La Cocotte Verte

Ebly is made from whole durum wheat grains. Like pearl barley, it’s been partially cooked and hulled, then dried. As a result, it cooks in 10 minutes, versus the 40 minutes required to cook whole wheat berries. It has a light, deliciously wheaty taste and readily absorbs flavor from ingredients cooked with it. Here it’s accented with rich caramelized onions and a sprinkle fresh thyme sprigs. If you can get it (or grow it!) flowering thyme adds a lovely touch to the dish.

Onion confit is just onions, cooked long and gently, seasoned with a bit of balsamic vinegar and salt. That’s it. But during hours of simmering, the onions turn caramel-gold and their flavor changes from sharp and pungent to rich and sweet. It’s ridiculously simple to make, provided you have a heavy pan with a tightly-fitting cover (une cocotte!), and a few hours to let the onions reduce to a thick jam. Smear the jam on garlicky crostini and top with a thin shaving of nutty Petit Basque cheese to create an inspired appetizer — or snack!

If you’re looking for an indulgent dinner, this has got to be it. Luscious, plump grains of rice are coated with butter, slowly cooked in roasted chicken stock and finished with wild mushrooms, truffles and a dash of cream to create one of the most heavenly risottos you will ever experience.

Tarte flambée is a well-known Alsatian specialty. It’s like pizza in that a thin crust of dough is baked in a very hot oven but its toppings are primarily crème fraîche, onions, and bacon. Like many traditional regional dishes, there are innumerable ways of preparing it. Here is one delicious example.

A quintessential French braise, with a luxurious, richly concentrated red wine sauce. Don’t be tempted to substitute canned or frozen pearl onions — made with fresh, the dish is incomparable. Serve with Pommes Noisettes*.