Vegetable Roulade in a Buckwheat Crust

The roulade:  A bunch of random different colored vegetables sliced with the thinnest setting of the mandolin..

Zucchini, Carrots, Eggplant, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper

then layered vertically, each slice slightly overlapping the next into a neat little circle nestled in its buckwheat shortcrust brushed with a yogurt mustard spread

then sprinkled with thyme, fleur de sel, cracked black pepper, and heavily drizzled with olive oil

then popped in the oven at 190°C 380°F for at least 50 minutes

Then served warm with a salad

Eat Beauty

Cardamom Chocolat Mousse with GOLD

So I finally got a good picture of some Mousse au Chocolat..

But this time, I used the 4 hand method with the Brother and used cardamom to spice it up. 

Since this was a special occasion.. it was carefully dusted it with GOLD.. you know, to make it proper to serve to the Father for his 62nd birthday..

Pomegranate & Ginger Flan Patissier

It was my turn to host NYE this year.  I had a spectacular feast of wasabi lump eggs, oysters on the half shell, shrimp, homemade egg rolls, crocodile steak in green coconut curry, and lovely French cheeses.  It was a fusion of cultures within each course.. a perfect representation of this year.  To top it off, I wanted something beautiful.. and no.. no Buche.  I'm not a buche type of girl.
After researching a bit on different traditions, I found that it brings good fortune to eat round things on NYE and New Year's Day.  In the dessert section, it is often round cakes.  Pie is round.. right?  I am a pie type of girl.. but what?
I finally settled on something simple.. a Parisian Flan.  Alone, it is an everyday type of dessert.. but I decided to lace it up in a ruby crusted corset to make it sexy enough for the occasion.
Round fruits are also signs of good fortune.. and pomegranate fits right into that category.  Plus, it makes me think of precious rubies scattered all over my plate.
I also learned that eating pomegranate seeds promotes fertility.. hmm... interesting.
One never knows what the year to come has in store for us.  I never in my life would have imagined living the events that happened in this past year.
Life is Beautiful
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
shortcrust:
100g (3.5oz) butter, cubed
100g (3.5oz) buckwheat flour
125g (4.4oz) flour
pinch salt
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 packet vanilla sugar
2 Tbsp cane sugar
1 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg yolk
5 cL (approx 2 floz) water
Use the method, then pre-bake for 10 minutes at 190°C

Filling:
75cL milk
20 cL cream
70g (2.5oz) cornstarch
4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
90g (3.2oz) cane sugar
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
30g (1.1oz) butter butter
seeds from 1 pomegranate
handful chopped candied ginger

Topping:
seeds from 1 pomegranate
drizzle of pomegranate molasses

Directions
1.  In a mixing bowl, whisk part of the milk with the cornstarch until evenly dissolved, then beat the rest of the milk, eggs, sugar, fresh ginger, and salt until even without lumps.
2.  Pour the mixture into a pot and heat on medium high on the stovetop.  Whisk continually and the mixture will thicken.
3.  Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, pomegranate seeds, vanilla, and candied ginger.

4.  Pour the mixture into the pre-backed shortcrust and bake for 40 minutes at 180°C 350°F.

5.  Let cool!  This step is important.  You want it to be chilled or at room temperature.  The chilling can be done in the fridge.

To serve, cut a slice and spoon some fresh pomegranate seeds onto it.  I love the look of fresh pomegranate seeds.. it's studded with rubies!

Then to make it extra fancy, drizzle some of that sexy pomegranate molasses onto the plate.
My artistic father would be proud of this creation.

The result is a mixture of textures and tastes.. sweet, sour, crunchy, nutty, spicy.  It is the perfect jewel for a perfect end to the most incredible year I've lived since being in France.
Happy New Year to all!

Green Pea and Feta Quiche with a Millet Crust

I stumbled upon this idea from while flipping through DesertCandy a few months ago.  The idea completely intrigued me.  Peas.. in a quiche??  I tweaked a few things but the basic idea is the same.  Put peas and cheese in a quiche.  How fabulous!

I've made this twice and each time was a success.  I was even asked to make it again for the next quiche occasion!

Serves 6 as an appetizer
Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced into moons
drizzle balsamic vinegar

100g (3.5oz) fresh spinach

2 cups frozen peas

2 large cloves garlic, grated

200g (7oz) feta, cut into cubes

2 Tbsp freshly chopped mint

4 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup full milk (I used goat)

few pinches salt

lots of ground black pepper
1/2 cup millet, rinsed
Directions
1.  Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a sautée pan and cook the onions on medium heat until they are glossy and dark in color.  Deglaze with balsamic vinegar.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2.  Heat the other Tbsp olive oil in the same pan and add the fresh spinach.  Sautée for a few minutes with a pinch of fleur de sel, some pepper, and 1 of the grated garlic cloves.  This takes about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3.  Rinse the frozen peas in a colander under warm water.  Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the other clove of grated garlic and the chopped mint.  Smash some of the peas.  I used my hands and squished some.
4.  In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.  Add the milk and cream and beat until frothy again.  Add a bit of salt and cracked black pepper.
5.  Oil your baking dish and spread the millet along the bottom.
6.  You are now ready to assemble.  Place the cooked onions over the millet, followed by the sautéed spinach.  Add the peas and try to even out the layer.  Press the feta cubes into the peas.  Help them nestle in and find their place.  Pour the egg and cream mixture over it all.
7.  Bake for 50 minutes at 185°C 365°F

8.  Let cool at least 1 hour before eating.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

The millet hardens the longer it sits to form a nice crust that is crunchy and tender all at once.

