My Kitchen Daily Ideas
I write this page to share ideas and recipes from my daily cooking. This is what I prepare nearly every evening, sometimes even for breakfast. Some dishes come together quickly, others take a bit more time. It’s all about my attitude, inspiration, and willingness. When I’m in the right mood — which is usually — I often create the meal in my head while opening the fridge or even after I’ve started cooking. I’m flexible: I appreciate solid, proper recipes, but I also enjoy creating freely without confining myself to strict rules. Of course, time is a limit — I don’t want very late meals. I aim for simplicity with a touch of flair, colourful and pleasant to look at, and, most importantly, delicious with a lovely aroma.
Scallops, Boudin and Samphire — A Celtic Surf and Turf
I couldn’t pass the fishmonger on my way back from my usual Saturday swim in Châteauneuf du Faou. Saturdays are their big day — the supermarket closes on Sunday, so they try to sell as much as possible, and there’s always a good choice of seafood at a very good price. Bonne marché, as they say.
Today I spotted half priced scallops. Good job I didn’t buy them yesterday, I thought. I wanted to treat myself tonight. Scallops, black pudding, and samphire — a classic combination I’ve enjoyed many times in Cornwall, sometimes as a starter in small cafés or good restaurants. But now I’m in Finistère, and voilà: a dozen scallops, two handfuls of fresh samphire, and the boudin I bought yesterday as if I somehow knew what I’d be cooking tonight.
It didn’t take long. I fried the scallops in olive oil — yes, I know, butter is traditional, but I don’t like the taste of anything cooked in butter. Three minutes on each side and they were ready. Of course I had to grab one or two with my fingers, just to taste. Then I fried the sliced boudin in the same pan, in the scallop oil, five minutes on each side, no more. The samphire simmered for a moment, just enough to soften it.
Lemon wedges, horseradish (I always bring some from Cornwall — impossible to find here), and a sprinkle of fresh fennel greens because I ran out of dill, which I love. And that was it.
I’m enjoying the taste again as I write: the sea and the ocean in every bite of the scallops, followed by the slightly salty samphire, and then down to earth with the boudin, sharpened by the horseradish. Everything brightened with lemon juice and the gentle anise of fennel.
Believe it or not, I finished the whole plate. Not a tiny bit left. What a great dinner. Vive la Finistère.
Shallow-Fried Whiting and Sand eels with Remoulade
We came back from the western coast with fresh fish, and I cooked it the next day — gutted, shallow-fried, with roasted potatoes and a quick remoulade. Nothing complicated, just a simple meal after a long weekend with the family and the dogs.
The remoulade is a simple Danish-style sauce: grated sweet pickled cornichons soaked in lemon juice, finely chopped onion, a bit of mayo, a bit of yogurt, and some dill (I used dried, as I had no fresh). It’s tangy, creamy, and the perfect complement to the fish.
My Notes
Look what I’m having for dinner tonight:
Whiting and Hake on Vegetables
Cleaned fish on a bed of roughly chopped vegetables: leeks, carrots, onions, tomatoes and sweet peppers.
The fish on the bed of vegetables splashed with some olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, soya sauce and balsamic red wine vinegar with a touch of parsley, paprika and ground coriander cooked for 30 minutes at 180 C.
Dinner is ready!!!