St Remy de Provence

The garden of France, or should I say the Mediterranean garden of France . With as a back drop Chaine des Alpilles. The road to Baux is just down the road from Mas de Cornud .It takes one up and over the the Alpilles to Baux , then on to Maussanne where we had lunch last week, by the way for the golfers , they are extending the golf course so in a few years it should be interesting withe magnificent views. There is also a very good restaurant  La Baumeniere, a bit beyond a gypsy woman pocket

We had lunch at a restaurant Ellen had read about in a Dutch newspaper.The chef had worked in top establishments in America but his Visa had run out. Whilst waiting for 5 years to renew it he returned to a small restaurant in the centre of Maussane where he and his wife serve the most delicious simple but tasty food. The menu for 19 euros is very good value . I could not resist a tartin of artichokes and tomatoes, followed by a brandade of Pomme de terre and finally a creme brulee with lavender. We all sort of tasted and shared, great fun,  and that together with several bottles of rose only came to 32 euros pp. What a way to spend a rainy day in the Provence. If the sun had been shining we would have eaten on the shady terrace overlooking one of the tree lined streets. 

There are so many beautiful little villages in the surrounding area, many with small good local restaurants I  feel one does not need to visit the bigger towns of Aix en Provence etc. By now you will know how much I love the country side.

Who knows maybe one day I will find a small tiny house near here.  I had always hoped to have a house called Oud en Stout with my friends where we could grow old together, this would be a perfect place but we do not have enough money. One can always dream, even someones garage or pool house would be enough for me, a few olive trees a vegetable patch and a stream or even better a pool  to swim in !!!!!

The brandade was more or less our stam pot but with fish, I will look for a recipe for you , my brandade recipe I enclose I just love it , much more strong in flavour. 

Brandade of home salted cod

Ingredients:
500 g cod sprinkled with 4  tsp salt or 500g salted cod

soaked we
1 bouquet garni
2 shallots

25 g butter

1½ dl olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

1½ dl cream

Croutons:

4 slices of bread

Oil for frying

Green olives

Method:

1.                   If pre-salted: soak the fish well. If using fresh cod: sprinkle the cod with salt and leave to

                  stand overnight.

2.                   Pat dry, place the fish in a pan or oven proof dish with water to cover and a bouquet of

herbs. Cover with greased paper or foil. Place in a preheated oven at 180° C for ± 20 minutes.

3.                   Drain the fish well, remove any skin or bones.

4.                   Chop the shallots finely and fry in a small pan until soft but not coloured.

5.                   Warm the olive oil in a pan with the garlic. Warm the cream.

6.                   Place the fish in the food processor and gradually add the garlic flavoured oil and the cream

                  until all is absorbed and there is a creamy mixture (like mashed potatoes). Season to taste.

7.                   Spoon the brandade onto the plate or push into a round form on the plate

8.                   Fry the bread until golden brown, serve with the green olives and warm brandade.

Brandade de pommes de terre

This recipe could be used as a base for the brandade with cod using poached fish instead of the vegetables

Use 250 g cod and steam or poach

Ingrediënten:

250g selderij stronk of 1 of 2 stuks venkel

2 grote aardappels (met lichte schil) puree ardappels ( 450 g) Eigenheimer

1 dl olijf olie

1 ½ dl room

2- 4 teentjes knoflook

1 citroen

gehakte peterselie

venkelzaadjes

zout en peper

Bereiding:

1.     Schil de selderij of venkel  en snijd ze in grote stukken

2.     Doe hier wat druppels citroensap over en stoom gaar

Kook de aardappelen in lichte gezout water

3.     Hak de knoflook heel fijn en voeg dit toe aan de opgewarmde olie

4.    Doe de groenten in de Magi-Mix en hak fijn tot een puree

5.     Meng met de arrdappel puree .Voeg beetje bij beetje de warme knoflook olie toe

6.     Voeg beetje bij beetje de warme room toe om een romige puree te krijgen

7.     Op smaak brengen met zout, peper en citroensap wat venkelzaadjes

Here follows quite a complicated recipe for my Tian

Tian of aubergines                        

(serves 10)

Ingrediënts:

10 coquilles

3 aubergines, in (30) slices 

Marinade for the aubergines:

2 dl olive oil

1dl balsamico vinegar

1 clove of garlic

5 branches of thyme

4 basil leaves

salt and pepper

Filling:

3 red paprikas

3 yellow paprikas

salt and pepper

Tomato concassé:

8 tomatoes, peeled and without seeds

1 el oregano of fresh thyme

olive oil

salt and pepper

Tapenade dressing:

75 g black olives

1 clove of garlic 

salt and freshly ground pepper

marinated anchovies

Basil oil:

2dl olive oil

20g basil leaves

Preparation:

1.     Grill the aubergine slices in a dry grill pan or fry them briefly in a frying pan

2.     Place them on a tray and cook them for 10 minutes in the oven under aluminium

3.     Mix the ingredients for the marinade 

4.     Place the slices immediately in the marinade after the oven and leave until you need them

5.     Roast the yellow paprikas. Place aluminium foil in a deep tray, pour some olive oil over it, place the paprikas on top and turn in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven for 25 minutes at 170°C. Turn the paprika’s halfway.

6.     Let it cool and remove the skin and seeds and cut every paprika in 4 pieces 

7.     Grill the red paprikas in the fire and place in a plastic bag to steam. Remove the skin and the seeds. Cut every paprika’s in fours.

