Ina Garten's Plum Clafouti

A clafoutis is a pancake-like batter poured over fruit and baked. It is THE PERFECT thing for you to be baking right now! Times are tough and the cost of groceries is through the roof, so I'm bringing you a clafoutis that is very frugal, very easy, and very delicious. Probably the best clafouti I've ever tried.


I am pretty sure you have all the ingredients on hand to make a version of clafoutis. I chose plums because I had them on hand and they're a favorite. I love their sweet and sour nature in baked goods. Feel free to use cherries, peaches, and any kind of berry. Beyond a little bit of fruit, all you need are: eggs, sugar, a scant amount of flour, cream, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest.

I love how the top of the clafouti gets perfectly golden brown and crisp, especially with a sprinkling of sugar while the inside of the clafoutis is soft and fluffy. This batter is especially delicious because you can really taste the vanilla and the lemon zest. The plums begin to melt away and leave their sweet and sour juices, mingling with the fluffy batter and crispy golden brown bits... it is pure heaven! Top this off with a little bit of yogurt, whipped cream, and or vanilla ice cream. Anyone would be pleased to enjoy this delicious dessert and they'd never know you whipped it up for just a few dollars!

Plum Clafloutis

Adapted from Cooking for Jeffrey

by Ina Garten

Serves 8

1 tablespoon butter, at room temp

granulated sugar

1 cup plums, 1/2" diced

good Armagnac

3 eggs, at room temp

1/3 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

granulated sugar, for dusting

Notes: I adapted this recipe from Ina's Prune Armagnac Clafouti. I wanted to use up my plums so I subbed them in place of the prunes. I also did not have Armagnac and I'm not sure I ever will, so I wanted to try my hand at this recipe without it. The results were heavenly. The vanilla and lemon zest gives such great flavor I really didn't miss the Armagnac (even though I'm sure it's even lovelier with it). In addition, I never have extra-large eggs and Ina is always calling for them in her baking recipes. I used 3 regular large eggs with perfect results. The original recipe calls for 1 cup prunes, diced 1/2".

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10" round baking dish (I used a square pan) with the butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

In a small bowl, combine the prunes with 2 tablespoons of Armagnac and microwave on high for 1 minute. Set aside. (I skipped this step. Instead, I chopped two plums into 1/2" pieces. They were juicy so I didn't add any liquid).

In the bowl of an electric mixer (I used a hand mixer) fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and 1/3 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and thick. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon Armagnac in a glass measuring cup. On low speeds, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and then add the liquid ingredients, mixing well. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Distribute the prunes/plums in the prepared pan and carefully pour on the batter. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, sprinkle with granulated sugar, and serve warm.

Curtis Stone's Spicy Sausage Breakfast Burritos...or Chimichangas

Who doesn't love a breakfast burrito or chimichanga for breakfast? We certainly never get our fill of them in my house. I find myself making them using up bits of meat, cheese, and veggies and changing them up each week, depending on what we have in the fridge.

The burrito or chimi is the perfect recipe for times such as these when you need to use what you have on hand because you DARE NOT go into the grocery since NO ONE can wear a mask. Seriously people, how hard is it? I don't want to hear the madness about being sheep. Just wear the mask.

Rant over. I love a breakfast burrito, but have you had a breakfast chimichanga? This is my new favorite thing. Not just for breakfast, but for lunch and even dinner. Take whatever filling you have on hand: beans, rice, and cheese; meat, veggies, and rice; eggs, veggies, and cheese; and stuff it into a big flour tortilla. Fold it up or roll it up. Place it in a good nonstick saute pan. You really don't need any oil or butter, maybe just a splash or a touch if you feel like it. Using tongs, turn the burrito every which way until the tortilla becomes golden brown and crispy all over. There you have it....a chimi with a crispy exterior and a toasted flavor that is sure to be a tastier version of any burrito around, and with very little to no added calories!

A chimi like this has been our new go to staple during the pandemic. Leftover taco meat and rice? Throw in some cheese and make a chimi. Leftover scrambled eggs and veggies? Turn it into a chimi. Only have beans and rice on hand? Add a touch of cheese and/or some veggies and turn it into a chimi. See the pattern here? It's easy and oh so delicious. There is only one rule: make the filling fresh or gently reheat whatever you stuff in your chimi (you don't want a cold filling). Either way, I haven't met a chimi I didn't like and it has been a very practical solution for the times we're in.

