Provençal Cuisine

Patricia Bachrach

Provence, drenched in sunlight, filled with myriad colors and aromas, is a land of marvelous produce. Succulent fruits, perfectly ripened vegetables, colorful fish from the Mediterranean Sea, lamb from the Alpilles, game from the Camargue and the Alps, sumptuous vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the slopes of the Rhône as well as Cassis and Bandol—all of these, along with flowering thyme, rosemary, lavender, and, of course, the liquid gold of olive oil from the groves in the valley of Les Baux, give richness to Provençal cuisine.

Provençal cuisine is simplicity above all. Fruits and vegetables are used in dishes when in season and at their best. Meats and fowl are often simply grilled to preserve all of their flavors, as are fish fresh from the sea. Garlic is not used in a heavy handed manner to mask insipid dishes, but subtly, as are the herbs that grow wild on the hillsides. Olive oil is queen, and has been used in local cooking for centuries.

Although “Provençal” cooking has become popular in various parts of the world, it is definitely not to be confused with the real thing. My neighbors scoff at many of the dishes they find on their travels and tell me that “anything with a sprinkling of dust known as ‘herbes de provence’ is an insult to true Provençal cuisine.” Foods such as soupe au pistou, anchoïade, bouillabaisse, bourride, broufado, ratatouille, stuffed vegetables, pompe à l’huile, and fougasses are made with the freshest and the best ingredients, and each bite affirms it.

A Couple of Patricia's Favorite Recipes

Tomato Tarts with Olive Oil from the Valley of Les Baux

Serves: 4
   
14 oz. Puff pastry
5 lbs. Italian plum tomatoes (Roma)
4 oz. Mozzarella
1 teaspoon Thyme and Rosemary, finely chopped
  Salt and pepper

Peel the tomatoes. Cut rounds from the fleshy part of the tomato, discarding any seeds. Dry on paper towels and arrange on a parchment- covered baking sheet. Bake in a 425 F oven for 12 minutes. Remove.

Drizzle with olive oil, salt, the herbs and set aside to cool. Slice the mozzarella into thin slices, then into strips.

Layer the tomatoes and mozzarella in small, round baking molds. Roll out the puff pastry and cut rounds to fit on top of the final layer of tomatoes.

Bake at 425 F until the pastry is done - about 15 minutes. Cool. Run a thin knife around the edge of the mold, then turn onto plates. Serve at room temperature.

Tapenade

9 oz. Cured black olives, pitted
9 oz. Capers, chopped
10 Anchovy fillets, salt-packed
1 Garlic clove
  Small branch of fresh thyme
  Small bay leaf, crumbled
  Pepper
  Olive oil

Rinse well and dry the anchovies. Grind the bay leaf, thyme and garlic in a mortar.* Add the anchovies, the black olives and the capers. Mash well until you have a thick paste, add a little pepper and then olive oil, a little at a time while mixing, until you have a smooth spreadable paste.

Serve with toasted slices of baguette and radishes.

*You can use a food processor instead of a mortar and pestle, but pulse so that it doesn’t become too thin.

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