EATING ON A BUDGET - THE RAMBLING EPICURE

My second article "13 Ways To Eat On A Budget And Improve Your Health At The Same Time" has been published on The Rambling Epicure. It offers tricks and tips for eating healthily, sustainably and gourmet on a shoestring. You'll also find one of my recipe for a lusciously creamy "Beetroot Gratin". I hope you'll enjoy my work!

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE MINI GRATINS

Last weekend, I was looking for a wintery side dish which would pair perfectly with the enormous côte de boeuf (a 700g slab of beef) that was lying in the refrigerator, waiting to get sizzled over high heat and served with summer truffle butter...

As I love potato gratins (especially Gratin Dauphinois), I thought that I could make something similar, but with an original as well as a seasonal twist. I wanted something traditional, soothing, simple yet somehow extravagant.

So, after rummaging through my entire fridge and all my cupboards, I found exactly what I was looking for. A pretty looking little violet tuber called topinambur or Jerusalem artichoke.

I was going to make a comforting, yet refined "Jerusalem Artichoke Mini Gratins" topped with hazelnuts...

Well, there is no need for me to say that it was fantastic and accompanied my chunky, charred, bloody, tender piece of beef to perfection.

This "Jerusalem Artichoke Mini Gratins" has a delicate nutty, artichoky taste with hints of water chestnuts and has a delightfully creamy texture (similar to potato gratin, since sunchokes have a consistency much like potatoes, except for their slight crispiness). In one word, fantastic!

Wouldn't that make a great side dish for Christmas or New Year?!

~ Jerusalem Artichoke Mini Gratins ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2008.

For two small individual gratin dishes.

Ingredients for the "Béchamel Sauce":
40g Unsalted butter
1 Clove garlic, crushed
3 Tbs Flour
300ml Milk
100ml Double cream (35% fat)
1/4 Tsp Cubeb pepper (see info)
Sea salt, to taste
Ingredients for the "Gratin":
1x Béchamel Sauce (recipe above)
600g Jerusalem artichokes (see info)
3 Tbs Hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Method for the "Béchamel Sauce":
1. Cook butter until brown.
2. Reduce the heat and add the crushed garlic.
3. Cook for about 1 minute.
4. Over low heat, add the flour at once, knead it into the butter and cook for 2 minutes without letting it brown.
5. Add the milk and cream and stir vigorously to avoid the formation of lumps.
6. Simmer, stirring gently with a whisk, until the mixture is thick.
7. Add the pepper and salt to taste.
8. Set aside.

Method for the "Jerusalem Artichokes":
8. Scrub the Jerusalem artichokes under running water.
9. Place them in a pan and cover them with cold water.
10. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
11. Discard the water and peel the Jerusalem artichokes.
12. Cut them into 4mm (0.2 inches) slices. Set aside.
How to assemble the gratin:
13. Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F) and butter both gratin dishes.
14. Pour some béchamel sauce into them, place a few slices of JA, then continue alternating until both the sauce and root vegetable have been used.
15. Sprinkle the tops with chopped hazelnuts.
16. Put in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
17. Serve warm.

Remarks:
If you wish, you can add 4 Tbs Parmesan cheese to the béchamel sauce (at the end, together with the pepper).
You can replace the jerusalem artichokes by any other root vegetable of your choice.

Serving suggestions:
Serve this gratin with a good côte de boeuf (or t-bone steak/rib roast) and a salad or with smoked ham, fish or the meat of your choice.

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~ Mini Gratins De Topinambour ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2008.

Pour deux mini plats à gratin individuels.

Ingrédients pour la "Béchamel":
40g de Beurre non-salé
1 Gousse d'ail, pressée
3 CS de Farine
300ml de Lait
100ml de Crème double (35% de mat. grasses)
1/4 CC de Poivre cubèbe (voir infos)
Sel de mer, à volonté
Ingredients for the "Gratin":
1x Béchamel (recette précédente)
600g de Topinambours (voir info)
3 CS de Noisettes, hachées grossièrement

Méthode pour la "Béchamel":
1. Cuire le beurre jusqu'à ce qu'il ait une couleur noisette (beurre noisette).
2. Reduire la température et ajouter l'ail pressé.
3. Cuire pendant 1 minute.
4. Ajouter le farine et bien mélanger afin d'incorporer le beurre. Cuire pendant 2 minutes sans la laisser brunir.
5. Ajouter le lait et la crème et mélanger vigoureusement au fouet afin d'éviter la formation de grumeaux.
6. Cuire à feu doux, jusqu'à ce que la béchamel soit épaisse.
7. Ajouter le poivre et saler.
8. Réserver.

Méthode pour les "Topinambours":
8. Bien nettoyer les topinambours sous l'eau froide.
9. Les mettre dans une casserole et les recouvrir d'eau froide.
10. Faire bouillir l'eau, puis laisser mijoter pendant 8-10 minutes.
11. Jeter l'eau et peler les topinambours.
12. Les couper en tranches de 4mm d'épaisseur.
13. Réserver.
Méthode pour "Assembler le Gratin":
14. Préchauffer le four à 200° C et beurrer les deux petits moules.
15. Verser un peu de béchamel au fond de chaque moule et arranger joliment quelques tranches de topinambours dessus. Continuer en alternant les couches, jusqu'à ce qu'il ne reste plus de sauce ni de légume racine.
16. Saupoudrer avec les noisettes hachées.
17. Mettre au four et cuire pendant environ 40 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les gratins prennent une jolie couleur dorée.
18. Servir chaud.

Remarques:
Si le vous désirez, vous pouvez ajouter 4 CS de parmesan à la béchamel (à la fin, avec le sel et le poivre).
Vous pouvez remplacer les topinambours par d'autres légumes racine (au choix).

