EGGS WITH ASIAN-STYLE GALANGAL & RHUBARB VINAIGRETTE

After having gobbled many chocolate rabbits, Easter pralines and sugar eggs for the last 6 weeks (This year, my boyfriend's Grischun parents literally spoilt us rotten, although we are far from being children anymore!), I am now getting slightly over-saturated with all things sugary. At the moment, my interest is rather focused on eating in a more balanced way and testing new savory recipes with all the marvelous spring vegetables that are inundating the market stalls...

The truth is that even if I can go totally beserker over cookies, cakes, chocolates and any creamy, sticky, gooey, rich and luscious dessert, I have a really soft spot for salty foods too. Despite the fact that my blog tends to showcase more baked goodies than savory starters, main courses or snacks, it is not meant to be exclusively in that way. A good homemade pizza can drive me as crazy as an ambrosial cheesecake. I refuse to support one camp to the detriment of the other as I am a fervent partisan of both sides. I need to entertain a yin-yang relationship between both worlds, because a lack of contrast and change in my menu plan would bore the socks off me.

Generally, I cook dishes worthy of blogging about during the weekend as my budget is very tight and I cannot permit myself to prepare Sunday dinners every single day of the week. Of course, it doesn't mean that my weekly culinary concoctions are insipid, austere or monotonous and would not deserve to be put under the spotlight (all the contrary). They are just a lot simpler, humbler and less luxurious/glamorous (no meat, fish and a lot of veggies) than my Friday or Saturday evening meals.

Not forgetting that, during the weekend, the conditions are never optimal to take pictures of my creations, since we usually eat late in the evening when it's dark and there's no natural light. Besides, I rarely have the power to interrupt our romantic repast in order to take pictures for hours while everything is getting cold on the plate, and my exasperated boyfriend is yammering and getting extremely impatient. I am a way too finicky person to do things in a haste, with somebody breathing down my neck and not such a talented photographer to obtain the desired cliché by only taking a few quick shots.

Anyway, lately, I have been dying to show you the spicy side of my personality. It is for that reason I am trying to remedy to this situation by posting recipes that don't contain sucrose - or at least in very small quantities only...

I would be a liar if I told you that I don't enjoy stuffing myself with hyper-calorific goodies, yet I am a food lover who nonetheless tries to control her diet and always make sure that it is well-balanced. My Monday through Thursday meals are mostly vegetarian and light, thus this gives me the opportunity to devour "dirty" treats in the evening while watching a movie or one of my favorite series. In any case, those aren't even that bad for me as I never buy anything that is industrial or full of additives and make everything myself with quality ingredients.

So, in order to show you how I eat on a daily basis, and since the weather has been very summery lately and I have been craving sunny as well as healthy dishes, I thought that it would be a great idea to invent an unconvential, unpresumptuous and easy everyday egg "salad" with the ingredients stocked in my well-garnished fridge and Ali Baba's cave-like pantry. There, I found all the ingredients I needed to create something funky and out of the ordinary: some eggs bought at the farmers' market, a leftover rhubarb stalk, galangal, red onions, a bunch of fresh coriander, fruity olive oil and all kinds of useful seasonings (balsamic vinegar, sambal oelek, soy sauce, mustard, grey sea salt and whole black pepper - perfect for putting an original vinaigrette together).

This Far East-inspired main course turned out just as I had imagined it to be. The happy combination of round, musky, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, exotic and heady flavors was amazing and my tastebuds saw fireworks. My "Eggs With Asian-Style Rhubarb Vinaigrette" tasted very fresh, refined and was delightfully aromatic. A fantastic gustative experience!

For those of you who are not familiar with galangal, it is a big pleasure for me to introduce you to this wonderfully versatile and characterful produce. It would be awesome if thanks to me, this ingredient would enter your kitchen and become a precious cooking ally. That would prove that I do my blogger "job" correctly and that my site is informative/has a purpose...

"Galangal" (aka "Greater Galangal", "Thai Ginger" or "Blue Ginger") is a rhizome of a plant in the ginger family which is native to the grasslands areas of Indonesia. It has many culinary as well as medicinal uses and is cultivated in China and the whole of Southeast Asia as well in hotter regions of California and Florida. Two different varieties exist: one is known as "greater galanga" and the other, "lesser galangal". The first is larger in size, lighter in color and subtler in aroma than the second which is hotter than ginger and has an underlying "earthy" flavor.

