A stack of corn cakes filled and garnished with apricot preserves with morsels of chevre (goat cheese) introduced for some tartness.
This week’s First Friday with Dorie recipe is the answer to every Iowa girl’s dream. Since I’m a born ‘n bred Iowan and more than a lil’ bit country, I consider myself an authority on CORN.
Dorie, did you know:
1. In 2011, Iowa corn farmers grew almost 2.3 billion bushels of corn on 13.7 million acres of land.
2. Iowa has produced the largest corn crop (most of it field corn) of any state for almost two decades. In an average year, Iowa produces more corn than most countries.
3. Corn has been the dominant crop in Iowa for more than 150 years!
The Sprout character was introduced in Green Giant® advertising in 1973. He is an apprentice to the kindly Green Giant® and helps the Giant tend the vegetables. The Jolly Green Giant® is the third most recognized advertising icon of the 20th century, behind Ronald McDonald and the Marlboro Man. (greengiant.com)
In fairness to our neighbors to the north, I’ll concede that the Jolly Green Giant and his sidekick, Sprout, raise more sweet corn for the consumer market than we Iowans. That’s why the canned corn you use for this recipe might have grown up in Minnesota.
Yes, for this recipe we are using canned corn, those sweet little krammed-with-karbohydrates kernels. Dorie suggests we find a can that is without sugar or corn syrup. Although corn is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, 82 percent of the calories in this food are from carbohydrates. It is, however, a good source of dietary fiber, thiamin and folate.
But I digress. French housewives have been using canned corn to make these little pancakes for years. Who knew? They were first introduced stateside in the mid-Eighties after world-famous chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten arrived here. He paired them with crème fraîche and caviar. Of course he did! Although they are fine as an hors d’oeuvre, they also are an interesting accompaniment to any meat dish to replace potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Mise en Place, the ingredients for making corn cakes. Just a few are needed for this simple delight.
For these little wonders, throw three ingredients, corn, eggs, and flour, into your blender or processor. Salt. Then use a tablespoon to drop the batter into a skillet well-lacquered with grapeseed oil (or, any mild oil). Once you achieve a golden color on each side (2 minutes per side), pat off the excess oil and transfer to the warm cookie sheet waiting in the oven.
When making pancakes for breakfast, my Mother would call these “silver dollar” pancakes in size.
After making the pancakes and cooling them to room temperature, I tried three different versions. Serving them with guacamole as a garnish to accompany my lunch of chilled corn and crab salad was delicious. For dessert, I made them into a Raspberry-Crème Fraîche Shortcake. So tasty. If crème fraîche is too strong a taste for you, try whipped cream instead. I just thought the three flavors, sweet fruit, tangy sauce, and corny cake, played well together.
Corn pancakes, garnished with guacamole and served as an accompaniment to chilled corn salad and crab.
For dinner, just needing a snack, I used apricot preserves as a filling for a corn pancake stack to which I introduced morsels of chevre (goat cheese). This idea was actually my favorite taste.
Corn pancakes filled and garnished with crème fraîche and added raspberries.
Although we don’t share recipes from “Around My French Table”, because we would like you to buy the book, I believe you’d make good corn pancakes by blending a 15-ounce can of corn with 2 eggs and 6 tablespoons of flour. Don’t forget the salt. To see how my colleagues, who probably aren’t “corn-fed” did with this week’s recipe, go here.
The world-famous Iowa State Fair butter cow is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. As a kid, I would visit the butter cow during our family’s annual trip to the fair. As a Mother, I made sure my girls never missed the fair. (Rodney White/The Register)
A Tart as Cake to Celebrate? She’s Nine. That’s Fine!!! Let’s Party.
This week’s French Friday’s with Dorie recipe coincided with my granddaughter’s ninth birthday. This tart originated with chocolatier Christian Constant who created it for world famous designer Sonia Rykiel, a founding member of Le Club des Croqueurs Chocolat. Now, there is nothing about Clara that doesn’t like chocolate. In addition, she’s a banana-a-day kid. What Christian did for Sonia, Grandma could do for Clara. Pourquoi pas?
Although my daughter (Clara’s mother) holds her tongue over sugar-overload at Grandmother’s house, I do, at times, exert glucose-restraint. I thought the “double” in chocolate might send Melissa over the top, so I used Dorie’s all-purpose tart dough (page 498) for the crust. “It produces,” Dorie says, “a not-too-rich, slightly crisp crust that is as happy holding pastry cream as it is encasing a creamy cheese filling for a quiche.”