The mixture of ingredients is completely surprising but works like magic.  I absolutely love the texture of the half smashed, half whole peas and their natural sweetness contrasted with the feta.  Those two make a lovely pair...

Pear and Cocoa Bean Tart

It is pear season here in France, and although pears are not the fruit I go crazy nuts for, they can be quite sexy when paired with the right ingredients and served in the right crust.

Pears, Chocolate, and Ginger.. oh yes.. NOW we're talking!

I wanted to make something French for my American visitors.. which is quite hard because I mostly get off on making pumpkin pie, cookies, and burfi.. things all very familiar to my VIP guests.  While trying to come up with something not so out of the box, but something I had never thought to make, my trip to the market and the myriad varieties of pears on the stalls had me flowing with ideas.  In France, pears and chocolate are a typical dessert.  Usually the pear is poached and then dipped in a chocolate syrup.. or served with ice cream, chocolate, and whipped cream.  I'm pretty sure a chocolate & pear pie is a thing, too.. but I'm CERTAIN that they never put cinnamon or ginger in their desserts.

Which is why I was so happy to do it.. and why this dessert came out so classy!

Serves 8

Ingredients

Shortcrust:

100g (3.5oz) room temperature butter, cubed

130g (4.6oz) flour

100g (3.5oz) buckwheat flour

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Pinch salt

3 Tbsp cane sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 egg yolk

5 cL water

Use the method, then pre-bake at 190°C 375°F for 10 minutes

Filling:

4 small pears, peeled, cored, and sliced crosswise (I used the Louise-Bonne variety)

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

Cream

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

1 tsp ground ginger

1 packet vanilla sugar (or 1/2 tsp extract)

1 Tbsp cane sugar

15g (0.5oz) Crushed cocoa beans

40g (1.5oz) Dark chocolate shavings

Directions

1.  Beat the egg and extra yolk together in a mixing bowl until frothy, then beat in the cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sugar.

2.  Sprinkle 3/4 of the chocolate beans and shavings at the bottom of the pre-cooked shortcrust, then lay the pear slices, pressing them down diagonally onto the shavings.

3.  Pour the egg and cream mixture over the pear slices and sprinkle with the rest of the chocolate.

4.  Bake at 190° for 40 minutes or until golden.

5.  Let come to room temperature before serving (refrigerate for at least 1 hour).

This is probably the prettiest dessert I've every made.  I love the architecture of the slanted slices topped with dark chocolate.  It's also quite tasty and not too sweet, which is perfect for me.

The cocoa beans played a nice role presenting their deep roasted flavor that paired well with the pears and filling.  I've made this twice for completely different populations and I will be making it again with different fruit.. as long as I keep it pretty!

Green Puy Lentil Salad with Feta

Sometimes you don't really have much to say except that you want to be cooled down by your dinner eaten in a hot appartment.

This is one of those.. except I NEED chile.. so I added chopped pepperoncini and a spoonful of harissa to make this classic French lentil salad my own.  Is it sacrilege?  Maybe.  But the French don't really take their lentils as seriously as they do their Choucroute... so I'm pretty safe.

Serves 4

Ingredients

To Simmer:

1 heaping cup green puy lentils, well rinsed

2 sprigs savory (sarriette)

1 tsp coarse sea salt

3 cloves garlic, grated

2 bay leaves

1 pinch angel hair chile strands

1 handful chopped celery ribs

4 cups water

Dressing:

1 Tbsp mustard

1 Tbsp extra special olive oil

1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, grated

1 Tbsp capers

10 baby pepperoncini, halved

many grinds of black pepper

Garnish:

1 handful chopped parsley

1 handful crumbled feta

1 cup shredded cabbage

jarred harissa (not that tube stuff) - optional

Directions

1.  Place all the "To Simmer" ingredients together, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until lentils are al dente.

2.  Drain, remove bay leaves and savory, then quickly rinse under cold water in a colander and let cool.  Don't overdo the rinsing or you'll wash away the flavor.

3.  Mix all the "Dressing" ingredients together and toss with the cooled lentils.

Plate with the garnish.. realize the inner beauty.. then realize the outer beauty... then let your eyes roll back

Spiced Mousse au Chocolat

I've been somewhat intrigued by the texture of snow or stiff egg whites once they are chilled.  Mousse is so mysterious because you can break down pretty much anything and fold it into magically snowy egg whites and have this airy yet decadent dessert.  It is one of the reasons I liked the Tiramisu process and outcome.  Here is a traditional French recipe with just enough tinkering to make it my own.  I've been eating Mousse au Chocolat since I was very young, but only while visiting family in France.  I ended up thinking it was just something too impossible to recreate at home (yes I was very very young to be thinking that).  Yes, my mother is still afraid of raw or runny American eggs, just as she wouldn't eat any type of steak with a touch of pink in it.  She would only trust the French eggs from the neighbors yard but still would never have them raw or runny but for this tiny blissful exception.  After returning home to California after a summer in France, we would talk about all the wonderful things we ate and salivate just thinking about the next time we would get to spoon a bit of velvety chocolate mousse into our mouths.

