BOOK REVIEW: Heirlooms by Rachel Hall - BONUS RECIPE: Raclette Omelet with Roasted Tomatoes and Spinich

 

This volume is a treasure box of interconnected short stories tracking a saga of a Jewish family’s survival, starting in Holocaust-era France.

Beginning in 1939 St. Malo, we meet young Lise, devoted to the raising and protection of the baby of her dead sister-in-law.  She makes her way across and out of France’s occupied zone, facing the horrors and fear of wartime Europe.

Hall’s writing style is minimalist perfection, each chapter a self-contained jewel. She manages to project intense sympathy without a hint of sentimentalism, and her multi-perspective sense of pathos is rare for the genre. Even Nazi officers and abusive French police are given multiple dimensions and some level of human frailty, which only makes the facts of wartime life more starkly real. As the settings progress to Israel and America, the story resonates deeply with the modern refugee experience and seems all the more fresh and timely. Definitely a welcome and beautiful voice in wartime historical fiction. Enthusiastically recommended.

Review first published in The Historical Novel Review 


BONUS RECIPE:
Raclette Omelet with Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach

Ingredients:
Three large farm fresh eggs, room temperature
1/4 pound of good Raclette cheese, frozen, grated, and brought back to room temperature.
1/4 pound of raw spinach leaves, picked and well cleaned
One very ripe medium tomato, in 1/8" slices
Brushings of extra virgin olive oil
Pat of good unsalted Normandy or Irish butter
1/4 tsp of good Dijon mustard
Pinch of brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
One ripe mango or papaya for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place tomato slices and spinach on a large cookie sheet lines with parchment paper, brush or spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lightly sprinkle just to tomatoes with the sugar. Bake for 15-20 mins (use convection if available) or until tomatoes are just caramelized but not disintegrating, and spinach is wilted.

Brush a well-seasoned omelet pan with olive oil and heat not quite to smoking over medium heat. Control your heat well, if its smoking, turn down to medium-low. Beat eggs together very well with Dijon mustard (just eggs, no milk, water etc.). Swirl pan with butter (again watch for burning or smoking of butter - this will discolor your omelet. Add eggs to pan, and as the omelet films, push toward the center of the pan with a curved wooden spoon or metal spatula, tilting the pan to run the liquid eggs over the exposed bottom at least once. Add cheese, salt and pepper to taste (be conservative, you can season again after plating). Layer spinach and tomatoes (or serve on the side, at your option). Put heat on low and cover pan for just a minute or until middle is melted and only slightly runny. Shake to loosen from pan, fold in thirds and plate.  Garnish plate with sliced mangoes/papaya for a sweet contrast. 

Pairs well with brunch cocktails, consider a good tequila.