Cooking from "Buvette: The Pleasure of Good Food"

[SobaAddict70]

My newest cookbook is

and I've been cooking from it lately for the past week or so.

I absolutely adore it, and the restaurant on which its based. (The seats however, are another story, but that's a minor quibble.)

Anyone want to come along for the ride?

(the last two pix are dishes at the restaurant, and recipes for those can be found in the book)

[SobaAddict70]

Peeled new potatoes being cooked in salted water...

1 clove rocambole garlic and a few oil-packed anchovy fillets infusing about 1/3 cup olive oil, in a skillet over low heat...

You don't want the garlic and anchovy to burn, but to slowly soften the garlic and have the anchovy disintegrate into the oil. Pay attention here, since the oil will eventually become your dressing.

If you see bubbles, that might mean the heat's too high. I lowered it a notch at this point.

This is about right. Note that the garlic isn't turning color. In fact, you don't want to brown it.

Drain the potatoes, then crush with a fork.

Once the garlic has been softened, mash the garlic into the oil. Set aside.

Top: chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bottom: sherry vinegar

Plate the potatoes, then spoon a little anchovy-garlic dressing atop. Drizzle with sherry vinegar, then sprinkle with parsley.

If you have any tomato confit, chop some and top the potatoes with them. Serve.

Warm crushed potatoes, with anchovy, garlic and tomato confit (page 92).

A bonus is that I now have a jar of anchovy-garlic dressing (to which I added some sherry and white wine vinegar) that will make a great condiment whenever I want it.

[SobaAddict70]

Heirloom beans, with black cabbage, shallots and poblano chile (page 176).

I subbed RG heirloom beans for the lentils, poblano chiles for the red chile pepper flakes and black cabbage for the kale.

Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add chopped garlic, diced shallots, some crumbled poblano chiles and finely shredded black cabbage. If you can't get black cabbage, kale is a great substitute. (Black cabbage or cavolo nero is also known as Tuscan kale, here in New York City.) Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add either beans or lentils, water or vegetable broth and a generous pinch of sea salt.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 hours or until the beans and kale are not just cooked through, but soft and tender. How long will depend on the age of the beans and also the variety you choose. You can alleviate this by partially cooking the beans in advance; they will just finish cooking in the pot.

If the beans begin to dry out, add some more water or broth. The mixture should be moist but not brothy. When the beans are done, add some freshly grated nutmeg, then taste for salt and serve. Drizzle each serving with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

[SusieQ]

Wow. Beautiful. I've got to try this. Thanks for taking all these photos. (I meant to reply to the potato-anchovy dish. That's the one I'm going to try.)

Edited September 14, 2014 by SusieQ (log)