Butter and Rum Crepes # French Fridays with Dorie

This week the Doristas were assigned to cook  Butter & Rum Crepes for French Fridays with Dorie.

I have cooked and eaten crepes before. However these ones were special. The crepe batter had sugar rubbed with orange and lemon zest and a bit of rum in it, both of which added to their flavor. Following Dorie's recipe I served them with a filling of lemon curd and poured a citrusy-buttery sauce over it.. only to realize later that the crepes would have been perfect even without all that extra fat and sugar. A sprinkle of sugar was enough to pep them up.

As per the instructions, I mixed the batter the night before and made the crepes for lunch the next day. I cooked them in my usual non-stick frying pan. They did not stick and came off easily. However they were thin and delicate and it took me a couple of crepes before I could flip them with ease and confidence. Both husband and I loved our French crepes very much but considering my inexperience and inexpertise with flipping crepes, I guess we will only be making them on special occasions.

  

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about these crepes. You can find the recipe here. For more such delicious recipes order your copies of Around my French Table and join the Doristas in this tasty adventure.

Hélène's All White Salad # French Fridays with Dorie

This week's assignment for the Doirstas was Hélène's All White Salad.... a mushroom, celery, apple and napa cabbage salad with mayonnaise dressing and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for garnish.

It is not very often that you come across monochromatic salads, specially in white. Driven by curiosity I had tried this one soon after I got my copy of Around My French Table. I was a little wary of the yolk in the dressing and had left it out .. Our general opinion then was that it isn't so great a salad... Both husband and I had not liked the raw after taste that the mushroom left. There were leftovers which I ate the following day and guess what, I really liked it. The chilled yogurt-olive oil-dressed mushrooms tasted so good !

Keeping that in mind, this time, I chopped all the vegetables, dressed them with a mixture of half of the yogurt and olive oil, seasoned them and chilled the dressed salad overnight before adding the mayonnaise and serving. The result was fabulous. Though slightly speckled, the chilled salad tasted fantastic and we really enjoyed it.

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about this salad. You can find a version of the recipe here . For Dorie's original recipe and more such delicious ones order your copies of Around my French Table and join the Doristas in this tasty adventure.

Dilled Gravlax with Mustard Sauce # French Fridays with Dorie

This week the Doristas were assigned to cook Boeuf a la Ficelle or Beef on a string. We do not eat beef so initially I had decided to adapt the recipe to make Poulet a la Ficelle. In the past I have adapted beef recipes from the book to cook chicken, but this one was different. Other than beef,  this dish required veal and oxtail. Now how was I suppose to substitute those. Add more chicken ? No. That did not feel quite right. So I decided to skip the assigned recipe altogether and review one which the Doristas have already tried.....namely Dilled Gravlax with Mustard Sauce.

Most Doristas prepared Dilled Garvlax in the last week of December and I in the subsequent week. The recipe was fairly easy but required time. I hadn't read the instructions until Thursday and did not have enough time to prepare it by the next day. I am however glad that I tried it for it was delicious !

For those who haven't heard of it before, gravlax is nothing but cured salmon. To prepare it one simply has to make the curing mixture, coat a slice of salmon with it, wrap the fish in a  plastic wrap, weight it evenly with something heavy and refrigerate for 48-72 hours. Once cured, the fish needs to be rinsed off the curing mixture, patted dry and thinly sliced. The slices are then served with mustard sauce and bread or toasts with a garnish of dill. 

No one around me, family or friends, eat raw fish, weather cured or not.. so I had to eat the whole slab myself. I enjoyed it very much. However I wish I could share my joy with someone. Everything about it was so perfect. The sauce, the seasoning... everything. I had it over the next two days and every time I took a bite I said to myself... God ! they do not know what they are missing :) 

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about the gravlax and this week's assigned recipe Boeuf a la Ficelle.

You can find the recipe of here . For Dorie's original recipe and more purchase your copy of Around My French Table and join the Doristas in their venture. 

