Gastroanthropology

Chicken Pot Pie + Winter Slaw

Was it me mourning the sudden death of summer? Chicken pot pie and colorfully delicious root veggies in season, along with cold temperatures outside - so, its actually enjoyable to stand near a hot stove - why was I dreading winter? Actually, the torrential downpour that soaked my summer-tan gone to pale skin in the three-block-walk from the tube stop to my apartment summed it up last night. 

Well, it is our second winter here in London, and as it gets dark at 4PM we are reminded how far north we really are. Curling up on the couch with loads (so English, I mean "lots"!) of books, woolen blankets, and hot chocolate season has officially started for me. Fall is actually the time when English farmers markets shine with seasonally grown products. Homegrown root veggies from beets...

to carrots...

are at their best. Not to mention alliums from leeks to garlic to shallots to onions are also at their peek. Having fattened up all summer, meat, game, and poultry are also ready for slaughter. Huge numbers of locally caught fish and shellfish are in season as well, which is the best time to eat them to preserve fish stocks. Lastly, my favorite winter fruits - apples, pears, and quince - are gorgeous right now. Fall is definitely and English cook's dream if you are trying to avoid imports.

CHICKEN POT PIE

This chicken pot pie uses the meat from a previously roasted chicken. Since leeks are in season, I've used tons of leeks for their delicious mild onion flavor. Use the recipe as a guide and substitute with what you have, what you like, and what is in season for you. Making a pot pie is a great way to use up leftovers, especially after Thanksgiving. Turkey for chicken, a bit of brussels sprouts, mashed sweet potato, cranberry, etc. all mixed up with gravy and covered with a bit of puff dough - yum!

I haven't noted specific amounts because this is not a time for measuring - make as much as you need. Just make sure you have enough puff dough to cover your pot pie.

• Roast Chicken meat (cooled and shredded)
• Leeks 
• Corn
• Green beans
• Celery
• Butter
• Flour
• Chicken stock (and drippings if you've saved from the roasting)
• Heavy cream
• Salt + Pepper
• Parsley
• Puff Pastry dough
• Egg wash

METHOD

All vegetables used should be cleaned, seasoned, and pre-cooked. Toss together shredded chicken and vegetables. Make a gravy - start by making roux with the butter and flour, add drippings, add chicken stock and finish with a small amount of cream. Pour over the chicken + vegetable mixture and toss together. Add chopped parsley and salt + pepper to taste.

Place in a baking dish (large or individual - whatever you fancy (so English, I mean "whatever your like"!). Place thinly rolled puff pastry over the top of the mixture. Dock the dough to let steam escape. Brush with egg wash and cook in a 350F oven until the puff dough is cooked through and golden brown.

Serve alongside a winter slaw - the more colorful the better. 

WINTER SLAW

• 1 c shredded beets
• 1 1/2 c shredded carrots
• 1 c shredded cabbage
• 1/2 c thinly sliced celery
• 1 small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 c pomegranate seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/4 c freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 c walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

METHOD

Shred and cut as needed. Toss all ingredients together. You can make this ahead of time, but add walnuts just before serving.

Everything used in the pot pie recipe was locally sourced. For the slaw there were four exceptions - olive oil, oranges, pomegranate and walnuts. But, oranges, pomegranate, and walnuts are in season in other parts of the world! If you are in England and want to be totally local - omit the pomegranate, orange juice (substitute freshly pressed apple juice), walnuts (substitute toasted pumpkin seeds), and olive oil (use rapeseed oil).

Also, if you can, try and visit a farm. When you see how the foods you eat are grown and reared, the choice for organics and sustainability is easier to make. Support farmers who practice better treatment of animals and that are stewards of the land they grow on. If you can afford organics, buy them, and hopefully, with time, that will help others afford organics as well.

Squash Blossoms + Nice Farmers Market

Coeur de Boeuf (Beefheart) Tomatoes from the market in Nice, France

London city life is quite overwhelming for me. You've got to be on alert all the time - dodging people, taxis, buses, pigeons, and menacing clouds. I try not to breath to deep because if I'm out in the city all day my nostrils are filled with soot. It can be a bit taxing on the soul. To help recharge my batteries my husband, who has spoiled me rotten, takes me to wonderful places on the weekend. Latest stop - the French Riviera. 

