Spring Dessert ~ Clafoutis

Just arrived from France ~ spring has sprung! A friend of ours lives a few hours from Paris where she runs and operates a beautiful countryside B&B. Her home rests between fields of mustard, which were in full bloom, and wheat . For miles and miles all you could see were oceans of yellow and green~it was gorgeous! She prepared a grand lunch for us. We actually sat in the foyer with the intention of receiving the best part of the sun for that time of day. It was perfect in every way. For dessert we were served the traditional Clafoutis (Cla-foo-tea). Warm from the oven, there could not have been a better dessert.

I don't know if there is a standard

recipe for Clafoutis, I have tested many.

This recipe was heavy on the fruit side and very shy on the flour side. I tried to remember the ingredients my friend used~ no pen at the table , but easy to remember.

1 3/4 cups of mixed fruits.

1 cup of flour.

3 eggs.

2 cups of milk.

1/2 t.vanilla.

1/4 t. salt.

1/2 cup of sugar.

1 T. butter.

Butter and lightly flour a 9 inch pan or tart pan. Place the fruits in the pan. In bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Slowly pour in the milk. Whisk until blended and smooth. Add the eggs, one by one, whisking after each one. Add the vanilla. Pour the batter over the fruit. Dot with the butter and cook in oven at 400 degrees and bake until puffed , about 20-25 minutes. That's all I remember~ and I think it's right.

Modern Technology- only a dream

Rich, poor.....famous and not so famous, there are always plenty of smiles in areas like this on the river. It breaks my heart to know there are children in the world today who struggle to survive. But, this is life.......

Thrashing the grain from the stocks can be quite a challenge, especially on windy days. Notice the woman in the bottom photo is beating the rice stock with a stick. This goes on for hours a day. I loved the little girl's flip - flops! The next picture is a man standing beside a thrashing machine. How does he ever breath?

Tonle Sap ~ Fresh Water River in Cambodia

Getting off the beaten path while traveling is something I think many of us really enjoy. Wish I could do it more often. There are endless surprises along the roads!

The body of water where I

photographed is actually a combined lake and river. It is the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia. During the monsoon season, the river water is pushed up from the Mekong River into the lake. There is so much water that the nearby fields flood, along with many of the forests and farm lands. Hence, a flood plain which provides a perfect breeding ground for fish. Everyone fishes. After the fish are caught, they are dried and sold at the local markets ~ notice the person squatting on the makeshift drying platform. The fish are rotated several times a day to complete the natural drying process.

Life on the river continues with no interruptions when the flooding occurs. The school are floating as well as the grocery stores. Peddlers selling their wares go up and down the river all day long. Even the restaurants are floating~ cooking takes place right there on the drifting boats. Sometimes there is even a little time to play~

Floating Islands ~ Iles Flottantes

Had one of those moments this afternoon wondering what could we have for dessert.....not that we really needed any tonight. Always some eggs, sugar and milk around, so off to the library!

Custard

5 large egg yolks.

1 t. vanilla.

2 1/4 cups of milk.

1/2 cup of turbinado sugar.

For the meringues

3 large egg whites.

1/3 cup of superfine sugar, plus 2 T. more.

Toasted, sliced almonds for garnish.

1/2 cup of turbinado sugar for the caramel.

I heated the milk in the microwave to give it a head start. Whisk the yolks in a bowl that can be placed in water. Fill a pan with at least one inch of water, place bowl in water and heat the egg mixture until a custard consistency. Keep whisking. This will take about seven to ten minutes. After the egg mixture has thickened, pour and cool in individual bowls and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool.

For the meringues, I was not to sure how all of this was going to shake out, but it did! Line a cookie sheet with a dish towel. Fill a skillet with water and bring water to a light boil. While the water is getting ready, beat the egg whites until soft peaks have formed, gradually adding the sugar. Take large spoons and gather up the egg whites and then drop into the simmering water. Simmer for thirty seconds on each side. Remove meringues with slotted spoon and place on the towel lined tray. Repeat until you have about ten to twelve meringues. You have just made the islands!

Place two meringues in each bowl and add the almonds. Heat up a small pan and add the sugar. Heat until it melts and turns golden in color. Drizzle the caramel on top of the meringues. Server warm or chilled.

Risotto pea soup with mint~

There is always a bag of peas in the freezer, right? My kids needed bags of frozen peas to place on injuries when they were playing sports in school. The formation of the bag on a knee or ankle seemed to do the trick. Now days, the peas just exist, tucked away waiting for some useful purpose.

