BLACK AND WHITE WEDNESDAY #146 - RAM SKULL & EGG STILL LIFE

- Beginning & End -

So familiar are eggs to us, however, that in the eighteenth century they were referred to as cackling farts, on the basis that chickens cackled all the time and eggs came out of the back of them.
- Mark Forsyth, The Horologicon: A Day's Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language

This picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". This week it is hosted by Cinzia at "Cindystarblog" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

BLACK AND WHITE WEDNESDAY #126 - EGGS ARE A COOK'S BEST FRIEND

- Nature's Perfect Food -

This picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". This week it is hosted by Lynne "Cafe Lynnylu" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

MULTI-PURPOSE QUARK AND ZUCCHINI SAUCE - SAUCE MULTI-USAGE AU SERE ET A LA COURGETTE & MY INTERVIEW FOR SAVEUR.COM

Who knows where inspiration comes from. Perhaps it arises from desperation. Perhaps it comes from the flukes of the universe, the kindness of the muses.
- Amy Tan

And immersion in random absurdity can be a perfect remedy to thinking too much. It leads to art and science. It leads to madness and inspiration. It leads to fun.
-  Chris Corner of IAMX

Inspiration comes in many forms and shapes. It can be found serendipitiously at any moment (while you shower, eat breakfast, have a walk, meditate, etc... - especially during downtime as then your mind is free and you have the opportunity to be reflective), everywhere and in everything (books, music, photography, movies, beauty, ugliness, news reports, sad/tragic or happy events, people, acts of courage/kindness/cruelty, mistakes, smells, nature, memories, etc...). In order to connect with it, one just needs to open wide his/her soul and heart, be receptive to its calling and remember that it is as slippery as soap, as ephemeral as a rainbow, as fragile as a butterfly and as impalpable as a ghost.

It is wildly rampant, exhaliratingly magical, a kind of cosmic drug that sets you on fire, puts you in a semi-shamanic trance, makes you feel invicible and linked to the Universe, an awesome productivity multiplier, a great encourager, an amazing enthusiasmer as well as a terrific motivator. Its purpose is the arousal of our emotions and the elevation of our mind, but sadly, as it is the case with all that has the particularity of being immaterial, you cannot summon it at will or bottle it up for later use.

Inspiration is in seeing a part of the whole with the part of the whole in you.
- Kahlil Gibran

Inspirations never go in for long engagements; they demand immediate marriage to action.
- Brendan Francis

Just like a vision or revelation, it generally grabs you unexpectedly, comes in a flash, hits you without warning and is highly perishable. During a very short lapse of time, ideas sparkle/fuse and start to form, but this state of awareness doesn't last eternally, so if you don't act immediately and capture those visions or thoughts on the spot, they tend to fade and disappear as quickly as it came.

Hence, it is good to know when you are prone to intellectual enlightment (aka peaks of brilliance - mine come mainly in the morning and occasionally in the evening) and always be ready to beat the iron while it's burning hot and make sure that you keep a consistant physical trace (more than scribblings, voice memos or sketches) of your creative meanderings.

You have to tap this source before the well of wonders tarishes as illumination will not wait for you. Once the train has left it will not come back,therefore, it is important to run with it, to let it sweep you away, to capitalize and focus completely on it as well as optimize it whenever you have the opportunity and not to be parasited by anything or anyone during these brief periods of sheer clarity. In one word, understand how your think tank functions, learn to make space in your day for your inspiration to proliferate furiously and try to momentarily isolate yourself from the outside world. You'll fastly see results if you follow those basic rules.

Regrettably, it is impossible to be constantly touched by divine grace and unfortunately, sometimes we have to go through a few depressingly and ego-shattering dry spells (writer's/painter's/composer's/etc... block) before we get our mojo back and chanel the spirits of ingenuity again. Happily, these phases are mostly not everlasting and a short break from the routine usually solves the problem. You'll be surpised to see in which manner doing something completely different or escaping to a happy and different place (holidays, a hike, a nap, visiting a friend or family, going out to eat, aimlessly watching a program on TV or surfing the net, etc...) can have a positive impact on your productivety/artistic performance.

