Paris Picnic Club: More Than 100 Recipes to Savor and Share

by Shaheen Peerbhai, Jennie Levitt

Overview

Every Friday for a year, Shaheen Peerbhai and Jennie Levitt made a delicious picnic-style meal for their friends. This small tradition soon grew into a clandestine pop-up restaurant, serving much-anticipated lunches to eighty or so hungry guests once a week in different hotspots around Paris. In their charmingly illustrated book, Shaheen and Jennie offer a collection of curated flavorful recipes, taking inspiration from both classic French dishes and a selection of other diverse cuisines that are prominent throughout Paris. Pack your picnic basket with a recipe from the Small Plates chapter, such as the Frenchie Arepas with Caramelized Plum Jam. Be sure to impress the guests at your next casual dinner party with your tartine (open-faced sandwich) Smoked Ham, Brie and Onion Jam with Buttery Almonds and Garlic Zucchini recipe. Also, make sure to always include a plate of Rye, Chocolate, and Sea Salt Cookies to satisfy any companion with a sweet tooth! Along with its delicious recipes and stunning watercolor depictions, Paris Picnic Club gives you the tools to cook meals and grow your community through dishes that are supposed to be shared and recipes that are meant to be passed on. Paris Picnic Club helps you slow down, enjoy one another’s company, and nourish your community through the love of cooking for one another. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454951681
Publisher:	Union Square & Co.
Publication date:	05/09/2023
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	1,070,513
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Shaheen Peerbhai is classically trained in French cuisine and pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and London and at École Ducasse in France on scholarships from the James Beard Foundation and The Culinary Trust. She has honed her skills in Mumbai, Paris, and London at establishments ranging from terroir-driven bistros to 3-Michelin-starred restaurants. She bakes and lives with her husband and daughter in London, where she is the chef-owner of Miel, a French-inspired bakery and workshop near Regent’s Park. 

Jennie Levitt is a chef and artist who is focused on the convivial and healing nature of bringing people together through great food. She blends classic Mediterranean technique with local ingredients and food culture to curate special events and cooking classes in cities such as Aspen, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and Bogotá. Jennie is also the co-founder and creator of Corelia, all-natural sparkling fruit juices that capture the lush flavor and freshness of the tropics (www.corelia.co). She cooks and lives in Oakland, California, with her husband and daughter.

Table of Contents

Introduction x

Small Plates 1

Frenchie Arepas with Caramelized Plum Jam 2

Breton Artichokes 4

Chestnut Tagliatelle with Chestnut and Rosemary Cèpes and Walnut Sauce 6

Crunchy Chickpeas and Jerusalem Artichokes with Tahini and Date Drizzle 8

Pink Sald with Winter Bitters, Grapefruit, and Pear 10

Marinated Scallops with Zucchini, Avocado, and Almond Relish 11

Cured Sea Bass with Elderflower Vinegar 12

Salmon Gravlax with Pomelo Segments, Shaved Fennel, Red Beet Sprouts, and Citrus Vinaigrette 14

Oysters with Pickled Rhubarb 18

Cold-Oven Chicken 20

Latin Karaage 21

Potage D'Hiver Potato-Leek Soup with Shredded Garlic Chicken 22

Foie Gras Royale with Arugula, Basil, Fresh Figs, Iberico Ham, and Butter Croutons 24

Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb with Parsnip Purée and Chips 26

Pork Belly with Roasted Red Kuri Squash and Pistachio Parsley Pesto 28

Classic Steak Tartare with Sourdough Crostini 30

Asparagus, Green Garlic, Hazelnuts, and Feta 31

Squash, Chestnut, and Ricotta Ravioli with Saga Brown Butter and Almonds 32

Sharing Platters 35

Apple, Fennel, and Kohlrabi Salad with Shaved Manchego and Candied Walnuts 36

Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash, Pomegranate, Feta, and Hazelnuts 38

Roasted Spiced Eggplant with Moorish Tomato Sauce, Fresh Goat Cheese, and Cilantro Leaves 40

Casablanca Couscous 42

Caramelized Onion, Thyme, and Marjoram Tart with Fresh Goat Cheese 44

Coconut Fish Stew with Spicy Pirao 46

Poulet Basquaise with Butter Rice 48

Korean Chicken Salad with Pickled Cabbage, Cucumbers, Peanuts, and Cilantro 50

Slow-Roasted Rosemary Lamb with Late Harvest Riesling Yogurt-Feta Sauce 52

Aligot with Merguez Sausage and Harissa 54

Fennel, Leek, Puy Lentils, and Sausages with Basil Pistou 56

Ancho and Apple Cider Pork Shoulder with Pickled Plums, Shallots, and Crème Fraiche Mashed Potatoes 58

