Tuna - Sardine - Olive Rillettes #FrenchFridayswithDorie - Αλειμματα με Τονο - Σαρδέλες - Ελιες

There's been a bit of a confusion on our group's Facebook page about this week's recipe, Tuna Rillettes. Have we done it before or not? And if we had, was this going to be a make up week for those who missed it?

I've missed way to many recipes to be concerned with whether we have done it or not. Chances were that it was one of those that I've missed. 

It turns out it was not! There are three recipes for rillettes in Dorie Greenspan's fabulous cookbook Around My French Table, one with sardines that the group did before I joined, in April 2012, one with salmon that has not been chosen yet and one with tuna which was our assignment for today. I have to say that even though technically I had missed the sardines it was not because of my inability to properly schedule my life to cook on time and participate with the group every week. And so I decided to try both the sardines and the tuna and throw another one made with olives on the side as well!

Gateau de Crepes #FrenchFridayswithDorie

It was 10 years ago on this day that George and I went on our first date. In Athens, at a bar, right next to what would be our first apartment together, only 3 months later. We drunk strawberry daiquiris and he gave me as a very late birthday present a book about spices.

Ten years! I cannot believe they went by so fast! I guess time flies when you are happy!

So how do you celebrate 10 years of love? With a special dessert of course! And some other "stuff" I am not going to mention here ;)

One of George's favourite desserts is crepes. Since he went gluten free, a couple years ago, I tried different recipes with different flours. Some of them were a success some of them were not. But he still ate them - such a nice guy. 

Now, I might have mentioned before that I don't really believe in coincidences. For me, what we define as random events are more like road signs, put there to guide us to our destiny. Definitely not random and in my case, today, my destiny was to make this beautiful "cake" of crepes and pastry cream to celebrate our ten year anniversary. 

Because it was like this cake was following me around. Every time I went on Pinterest there was a different version of this French classic, beckoning me to click. These first signs are so easy to bypass, forget or simply ignore. I kept going on Pinterest seeing stack upon stack of crepes and ignoring them, denying my destiny until I read this week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe Butter and Rum Crepes. There at the end of the two page recipe was Dorie's Bonne Idee - an alternative way of approaching the crepes by making a Gateau de Crepes. 

Yes! Destiny! Twenty or so, soft vanilla scented crepes, one on top of the other and in between the pastry cream of my dreams. The praline pastry cream I fell in love with when I made the Paris-Brest. 

As I said, I made crepes before. Some were good and came out in one piece, perfectly round, airy and thin. Some were not so lucky. I even managed to flip a couple with the pan, the way the chefs do it on TV. Now I had to make twenty of the looking more or less the same. Scary!!!

To be on the safe side I tripled Dorie's original recipe - you need a double dose to make the amount of crepes needed for the Gateau but what if I run out of nice looking crepes halfway up? I left the batter in the fridge overnight and started flipping them first thing in the morning. I had prepared the praline pastry cream the night before and just mixed in some whipped cream a few minutes before I assembled the cake. 

