Tartelette

A Sweet Affair ...

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Sun, 27 May 2012 22:05:00 +0000

I don't do wedding photography. It's not that I can't. I just enjoy photographing food a lot more. Except when it comes to friends. My husband used to be a wedding photographer back in the 70s and 80s. Some of our friends are sought after portrait and wedding photographers. I am still doing food and have no desire to change. But...once in a while, close friends ask me to photograph an engagement session. Or their wedding.

Last weekend, my assistant and friend Laura got married to Alex. I love them both. I photographed their engagement session and had a total blast. As a wedding present, I offered to photograph the wedding. It was a true friendship and family affair since they asked my husband's band to play at the reception (he's the one with the trombone).

Their wedding was a true Southern affair. A thoughtful and reflective ceremony and a reception in a gorgeous antebellum house. A perfect mix of sophistication, handmade, European elegance and simplicity. A lovely way to embrace the town and flair of our beautiful city, Charleston.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day. Thank you Laura for entrusting me with making your memories last a lifetime through a few (many) shots.

Getting Ready... The Anticipation...

Getting Married ...

Married! ...Stolen moments before the reception ...

Let's Party! ...

Congratulations and Best Wishes Laura & Alex!

Shrimp, Butternut Squash & Coconut Soup & Pickled Shrimp With Cucumber Spears

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:05:00 +0000

Since I have started keeping up a blog in late 2006, I have always heard my seniors say "never apologize for being busy, missing or not keeping up regular posting schedule". I get that. A blog is primarily meant for fun. Or at least it started that way for most. It did for me. My blog is not my job. I don't make a living from it and we do need to be a two income family. By a twist of hard work and continued practice, the blog gave me a very busy and very fulfilling career. And right now, I feel the pages and regularity of the blog escaping me.

I think about that dessert I made and photographed and not yet posted. About the soup we ate for lunch and dinner almost three days in a row it was so incredibly delicious. I start formulating the sentences that would bear enough meaning to tell you about the ribs we grilled and devoured with blue cheese coleslaw the other day before getting caught in the rain. On our patio. Soaked. Yet happy with full belly and lots of cheers with friends.

I blog in my head a lot these days. Lot less on paper. In the shower, while others sing out loud, I start sentences peppered with just the right amount of seasonal flair and fresh ingredient. I think long and hard about other words for "fragrant" as I tie my shoes or put the leash on the dogs. As I back up files and archives all my work at night, I dream of a blank screen where I can start a post.

So, yes, unlike my seasoned senior fellow bloggers, I am saying "sorry folks if I am not as often here on this page as I would like it to be". It's all good though. Things are busy here but all "oh so" awesome. Lots of fun shoots, more for Food & Wine, Le Creuset and One Kings Lane, prepping lots of fun workshops for the summer and planning a few more commercial and editorial shoots in the middle. Never a minute to slow down. And I would not change it. This is it. This is life. I can only do this once.

I am also taking the time to slow down, sigh and regroup. By coming here. By cooking some wholesome foods. By committing to the farmers market every Saturday. The colors, the smell, the care and the love that everyone puts toward giving us healthy materials to feed our bodies and soul... All very motivating and inspiring to get in the kitchen, tie my apron on, sharpen my knives, cling my wooden spoons (they are my ruby red slippers) and find comfort in the things I can explain and seemingly have control a little.

Soups are definitely one of those things that we like to sit in front of in the evening. Especially when we can sit down together, pour ourselves a glass of wine and talk. No other interruption than his band stories or geek talk over equipment. It does not matter if it is 50F or 110F outside, soups are always welcome.

One of Bill's favorites is a Thai chicken and coconut soup that he had decades ago in New York City. I have tried many times to recreate it based on his description and you can guess I never quite got it right. So much is part of his taste memory and so much is part of the memories of the trip itself. One day, I finally decided to give up on that memory entirely and come up with a completely different coconut based soup. Luck would have it that I only had to look so far as to one of my favorite cookbooks, Noodles: The New Way by Sri Owen.

