Spaghetti alla Vongole

Spaghetti alla Vongole (Spaghetti with clams)
Serves 4

1 kg (2 lbs) pounds small fresh clams, scrubbed
60 mL (1/4 cup) olive oil
2 - 4 small cloves garlic, thinly sliced
60 mL (1/4 cup) Italian (flat) parsley, minced (reserve 30 mL /2 Tbsp for garnish)
7.5 mL (1/2 tsp) dried red pepper, crumbled
500 g (1 lb) of spaghetti
125 mL (1/2 cup) dry white wine
60 mL (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté until light brown, about 1 minute. Add clams and parsley; stir 2 minutes. Add wine; simmer 2 minutes. Add fresh lemon juice. Cover and simmer until clams open; about 6 minutes (discard any that do not open).
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. Add pasta to clam mixture and toss to coat. Season with pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Canard à l'orange

When I think of duck, the classic French dish ‘canard à l’orange’ comes to mind first or more its anglicized name ‘duck à l’orange’. In Canada, I made roast duck with one of the ‘President’s Choice Memories of’ sauces – a tangy blend of red fruit if I remember correctly. Shortly after they changed the marketing names and flavours and I couldn’t find it again. The tiny recipe card that came with it explained the secret of crispy skin – pour boiling water over the duck before roasting.

In France, duck is rarely roasted whole but is prepared as either ‘magret de canard’ or ‘confit de canard’. ‘Magret de canard’ is the lean duck breast and ‘confit de canard’ is cooked then preserved in fat. Duck is one of the favourite Bistro dishes and is generally served with potatoes – fries for the confit and purée with the magret. Duck breast is also sliced and served in a variety of salads. A version of Sheppard’s pie replaces beef with ‘confit de canard’. Many restaurants in Paris specialize in cuisine from the south-western region of France, especially duck and fois gras dishes.

Duck marries perfectly with all kinds of fruit - apples, peaches, cherries, grapes, mangoes, oranges, limes, grapefruit, and pineapple. It can be seasoned with many different spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, curry, cumin and ginger. It is also complemented with almonds, walnuts, red wine, honey and mustard.

The version in the photo, used duck wings and replaced the orange with lime.

Cuisses de canard à l'orange
Serves 4-6

6 duck legs
1 carrot, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 oranges
1 lemon
200 mL (3/4 cup) chicken stock
75 mL (1/3 cup) oil
30 mL (2 Tbsp) white wine or sherry vinegar
30mL (2 Tbsp) Cointreau or Grande Marnier
15 mL (1 Tbsp) cornstarch or arrowroot
15 mL (1 Tbsp) orange marmalade
35 g (1 oz) sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Cut the rind and pith off one orange; cut between the membranes to remove the orange segments. From the other orange, cut off the zest (removing as little of the white pith as possible) and cut into fine strips. Juice the orange and lemon and set aside.

Score the duck skin with a sharp knife. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat; season the duck with salt and pepper, and place in pan skin side down to brown for 15 minutes. Add carrot and onion and continue to sauté for 10 minutes. Place in the oven and roast the duck for 15 minutes on each side. Pour off fat from pan. Add chicken stock and return to the oven for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the sugar in a small pot over low heat until golden in colour. Add orange and lemon zests and juice. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Turn off the oven; remove duck to a heated serving platter and return to oven for 10 minutes.
Add vinegar to the sugar sauce; remove from heat and stir for 1 minute then add the Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water and add to sauce. Reheat the sauce and add the orange marmalade to melt. Set aside.
Garnish the duck with the orange segments and serve with the sauce.

Wine suggestions: a red Bandol or Côte de Brouilly

Spicy Pear Loaf

The brilliantly funny comedian, Eddie Izzard http://www.eddieizzard.com/, says something like "Pears are gorgeous little beasts but they are ripe for half an hour and you're never there to see it. They are either rocks or they're mush."

I have found this to be true but in fall we stand a good chance of actually having edible pears.

Pears come in a variety of shapes, tastes, colours and textures. The most commonly found varieties at my marché in Paris were: Williams, Comice, Conférence, Anjou and Bosc.

I don't have a preference and tend to choose by what looks best and seems most suited to what I plan to make. This delicious recipe is adapted from “Cake aux poires très épicé”, Saveurs N° 156 Sept. – Oct. 2007.

