Scratch Cooking November 15th

This weekend's cooking projects had a distinctly French theme. I guess I was just in a Parisian state of mind.

Saturday, I made croissants using a recipe I had cut out of the LA Times a few years ago.

1 1/2 cups butter

1/4 cup flour

2 (1/4 oz) packages dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3/4 cup milk, scalded

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg beaten

3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon milk (optional)

Beat butter and flour until smooth. Place between 2 sheets of wax paper and flatten with rolling pin to 12 x 6 inch rectangle. Chill for at least 1 hour. Add yeast to warm water. Combine milk, sugar and salt and cool to lukewarm. Add yeast and egg to milk mixture. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Roll out to 14 inch square. Place chilled butter on one half and fold other half over butter. Seal edges and roll to 20 x 12 inch rectangle. Fold in thirds to make 3 layers and roll again to 20 x 12 inch rectangle. Repeat folding and rolling 2 more times. Fold in thirds and chill 45 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 parts and roll each into 22 x 7 inch rectangle. Cut each into 5 parts and each part into 2 rectangles. Roll each rectangle from base to point to make a croissant shape. Place point side down on baking sheet, curving ends. Cover and let rise until doubled 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Brush with egg yolk mixture if you want them glossy and bake at 375 for 12 - 15 minutes.  

The second part of our all French cooking weekend involved a classic French Bistro dish that we always get at least once when we are in Paris - Moules Frites, other wise known as Mussels steamed in wine servied with French fries.

For the fries, we peeled and thinly sliced a combination of Russet and Yellow Finn potatoes and soaked them in a bowl of water with 1/4 cup white wine vinegar for about 20 minutes. We drained and dried them and put them in a pot of hot oil (medium high) until they were soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Then we took them out and drained them on paper towels and let them rest for 15 minutes

In the meantime, I cut the tips off some baby artichokes and sliced them into quarters. I sauteed them for about 25 minutes in 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine, a clove of garlic, salt and pepper. About 5 minutes before they were done, I added in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.

After the fries were done resting, I heated up the oil again, this time on high and when it was really hot, I added the fries in about 3 different batches and cooked them until they were crispy, about 5 minutes for each batch. As each batch came out, we drained them on paper towels and added salt.

While those were frying, I put a bottle of white wine, 2 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves, salt, pepper, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 chopped onion in a pot, when it was boiling, I turned it down to simmer and added the mussels. Once they are open, they are done. It usually only takes a couple of minutes.

For dessert, my friend brought vanilla ice cream and we had it with the poached fruit I made the other day.

I also did a little shopping this weekend. I had a 30% off coupon for Banana Republic and went with a friend. I was trying on jeans because none of mine seem to fit anymore. Yep, I am officially down 15 pounds since starting the scratch cooking project! I have also been sick, so I am not going to say it is all the scratch cooking, but I think it is playing a roll. I am actually hoping it will taper off now. I don't want to start looking like a typical Hollywood carb counting, dressing on the side, anorexic nutball.

Anyway, I was in the dressing room and asked the woman there to get me a smaller size pair of jeans. When I came out in the smaller size she said "you're tiny!" but more like an accusation than a compliment. I said "I'm not THAT tiny!" "How tall are you?" she demanded followed by "what's your workout?" To which I replied, "ballet and yoga. Oh, and I don't eat any packaged food but I do eat a lot of butter and cream". She looked at me in utter horror, stammered for a minute and then said "isn't that bad for your arteries???" I just shrugged and said I would take my size 2 jeans, thank you very much.