FFwD: Socca from Vieux Nice / Kichererbsenmehl Pfannkuchen

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is Socca, a chickpea flour pancake that is a specialty of Nice. It is also known as Farinata in Liguria, Italy. It is essentially a large pancake made from but a few ingredients such as chickpea flour, water, olive oil, a bit of salt and a healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper and sometimes, as is the case with a lot of Italian recipes and Dorie´s recipe, chopped rosemary.

Die French Fridays with Dorie-Gruppe bereitet heute Socca zu, eine Pfannkuchen Spezialität mit Kichererbsenmehl aus Nizza. In Ligurien kennt man Socca auch als Farinata. Socca ist ein Pfannkuchen mit nur einigen wenigen Zutaten wie Kichererbsenmehl, Wasser, Olivenöl, ein wenig Salz und etwas frisch gemahlenen Pfeffer und etwas frischem Rosmarin  - eine Zutat sowohl in Dorie´s als auch in vielen italienischen Rezepten..

The batter for the Socca is as quick and easy to put together as a pancake. The batter for the Socca should rest for about two hours or even overnight and it is baked in the oven, finished in a broiler and done in about 20 minutes. It can be served hot or warm, with toppings such as caramelized onions and oven roasted tomatoes or just a light drizzle of olive oil and some more freshly ground black pepper. Around here chickpea flour is sold in Middle Eastern and natural foods markets. So I bought two bags of chickpea flour and made two different large Soccas. The first one I made with the roasted chickpea flour from my favorite natural food store. When I prepared the batter, it thickened so quickly that I had to add more water to get the consistency right. The baked Socca had a real rustic appeal and a nice nutty taste.

Der Teig für den Socca ist einfach und genauso schnell gemacht wie jeder Pfannekuchenteig. Der Teig für den Socca sollte wenigstens zwei Stunden bei Zimmertemperatur stehen – er kann allerdings auch über Nacht ruhen. Der Socca wird erst im Ofen gebacken und dann für einige Minuten mit Oberhitze gebräunt und anschließend heiß oder warm serviert. Vor dem Servieren kann man den Socca mit ein wenig gutem Olivenöl beträufeln und mit frisch gemahlenem schwarzen Pfeffer verfeinern. Man kann ihn mit karamelisierten Zwiebeln oder im Ofen gerösteten Tomaten servieren. Kichererbsenmehl findet man in asiatischen Läden oder in Bio-Geschäften. Ich habe geröstetes Kichererbsenmehl im Bio Laden besorgt. Mit diesem Mehl brauchte ich mehr als eine Tasse Wasser, um die richtige Konsistenz für den Socca zu bekommen. Der gebackenen Socca sieht sehr schön rustikal aus und schmeckt wunderbar nussig.

The second Socca contained the regular chickpea flour from a Middle Eastern market, the batter was considerably less thick than the first, the color was lighter, it baked more like a pancake and tasted less nutty than the first.

Einen zweiten Socca habe ich mit dem Kichererbsenmehl aus dem Asiatischen Laden zubereitet. Der Teig war wesentlich heller und deutlich flüssiger und der fertige Socca hatte eher die Konsistenz eines Pfannekuchens und war weniger nussig als der erste Socca.

Preparing the Soccas was new to me and it was fun to learn a few things about chickpea flour and what it is used for, particularly since I had never used this type of flour before. Recipe for the Socca (Farinata)  Ingredients 1 cup chickpea flour  1 cup cool water 3 ½ tsp olive oil some salt  2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves some freshly ground black pepper Preparation Sift chickpea flour into a bowl, then add 1 cup water, whisking to eliminate lumps. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, salt and chopped rosemary. Cover, and let rest for about two hours, or as long as overnight . Batter should be about the consistency of heavy cream. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a well-seasoned or nonstick 12-inch pizza pan or cast-iron skillet in oven.  Pour 2 tablespoons oil into heated pan, and swirl to cover pan evenly.  Pour in batter, and bake for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until pancake is firm and edges set.  Heat broiler and place Socca a few inches away from broiler for a few minutes, just long enough to brown it spottily.  Cut it into wedges, and serve hot, or at room temperature. To see more Soccas from the French Fridays with Dorie group, please click here.

