I’d like to thank everyone for all of the wonderfully kind comments I received to my last post about how I’ve been experiencing a bit of a lull in the kitchen department recently.

Trust bloggers to always cheer you up!

As a way out of the doldrums, I’ve decided to keep things simple and to just go with what I want.

And at this time of year, I want berries!

An abundance of blueberries and strawberries at my weekly trip to the farmer’s market had me really inspired for the first time in a long time. I came home and as luck would have it, I had a loaf of brioche left from a recent trip to Rahier. Immediately, I remembered this recipe, which I’d bookmared in the May 2008 issue of Food & Wine.

This was so easy to make and so incredibly delicious. It restored a little bit more of my faith.

As you know, this is Magazine Mondays, which means I’m happy to share links from other bloggers who have tackled their magazine pile. Here’s the list of brave souls:

Allie of Zucchero Dolce made a Coffee Cheesecake with Nutella Swirl on a Brownie Base. Swoon!

Margaret of Tea and Scones was a busy bee as she made Watermelon Sorbet and Swedish Meatballs with Buttered Noodles from Martha Stewart Living. Wow! Last week she made Basic Yellow Butter Cupcakes also from Martha Stewart Living.

Tamy of 3 Sides of Crazy made Shredded Vegetable Chicken Egg Rolls with Blackberry Pineapple Dipping Sauce and Spicy Gingersnaps!

Janie of Panini Girl made Blueberry Corn Muffins from Country Living to celebrate summer.

Sharon of fiberdoodles is participating in her first Magazine Mondays with a Georgia Peach Barbecued Chicken recipe!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their magazine recipe adventures!

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

My Magazine Mondays submission is the luscious Berry-Brioche Bread Pudding from the May 2008 issue of Food & Wine.

When I saw that my sweetie Lis was hosting the latest edition of the Weekend Cookbook Challenge (originated by Sara of i like to cook), I knew that I had to find time to participate.

Between work and the Easter holiday, this past month has been a busy one to say the least. But I did some planning and managed to find some time to try a recipe that I’ve been longing to try for some time: Rice Pudding with Dulce de Leche.

The idea for this dessert came from a book that I adore called Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth by Jill O’Connor. The book is beyond gorgeous and there’s a recipe in there for rice pudding with dulce de leche and cream.

I’d wanted to try the recipe for awhile and decided that this was the perfect occasion. While I borrowed the idea, however, I used my own go-to rice pudding recipe as the basis.

The theme for this WCC was to prepare a recipe using a pressure cooker, dutch oven or crockpot. I decided to use a dutch oven to prepare the rice pudding because we recently bought a little one that is just too adorable! Sometimes I’ll just put it on the stove and look at it because it’s so darn cute!

Once the rice pudding was cooked, I swirled in a huge dollop of dulce de leche and enjoyed a lovely treat.

I hope you get to enjoy it too!

Ciao!

Technorati tags: rice pudding, weekend cookbook challenge

It’s hard to believe that a little over a month ago I barely had time to even talk to my family, much less blog. The long days and even longer nights put in at work seem but a distant memory.

And yet it was only a month ago that I would stumble into the house, sometimes as late as midnight. And while I’m completely in love with food, it was at those times that the very idea of cooking or baking seemed next to impossible, like a distant dream not meant for me.

Wandering into the kitchen, that late at night (or should I say that early in the morning), more often than not it was nothing more exotic than a bowl of Cheerios keeping me company. That’s lonely business I tell you - sitting at the table alone, with a bowl of cereal at 1:00 a.m.

But as sad as that picture may seem, as with all things, the long hours passed and I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Naturally, the desire for for food breathed new life into me.

Inevitably the night comes when the bowl of Cheerios is cast aside in favour of something sweeter and divine. It’s what I like to call The Midnight Snack of Champions:  walnuts with Parmigiano Reggiano and honey.

