Poires Babette...Pear Custard Gratin

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My love of pear desserts knows no bounds, so I am constantly on the prowl for new recipes to add to my repertoire. This morning, I came upon a marvelous dessert that I had made a long ago from a book that, unfortunately, is out of print--- The Cuisine of Normandy by Princess Marie Blanche de Broglie.  I think she still has her marvelous cooking school in Paris where, since 1975, she has been offering food-lovers the world-over the opportunity to discover French gastronomy and the art of entertaining, à la Française, in a traditional way that is adaptable to modern living.

In the early 70's she met Julia Child and one of her co-authors, Simone Beck, through a mutual friend.  Having graduated with the Grand Diplôme from the Cordon Bleu during the time when Madame Brassart (the same dreaded lady encountered by Julia Child in the 1950s) was head of the Cordon Bleu school, de Broglie was just getting launched on a culinary career of her own in Paris. She was introduced by columnist Suzanne Patterson, whom she had previously met at  house party near Antibes given by Marie-Blanche's uncle, Prince Louis de Polignac, first cousin of Ranier of Monaco.    She and Julia Child certainly had a lot in common and became good friends.  As Julia always encouraged cooking enthusiasts and professionals, she warmly encouraged Marie-Blanche - fluent in English - to expand her relationships and courses right into the U.S, an idea she seized on joyously. De Broglie was also thrilled to have a preface on her book The Cuisine of Normandy (1984) written by Simone Beck, the great cooking teacher whose roots were in Normandy and the rich produce and cuisine there.

If you have never been to Normandy or had its cuisine, you are in for a treat.  This is the land of apples and cider, luscious pears, butter and cream, Calvados, the famous chickens from Bresse, and all those rich buttery things that should make us fat but somehow don't when you live there.  Marvelous seafood as well as lamb.  We once rented a house in Normandy for two weeks and loved it.  Remember the post on Barfleur and the Moules Mariniere? 

This recipe is fairly light by Norman standards - no heavy cream or tons of butter.  So go for it!

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 C sugar
3 C water
3 to 4 pears
2 C milk
1/3 C plus 1 TB sugar
6 egg yolks
2 TB flour
2 TB rum or pear brandy
2 TB ground almonds
5 to 6 macaroons crushed (2/3 Cup)*
Powdered sugar (for garnish)

Method

To poach the pears, heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan. Peel, halve and core the pears and immerse them in the syrup.  Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until just tender.  Cool them in the syrup.

Bring the milk to a boil with 1 TB sugar and remove it from the heat.  Meanwhile, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar with flour in another saucepan until they are thick and lighter in color.  Pour the hot milk slowly over the mixture, stirring constantly.  Return the mixture to heat, bring it to a boil and cook stirring, 1 minute.  Remove the custard from the heat and flavor it to taste with the pear brandy or rum and ground almonds. 

Spread a thin layer of custard in a buttered ovenproof dish, top with a layer of sliced pears, and sprinkle the pears with macaroon crumbs.  Continue in this fashion forming 2 or 3 layers, ending with a layer of custard sprinkled heavily with macaroon crumbs.  (you may prepare the dessert a few hours ahead to this point).

When you are ready to serve, dust the top with powdered sugar and heat the custard in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  Then run under the broiler to brown the top.  Serve hot or warm.

*I use almond macaroons or amaretti cookies which you can buy or make.

Green Olives Filled with Piquillo Pepper and Anchovy

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From one of the best Spanish chefs to hit American shores, Jose Andres, comes this delightful tapas recipes.  Don't turn up your nose at anchovies, just buy the best and try this in combination with the rest of the tapas buffet.

Ingredients

8 extra-large green olives, unpitted

4 oil-packed anchovy fillets

2 piquillo peppers

1 garlic clove, unpeeled

3 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

Grated zest of 1/2 orange

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Sea salt to taste


Method

1. Using the flat side of a knife, press each olive until the pit pops out, being careful not to split the olive in half. Cut the anchovy fillets lengthwise to create 8 long slices, and cut the piquillo peppers into eight 1/2-inch-wide strips.

2. Place 1 anchovy slice and 1 pepper strip in each olive. You can be generous with the filling, allowing the anchovy and pepper to spill out of the olive.

