Looking out from the hôtel terrace.

Sunday lunches are my favorites because Jade is here and it seems more like a family meal.  Cruising the Saturday market in Waiblingen, I stopped at a stall of a poultry farmer.  His eggs and poultry looked “correct” and he had some lovely little poussins (spring chickens) that I just had to buy.  Normally, I would insist on poussins from France but I guess you have to let go someday.  We’re in Germany now.

Because they were German poussins, I decided to go with the Bavarian seasoning with a slight variation.  I had some ground chipolte pepper and added that for excitement  Good idea.

I still haven’t reached my comfort zone in German farmers’ markets but I know a good sweet potato when I see one and immediately thought of a tajine family favorite, honey mustard sweet potatoes.

Salad with vine ripened tomatoes.  Yes.

A perfect meal!

Going to Garmisch, Germany tomorrow for a couple of days.  Let’s see what we’ll eat!

Bavarian Chipolte Poussin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dill seeds

4 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1 sprig rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp ground chipolte

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

5 tbsp olive oil

2 poussins (spring chickens), butterflied

In a blender or whatever, grind the salt, dill, sage, fennel, coriander, rosemary, paprika, chipolte, garlic powder and onion powder together.  Add the olive oil and brush onto the poussins.

Preheat the grill to 500 F.  Sear the poussins on both sides, turn off the flame on one side of the grill and place the poussins on the “cold” side, skin up, top down for 40-50 minutes.

Seriously hungry this morning, I visited the refrigerators downstairs and pulled out whatever caught my fancy; zucchini, baby bok choy, red bell pepper, scallions, chillies, asparagus and black tiger gambas from the freezer.

Having no idea at all what I was going to make, I cut the vegetables, sprinkled the shrimp with five spice powder and ransacked the pantry for Asian condiments and aromatics.

I haven’t eaten yet because I thought I should come up and write down the recipe before I forgot what I did.  Tasted good though

Spicy Shrimp Vegetable Stir Fry with Udon

15 black tiger gambas, cleaned and split in half vertically

Five spice powder

1 red and 1 green chilli, seeded and sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 inch fresh ginger, chopped

4 – 5 scallions, sliced

1/2 cup vegetable broth

4 tbsp soy sauce

6 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce

1 tsp sesame seed oil

3 tbsp peanut oil

1 bunch green asparagus, sliced into 1 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, sliced

2 small courgettes, halved vertically then sliced

5 baby bok choy, halved vertically

Cooked udon noodles

Sprinkle the gambas with five spice powder and set aside.  In a small bowl, toss together the chillies, garlic, ginger and scallions then set aside.  Mix the broth, soy sauce, chilli sauce and sesame seed oil together and set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of the peanut oil in a wok, add the gambas and cook for 1-2 minutes, remove and set aside.  Add the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil, the chillies, garlic, ginger and scallions, cooking until aromatic.  Add the asparagus and pepper and continue to cook for about 3 minutes.  Add the courgettes and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the bok choy and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the broth mixture, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in the gambas.

Serve with udon noodles.

I’ve seen those jars many times in supermarkets and fine epiceries but, only familiar with canned beans, I lacked the confidence to try the jarred kind.  Roger, as well as an incredible photographer and teacher, is a good discerning cook and if he used a jar, that looked like a green light to me.  What I like about mogettes is that, when cooked, they have firm outsides and creamy insides.  I should have asked Roger where he bought his.

I should have gone to an epicerie.  The best looking jar of beans I could find in the supermarket had a mushy look before I even opened them.  Right away I resolved to add lardon (bacon) which cures all, leeks and garlic. If this was to be a soupy potage, at least it would taste good.  It’s cold and rainy anyway.  Slightly annoyed.

Anyway.  After I drained and rinsed the beans, they looked okay.  Firm but splitting.  In order not to have “Things Fall Apart”, I cooked the broth first and then just warmed the beans in the broth.  This worked very well and the beans were delicious.

