Kitchen Conundrum

Le Camion Qui Fume- Paris’ First and Only Gourmet Food Truck

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OChateau-51-33If ever there was a time to break into the food truck business in Paris, now would be that time. It’s an uptapped market. (Can someone say Empanadas?) There is currently only one gourmet food truck, Le Camion Qui Fume, owned by Kristin Frederick, a former Californian, serving up hamburgers and French fries to those who wait hours in lines with hundreds of starving people on a daily basis. Moving around Paris and keeping fans up to date via Twitter and their website, they have amassed an incredible following and reputation.

I had carefully planned to be at their “location of the day” when they began by checking their site earlier in the week. I had heard that if you didn’t get there early you would have to wait a long time. Well, they started taking orders at 11 and the line was already down the block! Apparently, “early” means, like camping out for rock concerts.

And so I waited. And waited.  And waited. It was well over an hour before I was actually able to place my order with their order taker. I chose the Classic Burger and Frites, not wanting to add more time to the process by ordering the fancier, and certainly mouthwatering sounding, “Campaene”, with Gruyere, mushrooms and onions, or the “Bleu” with it’s blue cheese and caramelized onions.  Keep it simple. It will be faster.  I handed over my 10 euros and received my paper receipt with my number-39.

Well, 39 may have well been 390.  I could have ordered whatever I wanted and the time wouldn’t have mattered.

The wind was blowing freezing cold air, and toes were frozen, but no one cared. We all just stood around and waited patiently for our number to be called. We were watching their every move, burgers on the grill, buttering the rolls to be toasted, piles of mushrooms and onions being loaded, cheese being melted, wondering if that was our order they were creating. We were mesmerized by all the cooking that was happening.

As happens when in a situations together, people began chatting with one another while waiting in line. The young man on his lunch hour (sorry- it’s going to be a three hour lunch today!)  a film crew, there to film the them in action, and other food writers and tourists from around the globe.  Everyone chatting and snapping photos of the flurry of activity that was occurring in such a small space. It was great fun.

And when, after an hour went by, we began cheering as each number was called and the customer was served up their steaming, hot burger and fries. Clearly, we were weak and giddy with hunger.

Finally, when they could take no more orders, and they had counted out the very last amount of remaining uncooked burgers, saving one, just in case of a horrid accident- losing a burger to the floor, as sometimes happens, they counted heads in line and cut it all off.  That was all they could do, much to the chagrin of the crowds behind that last lucky patron.

My ticket ended up being one of the very last tickets. The very last orders of five tickets remained on the counter. And mine, it, was the third. When they called trente-neuf, I felt as though I had won the lottery! MY BURGER AND FRIES HAVE ARRIVED!

It was massive! A huge burger, larger than my hands could hold well, and yet, I devoured it.  Each juicy bite was filled with cheese, mayonnaise, onions, tomato, lettuce and pickles.  All of this sitting on a thick, buttery, perfectly toasted roll.  My only disappointment was that it was cooked a little too bleu (rare) for my liking, the very center nearly raw. But no matter, the mayo and the cheese, coupled with my starvation, hid that fact and every last bite was consumed.

The shoestring French fries were salted, crisp and hot. They didn’t even need the packet of ketchup I put alongside. Flawlessly, fabulous frites!  I could have eaten two orders had I not devoured my burger. The onion rings looked amazing as well and next time I go back, I will have those for certain. Along with a more “gourmand” burger. But I will be sure to show up a few hours earlier than their official “open” and maybe not have to wait quite as long. But if I do, it’s worth the wait.

Follow on Twitter – @LeCamionQuiFume

And check their website for locations and other news.

Serve Up a Big Plate of Comfort- BBQ Beef Brisket

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BBQ BrisketStews, soups and one pot meals are the epitome of comfort foods, along with mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. But sometimes, you just need a nice slice of meat on a plate and BBQ Beef Brisket is a simple and delicious, comforting food.

The best part about this recipe is that it’s so incredibly easy, and yet, it’s a crowd pleaser every time. You basically put it in the oven and two- three hours later (depending on the size) it emerges tender and incredibly flavorful.

You can make your own BBQ sauce or you can just pour a bottle of one that you happen to have in your fridge or pantry over the meat. On a weeknight, don’t bother fussing so much.  Any bottled flavor will do, but Hickory Smoked and Original Recipe BBQ Sauces are my favorites. When you have more time, you can make your own sauce.

 

BBQ Beef Brisket

Ingredients

1 3-4lb Beef Brisket

1 c. BBQ sauce (recipe follows)

¼ c. water

1 onion, sliced thin

Salt & Pepper

Method

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F.

Season both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper being generous.

Add the onion to the bottom of a large roasting pan.