3. Split open the garlic clove by placing it on a chopping board and pressing down hard with the base of your hand or with the flat side of a knife. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, olive oil, orange zest, and vinegar.

4. Place the stuffed olives in the dressing and allow them to marinate for 30 minutes. Then sprinkle with a little sea salt and arrange them on a plate, with toothpicks for serving

Piquillo peppers are similar to pimientos.  The can be bought in any supermarket where they sell Spanish goods or thru La Tienda online.

Recipe by Jose Andres, Tapas A Taste of Spain in America
Image Dorothy Kindersley

Tortilla Espanola con Chorizo - Spanish Omelette With Chorizos

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This potato omelette is the all time tapas classic, and I doubt there is any tapas bar in Spain that does not serve it.  Although its ingredients are about as basic as can be - eggs and potatoes - it is a tapa that everyone falls in love with and no one ever tires of.  Not only can it be made in advance, it tastes better and can be cut more easily when left awhile at room temperature.

In this recipe, diced chorizo contributes a spicy note to this classic tortilla.

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for skillet if needed

1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 medium onion, diced (1/4 cup)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

6 ounces dried chorizo, cut into 1/4-inch dice

6 large eggs, beaten

Directions

Heat oil in a heavy 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add potatoes and onion, and season with salt. Cover, and cook, stirring often, until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes and onion to a bowl. Add chorizo to skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Transfer chorizo and pan drippings to potato-onion mixture. Reserve skillet.

Add eggs to potato-onion mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Lightly coat skillet with more oil if needed, and heat over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture; stir to combine and press to flatten. Cook, running a flexible spatula around the edges occasionally, until edges set and center is slightly runny, 6 to 8 minutes.

Place a plate, upside down, over skillet, and invert tortilla onto plate. Slide tortilla, cooked side up, back into skillet. Cook over low heat until completely set in the center, 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate, and let cool slightly before cutting into squares or wedges.

This Weather Calls for Comfort Food...Broccoli Cheddar Casserole

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What is it about cold weather that makes you crave good old comfort food, the one your mother used to make when you were young?  Last night I craved Lima beans and corn, something I used to despise when they served it in boarding school!  Not anymore...

Comfort food to me is meatloaf, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, pot roast,  Mac and Cheese, and all those canned soup casseroles my mother used to make in the 60's and the 70's.  Plain and simple, no need to gild the lily.  I have Junior League cookbooks full of casserole recipes from practically every city in the U.S.  For chicken, tuna, zucchini, squash (my favorite) broccoli ,whatever.  Poor broccoli got a bum rap from the first President Bush when he declared he didn't like it.  My mother, at the tender age of 85, has declared she doesn't really like it either...really? After all the broccoli you made me eat  because it was soo good for me and would make me grow like trees?! Seriously now, what is it with broccoli and old people!

Well, in complete defiance of my mother, I am making one tonight, straight from the archives of Campbell's Soup.  That and breaded pork chops with Mott's applesauce...Chocolate pudding anyone???

P.S. I promise to go back to tapas tomorrow, unless we have another casserole emergency due to the cold weather!

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup 

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoon yellow mustard (I use Dijon)

1 bag (16 ounces) frozen broccoli flowerets, thawed*

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs*

2 teaspoon butter, melted

Directions

Stir the soup, milk, mustard, broccoli and cheese in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Stir the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the broccoli mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Cook's Note
You can use fresh broccoli,  First cook it for about 10 mins.
You can substitute the breadcrumbs with 1 cup crushed cheez-its or Riz crackers.  Add the melted butter on top.

Tapas!...Serrano Ham Croquettes With Manchego Cheese

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 I am going to start the year with a series of tapa recipes.They are not only great on their own but can also be served as part of the menu for a tapas party.  They are an inexpensive, filling and fun way to entertain, particularly in the present economic times.

Unlike hors'oeuvre, tapas are substantial, being in essence small dishes combined to make a full meal. So... just because we are not making as much money this year, don't think for a minute that we are going to stop entertaining.  We are just going to readjust our thinking and our wallets and think of new and creative ways to have fun and eat well!

