Terrine d’Aubergine aux Poivrons~ Eggplant and Roasted Red Pepper Terrine

Eggplant Terrine - Terrine d'Aubergine

I’ve been so lucky this week to be in France. I’ll be leaving tomorrow to return to the states with a little heavy heart. I visited Provence this time and had the absolute best eggplant dishes. I remembered this favorite recipe to share with you to give you a little Provence on your palate.  Et voila:

Make the terrine a day ahead and bring to room temperature before serving. This versatile dish may be served as an appetizer, for brunch or as a light lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

4 red peppers
2 lbs. eggplant (about 2 medium sized)
1 small shallot, very finely minced
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup fromage blanc or ricotta cheese
1-2 cups loosely packed basil leaves + extra for garnish

PREPARATION:

Preheat broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil.
1. Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and white ribs. Put the peppers on the prepared broiler pan, skin side up and press them down with your hand to flatten them.

2. Broil 15-25 minutes, until the skins are blackened. Remove them and place in a plastic zip loc bag for at least 20 minutes.

3. After 20 minutes, remove from bag and slip off the broiled skins. Cut into 1-inch strips and set aside.

4. Heat the oven to 400F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

5. Cut the eggplant into 1/4-inch wide slices and place the rounds on the baking sheet. Place in oven roast for 12 minutes, remove from oven, turn the eggplant over and roast an additional 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the rounds to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

6. Prepare a terrine or 9×4-1/2×2-1/2 loaf pan. Spray it with cooking spray and then line it with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang to cover the eggplant.

7. Prepare the vinaigrette: Place the shallots, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk together. Continuing to whisk, drizzle inthe olive oil.

8. Arrange about 1/3 of the eggplant rounds, slightly overlapping, to cover the bottom of the pan. Brush with some of the vinaigrette.

9. Arrange the peppers, slightly overlapping, over the eggplant. Brush with a little vinaigrette. Drop 1/4 cup of the cheese and using an offset spatula spread the cheese on top of the pepper. Top the cheese with some basil leaves and brush with more vinaigrette.

10. Make another layer: eggplant, red peppers, cheese, basil, brushing each with more of the vinaigrette.

11. End with an eggplant layer. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and press down lightly.

12. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours before serving.
To serve:
Unmold the terrine onto a serving platter and garnish with some basil leaves. Cut into slices with a serrated knife.

Normandy Apple Tart – Tarte aux Pommes à la Normande

Apple Tarte with Calvados/Almond Filling

I’ve just finished designing a Julia & Julie Tour of Paris and Provence. While reading through the many biographies of Julia Child, I discovered she had a soft spot in her heart for Normandy. I wonder if Calvados had anything to do with it? I know this apple tart from Normandy, made with an almond and Calvados flavored filling, convinced me to learn more about the region!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 to 4 apples
• For the frangipane filling:
• 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar + a little extra for sprinkling on the tart during baking
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 egg yolk
• 3-1/2 oz. whole, blanched almonds, ground
• 2 teaspoons Calvados (or Kirsch)
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• For the glaze:
• apricot jam
• 1 refrigerated pie crust (or homemade pâte brisée)

PREPARATION:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.

1. Line a tart tin with a removable bottom with the pie crust. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you are preparing the apple filling.

2. For the frangipane: Cream the butter. Gradually beat in the sugar until well combined.

3. Add the beaten egg and incorporate.

4. Beat in the egg yolk, mix well then add the Calvados

5. Stir in the ground almonds and the flour.

6. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the frangipane.

7. Peel the apples, then cut them in half and remove the cores.

8. Cut them into very thin slices, keeping the halves together. Put them cut side down into the frangipane. Press very lightly up toward the center of the tart to spread the slices out slightly. (see picture)

9. Place the tart on the preheated cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, the crust should just be beginning to brown.

10. Turn the heat down to 350F, and cook for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the top of the tart with some sugar.

11. Cook an additional 10 minutes, the apples should be soft and the frangipane should be set, and remove from oven.

To serve:

Cool the tart on a rack. Just before serving brush the tart with some of the melted apricot jam. Serve the tart at room temperature with some whipped cream.

Roasted Parsnip, Carrot and Tomato Soup

Roasted Parsnip, Carrot and Tomato Soup

French magazines call panais (parsnip) and old -fashioned vegetable that needs to be re-discovered. I agree! Take the plunge and try it first in this easy soup recipe. Make this easy, quick soup for a warming weekday dinner. It takes less than an hour to make. Parsnips, carrots, tomatoes and onions are tossed with olive oil, cumin and coriander, then roasted. Blend the roasted veggies into the broth, heat and enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large onion, cut into 8 chunks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1-1/2 lbs. parsnips, peeled and diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 plum tomatoes quartered
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 slices lemon

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 400F.
1. Mix the olive oil together with the cumin and coriander.

