french countryside – Page 4

I love to do this recipe with peaches in summer. But since we’re now at the end of summer, the peaces have finished and we opt for other fruit. Pineapple, with its slightly tangy taste is a good substitute for peaches. See this post for a grape version.

Recipe:

1 large pineapple
juice of 1 lemon
1 vanilla pod
50 ml sugar
2 TBSP butter
50 ml Cointreau
200 ml greek yogurt
200 ml mascarpone

Add the sugar, butter and lemon juice to a saute pan.
Cut the pineapple into bitesize pieces.
Cut the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds.
Add the pineapple and vanilla seeds with the seed pod to the sugar mixture in the pan.
Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes until the pineapple starts getting tranlucent and the syrup gets thick.
Pour 50 ml of Cointreau over the pineapples and set alight to flambée the mixture.
When the flames have died down,remove the vanilla pod and leave the pineapples to cool down slightly.
Mix together the greek jogurt and mascarpone until smooth.
Serve the pineapple still warm with a dollop of jogurt and mascarpone.

Serves 6

Cut the pineapple into bite size pieces.

Pour some Cointreau or Armagnac over the hot pineapples.

Set alight to flame.

To set food alight, is something everybody always enjoy. With ooh and aahs, mesmerized by the flames licking the food, we stare at the show. It can of course be very dangerous and not at all should children be allowed to do it. For those inexperienced, don’t do it like you see chefs doing it on television with big drama and whooshing flames up to the ceiling. With 50 ml of alcohol at 40 percent, you already get a spectacular flame. Don’t lean over the casserole you are about to flambé and stand far enough away, but still close enough to have control on what you are doing. You can pour a little alcohol into stainless steel soup ladle with long handle to heat up directly over a flame and light up, then pour the burning alcohol over the pan for effect. Or you can add the alcohol to the warm grapes and then set alight. In both cases, switch off all other gas flames on the stove, stay away from candles and any other flames. If you feel unsure, skip the flambé step. just pour in the Cointreau alcohol over the grapes and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes for the alcohol to cook off. Enjoy and be safe above all else!

These marinated onions have been around for quite a few years and I haven’t gotten around to posting them. So here they are. If you haven’t made them yet, you are missing out badly. They are delicious with everything and they add a punch to salads, starters, sandwiches, vegetable platters, pastas and snacks. So easy to make, so quick and effortless, it will be a shame not to have them on hand in the fridge, where they will keep for about one month. Now that the festive christmas season is upon us, why not give a bottle/can away as a christmas gift. I promise you it isn’t expensive, it looks pretty and it will be truly appreciated.

Marinated red onions recipe

4 small red onions or 2 large onions
300 ml white vinegar, or cider vinegar, or rice vinegar
4 TBSP white sugar
1 TBSP salt
peppercorns
2 peeled garlic cloves

Peel the onions and slice thinly into rings.
Place the sliced onions into two medium mas jars. Add the some peppercorns and one garlic clove to each jar.
Bring to the boil the vinegar, salt and sugar.
Pour the vinegar over the onions and fill to the top. Leave to cool down a bit and cover.
Set aside to cool down completely and store in the fridge for up to one month.

Pinch of salt

Use white vinegar or cider vinegar or rice vinegar, or use a mix of your choice of vinegar.
Add a little water to the marinade if you don’t want it too pungent.
Slice the onion thicker for more crunch.
The onions canbe used immediately but will be better after about three days of marinating.
Use the marinade for vinaigrettes.