Clafoutis

For starters a little pronunciation.  KLAW - foo - tee.  Clafoutis is a classic French dessert.  It is a very simple unleavened batter poured over the sauteed fruit and baked until fluffy.  Very light and extremely tasty.

Over Christmas we had a raging debate over dinner.  Mike B insisted that you are either a "London" person or a "Paris" person, you cannot like both cities.  I took the complete opposite.  I think you can love both cities and for different reasons.  The table soon divided into the two camps.  The debate was unresolved.  My mind wasn't changed, neither was his.  Good debate.

Not to slam the Brits as I can say I never had a bad meal while in London.  Paris is an eaters delight.  From Bistros to the funky immigrant restaurants the food is pretty amazing no matter where you go.  Their chocolate and hot chocolate is absolutely the best Think warm cream with chocolate melted in. Heavenly rich and sinful.  My first real clafoutis was there over such a hot chocolate in a little sidewalk cafe near our hotel and La Tour Eiffel.  

My recipe is culled from one we used for a neighborhood Iron Chef themed on Provence.  I dug it up for one of the gang who didn't know what to make.  It was a hit.  For mine I decided to up the ante and make it a clafoutis with attitude.  I learned long ago if you want something to be cherry-er you add almond extract.  The two share similar flavinoids and it just boosts the cherry to a more intense flavor.  The other bit I added was the cherry brandy...makes the caramel very cherry with just a nice hint of brandy.  

Note to self.  Next time I make it just get frozen dark sweet cherrys and skip the whole pitting of the fresh.  Its a lot of work and your fruit get's butchered.  Doesn't affect taste but presentation its not so nice to see hacked up fruit.  The recipe:

Clafoutis 

Batter:

• 1/2 cup (70 grams) all purpose flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar
  
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
  
• 1/4 t almond extract
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

Plus:

1 pound fresh sweet cherries, pitted

1 tablespoon (13 grams) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar

1 T Cherry Brandy

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven.  

Wash the cherries, remove the stems and pits. 

For the Clafoutis Batter:  In mix bowl place all the batter ingredients.  Beat for about 45 - 60 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Once the batter is completely smooth, let it rest while you prepare the fruit. 

In a large 9- or 10- inch heavy (nonstick if you have one) ovenproof skillet melt the butter over medium heat making sure the melted butter coats the bottom and sides of the pan.  When the butter is bubbling, add the pitted cherries, and cook until the cherries have softened a bit and are coated with butter (2 - 3 minutes).  Then sprinkle the cherries with the sugar and cook until the sugar has dissolved and turns into a syrup (1 - 2 minutes). Remove pan from flame and stir in cherry brandy.

Pour the batter over the cherries and bake for about 20 minutes or until the clafoutis is puffed, set, and golden brown around the edges.   Do not open the oven door until the end of the baking time or it may collapse.  Serve immediately with a dusting of confectioners sugar or whipped cream.

The resting is important as it allows the glutens to relax and lets the batter puff while baking.

Sweet n' Savory Hot Pickles

I'm not sure where it came about that I liked pickles. I can't remember even what age I started eating them.  To this day my kids won't touch pickles.  I love 'em, dill, sweet, sour, hot and it doesn't even matter what the veg is in there with the cucumbers.  For me its all good.

I do remember my Grandma Jasovec made all sorts of cucumbers.  The one that stands out in my mind the most are the "watermelon pickles" she made every summer.  The rinds were saved and trimmed then canned in a sweet clovey brine that I just loved.

I do remember my Mom's friend Kay Ropelle used to have tons of cucumbers and every summer they would spend a couple of days slicing them with onions and stuff for "Bread and Butter" pickles, but damn that is a  lot of work and the store bought are just as good.

I got a wild hair a couple of years ago for fresh dill pickles and decided to learn how to make them.  I can't even say for certain where I got the bright idea to steer off the recipe and add a jalapeno or two every jar to make them "hot dill pickles" but I did it anyway.  Seemed like a good idea at the time.  Turned out nicely if I say so myself.

This recipe takes some inspiration from the Watermelon pickle and the hot dill pickle.  Don't let the name fool you, the heat is extremely subtle, more of a slight warmth and tingle in your mouth.  The clove and other spices are subtle against the very light sweetness.  What you get is the veg flavors coming through with the rest just a nice back ground.  Tried them at breakfast and could have had the whole jar.  I think I did pretty good on this one.

Sweet n' Savory Hot Pickles

• 36-40 small cucumbers
  
• 1/2 non-iodized salt
  
• 2-3 cups ice cubes
  
• 6-8 1/2 pint canning jars with lids. - washed and sterilized.
  

Brine

• 3 c water
  
• 2 c vinegar
  
• 1/4 c salt
  
• 1/2 c sugar
  
• 2 T Pickling spices
  
• 1 t celery seed
  
• 1 t red pepper flakes
  

Remaining pickle items

• 1 1/2 large red bell peppers
  
• 1 large yellow onion
  
• mustard seed
  
• whole cloves
  

Trim cucumbers at least 1/4" from each end so they fit into jars within approx 1/2" of the jar top.  Slice cukes in half lengthwise.  Layer 1/2 cukes in colander and cover with half of the salt.  Repeat.  Place colander in a larger bowl. Layer with ice, cover entire package with aluminum foil.  Refrigerate over night (at least 12 hours).

At end of the refrigeration period rinse cukes well.  Leave in colander. Put a plate on top of the rinsed and layered cucumbers.  Add a weight such as a large bowl of water or a brick on top of the plate.  Let it drain and squeeze out the water for 1/2 hour.

Combine brine ingredients in a non-reactive pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer covered 15 minutes.

While brine is simmering prepare the remaining pickling items. Trim ends of the bell peppers to fit into jars within approx 1/2" of the jar top.  Cut it into 1/4" inch strips. Remove paper from onion.  Trim off enough of the blossom end to fit into jars within approx 1/2" of the jar top.  Cut just enough for the root end to remove roots but leave enough so onion won't fall apart when cut into wedges. Cut onion into 1/2-3/4" wide wedges (about 16 wedges.

Divide cukes, pepper and onions to fit into the jars.  Bundle loosely in your hand and pack into the jars.  To each jar add 3 cloves whole cloves and 1 teaspoon mustard seed.  Ladle the hot brine into each jar.  (You will pick up some of the pickling spices which is fine, just be careful to not overload the jars with that mix).  The brine needs to be added until the veggies are just covered and within 1/2" of the top of the jar.  Clean rims and add the lids and seal tightly.

Bring large pot of water with canning rack to a boil. Process the jars in a hot water bath up to about 1/4/1/2 inch of the top.  When water is back to a gentle boil start timer for a 10 minute water processing.  At end of time remove jars, wipe down and re-tighten each of the rings.  Cool at room temperature and allow them to sit 1 week before using to allow all flavors to meld and pickling to be completed.

It pays to be uniform length in advance and have it all set mis en place ready to pack the jars.  The prep goes fast and can be done while the brine simmers.

Pack the jars tight enough so they don't float and wiggle about, but not so tight that the brine can't get into and around all of the vegies.

Bring the water for the bath to within 1/2 inch of the top.  Just at the level of the band is perfect. Boil gently so the jars don't bounce on the rack or into each other.  There is nothing worse than a jar hitting another and it all breaking making a giant mess in the canning pot.

Of course the absolute hardest part is waiting for the pickles to sit a week before sampling.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

This is one of those OMG it is so f'ing good things.  The entire tray was devoured in minutes during the Super Bowl.  I have to admit the idea for Roasted Shrimp Cocktail got its start from a recipe from Ina Garten on Barefoot Contessa.  However, I know that her version was a bit plain.  My Mike likes his shrimp without sauce but still with some flavor.  I do to sometimes, though a good horseradish laden sauce like the one from Heinz works out fine.

To make the basic recipe mine I opted to add some lemon juice for the citrusy acid bite, a little crushed red pepper for some subtle heat and thyme to enhance the lemony notes and give it a little fresh green flavor.  Either way its tasty and is even better washed down with a good cold beer or a newish red that can handle the heat of the crushed red pepper.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

For the shrimp: 

3 pounds (12 to 15-count) shrimp 

2 tablespoon good olive oil 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly finely ground black pepper

1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes

1 T loosely packed fresh thyme 

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Peel and devein the shrimp. Place them in a bowl.  Add olive oil, salt,lemon juice, thyme and peppers.  Toss until well coated. Spread them in 1 layer on a sheet pan. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool. 