These Serrano and Manchego croquettes are served at a restaurant called Sra. Martinez in the Design District in Miami. I had a delightful lunch there last Spring, after visiting the local Farmer's Market with a friend. The chef and owner is Michelle Bernstein, formerly of Azul at the Mandarin Oriental. I thought I had died and gone to heaven!.  Since then, I've been searching high and low for a recipe and I think I've found it.  Make sure you serve them with a fig marmelade on the side.

For my chicken and turkey croquettes click here.

Stay tuned for more tapas recipes, although I am going to stagger them around so we don't get bored!

Serves 8 as a tapa
Makes about 16

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

7 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping

1 3/4 cup whole milk

6 tablespoons finely chopped serrano ham

1/3 cup grated plus 1/4 cup Manchego cheese, (about 1 3/4 ounces)

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil, for frying

Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish

Fig Marmelade


Directions

In a food processor process first the cheese into fine crumbs.  Clean the bowl then process the ham until finely minced.  Set both aside until needed.

Heat butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in milk, and cook, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in ham and 1/3 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet, and let cool completely. Mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days. Croquettes must be very cold before you go to the next step.  I usually make them one day and bread them the next.

Whisk together eggs in a shallow dish. Stir together breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 cup cheese in another shallow dish. Scoop tablespoons of cooled mixture, and shape with floured hands into 2-inch ovals. Working with 1 oval at a time, coat in beaten egg, then in breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Heat 2 1/2 inches oil in a large, heavy stockpot until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry croquettes, flipping once, until dark golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. (Adjust heat between batches as needed to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Serve warm, garnished with parsley sprigs. Accompany with fig marmelade.

Have you Heard About Agave Nectar?

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Every day around 4:00 p.m. I go downstairs, make myself a nice cup of tea and get ready to watch Everyday Italian and Barefoot Contessa, two of my favorite cooking shows. This is also the time when I start thinking about my next post so it's not a 100% full attention situation, particularly since I could recite most recipes having watched them umpteen times. Today I knew Giada was making salmon with quinoa,(no interest here), so I wasn't paying much attention until out of the corner of my eye I  saw the salmon steaks come out of the grill.  Whoa, what was that she coated them with?? Whatever it was, I could not decipher what she was saying....something about a cross between honey and maple syrup.   So I quickly checked out the site for the recipe and there it was...agave nectar...agave what??!!!  Google and Wikipedia next stop..

Agave nectar (also called agave syrup) is a newly created sweetener, developed in the l990's and commercially produced in Mexico from several species of agave, including the Blue Agave (Agave tequilana) used to make tequila.  Agave nectar is sweeter than honey, though less viscous (that means thinner, I learned that too)

agave tequiliano

agave avelladinens

 To produce agave nectar from the Agave tequiliana plant, juice is expressed from the core of the agave, called the piña. The juice is filtered, then heated to hydrolyze polysaccharides into simple sugars. The main polysaccharide is called inulin or fructosan and comprises mostly fructose units. The filtered, hydrolyzed juice is concentrated to a syrup-like liquid a little thinner than honey that ranges in color from light to dark depending on the degree of processing. The syrup contains iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium which contribute to the resulting color.

Agave nectar consists primarily of fructose and glucose. One source gives 92% fructose and 8% glucose; another gives 56% fructose and 20% glucose. These differences presumably reflect variation from one vendor to another. Due to its fructose content and the fact that the glycemic index measures only glucose levels, agave nectar is notable in that its glycemic index and glycemic load are lower than many other natural sweeteners on the market.

Agave nectar is said to be 1.4 to 1.6 times sweeter than sugar. It is often substituted for sugar or honey in recipes. Vegans in particular commonly use agave nectar to replace honey in recipes. It is also used as a sweetener for cold beverages such as iced tea because it can dissolve quickly.

Agave nectars are sold in light, amber, dark, and raw varieties. Light agave nectar has a mild, almost neutral flavor, and is therefore sometimes used in delicate tasting foods and drinks. Amber agave nectar has a medium-intensity caramel flavor, and is therefore used in foods and drinks with stronger flavors. Dark agave nectar has stronger caramel notes, and imparts a distinct flavor to dishes, such as some desserts, poultry, meat, and seafood dishes. Both amber and dark agave nectar are sometimes used "straight out of the bottle" as a topping for pancakes and waffles. Raw agave nectar also has a mild, neutral taste. It is produced at temperatures below 118 °F (48 °C) to protect the natural enzymes, so this variety is an appropriate sweetener for raw foodists.

