winter pesto

this is probably my favourite pesto sauce. it is called winter pesto because it is made with fresh parsley instead of fresh basil, and parsley is readily available all year round and always at a reasonable price. now the reason i like it best is that for one it is very flavourful (not all pesto sauces are created equal that way), and secondly it tends to keep a nice green colouring unlike basil pesto which seems to turn brownish.

ingredients

2 cups ~ 500ml -fresh parsley, chopped coarsely

1/2 cup ~ 125ml -grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup ~ 60ml -pine nuts

2 tbsp ~ 30ml -dry basil

3 or 4 -cloves of garlic, cut in small pieces

1 tsp ~ 5ml -salt -to taste

1/4 tsp ~ 1ml -pepper -to taste

3/4 cup ~ 375ml -olive oil

1/2 cup ~ 125ml -sundried tomatoes, cut into small pieces -optional

• make sure all the ingredients are chopped or cut into smaller pieces even if you use a high-power blender. having the mixture stuck at the bottom of the blender is not fun. if however it happens, adding the olive oil will help it get unstuck.

• put all the ingredients at once in a blender except for the olive oil and the sundried tomatoes, and mix until everything is finely chopped.

• then, still while mixing, add little at a time the olive oil until you have a well blended and smooth mixture.

• transfer the pesto sauce into a bowl. if you choose to add the sundried tomatoes in your pesto, add them at this point and blend into the sauce — the little pieces will not only add flavour to your dishes but also colour.

• you can store the pesto into small jars and freeze them.

this recipe makes about 375ml of pesto sauce, that’s 1.5 cup, which you can store in small jars and freeze for future meals.

pesto makes wonderful pasta salads: simply add your favourite veggies and some protein such as shrimps or chicken and you’re done. easy, fast and delicious!

please let me know if you enjoy this pesto by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

french crepes

crêpes françaises :: frittelle francese

over the past decade i have travelled a lot and often time brought with me the most authentic thing i could from my native land: maple syrup. the province of quebec in canada where i was born, is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world. outside of quebec this sweet delicious elixir is rather hard to find, and most definitely expensive. so what better way to treat people or to thank them than to offer a little of that golden sweetness?

today i simply want to share a delicious way of enjoying maple syrup, and since i am french, the very first thing that comes to mind are of course the famous french crêpes! they are easy to make, versatile, and oh-so-delicious.

ingredients

1 cup ~ 250ml -flour

1/4 tsp ~ 1ml -salt

2 tbsp ~ 30ml -sugar

2 -large eggs -or 3 small ones

1.5 cup ~ 375ml -milk

1 tsp ~ 5ml -vanilla extract

1 tbsp ~ 15ml -melted butter

1 tsp ~ 5ml -cognac -optional

• the best and easiest way to have a smooth batter for those crêpes is to use a blender, food processor, or even a hand mixer.

• simply put all your ingredients together and mix until you have a perfectly smooth texture.

• then let the batter rest for about an hour at room temperature.

• heat a non-stick pan and brush a touch of butter before pouring a bit of batter into it.

• medium-high heat is best.

• turn or move the pan slightly to spread the batter evenly ~ you want your crêpes to be thin.

• cook the crêpe until it is golden. you can see this colour progression on the edge of the crêpe or else you can lift it a little to look at the underside. another good point of reference are the tiny air bubbles that come up through the batter. as seen in the picture on the left.

• then flip the crêpe onto its other side and cook it for a few more seconds.

• you can make all the crêpes one at a time and pile them on a plate that you keep warm (usually in a low heat oven).

• then serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and whatever else your heart desires.

please note that this recipe is for sweet crêpes. if you want to enjoy them with savory garnishes (ie. ham and cheese), simply omit the sugar (and of course the cognac).

this recipe makes approximately 12 thin crêpes about 18 cm in diameter or 7 inches.

see how different each side looks: one is very golden-looking and the other is rather patterned. also note how thin those crêpes should be in relation to the size of a fork.

if you don’t have maple syrup

one of my favourite alternative is with seasonal fruit and sweet condensed milk ~ very yummy. and i also love crêpes with dulce de leche from argentina ~ oolala.

