Ficelle picarde et perles du Japon?

This gratin is a specialty from the Picardie region, in the North of France.

Good crepes, quite soft.

Filled with ham, and duxelle. The duxelle is a sauce made by simmering longly in butter mushrooms and shallot.

Gratineed with cheese and cream… I didn’t had much on top, just enough for the taste. That way I could eat 3.

Bonus : a first dish to warm you up…

Hot bubble tea. Well, it’s a soupe aux perles du Japon (Japanese pearl soup). Something Mum would often serve for dinner when we were kids.

Japanese pearls ? Actually, tapioca or manioc is an exotic product in Japan.

So start with a home-made (or not) chicken broth, left-overs of chicken meat from the bones, reheat with sauteed onions, thyme and hand-full of tapioca pearls to thicken it. Simmer till the “pearls” are transparent. Serve very hot !