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.

Salade Niçoise

Natalie Hanson

There are many variations of this salad, but the classic one has only the ingredients listed below. Principally a spring or summer salad, it uses the freshest raw vegetables when they are ripe and abundant.

6 ripe but firm tomatoes
1 cucumber, partly peeled and sliced
1 head of Boston lettuce or Bibb or red leaf
1/2 lb of fresh lima beans (don’t use if not fresh)
6 small purple artichokes (or marinated artichokes)
1 fennel bulb, sliced in ¼ inch strips
2 green peppers (Italian preferably) seeded and sliced
1 spanish onion, sliced
a handful of radishes
4 hard boiled eggs, cut in half lengthwise
10 anchovy fillets
handful of small black olives
Chapons (stale bread brushed with garlic)
fresh basil, garlic
vinaigrette dressing

  • Wash and quarter the tomatoes, salt lightly and drain for 10 minutes.
  • Peel and slice the cucumber, drain on paper towel for 10 minutes.
  • Prepare the other vegetables and the eggs, anchovy fillets and olives.
  • Prepare the chapons.
  • To make the vinaigrette, mix 1 part vinegar and 3 parts olive oil.  Add the garlic and the basil.
  • Arrange the vegetables on a shallow dish, surround with lettuce leaves and chapons.  
  • Pour the vinaigrette over it.
  • Toss gently just before serving.

Roasted red peppers

Natalie Hanson

This is a traditional appetizer in the South of France. Often, the peppers are roasted in an open grill. The pieces of wood for the fire are the “sarmens” which are the trimmings of the local vineyard bushes used to add flavor to the peppers.

4 red peppers
1 Tbsp of vinegar (or 1/2 lemon and 1/2 balsamic vinegar)
1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard
6 Tbsp of olive oil
2 garlic cloves and a few sprigs of parsley

  • Roast the peppers under the broiler turning them until all the skin of the peppers is slightly black.
  • Put the peppers in a brown bag or strong plastic bag and close it to retain the moisture.
  • This step will help in peeling off the skin.
  • When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off and discard the stem and the seeds inside.
  • Flatten the peppers on a wooden board and slice them very thin.
  • Prepare a vinaigrette sauce: mix the vinegar and the mustard together, slowly add the olive oil.
  • You can triple the recipe and do this in the food processor.
  • Chopped the garlic and parsley, add to the vinaigrette sauce and pour it over the roasted peppers.
  • Let stand at room temperature before serving on French bread.

Poor man’s caviar

Natalie Hanson

This cold appetizer can be used as a dip on a slice of French bread or served on a bed of lettuce.

1 big eggplant or 2 small ones
2 or 3 big tomatoes (canned or cooked)
2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 onions sliced
1 green pepper sliced
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp of dry white wine
2 Tbsp of olive oil

  • If fresh tomatoes are used: remove the seeds and the skin, chopped coarsely and cook gently with salt, pepper, garlic and bay leaf for about 15 minutes.
  • Bake the eggplant with the skin on at 400°F for one hour or until soft.
  • Scrape the pulp of the eggplant in a saucepan and discard the skin.
  • Add 2 or 3 big tomatoes (canned or cooked) to the eggplant.
  • Put the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions and pepper until tender.
  • Add to the eggplant mixture, mix in the garlic and cook slowly until all liquid is evaporated.
  • Add salt and pepper and the wine. 
  • Let cool.
  • Before serving add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and some chopped parsley.

Petits chaussons au Roquefort

Natalie Hanson

Another way to use the pâte brisée!  The rolled out dough is cut in small 3 inch squares instead of a large pie crust and each piece is filled in the center and folded into a triangle.

