http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/Simple ideas for everyday home cooked dishes and using leftovers. Original or tweaked traditional dishes from my childhood in France... with Sussex ingredients. It's not just the food you cook, it's the day you make of it!en-EUMokoFeed10http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/1c/1478494276745aae73356803b77b76_160x200.jpghttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/10/19/back-from-a-long-break-it-s-all-about-pumpkins-and-chocolate-4897259/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-10-19:/2008/10/19/back-from-a-long-break-it-s-all-about-pumpkins-and-chocolate-4897259/Sun, 19 Oct 2008 22:43:44 +0200<p><span><span><span><strong>Over 3 months without a post...</strong> </span></span></span>But I couldn't miss the chocolate week! On Friday we paid a visit to Sarah from <a href="http://www.cocoaloco.co.uk">Cocoaloco</a> in her new premises. She has moved out of her shed at the back fo the garden, into...the Chocolate Barn, of course. Located off the A24 northbound, just before the the junction with the A272, which is a TERRIBLE thing for me: It's now directly on my way to work!</p> <p>Because of chocolate week, there was an open week and free tasting at the barn. We tried some yummy milk and orange chocolate and brought back serious amounts of choccies with us. You never know, if one day chocolate runs out, one has got to be prepared.</p> <p>With the milk chocolate buttons and all the apples that fall in our garden from our neighbour's tree, I made some:</p> <p><strong><span>Chocolate apple slices</span></strong> <em>  ingredients the list is short: Apples and chocolate (plus a slug of your favourite spirit if you want- rhum, calvados, amaretto all work a treat) </em></p> <p>Clean and slice the apples as thin as possible  lay them down on greaseproof paper dry them in the oven, set on the lowest temperature for several hours remove from the oven and leave to cool Melt your chocolate in a bain marie (in a bowl over a pan of hot water) Whilst the chocolate is warm and melted, dip the slices of apples halfway in it lay them down again on the greaseproof paper and leave to set in the fridge</p> <p>Perfect with coffee or to make little hand made presents!</p> <p>PS: the afternoon of that same day, we set out on out annual visit to the <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/18/whole_pumpkin_cheesy_creamy_soup_to_die_~3158609">Pumpkin Man</a> in Slindon, more on that soon.....</p><p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/10/19/back-from-a-long-break-it-s-all-about-pumpkins-and-chocolate-4897259/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>make-it-with-the-kidslocal-suppliersapplechocolatehttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/10/19/back-from-a-long-break-it-s-all-about-pumpkins-and-chocolate-4897259/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/07/11/bread-invasion-again-4434288/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-07-11:/2008/07/11/bread-invasion-again-4434288/Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:02:56 +0200 <p><strong><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01694/2652946" title="DSC01694"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/946/2652946_5c9a5a9931_m.jpg" alt="DSC01694" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>The bread bin is overflowing...<br> </strong>again. We buy loads of bread (the yummy "low GI" one from Truffles, baps for burgers, brioches for the kids for breakfast, ...) and every now and then, the lid doesn't fit on the bread bin no more.<br> I still can't call sliced bread "normal bread" but have got really used to have it around rather than crusty loaves or baguettes.  Before moving "out of France" , the only times we'd use sliced bread was around Christmas time or ahead of big aperetifs, when we'd buy some - not very good- "pain de mie"  to make little toast style nibbles.</p> <p>Now, except if hubby is here for the whole week, we rarely need or eat a whole loaf. And there are only so many ducks in the pond in Storrington we can feed the leftovers to (let alone the fact that last time we went to feed them, a frail old lady told me off for feeding them white bread. Gives them terrible "gas" apparently, hence why she only buy wholemeal baps for them. I know...) </p> <p>I have found that preventing half of the bread bin contents to end up ...in the real bin is a question of habits, or rather 1 habit: lift the lid up every other day and check what's inside. </p> <p>Did it yesterday, found 1/2 a multi grain loaf that wouldn't make it to the week end and a whole pack of little brioches awaiting a sad end too...the kids having gone off them suddenly. </p> <p>So?</p> <p>1. Arranged the slices of bread flat on a tray pack them willy nilly on top of the scale in a corner or our doolhouse size kitchen so they could dry before getting mouldy<br> 2. Made a quick bread and butter pudding with the leftover brioches, a big handful of raisins and a quick custard.<br>  <br> I ADORE bread and butter pud, it's up there in the top 5 of ultimate comford food. It's a lot like the French <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/30/pain_perdu_lost_bread~3220769">pain perdu</a>, only baked in the oven rather than cooked in a pan..and a bit richer too. My cousin, Seb, who runs a couple of patisseries in London, makes a MEAN one....except I haven't seen him since our wedding <img src="/img/smilies/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p>Hence I have to make it myself....</p> <p><strong>brioche leftovers and butter pudding:</strong></p> <p><em>ingredients<br> 6 to 8 small brioches or slices of a brioche loaf<br> 300ml milk<br> 100ml double cream<br> 125 g caster sugar<br> 2 eggs<br> 1 generous teaspoon of vanilla extract<br> a handful of raisins<br> about 30 g of butter</p> <p></em><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01688/2652947" title="DSC01688"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/947/2652947_20513c1cef_m.jpg" alt="DSC01688" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>pre heat your oven at 180 degres<br> Cut the brioches open and butter the inside (or butter the slices)<br> Close the brioches again and cut in 3 or 4 pieces<br> place 1/2 in a deep ovenproof dish<br> sprinkle most the raisins on top<br> put the rest of the brioche pieces in the dish<br> sprinkle the rest of the raisins<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01690/2652948" title="DSC01690"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/948/2652948_e73eb61c63_m.jpg" alt="DSC01690" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Make your custard:<br> Beat the eggs in a bowl<br> heat cream, milk, vanilla and sugar in a pan until nearly boiling.<br> Remove from the heat and pour over the beaten eggs whisking fast (otherwise you'll get scrambled eggs)<br> pour the whole mixture back in the pan and heat gently, stirring all the time, until the cream coat the back of a spoon.<br> Pour on top of the brioche leaving about 1/2 inch of bread not soaked in custard.<br> Sprinkle with a little more sugar and bake in the oven (I place it in a tray filled with 1 inch of water but...not too sure why actually?)</p> <p>20 minutes later, it looks like...that:</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01693/2652949" title="DSC01693"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/949/2652949_e94dec3017_m.jpg" alt="DSC01693" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>it's just YUMMMMM!</p> <p>Nearly forgot! the bread slices I have put to dry, I wizz them in a food processor to make breadcrumbs, sometimes plain, sometimes adding a tablespoon of dried herbs with it. Into a jam jar, lid on, they keep for ages and are great for coating fish fillets, chicken goujons, smal flattened slices of pork tenderloin or pork chops spread with mustard. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/07/11/bread-invasion-again-4434288/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>fishmake-it-the-day-beforebreadmake-it-with-the-kidsleftoversporkeggs-puddingchickenhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/07/11/bread-invasion-again-4434288/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/07/10/wiston-tea-rooms-fresh-eggs-and-a-new-ta-4431911/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-07-10:/2008/07/10/wiston-tea-rooms-fresh-eggs-and-a-new-ta-4431911/Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:45:28 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00701/2651022" title="DSC00701"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/022/2651022_6b7439c575_m.jpg" alt="DSC00701" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> <strong>Friday comes...</strong><br> and the same question return. What are we going to do today? </p> <p>On Friday, I don't work . Well not in the office that is. I spend it looking after "petit pingouin" (Tom) and  "petit lapin" (Millie) for the whole day. And just for the record, I am NOT complaining! It's a great day (most weeks) since I ONLY look after the kids instead of trying to half work and half look after them (that's  "horrible Tuesdays" to me). </p> <p>Anyway, we often spend days doing fairly simple stuff. Looking at it, I am not very creative really, I mostly repeat what happened in my childhood. When I was a kid, we lived just outside the village, so we'd spend wednesday afternoons (no school!) and summer holidays going on great adventures on our horses bikes, hiding from 1001 dangers in between the rows of vines behind the house, or sometimes going to feed the "baby goats" (sure there's a better word for them but..) down the road at the nearby farm. </p> <p>So what do I do with my crew when the weather is good enough? I often take them to <a href="http://www.wistongranary.co.uk/tearoom.htm%3E">Wiston Tea Rooms</a>,<a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00700/2651023" title="DSC00700"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/023/2651023_f23a2157fb_m.jpg" alt="DSC00700" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> a great little place between Washington and Steyning, just 15 minutes down the road from us. </p> <p>The kids can play around all they like, feed the ducks,<br> watch pony, geese and chickens walking around....<br> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/021/2651021_919fad36a2_m.jpg" alt="DSC00713" hspace="5" vspace="5"></p> <p>roll and roll and roll down on the lawn at the back...I can have a nice coffee and more often that not a NICE BIG slice of homemade cake too.</p> <p>You can buy all sorts of things at Wiston Tea Rooms from supplies to create hand made cards to plant plugs...<a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00709/2651024" title="DSC00709"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/024/2651024_6516bac2b4_m.jpg" alt="DSC00709" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> small toys and great FRESH EGGS.<br>  <br> I always try to have eggs at home. They are cheap, very versatile and taste yummm (especially proper farm eggs, by the way less expensive than supermarket eggs in most instances, I have discovered).<br> You can always make so many different meal with eggs:<br> obviously you can scrambled them, hard boil them, poach them, soft boil them and dip soliders in them...</p> <p>or</p> <p>Add just a little milk and flour to make great <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/31/crepes_time~3662041">sweet or savoury pancakes</a>,<br> A little more flour and butter as well for a brilliant <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/10/the_easiest_bestest_caketo_make_with_lit~3116527">quatre quart cake</a>,<br> whisk the egg whites and add cheese for a simple but delicious soufflé, </p> <p>or<br>  <br> try what I did today...<br> Not wanting to throw away food as usual, I found a bowl full of cooked new potatoes and a few steamed broccolis from Sunday's roast, just about still OK. And a slice of Tomme de Chevre (a soft goats cheese with a hard crust) we brought back from our day trip to France on Saturday.<br> A couple of eggs later and in less time than you can say "a chasseur sachant chasser" I got myself a delicious "omelette bordering on tortilla" for lunch:</p> <p><strong>new potatoes and cheese omelette<br> </strong><br> <em>per person<br> 2 eggs<br> 1 to 2 small new potatoes, cooked<br> 50g of hard cheese - cheddar, goats, parmesan...<br> a handful of cooked vegetables (onion, broccoli, asparagus, peas, ...) or a handful of chopped fresh tomatoes<br> salt, pepper and olive oil</em></p> <p>Beat the eggs with a fork in a bowl<br> cut the potatoes and mix with the eggs<br> chop the cheese in small cubes<br> Heat the oil in a pan,<br> season the eggs with salt and pepper,<br> throw your eggs and potatoes in and turn the heat half way down,<br> add the vegetables,<br> leave to cook for a minute or so before giving it a gentle stir<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01679/2651152" title="DSC01679"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/152/2651152_1474cbead8_m.jpg" alt="DSC01679" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>You want to take it off the heat when the eggs are still slightly uncook. They'll carry on cooking in the pan and by the time you plate them ,they'll be just perfect.<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01682/2651153" title="DSC01682"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/153/2651153_1b9a57d618_m.jpg" alt="DSC01682" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Ta-dah...a perfect lunch for...less than a couple of pounds?<br> If you are real hungry, you can add buttered toast to go with it.<br> I reckon it works with roast potatoes as well, just don't try with mash! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/07/10/wiston-tea-rooms-fresh-eggs-and-a-new-ta-4431911/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>eggsbargain-meallocal-suppliersexpress-dishhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/07/10/wiston-tea-rooms-fresh-eggs-and-a-new-ta-4431911/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/29/almonds-and-abricot-clafoutis-style-cake-4381886/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-06-29:/2008/06/29/almonds-and-abricot-clafoutis-style-cake-4381886/Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:25:44 +0200 <p><strong><a href="http:/em" title="DSC01594"><img src="http:/emdata5.blog.de/media/144/2626144_d6df2794b5_m.jpg" alt="DSC01594" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> We went shopping yesterday morning...</strong><br> not for glad rags on Sloane Street, only food shopping round our local supermarket in Pulborough! I had got my list with me- only way not to get too distracted and piling up too much in the trolley!!- but when we passed the "reduced" shelf, 3 punnets of apricots were crying for mercy. I saved 2 of them and a bunch of (English?) asparagus too (for less than £1, so that's allowed). </p> <p>You see, I spotted the apricots and it took me back YEARS. We used to have apricot tree in the back garden, along with a "normal" cherry tree, a Morello cherry tree,  white peach tree (my favourite) and one or 2 others. I remember picking bright orange, soft, velvety apricots from the tree and eating them there and then...they smelt fabulous, and tasted even better, slightly warm and meltingly juicy. </p> <p>I saw those apricots yesterday, they looked nearly as good, but guess what...didn't taste quite like the ones from the tree! They were nice though, so this morning (yes, I KNOW), I made a apricot and almond clafoutis "style" cake (found 3 packs of ground almonds in the dry stuff cupboard when we reschuffled all the stuff in there yesterday, after the trip to the supermarket, some of it HAD to go!).</p> <p>I had some fresh ginger too and needed to use it before it went all wrinkly and dry.....apricots and ginger? and WHY NOT.</p> <p>And so this Sunday's pudding was born...</p> <p><strong>Apricots and almonds clafoutis style cake with creme fraiche and ginger syrup<br> </strong><br> The base recipe for the clafoutis is taken from a French recipe site, <a href="http://www.marmiton.fr/">Marmiton</a>, where I found a recipe for a blackberries and almonds clafoutis. I was looking for inspiration for a 3 course menu for the <a href="http://eckingtonmanorcookeryschool.co.uk/images/Master%20Flyer%20June%2008.pdf">"Cook of the Year"</a> competition, but I digress...</p> <p>Backtracking a bit more (I know, my line of thoughts is somewhat erratic, but stay with me) the reason why I was thinking of apricots is the latest Royal Food Joust from the <a href="http://www.leftoverqueen.com/">Leftoverqueen</a> herself..or one of her followers <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0">. </p> <p>Now you know all there is to know I hope.</p> <p>Anyway, this it really is an easy recipe, and you can make it using loads of other fruits too (blackberries indeed, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, pears....)....<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01592/2626143" title="DSC01592"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/143/2626143_b58dcb8e8e_m.jpg" alt="DSC01592" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p><em>Ingredients:<br> cake....<br> 6-7 apricots<br> 3 eggs<br> 150g of ground almonds<br> 100g of unsalted butter, melted and warm+a little knob for greasing your dish<br> 40g of cornflour<br> 20cl of double cream<br> 20cl of milk<br> 2 tablespoons of Dark Rhum (optional)<br> a handful of sliced almonds (optional)<br> 1 pinch of salt<br> 100g of caster sugar+a little extra to sprinkle in your dish<br> for serving...