Saffron Rice with Peas

I planned to make much more Iranian food while in Nice than I actually did. Now that my time here is coming to a close (T-2.5 weeks until departure), I'm trying to finish off all the things that are left in my kitchen. One of these things, in bizarre abundance, is saffron. In an attempt to not to ensure that none of it goes unused, I've been finding little uses for it here and there. This morning, for example, I added it (with a splash of rose water) into my rice pudding, creating a concoction that resembled Sholeh Zard, an Iranian rice pudding dessert.

For lunch, I was looking for a light dish that would use both the saffron and some leftover brown basmati rice I had in the pantry. After some browsing, I found this recipe on The Kitchn. It was super easy to make and really delicious. I didn't have any cashews on hand so I omitted that part and also sauteed some onions at the beginning to add extra flavor. I would definitely make it again as a side dish to a larger meal, like they suggest doing with a lamb curry.

Saffron Rice with Peas
from The Kitchn
makes 4-6 servings

1 tablespoon oil
2 cups Basmati rice, well-rinsed and washed
1/2 teaspoon (2 pinches) saffron threads
1 cup unroasted, lightly salted cashew halves
1 cup frozen organic peas
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Wash and drain rice. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 4-quart pot. Add the rice and fry a couple minutes. Add the saffron threads and cashew halves and fry for another minute. Add the peas, fry for a few moments, then add the water, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes.

Take off the lid and turn the heat off. Stir in the garam masala and salt to taste. Let the rice sit to "dry" for a few minutes. Serve.

Three Weeks Eating My Way Around France

In case I haven't already mentioned this, the greatest perk of the French educational system is the incredible amount of time off you get. There are so many holidays and long weekends, I can barely keep track. Seeing as I have no jobs or other obligations here, I mostly use this time off to travel around. During our spring break (essentially, the second half of April), Dora and I roamed around France, circling the country and stopping in: Toulouse, Albi, Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, Rouen, Etretat, Honfleur, Lille, Strasbourg and Lyon. I have so many pictures I'd like to post but I figure the best place to start is the food (DUH!). The amount of cheese and ice cream I consumed during the trip may seem shocking, but I assure you, were you here, I would oblige you to do EXACTLY the same thing. Too many treats, too little time. Here is a recap of some of the most delicious foods I saw/ate--enjoy!

roquefort salad in Albi

Dora with her buckwheat egg crêpe in Rennes

buckwheat crêpe filled with scallops, leeks, and crème fraîche in Rennes

moules frites in Rennes

amazingly red strawberries at the market in Rouen

fresh endives

probably the cheapest, most delicious meal you can get in Normandy: baguette and local cheese


Neuchâtel!

nougat and pomme cannelle (with real apple chunks!) ice cream in Honfleur

camembert chaud salad in Etretat

cambembert (!!!) and raspberry ice cream on the beach in Etretat

avocado paté, served in a jar with toasted pita triangles and a salad at Poêles de Carottes, a great vegetarian restaurant in Strasbourg

close up on the the avocado mixture

Dora's favorite dessert of the trip, also at Poêles de Carottes : carrot sorbet, topped with pain d'epice and chocolate

Chilled Avocado Cucumber Soup

I make no apologies for my love of chilled soups. On a warm day, they are so refreshing and flavorful. The coldness just adds a certain level of freshness that you find less often in warm soups. Over the years I've experimented with many Gazpacho recipes (my current favorite is Ina Garten's because she keeps all the vegetables pretty coarse, giving the final product a lot of texture). A couple weeks ago when Dora and I went to Paris together, we managed to have chilled soups several times in only a couple days. First it was the gazpacho at the Bar a Soupes, one of my favorite places in Paris because I love soup so much. Another day, in the nearby Pause Café, we had the daily special: cucumber gazpacho. It was so amazing and delicious, not only because it was cold but also because cucumber is such a particularly refreshing vegetable (Side note: is it true that it's a fruit if it has seeds?).

For a while now I've been bookmarking different chilled soup recipes to try out and last night Dora and I tried this one from 5 Star Foodie. It was phenomenal. Literally, we both went for seconds and probably would have gone for thirds if there wasn't limited quantity. The avocado and the creme fraiche added an amazing creaminess to the soup, but it was still very light considering the bulk of it was chicken broth and vegetables. I definitely will be making it again and I'd like to do some experimenting with the proportions of avocado to cucumber too. I didn't use the serrano peppers or cayenne because I didn't feel like spiciness, but I'd absolutely like to try it with them.

Chilled Avocado Cucumber Soup
from 5 Star Foodie
makes 4 cups

2 avocados, sliced
1 cucumber, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
2 small serrano peppers, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt, black pepper to taste
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper

Place avocados, cucumbers, cilantro, green onions, Serrano peppers, lime juice, sour cream and stock in a blender. Season with salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Pour into individual bowls and swirl a generous pinch of cayenne.