Idées de présentation:
Servez ce gratin avec une côte boeuf saignante (ou avec le morceau de boeuf/la viande de votre choix) et une salade verte. Vous pouvez aussi le servir avec du jambon fumé, du poisson ou même seul avec une salade ou des légumes vapeurs.

POTATOES BAKED WITH PARMIGIANO

A Tribute To Sherry "Sher" Cermak (1948-2008)
"Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy."
~ Eskimo Saying ~

From the very day I had discovered Sherry's wonderful blog "What Did You Eat?" (USA) back in 2006, I never stopped raving over her mouthwatering recipes and hilariously funny cat/squirrel posts. All of her dishes looked so appealing and her love for animals was undeniable...

Unfortunately, until now, I have not been able to test any of her scrumptious recipes, but her creations have nonetheless inspired me as a homecook and homebaker. As, this week, foodbloggers all over the world will be making one of the recipes from her blog, and then posting the recipe on their own blog (see infos here & here), I can finally remediate to that situation. So, in rememberance of the sweet and witty Sher, I have decided to blog about her "Potatoes Bakes With Parmiginano" recipe (see her post) which has caught my attention.

If I had had a little more time this weekend, I would surely have baked either her "High-Rise's Cornbread" or her "Spinach And Feta Cheese Yeast Bread". Anyway, I promise that I'll make those gorgeous loaves in the near future.

As there are so many other recipes that I'd love to test, I really hope that Sher's blog will stay open in order for us to remember her through the marvelous dishes that she shared with us and her awesome cat/squirrel posts. In that way, we'd still be able to feel the positive vibrations which she communicated to us via this much loved blog.

I am already missing Sher's warm and friendly presence within the food and cat blogospheres as I cherished each of her posts and always waited for them with much excitement! Her sudden as well as tragic disappearance has shocked and saddened me deeply. It is clearly a loss that affects me as an individual, animal/cat lover, blogger buddy and member of The Daring Bakers...

Needless to say that this recipe was an absolute hit as this speciality's yum factor is high! Even my boyfriend who isn't very fond of potatoes ate this dish with much appetite and had a second serving!

This Italian version/cousin of the French "Gratin Dauphinois" is incredibly scrumptious and flavorful. The potatoes melt in the mouth and pair fantastically with the cream, nutmeg and Parmesan in order to create one the most luscious gratins I have ever eaten. Highly satisfying. Comfort food at it's best!

~ Potatoes Baked With Parmigiano ~
Recipe by Biba Caggiano "A Taste Of Italy".

Serves 3-4 people.

Ingredients:
6 Large boiling potatoes (5 pounds/2.25kg)
A small pinch of grated nutmeg
3/4 Cup Cream (or milk/I used 35% fat cream)
Salt, to taste
1/2 Cup Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 to 5 Tbs Unsalted butter

Method:
1. Put the potatoes in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until they are tender, but still show resistance.
2. Cool and peel, then slice into 6mm (1/4 inch) rounds.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400° F).
4. Butter a dish and layer the potatoes into it, overlapping them.
5. Mix the nutmeg in the milk/cream and pour pour over the potatoes.
6. Season with salt and sprinkle the cheese on top.
7. Dot with the butter.
8. Cook in the oven in the middle rack, for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the dish has browned to your satisfaction.
9. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Remarks:
I used 1kg (2 pounds) potatoes instead of the quantity requested and kept the same quantity cream/milk/seasoning.
Once you've placed the potatoes in the dish and covered them with the liquid (point 5), you can refrigerate the dish overnight and cook it the next day. You can even cook it and then reheat it the next day (it tastes even better that way!).

Serving suggestions:
Use as accompaniment to meat or sausages and serve with a seasonal salad.

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~ Gratin De Pommes De Terre Au Parmesan ~
Recette de Biba Caggiano, tirée de son livre "A Taste Of Italy".

Pour 3 à 4 personnes.

Ingrédients:
6 Grosses pommes de terre fermes(~2.25kg)
Une pincée de noix de muscade en poudre/moulue
3/4 de Tasse de Crème (35 % de mat. grasses/j'ai utilisé de la crème) ou de lait
Sel, à volonté
1/2 Tasse de Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) fraîchement râpé
2 à 5 CS de beurre non-salé

Méthode:
1. Mettre les pommes de terre dans une grande casserole et couvrir d'eau. Porter à ébulition et cuire jusqu'à ce que les pommes de terre soient tendres, mais toujours légèrement fermes.
2. Laisser refroidir et peler, puis couper en rondelles de 6mm d'épaisseur.
3. Préchauffer le four à 200°C (400° F).
4. Beurrer un plat à gratin et déposer les pommes de terre en les superposant.
5. Mélanger la noix de muscade au lait/à la crème et verser sur les pommes de terre.
6. Saler et saupoudrer avec le parmesan.
7. Déposer quelques noix de beurre.
8. Cuire au centre du four, pendant environ 20 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que le dessus du gratin soit doré à votre goût.
9. Servir chaud ou à température ambiante.

Remarques:
J'ai seulement utilisé 1kg de pommes de terre pour la même quantité de liquide (crème/lait) et d'assaisonnement.
Une fois que vous êtes arrivé au point 5, vous pouvez mettre le plat au frigo, jusqu'au lendemain et terminer la recette à ce moment-là. Vous pouvez aussi cuire le gratin à l'avance et le réchauffer le moment venu (c'est encore meilleur!).

Idées de présentation:
Servez ce plat avec de la viande ou des saucisses et accompagnez-le d'une bonne salade de saison.

May you rest in peace and have a great time in Heaven, with your mom, Upsie & Pumpkin!
All my thoughts go to her family and friends.