La vie in English

12 candles on a birthday cake {chocolate}

2010-11-10T11:34:00.000-08:00

Fancy reading this post in French? Retrouvez moi sur La Cuisine de Babeth

I should have translated this post a while ago ... right after I turned 21 -again- to be honest, so 2 months ago. But life, work, project (one I will be able to share more with you soon, I hope), the lack of real high-speed internet and the right not to blog went in the way.

And why today I decided to talk again about this recipe? Well with some friends we gathered this afternoon in my brand new kitchen to bake together. What did we bake, you may ask. Chocolate moist super-easy but oh so yummy cake and apple crumble. Two recipes I gathered and learned while at engineering school in Paris, and two recipes two guys taught me. (I don't remember though if they were able to do the dishes :-) ) Today we didn't do the dishes either (and not even tomorrow! Expats' life is nice in Kigali, everyone has staff), but we had fun, cooked together while having fine tea and talked about our husbands. Both of the recipes we baked today are very rich, full of butter, but once in a while won't make you fat. Food and eating should be a pleasure and a way to share happiness with others.

Life was really sweet in Kigali today.

Recipe for the chocolate cake:
Ingredients:
-250g of granulated sugar
-150g of baking chocolate
-6 eggs
-125g of butter (unsalted or salted if you can stand the salt and chocolate combination a key element of palates of Bretagne -Brittany-)
-160g of sifted flour
-1 teaspoon of baking powder
-a little bit of milk if needed to softened the dough

Directions: (preparation time: about 15 minutes, baking time: 1 hour)
1- Preheat the oven at 160C. Grease an ovendish (about 25cm).
2- Melt the butter and the chocolate over a bain-marie (aka a double bath). Set aside.
3- Separate the yolks from the white and place them in 2 large bowls.
4- Firmly mix the yolks and the sugar until the preparation is starting to get whiter. Add the chocolate and mix. Then incorporate slowly the flour and baking powder. (if too sticky add some milk, 1 to 3 tablespoons will be enough).
5- Add a pinch of salt to the whites and with a mixer whip them to a foam. (no need to whip to peaks)
6- Gently incorporate the white to the preparation. Do not mix but with a silicon spatula slowly and gently recover the whipped whites with the chocolate preparation. Repeat until homogeneous.
7- Pour the dough into the pan, and bake for about 1 hour (check after 45 minutes is baked)

And to tease my dear readers in the Northern hemisphere, weather wise it was just perfect in the mid 70! A summer dress and flip-flops were enough.

Such a sad news, the food blog scene is mourning

2010-10-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

Fancy reading this post in French? Retrouvez moi sur La Cuisine de Babeth

A nasty illness took Micky away.

I had the great privilege to meet her back in 2008, in Paris while shooting a video with French chef Cyril Lignac.
She was exuding joie de vivre and kindness. And she was expressing all those in her pop and colorful make-up. I remember that day in Paris, where we were invited to shoot a cooking video, she re-did her make-up because according to her it was too pale. And she was right all of us ended up having the same make-up as Greek tragedian, way too pale!

As it was said here, I'm pretty sure that she's already in charge of the Heaven's kitchen.

To keep her memory still vivid, please browse her marvelous food blog: Le Jardin des Délices.
And why not doing like Requia, cooking one of her recipe.

All my thoughts are going to Math, her beloved husband and her family.

See you Micky!

Chicken wok with green cabbage

2010-09-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

Fancy reading this post in French? Retrouvez moi sur La Cuisine de Babeth

Even if we owned 2 woks (one in a storage in France and one here in Rwanda), until recently I've never cooked with it. It was Mathieu's territory. Not that I was scared, but not having to cook and just waiting for diner to be served is sometime a true luxury. And far away from Asia, in Africa I met a Chinese Indonesian friend who taught me how to cook pad-thai. Then the week after I taught her how to make my chocolate tart. After that enlightening experience (yes really when you're a true foodie learning a new recipe is almost a spiritual experience) I stocked (even though we can find almost everything in Kigali, when stores have supplies we need to buy in bulk because it never lasts) Pad-Thai noodles and Chinese noodles in my pantry. And I was ready to turn my kitchen into a wok-lab.
Now I'm trying wok variations with what I can find at the farmers market.

If I tell you green cabbage, I'm pretty sure you will say no thank you with a disgusted face. You will be wrong, green cabbage when you know how to prepare it, is really good for both your palate and health!

For this recipe I used pre-cooked carrots. I always I have in my fridge some peeled, cut and almost al-dente cooked veggies (staples: carrots and broccoli) and some cooked rice. So when I'm in a rush I can still prepare healthy meals in a snap. I throw all those in a pan or my wok add some spice, fresh herbs from my garden.

Chicken wok with green cabbage recipe

Ingredients: (serving 4)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1/2 green cabbage
- 3 big carrots pre-cooked*
- 1/2 onion (red or yellow as you prefer, red is sweeter)
- 2 garlic cloves
- sesame seeds
- soy sauce
- sesame oil
- sunflower oil
- white pepper
- 1 Maggi cube
- some peanuts

Directions:
1- Thinly shred the cabbage, rinse and gently drain the water. Set aside.
2- Thinly slice the onion. Peel the garlic cloves, smash them under a large knife blade and slice. Set aside.
3- Slice the chicken breasts. Set aside.
4- Place your wok on high heat. If yours is not non-adhesive pour some sunflower oil (not more than a table spoon). As soon as the oil is hot throw in it the onion and garlic.
5- Then as soon as the onion and garlic are golden throw in the chicken. Flip the chicken slices over from time to time. When the chicken slices are cooked add the carrots, cabbage. Cover.
6- After 2 or 3 minutes, crumble on top the Maggi cube, add pepper then add a dash of sesame oil and soy sauce. Mix and cover again. It's ready to serve when the cabbage starts to become translucent.
7- Serve in small bowls and add some sesame seeds and peanuts on top.

*Otherwise peel and cut in small slices the carrots, cook them for 10 minutes in boiling water.

Read again Mathieu's tips for successful wok experience (just click here)

Malaria 0 - Babeth 1

2010-08-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

Fancy reading this post in French? Retrouvez moi sur La Cuisine de Babeth

Malaria zones

Time flies, it's been so long, since June, I haven't posted anything here. My day job in Kigali is time consuming, which may explain why I've been away from blogging for so long. And also French food blogs feuds made me rethink blogging. I was even thinking to quit blogging and only using micro-blogging thanks to twitter magics. But after some wishful thinking I realize, what the heck!, a blog is personal (share with everybody else who cares to read) and a great way to share pictures, story and recipes with family, friends and all the anonymous visitors who like this blog. So I'm back!

Topic of the day: malaria. In Rwanda, where we live, malaria is not widely spread but still present. After only few months in Kigali, guess what I got malaria. Even though I tried to protect myself from being bitten, only one time is enough to be infected by malaria. Our house has mosquito nets on every windows, we have mosquito net, sprayed with repellant, above our bed, I wear long sleeves and pants at night, and use spray (Note: only tropical repellent is working) when even it needs, I even have a mosquito repeller iphone apps.

Mosquito net

Malaria is a very dangerous and potentially deadly diseases. the life cycle of the parasite responsible for malaria: Plasmodium, is complex and not always detected in infected people. And often, sick people don't go quickly enough to see a doctor to get tested. Why? First because infected people get fever and then get better and develop fever again, and also because most of infected people are very poor and live in poor country and live far away from hospitals or free clinics.

So what is malaria?
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite: the Plasmodium, spread by tropical mosquitos (female anopheles). The parasites multiply in the human liver cells, that exploded and parasites propagate to the blood. And it's only where it's in the blood that malaria can be detected.

Symptoms: fever, headaches, join pain, vomiting, loss of appetite before coma and possible death.

In Africa a simple pain-free, and cheap or free for the poorer, test is used to diagnose malaria: blood film. A drop of blood at the tip of a finger is placed on a glass slide.

In my case I had fever, not much, headaches, join pain, vomiting and total loss of appetite. Fever was disappearing in the morning to come back, knocking me out, around 5p.m. I got treated on time and I'm now malaria free.

If you live in a malaria zone, or are coming back from one don't under estimate fever and join-pain, especially for travelers coming back home during winter. And get yourself tested for malaria.

Reading this post took you approximatively 2 minutes, and during those 2 minutes 4 children died of malaria in Africa. Indeed 1 children dies from malaria in Africa every 30 seconds, without counting all the adults ...

To go further:
Institut Pasteur article (in French)
WHO article
CDC article
great TV spot with David Beckam for fight malaria 2010

A snapshot of Kigali ...

2010-06-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

Did you miss me? A little bit, I hope ;-) I've been caught by everyday life stuff, chore even faster. That's why I don't blog much. Don't get me wrong, a lot of yummy dishes get out of my oven, and my palate experiment quite often, but internet is so slow here in Kigali. It's like back in 1992 without the grrrrrrrbiiiip annoying modem sound (but same snail speed!). On top of that I just started as a lecturer at Kigali's University (and it's more a professor job, without the paycheck, because I have to prepare all my lectures from ... scratch). Preparing lectures' notes, exercises and tests are time consuming. Not that I'm complaining to have an interesting job ;-)

I will try to be more devoted to you, my readers. I will try to bring you with my in my African adventures, discovering and been blown away by colors, odors and local people.

Today no recipe, but a snapshot of Kigali street's life. Enjoy the beautiful ladies and their colorful pagnes.

Fancy reading this post in French? Retrouvez moi sur La Cuisine de Babeth

news ...

2010-03-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

God I have a new girly pink fashion accessory ... a cast. I wish I had a fantastic story to tell you about it, like something I fell from an elephant or a giraffe. But nothing like that I must confess. Just the consequence of a stupid accident. I tripped from a chair while hanging local baskets on my dining room wall. Baskets I haggled like a pro - meaning like an African - at Kimironko market.

Have a look at my triumphant exit from King Faisal Hospital ER, in Kigali

Anyway for those of you who live in France you still have few days to participate to Pyrex and La cuisine de Babeth St Patrick giveaway.

What to do? Prepare a dish, a green one and has to be yummy of course! Pots the result in the comment section.

My life in the land of a thousand hills (aka Rwanda)

2010-03-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

God I know I'm a bad blogger. I've been abandoning you guys for the last few months. Let me offer you my deepest apology, I flatten as a souffle out of the oven for too long in shame. Anyway I have a "good enough" reason: we moved! Yes again ;-) Well, it's not just a new city, or a new country but a new continent we now call home! Life brought us to Rwanda, Africa. Rwanda is a tiny country called the land of a thousand hills, cozy located in East Africa not far from the equator.

At first, I wasn't so thrilled to move to Rwanda. Understand me, where I was living before that move, we didn't get much news from Rwanda, expect 1994 genocide linked one. But almost 16 years after French journalists were silent about reconciliations, changes well you know life!

Life in Kigali, Rwanda is certainly different, but Kigali's life is sweet, safe and the city is SO clean!

Do I have to mention that my cooking will take and African turn and be spiced up ?

Stay tuned for more adventures!

To read this post in French, join me on La cuisine de Babeth!

Macarons a French true home made luxury :-)

2009-11-02T02:10:00.000-08:00

Oh God! I'm a bad student! I'm again late to post the Daring Bakers challenge !!! I'm now living in Eastern Africa and I miss soooo much adsl, high speed internet connexion. We are lucky if it's only working once a week here. Today internet seems to be in a good mood so I'm using this window to post October DB challenge. Last month challenge was to make French luxury delicacies: macarons. I've been making home made macarons since 2007 when I took a pastry class at Lenotre in Cannes.

I made October macarons in pink, to honor Breast cancer awareness month, and filled them with raspberry jam. SO YUMMY!

Ingredients
Confectioners’ (Icing) sugar: 2 ¼ cups (225 g, 8 oz.)
Almond flour: 2 cups (190 g, 6.7 oz.)
Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons (25 g , .88 oz.)
Egg whites: 5 (Have at room temperature)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Combine the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a medium bowl. If grinding your own nuts, combine nuts and a cup of confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor and grind until nuts are very fine and powdery.
2. Beat the egg whites in the clean dry bowl of a stand mixer until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks.
3. Sift a third of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold gently to combine. If you are planning on adding zest or other flavorings to the batter, now is the time. Sift in the remaining almond flour in two batches. Be gentle! Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients.
4. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip (Ateco #806). You can also use a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. It’s easiest to fill your bag if you stand it up in a tall glass and fold the top down before spooning in the batter.
5. Pipe one-inch-sized (2.5 cm) mounds of batter onto baking sheets lined with nonstick liners (or parchment paper).
6. Bake the macaroon for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and raise the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Once the oven is up to temperature, put the pans back in the oven and bake for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, or lightly colored.
7. Cool on a rack before filling.

Yield: 10 dozen. Ami's note: My yield was much smaller than this. I produced about two dozen filled macaroons.

Daring Bakers challenge Dobos Torta

2009-09-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful
of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos
Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite
Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

Well mine was a disaster :-( I cannot even present it I'm ashamed but I guess with all my electric baking equipments gone in the move it was too much of a challenge. Most of my baking stuff are en route to Kigali, Rwanda where we are moving. I could have lie to you and say that it was perfect but kitty cat destroyed it. But look how mellow she looks :-)

Sponge cake layers

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups (162g) confectioner's (icing) sugar, divided
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (112g) sifted cake flour (SUBSTITUTE 95g plain flour + 17g cornflour (cornstarch) sifted together)
pinch of salt

Chocolate Buttercream

4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) caster (ultrafine or superfine white) sugar
4oz (110g) bakers chocolate or your favourite dark chocolate, finely chopped
2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature.

Caramel topping

1 cup (200g) caster (superfine or ultrafine white) sugar
12 tablespoons (180 ml) water
8 teaspoons (40 ml) lemon juice
1 tablespoon neutral oil (e.g. grapeseed, rice bran, sunflower)

Finishing touches

a 7” cardboard round
12 whole hazelnuts, peeled and toasted
½ cup (50g) peeled and finely chopped hazelnuts

Directions for the sponge layers:

NB. The sponge layers can be prepared in advance and stored interleaved with parchment and well-wrapped in the fridge overnight.