Time went by and Mousse au Chocolat has been ever present in my life since moving to France, so I never really had the urge to make it.. Until very recently with my snowy eggwhite infatuation.  The first time I made Chocolate Mousse, my brother helped me.  I don't know why but this dessert is just a family affair.  Epwhen we were younger we would each be assigned a step in the process, and the best part, of course, was the clean up.. Or the licking of the mixing bowls and whips.. Full of smooth chocolately raw egg goodness!

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g (3.5oz) dark chocolate (I used 75% and 80%)

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp chile powder

4 small or 3 large eggs, yolks separated

50g cane sugar

Directions

1.  Beat the egg yolks well with the sugar.  Set aside.

2.  In a separate mixing bowl, make snow with the egg whites and a pinch of salt.  Make sure they are nice and stiff.  Set aside.

3.  Break the chocolate into pieces in another separate bowl along with the butter, cinnamon, and chile powder.  Place the bowl on a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl only touches water and not the bottom or sides of the pot.  This is called a "bain marie."  I don't know who Marie is, but it helps the chocolate melt gently without being scorched by direct heat.  Whisk as it melts into a nice house mogenous mixture.

4.  Here comes the tricky part.  It works better with 4 hands if you can organize that.  Turn the heat off the simmering pot, but keep the bowl on the hot water.  Carefully pour the yolk/sugar mixture while continuing to whisk.  If you do this correctly, the chocolate will not clump and the yolks will not curdle.

5.  With your 4 hands, fold the chocolate mixture into the snowy egg whites.  Do not whisk.  You want to keep that fluffy snow texture.  Do this gently until all the chocolate is incorporated.

6.  Pour into one large serving dish or 4 small portions, depending on if you're planning on serving this family style, or fancy style.

7.  Chill for at least 4 hours.  This will make those egg whites set and become a firm mousse texture.  I had some hardened chocolate I just flicked over the top of my mousse before refrigerating.  That happened because I did this with only 2 hands.  Yes, my mousse helper happens to be too far away to fly over from Phoenix for this small but delicious event.

Enjoy chilled.

The spices are subtle, but you can feel them there.  Chocolate is so much better when enhanced with cinnamon and chile!
Ooh I think next time I'll play around with the spices and add cumin or ginger to the mix!

Roasted Quail stuffed with Figs, Walnuts, and Spinach

To welcome my special guests this week, I wanted to go fancy, but still I wanted to stay true to my own cooking.  The way I go about this is to buy things I've never cooked before, such as quail, but create the recipe as I go.  All I did was look up baking time for quail to make sure I wouldn't overcook or undercook it.  For the rest, into the heart of my inspiration and my pantry and came up with a stuffing I knew would be a crowd pleaser.

Serves 5

Ingredients

5 quails

3 large or 5 small shallots, chopped

few pinches fleur de sel

1 tsp dried thyme

drizzle olive oil + 1 Tbsp

250g (8.8oz) fresh spinach, rinsed

3 cloves garlic, chopped

pinch piment d'espelette

juice from 1/2 lime

stuffing:

250g (8.8oz) fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped

16 walnuts, shelled and lightly chopped

10 dried figs (depending on the size.. mine were big) chopped

5 cloves garlic, grated

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

few grinds black pepper

 Directions

1.  Make the stuffing by mixing everything together so the ingredients are evenly coated and well distributed.

2.  Spoon the stuffing into the birds.  Fill them up as much as you can.  I ended up using my hands.  There is no better utensil than your own fingers.

 3.  Place the chopped shallots into a baking dish and arrange the stuffed birds on top.  I should have cooked them breast side down, but I forgot to flip them.  Sprinkle some fleur de sel, thyme, and pepper and then drizzle them with olive oil.

 4.  Bake at 200°C 400°F for 40-50 minutes, basting from time to time.
5.  While the baking is happening, sautée the spinach in a pan with the Tbsp olive oil and garlic.  Cook until it wilts and sprinkle it with lime juice and piment d'espelette.

Serve over the sautéed spinach.  I served mine with a mixed green salad as well.

My spinach was served 3 different ways.. baked inside the birds, sautéed under the birds, and raw in a salad alongside the birds.

Big hit, lovely flavors.. perfection.

Zucchini Sundried Tomato Feta Terrine

We are well into spring and it already feels like summer!
The mornings are still a bit nippy, but after oons and evenings are bathed in warmth and sunshine, with the slightest bit of outdoor time being a source of energy.  5 minutes in the sun is enough for my skin to absorb plenty of astral pleasure, making me feel happy and resourced, and excited for the upcoming family events.
I even crave cooling foods, which is a nice change from my soup moods.
I don't know where this urge came from, but I wanted to make a zucchini terrine.  I had this fruitcake-like image of red and green specks laced with feta and sliced like a loaf of bread.  I bought the zucchini with this idea in mind last week, and for a day or two it's been calling me, reminding me to use it before it starts to sadden.
This festive savory loaf image became reality with this terrine, into which I spread some crumbled mackerel to make it wholesome.
Serves 5-6 as an appetizer

Ingredients

4 eggs, well beaten

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup milk (I used goat)

2 zucchini, sliced into quarters

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 tsp dried thyme

Pinch fleur de sel

1/2 tsp piment d'espelette

1/2 tsp black pepper grinds

1 can mackerel or tuna, deboned and crumbled

1 cup feta, cubed

Handful chopped sundried tomatoes

Directions

1.  Heat the oil in a sautee pan and add the zucchini slices, garlic, thyme, piment d'espelette, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and add the sundried tomatoes.

