FFWD: Spinach and Bacon Quiche

This is a winner of a quiche. So simple (yes, even the pastry..) and so delicious. There is nothing like the combination of fresh spinach and bacon. It's a match made in heaven and I never get tired of it.  I'm a big fan of breakfast dishes and will happily eat things like omelettes for dinner, so I was very excited to try this elegant and eggy treat.

FFWD: Bistrot Paul Bert Pepper Steak

This pepper steak was delicious. I'm a big pepper fan and I can still remember the first time I used freshly ground pepper to cook with. I was in my first apartment and cooking for myself. I had bought my very own salt and pepper set and I could not get over how aromatic that pepper was. I had no idea it could smell so fragrant or that it could be spicy. The powder in the spice rack I was used to was nothing like this.

FFWD: Quinoa, Fruit and Nut Salad

Would you believe me if I told you this was my very first attempt at making quinoa? I know! Where have I been the last, I don't know, five years? What's even worse is that I have had a box of quinoa in my cupboard for months. Maybe I was just waiting for the right recipe to come along before I jumped in. And was this ever a good recipe to start off with! I'm in love with quinoa and I regret having waited so long to try it.

French Fridays with Dorie: Salted Butter Break-Ups

 

Have you ever wondered what shortbread would be like if it was soft, instead of crispy? Well, this is it, in all of it's buttery, flaky glory. The middle is tender and melting, like a cookie and the edges are crisp and shattery like the best shortbread you've ever had. Because it came out of your oven and it's remarkably simple to put together.

French Fridays with Dorie: Savory Cheese and Chive Bread

Welcome back to French Fridays at FlavorSings. I've been absent from the group for a bit; I wasn't feeling inspired by the braised ribs, or the green beans. To be honest, I almost didn't make this recipe either. But I'm so glad I did. A quick bread didn't feel very French to me, and maybe I wanted more of a challenge--an adventure or a profound story to tell. There isn't one. This is as easy as it looks, but a thousand times more delicious than words could convey. This bread comes together like any coffee cake or banana bread you've made before. The big difference is the addition of olive oil, cheese and herbs to make a savory snack. I love how adaptable this can be to what you may have on hand. I used white cheddar and chives, but I'd like to try a Swiss and dill version of this, or maybe Parmesan and fresh basil when our garden gets started again. The texture is soft and moist and would show off any combination of flavors nicely.

Now that I think about it, sliced thinly, this bread might make an amazing grilled cheese sandwich. Because there is no such thing as too much cheese. A glass of white wine would be perfect with it, as would a bowl of soup. This bread is just waiting for ways to be used creatively. Don't forget to see how the other cooks over at French Fridays with Dorie did with their bread. I'm looking forward to seeing the variations and getting some fun ideas.

French Fridays with Dorie: Orange-Almond Tart

 

This tart embodies everything I love about French cooking; French pastries in particular. It has a buttery, flaky shortbread crust, a pastry-cream/frangipane-type filling using my favorite nut, the almond, and it showcases a simple fruit that takes center stage like it was born for it. I'm not sure mine would make the pastry shop window, but the flavor was incredible. The orange is unusual and that's why I love it so much. Anything a little bit different catches my eye and I have to try it.

FFWD: Speculoos

 

Spices are for the holidays. It's the time of year when we crave bold flavors and anything warm. These speculoos fit the bill perfectly. They're crunchy and have a blend of spices that will make you want just one more. I'm usually a soft, chewy cookie kind of girl, but I wouldn't want these little gems any other way than what they are: crisp and crunchy,while still having a melt-in-your-mouth quality that is seriously addictive.

FFWD: My Go-To Beef Daube

A snowy night calls for comfort food. Which is exactly what this is: the perfect winter meal. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for this dish. It snowed the entire day and I spent it chopping, browning and braising. Absolute heaven. This meal surprised me. I wasn't prepared for the depth of flavor to be had from a chunk of beef, some root vegetables, a bottle of red wine, and.... Grand Marnier? 

FFWD: Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Nuts

 

I have two words for you regarding this recipe: Double it. I'm in love with the simplicity of this recipe and by how much these resemble the cinnamon almonds that you find in the malls this time of year. This recipe is the perfect holiday snack: Quick to make and completely addicting.

