Food
Melissa Clark Shows You How To Bring The Flavors Of France To Your Table
Published on July 24, 2020

The New York Times columnist Melissa Clark demystifies French food for the home cook in her new cookbook, Dinner in French.
“I can’t really speak French, but I cook in French. The merging of French food with the food I grew up eating in Brooklyn is the foundation of how I approach cooking — and the raison d’être of this book. None of this would have happened if my great-aunt Martha and Uncle Jack hadn’t dragged my parents on a trip to Europe. My dad, whose ideal vacation up until that point was fishing in the Catskills, didn’t want to go. But they went, and fell hard for France. My parents went back every year, first by themselves, and then with my sister and me in tow.
When we weren’t cooking, we were planning our next meal, chasing the daily markets from small town to even smaller towns, revelling in the figs, the sausages and the incredible cheeses we couldn’t get at home. These recipes are quirky and personal, seasoned with a dose of Brooklyn moxie to augment all that buttery haute cuisine. It’s all rooted in my New York-Jewish-Francophile DNA. And my cooking ends up playfully and unmistakably French. At our house, the conversation might be in English, but dinner is in French.”

Chicken Paillards With Endive-Parsley Salad
“A 30-minute stint in a garlicky, lemony marinade seasons the chicken through and through.”
Get the recipe for Chicken Paillards With Endive-Parsley Salad.

Buttery Crab Pasta With Golden Tomatoes & Chervil
“Most crab pastas don’t have enough crab — not this one! It’s highly decadent and perfectly crabby.”
Get the recipe for Buttery Crab Pasta With Golden Tomatoes & Chervil.

Shaved Zucchini & Melon Salad With Mint & Almonds
“I often serve this with soft goat cheese and a baguette alongside, but it’s also a nice side dish with simply grilled fish.”
Get the recipe for Shaved Zucchini & Melon Salad With Mint & Almonds.

Meyer Lemon Tart With Olive Oil & Fleur De Sel
“The flavors and textures here are a bit like lemon squares, but more refined.”
Get the recipe for Meyer Lemon Tart With Olive Oil & Fleur De Sel.
Laura Edwards
House & Home July/August 2020