This book is one of those in our kitchen that is open many times a week for inspiration. Cooked from a couple of times of month for satisfaction and permeated for ever with fragrances of star anise, ginger and mint. One of the recipes I had bookmarked from the very first day I got the book waited a whooping 10 years before I actually made it. Modified and made, I should say. And since then, I have made it ten times already. Trying to catch up on ten years without Shrimp, Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup..one bowl at a time!

The original recipe in "Noodles: The New Way" was "Coconut, Tofu and Pumpkin Noodles". I loved all the flavors but modified to accommodate what I had in the fridge when I decided to make it the first time. Pumpkin was replaced with butternut squash and shrimp made their way in our bowls, instead of tofu. Right now that shrimp are in full season, it's really easy to get a couple of pounds from the dock in the evening or from the market if we don't feel like casting our nets. Butternut squash are not in season anymore however so I have been using golden beets or baby turnips instead lately.

Another recipe that has been on rotation every week during this shrimp season is one I shot for Food & Wine: Pickled Shrimp With Cucumber Spears. So easy and so refreshing during this hot Spring and upcoming Summer. I know we are lucky to have access to local fresh seafood so easily. Port city living has lots of perks. Being able to get dinner right off the dock or right off the fishing boat is definitely one of them. Standing in line waiting for my turn gives me ample time to exchange recipes and forces me to take time out. I am kind of digging it...

Hope you have a wonderful end of the week...!

Shrimp, Butternut Squash & Coconut Soup, modified from Sri Owen in "Noodles: The New Way".

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

3 to 5 tablespoons sesame oil 1 pound fresh shrimp, deveined and shelled 2 tablespoons red curry paste 6 cups vegetable stock 2 cups coconut milk 3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash 2 teasponns chopped lemongrass (soft inner part) zest of one lime 4 scallions, chopped 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1/2 cup fresh peas 8 ounces rice noodles fresh mint for garnish Directions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp in two batches and cook, turning them over after 2 minutes, then cooking another 2 minutes on the other side. Drain on paper towel and reserve. In a large saucepan set over medium high heat, cook the curry paste until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the butternut squash and simmer for about 10 minutes over medium heat or until it is tender. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the noodles and mint, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add the cooked shrimp and turn the heat off. Set aside. Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions. Divide them among 6 to 8 bowls and ladle the soup over them. Garnish with mint. Pickled Shrimp with Cucumber Spears, reprinted with permission of Food &Wine magazine:

Ingredients:
5 cups water
12 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 bay leaves
Eight 3-inch-long strips of lemon zest
6 to 8 small dried red chiles
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
3 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/2 pounds unwaxed kirby or Japanese cucumbers, cut into 3/4-inch-wide spears.

In a large saucepan, combine the water, garlic, bay leaves, lemon zest and chiles. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, add the salt and let the brine cool. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice and sugar and boil over high heat until reduced by half. Add the reduction to the pickling brine. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for just 1 minute, then drain. Arrange the cucumber spears around the side of a large glass bowl. Put the shrimp in the center and cover with the brine. Place a plate directly on the shrimp and cucumbers and weigh it down with canned goods to keep the shrimp and cucumbers submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Arrange the shrimp and cucumbers on a platter and serve.

Food Photography Workshop In Charleston - A Recap.

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Thank you all for your words of comfort and virtual hugs. I came to you from a very vulnerable place and your words held me strong throughout some pretty dark hours. Some comfort came from learning that since he was an organ donor, my cousin's heart is beating for someone else. This bit of news calms some of my anger.

Looking at old family albums helped a lot. Also did diving head first into editing and reflecting over the workshop that Clare Barboza and I instructed together a couple of weekends ago. Each and everyone of these pictures made me smile and brought me back to a good place. The place Clare and I would call "the life we want to lead and the work we do to get there". Teaching workshops is one of the things we do to find ourselves in that good place. It's about sharing information, connecting with people and helping them find the way to what makes them happy with photography.

