Florida Agenda » jean’s kitchen

Artichauts à la Barigoule

Thu, 28 Aug 2014 03:33:59 +0000

Artichauts à la Barigoule or Artichoke Hearts Stewed in Olive Oil is a typical Provençal dish and this recipe comes from Vero’s Aunt Lilian, who would buy her veggies from the local market in “Bormes-les-Mimosas,” the most beautiful small Provençal village in the south of France. Drink an ice cold dry Rosé wine with this dish…yum.

1/2 lemon, zested and juiced, plus 4 thin slices
4 medium sized artichokes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 button mushrooms
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 small carrots, cut into 3? pieces
1/2 a cup of white wine
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup smokey lardons
1/4 tsp. cracked coriander seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/8 tsp. paprika or piment d’Espelette

Combine lemon juice and 6 cups water in a large bowl. Working with one artichoke at a time, use a serrated knife, and cut off leaves by making a crosswise cut about 1 1/2? from where the stem meets the base; discard leaves. Cut away the tough outer leaves remaining on the base until you reach the inner yellow leaves. Using a peeler, remove green outer layer from the stem and base. Trim off bottom 1/2? of stem. Use a spoon to scoop out fuzzy choke from center of artichoke. Halve the trimmed artichoke and transfer to the lemon water.
Your trimmed artichoke should look like a lollypop. Split the “lollypop” in half length ways . Drain artichokes. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add artichokes cut side down, along with mushrooms, garlic, lardons and carrots. Cook, stirring, until brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add lemon slices, wine, butter, and coriander and bring to the boil. Reduce wine by half, 3–4 minutes. Add enough water to just cover vegetables, again bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until vegetables are tender, 12 to15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and taste. Using tongs, transfer artichokes, carrots, and mushrooms to a bowl. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce 8 to 10 minutes, and then return everything to the pan and heat through. Garnish with lemon zest, parsley, and paprika. You are a chef!

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San Francisco-Style Cioppino

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 03:12:30 +0000

Vero and I took off for San Francisco last week, and we wandered through the Castro area in search of a decent restaurant. We came upon a little jewel that’s been there “35 Shucking years” (that’s what their tee-shirts said ) and we settled in with a bottle of “Sancerre” and a couple of dozen Oysters while we waited on our main dish, all the while watching the chef prepare our “Cioppino,” Our very helpful server told us the story: Cioppino was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later it became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco.
This little Seafood restaurant, only slightly bigger than ours, reminded us of home. So we ordered another bottle of Sancerre. We were so impressed by this dish and it’s simple execution in a confined space that we will soon be adding it to our specials list, maybe even the menu.
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 28-ounce can Roma tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1½ cups of your favorite dry white wine (You are the chef!)
• 1 cup or an 8-ounce bottle of clam juice
• 1 pound firm white fish (like cod, haddock, flounder or red snapper)
• 1 pound Pacific mussels, scrubbed, debearded, discard wide open ones or ones that are chipped or cracked
• 1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound cleaned squid (calamari), thawed if frozen, tubes cut into ½” rings
• Crab meat for garnish
• Toasted bread for dipping

Heat olive oil in a large heavy assed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, fennel, garlic, bay leaves,
oregano, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally,
until onion and fennel are soft, about 12 minutes.
Stir in, tomatoes with juices, wine, clam juice, and 1 cup water or more wine. Cover, bring to a boil,
reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, until flavors marry, about 20 minutes. Add fish,
mussels, and shrimp and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add squid, cover, and cook
until mussels open and seafood is cooked through, about 5 minutes (discard mussels that do not open).
Serve with crusty bread, and garnish with crabmeat.

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Tiramisu

Sat, 19 Jul 2014 14:32:04 +0000

My partner Vero is French, but her grandmother was Italian, and like all Italian “mamas” she ruled over the roost…Tiramisu is the dessert she would always bring to the table after the eternal leg of lamb à la Provençale we had every Sunday. She taught me this one, and it’s real easy ‘cause you don’t actually “bake” this. It’s simply layers of coffee-soaked biscuits and sweet mixture of mascarpone cheese and eggs and sugar. Cocoa powder is sifted on top (and sometimes between the layers) for the garnish and it’s also a bitter counterpoint to the sweetened cheese mixture.

To prepare the biscuit layer, ”Boudoirs” (light, finger-sized sponge cakes, you call ladyfingers here in the States) are soaked in espresso or strong coffee, often with an addition of flavorful liquor such as sweet Marsala wine or dark rum.