1.Position the racks in the top and centre thirds of the oven and heat to 400F (200C).
2.Cut six pieces of parchment paper to fit the baking sheets. Using the bottom of a 9" (23cm) springform tin as a template and a dark pencil or a pen, trace a circle on each of the papers, and turn them over (the circle should be visible from the other side, so that the graphite or ink doesn't touch the cake batter.)
3.Beat the egg yolks, 2/3 cup (81g) of the confectioner's (icing) sugar, and the vanilla in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted a few inches above the batter, about 3 minutes. (You can do this step with a balloon whisk if you don't have a mixer.)

4.In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 2/3 cup (81g) of confectioner's (icing)sugar until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, stir about 1/4 of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remainder, leaving a few wisps of white visible. Combine the flour and salt. Sift half the flour over the eggs, and fold in; repeat with the remaining flour.
5.Line one of the baking sheets with a circle-marked paper. Using a small offset spatula, spread about 3/4cup of the batter in an even layer, filling in the traced circle on one baking sheet. Bake on the top rack for 5 minutes, until the cake springs back when pressed gently in the centre and the edges are lightly browned. While this cake bakes, repeat the process on the other baking sheet, placing it on the centre rack. When the first cake is done, move the second cake to the top rack. Invert the first cake onto a flat surface and carefully peel off the paper. Slide the cake layer back onto the paper and let stand until cool. Rinse the baking sheet under cold running water to cool, and dry it before lining with another parchment. Continue with the remaining papers and batter to make a total of six layers. Completely cool the layers. Using an 8" springform pan bottom or plate as a template, trim each cake layer into a neat round. (A small serrated knife is best for this task.)

Directions for the chocolate buttercream:

NB. This can be prepared in advance and kept chilled until required.

1.Prepare a double-boiler: quarter-fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.
2.Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale and thickened, about five minutes. You can use a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer for this.
3.Fit bowl over the boiling water in the saucepan (water should not touch bowl) and lower the heat to a brisk simmer. Cook the egg mixture, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes until you see it starting to thicken a bit. Whisk in the finely chopped chocolate and cook, stirring, for a further 2-3 minutes.
4.Scrape the chocolate mixture into a medium bowl and leave to cool to room temperature. It should be quite thick and sticky in consistency.
5.When cool, beat in the soft butter, a small piece (about 2 tablespoons/30g) at a time. An electric hand mixer is great here, but it is possible to beat the butter in with a spatula if it is soft enough. You should end up with a thick, velvety chocolate buttercream. Chill while you make the caramel topping.

Lorraine's note: If you're in Winter just now your butter might not soften enough at room temperature, which leads to lumps forming in the buttercream. Male sure the butter is of a very soft texture I.e. running a knife through it will provide little resistance, before you try to beat it into the chocolate mixture. Also, if you beat the butter in while the chocolate mixture is hot you'll end up with more of a ganache than a buttercream!

Directions for the caramel topping:

1.Choose the best-looking cake layer for the caramel top. To make the caramel topping: Line a jellyroll pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Place the reserved cake layer on the paper. Score the cake into 12 equal wedges. Lightly oil a thin, sharp knife and an offset metal spatula.
2.Stir the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved into a smooth syrup, turn the heat up to high and boil without stirring, swirling the pan by the handle occasionally and washing down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with a wet brush until the syrup has turned into an amber-coloured caramel.
3.The top layer is perhaps the hardest part of the whole cake so make sure you have a oiled, hot offset spatula ready. I also find it helps if the cake layer hasn't just been taken out of the refrigerator. I made mine ahead of time and the cake layer was cold and the toffee set very, very quickly—too quickly for me to spread it. Immediately pour all of the hot caramel over the cake layer. You will have some leftover most probably but more is better than less and you can always make nice toffee pattern using the extra to decorate. Using the offset spatula, quickly spread the caramel evenly to the edge of the cake layer. Let cool until beginning to set, about 30 seconds. Using the tip of the hot oiled knife (keep re-oiling this with a pastry brush between cutting), cut through the scored marks to divide the caramel layer into 12 equal wedges. Cool another minute or so, then use the edge of the knife to completely cut and separate the wedges using one firm slice movement (rather than rocking back and forth which may produce toffee strands). Cool completely.

Angela's note: I recommend cutting, rather than scoring, the cake layer into wedges before covering in caramel (reform them into a round). If you have an 8” silicon round form, then I highly recommend placing the wedges in that for easy removal later and it also ensures that the caramel stays on the cake layer. Once set, use a very sharp knife to separate the wedges.

Assembling the Dobos

1.Divide the buttercream into six equal parts.
2.Place a dab of chocolate buttercream on the middle of a 7 1/2” cardboard round and top with one cake layer. Spread the layer with one part of the chocolate icing. Repeat with 4 more cake layers. Spread the remaining icing on the sides of the cake.
3.Optional: press the finely chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake.
4.Propping a hazelnut under each wedge so that it sits at an angle, arrange the wedges on top of the cake in a spoke pattern. If you have any leftover buttercream, you can pipe rosettes under each hazelnut or a large rosette in the centre of the cake. Refrigerate the cake under a cake dome until the icing is set, about 2 hours. Let slices come to room temperature for the best possible flavour.

5 Kitchen connection DVDs to win!

2009-07-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Universal pictures was so nice to give us prices for a little game to help raise awareness on sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.

You can enter year long your brunch recipes, memories and/or pictures on help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon but to spicy it up here a little game.

You have until July 31st to send us your best brunch recipe and you may win one of the 5 Kitchen connection DVDs.

If you have a blog post your recipe with the following widget (and don't forget to email me (cuisinedebabeth[at]gmail[dot]com) to let me know about your entry:

If you don't have a blog no problemos just email me your recipe (cuisinedebabeth[at]gmail[dot]com)

After the end of the challenge I will meet up with Patrick, a fellow food blogger and we will choose within all the wonderful entries the 5 winners!

Remember you have until July 31st!

[Daring Bakers] Bakewell Tart

2009-06-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

Bakewell tarts…er…puddings combine a number of dessert elements but still let you show off your area’s seasonal fruits.

I turned mine into tartelettes, frangipane tartelettes and used mirabelle jam!

Bakewell Tart History and Lore

Flan-like desserts that combine either sweet egg custard over candied fruit or feature spiced ground almonds in a pastry shell have Mediaeval roots. The term “Bakewell pudding” was first penned in 1826 by Meg Dods; 20 years later Eliza Acton published a recipe that featured a baked rich egg custard overtop 2cm of jam and noted,

“This pudding is famous not only in Derbyshire, but in several of our northern counties where it is usually served on all holiday occasions.”

By the latter half of the 1800s, the egg custard evolved into a frangipane-like filling; since then the quantity of jam decreased while the almond filling increased.

This tart, like many of the world's great foods has its own mythic beginnings…or several mythic beginnings. Legend has it in 1820 (or was it in the 1860s?) Mrs. Greaves, landlady of The White Horse Inn in Bakewell, Derbyshire (England), asked her cook to produce a pudding for her guests. Either her instructions could have been clearer or he should have paid better attention to what she said because what he made was not what she asked for. The cook spread the jam on top of the frangipane mixture rather than the other way around. Or maybe instead of a sweet rich shortcrust pastry case to hold the jam for a strawberry tart, he made a regular pastry and mixed the eggs and sugar separately and poured that over the jam—it depends upon which legend you follow.

Regardless of what the venerable Mrs. Greaves’ cook did or didn’t do, lore has it that her guests loved it and an ensuing pastry-clad industry was born. The town of Bakewell has since played host to many a sweet tooth in hopes of tasting the tart in its natural setting.

Bakewell tarts are a classic English dessert, abounding in supermarket baking sections and in ready-made, mass-produced forms, some sporting a thick sugary icing and glazed cherry on top for decorative effect.

Enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee or just eat it sneaky slice by sneaky slice until, to your chagrin, you realise the whole tart has somehow disappeared despite you never having pulled out a plate, fork or napkin with which to eat it.

Bakewell Tart…er…pudding

Makes one 23cm (9” tart)
Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin

One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds

Assembling the tart
Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.

When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.

Jasmine’s notes:
• If you cannot have nuts, you can try substituting Victoria sponge for the frangipane. It's a pretty popular popular cake, so you shouldn't have any troubles finding one in one of your cookbooks or through a Google search. That said, our dear Natalie at Gluten a Go Go has sourced some recipes and linked to them in the related alt.db thread.
• You can use whichever jam you wish, but if you choose something with a lot of seeds, such as raspberry or blackberry, you should sieve them out.
• The jam quantity can be anywhere from 60ml (1/4 cup) to 250ml (1cup), depending upon how “damp” and strongly flavoured your preserves are. I made it with the lesser quantity of home made strawberry jam, while Annemarie made it with the greater quantity of cherry jam; we both had fabulous results. If in doubt, just split the difference and spread 150ml (2/3cup) on the crust.
Annemarie’s notes:
• The excess shortcrust can be rolled out and cut into cookie-shapes (heck, it’s pretty darned close to a shortbread dough).

Sweet shortcrust pastry

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)
Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film

225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

Jasmine’s notes:
• I make this using vanilla salt and vanilla sugar.
• If you wish, you can substitute the seeds of one vanilla bean, one teaspoon of vanilla paste or one teaspoon of vanilla extract for the almond extract

Frangipane

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula

125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 (3) eggs
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.

Kitchenaid sale starting June 16th!

2009-06-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Who never dreamed about having a Kitchenaid Artisan? Well let me share with you a great bargain deal! Tomorrow June 16th starting at 7AM on vente-privée they will sale Kitchenaid appliances at outlet prices!
I know with this economy everyone is stretching every dime, but being careful doesn't mean you cannot indulge great products at discount prices!

To take advantage of those bargains you need to be a member, and it's only on invitation. Well you will tell me, great but how I can get a VIP invitation? Simple! Just click here I'm inviting you :-)
They ship to France, UK, Germany, Spain and Italy!

So see you tommorow at 7am in front of your computer?

Follow me!

2009-06-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Follow me into my little "garden" right on the French / Luxembourgish boarder.

The nice round Bay laurel was "imported from Nantes (from Design by Suzanne's garden). With it I will save a lot but not cutting back on taste, those Bay leaves are really expensive. My plan is to spare some leaves and dry them to enjoy Bay leaves feast all winter long.

My 3 different mint species (easy to grow, like step 0 of gardening for dummies) made friend with the chive pot.

And then parsley, basil, dill and physalis:

And the rose rose bush:

wild asparagus / asperges sauvages

2009-06-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Wild asparagus are in season later in Eastern part of France (Lorraine / Luxembourg) compare to South of France were they are ready be enjoyed mid February / March. In Provence you can either find them in the nature - but not easy to unearth -, or at farmers market -where they are very expensive (almost same price as an Hermes scarf). Until recently I was convinced that wild asparagus (asperges sauvages in French) were only growing all around the Mediterranean Basin. Few weeks ago I was really surprised coming across some fresh asperges sauvages at Thionville's farmers market, and even more surprised when asking the farmers from where in Provence they were from he replied " M'am they're from Lorraine!"

Those little palate's bounty are usually accomodated in France with a little vinaigrette (steamed them for 4minutes, then cool them under cold water and add your favorite vinaigrette) or with scrumbled eggs -brouillade- (simply stir them with your scrmbled eggs).

In kitchen they got married to scallops, and served with bulgur.

Ingredients: (serving 2)
-about 10 wild asparagus
-1 red bell pepper
-10 scallops
-butter
-salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1- Rinse the asparagus under running water, if needed trim the tough lower edge. Cut them in small sections.
2- Rinse the bell pepper under running water, remove the seeds and cut in thin strips.
3- Warm some butter in a pan, stir fry the asparagus, bell pepper and scallops for few minutes.
4- Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Other asparagus recipes:

-no brainers citrus asparagus

Mochis

2009-06-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

It's spring cleaning in our house!

God it's crazy how much stuff one can keep or store! We are no exception. I'm not organized like Martha Stewart is, but once in a while I got the urge to organize, de-clutter, give to charities or sell (One man's junk is an other man treasure!). The kitchen is also the theater of my de-cluttering operations! While digging into all the accumulated edibles I found glutinous rice flour and some Azuki (red beans paste). In a second I was baking mochis, those little glutinous rice-based Japanese delicacy. When filled they are called daifuku mochis.

My mochis' recipe was published on La vie in English back in March 2008 at the time of cherry blossom and where I also told you a little bit more about my almost 4 years in California.

Ingredients (24 pcs):
Filling (optional)
½ cup dried peeled mung beans or Azuki (red beans paste)
1 cup water
½ cup raw or caster sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil 100g sweet potato, peeled and steamed
Pinch of salt

Mochi
2 cup glutinous rice flour
½ cup cornstarch
3-4 tbsp condensed milk
1 cup & 1 tbsp hot water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Food coloring (optional)

Other
1 cup coconut flakes
Directions:

Filling: Rinse the mung beans and discard any residual peels. Combine beans with water and bring to boil. Cover and let it simmer over low heat, stir occasionally until all water is absorbed by the beans. It can also be cooked in the microwave using a microwave rice cooker as if cooking rice.
Combine cooked mung beans, sugar, oil, sweet potato and salt in a food processor. Blend all ingredients to form smooth paste. Remove paste from food processor, divide and shape paste into 24 small balls. Keep in refrigerator until ready to assemble.
Mochi: In a large mixing bowl, mix together glutinous rice flour and cornstarch. Pour in boiling hot water and stir rapidly to mix. Add in condensed milk and oil, mix well and knead to form a soft dough. Divide and shape dough into 24 small balls. Cover with damp cloth until ready to assemble.
Assemble: Take a dough ball, make a deep impression with thumb (like a well) and place a filling ball in the middle. Bring all edges together and pinch to seal. Roll it around with palms to smooth out the edges and form a ball.
Steam mochi balls over medium heat for 10 minutes. OR drop them into a pot of boiling water (medium heat), once they floated on the surface remove it with a spoon. I used boiling method, find it easier.
Roll cooked mochi balls in the coconut flakes while they are still hot. Ready to serve.