2.  In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, cream, and milk together.

3.  In a rectangular cake mould (mine was 30x10x10 cm or 12x4x4 in), place some parchment paper into the bottom so that it covers the sides as well.  Spoon in half the zucchini tomato mixture and sprinkle half the feta over it.

4.  Place the crumbled fish over the feta in an even layer, then repeat with the remaining zucchini mixture and feta.  Pour the egg mixture over it all.

5.  Bake at 165°C 335 °F for 55-60 minutes, then let cool about 20 minutes before unmoulding it onto a plate.   If you are using muffin tins or something remarkably more shallow, reduce the cooking time by half.  10 cm is pretty deep, so mine took a good hour.

6.  Slice and serve warm or cold, but not hot.

I served mine with some roasted asparagus and some salad and called it dinner.
It was exactly what I had been imagining.  Refreshing, nourishing, and full of flavor...

Asparagus is the best part of this season...

Traditional Boeuf Bourguignon

I've been eating Boeuf Bourguignon for as long as I can remember.  My mother would make it as well as Coq au Vin (which is basically the same recipe, just swap the meat) as often as I wanted, even if I requested it all the time.  I never really thought of it as a French recipe growing up.  It was just normal food for me that I would make regularly myself in college and happily impress my guests (or passers by.. I didn't really have any criteria for having people eat at my table back then.)  Since I've been living in France, I haven't made it or even eaten it once.  I don't do i on purpose.  It's just that I feel I can have it whenever I want, so I don't go out of my way to make it.. and I end up never making it.
I also have a thing about serving French food to French guests in France.
The fact that it's been so long since I've made it makes me even forget that I have it in my repertoire.
A few weeks ago, I bought some wine that I didn't particularly like and was about to throw it away.  It makes me cringe to throw food away, especially if there's no real problem with it.  While trying to figure out who I could give it to instead of throwing it away, the Boeuf Bourguignon recipe came back to me... which made me wonder why I've been waiting so long to do this!
This dish is comforting to me in a reminiscent way.  The fact that I got the taste exactly how I was imagining it is even more of a treat.
The use of wine in this dish tenderizes the beef as it cooks, just as vinegar would, but without the crazy sour taste.  As it cooks, the alcohol evaporates so it is perfectly safe for children as well.  I should know, I've been eating it my entire life and I'm relatively sane as an adult.
So here, for once, I present a typically French dish (made famous by the American Julia Child).  I'm not cooking for guests, but it's probably one of the rare French dishes I wouldn't mind serving.
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

900g (2 lbs) stew beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

350g (12.3oz) cured or smoked pork belly, rind removed and sliced into lardons (sub bacon)

1 Tbsp olive oil (if needed)

2 medium onions, sliced into moons

2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
few pinches sea salt
3 cloves garlic, chopped

250g (8.8oz) mushrooms, washed and chopped coarsley

5 small or 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped coarsley

2 bay leaves

2 cups beef broth

1 bottle red wine (I used Corbières, but you should use Burgundy)

1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 handfuls flat leaf parsley, chopped
Directions
1.  In a wok or heavy based pan, render your sliced lardons.  If you bought good quality, there shouldn't be much fat.  You want to get them nice and crispy.  Set aside and keep 1 Tbsp of the renderings in the wok.  If nothing rendered, add the olive oil.
2.  Add the onions and let them sweat, then add the beef, salt, and thyme.  You want each piece to color on all sides.  This can take about 10 minutes.
3.  When the beef is colored, add the lardons back in along with the flour.  Stir well to coat, then remove from heat.
4.  Transfer all but 1 of the handfuls of parsley into a slow cooker.  The liquid should be almost level.  This is the important part.  It must be simmered for a long period of time.  Some people do it stove-top, which takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  Some people put it in the oven on low temp, and others go the quick route and do it in a pressure cooker, under pressure for about 30 minutes.  I like the slow cooker route because you don't have to watch it like a hawk and you can go about your day, leaving the house if you need to without worrying.  Plus, the flavors are better when it simmers for a long time, even if a pressure cooker is quite handy.
Cook on low for at least 7 hours.

Serve garnished with the freshly chopped parsley over either pasta noodles, rice, or potatoes... and of course, with a glass of red.  I went the noodle route this time.
The broth is amazing in this.  You can get fancy and reduce some of the broth down to a thick sauce, but that's just not the way I'm used to eating it.

Don't worry, I'll be going back to spicy vegetarian very soon.. as soon as I finish all these lip smacking leftovers..

Faith Cakes

Cooking "local" comes naturally to me anywhere in the world I seem to be experiencing in my brain except for the actual physical location I can be found in.. here, in Lyon, France.  Maybe it's because I wasn't born here and all my guests were, which usually steers me clear of this type of cooking for company.  Maybe it's because I rarely get off on food lacking either heat or spice.

I'm not saying I don't like French food.  I'm lucky to live in a country with so much culinary culture in the air.  With the largest choice of incredible cheeses, the most elaborate pastries, the finest vineyards, and knowledge of gastronomy (or at least the big names of the field) being just as common here as we in the US would find it normal to see the American flag sported on any house, I really don't have much to complain about.