Doppio zero flour from Italy’s oldest producer
What took One Him to load into the car took Two Her’s to unload from the car. Ahhhhh, Youth..
To make that crust, I used the “00” Italian flour our baking group (Michelle, Amalia, Adriana, Pina & me ) just purchased from Naples via Settebello’s in Henderson (Nevada). Now Settebello’s is a pizza place not a grocery store but we’d been eyeing those sacks of stacked flour for years. Adriana, our pseudo-business manager, volunteered to negotiate the sale for the doppio zero flour (which she did successfully).
Settebello’s is not your average joint. It’s already taped a Food Network segment to be shown in July and has another TV crew on the books. Settebello’s earned a 91% rating from Zagat and, according to roadfood.com, “the mozzarella is fresh; the flour, San Marzano tomatoes, Parmesan, and prosciutto come from Italy and the other cured meats are hand-crafted by Mario Batali’s dad’s artisan salumi shop in Seattle. The pizzas are cooked directly on the brick floor of the bell-shaped oven, next to a pile of burning wood.”
We wanted that flour.
A warm Nevada day so Adriana can divide the “white treasure” outside, under the pergola.
Probably not the best photo op but that’s some fine lookin’ flour. Honestly, it’s flour.
In their catalogue, King Arthur Flour, which also markets an Italian style-flour, writes, “American flour has a type A personality. It’s full of gluten, ready for action, go go GO! Italian 00 flour, on the other hand, mirrors the warm, laid-back climate of its native land. Its protein is not only lower, but much more mellow. Make pizza or flatbread with this flour; you’ve never worked with such friendly dough! It’s incredibly extensible, practically flowing under your hands as you pat it into shape. And the resulting bread or crust? Light as air, tender, snapping crisp or soft as a cloud… this flour is definitely personality type B.”
I found the dough to be easy to work, really, a pleasure (King Arthur has it right.). The crust baked beautifully, remained filling-firm and was delicious.
After making the crust, I caramelized the bananas. Dorie suggested 1/8-inch-thick-slices but I found them too thin for this process. Next time I make the tart, I will slice to 1/4” or 1/2” thickness.
My favorite tart dough from “Around My French Table”, chilling in the fridge.
Caramelizing the banana pieces which, when I make again, will be 1/4″ to 1/2″ slices rather than the suggested 1/8″.
While the caramelized bananas were cooling, I made the bittersweet ganache using Ghirardelli’s 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. (This is probably not the time to go with Nestle’s.) I arranged the caramelized bananas in an even layer over the bottom of the crust and then carefully poured the ganache over them. Simple.
Just cooling off, waiting for the topping-off party.
During the hour required for refrigeration, I made an apricot jam glaze and cut 1/4” banana slices for the topping. Remember to toss all the cut bananas in a slight bit of lemon juice to prevent blackening. To finish off the tart, I placed the cut bananas in a spiral and then gently spread the light apricot glaze over the top. Since I wanted the tart to be firm and cooled, I popped it back into the fridge.
This tart is rich. Serve slender slices. Although it’s best to enjoy immediately, we found the tart to be delicious on Day 2 and Day 3.
In a word, sublime.
A delicious Single Chocolate & Banana Tart
Although we don’t provide this recipe, we’d love you to buy Dorie’s “Around My French Table,” you might try here. If you’re curious about the double chocolate creations of other FFWD cooks, go to http://www.frenchfridayswithdorie.com/.
Lumière, the character who adds a spark to “Beauty & The Beast”, disney-clipart.com
Preparing a Feast for Belle and the Beast, Lumière and his Cup Chorus, infamouskidd.com
Be our guest! Be our guest! Put our service to the test. Tie your apron ‘round your neck, cherie, and we’ll provide the rest. Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes. They can sing, they can dance. After all, Miss, this is France. Beef ragout, cheese soufflé, pie and pudding “en flambe”. We’ll prepare and serve with flair, a culinary cabaret!” Lumière & Chorus, Beauty & the Beast.
Who doesn’t remember Belle’s first dinner in the Beast’s castle? Lumière’s menu was on target. A soufflé announces itself. Élégance at its most high-brow.
When I think of myself, élégance and high-brow don’t come to mind. I met this week’s recipe choice, however, with a feeling of determination and a “What the hell?” attitude, more my style. With Dorie’s pushing, prodding and reminder, “There’s nothing complicated about the dish, although there are three things you should know,” ringing in my ears, I triumphed.
Dorie’s recipe, to my mind, is a classic, using techniques most of us already have in our culinary skill set. Although mine are a bit rusty, it wasn’t hard to put the soufflé together. Nerve-racking, yes. Difficult, no.
A savory souffle usually begins with a béchamel sauce, enriched with egg yolks. The egg whites are later whipped and folded in, to lighten the mixture. For the cheese, I chose a 8-ounce chunk of well-aged gruyère and grated it, easily and to perfection, in my food processor.
Béchamel Sauce
Béchamel Sauce, enriched with egg yolks and grated cheese
I initially introduced one-third of the whipped whites into the béchamel sauce, and then delicately folded in the rest. That step is difficult for those of us who tend to be heavy-handed. I was careful, also, to delicately turn the batter into a soufflé dish coated with butter and bread crumbs.
Ready to fold the last of the whipped egg whites into the batter.
The soufflé dish, coated in butter and lightly dusted with breadcrumbs
Since a soufflé is baked at high heat and must be “left alone” to rise, I waited 25 minutes before opening the oven, sliding a piece of aluminum foil over the top to prevent further browning. (If you recall, I am currently in a rental home with a temperamental oven.) After a total of 40 minutes, it was well-risen, firm to the touch and jiggly at the center. Although it had browned more than I would have liked, it did not affect the taste. In fact, I loved the crusty topping.
Table-ready. Move quickly and carefully.
Life is Good………….
All we really needed to make this dinner complete was two spoons! Knowing Dorie would probably disapprove, I added roasted asparagus, the first picking purchased at the local farmer’s market, threw a warmed baguette on the table, and poured Harmonie, a Paso Robles white table wine. This is a lovely, light blend of Chardonnary, White Reisling and Muscat Canelli produced by Harmony Cellars, a small winery on California’s central coast. Perfect We even enjoyed it for breakfast the next morning with croissants and raspberry jam. Warmed leftovers, even better!
Once again, Dorie was right in saying, “Really, the soufflé should be ashamed of itself, scaring off cooks for no good reason! There’s nothing complicated about the dish.” To see how other Doristas fared with their own soufflé drama, go to http://www.frenchfridayswithdorie.com/ Oh, about Dorie’s three secrets to souffle perfection? Buy her book: “Around my French Table, more than 300 recipes from my home to yours”. (Page 150.) It costs about the same price as a pound of the cave-aged gruyére I used in this recipe.
The cheese soufflé, safely to the table without deflating
Check out those Chunks of “divers” Apples – Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Fugi, Granny Smith & Braeburn
It may have been Marie-Antoinette who said ‘Let them eat cake,” but it was Marie-hélène Brunet-Lhoste, a friend of Dorie’s, who first made this scrumptiously delicious Apple Cake. If Marie-Antoinette had suggested this particular cake, she’d still have her head!
Although this week’s FFWD recipe was Chard-stuffed Pork Roast (yum), my Wednesday evening Supper crowd included a guest who does not eat food produced from animals with four feet. Yeah, right!
The Apple of my Eye, just out of the oven. Link to Recipe below.
Marie-hélène’s Apple Cake has already been featured on FFWD (before I joined), receiving rave reviews. For sure, my fellow Dorista’s know a good cake when they bake it. As the younger generation says, “It’s the bomb.”
You just must bake this cake. http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/marie-helenes-apple-cake/ Its simple presentation is only surpassed by its taste. Moist. More apples, than batter. I chose five different kinds of apples, as Dorie suggested, and left them in 2-inch chunks. Don’t dismiss the 3 tablespoons of dark rum or 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Dorie gives you options but I urge you to include these ingredients. Thank goodness, dark rum doesn’t have four feet.
BUSTED. A dessert sliced before its time.
Serve this warm, with crème fraîche, (my choice), or vanilla bean ice cream. During the sugar-laden holidays, filled with fancy desserts, this cake is a “relief” treat, for friends, relatives and family. And, if leftovers are a possibility and, that is laughable, this apple cake is delicious for breakfast, an afternoon pick-me-up or Santa snack. Merci Beaucoup and Happy Holidays, Dorie.
A Complimentary Finale to a Corn Bread, Green Salad and Black-Bean Soup Supper.
” SPINACH AND BACON QUICHE” This week’s “FRENCH FRIDAYS WITH DORIE” selection. FFWD is an online cooking group dedicated to Dorie Greenspan’s “Around My French Table”, her latest cookbook. http://www.doriegreenspan.com/ This quiche is a savory tart where flavors (smoky-bacon, sweet-onion and garlic, mineral – spinach, creamy-custard) converge, providing a tasty punch to your palate. An innovative twist to ingredients that works well. (If you substitute turkey bacon (I like Trader Joe’s uncured), use canola or grapeseed oil for your fat for the veggies.)
