Carnitas - Or "Confit," If You're Fancy

Poke! It’s everywhere in Paris. And in other French cities, too. And it’s… never up to snuff. As ever, Alannah and Omid take matters into their own hands, and they’ll show you how to do the same. Along the way, some serious issues will be tackled. And it’s not just about handling raw fish – which you can do just fine. You got this.Find Us OnlineWebsite: https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/thetransplantkitchenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/parisundergroundradioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisundergroundradio/CreditsHost: Alannah McPherson Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/alannahmcphersontavallai; @hannalaHost: Omid Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/omidtavallai; @tavallai Nortion of Paris: @nortonofparisProducer: Jennifer Geraghty. https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/jenniferfoxgeraghty; @jennyphoria; Website: http://jennyphoria.comMusic CreditsTheme music is “Leave” by Omid TavallaiAbout UsFrench cuisine is magnifique. It has a well-deserved reputation around the world. But when you're a transplant from another country living in France, sometimes you want to trade in that croissant for a cinnamon roll. Or a tartine for a taco. Join us at The Transplant Kitchen as we share recipes, stories, and tips on how to make the capital of gastronomy feel a little more like home.

It’s holiday season! That means it’s potluck season. But do the French do potlucks? Kinda. Sorta. Maybe? Alannah and Omid discuss the fine points of potlucks in France and the United States, as well as the infamous holiday cookie exchange. Listen and learn how to be a good guest, whether you’re American, French, or none of the above.Find Us OnlineWebsite: https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/thetransplantkitchenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/parisundergroundradioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisundergroundradio/CreditsHost: Alannah McPherson Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/alannahmcphersontavallai; @hannalaHost: Omid Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/omidtavallai; @tavallai Nortion of Paris: @nortonofparisProducer: Jennifer Geraghty. https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/jenniferfoxgeraghty; @jennyphoria; Website: http://jennyphoria.comMusic CreditsTheme music is “Leave” by Omid TavallaiAbout UsFrench cuisine is magnifique. It has a well-deserved reputation around the world. But when you're a transplant from another country living in France, sometimes you want to trade in that croissant for a cinnamon roll. Or a tartine for a taco. Join us at The Transplant Kitchen as we share recipes, stories, and tips on how to make the capital of gastronomy feel a little more like home.

The French notoriously don’t do leftovers. Maybe it’s because they don’t quite know about Nextovers (aka Leftover Magic) yet. In this episode, Alannah and Omid keep with the Thanksgiving theme and come up with ways to transform your leftovers into French cuisine classics. No need to study up on Escoffier or dust off your Julia Child books: We’ve done 2000 pages of reading for you.Find Us OnlineWebsite: https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/thetransplantkitchenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/parisundergroundradioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisundergroundradio/CreditsHost: Alannah McPherson Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/alannahmcphersontavallai; @hannalaHost: Omid Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/omidtavallai; @tavallai Nortion of Paris: @nortonofparisProducer: Jennifer Geraghty. https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/jenniferfoxgeraghty; @jennyphoria; Website: http://jennyphoria.comMusic CreditsTheme music is “Leave” by Omid TavallaiAbout UsFrench cuisine is magnifique. It has a well-deserved reputation around the world. But when you're a transplant from another country living in France, sometimes you want to trade in that croissant for a cinnamon roll. Or a tartine for a taco. Join us at The Transplant Kitchen as we share recipes, stories, and tips on how to make the capital of gastronomy feel a little more like home.

Halloween is over, but don't put up those end-of-year holiday decorations just yet! Doing Thanksgiving when living overseas requires more time and preparation, but it can be done, and it can be done right. In lieu of a recipe, Alannah and Omid will share their tips, tricks, and hacks for a transplant Thanksgiving that will have you feeling at home, profess their love for a global mega-chain warehouse store, and personally invite you to join them – for real – at a Parisian Thanksgiving dinner in person. Find Us OnlineWebsite: https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/thetransplantkitchenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/parisundergroundradioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisundergroundradio/CreditsHost: Alannah McPherson Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/alannahmcphersontavallai; @hannalaHost: Omid Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/omidtavallai; @tavallai Nortion of Paris: @nortonofparisProducer: Jennifer Geraghty. https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/jenniferfoxgeraghty; @jennyphoria; Website: http://jennyphoria.comMusic CreditsTheme music is “Leave” by Omid TavallaiAbout UsFrench cuisine is magnifique. It has a well-deserved reputation around the world. But when you're a transplant from another country living in France, sometimes you want to trade in that croissant for a cinnamon roll. Or a tartine for a taco. Join us at The Transplant Kitchen as we share recipes, stories, and tips on how to make the capital of gastronomy feel a little more like home.

In this long, ranty, sweary - but ultimately useful - episode, Omid (ranty and sweary) and Alannah (useful) ponder the question: Why do most cookies in France suck so much? By deep diving into each primary ingredient and how the French equivalents work in American recipes, you’ll learn how to troubleshoot your own cookie issues, drawing from the experience of baking tens of thousands of cookies.To help you along, you’ll get a recipe and instructions for nearly foolproof chocolate chip cookies to build upon and apply the veritable fountain of knowledge gained from this show. And to make it really foolproof, it’s presented in metric, and by weight only! Using a scale is the first step to nailing cookies.Basic Chocolate Chip Cookies(makes 12 cookies of about 100 grams)185g butter (melted)430g T55 or T65 (all-purpose) flour8g baking soda8g baking powder6g salt220g sugar150g light brown sugar2 eggs180g chocolate chipsYou will need:  A whisk, a rubber/silicone spatula, a mixing bowl, a baking sheet, parchment paperMelt the butter (gently) in a saucepan or microwave – you don’t want it bubbling or browned. Mix all the dry ingredients (except chocolate chips), preferably with a whisk, in a large mixing bowl.Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients, mixing in with a spatula until incorporated, but no further. You can also use a hand or stand mixer for this step. Break up the eggs and work them in next, all at once. Once everything is combined and looks consistent, work in the chocolate chips with a spatula (do not use a mixer for this step).Ball up the dough into 100g chunks. You may need to chill the dough for about 30 minutes first to make it easier to ball up. Once you have a dozen balls, place them on a tray or in a few Tupperware and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. You can keep the cookie balls overnight, or even up to a week.When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF. Evenly space your cookies on a baking sheet with parchment paper – a typical home oven sheet will hold about six of these cookies, but make sure they’re at least a few inches apart.Bake for 14 minutes, and allow to cool before handling.Find Us OnlineWebsite: https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/thetransplantkitchenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/parisundergroundradioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisundergroundradio/CreditsHost: Alannah McPherson Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/alannahmcphersontavallai; @hannalaHost: Omid Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/omidtavallai; @tavallai Nortion of Paris: @nortonofparisProducer: Jennifer Geraghty. https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/jenniferfoxgeraghty; @jennyphoria; Website: http://jennyphoria.comMusic CreditsTheme music is “Leave” by Omid TavallaiAbout UsFrench cuisine is magnifique. It has a well-deserved reputation around the world. But when you're a transplant from another country living in France, sometimes you want to trade in that croissant for a cinnamon roll. Or a tartine for a taco. Join us at The Transplant Kitchen as we share recipes, stories, and tips on how to make the capital of gastronomy feel a little more like home.

This week in the Transplant Kitchen, Alannah and Omid are making taco and burrito filling royalty: Carnitas. This slow-cooked, shredded pork dish is, simply put, the BEST. Just mentioning it invokes drooly daydreams of delicious tacos or stuffed-to-the-brim burritos with melting meaty flavor. But say you don’t have a taqueria nearby to satisfy that demand? Or if, like much of the world, you don’t eat pork? Their uniquely French workaround is easy as can be. Recipe for duck carnitas: 
Serves 4-6 4 confit duck legs*1 orange1 or 2 fresh chili peppers1 tsp ground cumin  Seriously, that’s all. Additionally you’ll need:A roasting panA citrus juicerSome aluminum foil Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºFUnpackage the confit duck legs into your roasting pan, fat and all. Cut an orange in half and squeeze all over the duck. Tuck the orange carcasses in between the pieces of duck. Tuck your chili or two (split them in half vertically if you wish) in between the pieces of duck, as well. Sprinkle liberally with ground cumin. Cover with foil and place in oven for 30-40 minutes, enough for the duck to heat through and the fat to have liquefied and start bubbling. Remove the foil and return to the oven uncovered for another 30-45 minutes, ‘til the top of any flesh sticking out of the fat is nicely browned and the citrus hulls look a bit charred. Once your duck is looking nicely browned, allow to cool enough to remove from the roasting pan and peel off the now falling-off-the-bone flesh and skin into another pan or mixing bowl, breaking it up into small pieces. Serve on a corn tortilla with the traditional salsa verde – or whatever floats your boat. It’s also great on top of a salad, a bowl of rice, beans r of course in a burrito.*If you’re not in France and don’t have easy access to duck confit (which should be a crime) listen to the episode for further alternatives!Find Us OnlineWebsite: https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/thetransplantkitchenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/parisundergroundradioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisundergroundradio/CreditsHost: Alannah McPherson Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/alannahmcphersontavallai; @hannalaHost: Omid Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/omidtavallai; @tavallai Nortion of Paris: @nortonofparisProducer: Jennifer Geraghty. https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/jenniferfoxgeraghty; @jennyphoria; Website: http://jennyphoria.comMusic CreditsTheme music is “Leave” by Omid TavallaiAbout UsFrench cuisine is magnifique. It has a well-deserved reputation around the world. But when you're a transplant from another country living in France, sometimes you want to trade in that croissant for a cinnamon roll. Or a tartine for a taco. Join us at The Transplant Kitchen as we share recipes, stories, and tips on how to make the capital of gastronomy feel a little more like home.

