Spring Rolls

Practice makes perfect.  Boy, do I ever  have to continue practicing my spring rolls!!!  The only conciliation is that they were a first attempt.

Peach and Cherry Upside Down Bundt Cakes

A twist on traditional upside cake; small bundt size ones.  The original recipe is for a 9 inch pan.  To avoid a soggy batter, I drained the fruit before placing it in the individual bundt molds. I also did not add butter to the fruit topping;  therefore, make sure to grease and flour the cake molds. In all it makes 6 rather generous individual bundt cakes....mini by no means!


Peach and Cherry Upside Down Cakes
 Fruit Topping
1 1/4  cups of peeled and sliced peaches 
3/4 cup  fresh cherries pitted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Kirsch

 In a bowl combine the fruit topping and set aside while preparing the cake batter, to allow the Kirsch flavour to infuse.  Strain the juices prior to arranging them on the bottom of well greased cake molds

Batter
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1  tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt


In a mixing bowl whisk by hand, or using an electric mixer beat the eggs, sugar,vanilla, and butter until it is light and creamy.  Pour in the milk and combine.  In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour in the wet ingredients and mix  with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined.  Pour into prepared bundt molds and  bake in a pre-heated 350ºF oven for 35-40 minutes.  The cakes are done when a wooden toothpick, inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Blueberry Pie

This blueberry pie recipe was adapted from Food Network's chef Laura Calder's, Fresh Blueberry Tart recipe.  You really can't beat her recipe for perfect flaky pie crust and  blueberry pie filling.


Pastry
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut in pieces
1/3 cup ice-cold water

In a food processor combine the flour,salt,sugar and cut in the butter until it resembles coarse meal.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and make a well in the dry ingredients.  Pour in the ice-water and quickly work in the flour to form a dough.  It is important to not over-work the dough.  Divide into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for about 15 minutes before rolling out into a 10 inch tart pan or a pie plate. reserve the second disk for the top crust.

Blueberry Filling
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water)

In a saucepan, add one cup of the blueberries, sugar, water and the cornstarch.  Bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens. Combine the the blueberry mixture and remaining blueberries in a bowl and allow to cool.   
Pour the blueberry filling into the prepared tart pan, and cover with the top crust which has been rolled out.  Brush on egg wash and bake in a pre-heated 425º F for 15 minutes.  Lower the oven to 350ºF and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes until the crust is golden.

Kamut and Orzo with Pesto

Kamut  is the trademark name for Khorasan organic wheat grain, which has ancient origins. The good news is that it has about 14%  protein content and minerals such as selenium, zinc and magnesium.  It is a high energy grain which is easily digestible. There is also an interesting legend surrounding this ancient grain.  Along with two of each species of animals, legend has it that Noah brought a supply of Khorasan wheat onto the ark.  In my opinion maybe he should have left it behind in the flood, because he really didn't do us a favour (or "flavour", as it were). Unfortunately, all the antidote in the world couldn't help this dish.  I did my best by adding my homemade pesto, crispy pancetta, and the orzo to balance the grain content.  All to no avail, unless Big Bird was my dinner guest.  The only conciliation was dessert, as we didn't even finish our main course.  You win some and you lose some.  For all you die-hard fans out there out there, I will be happy to share the recipe if you drop me a line.  After all, the taste was good; it was the texture that I had trouble with....chew,chew,chew,chew........until the sun goes down.

Elderberry Mania

Sylvain and invited chef  Soeur Angèle

Elderberry stuffed pork loin

                                         Peruvian Alpaca and woolen products were on display

I wanted to share with you photos from this year's Foire Agro-Alimentaire (Agriculture and Food Fair) held at Jacinthe Demarais and Sylvain Mercier's elderberry orchard in St. Bernard de Lacolle, Quebec.  Who would have thought that introducing our longtime friends to elderberry,  picked from our very own tree in our backyard, and sharing my husband's original orange vermouth elderberry jelly would excuse the pun, "bear such fruit"?  They project having over 15,000 trees in their orchard by 2011.  Jacinthe with her scientific background in the health field, and Sylvain with his entrepreneurial business skills, have built a flourishing and well respected business, producing quality elderberry food products and homeopathic medicines. Visit their official web site at  http://www.suro.ca  to learn more about their products and view photos of their orchard.

Pesto Genoese

"Presto presto
Do your very besto
Don't hang back like a shy little kid
You'll be so glad that you did what you did
If you do it with a Bing Bang Bong
A Bing Bang Bong"  lyrics from Showboat with Sophia Loren and Cary Grant.

You might ask what the heck does this have to do with the recipe?  Actually there is no rhyme nor reason.  My brain automatically does these crazy word associations; the lyrics come to mind as soon as my fingers touch the keyboard.  This time the "declencheur" as the French would say, was the word pesto.  I almost called the recipe my "presto pesto" but restrained myself, and happily continued playing the song in my head.  

Anyway I digress, and should get back to the pesto recipe. I first fell in love with pesto back in the late seventies while traveling through Italy, and landing up where else but in Genoa, the birthplace of pesto.  I have been making it ever since, and when basil is bountiful, I make a huge batch to freeze. As far as I'm concerned, it lasts forever.  I use it right through winter on pizza, pasta, bruschetta, and as a rub on chicken or fish.  It's great to have on hand, long after those beautiful summer days are gone.  In the refrigerator it will keep up to a week.  Make sure to cover it with oil to prevent it from oxidizing.

This time around, I didn't add pine nuts to the recipe but feel free to add a handful if you happen to have some on hand.  Either way, the pesto has great flavour. 

Basil Pesto

4 cups basil leaves (washed and dried)

1 cup fresh Italian parsley

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano  grated cheese

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a food processor chop the garlic.  Add the basil, parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pulsate.  Slowly add the oil in a constant stream while the food processor is still on, until finely chopped.  Makes 1 cup.  To freeze, place 6 spoonfuls on a tray which has been lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, wrap individually and transfer to freezer bags. Will keep for several months.

Prepared spoonfuls for freezing.

New Blog Look

Well I finally did it and changed the look of my blog page.  Give me a bit of computer knowledge, and I become dangerous.  My daughter keeps on pleading with me to stop clicking, and adding on gadgets because I really don't know what I'm doing, but there is so much to learn, so much trouble to get into, and so little time. After all, I have some major catching up to do when it comes to the whole computer and blogging realm.  So what do you think of this new look ?  Please let me know your thoughts, and any suggestions you might have for this newbie.