This was one of earliest recipes on my blog. Some time in 2011. It seems an eternity…. The photograph screamed for an update, so when I made another batch last week, I took new photographs and thought I’d write about the financiers once more. I took this decision also because I have recently read on…Continue Reading “Financiers (French Almond and Butter Mini Cakes)”
Beef and Carrot Stew is one of those pre-nouvelle cuisine era hearty dishes, difficult to find in restaurants and apparently also becoming rare home food. The banality of the name might induce you to think it’s just another boring beef stew, but I can guarantee unique “rustic” French flavours and, anyway, isn’t every stew different? Looking at the photograph above you…Continue Reading “French Beef and Carrot Stew (Bœuf braisé aux carottes)”
No matter if we have guests or not, fat liver (foie gras) terrine is the only item I cannot imagine my Christmas without. Undisciplined and messy cook that I am, I never manage it to look as good as I’d like, the shape is never neat and, in general, it’s far from being perfect. I’m sure professional chefs would consider it unacceptable, but I love my homemade terrine…Continue Reading “Foie Gras (Fat Liver) with Sake and Chilli”
I love razor clams for their delicate taste, still recognisable in the presence of strong seasoning, and, most of all, for their texture: soft, but slightly al dente. For years, imagining they were tricky to prepare and/or clean, I was too scared to buy them and ruin the whole big bunch (they are sold in bunches here). Last weekend I finally dared…Continue Reading “Grilled Razor Clams with Garlic and Parsley”
Fat duck liver terrine was love at first bite. The first time I tasted it I was lucky to discover a superior product made by a friend’s uncle, duck farmer. Afterwards, having tasted inferior copies even in decent-looking restaurants, I started to assume it was extremely difficult to prepare. This was before I made it on my own and realised that…Continue Reading “Terrine de foie gras (Fat Duck Liver Terrine) with Armagnac”
Every year, when I see first chanterelles on the market, I am looking forward to baking my chanterelle and goat cheese tart, the most delicious way I can imagine to prepare this wonderful mushroom. This year however, as a follow up of my recent filo experiments, I decided to fill these Greek pastry sheets with the mixture I usually put into the tart/tartlets, thus…Continue Reading “Filo Rolls with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Goat Cheese”
A cute colourful mini-tart with delicate buttery crust is what comes first to my mind when I think of the magical world of French pastry. I have always particularly appreciated its typical thin crust and its version called “tarte fine” – with extremely thin, completely flat base – leaves even a greater space for the ripe fruits’ fragrance and flavours, especially when enhanced with light vanilla cream. Strawberry…Continue Reading “Thin Strawberry Tartlets (Tartelettes Fines aux Fraises) with Vanilla Pastry Cream”
I rarely bake (at least compared to most bloggers I follow), mainly because, no matter which season of the year, I crave usually light creams, custards or mousses you will find published quite often on my blog and I often find a piece of good dark chocolate totally sufficient as a daily sweet treat. When…Continue Reading “Far Breton (Brittany Prune Pudding Cake)”
Happy New Year, my dear visitors! I hope you have spent wonderful holidays, rich in culinary experience and discoveries. Some of you might find themselves, like me, with a surplus of holiday food stock and I thought I would share with you what I consider a perfect way to use up chicken (raw or cooked),…Continue Reading “Turmeric Chilli Chicken and Red Onion Tartlets”
If you are fond of matcha (Japanese powdered green tea) you have probably tasted Matcha Crème Brûlée, which has become popular worldwide. Green tea’s astringency and slight bitterness is not everyone’s fare, but its fans appreciate its refreshing, cooling effect and unique herbaceous aroma. I have always enjoyed all the sweets and desserts with matcha,…Continue Reading “Light Matcha Crème Brûlée”