Palets des Dames

Per Nana~

As we start our journey of baking from Dorie Greenspan's newest book, 

BAKING CHEZ MOI, our first recipe is a delightful cookie with an almost

 cake like texture.  Called Palets des Dames, it is a simple recipe consisting

 of butter, sugar, eggs and flour with a flavoring of vanilla added. Once they

 are baked and have cooled they are then dipped into an icing made with

 confectioner's sugar and whole milk. At this point Dorie suggests adding a

 drop of lemon flavoring but in my case I added almond extract.

 I am not a fan of lemon flavors. 

However you could add many things to the icing as well as decorate the 

cookie if you wanted to be creative.  This recipe would be a lovely 

addition to a Holiday cookie collection since it is an easy recipe that

 can be frozen and then iced later. 

Per Tricia~

We had a tradition when my kids were in elementary school that involved

 taking a 1st day of school photo with all the kids at the bus stop.

 Yes, we took the standard shots with the kids but also made a point of 

getting the annual shot of the group's new shoes.  Yup. 

It was dubbed "new clean sneaker day" by my friends and I.  

The parents had all agreed that this was the only day that all the kids

 would have new sneakers at the same time. (or clean sneakers :) 

Weird, yes. Real and special ? Check and check.  

Why mention this now ?  

I kept thinking about those first day shots as I gazed at my clean and brand 

new copy of BAKING CHEZ MOI, and then looked at my much loved and

 oft used copy of AROUND MY FRENCH TABLE. Four years into that

 adventure, the book is looking a bit rough around the edges. My BCM 

copy will likely show war wounds soon enough and I look forward

 to each splatter and stain. And yes, I took a pic of the new book :)

Now for this week's cookie recipe. 

I have wanted to make these since viewing the results from those bloggers 

who celebrated Dorie's recent birthday by testing these cookies. 

A fan of lemon flavoring (which you can see I did not inherit) in just

 about anything, I was certain I would love these cookies. And I was right. 

 The only tweak I made to the recipe is that I had to make twice the

 amount of icing called for, but was happy to do so. I think that my icing may 

have been a bit heavy handed, but no one was complaining. I added some

 decorations to celebrate the season. Both taste testers loved the results 

and I plan to make another batch with almond flavoring in the very near future. 

We are off to an excellent start on the "cook the book" adventure for 

BAKING CHEZ MOI and I am looking forward to each new recipe. 

Jerusalem Artichokes (Soup, and Roasted with Garlic)

We could not locate the Jerusalem artichokes a few weeks back so made that a makeup week. Finally secured, we tested both of Dorie's recipes from "Around My French Table" this week. 

Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Garlic

Per Nana~

After checking a few supermarkets in the area searching for the 

Jerusalem artichokes with no luck, Tricia was able to locate them 

at her local farmer's market. 

Unfortunately, there really isn't too much to be said for this vegetable. 

It does not have much flavor so I tried to spice it up a bit.  It went well 

with the slices of garlic and looked nice when roasted, but I really did not 

care for the vegetable.  I look forward to seeing how it does in the soup

 recipe but on it's own it did not impress. 

Per Tricia~

I was very excited to try this veggie, given all the hoopla about locating them.

 Frankly I didn't think a roasted veggie with garlic could actually

 go wrong,but this one proved otherwise. Big time. 

While I didn't mind the adventure of procuring the "sunchokes", I did find the 

novelty wore off when I tried to peel the bumpy, awkwardly shaped little things. 

( I also decided the skin would be just fine roasted....)

Overall, I found the results to be extremely bland, even after roasting with garlic. 

I enjoy other "bland" foods such as rice or potatoes, but the Jerusalem artichokes

 did not have any redeeming qualities in my book. Hubby tasted one and called it

 a loss and my son would not take a bite. Ironically, the toughest ingredient

 to find recently ....ended up in the garbage disposal. The recipe was simple enough

 but if you don't care for the star ingredient, it just doesn't matter.

At least we learned what this "new to us" veggie was all about.  

And to double check the next time we reach for fresh ginger.......

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

Per Nana~

This week's recipe for Jerusalem artichoke soup is the second time

 in a month that we have used this vegetable.  When we first roasted it

 with sliced garlic I did not care for it but I was hoping that when we 

prepared the soup, adding leeks and onions and then cooking it in

 broth would improve it. Unfortunately, it did not. 

I found the end result extremely bland.  

Rather than use the parsley coulis, I decided to add some Parmesan

 cheese on top and a bit of chopped parsley.  I am sorry to say that this 

recipe did not go over "big" in our house. 

Per Tricia~

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me". 

So goes the old saying and that is exactly what went through my mind

 this week when we hit round two for Jerusalem artichokes.

I made the executive decision to sub potatoes and create a soup that had

 a chance of my family eating it. We have enjoyed all of the soups from

 this cookbook and this one, sans the sunchokes, was no exception.  

Potatoes and leeks are a well known combo and given the chill that has 

hit the air, I doubled the recipe and was glad I did. We all enjoyed it and

 I know I will be reaching for this book when I want to make a soup even 

if I don't have the exact items called for- as usual Dorie provides

 a roadmap and liberal allowance for creativity.

