Leeks Vinaigrette with Mimosa # French Fridays with Dorie

Last week we were assigned to make Leeks Vinaigrette with Mimosa for French Fridays with Dorie.  

Had it not been for FFwD, I would have never thought of making any dish with leeks as the star ingredients. However since Dorie's recipes are unique and never ceases to surprise, I decided to try. The ingredient list was small, so sticking to the recipe felt important. But there was no way that was happening this time. There was no sherry vinegar in our local grocery store.  I had to make do with whatever I had and proceeded thus....

I trimmed the leeks off the root and the dark green parts, cleaned them, tied four of them in a bundle and cooked them for 20 minutes in salted boiling water. Meanwhile I boiled an egg and in a cup whisked together some Dijon mustard, olive oil, walnut oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Once the leeks were done, I snipped the thread holding them together, sliced two of them crosswise, left the other two as it is, poured the vinaigrette over them and finally grated a quarter of the hard-boiled egg over the leeks. 

 

The grated egg was suppose to look like mimosa on the stalk.  It was not until later that I found the above image of mimosa... so my plate of leeks simply looked like cooked leeks with vinaigrette and grated egg. 

My husband avoids egg yolks so there was no "mimosa" on his plate. He neither praised nor complained about the leeks vinaigrette.  I thought  that the walnut-balsamic vinegar vinaigrette was great and that the leeks that had been cut crosswise tasted better since the vinaigrette had seeped into them. I however was not thrilled about the dish, just glad that I tried.

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about this dish. You can find the recipe here. For more such recipes get your copy of Dorie Greenspan's book  Around my French Table and starting relishing.

I shall be sharing this at some of these weekly parties.

Tasty Tuesday #46 - The Game Day Edition

Hi  everyone !! 

 Each week, our team of 10 amazing bloggers hosts this fabulous party! We're so glad that you've stopped by to party with us!

We blog: Anyonita Nibbles | Craft Dictator | Detours in Life | Lori's Culinary Creations | Red Cottage Chronicles |Three in Three | Mini Van Dreams| A Peek Into My Paradise | I'm Not a Trophy Wife | Ma Niche

Without you, we wouldn't have a party at all. So we think you're pretty special and deserve to benefit from linking up with us each week. Here's how:

Spanish Chicken Rolls with Olives

Are you still on the look out for something delicious to serve with that glass of chilled white wine or sherry ? Something to nibble between the sips and the conversations... then try these Spanish Chicken Rolls with Olives. They are pretty awesome !

It is a recipe inspired from the book Tapas.  While I had heard the word Tapas before, till sometime back I did not know where it came from... Here is what I learnt from the book.

The word Tapas comes from tapa,  a Spanish word for lid - specifically the "lid" created by the slice of bread that an innkeeper would thoughtfully place on top of a customer's wine glass to keep out the flies and dust between sips. The Andalucians then came up with the idea of balancing a morsel of something tasty on top of the bread to nibble on..... and a new Spanish institution was born.

Interesting right ?

I have been trying out little nibbles from this book ever since I borrowed it from the library. While most of them are nice, this one is special.  It looks pretty and tastes gorgeous... the perfect package for entertaining family and friends... also it is fairly easy to prepare. You can serve it hot or at room temperature... but how ever you do, try and serve them in pretty plates with bright colors in a typical Spanish style....

Pear Chestnut Soup # French Fridays with Dorie

Delicious and Sublime !!  that is exactly what I thought about this Pear Chestnut soup.

Had it not been for French Fridays with Dorie, I would have never known how delicious this combination can be. And the likes of my husband and son, who prefer to eat their fruits and nuts as fruits n nuts and not cooked and pureed into a soup... will probably never know how good this combination is. 

Being well aware of their preferences, I cooked only a sixth of the recipe for lunch today and really enjoyed it with a slice of bread slathered with butter. I generally have very high regard for Dorie's recipes and this one did not disappoint me. In fact I could get used to having it for lunch every single day of fall.. or till the flavors begin to tire my taste buds. 

I guess by habit I cooked the onions, leeks  and celery to the point of caramelizing the onions. My soup therefore looks browner than it should be. However  it tasted brilliant with the hint of thyme lurking in the background and that slice of pear on top. The flavors came across just right and I loved it. I'll probably cook it the exact same way next week when I make a bigger batch for my lunch. 