please let me know if you enjoy the crepes by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

snickerdoodles : oolala

apparently, we canadians have been somewhat sheltered from this delightful traditional cookie. possibly we have another not-so-creative name for this simple sugar cookie, but as i started to inquire, i was very surprised to find so few who had even heard of it. doubly surprised as usually my french-canadian upbringing is to blame for my education shortcomings with regards to the english traditions.

unspectacularly, i had my very first snickerdoodle just last year as i grabbed a coffee at starbucks in seattle. i really wasn’t looking for a snack, but the name hooked me; and then the cookie followed. it was very yummy! (and no, starbucks does not carry the same food items cross-border)

recently i had a potluck to attend, so i did a search on the internet to find a recipe for it. as it turned out most recipes i found were identical which made it easy to pick one. so i rolled up my sleeves and attempted my first batch of snickerdoodles. unfortunately i was not entirely happy with the result — the cookies tasted very good but were far from being chewy like those of starbucks. however, for all those who had never had a snickerdoodle, they were an absolute hit. everybody loved them and i was left with none to take home!

since i am a bit of a perfectionist (some would say that’s an understatement) i went back to the internet to find another recipe. that was not such an easy task, but i did find one that was different enough. as it turned out it was much better: the cookies were definitely more chewy. there was however something about the taste that was missing from the first recipe. so, in my third attempt, i did a small mix between the two recipes, et voilà! the perfect snickerdoodle!

ingredients

1 cup -butter -softened

2 cups -sugar

2 tsp -vanilla extract

2 -eggs -large

3 cups -flour

1 tsp -cream of tartar

1 tsp -baking soda

1/4 tsp -salt

sugar + cinnamon -for rolling the dough in

• preheat oven to 350ºF

• cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.

• add the vanilla extract and the eggs, and mix until light and fluffy.
• combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
• add half of the dry ingredients to the whipped mixture and blend well.
• then add the rest.
• cover the bowl and chill for an hour.
• meanwhile mix about 4 parts sugar to one part cinnamon together in a small bowl.

• line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

note: my experience with using parchment has produced my best baking results.
• when the dough is chilled, make some small 1-inch balls and roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

• once all placed on the cookie sheet, press them slightly with the back of a fork.
• bake for 10 minutes.

note: if you prefer cookies more crunchy, bake them for 12 minutes, or try baking them instead at 375º for 10 minutes. (each oven being different, one needs to do their own testing)

warning: these cookies may cause some serious indulgence.

now i need to highlight something important. sometime in the interim between my first two batches, i discovered something huge: i did not know how to measure flour correctly!

how to measure flour

this was shocking to me, but it explained a lot. when packing your measuring cup, you should not pack it from scooping the flour from the jar with your cup, but you should instead scoop out the flour with a spoon, toss it into your cup, and then level it with a knife. the difference is as follow: a scooped up measuring cup of packed flour weighs about 255g, and a spooned in cup of flour weighs about 225g. that is a 30-gram difference for only one single cup! if your recipe calls for three cups, you’re looking at 90 extra grams of flour. — no wonder the european’s recipe books use weight instead of volume as a measuring standard! please watch the 65-second video.

after learning this, i was able to understand why the same recipe can vary so much from time to time, or from baker to baker. hence the dryness of my first batch of cookies!

please let me know if you enjoy the cookies by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

tuna tartare

a tartare is by definition a preparation of either finely chopped raw meat or raw fish with a special seasoning or sauce. it is definitely not for everyone. personally i have always loved steak tartare, and i am also a huge fan of sushi and raw fish. so when i first heard of tuna tartare, it was like music to my ears.

this recipe originates from a william sonoma book i own, and is very lightly altered. i have looked for other recipes, but i couldn’t find many. because it is so very good, i am including it on my blog. it is super easy to make and is totally worth it. finding all the ingredients will possibly be your only challenge — one you will quickly forget after your first bite!

ingredients

3/4 lb ~ 375g -sushi-grade ahi tuna -cut into small dice

2 -shallots -finely chopped

2 tbsp -chives -chopped not too small

1/2 tsp -fleur de sel -to taste

1/2 tsp -fresh ground pepper -to taste

ingredients for the dressing

1 -egg yolk

3/4 tsp -fresh ginger -grated

1/2 -garlic clove -finely chopped

1.5 tsp -japanese hot mustard -either prepared or dry (use 1 tsp)