According to research, galangal it is an antibacterial and helps fight against fungal infections (for ex. candidiasis in the intestinal tract). It has been employed for centuries as medicine as it has always been known for reducing cramping and numbness, being a digestive stimulant (laxative), healing bruises and swelling, treating respiratory ailments (tuberculosis) and skin diseases (eczema), removing toxins from the body (blood purifier), having warming properties, settling an upset stomach (indigestion, stomachache and diarrhea), easing nausea, curbing flatulence and combating tuberculosis, eczema, hiccups, canker sores, oral ulcers and gum pains. Apparently, it is also believed to be a stimulant, a tonic, an aprhodisiac and a mild hallucinogenic...

Over a thousand years ago, it was introduced into Europe by Arabian physicians and became very popular in our latitudes during the Middle Ages. For some unknown reason, it disappeared from European culinary and medical scenes as it seems it fell out of vogue, along with other spices, when milder foods became the order of the day in the 18th century.

Cooks also love to prepare fragrant dishes (curries, dipping sauces, salads, soups, etc...) with this citrusy, sharp, sweet, peppery, piney, earthy, cedary, "soapy" and delicate tasting herb. Galangal masks the fishiness of seafoods and the heaviness of red meats, thereby making them taste cleaner, more delicate and succulent. Before being incorporated into a dish, this seasoning ingredient is either crushed, finely chopped or cut into matchstick-like strips. As galangal is very dense and hard, you'd better make sure to have a sharp knife at hand, otherwise you'll have difficulties cutting through its tough flesh. In Asian supermarkets, you can either buy it fresh or dry (in the form of powder having a pronounced musky and rooty flavor unlike the sharp bite of the fresh root).

An incredibly interesting rhizome which, I hope, will seduce and enchant you!

For more recipes containing galangal, please check the following posts: "Thai Yellow Curry", "Thai Massaman Curry" and "Indonesian/Malaysian Fish Rendang".

This post was submitted to Ivy at "Kopiaste...To Greek Hospitality" who is hosting Creative Concoctions #4 – Cooking with Olive Oil.

~ Eggs With Asian-Style Galangal & RhubarbVinaigrette ~
Recipe by Rosa Mayland @Rosa's Yummy Yums, May 2011.

Serves 4.

Ingredients :
8 Hard boiled eggs, shelled
90g Rhubarb
1 Tsp Mild mustard
2 Tbs Sweet soy sauce (ex. Kikkoman)
2 Tbs Dark balsamic oil
6 Tbs Virgin olive oil
1/3 Tsp Sambal oelek
3 Tsps Fresh galangal root, finely chopped
1 Small Red onion, finely chopped
1/2 Bunch Fresh coriander (+ more for decorating), chopped
Fine Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Cut the hard boiled eggs into thin slices and place them on 2 plates (in an overlapping manner) or coarsely chop the eggs (if you serve this salad in verrines).
2. Cut the rhubarb into very small dice.
3. Mix together the mustard, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, oil, rhubarb, sambal oelek, galangal, onion, coriander, salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle the salsa over the eggs or mix the vinaigrette together with the chopped eggs and serve in verrines.
5. Let rest for about 20 minutes, then decorate with coriander and serve.

Remarks:
You can replace the galangal by chopped lemongrass or finely diced ginger.
Finely chopped garlic can be added to the vinaigrette.

Serving suggestions:
Serve that dish as a starter or serve as a main course, accompanied with cold soba noodles, glass/mung bean noodles (both seasoned with sweet soy sauce and sesame oil), boiled potatoes or sourdough bread.
Pair with a good Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürtzraminer, Chasselas or Petite Arvine.

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~ Oeufs Et Sa Vinaigrette Asiatisante Au Galangal & A La Rhubarbe ~
Recette par Rosa Mayland @Rosa's Yummy Yums, mai 2011.

Pour 4 personnes.

Ingrédients :
8 Oeufs durs, pelés
90g de rhubarbe crue
1 CC de Moutarde douce
2 CS de Sauce soya douce (par ex. Kikkoman)
2 CS de Vinaigre balsamique foncé
6 CS d'Huile d'olive vierge
1/3 CC de Sambal Oelek
3 CS de Galangal frais, finement haché
1 Petit Onion rouge, finement haché
1/2 Bouquet de Coriandre fraîche (+ un brin de plus pour décorer), hachée
Sel de mer fin, à volonté
Poivre noir, à volonté

Méthode:
1. Couper les oeufs durs en tranches, puis dresser en écailles sur 2 assiettes ou les hacher grossièrement et les mettre dans un saladier (pour les verrines).
2. Couper la rhubarbe en très petits dés.
3. Mélanger la moutarde, la sauce soya, le vinaigre, l'huile, le sambal oelek, la rhubarb, le galangal, l'oignon, la coriandre, le sel et le poivre.
4. Verser cette préparation sur les oeufs et laisser reposer 20 minutes (mettre dans les verrines si vous ne les présentez pas coupés en tranches, sur une assiette).
5. Servir en parsemant de coriandre.

