Silly little mouse doodle of utter and abject food dismay.
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I’ve had this topic open quite literally all day, ooh-ing and aah-ing over what scrumptious things to pick and make first from this thread (Mike, I see your handmade mayo/aioli, salute you with a horrifyingly hypermobile wrist, and respectfully raise you a bottle of Kewpie).
Here’s my contribution, a creamy cold noodle dish that sparks lots of joy, especially in summer (apologies to Intfic foodies with peanut/sesame allergies). I learned this from my mother in the Traditional Way, which essentially translates to “measure with your eyes and your SOUL”, so: artistic license encouraged in preparation. Taste often 
Peanut Butter Sesame Noodles
- 8 oz dry flat noodles (or 1 pack instant noodles)
- 2-3 tbsp peanut butter
- Splash soy sauce
- Slightly-more-than-a-splash black vinegar
- 1 pinch sugar
- Sesame seed oil
Mix together peanut butter (when I’m feeling particularly princeling-like, I’ll swap out about half of it for sesame butter), soy sauce, black vinegar, and sugar in a large mixing bowl; you’re aiming for a smooth, easily-stirrable consistency, slightly thinner than pancake batter, and a slightly overwhelming flavour (it’ll be diluted by mixing with the noodles/toppings). If you get the desired consistency but the sauce is Extremely salty, add a very stingy bit of hot water and mix like you’re cranking one of those souvenir penny machines.
While you boil the noodles, you can prep toppings! My tradition is plain omelette cut into strips, shredded cucumber, and shredded ham. You can add anything your heart desires: pickled + julienned carrots, sliced strawberries, and quail eggs are some past successes of mine.
Mix the noodles with the sauce and a drizzle of sesame seed oil, then add your toppings and enjoy. 
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Ooooh I love thosee. I do it with cucumber, green onion, bell pepper (red), and corn (sometimes with a side of sea weed salad or sea weed sheets).
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Shallot Spaghetti
Boil 1 lb of thick spaghetti in salted water until a little harder than al dente. (I subtract one or two minutes from the package directions.)
While that’s cooking, put 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet with a generous helping of minced garlic, a pinch of paprika, and a pinch of coarse salt.
Heat medium-low until the garlic is golden, then add a ladle-full of pasta water and a bit less than a quarter cup of fried shallots. (You’ll find them in clear jars in Asian grocery stores, they’re delicious.) It should stop sizzling when you add the water. Turn off the heat and wait for the pasta to cook.
Once the pasta is ready, transfer it into the skillet, add a splash more olive oil and another handful of fried shallots, and cook on high heat, tossing the pasta constantly (tongs are helpful) until the sauce is emulsified and covers the pasta completely.
Add in two pinches of chopped parsley (and a couple more shallots if you want some crunch), toss one more time to mix it in, and serve. Top it with a pinch of salt and a little bit of chili crisp (you’ll also find this at the Asian grocery stores) to taste.
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I am a baker of cakes, mostly, and I’ve spent so many years perfecting my recipes that I won’t give them away. But I will share my easy strawberry/raspberry tart recipe. Making a good pastry cream is an essential skill.
CRUST
You can make a pastry crust, but I find that all that work makes a crust that’s only marginally better than a good frozen one. So I generally do that. You can drizzle a little melted chocolate in the bottom of the pastry shell after baking it if that’s your jam.
Bake your pastry shell first and cool it.
PASTRY CREAM
2 tbsp flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk (whole milk, y’all)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter (chopped in little pieces)
Put the dry ingredients in a nonstick pan (I use a frying pan, not a saucepan) and whisk them together.
In a bowl, whisk the yolks into the milk VERY WELL. Then pour that into the pan and make sure all the dry ingredients are well integrated into the milk/yolk mixture.
Put the pan on the stove at medium heat and stir occasionally (I use a wooden spoon) for about 5 minutes, then stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir. It will start to thicken, and it will look like curds are forming, but keep stirring and scraping and it will all thicken up and become smooth. Do NOT leave it alone at all after the first 5 minutes of cook time. If you still see lumps after it has thickened, break them up with a whisk.