I wasn't nervous co-teaching with Clare as much as I was hosting our first duo workshop in my town. Clare and I jive. There is only support and care. Genuine interest and zero drama. We work through things at different or similar paces, depending, but always with the understanding of the greater picture. In this case, the workshop, the attendees, the info dispersed and the well being of everyone. Debriefing over Prosecco each night was also a genius idea...eheheh

Over the course of the few days we had planned, the attendees participated in 5 different themed photo shoots, visited the Charleston farmers market and had dinner at Lana for on-location shoots. It was intense, and yet we made sure to have plenty of downtime to enjoy the beach house, the waves and the gorgeous weather all the while editing and sharing tips over wine and cheese each evening .

We tried to create vignettes and photo opps at every turn of the house, providing the attendees with lots of props and surfaces from both our studios and finds that Clare had scored along the road trip from Seattle to Charleston. We might have packed more than our husbands would have liked to carry up and down the stairs but at least we had plenty to play with for 3 days!

I love Charleston. I love everything about it. The people. The places. The artisans, artists and farmers. I also love everything that is bizarre and antiquated about this town. I love how forward and backward it can be at times. Thus, my worry that the attendees would only see certain facets of Charleston and miss the good details. I needn't worry. We had an amazing group of smart, talented and beautiful women join us on this workshop. I fell in love with each and everyone of them for their generosity and wit. I left the workshop exhausted but completely inspired.

Kuddos to our super awesome assistant and kitchen manager Laura who kept us well fed and organized. Could not have done it without her! It was pretty much non stop action in the kitchen. I can't believe she's moving at the end of the month!!

I am really glad that Clare, her husband Joe and their pup Nina stayed a couple of days after the workshop. Our husbands developed a similar friendship to ours while we were at the beach house workshopping. We knew they would. They are awesome guys...!

I was curious to see how our pups would bond and no surprise there either. They loved each other. Bailey and Nina had a great puppy romance. Full of love bites, nips, runs and even sharing a bed a couple of times. Tippy, the older dog was pretty much unphased but give a dozen years, I am sure he would have fought Bailey for a spot next to Nina...

We took those extra days with them to chill by the dock, process the whole weekend, plan even more fun for next year (stay tuned!) and walk around downtown. The old streets, old stones. Our favorite spots.

Gave us the chance to discover new and fun places to go back to like Black Tap Coffee Shop. A new favorite of mine.

A much needed rest and recovery. A time to focus on the details as well as the broad strokes.

I leave you with some images from Charleston taken after the workshop was over. This is the town as I see now. Fall is different. And magical too which is why I am thrilled that Clare and I will be teaching two more workshops here in November. Can't wait!

Here are some of the posts written by the attendees about the workshop. Thank you ladies, it was an honor!

Claire McCormack Photography: Farmers Market - Snapshots

Lorie at Savory Nest.
Angela at Angie's Southern Kitchen.

Shannon at No8Photography.

Paige at Simple Expressions.

Kay at The Church Cook: Day 1 - Day 2 - Day 3

Holding...

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:06:00 +0000

Today holds all the promises of a good day. It is my birthday. It is Mother's Day here in the US.

And yet, it is a difficult day for my family yet again. In the last 5 months we have had to say goodbye to three very close family members. My grandfather, my uncle and just this Friday, my cousin passed away. He was 26 years old. We are once again being tested. We are once again holding each other up and saying goodbye to a person we loved and loved even more.

Please keep us in your thoughts as you hug and cheer today. Whether you celebrate a birthday, a mother, a graduate or simply the fact that it is Sunday and you have a day off. Just celebrate it.

xoxo

Squash Blossom Quiche With Feta & Basil

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:19:00 +0000

My voice is raspy. My eyelids are heavy. My clothes are still in a pile by my bed. And I still have to find my slippers. Yet, my heart is full, my memories wonderful and my mind is a big mumble jumble of pressure drop, happiness and everything that is good and wonderful.

