Thyme For Cooking, the Blog

Stupid woman finds her proper place.....

I have been smacked down, put in my place, chastised, severely punished, beaten into submission, and whipped into shape after my last post.

Apparently, the Powers That Be did not find it humorous. 

A mere minutes after clicking 'Publish' I had to turn everything off (as any good geek would) due to, yet another, thunderstorm.

The next morning, Thursday, when I turned everything back on, not everything did.... Turn on, that is.

Specifically, the internet didn't work.

We have a 'Livebox' which is what connects us to the rest of the world.  If the Livebox doesn't work I call 'Orange', the internet company, who then walk me (stupid woman) through a number of steps to make certain that I have it plugged in, turned on, connected to the phone lines, etc.

Once they're happy that there really is a problem they walk me through another number of steps to determine where the problem might be.  If the problem is with the actual Livebox, they give me a number, I take the Livebox to the nearest Orange office (20 km) and exchange it for a new one.

Which is what happened.  Naturally, by this time it's 1:00 and the office is closed for lunch.

At 2:00, when they reopen, I am in line to exchange Liveboxes.

Back home, I unpack and install the new one.

Still doesn't work.

I could write a 900 page epistle on what followed but let me be brief:

I spent the rest of the afternoon working on it, alone and with the folks at Orange over the phone.

No success.

They told me they'd send a technician - but not until Saturday.

The guy came Saturday; spent all afternoon.  No luck.  He'd be back on Monday.

Two guys came Monday; worked all afternoon and evening.  Finally!

They had to replace the new Livebox, again.

Turns out that the problem was the line coming to our house.

And the switch/whatever at their main routing station.

And I was given a faulty Livebox when I swapped out the old, faulty Livebox.

To have all that go wrong, and only effect me, not the neighbors on either side, bespeaks a personal  vendetta, a divine malevolence....

Please, contemplate this and reread my opening sentence.

Am I right?

On the other hand, not being online gave me an opportunity to unpack the last few kitchen boxes and, since mon mari finished all of the interior shelves, and the drawers, to finally, and officially, organize my kitchen.

I found my blue-handled kitchen scissors.

 

And I put it in my new drawers.  Aren't they gorgeous?

Notice the gaping hole above the drawers?

That's where my cook top should be. 

The one that is in the shop and should be ready last Thursday..... But wasn't. 

It should be ready tomorrow.

Which means yet another trip to Bordeaux this afternoon.

And I have to pick up the new computer to replace the one that was fried last week and the guy has been here for 2 days cleaning the chimneys and is afraid of the dogs so I have to run interference whenever he goes outside and we're leaving on Thursday to meet family in Paris for a much needed getaway and I still have to find clothes to wear and water the garden and .....

Deep breath.

Calm down.

We are taking the train to paris for a 3 day break.

We deserve it.

So.....

No food today; no more posts until next week.

But, I'll leave you with the sunflower update:

Yes, this is the sunflower field.... They've all stopped looking at the sun and are now contemplating their roots.

Existential Sunflowers.

I'm going to spend a lovely afternoon contemplating Monet's Waterlilies.....

A bientot!

Creamy Pasta Salad with Ham, Peas and Celery; Stupid Woman!

I am just a stupid woman, apparently.

When I took mon mari's computer into the shop for repair, I explained what the problem was.

I told the guy that, after the storm last week, every time I plugged it in it blew all the circuits in the house. 

I explained that, regardless of what outlet I used, anywhere in the house, when I plugged it in, it blew all the circuits in the house.

I warned him not to plug it in, there was obviously a short in it, and it could damage his equipment.

Does everybody understand those last three statements? 

Is there anything confusing about them?

There wasn't a language problem; he's English.

There wasn't a smart ass kid v older person problem - he's older than I am (I think)

There was a machismo problem.

I, as a woman, obviously know nothing about computers and less about electricity.  (He'd be really wrong with the first assumption; dead on with the second)

I, as a woman, cannot string two events together (plug in computer; blow circuits) and form a logical conclusion.

He plugged it in.

He blew every circuit in his shop.

All of the computers, the modems, the routers, his own and those entrusted to his care, were, abruptly, shut down.

He spent the next half hour looking for circuit breakers, turning things back on, checking things out.

I spent the next half hour keeping my mouth shut.

I expended the greater effort.

His assistant called me the next day and told me my computer was fried.

Might I just say..... DUH!

I went back to my kitchen, where I, apparently, belong.....

So I could make some pasta to send over to Pam, at Sidewalk Shoes, this week's host of Presto Pasta Nights, the event founded by Ruth, of Once Upon a Feast.

Visit Pam's blog on Friday for all the wonderful Pasta Presentations!

I had a craving for something creamy.

I didn't need the usual calorie-laden mayonnaise based dressing.... But I wanted the flavor. 

Guess what?

A little mayo can flavor a lot of yogurt!

Pasta Salad with Ham, Peas and Celery

1 1/4 cups (3.5oz, 100gr) pasta
8oz (250gr) ham a thick slice from the deli
1 cup frozen peas (3oz, 90gr)
1/2 bell pepper, any color mine was orange
1 medium carrot
2 - 3 ribs celery (about 1 cup, sliced)
10 Greek or black olives
Creamy Dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Peel and chop carrot. Chop pepper. Slice celery. Put frozen peas in a strainer and run hot tap water over them until they are thawed, about 1 minute. Cut ham into bite-size pieces. Pit olives if needed, and cut in half.
Mix all ingredients for salad (except dressing) in a large bowl. When the pasta is done, drain, rinse lightly in cool water. Add to bowl. Add as much of the dressing as suits your taste; Stir and eat.

Creamy Dressing

4 tbs Greek Yogurt
2 tbs mayonnaise
2 tbs yellow or ball park mustard (French's)
2 tbs good olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together. It will be quite thick.

The good news about the computer disaster (and, FYI, it was turned off, but I had left it plugged in - to a surge protector), is the insurance will (we hope) replace it.  That means I get a new computer! (House rules - I get the new ones, mon mari gets my old one which, in turn, will be new to him)

Gazpacho de Andaluz; the Sunflower Update

What with mon mari lazing around the hospital again last week, not a lot of visible progress was made.

On the other hand, he had a lot of time to think - and, apparently, he thought about all the little things that have been neglected since his diagnosis.

He must have been inspired by something, because, since he's been home, he's been doing 'ugly' jobs:  plumbing repair, fixing the kitchen sinks (one didn't drain properly, one needed to be turned so I could have cold water), repairing and replacing broken lights, finishing the little bits of neglected wallpaper....
That sort of stuff. 

I appreciate it; likely no one else would.

But, you may appreciate the Sunflower Update:

Here is the same flower I have been photoing since they started blooming.... As you can see, it's days as a flower are numbered:

They are all starting to lose their petals.  I've never followed the life of a flower this closely before.... Kind of fun.  I'm amazed at how big their 'center' gets!

The fields are slowly turning from bright yellow back to green.

And, speaking of turning, until this summer I thought sunflowers turned - followed the sun.

They don't.  They greet the rising sun, then face the same direction all day, every day.

In Spain, and Andorra, summer means Gazpacho!

A cold soup, for a hot climate, using summer's bounty.... I was treated to proper Gazpacho made the traditional way, by Spanish friends on many occasions. 

I even have the correct (according to the woman who gave it to me) recipe.  True Gazpacho has bread in it. You can find that recipe here.

(True Gazpacho is always puréed... As are most soups in Europe)

I loved it when Isabella made it.... I could never get it quite right.

This is my version, without the bread:

Gazpacho de Andaluz (Andalusian Gazpacho) Modified    This makes enough for 4

1/2 green pepper 
1/2 red pepper  
1/2 medium cucumber (use about 6" (15cm)
4 - 5 tomatoes  – not peeled
1 red onion 
2 - 4 cloves garlic
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tbs dry sherry
1 cup (225gr) tomato juice
2 tbs olive oil  drizzled on top

 

Peel the cucumber and the garlic. Chop all of the vegetables, reserving 1 heaping tbs of the cucumber, onion and pepper, and 2 tbs of the tomato for garnish. Put the rest of the vegetables along with the remaining ingredients into a blender and purée until very smooth.
Taste and add salt, pepper, a bit more vinegar or sherry as desired.
Chill .  Serve with the reserved chopped vegetables and olive oil on the side as garnish to be added by each diner.