Socca zuzubereiten war interessant – ich habe das erste Mal Kichererbsenmehl verwendet und war angenehm überrascht. Rezept für Kichererbsenmehl Pfannkuchen (Farinata) Zutaten 1 Tasse Kichererbsenmehl 1 Tasse kaltes Wasser 3 ½ EL Olivenöl etwas Salz 2 TL fein gehacktes Rosmarin etwas frisch gemahlenen schwarzen Pfeffer Zubereitung Das Kichererbsenmehl mit dem Wasser verrühren. Dann 1 ½ El. Olivenöl, Salz und gehackten Rosmarin zugeben.  Abdecken, zirka zwei Stunden oder über Nacht ruhen lassen. Der Teig sollte ungefähr die Konsistenz von Sahne haben. Den Ofen auf 260 Grad Celsius vorheizen. Ein rundes Pizzablech oder eine Eisenpfanne in den Ofen stellen und ebenfalls vorheizen. Dann 2 El. Olivenöl in die heiße Form geben – das Öl sollte den gesamten Boden bedecken. Den Teig so einfüllen, dass der Boden bedeckt ist – dabei die Form so wenden, dass der Teig den gesamten Formboden bedeckt. Den Socca 5 bis 10 Minuten backen, der Teig sollte dabei fest werden. Oberhitze einschalten und den Socca einige Minuten unter die Heizschlange in den Ofen stellen – bis der Socca eine schöne Farbe hat, einige Stellen dürfen dabei ruhig dunkler werden. Den fertigen Socca in Stücke schneiden oder reißen und noch heiß oder lauwarm servieren – dabei mit ordentlich frisch gemahlenem Pfeffer genießen. Um die anderen Soccas der French Fridays with Dorie Gruppe anzuschauen, bitte hier klicken.

FFwD: Sablé Breton Galette with Berries

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group, is a French specialty from Brittany, namely Sablé Breton Galette with Berries.

This shortbread like butter cookie base has so few ingredients that you cannot get away with cutting corners, good quality butter and flour are essential, and plenty of them. Other than flour and butter, you will need some baking powder, fleur de sel and one large egg.  I made an effort to get farm fresh butter for these and substituted the regular white all purpose flour with artisanal spelt flour and I did add some homemade vanilla sugar to the dough as well.

Do make sure to treat the dough gently, chill it for a good three hours and bake the cookies for a good thirty minutes (since I used mini heart shaped fluted tart pans with removeable bottoms instead one large tart pan – these were done in less time than provided for in the recipe).

While the dough for the cookies is chilling, you can prepare the lovely lemon curd. Again, with plenty of quality ingredients such as farm fresh eggs, sugar, organic lemon juice, a bit of light corn syrup (I used maple syrup – no corn syrup to be found anywhere around here and I much prefer maple syrup anyways) and good fresh butter. You can speed up the chilling time by preparing an ice bath for the curd, that way, the curd will have settled and cooled by the time the cookie hearts bake and have had time to cool completely as well. Of course, you are free to make the lemon curd a day in advance, put it in a jar and place it in the fridge overnight. Spread some curd on the cooled cookie base and top the cookie hearts with seasonal fruits of your choice. Homemade lemon curd is quick and easy and so much more mouthwatering than the store bought variety. In addition to spreading the lemon curd on these delicious and buttery French treats, you will certainly find endless other fabulous uses for the curd, such as serving it with vanilla ice cream.

To keep up the French theme (and colors) of this wonderful recipe, I used blueberries and big fat blackberries – while the blackberry bushes in the garden do not bear ripe fruits yet, I did find some nice ones at the store – the tiny wood (wild) strawberries, however, are from our garden, they must be my favorite berries of all times. Whatever berries you use, try to use a medley of blue and red berries to make these Sablés stand out – blueberries, strawberries and blackberries or raspberries all work well.

This rich home baked treat was a real crowd pleaser and the shortbread like cookie hearts filled the kitchen with a wonderful buttery freshly baked smell. The cookie hearts taste dense and rich since they are made with such a generous amount of butter, that does not really come as a surprise. The butter also gives these cookies their melt-in-the-mouth texture. The cookies are pale golden brown in color and taste a bit nutty from the spelt flour (my latest food obsession) that I used. The lemon curd cuts nicely through the richness of the buttery dough and the fruits are just an utter summery delight as a topping.

If you are interested to take a look at how the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie Group interpreted this recipe, click here.

Sustainability and Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)

During the week of June 15th to 21st, 2013, the German Council for Sustainable Development  invites everyone to participate in the German Sustainability Action Week and to make a contribution towards sustainability. The objective of sustainability is to find a fair and even balance between the needs of the present-day generation and the prospects of future generations. The contributions that can be made are as varied as the participants and they take place all over the country.

Diese Woche (vom 15. Bis zum 21. Juni 2013) hat der Deutsche Rat für Nachhaltige Entwicklung dazu aufgerufen, bei der „Aktionswoche zur Nachhaltigkeit“ mitzumachen. Das Ziel der Nachhaltigkeit ist eine ausgewogene und gerechte Balance zwischen den Bedürfnissen der heutigen Generation und den Lebensperspektiven künftiger Generationen zu finden. Jeder kann mitmachen und die Aktionen die im ganzen Land stattfinden, sind genauso vielfältig wie die Teilnehmer selbst.

Schools and Universities might have a “green menu” this week at their cafeterias, there will be workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions and guided tours with respect to farming and healthy eating. There will be special cooking classes and presentations of how to re-use food stuffs and package materials and much more.

Einige Schulen und Universitäten haben diese Woche eine „grüne Menükarte“, es wird Workshops, Vorführungen, Ausstellungen und geführte Touren geben, bei denen über Landwirtschaft und gesundes Essen informiert wird. Es werden auch Kochkurse gegeben und andere Kurse, die über das Verwenden von verschieden Essensvorräten im Haushalt informieren. Und das sind nur einige wenige Beispiele der Aktionen in dieser Aktionswoche stattfinden werden.