Mogettes in the Jar

1 jar good quality mogettes, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup lardon/bacon, diced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large leek, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper

10 cherry tomatoes, seeded and diced

Brown the lardon in the olive oil, add the leek and garlic, then saute until the leek is tender.  Add the bay leaf, broth, salt and pepper, then bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add the beans and simmer on a very gentle flame for 10 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes and enjoy.

Back in the day, probably in West Africa, I saw a fantastic photo of sun dried tomato pesto in one of my magazine subscriptions; Gourmet, Bon Appetit or Food and Wine.  I wanted to make it so badly, but sun dried tomatoes were not available where ever it was I was living.

I copied down the recipe and filed it in my Hotmail with other “I wish I could” recipes.  There are some great recipes in that file!  It’s like Christmas!

Unfortunately, I was having one of those days and the only thing I wanted to make was the pesto.  Nothing else, just the pesto.  Eat it plain out of the bowl? Pesto on bread?

Okay, okay I had some fresh pappardelle and used that but it did seem like an effort in the beginning.  It felt like I HAD to cook and not like I WANTED to cook.  Don’t you just hate that?  It might have had something to do with the pasta pot and strainer that I knew I would have to wash afterwards.  I am a resentful dishwasher.  But it’s over now and the kitchen is clean

This morning I WANTED to make something from the leftover quail eggs, salsa and vegetable medley of yesterday and it was fun and good.  I just put some of the vegetables in the bottom of a ramekin, sliced the hard boiled quail eggs on top, sprinkled on grated cheese, reheated it in the microwave and dolloped on salsa.  Fantastic!

I made a few changes to the pesto recipe but I forgive myself

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

8.5 oz jar of sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 tbsp roquette, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

Chop the tomatoes, pine nuts, roquette, salt and pepper in a food processor, then with the motor running, add the olive oil in a stream.  Put into a bowl and stir in the cheese.  Serve with fresh, cooked pasta.

It’s annoying when your refrigerator dictates the menu of the day;  wrinkled, past their prime vegetables illuminated under the unforgiving light of the LG.

You know you have to cook them whether you’re in the mood or not!

What I wanted to cook was a crispy potato pancake, topped with pan seared foie gras in a flavorful pot au feu broth, but no, the elderly aubergine, tomato and peppers were insistent, “Cook us today or else!”  I hate that.  Anyway.

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/9312 provided the inspiration for the vegetables and I decided to add some oregano and garlic scented guinea fowl supremes because I like guinea fowl supremes.  From France

We have started reading “The China Study”, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD that makes the case for a Vegan diet.  In conjunction with that, last night we looked at “Knives Over Forks”, a documentary in support of the book.  Dr. Campbell makes a compelling argument as to how your diet affects your health.  We both agreed that if it wasn’t for meat and butter and cheese and wine, we would become Vegan tomorrow.  Guess not.

Guinea Fowl with Potato, Aubergine, Tomato and Peppers

Fowl

4 guinea fowl supremes, seasoned with salt and pepper

Olive oil

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled, smashed

4-5 fresh oregano sprigs

Brush the seasoned guinea fowl with the oil and place in a shallow baking pan, skin side up.  Sprinkle the garlic and oregano on and around, then cook in a 350 F oven for 25-30 minutes.

Vegetables

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 lb of little purple potatoes, thinly sliced

1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 small onion, sliced

3-4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 aubergine, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

6 basil leaves, finely sliced

Cook the potatoes in the oil until they are tender and begin to brown, then remove and set aside.  Add the peppers, onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the onion is soft.  Put the potatoes back into the pan along with the aubergine and cook until the aubergine is just soft.

Add the tomatoes and stir around for about 1 minute, then sprinkle with the basil leaves.

