Author Archives: Meg

Légumes d’hiver rôtis

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Meg

The succulent aroma of roasting root vegetables is so enticing that it may have you wanting to take them out of the oven too soon. But the key to this recipe is a long roasting process that leaves the veggies … Continue reading →

Posted in 8. Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Brandade de morue

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Meg

How to reconcile brandade de morue, one of my favorite winter dishes, with the modern era? A sublimely satisfying purée of salt cod, garlic, olive oil, and milk or cream, with or without potatoes, it has traditionally involved 24-36 hours … Continue reading →

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Rôti de boeuf

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Meg

The French roast their beef astoundingly quickly. The first time I bought a roast in Paris — where it’s customary to ask the butcher about the cooking time — I nearly fell over when he said to preheat the oven … Continue reading →

Posted in 7. Meat Dishes | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Crevettes mayonnaise

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Meg

I first enjoyed a significant French seafood platter in a small seaside town in Normandy during a romantic weekend. The three-tiered tray came to our table brimming with oysters, clams, sea snails, shrimp and a crab set on ice, accompanied … Continue reading →

Posted in 1. Starters | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Potée auvergnate

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Meg

Now that the festivities are behind us, it’s time to get back to simple everyday food. Like this hearty dish from the Auvergne region of central France. Known as potée — literally, a potful — it combines winter vegetables with … Continue reading →

Posted in 2. Soups | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Blini

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Meg

When I first moved to Russia in June 1986, black caviar was not only plentiful and cheap, but also — less than two months after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster — seemed (to me) to be one of the safest foods … Continue reading →

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Confit de canard

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Meg

Confit de canard — preserved duck — hails from southwest France and is widely served throughout the country, although it is rarely seen elsewhere. The duck is preserved first in salt and then in fat, usually on the farm where … Continue reading →

Posted in 6. Poultry | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Céleri-rave aux noix sur lit de feuilles

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Meg

Celeriac, although seen infrequently elsewhere, has long been a staple of French cuisine. When I first arrived in Paris, it appeared most regularly on the mixed veggie plate called assiette de crudités, grated and bathed in a mustardy remoulade sauce. … Continue reading →

Posted in 8. Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mendiants

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Meg

Sometimes words beggar translation. I can remember, as a student of French, being taught that gourmet meant someone with a discriminating palate, but gourmand meant a glutton. So you can imagine my confusion when, aged 25, out to dinner in … Continue reading →

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Risotto aux morilles

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Meg

The morel — morille in French — is a springtime mushroom, but that doesn’t mean we need to wait until spring to enjoy it. Dried morels work wonderfully with any number of dishes, for example this risotto, in which they … Continue reading →

Posted in 9. Pasta, Rice, Grains | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments