Among other things I learned when I was going to get married with this French man is cooking Gratin Dauphinois with my mother in law in Paris. It is like a 'French food boot-camp' for me. Oh wait, "French culture boot-camp". She or perhaps Ludo who called her to give me a short course on cooking his favourite mom's foods. I know, I should've known this coming from him. At the end of my stay in France after our wedding, I've got a folder of recipe of her son favourite food!!! That's the role of the French mom, making sure the son is eating well in this tiny Asian country with surrounded by oriental cuisines. Oh well.
Before I know him I did not have a clue about European foods beside eating out in the restaurants which claim French cuisine in Singapore. I suppose it is DeliFrance :-), affordable food closer to French. Or maybe when I visit Paris for work.
When I saw the potatoes were almost gone bad in the kitchen, I would love to quickly turn it into something 'homey' which most of the ingredients are pretty basic in our fridge. This Gratin which means a top crust consists of crumbs from cheese and butter is a homey food for most French. It is classic and warm. On Gratin Dauphinois, she advised me to put the thin sliced potatoes neatly so it will be nice to see as well as eating it. Since my 'short course on French cuisine' with his mom, I started to appreciate alot from it. Because it is fast and simple compare to so many steps and ingredients of Asian cuisine, and it tastes good.
Talking about making homemade foods, we are trying to teach the kids to learn to love eating-in. In Asia especially in Singapore, the food stalls are everywhere and they are pretty clean and affordable. Some of them are good. But the idea is to make the children appreciate good nutritious foods prepared at home and sitting with the family to enjoy the food. In this age, every foods prepared really fast as there is no time for us to even prepare them in the kitchen. It comes in the easy to carry package, of course with lotsa chemicals and preservatives. If not, they would not have long shelf-life.
Having quality time together during dinner, It is something that I was lacking off when I was young because we ate in front of the TV to entertain us.
So now, we turn off the TV and We prepare the foods together and sit to eat with family.
Hopefully someday I can teach the kids to cook good food which I believe it is one of the quality time with the family.
Ingredients:
1 kg potatoes
1 litre creme fraiche or sour cream
2 cloves garlic
2 cups milk
2 eggs
Swiss gruyere cheese
a pinch of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
Steps:
Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly and put them in the bowl of water so it won't discoloured.
Heat the milk with the nutmeg to just below boiling; allow to cool.
In a bowl; beat the eggs and cream together. Add the salt and pepper.
Gradually pour the lukewarm milk into the bowl while stirring.
Rub the garlic in the bottom of the dish and spread the butter over it. Put layers of potatoes, alternate with cream mixture and diced garlic. Finish them with layer of cream mixture and cheese gruyere.
Bake them in 180 deg for an hour.
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1 comments:
Love to try it :)
Asmae
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