blackcurrant ice tea

Ice tea with a French twist. My usual go-to version of summery ice tea is PG Tips with lemon juice and a dash of sugar. But I wanted to change it up a bit AND make use of the blackcurrant (or cassis - my favorite flavor ever!) goodies that my parents brought back from their recent trip to Quebec City. 

Blackcurrants are widely popular throughout Europe and French-speaking Canada, but most Americans have never experienced their intense and delightfully tart flavor (more on that here - it's an interesting read). Across the Atlantic, Europeans harness blackcurrants for a variety of culinary treats including sorbet, teas, syrups, juices, desserts, ice cream, jam and much more.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make and you're likely to find Twinings blackcurrant tea at Whole Foods. Tho the vinegar is harder to come by, in which case raspberry vinegar is a fine substitute. Bon appetit! 

recipe

for the tea:

• 4 blackcurrant tea bags
• 4 cups water
• 2 teaspoons blackcurrant pulp vinegar (or raspberry vinegar)
• 1 lime, quartered
• 1 sprig mint

for the simple syrup:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

1. Bring the water to a boil. Place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher and pour in the hot water. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least one hour, or until tea has cooled. 
2. While the tea is cooling, make the simple syrup. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved completely. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
3. Add the vinegar and simple syrup to the tea. Stir to combine. Serve over ice and garnish with lime wedges and mint.

If you make this recipe, hashtag a pic to #spiceandhutch and post to Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. I'd love to see your culinary creations!

tuna niçoise tartine

If I could pick one thing to eat for lunch for the rest of my life, it would be tuna niçoise tartine. The confit garlic aïoli goes beautifully with a medley of fresh herbs as well as the salty acidic punch that you get from the olives and cornichon. 

A tartine is an open-faced French sandwich with savory or sweet toppings. This variation is basically a tuna sandwich on steroids, and it doesn't disappoint. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Recipe is below.

recipe

for the confit garlic aïoli:

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 8 oz extra virgin olive oil
• 5 oz canola oil
• 1 large brown egg
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

for the tuna salad:

• 8 oz canned tuna in oil, drained
• 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cornichon, finely chopped
• 2 tsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tsp chervil, finely chopped
• 2 tsp capers, finely chopped
• 2 tsp shallot, minced
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
• salt and pepper 

to serve:

• 4 thick slices sourdough or pain de campagne
• 4 romaine or butter lettuce leaves
• 12 Niçoise or kalamata olives, sliced in half
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp chives, minced
• 8 whole cornichon

1. To make the confit garlic aïoli, pour half of the olive oil into a small saucepan and add the garlic. Cook on low heat for about 20-30 minutes until the garlic becomes soft. Keep a close eye on it - the garlic browns and burns very easily!
2. Remove the garlic and set aside. Combine the garlic oil with the remaining half cup of olive oil and the canola oil. Stir to combine.
3. Run the three garlic cloves, the lemon juice, and the egg through a food processor for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Then, with the motor running, pour in the combined oils very, very slowly. You want a tiny thread of oil pouring from your spout. The aioli won't emulsify properly if you pour too quickly, so be patient with it. Once you have added the combined oils and the mixture has thickened, turn off the machine and season to taste, if needed. 
4. In a medium-sized bowl, add the chopped herbs, capers, cornichon and shallot, the strained tuna, the lemon juice, the paprika, a half cup of the aïoli, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together until nicely combined. Season to taste. 
5. To assemble the tartines, spread a dollop of the aïoli on each of the four slices of bread. Add 1-2 leaves of the romaine or butter lettuce leaves and a couple heaping tablespoons of the tuna salad to each slice of bread. Top each tartine with the radishes and boiled eggs and olives, and garnish with the minced chives and smoked paprika and whole cornichon. Serve immediately.

Adapted from the Bouchon by Thomas Keller

If you make this recipe, hashtag a pic to #spiceandhutch and post to Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. I'd love to see your culinary creations!