Winter pasta

 

Winter pasta


The choice of vegetables for this pasta reflects the season: choose roasted winter squash and pistou instead of fresh tomato sauce and basil leaves that you would choose in summer. Pistou is the traditional way of conserving fresh basil over winter in Provençe. It is a paste made from crushed basil leaves, olive oil, salt, and a dash of crushed garlic. It is still sold in small glass jars in the South of France. If you cannot find pistou in your shops, you can replace it with rocket pistou , the recipe follows. Rocket or arugula is a peppery salad, almost a herb, which survives low temperatures much better than the delicate basil even in the Mediterranean countries.  

2 servings

Wholewheat spaghetti or tagliatelle for 2 servings

1-2 handfuls of chopped winter squash

About 200 g chicken breast, cut into smallish pieces

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

Olive oil

100 ml chicken stock 

Freshly ground black pepper

A handful of grated parmesan

       1-2 tbsp. pistou or rocket pistou

Recipe for rocket pistou:

A small handful of chopped rocket leaves

About 1 tbsp. olive oil

A pinch of salt

1/3 clove of garlic, minced

.

If you don’t have ready-made pistou and need to make rocket pistou, start with this. Crush all the ingredients in a mortar with a pestle. If needed, add a little more olive oil for a nice consistence. Keep refrigerated until needed.


Preheat the oven to 210° C, roast.


Place the chopped winter squash in a small oven-proof dish in single layer and mix with 1 tbsp. olive oil until coated.  Roast for about 25 minutes until soft.


Meanwhile sauté the chicken pieces in olive oil over medium heat for about 5- 10 minutes. Add the shallot, garlic, and cherry tomatoes. Continue sautéing for 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and reduce the heat to simmering. 


Cook the pasta and grate the parmesan. Drain the cooked pasta, divide on the plates and fold in the parmesan with a fork. Top the pasta with with sautéd chicken and roasted winter squash. Sprinkle over the pistou or rocket pistou.


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Queyras: La Gardiole de l'Alp


La Gardiole de l'Alp summit
La Gardiole de l'Alp summit


In the Queyras Regional Nature Park, La Gardiole de l’Alp (2786 m) is an easily reached summit. Situated northeast of Molines-en-Queyras, the peak is less visited in summer but popular among ski tourers and snowshoers due to the topography of its grassy south-facing flank.

We took the D205 road from Molines-en-Queyras to Pierre Grosse (1915 m), and found a parking by the road near the village entrance.

La Gardiole de l'Alp seen from Sommet Bucher
La Gardiole de l'Alp seen from Sommet Bucher
Signpost Pierre Grosse
Signpost Pierre Grosse
Leaving Pierre Grosse
Leaving Pierre Grosse
Above Molines-en-Queyras view south
Above Molines-en-Queyras view south
Easy start from Pierre Grosse
Easy start from Pierre Grosse
Above Pierre Grosse
Above Pierre Grosse

We walked through the village, heading west. After about 400 m, we came to a crossroads and an informative signpost where we forked right along a road named Lou Caire, passing several chalets. The itinerary then followed a dirt track, partly in the woods. After about 2 km we again forked right, and climbed more steeply, passing the Bergerie de l’Alp.


After the hut (no livestock on that day), we ascended in a vast Alpine meadow, heading northeast. The trail zigzagged in the open terrain, and was well marked with yellow sticks so that you always had the next one visible when climbing. Just before the summit we passed a short rocky and narrow stretch, nothing difficult. We only met two other hikers on the trail.


Bergerie de l'Alp
Bergerie de l'Alp
Above Bergerie de l'Alp
Above Bergerie de l'Alp
View west La Gardiole de l'Alp southern flank
View to west from Gardiole south flank

Rocky stretch before la Gardiole de l'Alp
Rocky stretch before la Gardiole de l'Alp
Pic de Ch.Renard seen from northwest
Pic de Ch.Renard seen from northwest

The summit was marked with a cross. Not surprisingly, we were rewarded with super views. The north-eastern flank was precipitous. The ridge trail continued south-east. 

We returned along the same trail, as planned in the morning. A somewhat longer option would have been a loop via Crête de Batailler to Col du Clot du Loup, and back to the starting point. 


