Pot au feu or pot luck ? Seafood veggie red stew.

A long time ago, a very cheerful lady asked if I liked French pot au feu and I said that was not my favorite dish. She was very disappointed as she had just discovered the dish in a “traditional French restaurant” here in Osaka, and she said : “Really I love everything spicy with tomato sauce, chick peas, seafood and hot dog sausages…”. It seems, she ate an original variation for sure that drifts far away from what most call pot au feu in France.
Well, I’ve made it today without the knackies. I don’t know if that has a name. Maybe the Spanish “cocido de pulpo con patatas”, but I don’t see it with sausages. Well, they are not here.
I have the pulpo (octopus) :

Hokkaido octopus.

Into a broth (onion with cloves, chick peas, bouquet garni, mushrooms).

Boiled.

Added potatoes. Later tomato sauce and a little red wine. a little hot chili.

Kyoto red kabu turnip.

I first added pieces of the root, then stalks, then at the end leaves.

Put it in a pottery.

Cover and announce “pot au feu” or whatever name…

Fish, pumpkin and cornichon soup

A colorful fish soup that makes a whole meal. Freely inspired by Slavic gherkin soups. It’s quick and easy.

Suguna kabocha pumpkin. I boiled the pieces in water till soft.

The head of tai (sea bream). Fish head is cheap, flavorful and there is plenty to eat. It’s ideal for a soup.

Cornichons à l’estragon.
Gherkins with tarragon. I made when ? Last May :

cornichons

I thinly sliced them.

Put the fish in the pot, add half of the gherkins, the kabocha and cooking broth. Simmer 20 minutes.

Near the end, take out 1/2 cup of broth, add cream, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, the rest of pickles. On the table, mix into the soup, put back the lid and wait a few minutes.

Serve with croutons.

Open and enjoy while it’s hot.

Today’s bibinbap

Korean lunch : bibinbap, the colorful rice bowl.
Put rice to cook in the cooker and let’s go :

Namul veggies (preparation here)

Azuki-natto : I heated onion and cooked azuki beans with a little oil. When the onions were cooked, added a little miso and natto and mashed roughly.

The soup is soaking water of shiitake mushrooms (those used for the namul), in it, I cooked mini-radish and added cubes of silky tofu.
Also get some kimchi, a egg yolk and fragrant sesame oil.

Put all the garnishing veggies on very hot rice, add a egg yolk, a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve with the hot soup.

Add a little broth in the bowl, mix and enjoy :

Asari shellfish and tagliatelle

A colorful pasta, veggie, seafood one-dish meal.

Tagliatelle made with durum semolina plus a little matcha green tea powder.

Asari shellfish.

Cooked with garlic, chili, white wine, tomato paste…

…konnyaku, capers, favas (broad beans)

… stalks on mitsuba. The leaves decorate the serving plate.

Summer salad with argan oil and black beans

Black beans have a Winter image… I refreshed them with greens and juicy items for a nutritive Summer salad meal.

Fragrant argan oil from Morocco, a little garlic, salt and balsamic vinegar for the dressing.

The companions of the kuromame (black soy beans, that were boiled and frozen) are edamame, sliced okra, shimeji mushrooms and green sweet chilis. I’ve added a little minced hot chili. I’ve steamed all that together. Added the dressing, let cool.