Loads of variations for tiramisu exist. Some chefs use sponge cake or yeasted breads, like panettone, in place of ladyfingers. Other liquors are often used instead of the traditional Marsala wine in both the coffee and the cheese mixture, including dark rum, Madeira, port, brandy and cognac, I have even experimented with “Bailys Irish cream.” So you can choose, and as I always say, “you are the chef.”

• Eggs, 3 large, with yolks and whites separated

• Sugar, 1/2 cup

• Mascarpone, 8 ounces

• Ladyfingers, 20

• Espresso or Strong Coffee, 1 cup

• Dark Rum, 1 Tablespoon

• Cognac or Brandy, 2 Tablespoons

• Cocoa, 1/8 cup

• Shaved chocolate

Combine 3 egg yolks, 1 Tablespoon of coffee, sugar, and Cognac in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Mascarpone and beat 3 to 5 minutes until the consistency is smooth. In another bowl, combine the 3 remaining egg whites and a pinch of sugar. Beat like mad until mixture forms stiff peaks, and then gently fold into the Mascarpone mixture. Pour rest of the coffee into a “dipping” dish with the rum, and dip each Lady Finger, and layer them on the bottom of a serving dish. Spread 1/3 of Mascarpone mixture over that and sprinkle with cocoa. Continue layering and finish with a Mascarpone layer. Sprinkle with the shaved chocolate and refrigerate one hour before serving.

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All Veggie Meatloaf

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 18:45:51 +0000

This one is easy, healthy and delicious. You can serve it hot or cold, with a hot coulis (pronounced “coole”).it’s a fruit or vegetable purée, used as a sauce of tomato, or with a green salad.

• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• 1 shallot, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 3 or 4 black olives, sliced

• ½ green bell pepper, diced

• ½ eggplant, cubed

• 1 tomato, seeded and diced

• 1 zucchini, diced

• Salt and fresh ground pepper

• 1 ¼ cups of self-rising flour

• 3 eggs

• 1/3 cup of milk

• 1/3 cup of olive oil

• 1 ½ cups of shredded Swiss or sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pan over a medium heat, and cook the shallot, garlic, green bell pepper, eggplant, tomato, and zucchini, stirring until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Season the vegetables with a sprinkling of salt and black pepper as they cook. (I usually add a pinch of Herbs de Provence, but, as always, you are the chef.) Whisk the flour with the eggs and milk in a mixing bowl until they are smoothly combined, and then whisk in the 1/3 cup of olive oil. Gently fold the vegetables and the olives into this flour mixture, and stir in the cheese.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the loaf in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, which should be about 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing, and then finish cooling on a wire rack. Slice when cooled, and serve with a green salad. Bon appétit!

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Aioli

Wed, 02 Jul 2014 16:25:19 +0000

Aioli is a kind of garlic mayonnaise sauce from the south of France. It is a great accompaniment for grilled fish, crab, shrimp, poached fish, and all sorts of vegetables. In small towns in the south of France, you can find yearly festivals known as “la fête de la grande aioli.” Here the aioli is much more than a garlic mayonnaise: It is a party for the whole village, and huge platters of boiled vegetables, fish, and hard-boiled eggs are served, along with gallons of aioli. All the people get together to dance, drink wine, and enjoy.

You can make this recipe the traditional way with just olive oil, or substitute your favorite vegetable oil for part of the olive oil. (I like it 50 percent olive oil and 50 percent vegetable oil myself.) The garlic in this is potent. Start with one clove and be sure to remove the germ in the center of the garlic, which can be difficult to digest. (In other words, it’s what gives you bad breath!) You can also play around with this recipe by adding some hot sauce, mustard, chopped herbs, or anything else that strikes your fancy. Remember—you are the chef!

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 cloves of garlic

• Salt and pepper

• Cup of olive oil (or half veggie oil, half olive oil)

• A few drops of lemon juice

(The most important thing about this recipe is to have all your ingredients at the same temperature before making this sauce. The best way is to take everything out of your fridge about an hour beforehand.)

Take a mortar and crush the garlic into a fine paste. Season with salt and pepper, and then add the egg yolks. Whisk in the olive oil, slowly and gradually, like you would for mayonnaise. Finally, add a few drops of lemon juice. Add a teaspoon of warm water to your aioli at the end, to keep it from splitting.

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Pineapple au Rum

Wed, 18 Jun 2014 21:39:00 +0000

Vero and I went through a juicing stage about 3 years ago, and upon juicing a lovely organic pineapple I decided to plant the head. It grew and grew, and I was not only loving the beauty of this growing fruit, I was also looking forward to harvesting a beautiful home grown pineapple. The pic was taken in April, harvested last week, and just now, ready to savor. This is the recipe I have come up with.