<br> 1 small pot of creme fraiche (please, not the low fat one if you can avoid it)<br> 100g of caster sugar<br> 100ml of water<br> 1inch of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced</em><br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01596/2626146" title="DSC01596"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/146/2626146_dca3e0cdba_m.jpg" alt="DSC01596" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> Whisk the eggs and sugar together until you get a pale fluffy mixture<br> add the cream, then the milk, the almonds, the cornflour, the rhum, and the butter.<br> Mix well into a smooth batter.<br> Take a gratin dish, butter it well then sprinkle with caster sugar.<br> Wash and cut the apricots in halves,<br> place the fruits on the bottom of the gratin dish...<br>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01595/2626145" title="DSC01595"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/145/2626145_12a0c5f9a6_m.jpg" alt="DSC01595" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> and bake at 180 degres for 10 to 15 minutes<br> remove from the oven,<br> pour the batter over the fruits,<br> sprinkle the top with sliced almonds and a little caster sugar 9abotu 2 tablespoons)<br> Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until just firm to the touch.<a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01597/2626147" title="DSC01597"><br> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/147/2626147_d4592f938e_m.jpg" alt="DSC01597" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Leave to cool....<br>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01600/2626148" title="DSC01600"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/148/2626148_f3cf1d22e6_m.jpg" alt="DSC01600" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>and make the SYRUP...</p> <p>in a small saucepan, pour the caster sugar and water<br> mix then add the slices of ginger.<br> Heat until boiling point, stir a  little then reduce by half until you get a syrupy consistency (at that stage, the sugar syrup should be boiling hard but not coloured yet)<br> Leave to cool.</p> <p>To serve, put a slice of cake on a plate, top with a GENEROUS spoonfull of creme fraiche and drizzle with ginger syrup....<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01625_1/2626149" title="DSC01625-1"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/149/2626149_66c694ce86_m.jpg" alt="DSC01625-1" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Leftover apricots:? Halve them and place them in a small saucepan with the leftover ginger syrup and 1/2 glass of water. Cook gently until soft then purée and use with yoghurts, ice cream,on cereals,....freezes well too <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p><strong>PS: for more info on the Royal Food Joust, to find loads of recipes using apricots, butter and ginger, or to VOTE for my yummy recipe to WIN ....a Royal Food Joust badge "et le droit d'etre connue"!!! see </strong><a href="http://www.leftoverqueen.com/forum/index.php?board=5.0"><strong>HERE</strong></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/29/almonds-and-abricot-clafoutis-style-cake-4381886/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>puddingscakegingeralmondsapricotspic-nic-stufffruitshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/29/almonds-and-abricot-clafoutis-style-cake-4381886/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/23/happeeee-birthday-to-meeee-happeeee-birt-4354128/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-06-23:/2008/06/23/happeeee-birthday-to-meeee-happeeee-birt-4354128/Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:43:54 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01478/2613330" title="DSC01478"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/330/2613330_386707b698_m.jpg" alt="DSC01478" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br>  Today I turned 6 (again. For the third time.)<br> Bon Anniversaire Lorette.<br>  <br> One of my best birthday was a few years back when my family and my now hubby put together a SURPRISE short break in Brittany for me. We had a wonderful time. The house was awesome, a proper family mansion in the middle of nowhere, yards from the beach. A massive dinning table, a cosy living room, a sunny garden for lazy aperetifs and a large courtyard perfect for playing PETANQUE until late at night early in the morning...mmm. </p> <p>I love holiday food.<br> Because when you are on holiday, you want to spend your time doing stuff, or vegging or chatting with friends. Whatever. but not slaving in the kitchen (well, not me). So it's all about easy dishes, quick to prepare and using few ingredients too (although we now tend to take a box of "cooking essentials" when we go on holiday we never have as much kitchen ingredients handy as when at home).  Here's my idea of a perfect summer menu:</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01239/2613331" title="DSC01239"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/331/2613331_c3727c6811_m.jpg" alt="DSC01239" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> Melon au porto<br> </strong>(melon with Port)<br> just either chop a melon in 1/2, remove the seeds and present on a plate with a few tablespoons of Port poured into the middle<br> Or for a more 2008 presentation, dice the melon in small cubes, drop in a pretty glass over crushed ice, pour over some Port and top with a little chopped fresh mint <br> My grand mother used to serve this as a starter a lot. </p> <p><strong>Tomato salad with a shallot vinaigrette<br> </strong> slice a few tomatoes and tip in a large salad bowl.<br> Very finely slice a shallot and mix in with the tomatoes.<br> in a small bowl, mix 1 teasppon of French mustard, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.<br> Add vegetable oil to taste.<br> Drizzle the dressing on the tomatoes and top with plenty of chopped parsley</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01238/2613332" title="DSC01238"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/332/2613332_414830c099_m.jpg" alt="DSC01238" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> Potato salad with boiled eggs, cervelas sausage and mayo dressing<br> peel and boiled 1 medium potato per person (or boiled them first. You get "pommes de terre en robe de chambre" - potatoes in dressing gown-  and peel them later when they are cold)<br> Cut the into cubes and place in a large salad bowl.<br> Skin and slice some cervelas sausage- you can buy this in any supermarket in France<br> Cook a few eggs in boiling water for 10 minutes. Leave to cool, peel and chop.<br> Mix all the ingredients together and mix in homemade or ready made mayonnaise.</p> <p>Serve along with a selection of simple barbecued meats: merguez and chipolatas, pork chops sprinkled with Herbes de Provence or, for a real treat, a whole rib of beef!!! </p> <p>Pudding? a massive bowl of fresh raspberries tossed in caster sugar (makes the juice come out so you end up with a bit of a respberry soup, lush) served with Carte d'Or vanilla ice cream. </p> <p>Keep the best for the end: Leg it to your local patisserie and buy an assortment of petits fours or migniardises (tiny canapé size desserts like herisson, opera, figue, eclairs.....) to hand around with coffee <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/23/happeeee-birthday-to-meeee-happeeee-birt-4354128/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>melonsaladcold-startertomatohttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/23/happeeee-birthday-to-meeee-happeeee-birt-4354128/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/21/tarte-tatin-v-pear-and-frangipanne-tart--4344322/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-06-21:/2008/06/21/tarte-tatin-v-pear-and-frangipanne-tart--4344322/Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:36:56 +0200 <p><strong>I love tarts, especially sweet ones! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"><br></strong><br>1. Whatever your mood or your craving, you can find one that will give you the "fix" you need<br>2. you don't need to go hunting around for exotic, rare or expensive ingredients (well, most of the time)<br>3. they are great for finishing any leftover fruits or chocolate even (yeah, right, leftover chocolate!!!)</p> <p>I have mentioned it before, our family trademark was "le chariot de dessert", where tarts featured regularly, whether a tarte au citron, tarte aux pommes or <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/23/chocolate_and_frangipanne_tart~3184687">tarte au chocolat</a>. </p> <p>More recently, I have rediscovered long forgotten "classics" including the lovely pinky red tart aux pralines, fit for a princess dinner, <br><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01354/2577800" title="DSC01354"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/800/2577800_10b9593eb4_m.jpg" alt="DSC01354" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>or the tarte florentine, which apparently is one of my dad's favourite (live and learn hey), below...</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00780/2607550" title="DSC00780"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/550/2607550_2d70a708c4_m.jpg" alt="DSC00780" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>However, one of my favourite recipe is a simple but really yummy TARTE TATIN. An upside down apple tart with "caramelised near toffee consistency" apples:</p> <p><em>ingredients:</em></p> <p><em>1 home made or ready made shortcrust pastry <br>4 apples, peeled, cored and quartered<br>50g of butter<br>150g of casters sugar<br></em><br>Make the caramel:  Pour the sugar in a pan with a few tablespoons of water, mix until dissolved then leave to boil and turn golden WITHOUT STIRRING (or you won't get caramel but sticky cristallised sugar)<br>Pour your caramel at the bottom of a tarte tin or the lid of a glass pie dish that can go  in the oven (PIREX type)<br>Place the apple pieces on top of the caramel then place a few little knob of butters in between<br>cover the apples with the shortcrust pastry, tucking the end of the pastry against the sides of the dish <br>make a hole in the middle of the pastry to allow steam to escape<br>Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes at 180 degres.<br>REmove from the oven, leave to cool for a few minutes then carefully turn the tart back on a plate before the caramel cools down completley and sets.</p> <p>Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche, c'est TOUT!...or if you really must and have time, a scoop of home made salidou ice cream for total indulgence...</p> <p>A couple of months back, I baked one of those and a poached pears and almonds tart. After much debating I decided to take the tarte tatin  along to my audition for Masterchef...but didn't make it any further (boooh). Not that I will ever know but i still wonder if I made the wrong tactical choice?  </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/21/tarte-tatin-v-pear-and-frangipanne-tart--4344322/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>appleshortcrust-pastrypuddingstarthttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/21/tarte-tatin-v-pear-and-frangipanne-tart--4344322/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/18/what-do-you-need-after-a-long-day-s-work-4333685/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-06-18:/2008/06/18/what-do-you-need-after-a-long-day-s-work-4333685/Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:09:01 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01378/2601635" title="DSC01378"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/635/2601635_f1bcb9b49c_s.jpg" alt="DSC01378" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><strong><br>In these days of credit crunch ...<br></strong><br>(seriously, all day long, that's all we hear about on the radio...we <strong>KNOW</strong> about it...What we need is some stuff that will <strong>CHEER US UP</strong> please mister radio DJs), I  pay a little bit more attention to what I buy, cook and how to finish leftovers. Not <strong>JUST</strong> because of the credit crunch. I don't like wasting food. It's a habit from my childhood. See <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/14/p8_billions_worth_of_food_wasted_what_to~3577935">here</a> and <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/08/title~3548711">here</a> for more on that story....</p> <p>Anyway, week meals. </p> <p>Especially when hubby is away (abandonning us to go and play golf work hard training sales people to do a better job), we live on fairly simple and cheap meals really. Soups and pies in winter, big salads, quiches and tarts in summer. <br>Funny puddings<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01378/2601521" title="DSC01378"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01378/2601521" title="DSC01378"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01340/2601624" title="DSC01340"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/624/2601624_198ddfeefa_m.jpg" alt="DSC01340" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br><br>made at Rachel's great Friday morning kids session of <a href="http://www.muckypups.co.uk/">Mucky Pups</a> in West Chiltington...<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01378/2601521" title="DSC01378"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01378/2601521" title="DSC01378"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01341/2601625" title="DSC01341"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/625/2601625_9a82ed2e65_m.jpg" alt="DSC01341" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>A <strong>CAKE</strong> here...<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01427_1/2601518" title="DSC01427-1"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/518/2601518_e9e072c020_m.jpg" alt="DSC01427-1" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br>and there...<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00886/2601538" title="DSC00886"> <br><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/538/2601538_4fdd347a35_s.jpg" alt="DSC00886" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br>for the kids (GREAT EXCUSE!). Hey, I only make <strong>MONKEY CAKE</strong> to use bananas that are too ripe, honest.</p> <p>A-ny-way... the plan for today was to finish all my leftover vegetables since my next <strong><a href="http://www.riverford.co.uk/">VEGETABLE BOX</a></strong> is due tomorrow. A carrot, cumin and cardamon soup followed by a spring greens and parmesan quiche was on the cards. OR the quiche and a...carrot cake! Guess which one would have won the fight in my household!!!</p> <p>Except when I got home, I received <strong>A HUG IN A BOWL</strong>.</p> <p>My neighbour and <strong>GREAT </strong>cook John, who used to work at the Café Royal in London many years ago, made a minestrone soup and far too much of it. And so he gave me half. </p> <p>Reminded me when I stopped at my grand parents on Sunday afternoon before my mum or my dad drove me back to Lyon. They'd always give me something to take with me, either a jar of home made jam, a <strong>LARGE</strong> slice (like a quarter!) of a cake,   a saucisson or soem cheese. I didn't get it at the time, thinking "it's not like I am going to starve you know" but now, thinking back about it, I do...get it <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01437/2601519" title="DSC01437"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/519/2601519_c50ea9fdd9_m.jpg" alt="DSC01437" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br>And today, it was just a bowl of soup, but on a week day, when I wasn't particularly motivated to cook, it was just perfect. And <strong>SO</strong> tasty too. </p> <p>I will go and check his exact recipe, but in the meantime, here's the one I use, taken from a lovely book hubby bought me for Christmas "Hearty soups", published by <a href="http://www.rylandpeters.com">Ryland Peters &Small</a>:<br><em><br>ingredients:<br>200g cannelleni beans<br>250g smoked bacon or pancetta, diced<br>2 garlic cloves, crushed<br>2 large stalks of parsley, lightly crushed<br>1 tbsp olive oil<br>1 large onion, chopped<br>2 potatoes, cubed and rinsed<br>3 carrots, cubed<br>2 celery stalks, diced<br>3 tomatoes, halved, seeded and chopped<br>200g of italian risotto rice or vermicelli pasta<br>1 small round cabbage, quartered, cored and sliced<br>250g peas<br>3 small courgettes, halved lenghtway and thickly sliced<br>sea salt, freshly ground pepper</p> <p></em>Put the pancetta and the parsley in a stockpot, heat gently and fry until the fat runs<br>add the olive oil, heat briefly, then add the onion and ocok gently until softened but not browned<br>Add the potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, celery and season with salt and pepper. <br>Add 3 litres of water and heat until simmering. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes<br>Add the rice and cook for a further 10 minutes<br>Add the cabbage and cannelleni beans, cook for another 5 minutes<br>Add the courgettes and the peas, cook for 3 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender<br>Remove the parsley stalk and serve with crusty or garlic bread.<br><strong><br>yummmm!