Salmon, Fennel and Parsnip Stew for Two

Before I tell you all about this recipe and what I have been up to these days, I must thank all of you for the kind comments and wonderful feedback regarding my upcoming book. I greatly appreciate the support and knowing that you will be there in 2012 excited to see it.

Thank you.



As you might suspect, it has been quite busy around here. I spend most of my mornings cooking, styling and shooting recipes for the book. There are always thousands of ideas floating around in my head and it is not always easy to narrow down to those that will make it into the manuscript. So for now, I am testing away and editing later.

I start my days early. Buckwheat porridge, eggs and hot tea are my usual. I help J. get ready for school and start thinking of the recipes for the day. I have a wonderful girl that is helping me with M. in the mornings while I work. It would be impossible otherwise. She is in her discovery phase (aren't they always?) and lens caps, reflectors and tripods seem to be her favorite toys.



One of the highlights of my day is when M. and I sit down for lunch. She runs to the table, tries to climb up on to her high chair and grabs her spoon. Ready to eat. She takes after me.

This time it was salmon stew made with leeks, fennel, parsnips and a touch of coconut milk. M. ate it with a smile on her face. Pieces of salmon with one hand and parsnips with the other. I had picked up some microgreens at the farmers markets days before and added some to mine. I love the sweet and bright flavor of the purple shiso. It really complemented the soup.

The salmon came as a gift from the kind people of Norwegian Salmon whose campaign had been running on my blog. It really was a delicious soup.



I also wanted to tell you about the trip M. and I took last weekend to see my friend Nadia in New England. It was a winter wonderland. The snow, the farm, the cows, the chickens, the horses.... I loved spending time with her and it was beautiful to see M. bond with her. Nadia posted some photos of our weekend in her blog.

We also had an amazing lunch at Bea's house. She cooked a delicious meal for us. Soup, crab, apple and fennel slaw verrine, salmon with watercress pilaf and asparagus and my favorite, pistachio financiers and chocolate cake, which I ended up having for breakfast the next day. It was beautiful to watch M. and Lulu laugh and play together. Fun girls.

Thank you Nadia and Bea for your hospitality. I will be eternally grateful.



And to top it all off, my parents arrived this weekend.

I'm in heaven.

Salmon, Fennel, Parsnip and Coconut Stew

Makes enough for 2 people

2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 leek, washed and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 fennel bulb, diced
2 parsnips, scrubbed and diced
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
8 oz salmon, cut into chiunks
Microgreens as garnish (optional)

In a medium pan, heat the olive oil and cook the leek, garlic and fennel for about 5 minutes until tender. Do not let it get brown. Add the diced parsnips, vegetable broth, coconut milk, salt and pepper.

Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes until parsnips are tender. Add the salmon, cover and let it simmer for another 3 minutes or so, until it turns light pink. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with microgreens, if desired.

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My Comfort Food

It was a few days ago when Penny asked me to list the three ingredients that I always have handy. "Lentils, eggs and some sort of green". I love all legumes. Love. Particularly lentils. Funny thing as one of my earliest childhood memories revolves around my mom sitting in front of me and a plate of lentils that I wouldn't finish.

It has now became a staple in my weekly repertoire of meals. There are variations depending on what vegetables I have that day, but there is usually some chorizo in it.



"Can I have brown soup for lunch?", J. asks. He has turned into a particular picky eater this year, but lentil soup or "brown soup" as he calls it is still one of his favorites with grilled cheese sandwich triangles.

It is one of my favorite leftover foods too. A drizzle of olive oil and some bread and I'm set.



This time of year, I cook hearty soups to keep us energized and warm. The abundance of root vegetables is perfect for this recipe. Lentils, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes... Anything goes.

So this is the recipe I chose for a PBS parents piece on favorite family meals that keep us connected to our childhood and roots. You can read the entire story here. Thank you Alice!



Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

Makes 8 servings

3 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 turnip, diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
¼ red kuri squash, peeled and diced
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 chorizo, sliced
1 qt chicken stock
2 cups water
1 cup French lentils or any other kind you like
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
5 springs of thyme

Rinse the lentils and cover them with water. Let them soak for about 4 hours. It’s not completely necessary but I find that they cook faster and are better for digestion.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, carrot and celery and cook them for about 5 minutes. We don’t want to caramelize them, just sweat them.

Add the tomato paste, chorizo and rest of vegetable and cook them for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, water, thyme, lentils, pepper and salt. Stir and bring this to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot and let the lentils cook for about 45 minutes until tender. Adjust seasoning to your taste and serve with your favorite gluten-free (or not) bread, cheese toast or plain.

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Potato, Parsnip and Watercress Tortilla

I was looking through some of my blog archives a few days ago and I realized how things have changed around here. From complex petits gateaux to an array of laminated doughs, this blog started as a way to keep alive my passion for the art of pastry, the technique and precision. However, with small babies in our lives and all the time that involves, this blog has transformed into a recollection of the simple meals and desserts we eat in our everyday lives. It might be just a phase, but I'm really enjoying it too.



Where I grew up, tortilla de patatas is a staple. It is the snack we eat on Sunday mornings at pintxo bars, it is the bocadillo we take on school trips, it is part of all birthday parties... it is everything to us. Simple as can be, but such an emblem of our gastronomic culture.

A friend just told me yesterday something that stuck with me. When someone you love comes over for dinner, you make them a tortilla de patata because it takes time and love to make it. When someone that means nothing to you comes over for dinner, you buy the most expensive fish and just stick it in the oven. I love that.



Everyday I get many emails of readers asking me questions about macarons and how to perfect their technique, but a close second are the emails I receive asking me about how to make a good Spanish tortilla. Making a decent tortilla is not difficult, but making a great one is a different story. How can a recipe that only contains potato, onion and eggs be so difficult to master? The answer is the oil and what you do with that oil.

It is all about a good quality extra virgen olive oil, how much of it and how that oil is heated. It is very important that the oil is not too hot so the potatoes end up poaching rather than frying. It is almost like making fondant potatoes.

This is a slight variation to the traditional recipe with the addition of parsnips and watercress. Try this recipe and let me know what you think. You won't be disappointed.



Potato, Parsnip and Watercress Spanish Tortilla

makes 1 8" tortilla

1/2 cup extra virgen olive oil
1/2 medium onion, medium dice
2 medium russet potatoes, medium dice
1 medium parsnip, medium dice
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of watercress, roughly chopped

In an 8" non stick skillet, heat the olive oil in medium heat. Add the onions and sweat them for about 2 minutes. Add the diced potatoes and parsnip and the 1 tsp of salt. Keep the heat in medium for about 2 minutes and then lower it lo medium low for about another 15 minutes. The point here is that the potatoes must poach in the olive oil not really fry. We don't want crispy potatoes inside the tortilla. Towards the end, I even take a fork and gently mash them a bit so the olive oil gets inside the potato as well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the 1/2 tsp of salt. Add the watercress. Drain the potatoes and parnsips slightly and add them to the eggs. It's ok if they are hot and the eggs scramble a bit.

Remove most of the oil from the pan. Leave about 1 tsp of oil. Turn the heat back to medium. Add the egg mixture and using a wooden spoon, stir the center so the egg starts to cook. When the center starts to scramble, let it be and don't stir anymore. Tuck in the edges nicely with the spatula and cook for about 2 minutes.

Flip the tortilla with the help of a plate and finish cooking the other side. Some people like the center a bit runny, others all the way cooked. Personally, I like it when some of the egg still a bit runny but not too much.

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