Wednesday 25th March 2009. Something For The Larder.

We have a thing about preserves in our house. Everyone loves them, and I make a fair amount. They are very popular as gifts.Our French friends and neighbours are very enthusiastic about the “le chutney”. They are slowly learning how to make it from magazine recipes or from British neighbours. My closest neighbour Marie-Line (yes, she spells it that way) has taken to heating it up and serving it with meats of all descriptions – I suppose as a type of sweet and sour sauce. I can’t say I have copied her example, but it is well received by her family.
Sadly, we have run dry of all supplies – there is nothing left in the larder. A very sad affair.
So, I have taken to making a few things out of season – it’s amazing how you can rustle up a few ingredients to bridge the gap in the larder until Autumn arrives once again.
I bought some shallots the other day – they were reasonably priced as, let’s face it , they’re not at their best at this time of year – one or two had green shoots coming out of their tops. However, pickled in a dark and spicy vinegar they are very forgiving and quite delicious.
Here’s the recipe.
(You can scale the amounts down, but it’s never worth it – they go so quickly!)

3 kilos of shallots – peeled.
sea salt
1.5 litres of cider vinegar
0.5 litre of balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons of pickling spice – I used a mixture of peppercorns, allspice berries and coriander seeds.
6 heaped tablespoons of dark brown sugar – more if you like them sweet.
Cinnamon sticks – about a thumb’s length for each jar you fill
A few small dried chillies (optional)

METHOD
The process is a two day thing, I’m afraid.
FIRST DAY – Peel the shallots and generously sprinkle on the sea salt ( don’t use the coarse stuff as it won’t adhere to the shallots, and just fall to the bottom of the bowl. Cover and leave for 24 hours
– Add all the other ingredients, except the cinnamon sticks into a thick based saucepan. Gently bring to a boil. Cover and leave to infuse for 24 hours.
SECOND DAY. Drain the shallots in a colander and shake off any excess salt. Pack into jars, add a cinnamon stick and pour over the cooled vinegar.
Store for at least two weeks in a cool place and serve with the usual suspects – Ploughman’s, cold cuts etc.
Note – Ensure jars are clean and have been rinsed in boiling water to sterilize. I do this by standing a spoon in each jar and pouring boiling water into each jar up to the brim. Allow to stand for 5 minutes and drain on a clean cloth. Put the lids into a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Not very exciting reading, but necessary information)

Wanted – Dead or Alive: Crab for Supper.

The British have a certain way with words. We find it difficult to be too direct – a fine asset in some situations. There are however, times when we simply fail to say what we mean. Take dressed crab for instance.
My immediate vision is, admittedly somewhat bizarre – say, a cheeky little black dress, string of pearls with kitten heels. Common sense soon takes a hold and I re-focus. We, in the foodie inner junta know this is a diplomatic way of describing the finished item for the table – all the nasty bits have been done with tongs, pliers, hammers and the like. No mess, no evidence, just fabulous crab meat , sitting gently in its shell, no need even for a plate.
British reserve is intact – job done, details are scarce and not required.
NOT SO IN FRANCE!
Our Gallic cousins don’t mince their words, when it comes to food “Tourteau” or crab for eating is a far more unwieldy creature – it is possible to get it cooked, but NEVER dressed.
I feel my life has been too sheltered on the culinary front, and am not too brave on the kill it, eat it front.
I spend my first crab season here, wandering up and down the fish stalls looking for a cooked crab. What is so embarrassing, is that I got myself a bit of a reputation as “La Folle Galloise” – the one who constantly asked politely “Les Tourteaux…………..ils sont morts???”
I have to share the sad fact with those reading this, I was frightened of something that might might make a lunge at me while I was “dressing” it. Too Hitchcock for my liking.
My first experience with a cooked crab, went relatively well – This was because I laid it on the centre of a large white cloth………and watched it for about half and hour before making my attack. Yes, its’ pathetic I know.
Even more so when youngsters at the local restaurant take to the precision surgery that is eating crab with effortless agility and panache, gaily splattering all those around them with various bits of……….well, you get the picture.
I felt it was a rite of passage to cook a live crab and dress it – not to mention the guarantee of the freshest product available – It made so much sense.
So, a few weeks ago, I went to see the very sympathetic Ann Sophie at the local Friday market. She picked me out a nice crab, and then gave me careful instructions to prepare a court bouillon – I have the ingredients pictured above – rock salt, peppercorns, thyme and bay. I was told to bring the water, seasoning and herbs to the boil and then cool.
The crab was placed in the cold liquid and brought to the boil once more and kept at a rolling simmer for 20 minutes.
I then drained it, chilled it, dressed (!) it, and ate it. Wonderful.