It's just that since it's all around and all almost expected, I'm just never motivated enough to cook "French" food for guests.  I'll do some of my mother or grandmothers recipes out of nostalgia from time to time, but I'm pretty sure nobody expects to eat anything typically French when coming to my home.

I imagine it's because they already eat it everyday (even if the tough reality is that less and less French people actually like to cook or know how or claim to have enough time for it) so I'd rather help them discover something different and break that stereotype that  "French cuisine is the best in the world."

You can't name any culture as the best in the world.  Each culture has its stars and its losers.  Each person has his or her individual criteria as to what tastes good or not.. which texture is pleasing or nauseating...whether mold is a food group or garbage.  

I tend to be very open (I actually can't wait to have the opportunity to eat a grilled scorpion), but the majority of the local population is not naturally open.  With some coaxing, they can be.. which is the case of the people that get invited to my dinner parties (or invite me to theirs)!

What is strange is that when I lived in the US, I would make typically French dishes all the time.  I would make Escalopes Normandes, Coq au Vin, Tomates Farcies, Boeuf Bournignon, etc all the time.  I haven't made any of those items while living in Lyon... ever.  The only recurrent French thing in my kitchen is Quiche, but I never make it the traditional "Lorraine" way.

It's a geolocalisation thing I'm sure.

So why with this monologue am I presenting you a traditional Lyonnaise recipe, Lyon, being my physical host location for just over 3 years, the longest I've ever lived anywhere other than my hometown?

Well, this week, I bought a house...here, near Lyon.  For the first time since leaving Cali, I feel at home in this strange country so far from my real home.  Since leaving the family nest, I'd never spent more than 2 years in one place.  I never really knew which city or state I wanted to be in.. let alone the country.  With all the short term contracts I've done, I never really knew if I'd ever have a permanent position.  I always thought I'd need an emergency exit back to the states, and being a renter gave me the possibility of making a split second decision.  I didn't change my mind all by myself.  I was given several reasons as to why I should take this step, and all of them made complete sense.  They always have.  Nothing has really changed in terms of reasons to buy vs to rent.
What has changed is that I no longer need that psychological escape route.  I am comfortable being a borderline French sister to my brother and "l'Americaine girl (sans s)" to my coworkers.  I love my job and it seems to appreciate me as well.  I love the new friends and activities I do here.  I love the scenery, the outskirts of a big city giving me access to most ingredients I need without having to go on an expedition but still having the river to hike up at my doorstep.  Lyon may not be THE perfect place in the world to live, but as long as I am here, it is for me.  The fact is, once you figure out you can be happy anywhere, everywhere is the perfect place, which removes that dependence on slipping through the back door.
I named this recipe Faith Cakes, but they're really more like Faith Souflées.  In Lyon, they are called Gateaux de Fois and are usually done in a rectangular cake pan instead of muffin tins.. but I only have muffin tins.
Faith Cakes, because I know I made the right choice, and I know I will continue to thrive while living here.
Foies are livers, for this recipe is a Chicken Liver Souflée, but Foi also means Faith.  The fact that French is a language rich in grammar but poor in vocabulary makes for excellent plays on words.
I'm kidding about the vocab, but I like to bust that out every now and then.  They tend to spend the majority of their word count figuring out how to say something instead of just saying it!
Ah la France.
The photo is hideous, and I apologize for that, but my intro should make up for it.

Yield 11-12 muffin sized soufflées
Ingredients
250g (8.8oz) chicken livers, chopped (I used turkey livers)
3 eggs, yolks and whites separated
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp chopped chives
13cL (1/2 cup) béchamel (I used heavy cream)
lots of ground black pepper
few pinches fleur de sel
buttered and floured muffin tins or cake mould
Directions
1.  Mix the chicken livers in a food processor with the egg yolks, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.  The mixture should be homogenous.  Then add the cream and blend into a goopy liquid.
2.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff.  Use an electric beater.  It is much easier.  In French this step is called battre les oeufs en neige, which translates to "beat the egg whites into snow" which is a more romantic portrayal than the English version.
3.  Fold the snowy egg whites into the chicken liver mixture gently.  Don't go nuts, you want the snow to hold its form.. which qualifies this as a soufflée.
4.  Distribute the mixture into your buttered and floured cake mould or muffin tins.
5.  Bake in a 170°C 340°F for 20 minutes if using muffin tins and 40 minutes if using a cake mould.
6.  Remove and let rest 10 minutes before removing from the moulds, then plate and top with chopped chives.

Serve hot or warm as an appetizer or dressed with a tomato sauce and salad as a main course.
I didn't make the tomato sauce because I only had 40 minutes to make something before bringing it to the dinner party I was invited to.

The texture is very fluffy, as a souflée usually is.  The earthy liver flavor isn't too overwhelming, it's actually just perfect.
I cut these into slices and served with slices of cooked beets and pieces of sucrine lettuce.  It was a test, but it's probably the only local dish I would make again, so I'm hanging on to this one!

p.s:  The only other Lyonnaise dish I would try to make is Quenelles de Brochet... the rest is not for me..

