Confits de tomates

This amazing recipe came from David Lebovitz.

Buy some tomatoes, just about any variety will do. 2 pounds (1 kilo) is a nice amount.

Wash and dry them, then slice them in half. Pour enough decent-quality olive oil in a baking dish so that it just covers the bottom of the dish, somewhere between 1/4 cup and 1/3 cup should do. Sprinkle in coarse salt and freshly-ground black pepper, add a few branches of fresh thyme and/or a few sprigs of rosemary. Then line the bottom of the baking dish with the tomatoes, sliced-side down. Don't be bashful; it's okay to really pack them in.

Peel and slice 3 or 4 garlic cloves, slice them in half lengthwise and tuck them in the gaps between the tomatoes. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a bit more salt and a small sprinkling of sugar (less than 1 teaspoon... you're not making dessert) and add a few bay leaves.

Bake the tomatoes in a 350 degree (180 centigrade) oven until they are soft and cooked throughout, which should take at least 45 minutes.

Once they're soft, remove them from the oven and let stand until room temperature. You can scrape the tomatoes and juices and herbs into a container and refrigerate them for up to 4 to 5 days or use them right away. They will actually improve as they sit.

Use them to toss into pasta, slightly chopped, or warm them and spoon them whole onto hot garlic toasts, perhaps with a few filets of good anchovies, and shower them with lots of fresh herbs. They're also nice served alongside a summer salad with some goat cheese, all drizzled with a bit of the tasty olive oil and juices.

Jonathan's ice cream

No ice cream maker? No problem. This light recipe is perfect for summer.

In a large Tupperware bowl mix:

3 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup cream (15%)
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp sugar

Whisk to dissolve sugar.

Optional: Add chocolate chips, sliced berries, toffee chips....

Seal the bowl and shake well. Freeze, removing once each hour to shake well.

Kiwi banana tart

1 premade crust (pate feuilletee)

Make 10 or more small holes in crust with a fork then bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Let crust cool.

Pastry Cream
1 1/4 cup milk (separated)
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp flour
2-3 drops vanilla
3-4 Tbsp plain yogurt (optional)

Beat the egg yolk, then add in flour. Mix until smooth. Add 1/4 cup milk and mix well. In a saucepan over medium heat remaining 1 cup milk and sugar, stirring often, until just boiling. Very slowly pour the egg mixture into the milk and sugar, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in yogurt once cooled.

Spread a thick layer of the pastry cream onto crust.

Slice fruit thinly, then dip in orange juice to keep it from browning. Layer fruit slices on the pastry cream. Cover and chill before serving.

Homemade yogurt

Many of you have heard of or read the book "French Women Don't Get Fat." It's a best-seller by Mireille Guiliano, a French woman who fell victim to US-style gluttony but managed to shake it off using traditional French methods and mentality. Here's what I took away from it for me, my condensed version:

Eat more yogurt. I like a challenge. I love a challenge in the kitchen. So when Madame Guiliano suggested a recipe for homemade yogurt, I was on the bandwagon, riding shotgun.

What you'll need:
1-2 tablespoons plain yogurt (with active cultures)
1 quart 2 percent milk
glass or ceramic bowl with cover
whisk
saucepan
thermometer

Heat the milk in saucepan over medium heat until steam rises and small bubbles appear on edges. Remove from heat and cool to 120 degrees. Put the yogurt in the bowl. Add an equal amount of milk and mix well, blending thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup more milk and blend. Keep adding milk slowly, blending well after each addition.

Cover the milk mixture and put it in a warm place for eight hours. The temperature should be between 90 and 100 degrees the entire time. I put mine in the oven with the pilot light on. Refrigerate the yogurt for six to eight hours before serving.



Serving suggestions:
Add fresh fruit, honey, or granola.

Other uses:
Use as a substitute for sour cream, heavy cream, or strain overnight with a cheese cloth to make cream cheese substitute.

Morrocan chicken tagine

Make it as spicy as you want! Simmer for at least two hours for the best flavors. Serves 4.