The beach, the sun, the Mediterranean, the warm air, friendly French people, the market...in other words, as close to heaven as you can get 2 hours away from London. It wasn't my first visit to Nice, so I knew the highlight would be swim and sun at the beach and the produce at the market in the Old Town. 

The first time I went to Nice many, many, years ago was for the Cannes Film Festival and I was lucky enough to be invited by a Roger Verge protege for lunch at Verge's restaurant, Le Moulin de Mougins. Verge is considered to be one of the great french chefs and pioneers of nouvelle cuisine. Le Moulin de Mougins is a converted 16th century olive mill that includes a small inn and cooking school, and one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten at. The squash blossoms at the market reminded me of the wonderful lunch, which included many firsts for me, like chicken breast stuffed with foie and lightly fried squash blossoms.  

While some of these peaches I returned home with, I knew the squash blossoms would not survive the trip.

So, when I returned to London I went on a search for squash blossoms. I couldn't find them anywhere, so I waited till the end of the week for Borough Market, because I knew if anyone in London had squash blossoms it would be Borough. Through the roof pricey so I just got a few.

STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOM, makes 1/2 dozen

• 1/2 c ricotta cheese, drained overnight in cheesecloth
• 1/2 c fresh mozzarella, medium dice 
• 1/3 c fresh, raw corn kernels 
• 1 large salted anchovy fillet, rinsed and patted dry, then minced 
• 6 squash blossoms, stamen removed, gently rinsed and patted dry 
• flour + pepper for dredging 
• 2 eggs lightly beaten for dredging. 
• olive oil for frying 

 
METHOD

Combine first four ingredients in a bowl. I'm not a huge fan of herbes de provence - quelle horreur! But, if you do enjoy herbes de provence add a few pinches to the mixture. Use pastry bag or small spoon to fill the squash blossoms. Fill to where the petals start to split. Press gently in the palm of your hand and twist the petals gently to close the blossom. Before you fry consider making a small side salad. I made one with zucchini, tomatoes, parsley, splash of olive oil, and s+p. 

Pour enough oil in a pot to submerge the blossoms 1/2 way up. While the oil is heating, lightly dust stuffed blossoms with flour with pepper, then in the egg, then back in flour. When the oil is hot for frying (I don't use a thermometer, just drop a pinch of flour in the oil and see if it bubbles up). Gently drop the blossoms in the oil. I did two at a time. After 1 minute or when the blossom starts to brown on the bottom, gently flip the blossom over. When the blossom is totally golden brown, remove from oil onto paper-towels. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Serve immediately.   

If anchovies aren't your thing try a bit of chopped olives instead.

I know I have Borough Market, but the taste of the fruits in Nice really is something to write home about.

More on the seafood and socca (chickpea flour pancakes) of Nice in a few days!

Real Food Market in Covent Garden

April 23rd is important for two reasons. First, its St. George's Day - England's patron saint (think George and the Dragon). For whatever reason he is a lot less popular, and not as celebrated as Ireland's patron saint - St. Patrick. So, please excuse me for not realizing it was St. George's Day. I should have known though - St. George's Day is also the official start of English asparagus season. 

I will get to how I used my asparagus in a bit, but first I should share with you some great news. The weatherman reports that Britain is going to face a sunnier, warmer summer than usual. Best news I've heard all week! The approach of summer also means that the Real Food Market at Covent Garden is back. The market opens at noon every Thursday from now till the end of August. Covent Garden is about a ten minute walk from my apartment so I plan to go as often as possible. Think of the market as a mini-Borough Market.

Unlike many farmers markets in London that require the product sold to be sourced within a certain radius of the city, the Real Food Market, like Borough Market, aims to find the best of the best, where ever it may come from. Some of the best comes from Italy, like these baby artichokes...

and these fresh figs...

You can find the delicious breads of The Flour Station bakery at the market. They have a number of different types of focaccia...

We all know that Mr. Thomas brought his English Muffin recipe to America in the 1800s and we love to eat them as the butter melts into all the nooks and crannies. I'm just wondering if something happened to the recipe during the journey across the ocean. These English Muffins seem to be at least three times the height!

The problem with moving to a different country is you almost feel like you are on an extended vacation. This means vacation rules apply with regards to food. You don't count calories and you eat whatever you like. Great for my foodie brain, but not so much my foodie body. In an effort to get back to reality I decided to have a green lunch with all produce bought from the market. The pesto is from an Italian pasta stall at the market.