1 tbsp -mirin

1 tbsp -soy sauce

1/4 cup ~ 50-60ml -rice vinegar -i prefer 50ml as it’s a bit thicker

1/3 cup ~ 80ml -peanut oil -i usually use olive oil

2 tbsp -asian sesame oil

about the ingredients: nowadays the tuna is fairly easy to find, at least here in vancouver, and most supermarkets carry it. the first time you buy it make sure it is the right tuna that can be eaten rare as sushi or seared. the ingredients that can be tricky to find are the asian hot mustard and the mirin. those i found at fujiya. the hot mustard i prefer is the dry one, and it comes in a tiny tin much like wasabi powder. the mirin is a liquid and comes in a small bottle. everything else can be found at regular grocery stores.

about substitutions: the first time i made the dressing i didn’t have all the ingredients so i used wasabi powder instead of hot mustard, olive oil instead of peanut oil (i admit to never have the latter) and i omitted the mirin altogether as i did not even know what it was. the result was very good. so don’t panic if you’re missing something!

• always keep the tuna very cold — this is very important.

• in a food processor, blender, or something a bit smaller if you have, combine the first six ingredients for the dressing (egg yolk, ginger, garlic, mustard, mirin and soy sauce).

• once smooth, add the vinegar. blend for a few seconds.

• with the motor still running, slowly drizzle in both oils until emulsified.

• transfer the dressing into a container and keep it refrigerated until ready to use. you can keep the dressing up to a week and you can also use it for salad dressing.

note: the dressing will be fairly liquid.

• once your tuna is thawed, cut it into small pieces. if you have a good knife you can even cut it while it is still a bit frozen as it is easier to cut it into smaller pieces.

• toss in the shallots, the salt and pepper, and add some of the dressing. add just a little bit at a time so it covers the tuna but doesn’t make it too soupy.

• sprinkle the chives over the tuna and serve it very cold, with chopsticks.

oh my... i am salivating just writing about it!

i sure hope you enjoy this tartare as much as i do! it is totally addictive!

please let me know if you enjoy this tartare by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

budino di riso

also called torta di riso — in english rice pie or sometimes also referred to as rice cake. if you google the italian name you’ll find many recipes under each heading but unfortunately for those who do not speak the language, they are all written in italian. so i will write mine in english!

the best way of describing this italian dessert, is that it’s somewhat like a rice pudding but in a more solid form, and there are no raisins in it. (i profoundly dislike mushy raisins often found in desserts). it is extremely tasty, not too sweet, and very lovely as a snack with a nice cup of java!

i first discovered this amazing dessert at la pâtisserie belge in montreal (sadly it closed in 2013), because a friend of mine said i should -- or rather i must try it (if you read this, jean-marc, thank you). every single time i returned home thereafter, i made a point of going to the pâtisserie to get one of those amazing pies. in fact, they were so deliciously popular that they always sold out within 48 hours: the pies were made on thursday and by friday or saturday they were all gone. by-the-way, i have never seen this dessert anywhere else on this continent as of yet.

now as luck will have it, i did find some base recipes, and with much experimentation trying to replicate the texture and taste of the one from la pâtisserie belge, i finally created a successful one. and based on many stellar reviews, i think i did a pretty darn good job!

ingredients

1 cup -short grain white rice -or pearl rice (i use italian arborio rice)

1 litre -whole milk -3.5%

3/4 cup -butter -salted okay

1 cup -white sugar

6 -egg yolks

6 -egg whites

2 tsp -vanilla extract

ingredients for the base

1.5 cup -graham crumbs -you can mix half & half with ground almonds

1/4 cup -melted butter

1/4 cup -brown sugar

about the base: here you can make a pie shell if you so wish, but as i hate rolling dough i make a base from a cheesecake recipe. this one is quite abundant so feel free to make a half-recipe. all you need to do is mix the three ingredients and spread the mixture at the bottom of your baking pan, pressing it tightly with a fork. note: some recipes do not make a base at all.

• preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC).