My Gateau came out very rustic looking. Precision was never my strongest point in baking anyway. The taste though was absolutely fantastic! George loved it! 

~~~~~~~~~~

Gateau de Crepes with Praline Pastry Cream

Adapted from "Around my French Table" by Dorie Greenspan - The pastry cream was adapted by Joe Pastry.

Serves 8 - 10

Ingredients

For the Crepes - makes about 20

4 tablespoons sugar

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Finely grated zest of  1/2 orange

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons (130gr) butter, melted

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour

For the Praline Paste
8 ounces (225gr) sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) water
4 ounces (113gr) blanched almonds, toasted
4 ounces (113gr) peeled hazelnuts, toasted
2 - 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream
2 cups (480ml) milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (115gr) sugar
1/3 cup (40gr) cornflour
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla seeds
3 1/2 tablespoons (50gr) butter, cut into small pieces at room temperature
100gr Praline Paste
2 cups cold heavy cream

For the Chocolate Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
1 pinch salt

Instructions

You can make the Praline Pastry Cream the day before and refrigerate until you use it.

To make the praline paste: Spread the almonds and the hazelnuts on a silicon mat or a piece of baking paper. They have to be close together but not on top of each other. Set it aside.

Put a heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium heat and combine the sugar and the water. Swirl the pan around to combine them but DON'T stir them. When the syrup reaches a dark amber colour, anything between 10 - 15 minutes remove it from the heat and carefully pour the caramel over the nuts.

Let it cool completely.

Once cooled brake it into pieces and place it in a food processor. Process it until it becomes fine and then start adding the oil, gradually, one tablespoon at a time, until a paste begins to form. You might not have to use all the oil or you might have to use more.

Keep it in the fridge, covered, until the time comes to mix it with the pastry cream.

For the pastry cream: Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and the cornflour in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan until they are all blended very well. Bring the milk to a boil in another smaller saucepan.

Drizzle a little of the milk on to the yolk mixture, whisking all the time. Then add the remaining milk in a steady stream, still whisking. Put the pan over medium heat and "whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly" bring the mixture to a boil. Keep whisking for 1 or 2 more minutes and them pull the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the vanilla seeds. Let the cream stand for 5 minutes and then whisk in the pieces of butter, one at a time until all the butter is incorporated and the cream is smooth.


Put the cream into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate.
 - This cream will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. -

For the Crepes: The crepe batter has to stay in the fridge for at least 2 hours before you use it. I suggest you make it the day before and let it stay overnight in the fridge.

Melt the butter and let it cool. Mix the sugar with the lemon and orange zest together. Put the eggs,vanilla, sugar with zest, milk and salt in a blender and mix on medium speed. Pour in the butter and blend until it is well combined. Add the flour and pulse until it is blended. Be careful not to over-mix it!

Pour the batter in a pitcher, cover and refrigerate for up to one day. It should have the consistency of heavy double cream. If it is thicker than this you can add a splash of milk to lighten it.

Assemble the cake: Take the pastry cream and praline out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Mix about 80 to 100gr of the praline with pastry cream. Set aside.

Bring the crepe batter to room temperature. Place a 9-inch/20cm nonstick pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with vegetable oil. Add about 3 tablespoons of batter and swirl the pan to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, no more than 1 minute. Using a spatula lift an edge and flip the crepe. Use your fingers - it is hot but it is the safest way. Cook on the other side for just a few seconds. Carefully slide the crepe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Repeat until you have about 18 - 20 perfect crepes.

Whip the heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Fold it into the praline pastry cream. It will become fluffy and lighter.

Lay one crepe on a cake stand. Cover with a layer of pastry cream using an icing spatula. Cover with a crepe and repeat until you use all your pastry cream. Make sure to keep a nice looking crepe to put on top.

Chill the cake for at least 2 hours! Before serving you can sprinkle it with icing sugar or with chocolate syrup.

Make the Chocolate Syrup: Whisk the sugar, cacao powder, water and salt together in a small saucepan until they combine. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat and cool. You can store it in a bottle in the refrigerator.

Socca Pesto "Pizza" / Σόκκα {Πιτούλα από Ρεβύθι}

(Συνταγή στα Ελληνικά στο τέλος της σελίδας)

Me: "Socca is a perfect and beautiful thing"!!!!!

Perplexed Anonymous Reader: "It is a pancake made of chickpea flour and water, what's perfect and beautiful about it"? 

Me: Firstly.... well done Perplexed Anonymous Reader for knowing what socca is!!!! I had to look it up the first time I made it.... I was not even sure how to pronounce it....socca... like... em... sock?!!! sounded silly but nice - right up my alley ;)

Now to answer your question.. What is beautiful and perfect about socca is not just its rustic, almost earthy taste, nor its bright yellow-happy-sunshine colour. 

What is beautiful and perfect about socca is that you don't have to use a knife at any time during its preparation! Scoop flour, mix with water, add herbs and spices, let it rest - socca comes from the south Mediterranean so it knows how to appreciate a good rest, anything from 2 to 12 hours if you are willing to indulge it - roast and eat with fingers. Forks and especially knifes are optional!

I had a bad run in with a knife last Friday! 

Thank God I still have all ten fingers but I also have five stitches and a big bundle of bandage wrapped around my middle finger. 

The surgeon who stitched  my finger suggested I go around town greeting all those I don't really like, with my bandaged middle finger kept always in an upright position - naughty, really very naughty! He must have quite a few grievances...poor guy!!!

Anyway, this week's recipe for French Friday with Dorie Socca from Vieux Nice could not have come at a better time. No knifes, minimum use of hands, but endless possibilities for flavour combinations. 

You have the one that Dorie suggests in her book, "Around my French Table". It has rosemary, salt and lots of pepper; very Provençal and utterly delicious. 

You can give it a middle eastern twist by adding za'atar and roasted cumin seeds. Or you can be a bit adventurous and add a pinch or two of  Garam Masala for a sweeter, exotically fragrant version. This is actually my favourite!

You can keep it simple. Roast it in the oven or in a pancake pan and eat it as bread...

Or... you can go -  I don't want to say it but -  a bit overboard and make this Blockbuster....

A socca pizza topped with a fresh pesto made from basil, mint and walnuts, prosciutto, cherry tomatoes and parmesan!

Whichever version you choose to make you cannot go wrong with this one! It is dead easy, very tasty, gluten free and as long as you have a cupboard full of spices and herbs you can never get bored with it!

And this my dear I-Hope-Not-so-Perplexed-any-more Anonymous Reader is why I think socca is a perfect and beautiful thing!

