Tarte aux Moutarde

One of my favorite savory pies, the tomatoes/mustard work really well together and make for a delicious lunch or dinner.

Category: Savory Pies, Tomatoes, Dinner, Lunch

Frenchman Rating/Comments:  8/10,  "The mustard was not strong enough, next time use 'extra fort'."

Cost per Serving: The entire pie came to about €4.00... so very minimal.

Ingredients

• Pastry shell or enough pastry dough for one open-faced 'pie', ensure the dough is not sweet, but is salty
• 3 Large House Tomatoes sliced thinly, or 6 medium size roma tomatoes sliced thinly
• 6 slices swiss cheese (3x5 inches is good, with a width of 1/4 inch)
• 1/3 cup mustard with seeds (like a rough mustard or a brown mustard- better flavor), 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (yellow and kinda spicy) extra strong.
• 2 tablespoons Herbes de Provences, or just plain old oregano and basil (one tablespoon of each, mixed)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Pie Dish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F or 200°C
2. Lay out the pastry dough into the pie pan, if it's a pastry shell with a pie pan attached skip to step 3.
3. Poke holes all over the bottom of the crust, this will ensure the pie will not bubble up.
4. Spread the mustard evenly over the bottom of the crust, if need more add more, ensure the pie crust does not show through.
5. Place slices of swiss cheese along the bottom on top of mustard, it will resemble a pizza
6. Layer tomato slices clockwise starting from the outside edge swirling to the interior until the bottom is covered. If there is extra, continue to layer to cover spots.
7. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and about 2 tablespoons of the seasoning, plus salt and pepper to taste
8. Place in oven, cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are curled on the edges, the outside crust is brown, like the photo below:
    

 

Serve with a chilled wine and a tossed salad!

Oven Baked Dorade

Dorade, a stable in French seafood- and something I've never cooked in my life.  I got lucky when my local Carrefour was selling them for 2 bucks a pop 'pret a cuisiner', ready to cook, and so I snagged them.  I just threw it to the wind, so don't be surpised if it might not be the best thing ever.

Category:  Fish, Main Dish, Lunch OR Dinner


Frenchman Rating/Comments:  4/10, "It was good, but the bones were left in so it made it difficult, the fish was a little dry- so maybe more juice or sauce... maybe even a different fish.  Kind of a fail."

Cost per Serving:  Dorade = 1.92 each, Herbs/Lemon = .20 each; TOTAL COST (per serving) = €2.12 a serving.


Ingredients

• Two butt-end parts of the dorade, ready to cook, de-boned if possible.  (I don't know the real name, so sue me)
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 small lemons
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Equipment

• Glass baking dish 
• Paper Towels
• Frying Pan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
2. Dry the fish with the paper towels,then fry in a hot pan in a little olive oil for 1 minute on each side.
3. Open the fish and stuff with lemon and a little butter, salt lightly.
4. Slice one lemon thinly, and lay the slices on top of the seasoning/butter mixture.. or inside of the butt piece.
5. The last lemon, cut in quarters, reserve one half for after and the other half to bake in the dish.
6. Cover with tin foil, bake for 15 minutes in preheated 200c oven, then uncover, place higher, turn skin side up and broil for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Serve hot with the juice from the dish poured over!... I served with 'tomato lentils' and baked potatoes with a yogurt sauce.

Salade Niçoise

I had a can of tuna and I didn't want to make another tuna fish sandwich- so I let it hang out in the pantry until one night I was totally inspired a la Julia Child to make a salad niçoise.. my version.

Category:  Dinner OR Lunch, Main Dish, Salad


Frenchman Rating: 9/10, "Incredibly delicious, and surprisingly was not simply just a salad, but a filling meal."

Cost per Serving:  €2.53 per serving

 Ingredients

• 1/2 sac of mache lettuce OR 1/2 head of any type of green leafy lettuce

• 2 whole tomatoes, chopped into chunks  

• 1 can of tuna (usually about 15oz can)

• 2 lemons

• 1 tin of sardines (suprisingly delicious, tastes like a rich tuna)

• 1 large can green beans

• 4 boiled eggs, shelled, chopped
• 3/4 medium onion, sliced
• 1/3 cup black olives (pitted or non pitted)
• 3-4 baked or steamed potatoes
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Begin by opening the tuna, draining, opening the green beans, draining, and pretty much preparing everything (chopped tomatoes/eggs, sliced onions, steam the potatoes)..
2. Mix up the '*super ball-samic dressing'
3. Layer:
1. Lettuce
2. Tomatoes/Olives/Greenbeans
3. Tuna/Onions with a little spritz of lemon juice or oregano
4. Eggs
4. Serve with dressing on side, or dressing tossed into it.  Serve with two slices of lemon. I like to ensure my potatoes are still warm when I do the tossing.. really goes well with a crusty bread.

*super ball-samic dressing
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tablespoon red wine
2 tsp grainy mustard
(Shake well, serve)