*This is repost of the original from April 25, 2012 that was taken offline in a flurry of spam frustration. Oops. Here it is again.*
As Remi has been away for the past day and a half, I have been thinking about what it is that I like to cook when I am cooking for one = me! Admittedly, most of the time when he is away from home, I put the kitchen in shut down mode. We cook in this house and because we both work from home that means two meals a day. Now lunch is usually of the salad variety but that can still require a lot of preparations, so it can do me a bit of good to just subsist on casse-croute, picking at bits of this and that.
The first evening I eyed the (albeit home-made) leftover pizza. Certainly that was the obvious option. But it just wasn’t ringing the tummy bell. What about that bunch of broccoli that was languishing in the veggie bin? The one that I had bought even though Remi doesn’t like it? Allez-hop! Now or never time. So I decided to make a pasta, arrabbiata-style. Why? Because, with the addition of a couple squirts of smoky harissa paste, I could make it as spicy as I wanted! As some of you might know, the French by and large (excuse the generalization) are not into culinary heat. Not so for this girl who used to go the East Village Indian guys so that she could gleefully cry into her curry. Another bonus? As the smoochee was nowhere to be seen I could spike my tomato sauce with as much garlic as I could see fit. And not just any garlic but le nouveau ail, the fresh variety, which frankly, I am addicted to. I can eat it raw like bonbons, just like some of the local old-timers do. A sauté of le bacon (think Canadian), yellow onions, fresh flowering thyme (a luxury in itself), herbs de Provence, red wine (I just happened to have some in hand, quelle surprise) and it all came together into just exactly the taste that I wanted. No photos because, even if I did think about it, it was in my belly too fast.
Not so the next day when I redid the same adventure for lunch. What do I want? Two other banned ingredients came to mind: red cabbage and raw pois chiches or chick peas. I added a little extra laitue that was on its last leaves, tuna, roasted peppers, shredded carrots, Trader Joe’s salt-free 21 Season Salute (why oh why aren’t there TJ’s here? Why?) plus a simple vinaigrette. It took me back to when I was a young ‘un living in NYC and I ate this salad all the time so I had the added contentment of memories à la Proust with each munch.
Not that Remi is a food dictator, not in the least and he is more than patient with my no goes of beef, les abats and frog’s legs (I have done it but no they don’t really taste like chicken). True, he is the real chef in the family and is not afraid of attempting anything. Petits paquets de coquille St. Jacques au foie gras et bacon avec une reduction d’homard? Bring it on! I am just the comfort food girl, as you can well see. But it was really lovely to be a little selfish in my preparation and it got me wondering, what are your favorite tastes? The ones that you go to time and again for a little boost? That are “yours”?
Chère Heather!
I am finally home so I can respond to my blog comments, which I love to do,and especially for a new face! I believe I have heard of your blog or have seen you around blogland, and I am honored that you stopped by and left a comment!
YOU LIVE IN PROVENCE!!! I stayed in Nice and toured the South of France for a month and then my husband caught up with me and we then traveled into Italy, where I SAW and bought this tomato paste in a tube! I enjoyed my stay in France and being a French teacher, it was imperative that I go.
Merci mille fois for your generous comment and for reading about me over at Karena's blog. I have a long way to go until I am really the WRITER and artist I want to be, but life is all about making changes and taking chances. AND I think your idea for a pizza is fantastic!!! BISES, Anita
A giant bowl of good ol' home-made popcorn (popped in oil, no butter, a little salt), which my English husband thinks is obscene. I try to ignore him as he doesn't know what he is missing. Garlic. Scallions. Home-made tomato sauce with garlicky meatballs. Did I mention garlic? 🙂 Lovely fresh early leaf salads with scallions, cherry tomatoes, radishes, walnuts and vinaigrette, sometimes with strips of roast chicken.
Your salad looks lovely. The new profile picture with Ben is adorable.
Oh of course your comment made me so happy! We both LOVE that movie!!! It is a natural with the Remi/Remy the rat link. 🙂 And hard boiled eggs regularly top our salads too–yum.But the olives stuffed with garlic? Score one for Nathalie!
Girl, you can be filled up with one tomato? Really? Whew, I bow down to your wisdom because not me alas. I need protein! But I agree in that my protein of preference is fidh or volaille-by far!!!
Even sounds delicious. Heather you can start any time to write a screenplay for Ratatouille sequel. A few recipes could be a bonus.
Just reading makes me feel like I already had a hearty lunch.
PS. I like to add eggs and/or big green olives stuffed with garlic to salads when there's no feta around.
When I cook for one, I am similar to you in that I don't use meat and if I do it is either chicken or fish. I even went as far as experimenting with tofu which I didn't quite enjoy as much.
My usual dish to make when I am alone is sometimes a cheese plate with some great bread but if I am trying to be healthy I really like chickpeas and beans with some mozzarella thrown in or just a simple capri salad.
It is amazing how one tomato can fill me up for lunch.
The Wanderfull Traveler
Whoohooo!!! Really, Sister? You are so awesome. Me, I'm lucky. 🙂
It is mainly just that 21 season salute spice mix–it is soooo good on everything! I will take you up on your offer when it starts to run out!
YUM. I see you are salty more than sweet like me. Oh my, now I will have to have feta cheese. Too late for a store run but I know what will be on my salad for tomorrow lunch! Merci!
Yeah for roasted chicken! I made one last night–it is a basic here in the house. Tomatoes and cukes haven't compltely hit their stride yet but that will be a staple this summer. And Jeanne, I thought of you purposefully in putting in so many French food words in for this post–got to get you warmed up for your trip next week!!
Merci, Vero! Glad to find you again too!