The Little Paris Kitchen (16 page)

TO MAKE THE
PALMIERS
:
Spread the mustard over one pastry rectangle and sprinkle the cheese on top. Take one long side of the rectangle and roll it into the middle. Repeat on the other side, so that the two rolls touch each other. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 10 minutes
*
before cutting into thirty
⅜
-inch-thick slices. Lay the slices on one of the prepared baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE
SACRISTAINS
:
Crush the olives, garlic, and anchovy to a rough paste
(tapenade)
using a mortar and pestle or a blender. Spread the
tapenade
over the remaining pastry rectangle and then cut the rectangle into twelve 1-inch-wide strips. Take a strip and twist it, then lay it on the second baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining strips.

Bake the
palmiers
and
sacristains
for 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*
Both
palmiers
and
sacristains
can be frozen unbaked. Simply bake from frozen, allowing an extra couple of minutes in the oven.

Preparation time: 30 minutes Resting time: 10 minutes Baking time: 10 minutes

One of my favorite restaurants in Paris is Le Châteaubriand, despite the fact you're at the whims of the chef, Inaki Aizpitarte, when you eat there (it's a set menu only). I've always been impressed with the way Aizpitarte combines his love of foreign cuisines with his French origins, but what I enjoy most is that the dishes are simple yet always with a special touch that makes them original.

One of the starters I have enjoyed there is foie gras sprinkled with Indian
mukhwas
, an after-dinner nibble of spice seeds and nuts that tastes sweet and refreshing. I was surprised how well they went together, and also that I actually ate it—foie gras is one of the very few foods I prefer not to eat. The whole thing got me thinking about sweet and savory combinations, and that's how this little idea came about.

MAKES 15–20

• 7 oz foie gras, faux gras,
*
or duck liver pâté • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder • 2 tbsp crushed gingersnaps • 2 tbsps
mukhwas
• Toast for serving

Place the foie gras in the freezer and freeze for 10 minutes until well chilled.

Cut the foie gras into fifteen–twenty 1½-inch cubes and roll into balls.
**
Roll some of the balls in cocoa powder, some in crushed gingersnaps, and others in
mukhwas
. Chill for at least 30 minutes or until needed. Serve in paper petit four or candy cups, with small triangles of toast.

Preparation time: 20 minutes Resting time: 10 minutes Chilling time: 30 minutes

When to eat oysters? Well, oysters spawn in the warmer months (May to August), which makes them fatty, watery, and lacking in flavor at this time of year, whereas oysters that are harvested in the cooler, nonspawning months (the ones with the letter
r
in them) have a fresh seafood flavor and are lean with a firm texture. It's as simple as that.

Oysters should be tightly closed and unbroken when bought. Discard any that open. They can be kept unopened, wrapped in wet paper towels, for a couple of days in the fridge. Don't store them in an airtight container or in fresh water or they will die.

Use a special oyster knife (called a shucker) that has a guard and a dull blade with a pointed tip. Don't even attempt to use an ordinary knife, as you'll be more likely to stab yourself than open the oyster.

Wash and scrub the oysters under cold running water to get them clean. Using a tea towel folded double to protect your hand, place the oyster with its round bottom on a chopping board. Dig the tip of the knife into the hinge (the pointy end of the oyster) and wiggle the blade along the hinge in order to loosen it. Once the shell is loose enough, twist the knife to open the shell a little. Imagine turning a key in a car door.

Keep the knife flush with the top shell and slide it along to separate the two shells and sever the muscle in the top shell.

Lift off the top shell and remove any broken pieces of shell from the oyster flesh, being careful not to spill any of the juices.

Should the oyster smell in any way fishy or “off,” discard it. Freshly shucked oysters should smell of the sea in a clean, fresh, and pleasant way.

If you want to make the oyster easier to eat, carefully detach the muscle from the bottom shell with the tip of the knife.

An oyster purist would frown upon eating anything but the oyster, but for me a squeeze of lemon or the traditional mignonette takes the edge off the feeling of gulping down a mouthful of seawater. I also have my favorite condiments to serve with them, but go easy—you don't want to drown out the oyster's flavor.

In general when I serve oysters I reckon with at least 8 per person (the French absolutely love oysters). Each condiment recipe on
page 145
is enough for 12–15 oysters (you only need about ½ teaspoon of condiment with each one as it shouldn't mask the flavor of the oyster itself). All condiments should be refrigerated for an hour before using.

• a pinch of sugar • a pinch of salt • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar • 1 shallot, finely diced

Dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar, then mix in the chopped shallot.

• a pinch of sugar • a pinch of salt • 1 tbsp cider vinegar • 1 tsp Calvados • ¼ Granny Smith apple, cored and finely diced

Dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar and Calvados, then mix in the apple.

• a pinch of salt • a generous pinch of sugar • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar • 4 tbsp finely diced watermelon flesh (without skin and seeds) • 3 tbsp finely diced seeded cucumber

Dissolve the salt and sugar in the vinegar and pour over the watermelon and cucumber. Mix carefully together.

*
Brunoise
is the French term for ingredients that have been finely diced into tiny cubes
.

Le grand aïoli
is traditionally a main course, but instead of serving the garlic mayonnaise the classic way with boiled vegetables, I serve it with raw vegetables (or
crudités
as the French call them), for extra freshness and crunch.

SERVES 4

• a selection of seasonal raw vegetables (e.g., carrots, radishes, peppers, Belgian endive leaves, and cherry tomatoes), enough for 4 people

For the
aïoli: 1 slice of white bread, crusts removed • 4 tbsp milk • 4 cloves of garlic • 1 egg yolk • 1 cup olive oil (not extra virgin) • 3 tbsp lemon juice • salt and pepper

Prepare the vegetables for dipping, leaving the stalks on for an attractive presentation.

TO MAKE THE
AÏOLI:
Soak the bread in the milk for 10 minutes.

Squeeze out any excess liquid from the bread, then pound the bread and garlic to a smooth paste using a mortar and pestle. Add the egg yolk and continue pounding, then start adding the olive oil a few drops at a time. Keep on pounding, slowly incorporating the remaining oil until the mayonnaise is thick, then add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. If not using immediately, keep in an airtight container in the fridge and use within a day. Whisk before serving, as it sometimes sets a little stiff when chilled.

Serve the
aïoli
in a bowl, surrounded by the vegetables for dipping.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

According to legend, these little cakes were made by a
pâtissier
who baked in La Bourse, the financial district of Paris. He made little cakes in the shape of gold bars to sell to his financial clients, hence the name
financiers
.

Traditionally,
financiers
are sweet, but they can easily be made into a savory bite for an
apéro
, and the filling can be any ingredients you have in your fridge. Just make sure you cut them into small pieces.

MAK ES 30

• 7 tbsp butter • ½ cup ground almonds • ¼ cup all-purpose flour • 1½ tsp baking powder • ½ tsp sugar • 3 eggs, separated • ½ tsp salt • 5 oz cheese, ham, bacon, olives, cherry tomatoes, or leftover roasted vegetables (whatever you fancy really)