I am getting galette withdrawal symptoms.
For the past months I spent several days a week at our Paris office. Correction. It’s in Boulogne-Billancourt. But Paris near enough.
I can highly recommend restaurants Violette et Francois, La Table de Cybele, Les Galopins, Le Phare, Le Michelet (for classic French-ness) and La Salle a Manger if you’re ever in that area.
But my favourite neighbourhood restaurant, for sheer simplicity, has to be Tant qu’il y aura des Bretons: Choose from 14 savoury buckwheat galettes and nearly as many sweet crepes, or a short daily changing bistro menu for the uninitiated. There’s one nearer the
So today I recreated their Galette Mézière.
Sliced poached pear (I did mine sous-vide with some honey for 1hr on 75C, but you can go traditionally poached or even raw), chunks of creamy blue cheese (St Agur in my case) and crispy smoked bacon lardons on a Reflets de France buckwheat gallette (you could make your own, obviously).
Leave out the lardons for a vegetarian version, it will still be delicious.
Gently heated on a cast iron skillet, traditionally folded and scattered with some rocket leaves and walnuts (I used left over honey salted ones from the duck salad featured in the Anglo-French affair).
Parfait.
THE RECIPE
Buckwheat Galette with blue cheese, poached pears and walnuts (serves 1 – GF RSF)
Ingredients
1/2 tbsp coconut oil, rapeseed oil or butter (you could use bacon fat from frying the lardons if using)
1 large buckwheat galette, homemade or shop bought
30 gr blue cheese such as Saint Agur, Stilton or Roquefort
1/2 – 1 poached pear, cored and thinly sliced
a small handfull of fried-off bacon or pancetta lardons (optional)
S&P
a small handfull of rocket or baby spinach leaves
a scattering of walnut or pecan halves, preferably salted and caramelised
Method
Heat a flat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with a little oil or butter.
Add the galette, presentation side down. Add the toppings except the leaves and nuts. Season to taste.
Cook until heated through and the cheese is melting. It may help to cover the galette with a large domed lid to get some steam action going to speed up the heating process.
Fold the sides over like and envelope and transfer to a serving dish. Scatter over the green leaves and nuts.
Bon appetit!
