I often make that dessert from scratch and with pears. The chocolate is a personal favourite addition, but can be left out. As the rhubarb season is showing its pretty face, you know that we are almost out of the woods… Bees are starting to gather pollen from Willow trees and Sand Martins, the first of the “swallows”, should be here any time now. So I felt like celebrating.
Hungry Breton parsnip soup
With coriander and Camelina oil
It was in 1998, the first time I got reacquainted with an old vegetable; to be honest, I had never heard about Parsnips until I moved to Ireland. Shame on me I know, but this wonderful root had almost disappeared from the French culinary landscape. Related to carrots and funny enough parsley (the vegetable Kingdom is full of surprises, just as much as the animal one; did you know that cranes and coots are related?), it is amazing that one of the world’s gastronomic nations had lost its touch with “Le panais”… I am dying with embarrassment here, as I haven’t even heard of its French word until then. Ireland though, never gave up. Before fancy restaurants and fancy chefs put it back on the menu, often as a roasted form, I first fell in love with parsnip when I tasted it in a soup. My Parisian colleague, who hailed from a long line of chefs and cooks, knew all about the auld root.
The problem when you make a Breton cake, is that you are left with a lot of egg whites ( well according to my previous recipe, and simple mathematics the number is 6). The other problem, is that I was sure I owed a piping bag and realised that this purchased happened a long time ago in my imaginationland superstore. Here is the quick recipe for the meringues and a toast to quick thinking!
As a child, growing up on the south coast of Brittany, I remember how rare the winters with snow were. Like the native Inuit or Yupik around and within the polar circle, we have several words referring to rain but only one describing snow. It’s a native people thing I guess. Saying that, I get overwhelmed every time a heavy wintry shower makes landfall on the midlands of the isle of Ireland; finding an uncontrollable need to get out there. Geared up with my camera and fitted with recently purchased removable spiked snow boots (yes, I owe a pair), I got out there, taking it all in; “the heavy salted peanuts knowing a cool beer is waiting for you” syndrome, exposure to the elements knowing that some comfort food is waiting for you.
Ok, this is just a short visual one. Ideal for a Sunday roast’ side order, you will need the following:
Boil the cubes of celeriac ( ideal size for blending later) with the cloves of garlic ( it will tame them down a bit). From cold, bring to the boil and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Check after that until soft…
Well, this is a classic of French cuisine. Great on a plate of crudity ( with grated carrots in an olive oil and lemon dressing and cooked beetroots with an orange and yogurt dressing). First operation, you need to peel the celeriac, then start cutting it in very small strips…
One thing is for sure; in Brittany people do not need an excuse to eat crêpes or pancakes. Whatever you want to call them, we actually call them Krampouezh so (pronounce “Krampooz”). We have two types; the crêpes are for dessert and made with wheat flour, the “galettes” are savoury and made with the legendary buckwheat. It is easy enough to find Buckwheat flour if you check your local health food store. I have selected this recipe which is ideal for both sweet and savoury.
There is a cloud hanging over Ireland for the last three days, red hearts and at the same time pink goo pouring out of every pixels of my laptop. I don’t mind, nor care for either of them. The birds have started singing but it is still quite cold. I opened the fridge, and my neurotransmitters were “doing 90”! How can I satisfy that craving for comfort and inner peace on this dull Friday evening? Hang on… Got it!
This as to be one of the top 5 of comfort food. Here is the way I make my mashed potatoes. Nearly almost always…
I often make that bread; focaccia like, it works really well with a full Irish or a healthier breakfast like this one. I also serve it when I make a curry or even Couscous, you know, for the sauce. So Hungry “B”’s bread? Here we go.
Hungry Breton 