1 large ripe pineapple trimmed, peeled, and quartered lengthwise

5 1/2 tablespoons salted butter

1/2 cup walnuts (2 ounces), coarsely chopped (you can use macadamia nuts too)

1/4 cup of brown sugar

2 tablespoons rum (I used what I had in my bar)

Cut off and discard core from pineapple quarters, then cut each quarter lengthwise into about 5 lengths. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet over moderate heat until just melted, then add the walnuts and cook, stirring, until a shade darker, about 2 minutes. Transfer walnuts with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Heat another tablespoon of butter in the pan over a moderately high heat until the foam subsides, then sauté one third of pineapple, turning over occasionally, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Sauté remaining pineapple in 2 batches in same manner, using 1 tablespoon butter per batch and transferring to serving dish. While the last batch of pineapple cooks, heat the sugar, rum, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve pineapple with sauce spooned on top and sprinkled with walnuts. You are a chef. Don’t forget to plant the head!

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Spinach Quiche

Wed, 04 Jun 2014 19:20:41 +0000

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted and tender, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed; let cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the ricotta, 2 eggs, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Fold the cooled vegetable mixture and the olives into the ricotta mixture. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until it is 12 inches square. Using a 12-inch plate or just eyeballing it, cut the dough into a circle. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon the tart filling into the center, leaving a 2-inch border of pastry. Lift the pastry edges and fold over the filling, creasing the dough as needed and leaving the filling exposed in the middle. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush a thin layer of the egg wash on the exposed pastry, taking care not to let egg run down the sides to the pan. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving. You are a chef!

• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 fat leeks (white and pale parts only), coarsely chopped and washed (2 cups)

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 8 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped

• salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 15 -ounce container of ricotta cheese

• 3 large eggs

• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, already thawed in the refrigerator

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1/2 cup halved pitted olives

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Crab Surprises

Wed, 28 May 2014 20:56:49 +0000

Easy to make and fast, as well as cheap and delish! What more can you ask for! Frozen Phyllo tart shells bake up to crispy perfection that’s heavenly with this warm, rich, creamy filling. They are so easy to prepare with canned crabmeat.

Place your little Phyllo shells on an ungreased baking pan. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, milk, mayonnaise, flour and salt until smooth. Stir in the crab, cheese and chopped onion. Spoon into the tart shells. Bake at 375° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Garnish with sliced onions or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like. You are the chef! Serve warm. You should get around 30 from these proportions.

• 2 packages (1.9 ounces each) frozen miniature Phyllo tart shells

• 2 tablespoons shredded gruyère

• Thinly sliced green onions, optional

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 egg

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 can (6 ounces) lump crabmeat, drained

• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion

Although born in Dublin, Ireland, Chef Jean Doherty spent most of her life in Lyon, France, the gastronomical capital of the world. Together with Vero, her partner of 25 years, Jean has owned and run multiple restaurants including Fort Lauderdale’s Le Patio.

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Delicious Crêpe Stuffing 2

Fri, 23 May 2014 14:20:53 +0000

• 8 slices of prosciutto ham
• 1 jar of fig jam
• 1 wedge of Gorgonzola cheese

Here is a sweet and savory one…. I’m still stuffin’ crêpes!
See the recipe for crêpes at Recipe for Crêpes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lay your first crepe out. Spread ¼ cup of the jam on. Layer 2 slices of prosciutto and top with a slice of Gorgonzola. Fold crepe into quarters. Repeat procedure with remaining crêpes Place the crêpes on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese begins to melt. Serve immediately. Note: This is a very filling dish and I find that one crepe per person is quite sufficient for a quick dinner, especially when served with a side. I love to make a big tossed salad with greens and tomatoes as a side dish for this one. But do it your way, you are the chef.

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Delicious Crêpe Stuffing

Fri, 23 May 2014 13:43:52 +0000

You were asking me about a good filling for the Crêpes we made last week. This is a savory one. See the recipe for crêpes online: Recipe for Crêpes.

• 6 slices bacon

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup milk

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste

Place bacon in a frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Reserve about 1 tablespoon drippings, add 1 tablespoon butter, and then sauté the mushrooms. In a separate saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour, stirring constantly, until a smooth paste is formed. Gradually stir in 1 cup milk, stirring constantly until a smooth thick gravy is formed. ( this is called a Béchamel Sauce) Add bacon, mushrooms, spinach, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Let cook until somewhat thick, about 8 minutes.

Fill each crepe with this delicious filling, roll up, fold up or pile up…. You are the chef.

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