Garlic Buckwheat Crusted Spinach Mushroom Quiche

What I like the most about quiche is that it's basically a fancier way of serving a jazzed up omlet.  It works perfectly for guests, and you can usually make it vegetarian without anyone noticing.  Make several in smaller portions to get extra fancy or just a big one you cut into slices for a nice appetizer.. Or meal it you pair it with a salad.
I'm on a sautéed spinach craze these days.  Until the local asparagus starts peaking it's coiffe, my go to wood ingredient is spinach.  Oh I can't wait for the first aparagus!  How I love to roast thee...
Since I was out all day and ended up having company, but didn't quite want to go shopping since I'm trying to empty my fridge for the upcomong abstinence week, my omlet no company plan flourished into this quiche-for-company creation.
The pairing of spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and garlic in a buckwheat crust is so symbiotic it seems one ingredient nourished and introduces you to the next with each bite.
Serves 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients

Garlic Buckwheat Crust:
100g (3.5oz) room temperature butter
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
100g (3.5oz) buckwheat flour
130g (4.6oz) T80 flour
1 egg yolk
5 cL (2oz) water
Make the crust using the method, then pre-bake it at 190°C 375°F for 10 minutes

Spinach Mushroom Filling:
200g (about 1/2 lb) fresh spinach, washed and patted dry
200g (about 1/2 lb) mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced into moons

3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp dried savory or thyme
juice and zest from 1/2 lime

1 handful grated gruyère

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk (I used goat)

3/4 cup cream
1  tsp paprika

pinch nutmeg

lots freshly ground black pepper

pinch fleur de sel

Directions

1.  Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pan and add the sliced mushrooms.  Sautée for a few minutes until colored and add half the garlic slices, a bit of savory, fleur de sel, and black pepper.  Do this in batches if your pan is not big enough.  Set aside.

2.  Do this again with the onions by adding only a drizzle of oil, since the mushrooms probably let the surface viscous.  Set aside.
3.  Add the rest of the olive oil and sautée the spinach in batches.  Add the rest of the garlic, the lime juice and zest, and cook until the spinach wilts.  Set aside while you construct.

4.  Make the "appareil" by beating together the eggs with the milk and cream.  Do this until frothy.  The frothier your appareil, the fluffier your quiche will be.  Add in the nutmeg, some fleur de sel, a generous hand of ground black pepper, and the paprika.

5.  Construct.  Place the sautéed spinach into the bottom of your pre-baked shortcrust.  Add the onions, gruyère, then mushrooms.  Pour the beaten mixture over it all.

6.  Cook at 180°C 350°F for 35-45 minutes or until the top starts to become golden.  It should still be jiggly in the center when removed from the oven.

7.  Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.  This is admittedly the most difficult part.  During this time, clean the kitchen, set the table, make a salad.. try to keep yourself from cutting it open while it's still piping hot and not completely set.

I served mine with a lambs lettuce salad and it was a gorgeous little meal.

Burgundy Truffle Buckwheat Risotto

Life is always full of surprises.  There are those you more or less find natural, and those that are in reality, a completely unexpected surprise.  I find that in my life, there are exactly those types of human beings.  Those that are just there, present, and those that illuminate my life with thoughtfulness and pleasant company.  Those are the ones I consider family because they truly know how to make me tick.

I can count those ones on one hand.  Those are the ones that know I'll always have their back.

Last night, for the first time in my life, I held a fresh little black Burgundy Truffle between my little palms and my mind started racing with all the potential creations I could make with it.

Since it was fresh, it needed to be kept in a sealed container in the vegetable drawer of the fridge for no longer than 2 weeks.. which wasn't a problem because I knew I would be consuming it right away.

I read that it can be frozen as well (just in case).

I'm familiar with the aroma, for I've been gifted truffle infused oil before, but never had I before been able to taste a slice of pure truffle.  Surprisingly, it was very mild.  I thought it would invade my senses, but since it was cold and right out of the fridge, I could hardly taste it.  The intoxicating invasion comes a few minutes later.

After pondering and filtering all my truffle ideas, I settled on a risotto made with buckwheat bulgur and quinoa instead of arborio rice.  Why this choice?  Well, first of all, I dont have any arborio rice on hand.  I have a myriad other treasures in my "dry' cabinet, but the only rice other than basmati I ever have is whole wheat basmati or red rice.  

Not suitable for risotto.

I did have this other product that makes me tick, buckwheat bulgur.  Quinoa is a given for me in risotto substitutes, but here I thought the starchiness and nuttiness of the buckwheat would make for a wonderful creamy risotto.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup buckwheat bulgur

1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 onion, chopped

2 turkey cutlets

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 quart hot chicken stock

fleur de sel

cracked black pepper

handful parmesan

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 black truffle, shaved (mine was 12g 0.4oz)

Directions

1.  Prepare the turkey cutlets by sprinkling them with some fleur de sel and black pepper, then rubbing one of the grated cloves garlic onto each side.  Place 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a hot flat pan and cook the cutlets a few minutes on each side.  You want them to have a nice color.  Set aside, then slice.

2.  Prepare the risotto.  Heat the other 1/2 Tbsp of oil along with 1/2 Tbsp butter in the same pan.  Add the onions and cook until translucent.

3.  Add the quinoa and buckwheat and stir to coat.  Let toast a bit.

4.  Add a few ladles of the stock to level.  Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until absorbed.  Repeat this a few more times.  You will probably not use the entire quart of stock.

5.  Right before you place your last ladle in, stir in the turkey slices.

6.  When the risotto is done absorbing, remove from heat and stir in the remaining butter, truffle shavings, and parmesan.  Add some ground black pepper as well.

