The Ethnic Paris Cookbook

First I have two confessions to make...

One - I'm a real sucker for beautiful food photographs in cookbooks. In fact, I usually turn my nose up at books without any. I did say USUALLY...this book is definitely an exception to my ridiculous rule.

Two - I've been to Paris three times over the years and never ate anywhere but at traditional "French" bistros. Shame on me! Don't get me wrong, I really love ethnic cooking and living in Toronto was definitely a treat from that perspective, being the most multi-cultural city in North America. I could pretend I was in Africa, India, China, Greece, Portugal or....well, you get the idea.

But I never thought of Paris other than French history, architecture, art and, of course, food.

Until now that is. Let me say in one sentence...The Ethnic Paris Cookbook is a joy to read and an even greater joy to cook from.

Not only are the recipes fantastic, with simple, easy to follow instructions, but the charming illustrations, wonderfully written notes on the various cultures that find their home in Paris neighborhoods make me want to take another trip to Paris and bypass every place I visited before.

The Maghreb – Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia; Indochine - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and China; Africa – Cameroon, Senegal, plus the West Indies and the Caribbean; Middle East -Lebanon and Syria are reflective of early French presence in those countries, and there’s also a presence of Japanese culture as well. So regardless of which culinary adventures attract you, you’ll find them here.

The book is divided into those cuisines, with each section having an intro that discusses cultural links to France, a history of immigration, and more important to a foodie…where the restaurants are and…since many of you won’t be able to head off to Paris anytime soon, lots of places to find resources, with phone numbers and links to their websites. You'll find every delicacy from appetizers through desserts.

Trust me when I say, I’ll be cooking from this book often. Here are the first two dishes I’ve tried and will be making often.

Lamb with Ras el Hanout and Honey

Zaalouk – Moroccan Eggplant Salad

Now that I’ve tried a couple of dishes from the Maghreb...lots more are lined up - like the Kabylia lamb and semolina dumplings, plus some Tunisian Honey Cake... Should I head off to Indochine...I’ve earmarked a spicy Laotian chicken curry and some Vietnamese Pho.

Or should I head out to Japan...the grilled sea scallops with sake & soy sauce, sound wonderful, for a twist on the traditional French Coquilles St. Jacques.

Africa, West Indies and the Caribbean are tempting...spicy shrimp rougail, chicken curry from the island of Reunion where cari (curry) traditionally contains only one single spice – turmeric, so this dish will be very different than the one I’m going to try from Laos.

Or perhaps the Middle East calls first. I know my daughter will love the cigares au fromage – rolled filo pastry stuffed with haloumi.

Well, I'm off to the kitchen and will just flip a coin.

Bistros and Brasseries

A number of years ago, my Honey and I spent a romantic two weeks in France and naturally, a good portion of that was in Paris. I couldn't get enough of the art, the history and, of course the restaurants - especially the bistros. Naturally, I was very excited to receive a copy of Bistros and Brasseries so that I can relive some of those tasty meals.

I admit, most of the ones I bookmarked will grace my table once the colder weather hits . So many fantastic comfort dishes like coq au vin (rooster - or in my world chicken slowly simmered in wine), boeuf bourguignon (the perfect beef stew in red wine), blanquette de veau (white veal stew) and the very authentic looking pot-au-feu (which really means pot on the fire...slow simmering dish that differs depending on the region and the tough cut of meat on hand, but always ends up delicious). And I really can't wait to make the potee de campagne country-style lamb stew.

Don't get me started on the desserts...beignettes, profiteroles, clafouti and tarte tatin, just to name a few, which will have to wait until I've lost a few pounds.

Every page took me back and I know I'll be enjoying many a trip to Paris without ever leaving my kitchen.

Naturally, I can't wait until the weather turns consistently chilly, so I did whip up some Moules Mariniere (Mariner-style Mussels), after all, I can get truly fresh, right-from-the-ocean mussels every day here in Halifax...and this dish is so easy, so tasty, even if it's too hot to do much in the kitchen. I didn't make the "frites" of the Moules et Frites I ate almost daily when I was in France (and Amsterdam for that matter)...but I certainly can imagine them served with mayonnaise on the side.

Saucisse a l' Ail aux Lentilles Verts (Garlicky Sausages with Green Lentils) were exactly what the doctor ordered on a cold, drizzly day and they will grace my table often throughout the year. It's a perfectly simple and perfectly tasty meal regardless of the weather.

Oh...and did I mention I'll be trying the Tarte Flamiche - leek & cheese tart, the crepes aux epinards et fromage - spinach and cheese crepes, and the ragout de champignons - mushroom stew.... It's obvious I'll be visiting Paris often.

Wine Bar Food

I love food and I love wine, but I must admit that I'm not one to ask about pairing what with what...I'm like the person you often overhear in an art gallery or museum..."I don't know much about it, but I know what I like".