Remarques:
Vous pouvez remplacer le galangal par du lemongrass ou du gingembre hachés finement.
Un peu d'ail haché peut être ajouter à la vinaigrette.

Idées de présentation:
Servir cette salade comme entrée ou comme plat principal avec des nouilles soba ou des vermicelles transparentes froides (assaisonner les deux avec de la sauce soya et de l'huile de sésame), des pommes de terres à l'eau ou du pain au levain.
Accompagner d'un bon Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürtzraminer, Chasselas ou d'une Petite Arvine.

GINGER RHUBARB MUFFINS

Rhubarb being one of my favorite dessert items in spring, it try to use it as much as possible as long as it is still in season. There is not one week that goes by without us eating a wonderful treat made with that magical vegetable...

With my beloved rhubarb stalks I generally make either "Clafoutis", "Cobblers", "Upside-Down Cakes" or "Crumbles". This time, for a change, I decided upon making muffins and as I love to pair rhubarb with spices, I opted for a "Ginger Rhubarb Muffins" recipe I found on the Williams-Sonoma site.

As usual, I could not make that recipe without tweaking it a little (You know me. I can't leave things the way they are LOL!). Instead of using chopped crystallized ginger (which I very much love), I flavored my muffins with loads of ground ginger and a little ground cinnamon. Both spices pair very well with rhubarb. When associated together your desserts end up tasting heavenly. For extra flavor, I also replaced half of the castor sugar by light brown sugar and added some natural vanilla extract.

Those pretty looking "Ginger Rhubarb Muffins" are very enjoyable, not too sweet easy to make and represent the perfect snack. Rhubarb brings a delightful tanginess to the muffins while the ginger and cinnamon add a gorgeous spicy note that contrasts wonderfully with the tartness of that versatile veggie. Those muffins are in no way dry nor dense, on the contrary they are very moist, fluffy and soft - no choke material here. Simply yummy!

~ Ginger Rhubarb Muffins ~
Recipe by Williams-Sonoma and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010.

Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 Cups All-purpose flour
2 Tsp Baking powder
1 Tsp Baking soda
1/2 Tsp Sea salt (fine)
2 Tsp Ground ginger
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2 Cup Light brown sugar
1/4 Cup Castor sugar
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Sour cream
1/3 Cup Vegetable oil
1 Egg
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 Cup (1-1 1/2 medium stalks) Finely chopped rhubarb

Method:
1. Preheat an oven to 200 ° C (400° F).
2. Grease the cups of a standard muffin pan or line with muffin papers.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, sour cream, oil, egg and vanilla. Stir in the rhubarb.
5. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes. 8. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan.

Remarks:
The original recipe was made with 2 tbs finely chopped crystallized ginger (added at point 3). I decided to replace that ingredient with ground cinnamon and ginger.
I used light brown sugar and castor sugar. If you wish, you can use 3/4 cups castor sugar instead.

Serving suggestions:
Serve those muffins for afternoon tea with a good cup of tea, coffee, caffè latte, a glass of cold milk or iced coffee.

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~ Muffins A La Rhubarb Et Au Gingembre ~
Recette par Williams-Sonoma et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010.

Pour 12 muffins.

Ingrédients:
290g Farine
2 CC de Poudre à lever
1 CC de Bicarbonate de soude
1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
2 CC de Gingembre en poudre
1 CC de Cannelle en poudre
105g de Sucre brun clair
105g de Sucre cristallisé
120g/ml de Lait
120g/ml de Crème fraîche
70g/ml d'Huile végétale
1 Oeuf
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
1 1/4 Tasses (1 - 1 1/2 tige) de Rhubarbe coupée en petits morceaux

Méthode:
1. Préchauffer la four à 200 ° C (400° F).
2. Graisser le moule à muffins ou placer les formes en papier dans le moule.
3. Dans un grand bol, mélanger ensemble la farine, la poudre à lever, la bicarbonate de soude, le sel et les épices.
4. Dans un autre bol, mélanger (fouetter) ensemble le sucre, le lait, la crème, l'huile, l'oeuf et la vanille afin d'obtenir un mélange homogène. Ajouter la rhubarbe.
5. Ajouter le mélange avec la farine et l'incorporer très rapidement sans trop mélanger.
6. Mettre la pâte dans les moules (les remplir à 3/4).
7. Cuire pendant 15 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la pointe d'un couteau en ressorte propre.
8. Sortir la plaque du four et faire refroidir les muffins pendant 5 minutes avant de les démouler.

