Ever since I’ve been a food writer (for several decades now), I’ve kept a file of recipes that serve as inspiration for my own creations. The folder is filled with newspaper and magazine clippings, and with hand-written or copied recipes friends have shared.
Several weeks ago I spotted a recipe in this cache for a gratin of red onions. Cooked slowly in the oven with garlic, thyme, and white wine, they were then covered with crème fraîche and cheese. The concept of this dish became the starting point for the roasted red onion tart featured here. Continue reading
But even more of a challenge is what to cook. I try to plan hearty dishes for chilly nights, but look for something less filling for those miraculously balmy days. One dish I have served throughout the winter–whatever the weather–is a vibrantly scented thick tomato soup topped with dollops of airy mascarpone whipped cream.
Years ago when I was a college student studying in Europe, I tasted Wiener Schnitzel for the first time in Vienna, the city whose name is part of the title of this Austrian favorite. . Fried in butter until crisp and golden, then served with a lemon wedge, these thinly sliced breaded veal cutlets seemed to melt in my mouth. For years I made this dish with veal, but then discovered that chicken works equally well. I added some contemporary touches to this new version by including smoked paprika along with the usual salt and pepper seasonings, replacing traditional bread crumbs with panko (coarse Japanese bread crumbs), and opting for canola oil instead of butter for frying. Continue reading
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| Harriet, Ron, Tina, Philippe, and moi at the Paris table |
Sola 12, rue de l’Hotel Colbert, Paris V, 33-1-43-29-59-04, Metro: Maubert Mutualité
Not one, but two friends who live in Paris suggested that I try Sola, a new restaurant in Paris’ fifth arrondissement, so I quickly made a lunch reservation. Located near the Seine on the Left Bank, only a stone’s throw from Notre Dame, the restaurant is housed in a 17th-century building, and features the exquisite food of Hiroki Yoshitake, a Japanese chef, who trained at the 3-star Astrance. There are two dining rooms—La Salle Française on the main floor with its striking beamed ceilings, and Les Salons Japonais below in the vaulted cave with its stone walls and Japanese-style tables and benches. (In the latter, you remove your shoes before dining.) Continue reading
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| Smothered Pork Chop, Mushrooms, and Onions with Sides |
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| My Southern table |
All of this is a lead in as to why we hosted a Southern dinner last weekend. One of my spouse’s new friends is a recently arrived administrator at Amherst College where he teaches.
When we discovered that Biddy had been raised south of the Mason-Dixon line, we had an excuse to serve some of our childhood favorites in this small New England town.
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Growing up in the South, I remember that sweet potatoes were practically a staple at our family table. However, I didn’t keep up the tradition of serving this bold-hued, extra nutritious vegetable in my own kitchen. That is until I discovered Alexia Sweet Potato Julienne Fries. My local Whole Foods stocks them in the frozen food section. On a whim one day, I picked up a package and discovered how Continue reading
For Valentine, why not try these scrumptious chocolate caramel bars composed of three sublime layers- a buttery crust, a caramel center, and a dark chocolate coating! They can be prepared 2 days ahead so there’s no last minute work, and the recipe, which yields 16 bars, can be doubled or tripled depending on your needs. Continue reading
