Parisian Budget Food by Ruth Paget
The words “Parisian” and “budget” rarely go together, especially when applied to food. However, in the book The Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris author Daniel Young lists recipe after recipe of bargain meals.
If you make these recipes at home, they are even more of a deal. Young also chose recipes for dishes that are easy to make with a little organization. I especially like his fish recipes that hide the fish.
I think the following recipes would go well with either beer or wine:
-marinated red peppers with anchovies, white wine, white wine vinegar, olive oil, and canned crushed tomatoes
-tomato toast – a specialty of Barcelona and Catalonia – toast rubbed with garlic and tomato halves that is drizzled with olive oil. Serrano ham can be served on the side.
-salt cod and avocado brandade dip or spread with cilantro – poach cod and then place it in a blender with avocado, lime juice, and lime zest. Blend and serve with toast or tortilla chips.
-warm lentil salad made with onions, cloves, carrots, olive oil, and sherry vinegar
-mackeral croquettes made with poached fish and potatoes that are made into balls and fried
Other delicious recipes in this book include cream of carrot soup with cumin, pan-fried steaks with mustard-cream sauce, and pipérade – a dip, spread, topping, or main dish made of green and red peppers, tomatoes, olive oil, onions, garlic, Basque piment d’Esplette (this dish is Basque) and scrambled eggs.
Economical and tasty recipes abound in Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris by Daniel Young making it a great purchase for home cooks.
By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