This is the perfect hot weather solution to garden surplus.... even is you don't have a garden.

Preserving the Harvest: Tomatoes

What would life be without tomatoes?  Pizza?  Pasta?  Summer?

I have canned (bottled) whole tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato juice in the past. I now prefer freezing.  If you have a freezer, it's quick, easy, and you can easily do the daily harvest from your garden in a few minutes everyday.

For some things I peel them; others not.

Peeling tomatoes: Bring a medium pan 3/4's full of water to a boil on high heat. Drop tomatoes in for 30 seconds - start timing immediately. Remove tomatoes and drop into a bowl of cold water. If you are doing a lot of tomatoes you will have to add ice or change water to keep it cold. Now peel them with a knife or your fingers - peel will come off very easily. (You can peel peaches the same way)

Freezing tomatoes:

Juice for cooking:  Do not peel. Wash tomatoes and cut in half or quarters, removing stem. Put in a pot big enough to hold all of them easily, cover and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When thoroughly hot and simmering remove from heat and let sit, covered for an hour or so.
Put a large strainer over another pot big enough to hold the juice and dump the tomatoes in. Stir and mash the tomatoes in the strainer to release all of the juice. Discard seeds and skin.
Label heavy duty, zip-lock type freezer bags for 1 cup, 2 cups, etc. Measure the tomato juice and poor into appropriate bag. Get as much air out as possible and freeze.
This is for cooking.

Juice for Drinking: Same as above except add 1/4 green pepper, chopped, 1 shallot, chopped and 1 stalk celery, chopped for every 6 - 8 cups tomatoes. Cook at a low simmer for 2 hours, remove and let sit, covered, until cool enough to work with. Strain and get juice as above.
Before freezing, measure and add 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp salt for every quart of juice.

Note: When I did this in big batches, and bottled it, I would cook 4 green peppers, 1 bunch of celery, 3 big onions and 1 bulb of garlic in a bushel of tomatoes. 1 bushel = app. 15 quarts of juice.

Sauce: Do everything exactly the same as for juice except for the straining bit. Instead of straining put the whole lot, pulp, seeds, skins, etc. into a blender (in batches, of course) and purée.
Label bags for sauce, measure and freeze.

Chopped Tomatoes: Think whole, canned tomatoes, but ready to use.  Peel tomatoes (see above) Cut in 1/4ths or 1/8ths and put into a pan, cover and just bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Label bags, measure and freeze.

Grating tomatoes for fresh sauce: Cup half of a tomato in your hand and rub it on the big holes of a box (or other style) grater until all that is left in your hand is the skin. You'll have to press a bit, but not too hard. Be careful not to grate your hand. Repeat with as many halves as you think you want/need.  You end up with fresh tomato sauce with no skin...and no cooking.

Roasting tomatoes: Cut tomatoes into large chunks. Mince some garlic. Sprinkle the garlic over the tomatoes, drizzle with a bit of good olive oil and roast, 300F (150C) for 2 - 3 hours, until very soft.
Use as is or put into bags and freeze.

Oven dried tomatoes: Cut Roma or Italian tomatoes in half the long way (through the stem end). Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and roast, 300F (150C) for 6 - 8 hours.
Eat, refrigerate or freeze in bag. 

To store:  Store tomatoes in a basket on the counter or in the pantry, away from light. Do not refrigerate as this causes loss of flavor and texture.

I use any kind of tomato I have for all of the above.  The cherry tomatoes are best for sauce or juice.  I like to freeze both yellow and red chopped tomatoes - separately, of course.  The sauce and/or chopped yellow tomatoes can add an interesting twist to traditional tomato-based dishes, like lasagne....

To can/bottle:  All of the above (except the dried) can be put into sterile glass jars, sealed, processed in a boiling water bath and stored without freezing.  It is necessary to add salt and/or lemon juice when canning to increase the acidity.  My canning books are still packed away so I can't give you the correct processing times.

Caesar Salad; The Weekly Menu

Mon mari is back home; his check-up was fine but, as usual he was in too long.

They told him yesterday morning he could go home after lunch.  By the time I got there he was sitting on the curb with his suitcase..... Afraid if he didn't get out quickly they'd think of a reason to keep him another night.

Curious point: In the past 14 months he's been in hospital a total of 10 weeks.  We have never seen a bill or a statement and have absolutely no idea how much any of it cost.

Since he's been home, almost 24 hours, he's taken the lawnmower completely apart, repaired all the damage I've done and put it back together.  I don't get to play with it anymore (Oh, woe is me ;-(( )

He's also managed to catch 5 mice, kill 2 centipedes, 1 spider and break his computer.

He asked me to clarify that last bit: he discovered that his computer has become, mysteriously, broken, whilst he was away and it was turned off.  (Right.)

He also made a lovely Caesar Salad - his summer specialty (along with wielding the barbecue tongs).

Classic Caesar Salad
This is mon mari's specialty.... From the Joy of Cooking. He has left out the raw egg - an experiment this time, and it worked fine without it. Anchovies are classic - but it's good without them.

2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil, the good stuff
3/4 cup bread cubes, preferably cut from a bakery loaf or 'French' bread
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp dry mustard
lots of black pepper
3 anchovy fillets, mashed or the equivalent in anchovy paste
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tbs red wine vinegar
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tbs Parmesan, freshly grated
1 large, fresh head of Romaine lettuce none other will do

Earlier in the day or the night before: Peel garlic, cut each clove in half and put it, along with 1/4 cup olive oil, into a small glass dish or glass measuring cup. Cover with cling film and set aside to steep. When ready to use, remove and discard garlic. Or use it for something else.
The croutons: Heat 2 tbs of the garlic oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the bread cubes and sauté until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels.
The lettuce: Wash and spin-dry the Romaine. Tear it into large bite-size pieces.
The salad: Mash the anchovies in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add the salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, vinegar and remaining garlic oil and mix lightly with a fork. Squeeze the lemon half over, sprinkle with Parmesan and mix lightly again. Add the Romaine and toss well with tongs or salad forks. Add the croutons, toss a bit more and serve immediately.

In addition to the above, for the week of July 17 we have Barbecued Chicken, Grilled Shrimp, Vichyssoise, Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce...

Become a Thyme for Cooking Subscriber and get the menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instruction, and shopping list each Thursday.  First two weeks FREE.   (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

For more recipes visit my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners

Tomato, Avocado, Polenta...What?; Coveting Kindles

Some men want a Ferrari.

Some women want a closet full of Manolo Blahnik shoes.

Other men want a new set of Titanium golf clubs.

Other women want a Viking kitchen range or an Aga.

I want a Kindle.

I REALLY want a Kindle.

I've wanted one since I first saw them (okay, different) on Star Trek, The Next Generation.

I've wanted one since Amazon released their first version.

Now there is a new and improved Kindle and my little heart can hardly bear the strain of desire burning through it.

I covet a Kindle.

First, it's just a totally cool electronic gadget that would raise the geek quotient of any owner.

I want that.

Second, I could have all of my books with me all of the time!

Well, some of them anyway....

I would never have to worry about running out of reading on a flight.... (not too big of a risk these days.)

Or, not being able to find the next book in a series in the barn... (much bigger risk these days.)

I would be the envy of all who saw me.

I could whip my Kindle out for a quick read at stoplights.

I could show off research to the doc's in the hospital.

I would be so cool.

I covet a Kindle.

There are only two things holding me back from being the proud (and prideful) owner of a Kindle....

The price.

I do have other things I could spend 350 dollars on.... Many other things....   Food, being one....

My books.

I'm pretty sure that, if I spent the 350 to buy the Kindle mon mari would expect me to seriously curtail my keeping of old and purchasing of new actual books.

And, like Jean Luc Picard (of Star Trek fame), who was often seen reading an 'antique' hardcover book with actual paper pages, I could never give up the pleasure of paging through a real book.

But.....

I still covet a Kindle.

Mon mari wouldn't have to know..... (bad girl!)

Sigh.....

And I haven't even seen one in real life....

Does anyone out there own a Kindle?  Are they wonderful?

Can anyone out there tell me what to call this dish?

Come on, folks, let's have a Name that Dish contest.

I made this last week and it was easy, delicious, pretty, and very fancy-looking on the plate.

Haven't a clue what to call it.  (Too busy coveting the Kindle to think of names).

Help me out - Name this Dish!

The prize?  A Kindle?  In your dreams...

How about my grateful appreciation.....

A Tomato, Avocado Cream, Polenta Starter... 

Polenta:

2 tbs + 1 tsp polenta
1/2 cup chicken stock

Heat chicken stock to boiling in a small saucepan.  Stir in polenta and cook, 5 minutes, stirring, until very thick.  Lightly oil 2 dishes with flat bottoms, about 3" in diameter.  Spoon the polenta in, flatten it and allow to cool completely.

Avocado Cream:

4 tbs soft, ripe avocado
2 tbs creamy goat cheese (Chavrie, Chevroux)

Mash the avocado and goat cheese together.

The rest:

4 basil leaves
1 tomato
1 slice prosciutto
6 Greek olives

 

Slice tomato paper thin.  Shred the Prosciutto. Pit and slice the olives.

Remove the polenta circles and put on 2 plates.  Divide the avocado cream and spread to the edges of each polenta circle.  Lay the basil leaves on the avocado cream.  Top with the tomato slices in an overlapping circle.  Add the Prosciutto and olives.  Garnish with anything leftover.....

What should I call this (Now, don't be rude....)?

Must go mow......

Grilled Chicken Aioli; The Updates.....

Serendipity!

Today, after dropping mon mari off at the hospital for his check-up (they DO like to do a thorough job) I got 2 letters in the post.

The first, from our top-up carrier (for those who don't know, the French medical system does not provide 100% coverage.  There are deductibles and co-pays.  One buys 'top-up' insurance for another 100 or so euros per month to cover these bits).

Without getting technical (and boring) our top-up carrier said our old address wasn't valid so they were canceling coverage. 

The second letter was the validation of coverage at our new address.

Problem created and solved in the same day!  I like that.

Sunflower update:

Our house is surrounded.  The tree on the left is next to my potager (vegetable garden)

Cabinet update:

I really like the mix of wood and glass.  There will be lights running underneath all of the upper cabinets. 

He had to redo the drawers because they were sticking.... but, progress is being made. 

We were even looking at wallpaper for the dining room today.  It's nice to be doing long-term planning again!

My dogs are getting to be friends in their old age.... And, just this once I got the camera snapped before they jumped up to greet me.  Thought I'd share.

I'll also share my favorite, 'nothing healthy about this but, damn, it's good' chicken marinade.

We all need one of these, right? 

Grilled Chicken Aioli

This is a very thick marinade and it clings to the meat, without burning, keeping it very moist.  I use it on turkey cutlets, as well.  

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

Marinade
3 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs mayonnaise
3 tbs olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder - or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried oregano

In small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the marinade - whisk well: it should emulsify (come together thickly). Pour over chicken breasts and let marinate for 10 - 15 minutes - or longer if you are doing other stuff, up to 45 minutes. Remove from marinade and cook on barbecue grill for 8 - 12 minutes per side or until done (test - take a peak). OR sauté in nonstick skillet for 8 - 10 minutes a side, until done. Serve, sliced or not.

Next:  The mantel....

Preserving the Harvest: Courgette; Gardening continued....

Nothing can strike fear into the hearts of a gardener like seeing a zucchini grow from 3 inches to 10 inches overnight.

Ideally, we should pick the zucchini when it's young and tender; but it only takes a moment of inattention for it to become a monster.

Fortunately, it freezes well.

I freeze it in 2 different ways: 

To freeze for soup: 

Peel or not, your choice: unpeeled leaves microscopic green flecks in the finished soup which can be quite pretty; peeled leaves the soup a creamy, pale green. 

Roughly chop the zucchini and put it into a sauce pan with enough chicken stock to just barely cover.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 - 15 minutes.  Turn heat off and let cool.  When cool put into freezer containers or bags and freeze. 

I freeze it in 2 cup portions. 

Freezer bags work great - you can either lay them flat in the freezer or put them into a container to give them shape - removing when frozen.

To use for soup: Thaw or not.   Saute a roughly chopped onion in 1 tbs butter in medium saucepan.   When onion is tender add zucchini and 1/2 tsp of thyme.   Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 - 15 minutes. Puree in a blender or use a stick blender.  Add more chicken stock if needed to get desired consistency.  Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche; hot in winter, cold in summer.

Can also be added to other soups: Chicken Barley; Vegetable; Turkey Rice.... Pureed to thicken soup, or not.

To freeze for anything else: 

Do not peel.  Shred using large holes on box grater.  Put into a freezer bag and freeze.  

I freeze 1 1/4, 2 1/2, and 3 3/4 cup bags.  The extra bit is for the liquid that you loose on thawing - if you want a cup of zucchini, freeze 1 1/4 cups.

To use: I toss into stir-fry's, casseroles, vegetable soups, anything where I want a bit more veg.  I also use it on it's own in gratin's, and most of the recipes I use it for, fresh, in summer.

To store zucchini (courgette): Courgette will keep for 5 - 7 days in the refrigerator.  Gently brush off any dirt but do not wash before storing.  Take care to not damage the skin of bruise it.

Now for the confession: 3 zucchini plants gave us enough to eat it constantly for 2 months straight; freeze 12 containers of soup, and 30 packages of frozen, shredded courgette....

And, some for the compost pile....

Did I plant 3 again the following year?

No.

I planted 4 - 2 green and 2 yellow.... It's a sickness.....

Next week: Tomatoes

Barbecued Zucchini (Courgette); we've arrived; Weekly Menu

It's official!

We live here.

Apparently, once the medical system of the Lot et Garonne decided to acknowledge our existence, it became fashionable for everyone else to acknowledge our existence.  

This past week we have been inundated with adverts for fidelity cards, newspapers, cars, home repairs, gardening, everything a new owner of an old house could possibly want and then some.

Once the excessively slow wheel of the bureaucracy finally makes the turn everything else proceeds at breakneck pace.

Even the 81 euro check, that I mailed on Tuesday, to pay for our first trimester of coverage had cleared the bank by Thursday.

When mon mari checks back into the hospital on Monday I'll be able to give them the proper forms.  

They'll be so happy to have their files all neat and orderly again....

I did mention that he was going back in on Monday....

We don't know why.

When we checked out 4 weeks ago they gave him a check-in form for his next admission. 

And who says the French aren't efficient!

They didn't tell us why he was checking back in.  I mean, as long as they know there's certainly no reason we have to know as well.  We'll find out in good time.  Have a little faith.

The docs don't really like to keep office hours.  It seems that they just prefer to have the patients on site, snug in their rooms, so they can visit when they choose. 

They don't really understand mon mari's obvious dislike of hospital stays.  What's not to like? Lay around, watch TV and get waited on.....

He did explain it had something to do with the food.... And all the sick people....

I doubt he'll see this during his stay:

Barbecued Zucchini (Courgette)

1 medium zucchini, about 10 inches (25cm)
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
2 tbs ketchup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs olive oil

In small bowl mix all ingredients except zucchini. Slice zucchini into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Do not peel first. Put rounds onto a plate and spoon a bit of sauce onto each side. Place directly onto grill of barbecue. Grill just until soft and starting to brown, 10 - 15 minutes, turning once. Remove and serve.

In addition to the above, for the week of July 10 we have Barbecued Salmon, Brined Cornish Hens, Roasted Potato Salad with Capers, Cobb Salad, Couscous....

Become a Thyme for Cooking Subscriber and get the menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instruction, and shopping list each Thursday.  First two weeks FREE.   (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

For more recipes visit my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners

Barley with Courgette (Zucchini) and Tomato; the Saga continues....

Now....   Where was I....