Quick trick: Don't try to keep mochis in the fridge! Unfortunately they became hard and tasteless. Enjoy them fresh!

Other pink recipes:
Pink mousse(dip)
Pink mousse video
Quinoa mixed berry muffins
Lamb shoulder chops with pomegranate

Smell and lick!

2009-06-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Or why it does smell good in my purse!

I was a long time subscriber to Elle à table (the food edition of the French Elle magazine) and kept carefully recipe's cards cut out Elle weekly edition. (Note: Elle the fashion magazine, it's available in French, English (US, UK, New Zealand ...), German, Russian, Japanese and so one. In most places it's solely a monthly fashion magazine but in France Elle is actually published weekly, with 4 detachable recipes cards at the end.) Last May (read the full story here) the love story got tainted. At that time they changed the layout and the pictures were dull. Few issues passed and pictures started to become mouth-watering again (important in the appealing process with food).

Anyway Elle à table celebrates their 10th birthday! Happy Birthday !! A great publishing success as well as a chic but not too stiff magazine!

To celebrate in style with the magazine you have a free booklet with 50 spring recipes and a perfumed cover! Yes a perfumed cover, it smells cotton candy or a bit like perfumed rubber I used to collect in my young teenage age.

Cherry on top a 20000 euros sweepstake is organized, check it out!

One more thing for chocolate lovers. It also smell chocolate in my purse. The French post office publish a 10 stamps booklet that look like a chocolate bar and smell like chocolate!
I'm sure you will lick those stamps with appetite!

[daring baker] Apple strudel

2009-06-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

Preparation time
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes

15-20 min to make dough
30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling
20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough
10 min to fill and roll dough
30 min to bake
30 min to cool

Apple strudel
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.

3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.

4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Babeth and the centrifuge machine

2009-05-27T08:38:00.001-07:00

Hello and welcome in my real kitchen!

The video is in 2 parts.

Enjoy and don't forget the popcorn :-)

Breadmaker's bread

2009-05-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Last February a new cook toy made it to Babeth's kitchen: a programmable breadmaker. Not that I scorn the baker's art, but I living in the country side right on the boarder between France and Luxembourg and the closest bakery is miles away!
A favorable juncture of circumstances made me bought one of those machines:the urge for morning's toasts bread and having fresh bread to pair with cheese, and the unbeatable low-price (30 euros). Fellow Europeans check your local LIDL store for this kind of deal.

Since them I've been baking fresh bread from scratch or from store mixes and even brioches. The mixes I'm buying are from LIDL, they're make really good cereals breads and are cheap (less than 80 cents for 1kg). With 1kg of mixes you bake two 700g breads.

I did check on walmart and target web-stores and for about $70 one of their breadmakers can be yours. But do your researches, check online, read what other users are saying on forums before buying anything ;-)

Here few tips to not to get frustrated by your breadmaker:
1- read the manual
2- even with the manual recipe you may not get a well rounded crispy bread loaf. Humidity and warmth are key to get beautiful plump bread (you know stuff they discuss all day long on the weather channel), depending of where you live if your bread trials are not plump enough consider decreasing the amount of water, and remember always use luckwarm to warm water.

Other breads recipes:
Julia Child's French baguette
Tender potato bread
Be Comté

Video recipe: Babeth and her caramel cupcakes!

2009-05-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Babeth and her caramel cupcakes

After a teasing and the making-off story of my 4th cooking video, I received a lot of messages asking me when the video would be released. Well I'm proud to announce that the video is now online! To watch it just click on it above.
For autographed pictures just ask my agent: Philips, sense and simplicity :-)
No! I'm kidding! I don't have an agent, and am still a normal woman cooking and blogging for fun. And I'm not considering myself a chef nor an expert, just in love with food.

Anyway I'm always really happy when they ask me to shot an other video with them. Many it's many years of acting, but I'm always really interested in the work behind 2 minutes clip, and respectful for all the hard workers on set.

For the making-off story, just follow this link!

Dare seeing my other food videos?
-grilled marinated shrimps
-beet mousse (dip)
-calamari a la plancha

For caramel cupcakes recipe, just follow this link!

Be Comté

2009-05-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

No need to rob a bank to make me a happy girl! But if a Chanel bag, a cottage in Brittany or a Vermeer cross your mind, I would be more than glad to accept those. But some chocolates, inexpensive jewelery or a chunk of cheese will do the trick and please me very much. The other day a secret admirer (just Comté cheese PR ... I'm not that special ...) sent me 2 huge cheese chunks by mail. Cheese well packed in airtight box via express mail does travel in style. The nice PR also added an apron and a handy cheese knife to the cheese bounty. Lucky me!

I was as thrilled as when Mathieu gave me pair of Repetto ballet flats. Imagine for a second a hefty Canadian entering the Parisian Repetto shop (if you're not familiar with the brand: their target is more dancers and jeunes filles en fleur) to buy a pair or shoes his wife (me :-) ) cliped out of Elle magazine.

I do receive now and then some free goodies: food or books, and I choose freely to talk or not about them. And this time well I loved it!
Comté cheese I received was well aged, a palate nirvana.
Comté is also called Gruyère de Comté and is a French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk made with love in Franche-Comté. While cut the 20 inch circular discs reveal a pale yellow paste, hard to touch and nutty and fruity to taste.

We eaten the cheese "naked", freshly cut directly to the mouth, or combined to make chic appetizers.
On wheat toast with Serrano jam
On a stick with a dice of fresh pear

Serve with a fresh Muscat wine!

Comté can also be cooked try out in (just click on names on to get recipes): puffy gougères and mashed potatoes flaky cakes, or in quiches.

Love your leftovers!

2009-04-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Why should we love our leftovers?
1- wasting food cost a lot of money and especially in this economy where everybody is stretching every dime the following tips aren't harmless.
2- accommodating leftovers is eco-friendly. Trying to make the best of every ingredients will save you some trips to the grocery store to fill your fridge, and will effectively reduce transportation pollution.
3- using them is like using semi home made, easy and quick diner's fixes!

Leftovers should not be a punishment nor dull, here my 2 cents on the subject.
First you should have some containers to store them.
I try not to use plastic or aluminum wraps (too much wastes) and I tend to use less and less plastic sealed containers (like tupperware). Most of plastic boxes include BPA in their composition. BPA (aka bisphenol A) is suspected to be hazardous for humans.What really sadden me is that there's BPA in baby bottles.
To store my leftovers I either use a bowl with a plate on top, but not the best to manage fridge inventory ... Here where my Mum comes to the rescue ;-) a while ago she gave me some Pyrex containers. Pyrex implies glass, so no BPA and no pasta sauce tainting tupperwares.

Note: use refrigerated leftovers within 4 days.

So let talk about how to customize leftovers for the sole pleasure of your palate.
-pasta: macaroni & cheese style, or cold salads
-rice: salads, or reheat with a splash of olive oil in a pan (will become crunchy, so yummy!)
-veggies: recycle them in gratin
-quinoa: salad or vegetarian burger
-meat: cold with strong Dijon mustard, in hachis-parmentier
-mash potatoes: flaky cakes

Recipe for mashed potatoes flaky cakes:

Ingredients:
- mashed potatoes leftovers (home-made or not)
- some all-purpose flour
- chives
- Comté cheese, or any Gruyere
- salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Wash under running water 2 chives blades. Cut them thinly and mix with mashed potatoes and some salt and pepper, with your fingers (or a fork if you don't like dirty work)
2- Pour 2 tablespoons of flour in a soup plate.
3- Roll in your palms mashed potatoes balls (as big as eggs).
4- Then roll them carefully in the flour, and flatten them.
5- Make a whole with your thumb, place inside a small cheese cube. Them cover it.
6- Heat some oil in a pan, when hot cook 4 minutes on each side.

Others environmentally conscious posts:
environementally conscious design
plastic is not eco-friendly!
DIY cardboard kitty pad
Brad Pitt's Christmas wish

Free cone day! Free ice cream!!!

2009-04-20T04:18:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

I wish I were living in Paris, Lyon or Strasbourg or in the US or Canada. Why? For free ice cream! Tomorrow April 21st it's free cone day at Ben & Jerry's. The famous Vermont company will be 31 tomorrow and like every year they're giving away in their stores free ice cream! With no limit :-)
So grab a friend, a coworker or even your boss and have a scoop!

I remember when I was still a Californian, on April 21st I was spending most of my day not in front of my Sun station but at Ben&Jerry's on AMC20 plaza ...

For stores location in US and Canada, follow this link.
Otherwise in France, stores location in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux and Strasbourg here.

environmentally-conscious design, 2 brands in the spotlight

2009-04-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Last week in France sustainable development was in the spotlight. French government wanted us to think about how could we make our life, house, shopping more eco-friendly and gentle for Mother Nature. So I tried on my French food blog: La cuisine de Babeth, to celebrate this event with sustainable oriented posts. I got caught up by others activities and didn't had time to translate simultaneously into English my posts here. Shame on me! Anyway those posts will be translated, because eco-friendly habits are important to me and sharing those also.

In 2007 La vie in English featured BIOSYLVA plates/cups and silverware. Those products are disposable and are not made from oil and are not taking centuries to disappear! They are 100% compostable, on other great aspect of Biosylva: the company respect eco-friendly processes.

So I started my mini serie by presenting the 2 new items we bought recently.
-Knife block by Ekobo. Ekobo makes beautiful bamboo ethical handcraft home accesories. Right now we all starving for bamboo in our kitchen and homes but ethical bamboo items is very important to prevent looting emerging countries.

-Bookshelves by Ethnicraft. Same vision for this company which makes solid wood furniture. Ethnicraft uses mostly reclaimed teack wood extracted out of neglected or old building in Java. The rest of teach used is coming from strictly managed plantations.

[Daring Bakers] Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna

2009-03-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

God! March is already ending and so with it March Daring Bakers! This month we were all baking Lasagna. With Mathieu we love Lasagna, home-made are the best! But I've never tried making home-made pasta dough. It was fun!
As usual I'm a bit late to post the challenge ... don't know why I'm not learning from a month to the next one ...

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)
(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)#1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)#2
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)#3
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method
Working Ahead:
The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g or more)
10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3&1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Working by Hand:

Equipment

A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.

A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.

A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.
Note: although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.

Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.

A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.

Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:
With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:
If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

#2 Bechamel

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2&2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

#3 Country Style Ragu’ (Ragu alla Contadina)

Preparation Time: Ingredient Preparation Time 30 minutes and Cooking time 2 hours

Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45 mL)
2 ounces/60g pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
4 ounces/125g boneless veal shoulder or round
4 ounces/125g pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 4 ounces/125g mild Italian sausage (made without fennel)
8 ounces/250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut (in order of preference)
1 ounce/30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
2/3 cup (5 ounces/160ml) dry red wine
1 &1/2 cups (12 ounces/375ml) chicken or beef stock (homemade if possible)
2 cups (16 ounces/500ml) milk
3 canned plum tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Working Ahead:
The ragu can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well for up to 1 month. Skim the fat from the ragu’ before using it.

Browning the Ragu Base:
Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.

Reducing and Simmering: Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.

Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Alternative Recipes from Mary of Beans and Caviar

#1 Gluten Free Egg Pasta

The choice of the first flour is personal. I used corn flour because the subtle taste blended well with the dish. However, this is a matter of personal taste – please feel free to substitute a different flour for the corn flour but don't subsititute a starch.

150 gr corn flour or masa in North America - yellow with a slightly gritty feel (250 mL, 1 cup) NOT a starch
100 gr corn starch* (3/4 cup, 187.5 mL)
100 gr tapioca flour* (225 mL, 9/10 cup or a little over 7 volume ounces)
150 gr of potato starch* (250 mL, 1 cup)
100 gr of glutinous rice flour* (200 mL, ¾ cup)
10 gr of Xanthan powder (1.5 tsp, 7.5 mL)
10 gr of salt (1 tsp, 5 mL)

6 extra large eggs (60 gr each or 2.5 oz in weight, 1 fluid oz in volume)
3/8 cup of water (95 mL)
50 mL of extra virgin olive oil (1/5 cup)
Note: If you add cooked chopped spinach to this recipe, you may have to reduce the water. The recipe was not tested (yet) with the addition of spinach.

*fine white powder that squeaks when rubbed between fingers

Plastic wrap or parchment paper for your work surface
Aluminium foil to cover the lasagne

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

Whisk together 3 eggs, the water and/or spinach, and the oil. Pour into the middle of the dry ingredients. Mix with a sturdy wooden spoon, gradually drawing more of the flour mix into the wet ingredients. Add each egg as needed. The dough will be crumbly at the beginning but will gradually come together as you add the eggs. You will need to use your hands to squeeze and mix the dough.

The dough will be firm and stick together when ready. It will not have the elasticity of gluten dough therefore it will crack when kneaded and pushed. Form it into a smooth ball, oil it lightly, and cover securely with plastic wrap. Let it rest for an hour.

Put a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. This is very important as the dough will not hold together very well when lifted. Have flour ready for dusting (corn flour etc) and dust the surface lightly. Cut a piece of dough about the size of really large egg – it doesn’t matter the size but start small for the first one to gauge how much space you need. Keep the remaining dough covered so it does not dry.

Roll the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc with your hands. Put it on your work surface and flatten with your hands. Use a rolling pin and gently push the dough down and out ward from the centre. You may have to place one hand on the plastic wrap as you push the dough down and away. Gluten free dough does not stretch like wheat dough therefore it needs gentle flattening and pushing. If it breaks, pat it back together. If it is too dry, dab a little water with your finger.

The gluten free dough will be thicker than wheat dough and you will barely be able to see your hand through the dough. Once it is flattened, cut into strips or squares that will fit your pan.

Set the dough aside on the plastic sheet. There is no need to dry the dough. But if you do dry the dough, it will not be able to hang because it will break. Stack the rolled out dough with plastic sheets in between.