• butter and flour a 10-inch baking dish — or ideally a cheesecake pan if you have one (commonly known as springform pan). you can also use two 7-inch pans for two smaller cakes. (skip this step if you are using a non-stick baking dish)

• rinse the rice under cold water (optional), then cook it with the milk and the vanilla extract in a fairly large pot. first bring it to the boiling point, then reduce to low heat and let it cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. this takes about 30 minutes. when it is done, remove from heat and set aside. note: be careful as milk spills very easily and it does so extremely quickly! so keep a close eye on it when bringing to a boil.

• in a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. when in a rush, i just put those directly into the cooked rice

• in a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed until they are pale yellow and doubled in volume, then add them to the butter-sugar mixture. blend well, then add it to the cooked rice.

• continue mixing the rice with your hand mixer to break the grains a little. the idea is that it might help “stick” together a little better. note: with many years of experience making this dessert, i can say as long as you are using the correct rice, this step is not necessary.

• in a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they make a stiff peak.

• gently fold the whites into the rice mixture. this is the trickiest part. if you don’t know the folding technique, you can learn by watching a short video here. it is a very good demonstration!

• poor the whole mixture onto the prepared base. (or pie crust if you were brave)

• bake at 350º for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and puffed up — if you split the batter into two smaller 7-inch cakes (which i often do), baking 40 minutes is sufficient.

• cool before serving. although it is recommended to serve cold, i love it at every temperature!

enjoy my yummylicious italian delight!

more info in italian on torta di riso

please let me know if you enjoy this italian delight by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

clafoutis

a clafoutis is a french baked custard-like dessert which is typically made with fresh fruit (traditionally cherries) and a light batter. it originates from limousin in southern france (limoges in french) from the 19th century. when made with fruit other than cherries it can also go by the name of flognarde (from the french dialect occitan).

it is a fairly light dessert, not too sweet and super tasty. i am unsure when it first came onto my radar exactly, but i’ve been anxious to try to make one. recently i came across a recipe and the photo looked so delicious that i was salivating just looking at it. so i finally rolled up my sleeves and started baking. below is a picture of my very first clafoutis: it was very easy to make, and yes, it was super yummy! i have to secretly admit, it also is delicious in the morning with coffee!

please note that i have slightly altered my recipe from the one i originally found.

ingredients

1 lb ~ 450g -fresh fruit -here i used blackberries

2 tbsp ~ 30ml -butter -plus some extra to butter the dish

1 cup ~ 250ml -flour

1 pkg ~ 100g / 1 cup -ground almonds -
you can use a coffee grinder to grind whole almonds

1 cup ~ 250ml -milk

1/2 cup ~ 125ml -10% cream -also called half & half

4 -large eggs

2/3 cup ~ 150ml -sugar

1 tsp ~ 5ml -vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ~ 2.5ml -salt -can omit if using salted butter

2 tbsp ~ 30ml -icing sugar -for decoration

about the fruit: although traditionally made with cherries, pitting those can be time-consuming, so choose any fruit you like. berries are fantastic for it, and i really love the blackberry clafoutis — blueberry being my second favourite. so whichever is your favourite fruit, why not try that one!

• preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and place the rack in the center of oven.

• wash the fruit. remove pits if using cherries or cut into pieces if using larger fruit.

• melt the butter. keep some extra at room-temperature for buttering the dish.

• in a food processor or with a hand mixer, combine the flour, ground almonds, milk, cream, eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract and salt.

• mix until batter is completely smooth. note: the batter will be fairly liquid

• butter a 10-inch (25cm) ceramic or earthenware dish (if you have a french dish like the one in the photo, they are actually designed for this type of dessert — mine is a 12-inch made by emile henry)

• pour 1/3 of the batter into the dish and bake until very lightly set — about 5 minutes. this step prevents the fruit from settling at the bottom of the clafoutis.

• remove from oven and place the fruit evenly over the batter.

• gently pour the remaining batter evenly over the fruit and return to oven — big emphasis on “gently” otherwise, well, you’ll see what happens to the fruit.

• bake until puffed and golden brown around the edge, 45-50 minutes.