Clare and I held our first 3 day workshop together this passed weekend and I still have to process it all. To say we had a great time would not do it justice. We met one of the most wonderful group of women we had had the chance to instruct in everything food photography related. One word that I have used so far to describe the workshop and this weekend is "generosity". I will go back to that when I post more about the workshop in the next couple of days.

As I mentioned, I still have to process the emotions and thoughts of this weekend. All wonderful. All making me completely aware that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. What I have set out to do and giving it my all everyday. Food photography allowed me to become my own. It is my responsibility to nurture that path.

For Clare and myself, the workshop was both a way to nurture the attendees' interest and skills in food photography as it was a way to offer them the time and the place to unwind and focus for a few days. Something we don't always have the opportunity to do in the midst of careers, families, children, etc... We wanted to take care of them. We made them work. We made them laugh. We fed and wined them.

One of the lunches we prepared consisted of several salads and quiches. One of them was a variation on the one I am posting here today, a Squash Blossom Quiche with Feta and Basil. Unusual and completely tasty. Squash blossoms are in season here right now and every where at the farmers market these past couple of weeks. I can't get enough of them. Simply chopped and tossed in salads. Slightly grilled and sprinkled with sea salt. Filled and pan fried until crisp. It's a love affair I hate to see end in a few weeks when they will disappear from the stalls.

Another love affair of mine lately is with radishes. Watermelon radishes, heirloom French radishes (Jaune D'or radishes), French breakfast radishes, early Scarlet, Sicilian reds, etc... Raw with a sprinkle of salt, roasted with a sprig of rosemary. Or simply dressed with a drizzle of pungent olive oil, celtic salt and freshly ground pepper. I bought many bunches to use during the workshop and they were the perfect peppery or spicy touch to the giant salads that accompanied all our dinners.

We are very lucky to have the folks at Lowland Farms grow as many interesting varieties of radishes, greens, kales, etc...with that much care and passion. A simple radish salad was the perfect buttery-peppery partner to the soft and delicate squash blossom quiche.

Time to unwind, get myself situated again and get ready for the busy weeks ahead. All by nurturing creativity and self with good food and good people...

Squash Blossom Quiche With Feta And Basil:

Serves 6 to 8 (I used a 9.5-inch round Le Creuset pie pan and had plenty for 8)

Ingredients:
For the crust:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (or same amount of Jeanne's gluten free flour mix)
generous pinch sea salt or kosher salt
1 stick (115gr) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 cup ice cold water, or enough to just hold together the pastry
1 egg wash - yolk, pinch salt, splash water, blended together

For the filling:
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
8 to 10 squash blossoms

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a plastic blade, pulse together the flour and salt. Add the cold butter all at once. Pulse until the flour is the size of tiny peas. Drizzle the ice water through the mouth of the food processor, while pulsing. Stop just when the pastry begins to come together. Empty the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and form into a disk using your hands. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This can be done up to 2-3 days in advance. You can of course, do the whole thing by hand.

Once the pastry has rested, preheat the oven to 350F. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface, to about 1/4" thickness. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

In a food processor, pulse together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and basil leaves until the basil gives the filling a light green color. By hand, nutmeg and feta. Do not pulse but stir them in with a spoon. Pour at the bottom of the refrigerated pie crust and top with the squash blossoms in a circle all around the filling.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until the quiche is golden brown. Let cool slightly before eating.

Creamy Polenta With Russian Kale & Shitake Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:00:00 +0000

I just absolutely love this time of year. The temperatures may be higher than Spring feels like in other part of the world but we are still (and I insist on still) a few weeks away from scorching 100F (minimum) and 100% humidity (also a minimum). That means I can meander the farmers market without melting or rushing to get home once the milk and eggs find their way to my basket.