French Fridays with Dorie: Caramel-Topped Semolina Cake

All the convenience of a bowl of cereal, all the elegance of a French dessert. Would you ever guess that this cake is made with Cream of Wheat? I never would have. This recipe is usually made with a box mix by the French; Dorie says that our Cream of Wheat cereal is a very close approximation. I have fond memories of winter mornings spent doctoring up bowls of porridge with a pinch of this, a dash of that     (mostly butter and sugar, and most importantly, salt). This tastes a lot like I remember, actually. The big difference is the caramel because the base is simply milk, cereal, egg, sugar and vanilla. Put them together and what do you get? A custard! Love. Love. Love.

FFWD: Roast Chicken for Les Paresseux

This week I roasted a chicken and it was easy. Because it was designed for lazy people (les paresseux).  There is a secret to this chicken; you can't see it in my pictures, but it's there and it's the real star of this dish. For me, anyway. Before you add the chicken, you put some bread on the bottom of the pan for the bird to rest on. The result will blow your mind. I've never tasted the essence of chicken before. I've never tasted anything so rich and so intensely chicken in my life. This is huge, really. It changed the way I will cook chicken from now on. There will always be bread underneath. I used a halved baguette and it was so caramelized at the end of the cooking time that I thought it was burned. But not quite, because it was so delicious I almost forgot to eat the rest of the meal. Oh yes, and the chicken was delicious as well, as were the vegetables that got basted and roasted in all the chicken fat.

This was another surprise and another gift from Dorie. Thank you so much for sharing this little secret. I'll never look at a chicken the same way again. Be sure to see what everyone else decided to cook this week over at French Fridays with Dorie.

French Fridays with Dorie: Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Flans

This month the FFWD bloggers get to choose what recipe to make week to week. I picked the flan this week and I can think of a couple of words to describe this little starter. Sophisticated and easy. I love a custard in any shape or form. I also am crazy about pumpkin and blue cheese and walnuts. Could there be any other combination that says "Autumn" more than those? Well, apart from pumpkin and cream cheese, of course. But I love a savory pumpkin just as much. I opted for the drizzle of maple syrup and a dollop of sour cream to finish it off. It was divine. Instead of making six of them, though, I only made two and put them in an oven-proof skillet filled halfway with water. The rest is waiting for me in the refrigerator, just because I wasn't having a dinner party that night. I might have tried to eat them all myself anyway, but now I can look forward to a luxurious little custard whenever I want. Delayed gratification. I could get used to that.

French Fridays with Dorie: Marie-Helene's Apple Cake

  

 

This is a French apple cake and it's the easiest cake I've ever made. Really. No mixer required. This is also about half apple, half cake, so it's kind of healthy. Sort of. Something about this dessert is so comforting, so simple - and yet so decadent. The interior is like a custard, chock full of apples and laced with rum and vanilla. Sure, it looks like dessert, but just between you and me....I ate most of it for breakfast the next day.

French Fridays with Dorie: Hachis Parmentier

It's time for another visit with French Fridays with Dorie. This week we made Hachis Parmentier, which is essentially a French shepherd's pie. I almost didn't make this. It didn't seem like it would taste like much. Just meat and potatoes? I wasn't inspired, I'll be honest. However, this is another winner and maybe the best example of approachable French food I've come across. The base is browned ground beef and sausage in a sauce with a hint of tomato. The topping is mashed potatoes, but potatoes elevated to a whole new level. It's so simple, yet full of flavor. This is comfort food at its best: easy to prepare and it has a big payoff. The man in your life will love you for it, I promise!

I read someone's response in the Problems and Questions post for this assignment that a Parmentier is a person who sings the praises of potatoes, or something like that. So this is a dish for potato lovers. It glorifies the humble potato and makes it ethereal. If for no other reason, I love the French for the way they love and respect food. The preparation for these mashed potatoes will be my go-to recipe for the fluffiest, creamiest, most flavorful potatoes ever. And the cheese on the top? Gilding the lily, my friends. It's browned Gruyere and Parmesan and it's a thing of beauty.

French Fridays with Dorie: Gerard's Mustard Tart

  

Welcome to my first installation of French Fridays with Dorie. This is an on-line cooking group that enables bloggers (or anyone with a camera and a kitchen) to cook the same recipes from the same book and compare notes and photos of the results. The book in question is Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan. It was just released last month and this is the first recipe I've made. I'm in love..