I served mine with some lambs lettuce in a walnut oil-balsamic vinegar spritz.

This meal was so stimulating it's hard to describe.  At first, you search for the pungent truffle taste, but realize it is mild.  As you go, the nutty flavor of the buckwheat seems to enhance the truffle aroma.  When you finish you still somewhat search for the moment the truffle will slap you in the face.. and it doesn't.  Maybe these ones are milder than the ones from Périgord.  I don't really have a way to compare, since this is the first time I've had a fresh morale of divinity within my grasp.

10 minutes later, as you are cleaning up, your eyes roll back into your skull and you just stop what you're doing and enjoy the moment...

Quinoa Crusted Spinach Artichoke Quiche

 A bite of late summer in early spring.. canned and dried food can do wonders for psychological vitality...

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1/2 cup sautéed spinach and fennel

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced into moons

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and halved

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 handful sundried tomatoes, chopped

1 handful parmesan

1 handful grated gruyère

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

3/4 cup cream

pinch nutmeg

lots freshly ground black pepper

pinch fleur de sel

pinch piment d'espelette

1/2 cup quinoa, soaked 1 hour, rinsed and drained

Directions

1.  Heat the olive oil in a wok or pan and add the sliced onions.  Cook until translucent, then add the artichoke halves, face down.

2.  Let the artichokes color a bit, then add a bit of fleur de sel, ground pepper, and garlic slices.  Heat through, then set aside.

3.  Make the "appareil" by beating together the eggs with the milk and cream.  Do this until frothy.  The frothier your appareil, the fluffier your quiche will be.  Add in the nutmeg, some fleur de sel, a generous hand of ground black pepper, and a pinch of piment d'espelette.

4.  Butter a baking dish well on the bottom and sides.  Place the quinoa so it covers the bottom of the dish.  Add the sautéed spinach with fennel, then the parmesan, followed by the artichoke mixture, sundried tomatoes, and grated gruyere cheese.  Finish by pouring the appareil or egg mixture over it all.

5.  Cook at 180°C 350°F for 35-45 minutes or until the top starts to become golden.

6.  Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.  This is admittedly the most difficult part.

The fruits of your labor will be mush appreciated and the new season will prepare your soul for the emergence of the Wood element...

This quiche is much easier to scoop once it has cooled.  The quinoa somewhat solidifies and forms a pleasantly nutty crust that ins nicely contrasted with the tang of the sundried tomatoes.

Grilled Prime Rib with Aïoli Crusted Lobster

Europeans assume that the only specialty the US has is hamburgers, and when they say hamburgers, they are thinking McD's.  They assume that any meal Americans eat other than burgers is an import (Italian, Mexican, Japanese...). While it is true that the US is a melting pot of cultures, and thus, cuisine, there are a few dishes that are typically American and are rarely seen in other countries.

Surf and Turf is one of them.  The association of a superbe cut of beef with some shrimp, crab, or lobster is unheard of on this side of the pond.  Surf and Turf over here consists of  scallops and leeks. The Surf element is usually some type of shellfish and the Turf element some type of vegetable grown in the ground (as opposed to picked off its plant.). While the Euro style is delicious, nothing screams Vegas the way some excellent prime rib and lobster or king crab does.

Mmm king crab.  Found rarely and always frozen here.

Another diffence I've noticed about France is that shrimp, crab, or lobster is always eaten cold and usually with mayonaise.  Aside from the peel and eat shrimp, I haven't been able to adapt to the cold crustacean business.

No wonder they never thought to pair it with a lovely côte de boeuf!  They don't really imagine hot lobster tail at all.
The advantage of being an expat is being able to create fusion between the two cultures.  In the south of France, they have this garlic emulsion called aïoli that they eat with their cold seafood and steamed vegetables.  I took it to the fusion level and brushed it onto my lobster before roasting it, making it beautifully crusty.  I did a similar version of this a few months ago with rouille.

To balance it out, I made a side of garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed fennel with spinach. 

Since I have mega issues cooking for 1 or 2, this happily feeds 4.

Rusted Aïoli

5 cloves garlic, smashed

Pinch fleur de sel

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp Rouille spices (chile powder, paprika, saffron)

1 tsp minneola (tangelo) juice

Few grinds black pepper

Make this first.  You can do it ahead of time. (Metal)
1.  In a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic into a paste with the fleur de sel.  You don't want any bits and pieces.  You want a smooth paste.
2.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the egg yolk and the minneola juice.  Whisk well.  There will be a chemical reaction happening between the acid and the egg.
3.  Very slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking, just a little at a time.  You want to create a mayonnaise-like emulsion.  I completely suck at doing this, but I don't really care because I'm going to brush it on some lobster and roast it.. not dip cold crab into it!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and steamed (pressure cook 15 minutes)

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp minneola juice

1 Tbsp aïoli

Pinch fleur de sel

Few grinds black pepper

Handful freshly chopped parsley

1/2 cup milk

The mashed potatoes can be done ahead of time and reheated stovetop during the roasting waiting time. (Earth)
1.  While still hot, peel the potatoes.  Why not peel them before and avoid burning your fingers?  Well, because they lose much of their taste and nutrients when you do it that way.  Potatoes don't have many nutrients to begin with, so who cares about that.. they taste better this way, trust me.
2.  Put them in a pot off heat and mash them with a fork along with the butter, minneola juice and aïoli.
3.  At this point if you feel like using a whisk, go right ahead, but I just kept my fork and was quite happy with the result.  On low heat, add in the milk a bit at a time until they reach desired consistency.
note if making ahead:  don't use all the milk beforehand for you might need it when you reheat stovetop.
4.  Whisk in the parsley, fleur de sel, and black pepper.  Taste and make sure they are garlicky enough.  If not, add more aïoli!

