Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Fresh fig with labneh, pistachios and pomegranate molasses.

This makes for a perfect little starter or in this case an aperitif or amuse bouche. The sweetness of the fig aginst the tartness of the pomegranate molasses and the salty cremainess of the labneh make for a delicious explosion of flavours.It is very easy to make and doesnt take a lot of time. The longest is waiting for the labneh to drain. Make it in season when figs are in abundance and if you can pick it straight from you tree, even better. That is actually a golden rule in cooking…stay in season.

Recipe:

  • Four big figs, yellow or purple
  • labneh
  • pistachio nuts
  • pomegranate molasses
  • little branch of green petit pois
  • sumac
  • Pomegranate seeds(optional)
  • 8 small fig leaves(optional)
  1. Break/tear the figs in half and place each half on a small fig leaf on 8 small plates.
  2. Spoon a small tsp of labneh onto the fig half.
  3. Sprinkle the labneh with sumac.
  4. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and sprinkle with pistachio nuts and pomegranate seeds.
  5. Finish off with the little green branch of petit pois for decoration and serve as an amuse bouche on a fig leaf.

Serves 8 as amuse bouche or 4 as starter

Pinch of salt:

  • Place two halves on a plate for a starter serving instead of one per person for an amuse bouche serving.
  • Sprinkle some sumac over the whole plate.
  • Use walnuts instead of pistachios.
  • Use soft goat’s cheese or ricotta cheese instead of the labneh.
  • Sprinkle with a few pomegranate seeds.
  • Use any other green herb decoration instead of the pea shoot.

Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Quince compote and spices

I simply adore quince. As a child I ate it raw with a pinch of salt. A fond memory. I like to bake it in the oven, as in here, or on pan fried on the stove like here or a crumble like here. Today I made a simple compote that is delicious with a scoop of créme fraiche or even ice cream. It can be served with duck or chicken or how about pork, giving you that sweet sour taste. It is so easy to make, a proper seasonal fruit and along with some spices, falls right into perfection for autumn. I give relative quantities. The best way is to find your own path, taste and adjust and add as you go along.

Small wild quince.

Recipe:

  • 2 large quinces
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 star anis
  • tsp red peppercorns (optional)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • grated nutmeg
  • a pinch of fleur de sel
  • 500 ml water
  • 350 ml sugar
  1. Peel the quinces, cut off the ends and cut into pieces along with the core and seeds.
  2. Add to a bowl and drizzle liberally with lemon juice.
  3. Sprinkle with the spices and fleur de sel and add to a casserole, along with the lemon juice.
  4. Add the water and sugar and simmer gently for about 45 minute or until the water has dissolved and the quince are tender. Dont stir too much if you dont want a puree.
  5. Remove the cinnamon stick and the star anis after 15 minutes of cooking.
  6. Sterilize 2 canfruit bottles and pour in the hot quince. Let it cool and store in the fridge.

Pinch of salt.

  • Tplace the spices with a vanilla pod, seeds scraped out and pod and seeds addd to the quince.
  • If you dont like the seedsand core of th quince, add them to a little bouquet garni muslin pouch and remove at the end of cooking.
  • The seeds and core are important for the red coloring of the quince and they are full of gelatin which helps to thicken the syrup.
  • Replace the lemon juice with orange juice.
  • Dont worry about the coloration of the quince when you peel it. It is normal. Add some lemon juice, but it wont stop the coloration completely.
  • Add some apple pieces to the quince mixture for variation.