How to make an easy picnic that transports you to France
With fair weather settling in and summer on the horizon, what I want to serve friends is a bright, sort-of-French piquenique spread. In France, with cheese shops, bakeries and fine prepared foods available in every neighborhood, it’s easy to have an impromptu picnic — at a park, in the woods or on a river bank — at the drop of a (straw) hat.
All of the dishes here are strikingly Francophile. But as a colleague mentioned to me, it’s not fancy or fussy, it’s just good, simple French food. I see it as a buffet, served in the backyard with everything at room temperature, though it could also easily travel to the beach. And if you get rained out, it’s still delicious indoors.
I want vegetables at my picnic, so there are two salads in this menu.
First is a straightforward, old-fashioned French potato salad with chives and tarragon. Medium waxy potatoes are boiled and peeled, then thickly sliced, then coated in an easy dressing. A generous dribble of fruity extra-virgin olive oil is customary.
Then, there is a colorful green bean and cherry tomato salad, finished with a black olive dressing. For the best result, choose the smallest green beans and the sweetest cherry tomatoes. The dressing, made with Niçoise olives, capers, anchovy and garlic, is similar to a Provençal tapenade. The beans and tomatoes benefit from a short bath in the mixture. Add arugula or other salad greens just before serving, if you wish.
For something grilled, consider this pepper-crusted flank steak. Flank tends to be less expensive and has a reputation for being tougher, but it can be just as tender if cooked to medium-rare and sliced thinly on a diagonal.
A rather large amount of coarse crushed black peppercorns coats this flank steak for a distinctive burst of flavor. It’s best to crush your own pepper, with a mortar and pestle or an electric spice mill. Patting the pepper on both sides of the steak well in advance of the cooking ensures the seasoning will penetrate. Cook your steak over coals, in a covered gas grill, in a cast-iron pan on the stove or under the broiler. It may be served warm or at room temperature.
Raspberry-almond clafoutis is one of the simplest desserts out there. You mix up a little batter and pour it over fruit in a baking dish — nothing more. A traditional clafoutis is made with cherries, but here they’re replaced with raspberries, which have a slight tartness. I devised a gluten-free version with almond flour and a little almond extract. It’s a pretty dessert, dusted with powdered sugar.
Staying true to the French theme, be sure your picnic includes chilled rosé, a lightly sparkling water and a freshly baked baguette or two.
FRENCH POTATO SALAD
In this straightforward, oldfashioned French potato salad with chives and tarragon, medium waxy potatoes are boiled and peeled while still warm, so they best absorb the flavors. They’re then thickly sliced and splashed with an easy vinaigrette. A generous dribble of fruity extravirgin olive oil is customary – don’t skimp on it.
21/2 to 3 pounds yellow-fleshed
potatoes, such as Yukon
Gold
Salt and black pepper 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 6 tablespoons fruity extravirgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon tarragon leaves 1 tablespoon snipped chives
1. Put potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, salt generously and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a brisk simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, until cooked through but firm. (Test with a skewer or paring knife.) Drain.
2. Holding each potato in a paper towel or tea towel to keep from burning your fingers, peel the thin skins while still warm with a paring knife (they come away easily). Cut peeled potatoes into thick slices (about 3/8 inch) and place in a large low bowl.
3. In a small bowl, add vinegar and mustard, stirring to dissolve. Whisk in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over warm sliced potatoes and very gently and briefly toss with hands, taking care not to break the slices. Sprinkle with a little salt and leave to cool at room temperature.
Picnic
4. When potatoes have cooled, add tarragon leaves and chives (save some of the herbs for garnish) and very gently toss again. Taste, adjust for salt and toss one more time. The salad should be fairly oily; drizzle with a little more oil if necessary. Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with reserved herbs.
GREEN BEAN AND CHERRY TOMATO SALAD
This colorful, fullflavored salad is finished with a black olive dressing, made with Niçoise olives, capers, anchovy and garlic, and similar to a Provençal tapenade. For the best result, choose the smallest green beans and sweetest cherry tomatoes. Add arugula or other salad greens just before serving, if you wish.
Salt and black pepper
1/2 pound small green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups cherry tomatoes of various colors (about 10 ounces), halved
1/4 cup pitted Niçoise olives,
roughly chopped 3 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon capers,
roughly chopped 2 anchovy fillets, roughly
chopped
1 large garlic clove, grated A handful of arugula or small lettuce leaves
1. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil, add green beans and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Drain, spread beans on a kitchen towel and cool to room temperature.
3. Put beans and cherry tomatoes in a low bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. In a small bowl, combine olives, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, capers, anchovy, and garlic. Whisk together and pour over beans and tomatoes. Toss to coat. Check seasoning and adjust. Leave at room temperature.
5. Just before serving, garnish bean-tomato mixture with arugula or salad greens.
PEPPER-CRUSTED FLANK STEAK
Coarse crushed black peppercorns coat this flank steak for a zesty burst of flavor, complementing the rare grilled meat. It’s best to crush your own, in a mortar and pestle or spice mill. Serve warm or at room temperature.
1 flank steak, about 2
pounds
2 tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
3 tablespoons coarse crushed black peppercorns
1. Pat steak dry. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt on each side.
2. Coat both sides of the steak with the crushed pepper, pressing down to coat evenly. Allow to rest and absorb seasoning for at least 1 hour.
3. Bring steak to room temperature. Grill over medium-hot coals or a covered gas grill at 450 degrees, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, until juices appear on the surface of the steak. Check with a meat thermometer; 125 degrees for rare, 130 for mediumrare. (Alternatively, cook in a cast-iron pan over mediumhigh heat or broil.) Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.)
4. With a sharp knife, slice on a slight bias against the grain, about 1/8-inch thick. Arrange on a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
RASPBERRY-ALMOND CLAFOUTIS
A traditional clafoutis is made with cherries, replaced here with raspberries, which have a slight tartness. The batter is made with almond flour and a little almond extract for a gluten-free version. Cool to room temperature before serving. 1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups half-and-half Unsalted butter, for
greasing pan 3 cups raspberries (12
ounces)
Powdered sugar, for serving
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put almond flour, sugar, eggs, almond extract and salt in a blender. Blend at medium speed for a minute or so, until well combined. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Add half-andhalf and blend again.
2. Butter a 10-inch round baking dish or cast-iron skillet. Arrange raspberries over the bottom of the dish.
3. Pour batter over berries. Bake on the top oven rack for 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned on top. (A knife inserted into the center should emerge clean.)
4. Cool clafoutis to room temperature. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar. Serve directly from baking dish, in large wedges.