So much today. Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about this soup.

You can find a version of the recipe here .  I almost used the same measures except that I used roasted chestnuts instead of vacuum packed ones and a slice of pear as garnish instead of a dollop of cream. For Dorie's original recipe and more such delicious ones order your copies of Around the French Table from Amazon or from The Book Depository and join us as we cook our way through the book.

Chicken Meatballs Salad with Mediterranean Flavors

So what salads have you been enjoying lately ? Lavish ones with creamy dressings or simple ones with lots of veggies, fruits, greens and a simple citrusy vinaigrette. We here have a new favorite.  This Chicken Meatball Salad .....

Like our other favorite,  Wheat Berry and Chickpea salad, this salad is inspired by a recipe from Around the French Table, Salade Niçoise. Back in October, the Doristas made Salade Niçoise for French Fridays with Dorie. I too had assembled the salad for myself.  However substituting the canned tuna and anchovies with Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs, I prepared this version for my non-fish-eating husband and then tasted a spoonful of both and thought... hmmm.. "the Niçoise salad is good but this is DELICIOUS !" Ever since the has become a staple for Sunday lunch and each time we seem to enjoy it even more.. 

The salad is actually quite simple to prepare and gets done in no time provide you have the meatballs ready. The first time, I had prepared the salad with leftover chicken meatballs  from the previous day. But it is worth the effort to make these meatballs just for the salad...  Here is how I make them...

Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs Recipe Adapted from The Kitchn
Preparation Time : minimum 1 hour +10 minutes                   Cooking Time: 22 minutes                        Yields: 20
Ingredients 1 cup cooked black or green lentils (see notes) 3 tbsps Port wine 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 clove of garlic grated 1/2 pound ground chicken 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2/3 cups bread crumbs (see notes) 1/4 cup feta cheese 1 small onion, chopped (and caramelized if you have the time) 8 black olives, chopped 1 tbsp capers, chopped 4-5 strings of cilantro, trimmed and chopped 1/2 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp dill 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground pepper oil for glazing -  Instructions Put all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix them well. I use my hands for mixing. You can however use a wooden spoon if you like.  Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour. When ready to make the meatballs,line 2 baking trays with parchment paper, center a baking rack and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  With well oiled hands, shape the refrigerated mixture into 2 inch round balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Since the balls do not spread much you can place them close by. Now transfer the trays into the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the meatballs are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before proceeding further.... -  Notes :  I have this recipe with both  green lentils and black masoor . I my opinion the one with green lentils taste better. If using black masoor, use only half the quantity as they tend to make the meatballs very dense. To make fresh bread crumbs, toast a day old bread in the oven at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Then pulverize in the food processor till you have the bread crumbs.

The chicken meatballs are delicious appetizers by themselves. So if you are not a salad person, you can skip all the veggies, greens and vinaigrette (basically, the rest of the post) and enjoy the meatballs as appetizer with Tzatzaki  or bake it in yogurt sauce and enjoy it with stuffed Naan, the way we did till the salad happened... 

In case you are a salad person then read on....

Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs Salad Inspired by Salade Niçoise from Around the French Table
Preparation Time : 30-45 minutes                     Assembling Time : 10-15minutes                                Serves : 2
Ingredients 8 Mediterranean chicken meatballs, quartered (prepared as above) 6 small potatoes 1/2 cup green beans, trimmed 2 large eggs 1 big tomato, cut into 16 parts 1 medium sized onion, chopped 8 black olives, halved or quartered 4 oz baby spinach, chopped for the vinaigrette 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard (you can use more or less according to taste) 3 tbsps extra virgin oil 1 tbsp capers, crushed or finely chopped 1 clove garlic, grated (optional) salt and pepper to taste -  Instructions Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. You can either boil the potatoes in salted water or  roast them in the oven. We like the taste of roasted potatoes, so if I have enough time in hand I roast it. To roast the potatoes, peel them and soak in water for at least an hour. Then toss them in oil, sprinkle salt and pepper and bake in oven at 450 degrees F for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Cut the green beans into 3/4-1 inch long pieces. Toss them in a pot of boiling water. 6 minutes later drain the beans and run them under cold water. Pat dry and keep aside. In case you do not mind the boiled yolks, hard boil the eggs and slice them as you please for the salad. We do not like boiled yolks, so I separate the egg white and the yolks, save the yolks for later and boil the eggs whites using the method for Ruffly Poached Eggs.  To assemble the salad, toss the greens in half of the vinaigrette and lay it on the plate. Then place the quartered meatballs, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, onions and olives in any fashion you like. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top. Now serve, dig in and enjoy !

