French picnic food ideas/recipes?
I am going to a potluck party, and the theme is "French Picnic". I have been asked to bring some sort of hearty salad - all I can think of is a french lentil salad. Any thoughts/ideas/recipes for "french" picnic salads?
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11 Comments:
Check out the Canadian food network website (foodtv.ca) - look up Laura Calder - she hosts a show called French Food at Home. I think you'll find all sorts of ideas there!
Maureen at 10:13AM on 05/19/08
nicoise: tomato, red onion, haricot vert, olive, boiled egg, olive-oil packed tuna, steamed potato and simple vinaigrette. i like just olive oil and lemon.
renzata at 10:55AM on 05/19/08
you sliver in some red bell pepper too.
renzata at 10:55AM on 05/19/08
I wrote this recipe a while back craving something different in the realm of potato salad. It will keep nicely outdoors for a picnic but if you can stash it in a cooler, all the better.
French Potato Salad
2 lbs. fingerling potatoes OR very small red bliss potatoes
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2-3 T Sherry Wine Vinegar
large pinch kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 small shallot minced very finely
1/2 cup best quality olive oil
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
3 T chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 small red onion, sliced
Boil potatoes until a knife can pass through them easily. This does not take long as fingerlings cook rather quickly. Refresh in ice water a few minutes, then drain. Set aside.
Place mustard and sherry wine vinegar, S&P and shallot in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Drizzle the olive oil in very slowly, whisking to emulsify dressing. Once all the olive oil is worked in, taste the mixture. If it's too mustardy or needs more vinegar, adjust these ingredients at this time. Bear in mind the more oil you use, the higher the risk the vinaigrette will break. Add red onion, chopped thyme and parsley, stir to combine.
Toss cooked potatoes and red onion in dressing, chill and serve.
chiff0nade at 11:07AM on 05/19/08
Celery Remoulade
by Julia Child
Makes approximately 4 cups; serves 6 to 8
That big, brown, knobby, ugly vegetable known as celery root or celeriac is almost snowy white inside and makes a marvelous salad and accompaniment to smoked or broiled fish, cold cuts, and other vegetables. Because celery root can be tough unless it is very finely shredded, you will need either a food processor with a fine shredding disk or a hand-cranked julienne mill.
Ingredients
* One 1-pound celery root (3 to 3-1/2 inches in diameter)
* 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Dressing
* 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
* 3 tablespoons boiling water
* 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive or mild vegetable oil
* 2 to 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
* 2 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (optional)
* 1/3 to 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
* 1 bunch of watercress, stemmed
Preparation
1. To prevent the celery root from discoloring, work quickly. Peel the brown outside off the celery root with a short, stout knife, and cut the celery root into 1-inch chunks. Shred in a food processor fitted with a fine shredding disk or in a hand-cranked julienne mill. At once, toss the shredded root in a large bowl with the salt and lemon juice—lemon helps prevent discoloration, and lemon and salt together have a mildly tenderizing effect. (If you are doubling or tripling the recipe, shred and season the root in batches.) Let it steep for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, to make the dressing, place a large bowl over a pan of simmering water to warm. Set the warm bowl on your work surface, add the mustard, and by dribbles whisk in the boiling water, then the oil; finally, dribble and whisk in the vinegar to make a thick, creamy sauce.
3. To assemble, rinse the celery root in cold water, drain and dry it. Fold it into the dressing and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper. If desired, fold in the parsley and enough sour cream to lightly coat the strips. Serve the celery root on a serving plate atop a bed of watercress.
Note: The celery root is ready to serve now, but will be more tender if it steeps, covered, for several hours in the refrigerator—where it will keep nicely for several days.
simon at 11:13AM on 05/19/08
check on Clotilde's site http://chocolateandzucchini.com/
bisbee at 5:05PM on 05/19/08
I make a really good Comme Çi Comme Ça Niçoise Salade... it has a lot of components, but it is super good... people always keep asking for more. Maybe you can make a scale down version of it.
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 5:55PM on 05/19/08
I make a tasty and easy salad with halved baby potatoes (steamed), steamed green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, and marinated artichoke hearts quartered. I dress it with the artichoke marinade topped up with dijon mustard and salt and pepper - and sometimes a little extra olive oil.
PeanutButter at 7:07PM on 05/19/08
wow - such great ideas! you serious eaters are the best!
mainegirl at 7:22PM on 05/19/08
The celeri remoulade is a great idea! Clotilde's grated carrot and beet salad is also super French.
mlt43 at 10:00AM on 05/20/08
What a coincidence! I just did a French picnic feature for my blog last week. It has recipes for a cold "Soupe au Pistou" Pasta, renovated Pan Bagnat, and watermelon salad with raspberries and rosewater. All great for a picnic...
http://frenchrevolutionfood.blogspot.com/2008/06/le-picnic.html
(for the recipes)
or just go to www.frenchrevolutionfood.com and search for "le picnic" in the blog archive...
Kerry at 3:53AM on 06/30/08