After our Julia Child event in August my friends and I decided to collaborate on another meal, this time lunch. Jacques Pepin seemed a natural choice after Julia. However, choosing recipes proved to be more difficult as one of the participants has to control potassium intake and Jacques' recipes are loaded with that mineral.
The group will meet again in February and will feature recipes by Laura Calder, a young Canadian chef who has mastered the art of French cooking. Her recipes are simple to follow and work.
Here are the recipes from the Jacques Pepin lunch.
Seasoned olives
1 C mixed pitted olives
1 T lemon zest
2 t fresh lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 t each fresh oregano and sage
Mix all of the above.
To serve, warm for 30 sec. In microwave to develop flavor
Minute Recipe: Cheese Balls with Pignoli Nuts
I love cheese and always buy more than I consume. Through the years, I have worked out a number of recipes to use leftover cheese, so I don't have to feel guilty about it spoiling. This appetizer is best done with soft cheeses, like fontina, Camembert, blue, St. Albray, or Reblochon. Pear and dried cranberries lend a little sweetness and the toasted pignoli nuts add richness and texture—a perfect combination.
Spread about 3/4 cup pignoli nuts on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Remove any skin or mold from enough soft cheese—one variety or a mixture of those listed above or others—to yield 1 cup. Break into 1-inch pieces. Put the cheese in a food processor with 1/2 cup 1-inch pieces of peeled pear or apple, 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Process until the mixture is still chunky but is well combined and beginning to stick together. Divide into 18 small portions of about 2 teaspoons each. Shape into small balls. Roll in the toasted pignoli nuts to coat. Refrigerate until serving time.
Makes 18 small cheeseballs
Velvet of Carrot Soup with Browned Almonds
A Jacques Pepin Recipe
The smoothness of this carrot soup is offset by its crunchy browned almond garnish. The soup has an appealing sesame accent and both the soup and the garnish have a touch of hotness, provided by a little Tabasco sauce and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper Add more or less of these two ingredients, as your personal taste dictates.
1 1/4 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 cup chicken stock, preferably home-made
2 tsp Asian sesame oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp Tabasco or other red-pepper sauce
Garnishes
2 tsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/8 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper
2 tbsp chopped chives
For the soup:
Bring the carrots, chicken stock, sesame oil, salt and sugar to a boil in a saucepan set over high heat. When boiling, reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 45 minutes. Puree until smooth in a food processor (Yield 5 cups)
For the garnishes:
Heat the butter in a small skillet and add the sliced almonds. Cook for about 2 minute, tossing the almonds in the butter so they are browned on all sides. Mix in the salt and cayenne, and transfer to a plate.
At serving time, return the puree to the saucepan, add the cream, milk and Tabasco, and reheat. Divide among six soup plates, sprinkle the almonds and chives on top, and serve immediately.
Little Shrimp Casseroles
This couldn't be simpler. Toss shrimp with garlic, scallions and mushrooms, top with crumbs and bake. It's a perfect party dish: You can do the advance preparation hours ahead, and the individual gratins mean no serving up at the last minute. (Of course, you can make this in one large dish.)
I use large shrimp here, but smaller shrimp can be substituted and the cooking time reduced by a few minutes.
Serving: 4
INGREDIENTS:
# 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
# 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
# 1/4 cup minced scallions
# 1/2 cup coarsely chopped white button mushrooms (about 2 mushrooms)
# 1/2 teaspoon salt
# 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# 2 tablespoons canola oil
# 1 pound large shrimp (about 24), shelled
# 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (from about 3/4 slice white bread processed in a food processor)
# 1/4 cup dry white wine
DIRECTIONS:
Mix the butter in a large bowl with the garlic, scallions, mushrooms, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the shrimp and toss to mix well. Divide the mixture among four individual gratin dishes with about a 1-cup capacity, or spoon into one large gratin dish or shallow baking dish.
In another bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, so that they are lightly coated but still fluffy. Sprinkle the crumbs over the shrimp mixture and pour the wine on top.
About 30 minutes before serving time, heat the oven to 425 degrees F. When the oven is ready, place the gratin dishes or dish on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned and the shrimp are just cooked through. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead
The shrimp can be tossed with a mixture of the garlic, scallions, mushrooms, salt, pepper and oil a few hours ahead, and the gratins cooked at the last moment in a hot oven.
Reprinted with permission from Jacques Pepin Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin (Houghton Mifflin, September 2004).