I shall be sharing this at the following parties.

Monday : Mix it up Monday, The Scoop, Made with love Monday, 
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Inspiration Monday Party Sharing Monday, 
Inspire Me Monday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop,Maniac Monday Linky Party

Tuesday : Totally Tasty Tuesday @ Mandy's Recipe Box, Tasteful Tuesday Party @ Nap Time Creations, 
Show Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home ,  Hand Made Tuesday @ Ladybug Blessings
Share it Link Party @ Winthrop Chronicles,  Tasty Tuesday @ Anyonita Nibbles,  Hearth and Soul blog Hop, 
In & Out of the Kitchen @ Feeding Big & More, Tuesday's Table @ Love in the Kitchen, 

Wednesday : What's Cooking Wednesday @ Buns in my Oven, Cast Party Wednesday @ Lady Behind the Curtain, 
Show and Share @ Semi Homemade Mom, Wine'd Down Wednesday, 
Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ All She Cooks Wednesday, Whatsit@White Lights on Wednesday, 
Wednesday Extravaganza @ Hunger Little Girl, Create & Share @ The Trendy Tree House,
What I Whipped Up Wednesday @ Sugar & Dots Look, What I Made @ Creations by Kara, Mum's Make list

Thursday: Link it Up Thursday @ Seven Alive, Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs, 
Thriving on Thursdays @ Domesblissity,  Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage , 
 Freedom Friday @ My Turn,  Thursday's Treasures @ Food Done Light,Pin it Thursday @ Sweet Bella Roos

Friday : Foodie Friday @ Simple Living and Eating,  Friday Linky Party @ The Pin Junkie, 
Get Him Feed @ Anyonita Nibbles, Friday Favorite (DYI too) @ Simple Sweet Home,  
Foodie Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm, 
Weekend Wonders @ The Thriftiness Miss, Friday Food Frenzy @ Mostly Food and Crafts, 
Weekend Potluck @ Sunflower Supper Club, The Weekend re-Treat @The Best Blog Recipes

Eggplant Tartine with Tomtoes, Olives and Cucumber # Make Up of French Fridays with Dorie

This week was Make Up week at French Fridays with Dorie. Since I have only recently joined the club I had a whole lot of recipes  to choose from. To start off with, I had the Duck Breast with fresh Peaches to try,  which I had skipped last week. but then my husband was absolutely unwilling to try duck. he had tried duck in Paris and had not liked it much. unwilling to take the trouble just for me felt expensive. so i skipped the idea altogether and flipped through the book for something easy and simple. one of the first things that came up was this eggplant tartine. we like baked eggplants and the Eggplant tartine with cherry tomatoes sounded like a perfect appetizer.

I am not sure what  I was expecting from this, but one bite into the tartine and it felt like I was taking a bite of "Deconstructed Baigan Bharta." though this tartine looks way too pretty to be compared with that Indian cousin of it, with all the tartness from the tomatoes, olive, capers and the vinaigrette, it tasted just as good as baingan bharta or should i say "my mother's baingan bharta." 

for those who do not know what "Baingan Bharta" is, it is a popular Indian dish cooked with roasted eggplants as the star ingredient and almost every Indian household has its own version of the "bharta." my mother's version with copious amounts of onion, garlic, tomatoes and coriander is gorgeously tart and extremely delicious and is one of my favorite vegetarian dishes. so yes, taste-wise i really liked this tartine. I also loved how easy it was to put together. however i thought it was a little cumbersome to handle. between me and my husband, we tackled it with our fingers but I am not sure if this is a tartine I'll like serving to my guests.    

Being a member of french fridays with Dorie, i cannot publish the original recipe in the blog. You can however this recipe here. For many more delicious recipes such as this one order your copies of Around the French Table from Amazon or from The Book Depository and join us as we cook our way through the book.

Mrs Maduro's Pie for Vegetarians # July Challenge for Baking Eggless

This month Gayathri of Gayathri's Cook Spot challenged the Baking Eggless group to make a vegetarian version of Mrs Maduro's Meat Pies.

