Cauliflower soup with smoky bacon

Tags

appetiser, appetizer, bacon, cauliflower, comfort food, Soup, starter

I recently made this soup for a weeknight dinner for Stuart and myself and posted a photo on my Instagram and Facebook pages.  By the following morning, I was inundated with requests for the recipe and thus begins my return to blogging.  It is so easy to make but looks like you spent hours slaving over a hot stove.  Perfect starter to a fancy meal or just dinner for two with some crusty bread.  Prep takes about 20 minutes and cooking time 40 minutes.
Serves 6

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
400g/14oz potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large cauliflower, broken into florets
1 branch of celery, sliced thinly
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 leek, white part only, cut into thin slices
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Parsley
1 bay leaf
80g/3oz freshly grated parmesan
3 tablespoons thick crème fraîche
1,5L/3 pints chicken stock
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 pinches nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat
Add the celery, onion, leek and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, do not let it colour
Add the potatoes, 3/4 of the cauliflower, stock, bay leaf and nutmeg
Bring to the boil, lower heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes until veggies cooked
Remove the bay leaf
Add the crème fraîche and parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste and keep warm
Place the remaining 1/4 cauliflower on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Roast for 15 minutes
Add the bacon, cut into small pieces, to the hot baking sheet and return all to the oven for 5 minutes
Using a stick blender, purée the soup for a few minutes
Pour the soup into preheated soup bowls, add a few pieces of roasted cauliflower and some crispy bacon to each bowl
Add parmesan, sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with olive oil

Bon appétit ! 

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Tomato puff pastry tart

Tags

appetizer, brunch, cherry tomato, lunch, puff pastry, starter, tart, tomatoes

This is a perfect way to use those great tasting summer tomatoes. I have a glut of cherry tomatoes at the moment and so am always looking for ways to use them. Using frozen or store bought puff pastry makes this such a quick and easy recipe to put together.

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• tomatoes, (I used about 40 cherry tomatoes)
• olive oil, about 1 tablespoon
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs (I used basil and oregano)
• 1 heaped tablespoon strong Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup  shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup  grated Gruyere cheese
• 1/3 cup  grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place them cut side down on a paper towel and allow to drain for about 15 minutes (If using larger tomatoes, slice thickly and place on paper towel)
Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with some olive oil, salt, pepper and the chopped herbs
Place the puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper in a baking sheet
Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork
Spread the mustard on the pastry leaving a small border around the edges
Sprinkle the cheeses over the mustard
Place the tomatoes, cut side up, so that their juice doesn’t make the pastry too soggy
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden
Enjoy!

 

La macédoine de legumes / macédoine of vegetables in salad

Tags

bistrot cooking, classic french recipe, hors d'œuvres, macedoine, mayonnaise, salad, starter, vegetables

 

Macédoine is a salad composed of small pieces of fruit or vegetables. Vegetable Macedonia or Macédoine de légumes nowadays is usually a cold salad or hors d’oeuvre of diced vegetables served with mayonnaise. Of course, a good homemade mayonnaise will turn this simple starter salad in something quite special, so I highly recommend taking the time to make your own, if at all possible. I added a few flagolets or lima beans that I had left over to mine but this is not part of the classic recipe so I have not included them below. I wanted to serve my macédoine for lunch so included a few slices of excellent ham freshly shaved by my local butcher.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

350g / 12oz carrots
150g / 5oz long turnips
180g / 6oz fine green beans
500g / 1 lb fresh peas
Small bunch of chives, chopped finely
450g / 1 lb ham (jambon blanc de Paris) sliced thinly
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon strong Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine or champagne vinegar
3/4 cup / 180 ml sunflower oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Start with the mayonnaise
Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl
Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds
Whisking constantly, add 1/4 cup oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4 minutes
Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color)
Cover and chill
Can be made up to 2 days ahead
Keep chilled
Salad
Peel the carrots and turnips, trim the green beans and shell the peas
Cut the veggies into small cubes
Cook all the vegetables separately in lightly salted boiling water, 7 minutes for carrots, 5 minutes for turnips, 6 minutes for the green beans and 4 minutes for the peas
Drain, plunge in ice cold water to retain the colour and allow to cool
Combine all the vegetables in a bowl, add chives and mayonnaise
Season to taste and toss lightly
Divide the salad between the plates and add a slice or two of ham
Enjoy!

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