Once the cream has thickened and starts bubbling, boil for 1 minute, stirring and scraping all the while. Then take it off the stove. You’ll know it’s done if you drag the edge of the spoon through it and the line stays.
Now add the vanilla and the butter and stir until the butter is all melted and the vanilla is all integrated. You can add a little strawberry liqueur or some rum here if you want zip, but I generally don’t. You can also add some melted semisweet chocolate to it if you want it chocolatey.
Pour the cream into your pre-baked and cooled pastry shell and put it in the fridge to set.
**Edit: note, if you like a really thick amount of cream, you can use most of it in one pie shell, but I like a thinner layer and usually make 2 tarts from one batch of cream. Which is good, because you’ll need 2.
TOPPING
Put fresh strawberries or raspberries (or both, or some other berry if you like) on the cooled cream.
I think red currant jelly is the best thing to pour over either berry. Melt about 1/2 cup of jelly, add 1 and 1/2 tsp gelatin, stir over medium heat until the gelatin is dissolved. Spoon it over the berries.
Let the tart set in the fridge for at least an hour or two, then snarf it down.
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I have a few signature recipes. One I would like to share is Special Riivinkropsu. It’s a type of potato casserole. A penpal taught me the traditional Finnish recipe and I made some modifications:
Ingredients to serve 4, recipe within
a heaped tablespoonful of butter (anything else you use to grease cooking containers for oven baking will work, or you can substitute greaseproof paper if you prefer)
2 eggs
250 ml milk (full-fat or semi-skimmed both work, and you can use cream or similar ingredients to replace some of this if you prefer)
30 ml flour
1 teaspoon vegetable salt (60% salt and 40% dried vegetables)
2 large potatoes (preferably main crop rather than early)
1 tablespoons each of parsley, dill and herbes de provence (any mixture of herbs that totals 3 teaspoons is likely to work; tradition calls for parsley but use whatever’s to hand that you like eating)
160-250 grams of frozen vegetables, depending on how generous a portion you want to serve (if you need the vegetables to be hidden, go for the smaller amount and put the vegetables in as a layer instead of stirring them into the potatoes as recommended). These must be in small pieces of about the same size as each other, but can be any vegetable you like. I recommend a mixture of whichever ones you like best. Fresh, dried and/or tinned vegetables may work if you are willing to experiment.
Small amounts of cheese, fish or meat can be added but are not strictly necessary. Potentially a good use for some small bits of leftover that you don’t want to put in a soup.
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Preheat the oven to 175 C/Gas Mark 4.
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Prepare a two-pound/1 kg loaf tin, by lining it with butter or using your preferred substitute.
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Beat the eggs together in a bowl.
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Add the milk.
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Mix the liquids together.
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Add the flour, vegetable salt and herbs.
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Mix the mixture together- you are aiming for a loose batter. If it’s too solid (now or in a later mix), add more milk. If it seems too loose, let it be loose for now.
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Peel the potatoes.
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Cut the skin into small pieces - a vegetable knife is best for this task, despite the temptation of kitchen scissors. If you don’t like potato skin, you can leave it out and skip to step 10.
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Add the sliced potato skin to the mixture.
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Give the mixture another mix, and this time, you can see if you can fold a little air into it. This reduces the likelihood of the batter going hard and overworked, but if you cannot get air into the batter, it’s still OK.
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Grate the remaining potatoes. Or slice into the smallest pieces you safely can.
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Add the potatoes and half of the herbs into the mixture.
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Give the mixture another mix, and this time, you can see if you can fold a little air into it.
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Pour enough mixture into the loaf tin to cover the base.
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Cook this for 5 minutes in the oven. You’re aiming to have a semi-solid base, but not 100% cooked through.
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While waiting for the bottom layer to cook, make a decision. Are you aiming to have hidden vegetables? Or obvious vegetables speckling the whole (my preference)? If you want to hide the vegetables, you’ll need to use layering on them all; if you want to make them obvious, go ahead and mix the vegetables into the batter.
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In any case, check the state of your batter. If it looks like it would hurt if you dropped it on your toe, add milk. If it looks like it would run away at the first opportunity, add flour (if it’s really runny, extra vegetables or even some extra grated potato might help).
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Remove the container.