Since this is a topic that concerns all of us, why not take out that wicker shopping basket or grab those cotton grocery bags and try to find a new local source of food this week, one that you have not tried before or make an extra effort to just shop locally this week for regional and seasonal produce. And why not prepare something wonderful for yourself, your family and friends using these local ingredients such as vegetables (there is still quite a bit of local rhubarb and asparagus available), fruits (local strawberries are abundant right now), honey (local spring harvest honey is available) and do not forget the eggs from a local chicken farm or wonderful flour from a local flour mill. It might only seem like a small contribution but it is certainly important.

Da Nachhaltigkeit uns alle angeht, warum schnappen Sie sich nicht den Einkaufskorb (aus Korb) oder Einkaufstaschen (aus Baumwolle) und versuchen, ein paar neue regionale Produkte ausfindig zu machen. Und warum nicht etwas Leckeres mit diesen regionalen Produkten für sich selbst, die Familie oder liebe Freunde kochen? Zur Zeit gibt es noch jede Menge regionalen Rhabarber oder Spargel, es gibt auch schon Erdbeeren vom Hof oder vom Feld. Auch vom Imker gibt es Honig und im Hofladen in ihrer Nähe Eier, Butter, Käse und Milch. Und dann nichts wie ran ans Backen oder Kochen mit den leckeren Produkten von hier! Das mag nichts besonders erscheinen, aber es ist ein wichtiger und gar nicht so kleiner Schritt auf dem Weg zu mehr Nachhaltigkeit.

These delicious and easy Swedish Cinnamon Buns will delight your family – I used artisanal flour from a local flour mill for these treats. I found the mill a few months ago and I adore the different kinds of flour they carry and love to use them in my baking, especially for my yeast doughs. The egg in the dough as well as the butter and the milk are from a farm that we visit once a week.

Diese leckeren und einfachen Schwedischen Zimtschnecken werden großen Anklang finden. Das Mehl für den Teig habe ich direkt in der Broicher Mühle in Wachtberg-Villip gekauft, Milch, Butter und das Ei kommen von einem Hofladen, den wir einmal die Woche besuchen. Vor allem beim Verarbeiten des Mehls merkt man (neben dem eigenen guten Gewissen) auch einen samtweichen Griff, hervorragende Eigenschaften beim Aufgehen und schließlich einen wunderbaren Geschmack.

Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar) - Schwedische Zimtschnecken Ingredients for the Yeast Dough 2 tsp instant yeast (I used "Seitenbacher" instant dry yeast) 50 grams fine (caster) sugar 60 grams unsalted butter (farm fresh if possible) 150 ml milk, scalded and cooled (farm fresh if possible) 1 egg (L) free range or organic ½ tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp freshly ground cardamom (I prefer to start with whole cardamom seeds and grind them using my mortar and pestle - the cardamom will be more flavorful that way - I used "Sonnentor", whole cardamom) 325 grams strong white flour (I used a “type 1050” from my local flour mill)

Zutaten für den Hefeteig 2 TL Hefe (Seitenbacher Trockenhefe) 50 Gramm feinster Zucker 60 Gramm Butter (vom Hof) 150 ml Milch, aufgekocht und abgekühlt (vom Hof) 1 Ei (L), Bio oder Freilandhaltung  ½ TL feines Meersalz 1 TL frisch gemörserter Kardamom (Sonnentor, Kardamom, ganz) 325 Gramm Mehl für Hefeteige („Type 1050“ von der Broicher Mühle)

Ingredients for the Filling 60 grams unsalted butter, room temperature (farm fresh if possible) 60 grams fine (caster) sugar 3 tsp ground cinnamon (I used "Sonnentor", organic mild cinnamon, type "Ceylon") Ingredients for the Garnish one portion of the whisked egg some pearl sugar Special Euipment needed paper bun cases (these are wider than regular muffin cases) Preparation of the Yeast Dough and the Filling Whisk the egg and divide in two. You need half for the dough, and half for the egg wash before baking. Set half the egg aside. Put the flour and butter into a bowl, and rub with your fingers until the butter has been incorporated.  Mix in the salt, sugar, cardamom and yeast.  In a separate bowl, combine the milk and the one portion of the whisked egg, then pour into the dry ingredients.  Stir with a spoon, then work with your hands until you have a smooth, stretchy, silky dough (at least 5 minutes).  Butter a bowl and place the dough inside, cover with a slightly dampened tea towel. Leave the dough in a warm draft free area for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Knock back and knead again for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle until the dough is about 1/2 cm thick.  Mix all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl until smooth. Spread the filling onto the rolled out dough, then roll up into a sausage.  Use a sharp knife to cut into about 16 slices. Lay each slice, cut face up, on a paper bun case. Cover with a slightly dampened tea towel and leave to rise for at least an hour or until doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 210 degrees Celsius. Take the remaining portion of the whisked egg and mix with a tablespoon of water.  Brush the buns with the egg wash and sprinkle with pearl sugar.  Bake the buns for about 10 minutes until golden.

