The River Seine, forever immortalised
Hello, everyone! After a 13 hour flight and two hours spent sandwiched between grumpy and disgruntled travellers at immigration at Charles de Gaulle airport, Cooper and I arrived in Paris earlier this week and are now settled in to our little flat in a small corner of the city. While I've now lived in Boston, Guangzhou, London, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and have always considered myself quite the global citizen, I found myself right about yesterday hit suddenly by a sharp bout of homesickness and an intense craving for a hot, fluffy bowl of jasmine rice and tofu. Paris is gorgeous and romantic, but like all global cities, it has the scale, density and diversity that can be as overwhelming as it can be exciting. Worse, I seem to be suffering from a weird case of immobolitis, where I can’t seem to open my mouth to speak any French. But perhaps I'm feeling this way also because I've discovered, that there are only two things that I can eat at a typical French brasserie - frits (french fries) and salade verte (green salad), and that can get old pretty quickly.
So, though I never imagined I would be one of those "typical" Asians, I found myself hopping onto the Metro yesterday headed straight for Chinatown to stock up on rice, tofu, chillies (god, I miss spicy food) and...*gasp* instant noodles. I will admit that it was heart-warming to see the brands of food on the supermarket shelves that I've come to associate with home for some years.
The streets of Paris, teeming with life (and dogs!)
Despite missing Singapore, I am completely in love with the city’s architecture, and the many outdoor cafes and markets that are scattered throughout my neighbourhood. A gal (and her dog) can get used to this, let me tell you. I picked up a couple of seasonal vegetables yesterday at the local grocer. For my maiden post from Paris, I present below, a classic soup called Soupe Poireaux Pommes de Terre or Leek and Potato Soup, which is rich and full of flavour. Serve this soup with crusty bread and a salad and you’ve got a lovely supper.
Serves 4
About 1 kg slender leeks
2 bay leaves
20 black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium brown onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
450 g new potatoes (Yukon gold or red-skinned, for example) about 4 medium
1/2 to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup soy milk
Crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
Chives, chopped for garnishing (optional)
First, prepare a bouquet garni by tying together the bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme in a package using cheesecloth and kitchen twine. Alternatively, you can use about 1-2 tsps dried Herbs de Provence.
Next, trim the leeks, keeping about two thirds of the green part. If your leeks are on the thick side, remove and discard the fibrous outer layer. Carve a deep slit all along the length of the leeks, driving your knife almost to the other side, but not quite, to expose all the layers. Run each leek in turn under a stream of cold water, green part down, to wash away the sand and grit. Squeeze off the excess water.
Separate the white from the green parts. Discard the toughest green leaves, and set aside the most tender. Slice the leek whites thinly. Peel and dice the potatoes into small cubes.
In a large stock pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the garlic and onion. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic and onion are soft. Add the sliced leeks and cook until wilted, a further 5 minutes or so. Add the wine, and boil until reduced by half. Add the bouquet garni, vegetable stock, potatoes, and bring to a boil. Season to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Add soy milk and simmer soup for another 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are falling apart and the flavours have developed.
Purée the soup, in batches, if necessary, using a blender. (I did not have one on hand, so I used a fork and mashed the potatoes, in batches, in a small bowl). Taste, adjust the seasoning, and return over low heat.
Shred the reserved green leaves of the leek into fine ribbons. When the soup returns to a simmer, add the leek ribbons, stir, and remove from the heat. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot, with a spoonful of crème fraîche and some snipped chives, if desired, and a hefty dose of pepper! Viola!
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