Happy French Friday ~

Osso Buco à L'Arman

Per Nana~

Osso buco is one of our favorite meals. When I first read the recipe in

 AMFT I was a bit apprehensive. This recipe called for a definite flavor of

 orange and I knew that would not go over well with my taste tester,

 so I decided to cut the recipe in half.  Tricia supplied me with the veal

 shanks from her trip to the Phoenixville Farmer's Market. 

They were delicious. The one change I made to the recipe was to use a 

whole can of San Marzano tomatoes instead of adding the fresh tomato. 

Plus I used dried herbs, so I guess that is two changes. I have never used 

Dorie's method of covering the inside of the pot before, but I liked the 

results of a thicker sauce.   When Hubby says "you can do this again" it 

is a pretty good compliment in my book. Comparing this recipe with my

 regular Osso Buco, I found them to be equally good and the orange

 flavor in Dorie's was not strong at all. 

Per Tricia~

I enjoyed sourcing my veal from a local farmer we recently met -

 Sue Miller. She is literally one of the loveliest people and that, 

combined with the fact that her Birchrun Hills Farm cheeses are 

delicious, keeps us checking in her farmer's market booth each week.

  This was my first time preparing Osso Buco and I found it to be quite simple.

The kitchen smelled amazing with the orange aroma added to the savory ones. 

I served the dish over brown rice and it was both filling and delicious. 

Dorie's trick- put parchment on top, before the lid and putting it in the oven. Genius.

All taste testers were pleased and are expecting to see this one again. 

 I also prepared the bonne idée of "orange-basil gremolata", which was 

sprinkled on top before serving. Delicious comfort food just in time for 

the cooler weather. In other news, we have just bought a new house and

 will finally be unpacking. The move has taken more months than planned 

and I can't wait to finally find the cooking supplies that have been in storage.

 Gadgets here I come !

Happy French Friday ~

Dorie's Birthday Celebration ~ Cannelés

Per Nana ~

This week the Doristas are celebrating three big events.

The first and most important is Dorie Greenspan's birthday.

Second, her latest book - Baking Chez Moi- will be released. 

This is something we have been anxiously anticipating.

And third, we are marking the 4th year of cooking together 

from her book "Around My French Table". 

It has been a delightful journey, one that has taught us many new 

techniques, learned about different products which had been 

unfamiliar to us, and added many new spices and cooking 

utensils to our kitchen. 

For Dorie's birthday I have prepared the Cannelés from Baking Chez Moi.

 It only took three attempts to get them right, but I was determined. 

Jim and I enjoyed these delicious little cakes with a delightful cup of 

espresso and since I am not able to share these with Dorie in person, 

I am sending her a photo.

Happy Birthday Dorie.  

Enjoy your special day and I wish you many, many more !

Per Tricia ~

Happy Birthday Dorie !

And Happy Anniversary Doristas !

We have had a lot of anniversary celebrations around here lately and

 while the blogging anniversary is only number 4 - that is quite a milestone.

 Weekly blogging (ok, I do have a few make ups to do :) since 2010, 

nearing the end of cooking an entire book of recipes, and taking a journey 

that would lead us to gaining friends from around the world - including 

the fabulous Dorie Greenspan herself- continues to utterly amaze me. 

Canellé molds- my kitchen is happier with them added.

When I first heard of cannelés it was from a co-worker whose wife 

is a foodie. She did copious research and learned that a farmer's market 

on the Philadelphia Main Line, not far from us, supposedly had a vendor

 with amazing skills at making this pastry. She was on the hunt. I had 

never heard of them before and her verdict was lukewarm. She was a 

skilled baker and tough critic and went back to making them at home. 

And likely dreaming of a trip to Paris. I am still in touch with these 

friends and report on my weekly recipes tested, especially the baked treats. 

half way mark- I have already decided the big one on the left is mine....

Now when I think of that farmer's market I instead think of our Boston

 area Dorista- Betsy- and how Betsy has a sister somewhere near there...... 

so gee, wouldn't it be fun to get Nana and all meet up the next time

 Betsy is in town ??  Yup.  Because that is what Doristas do when they 

are not cooking cannelés in their own kitchens.  And because that is what

 cannelés mean to me after four years of cooking with this group. 

So how actually were they ?  

Fabulous.

 Utterly fabulous.

 I picked up tips (and many a calorie) from Nana's delicious test runs and

 aimed well at time in the oven. The aroma was amazing and the taste 

was utterly delicious.  The tops that puffed out while baking became

 a chewy sort of crispy consistency and my taste testers went NUTS. 

 I was already looking forward to Baking Chez Moi but this sealed the deal.

Thanks for everything Dorie and hope you have a spectacular birthday !

Tuna Rillettes, Salmon Rillettes and Smoked Salmon Waffles

Per Tricia~

The week of anniversaries continued as Hubby and I celebrated 

our 25th this week. With a busy week of family and friends, I was 

thankful to find an easy recipe - even if it did not involve Jerusalem 

artichokes. We are set to pick those up in the morning at the local farmer's

market, along with the veal shanks that I ordered from a local artisan 

cheese/dairy farmer we met at the recent farm to table event. After checking

 multiple stores this week and last, Nana and I decided to do a makeup

 week and not fight nature and the oncoming season of "sunchokes".