Source: Jacques Pepin
Read more: http://food.ivillage.com/recipefinder/display/0,,8dlt9760,00.html#ixzz0VMSgUFTU
Fennel and Pear Salad
Title: Fennel and Pear Salad
Yield: 4 Servings
Categories: Salads
Ingredients:
1 ts Corn, peanut or canola oil
8 Egg roll skins, cut to form
An oval
1/4 c Pumpkin seeds
1/2 c Dried tomatoes, about 1
Ounce
1 sm Fennel bulb -- thinly
Sliced
1 md Bosc pear -- peeled, cored
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush a cookie sheet lightly with 1/2 teaspoon of the oil. Arrange the egg roll ovals on the sheet and brush the tops of them with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Bake at 400 degrees until brown and crisp, about 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate
and set aside until serving time. Spread the pumpking seeds on a cookie sheet and toast them lightly in a 400 degree oven for about 4 or 5 minutes. Set aside. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan, drop in the dried tomatoes, and bring back to a boil. Cover the pan and set it off the heat for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid in the refrigerator or freezer for use in soups or stews. Cut the tomatoes into
1-inch pieces. Bring 1 quart water to a boil. Add the fennel and cook it over high heat for about 3 minutes, or just until the water returns to a boil. Drain and cool for a few minutes. In a bowl, gently mix together the fennel, pear, and tomato pieces with the pumpkin seeds and all the
vinaigrette ingredients. To serve, place an egg roll crisp on each of the four plates. Spoon the fennel mixture on top of the crisps and top each
serving with another egg roll crisp to create a salad "sandwich." Garnish with the reserved fennel leaves and serve immediately.
Creme Caramel.....Jacques Pepin
Ingredients
Yield: 8-10 servings
Caramel Base
1 c. sugar
3 tbsps. water
2 - 3 tbsp. rum or other liquour
Custard
2 c. milk
1 cup half and half
2 vanilla beans
1/3 c. sugar
5 lg. eggs
1 egg yok
1 tsp vanilla extract
Lime Tuile Cookies
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated lime rind
2 egg whites
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. sliced almonds
Garnish (optional)
Fresh flowers
Preparation
To make the caramel base:
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan, and stir to moisten sugar. Boil over med-high heat until the mixture turns a deep caramel color (usually after 6 - 8 minutes). Pour1/4 cup of the caramel into the bottom of a 6 c. soufflé mold, and set aside. To make sauce add 3 - 4 tbsps of water to the caramel and when cool add 1 or 3 tbsps of rum.
To make the custard:
Preheat oven to 350°. Bring milk, half and half and vanilla bean to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and cover to let the bean steep for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Stir with a whisk but don’t allow foam or bubbles to form.
Remove the vanilla beans from the hot milk and gradually pour the milk into the eggs, stirring with a whisk and not allowing bubbles or foam to form. Set a sieve over a second bowl and pour the custard through to remove any coagulated bits of egg.
Dry the vanilla beans and slit them in half; scrape up the tiny black seeds from the bean and stir them into the custard along with 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Pour the custard into the mold.
Set the mold in a larger pan, so the custard can be cooked in a water bath. Strain the custard into the mold. Add tepid water to the pan surrounding the mold to extend 3/4 of the way up the outside of the mold. Bake for 50 minutes. Should the water begin to boil, ladle some out, and replace with a few ice cubes.
Cool the custard for 5-6 hours or overnight, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate again until served.
To unmold the custard:
Run a knife around the edge of the custard to loosen it from the inside of the bowl. Place a platter, top side down, on top of the custard, invert the custard onto the platter, and remove the mold.
Note: I made individual Creme Caramel in ramekins.
To make the cookies:
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat. Break the butter into a food processor, and add the sugar. Process 10 seconds. Add the vanilla, lime rind, and egg whites, and process 5 seconds.
Add the flour, and process to incorporate. Transfer dough to a mixing bowl.
Spoon 2 tbsp. of batter onto the lined cookie sheet. Only put 3-4 cookies on each sheet as they will spread. Using the back of a teaspoon, spread the dough to 5-6" in diameter, with even thickness. Batter should be very thin. Sprinkle with almonds after spreading. Bake for 10 minutes. They should be browned. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute. Run a knife under the cookies to release them and place them in a baguette mold or over a rolling pin to give them a curved shape. Be gentle with the cookies and work quickly, as they will harden fast. Store in an airtight container so they don't soften.
To serve:
Decorate the custard with flowers. Serve a large spoonful of the custard with some of the sauce and a lime tuile cookie.