Pickled Plums and Shallots 60

Crème Fraiche Mashed Potatoes with Charred Corn and Sharp White Cheddar 61

Roast Beef with Rosemary Peppercorn Crust and Horseradish Jus 62

Escoffier Potatoes 63

Turkish Pot Roast 64

Kale Salad with Red Pepper, Currants, and Pine Nuts 65

Bread, Etc. 66

White Country Loaf 73

Pain De Mie 75

Buttery Mazelnut Loaf 76

Fennel Seed Crackers 77

Cider Jelly 78

Tartines 80

Zucchini, Roasted Peppers, Artichokes, Basil Pesto, and Tomato Confit Mayonnaise 82

Asparagus and Vallençay with Béchamel 83

Wild Mushrooms and Poached Eggs with St. Marcellin and Chives 84

Eggplant Katsu with Quick-Pickled Vegetables 86

Gravlax, Capers, Sorrel, and Cervelle de Canut 88

Ginger Garlic Chicken and Mint Chutney with Crispy Shallots and Tahini Drizzle 90

Za'atar Chicken and Turkish Salad with Harissa Walnut Butter and Cumin-Cilantro Yogurt Sauce 92

Roasted Chicken, Bacon, Tomatoes, and Avocado with Mayonnaise and Baby Gem Lettuce 94

Tuekey and English Cheddar with Pumpkin Seeds and Tarragon Aïoli 96

Turkey, Avocado, and Miso-Glazed Eggplant with Cashew-Honey Goat Cheese and Seared Romaine 98

Prosciutto and Buffalo Mozzarella with Arugula and Read Pepper Mayonnaise 100

Herb-Roasted Ham, Eggplant, and Tomato Confit with Almond Parsley Pesto and Cometé 101

Speck Roasted Figs, Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts with Arugula 102

Smoked Ham, Brie, and Onion Jam with Buttery Almonds and Garlic Zucchini 104

Porchetta with Caramelized Apple and Fennel Sauce 106

Lardo Di Colonnata with Basil Pesto 108

Bresaola and Marinated Zucchini with Crunchy Almond Brown Butter 109

Meatballs in Amalfitana Sause with Roasted Pepper and Gruyère 110

Bavette and Tapenade with Wilted Swiss Chard, Stilton, and Red Pepper Chimichurri 112

Brillat-Savarin, Honey, Pistachio, and Pear 114

Grilled Cheese 115

Desserts 116

Raspberry and Geranium Tart 118

Rye, Chocolate, and Sea Salt Cookies 120

Pistachio and Cherry Financiers 121

Chocolate and Passion Fruit Tart 122

Fig and Hazelnut Tart 124

Rye and Molasses Cake with Fresh Pears 126

Apricot and Rosemary Tarte Tatin with Honey Cream 127

Tonka Brown Butter Madeleines 128

Chocolate Brownie Cookies with Black Sesame Salted Caramel 130

Vanilla Milk Cake with Tuberose Ganache 132

Pistachio and Vanilla Loaf 134

Chocolate Mousse with Carmelized Pecans 135

Super Moist Chocolate Loaf with Gianduja Ganache 136

Chocolate and Hazelnut Butter Cakes 138

Caramelized Nut Tartelettes 139

Orange Fennel Cookies 140

Almond, Orange, and Olive Oil Cake with Chocolate Ganache 141

Banana, Ginger, and Chocolate Cake 142

Citrus-Scented Baklava with Warm Spices 144

Noisette 146

Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake with Pistachio Shortbread 150