Well, today they are being put to use~not the same peas......

Ingredients for soup:

1 onion, chopped finely.

3 T. butter.

1 cup of risotto.

1 1/2 quarts of chicken broth.

2 T. of olive oil.

6 oz. of chopped pancetta.

2 T. of chopped fresh mint.

Salt and pepper to taste.

grated parmesan cheese for topping.

1 12oz. bag of peas, thawed or fresh.

Melt butter in pan and add onion and ham. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until the onions are translucent. Place half of the peas in a food processor with the olive oil until pureed. Add the rice to the onion mixture. Pour in the broth and the pureed pea mixture. Simmer for fifteen minutes, uncovered. Keep mixture stirred. Add the rest of the peas, salt and pepper and cook for another eight to ten minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir in the chopped mint. You can add a bit more broth is you feel the soup is too thick. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cheese. Serves four~ just a nice Spring soup!

Let-us be creative!

Not only do the French have a gusto for food, presentation is right there next in line! Deciding on a centerpiece, according to Susan Loomis, should consist of no pressure and be fresh and enticing ~ how is this for enticement?

Susan concentrated on what was at hand and went from there. At an outdoor market located not too far from where we were cooking, Susan picked out some fresh herbs and tossed them along side this beautiful head of lettuce.To add a bit of color, she popped a few sweet grapes for contrast. Susan was able to turn something so simple into something spectacular with the wink of an eye ~ she constantly entertains a la Francaise. Now, my version was not as extensive, but I gave it a whirl and tried my hand with the raw ingredients at hand. My lettuce creation is the picture on the top. Try one yourself this Spring with all those beautiful green leaves from your garden.

Nutmeg ~ topping off the rice pudding

To help celebrate the arrival of Spring, I splurged this afternoon by making one of my favorite desserts, rice pudding. I poured all of the whipping cream into the mixture leaving none for that little dab on the top. Then I remembered that special little jar tucked away in the spice drawer. As soon as the top was twisted off, I could tell this was indeed going to be a treat.

I started buying whole nutmeg a while ago. Now it is difficult to use anything else. I love the color that is exposed as it slowly shrinks in size. There is such a difference in the taste by grating it yourself. I was in Whole Foods in January and they were selling (giving) plastic containers filled with the nuts for 25 cents. I grabbed up as many as I could and passed them out to all my friends. Never knew so much excitement could be created by such a little nut~

A few of you may be aware that I opened a store sometime ago. I have dedicated all my time to that business and my family and have not had the time to keep up with posting. I have missed

reading so many of your posts and
looking at the great photos of your creations ~ things are slowing down and I have a bit of free time which I have not had in months! Hopefully, I can now do some catching up!

My Big Purchase

A trip to Dehillerin is always a treat. How do they ever remember where everything is in this place? After you have compiled your list and  located what you wanted to buy, you discover one more item that you just have to have in your  kitchen.......well, this is what I found, that one more item that I still can't believe I dragged all the way back home to Florida. My blind-baked crusts will never shrink or puff up again, not with these. These pie weights are special~they will work because I purchased them in Paris.....and from the legendary store so many of us enjoy. No more beans or rice when baking my crusts!

Pommes Farcies Aux Poireaux Et Creme-Apples with leeks and cream

 Not very often do I venture into the world of leeks. I don't quite exactly know why, but I think it has something to do with grit and sand~just when I think I have scrubbed  and rinsed until my fingers have shriveled, I will bite down on something that should not be there. There first time I was preparing leeks, I was completely unaware  about washing and the importance of cleaning between the leaves and root areas. Complete disaster  as you can imagine. My latest experience proved to be a success in every respect! This recipe is adapted  from  Susan Loomis, author of On Rue Tatin. 

   1 C. water

   1 Dried bay leaf

   Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

   4 Large apples

   2 T.unsalted butter

   The white part of four large leeks, WELL rinsed and diced

   2 T.  to 1/4 C. bottled water

   1/4 C. creme fraiche or heavy cream

   Sweet cicely or flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cored apples in a baking dish and pour the water around the apples. Remember to remove one strip of skin from the apple so it does not burst  during the baking process.  Add the bay leaf to water. Lightly salt the inside of the apples. 