Every Saturday that I am in town, from April to December you will find me right at opening hour at the market. I like to be able to talk to the vendors who have now become friends. Instead of "hey we're back!" when the market opened again this season, it was hugs and stories shared all around. We had months to catch up on and lots of good news to share. New breeds for Jason at Meathouse. New lasagna and fresh pasta flavors for Brian at Rio Bertolini, new farmland for Ken and his crew. So proud to see so many young talents share their craft and passion with produce- intense people like me.

They know my habits. I am not special. They know the habits of all their regulars. I am grateful for their enthusiasm and little extras they put in my basket once in a while. I love that they never mind my taking pictures as if they were about to disappear with their next breath. Charleston is lucky to have caring farmers and individuals. We are lucky to have this amount of gorgeousness so many months out of the year. I do my weekly shopping there and right now I am all about the greens, mushrooms and radishes. In a few weeks it will be heirloom tomatoes and squash that will be prominent.

Going with the rythm of the season is a treat. I am aware of it. If you have access to a farmers market or to a farm, make a trip there. There are fantastic passionate people working to get you the best produce possible. I like to honor them with photographs and still life shots. They make my work so much easy. Clients are always thrilled to see ingredients as fresh as these!

It makes getting home after a long shoot and staring at the content of the fridge with a hungry stomach that much easier. I can look at the chalkboard pantry door and see what I can combine from both dry and fresh goods to make dinner. (Side note: when we built the house back in 2005, I took the pantry door off its hinges and painted it with a coat of chalkboard paint. It makes tracking one's fridge and pantry content that much more efficient). Lately, I have renewed a love affair with soft and creamy polenta, topped with lots of greens and once in while with an egg or a few grilled shrimp. (season kick off here was a few weeks ago)

Fresh, easy, quick and completely satisfying. I have to thank my mother for reminding me of the wonders of polenta. When they visited last and she was so sick the whole time, it was the only thing she could eat without being bothered much afterwards. Instead of making different meals for everyone, we would just make one big batch and partake. Months after, I still reach for the tin of polenta whenever I want something light, yet comforting. Here is my favorite way to serve it at the moment: topped with sauteed Russian kale and shitake mushrooms, plenty of garlic and parsley and with a poached egg on top.

What is your favorite easy dinner to make?

Creamy Polenta with Russian Kale Shitake Mushrooms (with option to be topped with a poached egg):

Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the kale and mushroom mix:
2 teaspoons olive oil

4 cups cleaned and roughly chopped Russian kale
1/2 pound fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup water or vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

For the polenta:
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fine grain yellow polenta
dash of freshly ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon heavy cream

For the poached egg (optional) (but oh so tasty!)
I find that Elise's post about poached eggs is the best one to date. You can check it out here.

Directions:
Start by preparing the kale and mushroom mix.
Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium high. Add the kale and mushrooms and sauteed for about 5 minutes. Add the parsley and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock (or water), salt and pepper, cook for another minute and remove from the heat. Let cool while you prepare the polenta.

In large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and polenta at once and stir quickly with a whisk or wooden spoon to prevent the polenta from clumping. Add the nutmeg. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the polenta cook, uncovered for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Check the seasoning once again.

Divide into four portions, top with the kale and mushroom mix, adding a few tablespoons of the juice as you go along and top with a poached egg if desired.

Creamy Salmon Bisque & Rhubarb Tarte Tatin

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:21:00 +0000

A little update before I talk Salmon Bisque and Rhubarb Tarte Tatin...The workshop in Ireland sold out so fast that we decided to exceptionally open up four more spots. There are three remaining. So, if you missed registration and would love to be able to join us for an amazing three day- four night food photography workshop on the grounds of Belle Isle Castle and Belle Isle Cookery School (all details here), here is your chance! Follow this link to the registration page. Hope to see you there!

Back to today's recipes...

Let's back track to a couple of weeks ago when I had tooth issues. Bear with me, something incredibly tasty came out of one little inconvenience. Well, it did not feel "little" at the time but in the grand scheme of things and with two more family members in bad shape, you won't hear me complain of anything. It was just a tooth and one minor setback not the end of the world...