8.     Blanche the tomatoes and cool in cold water. Peel and save the skin. Place the tomatoes for 20 to 30 minutes in a hot oven (120°C) sprinkled with  some olive oil and thyme and some salt and pepper. Cool and dice. Save the tomato oil from roasting the tomatoes for the coquilles

9.     Place the tomato skin on a tray and dry in an 80°C oven.

10.  Mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette in the blender until a fine puree, add, if necessary, a little bit of water to liquidize a little.

11.  Heat the basil leaves in olive oil until 80°C. Puree in the blender and sieve through a cloth.

12.  Place 1 layer of  aubergine slice in a large  ring, place a red paprika slice on top, then another slice of aubergine, a slice of yellow paprika and end with a slice of aubergine. Press and spoon the diced roasted tomatoes on top.

13.  Season the coquilles and sear in a hot pan with a few drops of olive oil and pour the tomato oil over it when cooked

14.  Serve the tian with the 2 dressings on a big plate and place a coquille per person on the plate Garnish with the dried tomato skin. 

  Here they have the most tasty rolls of puff pastry which one can buy at the supermarket,they just cut out rounds of pastry ,bake them in a hot oven with a small weight on top to stop it rising, then they use this as a base to form the Tian using a rich cooked tomato concasse as the sauce base, it is then  then topped with artichokes or other vegetables of your choice and pressed down to firm up.

Nito has her own very special recipe a photo of which I will try to enclose, the recipe is in her courses so I will not publish it, come and try your selves. 

Another  wonderful village with great views is also Eygalieres, where they have a small more intimate market on Thursday. Many years ago I stayed with friends of friends here and was awinspired by the views of les Alpilles. An every changing vista of light, shadows and colours. 

On returning from Avignon having been to METRO by one of David and Nito special routes one also has a wonderful view of the mountains , reminds me in a way of the mountains in Ireland.

Wherever you look there are fields of olive trees growing , rows of fruit trees glowing with apples ready to be plucked. the peach and nectarines have already given up thier bounty , which has now been flown all over the world, the grapes are now mainly harvested awaiting that process which man has benefited from for 1.000 of years. Something I decided to look up.in the winkelpedia:-

 The history of wine spans thousands of years and is closely intertwined with the history of agriculture, cuisine, civilization and humanity itself. Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest known wine production occurred in what is now the country of Georgia around 7000 BCE^[1][2][3], with other notable sites in Greater Iran dated 4500 BCE and Armenia 4100 BCE, respectively. The world's oldest known winery (dated to 3000 BCE) was discovered in Areni-1 cave in a mountainous area ofArmenia.[1].^[4][5][6] Increasingly clear archaeological evidence indicates that domestication of the grapevine took place during the Early Bronze Age in the Near East, Sumer and Egypt from around the third millennium BCE.^[7since  

The romance of wine is so special and tasting wine such a pleasure. I am lucky to have learnt a great deal from my great friend and travelling companion Ellen Bax. Not only in Europe but also in Napa valley in America New Zealand and Argentina , Chile and South Africa. Wine together with food was always the red thread through our trips. Beginning in 1988 with our first trip to Perpignon our first stop was in Burgundy.Infact I have always wanted to do a wine course but with such a teacher as Ellen it was not necessary.

Somehow on days like today as we drive into wine country my heart lifts. Yesterday we went to Montpelier the home of nougat , a beautiful city, but a flying visit. On the way back I bought some wine at  Domaine de Lansac . A lovely crisp, dry fruity  rose with a hint of the aftertaste of apricots , this  is the water  of this household !!! A non oak Chardonnay, delicious with the light Provençals dishes. For the red wine I choose a reserva which I can enjoy at home in the winter months.

Today Nito had just returned from the Metro with 5 kg my favourite bulots , Oh I am being spoilt, it brings back memories of holidays in Ille De Rhee.  

Also we will be smoking and tasting the bacon we cured under the watchful eyes of Carin a young Canadian journalist who has just finished cooking school and who is working here a stagaire. She and her husband are interested in hunter gathering and she is specialised in Charcuterie and knife sharpening . All this and more in the next blog.

Sunday they have a group of 11 friends arriving to follow the course A taste of Provence, which is infact why I am here to help in any way I can. http://www.mascornud.com The course is on the web site I think. I am second kitchen help but I love it. 

 You may  have noticed I am no longer travelling, who would when one can stay in a place  like this.. the nights are drawing in , autumn is arriving, the campings are closing down so unless I go to Spain as originally planned it is time to come home.

Spain is too much for me now I believe it is better to regroup myself , enjoy having time to explore my own city, do all the things I never had time for. Replant my garden and enjoy some  of my Sabbatical year at home with my dog Penny who is getting quite old , David calls her Rhumba as she has a rolling walk .  I will then work out my next plans. One of which is too learn how to make good photos. Gypsy woman misses her friends too much too, though my friends here are also very special to me.

Maybe a lesson or 2 in writing may help ?????

until the next time 

Just one idea, go to the farmers market in Amsterdam, ( or where you live) buy a few Cepes, brush them well, if need be scrape of an impurities , don't peel that is the flavour slice thinly, fry in a little olive oil and butter softly, then add some crushed garlic and salt , some freshly chopped flat leaf parsley and a few turns of black pepper. Cook some sphagettini until Al Dente , drain, keep some of the cooking water, toss in the pan with the cepes and add a little of the cooking water to moisten . Heat through for a few minutes . Serve in hot bowls, (tip from Nito! use the rest of the pasta water to heat the bowls) Delicious . It is the product that counts. I only had 5 cepes, around 300g for 4. Feel them well, look for any signs  of worms, they should feel quite heavy and compact and dry 

Bon Appetit 

I once kept some cepes for a few days in the cellar, when I came to use them they had been eaten up ----- by the worms. 

I am having problems sending the photos I will send them later

groetjes PatPat