Now, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how delicious Curtis' filling is for these breakfast burritos/chimis. IT IS SO GOOD! I did change up the method a bit, but I kept the ingredients the same so I know the flavor combination is the same. Spicy from the hot sausage and jalapeno, flavorful from the sausage, green onions and peppers, and fresh from the cilantro. This is a winning combination for a breakfast burrito! Try it and see.

And whatever you do, start making chimis! 

Breakfast Burritos

Adapted from Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone/randomhouse.com

by Curtis Stone

Makes 4

2 spicy Italian or Spanish style sausages*

6 large eggs*

2/3 cup heavy cream*

salt and pepper, to taste

drizzle of oil

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 red jalapeno, finely chopped*

1/4 to 1/2 cup finely grated cheese*

4 10-inch flour tortillas

hot sauce 

Note: I am going to deviate from Curtis' recipe quite a bit, but I feel as though the end result is the same. See deviations in parenthesis below. Curtis' directions are in regular font. Mine are in bold and in parentheses. I used half a pound of hot breakfast sausage, a touch of cream (certainly not 2/3 cup), an orange bell pepper in place of a jalapeno, and I added in about 1/4 -1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese). I also used 4 eggs instead of 6 eggs for two reasons, to conserve eggs and also to have a meatier burrito since we haven't been eating as much meat lately.

Preheat the broiler. Place the sausages on a heavy rimmed baking sheet and broil for 3 minutes on each side until they are cooked through and golden brown. Set the sausages aside until they are cool enough to handle, then cut them diagonally into thin slices. (I much prefer to have the sausage crumbled into my mixture so I used one half pound spicy breakfast sausage and cooked it in the skillet until it was golden brown, adding the jalapeno, cilantro, and green onions towards the end to incorporate).

Using a fork, mix the eggs(using only 4 so the mixture was quite meaty), cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Melt the butter in a large heavy nonstick saute pan over medium low heat. Add the egg mixture. Once the eggs are just set on the bottom of the pan, add the sausages, scallions, cilantro, and jalapeno. Stir the egg mixture very slowly with a silicone spatula, scraping from the bottom of the pan, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the eggs are no longer runny. (Since I cooked my sausage in the saute pan I went ahead and kept the sausage and oil from the sausage in my pan for more flavor. I whipped the eggs in a bowl with a touch of cream (certainly not 2/3 cup) and added the eggs to the pan with the sausage mixture, allowing it to set before sprinkling on some cheese and slowly incorporating the cheese until the eggs were done. I then removed the sausage and egg mixture to a bowl).

Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan over medium high heat. Cook each tortilla on the griddle for 1 minute on each side or until warmed and softened. Divide the egg mixture among the hot tortillas, and wrap the tortillas around the egg mixture to enclose it completely and form a burrito. Serve with your favorite hot sauce. (I used the same pan I cooked the sausage and egg mixture in, removing the mixture to a bowl. I laid my tortilla out, filled it with a substantial amount of filling, folded it up, and sauteed the burrito in my nonstick pan, until it was golden on all sides, using tongs to turn the burrito around. Then I placed the burrito (or maybe chimichanga) onto a plate and sliced it down the middle. Burrito, chimichanga? You decide!).

IHCC: Breakfast All Day!

Ottolenghi's Shallow-Fried Potatoes with Sumac and Garlic Scapes

Groceries, especially meats, have been at an all-time high the past month. I'm talking $40 for a choice cut roast, $35 for five mediocre pork chops, and $18 for three pounds of ground beef. That is phenomenally high when you consider those things used to cost me $12, $8, and $10, respectively. For this reason, we've been skipping the meat and eating more veg.

I've been venturing out to my local farmer's market lately as it's not crowded and I want to support the local farmers. Garlic scapes are in season right now. If you're not familiar with them, they are the flowers of the garlic plant and need to be harvested prior to harvesting the garlic bulbs. I've been wanting to work with them for a while now but wasn't sure what to do with them.

Turns out, you use them just as you would use garlic. They say the garlic scapes are not as garlicky, so you may need to use more of them if you're using them as a replacement for garlic. Start by cutting the flowery part off - it is full of seeds and you may not wish to eat it (I used mine as a garnish only). You can cut the stem however you choose. I chose to cut mine on a bias, but thin slices will also work. It felt good to try something new.