Black Lava

Well……………….that’s not technically correct. It is, in fact a bowl of hot, steaming blackberries and apples, ready for a crumble.
Call me biased, but I think British puddings are the best in the world. They’re not particularly elegant and on times thoroughly un-photogenic, But they’re F.A.B.to eat and everyone loves them.Lots of them are very simple and quick to put together. Winners all round, wouldn’t you say?
This one couldn’t get more local either. We bought the apples from one of the numerous road side sellers that you see here at this time of year, and we picked the blackberries when doing our daily cycle ride past Vermette, our village’s moated castle.
So, here’s how it’s done – a bit flung together, but a result every time.
Note: If custad is your topping of choice, go to my recipe for rosewater and strawberry ice cream, and follow the instructions for the custard base used for the recipe)

BLACKBERRY AND APPLE CRUMBLE
SERVES 6.

INGREDIENTS.
6 EATING APPLES – AS TART AS YOU CAN GET.
A BOWL OF BLACKBERRIES – WHATEVER YOU CAN PICK
SUGAR TO TASTE

CRUMBLE TOPPING
200G FLOUR
100G BUTTER, UNSALTED
50G SUGAR
50G GROUND ALMONDS
HALF A TEASPOON OF GROUND GINGER.

METHOD
1. Place topping ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the mix is like fine crumbs. – Set aside.
2.Peel, core and chop apples into rough chunks
3.Wash and pick through blackberries for unwanted visitors.
4. Put both fruits into a large pan, add a quarter of a cup of water and cover. On a medium heat bring up to the boil and simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Taste the fruit and decide if it needs to be sweetened and add sugar as you think necessary.
6. Place the fruit in a large oven proof dish and sprinkle over the crumble topping. DO NOT PRESS DOWN!
7. Bake in a pre heated oven for 30 minutes on 180 degrees.
8. Remove and serve with custard, cream, evaporated milk (best colour when mixing with blackberries) or on its own.

Gratin of Sweet Potato and Cauliflower.

It’s hot outside today, so this is not the best dish to serve for a late summer supper.
It is however a family staple that we all love.
It’s quick to prepare and served out of one dish.
If you are feeling particularly organised you can place it in individual oven proof serving dishes so you can cut down on the washing up.
Never works chez Haddock, because everyone wants seconds.
Anyway, here’s the recipe.

INGREDIENTS.
500 ML MILK
150G CHEDDAR
THREE MEDIUM SWEET POTATOES.
ONE GOOD SIZED CAULIFLOWER.
2TBSP FLOUR
25G BUTTER
SALT AND WHITE PEPPER TO TASTE
A TEASPOON OF MUSTARD OF YOUR CHOICE – WHOLEGRAIN IS GOOD FOR THIS
A FEW GRATINGS FROM A NUTMEG

TOPPING
50G CHEDDAR
A FEW HANDFULS OF HAND GRATED FRESH BREADCRUMBS.

METHOD.
1. Prick sweet potatoes and place in an oven on a tray (Heat 200 degrees c)
2. Bake until a knife goes through them easily – approx 40 mins.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the cauliflower into small florets, and cook in a small amount of salted water (no need to cover completely).
4. Cook until you think it’s done – some like it quite hard, some prefer it softer – either way, don’t let it turn into a mush, as the flavour will disappear.
5. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the cheese sauce, using the milk, flour, butter, seasoning, mustard and nutmeg.. Keep warm to one side. ( Novice cooks: Get Delia out of the bookshelf)
6. When the potatoes are done, take them from the oven and carefully slit them open and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.
7. Drain cooked cauliflower into a colander.
8. In a large oven proof dish place the sweet potato down the centre, and then arrange the cauliflower florets around it on both sides.
9. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle over the cheese and breadcrumbs.
10. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees c for 20 minutes – turn the dish once if your oven is a bit one sided on the temperature front.

Serve the dish as it is.A complete meal in itself. Comfort food at its best.

Not My Aunty Mary’s Soup!

That was the comment hurled at me when I presented my youngest daughter with this soup.
Let me explain.
My Aunt (Mary) lives on the side of a windswept hill in the South Wales mining town of Abertillery. – simply, and diplomatically, not the most desirable of places – not the type of place where tomatoes grow outside – more likely to be raised with difficulty in a greenhouse (heating a must early on the season)
Ever a lady to place scorn on frivolities and waste, she makes an excellent soup from tinned tomatoes, carrots, onions stock cubes and a swirl of cream. We all love it.
Clearly my daughter loves it more than the offering above.
During winter time when the tomatoes overcrowding my kitchen are just a wistful memory, I will post up her recipe.
Today is more about the celebration prime, seasonal produce.
Who am I kidding?
It’s about using up these mountains of tomatoes before they slide past their best…………………….

INGREDIENTS
2 KILOS OF CHOPPED, ASSORTED TOMATOES.
2 LARGE CARROTS THINLY SLICED (I USE A MANDOLIN FOR THESE AND THE ONIONS)
4 MEDIUM ONIONS, THINLY SLICED.
100G BUTTER, UNSALTED
A SPLASH OF SUNFLOWER OIL – PREVENTS THE BUTTER FROM BURNING
600 ML OF WATER
100ML OF FRESH CREAM.
SALT TO TASTE

TO SERVE
A FEW SPINACH AND RICOTTA TORTELLINI (ABOUT 6 PER PERSON )
CHOPPED FRESH TOMATOES TO GARNISH – AS MANY VARIETIES AS YOU HAVE.
BREAD IF YOU THINK YOU CAN EAT IT.

METHOD.
1. Heat the butter and oil in a deep heavy based pan.
2. Add the onions and carrots, cover and fry gently for 15 minutes – stir regularly.
3. Add the tomatoes, stir and cover again for 10 minutes.
4. Remove lid, add the water and gently bring to the boil.
5. Cover the soup again and cook for 30 minutes on a gentle heat.
6. About 10 minutes before serving time, throw the tortellini into some boiling , salted water and cook until they rise up to the top of the pan. Drain and keep to one side
7. During the last 30 minutes, the assorted chopped tomatoes can be diced ready for the garnish.
8. When the mixture is ready, get another pan and sieve out the soup to remove the seeds and skins.
9. Just prior to serving, add the salt to taste and swirl in the cream – do not boil after this point.
10. To assemble the dish, put the tortellini in the bottom of a soup plate, slowly add the soup around them, and finally scatter over the garnish.
11. Serve and enjoy.
NOTE – I like to contrast hot and cold and soft/smooth and crunchy textures – it may not be to everyone’s taste to have cold diced tomatoes as a garnish for this soup – It is not mandatory, but at least try out the taste with a small amount of the soup – you won’t regret it. Promise.!

Confit of Tomato Soup.

Apologies for the odd sounding title, but it’s the best thing describes this soup.
I have seen recipes a plenty for roasted tomato soup, but the tomatoes in this were gently “poached” in a fruity olive oil before the other ingredients were added.
It is a big flavoured soup, so its not for the faint hearted.
Neither is an exact science – ingredients are approximate.
There are no chef touches to this – no de-seeding, skinning or sieving out of debris before serving:. What you see is what you get here – honest, rustic and good to eat.
As the family are not big on bread, I have suggested serving it with thin slivers of toasted Arab bread, and a mound of sticky, saffron rice.

One final thing before I finally get started here: A winter rendition of this dish would certainly require the addition of some sugar to soften the winter acidity of the tomatoes – here is is not needed.

INGREDIENTS
AN ASSORTMENT OF TOMATOES – CHOPPED ROUGHLY
100 ML OF GOOD, FRUITY OLIVE OIL (MORE IF NECESSARY)
6-8 CLOVES OF GARLIC, CRUSHED
A FEW GENEROUS SLOSHES OF BALSAMIC VINEGAR.
ONE RED CHILLI – MORE IF YOU ARE A HEAT JUNKIE – CHOPPED AND DE-SEEDED.
SALT TO TASTE.

