 Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer We learn the author's lifestyle has morphed from its humble origins to a rather charmed existence that now includes working 6 months each year as head chef at Chez Panisse, with the remaining 6 months spent cooking for friends in his tiny apartment kitchen in Paris. Although he eschews many shortcuts, Tanis is a strong advocate of home cooking - especially when it involves pure flavors and natural, un-fussy presentation. Following the widely accepted premise that organically grown, simply prepared foods are inevitably the best choice, his recipe collection unfolds in the form of seasonal menus suitable for home dining. The influence of bold Mediterranean flavors discovered during his travels is evident throughout the book. The decidedly un-trendy selections vary from those assembled with just a few impeccable components to those noteworthy for their esoteric ingredients or lengthy cooking techniques. Some dishes like Sliced Tomatoes with Sea Salt and Goat cheese with Honey are more concepts than actual recipes - but they act as a gentle reminder that uncomplicated dishes are often the secret to a perfectly balanced menu. This is not the sort of book I will drag into the kitchen in order to measure out every quarter-teaspoon of whatever to reach a desired ending. Instead, it's a book that will remain in a teetering stack piled next to my bed, where I will inevitably turn for occasional inspiration after a trip to the farmers' market, or in anticipation of a luxurious afternoon reserved to experiment in the kitchen. And sometimes I'm sure I will pick it up to read just for a bit of culinary comfort…of the written variety.
Sea Scallops a la Plancha
 Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer
One of the delights of the winter season is the availability of good shellfish, especially sea scallops. Ask your fishmonger for freshly shucked scallops, often called "diver" scallops. A good way to cook them is a la plancha, on a hot griddle or cast-iron pan, which caramelizes the exterior and keeps them juicy inside.
- 1 pound large sea scallops, about 16
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Green Sauce (recipe follows)
- Lime wedges
Remove the "feet" - the tough muscle that attaches scallops to their shell-and discard (or add them to a fish stock). Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
Heat a large griddle or cast-iron skillet to nearly smoking. Add the scallops in one layer, being careful not to crowd them. Brown the scallops well, letting them cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the scallops over and cook for another 2 minutes.
Put the scallops on a platter and spoon a little green sauce onto each one. Surround with lime wedges.
green sauce
Put 1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems roughly chopped, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 sliced serrano chile, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground, in a blender. Season lightly with salt and add a cup of olive oil. Blend to a smooth puree. Makes about 1 cup. Roasted ApplesThis simplest version of a baked apple, barely sugared and perfumed with a little Cognac, yields concentrated, caramelized juices. Look for local baking apples at your farmers' market. Make sure they are all of the same size.
- 8 baking apples
- Sugar
- Cognac
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Employing a twisting motion with a paring knife, remove the stem from each apple in a conical shape. Reserve the stems. Carefully scoop out the apple cores with a melon baller or small sturdy spoon, leaving an inch or so of flesh at the bottom of the apples.
Put the apples in an earthenware baking dish. Fill each apple with sugar, then add a splash of Cognac to each one. Replace the stems and sprinkle sugar generously over the tops.
Bake the apples on the top shelf of the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until the skins burst. Serve at room temperature, making sure to spoon the juices over each portion. About A Platter of Figs For six months a year, David Tanis is the head chef at Chez Panisse, the Berkeley, California, restaurant where he has worked alongside Alice Waters since the 1980s in creating a revolution in sustainable American cuisine. The other six months, Tanis lives in Paris in a seventeenth-century apartment, where he hosts intimate dinners for friends and paying guests, and prepares the food in a small kitchen equipped with nothing more than an old stove, a little counter space, and a handful of well-used pots and pans. This is the book for anyone who wants to gather and feed friends around a table and nurture their conversation. It’s not about showing off with complicated techniques and obscure ingredients. Worlds away from the showy Food Network personalities, Tanis believes that the most satisfying meals—for both the cook and the guest—are invariably the simplest.
Available at Amazon.com
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