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Pour a layer of vegetables carefully onto the mixture.
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Pour the mixture on top. If you’re going for layers, you may add the second layer when the first layer is no longer visible - but this may not work for a third layer unless you cook each layer (experimentation definitely needed for a third layer). If you’re wanting obvious vegetables, just put the whole thing on top.
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Smoothen out any lumps on top. If you want this to be a decorative riivinkropsu, this is the point to quickly use your fork to make shapes, little peaks and troughs in the mixture (much like a pie).
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Cook for 50 minutes-1 hour, until the top is golden. This is not an exact science and nothing bad will happen if you open the door early, so best to err on the side of checking early.
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Remove from the oven.
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Put the rest of the herbs on top of the riivinkropsu.
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Serve.
Since you already have lots of vegetables, you might not need a side, but you could serve more vegetables or a very small piece of fish/meat with it. It also works as a hearty side to any dish for which you would normally serve potatoes (in which case, reduce portion size accordingly). This can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days.
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This sounds delicious! I especially like that you use the potato skins. My immediate thought is to add shreds of smoked/dried fish (trout, halibut, even herring), but for the first time I’ll follow your vegetarian recipe. (Carrots, peas, celeriac, parsnip all seem right for this kind of dish.)
Thanks!
EDIT: Or beetroot! What marvelous colour that would give!
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These are barely recipes, but they are very easy and adaptable and I recommend them to anyone who will listen.
Miso Tahini Sauce
Blend one part miso, one part tahini, one part water, then add more water as desired. This stuff is great on salads, vegetables, pasta, what have you. A good nondairy substitute for cheese sauce.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Blend the following:
- one banana, sliced and frozen
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- any variety of milk, enough to achieve the desired consistency (maybe like 1/3 cup?)
- optional: a dash of vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon, a spoonful of flaxseed meal
It’s like having ice cream for breakfast.
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Little chunks of beetroot would definitely work
I have to admit that I’ve never tried riivinkropsu with meat in it; I suspect that would also work but couldn’t make recommendations on quantities etc. All the fish you mentioned pair well with potato-heavy dishes in general.
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Oh, I wasn’t thinking a lot of fish. One, maybe two hands of crudely shredded smoked fish. About a quarter the amount of vegetables. Just enough to get a little chunk of salty smokiness once every few bites.
Yes! This is my son’s (and admittedly, mine too, but I let him have all the fun nowadays. Ah, the burdens of fatherhood…) favourite part of making bread pudding.
Bread Pudding
—300 grams of stale bread (we mostly eat six-grain, sunflower seed, dinkel-wheat, or other types of more-grain breads; the flavour of these of course seeps through in the pudding)
—1/2 liter of milk (I always use whole fat, more flavour)
—150 grams of sugar (any kind; brown sugar gives the pudding a nice caramelly taste)
—4 eggs (chicken; ostrich works well too but then you have to adjust the measurements of the other ingredients accordingly and gain access to an industrial oven. I’m not even going to speak of the one time we found a fossilised Brontosaurus nest in our back yard and made the King of Bread Puddings. Bit gritty though…)
—handful (or 2) of dried fruits (raisins are classic, but figs and dates work well too; apricots are fantastic in combination with honey)
—a chunk of chocolate (about as big as two fingers) and/or a generous spoonful of honey.
—nuts (any kind you like; I love hazelnuts or walnuts)
—spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, powdered cloves; even a bit of pepper and salt)
—Shred the bread into rough or fine chunks, as you prefer, into a buttered baking dish (preferably a rather narrow high one; the flatter the pudding, the drier).
—Add spices, honey and/or chocolate to the milk and bring to a simmer (with milk, the saying is “An unwatched pot always boils over and foams all over the stove.” So watch the pot.)
—Pour the hot, aromatic milk over the bread and mush with a fork.
—Break the eggs in the bread-milk mixture and immediately work them through (wouldn’t want the eggs coagulating from the heat of the milk).
—Fold in additional yummies like dried fruits and nuts (or chocolate chips).
—Draw shapes or ridges on top with a fork for decoration, and also because the tops of the ridges will ever so slightly burn in the oven and be extra crispy and caramelly. (thank you @Alianora_La_Canta for mentioning this in your recipe, thus prompting me to write this one down)
—Dust a thin layer of fine white sugar over the top, again for extra crisp and caramelly goodness.