I could not eat more than two or three spoonfuls of soup at at time. I started dropping weight. If you know me, you know this is the last thing I need. I was starting to lack energy while my gigs were getting more intense. Not a good combination. I knew I could easily fix this by making meals that packed a punch in nutrients. I could eat soups. I devised a plan to make a big batch of a super nutritious soup and to keep a bowl by my side at all time during the day. A few spoonfuls there, another couple here and within the course of the morning, I would finally have eaten a normal lunch. Same thing for dinner.

What soup did it? A Salmon Bisque, full of good-for-you wholesome ingredients such as wild pacific salmon, potatoes, Vidalia onions, zucchini, garlic, fish stock and herbs. I could make it thin, chunky. I could change the vegetables with whatever was in the fridge such as subbing carrots for the zucchini, lefover rice instead of potatoes, etc... As long as I had a good combo of protein, carbs, fat and veggies, I was good to go. Getting all my nutrients helped heal at a normal pace. I did that for five days and it worked. Hooray!

Not going to lie, but the first thing I sank my teeth into after that episode was a big plate of crunchy radishes, a plump kebab of local shrimp and a big slice of tarte tatin. Rhubarb tarte tatin. With plenty of buttery goodness from the puff pastry crust and long pieces of caramelized rhubarb that just melted in your mouth. The latest edition of Donna Hay magazine was just chock full of tatin recipes with puff pastry. And well, those two words tend to make weak in the knees as soon as I see them..

Since I can occasionally eat gluten (once or twice a week without showing signs of Meniere's) I figured a Tarte Tatin would be a darn good way to go for it. And it was. And I have one in the oven as we speak. I wish I were kidding. But this one is for my in-laws. Because they can't ever have too much tarte tatins. Or rhubarb.

After a nice bowl of soup. This tarte is definitely melt in your mouth decadence of the best kind.

Creamy Salmon Bisque:

Makes enough for 6 to 8 large portions.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 small baby Vidalia onions (sweet onion) or 1 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 zucchini, sliced
1/2 pound small potatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound wild salmon, boned, skinned and cut into large cubes
4 to 6 cups seafood stock
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and sautee the onions and rosemary for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the zucchini and potatoes and sautee another 2 minutes. Add the garlic and salmon and saute for a couple of minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add about 4 cups of seafood stock and pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool for about another 10 minutes and puree in a food processor or blender (immersion blender works great too) until completely smooth. Add more stock to adjust the consistency to your liking. For example, we like thick soups but some don't - adjust accordingly. Salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve warm.

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Rhubarb Tarte Tatin, very slightly adapted from Donna Hay magazine:

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 sheet of puff pastry (I made my own using this recipe) (you can also find a gluten free puff pastry here) 3/4 cup (165g) sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) water
2 tablespoons (50gr) butter
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 10cm long pieces (4 inches long)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Roll the puff pastry to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out a 22cmx32cm (8.5 inch x 12.5inch) rectangle from the pastry and set aside. Place the sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium low hear and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium high and cook for 8 minutes, until the sugar turns to a caramel color Add the butter and cardamom and stir until the butter is completely melted and combined with the caramel. Pour the caramel into a 20cmx30cm (8x12-inch) baking pan and arrange the rhubarb pieces over it. Top with the puff pastry and tuck the edges under a little. Place on a larger baking sheet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. or until the puff pastry is cooked through. Allow to cool for five minutes or so. Loosen the edges with a knife. Invert the tart onto a serving tray.

Fig, Gorgonzola & Honey Tartines

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:55:00 +0000

I just sat down with a tartine and a glass of wine and thought out loud "I wish I could just take the weekend off and smell the roses". To which my husband sent me an inquisitive look similar to asking "really? you would?!" Ah! No. He got me there. I don't wish that at all. Even in the craziest of times when everything comes together in one giant "ca passe ou ca casse" bawoop, I still would not change anything.