TO SERVE
ARAB OR PITA BREAD, TOASTED AND SLICED THINLY
STICKY WHITE RICE, FLAVOURED WITH A PINCH OF SAFFRON

METHOD
1. Put a shallow, thick based pan on the heat to gently warm – I use a Spanish cazuela for this – it looks a bit like a two handled frying pan, with deeper than normal sides.
2. Add the olive oil to very warm slowly.
3. Add the garlic and swirl around in the pan with a spatula – Under no circumstances let it brown.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes – the oil should come about half way up the sides of them, and they should cover the pan in a single layer. Multi layers will not give the desired taste to this dish. Pour in more oil if needed.
5. Slowly let the tomatoes “poach” in the oil, with the gentlest of heat – some will lose their skins, others will break down – this is what should happen.
6. Let them cook for about 15-20 minutes, and then add the other ingredients, save the salt which should be added at the end to adjust the flavour.
7. Cover the pan and let the mixture bubble away for another 20-30 minutes, until the mixture is well broken down.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and liquidize with a hand blender.
9. The oil will amalgamate thoroughly with the tomatoes, so there will be no unsightly film on the top.
10. Serve, as suggested with toasted Arab or pita bread, and a mound of sticky white rice flavoured with a little saffron – If you have none, do not substitute with turmeric, as it is too bitter for this dish.

How Many Tomatoes Can a Haddock Grow?

I store them here

[caption id="attachment_76" align="alignright" width="128" caption="..........and I prep them there."][/caption]
There is no easy answer to this question I feel. Suffice to say like numerous other fellow foodies, I have them in abundance, and, try as I might, there are very few takers in these parts for gift baskets of the red orbs.
Save the odd photo shoot or two, they placidly wait to be prepared, until their owner (me) creates a selection of recipes to do them justice.
Happily, that time is now.
My favourite tomato “dish” is sliced thinly, and served with fresh bread, salted French butter and cheese (I admit to being a Cheddar aficionado),
Rest easy, I am not about to offer up a recipe for this simple creation.
I have decided on a duo of tomato soup recipes, which I will post as two different posts following this one.(too much reading otherwise)
Not very high up there for imagination or creativity, but tomato soup represents the ultimate comfort food for our family.
I recall eating this more often than not for my school packed lunch (with a Cheddar cheese sandwich),
It was my default food when pregnant (along with Liquorice Allsorts)
It was our supper last evening when we returned home from the Ile de Re, accompanied by cheese on toast (Cheddar) liberally spread with grainy mustard.
I had it for lunch today.
OK. I’ll stop now – you get the picture – I like tomato soup.

Strawberry and Rosewater Ice Cream.

Summer is leaving us slowly here…………..the horse chestnut in the garden is already shedding its huge leaves, and the days are getting gradually shorter.
In truth, the weather has disappointed this year.There have been long hot dreamy days, but they have been cruelly disrupted by heavy rains, strong winds and even the odd mild tornado.
Yes, I feel quite at home here – the weather is so British.
Strawberries and cream are the quintessential British dessert, and I have combined those evocative flavours of summer with one of my favourite ingredients – Rosewater.
I suppose , like Marmite, you either love it or hate it, and I fall into the former camp and use it with abandon in my cooking.
As an unashamed collector of kitchen gadgetry, I do own an ice cream maker (the one with the inbuild chiller unit).
However the recipe can be made using a domestic freezer, with a bit of patience.

INGREDIENTS.
500G HULLED STRAWBERRIES.
5TBS ROSEWATER
8OOML OF FRESH DOUBLE CREAM AND MILK COMBINED (AT A PROPORTION OF AT LEAST 50/50 – I WAS A LITTLE HEAVY HANDED WITH THE CREAM AND USED 600 ML)
150G VANILLA SUGAR
8 EGG YOLKS (I USED ORGANIC)
1TBSP OF CORNFLOUR.

METHOD.
1. Hull and cut up the strawberries into quarters. Lay on a plate and sprinkle with the rosewater.Leave to infuse for at least one hour at room temperature. Stir occasionally to amalgamate the rosewater thoroughly.
2. In the meantime prepare the custard. Add vanilla sugar, cornflour and egg yolks to a deep bowl. Beat until mixed well.
(I use cornflour to minimise the risk of splitting the custard – other methods include the use of a double boiler, or having a sink full of cold water nearby to plunge the mixture into in the event of disaster – Cornflour is the simplest way. Honestly.)
3. Slowly heat up the cream and milk in a saucepan until it is considering its ascent up the pan sides to come to a full boil. BEFORE this happens, take the pan off the heat and pour into the egg and sugar mixture. Beat the mixture hard.
4. In a clean saucepan, return the mixture to the heat and gently heat and stir (or beat) until the mixture thickens. Remember here that we are not looking to cut it into polenta like slabs – a gentle thickening to a pouring consistency is sufficient.
5. Cool the mixture down. Do this by way of some ice in a large bowl placed below the pan, but NEVER in the fridge – this will seriously affect the operating temperature and the other food stored there.
6. After the strawberries have macerated, purée them in a blender.
7. To make the ice cream either pour into the ice cream maker and set to churn and freeze, OR pour the mixture into a plastic lidded container and place in the freezer. In this case, the mixture will need to be broken up and mixed a few times during the freezing process in order to reduce the formation of ice crystals in the preparation.
8. Serve with a few additional strawberries, in cones or wafers or simply on its own. An ice cream maker has the added advantage of allowing you to serve it “semifreddo” – a soft creamy consistency that is a stage between the liquid mixture and the fully frozen result. (see picture in the red bowl)