Agave Nectar has many other fine qualities as well. Foremost among them are the certified purity, both organic and kosher. Also of note is the flavor. The light variety's neutral flavor will not alter the taste of the foods in which it is used making it ideal as a sweetener for coffee, tea, fruit "smoothies", and other beverages. The amber variety's mild natural flavor will lend a delicious and mysterious hint of flavor to sauces or baked goods. This sweetener is also very convenient to use, as it has a long, stable shelf life and will not solidify. It pours quickly even when cold, blends and dissolves readily in or on all foods. For baking, its moisture retention properties are comparable to those of honey. Bakers also may notice a silky, smoother texture to their goods and better definition of other natural flavors.

This pure, unrefined sweetener is a great-tasting, economical alternative to all other sweeteners, granular or liquid, perfect for all around use. It has approx 1.4 x the sweetening power of white sugar and its mild flavor doesn't vary widely which will lend a real consistency to recipes.  For more information check this site

If you'd had enough and just want the recipe for the salmon, here it is:

Grilled Salmon With Citrus Salsa Verde

Directions

Salsa:

Ingredients

2 large oranges

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 scallions, finely sliced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons orange zest

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salmon:

Vegetable or canola oil, for oiling the grill

4 (4 to 5-ounce) center cut salmon fillets, skinned, each about 3-inches square

2 tablespoons amber agave nectar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions 

For the salsa: Peel and trim the ends from each orange. Using a paring knife, cut along the membrane on both sides of each segment. Free the segments and add them to a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, mint, capers, orange zest, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Toss lightly and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

For the salmon: Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the grilling rack with vegetable oil to keep the salmon from sticking. Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave nectar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the salmon to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Spoon the salsa verde on top of the salmon or serve on the side as an accompaniment.

If you want the accompanying dishes, click here

6 Steps to Perfect Eggs Benedict - Demystifying Hollandaise Sauce

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Okay, listen and listen carefully, I'm going to give you some tips for making the perfect hollandaise sauce.  Before I list them, I'm going to tell you the why which,  if you are like me, will help you remember all these steps without having to memorize them.  In hollandaise sauce, the butter cooks the eggs, thus, give them a head start by leaving them out of the refrigerator until they come to room temperature!  Also, make sure you bring the butter to a bubbling boil for it is the cooking agent for the eggs.

Servings 2

Ingredients

7 eggs (4 whole, 3 yolks)
1 8 oz. bar of butter
1 TB fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cayenne
black pepper
salt
2 English Muffins split
4 slices Canadian Bacon

Procedure

Lay out all your ingredients.  Split the muffins and set them in the toaster oven ready to cook.  Brown the Canadian bacon in tsp of butter and set aside.  Butter an egg poacher and crack 4 eggs into it.  Make the hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce

Take the eggs out of fridge about 4 hrs. before you cook them.  Separate 3 yolks from white.  Add yolks to blender.  Melt 1 bar of butter in a skillet, add about 1/4 tsp cayenne, salt and pepper and cook until bubbly on medium heat.  When the butter is about ready to come to a boil, start your blender on high and blend the egg yolks for at least 30 seconds.  Slowly pour the bubbling butter into the eggs in a steady drip  and squeeze 1 TB of the lemon juice. Stop! you are done!!! Pour into a glass bowl and keep warm on top of the stove. Taste it, if it needs more salt,  pepper or lemon juice, add and stir with a spoon.

Start the muffins and cook the eggs.  Do not poach past 4 minutes.  Eggs continue to cook after you take them out and the hot hollandaise sauce will help the process along.

When the muffins are done (do not overtoast), lay two halves on a plate, cover with the Canadian bacon slices and the poached eggs.  Pour Hollandaisse sauce over the top and eat immediately

So remember...

1. Take eggs out of refrigerator so they have time to come to room temperature
2. Have all your ingredients ready to go BEFORE you start the recipe!
3. Make sure you bring the butter to a bubbling boil
4. Blend the yolks on high for at least 30 seconds before you start adding the melted butter
5. Underpoach your eggs so you don't end up with hard boiled eggs
6. Be ready to sit down at the table the minute those eggs come out of the pan!

Oh yes, and don't forget the Bloody Marys!