Oh yes, France had closed for the Christmas holidays, leaving our change of address and all of our documents on some one's desk for eternity.

January comes.... And goes....

I've given everyone ample time to recover from their ski holidays so I start gently inquiring as to the status of our paperwork.

We are now past due on getting the license plates changed on our car, also.  They still proudly claim affiliation with the Vendée.  So we are perceived as tourists here in the Lot et Garonne; which is only a problem if the Gendarmes decide to check our paperwork.

We drive carefully.

Of course our driving licenses are also incorrect.

We drive very carefully.

I call the secrétaire. 

Yes, I made a phone call to a French person (well, Russian person who spoke French).

I left a message.  As it turns out she only works Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons in winter.

She called back the next week and said 'they were on the Prefecture's desk and should be signed soon.

This was Feb. 10.  Our old ones expired on the 17th, which would make us illegal.  I was starting to worry.

We got the new ones on the 17th; all nice and tidy. 

They had decided to simply wait and do the annual renewal rather than an address change. 

They could have told us.

Armed with our proof of legal residence we made the rounds once again.

Since we had gotten the list of required documents from CPAM (for the medical coverage) in November we thought that would be a snap.

I even remembered the rule to always forget to give them something so they have something to ask for that will be easy (They always ask for something you didn't bring.... Always!)

Apparently she wasn't impressed with my foresight.  When I magically produced the first document she asked for, she shuffled the papers awhile, than asked for something totally unexpected. 

Back home we go, file in hand.

The driving license and car plates were a first visit, so, naturally, we didn't  have the right papers.

We went back the next week bigger files in hand.

Driving license and plates - all in order, here you are, thank you very much, no charge.

CPAM, after carefully scrutinizing every document, and asking for 2 more (that I had tucked away in my folder  - HA!)  they accepted the file.

This was on March 6th.

Mon mari went in hospital in the 25th.... without his proper papers.  The French hate this - but, knowing their own bureaucracy, accept it without question.

At the end of April, still having heard nothing, we went back to CPAM.  We met with the nice young lady who called the Powers That Be.  Amazingly, someone had just looked at the file that very morning and, determining that it was incomplete, had sent the whole thing back to us.  We should have it the next day.

We did.

They wanted one more piece of paper. 

I copied it and sent it back.

In the meantime, we had gotten the required form from a doctor filled out for both of us as our primary doctor.  We sent it in.

They sent it back, saying that we weren't in the system.

Then the file came back, saying that the doctor form was missing. 

I sent the file and the doctor form to them... Again.

They sent the doctor form back again, saying that we weren't in the system.

I sent the doctor form back with a copy of the letter asking for it.

Mon mari was in hospital for his surgery and another 3 week stay....

Still without the proper paperwork.

Finally, a week ago we received a letter saying we had been 'accepted' into the medical system of the Lot et Garonne.

Did we change our address?

Or did we re-apply?

Yesterday we got the documents to actually get the little green card.... And the bill for the year.

Apparently, we are no longer indigent.

The hospital will be so pleased.

I was please with this... Yes, I'm still on a barley kick...

Barley with Courgette (Zucchini) and Tomato

2/3 cup (90gr, 10.5oz) 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
1 1/3 cups (320gr, 11oz) chicken stock (or more, depending on type of barley)
1 medium zucchini (courgette) about 8 " (20cm)
1 large tomato
1 medium onion
1/2 green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs fresh basil
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp white Balsamic vinegar

Cook barley in stock until done, stirring occasionally. If all stock is not absorbed, drain.
Slice zucchini in half the long way and then into 1/4" (.6cm) slices. Slice the pepper into strips. Cut the onion in half, then slice. Mince the garlic. Cut the tomato into large chunks.
Heat medium nonstick over medium heat. Add oil, onion, pepper and sauté until starting to get tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and courgette and sauté until courgette starts to get limp, about 5 minutes. Add tomato, basil, cover and cook until tomato gets soft, 4 - 7 minutes longer.
To finish: When barley is done put into a medium bowl. When zucchini is done add to barley and gently stir in vinegar and serve.

With any luck we should have our green Carte Vitale in hand in, oh, another month or two.....