Author: Natalie Hanson

I am a software industry executive, most recently in life sciences management consulting. I build and lead teams who design, develop, and sell software and services. I lead and deliver with a human-centered lens. As an anthropologist, my research has focused on work practices and work environments. I am interested in interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as how institutions' response to macro trends affects the lives of employees. You can learn more about me at http://www.nataliehanson.com.

Quiche Lorraine

Natalie Hanson

For pie crust instructions, please see the Pâte brisée recipe.

Filling

6 slices of fried bacon
about 1/4 lb of swiss cheese
4 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of milk
1/2 Tbsp of corn starch
1/4 tsp of nutmeg, salt and pepper

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Mix corn starch with the milk, starting with just a few drop to avoid lumps.
  • Put the cream and eggs in a bowl and mix well. Add the milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  • Spread the bacon and the cheese in the pre-baked pie crust. Gently add the egg and milk mixture over it.
  • Cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until brown on top (a knife inserted in the middle of the quiche should come out clean).

Pissaladière II

Natalie Hanson

The pissaladière is made from a yeast dough, comparable to a pizza.  It is rolled thick or thin depending on individual tastes. The classic one is made with onions, garlic, anchovies and the all encompassing olive oil, so dear to a southern heart.  But variation is the name of the game here and every family has a favorite.  This one is a Martha Stewart recipe.

Serves 8-10.

Dough

3 generous cups of flour
1 1/4 cups of tepid water
2 packages of dry yeast
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of salt

Filling

8 cups of sliced onions
1/4 cup of olive oil
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp of salt, pepper to taste
3 2oz anchovies in oil
a dozen of oil cured black olives 

  • Mix the water and yeast and let rest at room temperature
  • Place 2 cups of the flour in the bowl of an mixer with the olive oil and the salt. Add the yeast mixture and beat for 3 minutes. Add remaining flour and knead until the dough is smooth and satiny.
  • Oil a bowl, place the dough in it and turn over to coat all around. Cover with a towel and let raise for 1 hour at room temperature. The dough doubles in volume.
  • Make the filling. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook gently until just lightly brown. Add the garlic, salt and pepper
  • Spread the dough out by hand or with a roller. You can use a 16×12 cookie sheet or two round pans. Refrigerate.
  • Arrange the onions on the dough and the anchovies in a crisscross pattern on top. Cut the olives in half and position then in each anchovies diamond.
  • Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 425°F oven.
  • Brush again with olive oil just before serving at room temperature.

Pissaladière I

Natalie Hanson

The pissaladière is made from a yeast dough, comparable to a pizza.  It is rolled thick or thin depending on individual tastes. The classic one is made with onions, garlic, anchovies and the all encompassing olive oil, so dear to a southern heart.  But variation is the name of the game here and every family has a favorite.

To serve 4.

Dough

1 cup of flour
2 Tbsp of tepid water
1/2 oz of dry yeast
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Filling

8 cups of sliced onions
1clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp of salt, pepper to taste
3 jars of 2oz anchovies in oil
a dozen of oil cured black olives

  • Preheat oven 400°F.
  • Mix the water and yeast and let rest at room temperature.
  • Place the flour in the bowl of an mixer with the salt and cut in the butter.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast and the egg.
  • Mix to form a dough, adding more water if required.
  • Cover with a towel and let raise for 1 hour at room temperature.
  • The dough doubles in volume.
  • Meanwhile make the filling.
  • Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and add the onions. Cook gently until just lightly brown.
  • Add the garlic, salt and pepper and the tomato paste.
  • Cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Allow to cool.
  • When the dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well.
  • Roll into a thin circle, place on a baking sheet and cover with the filling.
  • Arrange the anchovies in a crisscross pattern on top.
  • Cut the olives in half and position then in each anchovies diamond. 
  • Let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
  • Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven then reduce to 350° and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Brush again with olive oil just before serving at room temperature.

Onion & cottage cheese pizza

Natalie Hanson

This is a perfect appetizer to do when you are already making bread dough. Use half of the recipe above to make 2 free form pizza.  Roll each half of the dough very thin and set on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate while making the filling.

Filling

5 or 6 large onions, sliced and cooked with 2 Tbsp of oil
2 eggs
1 cup of cottage cheese & 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese
salt, pepper, nutmeg

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Beat the eggs and the cottage cheese together and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
  • Pour into the cooled dough.
  • Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and cook until the crust is browned.
  • About 20 to 30 minutes.

Tomato & black olive tapenade

Natalie Hanson

This is not the traditional tapenade, which is made with black olives, anchovies, capers and fresh basil. But it is an interesting variation.

1/4 lb of sun dried tomatoes (dry weight)
3 sprigs of fresh basil
1 clove of garlic
2 oven roasted tomatoes cooked for 1h. with olive oil, garlic and parsley
Olive oil
1 cup of black olives pitted
1 tsp of wine vinegar

  • Cook the sun dried tomatoes in some chicken stock. If you are patient peel them! Set aside.
  • Put the leaves of fresh basil and garlic clove in the food processor. Process.
  • Add the cooked tomatoes to the mixture and purée.
  • Add the wine vinegar.
  • With motor running gradually add oil to emulsify. Remove and set aside.
  • Coarsely chop the sun dried tomatoes and olives. Add to the puréed mixture.
  • Correct seasoning.

Terrine de courgettes au basilic

Natalie Hanson

From Marie-France magazine.