~~~~~~~~~~

Socca Pesto "Pizza"

Makes 2 8in/20cm soccas

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Optional seasonings: chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano), chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, za'atar, garam masala

For the Pesto

• 2 cups basil leaves, washed and dried with a paper towel
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt & pepper

Additional "Pizza" Toppings

• 4 strips prosciutto 
• 5 cherry tomatoes cut in quarters
• Thin parmesan slices

Instructions

Make the pesto first

1. Put all the ingredients in a small blender and blend until it has reached the consistency that you desire! 

Make the socca

1. Whisk together the chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and herbs/spices of your choice in a small bowl. Let it rest. The minimum rest time is 1/2 hour. You have to give the flour time to absorb the water. The batter can rest covered in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. 
2. When you are ready to make the socca, place an oven rack in the top position and turn on your oven grill to the maximum. Place a pan on the rack and let it stay there for 5 - 10 minutes. Be very careful how you are going to handle the pan!!! It is going to be very hot!!!
3. Very carefully take out the hot pan. Add a teaspoon of olive oil, swirl it around a bit to cover the whole surface of the and pour in the half the batter. Tilt and move the pan around so the batter coats the its entire surface.
4. Put the pan under the hot grill for 3 to 5 minutes, until you see the top of the socca begin to blister and brown. It should be flexible in the middle but crispy on the edges. Spread the pesto onto the hot socca. Place the rest of the ingredients (prosciutto, tomatoes, parmesan) and enjoy!!!
5. Do the same for the leftover half of the batter.

French Fridays with Dorie (FFwD) is an online cooking group where we cook recipes from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook "Around my French Table". We do not publish the recipes on our blogs. You can buy your copy of the book from The Book Depository for free worldwide delivery. For more information about our group and on how to join us click here. 

Η Σόκκα που λέτε είναι ένα υπέροχο πράγμα!

Ναι εντάξει σύμφωνοι είναι ένα υπέροχο πράγμα.. αλλά τί είναι?

Αμ εδώ σε θέλω κάβουρα! Ούτε και γω ήξερα μέχρι που διάβασα τη συνταγή στο βιβλίο της Dorie Greenspan Around My French Table  και τώρα που ξέρω είμαι πραγματικά πολύ, πολύ ευτυχισμένη!

Γιατί είναι η πιο εύκολη πιτούλα - ψωμάκι που υπάρχει! Φτιάχνεται με αλεύρι από ρεβίθια και νερό.