Hazelnut Not Chocolate 153

Hazelnut Cream Buns 154

Drinks 156

Green Mango, Fennel, and Mint 158

Guava, Chili, and Lime 159

Plum and Cinammon 160

Peach and Rosemary 161

Pineapple and Mint Lemonade 162

Orange, Bay Leaf, and Maple 164

Passion Fruit, Raspberry, and Vanilla 165

Caramel, Apple, and Ginger 166

Vanilla, Rhubarb, and Blood Orange 167

Elderflower and Green Grape Juice 168

Clementine with Hibiscus and Cinnamon 168

Moroccan Mint Tea 170

Dutch Mint Tea 171

Wine 172

Le Pique-Nique 174

How to Picnic Like a Parisian 174

Picnic Style Lunches 175

Intimate Suppers 177

Les Bonnes Addresses: Our Favorite Picnic Spots in Paris 180

Basic Recipes 182

Basic Vegetable Stock 184

Beef Stock 184

Chicken Stock 185

Fish Stock 185

Basil Pesto 186

Classic Mayonnaise 187

Dukkah 188

Elderflower Vinegar 189

Garlic Confit 190

Harissa 191

Lemon and Walnut Oil Mayonnaise 192

Pistachio Parsley Pesto 193

Roasted Peppers 194

Sweet Pastry Dough 195

Tarragon Aïoli 196

Tomato Confit 197

Walnut Sauce 198

Fresh Egg Pasta 199

The Belly of Paris 200

Index 202

Acknowledgments 208

About the Authors 208

Editorial Reviews

04/23/2018
In this charming cookbook, Peerbhai and Levitt share lunch recipes from their pop-up restaurant Paris, offering picnic-friendly fare alongside charming hand-drawn illustrations. Once readers get beyond the term “picnic”—only the most zealous of picnickers will bring to the park raw oysters with pickled rhubarb; aligot, a hot dish of mashed potatoes and stringy cheese; or meatballs in amalfitana sauce—they’ll find more than a few dishes that are sure to impress guests without much fuss. There’s homemade gravlax with a citrus vinaigrette, simple garlicky Escoffier potatoes, and pistachio and cherry financiers. Some dishes, however, require slightly more time and ingredients than would be feasible for a simple picnic lunch: foie gras with arugula, basil, fresh figs, Iberico ham, and butter croutons, for instance, or desserts that call for infusions of geranium leaves and tuberose flowers. Home cooks will delight in the creative array of meals that fall on the lighter side and are appropriate for impromptu as well as formal gatherings year round. The recipes here are fun, fresh, and perfect to share with friends. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

“In this charming cookbook, Peerbhai and Levitt share lunch recipes from their pop-up restaurant Paris, offering picnic-friendly fare alongside charming hand-drawnillustrations. Once readers get beyond the term “picnic”—only the most zealous of picnickers will bring to the park raw oysters with pickled rhubarb; aligot, a hot dish of mashed potatoes and stringy cheese; or meatballs in amalfitana sauce—they’ll find more than a few dishes that are sure to impress guests without much fuss. There’s homemade gravlax with a citrus vinaigrette, simple garlicky Escoffier potatoes, and pistachio and cherry financiers. Some dishes, however, require slightly more time and ingredients than would be feasible for a simple picnic lunch: foie gras with arugula, basil, fresh figs, Iberico ham, and butter croutons, for instance, or desserts that call for infusions of geranium leaves and tuberose flowers. Home cooks will delight in the creative array of meals that fall on the lighter side and are appropriate for impromptu as well as formal gatherings year round. The recipes here are fun, fresh, and perfect to share with friends.” —Publishers Weekly

“If only we all had friendships like Shaheen and Jennie’s—ones focused on gathering people and cooking for them. In Paris Picnic Club, they’ve created a joyful reminder that great cooking is nothing without the sense of discovery and pleasure that you share with others. You’ll find yourself hopscotching in a playground of appealing recipes—make sure you don’t miss gems like the Cold-Oven Chicken, which is now a staple in my dinner repertoire.” —AMANDA HESSER, cofounder and CEO of Food52
 
“ Brimming over with seasonal produce, the recipes of Shaheen Peerbhai and Jennie Levitt blend classic technique with the diverse flavors of twenty-first-century Paris. A vibrant, eclectic cookbook that radiates modern French charm!” —ANN MAH, author of Mastering the Art of French Eating and The Lost Vintage
 
“ A heartwarming celebration of friendship and good food, this gorgeously illustrated book is brimming with fresh and approachable recipes.” —CLOTILDE DUSOULIER, author of Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes to
Eat Like a Local and the blog Chocolate & Zucchini
 
“ A beautifully illustrated celebration of the French table, both old and new, with many delicious recipes to inspire gatherings for years to come.” — JESSIE KANELOS WEINER, illustrator and coauthor of Paris in Stride: An Insider’s Walking Guide and illustrator and author of Edible Paradise

From the Publisher