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NEWSLETTER: VOLUME 4 |
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Are you ready for Christmas? In this newsletter, I announce my January Hands-on & Fine-Dining Culinary Classes, and provide two Christmas recipes that will be on my table: Tarte de Noël ~ inspired from the Thirteen Christmas Desserts of Provence, and my Dressing with chestnuts & oysters ~ a variation on the recipe that I grew up with. I will also share with you the traditions of Christmas in Provence ~ highlighting the créche and santons, Christmas Eve “big supper” and the Thirteen Christmas Desserts.
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| I am looking forward to preparing Christmas dinner, since I didn't cook at all for Thanksgiving. I am disappointed to report that the Christmas caramels with Fleur-de-Sel did not manifest. Instead, I got wildly inspired by macarons ~ not to be confused with the coconut-laden macaroons. I'm talking about the real French macarons of which we go “behind the scenes” in Paris to witness the creation. It took witnessing how these delightful treats are prepared, in addition to strictly adhearing to the recipe, and weighing the ingredients to pull it off. I made the 4 basic flavors: pistachio, strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla bean. These wonders are comprised of flavored buttercream sandwiched between two flatish almond-meringue cookies. While incredibly delicious, they were so high-maintenance to prepare that I didn't imagine I would want to do them again so quickly. Alas, I plan to prepare only one flavor for Christmas: the winning vanilla bean. Pictured right is an assortment of macaron petits fours (literally translated little ovens, the term petit four refers to any small, bite-sized cookie or cake) ~ the exquisite creations of Parisian pastry king Pierre Hermé. We expect his products to be shipped to the United States within the next year. I will keep you posted! |
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Are you in need of a last-minute Christmas gift? It's not too late to order a Christmas gift certificate from Cuisine Karen for cooking classes, private dining events, or a trip to France.
Thank you to all of you who are giving gifts from Cuisine Karen this year. It is my pleasure to inspire and teach! |
| I am pleased to announce the January Hands-on & Fine-Dining Culinary Classes to be held at the home of Patrice & Karen Gros in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
These are classes in which everyone participates; it is for this reason that class size is restricted to 10 people. Come join the fun! Your apron awaits you......... |
Friday, January 11th OR Saturday, January 12th, 2008
10:00am - 2:00pm
Celery root remoulade with lemon mayonnaise
Rémoulade au celeraic
Daube Provençal ~ Beef slowly braised in red wine
with vegetables & miniature potatoes
La daube Provençale aux legumes et petites pommes de terres
Floating islands in vanilla crème anglaise
Oeufs à la neige
Class fee: $65
Includes copies of recipes, hands-on instruction, 3-course sit-down luncheon w/glass of wine paired with main dish,
plus freshly-baked Little Bread Company bread & a salad course
Reserve by email or call 479-253-7461.
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| When placing reservation, please let me know which date you prefer. |
To me, this tart is representative of the 13 Desserts of Provence, as dates, figs, hazelnuts, almonds, and raisins are a symbolically important part of the traditional Christmas in Provence. Find more information below about the Thirteen Christmas Desserts of Provence.
A rich pâte sucrée is the base for this tart lined frangipane and filled with fruits and nuts. Whole cranberries soaked in the rum, may be added for color and to give a North American component.
Makes one large tart ~ serves 8-12 |
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Ingredients:
1 recipe sweet lemon pastry crust (following)
Kumquats, for garnish (optional)
Frangipane
½ c. unsalted butter
½ c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. finely ground blanced almonds
3 T. rum
1 T. flour
1 t. almond extract
Equipment needed: 10 or 11-inch French tart pan. |
Filling
5 large dried figs, coarsely chopped
6 dried apricots, coarsely chopped
6 dates, pitted, coarsely chopped
½ c. raisins
½ c. rum
? c. ea. hazelnuts, walnuts & pecans
6 T. unsalted butter
¼ c. honey
½ t. cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
4 large crisp apples (Gala, Braeburn or Fuji work best; do not use Jonathan, Granny Smith, Golden or Red Delicious) |
- Prepare pastry crust; pre-bake and glaze, as directed in following recipe.
- Lightly roast nuts by spreading them in one layer on a rimmed baking pan and baking in a 350ºF pre-heated oven about 5 minutes, until lightly toasted. Do not over brown or nuts will become bitter. Set aside to cool.
- Soak dried fruits in the rum 3 hours or overnight. (If figs are very dry, simmer first in water 5-10 minutes.) Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet and add honey, spices, and orange rind and juice. Peel, core, and slice the apples ¼-inch thick and add to butter. Sauté over medium heat until just soft.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. To make the frangipane, cream the buter and sugar in an electric mixer. Add the egg, almonds, rum, flour, and extract. Beat until smooth.
- Spread the frangipane evenly in baked and cooled tart shell. Leaving a 3-inch opening in the center of the tart (into which you will later place the figs), encircle the apple slices onto the frangipane, overlapping or placing them very close together. Bake in preheated oven about 20 minutes until the frangipane is golden brown.
- Drain dried fruits and arrange the figs in the center of the tart. Arrange the apricots, dates, raisins & nuts around the apples at the middle of the tart.
- Melt remaining butter into mixture left from cooking apples. Pour over fruits in tart and serve. (Steps 1-4 may be prepared one day in advance, step 5 two hours in advance; assemble tart step 6-7 just before serving.)
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This is the basic sweet crust recipe with the addition of lemon zest. I call it pâte sucrée au citron, and would recommend it for other dessert tarts that would benefit from the zest such as, most obviously, a lemon tart but also most any type of fruit tart. This dough is less supple than the traditional tart crust, due to the addition of egg yolk. Allowing time for proper refrigeration while making the dough is essential to keep the dough workable, and to give it the proper texture and consistency.
Makes one 10-inch tart crust. |
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Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¼ c. sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Pinch sea salt (1/8 t.)
6 T. chilled unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1 large egg yolk, beaten
1-2 T. ice water
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 1 t. water
Equipment needed:
Parchment paper or aluminum foil
Dried beans, to weight tart crust (may be reused) |
- Place flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine.
Add egg yolk, processing a few seconds more.
Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add the ice water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube while pulsing, just until the dough holds together. Do not process more than 30 seconds or allow machine to run continuously, or dough will become tough. (If mixing dough manually, whisk flour, sugar and salt together; then whisk in egg yolk. Cut butter into flour with pastry cutter or fork until butter pieces are pea-size or smaller. Add just enough ice water to make pastry hold together.)
- Form dough into a disc shape, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Butter the baking sheet.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and roll out until the dough extends the tart pan by one inch all around, dusting with flour to avoid sticking. (Do not add more flour than necessary). Fold dough in half and in half again in order to lift it without tearing. Place into tart pan and shape dough to pan. Prick the bottom all over with a fork to allow steam to escape. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line the pastry crust in with parchment paper, and pour the dried beans onto the parchment paper to weight the pastry and prevent shrinking. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove parchment paper and beans; and bake an additional 2 minutes, until cooked and slightly puffed, but not colored. Remove from oven, and glaze with egg wash; bake another 2 minutes until golden but not brown. Set aside until ready to add filling.
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| Dressing with chestnuts & oysters |
| My mother always made dressing with a combination of cornbread and stale white bread; she also used celery powder and ground sage that was purchased at the store once each year. My recipe retains the stale bread & cornbread (the stale bread provides a pleasing consistency, and the cornbread a toothsome texture), but I favor fresh celery (a whooping 12 stalks) and fresh sage grown in the backyard...the difference is sublime! I have also ventured to add chestnuts & oysters (neither of which I grew up with.) Chestnuts add a wonderful earthly flavor and texture. The coastal tradition of adding oysters to stuffing dates back to the 19th century, when oysters where cheap and plentiful. While they are more expensive today, they are worth the splurge and add a rich flavor and texture to the dressing. The egg yolks also enrich the dressing. There are as many variations of stuffing and dressing as there are people making it. And what exactly is the difference between stuffing & dressing? The difference lies in how they are cooked: Stuffings, as the name implies, are baked inside the cavity of the bird, while Dressings are baked separately in their own dish. The amount of stock varies, depending on how moist you like your dressing.
Serves 12
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Ingredients:
1 recipe skillet cornbread (following)
1 day-old baguette
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter + more for pan
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 onions (1 lb.), cut into ¼ dice
12 celery stalks
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
1 c. organic chicken livers (Little Portion recommended)
10 chestnuts, blanched and peeled, roughly chopped
8 oz. fresh or canned oysters
10 large fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, or 2 t. crushed dried sage
(no powdered, please)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 t. sea salt
1 T. black pepper
2 quarts, approx, of Homemade Chicken Stock or prepared all-natural chicken stock
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
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- Preheat oven to 375 °F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside. To peel fresh chestnuts, score the flat side on each with an "x." Roast the chestnuts on a baking pan in a 350°F oven until the shells begin to curl. Using a paring knife, remove the shells and skins while chestnuts are hot.
- In a large bowl, combine the cornbread and old baguette, tearing into small pieces. Set aside. In a stockpot, melt the stick of butter over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, and cook until they begin to softer, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and garlic; cook until the onion is translucent, about 10-15 minutes. Add 1 cup of the stock to the vegetables, and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, 5-10 minutes. Add the vegetables to the bread mixture.
- Using the same pot, add the olive oil and sauté the chicken livers. Brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the livers from the pan, and coarsely chop. Add to the vegetable-bread mixture.
- Add chestnuts, oysters, sage, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper to the vegetable-bread mixture. Add the stock, 1 cup at a time, until the dressing is well moistened; you may not need all the stock. Taste and adjust seasonings. Beat together the whole egg and egg yolks and add the the vegetable-mixture.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake until the top is golden and the dressing is heated through, 45 -60 minutes. Serve hot. To reheat, bring to room temperature, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F. for 20 minutes. Remove the cover; bake until heated through, about 10 minutes more. Dressing often dries out when rewarmed; therefore, it is recommended to bring to a boil any remaining stock and drizzle over the dressing before placing it in the oven.
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Make this in an oven-proof cast-iron skillet for added crunch and texture. This is one of the few recipes in which I actually prefer whole grain flour (wheat or spelt), in combination with the coarsely ground corn meal.
Makes one 8-inch cornbread |
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1½ c. stone ground coarse corn meal
½ c. whole wheat or spelt flour
1 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
2 t. fine-grained salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 c. buttermilk, room temperature
5 T. unsalted butter
Equipment needed: 8-inch cast-iron skillet |
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. with rack in the center. Place the cast-iron skillet into the oven.
- Whisk dry ingredients together to blend thoroughly.
- Beat the eggs with the buttermilk until frothy. Pour into the dry ingredients, and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix; batter should be lumpy.
- Remove the skillet from the oven (don't forget your potholder!); add butter to the hot skillet and place it back in oven for about a minute until butter is melted and bubbly. Remove skillet, and swirl the butter in the skillet. Carefully pour the batter into the hot buttery skillet.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until top is golden brown, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to set 10 minutes before inverting on rack to cool.
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| Symbolically rich, charged with excitement and emotion, Christmas traditions in Provence bring another dimension of meaning and color to the festivities, with unique traditions of their very own. |
| The créche and the santons |
| La créche, meaning “the crib,” is a display of miniature figurines and objects depicting not only the nativity barn scene with which we are familiar, but also entire village scenes. The small figurines are called santons ~ little clay figures, literally “little saints,” made by craftsmen in the south of France. The créche is a little village, with all the important local people and village characters as well. The traditional crèche represents the ideal model of a Provençal village and its inhabitants: pétanque players, fishmongers, doctors, bakers, shepherds, etc., as well as the Holy Family in the stable with the shepards and the Magi. What is so impressive about santons is that they take on a human aspect, with a personalized appearance, character and even social status. These intricate displays are found in churches, cathedrals, and private homes. |
| Christmas Eve & the 13 Desserts |
In Provence, on Christmas Eve the family gathers for the traditional Christmas meal known as le Gros Souper (the big supper). This meal begins with seven meatless dishes, ending with the ritual number of 13 desserts symbolizing Christ and his 12 apostles. Today, this tradition goes beyond religious beliefs and in many cases the 13 desserts comprise of other recipes, including the famous bûches de Noêl. The 13 deserts must be served all at the same time and according to tradition, each guest must taste each one of them in order to ensure good fortune for the coming year. They typically consist of a combination of fresh fruits, dried fruits & nuts, and sweets.
I have been particularly interested in the tradition of the treize desserts, and on occasion, have repeated this tradition for our Christmas in Arkansas. Of course, not all of the elements are easy to find. I often rely on my mother-in-law to send the two types of nougat, and in order to get “la pompe,” the sweet yeast bread, I have to make it myself. Various ways to serve: |
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- The 13 desserts and what they symbolize:
# 1-4: The four monastic orders ~ Dried figs (Franciscans), almonds (Carmelites), raisins (Dominicans) and hazelnuts (Augustinians); each dried fruit represents the colors of the gowns worn by the 4 separate orders.
#5: Dates: The symbol of Christ who came from the Orient, often stuffed with green or pink almond paste.
#6: White nougat ~ soft and creamy (similar to divinity), with hazelnuts, pinenuts or pistachios; represents purity and goodness...in fact, I just realized that this symbology must be true for divinity ~ the name says it all! ... funny how it's hard to recognize the things that we grew up with for what they really are ~ symbolically, at least. My grandmother always made white divinity at Christmas time.
#7: Black nought ~ made with almonds & honey, it is hard & brittle, symbolizing impurity and forces of evil.
#8: “La pompe de Noël à l'huile d'olive” ~ a flat, sweet yeast bread made with olive oil. According to tradition, the bread should be broken as Christ broke the bread and never cut so as to not find oneself in debt the following year.
#9: Quince paste or crystallized (candied) fruit, ideally fabricated in the Apt or Carpentras regions. The 13 desserts originally consisted of fruit that had been gathered in the countryside where quince trees were abundant.
#10: “Oreillettes ”: light thin waffles
# 11-13: Three fresh fruits: usually mandarin oranges or tangerines, grapes, and apples, pears or winter melon.
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If you have read this far, I thank you for sharing my passion, and I thank you for your interest. Looking forward to good times and delicious experiences in 2008!
Please share this newsletter with your friends. For more information about Cuisine Karen, visit my website.
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR !
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