Remarques:
La recette originale contient 2 CS de gingembre cristallisé finement haché (à ajouter au point 3). Je l'ai remplacé par du gingembre et de la cannnelle en poudre.
J'ai aussi utilisé du sucre brun clair et du sucre cristallisé, mais si vous le désirez vous pouvez utiliser 3/4 de tasse de sucre cristallisé à la place.

Serving suggestions:
Servir ces muffins à l'heure du thé avec du thé, café, du caffè latte, du lait (chaud ou froid) ou un café glacé.

STRAWBERRY & RHUBARB CRUMBLE

In the past, I was hyper reluctant to cook strawberries. I thought that they'd end up tasting like strawberry jam (which I've never really enjoyed) if I did so. I love strawberries, but the sweet nearly sickly flavor of strawberry has always put me off. I was never one of those people who went crazy over a pot of strawberry jam. Quite the contrary! I am the kind of person who loves the taginess of apricot, black currant or Italian plum jams...

That was before my encounter with English television chef Tamasin Day-Lewis' "Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble" recipe in the May issue of my Bon Appétit magazine. Then, I knew that I was ready to give cooked/baked strawberries a try. When mixed with rhubarb, cooked strawberries lose their cloying aspect, so there was no way they were going to be a problem for me. Rhubarb is the best partner for strawberries. Both complement each other perfectly.

At the moment we are getting the most perfumed strawberries from Italy, so I have been eating that lovely fruit almost on a daily basis. (strawberry fever, baby!). Not to forget that it is also the high season for Swiss rhubarb which has to be one of my favorite veggies (yes it is a vegetable!) ever. How could one resist eating both of them together? Nobody, I'm pretty sure.

And to tell you the truth, I now am addicted to cooked/baked strawberries in desserts! That crumble converted me totally and made me change my mind (well, I am still not a big fan of strawberry jam though, but I might reconsider my position later...). As a matter of fact, I have made different variations of that "Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble" three times in a row/week!

The recipe I am going to share with you today was created for the meal (starter: green asparagus with a pistachio & fresh garlic vinaigrette, main course: gnudi di spinaci e ricotta) I had prepared with much care for my friend Corinne and is highly inspired by Tamasin Day-Lewis' crumble recipe (the original recipe has been turned around and newly adapted by myself).

Well, Corinne who loves rhubarb cleaned her dessert plate in no time and without effort! This crumble is just irresistibly heavenly. The topping is mouthwateringly crispy, delightfully buttery and pleasantly oaty, the middle is decadently gooey and incredibly puddingy and the bottom is marvelously juicy, wonderfully fruity as well as exhaliratingly fragrant. Totally awesome and to die for!

~ Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble ~

Recipe inspired by Tamasin Day-Lewis and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010 .

Ingredients:
200g (1 1/2 Cups + 1 Tbs) All purpose flour
100g (1/2 Cup) + 140g (2/3 Cup) Castor sugar
1/2 Tsp Sea salt
100g (1/2 Cup) Unsalted butter, cold & cut into 1.5cm (1/2-inch) cubes
2-3 Tbs Old-fashioned oats
2 Tsp Natural vanilla paste
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon
4 Cups (1 pound) Strawberries, hulled, halved (or cut in 4 if very big)
12 oz (360g) Red rhubarb, ends trimmed, stalks cut crosswise into 1.5cm (1/2-inch) -thick pieces

Method:
1. Combine the flour, 100g sugar and salt in medium bowl. Whisk to blend.
2. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture ressemble corse sand/pebbles.
3. Add the oats and mix well.
4. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F).
5. Butter a 28x18x5cm (11x7x2-inch) baking dish.
6. Place the fruits in a big bowl, add the vanilla, cinnamon and 140g sugar in large bowl.
7. Toss delicately to coat well.
8. Scrape the fruit filling into the prepared baking dish.
9. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the filling.
10. Bake the crumble until the filling bubbles thickly and the topping is crisp as well as golden brown, about 45 minutes.
11. Let cool 15 minutes on a wire rack.
12. Spoon the warm crumble into dessert dishes.

Remarks:

The topping can be made 1 to 2 days ahead.
Store the cooled crumble in an airtight container in fridge. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with some ice cream (vanilla, goat's milk, yoghurt, lemon...) or some thick yoghurt (Greek) mixed with a little powder sugar.
This crumble is also delicious when eaten cold (at room temperature) the next day.

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~ Crumble A La Rhubarbe Et A La Fraise ~

Recette inspirée par Tamasin Day-Lewis et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010 .

Ingrédients:
200g de Farine blanche
100g +140g de Sucre cristallisé
1/2 CC de Sel de mer
100g de Beurre non-salé, très froid et coupé en petits morceaux de 1.5cm
2-3 CS d'Avoine
2 CC de Pâte de vanille naturelle
1 CC de Cannelle en poudre
500g de Fraises, équeutées et coupées en deux (ou en quatre si elles sont grosses)
360g de Rhubarbe (préférablement rose), coupée en morceaux de 1.5cm

Méthode:

1. Mélanger la farine, les 100g de sucre et le sel dans un bol moyen.
2. Ajouter le beurre et l'incorporer avec les doigts afin d'obtenir un mélange sablé grossier.
3. Ajouter l'avoine et bien mélanger.
4. Préchauffer le four à 190° C.
5. Beurrer un plat à gratin de 28x18x5cm.
6. Mettre les fruits dans un grand bol, ajouter la vanille, la cannelle et les 140g de sucre.
7. Mélanger délicatement afin que le sucre et les épices soient bien répartis.
8. Mettre le mélange de fruits dans le plats.
9. Saupoudrer de manière homogène avec le crumble.
10. Cuire le crumble pendant 45 minutes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange aux fruits fasse des bulles et que le dessus soit bien croquant et doré.
11. Laisser refroidir pendant 15 minutes.
12. Servir le crumble dans des assiettes à dessert.

Remarques:

Le crumble (mélange farine/sucre/sel/beurre) peut être préparé à l'avance (1 à 2 jours).
Vous pouvez conserver le crumble au frigo (1 ou deux jours).

Idées de présentation:
Servir ce crumble avec de la glace (vanille, lait de chèvre, yaourt, citron,...) ou avec du yaourt épais (grec) auquel vous ajouterez un peu de sucre en poudre.
Ce crumble est aussi délicieux quand consommé froid (à température ambiante) le jour d'après.

SUET PUDDING - THE DARING BAKERS

For all of us Daring Bakers, the 27th of each month is a very special date. This day, marks the publishing of our blog posts related to the latest Daring Bakers' challenge. All of us are always very impatient for that day to come and very excited about the event as we then can share our successes and/or tribulations with the whole world and we are finally able to see what our international colleagues have created...

The April 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Esther of "The Lilac Kitchen". She challenged everyone to make a traditional British pudding using, if possible, a very traditional British ingredient: suet.

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The word "Pudding" is believed to come from the French boudin, originally from the Latin botellus, meaning "small sausage", referring to encased meats used in Medieval European puddings. In fact, the term "Pudding" often refers to a dessert, but may also refer to a savory dish. It also has other definitions, though. In order to clear any confusion regarding this term, you have to understand that it is used to describe four different things:

• Black or white pudding which are both sausages. Black pudding is made with blood (English version of "Boudin"). White pudding is very similar to black pudding, but it does not include blood (English version of "Boudin Blanc").
• A generic word for dessert.
• Any sweet or savory dish cooked in a pudding bowl or pudding cloth and steamed, boiled or sometimes baked.
• An endearment i.e., "How are you today my pudding?".

For this very challenge we have used the th ird meaning - a dish cooked in a pudding bowl or cloth.

English puddings have had a great reputation since the 17th century. One French visitor, the protestant exile François Maximilien Mission who came to England at the end of the 17th century wrote a very interesting description in his memoirs in which he was very lyrical about the unexpectedness and variety of English puddings (" Mémoires et observations faites par un voyageur en Angleterre" published in 1698). "They bake them in an oven, they boil them with meat, they make them fifty several ways: BL ESSED BE THAT WHO INVENTED PUDDING, for it is a manna that hits the palates of all sorts of people."