Thankfully for me, those frustratingly infructuous  intervals rarely go on forever. It seems that I am always able to draw inspiration from whatever surrounds me (I even marvel at the stupidest and meaningless of things) and nearly never fails to find subjects to write about or compose innovative eats. I guess this has a lot to do with the fact that I am a person whose brain rarely rests and is like an erupting volcano, a daydreamer with an insatiable curiosity and an individual who has kept my inner child alive.

If you give me one simple ingredient and ask me to invent a meal, you can be pretty sure that I'll come up with a recipe which is far from being ordinary and has a zest of originality. Developping dishes without having to cogitate much is one of my strong points as I am capable of summuning my culinary genius easily.

For example, a few days ago, I had some quark (fresh cheese which can be found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Russia, etc...) in my fridge and really wanted to sublime it by transforming it into a fresh, tasty, healthy and summery sauce which could be poured cold over boiled potatoes, accompany hot or cold staples and be used in multiple ways (dip, spread and dressing), so that's how I concocted a succulent and versatile "Quark And Zucchini Sauce". Perfect for this transitional season...

I am really thrilled and proud to announce that Rosa's Yummy Yums is listed on SAVEUR's "Sites We Love"!!! A dream come true... To read my interview, please head over there.

Sauce Multi-Usage Au Séré Et A La Courgette

Recette par Rosa Mayland, Septembre 2012.

Pour environ 2 tasses.

Ingrédients:
250g de Séré/fromage blanc (demi-gras de préférence)
1 Petite (150g) Courgettes, râpée
2 Oeufs durs, hachés
1 Gousse d'ail, finement hachée
1 Echalote, finement hachée
2 CS de Graines de citrouille, torréfiées et finement hachées
2 CC de Pesto (fait maison ou acheté)
1 CC de Zeste de citron (bio)
1 Pincée de Poudre de piment de la Jamaïque
Tabasco rouge, selon goût
Poivre noir fraîchement moulu, selon goût
Sel de mer fin, selon goût

Méthode:
1. Mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble.
2. Servir.

Remarques:
Vous pouvez remplacer le séré par un autre fromage frais (de chèvre, de brebis ou de vache) de votre choix, du yaourt grec, un mélange de ricotta et de crème fraîche (2 parts/1 part), du mascarpone ou du cream cheese (n'oubliez pas que le mascarpone et le cream cheeese sont beaucoup plus riches que le séré demi-gras).

Suggestion d'accompagnement:
Servir comme dip avec des légumes crus en bâtonnets ou en tranches (carottes, concombre, courgette, céleri branche, poivron, champignons de Paris, chou-fleur, jicama, etc...).
Servir comme tartinade avec du pain ou des craquelins.
Servir comme sauce avec du poisson (truite, saumon, cabillaud, etc...), de la viande grillée, des pommes de terre en robe des champs, des frites au four, des légumes vapeur ou des pâtes.
Servir comme sauce à salade (pommes de terres, pâtes, riz ou légumes grillés).

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - EGGS AU NATUREL

BEET SALAD WITH COTTAGE CHEESE & A RUNNY EGG - SALADE DE BETTRAVE AU COTTAGE CHEESE ET SON OEUF MOLLET

Some people are not afraid of the cold and others regard it with utter contempt. Even if I'm the kind of person who enjoys every single period of the year, I nonetheless definitely prefer the fresher season as I hate to sweat excessively or get sunburnt like a shrimp on a barbie.

Sometimes I wonder if those predispositions are linked to my DNA or is it just a personal preference. What if our genes influenced our manner of conducting ourselves and our traits of character? Hmmm, that is quite a difficult question to answer, however I believe that if our health can be defined by our bloodline, then there are chances that our emotions, temperament and identity is also outlined by it.

You see, my father's ancestors were Swiss mountainers who might have had Danish or English origins (my family name is NOT Swiss at all). Then, on my my mother's side they came from the rugged areas of Northern England where Viking settlers made themselves at home and also from European Russia, a place which is famous for its dreadful freezingness.