Zutaten für die Füllung 60 Gramm Butter (vom Hof) 60 Gramm feinster Zucker 3 TL gemahlener Zimt (Sonnentor Zimt, mild, Sorte Ceylon, Bio) Zutaten für den Belag ein wenig Ei etwas Hagelzucker Außerdem Papierförmchen für Zimtschnecken (sind breiter als Muffin Papierbackförmchen) Zubereitung des Hefeteigs und der Füllung Das Ei verquirlen und teilen. Eine Hälfte braucht man für den Teig, die andere Hälfte fürs Bestreichen der Schnecken. Das Mehl zusammen mit der Butter in eine Schüssel geben und mit den Fingern kneten. Das Salz, den Zucker, Kardamom und Hefe hineingeben. In einer anderen Schüssel die Milch mit dem restlichen Ei verquirlen und zu der Mehlmischung geben. Erst mit einem Holzlöffel, dann mit den Händen so lange rühren und kneten bis ein weicher, homogener Teig entsteht. Das dauert ungefähr fünf Minuten. Eine Schüssel mit Butter einreiben und den Hefeteig hinein geben. Mit einem feuchten Küchentuch abdecken. Den Teig zugedeckt an einem warmen Ort ca. 1 Stunde gehen lassen (bis der Teig sich verdoppelt hat). Den Teig mit den Händen kurz durchkneten (ungefähr 2 bis 3 Minuten). Dann den Teig auf einer bemehlten Arbeitsfläche ausrollen (soll zirka ½ cm dick sein). Die Zutaten für die Füllung zusammen mischen. Die Füllung gleichmäßig auf den Teig streichen und den Teig von der Längsseite aufrollen . Mit einem scharfen Messer in 16 Scheiben schneiden. Schnecken auf Backförmchen legen, Teigenden festdrücken und nochmals etwas flach drücken. Mit einem feuchten Küchentuch bedecken und nochmals gehen lassen bis sich die Schnecken verdoppelt haben (das dauert ungefähr eine Stunde). Den Ofen auf 210 Grad Celsius vorheizen. Das restliche Ei mit einem Esslöffel Wasser mischen. Die gegangenen Schnecken damit einstreichen und mit ein wenig Hagelzucker bestreuen. Die Zimtschnecken für zirka 10 Minuten backen. Lauwarm servieren.

This is a  recipe for a classic Swedish pastry, with a hint of cardamom and lots of cinnamon but you could also leave out the cardamom in the yeast dough and replace it with pure vanilla sugar. Or you could replace the cinnamon sugar mixture in the filling with cardamom. These buns are simply fabulous and are always a huge success with everyone. They are particularly delicious while still warm and even more delightful with a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. What a better way to participate in the Sustainability Action Week this week than to bake up some of these Swedish Cinnamon Buns using some ingredients from local sources. It is a good start to think and act with sustainability in mind! For more information about the German Council on Sustainability and the Action Week, you can consult their website http://www.nachhaltigkeitsrat.de/en/home/ Broicher mill in Wachtberg-Villip: http://www.muehle-bedorf.de/muehle/index.html

Dies ist ein Rezept für ein klassisches schwedisches Gebäck mit ein wenig Kardamom und viel Zimt. Aber das Rezept kann variiert werden, z. B. kann das Kardamom im Hefeteig durch Vanillezucker (am besten selbst gemacht) ersetzt oder der Zimtzucker in der Füllung wiederum durch etwas Kardamom ersetzt werden. Wie auch immer Sie diese Zimtschnecken an Ihren Geschmack anpassen, oder einfach da Rezept so backen wie es ist, sie kommen immer gut an und schmecken besonders gut mit einer Tasse Tee, Kaffee oder heißer Schokolade. Warum also nicht mit regionalen Produkten backen oder kochen – das ist natürlich nur ein Weg sich an der Aktionswoche für Nachhaltigkeit zu beteiligen. Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitsrats: http://www.nachhaltigkeitsrat.de/en/home/ Broicher Mühle in Wachtberg-Villip: http://www.muehle-bedorf.de/muehle/index.html

FFwD: Back-of-the-Card Wild Herb Bread & Daisy Butter

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is a Back-of-the-Card Cheese and Olive Bread – in my case this would be called a Back-of-the-Card Wild Herb Bread with Daisy Butter. There are times when you need bread in a hurry, and this week's recipe for this easy quick bread will help you rise to the challenge.

The original recipe for this bread was printed on a recipe card produced by the Comté cheese makers. Comté is a well-known French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. This cheese has a pale creamy yellow color,  a relatively hard texture, and  a mild and slightly  nutty and sweet taste. Comté cheese is part of the ingredients for today´s quick bread. The other ingredients listed in the recipe are two other cheeses such as Gruyère or Swiss (I went with Comté only), AP (plain) flour, a good amount of baking powder, fine salt, eggs, milk, tapenade or pesto (I used homemade wild herb pesto), chopped black olives (I went with 100 grams of wild herbs) and the grated zest of one organic lemon.