</strong></p> <p><strong> </strong> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/18/what-do-you-need-after-a-long-day-s-work-4333685/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>souptomatoleftoverscomfort-foodpastabargain-mealhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/18/what-do-you-need-after-a-long-day-s-work-4333685/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/09/my-favourite-summer-salads-4294912/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-06-09:/2008/06/09/my-favourite-summer-salads-4294912/Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:15:05 +0200 <p><strong>Not sure if it's safe to shout about it yet....</strong><br>But maybe, just maybe, summer has finally arrived. <br>Fingers crossed. </p> <p>Summer. mmmm. Eating outside, BBQ, cold food, and salads. Loads of salads. But not just leaves, course not. <br><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00890/2582721" title="DSC00890"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/721/2582721_48c3e54f2b_m.jpg" alt="DSC00890" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Which got me thinking (always a bit dangerous I know): What are my favourite summer salads? really? </p> <p>So here's a quick Top 5...or rather 2:</p> <p><strong>TOP 5 traditional summer salads from when I was little</strong><br><em>All fairly basic, using stuff growing in the garden...but yummy and kind of "summer comfort food" if that makes any sense</em></p> <p>1. Potatoes, tomatoes and boiled egg salad with mayo dressing</p> <p>2. Tomato salad with a shallot vinaigrette (1 part vinegar to 3 part olive oil, salt, pepper) and chopped fresh chives<br>3. Celeriac remoulade: shredded raw celeriac with a runny mayo<br>4. Carrot salad: Grated carrots with chopped fresh parsley and a lemon vinaigrette<br>5. Salad nicoise: Green beans, tomatoes, black olives, hard boiled eggs, red onions and canned tuna with a mustard dressing (basic vinaigrette with a heaped teaspoon of French mustard all combined and shaken in en empty jam jar!!)</p> <p><strong>TOP 5 summer salads 2008<br></strong><em>Inspired from loads of places and my habit of combining leftovers in any ways<br></em><br>1. Noodle salad: Chinese noodles with sesame oil, lime juice, fresh grated ginger, spring onions, garlic<br>2. Hamouli cheese, grilled peppers, coz lettuce and grilled chicken (poached from my husband!)<a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00903/2582720" title="DSC00903"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/720/2582720_32ef1b4f71_m.jpg" alt="DSC00903" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br>3. Potatoes and mint salad: peeled and cubes potatoes cooked until just tender, mixed with mayo and fresh mint<br><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00889_1/2582719" title="DSC00889-1"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/719/2582719_ad0cfca600_m.jpg" alt="DSC00889-1" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br>4. Avocado, tomatoes, spring onions, crispy bacon salad<br>5.  Green salad leaves with crumbled roquefort cheese<br><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01207/2582722" title="DSC01207"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/722/2582722_9223d42f75_m.jpg" alt="DSC01207" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Obvisously this is my Top 5 tonight, knowing me might well be completely different tomorrow. <br>beware.</p> <p>In the meantime, what's your favourite summer salad? Tell me <a href="mailto:lesrecettesdelorette@googlemail.com">HERE</a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/09/my-favourite-summer-salads-4294912/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>cheesesaladhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/09/my-favourite-summer-salads-4294912/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/a-pink-tart-what-a-perfect-pudding-to-ta-4286493/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-06-07:/2008/06/07/a-pink-tart-what-a-perfect-pudding-to-ta-4286493/Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:39:42 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01355/2577803" title="DSC01355"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/803/2577803_c04cbe93f4_m.jpg" alt="DSC01355" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Feeling  a lot of sympathy for my family back in France <strong>Grinning from ear to ear</strong> after our second barbecue of the day whilst the Frenchies from Lyon and around watch the endless rain (No offence, but it's only just that we sometimes get the better weather..I HAD told my mum and dad to pick up a flight ticket and come over for the week end after all), we have spent most of the day cleaning and clearing our jungle garden after 2 weeks away. Getting there slowly and surely.</p> <p>Stopped for a quick lunch of melon, home cooked (but not made) cheeseburger and green salad before ploughing on...</p> <p>5pm: quick change of activity; the kids are having dinner, linguine with tomato sauce, mushrooms and gruyere followed by plain oghurt mixed with sweet chestnut purée...yummmm!. </p> <p>I, on the other end, am attempting to reproduce my dad's <strong>"tarte aux pralines",</strong> a sweet and pink tart made with pralines, a speciality from <strong>Perouges</strong>, a little medieval village not far from my home town village. Whilst watching the 2 little devils trying to redecorate the kitchen with pasta.</p> <p>Pralines, as explained in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praline">Wikepedia</a>, are whole almonds individually coated in caramelized sugar. Originally invented in France at the Chateau of Vaux-Le-Vicomte by the cook of the 17th century sugar industrialist, Praslin. The powder made by grinding up those coated nuts is called <em>pralin</em> or <em>praliné.<br> </em><br> They look like this:<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01357/2577805" title="DSC01357"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/805/2577805_f4b383472a_m.jpg" alt="DSC01357" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>I brought some back with me last time I went home. Not actually sure if/where you can buy them in the UK? But if you are interested, let me know and I'll do some research for you <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Anyway, the principle of this tart is to mix ground pralines with creme fraiche and bake in a shortcrust pastry for anything from 20 to 40 minutes...It makes a <strong>reddish pink toffee</strong> filling in the end, really yummy. But beware, you must watch it like a hawk: If it cooks too long you'll only be left with pastry and a sticky and very thin reddish paste.</p> <p>Here's the recipe:</p> <p><em>ingredients</p> <p>shortcrust pastry:<br> 250g plain flour<br> 5g salt<br> 1 egg yolk 125 soft butter<br> abotu 2 tablespoon cold water</p> <p></em>Mix the salt and flour.<br> Make a well in the middle of the flour<br> Drop the butter and egg yolk in the center of the well and mix together before starting mixing with the flour<br> Add the cold water once you get a crumbly mixture.<br> try to work the dough as little as possible.<br> Roll between 2 sheets of cling film and place in a tart case that you've already buttered and floured<br> Prick with a fork<br> Place in the freezer for 20 minutes or the fridge for 1 hour, covered with cling film</p> <p><em>The filling<br> For a 24 cms tart case<br> 250 g pralines<br> 300g of creme fraiche (I find using same quantity of each is a bit too sweet for me, but feel free to find the combination that works for you)<br> </em><br> Pour the pralines in a blender and chop to a thin...ish consistency ( not like ground almonds, just a rough powder)<br> Pour in a large bowl, add the creme fraiche and mix well</p> <p>Take your pastry out of the fridge/freezer<br> Srunch 1 or several pieces of foil lengthway like that:<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01356/2577804" title="DSC01356"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/804/2577804_e94051fe01_m.jpg" alt="DSC01356" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Place the pieces of foil around the base of the pastry to avoid it raising when cooking (or use greaseproof paper and beans of any sort/rice... ) <br> Bake the pastry blind for 10 minutes at 180g<br> Let the pastry cool down<br> Pour the mixture in the pastry case and bake for a further 20 to 40 minutes at 180g</p> <p>Here's the final result, NOT as good looking as the one my dad makes but hopefully OK for a first attempt?</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01354/2577800" title="DSC01354"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/800/2577800_10b9593eb4_m.jpg" alt="DSC01354" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Let's see what everyone thinks of it tomorrow.... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/a-pink-tart-what-a-perfect-pudding-to-ta-4286493/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>shortcrust-pastrypuddingsalmondshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/a-pink-tart-what-a-perfect-pudding-to-ta-4286493/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/a-month-later-back-for-good-with-some-sa-4273414/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-06-04:/2008/06/04/a-month-later-back-for-good-with-some-sa-4273414/Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:33:19 +0200 <p><strong><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01204/2575795" title="DSC01204"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/795/2575795_5f36bcafa3_m.jpg" alt="DSC01204" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>All very good going on holiday but...<br> </strong>no time for my blog the week before (too much work!), no time the week we came back (too much work!!), what a life hey.</p> <p>Finally....a bit of spare time.</p> <p>I have been browsing food forums last week end  (catching up you know) and found a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbfood/F2670471?thread=5524477">chat about savoury cakes</a> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01331/2575794" title="DSC01331"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/794/2575794_3f283c8d18_m.jpg" alt="DSC01331" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01331/2575794" title="DSC01331"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01204/2575795" title="DSC01204"></a>on the BBC, and what a good idea they are.<br> I agree, they're easy and tasty and a good idea anyday. But a new kind of food? See, it's funny how simple things are differnt from one country to another. My mum used to make savoury cakes really often in summer for many years. Then, maybe they got a bit out of fashion? Or I forgot about them ....because I was living further, much further from home for a while (Not in a different world like a Time-Lord though, but still, all the way to Northern China). </p> <p>Anyway, here are my 5 top reasons to give them a try:<br> They're the:<br> Leftover kings(ham, cheese, ....)<br> Pic nics maestro<br> A perfect nibble with a glass of wine<br> Office lunch with a difference<br> Little 5pm snack<br> and more....</p> <p>Here are my favourite traditional recipes;<br> Cake aux olives et au jambon (olives and ham cake)<br> <em>the traditional one</em></p> <p>Cake aux courgettes et au thym (tyme and courgette cake)<br> <em>the trendy one<br> </em>both available on the BBC food forum there.</p> <p>After reading so much about them in a short time, I could only but make one myself. Yes I had olives but was in experimental mood so attempted a<br> <strong>Cake aux poivrons rouges confits, chevre et basilic</strong><br> (confit red peppers, goats cheese and fresh basil)</p> <p><em>ingredients:<br> 150g of plain flour<br> 1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder<br> 3 eggs<br> 15 cl of warm milk<br> salt, pepper<br> 100g of goats cheese<br> 1 red pepper<br> 1 large handful of fresh basil<br> 2 generous tablespoons of olive oil<br> </em><br> Mix the flour and baking powder together.<br> Add the beaten eggs, then the milk and mix well until you get a smooth batter.<br> In a frying pan, pour 1 tbspoon olive oil, then add the deseeded and chopped pepper.<br> Toss the pepper in the oil then cook very gently with a lid on for 15 minutes until very soft<br> Tear the basil leaves, drop in a mortar, add a pinch of salt and the remaining olive oil and  reduce to a paste with the pestle (or wizz the ingredients together if you prefer)<br> Add the peppers and the basil oil to the batter then crumble the goats cheese in<br> Pour in a oiled and floured cake tin and bake at 180 degres for 50 minutes</p> <p>Here' the result:<a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01333/2575793" title="DSC01333"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/793/2575793_c2cecf4b08_m.jpg" alt="DSC01333" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Admittedly something between a cake and a clafoutis in term of consistency but made a perfect tasty lunch...I thought. Hubby not convinced, tried and tagged as (I quote) "weird". </p> <p>Oh well, next time will make a bacon and grated cheese one with a little more flour perhaps?</p> <p>By the way, going back onto our holidays, if you ever go to the Tarn region in France, near somewhere called Cordes-sur-Ciel and fancy a room like that<br> ,<a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01125/2575814" title="DSC01125"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/814/2575814_e1805d4e34_m.jpg" alt="DSC01125" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> with a breakfast like that<a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01160/2575813" title="DSC01160"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/813/2575813_40ac091698_m.jpg" alt="DSC01160" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br>  and a dinner like that <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01185/2575832" title="DSC01185"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/832/2575832_dfe930e0b1_m.jpg" alt="DSC01185" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> and that<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01189/2575815" title="DSC01189"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/815/2575815_23ecd4f184_m.jpg" alt="DSC01189" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> and that<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01191/2575833" title="DSC01191"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/833/2575833_697772bd09_m.jpg" alt="DSC01191" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p> try <a href="http://www.legrandecuyer.fr/">this place</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01158/2575834" title="DSC01158"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/834/2575834_a06474502b_m.jpg" alt="DSC01158" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> it's just awsome!<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01155/2575835" title="DSC01155"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/835/2575835_3d369892e5_m.jpg" alt="DSC01155" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01160/2575813" title="DSC01160"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01125/2575814" title="DSC01125"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc01189/2575815" title="DSC01189"></a><br> And for more ideas about savoury cakes, look <a href="http://www.letscookfrench.com/general/home.cfm">there</a><br> Another pic-nic favourite <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/31/spring-clean-and-time-for-a-pic-nic-3977430">HERE</a><br> A lovely light dessert to take to your friends <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/29/various-takes-on-olive-oil-cake-4112092"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/a-month-later-back-for-good-with-some-sa-4273414/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>bargain-mealhampic-nic-stuffbaconcheeseleftoverscold-starterhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/a-month-later-back-for-good-with-some-sa-4273414/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/05/04/ultimate-comfort-food-4130948/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-05-04:/2008/05/04/ultimate-comfort-food-4130948/Sun, 04 May 2008 20:13:09 +0200 <p><strong>whenever I need real comfort food, few things will do.<br> </strong>But one of them is "coquillettes" with grated cheese and butter. coquillettes are tiny pasta, like small curbed macaronis, and a traditional dish we had when we were kids, perhaps because they are so small, they are perfect for a child's mouthfull? </p> <p>Cook them in salted boiling water for 9-10 minutes (al dente), drain them and quickly return them to the pan so some of the cooking juice stays with them. Drizzle them with a little olive oil, a good knob of butter then loads of grated cheese. Gruyere tastes like home for me as does gouda cheese but cheddar would equally do.<br> That's is, 15 minutes later I feel better already.</p> <p>what's your ultimate comfort food? let me know <a href="mailto:lesrecettesdelorette@ggoglemail.com">HERE</a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/05/04/ultimate-comfort-food-4130948/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>express-dishmake-it-with-the-kidspastacomfort-foodhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/05/04/ultimate-comfort-food-4130948/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/29/various-takes-on-olive-oil-cake-4112092/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-04-29:/2008/04/29/various-takes-on-olive-oil-cake-4112092/Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:23:30 +0200 <p><strong>It all started with a conversation</strong> on rivercottage forum about "good v cheap olive oil" with someone called badbadger.