3 chicken legs
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 small can chickpeas
1 zucchini, cut into large chunks
1 eggplant, cut into large chunks
1-2 bell peppers, sliced
¼ head cabbage
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp paprika
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 Tbsp curry (mixture of cumin, coriander, and caraway)
¼ tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp cinnamon
Creole seasoning (opt)
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
2 cups couscous
2 Tbsp raisins

In a large pot, cover chicken with water and boil 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and paste, potato, and carrot. Simmer on low-medium for an hour or until veggies are soft. Add remaining veggies and seasonings. Go easy on cinnamon, cloves, and ginger at first. Let simmer on low 1 hour, then taste. Add seasonings as needed. Simmer another hour if possible.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add 2 cups coucous and raisins. Stir quickly, then cover. Wait 5-10 minutes. Fluff with fork. Serve while hot with sauce poured on top.

Fish tacos

I e-mailed the Atlanta newspaper a while back to ask the food editor about a recipe used by Willie Rae's restaurant. Here's their answer...



(Click the photo to enlarge.)

Meg's tiramisu

Meg sealed the deal as my good friend when she handed over this recipe!

Lady Finger cookies
1 cup Mascarpone cheese (or 2/3 cup cream cheese mixed with 1/3 cup sour cream)
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup very strong coffee
whipped cream (opt)
toffee chips (opt)

Mix sugar and cheese. Cover the bottom of the dish with lady fingers. Drizzle coffee over them until well moistened. Spread a layer of cheese mixture over cookies. Repeat until cookies or cheese run out. Top with whipped cream and toffee chips. Let sit overnight before serving.

Variations:
- use hot chocolate instead of coffee
- use cream instead of coffee and layer berries or other fruit
- add 2 T coffee liqueur to coffee (this is the original recipe)
- add 2 egg yolks to cheese mixture to make more rich

Southern girl's biscuits

I know this page is usually reserved for French recipes, but as a good southerner I have to share this amazing biscuit recipe. They are so light and fluffy, and easy to make!

2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 T butter
1 1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c milk

Mix dry ingredients. Add butter and work in with pastry cutter until completely mixed in. (You can also pulse it in a food processor.) Add yogurt and milk and stir until just mixed. Shape batter into balls about 1 inch wide and place on a cookie sheet, spacing well. Bake in preheated oven at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until just golden.

Tartiflette

This is a traditional French meal from the Haute Savoie region. It’s a great winter meal, and very easy to make.

6 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large onion, chopped
5-6 strips bacon
1 c cream
1 round Reblochon cheese, sliced in half lengthwise then halved.
*** can substitute 2 c shredded Monterrey Jack cheese***
1 t Herbes de Provence (see recipe)
¼ t nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes until soft. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet. Remove bacon, reserving grease. Sauté the onions until translucent. Add crumbled bacon, potatoes, and seasonings, stirring gently until mixed. Pour into a large baking dish. Pour cream over mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven at 350 degrees.

Herbes de Provence

This recipe dates back to the 1800's and makes four ounces.

3 T dried marjoram
3 T dried thyme
1 T dried summer savory
1 T dried sweet basil
½ t dried rosemary, crumbled
½ t crushed sage
½ fennel seeds

Combine herbs, mixing well. Pack into an airtight jar. Will stay fresh four months.

French dark chocolate mousse

This is the real deal.

6 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
1 bar dark chocolate (70 % cocoa is best!) slowly melted in double boiler

Fold the chocolate into the eggs whites gently. Once blended, refrigerate a few hours until firm. Can be topped with whipped cream or raspberries, but is amazing in it’s plain, unadulterated form.

Bagels fait maison

Bagel anyone?


In a large bowl, whisk together:

1 c warm water (as hot as you can stand it and still keep your finger in it)
1 ½ t salt
2 T sugar
2 ¼ t yeast

Add 3 c flour, mixing well. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes, adding flour if you need to keep it from sticking. Don’t cheat on the kneading time – it needs to be very well kneaded. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover with a wet towel. Let rest 20 minutes in a warm place, like oven with light on. Pull the dough out and cut it into nine pieces. Shape each piece into a tight ball. I usually pinch the ends together repeatedly to form a tight ball with a “belly button”, but whatever works.

Gently poke a hole through each ball using a rounded handle on a piece of silverware. Twirl the dough around the handle gently until the gap stretches to be one inch wide. Dip the bagel in milk, then place the bagels on a greased cookie sheet. Leave plenty of space for them to rise. Let rise in a warm place 30 minutes.