Spicy Pear Loaf

Makes 1 loaf (23x13 cm/9x5-in)

150 g (125 mL/1 cup) all-purpose flour
50 g (2oz) ground almonds
130 g (125 mL/1 cup) Demerara or light brown sugar
5 mL (1 tsp) baking powder
7.5 mL (1-1/2 tsp) cinnamon
7.5 mL (1-1/2 tsp) ground ginger
5 mL (1 tsp) ground cardamom
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cloves
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) freshly ground nutmeg
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) salt
115 g (4 oz) butter, melted
5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla
3 eggs
2 pears, peeled, core and stem removed, diced

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

In large bowl, blend flour, almonds, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt. Stir in melted butter and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in diced pears. Pour batter into buttered loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until loaf springs back when lightly touched in center. Let cool for 10 minutes, loosen sides with knife and remove from pan.

Cream of Fennel Soup

Fennel is not a common vegetable in Canadian cooking. It is very versatile and used a lot in Mediterranean cooking - in salads, soups, pasta dishes or on its own as a side dish.

Today was very grey and rainy day so my thoughts have turned to making soup and what better than a cream of fennel soup to combine the idea of sunny southern European countries with the need for a warm meal.

Cream of Fennel Soup

Serves 4-6

60 mL (4 Tbsp) olive oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 L (4 cups) chicken stock
125 mL (½ cup) dry white wine
125 mL (½ cup) cream or crème fraîche
10 mL (2 tsp) fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fennel fronds for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Sauté onions and fennel in a frying pan over low heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a soup pot; add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fennel is very tender, about 15 minutes.
Purée the soup using a hand blender in the pot or transfer the solids to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade (alternatively into a blender or through a food mill fitted with a medium disk). Add 1 cup of cooking stock and process until smooth. Return purée to pot and add cream or crème fraîche and tarragon; season with pepper. Simmer until heated through. Add shaved Parmesan to the soup, if using, and stir until melted. Sprinkle with fennel fronds. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Happy Thanksgiving!

This recipe is for my friend Anne. We spent many wonderful Thanksgivings together in Ottawa. We had turkey with all the timmings and made Christmas fruitcakes. One year I made this cheesecake as a change from Pumpkin Pie and it was a bit hit.

In Europe we do not celebrate Thanksgiving but there are many festivals this time of year. The local wineries are in full swing with their harvest. Octoberfest festivities have started.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Makes 10-12 servings

CRUST:
500 mL (2 cups) graham wafer crumbs
150 mL (2/3 cup) unsalted butter, melted
45 mL (3 Tbsp) granulated sugar
Pinch of each cinnamon and nutmeg

FILLING:
500 g (1 lb) cream cheese*, at room temperature
125 mL (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
50 mL (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
6 eggs
500 mL (2 cups) canned or fresh pumpkin purée
5 mL (1 tsp) cinnamon
4 mL (3/4 tsp) nutmeg
1 mL (1/4 tsp) allspice

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)

CRUST:
Mix together wafer crumbs, butter, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Press onto bottom and side of 3 L (10”) spring-form pan. Refrigerate while making filling.

FILLING:
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in flour. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until barely firm to the touch. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen the cake. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Open oven door and leave for 30 minutes longer. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Garnish with whipped cream and chopped nuts if desired.

*In France, St Morêt can be used in place of the cream cheese.

Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Chicken wings bring back memories of the many shopping trips from Toronto, Ontario to Buffalo, New York. My girlfriends and I used to head to Buffalo for the weekend to pick up “off-price” bargains at Syms and TJ Maxx and to check out the selection of housewares at Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma. They were always fun trips – lots of adventure and laughter! We ended our shopping Saturday’s with a happy hour margarita at Chi Chi’s then chicken wings at Duff’s.

Buffalo has been famous for chicken wings since they were first served at the Anchor Bar in the 60’s. Buffalo wings are deep fried and served in red sauce (different degrees of hotness are available from mild to hot). I like the hot ones. The traditional sides are carrot and celery sticks with blue cheese dip. I have tried the wings at the Anchor bar as well but prefer the ambiance at Duff’s.

I do not deep fry chicken wings but rather barbecue, grill or oven roast them. Wings are quite greasy and care must be taken when grilling them on the barbecue to avoid flare ups and charring them.

Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Serves 4

1 kg (2 lb) chicken wings

Honey Marinade:
30 mL (2 tbsp) vegetable or peanut oil
30 mL (2 tbsp) liquid honey
15 mL (1 tbsp) red wine vinegar or lemon juice
75 mL (1/3 cup) soy sauce
5 mL (1 tsp) fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
15 mL (1 tbsp) green onion, chopped
Combine ingredients and mix well.

Wipe chicken wings with paper towels. Chop off wing tips and discard. Cut wings into 2 pieces at the joint. Marinate for several hours.