Wine suggestion:  Chianti or Merlot

It’s Mother’s Day and I am always allowed to do what I want on this day.  Yes, I could go to a restaurant but because most things are closed in Stuttgart on Sundays, I preferred to cook and Jade volunteered to do the salads.  She did a beautiful job on both the vegetable and the fruit.  Such an artist

Where’s the beef?  Well on our way back from Sens, we stopped into a Leclerc supermarket for God knows what reason but, as we were passing by the meat bins, a cote de boeuf (rib roast) called my husband’s name.  Responding, he asked if I had room in the freezer because he was traveling to West Africa during the week but wanted it upon his return.  A good husband who generally eats as he’s told, I replied that I could certainly wedge it into one of the freezers, no problem.

This was a two rib, Limousin beef,  prime rib, on sale.  How could I deny him or us?  My idea was to sear it on the grill and cook it off flame, not really sure of the cooking time.  While researching cooking times, I stumbled upon an incredible video.  I didn’t do it this way but I think I’ll have to do this one day.  De-ca-dent!

Almost persuaded but worried about our old hearts, I continued with my original idea of grilling.  I seasoned and seared the roast on both sides.

I then propped the bad boy up, off flame, closed the lid and roasted for 25 minutes.

The outside of the roast was perfect for the finicky in our family (hubby).

And the inside was correct for those of us who are “plus sophistique”

Grilled Two Bone Prime Rib

2 bone prime rib

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Onion Powder

Season the meat with the salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder and allow to sit around for 1-2 hours.

Heat the grill to 500 F, then sear the meat on both sides.  Turn off half of the flame in the grill, then prop the prime rib up on it’s bones on the cold side, lower the lid and roast for 20-25 minutes.

Make some salad

Wine suggestion:  Cote de Provence Rose

Until not too long ago, I was a serious potato salad bigot.  This was not entirely my fault.  My mother, good ole gal, born and raised in the Brazos Bryan, Texas, made potato salad with onions, sweet pickles, pimento, eggs, mayonnaise and mustard and so did everyone else we knew; family or friends.  But one day, I must have been about 10 years old, our family was invited to a backyard barbecue by new friends of my parents who were neither southern nor Texan.  The woman came towards the table with a big bowl of boiled potatoes mixed with mayonnaise and asked me if I would like some “potato salad”.  Horrified, I looked at my mother who was already looking at me and said, “Yes Ma’am”.  In those days, your parents could backhand you from the table and no one would think anything of it or be embarrassed except the victim, who was mostly wondering, “What was  I thinking?!” I helped myself to a decent amount and choked those potatoes down with a smile that was very close to a grimace.  Discourtesy was not an option, no matter what.  We raised our children like that also and we’re proud of them

Anyway, that was it for me.  After that, I never depended on the potato salad of strangers.  Unless we were with Texan friends, at table I would take the least amount possible and at potluck buffets, when no one was looking, I would take my mother’s or nothing.  When I got married and saw the boiled potatoes with mayonnaise at my mother-in-law’s home, I always volunteered to make the potato salad which won me brownie points with the in-laws and saved me from the embarrassment of retching at the table.  This is a true story.

However, you can’t imagine the shock I experienced when invited to my sister’s house for a barbecue and she mixed up a bunch of bizarre items in an empty mayonnaise jar, poured it over boiled potatoes and declared that it was Mom’s potato salad!  Of course my mother was dead by then or my dear sister wouldn’t have been able to avoid the disciplinary backhand for lying.  She couldn’t help it because this sister was never in the kitchen when anything was being prepared, so she couldn’t possibly know.  You would have thought that the taste would have given her a clue, though.  I didn’t say anything because my husband and son were giving me a look

Abdoulaye the cook.  When Abdoulaye first came to work for me and we were working out a menu for a barbecue buffet, he suggested potato salad as one of the side dishes.  My hair stood on end (Burkinabe, French trained, Moslem) but, in order not to discourage him, I agreed and made sure that I was not in the kitchen during preparation with disgust written all over my face.  Just before the guests arrived, I went into the kitchen to see how things were going and to my amazement, Abdoulaye had made my mother’s potato salad!  ”Where did you learn that?”, I asked.  ”My last patronne taught me.  She was from Texas.”  said Abdoulaye the Great.  Case closed

Times change and I have have changed with time.  I now make and enjoy Japanese and many other varieties of potato salad but there will always be a special place in my heart for my mother’s Texas potato salad.

