Cooking at Home

Le Poisson a la Maison: An easy French recipe to get you in the mood

Snapper en Papillote still in the bag.
Fresh snapper plated and dressed.

Bastille Day may be over, but every day can be a celebration of French cooking if you do it right. With all of the rich flavors and fresh ingredients, I’m happy to oblige all year long. I just send Pandora in the direction of Edith Piaf and Ma Vie En Rose, pour myself an aperitif of some affordable bubbly and get cooking.

Now I’m by no means a professional chef, but I’d consider myself an intermediate level at-home cook. My advice is to always keep it simple and have fun with what you're making. Yes, I highly advise playing with your food.

And you can’t get much simpler than the classic Provencal dish of boiled vegetables served with homemade aioli. I like to serve it along side Snapper en Papillote (snapper cooked in parchment paper). The beauty of the two is that, honestly, they’re both pretty hard to eff up.

I’m sure in college, you wrapped a random assortment of veggies and protein in some tin foil and threw it in the oven as per Julia Child's instructions. The principle is the same when cooking Snapper en Papillote, except it has way more class when you use parchment paper and you say it in French.

When the snapper is ready, cut a hole in the parchment to release the buttery steamed perfection and slide its contents onto a plate. The juices practically beg for a baguette, so make sure to have one on hand to sop up all the buttery goodness.

For this dish, take two snapper filets, toss them in a mixture of minced parsley, thyme, black pepper and salt in a bowl. Cut two 1-foot squares of parchment paper and place the fish in the middle.

Add a few sliced tomatoes — I like camparis best for this dish— a dozen capers, a hefty helping (2-3 tablespoons) of butter and a bit of lemon zest. Fold the parchment paper tightly and bake in a 350 degree oven for just under 20 minutes. Make sure to get all the rest of the preparations ready while the fish bakes so you don't leave it resting too long after it's done.

To accompany the dish, I recommend using whatever leftover farmer’s market veggies you’ve got in your pantry. I prefer to use new potatoes, chopped carrots and French beans. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Throw in the potatoes. Three minutes later, add large chunks of carrot and in another three minutes add the beans. When a total of 10 minutes has elapsed, your vegetables should be done.

Traditionally, aioli is painstakingly emulsified by an old French woman using an heirloom, rustic stone mortar and pestle. If you have one of these ladies set up in your kitchen, yell at her in French and she’ll make you some.

If not, start by mincing and mashing a few garlic cloves with a pinch of salt. Whisk a couple of egg yolks and few teaspoons of lemon juice and a dab of Dijon mustard. Add the garlic. Pour yourself roughly half a cup of olive oil and add a very small amount. Whisk until it is all incorporated. If the mixture separates, don’t panic, just keep whipping that whisk until it comes back together. It should be creamy and rich. Feel free to mix in more Dijon or lemon juice depending on how you like it.

You don’t have to wait for the snapper to eat your vegetables, but they should only be consumed after being covered liberally in aioli. You should also be drinking wine liberally. I recommend a crisp chardonnay; not to dry, not too sweet.

Most importantly, before you sit down to eat anything, it is essential that you throw on a fitted striped shirt, a red neckerchief and a beret. I swear it enhances the flavors of the food. Combined with the Edith Piaf and all the wine, you'll be in the mood to go create your own artsy indie film, or at least jet off to Paris for more romantic food encounters.

Bon appetit!

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Omakase for Everyone

New South Austin restaurant swims against current of expensive omakase

Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi keeps things simple.

Austin had no shortage of beautiful sushi restaurants, but a new one at Lantana Place is doing drawing the trend away from the center of the city and sticking a lower price tag on the experience. Tancho Sushi, offering "everyday omakase," is now open at 7415 Southwest Parkway.

The thought of casual omakase feels like a bit of an oxymoron in Austin, where the service style — which tasks the chef with choosing what the diner will eat — is almost synonymous with something fancy and expensive. Factor in the interior design at Tancho, which certainly doesn't look pedestrian, and it's hard to believe it's actually an everyday meal.

But all things considered, these prices seem reasonable: $29 for the lightest dinner option, and capping out at a $59 feast. Lunch is even less expensive, starting at $24.

Tancho Sushi interior The airy space takes advantage of its surroundings outside of the city.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

In some omakase experiences, the chef might factor in a diner's taste, the special ingredients that are available that day, and any number of other factors to determine what hits the table. But at Tancho, these prix fixe options are predetermined, doubtlessly contributing to the more accessible pricing.

The 50-seat restaurant also uses a clever marketing angle to get diners in who aren't necessarily experienced in sushi, or might otherwise be intimidated by letting a chef choose unfamiliar foods. "With thoughtfully curated preset menus, Tancho simplifies the dining experience by eliminating the guesswork so guests can focus on enjoying their meals," a press release announcing the opening says.

The release was sent November 22, but it looks like Tancho has been serving customers in a soft opening capacity for about a month, based on its Google reviews (which are stunningly high for a new restaurant at 4.7 stars).

Offerings at Tancho are simple.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Although each menu is different, there is a shared arc. All four experiences start with sunomono salad, a cucumber-based dish with red seaweed and sesame. Then there's tuna sashimi with smoked yuzu ponzu and scallions, and the rest depends on what the diner chooses.

Some standout items across the dinner service are sea bream on the light menu; akami (very red meat along the spine of a tuna) on the standard omakase menu; a lobster open hand roll on the rolls-only menu; and a tuna flight on the grand omakase menu.

No menu item is especially complicated. The focus is on doing each ingredient right, including the temperature the fish is served at and even the flavor of house-made soy sauce and ponzu.

“We keep the focus on the ingredients,” said co-founder Brad Van Otterloo in the release. “By stripping away unnecessary flourishes, we allow the quality of our fish to take center stage. This is a Texas-born concept through and through, and we’re proud to contribute to Austin’s growing sushi reputation.”

The open hand rolls are a signature for the restaurant.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Despite all this talk of omakase, it is possible to order à la carte items: some appetizers, nigiri (sliced fish on top of rice), and rolls. There's also a carefully curated beverage program, which largely focuses on sake. That includes the Kubota Manju or “Ten Thousand Celebrations" ($79), renowned in Japan for its complex layers and smooth mouthfeel.

“As Austin continues to grow, we wanted to introduce a fresh take on the sushi experience,” said Van Otterloo. “We’re here to make sushi approachable for Austinites while honoring the integrity of this cuisine. It’s about creating a space where everyone can discover and enjoy sushi at their own pace – no pressure, no pretense.”

Tancho Sushi exterior This restaurant is meant to be approachable.Image courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi is located at 7415 Southwest Parkway, Building 4, Suite 300. It's open daily from 11 am to 10 pm, offering both dine-in and takeout. There are no reservations.

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