We are great fans of slow food, and our usual yeast based breads are a case in point. They are wonderful with their big, uneven bubbles, stretchy crumb and golden crust that is both crisp and chewy at the same time. But there are times when instant, or relatively instant, gratification is called for. Thank goodness, then, for quick bread recipes such as this one. This easy recipe is just right for when you want bread in a hurry. It is ready and can be enjoyed in less than an hour, it requires no yeast and therefore no rising time, no kneading and no waiting. The finished bread is dense, hearty and complex-tasting

You can make many variations to this bread for any occasion or according to what you have on hand, what your taste preferences are or what the season has to offer – such as the lovely wild herbs that I used. These herbs are picked early in the morning, shipped off the same day and should be used as soon as they reach your doorstep – which is what I did. I used part of them to make a wild herb pesto to be included in the batter instead of the tapenade and the rest of the wild herbs I chopped up and added them to the dough instead of the chopped olives.

We like these quick bread best fresh from the oven and with lots of butter. And to us this nice wild herb variation of the back-of-the-card bread recipe, called for an equally delicious and somewhat unusual butter. So, I was happy to oblige and prepared a daisy butter – nothing nicer than getting the kids involved in some daisy picking in our garden.

Remember that baking powder breads tend to stale relatively quickly and should be eaten soon after baking. But with the variations that I made to the recipe or rather the additions that I made, that did not seem to be a great burden – we enjoyed a simple homemade chicken noodle soup with this bread and the accompanying butter and everyone seemed to be quite happy with this delicious and colorful combination.

If you are interested in the back-of-the-card breads that the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group quickly baked, please do click here.

Have a wonderful weekend! - Bon week-end! – Bonne fin de semaine! – Ein schönes Wochenende!

Spring Carrot Quiche - Frühlingsmöhren Quiche

Delicate spring carrots star in this versatile quiche but other lightly cooked seasonal vegetables (such as asparagus or peas) could be substituted with equal success. This savory quiche is a real treat for brunches, summer lunches and picnics. A quiche is essentially a rich baked custard, encased in crisp savory pastry.

Zarte Frühlingsmöhrchen sind die Stars dieser wundervollen Quiche, aber andere kurz gedämpfte saisonale Gemüsearten wie zum Beispiel Spargel oder Erbsen könnten auch für diese Quiche verwendet werden und wären sicherlich ebenso lecker. Diese leckere Quiche ist genau das Richtige als Brunch, Mittagessen oder für ein Picknick.

Spring Carrot Quiche (as inspired by Essen&Trinken) Ingredients for the Pâte brisée (shortcrust pastry) 300 grams AP (plain) flour ½ tsp fine sea salt 160 grams unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 1 egg (M), free range or organic  2-3 tbsp ice water

Frühlingsmöhren Quiche (inspiriert von Essen&Trinken) Zutaten für den Mürbteig 300 g Weizenmehl, Type 405 0,5 Tl feines Meersalz 160 g ungesalzene Butter, kalt und in Würfel geschnitten 1 Ei (Kl. M), Freilandhaltung oder Bio 2-3 EL Eiswasser

Ingredients for the Filling 850 grams spring carrots 60 grams black Kalamata olives, pitted 20 grams freshly grated ginger 200 ml half and half 100 gram crème fraîche 2 tbsp curry powder (choose a mild curry powder) 5 eggs (M), free range or organic chopped Italian parsley (about 2 tbsp) a good pinch of sea salt some freshly ground black pepper* some butter for greasing the tart pan parchment paper and pie weights (baking beans) for blind baking the quiche

Zutaten für den Belag 850 g Frühlingsmöhren 60 g schwarze Kalamata Oliven, entsteint 20 g frisch geriebener Ingwer 200 ml Schlagsahne 100 g Crème fraîche 2 El Currypulver (nehmen sie ein mildes Currypulver) 5 Eier (Kl. M), Freilandhaltung oder Bio etwas gehackte grossblättrige Petersilie (zirka 2 El) eine ordentliche Prise Meersalz etwas frisch gemahlenen schwarzen Pfeffer* etwas Butter für die Tarte-Form Backpapier und Hülsenfrüchte zum Blindbacken

Preparation of the Pâte brisée (shortcrust pastry) Place the flour and salt on your work surface.  Add the cubed butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Try to work quickly so that it does not become greasy. Mix the egg and add it to the flour mixture and mix some more. Add about 2-3 tbsp ice water and mix just until the dough holds together.. Wrap the dough in a sheet of plastic wrap (clingfilm) and refrigerate at least one hour before using.

