It’s no secret that I love bento and picnic makes me go weak in the knees with excitement. So it shouldn’t be a surprise to you that I chose to make a sandwich bento for this week’s French Fridays with Dorie since it’s Cook’s Choice Week! Not just one, but two recipes from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table! There isn’t one single mention of bento in the book so how did this came about? Bento inspiration is everywhere, my friend. You just need a bit of imagination.
The appetizer chapter contains many quick and easy recipes. Wherever I see spreads or dips, visions of sandwiches fill my mind. The recipes for Sardine Rillettes and Lyonnaise Garlic & Herb Cheese (aka Boursin’s Mama) caught my eyes early on. One is rustic and the other creamy. Both have distinctive and strong flavours yet easy to make with common ingredients in the kitchen. Sold!
My bento consists of two sandwiches made with hearty Seeduction bread from Whole Foods. One is filled with Sardine Rillettes and baby spinach, the other with homemade Boursin and thin slices of watermelon radishes. I pair them with a light dessert of ruby grapefruit pomegranate fruit salad and a small Ambrosia apple. Who wants to come picnic with me?
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If you look at the two recipes side by side, you would quickly notice lots of common ingredients. That means prep time is reduced because I just need to cut and mince for both recipes at once and portion accordingly. The sardine rillettes (recipe available over at Simply Recipes) is a mish mash of shallot, scallion, parsley, cilantro, cream cheese, and of course canned sardines. A few pinches of Aleppo pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice cut the richness of the oily little fish. The Lyonnaise Garlic & Herb Cheese is made with strained whole milk ricotta and seasoned with olive oil, red wine vinegar, shallot, garlic, scallion, parsley, cilantro, and thyme. See the similarities?
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If you’re not a fan of canned sardines, you may find the rillettes too fishy. Personally I love eating the little fillets right out of the can so not a problem here. The spread pairs well with the mild and tender baby spinach leaves. The milder manner cheese spread benefits from the crunchy peppery watermelon radishes. I love them both and I’ve been sneaking spoonfuls from the jars all day long.
If preparing sandwiches is too much work, I say just pack a loaf of crusty bread and tote along the jars! This is probably a more practical option if your picnic is less intimate romantic rendez-vous and more boisterous family affair. Obviously I went for the more romantic option so a dainty dessert is in order. I love this ruby grapefruit pomegranate fruit salad. The taste is definitely not cloying. The tartness of those glistening pomegranate seeds pairs well with the citrusy grapefruit segments. Of course there is also the whole fertility/aphrodisiac connotation associated with apples and pomegranate to add to the romance quotient. Or something like that.
On a more practical note, this is how I pack the meal so it can survive the trip to that perfectly picturesque picnic spot. Each sandwich is individually wrapped in parchment paper and secure with elastic band. The fruit salad is packed in a leak-proof container atop of cutlery and napkins. Everything fit snugly inside a lightweight woven bamboo box so nothing gets squished. A cheery red checker tea towel offers additional shock absorption and double-duty as tablecloth.
If picnic is not your cup of tea, hop on over to check out what other members made this week at French Fridays with Dorie. I have a feeling many of those dishes made appearances at Thanksgiving tables yesterday!
Candy’s Picks For This Week:
- Cher shared a sweet story of Young Cher fell in love with Brussels sprouts.
- One Expat’s Life made Potato Chip Tortilla. I’ve always wanted to try that recipe. Her finished dish looks very authentic. Perhaps it’s time to throw fat caution to the wind?
- Mardi gave us a bonus tour to the famed Christine Ferber in Alsace!
- Welcome back, Patty! Gorgeous photos as usual and she shared with us photos from her Paris trip too!
