Nicole lives in the shadow of the Pompidou Art Center, right around the corner from a Paris bistro called Le Hangar. This trendy restaurant is sufficiently hidden away to retain a private feeling, even in the crowded Beaubourg … Continue reading

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Soupe de moules au safran

I never tasted mussels before arriving in Paris as a young woman. They just weren’t available far from the sea in the American Midwest, where I grew up. But even though Paris is about two hours by road from the … Continue reading

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Tarte aux poires à la crème d’amandes

Pear tart with almond cream is also known in France as tarte aux poires Bourdaloue. It takes its name from a former Paris pastry shop called Bourdaloue, named for the street on which it stood, the Rue Boudaloue in the … Continue reading

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Julienne de champignons

This dish of sliced mushrooms in a creamy, cheesy sauce is something I discovered while living in Moscow in the 1980s. In Russia, where it is known as zhulien, it is often served during intermission at theaters in little individual … Continue reading

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Entrecôte béarnaise

This is not an everyday dish because it involves a sauce, béarnaise, that requires a little time and a bit of technique. The results, however, are spectacular. Choose a tender, flavorful cut of steak. Sirloin, rib-eye, Porterhouse, club and New … Continue reading

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Poireaux sauce verte

The leek is a handsome vegetable. The ancient Egyptians grew and enjoyed it, and so did the Romans — in fact, it was reputedly Nero’s favorite vegetable. The Welsh enjoy it so much that they made it their national emblem. … Continue reading

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Pots de crème au chocolat

Can you imagine that most of the world never heard of chocolate until the Renaissance in Europe? That’s when the conquistadors brought it back to Spain, having acquired it from the Aztecs. Cortés was among the first Westerners to observe … Continue reading

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