This recipe takes its inspiration from France’s classic onion tart, pissaladière. I was stunned by my first taste of that classic and the idea that onions could be a main event. In this simple recipe, a mix of onion varieties -- red, white, and green scallions -- are tossed with olive oil, thyme, and salt, then layered on a crust gilded with smoky cheese and finished with a dusting of Parmiggiano – Reggiano and a drizzle of heavy cream. The cooked cream tames the edges of the onion and thickens as it cooks.
Using a good-quality olive oil makes a difference in this cake, which is dense and moist and just the right amount of sweet.
In this recipe, Nicoise olives are marinated in flavorful rosemary oil with masses of rosemary leaves, a simple technique that imparts a wonderful flavor to the olives and seems to intensify their own. The rosemary is cooked in the oil, so it keeps its green color for several weeks. Packed into French canning jars, these olives look like they were homemade in Provence. They make a perfect instant hors d' oeuvre with chilled wine or cocktails.
Salt-roast a fish and keep all the pristine flavor and juiciness. The surface is a tad salty, but nearly all the meat is perfect. Testimonials for this technique go back to ancient Rome.
Don't buy peas without tasting them. They should be sweet and juicy.
Ingredients