You can’t have any one of these without the other two. The mellow butteriness of the walnuts is perfect against the sharp tingle of the Parmigiano, which is perfect dripping with the golden honey.

And there is no exact recipe for this snack. The proportions are entirely up to you. I like a handful of walnuts and a chunk of Parmigiano (cut into small pieces), covered in a few healthy teaspoons of honey (preferably chestnut honey).

The only rule here is that you must eat this with your fingers being sure to lick up every delicious drop of honey.

Forget the Cheerios.

In those quiet night hours, when hunger strikes, comfort yourself with the snack of champions all the while knowing that there will only be sweet dreams to follow.

Ciao!

Technorati tags:walnuts, Parmigiano Reggiano, honey

Today would be a day that I would describe as the "typical" Autumn day. Not "the perfect" Autumn day … the typical one. Grey skies, leaves blowing here and there, quiet, and chilly, bordering on cold. A "perfect" Autumn day would have been basically the same, except the gray skies would be lightened by the sun.

As far as I know, there’s only one way to deal with typical Autumn days and that’s the application of a variety of comforting dishes to your stomach. Apply directly and as often as necessary.

As many of you know, Orchidea and I are hosting an event called "Dishes of Comfort" where we’ve asked bloggers to share a comforting dish with all by November 15th. It could be a dish from your childhood or perhaps a dish you learned to make when you first left home. Whatever the origin, it should be something that puts a smile on your face every time. I’ve already talked to you about le patatine fritte and how they are the very essence of comfort for me.

But another dish that does it for me every time is rice pudding. And this is most strange as I’ve only been eating rice pudding for about three years. I grew up eating rice and lots of it, but always in savoury dishes. I first heard about rice pudding from a close Swedish friend who explained that it was one of her husband’s specialties. Each Christmas, they would enjoy his stellar rice pudding.

Intrigued, I searched out recipes for rice pudding and tried many before I settled on one that made me happy to the core. I like it for two reasons:  it’s easy and I don’t have to share it. Now there I go again, betraying my generous nature, but what can I do? We’re talking about hot milk, butter and vanilla sugar and plump grains of rice swollen with milky goodness.

Are you going to blame me for not wanting to share?

I learned to make this recipe from Nigella Lawson’s book Nigella Bites. The recipe is called "Stovetop Rice Pudding for Emergencies" and yields enough rice for one person. Say what you want about this woman, but she certainly knows how to indulge. And on days like today, I find it almost impossible to come up with reasons not to support her.

But today, in an attempt to expand my horizons, I decided to experiment a bit with my rice pudding so that I’d finally be able to participate in the Spice is Right event, which was originated by Barbara of Tigers & Strawberries with this round being hosted by exceptional Danielle of Habeus Brulee. The theme for this round is using a spice in a different way than you normally would. Well not only am I doing that, I’m using a spice I don’t normally use at all:  cardamom.

The idea of using cardamom struck me when I stared at my screen and began drooling over the Fried Cardamom Cookies made by Gattina. I know almost nothing about cardamom so I began doing some research and was surprised to discover that it’s actually part of the ginger family and that in some parts of the world, it’s revered for its medicinal properties. Like most spices, it’s best and most powerful in its unadulterated form. In this case that would be the actual cardamom pod, but I wasn’t about to hunt out cardamom pods. Instead, I visited my local gourmet shop and bought a small amount of the freshest ground cardamom.

The aroma was heady and almost pungent, but pleasing. I couldn’t imagine tossing a handful of this spice into any food (as I often do with cinnamon … seriously), but I could imagine sprinkling in just the tiniest bit.

So as my rice pudding bubbled away, flecked with vanilla bean and slurping up the hot milk I kept adding to it, I blessed it all with the tiniest pinch of cardamom.

Heaven! And all for me!

Ciao!

Rice Pudding For One (with Cardamom)

Adapted from Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson.