• let cool and then sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.

you can serve it warm or at room-temperature, as you wish, and with ice cream on the side if your heart desires. it is also very good cold the next day, although i prefer the warmer versions. so enjoy!

additional note: i have now made this dessert so many times for various occasions and every single time it’s been a huge hit! just sayin’ ;)

more info on clafoutis

please let me know if you enjoy this french delight by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

balsamic martini

mmm... i guess this isn’t really a food item, but in my defense i first saw this odd combination on a bistro menu and it was listed under the appetizers. so there! besides, it is so yummy, you’ll appreciate that i included it... and to all those people whose addiction i am responsible for, this is a perfect tribute to you for my new blog!

first of all i would like to say that this is no amateur martini. if you are of the old school and can appreciate a classic martini (gin and vermouth), then please join me in the degustation of this lovely cocktail. as you will notice, there is not much going on with the visual aspect of this drink, but rest assured that your taste buds will not be left indifferent!

the ingredients

secondly you will need two perfect ingredients for this special martini: a premium vodka and a very aged balsamic vinegar (12 years) — and btw, neither are inexpensive nor expandable. you can try with other average ingredients, but if you say it’s not yummy then you’ll understand why.

the recipe

pour 2oz or 60ml of premium frozen cold vodka (it doesn’t actually freeze so you can keep it in the freezer so it’s very cold) then add a big drop of aged balsamic vinegar (12 years). simple enough? the first picture shows my version of a big drop! the second picture shows the colouring once the martini is slightly stirred. i recommend that you start exploring with a smaller drop and increase it as your taste gets adjusted to the new flavour. / the more complicated issues are the ingredients and i will now address those.

the vodka & the taste test

if you know a thing or two about vodka, you will appreciate the difference between a regular and a premium vodka. if you are on unfamiliar territory, you can give yourself a taste test. the way to do this, is to first poor a shot of each vodka into small glasses. then have a glass of water ready (not too cold). you must first get your nose into the glass, just like you would with wine. what are the experiences of your nose? the obvious will be the smell of alcohol, but describe it as best you can. then have a small sip, and like wine again, swirl it a little in your mouth. describe how that feels, and what your taste bud experience is. before you start the same process with the next vodka, have a sip of water. also remember to start your taste test with the more modest vodka first. this tasting process was taught to me many years ago by a polish vodka client.

in my modest experience, premium vodkas are usually smoother, and the alcohol smell and taste are less flamboyant. a smoother vodka also feels thicker on the tongue, and not as sharp. some premium vodkas include grey goose, 360º, chopin, van gogh, effen, belvedere, just to name a few (my usual being grey goose). as for prices, you are looking at double the amount of a regular vodka, so in canada this will translate to about $50 for a 750ml bottle.

there is a special addition i particularly would like to highlight (14.08.2010) which is the organic prairie vodka. i recently attended a tasting event and was completely floored by its smoothness. it is by far my new favourite vodka (i really did fall in love with it) and all i kept thinking was that it would make a fantastic partner to this martini. what’s more, for a premium and organic vodka, it sells for only $38 in canada.

the balsamic vinegar

this, without a doubt will be the trickiest. when a balsamic vinegar is being aged, it gets much thicker and much sweeter, its tartness not eliminated but certainly softened by its sweetness. for this martini, both are important and necessary. i was lucky enough that one day while shopping for my balsamic vinegar, a store was displaying the whole family of various vintages for a taste test. at that point i was able to select the one which i felt would best suit this martini. i picked the 12 years simply because the 15 years was much too sweet and too thick (almost like molasses) and the 10 years was much too tart, not having enough sugars in it, and therefore also not syrupy enough. / i can only hope that you one day have the chance i had to taste them all side-by-side and understand better the complexity of balsamic vinegars.

for now, and to make your job easier, this is the one i use: fattoria estense, aceto balsamico di modena, gran riserva, 12 years. it sells for $40-42 and if you’re lucky enough to live in vancouver, you can find it at the gourmet warehouse for $32. (the gourmet warehouse is known for bringing gourmet items to your table at the best prices)

last words of wisdom... please enjoy!

ps. if you think of something decorative that would work in this martini, please let me know!

shown here: fattoria estense balsamic vinegar, premium vodka 360º (a company with a huge commitment to sustainability) and the result, a perfect and very yummy martini!

please let me know if you enjoy this cocktail by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!