Recipe courtesy of Alfred A. Knopf, ©2001 Jacques Pépin
The group will meet again in February and will feature recipes by Laura Calder, a young Canadian chef who has mastered the art of French cooking. Her recipes are simple to follow and work.
Here are the recipes from the Jacques Pepin lunch.
Seasoned olives
1 C mixed pitted olives
1 T lemon zest
2 t fresh lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 t each fresh oregano and sage
Mix all of the above.
To serve, warm for 30 sec. In microwave to develop flavor
Minute Recipe: Cheese Balls with Pignoli Nuts
I love cheese and always buy more than I consume. Through the years, I have worked out a number of recipes to use leftover cheese, so I don't have to feel guilty about it spoiling. This appetizer is best done with soft cheeses, like fontina, Camembert, blue, St. Albray, or Reblochon. Pear and dried cranberries lend a little sweetness and the toasted pignoli nuts add richness and texture—a perfect combination.
Spread about 3/4 cup pignoli nuts on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Remove any skin or mold from enough soft cheese—one variety or a mixture of those listed above or others—to yield 1 cup. Break into 1-inch pieces. Put the cheese in a food processor with 1/2 cup 1-inch pieces of peeled pear or apple, 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Process until the mixture is still chunky but is well combined and beginning to stick together. Divide into 18 small portions of about 2 teaspoons each. Shape into small balls. Roll in the toasted pignoli nuts to coat. Refrigerate until serving time.
Makes 18 small cheeseballs
Velvet of Carrot Soup with Browned Almonds
A Jacques Pepin Recipe
The smoothness of this carrot soup is offset by its crunchy browned almond garnish. The soup has an appealing sesame accent and both the soup and the garnish have a touch of hotness, provided by a little Tabasco sauce and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper Add more or less of these two ingredients, as your personal taste dictates.
1 1/4 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 cup chicken stock, preferably home-made
2 tsp Asian sesame oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp Tabasco or other red-pepper sauce
Garnishes
2 tsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/8 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper
2 tbsp chopped chives
For the soup:
Bring the carrots, chicken stock, sesame oil, salt and sugar to a boil in a saucepan set over high heat. When boiling, reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 45 minutes. Puree until smooth in a food processor (Yield 5 cups)
For the garnishes:
Heat the butter in a small skillet and add the sliced almonds. Cook for about 2 minute, tossing the almonds in the butter so they are browned on all sides. Mix in the salt and cayenne, and transfer to a plate.
At serving time, return the puree to the saucepan, add the cream, milk and Tabasco, and reheat. Divide among six soup plates, sprinkle the almonds and chives on top, and serve immediately.
Little Shrimp Casseroles
This couldn't be simpler. Toss shrimp with garlic, scallions and mushrooms, top with crumbs and bake. It's a perfect party dish: You can do the advance preparation hours ahead, and the individual gratins mean no serving up at the last minute. (Of course, you can make this in one large dish.)
I use large shrimp here, but smaller shrimp can be substituted and the cooking time reduced by a few minutes.
Serving: 4
INGREDIENTS:
# 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
# 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
# 1/4 cup minced scallions
# 1/2 cup coarsely chopped white button mushrooms (about 2 mushrooms)
# 1/2 teaspoon salt
# 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# 2 tablespoons canola oil
# 1 pound large shrimp (about 24), shelled
# 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (from about 3/4 slice white bread processed in a food processor)
# 1/4 cup dry white wine
DIRECTIONS:
Mix the butter in a large bowl with the garlic, scallions, mushrooms, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the shrimp and toss to mix well. Divide the mixture among four individual gratin dishes with about a 1-cup capacity, or spoon into one large gratin dish or shallow baking dish.
In another bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, so that they are lightly coated but still fluffy. Sprinkle the crumbs over the shrimp mixture and pour the wine on top.
About 30 minutes before serving time, heat the oven to 425 degrees F. When the oven is ready, place the gratin dishes or dish on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned and the shrimp are just cooked through. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead
The shrimp can be tossed with a mixture of the garlic, scallions, mushrooms, salt, pepper and oil a few hours ahead, and the gratins cooked at the last moment in a hot oven.
Reprinted with permission from Jacques Pepin Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin (Houghton Mifflin, September 2004).