Because of this heritage, as a child my hair was so straw-straight and pale blond that I had the appearence of a Swedish little girl (my eyes are blue and my skin is fair too, hence the similarities). It is the reason why I was so popular amongst Japanese tourists who invariably asked my parents if they could shoot my portrait every time they caught a sight of me. Those features attracted them like crazy...

The care with which these nations cherished their hair was remarkable. A striking instance of their solicitude respecting it, is afforded by a young warrior who was condemned to be beheaded. His last and most earnest request was, that it might not be stained with his blood, or exposed, after his death, to the rude touch of a slave. In some instances, ringlets of auburn hair have been found in the tombs of the early Britons.

- Excerpt form "The Scottish Gael" by J. Logan

The light thou beholdest
Stream through the heavens,
In flashes of crimson,
Is but my red beard
Blown by the night-wind,
Affrighting the nations!
Jove is my brother;
Mine eyes are the lightning;
The wheels of my chariot
Roll in the thunder,
The blows of my hammer
Ring in the earthquake!

- "The Challenge of Thor" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sadly, the older I grew, the darker and frizzier my mane became. Nowadays, my locks are light auburn colored with golden highlights and they are still quite wavy. Once again, this is another sign of the legacy of my forefathers as both my complexion and reddish-brown tint occurs most frequently in the phenotypes originating in Northern Europe*, so it is no surprise if my spirit is that of a "true daughter of Thor".

*Scandinavia, Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, the Benelux countries, France, Poland and Russia - Leading the pack, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England have the most redheads. Scotland has the highest proportion with 13% having red hair and ~ 40% possessing the recessive redhead gene. Ireland is second highest with ~ 10% having it and 40% carrying the gene.

~ Picture taken by my late English grandfather ~

I carry the love for harsh and dramatic weather within my blood. It is encoded in my genetic material and deeply rooted in me. There is no doubt about that. Yet, I must admit that although I find crisp air rather envigorating, the last two weeks' Polar conditions took a toll on me and brought my mood down since I didn't set a foot out of the door from fear of being transformed into a giant human icicle!

Well, in my defense, until not long ago, Europe had been experiencing the worst Winter in decades. On the 27th of January we were hit be a coldwave that brushed across the continent, brought blizzards and caused the thermometer to dip to bitter levels. Temperatures of - 35.1° C were recorded during the night in the Swiss Alps (though nothing quite like the -41.8° C recorded in 1987 in La Brévine, Neuchâtel) and in Geneva they sank to - 13° C. Besides, massive snowfalls transformed our landscapes into Siberian wastelands, intense frost swept through the country and the Bise (mean and dry North-Eastern wind) was so violent it went right through you. Brrrrrrr!

The town of Geneva resembled a deserted Illinois ghost town and the rural areas looked like the icy Finnish tundra. Needless to say that there weren't many crowds defying the benumbing elements. The only courageous individuals who braved the harsh conditions were disciplined blue-collars who wore impressive layers of clothes and rushed through the streets as if it was a matter of life and death.

O Winter ruler of the inverted year. . . I crown thee king of intimate delights, Fireside enjoyments, home-born happiness, And all the comforts that the lowly roof Of undisturb'd Retirement, and the hours Of long uninterrupted evening, know.

- William Cowper

On the positive side, this kind of climate is perfect for hibernating, cocooning, taking care of yourself, cuddling with that special someone, finding excuses to stay home, lying longer in your snug bed, eating more comforting foods than usual (I nourish myself in a balanced way, but when the days are dark and glacial it is difficult not want to uplift your mood with cheering grub such as chocolate or cakes) and for being as lazy as a ferret.

But, as we all know, even if this kind of behavior is good for our soul, it is impossible to close our eyes on the negative impact all this hedonistically "shameless" binging and sluggish lifetsyle has on our body. I have to admit that while my trousers still fit me, I wish they'd be a little less tight around the hips, hence I've decided to take things in hand and start cutting down on hyper-calorific treats as well as exercizing again.