Place the brisket on top of the onions and pour the BBQ sauce and water over the meat.

Loosely cover with foil and place in the oven to bake for 2-3 or until fork tender. If you see that it is drying out too much, add more water and BBQ sauce. About half way through the cooking, flip the meat over so both sides absorb the liquid and the edges don’t become too charred.

Remove meat from oven and rest on a cutting board for five minutes before slicing very thin.

Enjoy with your favorite side. The meat also makes incredible sandwiches for days to come- with cole slaw and a pickle on the side!

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbs chili powder
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

2 c. ketchup
½ c. mustard
½ c. cider vinegar
1/3 c. Worcestershire Sauce
¼ c. lemon juice
¼ c. molasses
¼ c honey
1 c. brown sugar (preferably dark)

3 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced

Method

In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, black pepper, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, lemon juice, molasses, honey, and brown sugar. Blend until mixed thoroughly.

Over medium high heat, warm the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute or so.

Add the chili powder mix and the wet ingredients. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid off to thicken it a bit.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more of anything you prefer a little at a time. Some prefer a sweeter sauce, so add more honey and brown sugar. Some prefer more vinegary, so add a touch more. For more spice you can add hot sauce and more chili powder.

Not only is this a very good standard BBQ sauce for brisket, but it’s great on chicken too. You can keep a bottle in the fridge for a week or two.

 

 

100th Post- Comfort and Beef Stew

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When I sat down to write today I realized that this is our 100th post! Wow, has the time flown. And while this blog is still a work in progress, it has come rather far from it’s humble beginnings! I am rather proud of what we have accomplished so far, but it still has a long way to go in my opinion. But, ever slowly, it will evolve and become everything we desire it to be in good time. Meanwhile, I do hope that you will stick around and share some of our favorite eats, drinks and antics with us. Because there will be many!

As you may or may not know, this has not been the most healthful year for me. The year started off with the cancer scare, then the kidney issues and a few surgeries, then endless colds and most recently, pneumonia, which was by far the sickest I have ever been. It wiped me out for nearly four weeks. I am better now, but still tire very easily, which, with a four year old running around, doesn’t make for very good days overall. There has been far too much time spent unproductively lying in bed.

The one good thing about lying in bed though is all the wonderful comfort foods I have enjoyed this past month. Homemade chicken soup; not only does it nourish the body, but it soothes the soul as well. Don’t forget the matzoh balls the size of baseballs! Dense, slightly salty and oh so filling.   There has been chicken and dumplings, made the way my aunt makes them, rolling out the dumplings and filled with large pieces of chicken and carrots. It’s truly heaven in a bowl. My favorite meatloaf, chock full of veggies and mashed potatoes with homemade gravy. It’s been really a month of comfort and good eats.

While Ari made several of the items, I have been feeling up to cooking this week and tonight the comfort food of choice is Beef Stew. A sort of cross between Beef Bourguignon and a traditional stew, it’s perfectly filling and only gets better with a day or two in the fridge. Serve with a big piece of crusty bread and a glass of hearty red. Start a fire in the fireplace and curl up with a blanket and a tray on your lap. It’ll be a great evening.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds chuck beef or stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch
cubes

1 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. thyme

3 tbs.  olive oil

1 (750-ml bottle) good red wine, Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
(or a mix of open bottles)

3 whole garlic cloves, smashed

2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

2 cups or chicken or beef stock or 1 cup stock and 1 cup
water

3 bay leaves

2 tbs. tomato paste

2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch circles

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch
chunks

1 pound small potatoes, quartered

1 large branch fresh rosemary

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas

 

Method

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, cloves, paprika and thyme
in a small bowl. In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and
then shake off the excess. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven and
brown the beef over medium high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown
evenly.  Remove the meat to a plate and
add the red wine to the pot scraping up the brown bits. Add the garlic and Worcestershire
sauce and cook for 2 minutes before returning the meat and it’s juices to the
Dutch oven.

Add the stock, bay leaves and the tomato paste dissolving it
amongst the liquid. Let cook for one hour over medium heat, simmering but being
sure not to boil the liquid as it will reduce too quickly.

After an hour, add the onions, carrots, potatoes and
rosemary to the Dutch oven. Simmer over medium heat for another hour and a half
or until the meat is fork tender and the potatoes can be pierced easily.

Right before serving, stir in the frozen peas, season to
taste, and serve hot with crusty bread.

Options

As with any recipe, it’s up to you and your tastes to add
whatever ingredients you like.  If you happen
to have fresh mushrooms, green beans or a bag of pearl onions, you can add them
right at the end. Just keep in mind that root vegetables, yams and such should
go in with the carrots and potatoes to assure their cooking through. Fragile
veggies can go in right at the end.  Experiment and have fun!