This is so simple, feeds one, and only dirties one pot. In a pot of boiling, salted water, boil enough pasta for one person. Chop 5 asparagus stalks and 4 sprouting broccoli stalks. A minute before the pasta is done, add the asparagus, broccoli, and 1/4 cup of fresh, shelled peas to the water. Drain everything. Return to the pot and off the heat, and stir in a giant, heaping spoon of pesto. Taste. Add more pesto if necessary. Eat. Preferably curled up on the couch with your favorite TV show on. 

The Seasons are Changing

While temperatures have screamed winter for weeks you wouldn't be able to tell its winter in my local grocery store. Even though I'm in England the shelves are overflowing with tomatoes, berries, plums, and even nectarines! Flown in from all parts of the world or created in hot houses, I try to refrain from making any of these out-of-season purchases. Out-of-season foods are unsustainably produced and often taste awful.The grocery store offerings can be quite tempting though...produce-wise my local farmers market was bare. A few root vegetables...carrots and parsnips...

Celeriac...

And, some end-of-the-season apples (of the egremont russet and cox varieties)...

This painting nearly had the exact same produce offered at the market this past weekend. I figured if they weren't selling stone fruits and berries at the food market in the 1500s - I too should wait till summer. 

1569, Flemish Painter - J. Beuckelaer. Original at the National Gallery in London.

I did, however, find these lovely brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts were a great find as they bridge the gap between autumn and spring offerings. 

These were perfect with some lovely local bacon (streaky bacon here in the UK) alongside a small roast chicken.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON

• 1 # brussels sprouts, cleaned and trimmed, cut in half
• 6 slices bacon, cut small 
• 1 large red onion, sliced thin 
• 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar 
• 1 Tbs maple syrup 
• salt and pepper to taste  

METHOD

Blanch cleaned and cut brussels sprouts for 3 minutes in boiling, salted water. My sprouts were small so I just cut in half - if yours are larger, cut into quarters. Drain. Set aside.

Add bacon to a large skillet pan on high heat. Remove bacon when cooked and immediately add sliced red onion to the same pan. Reduce heat if necessary. If there isn't enough fat rendered from the bacon add a bit of olive oil or butter. Once the onion is cooked through - add the balsamic. Cook for an additional minute. Remove onions and add them to the bacon that is set aside.

Add a bit of butter and olive oil to the same pan. Put in the sprouts and brown - about 4-5 mintues. Add bacon and onion. Once everything is heated through turn off heat. Add maple syrup and stir through. Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

A little poached English rhubarb to finish the meal. This was topped with some mascarpone cream - not local...but imported from Italy! OK, I live my life as sustainable-ishly as possible.

 

POACHED RHUBARB

• 7-8 stalks of rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 c water 
• 1 c sweet dessert wine, like moscato or sauternes 
• 1/2 c sugar 
• 1/2 vanilla bean - split 
• 4-5 cardamom pods 
• peel of 1 orange 
• pinch of salt 
• 1 Tbs raspberry jam (or any other berry jam)  

METHOD

Trim and cut rhubarb. Add all ingredients into a shallow pan and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Do not bring to a boil, as rhubarb will fall apart. Serve warm with mascarpone cream.

MASCARPONE CREAM

• 1/2 c mascarpone, room temp
• 1/4 c cream 
• scant 1/4 c sugar 
• 1/4 vanilla bean, scraped 
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract  

 METHOD

Leave mascarpone out for about 1 hour. Add all other ingredients and whisk together till smooth. Serve with poached rhubarb or any other poached or fresh fruit.

Bastille Food Market

A crisp, onion and potato pancake, hot off the griddle from the Bastille Food Market in Paris.

The Bastille Food Market is an open-air market, over-flowing with fresh produce, baked goods, fish, meat, poultry, kitchen tools and prepared foods.

Poulet + Potato. Roasting chicken with juice and fat dripping down for the most deliciously flavored potatoes.

Sauerkraut + Sausage. Tart kraut and sweet, juicy sausage.

Everything Basque.

Traditional Kouign Amann. A bit different from the Pierre Herme kind.

It's no wonder figs have such a history.

A reminder that in many places around the world citrus is coming into season. 

Bastille Food Market in Paris is on Boulevard Richard Lenoir between rue Amelot and rue Saint Sabin in the 11th. Thursdays and Sundays from 7am - midafternoon.