What ever you do don't toss out the shells and tails.  Add them to 2 qts hot water with celery, an onion and 2T Old Bay and you have a terrific Shrimp stock for "Shrimp Chowder" which is on the menu with fresh hot bread this weekend as it is supposed to rain here in LA.

Metate: every kitchen needs one

I got mine from a dear friend.  Its real volcanic stone from Bali and she picked it up on a trip there a few years ago.  What good is a metate?  Damn...tons of stuff.

My primary use is hand grinding small amounts of spices.  Spices = seeds and barks as opposed to herbs...that are green leafy matter that is either fresh or dried.

Spices do best warmed until just toasty and aromatic in a heavy skillet then crushed to release all their oils and tossed into whatever you are cooking or roasting.

I use it at least once a day.  The nice thing is as they get older they develop a patina and fragrance all their own.  Nice way to freshen up the cabinet it resides in.  

Funny how the most primitive tool I own is still my most useful.

Chili Mac - cassoulet or "hot dish"?

During a light rain this last week we got quite a little chill here in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles.  Low near 40 may look like a heat wave to my fam in Minnesota but here its enough to drag out the sweats and heavy jackets.  Days like this I like my comfort food.

I'm not quite sure where this particular dish came from.  My Ma has made similar over the years with the same name.  I can remember having it when I was really little in MI so I suspect the idea of chili and pasta drifted our way from Ohio where the folks in "cincy" serve their chili over spaghetti.

With the beans and such stewed together with meats is has a vague resemblance to the classic french cassoulet.  Make that very vague.  Of course we call one meal dishes casseroles with its route in that classic here in the US.  Well, most of us do except for the Iron Range of Minnesota where they call it a "hot dish".  Regardless of what you call it, it is hot, hearty and tasty.  Comfort food at its best.

Chili Mac

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef

1 onion - coarsely chopped

1 T chopped garlic

1 14 oz can chopped tomato

1 14 oz can tomato sauce

2 14 oz cans kidney beans - drained

2 14 oz cans low sodium beef broth

salt

1/2 t ground pepper

1 t oregano

2 bay leaf

2 T chili powder

olive oil

1 c elbow macaroni.

In large sauce pot add enough oil to just coat the bottom.  Heat until it begins to shimmer over medium-high heat.  Crumble in ground beef.  Add black pepper.  Cook until meat is no longer pink.  Move meat to side of pan, add onion.  Cook 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally until onions translucent and meat has some really dark caramelization.  Add garlic, oregano, chili powder, bay leaf and cook 1 minute longer.

Add tomato, tomato sauce and broth.  Heat to boil then reduce heat.  Simmer covered about 1 hour.  Stir occasionally.  Test seasoning at this point and add more salt if needed.

Add macaroni and stir in.  Cook 10-15 minutes longer until macaroni is cooked through.  If the mixture starts to dry out add 1/4 - 1/2 c water.  Serve hot with grated cheddar/jack cheese.

Smoked Sausage and Barley Soup

This last week has not really been soup weather here in LA.  It doesn't change the fact that a bowl of soup makes a nice light meal.

What I like about soup is they are really pretty easy to make.  Even with limited kitchen skills any one can put a decent dinner on the table.  Of course ready made broth is the way to go if you want to cut corners and have the taste of an all day simmered soup.

To that end I've discovered on a bottom shelf at Fresh and Easy Market their "organic" low sodium Chicken Broth for $1.99 for 32 oz.  Such a deal - small dent on the old check book and big on flavor.  Can't go wrong with that combo.

I love Barley for lot of reasons.  Its just a little firmer on the bite than rice, a very mellow nutty taste and really versatile.  The one draw back you have to be aware of is that it is a tough grain to cook up as it is very dense so you do need to plan ahead a little when cooking with it.  

I keep a lot of staples on hand.  Everyone has their own for the pantry, fridge and freezer.  Smoked Sausage like a kielbasa is one I keep in the freezer as its a quick go to for dinner.  You can do it as a stand alone meat entree or in a soup, either way its good.