Paris-Brest # French Fridays with Dorie

This Friday the Doristas were assigned to bake Paris-Brest, a big wheel of puff  pastry filled with vanilla pastry cream and caramelized blanched almonds...  With my terrible piping skills and inability to follow specific instructions, I ended up with a rustic looking dessert which barely resembled a wheel.. It was however delicious. 

Paris-Brest... what an unusual name for a dessert.. no ? Apparently this pastry was created in 1891 in honor of the Paris-Brest-Paris cycle race that began that year. It consisted of a big circle of pâte à choux filled with crème pâtissere that was meant to resemble a bicycle wheel. Because of its every-giving high calorific value, this pastry soon became popular among the riders and is now found in pastry shops all over France. 

Since I was baking just for the two of us, I halved the recipe. I have baked/whipped  half recipe of both pâte à choux and crème pâtissere before and wasn't very worried about it. My only concern was that I did not have a piping tip that was big enough. I thought piping out a few extra rings would help and so, did that only to end up with a pastry that looked more like a crown or something such rather than a wheel. Also, in all the hubbub I forgot to sprinkle the almonds on the dough before baking.  Later I tried to make up for it with a garnish of caramelized almonds. I am nottly affected by this adjustment... whatever it be the dessert was divine, specially the crème pâtissere with the hint of praline and my husband simply couldn't let it be until nothing but the crumbs were left ....

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about the dessert.

You can find a version of the recipe here . 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.  

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Moules Marinière # French Fridays with Dorie

    I impressed myself yesterday by preparing Moules Marinière ..

only to realize soon after that I wasn't very fond of them. I had tasted mussels once before and it was at a buffet. It did not leave an impression and I attributed that to the zillion other things that I had served myself at one go.

Anyway for those who like mussels, this recipe might actually be a keeper. It is very easy and the sauce that you make is quite nice. Provided you have a pack of de-bearded well-scrubbed mussels in hand, you can prepare this traditional French dish in no time. Simply saute some onions, shallots and thinly sliced garlic in olive oil; add dry white wine, bit of chicken bouillon cube and some herbs, and when the sauce begins to boil add the mussels, cover the pot and cook for a few minutes... Switching off the heat, keep the pot of mussels covered for another minute.. and viola you are done. Moules Marinière is ready to be served ! 

And as Dorie says... have it as soon as it is ready..  Speaking from my experience, I say "cold moules marinière does not taste very good..."

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about this dish.

Here is a recipe of Moules Marinière by Emeril Lagasse which is close to Dorie's. However for Dorie's original recipe 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.  

Christine's simple party soups - cream-topped asparagus, red pepper and broccoli # French Fridays with Dorie

This week the Doristas were scheduled to cook "Christine's simple party soups" for French Fridays with Dorie.. To be more specific we were scheduled to cook three simple soups... asparagus, red pepper and broccoli and top them each with a flavored cream.. Because they are so easy to make I made all three simultaneously and sampled them in my 'cutting-chai' glasses.....

Cutting-chai glasses ? Well they are little glasses in which tea is served in the roadside tea stalls, known as dhaba, in India. These glasses hold 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of chai and according to my husband, are perfect for the likes of me who love the idea of chai more than its flavor. At my request my father-in-law sent a set of these inexpensive glasses from India with my sister-in-law and I thought these little glasses were perfect for sampling all three soups at a go...

O.k. now about the soups... Attracted by the pretty picture alongside the recipe, I had tried the broccoli and asparagus soup before. The ease of preparation and the simplicity of the flavors made me like them instantly. Just simmer broccoli/asparagas and zucchini in water seasoned with chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes, salt and pepper until the vegetables are cooked, puree the mixture and serve with a topping of flavored whipped cream. Husband too had liked the soups, so I often make them whenever the respective vegetables are in season. And every time I garnish the broccoli soup with curry powder and the asparagus soup with dill and mustard. We enjoy them that way... 

As for the red pepper soup, I tried it for the first time last week. Unlike the other two, I only had to simmer chopped red pepper in seasoned water for this one and then puree the mixture. We both liked it with a garnish of crushed red pepper, though we thought that a roasted tomato and perhaps a clove or two of roasted garlic would make the soup more interesting.. Anyway on the whole it was nice and I'll probably make it with or without the adjustments again.

