Laura Calder, host of the Food Network’s French Food at Home, offers helpful advice on fabulous summertime French cooking and tips for entertaining comme les françaises.

As a young professional with a demanding schedule, I’m not exactly Mademoiselle Suzie Homemaker. It can be très difficile to even eat le petit déjeuner, let alone plan meals for the entire week! But Laura believes that you don’t have to plan far in advance to eat well daily. Just keep good quality staples on hand.


So, which ingredients should a clever femme stock throughout the summer? Crème fraîche, Dijon mustard, green peppercorns, capers, eggs, a selection of nuts and a chilled bottle of exquisite vin blanc. Instead of making one big grocery run each week, buy small quantities of fresh fruit and organic vegetables at your local market. Pick up fish or meat on your way home from work. There are several farmer’s markets that pop up throughout the city during the summer at places like Dufferin Grove Park, Bellwoods, Metro Square, etc. Check out tfmn.ca or veg.ca for a guide to farmer’s markets in Toronto.

Laura finds inspiration for her culinary creations when visiting France and cooking with friends, but most of all, by experimenting with recipes and trying to find a bit of her personality in a dish. With a little trial and error, she finds potential in even the simplest dish and brings out the best in each recipe.

Verrines continue to be a hot culinary trend in Paris. A verrine can be an appetizer, entree, or even a dessert of artistically layered food in a glass. Laura isn’t a fan of verrines, since they often do not involve cooking at all, but some consider verrines a beautiful, simple luxury.

Five tips on how to entertain this summer with a little Parisian panache and loads of fabulous French flair:

1. Serve vivid, blush-coloured rosé wine with simple, light meals
2. Prepare a menu of food that can be served at room temperature
3. Use an indoor setting on an outdoor table – votive candles, real cutlery and dishware and a table cloth or placemats
4. Enjoy olives with aperitifs before the main course
5. Don’t stress about preparing a meal for friends or family – cook as you would for yourself on an average day and enjoy the meal as if it was made for you

And on the days when you absolutely must enjoy a dinner on the town, try one of Laura’s favourite places to dine: C5 Restaurant and Lounge in the ROM for a casual lunch or Splendido on Harbord Street for a délectable dinner.

Bon appétit!

Here’s a recipe from Laura’s latest book French Taste: Elegant Everyday Eating that will make your stomach believe that summer has arrived!

Salmon en Croûte

Serves six

Ingredients for salmon
1 salmon filet, about 1-1/2 pounds/750 g
1 pound/500 g asparagus, trimmed
1/4 cup/60 ml crème fraîche
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Zest of 1 lemon
1 pound/450 g sheet puff pastry (2 sheets)
Salt and pepper

Ingredients for glaze
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions
Skin and bone the salmon and set aside. Heat the oven to 450°F230°C.

Cut the tips off the asparagus, and poach in boiling salted water until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well, refresh in ice-cold water, then drain again, leaving to sit so that all the water comes off. Purée and stir through the cream, dill, and lemon zest, to blend. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Lay the puff on a damp baking sheet with the long edge facing you. Lay the salmon on the pastry, like a picture in its frame. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the raw stems of asparagus on top of the salmon, like pencils. Spread the purée mixture over top.

Brush the margins with the egg wash. Lay the top pastry over the salmon and press the edges to seal, like a giant ravioli. Trim the edges, leaving a 1-inch/2.5 cm border. Press with the tines of a fork, then, with the dull edge of a knife, scallop the edges. Make two or three slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush all over with the egg-wash glaze and bake until puffed up and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool five minutes before slicing to serve. This dish is also good at room temperature.