La Cuisine Paris

My sister and I had a very quick trip to Paris recently and managed to squeeze in a class making souffles. In this photo, I am getting the Souffle aux Epinards  ready for the oven. There were 10 American students attending. The class lasted just under three hours and we were also served lunch during this time. Our lunch included both souffles that we prepared and also a very delicate fresh Salade folle et Vinaigrette. Oh, and plenty of wine and fresh bread!

Just finished preparing the Bechamel Sauce for the spinach souffle.

Here you can see the spinach puree. It was heated in butter and sauteed until it just wilted then processed into a smooth puree.

Nothing more beautiful and perfect than an egg ~

Souffle aux Epinards directly from the oven.

Souffle au Grand Marnier, steaming hot!

The location of the school is directly along the river on Quai de l'Hotel de ville.

Certainly worth the time if you have a few extra hours on your next visit to Paris.

Scenes from our last tour in Tuscan Territory!

We visit

We drink

We explore

We pick

We shop

We taste more

We walk

We watch

We marvel at color

We learn

We share

We drive on white roads

We smell

We visit

We believe traveling is more than just getting on and off tour buses, being lead around by following flags in crowded cities~we strive to experience the real sights, hear the local sounds and savor what comes from the rich landscape. We partner with local citizens, born and raised in Tuscany, who engage all our senses at once that make our trips so memorable. 

We photograph

We lend a hand

We visit locals

We step down into the cellars~the experiences we share, live on....

A great find on my bike ride!

What is all of this~why didn't I drive my car today?

Hummm~I know I can get the sprouts and cauliflower in my saddle bags or can I?

Turnips on the top!

The bag lady~now what do I do with this stuff!

The front seat of the truck was completely filled with mustard greens.

This is why I always travel with empty saddle bags!

Lemon Souffles from Southern Living

Recipe for Lemon Souffles

I love it when a recipe really works! Many times have I tried something new and it was a complete disaster. Not this time. One thing I changed in this recipe was the lemon curd. I had some in my pantry that I picked up from the grocery store and thought this might save me some time, seeing this was a last minute dessert I sprung on hubby. It worked out perfectly! Just remember to save some if you intend to pour a little on top when serving.

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/8 tsp.salt
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
2 Tbsp. of powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat your greased 5 ramekins with the sugar. Shake out the extra. Place the empty ramekins on a sheet pan of some sort.
Whisk together the flour and salt along with the pre-purchased lemon curd.
Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks are formed. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into curd mixture using a large rubber spatula; fold in the remaining egg whites just until lended. Fold carefully as to not flatten out your egg whites. Pour gently into the ramekins, filling all the way to the top. Run a ridge around the top with thumb,wiping clean the edges.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees for 4 more minutes or until the souffles rise and are set. The center will be a tad shaky. You'll need to serve immediately and sprinkle with the powdered sugar. How easy can this be......and it was so delicious! Thank you, Southern Living. The entire recipe is on page 106 of this months issue.

Poached Chicken Breasts~from Chef Wells

This is Patricia's Wells infallible recipe for poached chicken breasts. Each time I have prepared it, it comes out perfectly! Having most of the required fresh herbs in my little garden area was a real bonanza for me. The success of this recipe really comes from having the fresh ingredients. The stock was as fragrant as Chef Wells predicted. I love it when a recipe comes together and really works!Try this method when you prepare your next chicken salad.

These are the magical herbs that burst into flavors beyond words when simmered together in a chicken broth or stock.

Ready for the chicken broth or stock.

Chef Wells latest cookbook, Salad as a Meal , were given to each of us who attended her lecture last year while she was in Seattle. We were served lunch at the famous and incredibly delicious Walrus and the Carpenter where chef Wells was the guest speaker...... several of her recipes were  prepared and served!


Recipe for the poached chicken which can be used in any salad where you are using cooked chicken:


1 quart of chicken stock
1 large onion, quartered and leave the skins on
Fresh tarragon leaves, fresh thyme sprigs
1 celery rib or several of the celery leaves, chopped. I just threw them in whole.
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
6 whole black peppercorns
4 moist garlic cloves, peeled and halved
6 parsley sprigs
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts-I used 3

In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the chicken breasts. Cover, bring to simmer.
Remove lid from pan and simmer for five minutes.  Add the chicken and make certain it is completely covered by the liquid. Cover and simmer for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, keeping it covered and let the chicken cool in the liquid for 1 hour.The chicken breast can be used right away or refrigerated for another tme. You can save the stock to use in chicken soup or chef Wells suggests to reduce it for a sauce.

Cavolo Nero con le Fette

Toasted Bread with Tuscan Beans & Swiss Chard

I was fortunate enough to locate some Red Ruby Swiss Chard~grown in the US! I brought the beans back with me on my last trip to Italy. I do several market visits on my tours and this item is always on everyones list to bring home. Heated cannellini beans will work just fine. Just remember to drain the juice before adding to the bread and greens.

Sunday, I made the Pane Toscano, a bread lacking salt with a wonderful firm texture. It might sound dull and bland, but the bread is extremely fragrant and yeasty.This type of bread is essential for soaking up any liquid and maintaining form and texture if you are serving it in a soup. 

RECIPE

 Rinse the Swiss Chard and cut away any tough stems. Cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes or until tender. If you wish to salt, add to your liking. Tuscan Black Cabbage is called for in this recipe, but that was nowhere to be found  in my local store.

Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in your oven for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over so that both sides are brown.Or to save time, just drop the slices in your toaster. While the bread is still hot, rub one side with a clove of fresh garlic. Arrange the toasted bread garlic side up in your serving dish.

Using a slotted spoon, arrange a portion of the greens on the toasted bread. Spoon the beans over the Chard. You might want to add a few tablespoons of juice from the greens to moisten the bread, if you prefer it to be moist. This makes it very easy to cut with your spoon or fork.

Serve with a glass of Chianti Classico and bold extra virgin olive oil for a real Tuscan experience! With any of your left over toscano, make a few crostini for the next day!

Traveling Food Lady Touring Company~2013

As a rule of thumb,popularity tends to erode anything authentic.It becomes more satisfying to visit and explore less crowded villages where we have freedom to observe and set our own pace.We also have found our groups receive a more sincere welcome and have had greater opportunities for conversation, as our presence is never taken for granted.

There is a space for you~We hope you will join us on our "Tuscan Village" trip this fall.

  For further information,please email me at: latoilemaison@earthlink.net
The dates are October 7th-15th 2013       (room for 6 guests)

Comfort on a chilly evening~Escarole and White Beans

Nothing more satisfying to me around the holidays than a low-cal healthy side dish. We are talking about 130 calories for a cup of the escarole and beans. I did  enjoy it with a little grated Parmeasan-Reggiano. Maybe just a few more calories!

A tip from the chef~while blanching the escarole is not necessary, it is recommended; blanching the greens makes them more vibrant in color and takes away the bitterness.

This recipe serves 4 and takes about 15 minute to prepare.

RECIPE     

1 pkg. of fresh chopped escarole.
1T. of olive oil.
1 clove of minced garlic.
1/2 C. of vegetable culinary stock.
1 can of Cannellini Beans, do not drain.


Blanch the escarole for 1 minute in a large pot of boiling water. Salt the water to your liking. I find I need a little more salt than normal when cooking greens. Drain and gently squeeze any water from greens.( I just press a large spoon again the greens in the strainer.)
Add the oil and garlic to a large skillit. Keep stirring for 1 minute.
Add the escarole, cook a bit longer while stirring. Sometimes the stems are larger on the greens and need to cook more.
Add the stock and beans. Simmer covered for 5 minutes.