Let's talk sumac. The sumac bush is native to the Middle East and produces deep red berries that are dried and ground into a coarse powder. It can be described as tart/sour and can be used in place of lemon. It also adds a bright pop of color. I have enjoyed it as a rub, sprinkled on top of hummus, and over certain Middle Eastern salads. I love the flavor, but I don't have an opportunity to use it that much, so I'm always looking for ways to use up my jar.

So now we have potatoes, garlic, garlic scapes, sumac, and bacon fat. Yes, I save my bacon fat. Ottolenghi uses olive oil to fry his potatoes, but in my experience, bacon fat is much more flavorful and effective. First of all, you don't have to use as much bacon fat and best of all, the potatoes will never burn. Bacon fat is simply superior. Start saving it.

You now have 5 superstar ingredients and a recipe for success. You cannot go wrong here. It may seem scary to cook the garlic cloves on the stovetop for 30 minutes - I was skeptical that they would burn and become bitter. This is not the case. I cooked this dish over low heat for 30 minutes and the garlic cloves become golden brown and caramelized, little nuggets of bliss. When I realized how beautiful the garlic was I wish I had used an entire head of garlic and I most definitely will next time!

This is a DELICIOUS dish. Trust me and throw in an entire head of garlic cloves. I loved pairing a potato with an entire caramelized clove of garlic and eating them together. Total heaven! The garlic scapes contributed a subtle garlic flavor but were really much more of a garnish than anything. The generous sprinkling of sumac goes a long way in brightening the whole dish up and making your mouth do a little pucker.

This is a fabulous side dish and/or appetizer and one that I would happily make again! We loved it!

Shallow-Fried Potatoes with Sumac and Garlic Scapes

Adapted from Ottolenghi Simple

by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4

10 tablespoons olive oil*

1 pound potatoes, quartered lengthwise

5 garlic cloves, peeled

salt and pepper, to taste

3 rosemary sprigs*

3 thyme sprigs*

2 teaspoons sumac

2 garlic scapes, flowers removed, cut on a bias*

*Note: I altered this recipe to suit what I had on hand. I like to fry my potatoes in bacon fat and I had some on hand, so I subbed bacon fat for olive oil. I also decided to sub the rosemary and thyme for some fresh organic garlic scapes. You can use garlic scapes as you would use garlic, but take note that they are not as garlicky as the cloves.

Get a really good nonstick fry pan or cast iron and place oil and or bacon fat over low-medium heat. Once hot, add potatoes, garlic, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fry gently for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until potatoes are golden brown and soft. Add rosemary and thyme and or garlic scapes and fry for another 5 minutes, until herbs or scapes are aromatic.

Use a slotted spoon - you want most of the oil to be drained off - to transfer the potatoes and herbs or scapes to a serving plate. Stir in the sumac and serve.

Farmer's Market/Local Feed Week @ IHCC

Nigella's Mozzarella Garlic Bread

I make garlic bread often as it is a family favorite. I usually slice my loaf in half lengthwise and top both sides of the loaf with butter, garlic, herbs, and Parmesan. Slicing the bread lengthwise gives lots of surface area for the garlic butter and we love the nutty saltiness of the Parmesan cheese.

I wanted to try Nigella's recipe because she slices the bread straight down and tucks the garlic butter mixture in between the slices. Plus, her recipe uses creamy mozzarella in place of Parmesan. I added finely chopped parsley because I have to have herbs in my garlic bread.

Nigella's recipe is delicious. Everyone loved the way the bread looked, with the butter, garlic, and cheese oozing out between the slices. It is definitely very inviting. We loved the flavor and the creaminess of the mozzarella. HOWEVER, we decided that we love the flavor of Parmesan cheese more, SO I will definitely try this recipe again replacing the mozzarella with Parmesan. Either way, you can't go wrong, no matter which way you slice it, garlic bread is sooo addictive!

Mozzarella Garlic Bread

by Nigella Lawson 

Adapted from people.com

7 tablespoons butter, softened

salt, to taste

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, finely chopped

1 (16 oz) white sourdough loaf or other chewy bread

 Preheat oven to 425F. Beat butter, salt, red pepper, garlic, and parsley in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in mozzarella. (Note: I don't like getting out extra gadgets and washing them so I did this step by hand).

