A dinner in France usually begins with a visit to the local marché.

And that's how it was when Peter Carry, former executive editor of Sports Illustrated magazine, and his daughter, Jessie Carry Saunders, a cookbook author, prepared for a Saturday evening dinner party at their house in Naves, a medieval village near Les Vans in the mountainous Ardeche region of France in early July.

My husband and I, old friends of Peter's, were looking forward to what we expected to be the best meal of our two weeks in France. We had feasted on white wines of the Loire, baguettes and pâté — all still good buys despite the declining value of the dollar in Europe — and a few special meals — mussels à la crème, grand marnier soufflé, a homemade tomato sauce in Normandy — but we were still looking for that "knock your socks off" dining experience. And we got it, along with lots of lively conversation with a group of English-speaking Francophiles.

The other guests included Anne MacKenzie-Stuart, a Scot who has been living part-time in France for decades; Jean Carson, an American painter who shows at the Martha Keats gallery on Canyon Road in Santa Fe (among other places); and her significant other, Alan Deverell, a Brit who restores old properties in France. Johnny Saunders, Jessie's husband (more than) completed the table.

Gathering the ingredients

The Carrys, Peter and Virginia, bought their house in 1985 and later added a two-story guest house on the foundation of an adjoining ruin to accommodate family and friends.

Good food — often homemade — is a big part of the family's life. The following week they were planning an overnight excursion to Michel Bras's acclaimed restaurant in Laguiole.

Jessie and her father have been cooking together in France and at their home in New York City since she was a kid.

After graduating from Princeton, Jessie was on the editorial staff of Food & Wine magazine and wrote two cookbooks — Not on Love Alone: A Year of Delicious Dinners and More for Newlyweds and Two of Us ... and Friends: A Young Couple's Guide to Cooking and Entertaining (Easily, Affordably) with Elegance and Style.

"I blame this food fanaticism on my father," she explained.

The Carry kitchen has historically been lively. Peter's explosions at the stove were legendary in the family, Jessie said, and she, from all accounts, was the one who could take them in stride.

"Pops and I have cooked very happily together," she said.

The day before the dinner, Peter ordered a butterflied leg of lamb from Boucherie Suchet in nearby Les Vans. He planned to rub the meat with garlic, fresh thyme and anchovy paste before grilling it.

He also wanted to use some of the fresh, ripe tomatoes just now appearing in the market for a tomato risotto. The source of the original recipe is long since forgotten; his own version appears in Jessie's first cookbook.

The family set off early Saturday for the market in Les Vans, which was brimming with cherries, early tomatoes, dewy vegetables, roasting chickens, cheeses, sausages, fish and chestnuts, a regional specialty that had sustained the populace during World War II.

They separated almost immediately to make the most of their time. Peter stopped at his favorite boulangerie for white and whole wheat baguettes, as well as bread for the Saturday lunch, then picked up the lamb from Cristof Suchet. Jessie had inscribed one of her cookbooks to him as the "handsomest butcher in France," and he took a little ribbing from visitors on that account.

Jessie meanwhile perused the vegetables. She considered the chard but finally settled on radishes ("so pretty and bright"), which she decided to sauté, and zucchini (courgettes), which she planned to roast with basil and mint.

"I'm a lover of mashed potatoes, like anybody," she said, "but it's nice to have something new on the plate."

Since this is France, there will be a cheese course. From the many vendors, Peter selected a buttery blue-veined MontSalvat, a runny Saint-Félicien and a bufalo mozzarella (for a lunchtime salad).

Virginia scouted out pots of fresh herbs, pistachios and dried fruits. With Johnny toting a case of his favorite local apple juice, everyone then sat down at a cafe for café au lait, chocolate croissants and two versions of fougasse, a bread studded with olives and bacon.

A delightful dinner

After unpacking the food, Peter, Virginia and Johnny headed off to swim in the nearby Chassezac River, followed by lunch on the patio.

Once again, this is France, and no one was overly anxious about dinner preparations. The afternoon was downright relaxing. Jessie baked a chocolate cake; the lamb marinated in a "mediocre" red wine from the family cave, fresh-picked rosemary and olive oil.

Dinner preparations didn't really begin in earnest until 6:30 or so.

As she prepared the vegetables, Jessie talked about the pleasures of aligot, a cheesy mashed potato concoction for which Michel Bras is famous, while Peter gently sautéed the tomatoes for the risotto in a big copper pot.

"We always cooked everything from scratch, particularly in France," Jessie said, adding, "Being able to cook well makes your life better in so many ways."

After the guests arrived, Peter began adding bubbling homemade stock — he always makes and freezes some after roasting a chicken — to the risotto and set the lamb on the Weber grill where it roasted until reaching about 125 degrees.

The zucchini, which Jessie had salted earlier, was tossed in a vinaigrette and went into the oven for roasting. She sautéed the radishes on the stovetop with butter, which, she said, softens the bitterness, and, in the final garnish, snipped some chives over the top.

In due time, the four-course meal was served, washed down by plenty of good wines and much eclectic conversation that ranged from the Obama phenomenon and how it was playing in Western Europe, to eager anticipation of the next day's Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer Wimbledon final, to the artistic goings-on up and down Canyon Road.

And, as we smugly dug into our dessert, the light and frivolously rich gâteau au chocolate, the last bit of the evening's table talk turned to a listing of the next day's most promising market stops — for the very next day's most anticipated feast.

Such are the priorities in France.

Bon Appétit!

TOMATO RISOTTO
(Serves 4 to 8)

4 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
5 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
1 small clove garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh pepper
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, including basil, marjoram and flat leaf parsley

Peel the tomatoes after submerging them in boiling water for 30 seconds; seed and dice.

Heat the stock and keep at a simmer on the stovetop.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir.

Turn the heat to low and cook 10 minutes. Then add rice, coating the kernels.

Turn flame up to medium or even medium high and begin adding the broth, starting with 1/2 cup and then adding 1/4 cup at a time. Stir constantly.

After 15 minutes, taste the grains. You don't want the risotto to be mushy. It should be slightly firm.

About 5 minutes before you estimate the rice will be ready, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, Parmesan cheese and chopped herbs.

Turn the burner down to low and continue adding stock as needed. The finished risotto should have a wonderful, creamy rice consistency with a red tint.

Pour into bowls and garnish with additional shaved Parmesan cheese and torn pieces of basil.



You'll also find the recipe for the evening's chocolate cake on this site.