Four years ago this week, our first French Friday posts went up. It’s hard to believe that halfway through our fifth year of cooking together, we’ll have completed Around My French Table. Personally, I think we should all meet in Paris for gougères and champagne.
And I wouldn’t mind a bowl of this soup, either. Celery and celery root, with a hint of apple and a base of onions. I flavoured mine with thyme and rosemary, and added some shallots to the mix, but it’s Dorie’s bonne idée that makes this dish for me. The cubes of curried apple she suggests added a touch of complexity that I really enjoyed. I made a vegan version of this soup, but Kevin wasn’t that fond of it, so I think I might pick up some crème fraîche tomorrow. Then again, I might not – it stood up well without the addition of dairy.
The recipe for this week’s recipe is on Dorie’s website.
Fresh Tuna, Mozzarella, and Basil Pizza
I’ve been meaning to catch up on this one for a while, but I didn’t really want to make a gluten-free version of it. It sounded too good with puff pastry. I finally found an excuse to make it last weekend, when my mother and sister-in-law came into town for a hockey game. I used puff pastry vol-au-vents rather than using a sheet of the stuff to make little pizzas – no squashing of flaky layers involved. (For a look at the virtues of flattening puff pastry, see Tomato-Cheese Tartlets.) I did follow the rest of the recipe, arranging thin slices of the ingredients in the vol-au-vents (and their lids) before sliding them back into the oven for a very short time.
It’s a surprising dish – there are so many flavours bursting through, including ginger, tomato, onion and radish, but they all complement each other. These were elegant, delicious little treats. And totally appropriate for a pre-game snack, right?
And now, on to the last six months or so of this cookbook. I can’t tell you how much I’ve come to appreciate my fellow cooks in this adventure. I hope you read through their posts; they’re a lovely bunch of folks.
Find links to the rest of the French Fridays crew’s posts on this week’s recipe here: Celery-Celery Soup. Then check out what Fresh Tuna, Mozzarella, and Basil Pizza looks like when you follow the recipe.
One Wet Foot 
Happy 4th! I can’t believe it’s been so long!! Both your dishes this week look lovely – the colour on that soup!!
Happy 4th, Teresa! That photo of your soup is gorgeous! And both of your dishes look mouthwatering! Very nice!
Wonderful photos of both those recipes. We enjoyed the soup which was a surprise,
but I am starting to really like the celery root. This is the second time I have used
it and it is nice.
Love the color of that soup!! A great make-up dish too!
Now that is an idea – Paris, Champagne and Gourgeres! I really liked this soup, Sous Chef did too – I kept thinking I had made it before on a rouge week, but alas I didn’t keep a good record.
Hope all is well in your part of the world!
I wish I knew about the Doristas from the start. I have about half a cookbook to catch up with. Your soup looks lovely and my family really enjoyed the tuna pastry… really interesting flavor combination.
Happy anniversary Teresa! I’m so happy you enjoyed this. Your soup looks delicious. I did do the curried croutons, and I thought they made the soup much more special. Your little tuna pizzas look adorable! I hope you had a fun visit with your mom and sister-in-law!
Happy Anniversary, Teresa! It’s been quite a journey, hasn’t it? I really liked this soup. I love the color of yours. And the pizza looks lovely. Hope your guests enjoyed it.
Great idea to meet up! Let’s do it;-)
I wish I knew about the Doristas from the start too! I have enjoyed my time and look forward to all the catch-ups I have to do.
I’m not sure I remember making the fresh tuna, mozzarella and basil pizza. When I finish commenting, I will check. It looks delicious and I like the combo. I remember making something where we took the puff out of the puff pastry. Was this it? Your celery-celery soup looks tasty. The apples are what turned this soup into something special, I think. On to the fifth year – I certainly have enjoyed meeting and cooking with you, Teresa. In fact, I remember a year or two ago when you put a photo of your worn and weathered cookbook on your Blog. I believe I’ve almost caught up to yours in battered and torn, don’t ya think? Happy Anniversary.
Quite the milestone! French Fridays – even in my inconsistent participation – have been amazing.
I’d skip the soup, but bring on the gougeres and champagne! It has been fun getting to know you and all the things you are passionate about, Teresa.
Both your soup and vol au vents turned out great. I can’t believe we’ve been doing this for so long either.
Whew, got here just before Friday! Both your soup and your pizzas look terrific. I’m all for meeting up in Paris…wouldn’t be the best way to conclude our FFwD adventure???
The return of Hockey season is the saving grace of the winter season. Pre-season games have started up around here.
Yes, a Paris meet up would be lovely, wouldn’t it?
Your pizzas and soup look delicious.