Thursday, July 26, 2012

Clafoutis Style Cherry Bake







Clafoutis Style Cherry Bake:

Cherries baked in a batter

icookwhatilike.com





Ingredients:

2 cups washed, pitted cherries
4 T sugar (use by the tablespoon, not all at once)
3 eggs
3/4 c flour
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 T butter

Utensils:

9 1/2" ceramic tart pan or  9" glass pie pan (place a flat and rimmed pizza or cookie tray under the pan so no spilling)
Parchment paper (circle cut and placed in pan to avoid extra clean up due to sticking)
Medium to large bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk or fork
Small cutting knife and board


Technique:

In a parchment paper-lined tart pan, coat 1 T butter on the insides of the pan and on the circle of parchment paper, then sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of sugar evenly over the paper.

Rinse the cherries in a little white vinegar and water to clean them, remove the stems, and then on a cutting board, with a small knife, slice the sides, tops and bottoms from the cherries around the pit.  I place the cherry pieces in a medium bowl as I go, and discard the pits.

Place the rinsed, de-stemmed, and pitted cherries evenly over the sugar in the tart pan.  Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of sugar over the cherries.

In a mixing bowl, with a whisk, whisk together 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 Tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 cup of milk, and 3/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour, in that order.  Stir until blended, but do not over work the batter.

Pour the batter mixture over the cherries.

With 1 Tablespoon of butter, cut into small pieces and dot over the batter, add a sprinkle of 1 Tablespoon of sugar.

Wearing hand protection and using pot holders, place in the center of a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  Using hand protection, carefully remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.  Check to make sure it's set by inserting a table knife in the center and the knife comes out clean.  Cool for at least 10 minutes.  Optionally, sprinkle confectioners sugar on top before serving.

Notes:
I like to use unbleached flour, free-range eggs, and organic dairy whenever possible.

When using fruits such as plums, apples, pears or berries, this flan-like dish is called a Flaugnarde.

The pronunciations of Clafoutis and Flaugnarde can be found at http://www.forvo.com



Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Potato Sauté











Potatoes are diced, boiled, and finished by sautéing.







Potato Sauté 
@icookwhatilike.com
Ingredients:

Idaho or Russet Potatoes:  4 medium
Water:  5 cups
Butter or Earth Balance:  1 to 2 Tablespoons
Iodized sea salt

Condiment Options :

Ketchup
Mayonnaise  (Hain Lite Safflower Mayonnaise with vitamin E or Spectrum Organics are two examples)
A blend of mayo with ketchup or Dijon
or one of 170 mayonnaise sauce recipe combinations from this list:
http://www.cooksunited.co.uk/rs/s0/mayonnaise+sauce/recipes.html

Utensils:

Medium sauce pan
Colander
Non-stick sauté pan or pancake/crêpe griddle
Spatula
Potato peeler, knife, cutting board

Technique:

Peel and dice potatoes, place in a medium/large sauce pan of boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain well in a colander.
Place the drained potatoes and butter on the sauté pan or griddle for about 5 minutes, turn with a spatula (perhaps adding another tablespoon of butter).   Cook lightly until the potatoes show a golden finish.   Sprinkle with iodized sea salt.

Serve with condiments on the side such as mayonnaise mixed with tomato ketchup or Dijon mustard, and add some spring greens mix to the plate.

Notes:

When working with potatoes, potato peelers or apple/potato peeler mechanical devices with turn handles are inexpensive and easier to use than just paring knives.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=potato+peeler&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apotato+peeler
Or this, Rotato Express ha ha http://www.starfrit.net/rotato-express.html

Potatoes are high fiber and provide vitamin C and potassium.  Here's a link to an extensive pdf file about potatoes and many ways to cook them.  Potato Goodness:  http://www.potatogoodness.com/Content/pdf/PPNHandbook_Final.pdf

"The Potato Unpeeled:  Nutritional Facts and Information"
http://www.goireland.com/craic/potato-nutritional-facts.htm


Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 potato
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 0
Calories 110
% Daily Values*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 0mg0%
Potassium 620mg
Total Carbohydrate 26g9%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Sugars 1g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A 0%Vitamin C 45%
Calcium 4%Iron 6%

Food Safety for mayonnaise sauces and salads:  If unrefrigerated for more than two hours, then trash.  Refrigerator shelf life of two, three days at most, then discard.