Spring is around the corner and I really want to be in shape when the warm rays of the sun caress my skin and nature is blooming. I would be terribly angry with myself if I felt unwell and out of breath while riding my bike through the fields or while walking up the Salève mountain. So, in order to attain my goal, my plan is to re-tone my muscles, have a better control of what I devour and limitate my ingestion of flour, sugary goods as well as nuts.

Having said that, I have to point out that I refuse to go on any diet as I don't find it is a good and lasting solution to weight gain. In my opinion, instead of fasting like an anorexic model, following the latest nutrionists' doolally fads or transforming into a fitness fascist, one should lead a harmonious life by giving priority to mindful nutrition and physical activity without ever forgetting to find pleasure in food and joy in existence.

Consequently, at the moment, big quantities of vegetables are on the menu, but that is no problem for me as I adore greens and I'm used to cooking with them. It is rare that I come across one veggie I hate or simply cannot stomach. In fact, I am quite a legume enthusiast.

One of my favorite veggies is beet. This gorgeous root is available in a range of pretty colors that illuminate the plate, has an interesting sweet and earthy flavor which is really refined and is extremely versatile. Beetroot is so awesome and totally indispensable. It's a real must-have in my kitchen. I can't imagine not using it on a regular basis as I appreciate inventing exotic or regional recipes with it.

My most recent creation is a classy, easy, fresh, nourishing, flavorful and nutrient-ladden salad which consists of thin slices of blanched beetroots that have been marinaded in a balsamic vinegar vinaigrette and which are topped with onions rings, cottage cheese, walnuts and a soft-boiled egg. This meatless course makes a great main dish if accompanied by a few slices of dark rye bread/crackers or a few buttered potatoes. Wonderful!

~Beet Salad With Cottage Cheese & A Runny Egg ~
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, February 2012.

Serves 4.

Ingredients For The "Vinaigrette":

5 Tbs Balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs Malt vinegar

2 Tbs Olive oil

1 Tsp Kikkoman (sweet)
A few drops of Chipotle Tabasco

Balck pepper, to taste

Fine sea salt, to taste

Ingredients For The "Salad":

900g Cooked beetroot, peeled & cut into thinnish slices

1 Onion, thinly sliced into rounds

200g Cottage cheese

4 Big Eggs, soft-boiled (see method)
A handful walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Pimentón or Espelette pepper, for sprinkling

Method For The "Vinaigrette":

1. In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette together.

Method For The "Salad":

2. Add the beetroot slices to the vinaigrette, mix delicately and let marinade for about 1 hour.

3. Prepare 4 plates and arrange the slices on them.

4. Add the onion slices and the cottage cheese.

5. Place a soft-boiled egg on top of each salad and cut it open.

6. Sprinkle with the walnuts and the pimentón or Espelette pepper.

7. Serve.

Comments:

When I need cooked beets, I generally buy them already boiled (it saves time and in that way I always have them on hand in my fridge), but you can also cook yours at home (see method).

Instead of using walnuts, you can sprinkle your salad with toasted pumpkin seeds or any other nut/seed of your choice.

The soft-boiled eggs can easily be replaced by a poached or fried eggs.

Serving suggestions:

Serve as main course with some wholesome bread (ex. Norwegian Mountain Bread) or some boiled/jacket potatoes with butter.

~ Salade De Betteraves, Cottage Cheese Et Oeuf Mollet ~
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Février 2012.

Pour 4 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour La "Vinaigrette":
5 CS de Vinaigre balsamique
2 CS de Vinaigre de malte
2 CS d'Huile d'olive
1 CS de Kikkoman (doux)
Quelques gouttes de Chipotle Tabasco
Poivre noir, selon goût
Sel de mer fin, selon goût
Ingrédients Pour La "Salade":
900g de Betteraves cuites, pelées et coupées en fines tranches
1 Oignon, finement coupé en rondelles
200g  Cottage cheese
4 Gros Oeufs mollets (voir méthode)
Une poignée de noix de Grenoble, grillées et hachées grossièrement
Pimentón ou piment d'Espelette, pour saupoudrer

Méthode Pour La "Vinaigrette":
1. Dans un grand bol, mélanger ensemble tous les ingrédients pour la vinaigrette.
Méthode Pour La "Salade":
2. Ajouter les tranches de betterave à la vinaigrette, mélanger délicatement et laisser mariner pendant environ 1 heure.
3. Préparez 4 assiettes et y disposer les tranches.
4. Ajouter les rondelles d'oignon et le cottage cheese.
5. Placer un œuf mollet sur le dessus de chaque salade et l'ouvrir en deux avec la pointe d'un couteau.
6. Saupoudrer avec les noix et le poivre d'Espelette ou le pimentón.
7. Servir.

Commentaires:
En général, lorsque j'ai besoin de bettraves cuites, je les achète déjà cuites (cela économise du temps et de cette manière je les ai toujours sous la main), mais vous pouvez aussi cuire les votres à la maison (voir la méthode).
Au lieu d'utiliser des noix de Grenoble, pourquoi ne pas saupoudrer vos salades avec des graines de citrouille ou les noix/graines de votre choix.
Les œufs mollets peuvent être remplacés par des oeufs pochés ou à la poêle.

Idée de présentation:
Servir comme plat principal avec du pain complet (ex. pain de montagne norvégien) ou quelques pommes de terre cuites à l'eau/au four et servies avec du beurre.

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ 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.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT SANDWICH

"There is more to sandwiches than two slices of bread."

Please head over to The Rambling Epicure site if you want to read my latest article on sandwiches and discover my recipe for my "Cheddar, Bacon & Egg Scone Sandwich".

VALENTINE'S DAY TEA-CARAMEL FLANS - FLANS AU THÉ

In case you might not be aware or you live on another planet, Valentine's Day is just around the corner (next Monday). It is quite impossible to miss that event as every store, magazine, radio station, TV channel, newspaper or blog speaks about it. The brainwashing hype has already started weeks ago and if you are a non-comformist like me the "propaganda" might make you feel sick...

Although I believe in love and have nothing against celebrating this fabulous wonder of life I am not a big fan of Valentine's Day as I feel that it is an overrated, materialistic, artificial and very mercantile feast just like Christmas, New Year's Day or Mother's Day. Of course I am aware of the highly romantic origin of this festival (all around the world there are similar days honoring love), but I believe that one should express her/his love on a daily basis and not just once a year otherwise it feels kind of fake, contrived and totally unnatural.

Valentine's Day is synonymous of love, passion and commitment, but on the other side of the coin things are not all that glittery. All the unnecessary money, tears, fights, obligations, comparisons between gifts and worries. Is it really necessary? Many men feel pressurized and obliged to make this day as unforgettable as possible or else they would be severely reprimanded by their other half, so they sheepishly buy something - many times anything kitschy that is proposed in stores who are delighted by the commercial value of the 14th of February. They feel as if taking part in some kind of competition and are panicked at the idea of not living to their wive's, girlfriend's or even their mother in law's selfish expectations (which mostly are created by society) and are afraid of getting dumped, criticized and misjudged if they do something wrong. What a stress! I really feel for them...

Why make things so complicated and follow the flock when you can free yourself from such ties and live your love in a much healthier way? It is for such reasons that I have never asked to be treated like a princess on Valentine's Day and never make a big deal out of it. My boyfriend is free to remember or not this date. I know that he loves me nonetheless.

To tell you the truth we have very rarerly celebrated this day as we are unconventional people who don't believe in forced action. It would be a lie if I said that we don't enjoy being spoilt be the other or receiving gifts like anyone else, yet compared to others we don't limit that to one day of the year. Every weekend we organize charming tête-à-têtes, candlelit meals and always try to by as affectionate towards one another and show our feelings through little nothings (buying ones favorite chocolate, baking a treat, making a concession, helping the other in difficult times, being tolerant and respectful, etc...). Buying gifts is easy, yet showing real love for your partner demands more efforts.

So when I received a box full of tea samples from "Le Palais Des Thés" (go in my blogroll for a link to their store) and was lucky to discover their heavenly "Thé Des Amants (translation: Lover's Tea) I knew that I was going to indulge my dessert-needy soulmate with a delightful homemade tea-based treat that would fill his tummy with love and bring some sweetness into the evening.

It is undoubtedly one of my favorite flavored teas. It's sensual perfume is exhalirating and every wiff or sip of it uplifts your soul in the most wonderful of ways. It is a perfect blend of black tea that fits the Valentine's Day spirit very well as it is very rich, voluptuous, refined, suggestively fragrant. With it's hints of ginger, apple, almonds, cinnamon and vanilla you'll be under it's spell.

"Thé Des Amants" is such an exceptional tea and has a really amazing taste that it is impossible to just drink it, one also wants to eat it! Therefore I decided upon making a dessert that I found in my new bible "Bon Appétit Desserts: The Book Of All Things Sweet And Wonderful" and adding my own little twist to it.

I thought that it would be interesting to create individual "Tea Caramel Flans" and instead of flavoring them with vanilla I opted for a more atypical and original way of seasoning that delicacy by steeping my cream/milk mixture with a few teaspoons "Thé Des Amants" tea . An amazing idea which gave excellent results.

Those easy-to-make flans were a huge hit. They were deliciously smooth and creamy, had a subtly spicy flavor and were dazzlingly caramelly (both aromas melded incredibly well together) and looked terrific. There was only minus point though. My flans had slightly porous edges even if I was careful when whisking the custard ingredients. Even if I did my best not to beat the eggs excessively, I still ended up with tiny and unsexy holes that plagued the sides of my flans. Not a matter of life and death, but a bugger nonetheless...

Anyway my "Tea Caramel Flans" disappeared as fast as I had made them! My boyfriend found them flawless and gulped them down with much pleasure. Mission accomplished!

~ Tea-Caramel Flans ~
Recipe adapted from "Bon Appétit Desserts: The Book Of All Things Sweet And Wonderful".

Serves 6.

Ingredients For The "Flans":
1 3/4 Cups (420ml) Double cream (35% fat)
1 Cup (240ml) Milk (no low-fat or nonfat)
1/3 Tsp Sea salt
3 1/2 Tsps Thé Des Amants by Le Palais Des Thés (link in the top of my blogroll)
3 Large Eggs
2 Large Yolks
7 Tbs Castor sugar
Ingredients for the "Caramel":
1 Cup (210g) Castor sugar
1/3 Cup (80ml) Water

Method:
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 180° C (350° F).
2. In a heavy medium pan, mix together the cream, milk and salt.
3. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer and add the tea, then remove from the heat and let steep for about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in another heavy medium pan combine 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water.
5. Stir over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
6. Increase the heat to high and cook without stirring until the syrup turns deep amber (brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally), about 10 minutes.
7. Hastily pour the caramel into six 3/4-cup (180ml) ramekins or custard cups.

8. Using oven mitts as aid, immediately tilt each ramekin to coat the sides.
9. Put the ramekins into a rectangular deep baking pan and bring a medium pan of water to the boil (set aside).
10. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and 7 tbs sugar just until blended.
11. Gradually pour the cream mixture (through a sieve) into the egg mixture while continuously whisking without creating lots of foam.
12. Sieve the custard through into a Pyrex measuring cup and pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins, dividing evenly.
13. Pour enough of the hot water into the baking pan. It has to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
14. Bake for about 40 minutes until the center of the flans are gently set but still a little wobbly.
15. Transfer the flans to a rack and let cool.
16. Place in the fridge until completely cold, about 2 hours.
17. Cover with cling film and chill overnight.
18. Just before serving, run a small sharp knife around the sides of the flans, to loosen and turn over onto plate. Shake very gently in order to release the flans. Carefully lift off the ramekins, allowing the caramel syrup to run over the flans.

