The Mom 100

I do go on about pan sauces, I know that. But it is kind of my job to offer suggestions about what to cook (it is in fact my job) and it’s kind of my job to try and make your life in the kitchen easier (it is also in fact my job). And pan sauces are simply one of the greatest ways to get a piece of food (e.g. chicken breast, pieces of salmon, pork chop) from boring to not–at-all boring in the shortest amount of time possible. And after the selected food has cooked—in part or completely—that’s when …

So, this recipe started as a fail. Originally I set out to make Chocolate Peanut Cornflake Clusters, inspired by a recipe by – of all people – the famous classical French chef Alain Ducasse. I can’t even remember where I saw the recipe, but it sent me into the internet to see what people were doing to marry chocolate and cornflakes together. Having fallen hard for haystacks in recent years, I am always open to something crunchy being covered in chocolate, often plus other stuff. Plus not being baked, which sometimes is a winning thought in itself (oven occupied; too …

Please bear with me while I hopefully – quickly — make clear that this is just a simple blender or food processor sauce that will make so many things so much more delicious. If you are thinking, what is this fancy-pants sounding recipe?, I can hardly blame you. Rouille is a classic French condiment usually served with all kinds of fish and shellfish soups and stews, like this Provencal Fish Stew. The classic recipe that this sauce serenades is most often Bouillabaisse, another hoity toity sounding French word, but in the end it’s just French for fish stew. So rouille …

A bowl of this is stew like a tiny little trip to the Mediterranean. It’s unbelievably easy, but I would serve this to guests in a heartbeat. It’s hearty, but still so light and clean and simple. The saffron is optional mostly because of cost. Saffron is a wonderful but pricy spice – it’s made from the stamens of crocuses, which might not sounds delicious, but it adds a flavor that is at once elusive, rich aromatic, and deep.   And even though it’s expensive, you will see that a little goes a long way – just a pinch of saffron …