Susan Herrmann Loomis’ Latest Cookbook, Plat du Jour

I have several cookbooks by Susan Herrmann Loomis, and have really enjoyed them over the years. An American expat who has successfully navigated the fine art of being French, cooking the French way, sharing with us French food secrets, and reinventing herself through culinary as her medium. Her cookbooks read like novels, always sharing the story, the custom, and the technique behind the recipe.

Her latest cookbook, Plat du Jour, French Dinners Made Easy, Countryman Press 2021, focuses on seasonal recipes and ingredients, and ultimately daily dishes that inspire chefs to feature and post on their menu boards.

Susan Herrmann Loomis has a new website, Dancing Tomatoes, and YouTube Channel Dancing Tomatoes, currently highlighting many of the recipes in her new cookbook, Plat du Jour. Below are a few videos. The first video is an introduction to Dancing Tomatoes, her new YouTube channel, and how it came about. The second video walks us through her King Henry Soup. I love her demonstration of how to dice an onion and a shallot. You might also enjoy Shannon Able’s, The Simply Luxurious Life podcast #300 with Susan Herrmann Loomis. Enjoy!

I met Susan Herrmann Loomis at her book signing event in 2015 for her then new cookbook, In A French Kitchen, at Melissa’s Produce in Los Angeles. Taking one of her Paris cooking classes has never quite worked out with my travel itineraries. Now with her Dancing Tomatoes videos, her classes are a click away!

Please share if you enjoy Susan Herrmann Loomis recipes and cookbooks.

Bon Appétit and Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Melissa’s Produce, Los Angeles 2015

Susan Herrmann Loomis’ French Farmhouse Cookbook, Lentil Recipe

There might be two kinds of people in this world, those who absolutely love all kinds of beans, and those who avoid them at all costs. If you are one of the former group, you need to know about Rancho Gordo Beans, a Napa, California based bean purveyor who specializes in growing and selling heirloom beans, legume, herbs, spices, and products from all over the world. In fact, there is such a cult following for Rancho Gordo beans they offer a “bean club,” like a wine club, which sends you quarterly a variety of special dried beans and recipes to try. I waited a year to get on the “bean club” and had to jump at joining when they emailed me, before my window to join closed. In my first shipment in November, I received “Super Lucky 2021 Black Eyed Peas” for New Year’s Day, Cassoulet beans to make Authentic Cassoulet Bean Soup, a Crimson Popping Popcorn—a rare and wonderful popcorn, and many others.

Spices at Cahors, France Market

One of the first things I wanted to try from Rancho Gordo, was their French Green Lentils, grown in California, but very similar to the famous French green lentil from Le Puy, Auvergne-Rhône Alpes area of France. French Le Puy lentils are thought to have gastronomic qualities that are attributed to this very specific terroir and the area’s predominant volcanic soil. Consequently, Le Puy lentils have a a very desirable distinctive, peppery, flinty taste, and keep their shape after cooking. When I am France, I look for the Le Puy dry lentils at the outdoor markets because they are so tasty, and easy to transport home.

Not only do lentils taste great, they are good for you, full of protein, some vitamin B, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals. Lentils are versatile and can be used in salads, made into soups, as a bed for grilled salmon, mixed with really great sausages, and much more.

Susan Herrmann Loomis has a nice recipe for Simple Country Lentils in her 1996 cookbook, French Farmhouse Cookbook. It has a wealth of French Country recipes to drool over, and she divides her book by interesting components of French eating such as The Farmyard, The Pasture, The Sea, The Breadoven, etc.

Simple Country Lentils

Lovingly Adapted from Susan Herrmann Loomis, French Farmhouse Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 pound small green lentils (preferably from Le Puy or Rancho Gordo), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium carrot peeled and diced, 1 celery stalk diced, 1 small onion peeled and diced, 4 ounces slab bacon-rind removed-cut into 1/4” pieces, 2 cups dry white wine, 2 bay leaves, 4 to 5 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried leaves, 2 cups water, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper.

Directions:
1) Rinse the lentils under cold running water, and set them aside to drain. Look for and remove anything foreign from the lentils.

2) Combine the oil, carrot, celery, onion, and slab bacon in a large heavy skillet. Stir so the oil thoroughly coats the ingredients, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to turn translucent and the bacon is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the wine and the herbs, and cook until the wine is reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes.

3) Add the lentils and the water. Stir, cover, reduce the heat so the lentils are simmering gently, and cook for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking shaking the skillet occasionally so the lentils cook evenly and testing them for doneness, until they are tender but still have plenty of texture, 10 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!