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about the soups.

You can the recipe here . 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.  

Dressy Pasta Risotto # French Fridays with Dorie

This week the Doristas  were assigned to make Dressy Pasta "Risotto." With ingredients like cream and mascarpone cheese, nothing could really go wrong with this dish. It turned out exactly the way I had imagined it, dressy, creamy and gorgeous. 

What I liked best about this preparation was the fact that it is a one-pot-pasta. 

Contrary to most pasta preparations, the pasta does not have to be cooked separately. It is cooked in chicken broth in the same pan in which the onions have been sauteed.. much like a risotto.. and finally finished off  with a stir of heavy cream and a dressing of Parmesan and Mascarpone cheese. I added a handful of peas into the pan just to brighten up the dish and had half a mind to add some precooked bacon too.. But I am glad I didn't .. for the pasta was perfect by itself.  

I served it with some sauteed mushrooms and chicken... and thought they paired up well.. but had I been lunching alone I wouldn't have bothered for a side. I liked it just as it was... 

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about the pasta.

You can find a version of the recipe here . 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.  

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Mme. Maman’s Chopped Liver # French Fridays with Dorie

I like salmon. I had a slab in the freezer and until I turned to Pg 30 of the book (Around my French Table) this morning thought that I was having salmon for lunch. But then I read the recipe and  realized that the salmon had to be cured for at least 48 hours... Oh no ! Only last week I had promised myself not to miss any more French Fridays with Dorie and try to catch up with the rest of the Doristas and here I was... unprepared to cook the dish scheduled for this Friday. I decided to start the process anyway while I caught up on a December recipe that I had missed....  Mme. Maman’s Chopped Liver.

This one was fairly simple to prepare and reminded me of my mother's chicken liver recipe. Only hers has some fried potatoes and eggplants in addition to the browned onions and sauteed well seasoned chicken livers. Also  she finishes her dish with a sprinkle of black pepper instead of allspice.. and serves it right away with rice and lentils. 

Since I am used to having my chicken liver piping hot, in spite of the recipe, I couldn't wait for the chopped livers to chill. I served it at room temperature with a helping of sour cream and sister-in-law and I enjoyed it over steamed rice with a side of lentils.

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about onion carbonara.

You can find a version of the recipe here . 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.  

Orange-Almond Tuiles # French Fridays with Dorie

I have to say, Orange-Almond Tuiles are one of the most elegant tea-time cookies I have ever tasted..

I got introduced to Tuiles recently and was pretty excited about baking them for French Fridays with Dorie. Though a little delicate and somewhat finicky, tuiles are always a delight to serve with tea. In the past I have tried Dorie's Translucent Maple Syrup tuiles and until Friday we thought that those are the best cookies we've ever had. But these tuiles are even better. They were simply delicious. Even the little one couldn't stop at one.

Whole-Cherry Clafoutis # French Fridays with Dorie

This week we baked Whole-Cherry Clafoutis for French Fridays with Dorie.

Clafoutis is a rustic looking French country cake from the Limousin region. Its texture however makes it taste more like pudding than a cake. It was the first time I tasted this and the first bite instantly reminded me of my mothers gorgeous pudding with raisins and cashews. I believe her recipe is very similar to Dorie's, but since fresh cherries were and still are a novelty in the small town  where i grew, she always uses raisins instead and her pudding tastes as good. 

Though Dorie files this recipe under dessert, we enjoyed it more for breakfast. It is very fairly easy to make and not overly sweet even with the extra dusting of sugar. So this recipe makes a perfect weekend breakfast. Since we are a family of two and a quarterI whipped up the clafoutis with two-thirds of the ingredients and baked it in a loaf pan. It was just right to have for dessert on day one and for breakfast on the following two days. Though I served it with whipped cream, I felt that an extra helping of sugar was required to make it a dessert. The recipe was not sweet enough for us. 