Cut bread loaf into 1-inch thick diagonal slices, taking care not to cut through the bottom of the bread.

Gently spread the garlic mixture generously and evenly between the slices. Rub any remaining mixture on top of the loaf.

Wrap bread loaf in foil, crimping the foil together at the top to seal. Bake loaf in a preheated oven until the top of the bread is brown and crisp and cheese has melted about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven. Lift bread out of foil and place it on a cutting board. Cut and separate the slices using a serrated knife. Serve immediately.

Ina's Lemon Spaghetti {102 Days Inside My House and Counting...}

Today marks 102 days inside my house. I hung in there with the first 90 or so and I am not ashamed to say I am coming undone. 

I cannot handle the TV, the phone, or dealing with leaving the house. The new normal? That's a big no thank you for me. It makes me feel a million different ways, none of them good.

I am thankful I'm able to stay home. Trust me, I'm not taking it for granted. However, I'm also worried about my job and the kids from school. Will we have school in the fall? How are my students doing during the protests and riots? How do they feel about everything going on? Are they ok? Have they lost anyone to Covid-19? Can we do school safely? Will the kids wear their masks? How can I keep them apart? Will we get corona regardless? Will I lose someone I love? What if school is only online? How can I do online better? Nothing but anxiety. Massive anxiety.

I'm starting to feel hopelessly restless, completely unable to devote my attention to any one thing for very long. Is the whole world on fire? It sure feels like it. 

Even cooking, something I feel passionate about, is no longer enjoyable. A handful of ingredients is all I can be bothered to deal with. 

Pasta, butter, lemons, salt and pepper and maybe some basil (Mom would be screaming at me that the basil needs a haircut so basil is a great addition here). You can do this! Does this recipe have way too much butter? Yes! Can you cut it in half? Sure. Did I? No. Did I maybe wish I did? Yes, but that's ok. Pour off whatever butter you don't need for the pasta and save it for another day.

This is delicious. This is rich. This is fresh with the lemon and the basil. This is comforting. This is easy. This is summer indulgence at it's best. This speaks to me. I can do this.

Burying your head in the sand or watch the news. Join a protest or don't join a protest. Go to work or enjoy unemployment. Wear a mask or don't wear a mask. Enjoy the new normal or stay in. Gain weight or lose weight. Do your house projects or ignore them. Read a book or watch TV. Laugh your head off or sit and cry. Share your feelings or keep them to yourself. Say your prayers or send good wishes. Do a little bit of both or do none of them. However you chose to deal with 2020, do it. Do it apologetically. When we come out of this, we will all be stronger. I am anxiously awaiting that day.

 

Lemon Spaghetti

Recipe Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Makes 6 servings

salt and pepper, to taste

1 pound spaghetti

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

zest and juice of 2 large lemons

1 lemon for garnish

basil, for garnish, if using*

Add two tablespoons of salt to a large pot of boiling water. Add the pasta and cook just short of package directions (it will finish cooking in the butter sauce). 

Meanwhile, heat a large 12" skillet, add the butter, and heat until the butter is melted. Add the zest and juice of the lemons. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper, or to taste, and swirl the pan to combine.

As soon as the pasta is cooked, lift the pasta out of the water with tongs, allowing some of the pasta water to drain back into the pot, and add all the pasta to the sauce. Cook for one minute, adding pasta water to the sauce with a ladle just enough to keep the pasta moist. (I'm a little confused about these directions as 2 sticks of butter keeps the pasta overly moist -in fact it could do with a little less - so use caution with the amount of water you add as you don't want it to get to watery).

Transfer the pasta to a serving platter or individual plates and garnish with more lemon zest, salt and pepper, basil, and maybe a little squeeze of lemon juice on the top. Serve hot.

Giada's Peach and Strawberry Crumble

Saturday morning I needed to get out of my head and leave the house. Our local farmer's market is a real small deal and I was happy with their safety measures. I knew what I wanted. I would be in and out in no time at all.

A flowering basket for my front porch and some beautiful strawberries and peaches from the local orchard. Fruits and veggies that grow together go together so I searched until I found a recipe that paired them together, Giada's Peach and Strawberry Crumble.

Something sweet for all the pain in this world. Kitchen therapy is happening daily in my house.

