Video Attempt: Bon Appétempt Goes to Paris

As per usual with these things, I'll begin with an apology: I'm sorry that I wasted the roe. While watching this video, I got a deep pang of regret that I didn't try to cook/eat that portion of the coquilles (scallops). Also, this video marks the end to our Parisian wrap-ups. Yes, it's back to the real world, Los Angeles, avocados, and hot sauce. Not a bad place to be.

Caramelized Sea Scallops via Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home
Keller writes: "I always buy big scallops, graded U7, which means there are 7 of this size in a pound, and for this dish, we brine them to season them all the way through."

(Even though I essentially halved this recipe in the video, here, I'm giving you Keller's recipe as it was originally printed, since I honestly don't know what size our scallops were and can't even remember how much we bought in terms of weight. Sorry! We were on vacation?)

2 cups kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 cups hot water
8 cups cold water
12 U7 sea scallops (about 1 3/4 pounds; see headnote), preferably dry-packed, tough side muscle removed from each one
About 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) Clarified Butter*
1/2 lemon (optional)

Line a small baking sheet with paper towels. Combine the 2 cups salt with the hot water in a large bowl, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the cold water.

Add the scallops to the brine and let stand for 10 minutes (no longer, or the scallops may become too salty). Drain the scallops, rinse under cold water, and arrange in a single layer on the paper towels.

Heat the clarified butter in a large stainless steel frying pan over medium-high heat until it ripples and begins to smoke. (Although you may be tempted to use a nonstick pan, a stainless steel pan will produce a more beautiful caramelized exterior.) Sprinkle the scallops lightly with salt and add them to the pan, without crowding. (If necessary, cook the scallops in two pans or in 2 batches; if they touch, they will steam rather than caramelize.) Cook, without moving the scallops, until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Turn the scallops and caramelize the second side.

Transfer the scallops to a serving platter and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice on top, if desired.

*This is from me, Amelia. To clarify butter, melt 3 tablespoons on the stove top and then skim off or pour off the clear yellow, liquid component, leaving behind as much of the white milk solid part as possible. The clear yellow stuff is what you want. For a much much better how-to and description, check out Mr. Lebovitz's site.

Arugula Salad with Lemon Dressing 

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)

salt and pepper
1 bunch/bag of arugula
Parmesan cheese

I like this dressing really lemony, so I start with about 4 tablespoons of of olive oil and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice in a small bowl or, as showcased, glass. Add a few healthy pinches of kosher salt and a few dashes of pepper. Stir it up and taste it. If it's too tart, I add more olive oil. Not tart enough, I add more lemon. You get the idea. Once it tastes delicious, I pour it over the arugula and toss with some grated Parmesan. If you have tomatoes on hand, sure, throw some in there too. 

We Went to Paris

Mes amis! I hope you're ready for a photographic tour of our trip because that's exactly what's about to happen... Stay tuned next week for the Paris video attempt!! 

1. View of Sacré-Cœur Basilica and Montmartre from the Pompidou Museum.
2. Giant painting at the Pompidou.
3. We may not have stepped inside of the Louvre, but it sure did look pretty from the outside.
4. Enjoying a King Falafel Palace falafel because L'as Du Fallafel was closed, and I wasn't about to leave the Marais without having sampled some falafel/fallafel. (In super controversial news, we went back another day and tried L'as Du Fallafel, and I must say that although they were both crazy delicious, I preferred King Falafel Palace! Hate mail?)
5. The Seine.
6. Galerie Salon, the best tiny store we ever stumbled upon (4 rue de Bourbon le Chateau) that carried Astier de Villatte. Matt got a tiny cup and bowl (see iPhone pic round up), and I got the most amazing incense.
7. The famous marionette theater in Luxembourg Gardens. Matt saw The Three Little Pigs. (I stayed outside and enjoyed the gardens, which brings us to our next photo...)
8. Seriously, do make it to Luxembourg Gardens if you're in Paris. It is the most exquisite park I've ever visited. (And bonus: it costs zero Euro!)
9. Piece of crepe.
10. Leave it to the Parisians to turn a median strip into something beautiful.
11. One of the few pictures of us together! (At Versailles.)
12. The famous Ladurée. (Look closely and you'll see evidence of their unexpected partnership with Hello Kitty.)
13. On day two, Matt thought he was ordering French fries and was brought this: an apple tarte with a side of ice cream. Whoooops.
14. Louis XIV. This guy greets you as you walk into Versailles. What a host!
15. In the back room of the original Rose Bakery.
16. The cakes at Rose Bakery.
17. Hall of awesome at Versailles.
18. Obligatory Paris shot; a photo from the Versailles gardens that although he took, Matt doesn't like because "It looks like a Cialis ad." And: even the street lights in Paris are pretty.
19: These pigeons across from our apartment were as big as soccer balls.
20. Scary fish at the market.
21. Fact: all the chimneys in Paris wear bonnets.
22. A mini iPhone photo round up.

p.s. Bon Appétempt was nominated for a Saveur food blog award (Best Food Humor)! Thanks so much to those of you who nominated this little operation. Voting goes through April 26th, so head on over and vote for your favorites!

I'll see you next week with the video!

Moules à la Marinière

I'm so excited I can hardly type. After talking about it for six months now, we finally board the long-haul flight for Paris tomorrow! I had the day off today, and instead of packing, I spent the afternoon gathering ingredients for this classic French dish. And in the spirit of vacation/indulgence, I ate it all by myself at 3:30 in the afternoon. It made me so incredibly happy—one of the simplest, most delicious dishes I've made in a long time. Make it as soon as possible!

We're hoping to shoot a Bon Appetempt-goes-to-Paris video during the trip, but for the next two weeks we'll basically be Internet and phone free. So, in the mean time, perhaps you'll want to...
watch this (It's streaming!)?
or make this?
or read this?

As Anna from the Coffee Break French podcast series would say: à bientôt!

Moules à la Marinière
Fresh Mussels Steamed open in Wine and Flavorings
very slightly adapted (to serve one or two people) from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking
serves 1-2
1 cup light, dry white wine
1/4 cup minced shallots, or green onions, or very finely minced onions
4 parsley sprigs
1/8 teaspoon thyme
dash of pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 lbs. scrubbed, soaked mussels
1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley

Bring all but the last two ingredients to boil in a 10-inch deep saute pan. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate its alcohol and to reduce its volume slightly.

Add the mussels to the pan. Cover tightly and boil quickly over high heat. Frequently grasp the pan with both hands, your thumbs clamped to the cover, and toss the mussels in the pan in an up and down slightly jerky motion so the mussels will change levels and cook evenly. In about 5 minutes, the shells will swing open and the mussels are done.

With a big skimmer, dip the mussels into wide soup plates. Allow the cooking liquid to settle for a moment so any sand will sink to the bottom. Then ladle the liquid over the mussels, sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately with nice French bread and butter.