Being able to shoot for awesome and kind clients is pure heaven. I beam. I constantly beam inside. I jump up and down in my head more times than humanly right. Creating is the best drug ever. Being able to do a job that allows you to constantly push your own limits, be diverse, work with a client's vision and be in contact with amazing creative minds is just...{imagine jumping up and down in your head}.

One perk of the job that my husband really appreciates is the leftovers from a day spent at the studio shooting lots of recipes. I also send my assistants home with care packages and figure out ways to recycle leftovers the next day's work lunch. There are days however when I have stared long enough in the eyes of a whole fish to want it for dinner. When a plate of ribs has been mulled so many times over that I don't even want to look at it. I save, package, label and store.

There will be a time when the craving for that coconut and butternut squash soup will come back. But when it does not, I scavenge some goods from the day's shoot and make a "nibble plate". My pups by my side and my feet up on the ottoman. More times than not, I end up scrambling together some tasty tartines and a side salad that Bill and I can share. I am never without an appetite but I appreciate the simplicity of a light dinner and a minute of silence.

Last week was no different when I found myself putting together the leftover of a shoot for some a pre-dinner tartines while noodling on social media for a minute. I thought we would have a couple each, a glass of wine and chill while I'd tackle dinner. Well, dinner never happened but a few savory sweet tartines surely did. Piled with gorgonzola, figs, a sprinkle of thyme and broiled just until the cheese would start melting. Some honey drizzled on top, a dash of pepper and we were in business.

Hope you all have a great rest of the week!

Fig, Gorgonzola and Honey Tartines:

Makes 8 tartines.

Note: for the gluten free baguette try this recipe. Anything my friend Jeanne Sauvage at Art Of Gluten Free Baking makes gluten free is AWESOME. She is the GF baking expert in my opinion. Her Gluten Free Baking For The Holidays cookbook is coming out this Fall and I can't wait!

Ingredients:
8 slices of bread (your choice - I went for gluten free baguette)
1/2 cup (4 oz) crumbled gorgonzola
8 figs, halved
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Turn the oven to the broiler setting or 400F (my broiler has a tendency to start the fire alarm in the room so I usually turn the oven on its highest baking setting)

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the slices of bread in the pan. Top each slice with about a tablespoon of gogonzola. Top with two fig halves. Sprinkle a little thyme. Repeat for the remaining tartines. Salt and pepper to taste.
Bake or broil until the cheese starts to melt. Remove from the oven and drizzle each tartine with about a teaspoon of honey.
Serve at room temperature.

Registration Now Open For My 3 Day Workshop In Northern Ireland!

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:00:00 +0000

UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who registered for the workshop! It sold out in minutes! Can't wait to meet everyone!

A very exciting moment.... the registration for my workshop in Northern Ireland is now open!

If you are interested in joining us, you can REGISTER HERE.

Here is a recap of the workshop :

When: July 19th – 23rd

Where: Belle-Isle Estate & Belle-Isle Cookery School.

What is included:
- Meet and greet welcome gathering on the evening of Thursday July 19th
- 3 full days of instructions on food styling and photography
- 2 hands on cooking classes in the state of the art kitchen of the Belle Isle Cookery School
- 4 nights accommodation at The Belle Isle Cottages on the grounds of the castle (shared cottages)
- breakfasts, lunches, dinners and refreshments during the workshop.
- Sightseeing, picnics, boat rides, fishing and more on the estate and surroundings

Limited to 12 participants

Participant cost: £995.00 ($1600)

Hope to see you there!

I am so looking forward to visiting this part of the world I only know from history and geography books. I am even more thrilled to do this trip and workshop with my husband who will be discovering the land of his ancestors for the first time.

Rhubarb & Strawberry Crisps - Spring In A Cup!

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:59:00 +0000

We have been stocking on the bounty of Spring produce left and right lately. Strawberries, peas, rhubarb, ronde de Nice, baby Vidalias, etc... The farmers market is in full swing and my mind is buzzing with photographs to take of all this beauty.

It was torture however these past two weeks to cook for two and only one could eat. