Beginners French

French food is an anomaly. I think a lot of home chefs are probably inspired by French cooking, but how often does one sit down and conciously make a French meal? (Or maybe you do, what do I know?) Other ethnic cuisines are very distinct in their ingredients - throw in some cilantro and call it Mexican or add some ginger and suddenly it becomes Asian.

But I think French is more about technique, culture, subtlety and intimidation. Even though I bought a French cookbook and find that most of the recipes are surprisingly simple and use few ingredients, the thought of making a Daube de Boeuf Provencal in my tiny kitchen fills me with dread. I think I need to ease myself into it with dishes that don't require any classical training, advanced knife skills, fancy gadgets, or pricey ingredients. Pair such a recipe with local, seasonal ingredients, slap a beret on me and cue the soundtrack from Amélie.

Inspired by some giant leeks from the farmer's market, a bottle of wine, and "Drunken Angel Hair with Leeks and Cream" from Serious Eats, I got to cooking. See them for the recipe because shockingly I followed it pretty closely. Ok, I didn't use the chervil. Oh, and I added a handful of frozen peas and some sauteed mushrooms.

Here's my mise en place, which incidently is French for "putting in place." The leeks, mushrooms, and cream were local.

Washing the leeks is the most labor intensive part. Leeks, and especially ones from the farmer's market, have a ton of grit. The only way to clean them is to slice them and soak in a big pot of water. Swish thoroughly and the grit will fall to the bottom.

Here is the finished product, topped with plenty of parmesan cheese. It made for plenty of great leftovers, but it's probably not a "Single Serving" recipe unless you've got time on your hands and people to share with.