</p> <p>Comparing the merits of various olive oil reminded me about my grand dad's lovely "gateau mousse" made without any butter, but with olive oil and white wine instead.<br>My grand mother had always been the cook of the household. The sort that makes everything looks effortless to cook and super tasty. A real pro in disguise. After she died (carry on reading, it's no depressing story, I promise!), my grand-dad starting cooking and especially baking. He'd often come for lunch or dinner at the week end (walking the whole 500 yards from his house to ours). And bring either a flan aux oeufs or a "gateau mousse" (a "foam cake"). We called it like that because it was so light and fluffy, it was like foam really. But tastier. <br>Papi Jean has since left us, and I realised last week I didn't have the recipe of his famous gateau mousse anywhere. so when I went back home last week end, I was so pleased to discover it amongst loads of recipes my mum and dad keep in a thick yellow binder.<br>I had already tried Google for a recipe of "gateau mousse". Those 2 words didn't return much that was helpful. But since it's a cake made of olive oil instead of butter, I tried to google "olive oil+cake". Although I didn't find the right recipe, I came across a raspberry and lemon recipe on various French blogs, all from the same original recipe from Pierre Hermé, a "Grand Monsieur de la patisserie" . I'll wait for the raspberries to grow in the garden to attempt the second one, <br><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00771/2498150" title="DSC00771"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/150/2498150_3c93d83b4f_m.jpg" alt="DSC00771" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>but  still, here are both recipes:</p> <p><strong>Le gateau mousse de papi Jean</strong></p> <p>2 cups of caster sugar<br>1 cup of olive oil<br>1 cup of dry white wine<br>4 egg yolks<br>4 egg whites whisked into soft peaks<br>250g plain flour, sifted<br>2 tea spoon bicarbonate of soda</p> <p>mix all the ingredients together except the egg whites. fold those into the mixture last and bake 15 minutes at 220 degres.</p> <p><strong>Raspberry, lemon and olive oil cake from "Mes desserts préférés" , Pierre Hermé:<br></strong><br>245g plain flour, sifted<br>1 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda<br>200g caster sugar<br>4 eggs<br>1 tablespoon lemon juice + finely grated zests of 2 lemons<br>100g unsalted butter, melted<br>185g olive oil<br>3 tablespoons milk<br>220g fresh raspberries</p> <p>pre heat your oven at 180 degres. <br>Butter and lightly flour a cake tin <br>Work together the sugar and the lemon zests until the sugar is infused with the lemon <br>add the eggs and whisk for about 3 minutes until you get a fluffy and pale mixture<br>Add the milk then the dry ingredients and mix as least as possible<br>Add the lemon juice, then the warm melted butter and olive oil<br>pour 1/2 of the batter in the tin, sprinkle the raspberries on it then pour over the rest of the batter<br>Cook for 30 to 35 minutes until the acke is golden and the sides slightly move away from the sides of the tin</p> <p>For more cake recipes, <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/?tag=cake">try here</a><br>For more ideas with raspberries,<a href="http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.latartinegourmande.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/mousse%2520citron%2520vert%2520framboises5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2006/05/17/mousse-au-citron-vert-et-a-la-framboise-lime-mousse-with-raspberries/&h=467&w=350&sz=40&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=WwbTuE9NaaGvUM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=96&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dframboises%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN"> try here</a></p> <p><em>a comment? a suggestion? ideas about what to cook for dinner? email me <a href="mailto:lresrecettesdelorette@googlemail.com">here</a><br></em> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/29/various-takes-on-olive-oil-cake-4112092/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>lemonolive-oilpuddingscakehttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/29/various-takes-on-olive-oil-cake-4112092/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/13/sunday-afternoon-walks-busy-bees-and-rec-4039998/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-04-13:/2008/04/13/sunday-afternoon-walks-busy-bees-and-rec-4039998/Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:32:59 +0200 <p><strong>Sunday lunch when I was little. <br></strong>Generally at my grand parents, my parents or my uncle and auntie. A whole 2 miles away from each other <img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0">. We'd meet at noon, sit down for a couple of round of aperetifs with various nibbles (from bowls of salted peanuts on regular Sundays to plates of hand made, home made little round toasts spread with crab paté, salmon paté, fish eggs and creme fraiche, foie gras and onion jam, ...or little sausages, black olives and cheese feuilletés for special occasions- Easter, Christmas, New Year's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day...). Then we'd have a long lunch of anything from 5 to 8 courses mixed with a lot of chatting - mainly about local gossip, sometimes moveing onto politics if the local elections were getting close. Then it would be about 5pm. Really? How? I loved it. It never seemed like we spent so long around the table. It was just...nice. Can't put it any other way. Just really a very nice, relaxed, content sensation. a bit like a hot bubbly bath after a long walk or run under the rain (IF you run under the rain that is!). <br>Anyway, after lunch came time for a walk around the village. To get a bit of fresh air before normally going back home, playing cards and....eating some of the leftovers in the evening!. More local gossip as we passed this and that house, shop....more nice time.<br>Well, we did just that on Sunday (the walk, not the 8 course 5 hours lunch). Ok, not round the village but round parts of <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/p/pulboroughbrooks/index.asp">Pulborough Brooks</a>. It's the thought that counts. <br>We made the most of the sunny weather. Chatted with the kids (Millie mainly going "clip clop" to get a piggy back ride from one of us). Watched the newts in the pound. Same nice time, 20 years later.<br>We came back in just in time before the heavens opened again. And back home slightly peckish. Just as well! We only had to put the finishing touches to our "busy bees cake" before trying it straight away. Just look at that!<br>Most of it is Tom's own work. Except the bees. For those, I christened my new gadget from Pampered Chef to pipe the icing: A set of 3 plastic, easily fillable, easily squeezable <a href="http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=16553&categoryCode=BK">icing bottles</a>. Guaranteed anti-mess. Brilliant.</p> <p>The cake was meant to look like that....<br><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/busybees_cake_original_cropped/2467773" title="busybees cake original cropped"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/773/2467773_d7c4223d6c_s.jpg" alt="busybees cake original cropped" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Here's ours. not bad for a first attempt. <br><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00722/2467772" title="DSC00722"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/772/2467772_34bb407ad9_s.jpg" alt="DSC00722" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>The recipe is not mine, it's taken from Nigella Lawson's "Feast" book. But we used very special honey for it: Grand-Ma's. the one my mum and my sister make back home. Here's how you make it:</p> <p>for the cake:</p> <p>100g dark chocolate, 275g light muscodavo sugar<br>225g softened butter<br>125ml of runny honey<br>2 eggs<br>200g plain flour<br>1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda<br>1 tablespoon cocoa<br>250ml boiling water</p> <p>melt the chocolate over a pan of boiling water. <br>Set aside to cool slightly. <br>Pre-heat the oven to 180 degres<br>Grease a 23cms sponge tin<br>Beat together sugar and soft butter until creamy. <br>Add the honey.<br>Add 1 egg, then 1 tablespoon of the flour, then the other egg, then another tablespoon of the flour.<br>Add the melted chocolate, then the rest of the flour and the cocoa passed through a sieve<br>pour the boiling water on the mix and stir well until you get a shiny batter<br>Pour the batter in the sponge tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour (cover the cake with foil after 45 minutes if it starts to get crispy on the sides)</p> <p>For the glaze:<br>bring 60 ml of water and 125ml of runny honey to the boil in a pan <br>turn off th heat and add 175g of dark chocolate grated or chopped in small pieces<br>leave for a few minutes then whisk together<br>Sieve the icing sugar in the mixture and mix some more until smooth<br>spread the icing on the cake only once it's completely cooled down<br>allow 1 hour for the icing to set</p> <p>For the bees:<br>Roll 25g of cream/yellow marzipan into a long sausage shape of about 1/2 inch <br>Cut little pieces of about 1 inch long and round them up to make the bees<br>sit the bees on the cake, take a bit more of the icing and pipe it on the back of the bees creating stripes<br>for the wings, either use flaked almonds (you might want to stick the almonds into the bees before placing those on the cake) or pipe wings made of white icing sugar on each side of the bees' bodies</p> <p>Hope you get round to make one of those one day!</p> <p>And if you like recipes with honey, why not try those?</p> <p><a href="http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_honeychicken.htm">honey and lemon chicken</a><br><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/honeyandhazlenutcake_14548.shtml">honey and hazelnut cake</a><br><a href="http://icecreamireland.com/2007/02/06/cardamom-honey-ice-cream/%3Ecardamon">cardamon honey ice cream</a></p> <p>Need ideas for your next meal? not sure what to do with something? leftovers? <a href="mailto:lesrecettesdelorette@googlemail.com">email me</a>  <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/13/sunday-afternoon-walks-busy-bees-and-rec-4039998/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>puddingshoneymake-it-with-the-kidscomfort-foodcakechocolatehttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/13/sunday-afternoon-walks-busy-bees-and-rec-4039998/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/04/from-holiday-memories-to-my-plans-on-how-3995076/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-04-04:/2008/04/04/from-holiday-memories-to-my-plans-on-how-3995076/Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:42:21 +0200 <p><strong><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/965/2449965_411584085b_m.jpg" alt="DSC00408" hspace="5" vspace="5"><br>We used to live just outside the village,</strong> </p> <p>in a new built house that saw 3 successive extensions in 10 years. To accomodate our growing family: 4 girls NEED a lot of room. There's all the clothes, the dress up stuff, the riding gear, the magazines, the pushbikes, the "grocery store" (ALL pink of course...yeuck! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif" alt=":p" class="middle" border="0"> ) with all the boxes of supplies carefully kept and cellotaped by mum, and so on.</p> <p>One great thing about growing up with 3 sisters is that you always have someone to fight play with <img src="/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif" alt=":p" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>If we weren't rollerskating the length of the balcony (which went all the way alongside the house), cashing strange foreign coins on the old till dad salvaged from a closing butcher's shop, or following clues hidden in trees around the garden to retrieve our afternoon snack (I know, we had a cruel cool babysitter), we'd be...either playing "muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum...I'm BO-RED" or cooking!</p> <p>We all have a sweet tooth, so the cooking was more often than not a pudding of some sort. Creatures of habit, we'd normally do the same recipe again and again for a while, then move on to our next new favourite. One of those favourites was a "<strong>3 flavours cream</strong>"- vanilla, coffee and chocolate (what else!). It's very simple to make, the tricky bit is assembling it: you need to pour all 3 custards into a large bowl at the same time. they kind of hold ungainst each other making a perfectly kitsch 3 colour dessert. </p> <p>I'll make one next time I have "3 hands" in the kitchen to add a photo (might be a while, not sure I can count on Tom yet?). But here's the recipe: <strong>chocolate cream</strong>: 30g of cornflour, 1/4 l of milk, 150g of chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie (in a bowl sitting over a pan of boiling water). Remove from the hob when all melted. Mix the cornflour with a few tablespoons of milk to start with then add all the remaining milk. Pour in a pan, heat up and add the chocolate little by little. Keep whisking until you reach boiling point. Remove from the gas. <strong>Coffee cream</strong>: 30g of corn flour, 1/4l milk, 1 expresso cup of very strong coffee, 80g of caster sugar, 10g of butter. Mix the cornflour with a little milk then all the remaining ingredients except the butter. Bring to boiling point whisking all the time. Remove from the hob, add the butter and stir until melted. <strong>Vanilla cream</strong>: 30g of cornflour, 1/4l of milk, 60g of caster sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 10g of butter. Same principle as for the coffee cream, replacing the coffee by the vanilla.</p> <p>When all 3 creams are ready and still warm, pour all 3 in a large deep bowl. You must pour all 3 at the same time so they hold against each other creating a tri color pudding. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy. Yummm! That recipe comes from one of my oldest cooking book "100 desserts, 50 trucs", like the <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/10/the_easiest_bestest_caketo_make_with_lit~3116527">quatre-quart recipe </a>, another really easy one to make with kids.</p> <p><em>coming soon: Broadoaks Pig Farm, Funny Face breakfasts and Wiston Tea Rooms</em></p> <p>....to be continued.......</p> <p> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/04/from-holiday-memories-to-my-plans-on-how-3995076/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>puddingsmake-the-day-beforechocolatemake-it-with-the-kidshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/04/04/from-holiday-memories-to-my-plans-on-how-3995076/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/31/spring-clean-and-time-for-a-pic-nic-3977430/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-03-31:/2008/03/31/spring-clean-and-time-for-a-pic-nic-3977430/Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:04:23 +0200 <p><strong>We went on holiday a couple of weeks ago...</strong><br>and, banned from access to internet, I spent some time thinking about all the stuff I want to include in this blog...hence the slight reshuffle of the header again. Fingers crossed it should now cover all my main "cogitations" (that's thoughts" in French) about food <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"><br>Now that that bit of spring clean is done, <em>parlons patés & terrines</em>: I love them, preferably game ones. they are very closed to one another, except a paté is a paste -smooth or not- and a terrine made with pieces of meat, mainly handchopped. <br>Each time we go home I stock the car with little glass jars of "terrine de lapin aux noisettes" (rabbit and hazelnut paté), "paté de canard au poivre vert" (duck and green peppercorns) and "terrine de sanglier a l'armagnac" (wild boar and Brandy). They are just the right size for a quick dinner for 2 on a lazy Sunday night.<br>Just add some toasted crusty bread, <br><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/643/2443643_dcefb46079_s.jpg" alt="DSC00353" hspace="5" vspace="5"><br>cornichons (must have!) and a glass or 2 of Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes from "Bruno", a friend of mum and dad who makes awesome wine. OK, it's not just the wine. he's the "main attraction" to be honest. He's ...well, unique. Last time we went to see him to buy some Beaujolais, we arrived at 5 pm and left at 10? 11? after hours tasting his Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais Blanc, Beaujolais Superieur and more in the shade of his cellar (a little vaulted room tucked away from his main house "en Pierres Dorées", the local, golden colour stone). We were welcome like kings as usual and treated to countless plates of thinly sliced saucisson and little "boutons" (tiny, cocktail size goats cheese). If you ever stop in Beaujolais, do give him a call or pop in "Le Cosset", the hamlet where he and his wife Roselyne run Le Domaine du Veclay.