Good Enough to Eat...............................

Starter for Ten (Minutes)

I am impatient. I love to entertain, but never seem to have the motivation to give up a lot of time for the starter or dessert. It’s a flaw that one day I hope to rectify.
I tend to try and attain a degree of “special effects” in the vain hope that I will overshadow any short cut effort on my part so the guests won’t perceive any apathy over their long awaited invite to eat chez nous (I have a reputation to maintain at the end of the day). I am often forced to set fire to some nervous bananas as a last ditch attempt at impressing………..the lengths one must go to.
I am cleaning up my act. I am a staunch believer in a bit of forward planning these days, and this does now avert the odd charred tablecloth and hastily purchased cold cuts and the like to masquerade as a “rustic” starter.
Take last Saturday as an example.
Dips seem to exude a charm all of their own – the odd furtive excuse to lick your fingers and wipe your plate clean with a slice of bread. Communal eating at its best.
I prepared three dips.
YOGHURT AND CUCUMBER – Two small pots of yoghurt, thinly sliced and peeled cucumber and a generous dollop of mint sauce from a jar. Stir and serve.
HUMMUS – Take one tin of rinsed chick peas, add chopped garlic, tahini, olive oil, some water to thin and the juice of at least one lemon. Blitz in the proccessor and pour into a dish. Toast some pine nuts and scatter on top. Drizzle with your best olive oil and sprinkle with some paprika ( I like the Spanish pimenton picante).
SWEET TOMATO PUREE. -This is where a bit of advance cooking comes into its own. I use Claudia Roden’s recipe (Arabesque) and seal it in preserving jars for later use – If that sounds a bit daunting, it can be frozen or made two days in advance and kept in the fridge.
OLIVES – Open jar or packet and put into bowls (no instructions for this stage I feel)
BREAD (need I say slice it??)
This really is a ten minute starter and quite fool proof.
Try it, its so easy.

SWEETCORN PANCAKES

This is a very simple recipe for a meal where eggs are not liked by your guests. Egg based dishes can be unpopular with many children, and these pancakesare wonderfully soft and have a have the sweetness of the corn to increase their appeal………they are very addictive!

SERVES:…………..depends on how hungry everyone is (at least two!)

INGREDIENTS

120ML MILK

1 EGG

50G SELF RAISING FLOUR

150G OF TINNED SWEETCORN (THIS IS A SMALL TIN SIZE AVAILIBLE HERE IN FRANCE)

OIL OF YOUR CHOICE FOR FRYING

SEASONING TO TASTE – JUST A PINCH OF SALT IS ENOUGH AND NO PEPPER

METHOD

1. Put sweetcorn in a liquidizer or blender

2.Process until some kernels are still visible

3. Add all the other ingredients and blend until a batter is formed

4. Heat up a small amount of oil in a non stick frying pan

5. Pour in 2 tablespoons of mixture into the pan per pancakes.

6. Cook gently for about 3 minutes, turn carefully and cook on the other side.

7. Cook in batches according to the size of the pan you are using, and keep the pancakes warm while the others are cooking.

8. Cook on the other side – you are looking for a light browning here…….difficult to obtain with all butter, which gives the best flavour. I try to combine a neutral oil with the butter to avoid the foaming butter burning.

8. Serve warm or cold.

VARIATION. – The batter can be enriched with another egg to make a savoury custard to use in a pastry case for a quiche -like flan. Again the sweetcorn is the prominent texture and disguises the egg very well indeed. If you are a “bits and pieces” quiche cook, you can add, in moderation your usual preferred ingredients – ham, tomato, red pepper etc to taste.