Poireau Pomme de Terre

Poireau_pomme_de_terre_gratin

So Alice told me that I should blog. It's true that I don't have a hell of a lot to do these days. Or, rather, I should be actively looking for a job. As everyone knows, and as everyone - especially my dear beloved - keeps telling me "chercher du travail c'est un travail a plein temps" (looking for a job is a full time job).

Well...okay...fine, but you tell me if you manage to write 15 cover letters a day, send thousands of emails and tell everyone all day long how amazing you are and what a great asset you would be to their companies, with you ability to strive under pressure, your particularly acute attention to details - while - it goes without saying - keeping in mind the bigger picture with your strategic mind and analytical skills.

Donc, it was time indeed to follow Alice's advice and example (check out fantastic Quatre Cinquieme, made me realize I desperately needed a white shirt) and start blogging about the only thing I knew a little about - besides of course event planning, project management, human rights, transatlantic relations and all these skills that make me an indispensable asset to any company. That is: FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. And, recession oblige, it had to be food on a budget. Poireau Pomme de terre - Potato Leeks - is actually one of my favorite combination for a good - cheap - hearty meal. OK, I know, I know, it IS spring, but it certainly doesn't feel like it here in Brooklyn. So let's take this opportunity to cook a nice poireau pomme de terre gratin. Because soon we WILL have to cook with those boring springy summery basil, tomatoes, melon and what not. And, lesson number one: never miss an opportunity to use CREME FRAICHE (well, here in Brooklyn, United States, I tend to use regular heavy cream. If I had to use creme fraiche each time I needed creme fraiche here, I would be broke in no time).

I used this recipe from goosto.fr - which I tweaked a little: adding two leeks (I love those leeks), using only a cup of heavy cream (250 ml) - because that's all I had (and I did quit smoking not so long ago and find it hard to fit into my jeans) - added one fig leaf (because I always do - but I also always remove it after a while - otherwise I find the taste overpowering). Oh - and I replaced the hazelnuts by bacon (I know - it doesn't go too well with my I-just-quit-smoking-and-need-to-loose-weight-remark) but I didn't have hazelnut.

For those of you who don't read French (and don't understand metrics) - here it is:

  • 2 pounds of potatoes
  • 3 leaks
  • sliced bacon (1/2 a cup I would say)
  • nutmeg
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • butter
  • salt & pepper
  • fig leaf
Set your over on 375 F.
In a large saucepan, sautee the bacon and add the links - sliced thin and really really nicely rinsed if you don't want to eat dirt. Salt, pepper, fig leaf. Let it sweat for 10 minutes or so. Add cream & milk and bring to a boil. Add the thinly sliced potatoes. Pour the mix in a buttered oven dish and cook for 1 hour and a half. The gratin is still cooking. Will keep you updated on the results as soon as I hear back from my team.