3 lb of zucchini
4 Tbsp of olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp of chopped parsley
3 oz of parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp of bread crumbs
4 eggs
basil, salt, and pepper

  • Wash the zucchini but do not peel. 
  • Dice 2 1/2 lb and cook slightly in olive oil.
  • Add garlic, parsley and basil.
  • In the meantime beat the eggs, add the parmesan cheese, the bread crumbs, the salt and pepper.
  • When the zucchini are tender, squish them with a fork and add to the egg mixture.
  • Oil a deep bread pan.
  • Slice the rest of the zucchini and cook in a frying pan with olive oil until golden.
  • Decorate the mold with the pieces.
  • Gently drop the egg and zucchini mixture in the pan and cook at 325°F, in a bain-marie, for 45 minutes.
  • Unmold when cold.

Soufflé de gourillos

Natalie Hanson

4 Tbsp of sweet butter + 1 tsp to coat the mold
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 scallions, sliced thin
1 head of escarole trimmed of some green leafy part (about 5 cups)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup of water
4 Tbsp of flour
1 cup of milk
Pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup of grated Cheddar cheese (strips optional)
3 egg yolks
7 egg whites

  • Butter 1 1/2 quart soufflé mold and add the parmesan cheese. 
  • Coat the mold and refrigerate. 
  • Reserve the parmesan not needed in the coating.
  • Slice the trimmed escarole coarsely.
  • Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a saucepan and sauté the sliced scallions until just tender.
  • Add the escarole, salt and water.
  • Cook on high for 5 minutes.
  • Uncover and continue cooking for a few minutes until all liquid has evaporated.
  • Make a béchamel sauce with the remaining butter, flour and milk.
  • Add the yolks, mix well.
  • Add salad mixture, Worcestershire sauce and the grated cheddar cheese.
  • Whip the whites until they form a peak.
  • Fold in the escarole mixture gently.
  • Fill the mold to the edges. 
  • At this point the soufflé can be refrigerated for a couple of hours.
  • At baking time sprinkle the reserved parmesan cheese and place the soufflé on a cookie sheet in a 375°F preheated oven.
  • Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
  • 5 minutes before the soufflé is done you can arrange the strips in a decorative pattern on top.

Soufflé aux épinards

Natalie Hanson

For a 6 cup mold (4-6 servings):

2 Tbsp and 1/2 of butter
3 Tbsp of flour
1 cup of milk
pepper, salt, nutmeg
4 eggs (separated) & 1 egg white
1/4 cup of fresh swiss cheese, grated
1/2 cup of spinach

For an 8 cup mold (6-8 servings):

3 1/2 Tbsp of butter
4 1/2 Tbsp of flour
1 1/2 cup of milk
6 eggs separated & 1 egg white
1/2 cup of cheese
3/4 cup of spinach

  • Preheat oven at 400°F
  • Butter a soufflé dish
  • Bring the milk to a boil
  • In another pan melt the butter, mix in the flour on medium heat. This is a roux.
  • Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
  • Slowly add milk to the roux and bring it to a boil, cook for a few minutes (this is a béchamel).
  • Let it cool.
  • In the meantime cook the spinach (washed and with the ribs taken off) and squeeze it dry.
  • Add to the béchamel and also mix into it the egg yolks one at a time, then the cheese.
  • Beat the egg whites to a soft peak stage and gently fold in the spinach mixture.
  • Pour into the soufflé mold.
  • Cook in preheated oven, turned down at 375°F, for 20 minutes.

Soufflé au fromage

Natalie Hanson
For a 6 cup mold (4-6 servings):

 2 1/2 Tbsp of butter
3 Tbsp of flour
1 cup of milk
pepper, salt, nutmeg
4 eggs (separated) & 1 egg white
3/4 cup of swiss cheese, grated

For an 8 cup mold (6-8 servings):

 3 1/2 Tbsp of butter
4 1/2 Tbsp of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
pepper, salt, nutmeg
6 eggs separated & 1 egg white
1 1/4 cups of cheese

For a flan dish:

2 Tbsp of butter
2 Tbsp of flour
1 cup of milk
pepper, salt, nutmeg
3 eggs (separated)
3 oz of swiss cheese, grated (or Beaufort cheese for a different taste)

  • Preheat the oven at 400°F
  • Butter the soufflé mold
  • Bring the milk to a boil.
  • Melt butter and mix in the flour on medium heat.
  • Add milk slowly to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil and let it cook for a few minutes.
  • Let cool.
  • Whip the egg whites to a soft peak stage.
  • Add the egg yolks to the flour mixture one at a time, and mix well.
  • Gently fold in the egg whites and the cheese.
  • Put in preheated oven and turn the heat down to 375°F.
  • Cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Serve immediately.

Salade tourangelle

Natalie Hanson

This is a salad made with different vegetables, raw or cooked, each kept separate, but served together in the same dish.  You can include:

  • Asparagus tips, artichoke hearts or green beans – cooked and sprinkled with a vinaigrette to which you have added pepper, some finely chopped shallots, tarragon, and a little garlic and parsley.
  • Raw Savoy cabbage or red cabbage – sliced thin and sprinkled with the above dressing.
  • Sticks of celery – remove all the strings and serve raw, sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  • Raw button mushrooms – finely sliced and sprinkle with lemon juice. Dress with heavy cream flavored with mustard and seasoned with salt and pepper.
  • Cucumbers – marinated with vinegar and salt, drained. Dress with sour cream and fresh dill.

Roast 1 or 2 cups of walnuts in a 400°F oven for 8 minutes. Chop coarsely and sprinkle in the various dressings.