I found myself really inhaling the aroma of the peaches....the smell of summer. I caught myself smiling at how beautiful the fruit looks all cut up in the bowl, so fresh and colorful. I felt so thankful in that moment. Pleasure nowadays is in the little things.

I reach for my grandma's dishes and scoop some crumble in the bowl, topped with vanilla ice cream, of course. I take it outside on the back patio and enjoy it while looking at the flower and herb garden mom planted. I can still feel her presence out there.

I take a bite of the crumble and it is bright, fresh, delicious. I love the texture of the juicy fruit, cool creamy ice cream, and the crumbly topping with its flecks of sea salt that help to bring out the sweetness of the fruit.

I think about how much my mom would appreciate this crumble. I chuckle because I don't have to wonder what mom would say, she said the same thing anytime anyone made something fresh from the farmer's market or backyard. With the most pleasant smile and a twinkle in her eye she'd always say, "Wow, that is so fresh. It's just special. It's just so special."

Peach and Strawberry Crumble

Adapted from Food Network

By Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 6-8

butter, for pan

For the filling:

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 large lemon)

1-1/2 tablespoons arrowroot flour or cornstarch

1 pound medium strawberries, halved

1-1/2 pounds yellow or white peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

1/2 cup light brown sugar

For the topping:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup old fashioned style oats

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, chilled & cut into 1/2" cubes

Serving suggestion: whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or gelato

Put oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter an 8x8" glass baking dish. Set aside.

For the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and arrowroot or cornstarch until smooth. Add the strawberries, peaches, and brown sugar. Gently toss until the fruit is coated. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pan. 

For the topping: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt. Pulse until mixed (Note: I didn't want my crumble blended up real fine so I skipped this process). Add the butter. Pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Sprinkle the mixture over the filling and bake for 40 to 45minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top is light golden. Cool the crumble for 5 minutes.

Spoon the warm crumble into bowls and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Ottolenghi's Brussels Sprout Risotto

This isn't pretty, but neither is the world nowadays. As we sink further and further into what feels like one helluva horror movie I find I'm in need of kitchen therapy.

The repetitive motion of stirring risotto is ALWAYS good therapy. Nothing but your thoughts and a wooden spoon. I can't fix the world, but I can fix risotto.

 

The prettiest purple brussels sprouts are the inspiration for this dish. I really wanted a recipe that would showcase them.

Needless to say, if you don't love brussels sprouts, this isn't the dish for you, but if you do....well, this is right up your alley. The sprouts are incorporated in two ways: shredded and mixed into the risotto (pictured above) and fried until golden and crispy and served on top (pictured below).

This is a hearty and comforting risotto, maybe not perfect for summer, but perfect if you're in need of comfort, which I dare say we all are right now.

Brussels Sprout Risotto

Adapted from Plenty More

by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4, or more

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons thyme leaves

2 lemons, rind shaved in long strips from one, finely grated zest the other

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice

1 pound brussels sprouts, 7 oz. shredded the rest quartered lengthwise

scant 2 cups dry white wine

scant 4 cups vegetable stock

about 1-2/3 cup oil, for frying Brussels

1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan

2 ounces blue cheese, broken into chunks

1/3 cup tarragon leaves, chopped

2 teaspoon lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste

Place the butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly caramelized. Add the garlic, thyme, and lemon rind strips and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the rice and shredded sprouts and cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Pour in the wine and let it simmer for a minute before you start adding the stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and a good grind of pepper. Turn down the heat to medium and carry on adding the stock in ladlefuls, stirring often, until the rice is cooked but still retains a bite and all the stock is used up.

While the rice is cooking, pour the oil into a separate large saucepan; it should rise 3/4 inch up the sides. Place over high heat and, once the oil is very hot, use a slotted spoon to add a handful of the quartered sprouts. (Take care that they are completely dry before you add them; they will still splatter, so be careful.) Fry the sprouts for less than 1 minute, until golden and crispy, then transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. (Full disclosure: frying these sprouts made one heck of a mess in my kitchen so be prepared to clean splattered oil from everywhere!) Keep the sprouts warm while you finish the dish.

Add the Parmesan, blue cheese, tarragon, and half the fried sprouts to the cooked risotto and stir gently. Serve at once with the remaining sprouts spooned on top, followed, by the grated lemon zest and lemon juice, and a sprinkle of the cheese, if you like.