Kitchen Conundrum

  • Home
  • About
  • Eat
    • Appetizers
    • Bread
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Fish
    • Meats
    • Pasta
    • Poultry
    • Side Dishes
    • Sauces, Dressings and Condiments
    • Soup and Stews
    • Vegetables
  • Drink
    • Beer
    • Cocktails
    • Wine
  • Recipe Index
  • Travel
    • NYC/Metro
    • Cambodia
    • England
    • France
    • Greece
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Vietnam
  • Kitchen Sink
    • Classes
    • Contests
    • Cookbooks
    • Cook The Book Fridays- My Paris Kitchen
    • French Fridays with Dorie
    • Kitchen Gear & Gadgets

Tomatoes Provencal, Guacamole and Skate with Capers, Cornichons and Brown Butter Sauce – FFWD

July 7, 2014 by Renee

This week, I am catching up with my French Fridays with Dorie posts. There were three recipes in all to recreate- Skate with Capers, Cornichons and Brown Butter Sauce, Guacamole with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers and Tomatoes Provencal.

I was almost on time with the skate recipe- it was made just a day late-on that Saturday morning- then it was eaten for breakfast because that’s what happens when you are trying to get several posts completed at once. The cooking, photos taken and edited, and the writing just wound up being too much to get done in those last few weeks of ‘end of school’, graduations and ‘off to camp’ preparations.

The “breakfast” Skate with capers, cornichons and brown butter sauce was reminiscent of Ari’s FCI day’s when he was learning to prepare Classic French dishes, cooking a similar dish for the school’s restaurant, L’ecole, sans the cornichons. Even with the addition of these mini sour French pickles, it was just as delicious now as it was way back then.

The fish’s delicate, sweet, white meat is perfectly suited to the brown butter sauce and zingy capers. It’s one of my favorite ways to dress a light fish. You can also add a few toasted almonds into the butter and make it amandine as well. It’s a great summer dish and if you eat it at the right time of day- any time after breakfast, say, then you could pair it with a nice glass of wine- a white Bordeaux or a Juracon Sec.

Kitchen Conundrum-1

This week we had a BBQ with neighbors and made both the Guacamole with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers and the Tomatoes Provencal.

Well, guacamole is a really a non-recipe. It’s avocado, tomatoes, garlic, bell peppers, onion and cilantro mashed together with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime. It’s never the same twice (unless you actually measure the ingredients) and we always add or leave out different things. It just depends on what’s on hand. Also, since we eat multiple avocados in our house weekly, guacamole is something that we make as a condiment really. It’s great on toast for breakfast, in tacos and burritos, on top of baked potatoes and of course with a bowl of tortilla chips. You may even find us just eating slices of the fruit just because. Love avocados.

Kitchen Conundrum-5

The Tomatoes Provencal was a bit of a disappointment for me. They tasted okay, and everyone else liked them. But for me they were not what I expected. The mixed garlic and herb topping was very tasty, especially with a healthy grating of gruyere and a large drizzle of olive oil I brought back from Puglia, but the tomatoes were not as sweet as I would have liked. I used larger tomatoes when I should have used plum, and I would have preferred slow roasting them to condense the flavors. These tomatoes reminded me of the ones you are served in England at breakfast. I like them at breakfast, but these were just not what I expected. Perhaps they are meant to be this way.

Ah well, next time I make a Full English Breakfast, I’ll add these.

Kitchen Conundrum-4

This week’s recipe is Shrimp Filled Zucchini Blossoms – but since I don’t really like shrimp- stay tuned for an alternative Zucchini Blossom recipe- pending my garden’s cooperation of course!

For details on creating these recipes, check out the FFWD site and see others who are also cooking the book-

You can also buy the book here:

greenspan

frenchfridayswithdorie16

Filed Under: Eat, Kitchen Sink, Fish, French Fridays with Dorie Tagged With: Avocado, FFWD, Fish, French Friday with Dorie, Guacamole, Skate, Tomatoes

Crab-Avocado “Ravioli” – French Fridays with Dorie

June 16, 2014 by Renee

I’ve been following along with French Fridays with Dorie for the past month, but even with ingredients purchased and several of the recipes made, I have just not had the time to post them!

I’ve been spending most of my entire weekends in the garden, first digging up everything and then replanting and this week, the dreaded task of weeding. I think by Fall I should have the garden and lawn looking just right- just in time for the snow to reappear! So as I am short on indoor time,  I am glad this week’s recipe for French Fridays with Dorie was a very simple crab salad with avocado.

I have a confession- I used imitation crab. I know, the horror! Well, it actually does have some crab in it, so I guess it’s not totally fake.  I bought a large bag and made “crab” cakes with it as well.

This recipe came at the perfect time. Last weekend, I was away at Eat, Write, Retreat – a blog conference- in Philadelphia (another post about that soon). One of the sponsors was California Avocado and I came home with a bag of one of my favorite “fruits”.  After an avocado inspired menu at the Philly restaurant, Supper, I’ve been enjoying avocado toast and guacamole all week long here at home.  So with one of the last three I have, I made this so called “ravioli” which is really more like a sandwich as there is no pasta involved.

I just happened to also bring home an OXO Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer. I’ve been wanting an OXO Mandoline for ages. I have the big metal Bron version, but it is a pain to clean and it simply terrifies me as we don’t have a guard for it.  As soon as it’s on the counter, my reflex is to  pull my fingers into a tight fist. With the OXO slicer, there is a guard and I can tell you it’s so simple to use (I’ve used it every day this week!). I think it’s life changing, really!  It also did the trick with this dish. The avocado sliced very thin and was the perfect vehicle for the crab salad.