Bake at 180 degrees celsius for about 45-55 minutes (depending on how moist you want it to be in the center and how burnt the top is after 45 minutes.)
The entire preparation and baking process benefits greatly from the whole family/group of friends gathering in the kitchen and singing Mary Poppins songs throughout.
Following the directions of a small child about additional ingredients, ratios of ingredients, or baking times leads to varied results, always interesting, often surprising. If you do not have a small child lying around the kitchen, listen to your own inner 8-year old.
Smakelijk!
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Bumping the post, because I am cooking this week for friends, and they’ve been begging me for a pissaladière. Sharing food, sharing the love, here’s the recipe.
Ingredients:
- a boatload of onions (about a 1kg should do, but if you do more, you can have an extra thick layer on it, or keep it as some sort of onion-y jam/spread for later, only winning there)
- some herbs (provençal/italian mix will do)
- some garlic (a head will do)
- olive oil
- pizza dough (fresh is best, but I am lazy. I have also tried with pastry dough and it was nice too)
Utensils:
- a pan
- an oven dish or flat oven tray
Instructions:
- cut your onions (strips is best/prettier) and garlic (can also be crushed)
- dump it in the pan with some oil.
- add the herbs (maybe some salt if you want)
- cook on a low fire for (handgesture) hours, or until they are translucent/soft (you can speed up the process on a medium fire, but I like to torture myself by having my house smell like onions all afternoon)
- unwrap the dough on the dish/tray and dumb the cooked onion on top (add olives and/or anchovies for pretty look)
- put in the oven until the dough is cooked (follow the temperature/length of cooking from the package, but a 400F/200C for 25min or so should be fine)
Done. Go burn your tongue and enjoy!
Also good, adding anchovies to the pan before the onions.
And is also good cold/reheated!
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Ok. I’ll go get the dough right now and start simmering those onions. Because this sounds amazing.
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I first oversaw the pizza dough. And I thought “Only onions? What is this?”
It looks like something tasty.
I will do without the anchauvis, though, bah…
If I have to choose between French and Italian cuisine I’ll choose the Italian. But why choose, why not enjoy both? 
Ok, I won’t eat oyster and especially snails. But I don’t like olives, too. Olive oil is tasty for me, just not whole olives.
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However much I support you presence on the forum, sharing a dinner table might be difficult.
@manonamora , letting some ansjovies melt toegether with the onions sounds delicious. I’m just thinking about a little acidity to add. Long-simmered onions are super sweet, a bit of salt from the ansjovies, Perhaps some tomato-cubes (without the juices, just the fruity meat.), or feta cheese spread in little morcels?
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Hehe, but there sure are dinners without anchovis, snails, oysters, olives…at least outside of France. Don’t know about Belgian cuisine. Is it similar to French? Maybe only in the Francophone part of Belgium?
I am more a gourmand (someone who likes to eat) than a gourmet. I am sort of picky when it comes to tomatoes, cheese and coffee.
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As well as inside of France… The first recipe I share on this post has none of the items you listed, but is still a Provencal recipe. There is more than anchovies, snails, frogs or olives in the French cuisine…
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That’s comforting because it means I still can enjoy French cuisine
I’m aware of many French meals like the mentioned Coq au vin, but also Boulliabaise and Paella (just kidding and testing if you pay attention). Afaik French cuisine is regionally very different (like German and Italian, too).
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Go wild with the experimentation! And then tell me if it was good
The pissaladière is usually eaten as an entrée/apetizer/snack.
Depending on the kind of onions you get, it’s not that sweet.
Maybe a dash of vinegar? or a bit of citrus juin?
(I’m keeping mine the way my mamie taught me )
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Done with making it. My stomach has been grumbling ll day from the onions simmering to the whole thing cooking. And i still need to wait 2 more hours to eatit with friends …
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This looks interesting. I like cooked onions but detest raw ones, so they have to be cooked very thoroughly. I could see this with some cheese or peppers or both, and maybe some pepperoni. Wait…I think I’m making a pizza. 
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