Είναι δηλαδή χωρίς γλουτένη και δεν έχει και πολλές θερμίδες! Αλλά μας δίνει τη δυνατότητα για ατελείωτους γευστικούς συνδυασμούς. Έχουμε και λέμε λοιπόν... Δεντρολίβανο, θυμάρι και χοντρό αλάτι αλά Προβενσάλ, ή κάτι πιο ανατολίτικο με ζατάρ και κύμινο, και το αγαπημένο μου, ένας εξωτικός συνδυασμός με γκράραμ μασάλα ή berbere!  

Γι'αυτο σας λέω ότι η Σόκα είναι ένα υπέροχο πράγμα! Και όταν τη φτιάξετε μπορείτε να την φάτε σκέτη ή να την αλείψετε με λίγο αρωματικό πέστο, να κόψετε 2 - 3 ντοματάκια και λίγες φετούλες προσιουτο και να την κάνετε πίτσα!

Δοκιμάστε τη και θα με θυμηθέιτε!

~~~~~~~~~

Σόκκα {Πιτούλα από Ρεβύθι} με Πέστο
Για 2 πιτούλες 20 εκατοστών
Υλικά

• 1 φλιτζάνι αλεύρι από ρεβύθια
• 1 φλιτζάνι νερό
• 1 1/2 κουταλιά της σούπας ελαιόλαδο, και λίγο ακόμα για το ταψί
• 1/2 κουταλάκι του γλυκού αλάτι
• Διάφορα μυρωδικά ψιλοκομμένα (δεντρολίβανο, θυμάρι, ρίγανη), σκόνη τσίλι, κύμινο, καπνιστή πάπρικα, μείγματα μπαχαρικών (za'atar, garam masala, berbere)

Για το Pesto

• 2 φλιτζάνια φύλλα βασιλικού, πλυμένα και στεγνωμένα σε χαρτί κουζίνας
• 1/2 φλιτζάνι καρύδια
• 1/3 φλιτζάνι ελαιόλαδο
• Χυμός από 1 λεμόνι
• Αλάτι και πιπέρι

Για να την κάνουμε "Pizza"

• 4 φέτες προσιούτο
• 5 ντοματάκια κομμένα
• Φλούδες παρμεζάνας

Εκτέλεση
Φτιάχνουμε το πέστο

1. Βάζουμε όλα τα υλικά στο μούλτι και τα χτυπάμε μέχρι να γίνουν πολτός.

Φτιάχνουμε τη Σόκκα

1. Αναμειγνύουμε καλά το αλεύρι με το νερό και το ελαιόλαδο σε ένα μπολ και προσθέτουμε τα μυρωδικά ή τα μπαχαρικά της αρεσκείας μας μαζί με λίγο αλάτι και πιπέρι
2. Το αφήνουμε να ξεκουραστεί για τουλάχιστον 30 λεπτά για να απορροφήσει το νερό το αλεύρι. Μπορούμε να το αφήσουμε καλυμμένο στο ψυγείο μέχρι και 12 ώρες.
3. Όταν είμαστε έτοιμοι να κάνουμε τη σόκκα, βάζουμε τη σχάρα του φούρνου πολύ κοντά στο γκριλ και το ανάβουμε στην υψηλότερη θερμοκρασία. Βάζουμε το ταψί (άδειο) στη σχάρα και το αφήνουμε εκεί για 5 - 10 λεπτά. Προσοχή γιατί μετά θα καίει πολύ!!!
4. Βγάζουμε προσεκτικά το ταψί από το φούρνο. Προσθέτουμε ένα κουταλάκι του γλυκού, το γυρνάμε γύρω μέχρι να καλυφθεί όλη η επιφάνεια του και ρίχνουμε μέσα το μισό μείγμα. Το γυρνάμε γύρω γύρω μέχρι να καλυφθεί όλο το ταψί.
5. Βάζουμε το ταψί κάτω από το ζεστό γκριλ για 3 - 5 λεπτά μέχρι να ψηθεί και να ροδοκοκκινίσει. Πρέπει να είναι τραγανό στις άκρες και ελαστικό στη μέση.
6. Αλείφουμε πέστο και αραδιάζουμε από πάνω τα ντοματάκια, το προσιούτο και την παρμεζάνα.
7. Κάνουμε το ίδιο για το υπόλοιπο μείγμα.

Experimenting with Beaujolais Nouveau, Fruit and Spices

Photo from Wikipedia

Lets talk about grapes and wine, shall we?

And lets start with the easiest of grapes which paradoxically has been causing the biggest funfair in the wine world for the last 30 or so years...

This humble grape is called Gamay.  Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, to be precise. It is mostly planted in France in the area of Beaujolais, north-west of Lyon and along the river Saune. Geographically Beaujolais belongs to Burgundy. Compared to other varieties growing in the wider area of mighty Burgundy, Gamay, in the words of Oz Clarke, was never "blockbusting". It is a grape low in tannins, with high acidity, yet, it can be appealing to those who prefer a fresh, fruity, aromatic and light red.

2012 Advertising campaign sought to associate Beaujolais Nouveau with French fashion 

