French Fridays with Dorie Archives - Page 4 of 10 Kitchen Conundrum

Garbure From the Supermarket – French Friday’s with Dorie

March 2, 2014 by Renee

Garbure from the Supermarket is the title of this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe. While Garbure is essentially a French peasant stew made with ham, sausage and loaded with root vegetables, beans and cabbage, this hearty white bean stew is enriched with duck confit. Thankfully, there is a large “gourmet” supermarket nearby, as my local supermarket most certainly does not carry duck confit. I always find it interesting that the lowliest of dishes that was once a staple among peasantry has become gourmet fare. Of course, I can understand why- it’s satisfying and delicious! Perfect on a cold day or if you need to feed many hungry people.

Garbure originated in Gascony in southwestern France, and very closely resembles potée and pot-au-feu. You could almost imagine how each Gascon household had their own recipe, adjusting for the mix of vegetables they had harvested or the meat they had preserved.

Interestingly, the area of Gascony itself is well known for its wine and food-its home to foie gras and Armagnac brandy. It’s also known for it’s Basque influence. One of the ingredients on this recipe’s list, Piment d’Espelette, is an AOC chili pepper that is cultivated in the commune of Espelette. The pepper is harvested in late summer and can be seen hanging on balconies, sheds and house walls throughout the communes to dry out. I thought I had a photo of some of them from my Camino to share, but it turns out that of the over 5k photos, not one was of the peppers I saw hanging (at least not in the batch I looked through!). I realize now that I should have bought a jar there but I actually bought my jar of Piment d’Espelette here. Add it to the list of items I need to bring back in my suitcase next time!

This stew was just as fulfilling and appetizing as you’d expect and I am sure it will get better as the week goes on. Which is a good thing, because I have just a few bowls left over. The full recipe feeds 10!

While I cannot share this recipe, you can (and should!) buy the book and cook along with us. It’s great fun! Every Friday we make a new recipe. Looking forward to next weeks! For details and to see how others are recreating the dishes from this awesome book, check out the FFWD site.

Buy the book:

Butter and Rum Crepes…Fancy and Plain- French Fridays with Dorie

February 22, 2014 by Renee

Perhaps we can make Spring come a little sooner if we just add some brightness to our lives. It’s time to come out of hibernation. I am so over winter and ready for some lighter and brighter fare. I am craving sunshine and the fresh flavors of home grown produce, citrus fruits and fresh berries.

Butter and Rum Crepes were on the menu this week for French Fridays with Dorie. This recipe for crepe batter incorporates the zests of a lemon and an orange along with a splash of dark rum and Grand Marnier, perfectly suited for the accompanying Honey Citrus Butter Sauce that is drizzled on top of the finished crepes. For the “Plain” crepes, one would just have to sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on top but if you wanted to go all out and be “Fancy” you could make the suggested lemon curd that would be used as their filling. Of course, I felt a bit fancy and Lemon Curd had to be made.

If you could embody Spring in words, it would be daffodils and this lemon curd. Bright, refreshing and tangy sweet, this curd is the perfect filling for these crepes and there is plenty left over to use with scones or to make a tart-perhaps, Dorie’s Sable Breton Galette with Berries, even! (You’ll find the galette and the curd recipe there in Dorie’s newsletter.)

Everyone quite enjoyed these and I’d recommend them to anyone who wants to bring a little Spring to their kitchen.

While I cannot share this recipe, (Lemon Curd and Galette recipe is in the link above) you can (and should!) buy the book and cook along with us. It’s great fun! Every Friday we make a new recipe. Looking forward to next weeks! For details and to see how others are recreating the dishes from this awesome book, check out the FFWD site.

Buy the book:

Helene’s All White Salad – French Fridays with Dorie

February 14, 2014 by Renee

This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe, Helene’s All White Salad, seemed quite apropos for the whiteout we’ve been having here in the Northeast. With several feet of white snow falling, it’s quite a winter wonderland. It blends perfectly with background. Which is to say, it’s also a little on the bland side. I love salad. In many incarnations. But there was not much flavor to this salad. It’s just celery and Napa cabbage with accents of mushrooms and Granny Smith apples topped with a light Greek yogurt vinaigrette. It’s light and fresh. And it’s very “vanilla”.

Being more of a chocolate girl myself, I think the best part of this salad were the semi-tart bites of apple. After the first plate was eaten, it was determined that the dressing also needed a lot more “jazzing” up. Three cloves of crushed garlic added just the zing it needed. Now, it was much better! Plus garlic still falls into the “white” category, so I don’t think I cheated too much.

This salad might get another chance over the summer. But I really don’t want to see too much more “white” this winter. Unless it’s a mound of mashed potatoes- with gravy.

While I cannot share the actual recipe, you can (and should!) buy the book and cook along with us. It’s great fun! Every Friday we make a new recipe. Looking forward to next weeks! For details and to see how others are recreating the dishes from this awesome book, check out the FFWD site.

Buy the book: