BASIC CREPE RECIPE
500g plain flour
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 litre milk
100g melted butter
pinch of salt
For these I just whizz everything together in my food processor and then leave to stand for a couple of hours.
Brigitte left a proper crepe maker in the auberge kitchen, but a pancake pan works just as well.
Crepes can be made fresh as needed, or make up a batch and store them in the fridge ready for using.
BATTERED COURGETTE FLOWERS
Helen loved these—she had me making them several times during her stay!
4 - 6 courgette flowers depending on size
150g flour
2 eggs, separated
25cl (250ml) milk
salt and pepper to taste
300ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying
a few fresh parsley leaves, chopped finely
Make sure the flowers are clean and remove the stem and pistils. Mix the flour, egg yolks and milk together. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and add them to the mixture with the seasoning. Gently dip each flower into the batter mix and then deep-fry. Remove when a nice golden colour. Sprinkle with parsley and eat immediately!
FISH PIE
So much fish is available in Brittany I made this on a regular basis.
Fish filling:
75g butter
2 small onions, sliced
3 largish mushrooms, sliced
75g plain flour
150ml cider (I use Bretagne cider but white wine works just as well.)
570ml milk
750g of mixed fish (I tend to use cod, smoked haddock and pollock all cut into largish bite-sized pieces and sometimes I throw in a few prawns.)
Potato topping:
1kg potatoes, peeled and cubed to similar size
knob of butter
1 egg
salt and pepper to season
50g cheese grated (I use Cantal but cheddar is good too.)
Preheat oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6 (180ºC fan).
Fish filling:
Melt the butter and sauté the onions until soft, then add the mushrooms and cook for a further five minutes. Try not to let the onions brown too much.
Place flour in bowl with the cider and whisk until smooth. Add the milk to the onions and mushrooms, bring to a good simmer and then add the fish followed by the alcohol/flour mixture. Stir briskly until it is thick and season with salt and pepper. Pour into an ovenproof casserole. Allow to cool and form a slight skin over the top.
Potato topping:
Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and mash with the butter, egg and a dash of milk if necessary to make them creamy. Season to taste.
Spoon the potato over the fish filling evenly and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Bake for approx 30mins—at least until it is bubbling around the edges and the cheese has melted into a golden-brown top.
Serve with veg of your choice.
FRUITY CLAFOUTIS
This is very similar to the one I made Evie—only this one has a mixture of soft fruit.
Butter or oil
400g mixed soft fruits i.e. raspberries, blueberries and blackberries (It’s delicious made with dark cherries when they’re in season too.)
Batter ingredients:
50g ground almonds
100g caster sugar
2 tablespoons of plain flour
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
250ml double cream
To serve:
crème fraiche
Preheat oven to 190ºC/370ºF/Gas 5 (170ºC fan).
Butter or oil a flan dish and scatter the fruit over evenly.
In the blender whizz all other ingredients together. Pour over the fruits and bake for 20–25 minutes until risen and golden brown.
Serve with a good dollop of crème fraiche!
ASPARAGUS AND SMOKED SALMON
This is such an easy starter—and it combines two of my favourite foods!
Steam a bundle of fresh green asparagus (not the white stuff!) for no more than 5 minutes—they need to still be a bit crisp—and allow to cool.
Wrap two or three in a piece of smoked salmon for each person, garnish with some rocket, a drizzle of balsamic and—enjoy!
And the very last recipe has become a firm favourite with Lucas.
DACQUOISE À LA LIBBY!
(My version of the classic dish!)
4 egg whites
225g sugar (I use 2oz sugar per egg white, which is really difficult to translate into grams!)
85g freshly ground almonds
Before you start, decide whether you want individual portions or one pavlova type dessert. If a pavlova type, then mark two circles of approximately 6" on baking parchment, otherwise simply line a baking tray with parchment.
Whisk the egg whites until REALLY stiff and add the sugar slowly dessertspoon by dessertspoon until it is fully incorporated. Now with a metal spoon gently fold in the ground almonds. Either spread the mixture gently between the parchment with the two circles marked or place meringue type spoonfuls on the baking parchment. Place in a cool oven.
I find the length of cooking time can vary so my advice is: the pavlova type ones will take approximately 2–3 hours, the individual ones less. Easiest way to test if they are done is to lift a corner of the paper and see if it peels away from the bottom of the mixture—it’s not done if this doesn’t happen!
Once cooked place in an airtight tin until ready to assemble.
Filling:
4oz apricots
cream—double or whipping, or a really good crème fraiche
grated chocolate, for sprinkling
Here in France I use a thick crème fraiche to sandwich things together—with some of the apricots chopped finely and mixed in. (Have to admit I cheat here and used tinned apricots, saving the syrup to serve separately with the dacquoise.) If I’ve made a pavlova type I put more cream on the top layer and apricots around the edge and finish off with a sprinkle of grated chocolate. The individual dacquoise are simply sandwiched together, placed on a plate on their side, a couple of half apricots pushed into the cream and grated chocolate sprinkled. There’s always extra cream on the table too!
Well there you are—just a few of the recipes I’ve enjoyed making at the Auberge du Canal.
BON APPÉTIT!
CARINA
ISBN: 978-1-474-02828-8
A French Pirouette
Copyright © 2015 Jennifer Bohnet
Published in Great Britain (2015)
by Carina, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18–24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
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A French Pirouette Page 19