Climb: 880 m

Distance: 11,5 km

Duration: 5h 20

Map: 3637 OT Mont Viso St-Véran. Aiguilles PNR du Queyras


Gardiole de l'Alp hike trail
Gardiole de l'Alp hike trail


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Lemon-balsamic chicken thighs

 

Lemon-balsamic chicken thighs
Lemon-balsamic chicken thighs


Meaty chicken thighs with skin are tasty pieces of chicken and very versatile. The skin keeps the meat juicy during the cooking and can easily be removed on the plates as most of the chicken fat is directly under the skin.

Chicken thighs can be simply rubbed with olive oil before roasting or, as in this recipe, coated with a tasty sauce.

2 servings

4 chicken thighs with skin

Sauce:

2 tbsp. olive oil

Juice and zest of ½ organic lemon

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried Provençal herbs


Preheat the oven to 200°C, roast.


Place the chicken thighs in an oven- proof dish. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce and pour over the thighs. Roast for about 45 minutes.


Meanwhile wash 2 tomatoes, cut into halves and coat with breadcrumbs and some olive oil. Roast in the same dish as the thighs for 20 minutes.


Cook some wholewheat pasta and great a little parmesan.


Serve the chicken thighs with pasta and roasted tomato halves.


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Queyras: Sommet Bucher

Sommet Bucher view southeast
Sommet Bucher view southeast

Situated between Château-Queyras and Molines-en-Queyras, the mountain top of Sommet Bucher (2254 m) is surrounded by forests and pasture areas. A road near the summit was built already in 1892 when it was considered an important military observation point. Due to easy access, it has become a popular hiking area in the Queyras Regional Nature Park.


We used the village of la Chalp of St-Véran (1768 m) as our starting point. La Chalp is located by the D5 road, some three km from St-Véran.


Sommet Bucher seen from east
Sommet Bucher seen from east
La Chalp St-Véran
La Chalp St-Véran
Steep trail above la Chalp
Steep trail above la Chalp
Easy part of GRP trail from la Chalp
Easy part of GRP trail from la Chalp
GRP trail near Chapelle St-Simon
GRP trail near Chapelle St-Simon

We ascended along the GRP* trail (yellow-red) named GRP Tour de la Dent de la Ratier, heading northwest. In the beginning, the incline was steep. We reached about 2200 m where the trail levelled off. We passed pasture areas with livestock, Lac des Clots and the Chapel St-Simon. After a short descent we came to Col des Prés de Fromage (2146 m), and a crossroads of several trails.


We left the GRP trail and headed straight north to the summit of Bucher along a yellow-marked trail. There were many parallel paths in the woods. There was a stone hut on the summit with orientation tables on both sides. Some treetops prevented a full 360° panorama, but the views were nevertheless excellent.


Pasture area near Chapelle St-Simon
Pasture area near Chapelle St-Simon
Chapelle St-Simon
Chapelle St-Simon
View to west Col des Prés de Fromage
View west Col des Prés de Fromage
Sommet Bucher
Sommet Bucher
Moline en Queyras
Moline en Queyras

We used another trail for the short descent back to Col de Prés Fromage, then forked left (Molines par la Seiche) and descended in the forest via Clot Henri (a clearing with a renovated shepherd’s hut), reaching soon a wide gravel track. At la Seiche, there was a short but steep rocky stretch. We came to l’Aguie Agnelle stream, crossed a wooden bridge then forked right towards la Chalp. The trail first followed the stream, then ran next to the D5 for a few hundred meters, and before la Chalp continued in a meadow.

It turned out to be a great loop hike in beautiful mid-altitude surroundings. The return itinerary straight down to the valley then upstream back to la Chalp might be considered less interesting by some but enabled a loop hike. The other option is to hike back along the same trail.


Distance: 13 km 


Climb: 660 m


Duration: 5 h


Map: 3637 OT Mont Viso St-Véran.Aguilles; PNR du Queyras


*) Grande Randonnée de Pays, a regional trail, often a loop and shorter than a GR trail.


Sommet Bucher hike trail
Sommet Bucher hike trail



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