{"id":2354,"date":"2011-05-26T15:59:44","date_gmt":"2011-05-26T23:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/?p=2354"},"modified":"2012-04-25T11:00:31","modified_gmt":"2012-04-25T18:00:31","slug":"time-for-summer-panier-de-crudites-avec-anchoiade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/time-for-summer-panier-de-crudites-avec-anchoiade","title":{"rendered":"time for summer: panier de crudit\u00e9s avec ancho\u00efade"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"panier<\/p>\n

panier de crudit\u00e9s avec ancho\u00efade<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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This Memorial Day weekend  get a jump on summer with a <\/span>Proven\u00e7al panier de crudit\u00e9s <\/span><\/span>avec ancho\u00efade. <\/span><\/span><\/em>You will feel like you are<\/span> on vacation at the<\/span> C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur and that is why it is this week’s “<\/span><\/span>simple pleasure.“<\/span>
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There is a place on the <\/span>C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur<\/span><\/em>nestled between Monaco and Nice where my children and I spend a part of our summers. On one pebbled beach in particular there are rows of bright orange mattresses with French, Italian, and some British sun-worshippers all enjoying their holiday. The same waiters and hostesses work there summer after summer and we have followed their adventures throughout the years: where they work in the off-season and who is dating whom. The children fish for crabs and small fish.  Occasionally the winds blow in some <\/span>Medusa<\/span><\/em> (jelly fish) but for the most part the flag is green which means that the water is as safe as it is warm and blue.  Hungry boat passengers are brought ashore from their anchored \u201cboats.\u201d  The ice cream stand is busy with the young and old alike.  It is our home away from home and the memories extend far past summer\u2019s end.<\/span><\/p>\n

Part of the memories center, of course, around food. Consistent with the region, the white plates are bursting with zucchini flowers, tomatoes, salads, sweet peppers, and delicately prepared fresh seafood.  The food has so much flavor by itself that I  have a hard time eating when I return to the States because the food just does not taste as good.  It must be the land.  One of my favorite things to eat at this little beach is the <\/span>crudit\u00e9s<\/span><\/em> assortment. It is served in a <\/span>panier<\/span><\/em>(a basket) with a side of <\/span>ancho\u00efade<\/span><\/em>and fresh bread.  I love everything about it: the presentation, the crisp, fresh vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, fennel, sweet peppers, onions, artichokes) and the hard-boiled egg included in the assortment (which is typical in France to add to a” c<\/span>rudit\u00e9s<\/span><\/em> ” platter). <\/span>Here was the first time I tried <\/span>ancho\u00efade<\/span><\/em>.  I was never a fan of anchovies because they are either too salty, too mushy or both.  However, in France (as well as Italy and Spain) anchovies are enjoyed with abandon and in many capacities: soaked in vinegar, on savory tarts, or rolled with roasted peppers and skewered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ancho\u00efade<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/strong> a Proven\u00e7al specialty, is simply an anchovy pur\u00e9e.  I think of it as an embellishment of the original a<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00ef<\/span>oli<\/span><\/em>(another Proven\u00e7al speciality which is an emulsion of olive oil and garlic with some salt…only later were egg yolks added to it to make it the mayonnaise-type emulsion we think of now). <\/span>Ancho\u00efade<\/span><\/em><\/strong>consists of quality anchovies, a couple of garlic cloves, a little vinegar and olive oil.  That is it.  Like the original a<\/span><\/span>\u00efoli<\/span><\/em>, it can be served warm for a vegetable fondu or at room temperature.  It keeps well in the refrigerator (it will separate and the oil will solidify but just bring it to room temperature and stir it).  In addition to vegetables, tomatoes and peppers, it makes a great spread for crisp bread, a dip for bread-sticks, and goes really well with hard-boiled eggs.  It takes 5 minutes at most to prepare.<\/span><\/p>\n

With respect to the c<\/span><\/span>rudit\u00e9s<\/span><\/em>,<\/span> tout va <\/span> <\/span><\/em>(everything goes).  In France, a <\/span>cruditi\u00e9s<\/span><\/em> assortment generally includes small artichokes but  I omit them because raw artichokes are a little much to negotiate when sitting on a mattress on a pebbled beach and<\/span> j\u2019ai un coeur d’artichaut; <\/span><\/em>anyway (I have an artichoke heart anyway).  Do not feel wedded to the list in my recipe but take advantage of the variety and colors in the markets.  Whatever you decide to include in your <\/span>panier<\/span><\/em>, please do not limit it to store-cut carrots, celery and cucumbers as such a limitation is not worthy of you or your <\/span>ancho\u00efade<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, what to drink with your crudit\u00e9s <\/span>?  A light ros\u00e9 from the C\u00f4tes de Provence”, of course, and I have included two of my favorites below which can be found on the internet or here in Los Angeles.  \u00c0 votre sant\u00e9 ! <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

J<\/span><\/em><\/span>e vous souhaite un bon app\u00e9tit !<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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LM<\/span><\/p>\n

\"panier
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panier de crudit\u00e9s avec ancho\u00efade<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

stats<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

serves 4-6<\/span><\/p>\n

what you need:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

crudit\u00e9s<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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1 clean, attractive basket<\/span><\/p>\n

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2 hard-boiled eggs
\n<\/span>2-4 celery stalks, trimmed
\n<\/span>2 carrots, halved or quartered
\n<\/span>2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
\n<\/span>1 heirloom tomato, halved
\n<\/span>4-6 cherry tomatoes on vine
\n<\/span>1 cucumber, quartered
\n<\/span>1 yellow sweet pepper, halved (seeds and core removed)
\n<\/span>1 red sweet pepper, sliced  (seeds and core removed)
\n<\/span>1 orange sweet pepper, sliced (seeds and core removed)
\n<\/span>1 zucchini, quartered
\n<\/span>2-4 zucchini blossoms with zucchini
\n<\/span>4-6 radishes, trimmed
\n<\/span>6 white mushrooms, trimmed
\n<\/span>1 endive, halved and trimmed
\n<\/span>4-6 scallions, trimmed<\/span><\/p>\n

ancho\u00efade<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

6 ounces anchovy fillets, packed in oil and drained
\n<\/span>4 garlic cloves, minced
\n<\/span>2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
\n<\/span>3 tablespoons olive oil (or as needed)<\/span><\/p>\n

how to:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n