Zubereitung des Mürbeteigs Das Mehl auf die Arbeitsfläche häufen und mit Salz bestreuen.  Die Butter Würfel dazugeben und mit den Fingerspitzen in das Mehl kneten bis die Mischung sich wie grobes Paniermehl anfühlt und keine großen Stücke Butter mehr zu sehen sind. Das sollte so schnell wie möglich gemacht werden, damit die Butter nicht zu warm wird. Das Ei leicht verquirlen, zugeben und mit dem Mehl verkneten.  2-3 El eiskaltes Wasser dazugeben und alles rasch zu einem glatten Teig verkneten.  Den Teig in Klarsichtfolie wickeln und mindestens eine Stunde kalt stellen.

Preparation of the Filling Clean the spring carrots and cook in salted water for about five to six minutes until they are just tender, drain and let cool. Cut all of the carrots lengthwise, put seven carrots aside and cut the remaining carrots into small pieces. Wash the black olives in cold water, dry, remove the pits and cut them into small pieces. For the egg mixture, whisk together the ginger, half and half, crème fraîche, curry powder, eggs, chopped parsley, a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.

Zubereitung des Belags Die Frühlingsmöhren putzen und in reichlich kochendem Salzwasser 5-6 Minuten bissfest garen, abschrecken und abtropfen lassen.  Alle Möhren der Länge nach halbieren, dabei sieben Möhrenhälften beiseite stellen, den Rest in 1/2 cm breite Stücke schneiden.  Oliven kalt abspülen und das Fruchtfleisch in Spalten vom Stein schneiden.  Für die Eiermilch den Ingwer, Sahne, Crème fraîche, Currypulver, Eier, gehackte Petersilie, eine Prise Salz und frisch gemahlenen schwarzen Pfeffer glatt rühren.

Putting together the Quiche Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a 26 cm tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll out the chilled dough and transfer to the tart pan. Trim off any excess pastry from the edges with a sharp knife Place a sheet of parchment paper on the dough and fill with pie weights (baking beans).  Blind bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the pie weights and the parchment paper. If necessary, return it to the oven for a further five minutes to cook the bottom of the pastry base. Leave the pastry to cool. Distribute the small carrot pieces and the olives evenly over the pre-baked pastry shell. Arrange the long carrot pieces in a nice pattern atop the small carrot pieces and the olives. Stir the egg mixture one more time and carefully pour it over the vegetables. Place the quiche on a cookie sheet that you previously covered with a sheet of parchment paper. Bake the quiche for a good 50 to 55 minutes or until the filling is just set. Transfer the baked quiche to a cooling rack and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Leave to cool for a few minutes then cut into wedges and serve.

Fertigstellung der Quiche Den Ofen auf 180 Grad vorheizen. Eine Tarte Form mit herausnehmbarem Boden (26 cm Ø) dünn mit Butter einfetten.  Den gekühlten Mürbeteig 3-4 mm dünn ausrollen und die Form damit auslegen. Dabei den Rand gut andrücken und überstehenden Teig abschneiden.  Den Teig mit Backpapier bedecken, mit Hülsenfrüchten auffüllen. Im vorgeheizten Ofen bei 180 Grad  auf der untersten Schiene 15-20 Minuten blindbacken.  Backpapier mit den Hülsenfrüchten entfernen. Falls nötig kann der Boden noch weitere fünf Minuten nackgebacken werden. Den Boden abkühlen lassen. Die klein geschnittenen Möhren und Olivenspalten auf dem Teig verteilen.  Die langen Möhrenhälften eventuell etwas kürzen und strahlenförmig darauf verteilen.  Eiermilch nochmals durchrühren und vorsichtig über die Möhren gießen.  Die Quiche auf ein Backblech platzieren, dass zuvor mit Backpapier ausgelegt wurde. Die Quiche im vorgeheizten Ofen bei 180 Grad auf der untersten Schiene 50-55 Minuten backen oder solange backen bis die Eiermilch "gestockt" ist. Gebackene Quiche auf dem Rost etwas abkühlen lassen.Dann warm servieren.

There are few dishes more impressive than a proper quiche, with crisp, flaky pastry and creamy, just-set filling.and studded with fresh, tender spring vegetables or other delicious seasonal veggies and herbs.

Es gibt wenige Rezepte die so gut ankommen wie eine gute Quiche mit einem leckeren Mürbeteig Boden und einem wundervollen cremigen Belag mit frischen Frühlingsgemüsen und verschiedenen Kräutern.

One of the nice things about a quiche is that you can add pretty much any ingredient you happen to have lying around, personally, I also like additions such as cheese or leek, spinach, onion, or flaked salmon. But when choosing different additions make sure that whatever it is you are adding, it will not leak any water into the filling. This means sautéeing onions, leeks and bacon, and blanching and squeezing out leafy vegetables such as spinach. And do remember that refrigeration of the baked quiche will spoil the pastry, so enjoy your quiche as quickly as possible.