• 2-1/2 cups milk (the original recipe calls for whole milk but you can make it with any type of milk except skim)
• 1/2 a vanilla pod, split down the middle (if you don’t have a vanilla pod, then use 2 tsp. vanilla extract)
• 3 tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 4 tbsp. arborio rice (or any rice used for risotto)
• an additional 2 tbsp. sugar or 2 tbsp. vanilla sugar if you have any on hand
• 1/8 tsp. cardamom (optional, you can also add more if you like)

1. In a pan, heat the milk. As the milk heats, scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add to the warming milk. If not using the vanilla pod, then add the 2 tsp. of vanilla extract to the warming milk and stir.
2. Just as the milk comes to the boil, turn off the heat.
3. In a large, wide saucepan, melt 2 tbsp. of the butter with 1 tbsp. of sugar. As soon as the butter is melted and bubbling, add the rice and stir for 1 minute.
4. Begin adding the milk to the rice, one ladle full at a time. Cook over medium-low heat, being careful not to scorch the rice. Stir constantly.
5. As the milk is absorbed, add another ladle full of milk and continue cooking the rice.
6. After about 20 minutes, taste the rice. If it’s plump and soft, then you know it’s cooked. If not, continue adding milk and cooking until the rice is done. If you need more milk, warm up some more.
7. Once the rice is cooked and the milk has been absorbed, take the rice pudding off the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of butter, either 2 tbsp. of sugar or vanilla sugar and the cardamom if using. Mix well to combine everything.
8. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  rice, rice pudding, dishes of comfort, spice is right

Madames et Messieurs, I bring you shocking news.

Je ne suis pas Cream Puff! I am not Cream Puff!

Ze girl that you know as Cream Puff has gone out of ze house. She has gone to ze … ummm … magasin??? How do you say that in English … oh yes … store. Cream Puff has gone to ze store.

And this is my opportunity! Allow me to introduce myself.

Je suis Monsieur Mandoline. My name is Mr. Mandoline.

I was born in France, to ze family de Buyer. Several years ago, I made my way across ze ocean to a very fancy magasin … I mean store. And there, ze Cream Puff, she found me and brought me to her home.

Au début, j’étais heureux. At first, I was happy. Ze Cream Puff, she was very nice. She used me … in a good way. I sliced ze potatoes and ze onions and ze carrots. Ah oui … j’aime les carottes!

Ze Cream Puff would use me often, and when she was finished, she would wash me and dry me and make sure that I was shiny like new. I had a very special place in ze Cream Puff kitchen.

But then, something terrible happend. Ze maman of Cream Puff, she bought her a food processor for Christmas.

Oh l’horreur!

Ze Cream Puff, she forgot about me. Slowly, slowly … I began to lose my place. At first I went from ze counter to ze cupboard. And then I went to ze cupboard even higher up. And then … on a day most sad … ze Cream Puff she put me in ze wood cabinet in ze basement.

Quelle angoisse! What anguish!

There, in ze wood cabinet, I was forced to live with ze lowly baking pans, ze discarded trays, ze empty Christmas tins and ze other appliances ze Cream Puff forgot.

My days were spent in darkness, as were my nights. Occasionally, ze Cream Puff, she would come and open ze cabinet doors and take me out. But all too rarely!

But today, mes amis, hope has entered my life! Ze Cream Puff, she went out, but she was sloppy. She left ze wooden cabinet door open. My chance had arrived!

Comme une gazelle, I jumped out of ze cabinet and sprinted up ze stairs. I made my way dans la cuisine and before me, on ze kitchen counter, was ze most beautiful butternut squash! I remembered my maman and my papa telling me of ze times that they were used to prepare butternut squash, and how beautiful it was. I longed for this feeling.

Boldly, I took ze squash and made it mine. Quelle merveille! What wonder! Ze golden, silky flesh of ze butternut was ze best medicine against my loneliness. Having sliced ze butternut squash, I remembered ze recipe ze Cream Puff used to make.

I mixed cooked ze onion dans le beurre. I added ze cream and milk. I cooked ze squash in ze mixture for only a little bit. And then I put it in ze oven with goat cheese and walnuts. What a beautiful aroma! Once out of ze oven, I helped myself to a big spoonful. And now, I am sending this gratin to you for ze Weekend Cookbook Challenge #10, hosted by Sara of I Like to Cook (moi aussi!) and Mary of The Sour Dough.

So this is my story, mes amis. For a few short hours, I have tasted freedom again. And it has been magnifique. But soon, ze Cream Puff, she will return. So I must go back to the wooden cupboard. But do not fear, Monsieur Mandoline shall return!

Vive la liberté!

Butternut Squash Gratin with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Adapted from Gratins by Tina Salter.

• 1 large butternut squash or several small butternut squashes (2 to 3 pounds in total), peeled, seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. sage, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped
• 4 to 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• 2 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a gratin dish that has a 3-quart capacity. I use a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish.
2. In a large pan, melt the butter, add the onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
3. Add the cream, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and sage. Bring to the boil.
4. Lower the heat to medium and add the butternut squash and half the walnuts. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the squash becomes just tender.
5. Place half the butternut squash/walnut mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle half the crumbled goat cheese on top.
6. Top with the remaining butternut squash/walnut mixture.
7. Sprinkle with the remaining goat cheese.
8. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the squash is completely cooked through.
9. Remove from the oven and let sit on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and the remaining walnuts.
10. Enjoy!

Note:  This gratin will serve 6 to 8 people. It’s wonderful for parties. It can be made ahead of time and then reheated.

Technorati tags:  butternut squash, gratin, mandoline, weekend cookbook challenge

I’d like to thank all of you for your birthday wishes. I had a wonderful day and was thrilled that you enjoyed the White Chocolate-Raspberry Tart. I was hesitant to post about my birthday as I felt it might be a bit over-the-top. But I couldn’t resist sharing my special tart for my special day. So once again, I thank you.

Before I get into the business of this post, I wanted to send a reminder, on behalf of my dear friend Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Sensual Gourmet, regarding the second Canadian Blogging by Post. If you blog and you live in Canada, I urge you to participate as it’s a wonderful way to meet fellow bloggers in this beautiful land of ours. The details are all here, but the deadline is fast-approaching so be sure to sign up.

And now for the business at hand.

I spend quite a bit of time reading all the incredible food blogs out there. I do this partly for entertainment, partly for inspiration and partly for the sheer love of food. I am consistently amazed at how creative and brilliant you all are. I  have a pile of recipes clipped from your blogs to prove it.

But every once and awhile, I will happen upon a post that for one reason or another touches me deeply. I had this very experience when I came across Orchidea’s post about Minestra di Riso e Latte (Rice Soup with Milk). If you don’t know who Orchidea is, she is the creative force behind the beautiful Viaggi e Sapori. Orchidea is Italian, but she lives in Stockholm, Sweden. I haven’t "known" her for very long, but in the time that I have known her I’ve been impressed by her charm, her writing, her photography and most of all her cooking.

Her recipe for Minestra di Riso e Latte, in particular, captured my fancy. It’s very similar to a dish that I had often as a child. While I have no clear recollections of my mother making this for me, I do remember my dear Nonna preparing it for me often. She would add a bit of butter and parmigiano to boiled rice, with some of the cooking water added in. It produced a creamy, buttery and cheesy dish that was a bit more soupy than risotto, but comforting to the very core.

My maternal grandmother, my Nonna, was a huge force in my life. When my mother went back to work after my birth, the commute that both my parents faced was long. By the time they picked me up after work and drove home, they realized they were spending very little time with me. They made the decision to have my Nonna take care of me during the week. On Friday evenings they would pick me up and they would then drop me off again on Sunday nights.

