Paris markets

There is a popular song by Gilbert Bécaud about the markets of Provence and no mention of the Parisian ones although there are about ninety today and are a terrific source for any cook*. They have been around since the fifth century AD: the oldest one was in the Île de la Cité and has since given room to the permanent flower market. It is well worth seeing on the way to the Sainte Chapelle, a glass window jewel tucked inside the Palais de Justice.
For more substantial nourishment, you can shop for an entire meal and sometimes even consume one without leaving the street where they take place. Some of them are so large you may even compare prices and quality. It is the occasion to pick what looks best on a given day and let your imagination do the rest. To go back in time even further you can rent a bike from the city of Paris. It comes equipped with a front basket, which begs for a fresh baguette and any other purchases.
I fell in arrest in front of a fishmonger’s stall. Atlantic whole fish have the run of the place because of the proximity of the ocean: the small soles good for one person and the bars for 3 caught my attention. I selected the biggest bar at 750 g (1 lbs and ½ ) and asked it to be cleaned but not scaled. Because of the reduced format of its head it can serve three. In the States where Atlantic bars may not be available, a large red snapper (over 2 lbs) or two smaller one may be needed to serve the same amount, as snapper heads are larger. Because in Paris, my apartment is tiny and I need to keep cooking odors to a minimum, I opted for the Portuguese salt crust method. The salt forms a crust in cooking and sticks to the skin of the fish. It contains and enhances all perfume inside, hence the dill branches in the cavity.
At the vegetable counter white asparagus, fresh peas, bean pods, and gariguettes, the oblong fruit of Provence, with the taste of wild strawberries in a large size formed an irresistible complement. My dinner requires 20 minutes cooking, 10 minutes preparation time, is reasonably expensive and comes smell free.

Baked whole fish in salt crust

Ingredients:
2 lbs (1 kg) coarse salt
1 lbs ½ Atlantic bar or 2 lbs red snapper
2 stems dill

Material:
1 baking sheet
1 sharp knife
1 spatula

Preheat the oven at 420 F (250 C).
Insert the dill branches into the fish cavity.
Place 1/3 of the salt in a diagonal on the baking sheet in a width sufficient to accommodate the fish. Add a little water before laying the fish over the salt. Cover the fish with the remaining salt. Add a little water, as if you were molding a sand fish on a beach.
Bake in the oven for twenty minutes if using a bar, for 30 minutes if cooking a red snapper. The crust will turn gold.
Remove from the oven. Prepare the three serving plates close by. With the handle of the knife, break the crust. Using the knife and spatula remove the salt crust along with the skin of the fish and discard. Cut the fish in filets and place on each plate. Propose olive oil and lemon quarters on the side.

Spring vegetables (Simultaneous preparation)

Ingredients:
1 lbs (500 g) asparagus
2 lbs (1 kg) peas
1 lb (500 g) fava beans
½ lb (250 g) cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Bouquet of chives

Material:
1 4-quart pan
1 slotted spoon
1 peeler
1 colander
Scissors

As you preheat the oven, fill the pan with water and bring to a boil.
Remove the peas and fava beans from the pods and discard the pods. Peel the asparagus and cut off the hardest part of the stem.
Place the fava beans and tomatoes into the boiling water. When the boiling resumes, remove fava beans and tomatoes from the pan with the slotted spoon, and replace with the asparagus. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender. Strain.
Peel the skin of the tomatoes and the fava beans.
Reheat all the vegetables together with a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of salt in the same pan.
Snip the chives with the scissors and serve directly on the plate along with the fish.

Gariguettes or any local strawberries (No preparation)

Ingredients:
1 lbs (500 g) strawberries
1 cup (250 g) crème fraîche
¼ cup (60 g) sugar

Wash the strawberries and serve in a salad bowl.
Pass the crème fraîche and the sugar around for dipping each strawberry first in cream and then in sugar before eating.

*To obtain a schedule of all Parisian markets open air or covered by postal zips type marchés Paris in the Google bar.