Das Praktische an einer Quiche ist, dass man fast alles was man noch so vorrätig hat, in der Füllung verarbeiten kann, mir schmecken auch Zutaten wie Käse, Porree, Spinat, Zwiebeln oder Lachs in einer Quiche, Hauptsache die gewählten Zutaten verwässern nicht die Füllung. Also sollten Zwiebeln, Porree und Speck vorher sautiert werden und Gemüse wie Spinat sollte nicht nur vorgegart aber auch gut ausgedrückt werden bevor diese Zutaten in die Füllung gegeben werden. Man sollte auch darauf achten die fertig gebackene Quiche nicht im Kühlschrank aufzubewahren, da der Teig dann feucht wird - also, so schnell wie möglich genießen!

Everyone loves a quiche and this versatile and elegant French-style Spring Carrot Quiche works as a fantastic brunch or lunch recipe, or can be served as a fabulous summer supper with or without a crunchy green side salad. The young carrots are sweet and tender, the custard is light yet creamy and the chopped parsley adds just the right touch of freshness and color! Source: black kampot pepper  from  "Hennes´ Finest" in Cologne, Germany, can be ordered online at http://www.hennesfinest.com/de/schwarzer-pfeffer.html

Jeder scheint Quiche zu mögen und diese wandlungsfähige und elegante Frühlingsmöhren Quiche kann wunderbar zum Brunch oder Mittagessen oder sogar zum Abendessen serviert werden, mit oder ohne einen grünen Salat. Die jungen Möhren schmecken angenehm süß, die Füllung ist cremig aber leicht und die gehackte Petersilie bringt noch Frische mit! Bezugsquelle: schwarzer Kampot Pfeffer von "Hennes´ Finest" in Köln, online zu beziehen über http://www.hennesfinest.com/de/schwarzer-pfeffer.html

Swedish Apple Cake to celebrate the Royal Wedding in Sweden

Today marks the wedding of the Swedish  Princess Madeleine, the youngest of the three children of  King Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia, to American businessman Christopher O`Neill in the City of Stockholm, Sweden. Today´s wedding is the second royal wedding for the Swedish nation in three years following Crown Princess Victoria´s wedding to Prince Daniel in June 2010.

Heute heiratet in Stockholm, Schweden, die schwedische Prinzessin Madeleine den amerikanischen Geschäftsmann Christopher O`Neill. Prinzessin Madeleine ist das jüngste der drei Kinder von König Carl Gustaf und Königin Silvia. Die heutige Hochzeit ist die zweite Hochzeit im schwedischen Königshaus in den letzten drei Jahren. 2010 heiratete Kronprinzessin Victoria Prinz Daniel.

What better way to celebrate this wonderful occasion by following the wedding on television and enjoying a steaming cup of coffee* and a slice of  this delicious and moist Swedish Apple Cake with sour cream, cinnamon and slivered almonds. And why not garnish the finished and cooled cake with tiny blue and yellow Swedish flags, take out that traditional blue and white chinaware and pick some fresh flowers from the garden. Or maybe read a book or two by world famous Swedish children´s author Astrid Lindgren with your kids! *The Nordic countries in general put the rest of the world to shame when it comes to coffee consumption and obsession, the average person in chilly Northern Europe consumes 20 pounds of coffee each year, and the Finns up the ante even further with a per-person average of 28 pounds. Some of the world's best baristas and most innovative ideas come from Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland and the Swedsh "fika" or "coffee break" is even protected by law.

Während  man die Hochzeit im Fernsehen verfolgt, gibt es doch eigentlich nichts besseres, als dabei eine Tasse Kaffee* zu trinken und ein Stück schwedischen Apfelkuchen mit saurer Sahne, Zimt und Mandelblättern zu genießen. Und ein bisschen geschmückt, mit kleinen schwedischen Flaggen und bunten Blümchen frisch gepflückt aus dem eigenen Garten, darf der Kuchen ruhig sein. Dann darf natürlich auch nicht das blau weiße traditionelle Kaffeeservice auf der Tafel fehlen. Oder man liest einfach mit seinen Kindern ein Buch der weltbekannten Kinderbuchauthorin Astrid Lindgren! * Die skandinavischen Länder sind absolute Welmeister im Kaffee trinken, der durchschnittliche  Skandinavier konsumiert zirka 20 Pfund Kaffee im Jahr und die Finnen sogar 28 Pfund. Einige der weltbesten Baristas und innovativsten Ideen kommen aus Norwegen, Dänemark, Finnland und Schweden und die schwedische "fika" oder Kaffeepause is sogar gesetzlich geschützt!

Congratulations to the very happy couple! Grattis till bröllopet!

Wir gratulieren dem glücklichen Paar ganz herzlich!  Grattis till bröllopet!

FFwD: Goat Cheese and Raspberry Tartine

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie Group is Goat Cheese and Strawberry Tartine – I opted for a Raspberry version.

A tartine is traditionally an open-faced sandwich, but today the term tartine is often used to describe any French sandwich preparation. There are countless variations of tartine recipes using different meat, cheese, fruit, vegetables, and herbs.

You would think that preparing an appetizer as simple and as rustic as this tartine would be easy, but still there were so many decisions…

First, there was the bread. The bread for the tartine can be bought ready-made or be homemade. Although Dorie opts for baguette as the bread base for her tartine, she mentions that thinly sliced pumpernickel would be nice – I opted for a dark rye bread with hazelnuts which is very similar to but has a slightly more subtle taste than pumpernickel. This dark rye bread which you can find at specialist bakeries or markets around here is certainly more interesting to us than the usual go to baguette.