Stack the sheets when dry and wrap securely. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Freezing will make the dough crumbly and difficult to work with – so freeze only as a last resort!

This dough does not need to be precooked before being assembled into the lasagne.

#2 Gluten Free Béchamel - White Sauce

2 & 2/3 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or Extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons corn starch (fine white and squeaky) – another starch can be substituted
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg

Mix the corn starch with ½ cup of cold milk. Heat the rest of the milk in a small sauce pan until steaming but do not boil. Add the milk/cornstarch mixture to the steaming milk. Stirring constantly, raise the heat and heat the mixture until thick. Once it is thick, remove it from the heat and add the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Have the béchamel warm or at room temperature ready to assemble the lasagne. Whisk the sauce occasionally if it becomes stiff or thick.

help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon now speaks Spanish!

2009-03-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

After last week 1st bilingual French/English brunch post, I'm really proud to introduce the first Spanish/French brunch. I guess now help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon, share your bunch for a good cause is trilingual whouhahou :-) This week recipe is from a friend of mine, Ana. She's from Guatemala and followed her husband to Luxembourg last year.

Her recipe is a staple from Guatemala: Rellenitos, basical fried platanos, black beans and chocolate balls. It sounds really yummy! To read her recipe just click here!

In association with beatsarcoma.org we host a campaign on the web: "share your Sunday brunch for a good cause". We are well aware that won't change the world but it shows that we care and we may also raise some funds (adsense has been implemented on the dedicated blog and you can find a direct link for donations).

One of my friend Nathalie was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer: sarcoma. A cancer that doesn't get much public attention. With her support I launched help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon or how to share your Sunday brunch for a good cause. The idea is to raise awareness, and why not also donations, about this cause on internet, but a joyous way. And what more joyous than sharing a good meal! To participate don't forget to check here the rules here.

To read again the 9th help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry, follow this link!

Hey Luxembourg, let's have a cultural week-end!

2009-03-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

This week-end, Saturday 28th andSunday 29th of March Luxembourgish museums part of « d’stater muséeën » group, open their doors to the public. And the good news doesn't stop here:
-it's free!
-you can catch guided tours in French, Luxembourgish or German
-a lot of kids activities are organised
-you can meet artists
-or catch a conference
-and free shuttles to go from one place to another are also free

So let's beat the gloomy weather in Grand Duché and let's make this week-end a cultural one!

Program in pdf format can be download here.

evoo toasted pumpkin soup

2009-03-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Today is the 25th of March and it's ... snowing ... Quite depressing after a really (I mean REALLY) long winter here in Luxembourg area. This morning snow took us by surprise after a lovely first sunny spring week. Where did the sun goes? Please come back!

Anyway to keep me warm I had soup for lunch, one of the many I made and froze during all winter. Before living with Mathieu I was not a huge soup fan. They made it to the table only when I was sick, but let me tell you that my Canadian husband adores soups. I tried prepare with veggies in season the soups we eat. I always make a big batch and freeze the left-over. It comes handy on those lazy evenings when I don't want to cook.

Anyway soup du jour was a creation of mine: evoo toasted pumpkin soup, served with a dash of squash seed oil. This oil is a little souvenir from Geneva, Switzerland where I visited my dear friend Emma. Squash seed oil, also named butternut squash seed oil is great to kick to flavor of this soup, but also great as a salad dressing. The oil is dark brown green and has a roasted nutty taste, especially delicious in Fall or Winter.

Ingredients:
- about 10 oz of pumpkin (or 1 slice of a medium one)
- 2 small turnips
- 3 potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 1/6 of a medium size celeriac (note if you don't use the rest sprinkle some lemon juice on it to prevent it to darkened)
- evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 Maggi chicken stock cube (or about 4 1/4 cups of chicken broth in that case no need to add water in #3)

- optional: butternut squash seed oil

Directions:
1- Peel and clean the pumpkin slice. Cut in cubes.
2- Peel and sliced the celeriac, carrots, turnips and potatoes.
3-Add the chicken stock cube to about 1 liter (4 1/4 cups) of boiling water. Stir. (the more water you will use the more liquid your soup will be). Add the sliced veggies (but not the pumpkin, anyway it's a fruit :-) ). Cover and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
4- How do I know the veggies are cooked? Test them with the tip of a knife, if it enters them like butter it's ready.
5- In a hot pan add a splash of olive oil and the pumpkin slices. Cook it for about 15 minutes until it's nicely golden. (it's cooked when the pumpkin flesh color turns dark orange) Set aside.
7- Mix it altogether with a blender.

Other soups recipes:
-Jerusalem artichoke soup
-soup at Tiffany
-cream slip peas and bacon
- cream hokkaido squash soup

1st bilingual help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry!

2009-03-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

After letting a man in charge on Women's day, brunch for a good cause is proud to present the 1st bilingual French/English entry! Babeth59, a French foodie, gave her oven roasted French toast recipe. It's delicious and easy to bake!
Her recipe is also the 9th help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry follow this link!

In association with beatsarcoma.org we host a campaign on the web: "share your Sunday brunch for a good cause". We are well aware that won't change the world but it shows that we care and we may also raise some funds (adsense has been implemented on the dedicated blog and you can find a direct link for donations).

To read again the 8th help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry, follow this link!

Free macarons today!

2009-03-20T01:28:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Like every 20th of March for the last 4 years it's macaron's day! Pierre Hermé and his fellow pastry chefs from Relais desserts group are celebrating spring with macarons. And the great news is that they are giving them away for free!
Where? In Paris, of course, but also all over France (addresses here), Belgium (addresses here), Switzerland (addresses here), the Netherlands (addresses here), Japan (addresses here) and in Luxembourg (addresses here)!

And Pierre Hermé himself will sign his macarons gilft boxes at Paris Publicis drugstore.

Jour du macaron is also a day to give back, pastry chefs made a special red macaron that you can buy for 1 euro. All the benefits will go to FMO (Orphan desease organisation) charity.

So for macaron's day near you: follow this link.

For macaron's day near La vie in English:

Maison Oberweis
La Cloche d'Or - 1, rue Guillaume Kroll - Luxembourg - Tel : +352 40 31 40
19-21 Grande Rue - Luxembourg - Tel : +352 47 07 03

Fruits and veggies are burning!

2009-03-13T01:51:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Photo: AFP

This night a fruits and vegetables warehouse at Rungis was devastated by a massive fire. The fire started at 2:30AM (Paris time), hundreds of firemen worked all night, the fire is now under control.
The origin of the fire is still unknown.

Rungis is known as the world largest farmers market with its 232 hectares of warehouses. Rungis has been located in Paris suburbs near Orly airport for 40 years, in replacement of Halles de Paris.
Every day 6000 tons of fruit, vegetable, meat or fish are traded, and 12000 workers are employed.

Jerusalem artichoke soup

2009-03-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Winter is supposed to be ending anytime soon, at least on the calendar. Winter was pretty harsh here in Lorraine / Luxembourg area, and hot home-made soups were a lot on the menu. I tried to compose with seasonal veggies: Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers, turnips, celeriac or potatoes. To avoid palate boredom I played with spices and herbs.
During one of my weekly trip to Thionville farmers market I bought some Jerusalem artichokes. Most certainly our grandparents won't be thrilled to see them back in the kitchen, at least in France. How is it in your country? Please tell us! During World War 2 potatoes were requisitioned by the Germans and hard to find. Potatoes were replaced by Jerusalem artichokes and Swedish turnips. To much of something kill the appetite for it.

In French we call the Jerusalem artichokes topinambours. They're also named in English topinambur, sunchoke or earth apple and are not from Jerusalem but Northern America.
They arrived in France in the 17th century after being discovered by Samuel de Champlain (Quebec city founding father). But they arrived at the same time as some Indians from Brazil, called Tupinambàs. People thought that the vegetable root came with the Indians, poor Samuel.

Like for my other home-made soups, I froze this one in small 1 to 2 portion bags.

Ingredients: (to make about 1.5 liter)
- 4 Jerusalem artichokes
- 2 potatoes
- 1 turnip
- 2 carrots
- 1 branch of celery (rib + leaves)
- 1 Maggi chicken stock cube (or about 4 1/4 cups of chicken broth in that case no need to add water see #3)

Directions:
1- Clean, peel the potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, carrots and turnip. Slice them.
2- Trim the end off. Slice the rib and keep the leaves. (We will use them to flavor the soup, no waste)
3- Add the chicken stock cube to about 1 liter (4 1/4 cups) of boiling water. Stir. (the more water you will use the more liquid your soup will be). Add the sliced veggies and celery's leaves. Cover and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
4- How do I know the veggies are cooked? Test them with the tip of a knife, if it enters them like butter it's ready.
5- Mix it with a blender.

Other soups recipes:
-soup at Tiffany
-cream slip peas and bacon
- cream hokkaido squash soup

If you look closely to the picture you may see Babeth :-)

Leonidas on vente-privée!

2009-03-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Today it's great bargain deal tips on "La vie in English" and "La cuisine de Babeth". After this morning's tip on delicatessen Père Pelletier sale on Bazarchic, I want to share with you an other great super sale. Starting tomorrow morning at 7AM till Friday 13th of March midnight on vente-privée they have an outlet prices Leonidas sale. Leonidas the delicate Belgian chocolate.
I know with this economy everyone is stretching every dime, but being careful doesn't mean you cannot indulge great products at discount prices!

It's Lent and I'm talking about buying chocolate??? I'm not the devil, nor I wear Prada, but you will be safe trust me. With vente-privée shipping delay you will not receive your order before Easter :-)
To take advantage of those bargains you need to be a member, and it's only on invitation. Well you will tell me, great but how I can get a VIP invitation? Simple! Just click here I'm inviting you :-)

Père Pelletier, delicatessen at discount prices

2009-03-10T03:03:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Starting today till Friday the 13th of March midnight, on Bazarchic you can buy gourmet delicatessen from Père Pelletier brand at bargain prices. They have all kind of oils, vinegars, syrups, candies, salts and peppers.
I know with this economy everyone is stretching every dime, but being careful doesn't mean you cannot indulge great products at discount prices!

To take advantage of those bargains you need to be a member, and it's only on invitation.
Well you will tell me, great but how I can get a VIP invitation?
Simple! Just click here, I'm inviting you!

Note: Bazarchic it's same type of shopping website as vente-privée

Kitchen nightmares, mathematical nightmares for Gordon

2009-03-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Picture EPA

Breaking news:
Who doesn't know the "infamous chef" aka Gordon Ramsay, the only British chef who is possible to follow on the Michelin stars of Joël Robuchon and Alain Ducasse.
Infamous chef is how journalists re-christened Gordon after his hit TV show: Hells' Kitchen, and not me (Gordon, no need to catch the first Eurostar to kick my ass).
I prefer to watch Kitchen nightmares, where Gordon is my more a Robin Hood of lousy and disgusting UK restaurants. He taught them how to cook decent, even good, food and be profitable.
The good news is that Gordon hasn't lose his cooking gift but has an accounting problem. A £10.5 million tiny problem. Gordon Ramsay Holdings, the holding is charge of worldwide Gordon's activities couldn't pay the overdraft at the bank at the end of the financial year ... oops ... Thanks God, Gordon was able to secure a new, more important, overdraft with the Royal Bank of Scotland.
But with the crisis, even recession, all over the place 2009 will be tough for City's restaurants, Gordon's ones included. No more lavish corporate parties or enormous clients entertainment in London, Dubai or NY.
Be strong Gordy! You can survive this recession.

8th help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry!

2009-03-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Today it's Women's day, and to celebrate it a man was in the kitchen this morning to prepare a yummy, ocean breeze feel, brunch for a good cause: help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon! This man is my dear friend Patrick who prepared his creamy smoked herring. To read the 8th help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry follow this link!

In association with beatsarcoma.org we host a campaign on the web: "share your Sunday brunch for a good cause". We are well aware that won't change the world but it shows that we care and we may also raise some funds (adsense has been implemented on the dedicated blog and you can find a direct link for donations).

To read again the 7th help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry, follow this link!

Orange juice glazed prawns

2009-03-08T01:15:00.000-08:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Before revealing to the world wild web the 8th entry to share your brunch for a good cause, let's help beat sarcoma, here the story of a recipe that started like a lab trial and became a classic in my kitchen.
I grew up in Nantes, and after lived near the Pacific ocean and lately near the Mediterranean sea, so do I have to mention that fishes or other seafood and me we're deeply in love?

Ah simply prawns and home-made mayonnaise ... sorry I was daydreaming ...

Let's go back to our raviolis for a second, or for what matters this morning: the genesis of a recipe. While waiting for a TGV for one of my frequent trips to Paris, I was browsing Elle (the French issue, a bit different from the US or UK version: it's weekly published and at the end there's always 4 cooking record cards). One of those fashionable recipes grabs my attention: orange juice sauce on top of grilled eggplants.Even if the mixed of flavor grilled eggplants and orange juice sauce doesn't appeal me, the sauce intrigues me by it composition and easiness. So I reached in my purse for my moleskin and scribbled the sauce recipe. Then days later some gorgeous prawns were flirting with me from the fishmonger 's stall at Thionville farmers market. That's when the orange juice sauce arises in my mind.
"Be proud, prawns you will be served with orange juice !" I shouted (silently, I didn't want to end up in a psychiatric hospital!).
That's how I came up with this: orange juice glazed prawns recipe.

One more thing before the recipe. You may have notice the photoshoped look of the picture. The original picture was taken at night under yellow lights. The before (avant in French) / after (après in French) pictures bellow:

For the "not to bad result" (according solely to me) here the detailed steps in Photoshop:
Menu > Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels (to brighten)
Menu > Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance (playing with colors the pictures revive a bit)
Then Menu > Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels (to brighten one more time, this step is needed at the end. Even brightening more the 1st step won't give the same result)

Orange juice glazed prawns recipe: (for 2)
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup of orange juice
- 2 tbs of olive oil (evoo)
- 1 small glove of garlic

The prawns:
about 8 per person, prepared (shelled and deveined)
a dash of grape seed oil

Directions:
1- In a small pot bring to a simmer the orange juice, olive oil and chopped garlic.
2- Heat a dash of grape seed oil in a wok. When hot add the prawns, reduce heat to medium.
3- When the prawns abdomen opens out, they're ready.
4- Add the orange juice sauce in the wok. Let it glazed for 2 minutes.
5- Served, with for example curcuma colored rice.

Caramel cupcakes or a cooking video story in Paris!

2009-03-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Photo Magali

Last Friday I woke up at 5a.m, just on time to jump into a TGV for Paris. I was invited again by Philips and Cuisine-Studio to shoot a cooking video. How sweet is my life? It's get even sweeter, I was asked to prepared a sugar based recipe. So I proposed to the crew manager to prepare the caramel cupcakes I made last November for the Daring Bakers challenge.

On set I met lovely French food bloggers: Sandra, Magali and Mamina. Mamina who like my Mum asked me if I washed my hands before starting. I always do, I'm a control freak for that: I wash them all the time! So we're safe!

This experience is rewarding to many aspects: a free trip to Paris, the chance to meet other foodies and last but not least the great pleasure to shoot a video and being pamper by a make-up artist. God this girl is talented! I'm not ugly but I'm a normal girl who woke-up at 5am, don't even bother to try to picture it in your head. It was a disaster.
Then it's always a pleasure to play the supporting actress to the butter, sugar, caramel and other dairy products :-)

Thanks a lot to all of you!

Dare seeing my other food videos?
-grilled marinated shrimps
-beet mousse (dip)
-calamari a la plancha

For caramel cupcakes recipe, just follow this link!

Caramel cupcakes

2009-03-05T09:21:00.000-08:00

Posted for the 1st time on November the 30th of 2008

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

It's time to reveal November Daring Bakers challenge. This month challenge was: caramel cake, that became cupcakes with me :-)
This month was hosted by: Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater (http://eggbeater.typepad.com/).
It was the first time I made cupcakes, and not the first time I indulged them of course.
The only variation added to DB challenge: physalis fruit on top.
The recipe is well explain and really easy.

CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature

Notes from Natalie for those of you baking gluten-free:

So the GF changes to the cake would be:

2 cups of gluten free flour blend (w/xanthan gum) or 2 cups of gf flour blend + 1 1/2 tsp xanthan or guar gum
1/2 - 1 tsp baking powder (this would be the recipe amount to the amount it might need to be raised to & I'm going to check)

I'll let you when I get the cake finished, how it turns out and if the baking powder amount needs to be raised.

Preheat oven to 350F

Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.

Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.

Sift flour and baking powder.

Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}

Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.

Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.

Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.

CARAMEL SYRUP

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelization process)
In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.

When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.

Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}

Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.

Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.

Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month.
To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light

7th help-beat-sarcoma brunch!

2009-03-04T09:09:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

After David Leibovitz's light and fluffy spinach cake: check his participation to help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon here. and Cuisine Métisse is sharing with us a very British brunch idea: eggs bacon muffins, Vanessa who shares with us her express boiled eggs over bread taosts, it's Framboise from Martinique who shares with us a warm rabbit salad!

[Daring Bakers] Valentino flourless chocolate cake

2009-03-02T03:18:00.001-08:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

I'm a bit late to post but end of February was a bit hectic for me. A lot of travels and a bad back injury. Thanks God someone invented Advil!

Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Dharm's Ice Cream Recipe
Classic Vanilla Ice Cream
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Recipe comes from the Ice Cream Book by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis (tested modifications and notes in parentheses by Dharm)

Ingredients
1 Vanilla Pod (or substitute with vanilla extract)
300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Semi Skimmed Milk – in the U.S. this is 2% fat (or use fresh full fat milk that is pasteurised and homogenised {as opposed to canned or powdered}). Dharm used whole milk.
4 large egg yolks
75g / 3oz / 6 tbsp caster sugar {superfine sugar can be achieved in a food processor or use regular granulated sugar}
5ml / 1 tsp corn flour {cornstarch}
300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Double Cream (48% butter fat) {in the U.S. heavy cream is 37% fat)
{you can easily increase your cream's fat content by heating 1/4 cup of heavy cream with 3 Tbs of butter until melted - cool to room temperature and add to the heavy cream as soon as whisk marks appear in the cream, in a slow steady stream, with the mixer on low speed. Raise speed and continue whipping the cream) or use heavy cream the difference will be in the creaminess of the ice cream.

1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse
Lift the vanilla pod up. Holding it over the pan, scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife so that they fall back into the milk. SET the vanilla pod aside and bring the milk back to the boil.
2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn-flour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy. 3. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time
4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Cool it then chill.
5. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating it twice (during the freezing process – to get smoother ice cream or else the ice cream will be icy and coarse)
By Using and Ice Cream Maker: Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture until thick (follow instructions on your ice cream maker)

lamb shoulder chops with pomegranate, so chic!

2009-02-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

My dear readers you may recall last week post and my 101 on how to peel and seed a pomegranate? Well this tutorial will become handy to prepare today's recipe without ending in the ER (I know girls George Clooney is back but still try to stay away from there) or redecorating your kitchen in red.

Lamb chops cooked with pomegranate seeds is as chic as Repetto ballet shoes on Paris sidewalks, and as usual with me prompto presto cooking will be done!
The pomegranate adds some acidity to the sauce and the seeds served with the meat add a watery texture "en bouche".

The following recipe only uses 1/4 of the seeds of one pomegranate, here how the remaining ones finished (happy endings of course!):
- in a power salad: some mache tossed with balsamic vinaigrette and some pomegranate seeds on top.
- to decorate desserts: to add some colors to plain yogurt, or to add some luxury to a normal ice cream
- or just to nibble ;-)

Lamb shoulder chops with pomegranate:
Ingredients: (served 4)
- 4 lamb shoulder chops
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1/8 cup of red wine
- 1/4 of one pomegranate seeds
- grape seed oil
- salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Seed the pomegranate, directions here.
2- Season each sides of the chops with salt, pepper and thyme leaves.
3- Heat a cast-iron pot over high heat with a tbs of oil. When hot cook for 1 minute each chop sides.
4- Remove them from the pot, set aside.
5- Smash garlic cloves with a spoon in the pot, toss in it the pomegranate seeds. brown them and then add the wine.
6- Bring it a to a simmer. Add the chops and let them cook for about 15 minutes, cover.
7- Serve immediately, lamb doesn't stand to wait.

Can be served with Vichy carrots:

Other lamb recipe: Easter chump lamb with rosemary and roasted potatoes

6th share your Sunday brunch entry!

2009-02-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Cancer sucks! With such an opening line I could easily win any beauty pageant, even without long legs like Gisele Bundchen or plumpy Angelina Jolie lips. Isn't that way wittier than the usual "world peace"?

Anyway in association with beatsarcoma.org we host a campaign on the web: "share your Sunday brunch for a good cause". We are well aware that won't change the world but it shows that we care and we may also raise some funds (adsense has been implemented on the dedicated blog and you can find a direct link for donations).

After David Leibovitz's light and fluffy spinach cake: check his participation to help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon here. and Cuisine Métisse is sharing with us a very British brunch idea: eggs bacon muffins, it's Vanessa who shares with us her express boiled eggs over bread taosts.

Merci!!
Who's next? Waiting for your delicious entries!

Overdose of pink ...

2009-02-14T02:35:00.000-08:00

Note: French version of this post is here on my other food blog La cuisine de Babeth

Important: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Where am I heading to? I’m going to churn out a post about February 14th… about Valentine’s day. No no I wasn’t brainwashed in pink. The sheer idea Valentine’s day makes me shrug in despair, it’s just a commercial event to sell more flowers and chocolate. They don’t fool me. I can’t stand it:

-when you’re single it’s just a mean mirror of stupid-cute couples, making a fuss about giving and receiving flowers and chocolates. And God, all those fussy almost tacky pink heart-shaped decorations in every single shop? It’s way worst in the US.

-and when you have that someone special, either you’re on the same line no overpriced flowers or chocolates just because they say so. You cannot go out for dinner or you will be attacked by pearly pink decorations. Or if you have the bad luck –very bad- to be with a lover of pinky-pearly-hearts, ouch … That happened to me once. I should have run away and avoid a terrible free fall. Yep someone served me the red rose petals scattered all over the apartment and a fussy dinner. Since he dumped me by text message shortly after, now I can say thanks to his boorishness:

-I dieted for free right before the summer that year

-I did go out more often and I met great people

-I took more acting classes

-I met Mathieu and we got married

But let’s go back to our subject here: who was Saint Valentine anyway? What did he do to deserve such a pinky-heart shaped torrent? Well he loved human beings but his life story is pretty sad. He lived at the 1st century in Rome and was beheaded by the emperor Claude the second. Pretty gloomy isn’t it?

How to peel and seed a pomegranate

2009-02-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Most French have a vivid memory of grenadine syrup, it was our childhood drink at "le gouter", after school snack. Pain au chocolat paired with grenadine is divine!
Mainstream grenadine is not anymore made from pomegranate, a shame, but only from mixed red berries.
We live in a world where we have to eat at least 5 fruits or veggies a day, avoid trans-fat or eat a lot of omega-3. Pomegranate wins the power-fruit title with its many vitamins and minerals, and its vaunted antioxidant qualities.
Pomegranate is easy to find at your local supermarket, no need to go to fancy organic stores. You can eat its seeds raw or cooked, or drink it juiced. The seeds are watery and have a sweet-tart taste.
Growing pomegranates in Afghanistan may help farmers not to rely on deadly poppy to make a living. More info: read related article in The Economist here.
So it's a tasty, power-fruit but as any mavericky thing, it can be a bit intimidating. Let me explain, with pictures, step by step how to collect the precious rubis pearls whitout hurting yourself, or painting your kitchen walls in red!

Step #1: Cut the blossom end (top)

Step #2: Cut the stem end (rear), for a better stability

Step #3: Notch along the white membranes

Step #4: Rip open. Work over a bowl of water, pry away the seeds with your fingers. The white non edible parts will float, and seeds sink.

Some tatsty pomegranate recipes can be found here on La vie in English!

5th help-beat-sarcoma entry!

2009-02-09T08:35:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

One of my friend Nathalie was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer: sarcoma. A cancer that doesn't get much public attention. With her support I launched help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon or how to share your Sunday brunch for a good cause. The idea is to raise awareness, and why not also donations, about this cause on internet, but a joyous way. And what more joyous than sharing a good meal! To participate don't forget to check here the rules here.

After David Leibovitz's light and fluffy spinach cake: check his participation to help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon here.

Véro blogging on Cuisine Métisse is sharing with us a very British brunch idea: eggs bacon muffins.

Merci!!
Who's next? Waiting for your delicious entries!

DIY! Cardboard kitty pad

2009-02-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

I'm not turning into Martha Stewart (I'm not that pretentious! she's the one and only one Martha), but I grew up with a crafts talented mom. BTW she a newcomer to the blogging world you can now follow her creations on Design by Suzanne.

Making home-made stuffs is rewarding and cost saving too. In those stormy times every pennies count!
Are you fed-up with your fury friend scratching your sofa/curtains/chairs? You can buy a scratch pad, but you can also, for free, make one with the empty card boxes lying in your garage.

I'm just a copycat, I found this brilliant idea on a great blog about everything design: Design Sponge. I did follow the instructions here, and it's just SO easy, not to mention that I was proud of myself :-)

Previously on La vie in English: Chandeleur versus Groundhog day!

Chandeleur versus Groundhog day!

2009-02-01T12:45:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Tomorrow is La chandeleur in France, basically in every French household crêpes (thin French-like pancakes) will be flying of the pans!
And in the US , ok it's Super Bowl but also I'm pretty sure all Americans anxiously waiting for report from Punxsutawney on ground hog Day. More precisely from Phil, the groundhog. Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors.

There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions for over 120 years! On February 2, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob - in front of thousands of followers from all over the world - to predict the weather for the rest of winter.
According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.

But Chandeleur and Groundhog day are quite similar, crêpes are symbolic representation of the sun and Phil is announcing when the winter is over, so when the sun will be back.

I don't have any Groundhog cookies recipe for you, but let me give you my secret crepe one!

What is so great is that you can let your imagination goes and fill them with whatever you like!
-for savory ones (here it's better to substitute the regular flour by wheat one) : sunny egg+Gruyere+ham, spinach+goat cheese, salsa+bacon ...
-for sweet ones:butter+sugar, butter+sugar+lemon juice, jam, crème de marron (chestnut purée), nutella, pear+hot chocolate+whipped cream

Ingredients: (for about 12 crêpes)
-2 cups of flour
-2 cups of milk
-3 eggs
-2 oz of butter
-salt
-1 beer or (any sparkling water)

Directions:
1- Melt the butter. Set aside.
2- Combine in a large bowl milk, egg, 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the melted butter and the flour and whisk well.
3- Add about 1/3 of beer to the mix and whisk. The beer or sparking water will make it airy.
4- Set aside for about 1 hour with a clean cloth on top.

4th help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry!

2009-02-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

I proud to let you know that the great, the only Parisian Californian pastry chef: David Lebovitz is being kind enough to share one of his brunch: a light and fluffy spinach cake: check his participation to help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon here. Not to mention that after 3 participations in French David's is the first in English!!

Merci David :-)

Who's next? Waiting for your delicious entries!

[Daring Bakers] Tuiles paired with apple compote

2009-01-29T08:07:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth

Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Previously featured on La vie in English: Puffy cumin gougères

Today is the day millions (may be only hundreds ;-)) reveal the monthly Daring Bakers challenge. This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

This challenge was fun and thanks God! light. Isn't that great to still be able to satisfy ones sweet tooth and still stay away from rich food after Holidays extravaganza. Plus we were ask to think outside the recipe, we could pair the tuiles with whatever we wanted.

I picked a simple apple and cinnamon compote (peel cut the apples, bake them for 15 min in boiling water, drain and puree them in a blender, add grounded cinnamon to serve).