Gamay has become synonymous with Beaujolais which in turn has become synonymous with Beaujolais Nouveau. Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the third Thursday of November, a huge PR event, that started in the mid-80's and is still going strong especially in the American and Japanese markets. 

Most Beaujolais is meant to be drunk young because its lack of tannins make it vulnerable to oxidation and because of its special maceration process, which releases all the aromas of the fruit. This process is called Macération Carbonique (Carbonic Maceration) where carbon dioxide is added to the vats where the whole un-pressed grapes are stored. In this oxygen deprived environment the grapes are "forced" to release their own oxygen and ferment inside their skins, releasing particularly strong aromas. Typically a Beaujolais will give out notes of pears, bananas, raspberries and cherries. 

2012 was not a good year for Beaujolais. The production fell almost 50% because of early spring frost and hail storms which wiped out entire plots, especially in the southern part of the region where Nouveau is only allowed to be produced. Some believe that this was good for the remaining fruit were able to draw more of the vine's potential which resulted in a better final product. Others disagree. In my humble opinion, I thought that it was as good as you can expect it to be. Fresh and tangy with strawberry and red fruits aromas.

Being the only oenophile in this house I was presented with a huge heart breaking question...what was I to do with the remaining wine in my bottles? I surely could not picture myself pouring it down the sink. Cooking something with it would partially solve the problem but still some would remain. And then the idea came to me ... I am going to use it to experiment ... Nothing fancy involving test tubes and petri dishes. Just a few fresh fruits, spices and honey to enhance the wine's aromatic character and make it more appealing to the rest of the household...

A few months ago I saw a recipe for a Cranberry Orange Wassail and thought that I could make something like this using wine instead of apple cider. I raided the cupboards and the pantry and found some of the required ingredients. I improvised a bit with the cooking time and ended up with a concoction so flavourful and aromatic that with difficulty I managed to save half a cup for the photographs! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Warm Red Wine with Fruits and Spices

Adapted from And Love it Too

For 8 people 

Ingredients

2 bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau or other fresh, fruity red wine (a young Merlot would also be good)

1 cup raw honey

2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup dried cranberries

4 cinnamon sticks

2 large oranges, un-waxed and washed, cut into quarters

1 vanilla pod

Procedure

Pour the wine, pineapple juice and honey in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a slow simmer add the cinnamon, vanilla pod, cranberries and oranges. 

Cover half way and simmer on low heat for 2 - 3 hours depending on how concentrated you want the end result to be. Mine turned out to like a spicy wine liqueur. 

If you want a quicker alternative simmer it for 30 - 45 minutes. 

When it is ready, strain the oranges, vanilla, cinnamon and cranberries and drink warm of cold. 

I kept the vanilla pod to use it again in making wine-soaked-vanilla sugar (will let you know how this turns out) and put the cranberries on top of some fresh yoghurt for a quick dessert for M-i-L.

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