Corn Rounds
Smoked Salmon, Horseradish, and Almonds
Rhubarb Ginger and Speculoos Tartelettes
These tartelettes surprise and delight everyone because they offer just the right combination of sweet, crisp, creamy, and tart…you’ll see. If you don’t want to make tartelettes, you can make a big tart – this is enough for one that measures 10-1/2-inches (27cm) across. There is nothing to this, it’s like a cheesecake only easier and, honestly, more fun.
Avocado, Cherry and Chive Salad
This simple salad surprises everyone! Make this while cherries are still in season!
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: wine or cocktail glasses,
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: simple
Salade Niçoise
ASTUCES: if you us tuna in the salade, use either canned albacore, or the quantity of fresh tuna you like. i suggest 12 ounces; 400g. Sear the whole fresh piece first on each side, season with salt and pepper and let cool. Then, thinly slice the seared tuna and arrange it atop the salad after you’ve tossed the other ingredients together. Don’t use anchovies if you’re using tuna.
Braised Spring Vegetables
Late spring is a perfect moment in the life of vegetables. Peas, carrots, potatoes and onions are brand new, filled with tender, sweet flavor, the juiciest and most flavorful they will be all year. This dish, which is topped with a fresh lettuce that melts gently into it, is a celebration of spring, ideal to serve with roasted meats or fish.
Rhubarb Poached in Vanilla Syrup with Fromage Blanc
Poaching rhubarb in vanilla syrup is one of life’s simple pleasures. But never tell anyone how easy it is, because they will thing you slaved all day over it. True, it takes some time to cut the rhubarb into tiny dice. Put some Paul Simon on and let his music take you somewhere while you – carefully because your knife is sharp – dice. Then, put the rhubarb into the syrup. The only trick is cooking time. If you see that some of your rhubarb pieces begin to fray, remove the pan from the heat. The rhubarb will cook in the residual heat of the syrup, which is why the cooking time is so approximate.
As for the fresh cheese: use fromage blanc if you can find it. If you cannot, drain Greek yogurt for an hour or two, then use it in place of fromage blanc. You’ll need to measure the yogurt AFTER it has drained, so get 2 cups (500ml).
ASTUCE: to peel or not to peel rhubarb, that is THE question. I peel tough stalks that are a second or third harvest from a plant. Small, first harvest rhubarb doesn’t need to be peeled. If the skin is very tough – and it can be so tough a knife will hardly go through it – peel the stalks. It’s easy to do – the peel doesn’t much like what is underneath it so it comes away easily and quickly!
Galettes au Sarrasin – Buckwheat Galettes
When the galette is fully cooked on one side, flipped and just about cooked on the other side, you can add the filling, spreading it out as you like, then fold the galette up to the center of the filling, as in the photo.
Summer Tomato Tourte
Impressionist Vegetables
ASTUCE: you may use any vegetable you like here, in any quantity you like, but small spring vegetables are best, and radishes, which keep their cheery color are essential. Sometimes I use baby turnips; if I can’t find spring onions, I use shallots; and occasionally I double the amount of asparagus. Also, if cilantro is hard to find, then use the finest extra-virgin olive oil all by itself. You’ll miss the vivid green color and the subtle flavor of the cilantro, but the dish will be delicious. Have fun!