Note: compote means sauce in French.

Tuiles recipe:

Recipe:
Yields: 20 small butterflies/6 large (butterflies are just an example)
Preparation time batter 10 minutes, waiting time 30 minutes, baking time: 5-10 minutes per batch

65 grams / ¼ cup / 2.3 ounces softened butter (not melted but soft)
60 grams / ½ cup / 2.1 ounces sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar (7 grams or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract)
2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
65 grams / 1/2 cup / 2.3 ounces sifted all purpose flour
sliced almonds for decoration
Butter/spray to grease baking sheet

Oven: 180C / 350F

Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly. Press the stencil on the bakingsheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Sprinkle sliced almonds on them.

Bake butterflies in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from bakingsheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time or maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. (Haven’t tried that). Or: place a bakingsheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.

If you don’t want to do stencil shapes, you might want to transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe the desired shapes and bake. Shape immediately after baking using for instance a rolling pin, a broom handle, cups, cones….

Alternative baking: Nougatine:
From Michel Roux: Finest Desserts

5.1/4 cups / 500 grams sliced almonds
(or 4.1/3 cups/500 grams slivered almonds)
3.1/3 cups / 660 grams sugar
4 tbs / 60 grams butter (optional)
2 tbs oil (vegetable, sunflower, peanut)

Makes 2.3/4 lbs/1.2 kgs! (This is the yield of the recipe given in the book, feel free to downsize!)
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Preheat oven: 180C/350F

Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Cook the sugar in a heavy based saucepan over low heat, stirring gently and continuously with a spatula, until it melts to a light golden caramel. Add the almonds and stir over low heat for 1 minute, then stir in the butter until completely absorbed. (This is not essential, but will give the nougat an added sheen) Pour the nougatine onto an oiled baking sheet.

Shaping: place a bakingsheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable. Work with one piece at a time, of a size appropriate to the shape you want. Roll out each piece on a warm, lightly oiled baking sheet or lightly oiled marbled surface. It is essential to work quickly, since the nougatine rapidly becomes brittle. Heat the nougatine in a microwave oven for a few seconds only to soften it if needed.

Roll the nougatine into the appropriate thickness for your desired shape, but never thicker than 1/8 inch or 3 mm. Quickly cut out your chosen shapes using cookie cutters, or the blade or heel of a chef’s knife. To mold the nougatine, drape it very rapidly over the mold so that it follows the shape and contours. Leave until completely cold before removing from the mold.
Or, cut out and using your fingers or a knife, push into folds or pleats… use as a basket, twirl round a knitting needle..

Nougatine based shapes can be made two or three days in advance, Keep them in a very dry place and do not fill with something like a mousse more than 2 hours prior to serving.

Other DB challenges:

French chocolate yule log

caramel cupcakes

pizza

cheese cake pops
Julia Child's French bread
Lemon meringue pie
Chocolate yule log
Tender potato bread
Crackers and peach salsa

Puffy cumin gougères!

2009-01-28T10:50:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Have you ever read French cheese puffs, aka gougères, recipes? Most of them seem really complicated and surrounded by an urban legend: leave them sit in the turned off oven for 10 minutes at the end of cooking time. And like any of those urban legends they spread like butter! The vector here: internet. The curse is: your gougères would go flat.

No way!

I'm more a type of girl who takes shortcuts and does experiments. I did remove my gougères at the end of cooking (few times already, I'm scientist afterward), bad girl! I know :-) But I proved what I wanted to demonstrate, urban legend: My gougères were plumpy and puffy.

I even checked with the Boss and it's not in his book either.

Their puffiness is as magic as the madeleines roundness.

Emmental and cumin French cheese puffs:
Ingredients: (for about 30 gougères)
-1 cup of grated emmental (or Swiss cheese)
-1/3 of a cup of milk
-1/3 of a cup of water
-4 eggs
-3/4 of a stick of butter
-3/4 cup of all-purposed flour, sifted
-1/2 teaspoon of grounded cumin
-1 pinch of Guérande fleur de sel (substitution:Kosher salt)

Directions:
1- Pre-heat the oven at 350F.
2- Combine the milk, water and butter in a saucepan, bring them to boil.
3- Remove from heat, add flour, cumin and salt all at once. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon.
4- Return the saucepan to heat for few minutes, the ball of dough will separate from the sides. (It will dehydrate the dough a bit)
5- Remove from heat and add one by one the eggs, stir well after each one.
6- Add the cheese, keep stirring.
7- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (find some eco-friendly, unbleached, ones at your favorite organic store, or reusable silicon one). With 2 tablespoons make small balls ( as big as a walnut).
8- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden.
-> keep them up to a week in the fridge, up to a month in the freezer.

Note: you may have notice the cool Polaroid vintage look of my picture? I've been playing for a while with a cool (and free!) software called poladroid.

Cool as my childhood magic tree toy.

2009 Chinese New Year! 红红热闹闹

2009-01-25T12:32:00.001-08:00

Note: French version is on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

xīn nián hǎo or what I believe to be Happy New Year in Chinese! 2009 is the year of the Earth Ox. Not sure what ins tore for a Fire Dragon like me, wait and see :-)

Enjoy this Chinese themed post.

Grilled curcuma Jumbo shrimps.

Chicken ginger wok stir-fry.

Grilled marinated shrimps.

Won-ton crackers.

3rd help-beat-sarcoma entry!

2009-01-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

I proud to introduce the 3rd help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon entry: milk jam with a touch of coconut milk from Nilufer. It's the 3rd (of a long list I hope!) after delicious pink pralines brownie. Read her participation here and a quiche directly from Quebec.
Right now brunch donations are coming from the French food blogs, I would LOVE to feature entries in English! (rules here)

One of my friend Nathalie was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer: sarcoma. A cancer that doesn't get much public attention. With her support I launched help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon or how to share your Sunday brunch for a good cause. The idea is to raise awareness, and why not also donations, about this cause on internet, but a joyous way. And what more joyous than sharing a good meal! To participate don't forget to check here the rules here.
After weeks of uncertainty: nobody shared anything on help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon, I proud to let you know that Marie from Yummy!! is the first one to participate with a delicious pink pralines brownie. Read her participation here. Thanks Marie :-)

Who's next? Waiting for your delicious entries!

Yamayu Santatsu, Luxembourg

2009-01-21T02:27:00.000-08:00

Note: Read me in French on my other (food) blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Recently I was starved for ... sushis, and I needed relief.

Sushi is an art we don't practice at home, we tried but it almost ended up in a messy divorce :-)
As you may know we moved in Luxembourg area in August 2008, we met new friends and tried to go out but we're still not aware of all the hot spots of Luxembourg.
We did some researches before landing in the Grand Duchy area. We owned 2 handful books: Living in Luxembourg, edited by the American Women Society in Luxembourg (Thanks Nury for the gift) and just arrived in Luxembourg. according to the second one Yamayu Santatsu was THE sushi place / Japanese restaurant in Luxembourg. We did tried this address back in 2008 fall when a dear Californian friend of mine visited us (2 generations back her family was already Californian, rare in such an immigration land). Back then we were already dissapointed: service was cold, almost rude and sushi-wise it was decent.

Last week I was in desperate need for sushis and didn't know any others addresses in Luxembourg to calm my addiction.
You may think, well why she's complaining? wasn't she warned? As I'm well aware that Luxembourg is a tiny country far from any seas or oceans and with more cows on its soil that banks (yes it's possible), I wanted to give an other chance to Yamayu Santatsu. And again we were deeply disappointed.
Waiters are unpleasant, haughty and ill-mannered. Don't even dare to ask questions about your order, at your own risk. It's so slow to get food on the table that I was thinking they may send the sushis to Fuji mount to have them blessed or something ...
Plates are chipped! With the prices they are charging they may invest in new ones.
Decoration is minimalist, worthy of the best of Brezhnev era, nothing look like Japanese.

The "best" for the end, let's talk about the food. Sushis quality is very poor, sushis and makis arrived on lukewarm rice !!

Price: expensive.

We won't be back!

Now we are in the look for a great sushi joint in Luxembourg, any good address to share?

Menu for Hope V, raffle results

2009-01-17T04:06:00.000-08:00

Menu for Hope V, raffle results were announced by the lovely Pim this Thursday.
Thanks to you the campaign raised a bit more than US$ 62,ooo in support of the UN World Food Program.
So are you a lucky winner? Check Pim's post here.
If you won the prize I was giving away, code:EU20, please contact me (cuisinedebabeth{at}gmail{dot}com) so I can send it to you promptly :-)

Previously on La vie in English: don't miss my latest cooking video! Check here for more about it, and for the video itself here.

Who's that guy with me?

2009-01-15T06:01:00.000-08:00

Note: Read me in French on my other (food) blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Who's that guy near the new cooking video star: Babeth? Ok I must admit I'm only a star in my own kitchen. If I'm not giving myself a thumb up, who will?

Care watching the video? Click here.

Let's be more serious, in October some French food bloggers and me were invited to shot some cooking videos in Paris. Do you remember the making-off? Click here. Recipe of Cyril Lignac's calamari a la plancha can be found at the end of that post.

This video is the 3rd one for me, and I still have a lot of fun shooting them! For 3 minutes of internet fame for the shrimps, beets and myself a lot of workers are active behind the scene. You know I don't look that good in the morning :-)

The first one, hope the first of a long long series, grilled marinated shrimps (here).
The second one: beet mousse (here).

Au revoir Gaston!

2009-01-09T06:25:00.000-08:00

Note: Read me in French on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Photo AFP

Yesterday, the best French pastry chef ever passed away. Gaston Lenôtre was the greatest pastry chef and the teacher of many of today pastry stars, Pierre Hermé to name only one.

Gaston Lenôtre was a great teacher, he opened his school in 1971 and his next step was to open "écoles gourmandes" in most of his pastry shops where any of us can get pastry or cooking classes. And I was lucky enough to have few classes at Cannes' Lenôtre école gourmande. Where I learnt how to make macarons and also holidays dishes. Teachers are chefs and they follow one of Gaston Lenôtre rule: always be explain and give all the ingredients and steps of any recipes. Cannot be said for all the chefs or cookbooks writers out there ...

Twist of faith, yesterday I became the happy owner of: faites votre pâtisserie comme Lenôtre (ebay treasures). My Mum has it since the 70s and I grew up with her making delicious Lenôtre desserts.

Au revoir Gaston!

help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon: first entry: Marie's brownie

2009-01-07T07:06:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

May be you recall reading the launching of help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon on November 18th 2008?
For those who don't, here a little summary: One of my friend Nathalie was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer: sarcoma. A cancer that doesn't get much public attention. With her support I launched help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon or how to share your Sunday brunch for a good cause. The idea is to raise awareness, and why not also donations, about this cause on internet, but a joyous way. And what more joyous than sharing a good meal! To participate don't forget to check here the rules here.
After weeks of uncertainty: nobody shared anything on help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon, I proud to let you know that Marie from Yummy!! is the first one to participate with a delicious pink pralines brownie. Read her participation here. Thanks Marie :-)

Who's next? Waiting for your delicious entries!

Bonjour 2009! and a 2008 best of

2009-01-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth

I wish you a wonderful and delicious new year!

I wanted to put together a little summary and best of before the end of 2008, but life happens and I didn't get a chance to finish.

But hey it's never to late for a little round up, isn't it? 2008 had ups and downs.

February 2008 was sad, my grand-mother from whom I inherited her vibrant ginger hair color as well as a delicious madeleine recipe, passed away.

We were really unlucky in our last days before moving away from Antibes:
Zoe, our fury friend, escaped and like in a movie she found her way back to "la gendarmerie" :-)
Our apartment got visited. Even if the intruders took only electronics, we felt physically attacked. In this rough time I met true angels.

Our new home sweet home is between Lorraine and Luxembourg, at least for now.

Before jumping to the food posts awards, let me talk about a cause I cherish: help beat sarcoma, an unknown cancer. For that matter I created a blog:
http://help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon.blogspot.com , where I'm asking people to help raising awareness about this type of cancer while sharing a memorable edible brunch moment. I'm sad because nobody is participating. Please come and join me!

Here the others causes I supported: here, here , here and here.

2 rant posts: the mailman doesn't like me much and ranting and raving about the pink atmosphere
Few trips in 2008: London, New-York, The Netherlands, Venice, Munchen, La Mancha and Portugal.

And now the best food related posts:

In 2008 I shot my second and third cooking video.

Best crackers recipe: Heidi's crackers

Best savory dish: 2-gingers maple-glazed salmon

Best soup: soup at Tiffany

Best surprisingly easy recipe: no brainers citrus asparagus

Best of the husband in the kitchen: tarte tatin

Best muffins: mixed berry quinoa muffins

Best restaurant in Antibes: Mamalu

2 best regional recipes tested and approved by Babeth: mochis and flammenkueche

[Daring Bakers] French chocolate yule log

2008-12-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

Hello my dear fellows,

This month DB challenge was a tricky one and asked for a lot of patience, but was worth it :-) I did change a little bit the recipe, I tried to use less heavy cream than asked by the original recipe. My yule log was not light either.
I'm away from my iphoto database and cannot post with a picture. As soon as I'm back I will add a picture to this challenge.
Happy Holidays everybody!

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux.
They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand

FRENCH YULE LOG OR ENTREMETS RECIPE by Flore of Florilège Gourmand

Element #1 Dacquoise Biscuit (Almond Cake)

Preparation time: 10 mn + 15 mn for baking

Equipment: 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan, parchment paper

Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible.