Remarks:
If you don't want to use tea, then scrape a vanilla bean into the cream mixture (step 2) and add the bean.
Don't overwhisk the eggs otherwise you'll not get a perfectly smooth edges.
I suggest that you take the caramel off the burner when it's just "medium" amber rather than dark amber (it continues to cook and darken once off the heat).
The flans can be made 2 days ahead.

Serving suggestions:
Serve for dessert and garnish with pomegranate seeds or berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Flans Au Caramel Et Au Thé ~
Recette adaptée du livre "Bon Appétit Desserts: The Book Of All Things Sweet And Wonderful".

Pour 6 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour Les "Flans":
420ml Crème double (35% de mat. grasse)
240ml de Lait (uniquement du lait entier à 3.5% de mat. grasse)
1/3 de CC de Sel de mer fin
3 1/2 CC de Thé Des Amants par Le Palais Des Thés (voir mon "blogroll" pour le lien)
3 Gros Oeufs
2 Gros Jaunes d'oeufs
7 CS de Sucre cristallisé
Ingrédients Pour Le "Caramel":
210g de Sucre cristallisé
80ml d'Eau

Méthode:
1. Positionner une grille au milieu du four et préchauffer à 180° C.
2. Dans une casserole moyenne, mélanger ensemble la crème, le lait et le sel.
3. A feu moyen, porter le mélange à ébullition et ajouter le thé, puis retirer du feu et laisser tirer pendant 30 minutes.
4. Pendant ce temps, dans une autre casserole moyenne mélanger ensemble de sucre cristallisé et l'eau.
5. Cuire à feu doux et remuer constamment jusqu'à ce que le sucre soit complètement dissout.
6. Augmenter la température (haute) et faire cuire sans remuer jusqu'à ce que le sirop devienne ambré (tout en remuant délicatement la casserole pour répartir le caramel mais sans éclabousser les parois), pendant 10 minutes.
7. Verser rapidement le caramel dans 6 ramequins de 180ml chacuns.

8. En se protégeant avec des gants, immédiatement remuer les ramekins afin que le fond et les côtés soient recouverts de caramel.
9. Mettre les ramequins dans un plaque de cuisson profonde et remplir une casserole moyenne avec de l'eau, puis portez à ébullition et mettre de côté.
10. Dans un bol moyen, battre (légèrement) ensemble les oeufs, jaunes d'oeufs et 7 CS de sucre cristallisé afin d'obtenir un mélange homogène.
11. Verser graduellement le mélange à la crème (en le filtrant) dans le mélange aux oeufs tout en remuant sans créer de la mousse.
12. Filtrer l'appareil à flan et remplir les ramequins de manière égale.
13. Verser assez d'eau chaude dans la plaque de cuisson afin que l'eau arrive à mi-hauteur des moules.
14. Cuire pendant 40 minutes, jusqu'à ce que le centre des flans soit ferme, mais toujours tremblotant.
15. Transférer les flans sur une grille afin qu'ils refroidissent.
16. Les mettre au frigo jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient complètement refroidis, pendant 2 heures.
17. Couvrir les pots avec du film plastique et laisser au frigo tout une nuit.
18. Juste avant de servir, libérer les bords avec une couteau pointu et renverser délicatement sur une assiette. Secouer très légèrement afin que les flans se libèrent. Retirer les ramequ ins et lasser le caramel couler sur les flans.

Remarques:
Si vous ne voulez pas utiliser du thé pour parfumer vos flans, alors ajoutez une gousse de vanille ouverte et raclée au mélange à la crème (point 2).
Ne battez pas les oeufs trop énergétiquement autrement vous n'obtiendrez pas des bor ds lisses.
Je vous recommande de retirer complètement le caramel du feu lorsqu'il est moyennement ambré et non quand il est trop sombre (il continuent à cuire et à brunir hors du feu).
Les flans peuvent être préparés 2 jours à l'avance.

Idées de présentation:
Servir pour le dessert et garnir avec des graines de grenade ou des baies (fraises, myrtilles ou framboises).