Crab Avocado -ravioli--2

Made with shallots, fresh lime, cilantro and fleur de sel and pepper, this light crab salad was very refreshing and would be a perfect small appetizer or passed hors d’oeuvres.  I suppose if you wanted more crab salad, you could also serve a larger portion with slices of avocado on the side.

One ingredient that I swapped out was the walnut oil the recipe called for. I just used EVOO and don’t think I missed any nutty complex that the walnut oil would have given.

Overall, this recipe was a success but unless I am having guests, I don’t think it will make it into the repertoire of dishes I make frequently.

For details on creating these recipes, check out the FFWD site and see others who are also cooking the book-

You can also buy the book here:

greenspan

frenchfridayswithdorie16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Eat, Kitchen Sink, Appetizers, French Fridays with Dorie Tagged With: Avocado, Crab, FFWD, French Fridays with Dorie

Categories

Archives

kitchconundrum

Patatas Bravas. There’s really nothing better. S Patatas Bravas. There’s really nothing better. Spicy, smoked paprika on roasted potatoes with tomatoes and créma. Dreaming of Spain. #sogood #comfortfood #eatthemall #potaotes #patatasbravas #spain #camino #caminodesantiago
Chocolate Babka! It’s a two day process but so w Chocolate Babka! It’s a two day process but so worth it. So good! 
•
•
•
#babka #chocolate #baking #chocolatebabka
Tonight we didn’t order in. We had homemade eggr Tonight we didn’t order in. We had homemade eggrolls and chicken fried rice along with some store bought dumplings. #sogood #chinesefood #fridaynight #tradition
Chicken Parm… a nice family dinner. Can’t beat Chicken Parm… a nice family dinner. Can’t beat comfort food! #dinner #family #familystyle
Totally forgot to post the cut of my soap here. It Totally forgot to post the cut of my soap here. Its been very busy and I’m like a whirling dervish in all different directions. On the food front we made some favorites-Chicken Marbella that sustained us for a week and also a Corned Beef and Cabbage dish because it is March after all. But it was good to have the comfort foods we love and old standards as they provide the most contentment when it’s chaos everywhere else. Regular work and then some wholesale orders and getting the line poured for our Spring/Summer scents. And helping others with a few website issues. And kids. Thankfully, it seems to all be under control now and I’m really happy to be busy. All good things! 

The Eucalyptus Mint cut (smells amazing!) turned out so nice. Very happy with it. Had a request for a classic Cucumber Melon soap. Also a lovely fresh and clean spring/ summer scent. Available soon. But the Spring/Summer line of candles are done and are now available! Yay! 
•
•
•
#cpsoap #cooking #smallbusiness #candlemaking #candles #soap #busy #happy
Still cooking. This week I made the amazing stuffe Still cooking. This week I made the amazing stuffed vegetables from Aglaia Kremezi and they were so delicious. But I didn’t take any photos. I did, however, take video of my latest soap pour. White eucalyptus and mint. Smells amazing! Can’t wait to see how the cut turns out. It was a bit thicker trace than I expected. 
•
•
•
#coldprocesssoap #soap #soapmaking #ecualyptus #mint #stillinthekitchen #somethingdifferent
It’s been a week! Time to relax a little. Braise It’s been a week! Time to relax a little. Braised short ribs and polenta. Dinner is served! 
•
•
•
#weekend #weekendvibes #cooking #dinner #shortribs #polenta
Breakfast buddies. I love when he crunches toast. Breakfast buddies. I love when he crunches toast. #sharing #labradoodle #lovemydog #notofficiallyonthebed
It’s been ages since I’ve posted here. Well, a It’s been ages since I’ve posted here. Well, a month, lol. Thats a while! We made it through the holidays and we are into the new year. And while we are still cooking a lot, most of my big concoctions lately have been outside the kitchen and in the soap/candle studio. Here I am mixing scents, clays and mica colorants. Lots of new products coming to @lesilobleu soon. 
•
•
•
#candlemaking #soapmaking #coldprocesssoap #giftideas #smallbusiness
Traditional Sunday Roast with Yorkshire Puddings a Traditional Sunday Roast with Yorkshire Puddings and roasties. Even though it wasn’t Sunday. A favorite. 
•
•
•
#sundayroast #beef #potatoes #yorkshirepudding #dinner #yum
Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and very Merry Ch Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and very Merry Christmas! From all of us to all of you!
A little confiture with our biscuits this morning. A little confiture with our biscuits this morning. Fun flavors with pretty packaging. It’s a bit too sweet for me but I do like the pretty presentation. 
•
•
•
#jam #preserves #confiture #confitureparisienne #framboise #macaron #biscuits
Chicken Piccata for dinner. Love, love, love the l Chicken Piccata for dinner. Love, love, love the lemony white wine and caper sauce. A favorite! #dinner #chicken #lemon #yum
Fried chicken and waffles for dinner. With a maple Fried chicken and waffles for dinner. With a maple sriracha syrup. #dinner #eat #friedchicken #waffle #chickenandwaffles #yum
Leftovers! The best thing for lunch the next day- Leftovers!  The best thing for lunch the next day- Thanksgiving dinner on a roll. #thanksgiving #leftovers #thanksgivingdinneronaroll #yum #thebest
We are full of food and love today! So grateful fo We are full of food and love today! So grateful for the family around our table. #love #gratitude #thanksgiving #family
Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are so grateful for each and every one of you! However you spend your day, may it be filled with love and deliciousness! 
•
•
•
#thanksgiving #gratitude #love #friends #family #delish
So many blooms from our roses … still!!! It’s So many blooms from our roses … still!!! It’s November! I’m capturing them and will dry the petals for soap and bath salts. #roses #latebloomer #davidaustinroses #loveroses
Load More... Follow on Instagram

© Copyright 2017 Kitchen Conundrum · Privacy Policy & Disclosures · All Rights Reserved ·