The Cook's Atelier

Fava bean salad with fennel and mint

You know for sure that spring has arrived when you see the first fava beans at the market.  They are a favorite here at The Cook's Atelier and we love them for their bright green color and marshy flavor.  They make their way in salads or mashed on crusty bread with a drizzle of fruity olive oil and sprinkling of our favorite fleur de sel.  Heaven.

A big thank you to all of you who applied for The Cook's Atelier 2012 Internship Program.  We've selected our winners and are so excited to welcome Selden and Claire to spend the summer with us here in Burgundy. For those of you who would like to be considered for the 2013 program, please send us an email and we will be sure to send you the application details as they become available.

We have some very excited projects in the works here at The Cook's Atelier and are busting at the seams in anticaption of sharing all the details.  Soon, I promise, soon.

 

Fava bean salad with fennel and mint

8 to 10 pounds fresh young fava beans in the pod (10 pounds will yield about 6 cups of beans)

3 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fruity extra-virgin olive oil

1 handful of mint leaves

1 handful of parsley leaves 

2 lemons, one sliced the other cut in half

Mizuna leaves

 

Shuck the fava beans from their pods  Blanche the beans in salted boiling water for about 2 minutes.  Plunge them into a bowl of ice water to cool them and preserve their color. Once cool enough to handle, pop the beans out of their grey-green skin to release the bright green bean.

Trim and wash the fennel.

When you are ready to make the salad, slice the fennel into very thin slices (a mandoline works well for this task) and put them in a bowl.  Add the fava beans, scallions and a good sprinkling of sea salt anda few grinds of black pepper. Drizzle generously with fruity olive oil to coat.  Add the mint, parsley, lemon slices and mizuna leaves, then squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the salad.  Toss well with your hands, then taste and correct the seasoning.  Serve immediately.

 

Happy Easter!

Just a quick note to wish all of you a very Happy Easter!  Spring is here in Burgundy and the garden is filled with wild flowers and the cherry trees are in full bloom.  We are busy getting the potager ready for planting and dreaming of the first harvest of petit pois, baby carrots, French radishes and tender salad greens. The to-do list is getting bigger by the moment and we can't wait to jump in and get started.  We are working on some exciting projects this season and are looking forward to sharing them with you soon.

We've had an amazing response for The Cook's Atelier 2012 Internship Program. Many thanks to all of you who have contacted us with regard to spending some time with us here in Burgundy.  We'll be notifying the winners shortly.

For those of you who are planning your summer holidays, we'd love to have you visit us here at The Cook's Atelier.  Join us for the market tour and cooking class, a cook's workshop, or dinner with the cook to get a taste of Burgundy from a cook's view.  You can see more about our programs here.

Kinfolk Magazine

You may have heard the buzz about the new Kinfolk Magazine.  We've been smitten since the very first issue and we were so excited to be asked to contribute to the lastest volume.  It is a beautiful publication and it incorporates all things we love here at The Cook's Atelier; small gatherings, good food and the celebration of the things in life that matter most.  We are thilled to be part of Kinfolk, volume three. Visit Kinfolk to get your copy.