  Like Nana, I chose a make up rillette recipe - going for the tuna. 

The first thing I liked about this recipe is that the ingredients are

 items that I always have on hand. If no crème fraîche, 

Dorie explains that you can use heavy cream.

 Tuna, a few spices and a whir through the Cuisinart and you have

 a "company worthy" little treat. I think that I unfortunately

 gave mine a whir too much (or perhaps a dollop too much of the

 crème fraîche) because it was a bit smoother than I had hoped for. 

But consistency aside, the taste was fabulous. Curry is not a spice 

I would have added without Dorie's suggestion and it was fabulous.

This made a perfect addition to a cheese platter we noshed on 

one night and my son polished off the leftovers as a snack. Yum. 

Per Nana ~

I am posting two recipes, both using smoked salmon, which I prepared

 a while back but did not post. The first is salmon rillettes.  

We have made three different rillettes recipes while participating in

 "French Fridays with Dorie" and each one was made with a different 

ingredient to bind it together.   The tuna had crème fraîche, the sardine 

used cream cheese, and now this smoked salmon version called for butter. 

I loved the combination of the poached salmon mixed with the smoked - it gave

 it a wonderful, chunky texture. Perfect on crackers with a glass of wine. 

My second make up recipe is the smoked salmon waffles. 

Unfortunately, I do not own a waffle machine.

 Then I remembered that we had some old items in the basement

 that had belonged to Hubby's mother. 

I came across this 1950/1960 vintage Toastmaster Waffler. 

It originally had a two year warranty on it. No lights, buzzers, directions, etc. 

I cleaned it, gently plugged it in and hoped for the best.

I was really surprised that it actually worked. I tested the machine with

 three waffles before actually adding the salmon to the batter. 

The end result was a perfect little snack that we enjoyed.

Happy French Friday ~

Monkfish and Double Carrots

This is a big week for us. 

And not just because this recipe was so wonderful. 

Nana and Grandpa Jim,taste tester extraordinaire, 

celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary !  

Congratulations ~

Per Nana~

Monkfish is also known as the "poor man's lobster". 

The first time I heard that expression, many years ago,  

I thought my friend was joking. 

When Dorie used the same wording I decided there must be 

something to it. Not knowing what to expect, I purchased a 

small filet to try. For some reason I did not think Hubby 

was going to like it and I was right. 

Cooking carrots in carrot juice is also something new to me

 and I was amazed at the results. The flavors were exceptional. 

Serving the fish with the carrots and topping it with the prepared 

sauce was simply delicious. I did add the bacon to the dish but

 I am not sure it was needed. 

Even though Jim did not care for the fish, I loved it and found 

that it does have the texture of lobster.  Instead of a salad I 

served baby spinach sautéed in olive oil, with a 

touch of garlic and red pepper flakes. 

Per Tricia ~

I originally thought the title of the recipe referred to an abundant 

amount of carrots added to the fish. I was surprised and delighted 

with the suggestion of cooking the carrots in carrot juice, providing

 us the "double carrots". This is precisely the type of tip I have 

enjoyed getting as we journey through "Around My French Table". 

The results did not disappoint. I had no idea monkfish was so lovely 

since I don't think I have prepared it before. But my taste testers loved it. 

Bacon is a welcome addition to any savory dish in our house, so you

 will not find me saying I don't care for it... but in honesty this recipe 

could have survived quite well without that addition. 

A winner no matter how you slice it, I will be enjoying both monkfish 

again as well as using the "double carrots" technique for sauces and sides. 

Now, on to party. 

 Happy French Friday ~

Celery-Celery Soup

Per Nana~

Soup is a perfect comfort food, great on a chilly winter day, and it can be made 

from just about anything you find in your refrigerator. This week's choice of 

celery-celery soup was no exception. The flavor from a celery root is absolutely 

wonderful and when added to celery stalks, onions and apples- it is amazing. 

The preparation was easy, except for trying to peel the celery root, it all 

went together nicely and cooked to perfection in about 45 minutes. 

I am on a fig and goat cheese kick so I prepared a lovely salad of mixed baby

 lettuce topped with the sweetest figs you have ever tasted. I served the soup 

with a dollop of sour cream and a side of dark bread made from spelt grain 

that Tricia gave to us from her farm to table dining experience last week. 

Simply delicious. 

Per Tricia~

The cooler temperatures have hit so I was delighted to be making a soup this 

week. This is my second foray into cooking with celery root and we loved the

 first, which was the celery root puree - also from "Around My French Table".  

I have to admit that each time I prepare that gnarly, tough looking root 

the same thought crosses my mind - "Who on earth first thought this 

root would be great to cook with ??".  But great it is. 

And pairing it with the apples, celery, onions and spices was just lovely. 

I used my immersion blender to finish it off in a snap. Quick and easy- 

this got rave reviews from my taste testers when I served it with

 the crème frâiche on top. It will be a repeat for sure. 

Happy French Friday ~