<br> Anyway, back when I was living at home, we'd always have  a jar of paté if not a home made terrine (at the week end) in the fridge. Evening meal after a big bowl of soup or spread on little slices of baguette if friends/family would turn up unannounced for "aperitif"...as they often do (a habit my husband is still not completely at ease with...Mind you he DID end up meeting 1/2 the village the first week end he went home with me). <br>Since I am running low on jars of patés at the moment (no trip to France recently), I have planned to make my own terrine this week end. We've got pheasants in the freezer, so all I need is a recipe. <br>I have decided to adapt one from my dad's book "Terrines" which normally uses duck and the duck skin but hoopefully it shuld work well with bacon and added pork belly fat. fingers crossed: <br><strong><br>Pheasant and nuts terrine:<br></strong>1 kg to 1.5 kg of pheasant meat off the bone<br>200g of minced veal or pork<br>250g of porc belly finely chopped<br>1 good tablespoon of Brandy<br>1 egg<br>3 tablespoons of hazelnuts -or chestnuts or pistachio nuts-, roasted and skinned<br>1 small hanful of rosemary <br>a couple of bayleaves<br>salt and freshly ground pepper<br>2 packs of unsmoked bacon</p> <p>Hand chop the pheasant and pork belly really fine<br>mix with the minced veal/pork<br>add 2 tablespoons of mixed salt and pepper<br>add the hazelnuts, chopped rosemary, brandy and the egg and mix well<br>Layer the bottom of a terrine dish with the slices of bacon leaving 2 inches overhanging on each side<br>Press the mixture in the terrine <br>lay the rosemary or bayleaves on top<br>then cover the whole dish with the bacon<br>bake in a bain marie (a roasting tray with a couple of inches of water at the bottom) for 1h45 minutes at 180 degres.<br>Leave to cool in the oven in its own fat then refrigerate for at least a couple of days before eating.</p> <p>Now all we need is a bit of sunshine to improvise a pic nic next week end!</p> <p>Note  (21st April): The pic nic never happened but the terrine was delicious all the same....Here's a photo of the mighty dish!:</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00751/2483384" title="DSC00751"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00751/2483384" title="DSC00751"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/384/2483384_a5e61d9612_m.jpg" alt="DSC00751" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/31/spring-clean-and-time-for-a-pic-nic-3977430/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>pic-nic-stuffmake-the-day-beforelite-lunchcold-starterpheasanthttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/31/spring-clean-and-time-for-a-pic-nic-3977430/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/11/on-verveine-infusion-and-more-great-loca-3859249/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-03-11:/2008/03/11/on-verveine-infusion-and-more-great-loca-3859249/Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:56:23 +0100 <p><strong>So I finally made it to the evening...</strong><br>kids in bed, run done and dusted, kitchen tidy (ish). just in time for...Hotel Babylon and a cup of tea...of course not! I have lived in England for over a decade now but still can't drink the stuff I am afraid. Just not for me.<br>What I do like to drink, apart from strong, black expresso coffee, is an infusion of  dry verveine (verbena) leaves in the evening. No sugar, occasionally a small teaspoon of honey (from mum and dad's own beehives) for a sore throat a little treat. <br>It's a long family tradition. Like lots of food and drinks I enjoy, it brings back happy memories and a big smile on my face thinking of it.<br>Back when I was a kid, my grand parents used to grow verbena in their garden. Each summer they'd carefully pick and dry the leaves on large plastic/melamine trays then keep them in an empty biscuit tin. And every evening spent at their place, without failing, my mamie would serve us a "verveine". She'd bring the tray to the living room and we would drink it whilst watching TV in the evening. Pretty china cups, white with blue japanese style tree pattern. Teeny spoons, gold and shiny, won from some competition in a home products catalogue no doubt. I LOVED it. Sometimes, we'd even suck on a lump of sugar dipped in "chartreuse" or "eau de vie" at the same time. Bliss.<br>I don't have a verbena tree here in Sussex. I have loads and loads of lemon verbena which grows like mad in the garden no matter how much I prune it back (actually it probably makes it even healthier!). I have tried to buy verveine sachets at the supermarket in France but it doesn't taste of anything like the real leaves. But thanksfully, my mum sends me supplies of whole dried leaves she buys at the Marché Couvert in Villefranche sur Saone for me when she can. And when I am really lucky, my sister's mother-in-law to be (well , they are getting married in less than 3 months now <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> sends me some home grown leaves from  her garden in Allauch, near Marseille. The smell of those is just terrific, just like mamie's verveine. So thank you very very much Michelle. <br>So I haven't yet found a local supplier of  dried verbena leaves. But other great places and food yes. On my recent local adventures with the kids, I have revisited <a href="http://crumbsofsussex.co.uk/">Crumbs</a> at Shoots Garden Centre in Washington. There was a queue all round the shop on that Saturday morning and I could have bought 2 baskets full of products myself, easily. Great fruits and vegetables. Hummy chocolates from <a href="http://www.cocoalco.co.uk/">cocoaloco</a>. Chutneys and jams. and more. I settled on some "Vacherin Mont d'Or" a creamy, soft cow cheese made only for a few winter months, a slice of Saint Agur (a gorgeous, creamy blue cheese), a bit of camembert, onion marmelade and a lovely fresh loaf of walnut bread (one of my favourite, and perfect with strong blue cheese). I also stopped twice at <a href="http://www.trufflesbakeryltd.co.uk/contact.html">Truffles</a> in Mill Square in Storrington to get one of their fruit loaf, great for breakfast, a couple of bunny shortbread biscuits for the kids and a sliced "low GI bread" . I know the name is not that attractive but it tastes really great, packed with seeds. even the kids love it in their sandwiches. <br>I finished the Vacherin in a sort of <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/28/a_great_recipe_from_savoie_using_rebloch~3207908">"tartiflette"</a> for one yesterday night, what a treat! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/11/on-verveine-infusion-and-more-great-loca-3859249/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>local-supplierscheeseverbenahttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/11/on-verveine-infusion-and-more-great-loca-3859249/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/03/frangipanne-based-puddings-and-local-far-3812764/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-03-03:/2008/03/03/frangipanne-based-puddings-and-local-far-3812764/Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:27:09 +0100 <p><strong>Yesterday night I was watching Rick Stein's program...</strong><br>the one where he travelled through the South of France from West to East on a barge, stopping and sampling local dishes like cassoulet, salade de chevre chaud or <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/20/gratin_dauphinois_the_king_of_all_potato~3327766">gratin dauphinois</a>. During that program, he made a Pithivier, an almond cream pie encased in puff pastry. He added fresh cherries to his which I have never tried but sounded like a nice idea. <br>It reminded me how much I love almond cream. It's called "frangipanne" in French. It's a brilliant base for a fruit tart or indeed for the traditional <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/07/the_tradition_of_epiphany_frangipanne_ga~3543673">Galette des Rois</a> we eat on January 6th. <br>Or to make stuffed almond croissants... I used to buy those all the time, they are SO yummy. I might try to make my own this week end actually, humm..never thought of it, why, why, WHY?. I have even got ready rolled, frozen pur butter croissants in the freezer. <img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/04idea.gif" border="0" alt=""> I buy them at a <a href="http://www.bairdsfarmshop.co.uk/">great farm shop</a>, not far from us, in Climping. I go there once a month/couple of months with the kids, and get supplies to keep the freezer happy for a while: frozen croissants and pains au chocolat you just pop in the oven on Sunday morning for a perfect French breakfast, frozen berries to add to yoghurts, jellies or ice cream. They have also got a huge selection of seeds, grains and pusles you can buy without the bulky packaging of the supermarket version!. All lined up in easy to use dispensers from oatmeal to basmati rice, sesame seeds to chick peas and much much more. They stock a litle bit of fresh fish, really nice fresh breads and excellent beef and of course sausages....although I personally stay loyal to John Cooper for those since I haven't tasted any better ones sicne I discovered him down the road from us. <br>Anyway, have a look at what they've got <a href="http://www.bairdsfarmshop.co.uk/store.htm">in store</a> for yourself<img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"><br>Back to the matter of frangipanne...Apart from  its use in lovely almond croissants, it's worth trying it as a base for a tart. Last week I made a classic pear and frangipanne tart to take to my friend for lunch: Make or buy a shortcrust pastry. Blind bake it covered with foil for 5 minutes in a medium hot oven (190) then remove the foil and bake for a further 3 to 5 minutes. You don't want the pastry to colour, just cook. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. In the meantime, make your frangipanne: beat together 200g soft unsalted butter with 200g of caster sugar, add 2 eggs, 200g of ground almonds and 50g of flour. Mix well and pour in 1 tablespoon of dark rhum, it makes all the difference. Pour the almond cream on the pastry, top with peeled and quartered fresh pears (or canned pears in juice). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 180 degres. Leave to cool and finish the tart by painting the top with 2 tablespoon of  warmeed apricot jam mixed with 1 tablespoon of water to give it a glossy look. Enjoy cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  I did wanted to take a picture of mine....forgot and now it's all gone! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/03/frangipanne-based-puddings-and-local-far-3812764/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>puff-pastrybreakfastalmondsfruitspuddingshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/03/03/frangipanne-based-puddings-and-local-far-3812764/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/25/back_from_holiday_at_long_last~3780694/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-02-25:/2008/02/25/back_from_holiday_at_long_last~3780694/Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:24:56 +0100 <p><strong>Last week I went back home with the little ones for half term...</strong><br> seeing that my other half was away for the week anyway! Needless to say I have spent a week indulging  in one of my favourite hobbie: food tasting. I had to be a bit sneaky this time since my mum, dad and sister were in the middle of a little spring detox and...not eating much else than soups and boiled vegetables.<br> Anyway, I managed. <br> I also tried to do the same things with our kids that I remember doing with my parents and grand parents, simply because I have such great memories of growing up in Beaujolais. i hope both Tom and Millie will too one day.<br> Holiday time spent at home was  usually divided between strolling through the market with "mamie Juliette" on Tuesday morning, stopping every 10 yards or so to chat to a friend/neighbour/relative. A lot of hanging around time at the local riding centre (for me).  And yummy afternoon snacks; Home made hot chocolate we would make in a chocolatiere (a gadget only people with a bid house and loads of cupboards can have...but such a treat to make frothy, hot, creamy, velvety drinks!), pain perdu and matefin (a thick pancake half way between a crepe and American pancakes) .</p> <p>So, in keeping with the tradition, on Tuesday morning we went round the local market! We bought a yummy, fluffy, light and warm gauffre for the kids. Simply sprinkled with snowy icing sugar and eaten there and then (yes I helped them!) it was so delicious I nearly ate it all myself (shame on me)<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00409/2369028" title="DSC00409"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/028/2369028_bb522e52f2_s.jpg" alt="DSC00409" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00411/2369029" title="DSC00411"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/029/2369029_5ca00a6375_s.jpg" alt="DSC00411" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00407/2369030" title="DSC00407"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/030/2369030_cb1063fc3f_s.jpg" alt="DSC00407" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> We saw loads of great stuff on the market, although it was a bit quieter than normal being half term (quite a few of the locals go away skiing so less stall owners make the trip to Beaujolais that week). Salads, radishes, artichokes and beetroots aplenty, soft fresh local cow and goat's cheeses, duck, poulet de Bresse and partridges, honey and honeycomb...I could have bought the lot!<br> For lunch that day we just roasted poulet de Bresse and ate it with some fresh green beans sautees with a little olive oil and a "persillade", a mixture of freshly chopped parsley, butter and crushed garlic. A nice slice of fresh, crusty bread. A small cup of strong coffee to follow and we were done.We spent  a quiet afternoon outside in the garden with the kids playing in the sand pit and me reading <a href="http://cuisine.elle.fr/elle/elle-a-table">Elle a Table</a> and Saveurs magazine alongside with Paris Turf to catch up on French racing. That's life!</p> <p>The next day we found a great place to take the kids to: a <a href="http://www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme.com/">ferme decouverte</a>. Basically, farmers all over France supplement their income by organising interactive farm tours and even holiday for kids. This one - aimed at toddlers/little ones- lasted 1h30, including feeding the chickens, goats, cows and rabbits, finishing on a tasting of home made apple juice and apple cake. We went <a href="http://www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme.com/Rhone/Ferme_de_decouverte/Ferme_au_pied_des_Secheres_page.htm?IDINFO=199835&PARAM=IdInf_51951">La ferme au pied des Secheres</a> and were welcomed by Brigitte Bouteille who looked after us for the whole morning. She speaks perfect English and was so good explaining how the farm works, what each animal does....if you have a chance, go see for yourself, it's a brilliant day out. </p> <p>in the middle of all the kids activities and shopping for the essential bits and pieces I miss when in England, I brought back some boudin blanc. nothing to do with boudin noir (black pudding), boudin blanc is made with chicken, cream and eggs. It's basically a chicken mousse sausage that you peel then gently shallow fry in a little butter until golden brown on all sides. I served mine on Saturday  "a l'aperetif" sliced, on little cocktail sticks. But it is also birlliant as a main with smooth mash and sautes mushrooms for example.<br> Bon appetit! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/25/back_from_holiday_at_long_last~3780694/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>beaujolaischocolateaperetifmake-it-with-the-kidssnackhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/25/back_from_holiday_at_long_last~3780694/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/15/broadening_horizons_and_chocolate_heaven~3731661/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-02-15:/2008/02/15/broadening_horizons_and_chocolate_heaven~3731661/Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:56:29 +0100 <p><strong>You might have noticed I have changed the header that describes what Yummy Homely Food is all about.<br> </strong>I have been thinking about it for a while,  I have tried quite hard to change the way we shop and eat at home for the past year at least now. I've tried to go back to principles I was brought up on...I am only talking about food here! My parents and my grandparents have always shopped local and eaten seasonal stuff - fruits and vegetables from the garden when available or from the local Tuesday morning market and butchers in the village... They "recycle" most leftovers, freeze/preserve excess seasonal food to use later when it's scarce. I blanked that for a long, long time .....then woke up!. Probably because of all the hype around the sujbect here in England and th fact that I might be more receptive to the issue now that I am a "mum of 2 getting on a bit and living in the countryside". Just joking, I can still stay awake past 10:30 pm...on the odd occasion.<br>  I wanted to post about that on this blog , but it didn't really fit what Yummy Homely Food was all about? but then, I didn't really want to start a THIRD blog neither!. The more I thought about it, the more I realised that I could just widen the topic of Yummy Homely Food to include slightly different post subjects. So here goes, YHM will now be about "<strong>How I try to recreate food and shopping habits from when I was little, growing up in Beaujolais, here in England. A mix of French recipes and memories from living in the countryisde. Plus: small local producers, shops and markets I have discovered here in England to feed my "slight" obsession with food</strong>". <br> I'll start this new "era" of YHF with a very special post about...chocolate! Can't be more seasonal than that seeing that Valentine's day was only a few days ago...and Easter is coming up fast. My craving about the stuff was easily satisfied when I was living in France: I'd just pop to our local patissier chocolatier for some "oranges en chocolat" (sweet and bitter bits of confit orange skins dipped in very dark chocolate), or stop on my way down to Lyon at Patisserie Seve, in Champagne au Mont d'Or, for a trully "out-of-this-world" Opera  or herisson (which combines 2 of my sweet weaknesses- chocolate AND sweet chestnut puree).  