On medium heat, add oil, then leeks with some seasoning. Add a couple of smashed garlic cloves. Cook until leeks are translucent. Add zucchini and herbs. After about 5 minutes add half & half along and vegetable broth. Simmer until very soft. Purée in a blender until smooth. Put back in warm pan and taste for seasoning or herbs. Lastly, add a splash of sherry vinegar. Then cool in the refrigerator until an hour before serving.
What a lovely savory dish that seems to be perfect every time. This method of cooking duck came after I made a slow roasted Duck with Green Olives in Provence. I wanted to perfect the recipe once I came back to Portland. But here in Portland, I made a wild mushroom sauce instead of a green olive sauce, and a demi-glace, which is simply divine!
Duck is simply my favorite food. In my Provence countryside kitchen, I decided on this rich and luscious menu for my Portland friends stay.
Every year I look forward to hosting this group of friends here in Mison. Like me, they are all foodies and love good wine. So no matter what, we always have a great time!
Artichauts Farcis - Stuffed Artichokes Provençal
An elegant first course for my dear friends here in Mison. Every summer when I’m in here in Provence I look forward to seeing and cooking for a few friends that live here in Mison. Once I met them years ago, we became fast friends. We all have a huge appreciation for good food and good wine.. and we all enjoy entertaining.
Why Not turkey in Provence
After all, this region is known for different kinds of fowl. This recipe came from the Aquitaine region in the Southwest of France, same as Bordeaux.
My Birthday landed on the hottest day of the year! I changed the venue at the last minute because it was 116 degrees in Portland!! Thank goodness for air-conditioning!
I’ve cooked paella for as many as 45 people for a birthday dinner party, and as few as four in the countryside of Germany. Generally when I make paella, it’s for 12 to 25 people (see recipe at the bottom). This past week I took my paellera and fire set-up to the south of Portland for an elegant dinner of eight in which I was not only the paella chef, but I was also a guest.
I love the sweetness of roasted carrots. These glazed carrots are put in a sherry syrup and butter after they were roasted, adding another depth of flavor and sweetness. The recipe is based on Portland's Beloved Naomi Pomeroy from Beast. She roasts them first to get a little char.
Read MoreI’m surprised how much I love these little green French lentils, also known as puy lentils. When I was a child, I hated lentils, mostly because of their texture. So, as an adult, I never took the time to prepare them. For whatever reason that I can’t remember years ago, I decided to give them another try.
Read MoreI love starting with a cold soup to get the pallet warmed up for the meal. You could use the puréed soup recipe with other vegetables if you want. But I longed for the flavors of Provence, and fennel is one of them! I served it with fennel fronds and a chive-parsley oil. It was paired with a chenin blanc.
Read MoreI had a real desire to make beet purée after seeing a beautiful image on @cookniche’s instagram post. The color was intense, and made the plate beautiful. So, I worked on making a beautiful and tasty beet purée to pair with duck breast for a dinner in which I was developing a menu. It was lovely! I played around with how much water – bay leaf, or no bay leaf. Garlic or no garlic. I was happy with the outcome.
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This has been a much loved salad in our family Thanksgiving dinner. I think my mother loved the idea that all of these things could be made ahead of time. And this salad is better with time sitting in the refrigerator. She has changed it, added different things, and made it her own over the years. I have done the same thing.