Ingredients:
2.8 oz (3/4cup + 1Tbsp / 80g) almond meal
1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner’s sugar
2Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour
3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

1. Finely mix the almond meal and the confectioner's sugar. (If you have a mixer, you can use it by pulsing the ingredients together for no longer than 30 seconds).
2. Sift the flour into the mix.
3. Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.
4. Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.
5. Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it.
6. Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc...) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).
7. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden.
8. Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Element #2 Dark Chocolate Mousse

Preparation time: 20mn

Equipment: stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, thermometer, double boiler or equivalent, spatula

Note: You will see that a Pate a Bombe is mentioned in this recipe. A Pate a Bombe is a term used for egg yolks beaten with a sugar syrup, then aerated. It is the base used for many mousse and buttercream recipes. It makes mousses and buttercreams more stable, particularly if they are to be frozen, so that they do not melt as quickly or collapse under the weight of heavier items such as the crème brulee insert.
In the Vanilla Mousse variation, pastry cream is made to the same effect.
In the Mango Mousse variation, Italian meringue is made to the same effect. Italian meringue is a simple syrup added to egg whites as they are beaten until stiff. It has the same consistency as Swiss meringue (thick and glossy) which we have used before in challenge recipes as a base for buttercream.
The Whipped Cream option contains no gelatin, so beware of how fast it may melt.
Gelatin is the gelifying agent in all of the following recipes, but if you would like to use agar-agar, here are the equivalencies: 8g powdered gelatin = 1 (0.25 oz) envelope powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp Agar-Agar.
1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

Ingredients:
2.5 sheets gelatin or 5g / 1 + 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin
1.5 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp (10g) glucose or thick corn syrup
0.5 oz (15g) water
50g egg yolks (about 3 medium)
6.2 oz (175g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1.5 cups (350g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water. (If using powdered gelatin, follow the directions on the package.)
2. Make a Pate a Bombe: Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).
2a. Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.
2b. Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.
2c. Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.
3. In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
4. Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.
5. Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in ½ cup (100g) of WHIPPED cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe.
6. Add in the rest of the WHIPPED cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Element #3 Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert

Preparation time: 10mn

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

Ingredients:
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).
2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.
3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.
4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Element #4 Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Preparation time: 10 mn (+ optional 15mn if you make lace crepes)

Equipment: Small saucepan, baking sheet (if you make lace crepes).
Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper, rolling pin (or I use an empty bottle of olive oil).

Note: Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp. There are non-praline variations below. The crunch in this crisp comes from an ingredient which is called gavottes in French. Gavottes are lace-thin crepes. To our knowledge they are not available outside of France, so you have the option of making your own using the recipe below or you can simply substitute rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K for them. Special note: If you use one of the substitutes for the gavottes, you should halve the quantity stated, as in use 1oz of any of these cereals instead of 2.1oz.
If you want to make your own praline, please refer back to the Daring Baker Challenge Recipe from July 2008.

To make 2.1oz / 60g of gavottes (lace crepes - recipe by Ferich Mounia):
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
2/3 Tbsp (8g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup – 2tsp (35g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp / 0.5 oz (15g) beaten egg
1 tsp (3.5g) granulated sugar
½ tsp vegetable oil
1. Heat the milk and butter together until butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat.
2. Sift flour into milk-butter mixture while beating, add egg and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.
3. Grease a baking sheet and spread batter thinly over it.
4. Bake at 430°F (220°C) for a few minutes until the crepe is golden and crispy. Let cool.

Ingredients for the Praline Feuillete:
3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter
2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline
2.1oz (60g) lace crepes(gavottes) or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
3. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Element #5 Vanilla Crème Brulée Insert

Preparation time: 15mn + 1h infusing + 1h baking

Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper

Note: The vanilla crème brulée can be flavored differently by simply replacing the vanilla with something else e.g. cardamom, lavender, etc...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
½ cup (115g) whole milk
4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks
0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean

1. Heat the milk, cream, and scraped vanilla bean to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the vanilla infuse for about 1 hour.
2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).
3. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.
4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.

Element #6 Dark Chocolate Icing

Preparation time: 25 minutes (10mn if you don’t count softening the gelatin)

Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan

Note: Because the icing gelifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.
For other gelatin equivalencies or gelatin to agar-agar equivalencies, look at the notes for the mousse component.

Ingredients:
4g / ½ Tbsp powdered gelatin or 2 sheets gelatin
¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)
2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) water
1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.
2. Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling.
3. Add gelatin to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.
4. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.
How To Assemble your French Yule Log

Depending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different.
THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP.
You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

1) Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with rhodoid (clear hard plastic, I usually use transparencies cut to the desired shape, it’s easier to find than cellulose acetate which is what rhodoid translates to in English) OR plastic film. Rhodoid will give you a smoother shape but you may have a hard time using it depending on the kind of mold you’re using.

You have two choices for Step 2, you can either have Dacquoise on the top and bottom of your log as in version A or you can have Dacquoise simply on the bottom of your log as in version B:

2A) Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.
3A) Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.
4A) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.
5A) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.
6A) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.
7A) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.
8A) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.
9A) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.
10A) Close with the last strip of Dacquoise.
Freeze until the next day.

OR

2B) Pipe one third of the Mousse component into the mold.
3B) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.
4B) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.
5B) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.
6B) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.
7B) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.
8B) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight edge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.
9B) Close with the Dacquoise.
Freeze until the next day.

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with TWO pieces of Dacquoise the order is:
1) Dacquoise
2) Mousse
3) Creme Brulee Insert
4) Mousse
5) Praline/Crisp Insert
6) Mousse
7) Ganache Insert
8) Dacquoise

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with ONE piece of Dacquoise on the BOTTOM ONLY the order is:
1) Mousse
2) Creme Brulee Insert
3) Mousse
4) Praline/Crisp Insert
5) Mousse
6) Ganache Insert
7) Dacquoise

If you are doing the assembly RIGHT SIDE UP in a springform pan the order is:
1) Dacquoise
2) Ganache Insert
3) Mousse
4) Praline/Crisp Insert
5) Mousse
6) Creme Brulee Insert
7) Mousse
8 OPTIONAL) Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY...
Unmold the cake/log/whatever and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan.
Cover the cake with the icing.
Let set. Return to the freezer.
You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse, etc...

Brad Pitt' s Christmas wish!

2008-12-27T14:41:00.000-08:00

(Today Show, NBC picture)

Last year, on december 4th, I was talking here about Brad Pitt Christmas wish and about a great non-profit project to help rebuilt New-Orleans: Make it Right project. Unfortunately, New Orleans is not rebuilt yet ... and this wounded city is still waiting for help to recover from Katrina.

Holidays are the time to share great food, give and receive gifts but also a time to think about others in needs. If you're one of my frequent readers you may have notice that I also featured non-profit and causes here (Breast cancer awareness, Menu for Hope, FeelGood Foundation, and help beat sarcoma -> still ongoing operation, I need your help ).

Anyway why let's go back to Brad Pitt's project in New Orleans:
the guy, quite a normal guy (LOL) is part of a great and generous charitable project: the Make It Right project (see the web site here). And on his Christmas list there is: a home for everybody in New Orleans!

You can watch Brad chatting with Ann Curry last year on the Today Show (video here). You can also find some info on people.com here.

The MIR project is to build green affordable houses in New-Orleans. They even thought about new possible flooding and houses will be built on piles.
On the MIR project web site you can visit a virtual house that will be built in NoLa.
It's Christmas time so why not to donate a little, there is no minimum and what I really like it that you can while visiting the virtual house donate for a compact fluorescent bulb ($5), or a rooftop solar system or even adopt a house i.e. buy the full house.
Happy Holidays!

In the search for Christmas menu ideas?

2008-12-23T03:40:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma
Holidays generosity: Menu for Hope V

For those of us who are in cruel need for ideas for Christmas menu, here I come to the rescue with some of my recipes ( all explained step by step). I learned most of the one I'm presenting today at the famous Lenotre cooking school in Cannes. Pierre Herme himself, among others, learnt pastry at Lenotre school.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Appetizer:
foie gras on mango French toast

Main dish:
Mushroom stuffed sole on a leek bed

Side dish:
goat cheese and mache risotto

Dessert:
French chocolate yule log

To nibble:
XMas sugar cookies
macarons

XMas sugar cookies

2008-12-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma
Holidays generosity: Menu for Hope V

Christmas is around the corner, for those of you who have been living in a cave it's this coming Wednesday!
I accomplished a big step today: finished wrapping my gifts. So I deserve a sweet treat, don't I ? :-)
In the USA, ladies tend to organize Christmas cookies exchange parties. Americans love their cookies and at XMas time host has to have different varieties of cookies to offer. But in this busy period even a well organize, polished perfect-host (a Martha Stewart look-a-like if you prefer) won't have enough time to bake 5 to 6 varieties of cookies. So US housewives created the cookie swap concept. Really simple and ingenuous: you invite your girlfriends over for tea and they all bring a big batch of 1 variety of cookies. Batches are divided between all the attending ladies. Smart! Who said US housewives are desperate? :-)

Here in my new home (Luxembourg area) almost all my girlfriends have left for the Holidays to their countries, so I couldn't organize a cookie swap.
We did bake some Christmas sugar cookies at home. I must say their decoration was a lot of fun!

Sugar cookies dough:
Ingredients:
-1 stick of butter at room temperature
-1/2 cup of powdered sugar
-2 egg yolks
-1cup 3/4 of all purpose flour
-2 tbsp of water
(can be flavored with vanilla extract)

Directions:
Note: dough has to be prepared at least 2h in advance, the day before is even better.
1- Carefully whisk together with a wooden spoon the smooth butter cut into slices, the sugar. Incorporate the yolks. (I don't have a stand-mixer, but you can as well work with one of those beauties at low speed).
2- When all the elements are mixed together, slowly add the flour. Work with your hand to form a uniform, smooth dough.
3- Add the water, and form with your hand a ball.
4- Refrigerate, cover with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours
5- Preheat your oven at 350F. Line baking sheets with non sticky baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
6- Transfer the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch (4 mm) thickness.
7- Cut it with your favorite cookie cutters (or a glass if you don't own any cookie cutters). Leftover dough can roll over and over, to cut more cookies.
8- Transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 min until slightly golden.
9- Place them on a cooling rack.

Icing:
Ingredients:
-food coloring
-powdered sugar
-lemon juice or water
-sugar decorations
Directions:
1- Combine 2 tbsp of powdered sugar with 2 to 3 lemon juice drops (can be replace by water if you don't have lemon juice or if you don't want the lemony taste). Add 2 to 3 food coloring drops.
Note: open and close the food coloring tubes away from you, splashes can happen ...
2- Spread the icing, with a teaspoon, on cooled cookies.
3- Add any decorations you want (before the icing dries).

Menu for hope V, the prize I'm giving away

2008-12-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

I'm proud to help Menu for Hope this year, like last year. Menu for Hope is an annual fundraiser hosted by Pim. Last year, Menu for Hope raised nearly $100K to help the UN World Food Program feed the hungry. Yes you read it correctly $100K :-) I know this year we the tough and struggling economy it will be tough to raise money for good causes, but with all YOUR help we can do it!
How it works:Each December, food bloggers from all over the world join the campaign by offering a food-related prizes for the Menu for Hope raffle. For every $10 donated, you earn one virtual raffle ticket to bid on a prize of their choice. At the end of the two-week campaign, the raffle tickets are drawn and the results announced on Chez Pim.

The campaign is divide between region. For us, here in Europe, the hostess is Sara from Ms Adventures in Italy . Check out other European prizes here.

This year my prize is: code:EU20
Muffin Lover's Set: 12 Silicone Baking Cups and a Muffin Cookbook
Offered by Babeth of La vie in English. Ultimate muffins set, with silicon cups so you will never run out of the old paper version and plus it's eco-friendly. Added the book : Les muffins de Bob by Mark Grossman (an American living in Paris, book in French), filled with ideas to make beautiful muffins.

How to bid:
Donation Instructions:
1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from our Menu for Hope at
http://chezpim.com
2. Go to the donation site at http://www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope5
and make a donation.
3. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize
of your choice. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal
Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation.
You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize
code.
For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets
for EU02. Please write 2xEU01, 3xEU02
4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box
and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
5. Please allow us to see your email address so that we could contact
you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with
anyone.

Nicolas Feuillatte on vente-privée, starting today

2008-12-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

Starting today you can buy online Nicolas Feuillatte, on sale meaning outlet prices from you coach :-)
Where on vente-privée.
To take advantage of those bargains you need to be a member, and it's only on invitation.
Well you will tell me, great but how I can get a VIP invitation?
Simple! Just click here I'm inviting you :-)

Soup at Tiffany

2008-12-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

When I prepare soups at home it's always in big batches. Not that I have that many mouths to feed, but it's great to have home-made soup in your freezer waiting to warm you up on those cold and lazy evenings. To be more convenient I freeze my soup in small 1 to 2 portion bags.
This season I'm a big fan of Brussels sprouts as well as leeks.
Last week at my favorite grocery store I was seduced by a plumply cauliflower, so I brought it home :-) But it has no effect, what so ever, on my other housemate ... so it ended up mixed in a soup.

I was so thrilled when I saw my soup finished: it turned into a pale tint of spring green puree. Exactly the same green as Tiffany&Co boxes! We all remember the great movie with Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard (young, this guy can act): Breakfast at Tiffany, guess why I named my soup: soup at Tiffany ? :-)

Ingredients:
-2 leeks
-1 cauliflower
-olive oil (e.v.o.o preferred)
-kosher salt
-curcuma

Directions:
1- Remove the leafs and trim the end (the dry part, the rest will be used for the soup). Cut into pieces, wash under running water.
2- In a large pot put some water to boil ( at least 1 liter: cauliflower pieces have to be covered by it). When it's boiling add a generous pinch of kosher salt and a tea spoon of curcuma. Reduce the heat and add the cauliflower. Let it cook for about 20 minutes. (How to know it's cooked? if you can drive in the tip of a knife like into melted butter: it's done). Drain and set aside
3- While it's cooking prepare the leeks. Trim the bottom end (hairy one) and the spoiled part of the leafs. The green is the key ingredient to have this rich color. Wash them carefully. Mine were organic so a bit dirty.
4- Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then in small slices.
5- In a hot pan add a splash of olive oil and the leeks. Cook it for about 10 minutes until it's slightly golden. Set aside.
6- Mix altogether in a blender the cooked cauliflower and leeks. Set aside in a large bowl the pureed veggies and add 1 to 2 tbs of olive oil. Serve or freeze!