When shopping in the "presqu'ile" (the centre of Lyon - a "near island" surrounded by 2 rivers, the Saone and the Rhone), I'd stop at <a href="http://www.chocolat-voisin.com/chocolats/index.html">Chocolats Voisin</a> for a small bag of lovely, rich <a href="http://www.chocolat-voisin.com/chocolats/specialite-lyonnaises-coussin-de-lyon.html">Coussins de Lyon</a>. Back at home, there was always time for a <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/16/chocolate_sandwich_and_more_homely_choco~3147561">chocolate sandwich</a> at my mamie's house, or a chocolate and frangipanne tart for the week end more recently (still one of my dad's classic and never dissapointing pudding).<br>  But then I moved here, to the land of Cadbury cream eggs! <br> A few years back I discovered <a href="http://wwww.hotelchocolat.co.uk/">Hotel Chocolat</a> and that satisfied my craving for a bit, although the problem was that with an internet order, you can hardly pop in for a small treat of 2 or 3 handmade chocs can you....I utterly enjoyed a 3 months subscription to their  <a href="http://www.chocs.co.uk/">Chocolate Tasting Club</a>, when you receive a box of 30 new chocolates each month with a little card explaining what's what and...a scoring card as well. Great fun. A couple of years ago, I then discovered <a href="http://www.montezumas.co.uk/">Montezumas</a> and their teeny-tiny shop in Chichester. Lovely chocolate bars and always some kind of tasting going on, I completely approve.<br> However, on Thursday, I finally went to (chocolate) heaven!<br> I met Sarah (Payne) who runs <a href="http://www.cocoaloco.co.uk/">Cocoaloco</a> in Partridge Green. An organic chocolate factory in her own back garden, how lucky is she? We had a really lovely chat. I learned how she started (making brownies all her friends adored and convinced her to turn it into a business). How she and her husband are moving business premises next week and trying to organise the commute to the other side of the A24 using just one car (tricky with school runs...I did suggest borrowing a polo pony from the stables next to their new office?). How their packaging for small treats have been cleverly tested to fit through most models of letterboxes so customers don't have to make a trip to the Post Office to retrieve their yummy chocs and indeed...wait any longer than necessary for them (now that's attention to details in my world). Anyway, after sorting out my order, I left with a nice looking dark chocolate bar hand tied with a bit of raffia and a label, and a very promising little red box. <a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00389"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/148/2349148_43a561409e_s.jpg" alt="DSC00389" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> I am VERY proud to say both made it all the way home...but not a minute later. I started with the dark chocolate bar.<br> <a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00388"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/151/2349151_73e43bc7be_s.jpg" alt="DSC00388" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> I knew I was in for a treat since the car filled itself with a deep chocolate smell in the 14 minutes it took me to drive home. It was Yummy. dark chocolate with little nibs of cocoa throughout. Delicious. However, the "piece de resistance" was the little red box. <a href="http://www.cocoaloco.co.uk/acatalog/Champagne_Truffle_Decadence.html">Chocolate champagne truffles</a>.<br> <img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/149/2349149_d2a21c0aa4_s.jpg" alt="DSC00390" hspace="5" vspace="5"><br> Ooooooooooooooooooooooooh! Creamy, soft, smooth, rich, silky, buttery milk chocolate with a slight quick from the champagne. I can't do them justice writing about them, so here's a photo to give you an idea. <br> <img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/150/2349150_3455a51ebb_s.jpg" alt="DSC00393" hspace="5" vspace="5"><br>  And if you really want to know what I mean, just get yourself one. I think everyone should have one in "stand by" in the fridge for "emergencies"...you know the kind I mean! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/15/broadening_horizons_and_chocolate_heaven~3731661/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>lyonlocal-supplierschocolatehttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/15/broadening_horizons_and_chocolate_heaven~3731661/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/04/a_kinda_tiramisu_style_cake_to_make_with~3680438/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-02-04:/2008/02/04/a_kinda_tiramisu_style_cake_to_make_with~3680438/Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:37:45 +0100 <p><strong>I spend lots of time these days trying to remember some of the recipes I enjoyed making/eating when I was little,</strong><br> Why? Some write a journal, I am a bit more of an exhibitionist! Seriously, it  makes me write down LOVELY, special memories I don't want to forget, it makes me SMILE a lot and it helps me remember stuff I can in turn, make with my KIDS. OK, mainly with Tom, but little Millie likes to help too even though she's only 14 months. The other day she spread jam on her toast all on her own - she did a great job and was very proud of herself (even though her hair had to be thoroughly washed after!)</p> <p>Anyway, I was browsing food sites I have never had time to look at until now....left a comment on <a href="http://bleedingespresso.com/2008/01/announcing-world-nutella-day-2008.html">La Tartine Gourmande</a> (that blog appears on all the food blogs I looked at so I thought I ought to have a peek- nice place <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0">, next thing I know, Michelle from <a href="http://bleedingespresso.com/2008/01/announcing-world-nutella-day-2008.html">bleedingexpresso</a> invite me to enter the World Nutella Day contest...an offer I can't refuse.<br> So here it is...<br> I have very very found memories of this "cake with no name" that my sisters used to make (actually I think they call it a "gateau ho-ho" ?). The ingredients are dead easy to find... in France, IF you live somewhere else, I am actually not sure how much of a challenge it will be to find Thé Brun but I guess you could try to swap them for plain Digestive biscuits maybe...although not sure it will work the same but it can't not be yummy if you go for Digestive biscuits.<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/the_brun_box/2323001" title="the brun box"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/001/2323001_260bfe1ed4_s.jpg" alt="the brun box" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a>Thé Brun are a rather particular kind of biscuit. I reckon they are the ultimate dunking biscuit  ( a very serious statement on a very serious subject indeed, here in England: dunking). They just have the perfect consistency when dunked: they go all creamy and gorgeous but somehow, they hold so well that you can actually eat them once dunked without the whole biscuit falling in pieces and sinking at the bottom of your cup of tea (or in my case...a glass of orange juice- I know!)</p> <p>which brings me to my recipe, the base of which is... dunked Thé brun biscuits!</p> <p><strong>"Cake with no name"<br> </strong>ingredients:<br> 2 packs of Thé brun<br> 1 cup of strong expresso coffee (not instant stuff if possible)<br> 1 jar of Nutella paste t room temperature (it must be soft of you are in for a struggle)<br> 2 tablespoons of Amaretto (optional- not for the kids friendly version)<br> 1 tub of souble cream or whipped cream in a can</p> <p>Take a cake tin and line it with  a double layer of cling film , making sure you leave a good few inches of cling film overhanging on 2 opposite sides<br> Make a large cup of strong coffee, leave it to cool down, add the Amaretto to it<br> Quickly dip a few Thé brun bisuits in coffee and line the bottom of the tin with it<br> Spread a THIN layer of Nutella on top of the biscuits<br> Carry on building layers of biscuits and Nutella paste until you get to 1 cm over the top of the tin<br> Fold back the cling film on top of the cake<br> Place in the fridge for 24 hours with a weight o some sort on it (a plate with a can of tinned tomatoes for example)<br> To serve, remove from the fridge, unfold the cling film and gently pull to get the cake out of the tin <br> Cut with a sharp knife dipped in hot water in between each slice<br> Served with a dollop of whipped cream <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"><br> there you go, no cooking, no hot oven, perfect building work for kiddies to enjoy making and sooooooooo delicious. Bon Apetit!<br> (If I have some Thé Brun I would have made one tonight to show you a picture...mind you 2 days after pancake day and 1 day before Mardi Gras, might be best I don't). </p> <p><em>PS: Fancy entering? you've got until 4th february,  more details <a href="http://www.nutelladay.com/">here</a><br> </em> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/04/a_kinda_tiramisu_style_cake_to_make_with~3680438/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>make-it-with-the-kidspuddingsmake-the-day-beforenutella-daychocolatehttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/02/04/a_kinda_tiramisu_style_cake_to_make_with~3680438/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/31/crepes_time~3662041/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-01-31:/2008/01/31/crepes_time~3662041/Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:55:23 +0100 <p><strong>It's coming round very soon...<br> </strong><br> La chandeleur <em>bien sur</em>! Celebrated each year on February 2nd, 40 days after Christmas, it's "pancake day" in France ( and in Belgium). Now I wouldn't miss it for anything, I just love crepes too much. So much so that I cook them a lot more than just on February 2nd.<br> I remember having crepes quite often when we were kids. I think it's because it's such an easy meal to be honest when you lack inspiration. Kids adore it too, of course!. But I fear that in these days of food correctness, low fat, low sugar and low carb diets, my idea of the perfect crepes will be highly unpolitically correct. But the thing is, what's the point of having crepes if you are going to fill them up with low fat yoghurt and fruits? I'd rather pass then.<br> I think best spend the day out, running and playing ball (with the kids, or your dog, or friends, or on your own- quite nice sometimes), walking to,,, the swings, the village, the next bus stop,  or wherever you can/want to burn some calories, then enjoy a proper meal of proper crepes. Just go easy on the amount (I seem to remember we'd eat 3 each for dinner, we'll see how many I need next Saturday night for the 4 of us)</p> <p>Anyway, you might also like to know that the recipe is dead easy- it's one you can take "in your head" on holiday, like my easiest bestest cake:</p> <p><em>for about 12 crepes<br> </em>3 eggs<br> 1/2 litre of milk<br> 250g of plain flour (sifted)<br> 1 pinch of salt<br> 1/2 glass of beer (lagger)<br> a bit of vegetable oil for the pan</p> <p>just combine all the ingredients (except the oil) together, whisk well until it goes all foamy on the top then leave to rest for 1/2 hour before making your crepes.<br> To keep them warm whilst you cook them, place a pan with simmering water on the hob next to your frying pan, place a large plate on top and pile your crepes on it, covering with another plate or foil. Simple as that!<br> To make the crepes, pour a small laddle of batter in a hot non stick frying pan well oiled (you can use those oil spray if you want) and turn it aroudn the pan until it covers it very thinly (it MUST be thin otherwise you end up with sloppy American pancakes!).  Cook for a few minutes until the edges start to turn brown then flip it over and cook for another minute on the other side</p> <p>And here are my favourite fillings:<br> SWEET fillings<br> Nutella paste...the best of the best!<br> Caster sugar<br> Jam (homemade if you can, but hey, if not, just buy the best jam you can)<br> Ardechoise- sweet chestnut purée and...whipped cream (really!)<br> Honey and chopped walnuts<br> fresh pears and hot chocolate sauce<br> Normande- cooked apples (in a little sugar so they caramelised) with creme fraiche<br> Crepe flambée- use rhum and caster sugar and a little lemon juice, heat the alcohol and pour over the crepe then set fire to it (not for the kids!)</p> <p>SAVOURY fillings<br> Ham and fried egg<br> complete- ham, mushrooms and eggs<br> Nordique- prawns and white sauce<br> forestiere- mushrooms and roquefort<br> provencale- tomatoes, herbes and goats cheese<br> ...and so on.</p> <p> If you want to do it like in Brittany, get your hands on some Cidre Brut (some supermarkets sell it) and pour some it in a little bowl ( a "bolée"), and enjoy!</p> <p>Just need to add one thing to this post:<br> <strong>I HAD TO enter the</strong><a href="http://www.culinate.com/chocolate"><strong> "death by chocolate contest</strong></a>"<strong> on culinate.co.uk! I submitted my recipe for </strong><a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/27/reine_de_sabbah_the_yummiest_gooeyest_ch~3361700"><strong>Reine de Sabah</strong></a><strong>, my  "favourite-yummy-melt-in-the-mouth-almond-and-chocolate-cake"...if you like the idea of that and think it deserves to win, then please please pretty please vote for it and vote for me. Now is the time to show your support! Thanks in advance. To vote, click on the link below<br> </strong><a href="http://www.culinate.com/chocolate?blogURL=http%3A%2F%2Fyummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk%2F&blogName=Yummy+Homely+Food">Vote for me in the Death by Chocolate contest</a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/31/crepes_time~3662041/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>eggsleftoversmake-it-with-the-kidsbargain-mealpuddingshamcheesesnackhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/31/crepes_time~3662041/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/23/top_5_of_my_favourite_puddings_from_when~3620673/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-01-23:/2008/01/23/top_5_of_my_favourite_puddings_from_when~3620673/Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:28:08 +0100 <p><strong>When I was little, I had, like everyone, my favourite dishes...<br> </strong>and to this day I still love eating most of the same things (except maybe sheep brain which according to my mother, I used to love?). So I thought I'd share my Top 10 dishes (savoury and sweet), starting with puddings:<br>  <br> At No 10- <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/14/got_spare_apples_make_a_tarte_tatin_bien~3297467">Tarte tatin</a> with creme fraiche<br> At No 9-  <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/30/pain_perdu_lost_bread~3220769">Pain perdu</a> made by my grand mother  after school<br> At No 8- <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/27/reine_de_sabbah_the_yummiest_gooeyest_ch~3361700">Reine de Sabah </a>chocolate cake<br> At No 7- Sweet chestnut puree charlotte (a variation from the <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/07/easy_desert_with_lady_fingers_boudoirs_b~3262296">summer fruits charlotte</a>) made with wipped cream and a tin od sweet chestnut puree for filling<br> At No 6- pistachio ice cream from the patisserie in the village<br> and at No 5- The mightly "flan aux oeufs" (a set custard baked in bain marie - in a tray with water basically- with runny warm caramel at the bottom). the WHOLE point of that pudding was that mum used to make one big flan and not individual ones, so we always tried to get the most possible caramel sauce with our portion...all good fun.<br> I thought about it this week-end since I ended up with quite a few farm eggs and too much fresh milk...What best way to use them? Quick, simple ans very yummy indeed <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Ready to have a go? you'll need:<br> <em>For the caramel</em><br> 100g of sugar<br> a squeeze of lemon juice<br> 1 table sppon of water<br> <em>For the flan</em><br> 1 litre of milk<br> 8 eggs<br> 90g of caster sugar<br> 1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspooon of vanilla extract (the good stuff if possible like that one, not the industrial no taste vanilla in the little plastic bottle you buy at the supermarket)</p> <p>Start by making the caramel: mix the sugar, lemon juice and water in a small pan and heat on the hob, stirring all the time until the  caramel develop into a quite deep colour. Pour it immediately at thr bottom of a deep oven proof dish or individual ramequins. The caramel wil lset , it's normal.</p> <p>Make the custard: in a large pan pour the milk, sugar. Split the vanilla pod length way with a sharp knife. Scrape the seeds with the knife blade and add the pod and the seeds to the milk. Beat the eggs in a large bowl big enough to add the milk to.  