Note:  I had to use hot dog pickle relish today for this salad because I didn’t have any gherkins.  But I suggest that you don’t substitute pickle relish for the chopped gherkins.  The dice is too small and too much sweet pickle juice comes along for the ride.  Also American yellow mustard is mandatory.

Authentic Texas Potato Salad

5 large potatoes, boiled and vaguely cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped sweet gherkins

1  4 oz jar diced pimentos

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped

2 tbsp American yellow mustard

3/4 – 1 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper

Mix everything together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Overnight is better.

Inspiration for the lemon honey duck comes from Raymund at Ang Sarap http://angsarap.net/2013/05/08/vietnamese-style-grilled-lemongrass-pork/ and Daisy at Cool Cook Style http://coolcookstyle.com/.  I liked the lemongrass honey flavor going on with the marinade for Raymund’s pork and Daisy mentioned duck in a comment.  So that’s why.  Be sure to check out Raymund’s recipe, the one below is just the idea of his recipe Experimental, quoi.

For this experiment, I decided to use German duck breasts in case anything went wrong.  German duck breasts are leaner and probably healthier (the “h” word) because, unlike the French duck breasts I buy, they are not forced fed and have less fat.  They taste different too.  But in a good way  I wonder if you can die from eating too much duck or asparagus?   Vegetarians?  Don’t be shy

Yes, there’s all those asparagus to get through.  Today it’s a stir fry of white and baby green asparagus with mushrooms.  Just special!

Grilled Lemon Honey Duck Breasts with Asparagus Mushroom Medley

Duck

2 lean duck breasts

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp honey

With the tip of a sharp knife, poke the breasts all over.  Mix together the garlic, shallot, lemon juice, soy sauce, fish sauce and black pepper.  Place the marinade and the breasts into a zip lock bag, squish around and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the duck breasts from the marinade.  Pour the marinade into a bowl and add the honey.  Grill the breasts over medium high heat while basting with the marinade honey mixture.

Asparagus

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups white asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced

2 cups baby asparagus, cut in half

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 handful of fresh cilantro, vaguely chopped

Cook the shallot in the butter and oil for 1 minute, then add the white asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for 2 minutes.  Add the baby asparagus and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the soy sauce and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from flame and toss in the cilantro.

Jade’s out of school for some reason for another 3 days.  Time to put major food on the table.  She just loves savory tarts and frittatas and I had loads of asparagus.  So……

Don’t tell the vegetarians I said so, but asparagus sauteed with shallots are perfectly edible without bacon.  I don’t want them knocking on my door with copies of Vegetarian Watchtower or something

But it’s also good with bacon/lardon.  Look at the way I loaded up this “asparagus” frittata!  Hello asparagus, are you there?  Tomatoes are good too.

While I was preparing this I started having these inane thoughts like, “If you talk about adding fresh herbs to a dish, you should be sure to make it clear whether the measured quantity refers to before or after chopping.” and “I wonder what happened to my long jean skirt.”  Instead of sliding down as James Taylor suggests, looks like I’m going head over heels!  Whatever.

Fully Loaded Asparagus Frittata

8 eggs

1 tbsp cream

1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper

3 tbsp butter

3 shallots, thinly sliced vertically

1 1/2 cup asparagus, in 1 inch diagonal slices

1/2 cup lardon, browned crisp

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Beat the eggs together with the cream, thyme, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Saute the shallots in the butter until just soft, then add the asparagus and continue to saute for 6 minutes.  Remove from flame and sprinkle with the lardon and tomato, reserving some of the tomato to sprinkle on top after the frittata is cooked.

Return the pan to the flame, add the egg mixture and cook until almost set.  Sprinkle on the feta and broil in the oven until the cheese starts to brown and the frittata is set. Sprinkle the reserved tomato on top, allow to rest for 10-15 minutes then serve.