2. Cut the veggies into chunks, all about equal size. Quarter the plum tomatoes. Place in a large bowl.

3. Pour the spiced olive oil over the veggies and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables out on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the the oven. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. I always stir and turn them about halfway through cooking.

4. When the vegetables are done, tip them into a large saucepan or stockpot. Pour in 2-1/2 cups of the vegetable broth and blend the veggies using a hand blender. Alternatively, put the vegetables into a food processor, add 2 cups of cool broth and purée.

5. Stir the rest of the broth into the puréed vegetables and heat over med-high heat until simmering.

To serve:

Remove from the heat, stir in the tablespoon of lemon juice. Ladle into 4 bowls, garnish with a lemon slice and serve.

Flank Steak with Port Sauce – Bavette au Porto

Grilled Flank Steak with Port Sauce

Steak makes a perfect quick weekday meal. This steak recipe from France is for marinated flank steak that is quickly grilled and served with a sauce made with port and seasoned with fresh thyme.

Pronounced: bah vet / oh / port oh

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 lbs. flank steak
• For the marinade:
• 1/3 cup port
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme (leaves only)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 shallots finely chopped (to measurea bout 2 tablespoons)
• 2 teaspoons butter

PREPARATION:

1. Make the marinade: whisk all the marinade in a small bowl.

2. Place the steak in a glass bowl or plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the steak and place in the frige for up to 8 hours.

3. Heat outside grill (or George Foreman Grill). Remove steak from marinade. Do not discard marinade.

4. Grill steak until desired doneness. (Depends on which grill you use and how hot it is.)

5. While the steak is grilling, place the marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over med-high heat.

6. Cook about 5 minutes or until the marinade is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Whisk in the butter until it is melted.

To serve:

Thinly slice the steak, spoon on some sauce and serve.

Soupe au Pistou

Although now identified as a classic of Provençale cuisine when J-B Reboul was writing his book on the region’s cuisine, he wrote:

“This soup originally from Genoa, is only popular in Provence, even here it is not widely made. (1897)”

The following recipe is an updated version. The original soup, as written by M. Reboul, consisted only of leeks, green beans, tomatoes and angel hair pasta.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can (19-oz) cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 10 oz. package frozen lima beans
• 1/2 lb. green beans, strings removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 small potatoes, peeled & diced
• 5 small onions, peeled & diced
• 5 carrots, peeled & diced
• 3 small turnips, peeeld & diced
• 3 zucchini, diced
• 2 oz. lean bacon, diced
• 1 leek, cleaned & coarsely chopped
• 1/2 head small cabbage,shredded
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 10 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• pinch of sage
• salt & freshly ground pepper
• For the Pistou:
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 cups fresh basil
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt & freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, then add the bacon, potatoes, leeks, carrots, sage and as much of the other vegetables the pan can hold and sauté for 5-8 minutes.

2. Pour the 10 cups of water into a large stockpot and bring to a boil . Add the sautéed vegetables, along with the rest of the vegetables, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for at least 40 minutes.

3. Check the seasoning and continue cooking slowly for another 40-50 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

4. For the pistou: Put the basil in a food processor bowl. Using a garlic press, press the garlic on top of the basil. Process until finely chopped.

5. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil continuing until the mixture becomes pasty. Add the parmesan and process some more. Season with the salt and pepper.

To serve:

Ladle the soup into bowls and stir in a tablespoon of the pistou into each bowl. The extra pistou should be passed at the table so that more can be added if desired.

Pistou

Pistou is the French equivalent to the Italian pesto, a blending of basil, garlic and olive oil. I’ve “cheesed” up this recipe and stir in some gruyère for a little more flavor burst

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups fresh basil, finely shredded or cut with scissors
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Gruyère (or Parmesan)
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Place a half of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend. When the purée is smooth, pour it into a bowl.

2. Purée the rest of the ingredients and add them to the first batch.

3. Stir in the cheese. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

To Store the Pistou:

To keep the sauce longer than 2 days in the refrigerator, cover it with some olive oil. You can also make the above recipe by processing the basil, parsley and olive oil. Pour the mixture into a freezer bag and freeze it flat. When you need some pistou, break off some of the frozen mixture and add in some pressed garlic and cheese.