Bring the milk to the boil, whisking all the time. When boiling hot, pour slowly on the eggs whisking quickly (otherwise you'll get scambled eggs!).<br> Pour the custard over the caramel. Place the custard dish/ramequins in a bkain tray filled with 1/2 inch of water.  Bake in a medium hot oven for 35 minutes at 190 degres. The water from the bain-marie should only simmer, never boil.</p> <p>When the flan is cooked, leave it to cool down then put it overnight in the fridge. To serve, run a knife along the edge then tur nit upside down on a plate.<br> We're having one tomorrow night, can't wait!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/23/top_5_of_my_favourite_puddings_from_when~3620673/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>eggspuddingsmake-the-day-beforehttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/23/top_5_of_my_favourite_puddings_from_when~3620673/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/21/rainy_holiday_in_brittany_and_yummy_palo~3612417/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-01-21:/2008/01/21/rainy_holiday_in_brittany_and_yummy_palo~3612417/Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:31:52 +0100 <p><strong>A good few years ago (and more)...</strong><br> we went on holiday in Brittany, in a tiny little place called <a href="http://www.mairie-plougastel.fr/circuits_de_randonnees.php?rub=2&titre_rub=Se%20balader%20à%20Plougastel">Plougastel Daoulas</a> with mum, dad and my 3 sisters. plus my god mother, her husband and their 4 kids. Now, thinking back at what memories I have of it, this is the kind of holiday i'd love now. but at the time, getting stuck in the middle of nowhere in a cottage with goats and sheep outside was not my idea of fun. Ungrateful kid I was! But it rained most of the time too, and since at the time I was still living in sunny Beaujolais i was not happy (mind you, this might be why I got a stange attraction for England). Along with the facts that people do queue, let you cross the road without trying to run you over, sell their vegetables outside their house with a money box next to it and more...but I digress)<br> I thing I remember like it was yesterday is going to the beach at low tide with everyone to pick some shellfish. We got bucket upon bucket of "coques" and "palourdes" (small clams). We'd walk slowly, head down, staring at the sand until a little hole opened and water spit out of it. Then we would kneel down and quickly dig in the sand to retrieve whatever shellfish was hiding under there. </p> <p>Forward to last week end , we went to La poissonerie in Shoreham and... they had fresh palourdes! Couldn't resist it, bought a big bag of it to cook for dinner. £4 later (hardly a luxurious meal), I couldn't decide whether to cook them like "on holiday in Brittany" or go for something a bit more adventurous. I did go for the adventurous option but here's the simple way we used to enjoy them as kids:</p> <p>Scrub and clean the palourdes in cold water. discard any open ones.<br> In a large pan shallow fry a couple fo shallots thinly sliced with a little olive oil<br> Add 1 glass of dry white wine<br> some freshly ground pepper<br> then throw your palourdes in the pan(works as well with mussels, clams, cockles ...)<br> put a lid on , give the pan a good shake and cook for a 5 to 8 minutes until the shells open, shaking the pan a little every now and then.<br> Add a big handful of freshly chopped parsley, stir and there you go!</p> <p>this is the way I cooked them on Saturday night:<br>  <br> Finely chop 1/2 a red onion<br> Shallow fry it in a little olive oil in a large deep pan<br> Add half a dozen chopped slices of chorizo and fry for a few minutes<br> add 1 chopped (beef) tomato<br> stir then add 1 glass of white wine and a pinch of saffron treads<br> Season with freshly ground pepper, NO SALT (the juice form the shellfish will be salty so check for seasoning at the end once you have cooked the dish)<br> Add the shellfish, put a lid on the pan, give it a good shake and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the shells open<br> Finish with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy with nice crusty bread and a glass of dry white wine.</p> <p>the leftover sauce makes a great base for a risotto (I know it because I did exactly that for the kids on Sunday night, adding fresh diced tomatoes and a little parmesan at the end)<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/21/rainy_holiday_in_brittany_and_yummy_palo~3612417/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tomatochorizoonionsshellfishhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/21/rainy_holiday_in_brittany_and_yummy_palo~3612417/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/18/jambonneau_sauce_moutarde_or_a_great_rec~3598020/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-01-18:/2008/01/18/jambonneau_sauce_moutarde_or_a_great_rec~3598020/Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:51:06 +0100 <p><strong>A couple of years ago,</strong> <br>my husband and I went for a meal out one January evening in <a href="http://www.buisantane.com/bois_d_oingt/bois-d-oingt.htm">Le Bois d'Oingt</a>, where my parents live. Because it was the first week of January a lot of local restaurants were closed so we ended up at 200 yeards from home Chez Gudefin, the oldest and only classic restaurant in the village (we also have a great creperie hidden in a little back alley, Le Buxonien, a pizzeria, a small new restaurant called Chez Mado and...oh yes, a kebab shop! (which used to be the greatest little place to have a simple bite on a Saturday evening but there you go!). Better than that, seeing it was the only place opened for miles, I called at lunch time to book a table, thinking it's bound to be packed....and made a right fool of myself when we ended up having the whole place for ourselves! And it seats 60 plus in the main room alone! Although we felt a bit self conscious to start with, things improved greatly after a couple of <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/05/aperetif_nibbles_with_puff_pastry~3251731">aperetifs</a> and we ended up having a really lovely night out...and LOTS of food. <br>My starter alone was the size of a main course, very pretty indeed but my prawns mayonnaise was a 14 inch plate packed with big king prawns and a very decent bowl of yummy home made olive oil based mayonnaise, deep yellow and very rich indeed...after a week of eating and drinking behind us already (Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Year Eve, New Year's Day and the in betweens), it would have been more than enough for me.  But, this was part of a 4 course menu so we "ploughed" on.<br> For main course I had <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/29/red_wine_and_meat_you_can_t_go_wrong~3216033">saucisson Beaujolais</a> made out of...1 whole "saucisson a cuire" (which is about 20cm long and a couple of inches high). But my husband got "le gros lot" (top prize). He ordered a "Petit Jambonneau" and got 2 ham hocks with boiled potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. I am afraid he was defeated!<br>Anyway, I remembered this recipe today talking to a friend of mine who'd like to introduce a bit more variety in hers and her hisband meal, so there you go L. this is for you:</p> <p>For 2 people<br>2 ham hocks, very slightly cured in brine<br>5 large carrots<br>1 onion<br>2 small leeks <br>4 small potatoes<br>1 small Savoy cabbage<br>a few cloves<br>a few peppercorns<br>1 bouquet garni (1 or 2 bay leaves, 1 sprig of thyme and rosemary)</p> <p>for the sauce:<br>1 small pot of creme fraiche<br>1 heaped tablespoon of French mustard</p> <p>Soak the ham hocks in cold water for 24 hours, and change the water 2 or 3 times at regular intervals, to get rid of some of the salt from the brine<br>In a large pan, put the hocks, the onion, cloves, peppercorns, bouquet garni, 1 carrot and the green end of the leeks and the outer, dark green leaves of the cabbage<br>just cover with cold water<br>Bring gently to the boil them simmer very gently for 4 hours topping the water every now and then so it always cover the hocks<br>Add the remaining peeled whole vegetables (carrots, potatoes, white of the leeks and the cabbage cut in quarters) and cook for a further 30 to 40 minutes<br>Make the sauce by simply mixing the creme fraiche and the mustard</p> <p>Serve a ham hock per person with assorted vegetables and a nice dollop of sauce on the side. You've got it right if the meat if falling from the bone!</p> <p>can I just finish my story saying that we had all 4 courses each, ending up on a <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/14/got_spare_apples_make_a_tarte_tatin_bien~3297467">tarte tatin</a> with home made ice cream for me and a chocolate fondant for my husband!...good thing we went running the next morning <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p><em>PS: just need to add I made a "cheat" version of the <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/24/chicken_soup_from_belgium~3347530">waterzooi</a> soup this week with the leftoverz of our roast chicken from last Sunday: just put the chicken carcass -cut in big pieces- and all the leftover bits of meats in a pan with a few leeks, a couple of potatoes and cold water to the top of the ingredients on the hob for 45 minutes. Removed the bones after that- all the meat fell off and stayed in the pan easily, added a good dollop of  creme fraiche and mixed it all up with a hand blender. A handful of chopped parsley finished it off for my lunch. And for dinner tonight, some more chicken and leek soup..with some dumplings made out of self raising flour and...duck fat!</em> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/18/jambonneau_sauce_moutarde_or_a_great_rec~3598020/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>porcbargain-mealhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/18/jambonneau_sauce_moutarde_or_a_great_rec~3598020/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/14/p8_billions_worth_of_food_wasted_what_to~3577935/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-01-14:/2008/01/14/p8_billions_worth_of_food_wasted_what_to~3577935/Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:26:58 +0100 <p><strong>I read that astonishing figure in <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=508073&in_page_id=1770">the paper</a> today...</strong></p> <p>I found it really depressing! As I mentioned in my <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/08/title~3548711">"Poule au Pot"</a> post last week, I was brought up on saving and re-using leftovers mroe often than not. And without going to extremes like keeping 1/4 of a dryish lemon in a Tupperware for months in the fridge (don't laugh, my mum does that)  we do pretty well I hope.<br> One dish I find brilliant to finish leftover roast beef is my mum's tarte a la viande (meat tart) . It was a regular at the dinner table on a Monday night. I haven't made it for ages, but simply because we tend to eat more casserole beef at the moment.<br>  All you need is:</p> <p>1 shortcrust pastry<br>  a few slices of cold roast beef (5 or 6)<br> 1 can of chopped tomatoes<br>  a large handful of parsley<br> 1 onion<br>  salt and pepper<br> 1 egg</p> <p>Roll your pastry to 1 cm deep<br> line a tart dish with greasproof paper and place your pastry on top<br> Roughly cut the beef in strips<br> Transfer into a food processor and chop finely<br> Finely chopped the onion<br> Gently fry in a little olive oil unti soft but not coloured<br> Pour the meat mince into a large bowl<br> add the finely chopped parsley, the egg and the onion<br> Season with a little salt and lots of freshly crushed pepper<br> spread the  mixture on the pastry<br> Bake in a hot oven (190) for 25 minutes until set</p> <p>it's very nice served warm but also brilliant cold for a pic nic (yeah, maybe not right now but the sun will come back!)</p> <p>here are a few more ideas for using leftover...</p> <p>Chicken- <br> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/24/chicken_soup_from_belgium~3347530">Waterzooi soup</a></p> <p>Cheese-<br> Goat's cheese-  <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/06/french_people_and_cheeses_it_s_a_love_st~3256467">classic goat cheese salad</a><br> Gruyere, cheddar, comté, any hard cheese really- <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/06/french_people_and_cheeses_it_s_a_love_st~3256467">Croutes au fromage</a> </p> <p>Stale bread, brioche, panatonne, croissant or even pain au chocolat-<br> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/30/pain_perdu_lost_bread~3220769">Pain perdu</a></p> <p>Eggs-<br> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/22/spinach_and_boiled_eggs_gratin~3179844">Spinach and boiled eggs gratin</a><br> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/04/swiss_chard_or_spinach_quiche~3246035">Swiss chard quiche</a><br> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/30/pain_perdu_lost_bread~3220769">pain perdu</a> again, even if you make it with fresh bread</p> <p>sausage meat or an open pack of sausages<br> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/01/stuffed_cabbage_with_sausage_meat~3070356">Chou farci </a>(stuffed cabbage)<br> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/29/red_wine_and_meat_you_can_t_go_wrong~3216033">saucisson Beaujolais</a></p> <p>bon Apetit et a bientot!</p> <p>PA: For more repices with leftovers why not give a try to <a href="http://lesrecettesdelorette.blogspot.com/"><a href="http://lesrecettesdelorette.blogspot.com/">http://lesrecettesdelorette.blogspot.com/</a></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/14/p8_billions_worth_of_food_wasted_what_to~3577935/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>leftoverseggsshortcrust-pastrybeefhttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/14/p8_billions_worth_of_food_wasted_what_to~3577935/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/08/title~3548711/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-01-08:/2008/01/08/title~3548711/Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:47:47 +0100 <p><strong>It has to be about chicken today...</strong><br> since i have been watching Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall 's <a href="http://www.chickenout.tv%3c/a">chicken run</a> 3 nights in a row this week. I really REALLY hope he'll succeed in making a difference. We had chicken at home when we were kids and it was great fun watching them walking around snatching worms from the grass! The other thing shown in tonight prgogram was how to make several meals of 1 cut of meat...but I think they should have spent more time on this , considering the main objection to switching to free range chicken was the price- understandably<br> Using leftovers is something I saw my mum and dad, and also my grandparents do at home all the time (not sure why, some people say that it's a sequel of the World War II that my mum and dad's generation was brought  upon not wasting anything...which was good.) I do the same now, I "recycle" leftovers more often that not. So much so that I have another <a href="http://lesrecettesdelorette.blogspot.com/">blog</a> dedicated to that...be prepared , it's in French!</p> <p><strong>Anyway back to my memories</strong> of when I was a kid (a bit of an older kid mind, was about 20 at the time!), I used to work part time near the Swiss border and stay with my best friend's mum one night a week. One of the dishes I remember eating at her place was Poule au Pot. It might be because, being from the Bresse area, she probably made it with a "poulet de Bresse" which is in my mind the king of all chickens. </p> <p>"Poule of Pot" is a stuffed boiled chicken served with the vegetables from the pot and a rich creamy white sauce. A perfect winter dish which goes back all the way to...Henry IV!. You can prepare the stuffing, stuff the bird and prep all your vegetables ahead of time (just leave them in cool water), that way you can relax with your family whilst it simmer away for your Sunday lunch for example. Why not enjoy a nice <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/05/aperetif_nibbles_with_puff_pastry~3251731">"aperetif"</a> in the meantime?</p> <p>Here's what you need:<br> <em>for 6 people</em><br> FOR THE STOCK<br> 1 (free range, do I need to say) chicken  of about 1.2kg<br> 3 carrots<br> 3 turnips<br> the heart of a Savoy cabbage<br> 6 small/medium potatoes<br> 2 or 3 branches of celeri<br> 3 whole leeks<br> 1 large onion <br> 6 cloves<br> 1 bouquet garni (basically take a sprig of rosemary, of thyme and a bay leaf and tie them together bit a bit of kitchen string)<br> 3 table spoons of rock salt</p> <p>FOR THE STUFFING<br> 300g of sausage meat<br> gizzard and liver from the chicken<br> 2 slices of white bread slightly stale<br> 100ml of milk<br> 2 shallots<br> 2 garlic cloves<br> a large handful of fresh parsley<br> 1 beaten egg<br> salt, pepper and grated nutmeg</p> <p>FOR THE SAUCE<br> 30g of butter<br> 30g of flour<br> 300 ml of  creme fraiche<br> 500ml of chicken stock from the pot<br> 1 egg yolk</p> <p>here goes:</p> <p>1. make the stuffing- Crumble the bread and pour the milk over, add the shallots,garlic, parsley, gizzard and liver  all finely chopped, the beaten egg, the sausage meat. Season to taste with salt, plenty of freshly crushed pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Stuff your chicken with it then sew the skin to keep the stuffing in place.