Boiled first, then baked.

Fill a saucepan ¾ full of water and bring to a boil. Add 3 T sugar or 3 T molasses. Boil the bagels one at a time for 1 minute on either side. Pull out the bagels using a slotted spoon and place them on a cookie sheet or stoneware. Brush tops with beaten egg white. If you want to add toppings like sesame seeds or poppy seeds to the bagels, sprinkle them on now.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until brown. Be sure to check the bottom of the bagels for doneness before pulling them out. You might need to flip the bagels for them to cook evenly.


I see bagels in your future

Optional: When adding flour you can also add cinnamon and raisins, garlic, minced onion, blueberries, or any other flavors.

Homemade cottage cheese...

After all my incessant chattering about how I was going to start making cottage cheese from scratch, several of you asked for pictures and details.


The ingredients before: buttermilk (Laban), cream (creme), salt (sel), dry milk (lait ecreme en poudre), and rennet. Oh, and the cheesecloth.

The votes are in and the cheese making was a success. Not a smashing success, mind you, but definitely worth repeating and perfecting. This first attempt came out with a very soft texture, much like chevre (goat cheese)which we also like. Next time I'll let the curd ripen a bit longer and see if that helps.

As this is a work in progress, check for updates before you make this at home. :)

Ingredients:
1/4 rennet tablet (an enzyme sold as Junket in grocery stores)
1/2 c cold water
1 gallon skim milk
1/4 c buttermilk (let sit at room temp at least 4 hours before using)
1 t salt
1/3 c cream


Step 1: Milk, buttermilk, and rennet

Crush the rennet and dissolve in water. In a large saucepan heat the skim milk to 70 degrees. Add the buttermilk and rennet solution. Stir well, then stir a little more. Cover with a towel and let it sit 18-24 hours until a firm curd forms, called ripening. To test the curd's readiness, cut a small piece from the edge. If the edges are defined and the curd holds its shape, it's ready.


Step 2: Curds separating from the whey

Cut the curd horizontally, vertically, and diagonally (both ways) at one inch intervals. Heat the curds slowly, one degree per minute, to 120 degrees. Hold temperature for 20-30 minutes, stirring gently every five minutes.


Step 3: Cutting the curds

Pour off the whey then drain the curds in a colander lined with cheesecloth. After 2-3 minutes, lift the curds using the four corners of the cloth and dunk them in cold water 1-2 minutes. Stir the curds well. Repeat this process in ice water.


Step 4: Pouring the curds and whey into strainer


Step 5: Draining the whey


Step 6: More draining

Drain the curds until free from whey and place in a large bowl. Add cream and salt to taste. Chill overnight.


The resulting product


Homemade cottage cheese on salad - yum!

III's creppy pancakes

III invented this recipe tonight when we couldn't decide on buttermilk pancakes or crepes. So he combined the two.


Berry creppy pancakes

Mix 2 c flour, 2 T sugar, 2 t baking powder, 1 t baking soda, and 1/2 t salt in a large bowl.

In a second bowl mix 2 c buttermilk, 1.5 cup milk, 2 eggs, and 4 T oil.

Add wet to dry and mix well. Let sit 15 minutes to an hour before using to avoid a "flour" taste. Cook in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, flipping once.


Pile of crepes

Serving ideas:
Fresh fruit, like peaches and blackberries
Real maple syrup and cottage cheese (maybe homemade?)
Peanut butter and bananas
Scrambled egg with ham and cheese
Nutella
Sauteed vegetables, like zucchini and tomatoes, with cheese


The chef himself

Beer rolls

In my pursuit of finding the perfect bread and roll recipe, I tried to recreate a beer bread I'd had before. This is the recipe I developed and Jonathan has named as his favorite of my bread experiments.

In a large ceramic or oven-safe bowl pour 1.5 cups of room-temperature beer. Let sit 10 minutes then heat in microwave. I judge the temperature by putting my pinky finger in it - if it's too hot to keep my finger in, let it cool a bit. Dissolve 3 Tbsp sugar in beer. Add 1 package yeast and stir once. Let sit 10 minutes until yeast foam covers most of the liquid and you can smell the yeast.