The original recipe is from Saveur. The two ingredients in the recipe that we had to deal with were the eggs that are used for glazing the pies and lean ground chunk that is used in the filling. frankly speaking this wasn't much of a challenge since most Indians make such substitutions all the time. for the glaze i decided on a solution of milk and melted butter and for the filling, i substituted the meat with soy chunks and paneer. the substitutions worked well and even my soy-­hating­ husband liked them. he however commented that these pies would taste even better with a meat filling and i kind of agree with him. all that said i still think that these pies will make a great appetizer in any party. these taste particularly good when served with mint or coriander chutney.

Mrs Maduro's Pie for Vegetarians (makes 9) Recipe Source: Saveur

ingredients    for the dough 1 cup all­-purpose flour 1/4 tsp salt 5 tbsp cold butter, cut into bits 1/4 cup ice­-cold water 2 tbsp milk+ 1 tsp melted butter, for glazing for the filling 1 1/4 cup cooked soy chunks, minced (I used  Nutrela) 1 tbsp butter 1 medium sized onion, chopped 1 clove of garlic, grated 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1/4 cup chopped coriander 1 tsp dried thyme 6 pimiento stuffed green olives, minced 3/4 cup grated paneer 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp sherry -   what i did for the dough, 1 hour prior to baking, i sifted the flour and salt into a big bowl, added the bits of cold butter to the flour mixture and mixed it until it became somewhat crumbly. i then drizzled the water over the flour and using my hand kneaded the it till the dough came together. then gathering it into a ball, i flattened it with the heel of my palm to form a disc, wrapped it with a plastic cling wrap and put it in the refrigerator to chill for an hour. in the meantime i prepared the filling for the pies. as I have mentioned I used Nutrela soy chunks which I cooked according to the instructions on the box and kept aside. next i melted the butter in a saucepan, added the onions and garlic to it and sauteed them until the onions became tender. i then added the tomatoes, vinegar, pepper flakes, coriander, thyme and olives and cooked until the raw smell of the tomatoes was somewhat gone. once the tomatoes looked well­-cooked, i stirred in the minced soy chunks and the panner and cooked them with all the spices for a few minutes, i.e., until the soy chunks absorbed the flavors of the spices and stopped tasting bland. at this point I added in the mustard and sherry and cooked for a few minutes more till all  the liquid from the saucepan evaporated. then switching off the heat i let the mixture cool down completely before starting to work on the pies. Assembling the pies. once the filling cooled down, i preheated the oven to 400 degrees F. i then took out the dough from the refrigerator and placing it between sheets of parchment paper rolled it into a 1/4 inch thick sheet. next using a 3 inch round cookie cutter i first cut out 18 circles from the dough, fitted half  of them into the molds of the muffin tray, filled each of the dough cups with 11/2-­2 tablespoons of the filling, then covered them with the remaining dough circles. once all that was done, i sealed the edges of the cups with the back of the spoon, brushed the pies with the milk and butter solution, pricked the top with a frock and then transferred the muffin tray into the preheated oven. I baked the pies for 30 minutes until the surface surface looked golden. then removing  them from the oven i let them cool completely before serving with some chutney.

Do not ignore this recipe even if you do not like soy. they actually taste pretty good cooked this way. With all the additions that i made along the way I had some extra filling in hand which I mixed with mashed potatoes and turned into soy-paneer patties. just in case you were curious... those tasted good as well.

So much for today... Happy baking and happy snacking !

Sharing these with  Hearth and Soul Blog Hop

Socca from Vieux Nice # French Fridays with Dorie

This week we made Socca from Vieux Nice for French Fridays with Dorie. 

In the book, Dorie describes them as "large pancakes made from chickpea flour". That made me wonder if socca was the Niçoise version of the Indian Besan Puda or Adai Dosa. and indeed, if you spread the batter a little thick, these do taste like our Adais but a little crunchier since they are baked and broiled in the oven rather than being cooked on the griddle. but if you let the batter rest overnight or for a couple of days in the refrigerator, and then bake your socca... then the result is lovely. for whatever reason it is easier to make thinner pancakes from the rested batter and that tastes really good. 