This soup idea got its start from the simple barley soup my Mom has made for years.  Its just a ham bone simmered down until the meat falls off the bone in a pot with some onion, water and barley.  Not exactly a fiber rich soup.  Its tasty enough but I really don't like picking meat off bones so that isn't really the meat option for soup as far as I am concerned.  Swapping out another smoked pork product would get the same flavors, adding in some more vegies help the fiber content which helps the old plumbing and of course herbage to up the savory flavor and I have a soup that's a winner around here in the winter.

Smoked Sausage and Barley Soup

• 1 lb smoked sausage (like a kielbasa)
  
• 1 large yellow onion - diced
  
• 1 large carrot - slice
  
• 1 T chopped garlic
  
• 2 32 oz cans Chicken Stock
  
• 1 c barley
  
• 1 T dried parsley
  
• 1 T dried tarragon
  
• 1 t thyme
  
• 1 t fennel seeds - crushed
  
• 1 t fresh cracked pepper
  
• 2 bay leaf
  
• 1 t liquid smoke
  
• 12 oz bag spinach
  
• olive oil
  
• salt
  
• green onion finely sliced
  
• fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  

Place barley and 1 32 oz can of chicken stock in large pan.  Bring to boil then cover and simmer stirring occasionally 20 minutes.  At end of cooking turn heat off and allow barley to steep in the stock 1 hour with lid on.

Coat bottom of stock pot with olive oil and heat to shimmering over medium high heat.  Add diced onion,carrot and pepper cook about 5 minutes until onion is translucent. Slice sausage in 1/4 inch thick pieces. Add to pot along with parsley, tarragon, thyme and fennel. Cook until onions are beginning to caramelize and the sausage is browned about 10-15 minutes.  Stirring often.  When sausage is browned add the garlic and stir one minute to get the garlic cooked.

Add liquid smoke, remaining 32 oz chicken stock, barley and its remaining liquid.  Test for seasoning and add salt as needed.  Bring to boil and then reduce and simmer 10 minutes.  Add spinach, stir in and cook 5 minutes until the spinach has wilted but still bright green.

Garnish hot soup with sprinkle of Parmesan and sliced green onion.

Really important cook the spinach only until wilted but still bright green, the flavor is much better and the texture is not slimy at all.

"Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market" find, 32 oz low sodium organic chicken broth at $1.99 can't be beat.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

When all else fails a fresh from the oven biscuit is a nice way to finish off a bowl of soup, stew or...

Having done just enough time in the south I have an idea what a good biscuit should taste like.  Growing up my Ma only made the "sweet" biscuits and those were for strawberry shortcakes.  My friends had mom's that made the traditional biscuit for just about everything, their specialty was "Biscuit and Sausage Gravy".  What I really like is the savory biscuits with a meal.  Red Lobster does a wicked drop biscuit with garlic and a little cheese.  

Making my own from scratch has not been easy.  I don't have a "biscuit hand" IE it doesn't come naturally or easily.  That is until Alton Brown on food TV gave a demo and good explanation of how to do it.  Key is all cold wet ingredients and minimal handling with your hands so you don't melt the shortening or develop the gluten in the dough causing it to get bready and no light flakes.  

So a little searching around I came up with my own savory Cheddar Garlic Biscuit that finishes off a bowl of soup just perfect.  Certainly way better than a biscuit from a can will ever be.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

• 2 cups flour 
  
• 4 teaspoons baking powder 
  
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
  
• 4 tablespoons shortening
  
• 2 t minced garlic
  
• 1 t dried parsley 
  
• 1 cup buttermilk chilled* 
  
• 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese divided.
  

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 

In stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and give it a couple of pulses to even out the dry ingredients. Add shortening and on med-low speed run until shortening is cut into the dry mix resembling coarse sand (about 2 minutes). Add 1/4 c cheese, minced garlic, parsley and buttermilk and mix on low speed just until the dough is just wet evenly. The dough will be very sticky. 

With spatula turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and pat out to approx 1 inch thick rectangle.  Sprinkle with 2 T cheddar cheese. gently fold dough over on itself and pat out to approx 1 inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the dough.  Gently fold over into inch thick rectangle 3 or 4 more times. 

After final fold the dough should be about 1 inch think in a 6X9 inch rectangle.  With sharp knife or bread scraper cut dough in half length wise, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Cut each long strip into 4 biscuits. Place biscuits on baking sheet. 

Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

*You can substitute buttermilk with sour milk by taking 1C milk and adding 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before using.