1/4 lb of Roquefort
1/2 stick of unsalted butter softened
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsps of cognac
pepper
chives or minced onion tops
1 ‑ 3 Tbsps of whipping cream
1 egg beaten with ½ Tb of water (egg wash)

  • Mash the Roquefort and beat in the butter, egg yolk, cognac, pepper, chives.
  • Beat in the cream by tablespoons.
  • The mixture should be thick.
  • Cut the dough in 3″ squares and fill each center.
  • Run a brush, wet with water, on the edges.
  • Fold and press the edges firmly.
  • Press the end of a fork all around the edges for decoration.
  • Paint the top of each chausson with the egg wash.
  • Make a design on the surface of the dough with the back of a knife or a fork. 
  • Poke a hole in the center of each chausson.
  • Place on a baking dish and refrigerate until firm. 
  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Bake in upper third of the oven until brown (about 15 minutes).

Petits chaussons au crabe

Natalie Hanson

Another way to use the pâte brisée!  The rolled out dough is cut in small 3 inch squares instead of a large pie crust and each piece is filled in the center and folded into a triangle.

1/4 lb of crab meat, chopped
1 large onion cooked in 1 Tbsp of olive oil
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced (it can be roasted if desired)
2 Tbsp of butter + 2 Tbsp of flour
1 cup of hot milk
1/2 cup of Swiss cheese

  • Brown the onion.
  • Add the green and red pepper.
  • Mix with the crab.
  • Make a béchamel sauce:
    • Melt the butter, add the flour.
    • Slowly pour in the milk.
    • Bring to a boil.
  • Add the crab meat and the Swiss cheese.
  • Cut the dough in 3″ squares and fill each center. 
  • Run a brush, wet with water, on the edges.
  • Fold and press the edges firmly.
  • Press the end of a fork all around the edges for decoration.
  • Paint the top of each chausson with the egg wash.
  • Make a design on the surface of the dough with the back of a knife or a fork. 
  • Poke a hole in the center of each chausson.
  • Place on a baking dish and refrigerate until firm. 
  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Bake in upper third of the oven until brown (about 15 minutes).

Pâté

Natalie Hanson2 Comments

1 lb of chicken livers
2/3 cup thinly sliced onions (no more than 1 cup)
1 clove of garlic peeled and crushed
2 bay leaves
1 cup of water
2 tsp of salt
1 1/2 cups of butter softened (or just over 1 cup of ghee)
ground pepper
2 tsp of Cognac
Tomato skin, leek or scallion for decoration
1 envelope (or 1 Tbsp) of unflavored gelatine for aspic (in 1/4 cup of cold water)

  • Clean livers, discard blood, remove ligaments.
  • Place the livers, onions, garlic, bay leaves, water and 1 tsp of salt in a saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil, cover and cook at a bare simmer for 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
  • Take out the solids and place them in a food processor.
  • Retrieve the bay leaves and discard them.
  • Reserve and strain the liquid; use a paper towel in the strainer. You can clarify it by cooking it with an egg white.
  • Process the liver adding the butter or ghee piece by piece.
  • Finally add the second teaspoon of salt, the pepper, and the Cognac.
  • Process for 2 more minutes or until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
  • Pour into a mold and decorate any way you want with tomato skin, leek or scallion.
  • Add the prepared gelatine to the reserved liquid.
  • Cover the decoration and let the pâté firm up in the refrigerator overnight.

Parmesan mousselines

Natalie Hanson

For 4 people.

The standard pyrex cups work best to unmold because they are wider on top and the mousselines slide easily from them.

1 cup of milk
1/3 cup of flour
4 Tbsp of butter
3 egg yolks
2 egg whites
1 cup of freshly ground parmesan cheese
1 cup of heavy cream
2 Tbsp of butter
salt and pepper

  • Heat milk to warm.
  • Pour it slowly into the flour and mix thoroughly.
  • Whisk the mixture over medium high heat until it thickens.
  • Off the heat, add 4 Tbsp of butter, one at a time, then add 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, three egg yolks, salt and pepper.
  • Beat the 2 egg whites stiff.
  • Fold into the mixture.
  • Butter the molds and fill 3/4 full.
  • Place them on a bain‑Marie.
  • Bake in middle rack, on preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until top is spongy.
  • All the above can be prepared ahead of time.
  • Unmold into a greased gratin dish, pour cream over them and more cheese on top.
  • Bake for another 15 minutes or until puffy.