Source: Jacques Pepin
Read more: http://food.ivillage.com/recipefinder/display/0,,8dlt9760,00.html#ixzz0VMSgUFTU
Fennel and Pear Salad
Title: Fennel and Pear Salad
Yield: 4 Servings
Categories: Salads
Ingredients:
1 ts Corn, peanut or canola oil
8 Egg roll skins, cut to form
An oval
1/4 c Pumpkin seeds
1/2 c Dried tomatoes, about 1
Ounce
1 sm Fennel bulb -- thinly
Sliced
1 md Bosc pear -- peeled, cored
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush a cookie sheet lightly with 1/2 teaspoon of the oil. Arrange the egg roll ovals on the sheet and brush the tops of them with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Bake at 400 degrees until brown and crisp, about 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate
and set aside until serving time. Spread the pumpking seeds on a cookie sheet and toast them lightly in a 400 degree oven for about 4 or 5 minutes. Set aside. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan, drop in the dried tomatoes, and bring back to a boil. Cover the pan and set it off the heat for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid in the refrigerator or freezer for use in soups or stews. Cut the tomatoes into
1-inch pieces. Bring 1 quart water to a boil. Add the fennel and cook it over high heat for about 3 minutes, or just until the water returns to a boil. Drain and cool for a few minutes. In a bowl, gently mix together the fennel, pear, and tomato pieces with the pumpkin seeds and all the
vinaigrette ingredients. To serve, place an egg roll crisp on each of the four plates. Spoon the fennel mixture on top of the crisps and top each
serving with another egg roll crisp to create a salad "sandwich." Garnish with the reserved fennel leaves and serve immediately.
Creme Caramel.....Jacques Pepin
Ingredients
Yield: 8-10 servings
Caramel Base
1 c. sugar
3 tbsps. water
2 - 3 tbsp. rum or other liquour
Custard
2 c. milk
1 cup half and half
2 vanilla beans
1/3 c. sugar
5 lg. eggs
1 egg yok
1 tsp vanilla extract
Lime Tuile Cookies
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated lime rind
2 egg whites
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. sliced almonds
Garnish (optional)
Fresh flowers
Preparation
To make the caramel base:
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan, and stir to moisten sugar. Boil over med-high heat until the mixture turns a deep caramel color (usually after 6 - 8 minutes). Pour1/4 cup of the caramel into the bottom of a 6 c. soufflé mold, and set aside. To make sauce add 3 - 4 tbsps of water to the caramel and when cool add 1 or 3 tbsps of rum.
To make the custard:
Preheat oven to 350°. Bring milk, half and half and vanilla bean to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and cover to let the bean steep for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Stir with a whisk but don’t allow foam or bubbles to form.
Remove the vanilla beans from the hot milk and gradually pour the milk into the eggs, stirring with a whisk and not allowing bubbles or foam to form. Set a sieve over a second bowl and pour the custard through to remove any coagulated bits of egg.
Dry the vanilla beans and slit them in half; scrape up the tiny black seeds from the bean and stir them into the custard along with 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Pour the custard into the mold.
Set the mold in a larger pan, so the custard can be cooked in a water bath. Strain the custard into the mold. Add tepid water to the pan surrounding the mold to extend 3/4 of the way up the outside of the mold. Bake for 50 minutes. Should the water begin to boil, ladle some out, and replace with a few ice cubes.
Cool the custard for 5-6 hours or overnight, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate again until served.
To unmold the custard:
Run a knife around the edge of the custard to loosen it from the inside of the bowl. Place a platter, top side down, on top of the custard, invert the custard onto the platter, and remove the mold.
Note: I made individual Creme Caramel in ramekins.
To make the cookies:
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat. Break the butter into a food processor, and add the sugar. Process 10 seconds. Add the vanilla, lime rind, and egg whites, and process 5 seconds.
Add the flour, and process to incorporate. Transfer dough to a mixing bowl.
Spoon 2 tbsp. of batter onto the lined cookie sheet. Only put 3-4 cookies on each sheet as they will spread. Using the back of a teaspoon, spread the dough to 5-6" in diameter, with even thickness. Batter should be very thin. Sprinkle with almonds after spreading. Bake for 10 minutes. They should be browned. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute. Run a knife under the cookies to release them and place them in a baguette mold or over a rolling pin to give them a curved shape. Be gentle with the cookies and work quickly, as they will harden fast. Store in an airtight container so they don't soften.
To serve:
Decorate the custard with flowers. Serve a large spoonful of the custard with some of the sauce and a lime tuile cookie.
Recipe courtesy of Alfred A. Knopf, ©2001 Jacques Pépin