There are many different sweet or savory puddings (the possibilities are nearly endless), but all are made with the same basic ingredients such as flour, milk, eggs, butter or suet (mostly suet), sugar and fresh or dried fruits (if it is the sweet version) and meat or marrow (if it is the savory version). This comforting and homely dish adapts itself perfectly to the seasons and is extremely versatile. That's surely the reason why it has b een cherished by legions of people over the centuries.

Unfortunately, this gorgeous speciality has also become the first victim of mass catering and manufacture. It's reputation has suffered from the bad image given by the unappetizing, bad quality and industrially made puddings which have been commercialized in mass in supermarkets and served in chain restaurants since decades (that's how British food got most of it's bad reputation.). It is very saddening to see th at it's reputation has been dragged through mud and that it is rare nowadays to fin d somebody who actually makes that treat from scratch. Real puddings are so unique as well as delightful and have nothing to do with the bland, stuffy and extremely unhealthy versions that you can find in stores. Nothing compares to a luscious homemade pudding. Not only is it made with love, but also with a great deal of respect for the culinary traditions of Britain!

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Since I have officially become one of the biggest procrastinator (well, I'm also a chicken and "stress bag" LOL) on the planet, it is now in my habit to wait until the very last minute to gather up enough strength, courage and energy in order to get my sorry ass off my chair and into the kitchen! That is why you'll never fi nd my Daring Bakers' post up one minute after midnight anymore, but rather more than 20h hours after the official release date...

Anyway, when I had decided that it was about time for me to get started and once I could not have a lame excuse not to raise hell in the kitchen a ny longer, things got rolling and moving fast. My "Suet Pudding" dough was made in a zip and placed in it's personal "sweat lodge" for a few hours!Did you know that I had been meaning to make pudding since a very long time, but for no real reason the steaming process always daunted me a little? Not that I never steamed any food in my life, though. It was just one of th ose scares that had no reason for being. I mean, I have an electric steamer and a Chinese steamer which I very much use, but have not been able to make pudding until now. Go find out why... Yes, even the most daring of us bakers can have doubts and fear!

As we were free to choose the recipe that we w ere going to make, I decided to make the "My Fair Lady Pudding" which is a sponge type suet pudding containing lemon rind. I added some rhubarb (mixed with light brown sugar and a dash cinnamon) at the bottom and served it with "Custard Sauce".

This "Suet Pudding" is easy as Sunday morning and require no other skills than being incredibly patient (it has to get steamed for about 3 hours) and, although it might look not too attractive (and photogenic), boy, this dessert is to die for. The texture of that pudding is so smooth, fluffy and moist. Taste-wise it is really pleasant as it has a refreshing lemony aroma, an interesting nutty flavor (thanks to the suet used) and is not overly sweet. I really recommend you to serve it with custard sauce as it adds a dimension more to the pudding (it goes from delicious to lipsmackingly scrumptious). Heaven in a bowl!

I wish to thanks Esther for having chosen that great British treat and for making me realize there's no reason to fear pudding. I will certainly make this goodie on a regular basis now!

~ Suet Pudding ~

Equipment required:
• 2 pint (1 litre) pudding bowl or steam-able containers to contain a similar amount they should be higher rather than wide and lowTraditional pudding bowl
• Steamer or large pan, ideally with a steaming stand, upturned plate or crumpled up piece of kitchen foil
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Measuring cups or scales
• Foil or grease proof paper to cover the bowl
• String

Ingredients:
100g (4 Oz) All-purpose flour
1/4 Tsp Sea salt
1.5 Tsp Baking powder
100g (4Oz) Breadcrumbs
75g (3 Oz) Caster sugar
75g (3 Oz) Shredded suet or suet substitute (i.e., Vegetable Suet, Crisco, Lard)
1 Large egg
6 to 8 Tbs Cold milk

Method:
1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl.
2. Add breadcrumbs, sugar and suet.
3. Mix to a soft batter with beaten egg and milk.
4. Turn into a buttered 1 litre (2 pints) pudding basin and cover securely with buttered greaseproof paper or aluminum foil.
5. Steam steadily for 2.5 to 3 hours.
6. Turn out onto warm plate.

Variants:

Spotted Dick
Add 75g/ 3oz currants and 25g/1 oz of mixed chopped peel with the sugar.
Syrup or Treacle or Marmelade Pudding
Put 2 Tablespoons of golden syrup, treacle or marmalade at the bottom of the bowl before adding pudding mix.
My Fair Lady Pudding
Add finely grated rind of 1 medium orange or lemon with the sugar.
Ginger Pudding
Replace the sugar with 100g/4oz of treacle, and add 1/2 tsp ground ginger.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with sweet sauce to taste such as custard, caramel or a sweetened fruit sauce.

Remarks:
The easiest way to steam a pudding is in a dedicated steamer as the water is kept away from the pudding so it can’t boil over. If, however, you don’t have a steamer use a pan large enough to easily fit the bowl you are cooking.
Don’t fill the water more than about a third of the way up the bowl or it may boil over and into the bowl. Keep an eye and top up as needed with boiling water.
You need to lift the bowl off the bottom of the pan. This can be done with a steamer stand, an upturned plate or even crumpled up kitchen foil — anything that can stand being in boiling water and lifts the bowl off the bottom of the pan will work.
Make sure you have a well-fitted lid on the pan as you want the steam to cook the pudding not to boil off.

Make sure you put a pleat in the foil or paper you cover the bowl with to allow for expansion and then tie down tightly with string. This is a bowl ready for the steamer, note the handle made from the string that also ties it together around the top (this makes it very much easier to lift out when hot and is well worth doing).

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Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones!

C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur le blog mentionné ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française.

Chez Isa de "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada)
Chez Vibi de "La Casserole Carrée" (Canada)

RHUBARB ADDICTION

At the moment, it's rhubarb season and as it doesn't last very long (April 'till middle of June), I recommend you to take advantage of that gorgeous and versatile vegetable as much as possible, before it is too late!

I have already blogged a few times about rhubarb desserts or baked treats made with this luscious plant, so I thought that it would be great if I grouped them all together in one post in order to facilitate your quest for new Spring recipes... At the same time, I decided to add a few links which will lead you to some of the web's most interesting rhubarb-oriented dishes/recipes.

And if you want to learn more about this fabulous "gift of Nature", then I invite you to read what I wrote here.

My rhubarb recipes:
Fluffy Rhubarb & Quark Clafoutis (see recipe)
Rhubarb Cobbler (see recipe)
Rhubarb Five Spice Muffins (see recipe)
Rhubarb Meringue Slices (see recipe)
Rhubarb Salée (see recipe)
Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake/Pudding (see recipe)

Interesting rhubarb links:
All Recipes (see link)
BBC Good Foods (see link)
Canadian Living (see link)
Chef De Cuisine (see link)
Epicurious (see link)
Food Network (see link)
Gourmet (see link)
Rhubarb Recipes (see link)
Southern Food (see link)
Taste.co.au (see link)
The Rhubarb Compendium (see link)

FLUFFY RHUBARB & QUARK CLAFOUTIS

When spring arrives, I am always very impatient and excited at the prospect of, once again, being able to eat rhubarb. This vegetable is so unique that it is impossible for me not to love it's singular flavor, luscious tanginess and beautiful color...

Rhubarb is a multifaceted delicacy and a gift of nature which is delicious when used to make exquisite desserts, but also to prepare certain savory dishes. Unfortunately, it is only available from April 'til June, so there is no time to lose!

This plant originates from China. It's name was mentioned for the very first time in a 5000 year old book about plants and medicinal herbs. In the 16th century, it was imported into Europe from Asia via Russia. Rome nourished an undeniable interest for rhubarb, but England was the very first country to actually cultivate it widely and massively. In the 19th century, it is said that a gardener from Hamburg brought some plants back from one of the trips to England and that's how it appeared on our latitudes. From this time on, rhubarb has never ceased to grace our gardens and to hold a special place in our hearts as it one of our favorite garden plants.

There are three varieties of rhubarb:

• One with green stems, green flesh and a lot of acidity.
• One with reddish pink stems, green flesh and less acidity (the favorite kind).
• One with reddish pink stems, red flesh and a sweet taste of strawberries (the most sought for).

Rhubarb is good for the health and is a precious source of potassium, calcium, phosphor, iron and many other important mineral substances. It is also rich in vitamine C, E, K and B. Rhubarb is poor in calories as it's mainly composed of water (95%). On the other side, this plant contains oxalic acid, therefore it is better to avoid eating it raw.

Apart from making tarts with rhubarb, one of the best ways to prepare it is to make clafoutis. So, today, I decided to blog about my "Fluffy Rhubarb & Quark Clafoutis" which I have invented on the spur of the moment, using what I had on stock in my fridge and cupboards.