<br> 2.Wash all your vegetables <br> 3. In a large pan pour 3l of cold water, add the bouquet garni, the green of the leeks, the onion, the cloves, the rock salt.<br>  4. Put the chicken in the pan, cover and simmer very gently for 1h30 skimming the top until the stock is clear<br> 5. Whilst the chicken is cooking, prepare your vegetables: Cut the cabbage heart in 6 quarters and drop them in boiling water for a couple of minutes only. Remove from the water and leave to cool. peel all the remaining vegetables.<br> 6.After an 1h30, add the vegetables to the pot and simmer for a further 30 minutes<br> 7. Make the sauce (this is the most delicate step). 10 minutes before the end of cooking time, melt the butter in a pan, add the flour (to make a "roux") then pour in the stock  little by little whisking all the time until you get a thich smooth sauce. Take off the heat, add the egg yolk whisking all the time again (otherwise you'll get scrambled eggs!) then the creme fraiche. Season to taste (you might not need to since the stock is well seasoned already). Put back on the hob and heat gently for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Ta-Dah!</p> <p>To serve, remove the chicken from the pot, cut the legs off, then the wings. Cut the breasts off from the top of the bird. Serve a piece of chicken with a selection of vegetables, pouring the sauce over. Yummy!</p> <p>(this next bit really belongs to my other blog but for once...) Here's a trick:<br> 1. After the meal, pick up the rest of the chicken meat and reserve (for a risotto, a curry, a chicken pie, baked chicken and pasta gratin, cold chicken sandwiches, cold chicken and poached egg salad, ...)<br> 2. Put all the bones and scraps of meats leftover after that back in the stock with all the vegetables left. Simmer for an hour until the meat falls off the bones. At this stage, pick the clean bones out of the pot with some kitchen tongues. Crush everything to a soup consistency with a hand mixer then add the leftover sauce (except if you intend to freeze the soup- the sauce tends to split). Serve with toasted crusty bread. Da-Tah!</p> <p>PS: You can sign up to support Chicken Run on this site, just scroll down <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>  </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/08/title~3548711/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>bargain-mealchickensausagehttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/08/title~3548711/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/07/the_tradition_of_epiphany_frangipanne_ga~3543673/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-01-07:/2008/01/07/the_tradition_of_epiphany_frangipanne_ga~3543673/Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:40:13 +0100 <p><strong><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc00251/2292384" title="DSC00251"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/384/2292384_68970060c8_m.jpg" alt="DSC00251" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br> Every year it's one of my favourite tradition...<br> </strong>After Christmas that is. On January 6th ,everywhere in and around Lyon (and France) we celebrate the Epiphany in our own particular way: "on tire les rois" (we pull the kings). I have had to look up where the expression comes from: Apparently all the Christians used to celebrate Christmas on 6th January. When a new calendar was adopted, Catholics started celebrating Christmas on December 25th while other Christians kept the same date as before (If I understood it properly). So the Catholics started celebrating the Epiphany (when the Wise Men came to visit Jesus)on January 6th!<br> Depending on which part of the country you are, the type of galette varies. Last year, I was in Marseille on that date. We had a very nice, light and round brioche type cake topped with big pieces of glacés fruits. The brioche itself had a light hint of orange blossom water, it was delicious!<br> But back when we were little, we always had the same "galette a la frangipanne". The "king" (there is normally only 1 in each galette) would be anything from little white plastic figurine to collectable "feve" of any sort. AND of course, there was the matter of the crown. Made of paper/light carton, some years it would be silver, some plain gold, and some good years it would even had jewels inserted in it! i know it sounds silly now, but back then it was such an exciting day. Mum or dad would cut the slices. One of us would then decide which slice would go to who. And then we would all eat our slice of galette together, each of us hoping to suddenly bite on the "feve" and get crowned for the day. There was nothing else in it. You didn't get any special favour...it was just a nice family time really with a bit of cheating and a lot of giggling going on.</p> <p>So if you want to have a go, here's how to...<br>  <br> <strong>make the galette:<br> </strong>(As for the crown, you'll have to invent that for yourself )</p> <p>for 4 to 6 people-<br> 2 puff pastries<br> 100g of almond powder<br> 100g of caster or icing sugar<br> 100g of unsalted butter (soften)<br> 1 tablespoon of dark rhum<br> 2 large whole eggs or 3 small+egg yolk<br> a coupel of tablespoons of icing sugar<br> 1 "feve" of some sort</p> <p>cut 2 circles of puff pastry -same size as the tin<br> Place 1 circle on greasproof paper on a baking tray<br> Prick it with a fork all over then flip it over so that the fork marks end up against the greaseproof paper<br> Work your butter into a soft creamy consistency with a spatula<br> Add the sugar and mix well again<br> Add the soften butter then the almonds and the rhum<br> mix all the ingredients until you get a smooth paste<br> spread the mixture on the puff pastry,  leaving a 1cm edge<br> put the "feve" in, near the edge to avoid getting stuck on it when cutting the galette later<br> Wet the edge with some of the egg yolk beaten with a little water<br> cover the mixture with the second circle of puff pastry<br> press the edge really well to seal<br> very gently draw lines one way on top of the pastry then at a 90 degres angle to create a diamond pattern<br> brush the top of the galette with the rest of the egg yolk mix<br> Bake in a hot oven (220 degres/210 degres fan assisted oven) for 30 minutes.<br> Remove from the oven, and turn your oven up to 240 degres<br> Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of icing sugar on top of the cake ands return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes to get a nice shiny glaze</p> <p>Now, who's going to sit under the table to decide which slice goes to who (the only true way to do it!!!)</p> <p>PS: we are going to cheat this year. We'll have to celebrate the Epiphany on Saturday or Sunday, but better late than never. Gives mum and dad enough time to post us a crown hopefully! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/07/the_tradition_of_epiphany_frangipanne_ga~3543673/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>puff-pastryalmondspuddingshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/07/the_tradition_of_epiphany_frangipanne_ga~3543673/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/02/bonne_annee_with_a_petit_sale~3521051/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2008-01-02:/2008/01/02/bonne_annee_with_a_petit_sale~3521051/Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:54:42 +0100 <p><strong>I can't believe I have "abandonned" my blog for nearly 3 weeks...</strong></p> <p>blame it on Christmas! Happy New Year to anyone wo will read my late night posts by the way <img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/icon_wave.gif" border="0" alt="">. Since you ask (?) Christmas was great! Relaxed family time, a roast duck, a bit of foie gras (to go with THE onion jam from dad!) and a couple of visits to the pub...100 yards away from the house, would be criminal not to. Amongst the pile of presents was one I had on my wish list for a while and SO trilled to have finally got it: The River Cottage Meat Book. If you half like good meat, get yourself a copy it's well worth it. I particularly wanted to look at the first part to get to grip with the correct terms for each cut of meat...in English!. I have been struggling a couple of times at the butcher trying to explain which cut I wanted without any success, hopefully this it the end of that. One of the cuts I am after at the moment is "palette"  (which happens to be a shoulder of porc) to make one my favourite winter dish: Petit salé. We used to eat that a lot in winter, especially when there was a lot of us round the table. I suppose it makes sense since it's easy to prepare well in advance (so no slaving in the kitchen), cheap (which kind of count when you feed loads of mouths every day!) and relatively healthy (the lentils are full of iron and other good things you see and since you don't have any gravy/butter/cream with it and the meat is boiled/cooked in a pressure cooker it's relatively low fat too).</p> <p>Petit Salé comes from Auvergne (by the way, petit salé means "little salty" so you can make it with various cuts of porc- belly, ham hocks/ knuckles/shoulder...). It's served with Lentils du Puy, those tiny dark green lentils you can buy everywhere now. When it comes to making this dish you can either buy your cuts of porc ready salted (called "demi sel" in France) or make your own, but it takes much longer that way obviously. Nevertheless, since I am not sure you can actually buy a salted shoulder of porc or knuckles, here's how you can make it from scratch (I am going to experiment with this repice next week, myself i'll keep you posted...but it's from a trustworthy source!). </p> <p>For 6 people. you'll need..</p> <p> to prepare the meat- <br>1shoulder (off the bone) or ham hock<br>600g of pork belly<br>make a "saumure"  (brine) by mixing 5l of water with 1 kg of rock salt, 24g of saltpetre (think you can find this at the chemist?), 30g of sugar, a couple of bayleaves, a branch of rosemary, a handful of peppercorns  and a few cloves. Sink your meat in the mixture and leave it to marinate for 3 to 6 days depending on the size of the cuts.<br>(Saltpetre helps keep the meat a nice pink colour). Apparently, according to John, my supplier of really yummy porc meat, you can also use a mix of curing salt and regular salt and nto bother with the saltpetre...</p> <p>Alternatively if you have managed to find your meat already prepared, jump in here...</p> <p>to make the petit salé, you need (on top of the meat):<br>600g of Lentils du Puy<br>3 carrots<br>2 small leeks<br>1 onion<br> 3 cloves of garlic<br>1 bouquet garni<br>salt and pepper</p> <p>here goes</p> <p>Soak the salted meat in clear water for 24 hours, changing the water 3 to 4 times.<br>Soak the lentils in cold water for 4 to 5 hours<br>Put all the cuts of meat in a pressure cooker or a deep pan, cover with cold water and bring gently to the boil<br>Add 2 peeled carrots, a few peppercorns and  the leeks and leave to simmer very gently for 1 1/2 hour (if you are not using a pressure cooker, then simmer on the hob very gently for 4 to 5 hours with a lid on)<br>in the meantime, drain the lentils. <br>place them in another pan, cover them with cold water and add the remaining ingredients<br>bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes<br>Transfer the lentils with the meat and cook on very low heat for another hour<br>taste for seasoning before serving pipping hot!</p> <p>Enjoy <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p> </p> <p></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/02/bonne_annee_with_a_petit_sale~3521051/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>bargain-meallentilsporchttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2008/01/02/bonne_annee_with_a_petit_sale~3521051/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/12/10/sardines_soufflees_on_toast~3424761/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2007-12-10:/2007/12/10/sardines_soufflees_on_toast~3424761/Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:02:38 +0100 <p><strong>As we normally had quite a lot to eat for Sunday lunch,</strong><br> Sunday night meal was always on the light side...we never felt too hungry after finishing lunch around 4pm anyway!. Add to that the fact that in France, especially in a little village, there are no 24/7 Tesco (and I am not complaining<img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/08wink.gif" border="0" alt="" width="15" height="15">), all take makes that you cook with what you have on Sunday night.<br> Now, we always had (and still have I believe- from last time i checked my parents fridge this summer) a tin of sardines in the bottom drawer or in the cellar...not sure why, suppose it's one of those funny habits like me keeping...tinned peppered mackerels week in week out!. And we had chickens as well, so eggs were never a problem. this a really good tasty recipe if you are wondering to cook for dinner and you don't fancy cooking much.</p> <p><strong>You need:<br> </strong><br> (per person)<br> 1/2 tin of sardines (preferably in olive oil)<br> 2 slices of bread, slightly stale (if really fresh, just toast them for a minute of 2 on their own to dry them a bit)<br> 2 egg whites (keep the yolks to make a lemon tart or a home made <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/11/29/salted_cod_makes_a_fab_ailoli_de_morue~3372480">aioli</a>)<br> 1 tablespoon of tomato paste<br> salt and pepper to season<br> a little butter or spread </p> <p>Pre heat your oven to 190 degres<br> Mix together the sardines (drained from the olive oil) and the tomato paste into a smooth paste<br> Taste for seasoning<br> Whisk the egg whites<br> Fold the eggs very gently into the sardines<br> Butter or spread the slices of bread<br> Spread the sardines mix on the bread<br> Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until set and golden </p> <p>We had those just with a green leaves salad, with an olive oil, mustard, vinegar and crushed garlic dressing. Yummy...AND good for you (sardines are oily fishes full of omega 3, tomato is full of anti oxydants, garlic is well known as a prevention against sore throat and good for yoor heart) We didn't know all that mind....and I guess wouldn't have cared much at the time...but still, well done mum!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/12/10/sardines_soufflees_on_toast~3424761/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>breadfishlite-luncheggstomatohttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/12/10/sardines_soufflees_on_toast~3424761/#commentshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/12/09/marvellous_duck_confit_and_other_duck_de~3420041/tag:yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk,2007-12-09:/2007/12/09/marvellous_duck_confit_and_other_duck_de~3420041/Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:07:05 +0100 <p><strong>my dad started as a butcher...<br></strong>and now is a food broker. He works for about 40 different small producers/breeders of cured ham, duck products, poultries, ready meals...and sell their range of products to supermarkets, wholesalers and local collectivies. He's a bit obsessed with food (in a good way!) and particularly likes duck. So we've always ate quite a bit of duck. I remembered that today because I had a confit leg of duck for lunch! <br>Not sure how easy it is to get your hands on a tin of confit duck legs in England (well, not at your average supermarket but I am sure soem delis/French markets/places like Harrods, Selfridges and the likes stock that) but it's such a great thing yo have in your cupboard since it needs so little work for a really fantastic meal.<br>Duck confit is basically pieces of ducks (legs generally but you can also find wings and neck) slow cooked in a low/medium oven in its own fat until the meat falls of the bone. Then the meat is put in a jar or a tin with all the fat and left to set like that. The fat preserves the meat and keeps it moist and lush.</p> <p><strong>Duck confit with pommes de terre sautées and whole roasted garlic<br></strong><br>Open the jar/tin!<br>scoop the legs out of the fat and remove most of the cold fat from it<br>KEEP THE FAT!!! in a jam jar in the fridge, it makes the best roast potatoes you can dream of<br>put the legs in a roasting pan and heat them in  a medium hot oven for about 20 minutes covered with foil,<br>then finish them under the grill so the skin goes all crispy<br>in the meantime, peel and diced potaotes into small cubes<br>put a couple of tablespoon of duck fat in a roasting tray and melt in a hot oven for a few minutes<br>remove the tray from the oven, mix your potatoes with the hot fat (carefully)<br>give them a good shake to make sure they are all well coated in the fat<br>now take a whole garlic bulb<br>cut it in 2 in the middle, leaving all the skins<br>put the 2 halves of garlic in the tray with the potatoes, cut side down<br>cook in a medium hot oven (180 /190) for 25 to 30 minutes, giving it a shake every now and then, til the potatoes are nice and crispy<br>you can serve this with a side portion of vegs like <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/10/23/baked_celeri_and_tomato~3184236">celeri and tomato gratin</a> or haricots a la provencale</p> <p>it's a great alternative to turkey for Christmas if you don't want to roast a whole bird too! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/12/09/marvellous_duck_confit_and_other_duck_de~3420041/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>roastduckpotatoeshttp://yummyhomelyfood.blog.co.uk/2007/12/09/marvellous_duck_confit_and_other_duck_de~3420041/#comments