Parisian Stovetop Survival Guide

Paris. The name immediately conjures up images of its beautiful architecture, charming cafes, and divine cuisine. Although these aspects of Paris certainly exist, they don't paint a completely realistic picture for everyone living here.

Take university students, for example. A stroll past apartments seemingly designed in a dream leads us to our tiny flats with questionable plumbing. Eating often at cute bistros quickly becomes expensive. And with a stovetop that functions on its own mysterious logic, coq au vin quickly becomes ramen et vin.

But fret not! I guarantee the recipes I have prepared will take over your kitchen and put an end to "uni-life" meals, at least for the next three dishes. Even better, they're adaptable to suit your personal palate, with each recipe accompanied by a quick list of ideas to help you complete a satisfying meal.

So, we'll take things nice and slow and get right into it.

Recipe 1: Dutch Mac

Let me answer your first thought. No, it's not like mac and cheese—it just uses the same pasta. No, this is not the official name for the dish; it's usually just called "macaroni." Yes, it's kind of like a twist on a Bolognese, but—don't tell anyone—I'd pick this over Bolognese. 

In short, it's macaroni pasta with a spiced tomato and beef sauce and cooked vegetables, topped with your cheese of choice, obviously. 

Note: The spice packet linked has a very expensive shipping cost, but I've included it anyway so you can see what is being used and what to look for if you ever find yourself strolling the aisles of a Dutch grocery store. However, assuming most readers don't have this packet, I've detailed the mix of spices in the pre-made packet within the ingredients list. 

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 Poivron rouge / Bell pepper of choice (I recommend red)
• 1 Poireau / Leek
• 200-400g Viande hachée / Minced beef (Quantity depends on what you prefer for your pasta-to-meat ratio)
• Macaroni pasta (the small kind)
• 140g Concentré de tomates / Tomato concentrate
• Cheese topping of choice (I recommend Pecorino)
• Huile d'olive / Olive oil
• Macaroni spices mix (half the bag is more than enough)
  • Equal teaspoon parts of onion powder and paprika powder. Then, half a teaspoon of ginger powder, chili pepper powder, mustard seed, plus salt to taste. If more mix is needed, simply double the amount till satisfactory. 

Here's how to do it:

Wash and chop the bell pepper and leek into small chunks—don't go too small—and set aside.  

Set up your pasta pot and regular pan on your stove. Heat some oil in the pan over medium heat and bring salted water to a boil in a pot. 

When the water is ready, add about a third to half of the pasta box and cook according to the package instructions. Then throw your chopped vegetables in the pan. Don't worry about the pasta finishing too quickly, you'll reheat it with the sauce. 

Cook the vegetables till they're soft (they should be a few shades darker than normal.) Then add the minced beef and cook until browned. Add the tomato concentrate and mix. Then, add the spices and mix well. And that's it! There's your sauce. 

Just throw in your macaroni, mix some more, maybe add some cheese for an extra oomph, and voila! Le Dutch Mac. Added bonus: this recipe usually gets me at least two servings which means no cooking the next day!

Recipe 2: Homemade Spicy Crispy Chicken

If you've never made crispy chicken yourself before, you'd be surprised at how easy it actually is. I still am every time. 

This recipe will cover just the chicken portion of your meal, but as mentioned before, I'll give you a few ideas to help you complete it.

Here's what you'll need:

• 240g Aiguillettes de poulet / Chicken strips
• Chapelure Dorée / Breadcrumbs
• 1-2 Oeufs / Eggs
• Poivre / Pepper
• Poudre d'Ail / Garlic powder
• Miel / Honey
• Sauce Piquante / Hot sauce
• Soja sauce
• Huile d'olive / Olive oil
• Beurre / Butter

Here's how to do it:

On a flat plate, pour some breadcrumbs and mix in black pepper and garlic powder. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. For each chicken strip, dip the strip in egg until completely coated and then press each side onto the breadcrumb mixture till evenly coated.

Heat some oil in a pan over medium-high and cook each strip for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Once done, set aside on a clean plate and it's time for sauce. 

If your stone only has two settings, barely hot or burn-everything-hot, I've found that it's still possible to use the hot pan with the stove turned off. I've even placed the pan on a cold burner before to control the heat. 

It’s important that your pan isn’t too hot before mixing the sauce, or it will burn your chicken. When you think it’s at a safe temperature, pour the soy sauce, honey, hot sauce and butter into the pan and mix them directly there. If the pan needs more heat, turn the stove back on, let it sizzle briefly, then turn it off again before putting your chicken back in the pan and coating it in the sauce. And that's it!

Accompagnements / Sides: 

• Rice, a cucumber salad (chop some cucumber and mix it with splashes of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and granulated sugar), and some dried seaweed.
• Rice and green beans (sprinkling some extra salt or garlic on the beans is great)
• Rice and baby potatoes
• Just some classic steamed vegetables.  

Recipe 3: Tomato & Feta Gnocchi

Saved the best for last. If you have to choose one recipe to make right away, pick this one. It's the fastest and I'm biased to anything gnocchi related. 

Much like the previous recipe, this will just get you one part of your meal, but honestly, I usually enjoy it as is. I'll leave that up to you. 

Here's what you'll need:

• 250g Tomates cerises / Cherry tomatoes
• 200g (at least) Feta block
• Gnocchi
• Huile d'olive / Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Italian pasta mix (optional)

Here's how to do it:

Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat and add in the gnocchi. Cook until golden brown on all sides, then set aside on a clean plate.

Now add a bit more oil and throw in your washed cherry tomatoes. Stir them occasionally so they become soft but not long enough for them to start bursting. 

Crumble or put the block of feta on top of the tomatoes, reduce the heat to low-medium, and cover the pan with its lid. Let it steam-cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally still. Eventually, the tomatoes will begin to burst and the feta will melt, this is when everything will be soft enough to mash and mix together. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper, I put Italian pasta seasoning into everything, then mix in your cooked gnocchi. Stir once more, and you're done!

Accompagnements / Sides: 

• Cooked baby spinach and chicken.
• Escalope panée (Carrefour sells some pre-prepared meat options that are great for quickly warming up in a pan.)

And that's it! I know cooking after a long day isn't always ideal, but if you've made it this far, I hope I've persuaded you to give these recipes a try. My hope is that they make cooking for yourself a little more enjoyable, just like they have for me.