I had decided to make Socca on Monday. however i had not read the recipe in advance. so, on Monday, i ended up making it with a batter that was mixed  just two hours in advance. since i do not have a pizza pan, i made the socca in my trusted iron skillet using exact procedure as mentioned in the book... i.e., baking it in a preheated oven for a few minutes and then broiling it for a couple of minutes to get the authentic  slightly burnt Niçoise-socca look. 

though the recipe recommended it as an appetizer, i topped the socca with spinach (prepared the same same way as i had cooked the escarole here), grilled eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes and feta and happily served it for dinner with a cup of soup and it was a satisfying meal. as i mentioned the crust tasted like stiff herbed adai and i wasn't overly impressed with it. i felt that it was the topping that made the slices delectable and the crust was merely a supporting actor in the show.

though you can't tell from the image above, the socca pizza really looked good and as a result a triangle had to be cut out for the toddler even before we could take a snap. the little one however did not eat beyond the first bite. i think he was put off by both the topping and the crust.. 

since Dorie mentioned that socca batter improves with longer resting time, i decided to try it again and this time i made the batter a couple of days in advance and made the socca  with the well-rested batter last night. the result was radically different. I really liked it. So did my husband. the same quantity of batter yielded 3 thin socca pancakes or crusts which tasted awesome with out little asparagus salad. so yes. socca rocks and so does shaved asparagus salad...

while i cannot post the original recipe in the blog, you can find a recipe for socca in the Kitchn and here is my recipe of the Socca with Shaved Asparagus Salad ... though the recipe does not say so, please let the batter rest overnight for a truly delicious treat ... it really great better with rest.

Socca with Shaved Asparagus Salad

ingredients   a socca crust   basil pesto   1/2 pound asparagus, shaved   olive oil   salt and pepper to taste   1 medium onion, thinly sliced   2 pieces of sun-dried tomato, chopped   shredded mozzarella   crumbled feta   few pine nuts  what i did i shaved the asparagus, added some olive oil, salt and pepper to it and kept it aside.  next i caramelized the onions and kept that aside. finally i prepared the socca using batter that had rest in the refrigerator for a couple of days. once the socca was done i turned the oven temperature to 400 degree F. Meanwhile, i smeared the pesto over it, topped it with the caramelized onion, shaved asparagus, pieces of sun-dried tomato. added the cheese and nuts over it and put the topped socca back into the oven and baked for 5 minutes.

 For the original recipe of socca and many more delicious recipes order your copies of Around the French Table from Amazon or from The Book Depository and join us as we cook our way through the book.

I shall be sharing this with the following food events:

Made with Love Mondays

Tuesday Food:  Tempt my Tummy @Blessed with Grace, Totally Tasty Tuesday @ Mandy's Recipe Box, Tasteful Tuesday Party @ Nap Time Creations,  Show Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home,  Hand Made Tuesday @ Ladybug Blessings, Share it Link Party @ Winthrop Chronicles, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop , Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays @ SS&GF

Wednesday Food : What's Cooking Wednesday @ Confessions of Overworked Mom, Cast Party Wednesday @ Lady Behind the Curtain ,  Wednesday Whatsit @White Lights on , Show and Share @ Semi Homemade Mom, Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ Home Take 2, Seasonal Celebration @ Natural Mother's Network
Thursday Food:Link it Up Thursday @ Seven Alive, Creative Thursday @ Michelle's Tasty Creations, Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs, Thriving on Thursdays @ Domesblissity, Freedom Friday @ My Turn, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage  
Friday Food: Foodie Friday @ Home Maid Simple, Friday Favorite (DYI too) @ Simple Sweet Home, Foodie Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes,  Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm , Weekend Wonders @ The Thriftiness Miss, Friday Food Frenzy @ Mostly Food and Crafts , Weekend Potluck @ Sunflower Supper Club,  The Weekend re-Treat @The Best Blog  Recipes, Gluten-Free Fridays @ Vegetarian Mamma

Gougères # Baking Partners June Challenge - I

This month Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen, who started the Baking Partners Group, challenged us to bake Chocolate éclairs and/or Gougères. The idea was to learn to make Pâte à choux, a light pastry dough that is used for éclairs, profiteroles, gougères and few other pastry puffs.  I have never tried baking anything along those lines before so i was both intimidated and excited when Swathi mailed us about the challenge.