Other soups recipes:
-evoo toasted pumpkin soup
-Jerusalem artichoke soup
-cream slip peas and bacon
- cream hokkaido squash soup

[Daring Bakers] Caramel cupcakes

2008-11-30T06:39:00.000-08:00

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

It's time to reveal November Daring Bakers challenge. This month challenge was: caramel cake, that became cupcakes with me :-)
This month was hosted by: Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater (http://eggbeater.typepad.com/).
It was the first time I made cupcakes, and not the first time I indulged them of course.
The only variation added to DB challenge: physalis fruit on top.
The recipe is well explain and really easy.

CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature

Notes from Natalie for those of you baking gluten-free:

So the GF changes to the cake would be:

2 cups of gluten free flour blend (w/xanthan gum) or 2 cups of gf flour blend + 1 1/2 tsp xanthan or guar gum
1/2 - 1 tsp baking powder (this would be the recipe amount to the amount it might need to be raised to & I'm going to check)

I'll let you when I get the cake finished, how it turns out and if the baking powder amount needs to be raised.

Preheat oven to 350F

Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.

Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.

Sift flour and baking powder.

Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}

Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.

Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.

Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.

CARAMEL SYRUP

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelization process)
In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.

When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.

Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}

Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.

Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.

Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month.
To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light

Brussels sprouts and apples happy together

2008-11-25T11:10:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

God in France we are living a Florida drama 2000 American election! French left wing party were voting to designate their chief and results were 104 votes tied, so they're counting again. I do hope they're not using punched cards to vote ... Chad where are you ? :-)

After a nice week-end spent in Portugal: my friends T and G got married in a lovely hacienda near Lamego, here I am home, in Luxembourg-French country side. We were welcome with a snow storm. Such a chock after a lovely week-end under Indian summer sun.

My mission for today is to have my tires on my car changed. My tiny car needs its winter tires.

As I shouldn't go out with an empty stomach, let me share with you a quick and very unusual recipe inspired by Heidi (101 cookbooks). Thanks to her I made peace with Brussels sprouts last year. Well you may have the same unappealing souvenir of them, yep you had the same boiled ones at your school cafeteria, yeurkkk!

Last year I prepared them as:
- savory muffins
- with Roma cabbages over rice
- red quinoa cassolettes

This year my Brussels sprouts dish is more adventurous, but still tasty!

Ingredients: (party of 2)
- 1 apple (even a wrinkled one)
- half an onion thinly chopped
- 5 hazelnuts shelved
- 8 Brussels sprouts
- grape seeds oil
- salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Trim the end and remove the first leaves of the Brussels sprouts. Rinse under clear water. Set aside.
2- Peel and cut the apple into small cubes. Set aside.
3- In a large pot put some water to boil. Add the sprouts and let them cook for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4- Warm some oil in a wok or pan. Cook the onion until light golden. Add the apple and Brussels sprouts. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes stirring a couple of time.
5- When cooked add the hazelnuts, salt and pepper to taste.

Help beat sarcoma!

2008-11-18T02:13:00.000-08:00

Care for French? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth

For those of you who are in my facebook network you may have received an email from me about help beat sarcoma (and no it's not a spam). And if you're a reader of La cuisine de Babeth or here: La vie in English, you may also have notice that for the last months I always start my postings with:
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

My friend Nathalie who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer: sarcoma. I'm not a doctor, I'm just a normal woman who got speechless after learning Nathalie's disease, and who wants to help.
I invite all of you to:
- read her blog: beat sarcoma
- check the web page of the non-profit organization she created: BeatSarcoma.org
- and last but not least you can make a donation to the research team leaded by Amreen Husain
at Stanford.
To donate now click here.

After giving some money to the Stanford research team (who works on sarcoma) I felt I didn't do enough to help. After some brainstorming I had the idea to raise awareness about this cause on internet, but a joyous way. And what more joyous than sharing a good meal!
So my idea is pretty simple: while sharing your favorite Sunday brunch (es) on
http://help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon.blogspot.com/
and on your blog/site (if you have one), you will help raising awareness about this rare form of cancer!

I'm a food lover and my idea is to spread the awareness through the web with a story-chain.

help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon is YOUR blog, and I would like all of you the share your story about your favorite Sunday lunch. Do you like to go out for brunch, can you only have your Mum roast? You name it :-)

Rules:
Anybody can participate in English, or in French
Option 1- You have a blog: post your story, recipes, pictures on your blog and add the following html code:

Widget will be:

-Send an email to cuisinedebabeth{at}gmail{dot}com with the link to your post, and give http://help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon.blogspot.com the rights to publish your story/recipes/pictures or any materials you want to share.
Please for liability issues include in your email:
"I, {your name} certify that I have the rights to use and publish this text and pictures and I give the rights to Help Beat Sarcoma to use it."

Option 2- You don't have a blog and want to participate, no problem! Just send an email to cuisinedebabeth{at}gmail{dot}com with your text and any materials you want to include in your favorite Sunday luch story, and give http://help-beat-sarcoma-a-thon.blogspot.com the rights to publish here your story/recipes/pictures.
Please for liability include in your email:
I, {your name} certify that I have the rights to use and publish this text and pictures and I give the rights to Help Beat Sarcoma to use it.

Thanks!

Special thanks to Anne who helpt me a lot with html, and spreading the news:-)

Flammekueche (or Flammenkueche) recipe

2008-11-14T04:25:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

I cannot really translate all the French post I intended to (here to read it). In it I was giving results for a quiz about "you and the apron", quiz I only put on my French food blog: La cuisine de Babeth. Sorry guys ... Anyway I will try to make it up to you by revealing the results.
Quiz: you and the apron:
1- Always! 13%
2- Only when I cook 10%
3- Only when it will get messy 41%
4- I have a lot, brand new 13%
5- Never 20%

Number 3 is our winner! And I did vote to number 3 as well ( who said that you cannot participate to your own games? There no small prints here :-) ). But I don't always anticipate the "messy" part, which results to a LOT of laundry ...

Today I want to share with you a typical recipe from the French region where we moved in July. Ciao French Riviera, Hello Lorraine!
Let me introduce you: Alsatian flambéed tart also known as Flammenkueche (or Flammekueche). It's a warm appetizer, a thin-like-paper pizza dough filled with crème fraîche, onions and lardons. In France you can buy frozen ones, but it's a no rocket science to make one at home (and it's really quick and simple too).

Note: if you cannot find crème fraîche use sour cream instead. I'm pretty sure you can buy crème fraîche at Whole Food Market.

The recipe is in 2 parts: first the dough, then the filling.

No-yeast bred dough:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup 1/4 (180g) flour
- 1/2 tbs of salt
- 2 tbs of sunflower oil (or 4 olive oil)
- 1/4 cup (10cl) of lukewarm water

Directions:
1- Sift the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and pour into it the salt and oil. Combine with your with your hands. Knead the dough few minutes.
2- Add slowly the lukewarm water while kneading the dough. Knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form a ball with it.
Note: If the dough is too sticky add some flour, if is not elastic add water.

Flammekueche:(appetizer party of 4, diner party of 2)
Ingredients:
- 1 plumpy onion
- 4 tbs of crème fraîche épaisse or sour cream.
- 1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
- 1 ball of no-yeast bred dough (recipe see above)
- 120g smoked lardons (strips of fat bacon)
- 1 tbs of sunflower oil
- salt and black pepper

Direction:
1- Peel the onion, thinly cut it.
2- Ina bowl combine the crème, nutmeg, salt and freshly grounded pepper.
3- Flour your work surface. Roll dough, making a long very thin rectangle as big as your cooking baking sheet.
4- Brush your baking sheet with some oil, and place the dough. (or you can line your baking sheet with parchment paper instead). Press the dough all around to form and edge. Gently prick the dough with a fork.
5- Spray on it the cream mixture. Sprinkle on top the onions and lardons. Add few oil drops.
6- Cook in a preheated oven at 480F for 15 min.

Let's meet in Périgueux this Friday!

2008-11-11T01:04:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

For those of you who knows me well, you know that on week-ends I'm browsing yard sales, garage sales and other consignment stores. In Antibes I even was a regular at auctions on Saturdays. (Hotel des ventes, 8 bd Pasteur, 06600 Antibes -Map it-), or when I had the courage to leave my parking spot I would go to Cannes, where auctions are more impressing.

Last week-end I was surfing internet in quest for auctions in my new region: Lorraine, and I found an eye catching one : bibliothèque gastronomique ... in Perigueux. For those of you who are familiar with France geography it's quite the opposite way. Anyway Perigueux's auctions house will conduct auction of rare cookbooks this coming Friday.
To view the catalogue -here-
A video of it -here-
Infos and directions:
Friday 14th of November, at 2:30pm
Perigord encheres-estimations
9, rue Bodin
24000 Périgueux, France (Map it)

Grilled curcuma Jumbo shrimps

2008-11-03T01:58:00.000-08:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

This morning I want to share with you a recipe I posted on my French food blog, La cuisine de Babeth, a week ago. This recipe was posted just before catching a train to Paris where I went to FIAC and a cooking show. I'm not famous enough to have the TGV driver waiting for me when I'm running late, that my lame excuse for the delay to post in English :-)

Thanks God I didn't pay the entrance's ticket to the cooking show (salon cuisinez), because how disappointing it was! It took place at Le Carrousel du Louvre, but they only occupied a third of the space and let no room to navigate easily. There were few cooking classes (all over-booked), not a lot (and I'm being kind!) to sample and booths with stuff to buy (few) ... not to mention the ticket price: 10 euros! You may think that I'm being negative, but I was disappointed! The only great part, frankly, was the people I met. How nice is it to meet in real-life some bloggers I love to read :-)

FIAC was a nice surprise, a lot of eye candies! FIAC is a Contemporary art fair held in the heart of Paris. In Paris during FIAC, French and international actors of the art world suggest you a selection of exhibitions and openings, national museum, Parisian institutions, foundations, art parallel fairs to FIAC.

Visiting FIAC is like visiting a museum where everything is on sale, and where you can take pictures :-) Some of my favorites are: Calder's mobiles and design furniture from the 50s.

Anyway I didn't win the lottery to be able to shop at FIAC so let's go back to our raviolis :-)
This recipe in English is for you my friend Elra (from Elra's baking), even if she already read it in French on La cuisine de Babeth :-) The recipe is from a French cookbook: Ce soir c'est cuisine indienne (Tonight, it's Indian cuisine), I received to test. I must tell you that this one is a keeper! It's super quick, it won't require more time that to cook some rice, and tasty and full of colors!

Grilled curcuma shrimps:
Ingredients: (for 2)
-2 medium size onions
-2 green bell peppers
-2 Tbs of sunflowers oil
-1 small garlic clove
-0.5 lb (250g) fully cooked, peeled and deveined Jumbo shrimps
-1 ts of curcuma
-fresh coriander
-1/2 lemon juiced
-salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Peel and thinly sliced the onions, cut the green pepper in small slices.
2- In a wok or skillet add a splash of sunflower oil, when the pan is nice and hot reduce the heat to medium, add and cook the onions, green pepper and the garlic crushed with.
3- Saute until the onions are golden, add the shrimps and curcuma. Cook for 10 mins.
4- Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and the thinly sliced coriander.

Previously on La vie in English: Making-off my 3rd cooking video
Other Fish and seafood recipes on La vie in English, click here.

My 3rd cooking video, the making-off

2008-11-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Monday 13th of October I was invited to shoot again, a cooking video in association with Philips small appliances. If I was selected it's because of you my dear readers: THANK YOU! MERCI!

The first video (beet mousse recipe) I shoot for Philips was a solo one, just me and the camera ( and a make-up artist, and few crew members :-) ) but this time I teamed up with Cyril Lignac (a French celebrity TV chef ).

An other big difference: the recipe was not mine but one of Cyril's, and I learned about the recipe itself right in front of the cameras!

The day was a blast and the cherry on top (la cerise sur le gâteau as we say in French): I spent my day with fellow French food bloggers.

For lunch we were invited to the nearby new French bistro owned by Cyril Lignac. The décor is Belle Epoque and the food, apart from being delicious, is typical French bistro style.

le Chardenoux
1 r Jules Vallés 75011 PARIS
tel: 01 43 71 80 89
Map it

Even if I woke up at 5 a.m to catch my TGV, I was late for the group picture. Not to mention that this early departure implies a LOT of work for the make-up artist to made me look alive and not a Zombie :-)

I'm still waiting for the video and unfortunately I don't have any picture of the dish we prepared. But it was delicious and one of those quick recipe to prepare, as I love them.

Calamari a la plancha and curcuma carrots purée:
For the calamari:
-juice of a lemon
-1 garlic clove
-3 fresh basil leaves
-olive oil
-salt, ground pepper
- ground Espelette pepper

1- In a large bowl mix the lemon juice with 1 tbs of olive oil. Add some salt, fresh ground pepper and the garlic crushed. Add the calamari and sprinkle 2 tbs of ground Esplette pepper. It will nicely colored the calamari.
2- On a hot plancha grill the calamari.
3-Serve with a carrots purée seasoned with curcuma.

Other Babeth's videos: Beet mousse, grilled marinated shrimps
Previously on La vie in English: Happy Halloween, Bake your own pizza

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Note: French version is on my other food blog: La cuisine de Babeth
Rare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcoma

Once upon a time a pumpkin landed into my basket, and it turns not into a coach but into a jack-o-lantern! I have to thanks Mathieu for the hard work. I must say that at first, I was skeptical. For me making a jack-o-lantern is messy, very. We tried with my roommates while living in sunny California. An American friend did a small pumpkin craving workshop for us. But the only things I seem to remember are: it's long, messy and very sticky. So I feared that my kitchen would turn into a gigantic mess, but that was without taking into account Mathieu 15+ years experience of pumpkin craving!

Anyway here the spooky result. And we're ready (we HAVE candies) if trick-or-treaters are coming tonight!

Happy Halloween!

If you want some pumpkins pattern ideas, have a look at Martha Stewart page (link here).

Previously on La vie in English: Bake your own pizza