In the first episode of The Transplant Kitchen, Alannah and Omid explain how the humble doughnut led them to become Emperor Norton – purveyor of American-inspired food to Parisian cafés and bars. They'll give a little background on doughnuts, explain why cake doughnuts are so awesome in particular, and share their very own recipe for you to make when that midnight craving strikes. Or whenever. Warning: There may be some nerdy scientific content in this episode.RecipeCake doughnuts(makes 1 dozen)3 1/2 cups / 420g all-purpose flour (US) / farine T65 (France)1 tablespoon / 12g baking powder1/2 teaspoon /3g baking soda1 teaspoon / 8g salt1 cup (200g) sugar 2 large eggs1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)1/3 cup (US) / 64g (France) butter*, melted then cooled briefly1 cup sour cream or yogurt / 240ml crème fraîche* or fromage blancCanola or sunflower oil (for deep-frying)Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl to blend. Beat the sugar and eggs in another, larger bowl until combined and thick. Beat in vanilla (if using). Gradually beat in butter; beat in sour cream/yogurt. Gently fold in dry ingredients. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to an hour.Lightly flour baking sheets to hold your uncooked doughnuts. Roll out the dough to about 1/2" or just over 1cm thick. If it's bigger than your surface, just do it in a few rounds. If you don't have a doughnut cutter (because who does??) use a medium sized round cutter (or a drinking glass dipped in flour) to cut out dough rounds. Arrange the rounds on your baking sheets until you've used up all the dough. The scraps can be gathered and re-rolled and used.With a smaller cutter, punch out the center of each dough round to make doughnuts... and doughnut holes!Line a couple more baking sheets with paper towel, or even better, top with a wire cooling rack. If you don't have a deep fryer (because who does??) use a deep skillet and pour the oil at least 1 1/2" / 4cm deep. Use a thermometer to bring the oil up to160ºC/325ºF and fry doughnuts for 30 seconds on one side, 1 minute on the other, and back to 30 seconds on the first, flipping with a slotted spoon (or tongs or chopsticks...). Depending on the size of your skillet or pot, you can likely do 3-4 doughnuts at a time. Do not crowd the doughnuts, and be sure to wait a couple of minutes between each batch for the oil to come back up to temperature. Allow cooked doughnuts to drain and cool over the paper towel or cooling rack. If dusting in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, do this while they are still mildly warm. If glazing, wait for the doughnuts to cool completely!*Be sure to listen to the Transplant Kitchen podcast to understand some of the differences between French and American ingredients, as well as other details that come up while we discuss the recipe.Find Us OnlineWebsite: https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/thetransplantkitchenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/parisundergroundradioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisundergroundradio/CreditsHost: Alannah McPherson Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/alannahmcphersontavallai; @hannalaHost: Omid Tavallai; https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/omidtavallai; @tavallai Nortion of Paris: @nortonofparisProducer: Jennifer Geraghty. https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/jenniferfoxgeraghty; @jennyphoria; Website: http://jennyphoria.comMusic CreditsTheme music is “Leave” by Omid TavallaiAbout UsFrench cuisine is magnifique. It has a well-deserved reputation around the world. But when you're a transplant from another country living in France, sometimes you want to trade in that croissant for a cinnamon roll. Or a tartine for a taco. Join us at The Transplant Kitchen as we share recipes, stories, and tips on how to make the capital of gastronomy feel a little more like home.