The temperature again approached 80ºF (26ºC) yesterday. The sky was milky white, not exactly sunny, but no rain fell. It was a good day for cooking outdoors on the barbecue grill. Walt took some photos but I don't know if his plan is to post them today.
My contributions to lunch were 2½ things I did. Walt did the hard part, which was trimming, peeling, washing, and steaming the locally grown white asparagus spears before cooking them on the grill. I made some sautéed potatoes, which turned out really well. Sunflower oil, a hot non-stick pan with a big domed lid — the diced potatoes went in raw and unpeeled, and they had a chance to cook through as they browned. Season them with salt and pepper before serving them.
I also made a batch of whole-egg mayonnaise with garlic and chervil. That process is easy. Put a cup of canola oil in a tall measuring cup or pitcher. Add a teaspoonful each of vinegar and Dijon mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Break a whole raw egg into the mixture. Blitz everything with a stick blender until it emulsifies and becomes mayonnaise. It's surprising how easy it is to do. Add peeled, chopped garlic and fresh chervil (or some other fresh herb) and blitz it again to make what might be called une mayonnaise verte.
Finally, I did the first step in cooking the pork sausages — grosses saucisses aux herbes — which are made by the butchers at our local SuperU grocery store. I poached them in the water over which Walt had steamed the asparagus. That meant bringing the water back to a boil, covering the pan, turning off the heat, and then waiting. Poaching them first gets some of the fat out of them. They're then ready to be browned on the grill.
Very appetizing meal. I never tried mayonnaise with a whole egg and the stick blender. One of these days, maybe. Temperatures are predicted to fall this week. I was hoping to have nice weather in Paris next week, not so it appears.
ReplyDeleteIt feels chilly here today. That said, it it was almost too hot over the weekend. Try the stick-blender, whole-egg mayonnaise. It's different and moins raffinée compared to the yolk-only mayo, but it's stiffer, whiter, and easier to make.
DeleteHmm, I have never thought of poaching sausages before grilling them.
ReplyDeleteIt all looks quite good, indeed!
I learned to cook sausages by putting them in apan with ¼ to ½ inch of water, letting them cook until all the water evaporated, and the leaving them to brown in the rendered fat. Same idea, except maybe less fat in the finished product when you grill the poached saucisses.
DeleteThe chicken with cashews I made last night was great. Thanks for the recipe. Your meal looks yummy.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that, E.
DeleteDelicious, as always, I imagine! I do like that way of making mayonnaise.
ReplyDeleteI want to grill something !! :) We can't have any open fires where I live ... there is a forest just a few feet from my back door.
ReplyDeleteI would be happy with the potatoes and asparagus ! :)