January 2016 – Hungry Breton

Buckwheat Cod Meuniere

Choice 9 — Buckwheat floured Cod with Meuniere sauce…

Following my story “The Sirens of Jerry Cod”, here is my recipe about how to respect the freshest of wild fish; Cod is or rather was a big part of Breton culture. When the green and white boats would leave North Brittany, St Malo, for the cold shores of Newfoundland along the angry Labrador belt. Some men, from the potato and cauliflower growing countryside, would travel to the north coast to make a living and provide for their families but also, to feed a need for adventure the ocean can provide and sell in such great convincing manner, a sense sought after by so many Bretons… Anyway, here it goes with pictures step by step…

Continue reading “Buckwheat Cod Meuniere” →

The Sirens of “Jerry Cod”

Stories

Every Wednesday, and like a lot of towns around France, we were treated to an alert horn. An old tradition from the Second World War, when powerful sirens were tested at noon; the urban legend said that one was just a test, two an accident, three casualties and of course 10 or 12 meant nuclear fallout, post cold war obliging. The sirens were hooked on top of high non residential buildings, or water towers that coloured the urban landscape, in all their glorious ugliness, reminding tax payers how much they were going to get screwed. If you think water charges is an Irish problem, you should ask a French family how much they are paying!

Continue reading “The Sirens of “Jerry Cod”” →

Beet, Blood and Halloumi

Recipes, Uncategorized

I have been selling cheese for over 15 years… Yes, 15 years, pretty sure. As I have escalated and passed to the “Super Wise Man’s” gap of forty ( I am cool with that) and I am still getting to grips with what life is throwing at me. Bring it on, you old bitch, you have given me so many challenges before my worrisome nature turned into a “whatever” attitude… Saying that, the older I get, and apart from the ecological impact on our Blue Home, I am growing less and less attracted to meat and fish. I have always had a huge sense of philanthropy, I love people in general and see the best in them.

Continue reading “Beet, Blood and Halloumi” →

Roast Chicken Pie

Recipes

Hey, we’ve all been there. Roast chicken on Sunday can last a few days; I like to recycle the dish into a curry or a “Blanquette” ( https://hungrybreton.wordpress.com/2015/03/24/blanquette/) but this time, I wanted to do something new, like a pie. I love the idea of using whatever is in the fridge and this time, I was in luck; no trip to the local shop, this is pure survival stuff that will see our wee cottage fed for another couple of days… I had 1/2 a savoy cabbage, a leek, an onion, few peas and a carrot. I thinly sliced the lot of them and sautéed them with a bit of cubed pancetta I had bought at the end of December… Once every ingredients sweated with a bit of salt, I made a cheesy white wine béchamel sauce… Here is the wee story of how it went…

Continue reading “Roast Chicken Pie” →

Verduzzo Pear and Fourme d’Ambert

Recipes, Uncategorized

This has to be my little Masterpiece, I designed that recipe over 10 years ago, making it a bit more special every time. The idea behind was to make and marry cheese and dessert together; if you have ever been asked for the option in a French restaurant, you will understand. That way, you keep everyone happy… First, you need to get yourselves some pears, but since they are going to be cooked in wine, make sure they are not too soft!

Continue reading “Verduzzo Pear and Fourme d’Ambert” →

Purification Brioche

Recipes, Stories, Uncategorized

I have always known that Ireland had a special bond with Christmas. I mean apart from the obvious religious heritage, both our “Celtic countries” have, a strong history of emigration that makes the end of year a bit more special, I get it. But you couple all this with an unhealthy relationship with money and you get the perfect storm. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed it very much in the early years; there was something very sweet about it actually, in North Dublin, a foreign guest in my “Blue eyed girl’s” family; simplicity and warmth. No big fuss makes good fond memories, the inevitable turkey and ham which I read about but never had before was very new to me. Taking a walk by Bull Island to the sound of the Brent Geese and a pint on Stephen’s Day in a Coolock village pub before heading back west, to Sligo or Galway…

Continue reading “Purification Brioche” →