Apparently the pudding tastes best when made with stemmed and un-pitted sweet cherries and served while it is still a little warm. But since I had sent my husband to get the cherries and forgot to specify the details, i ended up baking my pudding with frozen pitted cherries. and frankly speaking we did not mind the taste. Also my husband did not seem have any problem with having the pudding straight from the refrigerator. So I guess, he really liked it in spite of all its imperfections.

Being a member of french fridays with Dorie, i cannot publish the original recipe in the blog. You can however find this particular one 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.

Wheat Berry and Tuna Salad # French Fridays with Dorie

Yesterday I served this hearty Wheat Berry and Tuna Salad for lunch.... 

Unfortunately,  Mr MN  missed on both the star ingredients. the Tuna, because he does not have any, and wheat berries because i forgot to add the berries to his plate. it wasn't until it was time to take the pictures that i remembered the berries...but by then it was too late. so he merely had a regular bowl of greens, veggies and chicken salad with olive oil dressing and a helping of well-seasoned berries, and had nothing much to say about it. i, on the other hand had an extraordinary salad for lunch !

wheat berries were new to me. It was the first time i tasted it and i really liked it. it is chewy with a subtle nutty flavor and it added a nice crunch to the salad. from the internet i gathered that these  berries are packed with fiber, protein and iron and hence a nutritious alternative to breadcrumbs which i otherwise use in salads. I think i'll use these a lot more in my salads/meals from now on.

the vinaigrette of vinegar and mustard was also great. I actually got a new bottle of French Dijon Mustard the day before, just so that we would not miss on the tang. and it was totally worth it. though i am used to mincing the fruits and veggies in salad, being short on time, i  ended up dicing them as per the recipe, then added the tuna and wheat berry to the veggies, seasoned the salad and and ate. since the salad looked filling and colorful enough even without the eggs, i omitted them. i actually did not miss them at all. with the berries, avocado, tuna and the greens this bowl was quite a substantial  meal by itself. 

update 5/7/2014. Today, almost after an year I made the Wheat Berry and Tuna Salad. This time I arranged it just the way Dorie suggested...

I cooked the wheat berries well in advance, whisked the mustard vinaigrette into it and let the flavors blend in over the next couple of hours. Next I gently stirred in the diced apples, celery, onion, green bell pepper and drained tuna into the bowl of berries. Finally I seasoned the the greens (spinach in my case) with salt and pepper, tossed them in olive oil and put them in the serving bowl. I then spooned the wheat berry salad over the greens, topped it with halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado and quartered hard boiled eggs and served.

With all the ingredients in place, the salad felt so healthy and wholesome that once again we decided to fix Monday as the Salad Day at our niche !

You can find the recipe for this salad here. For many more delicious recipes like this order your copies of Around the French Table from Amazon and join us as we cook our way through the book.

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

Sablé Breton Galette with Berries # French Fridays with Dorie

Yet another berrylicious dessert on the block !! and how gorgeous is it ?  

This week the Doristas chose to make Sablé Breton Galette with Berries. Though the dessert sounds rather complicated, it is really simple to whip up... the buttery crust is wonderful ! even before i put it in the oven I knew that it is going to be a favorite in our house. the butter and the sugar smelt so good. and of course it did not disappoint us. since my little one, is not fond of sauces, i gave him some crust  and berries while we were having the dessert. and his immediate reaction was "um more.." :-)  

and the lemon curd was simply A-W-E-S-O-M-E !! the easiest I have ever made and best I have ever tasted.. and just so that you know I have sampled lots ! I love lemon curd and without failure order a lemon tart for myself whenever I see one. since this one is whipped using whole eggs and not just the yolk it is lighter. plus you so not need whip it over a water bath (isn't that great ??).

of course this recipe uses tons of butter and might not be a dieter's favorite. but once in a while, an indulgence so delightful is always good for the soul.  it keeps you happy and satisfied... don't you agree ?

As a member of french friday's with Dorie I am not supposed to post the recipe on the blog. However you can find this particular recipe in Dorie's   July, 2009, Newsletter.  For 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.

p.s : interested to know where the box of berries vanished after the first click. this is where they went. :-)