Sautéed Fennel and Spinach

200g (about 1/2lb) fresh spinach, washed and dried

1 fennel bulb, sliced into moons

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp aïoli

Pinch fleur de sel

Few grinds black pepper

2 Tbsp minneola juice

Get your veggie fix (Wood and Metal).
1.  Heat half the oil in a wok and add the sliced fennel until softened, then set aside.  I did this step ahead and the rest during the roasting waiting time.
2.  Heat the other half of the oil in the same wok and wilt the spinach.  You may want to do this in batches so it doesn't steam.
3.  Add the fennel back in along with the minneola juice, fleur de sel, and black pepper.
4.  Remove from heat and stir in the aïoli.

Prime Rib

450g (1 lb) côte de boeuf about 1 1/2 inch thick

Fleur de sel

Cracked black pepper

Drizzle olive oil
pinch chopped parsley

Prep your prime rib. (Fire)
1.  Rub some fleur de sel and black pepper onto each side of your lovely Côte, then massage a drizzle of olive oil onto it.  That's it fir the prepping.  Make sure it is out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes before cooking.
2.  Heat your griddle pan or BBQ on high.  Cook for 2 1/2 minutes on each side, then transfer to a 190°C 375°F oven (griddle pan and all) for another 8 minutes for medium rare.
3.  Let rest for 2-3 minutes before cutting.

Roasted Lobster

2 small North American lobsters, defrosted and halved

Squeeze of minneola (tangelo) juice

Freshly chopped parsley

2 Tbsp aïoli

Get your crust on your lobsters. (Water)
1.  Make sure you drain any liquid from the defrosted lobsters.  I don't do live lobster.  Can't kill it.  I don't mind so much with oysters or mussels, but things that walk and can look at me and scream are too hard for me to kill.  Yes, I'm a softie..
2.  Squeeze some of the minneola juice onto each half, then brush the aïoli on.  Top with fresh parsley.  As I cut my lobsters in half, I noticed one was male and one was female.  Guess who saved all the lobster roe for herself?  Teehee!
3.  Roast at 190°C 375°C for 10 minutes.  If you time this right, the lobster is the last thing you serve, so your prime rib has already rested and your sides are already served.  Get it? Yes, be efficient.

I even managed to make this balanced with the Elements.

Hedgehog Mushrooms

Not all mushrooms are created equal.  It's true.  There are the "normal" ones that you find anywhere, and then there are the special ones that make your eyes sparkle and your salivary glands alert.  Cêpes, for example, are on the special list.  They are big, meaty, and have enormous flavor..but they are outrageously expensive unless you find them youself.  Other favorites of mine are the trumpet looking ones.  Black trumpettes, Chanterelles, and Girolles.  I love the way they release their flavor and aroma into my haven of pleasure.  What I don't like about them is that they are difficult to clean.  Mushrooms should be wiped with a damp'cloth or'lightly rinsed, but never soaked, for it appears they lose some of their flavor.  It is the longest part about preparing wild mushrooms.. Unless you don't mind eating twigs, dried leaves, or dirt.. Which I don't.

This is where the superiority of the hedgehog mushroom comes in.  These large and somewhat flat topped mushrooms, also called Mutton's Foot (Pied de Mouton in French) have all the flavor of the beloved Girolles, but are much bigger and easy to clean.  The bigger they are, the fewer you have to clean, which is great news.

They also have this incredible meaty texture that stays firm through cooking.  When sliced, they look like little angels with feathers under their wings.  I'm always quite impressed with the cross-sectional beauty of things.  The fuzzy little underarms and the clean white flesh make me so giddy with excitement!

As all good quality mushrooms, they don't need much adornment.  Sautéed in some olive oil, duck fat, or butter with garlic and a pinch of fleur de sel and some cracked black pepper is all they need.  They will release their divine nectar, and then absorb most of it back.  Some like to add a drizzle of cream or some freshly chopped parsley, which give them a nice last touch if needed.

They make a perfect side dish to any meal.. Or as the star of a main vegetarian dish, such as an omlet or a risotto.

The taste of these hedgehog shrooms just blew me away.  I had never tried them before for some unknown reason, but they rank very high on my preferred mushroom list with cêpes and black trumpets.  I probably won't give chanterelles a second glance now that I've discovered these hedgehogs!
Serves 3 as a side
Ingredients
450g (1 lb) hedgehog mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil or butter or duck fat
few pinches fleur de sel
lots of cracked black pepper
Directions
1.  Place the oil in a wide heavy based pan and heat to very high.
2.  Lay the shroom slices in one layer with the minced garlic, without overlapping.  Cook in batches to make sure they sautée well and not steam.
3.  Let cook for about 1-2 minutes before stirring, then add the fleur de sel and black pepper.  Cook until the juices release, and then are re-absorbed.  This may take 5-7 minutes per batch.

I served mine alongside some roasted chicken legs and carrot sticks.

This was amazing.. in the American sense of the word...