This "free jazz creation" is very similar to a traditional clafoutis, but it is also quite close to a omelet texture-wise as it is somehow fluffy and light. It combines perfectly the sweetness of the batter together with the tartness of the rhubarb, and it is delicately spicy and fragrant thanks to the interesting combination of ginger, cinnamon and long pepper. In one word, this pseudo clafoutis is very pleasant and highly enjoyable!

I hope that you'll like that recipe as much as me and my personal tester did...

~ Fluffy Rhubarb & Quark Clafoutis ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:
500g Rhubarb, sliced into 2.5cm (1 inch) piece/cubes
1 Cup (128g) Plain white flour (unbleached all-purpose flour)
1/4 (37g) Cup Cornmeal
1/2 Tsp Baking powder
3/4 Cup (180g) Light brown sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Large eggs (~53g)
1 Cup (250g) Quark (0% fat)
1 1/4 Cups (300g/ml) Milk
1 Tbs Butter, melted
1 Tbs Porto (Port Wine)
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 Tsp Ground long pepper
1/2 Tsp Ground ginger
3/4 Tsp Ground cinnamon
3 Tbs Light runny honey (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Thouroughly butter a 25-28cm (10-11 inches) round pan or ovenproof skillet and cover the bottom of the pan with the rhubarb pieces.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt.
4. In a separate small bowl or large mixing cup, combine the eggs, quark, milk, melted butter, Porto, vanilla extract and spices. Whisk well.

5. Beat until thouroughly combined, then whisk into the flour mixture, smoothing out the lumps.
6. Pour the batter over the fruit in the prepared baking pan.
7. Bake for 35 minutes, then brush the top with the runny honey and continue baking for about 10 more minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the clafoutis is puffy looking.
8. Serve.

Remarks:
You can easily replace the rhubarb by any other seasonal fruit of your choice.
I used a 0% fat Quark, but you can use a less light version or the same quantity of cream cheese.

Serving suggestions:
Eat warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with extra sugar or with some whipped cream, condensed milk, marple syrup or a ball of the ice cream of your choice (vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, orange, pecan nut, marple, etc...).

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~ Clafoutis Léger A La Rhubarbe Et Au Séré ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Pour 3 à 4 personnes.

Ingrédients:
500g de Rhubarbe, coupée en dés de 2.5cm
1 Tasse (128g) de Farine blanche/fleur
1/4 Tasse (37g) de Semoule de maïs fine
1/2 CC de Poudre à pâte/lever
3/4 Tasse de Sucre brun clair
1/2 CC de Sel
3 Oeufs larges (~53g)
1 Tasse (250g) de Quark/séré (0% de matières grasses)
1 1/4 de Tasses (300g/ml) de Lait
1 CS de Beurre non-salé, fondu
1 CS de Porto
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille
1/4 de CC de Poivre long moulu
1/2 CC de Gingembre en poudre
3/4 de CC de Cannelle en poudre
3 CS de Miel clair liquide (en option)

Méthode:
1. Préchauffer le four à 190°C.
2. Beurrer un moule rond de 25-28cm de diamètre ou un plat à gratin de dimension similaire et couvrir le fond de dés de rhubarbe.
3. Dans un grand bol, mélanger ensemble la farine, la semoule de maïs, la poudre à lever/pâte, le sucre et le sel.
4. Dans un bol moyen, battre/fouetter ensemble les oeufs, le quark/séré, le lait, le beurre fondu, le Porto, l'extrait de vanille et les épices.

5. Bien mélanger jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit homogène et qu'il ne reste plus de grumeaux.
6. Verser ce mélange sur la rhubarbe, dans le moule/plat à gratin.
7. Cuire pendant 35 minutes, puis sortir du four et bien répartir le miel (sur tout la surface du clafoutis) à l'aide d'un pinceau et remettre au four pour 10 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que la pointe d'un couteau insérée au milieu du clafoutis en ressorte nette de toute trace et que le clafoutis ait gonflé tel un soufflé.
8. Servir.

Remarques:
Vous pouvez tout à fait remplacer la rhubarbe par n'importe quel fruit de saison de votre choix.
J'ai utilisé du Quark/séré à 0%, mais vous pouvez très bien utiliser une version moins light ou du Cream Cheese/fromage frais.

Idées de présentation:
Mangez ce clafoutis chaud ou à température ambiante, saupoudrer de sucre ou accompagné de crème fouettée, de lait condensé non-sucré, de sirop d'érable ou de la glace de votre choix (vanille, fraise, framboise, orange, noix de pécan, sirop d'érable, etc...).