Tartelettes aux Framboises ~ Mini Raspberry Tarts

Raspberry Tarts ~ Tartelettes aux Framboises

I lived in Angers for 4 enchanting weeks. Each day for my goûter (snack), I’d go to Laurent Petit, Maitre Artisan, at 4, rue Aubin. And I would always buy an Evasion, a small tart with a sweet crust, lime mousse and raspberries. This is my attempt to recreate (in a very small way) the Evasion.

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 sweet tartlet shells
• 8 oz. mascarpone cheese (depending on how large your tart shells are)
• zest from one lime + 1 teaspoon of lime juice
• 1/2 pint of fresh raspberries
• FOR THE CARAMEL:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 oz. frozen raspberries, defrosted and at room temperature. Pureed in a food processor or blender

PREPARATION:

1. Mix the mascarpone cheese with the lime zest and 1 teaspoon of lime juice.

2. Fill the tarts with the lime cream.

3. Top each tartlette with 3/4 raspberries. (Depends on the size of the raspberries). Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To make the raspberry caramel:

1. Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and place over medium low heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves.

2. Increase the heat to med-high and bring the sugar syrup to a boil. Simmer until it has a light golden color.

3. Whisk in the butter and the raspberry puree.

4. Simmer over medium heat until the mixture has thickend and will coat the back of a spoon.

5. Remove from heat and pour through a sieve. Allow to come to room temperature before using.

To serve:

Arrange the tarts on a plate. Drizzle the raspberry caramel over the tops. Serve any remaining caramel in a jug on the side.

Tarte au Citron ~ Lemon Tart

Tarte au Citro ~ Lemon Tart

You can’t go wrong with this classic!  The tartness of the lemon is softened to perfection by the addition of a little cream. Close your eyes take a bit, you’ll swear you are outside a Parisian patisserie.

Tarte au Citron (Pronounced: tahrt / oh / see trohn)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 recipe of pâte sablée, pâte brisée or refrigerated pie crust
• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• zest of 3 lemons-very finely grated

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 375°
1. Pat the pastry into a 9″ tart pan with removable bottom. Chill for 20 minutes.

2. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together.

3. Add the cream and whisk together. Then whisk in the lemon juice and zest.

4. Line the pastry shell with waxed paper and fill it with dried beans or rice. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake another 3-5 minutes. Pastry should be cooked but still pale. Remove from oven and reduce the temperature to 300°.

5. Place pan on a baking sheet. Slowly pour the filling into the shell. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the filling has set.

6. Allow the tart to cool completely before serving.

Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad ~ Salade au Fromage de Chèvre

Goat Cheese & Walnut Salad - Salade au Fromage de Chevre

This French salad is made with mixed baby lettuces, fresh goat cheese and walnuts then tossed with a walnut vinaigrette. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 ounces baby lettuces with herbs
• 1 Tablespoon toasted, chopped walnuts
• 1 (3-oz) log soft goat cheese

For the vinaigrette:

• 3 Tablespoons Walnut oil
• 2 to 2-1/2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For garnish:   More toasted chopped walnuts

PREPARATION:

1. Make the vinaigrette: Pour vinegar into a small bowl, whisk in salt and pepper. Slowly add the walnut oil until emulsified.
2. Wash and dry the baby lettuces and herb mixture. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the walnuts.
3. Just before serving the salad, toss the greens with the vinaigrette.
4. You have two options with the goat cheese: Roll the goat cheese into 12 small balls, placing 3 on each plate or; crumble the goat cheese onto the greens.

Cucumber Bean Soup – Velouté de Concombre et de Fèves

Refreshing Cucumber Bean Soup with Sesame Seeds

To get maximum flavor in this soup I use the small kirby cucumbers from the Farmer’s market during the summer. In the winter, I’ll buy the English cucumbers which have much more flavor that the normal supermarket cucumber. This soup may be served warm or cold.

Pronounced: vuh loo teh / duh / ko(n) kohm bruh / eh / duh / fev

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced (save about a 2-inch chunk to slice for garnish)
• 1 sweet onion
• 1 cup lima beans (from a can or defrosted)
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup cream (use heavy cream or half and half)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• cilantro
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• To garnish:
• 1 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

PREPARATION:

1. Peel and chop the cucumber, reserving a 2-inch piece to slice for garnishing the finished soup. Peel and chop the onion.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven.

3. Add the onions and the cucumbers and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently and do allow the vegetables to brown.

4. Pour in the vegetable stock and cook for 10 minutes.

5. Chop some cilantro. Add the chopped cilantro and the lima beans to the pot and cook an additional 10 minutes.

6. Using a hand blender or working in batches with a blender, purée the soup. Stir in the cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To serve:

Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Slice the reserved cucumber chunk into rounds place them on the soup. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds and serve.