Russian Egg Salad

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After my trip through Russia in 2017 for my 50th birthday on the Trans Siberian Railway, I really began to appreciate Russia's way with mayonnaise based salads. I read Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking:A Memoir of Food and Longing which really helped me to appreciate the Russian kitchen.  One of the dishes I have become obsessed with is this Russian Egg Salad with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and dill. I have made it several times and it rarely gets to sit around for a couple of days. 

This recipe on Orangette is my guide. She adapted her recipe from the cookbook written by the same author of the book I read as I crossed the country. (Adapted from  

 SAVEUR, and from Anya Von Bremzen's  PLEASE TO THE TABLE: THE RUSSIAN COOKBOOK) 

I use white button mushrooms. Orangette says the flavor of this salad really deepens with time, so consider making it a day (or even two) before you want to eat it but I have rarely made it that long. 

5 Tbsp. canola oil 

1 lb. mushrooms, roughly chopped

? medium yellow onion, roughly chopped 

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill 

4 hard-boiled eggs, roughly chopped 

? cup mayonnaise 

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 

Kosher salt Freshly 

ground black pepper

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 10” or 12” skillet over medium-high heat, and add the mushrooms. (If they don’t all fit in the pan at once, let the first panful wilt down a bit, and then add the rest. It’ll work out fine.) Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 14-16 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, and set aside. 

2. Wipe out the skillet.Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onions begin to soften; then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until lightly caramelized, 10-15 minutes. 

3. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms. Add the dill and eggs, and stir to mix.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. Add a couple of spoonfuls to the mushroom mixture, and toss until evenly combined. Taste, and add more dressing as needed. 

(All in all, I used only about two-thirds of the dressing.) Season with salt and pepper. 

Depending on how deeply browned the onions are, you might also want an extra squeeze of lemon.Pile on lightly toasted bread – preferably sourdough rye, if you’ve got some – and serve open-faced.

Yield: about 2 cups 

Cooking in Paris

So dinner is quite expensive in Paris and eating alone, while not terrible, is not my favorite thing to do. One of my favorite things to do is go to food markets and shop for fresh produce, however!

So today, I had lunch with a friend who showed me the nearest food market. He took me to his favorite bakery which had a lovely "formule" where you could get a sandwich/tartine/quiche, a cold drink, and one of their delectable desserts for only 6 Euros! We sat on the gazebo of a park nearby and talked about dating, love, and finding personal happiness while I munched on a delicious baguette filled with cornichons, sauccisson, and butter. My dessert was a delightfully creamy pudding/cake with fresh plums in it.

After he left to return to work, I strolled through the street market and bought some beautiful yellow plums, some ripe peaches, a bunch of flowers, and some fresh French radishes.

I'm also trying not to succumb to the bread in Paris - its so divine that its tempting to eat it with every meal. And pasta is easy but getting boring and also just as fattening as bread so Omelettes have been my go to meal for one...

Tonights dinner:

Mushroom and Picodon omelet over salad of Arugula and Bayonne ham:

A few weeks in Paris

So I will be spending a few weeks in Paris and I thought I might be able to chronicle my eating adventures while here...

After lounging around this morning drinking coffee and picking at some leftover pasta while listening to Jazz, I finally got myself motivated to go to the Monoprix grocery store. Its just down the road and while I would like to shop at the nice outdoor markets while I'm here - it was getting a bit late and I needed some provisions.

I purchased:

Provisions are purchased!

Eggs
Milk
Butter
Pont L'evoque and Chevre cheeses
Radishes
Arugula
Tomatos
Mushrooms
Shallots
Baguette
Pancetta and Prosciutto
Olives
Espresso
Yogurt
strawberries
A bottle of Cotes de Rhone


Tonight, I am going to go out to dinner - although its Saturday night, if I eat early enough at 6:30, I think that I'll be served. Then I will bring my book with me and have a glass of wine at one of the bars here in the Bastille. I'm not being super adventurous my first night here but I'm pleased with my purchases. I have plans to make brunch tomorrow and talk on the phone to my friend Mike in Berlin and then head out to the museums. I'm pleased! 

Pied de couchon mushrooms

Fall bounty

Crisp red apples mottled with green, their withered leaves still attached. Nutty brown mushrooms spilling out of a woven basket. creamy tart chevres wrapped in leaves, speckled with herbes de provence. the last of the summer plums. Crisp autumnal greens, tightly furled and awaiting you.

Summer brings the promise of sweet juicy berry ripeness but autumns promise is heartier - promising to fortify you for the winter months. Acorn squash. Whole grains. Dark leafy greens. Pumpkins that have been waiting all summer.