Add 1/3 cup oil, 1 beaten egg, 2 tsp salt, and 3 Tbsp powdered milk. (If you don't have powdered milk, substitute 1/2 warm milk for 1/2 cup beer in first step.) Beat well with whisk. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When dough begins to form, switch to using a heavy spatula to stir. When to thick to stir, dump onto clean, floured surface.

Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, adding flour as needed. The finished product should not stick to your hands and be smooth, not torn-looking. Keep kneading if necessary.

Oil the ceramic bowl, then roll the dough in it to lightly cover it in oil. Leave the dough in the bowl and brush with milk. Place bowl in slightly warmed oven (about 90 degrees) and brush with milk every 15 minutes.

When the dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and place on floured surface. Knead until you can handle the dough without it sticking. Shape into rolls or loaf and place on baking pan. I like Pampered Chef stoneware, but whatever floats your boat. Brush with milk and let rise until doubled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake until golden brown. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from stoneware.

Other ideas: add 2 tsp powdered garlic and 2 tsp parsley to dough while adding salt. Excellent garlicky dinner rolls! Not so hot with jam for breakfast the next day though.

Watermelon pickles

Now that summer fruits are in season, we've been feasting on watermelon! So what's a good southern girl to do with the rinds? Pickle 'em!

In a large bowl mix 1/3 cup salt, 1 cup water, 4 cups watermelon rinds, with all pink and green removed, cut into 1 inch slices, plus water to cover melon. Cover and let soak overnight.

Drain the watermelon rinds and rinse well. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until just tender and begin to turn translucent. Drain well.

In a saucepan mix 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, dash allspice, few drops red food coloring. Simmer 20 minutes.

Pour seasoning mixture over rinds. Simmer ten minutes. Pour pickles into sterilized jars and seal. Cool the refrigerate at least one day before eating.


et voila! The finished product...minus a few sample bites!

Butter chicken curry (Murg Makhani)

Yes, our fantastic meal came from a mix that Hanalee sent to us directly from India. But this is a recipe I found online that seems like it would reproduce it accurately.

Optional marinade for 1 lb chicken pieces overnight
1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 onion chopped very finely, almost paste-like
2 tsp fresh ginger or 1 tsp ginger powder
1 clove crushed garlic
2 drops red food coloring and 1 drop of yellow

For the Sauce
4 large tomatoes, chopped
4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp cream
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp fresh ginger or 1 tsp powder
salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

Heat 2 Tbsp butter on medium level in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the chicken, 1 chopped onion, 3 crushed garlic cloves, and the marinade (optional). Cover and cook for about 25 minutes or till the chicken is fully cooked. After the liquids have evaporated, stir fry the chicken for some time in the residual fat.
Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a second saucepan and add the chili powder, coriander, cumin and black pepper. Fry for a few seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt and cook uncovered on medium level for about 7 minutes till the puree thickens and the fat separates. Stir in the beaten cream and reduce the heat to low.
Add the chicken and chopped ginger to the simmering sauce. Sprinkle salt to taste if needed. Mix well. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes or till the curry is thoroughly heated through.
Serve over hot rice or alone with naan (Indian bread) and the following topping - not optional.

Thinly slice 2 large onions as if making onion peels. Add 2 cups sour cream (or 2 cups fromage frais), 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and lots of freshly chopped cilantro.

Chai tea

One of the parcels Hanalee sent me from India included perfumed teas that are used to make a sweet, milk tea drink. I have been tweaking my recipe for Chai, so these teas are perfect. I prefer cold Chai in the summer, obviously, but it's also very good hot.

Pour 2 tbsp black loose leafvanilla tea into 1.5 cups water. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer 2 minutes. While simmering, add 1 cinnamon stick, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 3 cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger, and a tiny shake of black pepper. Strain the tea then add 2 tbsp dry milk and a splash of cream. Sweeten to taste with honey. Pour over ice and shake until melted. The colder, the better.

III's gray matter...

I know they look...gray, but they were the best blueberry pancakes ever! Jonathan made these on Saturday morning (after washing the dishes before I even woke up!) using a treasured box of muffin mix from the US. They were amazing. You'll have to ask him for the "recipe." I just wanted to share the pictures.

