French

Cook Book Club: The Food of France / La cuisine de France

/ sbaskitchen / 7 Comments

I may have one or two French, or French inspired recipe books on my shelves, and as you wander from room to room in our home, you are likely to find more!

 

My French food journey began in earnest, in 2009, on our first visit to France.   As part of my planning, I read everything that I could get my hands on, in an attempt to learn about the culture, the traditions, the food, and did everything I could to try and grasp a little of the language, which is how I met my, now, best friend, Véronique. Continue reading →

A Provençale Picnic

Cooking with SBA’s Kitchen

 

On the Menu:  Salmon Rilletes   |||   Tarte Provençale (Summer Vegetable Tart)   |||  Salade d’oranges aux olives (Orange and Olive Salad)   |||   Salade de poivrons et oignons rôtis doux avec pois chiches (Salad of Sweet Roasted Peppers and Onions with Chickpeas) ||| Baguette sans Gluten (Gluten free baguette)   |||   Tapenade (Olive spread/dip)   |||   Morceau de melon (Fresh Melon)   |||   Clafoutis aux Cerises (Baked Cherry Dessert)

 

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Summer Tarts & Flans – Just a little bit French!

Cooking with SBA’s Kitchen

Summer Tarts & Flans – Just a little bit French!

Delicious summer produce arranged in sweet or savoury pastry and baked until golden. Tarts and flans are just perfect for relaxed summer entertaining, and picnics.

The next session:

Date:  Friday 3 November 2023
Time:  10:00am to 14:00pm
Venue:  Maffra Neighbourhood House
Cost:  $55.00 per person
Bookings:   Maffra Neighbourhood House – Ph: 0422 335 155
Max Participants:  6 participants

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If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me using the form below.

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Mushroom Bourguignon

 

Print
Mushroom Bourguignon
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 

Who needs meat! This dish is a fabulous way to showcase beautiful mushrooms, and is perfect made using pine mushrooms, slippery jacks, etc. when available.

Category: Main
Style: French, Vegetarian
Keyword: mushrooms, Vegan Option
Quantity: 6 serves
Author: sbaskitchen
Ingredients
  • 400 ml mushroom stock (including the liqueur from rehydrating the porcini)
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 15 g 1/2oz dried porcini or shitake mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp 20g butter
  • 150 g 5oz shallots, peeled, and if large, halved
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 4 carrots thickly sliced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tsp potato flour
  • 200 ml red wine
  • 850 g mixed mushrooms
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 170C (fan).
  2. Bring the stock to boil and add the porcini mushrooms.

  3. Remove from the heat and let the ingredients infuse for 30 mins while you prepare the remainder of the ingredients for the dish.

  4. Drain the porcini mushrooms, and reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms and set aside.

  5. Strain the liquid to remove any grit left behind by the mushrooms. Add mushroom stock to make up to 400ml.

  6. Place a large pan over low heat, add the oil, shallots and garlic, and cook until they start to colour and soften (approx. 10 minutes).

  7. Add the carrots, tomato paste, and flour, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.

  8. Slowly add the wine and stock, mixing well.

  9. Increase heat and continue stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens.

  10. Add the fresh mushrooms along with the rehydrated porcini mushrooms and stir to combine, bring back to the boil, cover with a lid and transfer the pot to the preheated oven.

  11. Cook for 1 hr.

  12. Scatter with fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes and steamed green greens.

Notes
  • I like to freeze the liqueur left from rehydrating mushrooms to use as mushroom stock.
  • For vegan option, replace butter with olive oil.

 

Yum

Madeleines

 

Print
Madeleines
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Resting Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 53 mins
 

Some years ago, after being diagnosed with Coeliac's Disease, I was delighted to find packs of individually wrapped, gluten free, Madeleines in the supermarkets as I traveled throughout France. Let me tell you, they were an absolute treat!

When I returned home from one of my trips I actually purchased a Madeleine tray thinking that I might try and bake some myself, but put it off until now, as I thought they would be difficult to make.

Who would have guessed how wrong I was!

Category: Baking, Cakes
Style: French, Gluten Free Option
Keyword: Cakes, Madeleines
Quantity: 40 pieces
Author: sbaskitchen
Ingredients
  • 225 g butter diced
  • 4 eggs
  • 230 g sugar
  • 275 g plain flour (see below for gluten free option)
  • 10 g baking powder
  • 1 lemon zested
Instructions
  1. Melt the butter, either in the microwave or in a bain-marie, then let it cool completely.
  2. Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk them briskly with the sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
  3. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, and leave to stand at room temperature for exactly 1 hour.
  4. Remove the white cream that has formed on top of the butter, and incorporate the buter into the preparation, together with the lemon zest. Mix well to combine, then place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven to 260C. Butter and flour madeleine tins.
  6. Place a large teaspoon of the mixture into each mould.
  7. Lower the temperature to 240C, put in the oven and bake for 8 minutes.
  8. Once cooked turn the madeleines onto a cake rack to cool.
  9. Continue to bake other batches until you have used all the batter.
Notes
  • Translated and slightly adapted from 'Douceurs d'antan' [Sweets of yesteryear] by Marie Leteuré p. 98
  • This recipe cooked perfectly using my gluten free flour blend.
  • I noted the following comment in the instructions (translated for your benefit:
    • [if you can, use silicone madeleine moulds, so easy to use].
    • [Before cooking, the madeleine dough can be kept for 3 days in the refrigerator; you can therefore prepare a good quantity of dough in advance, and cook the madeleines as you need them.]
  • My oven has a maximum temperature of 250˚C, so preheated to 250˚C rather than 260˚C.
  • Best baked as required, but that being said, I do find they last well in an airtight container for a couple of days.  I just freeze them, and take them out as needed - they don't take long to thaw.

 

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