This may sound like a strange arrangement to some, but in our Italian background grandparents are very often the primary caregivers for young children. So until the age of two, I spent my weeks happily in the care of my Nonna. While I undoubtedly missed my parents, I could not have had a better guiding hand for those formative years.

Seeing the picture of Orchidea’s Minestra di Riso e Latte opened the memory floodgates and I recalled the happy times that I spent with my Nonna, and of course, the incredible food she made for me. Her food was simple, brave, uncomplicated, pure, flavourful and honest. Today it would probably be described as "rustic." But to her, it was simply the best food to put on the table to feed her children and grandchildren.

The memory of her rice with butter and parmigiano transported me instantly to the beauty of her kitchen. I remember the warmth, the comforting aroma of her cooking and the sound of her voice. And those memories are so deeply comforting … just like soupy rice with butter and parmigiano.

I was reminiscing about my Nonna’s cooking in the days after reading Orchidea’s post, when I had an idea. I approached her with a suggestion for a one-off event, about the dishes of our childhood that comforted us then, and continue to comfort us now.

I realize that there are a number of events constantly being planned in this Blog Universe, but Orchidea and I thought it might be special to stop for a moment, reflect and post about that special dish, from our youth, that meant so much. We ask that you share your special memory with everyone by November 15th. Be sure to e-mail Orchidea at viaggiesapori@yahoo.it or me at ivonne@creampuffsinvenice.ca. We will post a round-up on the 16th or 17th of November. Be sure to use the Technorati tag "Dishes of Comfort" and feel free to post your photos to the Flickr Group, "Picturing Dishes of Comfort."

As for the dish that you see at the top of this page, like my grandmother’s rice dish, le patatine fritte (small fried potatoes) are one of those childhood joys. My mother had no trouble whatsoever getting us to the table whenever a plateful of these golden, crispy delights appeared.

While the type of potato used depended entirely on whatever we had in the pantry, they were always made the same way. Cut into small cubes, they were fried in a mixture of vegetable oil and olive oil until they were deeply golden. As soon as they were removed from the pan, they were showered in salt. What pleasure they would bring!

When I visited Italy in 2003, I had the pleasure of spending time with some friends of my father. As I sat in their kitchen and chatted with them, I noted that they were preparing patattine fritte for lunch. And to my delight, they added a sprig of rosemary to the frying potatoes. The aroma was heavenly. Ever since then, I have done the same. No matter what is going on in our lives, this dish is always a very special treat.

So I leave you with these patatine fritte and with the following question:  what is your childhood comfort dish?

Ciao!

Le Patatine Fritte

Treasured family recipe.

• 4 potatoes, medium to large-sized, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• (1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 large sprig rosemary
• salt (to taste)

1. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil and olive oil. The oil is ready when you drop in a potato cube and it immediately begins to sizzle.
2. Carefully add your potatoes in an even layer. Resist the urge to move them around. Leave the potatoes to fry for 5 minutes.
3. After 5 minutes, carefully flip the potatoes and fry for another 5 minutes.
4. Once again, flip the potatoes and let them fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. At this point, begin to flip them every 3 to 4 minutes until they are golden.
5. At this point, add the rosemary sprig and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
6. As soon as the potatoes are deeply golden and the rosemary begins to turn golden, remove the potatoes and place then on a platter lined with paper towel.
7. Immediately salt the potatoes and rosemary. Let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Transfer the potato and rosemary to a serving plate and commence fighting with everyone at the table over who gets the most potatoes.
9. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will serve 4. The guideline we use in terms of serving size is that we use one potato per person at the table. We like to use sea salt on these potatoes.

*A special thanks to Miria who corrected my spelling on patatine (not patattine). I can’t believe I made that mistake!!! Gee I hope my Italian professors weren’t reading …

Technorati tags:  potatoes, fried potatoes, rosemary, comfort food, dishes of comfort, canadian blogging by post