Place 1 T. of the butter and the chopped leeks in heavy saucepan, cook and stirring until leeks are transparent. Add the water, stir and cover pan. Continue cooking until leeks are tender, about 10 minutes, adding additional water if needed to keep the leeks from sticking.

Transfer cooked leeks to a bowl where you add the cream. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Gently fill each apple with equal amounts of mixture, pressing it into the cavity and mounding it on top, if possible. Top  each apple with 1/4 of the remaining butter.

Bake in center of oven until apples are tender and leeks are golden brown for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, serve on warmed plates and garnish. Serve immediately.

Sunday in the Park-Jardin du Luxenbourg

Here are a few pictures I just had to share-what a way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Joggers were pounding the dirt, babies pushed in exquisite strollers, bookworms parked on park chairs, all images of the unhurried Parisian. 

On Rue Tatin in Paris

  

Bienvenue! Last week I made a very quick trip to Paris and had  the opportunity to meet Susan  Herrmann Loomis. She is the author of On Rue Tatin, Farmhouse Cookbook, French Farmhouse Cookbook, The Great American Seafood Cookbook and the Italian Farmhouse Cookbook.  I can't keep up with all of these books! What talent! Anyway, the class was held in  the cooking  apartment belonging to Patricia Wells. Should you ever have an extra day or week while visiting the city, try to include a lesson or two from Susan. She is a delight to work with and very entertaining!

 The menu for the day consisted of two favorite dishes of Susans', "Pintate Aux Agrumes Aux Legumes De La Ferme" (braised Guinea hen with citrus and farm vegetables) and "Pommes Farcies Aux Poireaux Et Creme" (apples stuffed with leeks and cream). After the completion of the dishes, we were able to sit down for the tasting.....then  critique our creations. None of us had any negative comments! For dessert we made a pear clafoutis, which melted in my mouth. The entire experience was charming and how wonderful it was  to be back in my favorite spot on the globe!

Slow Roasted Tomatoes and Fall

            I find it hard to believe fall  is  here again.             

Where has the time gone? Getting the new store up and running has been a chore, to say the least. Anyway, I have been  cooking, but not much, and thought I would share this recipe.

 I just returned  from visiting my sister in Erie, PA... She has an abundance of tomatoes still growing. We popped some into the oven and devoured them as fast as they came out. Not only were the tomatoes delicious, but the colors that surrounded her garden and neighborhood were spectacular. I have to share some other pictures!

Serves six.

6 tomatoes, sliced in half.

1 T. of balsamic vinegar on each half.

1 t. of honey on each half.

1 T. of olive oil on each half.

2 garlic cloves, sliced very thin.

salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the tomato halves cut- side up on baking dish or tray. Place a slice of garlic on each tomato and then drizzle with the honey, oil and vinegar.   Salt and pepper to taste . Roast until lightly browned. This may take an hour. Drizzle with a bit more oil and vinegar before serving.  Serve  the tomatoes chilled or at room temperature.

Lunch in Mumbai

Traveling as far as thirty miles away, the dabbawalas begin each day by picking up homemade lunches and delivering them to workers either in an office or factories in Mumbai. As you can imagine, being the second most populated city in the world, the traffic in this city is crowded and often jammed beyond reason, preventing people from leaving their workplace to eat lunch. Under British rule, this was the way many British workers dined......also, workers spend a great deal of time commuting to and from work making lunchtime totally unfeasible to travel away from the office for lunch.

For a small fee, the dabbawalas arrive around 9:30 to pick up the specially designed containers and off they go, either on bike or foot, to the final destination. Mass lunch brigades on coffin like platforms arrive by train and then are picked up by a very organized team and delivered to the designated destination. You will notice on the lunch containers codes to determine what train the lunches will be carried on and the code for final delivery. Churchgate Station is a great location to witness the incredible display of teamwork. The action commences around 11:30am when containers are loaded off the trains and grouped for delivery. To top it all off, the lunch containers(tiffins)are then picked up after lunch and delivered back home, ready to prepare for the next day. Needless to say, scheduling and timeliness are essential for this profession.

Delights From The Chianti Region!

It is impossible for a "certain" group of us  to pass by a market or grocery store anywhere! Endless displays of food catch my eye and entertain me for longer than is necessary.....many times I get that tug on the shirt indicating, "let's go"....guess it is just a "foodie thing".

 I do so appreciate all the talented  people in the food world for their outstanding dedication and creations for all of us to enjoy and sometime taste!

 Hope your summer is going well..........