And, like my father before me and many others, I love nibbling. At a wedding or other affair, I'm the one gobbling up all the hors d'oeuvres, leaving no room for the main course. At restaurants, I'm often happiest ordering several small appetizers to feast on. It's why I'm a sucker for Tapas, Cichetti, or whatever other name you want to give Bar food...which brings me to...

Wine Bar Food, Meditteranean Flavors to Crave with Wines to Match
by Tony Mantuano and his wife Cathy, a perfect pair themselves... he's chef-partner at Spaggia in Chicago and she's the wine expert. So it's no surprise that this book not only shares great recipes from all over the Mediterranean, but has lots of information on wines of each region as well.

The book takes us bar hopping with stops in Venice, Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples, Seville, Barcelona, Nice, Lisbon and Athens. Fantastic recipes make every meal a party, complete with nibbles, mains, cocktails and great descriptions of wines of each region.

For example, let me walk you through the section called Athens - The first Wine Bar. Start with Mediterranean Lemonade made with ouzo, honey syrup (there is a recipe for that too), fresh mint and, of course, lemon juice while you decide on the menu....

• Taramasalata with Salmon Caviar (my personal fave Greek appetizer);
• Fava Bean Puree with capers and arugula;
• Whipped Feta and Roasted Red Pepper Spread, perfect on crackers or pita;
• Greek Pizza with Feta, Black Olives, and Oregano;
• Roasted Artichokes with crushed red pepper flakes and lots of garlic (I'm drooling, just writing about it);
• Flaming Ouzo Shrimp for that famous "OPA!!!" moment;
• Oven-roasted Greek Potatoes with Skordalia (heavenly potato garlic dip...also one of my favorite Greek dishes);
• Spicy Chicken Wings with Tzatziki Sauce;
• Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops with giant White Beans, flavored with lots of rosemary and garlic.

And while you're waiting for the waiter to bring your selection...you can read Cathy's helpful wine explanations to make sure you make the right wine choice to match the food.

If that doesn't entice you...how about this very simple, very easy to make at home...

Steak Tagliata with Arugula
from the Florence -Enoteca Toscana

I don't know about you, but I'm about to take my own tour through the Mediterranean without the luggage. The hardest part will be figuring out where to start.

ZOV - Recipes and Memories from the Heart

Zov Karamardian is the owner of ZOV's Bistro in Tustin, (Orange County) California. I've never been, but if I ever do get to California, you can be sure the bistro is the first place I'll go. Why? You ask...well, her new cookbook says it all. It's filled with delightful recipes that reflect her Armenian heritage, her love of cooking and warm and tender stories that give lovely glimpses into why the recipes are so special to her and to every one of her guests.

The photos by Pornchai Mittongtare are stunning. I drooled over the cover photo of Grilled Shrimp with Mint & Cilantro Pesto and didn't stop until I hit the last page!

And the little notes at the top and bottom of each recipe will help even the newest of cooks look great and feel comfortable in the kitchen.

My biggest challenge was in figuring out where to start...and since I'm more into savory than sweet, I naturally looked to all the Mezza dishes or small bites (I could make an entire meal of appetizers and snacks). I loved the story of her falling in love with hummus after tasting it for the first time on a stop-over in Beirut, 1959 on her way to settle in the US with her family and how it inspired her own version. Then there's the crab & shrimp phyllo triangles with step-by-step photos...and the pickled vegetables, savory beef briouats (North African pastry stuffed with beef, herbs, rice, raisins an nuts...definitely a dish I'll be making with my daughter Joanna on a Sunday afternoon sometime in the Fall.

Every one of the salads looks awesome, and it was a hard choice, but I went her fantastic Balsamic Pomegranate Vinaigrette over mixed greens, berries, pecans and mint.

Manti, spicy ground beef dumplings originating for central Asia and served in a mint and garlicky chicken broth will have to wait for the weather to cool down, as will the rest of the awesome soups.

So many options of fish, meat and chicken that your head will spin...but I did make, what will become a frequent star at our table...Sumac Coated Chicken. She made them as kebabs, I did mine as chicken fingers, but which ever way you choose, you'll be grinning for weeks just remembering them.

And the Grilled Shrimp with Mint and Cilantro Pesto may look much better on the cover than mine do... (Pornchai Mittongtare doesn't have a thing to worry about there)...but the taste is absolutely spectacular!

As for all those tasty looking desserts and breads...Rosemary-Parmesan Scones will be the first I try once the weather's cool enough to use my oven. Not to mention the Kataifi with ricotta custard and orange blossom syrup, or the creme caramel, or the bread pudding with chocolate chunks and bananas...

I guess I'll just have to go through the book, page by gorgeous page.

Oh...and since I did serve the shrimp over Spinach Fettuccine tossed with even more of the phenomenal pesto...I guess I'll submit it to Presto Pasta Nights this week. The fabulous Michelle of Greedy Gourmet has graciously agreed to host, I'm very pleased to say. You can send your entries to her directly...michelle AT greedygourmet DOT com