Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Potatoes and carrots in pressure cooker (Pommes de terres et carottes à la cocotte minute)

Yesterday, I realised something terrible : I became old.

It happened just like that, in one night. One day, I was young the day after, no more ! 

I thought I was as fun as a teenager. I mean, I love their flow, I love the way they speak, the expressions they use, their borderline experiences, sometimes, their carefreeness, etc.
And in my mind, I did not see myself as an adult.

My son is totally crazy about Selena Gomez. He came, yesterday, from school, with a smile :
“Mum, Mathieu told me Selena Gomez plays in a movie and she’s is only wearing bikini ! Can we watch this movie, mum, please ?”.

Woh, Woh, Woh, boy !

I went on internet and watched this movie's trailer.Then I told my son : “Don't even think about it !”.

And I had an incredible conversation with my 10 year's old daughter.
But while I was talking, while I was explaining why I was a little bit shocked by this kind of movie, I heard an old woman talking with my voice.

Each word I was pronouncing looked so inappropriate. My arguments were old, and seemed terribly old-fashioned.

Was I becoming prudish and totally not with it ?

Finally, a little bit lost and not totally sure of myself, I said to my children : 
"Oh, I feel so old tonight !"
Then, they killed me : 
"Why tonight ? Mum, you watched E.T at cinema, and not in rerun,  you're singing when you hear "Never gonna give you up", and you knew Michael Jackson when he was black ! Mum, you ARE old."

I sewed on again my jean's with hole in it and put my slippers, drinking an infusion. I really did.

I cook often carrots and potatoes this way. This is an easy and fast recipe, for cold days, when you need to eat sane. Those pictures were taken during Xmas time.
Quantities will depend on your hunger and your number. We were just in four but we kept leftovers for the day after.

Here what you'll need for this easy and daily recipe :
  • 1 kg of potatoes
  • 2 kg of carrots
  • 1 onion
  • One tablespoon of white sugar
  • 20 cl of chicken stock or vegetables stock ...etc ...
  • Some olive oil, butter and Herbs of Provence (or dry thyme, rosemary ...etc...).

Step 1 : 
In olive oil and butter, let brown your onion until it becomes transparent. Don't let it burn.


Step 2 : 
Peel your vegetables and cut them in slices, 3 centimeters large or so. 


Step 3 :
Pour them in the pressure cooker, adding sugar, Herbs of Provence and chicken stock. 




Step 4 : 
Stir all that together and close your pressure cook. Let cook for 25 minutes, from the whistle of the pressure, without forgetting to low the fire.


That's ready ! 
Bon appétit ! 



Recapitulative:
  • 1 kg of potatoes
  • 2 kg of carrots
  • 1 onion
  • One tablespoon of white sugar
  • 20 cl of chicken stock or vegetables stock ...etc ...
  • Some olive oil, butter and Herbs of Provence (or dry thyme, rosemary ...etc...).
In olive oil and butter, let brown your onion until it becomes transparent. Don't let it burn.

Peel your vegetables and cut them in slices, 3 centimeters large or so. 

Pour them in the pressure cooker, adding sugar, Herbs of Provence and chicken stock. 

Stir all that together and close your pressure cook. 

Let cook for 25 minutes, from the whistle of the pressure, without forgetting to low the fire.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Salmon and leeks pie (Tarte saumon poireaux)

We're now choosing where we'll go for summer holidays.

Last year, we went in Pyrenees, west mountains, which separate France than Spain. We stayed for 15 days. That was gorgeous.

Even if, for 15 days, we had grey weather, cold and often rainy.

Finally the last day before leaving... Sunshine. And scorching heat. Smothering heat.
This was the perfect weather, for my husband, to decide to go hiking, in mountains ! 

The problem was that he wanted US to go with him :
"No way ! It's Almost 45°C (110°F) and you want me to do what ? Walk ? No ? CLIMB ?! "

I laughed. For me, it was clear, my husband was making a joke. He was not.

I had to find argumentation : 
"We're urban, right ? When we walk, it's just to go to the supermarket and sometimes to make a short walk at the beach. And you want us to go hiking ? In mountains that we don't know at all ? With this heat ? The last day of our holidays ? The only day we can hope to put a toe in the swimming pool ?!"

He argued : 
"Come on ! We're in the Pyrenees ! We have to discover those wonderful mountains ! We can't come here and stay at the swimming pool and the bar (Just tell me : Why not ?), while there are so many marvelous landscapes. 
- But why today ?
- Because this is the last day and we had such a rotten weather till today.
- We will be cooked before the end of the walk ! 
- Put your book on the table and get up !"

He didn't leave me any escape. I had to find a last argument. 
"THERE ARE BEARS IN PYRENEES !"

Well, you have to know that years ago, government decided to reintroduce bears in Pyrenees. Between France and Spain, there are about twenty bears. 
We would be very unlucky to be in front of one of them, during a walk. Most of all, our walk, who where on a busy hiking trail.

My husband looked at me. And I understood in this look all the patience he was convinced to have, living with me.

He took us in the car and we went to the start of one hiking trail. 
He drived for one hour. I spent a SMS to my mother : "If you don't have news from us tomorrow, send the police ! We would have been eaten by bears or lost in mountains."
I love adventures.

While I was climbing, breathless, perspiring, one only thought helped me to keep on walking :
"Just let me arrive under the woods. Just let me five minutes to recover my strength. Just let my heart beat normally and I'm going to burn him alive. Too bad, he's a nice man yet ..."

Fortunately, this story ends well. The walk was gorgeous, landscapes were wonderful and I called my mother to tell her we were safe. 

But this year, I'm scared to know where we'll go !

Here the recipe I'm sharing with you, today.
  • 1 pie crust
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 slices (200 grammes) of salmon smoked. You can use tuna as well.
  • 4 leeks whites
  • 40 cl of half cream
  • 50 grammes of cheese, like gruyère (not obligatory)
  • Some olive oil.
Your oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6).

 

Step 1 : 
In olive oil, let brown leeks for 10 minutes on a low fire.


Step 2 : 
On the meantime, whisk eggs and cream. Add a little bit of pepper. Not too much salt.


Step 3 : 
Unroll the pie and arrange the salmon's slices. 


Step 4 : 
Pour the leeks, mixture creamy and finally the cheese.




And in the oven for 35-40 minutes.


Bon appétit ! 


Recapitulative :
  • 1 pie crust
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 slices of salmon smoked (200 grammes)
  • 4 leeks whites
  • 40 cl of half cream
  • 50 grammes of cheese, like gruyère (not obligatory)
  • Some olive oil.
Your oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6).

In olive oil, let brown leeks for 10 minutes on a low fire.

On the meantime, whisk eggs and cream. Add a little bit of pepper. Not too much salt.

Unroll the pie and arrange the salmon's slices. 

Pour the leeks, mixture creamy and finally the cheese.

And in the oven for 35-40 minutes.