Remove from marinade and grill over hot coals. Turn frequently until the wings are evenly browned and cooked through. Brush with remaining marinade.

Alternatively roast wings in a 180°C (350°F) oven for about 45 minutes.

Rotini with Brie and Tomatoes

It has been a beautiful summer weekend here in Nittel. The local diving club held their annual swim party last evening. Several of the divers and friends swam a section of the Moselle stopping for refreshments at conveniently located rafts along the way. It was lovely to be outside enjoying the beautiful weather and meeting the friendly people from the village.

Summer also brings tomatoes that are really tomatoes and not just the red globes that try to pass for them the rest of the year. This is a pasta dish that I dream of until this time of year. Every time it comes out a little different depending on the ripeness of the brie, the flavour of the tomatoes and the aroma of the basil.

Rotini with Brie and Tomatoes

500 g (1 lb) rotini
75 mL (5 Tbsp) olive oil
375 g (12 oz) Brie, rind removed
5 ripe tomatoes, chopped
125 mL (1/2 cup) Basil leaves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Cut brie into cubes. Pour olive oil into a large bowl; add brie and toss to mix. Let sit at room temperature for up to 3 hours.
Cook rotini until al dente. Drain and immediately add to brie. Add tomatoes, basil and pepper. Mix well and serve.

Ratatouille - barbecue style

Ratatouille is a French Provençal dish that originated in Nice. Mediterranean vegetables eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes are traditionally cooked individually to ensure the proper cooking times for each, then assembled to let the flavours blend. It is similar to the Italian caponata and can be served as a meal with bread or rice or as a side dish to accompany fish or meat.
This quick and easy version cooks all the vegetables together in foil over the barbecue. It takes ½ hour to make, tastes delicious and there are no messy pans to clean up!

Ratatouille – barbecue style
Serves 6

1 eggplant, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) cubes
2 zucchini (courgettes), sliced
1 red pepper, cut in squares
1 green pepper, cut in squares
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped*
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
50 mL (1/4 cup) olive oil
60 mL (2 Tbsp) fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
5 mL (1 tsp) herbes de Provence
Freshly ground black pepper

Place eggplant cubes into a bowl; sprinkle with salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant under cold water, pat dry with paper towel.
Place eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and onion on a large square of heavy foil. Combine other ingredients and pour over vegetables. Seal the foil with a double fold. Place on grill (approx. 10 cm / 4 in. above coals) and cook for 30 min. or until vegetables are tender.

*Add 15 mL (1 Tbsp) of tomato paste if the tomatoes lack flavour.

Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops

I have moved out of my fabulous Paris apartment and have traded the view of La Tour Eiffel for veiws of the Moselle River. We are having a beautiful summer weekend in Nittel on the German side of the border from Luxembourg so a barbecue is on the menu for tonight!




Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops

Serves 6

12 lamb loin chops

Marinade:
250 mL (1 cup) dry red wine
125 mL (½ cup) olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
15 mL (1 Tbsp) fresh rosemary, minced
Freshly ground black pepper

Place lamb in a shallow pan.
Mix all marinade ingredients together and pour over lamb. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for several hours, turning the meat occasionally.
Remove lamb from marinade and grill over medium-hot coals until desired doneness, basting frequently with the marinade.

Serve with grilled new potatoes and salad.

Feta Cheese Burgers

HAPPY CANADA DAY to all my Canadian friends. Thinking about Canada Day reminds me of all the wonderful barbeques that we have enjoyed together. Cooking over hot coals is something that I have missed while living in Paris.

A few years ago in Normandy I found little disposable barbecues that cost about 4€. They were foil baking trays equiped with coals and a starter paper. I thought what a great idea for picnics on the beach. The coals were ready in about 15 minutes and stayed hot enough to cook burgers, steaks or fish with potatoes and other veggies. Perfect! The next year I went back to Normandy for my summer vacation and I could not find them anywhere. I wonder what happened to them?



This week's recipe is a burger with a surprise center.

Feta Cheese Burgers Serves 4

750 g (1-1/2 lbs) lean ground lamb
1 mL (1/4 tsp) pepper
1 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cumin
50 g (2 oz) feta cheese
25 mL (2 tbsp) chopped fresh mint

Combine lamb, pepper and cumin. Divide into 4 portions. Cut feta into 4 cubes; flatten and sprinkle with mint. Form 4 meat patties with cheese and mint buried in the centre of each.
Cook over hot coals or broil on a preheated grill, turning once, or until no longer pink inside.