Oeufs à la tripe

Natalie Hanson

This is a regional French dish, originally from Lavel in Mayenne, which earns its name from the strips of hard-boiled egg white that could be thought to resemble real tripe.

Note: To prevent the yolks of a hard-boiled egg from becoming green-tinged (called ferrous sulfide) use fresh eggs, never cook the eggs longer than 15 minutes and, once cooked, quickly cool them in cold water. Also, peel the egg shells before the eggs are cold. It’s easier.

Serves 8.

8 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup of butter
1 lb of onions, sliced
12 Tbsps of flour
2 1/2 cups of milk
salt and pepper
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
finely chopped parsley

  • Cut the egg whites into slices and place in a buttered fireproof dish.
  • Reserve the egg yolks. Keep warm.
  • Melt the butter in a pan and sweat the onions for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring all the time.
  • Pour on the milk, slowly at first, and bring to a boil.
  • Add salt and pepper.
  • Simmer until very thick and creamy adding more milk if needed. This is a béchamel sauce.
  • Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  • Coat the egg whites with the sauce and sieve the egg yolks over the top.
  • Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

Mushroom croustades

Natalie Hanson

Croustades are little bread cases made with round slices of soft white bread. They most successfully solve the ever-present problem of how to serve an elegant cocktail hors d’oeuvre with very little labor.

24 slices of white bread
butter
 
4 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp of finely chopped shallots
1/2 lb of mushrooms finely chopped
 
2 level Tbsp of flour
1 cup of milk (or 1/2 milk 1/2 cream)
salt, pepper, chopped parsley
1/2 tsp of lemon juice

  • Brush muffin tins with the butter. Cut a round of bread to fit into the muffin tins.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F and bake croustades for 10 minutes.
  • For the filling:
    • Melt butter in a frying pan, add the shallots and stir them without letting them brown.
    • Stir in the mushrooms and cook until all the moisture is gone.
    • Sprinkle the floor over the mushrooms and stir well.
    • Pour the cream and milk stirring constantly and bring the mixture to a boil.
    • Remove from heat and stir in the seasonings and the herbs. At this point you can refrigerate until needed.
  • Use a small spoon to fill the croustades.
  • Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese.  Dot with butter.
  • Cook in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 350°F then briefly under the broiler.

Leeks in puff pastry

Natalie Hanson

2 1/2 cups of leeks (white of 4 leeks, minced and washed) or 6 yellow onions
3 Tbsp of butter
salt, black pepper, nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 cup of crème fraiche (heavy cream is ok)
q/4 cup of gruyere or swiss cheese
Puff pastry with 6 turns
Glaze: 1 egg yolk & 1/2 Tbsp of water

  • Melt the butter in a pan until it sizzles. 
  • Add leeks and coat them with the butter. 
  • Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
  • Cover and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.  Make sure the leeks do not burn.
  • Pour the heavy cream and cook for another 15 minutes or until it thickens.
  • Cool while you grate the cheese. 
  • Mix together and refrigerate until cold.
  • Cut two thirds of the puff pastry and refrigerate the rest. Then cut the two third piece in half.   Put the other half in the refrigerator.
  • With some flour on the pastry surface, roll out the remaining half into a 10 inch square of equal thickness. 
  • Freeze on a baking sheet for 15 minutes.
  • Do the same thing for the other half.
  • Place a 10″ pot lid over each square and cut 2 perfect circles.  Freeze them for another 15 minutes.
  • Cover one of the circles with the leek mixture leaving a 3/4″ edge free all around and brush it with cold water.
  • Cover the filling with the second circle and press the edges all the way around. 
  • Be sure both circles are flush all around the edges.  Prick the edge all around with a fork.
  • Refrigerate until needed.
  • To cook preheat oven 450°F.
  • Decorate the top of the pie by drawing parallel lines 3/4″ apart, then all the way across the previous lines to make a diamond shape figure.
  • Brush the glaze over the top and bake for 10 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven.
  • Then reduce temperature to 400°F and bake for 30 more minutes. 
  • Cover the top with foil toward the end of baking if necessary.
  • Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.