Caesar's best salad

I'm not a die-hard Caesar lover, but this recipe was awesome. I highly recommend it for your next salad experience. My modifications to the original recipe are in italics.

1 cup mayonnaise - 1/4 cup mayo, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/4 cup milk
2 T lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed - 6 for us...we're past the dating stage!
2 t Worchestershire sauce
2 t Dijon mustard
2 T parmesan
8 anchovy filets, chopped - I left these out per Jonathan's requests
1 coddled egg

Shake until well mixed. Refridgerate until needed. Pour over romaine lettuce and toss. Top with Parmesan, homemade croutons, and sliced red peppers. And blackened chicken if you want. Oh yum.

Fruit dip

We are so excited that strawberries are in season in Lyon! So just in case we needed help gorging on them, this dip does the trick. Just mix and dunk.

1/2 cup plain yogurt or fromage frais (French blended cottage cheese)
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp articicial sweetener (optional)

School snack granola

This is a fun, healthy snack recipe that you can play with - the best kind!

2 cups oatmeal
1 cup all-purpose or wheat flour
1/3 cup packed sugar
3/4 cup raisins or chopped fruit (I did apples)
1/2 cup wheat germ (I substituted cornmeal, but any grain will work)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil and grease well. In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, sugar, raisins/fruit, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, and walnuts. In a smaller bowl, thoroughly blend oil, honey, egg, and vanilla; pour into the flour mixture, and mix by hand until the liquid is evenly distributed. Press evenly into the prepared baking pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden. Cool completely in pan before turning out onto a cutting board and cutting into bars.

Homemade pizza

Oops! You were too late!!!

Crust
Make the crust using Oatmeal Bread dough (recipe below), mixing 2 t garlic powder and 1 t thyme in with flour. Press into a cookie sheet after first rising. Cover generously with marinara sauce, at least 1 ½ cups. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella or cheese of your choice, both before and after placing toppings.

Marinara Sauce
We use this basic sauce for pizza, lasagna, and spaghetti. Make it ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to week.
In a saucepan mix 1 can chopped tomatoes, 1 small can tomato paste, 1/8 c. olive oil, ½ c chopped onion, 5 cloves crushed garlic, 2 t sugar, 2 t oregano, 1 t thyme, 1 t basil, and ½ t salt. Optional - add 1 chopped zucchini and 1 grated carrot. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until needed.

Suggested toppings:
Mushrooms sautéed with garlic
Onions caramelized by slow-cooking in olive oil
Fresh garlic
Spinach sautéed with garlic
Eggplant sautéed with garlic
Olives
Sliced tomatoes
Green or red peppers
Artichoke or palm hearts
Pepperoni or sausage
Ham or bacon
Tuna – not kidding, a French fave

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until crust is done. Brush crust with olive oil, then serve.

Oatmeal breads

Heat 1 c. water in microwave until warm - just barely steaming and not burning your fingertip. Add 1/8 c. sugar and stir to dissolve. Add 1 packet yeast and stir once. Wait until the top of the water is covered in a light foam, about ten minutes. Add ¼ c. oil, ½ t. salt, and 2 T powdered milk (or substitute ½ c. milk for ½ c. water earlier on.) Once well mixed, slowly add 1 3/4 c. flour and 1 c. oatmeal until a soft dough forms.
Kneed the dough on a lightly floured counter for 8 minutes (no cheating!) until it becomes smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl then roll it around to be sure all of the dough is lightly coated in oil. Place the bowl in a warm place (90 degrees) to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into small pieces and shape them into rolls. I usually cut about 2 T of dough then turn it out and pinch the ends together repeatedly to form a roll. Dip the top of the roll in milk before placing on a baking sheet. Let rise another 30 minutes.
Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden. These make great dinner rolls, hamburger buns, bread, and pizza crust.

Our popcorn secret

Tastes best with a high marshmallow : popcorn ratio, as shown!

Although not a traditional Lyonnais treat, this is our current favorite late night snack. Pop one bag of microwave popcorn and remove the 'old maids.' In a small saucepan melt 1 T butter, 1/4 c brown sugar, and 2-3 handfuls of marshmallows. Once completely melted and smooth, mix in 1 t vanilla. Pour the mixture of salted popcorn and stir well. Dig in!