Onto the cheese. Once the question of the bread question was settled – it is never easy to decide which bread to buy in this bread loving country - it was time to decide which cheese to use. The goat cheese I chose is a nice soft farmers´goat cheese that I bought at a country fair the other day – it just does not get more local than that.

Then onto the condiments. I opted for a delicious pepper called “pepper deluxe”, this is a crushed black highland pepper that grows in Sri Lanka and is fermented with salt. We tasted it for the first time a few weeks back, it is fabulous and it adds a distict but well-balanced spiciness and subtly saltiness to a number of dishes, including sandwiches - perfect for these tartines.

As far as the strawberries are concerned, I opted for raspberries instead – in my humble opinion, there is no fruit that tastes better with goat cheese than raspberries, simple as that, so, that´s what I used.

And last but not least the optional aged balsamic vinegar. I used a raspberry balsamic vinegar that harmonized with the fresh raspberries, not too sweet, not too overpowering. Pure bliss!

These tartines with a delicious twist seemed perfect as an appetizer. If your sandwiches or tartines are somewhat lacking in inspiration or if you are looking to brighten up your lunch or dinner or to make afternoon tea more substantial, this delicious tartine is for you. Take any variety of bread that you like, get good spreadable goat cheese(preferably from a goat farmer and cheese maker you know), top with fresh summer fruit, add a bit of pepper or salt to taste and maybe some aged balsamic vinegar (why not white balsamic vingar), maybe some herbs such as fresh chives, et voilà, you will be equally as delighted with this recipe as we were.

Once you have decided on the different delicious elements of these tartines, they take no time to make and are certainly worth trying.

Who would have thought that a recipe as simple as this would be so wonderful. Again, with so few elements, this was all about the quality of the ingredients used! Of course, the better the ingredients used, the more delicious tasting your tartines will be!

To see all the other individual interpretations of the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group, please click here.

Bon week-end! Bonne fin de semaine!

TwD: Savarins with Rhubarb & Elderflower Compote

Today´s recipe for the Tuesdays with Dorie group is Savarin. The recipe for this French classic from the Lorraine region. was provided by contributing baker David Blom.

I never made a Savarin until tempted by a ring mold in my favorite kitchen supply store last year. This was a cake pan I have always wanted to own, and Savarin, the rich, yeast-leavened dough, baked until golden and then soaked in syrup, is one of those simple French creations that endures. Although we really liked the look of a larger Savarin, I also bought smaller Savarin molds to be able to make individual Savarins, as typically French Savarins are made in individual servings.

For this recipe and to bake small individual servings, you will need  small Savarin molds or so-called Baba molds. Alternatively, you could use any other small Bundt molds.

In order to bake a Savarin, you will have to prepare a classic Baba dough sans the raisins, by mixing together water, yeast, sugar, an egg, flour and unsalted butter, then leave to rise for about 20 minutes in a warm, draught-free place. You butter the individual Savarin molds, and spoon the dough into the molds – they should be three-quarters full. Leave the Savarins in a draught-free spot to prove.a second time. When the dough has come up to the rim of the molds, you bake them for 15 minutes until puffed, crisp and golden.

While the dough is rising, you prepare your soaking syrup. The syrup can be made just with sugar and water, as this recipe calls for, but you can also prepare it with citrus fruit, or you can try it with other flavors, such as jasmine tea, orange flower water or syrup flavored with liqueur. I prepared and Elderflower Soaking Syrup (Holunderblütensirup) and used the juice of one blood orange, sugar, water and freshly picked elderflower blossoms from our garden. I boiled the liquids until they have reached syrup consistency and then strained the syrup.

When the Savarins are fully baked, turn them out onto a cooling rack, let cool, then place them over a baking sheet and brush them liberally with the Elderflower Soaking Syrup or let them soak in the syrup.

For the Rhubarb and Elderflower Compote to be served alongside the Savarins, you will need to gently simmer fresh rhubarb, lemon juice, a bit of sugar (to taste) and fresh elderflower blossoms, until the compote has the consistency that you like, then cool the mixture.

Once the Savarins have absorbed the Elderflower Soaking Syrup, you can brush them with pear brandy (as in the recipe) or you can use an Elderflower Liquor (Holunderblütenlikör) for a light summery taste and to complement the Elderflower theme in the soaking syrup as

Serve your Savarins with vanilla ice cream, freshly whipped cream or crème fraîche mixed with a bit of powdered sugar…

… and fresh fruit or a fresh fruit compote, such as the rhubarb compote, making a lovely dessert from simple ingredients…

…and do not forget to garnish with fresh elderflowers from your garden.and impress your guests with this fabulous French syrup-and liquor-soaked, retro classic.

To see all the individual interpretations of the other members of the Tuesdays with Dorie group, please click here.