pardon my french

Spring Fever

After the first long week of intermediate, all I wanted to do was have a big glass of wine and relax at home. I was also feeling a little shaky in the kitchen this week. No big disasters or anything that stands out, just feeling a bit unsure or clouded…which the chefs can smell from a mile away! So, I decided to go back to the advice from my favorite chef: just cook.

Last night, Anthony, E'Lane, Gillian and I met at Le Grande Epicerie to gather some ingredients. We stopped at my favorite wine cave on the walk home to my place and whipped up a delicious spring/summer menu. Of course we had to start with an asiette du fromage, olives & baguette, followed by salmon sashimi with wasabi & soy, a delicious salad with fennel, artichoke, haricot vert, mint and, finally, "grilled" tandori chicken (faux-grilled in my oven). The chicken was great, but the recipe needs a bit of tweaking. Maybe a finish with some coconut milk? We'll just have to give up our bodies to science and keep eating, drinking and testing!

As for the salad, very easy, fresh and lots of great flavor. I had a salad for lunch this week that paired artichoke with mint, and I fell in love with the combination. I wanted to put a spin on that, so Gill picked up an avocado and E'Lane grabbed some haricot vert. We just threw a bunch of stuff in the bowl and it was d-lish!

Artichoke, Fennel & Mint Summer Salad

3 artichokes
1 fennel bulb + fronds
1 avocado
red leaf lettuce
a bunch of fresh mint
a bunch of haricot vert
a cup of whole walnuts
2 lemons + zest
pomegranate seeds
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
cracked pepper
fleur de sel

Zest your lemon and set aside. Slice the lemons into quarters and reserve for the vegetables. Soak the walnuts in water and set aside.

Cut away the leaves off the artichokes so all you have left is the heart. Click through these photos to see how to do it. Then, poach them in a "blanc" until they are fork tender.

Blanc for poaching artichokes
Fill a pot with cold water, add 2 T of flour, salt and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. This will prevent oxidation (the artichokes turning purple). Add artichokes and cut a piece of parchment paper to make a "lid" to cover the artichokes in the pot. Bring the water to a simmer and let cook until the artichoke hearts are fork tender. Drain off the cooking liquid and let them cool. You can also put them into a cold water bath for a minute. Cut into bite-sized pieces, toss in a squeeze of lemon juice and add to bowl.

While the artichokes are poaching, trim the ends off the haricot vert. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prep an ice bath. When the water boils, add a few tablespoons of salt and then the haricot vert. When they are cooked al dente, strain the beans out of the boiling water and add them to the ice water bath to stop the cooking. Once they are cooled down (30 seconds or a minute) take them out of the ice bath. Don't let them sit in the cold water for too long, it ruins the taste. Slice them in 1-inch long pieces and add to the bowl.

Thinly slice the fennel, including the stems coming out of the top of the bulb and green fronds, toss in a bit lemon juice and add to the bowl. (You can use a mandolin to slice thin strips from the bulb or cut slices of the individual layers.)

Cut the avocado into bite-sized pieces. Again, toss them in a squeeze of lemon juice, and add to the bowl. Now, add the leafy red, green, or whatever kind of lettuce you like. I like the red leaves because they add a bit of color contrast. Strain the walnuts and add. Chiffonade the mint leaves and add. Put as much or as little lemon zest as you like. It adds a little brightness.

Then drizzle olive oil over the top, a good amount of fresh cracked pepper and some fleur de sel or sea salt. Then, a bit of good balsamic to start. (There's a lot of acid from the lemon juice, so start with less vinegar and then add to your liking.) Toss and adjust seasoning.

Finish by sprinkling some pomegranate seeds over the top. Maybe garnish with a mint leaf or two.

Serve with grilled fish or chicken. Wine and sunshine.