I had of course tasted éclairs before (and shall tell you more about my éclairs soon) but had no idea as to what gougères were. the images online did not look very impressive, because... frankly speaking they aren't the most handsome nibbles around. but they sure taste good. in fact they taste g-r-e-a-t !! and  an added pinch of crushed pepper and chive does wonders to these already wonderful savory cheese puffs...

Though gougères are made all over France, Dorie says their home is Burgundy, where they are the first thing that you are served in almost any restaurant. how wonderful !! no ?? they are apparently accompanied by a local aperitif, kir. we however enjoyed our feather light nibbles with whatever drink we had at hand... i.e fruit juices of all kinds and thought they tasted great anway... 

As delicious as these cheese puffs are, they are best consumed within a few hours of baking. they tend to loose their crusty charm and acquire a egg-y smell when left overnight. unaware of that, I baked a slightly bigger batch of these only to realize later  the aforementioned fact. however in case you need to prepare a large-ish batch in advance, you can store them by shaping the dough, freezing the mounds on a baking sheet and packing them off in airtight plastic bags soon after they solidify and then bake them straight from the freezer whenever you want to...

the recipe i followed called this French appetizer The French Laundry's Gougeres. a little confused by the name, i did a little google search to learn that the alternative the nomenclature owes to to the fact that these are one of the signature dishes at Thomas Keller's renowned restaurant French Laundry ...

now the recipe as adapted from Bouchon Bakery Book

Gougères   (makes 9 pieces)

ingredients : 1/4 cup + 2 1/4 tsp water 2 1/5 tbsp unsalted butter heaped 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup + 1 tsbp + 3/4 tsp all purpose flour 1 large egg 1 egg yolk 1/2 cup swiss/american cheese grated 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper 1 tsp dried chive    this is what i did to make these puffs... first i preheated the oven to 375 degrees F and lined a baking sheet with parchment paper. next i combined the water, butter, salt and pepper in a saucepan, placed it over medium heat and stirred until the butter melted. Once the butter melted, i increased the heat to medium-high and brought the mixture to a simmer. then switching off the heat i stirred in the flour into the melted-butter mixture using a wooden spoon. i stirred until the mixture acquired a paste-like consistency. then placing it over medium high heat i stirred the paste rapidly for about a minute until the dough pulled off from the sides of the pan and looks smooth and glossy. instantly afterwards i transferred the dough to a mixer bowl and mixed the dough on low speed for 30-45 seconds to release some of the heat and moisture. i then added the egg and the yolk to the dough, one at a time, beating continuously until each addition was completely incorporated into the dough before adding the next one. i continued beating until the dough began to pull away from the sides of the bowl when pulled with the paddle but immediately grabbed back on again. i then increased the speed of the mixer to medium for 15 seconds to make sure that the egg and the yolk get well incorporated in the dough. next stopping the mixer intermittently over the next minute or so i checked if the dough passed the bird's peak test when lifted. that is, if it held its shape and turned down on itself without breaking off when lifted up. once the dough passed the test, i added the cheese, crushed pepper and chives to the mixture and pulsed to incorporate the cheese into the dough. next i scooped out a tablespoon of the dough at a time and dropped them into the lined baking tray, taking care so that each drop is at least 1 1/2 inch away from the other. once all the dough was spooned out, i smoothed the surface of each drop with wet fingers and transferred the tray into the preheated oven. i baked them for 25 minutes until they were golden brown. then switching off the heat i allowed them to stay inside the oven for another 2-3 minutes before taking them out.

I tasted one immediately and thought they were delicious. but according to my husband you don't say enough when you say they are delicious. he LOVED them and thought it is one of the best things he has ever had. he was also slightly disappointed by the fact that i had made so less. he finished all of it within half an hour of returning from work. i believe that these are so light and tasty that he could not resist downing the first batch all by himself. 

here are some links and videos on Gougères from the net that I found quite helpful. Swathi shared them with us over the last month. Thanks a lot Swathi for the links and video and for giving us such a lovely challenge. It was such a treat !!

Before you check out do visit Swathi's page to find out what my fellow bloggers from the  Baking Partners have baked.. Have a great weekend and Happy Father's day !!

p.s : I have also made the eclairs. but to keep things simple i decided to write a separate post on them. expect  éclairs over the span of the day or may to tomorrow morning !!