Your comments and questions are welcome, in fact, they are encouraged. However, please think of this web site as if it were not just mine, but belonged also to my kids (kitchen slaves), as I’m sure that they will be checking-in periodically to see how I am totally misrepresenting our experiences, damaging their on-line “cred”, and purposefully ruining their lives with my words.
Constructive criticism or dissenting opinions are fine, but rude, profane, or mean comments aren’t gonna fly here, and will not be posted to the site. Please restrict your comments to the topic at hand, for the benefit of all who may be reading, and please make sure your comments reflect the manner in which you'd speak to my kids face to face. Thanks.
"Oui, Chef" exists as an extension of my efforts to teach my kids a few things about cooking, and how their food choices over time effect not only their own health, but that of our local food communities and our planet at large. By sharing some of our cooking experiences, I hope to inspire other families to start spending more time together in the kitchen, passing on established familial food traditions, and starting some new ones. 
Having just finished an early dinner of pollock, baked with a proprietary "Italian bread-crumb mix" (which Anne Marie often uses on white fish), I was savouring the thought of our dessert of fresh Blueberries garnished with a dollop of plain yoghurt (served after a suitably long gastronomic interlude of 25 minutes), when I opened Oui, Chef to..........those M's/W's.
Monsieur, do you realise what effect that has on the 25 minutes? Desquilibre alimentaire et peut-etre malnutrition!!! Fun to read, tho'.
By-the bye: got any thoughts on pollock other than deep-fried in Batter?
Posted by: Charles Hammond | 16 June 2009 at 07:39 PM
Charles, A favorite recipe of mine follows, and can be used with other fish such as halibut or cod. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place skin side down on a baking sheet. Pre-heat broiler. In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup mayo, 1 Tbs chopped shallots, finely chopped zest of 1 lemon, 1 Tbs lemon juice, a squirt of anchovy paste (or one anchovy fillet finely diced), and 2 tsp fresh herbs such as thyme or tarragon. Slather the mix onto the fish and place about 6 inches under the broiler. Cook until the fish is just cooked through 6-9 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Hope you like it. - S
Posted by: Steve | 17 June 2009 at 02:48 PM
Merci bien, Steve. Your children might not salivate over that recipe, but my key-board now needs attention...........must remember to sit farther back when salivating (or is it slathering?). The herbs and shallots will be from the garden; Anne Marie has an allergic re-action to mayo, but she'll concoct a substitute.
Keep up the good work; especially the pre-ambles which add some fun to setting the "scene". --- Charles
Posted by: Charles Hammond | 17 June 2009 at 09:52 PM
Yes......fats......so terribly misunderstood in this country. So much over-processed food has been thrust upon the population that a lot of education is still needed. Steve, we need to get the "word" out about including "good fat" in our cooking. I'm all in flavour of it. -- Charles
Posted by: Charles Hammond | 22 June 2009 at 08:15 AM
Just curious, Steve. What time-zone is being used? I know that I didn't post that last at 5:15 in the morning! Maybe 6:15; and I'm usually having tea at 4:39p.m.; not finishing an early dinner!!!!!!
This is not criticism, Sir. -- Charles
Posted by: Charles Hammond | 22 June 2009 at 06:32 PM
Charles, thank you for joining me in singing the praises of fat. Not all fat, mind you, just the good stuff and in moderation. Our latest post is loaded with it, and couldn't be tastier! As for your time-zone question, I suspect that the posting time on comments is determined by the time zone where the server on which TypePad hosts my blog resides. To be honest I have no idea where that is. Cheers - Steve
Posted by: Steve | 27 June 2009 at 03:01 PM
Gosh, so-o-o-o long since I last commented? The Blueberry Oat Muffin recipe looks inviting. Anne Marie periodically bakes oatmeal biscuits ("cookie" in Americanese) for healthful snacks, but uses only 1/3 to 1/2 of the recommended sugar. If she were to use 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup in your B.O.M. recipe, what thinketh thee? (Now to think of a way to warm a muffin in the engine when I am at work.......a pat of butter melting in........gentle September sun in my face......).
Posted by: Charles Hammond | 09 September 2009 at 08:06 PM
Steve, what the Aitch-E-double-hockeysticks is EVOO? If I give something the 'Eave 'O in the kitchen, it ends up in the compost or rubbish-bin; not the pesto.
Posted by: Charles Hammond | 09 September 2009 at 08:49 PM
Hi Charles - Nice to have you back. EVOO stands for Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Of course, if you don't have any EVOO laying about, regular old olive oil will still work nicely. Cheers - S
Posted by: Steve | 10 September 2009 at 01:58 PM
Charles - with the streussel topping and the cinnamon-sugar swirl in the middle, these ARE relatively sweet muffins. Given that, I think that they could survive somewhat of a cutback on the sugar without too much trouble. I'd be curious to hear what you and Anne Marie think of your sugar modified version, so please check back and let us know. Thx.
Posted by: Steve | 10 September 2009 at 02:02 PM
What a terrific thing, to involve your children in your cooking. I certainly encourage this idea, and when I have children myself, will surely have them in the same position. Since food is such a mayor part of life and of the world, you can't start to teach them about it and love it, early enough.I found your blog through food52, I just watched your best fig recipe which looks delicious. Your food pictures are also beautiful, could you give me some tips to do this. I opened my own blog and I see now I can improve some in the food photography.
Kind regards, Janneke
Posted by: Janneke Verheij | 18 October 2009 at 04:46 AM
Janneke,
Thank you so much for your kind words. You should try the clafoutis recipe sometime, it is so easy to make, and really tasty! I'll send you an email with some comments on food photography. I am not a photographer by training, but have found a few tricks to improve my shots for the blog that I'm happy to share. Cheers - Steve
Posted by: Steve | 18 October 2009 at 12:34 PM
Steve, will you share them with me too!
Posted by: Julia | 20 October 2009 at 07:57 PM
I love your blog, I love your style, and I adore your recipes! Many thanks.
Ellen
Posted by: Ellen Lehn | 19 August 2010 at 10:03 AM
Thanks so much, Ellen....and thanks for joining us here at Oui, Chef! - S
Posted by: Steve | 25 August 2010 at 12:14 PM
Chef,
I just made the penne/artichoke/shrimp and feta dish posted yesterday. DELICIOUS is an understatement. It is UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS. Used campanelle noodles in lieu of penne, but still have the same cylindrical shape and didn't need to cook my shrimp quite as long. The reserved infused oil is amazingly fragrant and delicious. Will use it to brush my eggplant this weekend. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!!!
Posted by: Lauren | 14 October 2010 at 09:45 PM
Hi Lauren - Glad you liked the recipe, it REALLY is a keeper, isn't it? Nice to see you here and hope to see you back again soon! - S
Posted by: Steve | 25 October 2010 at 09:16 AM
Hi,
I just wanted to say that I just discovered your blog and am looking forward to trying some of your recipes. I am adding your blog to my list of "other nests to visit" on my own. Thank you for taking the time to blog and share recipes! We so appreciate it! Have a beautiful day! Kim
Posted by: Bluebirds and Butterflies | 24 May 2011 at 02:26 PM
You're welcome Kim, so glad you stopped by! - S
Posted by: Steve | 24 May 2011 at 05:31 PM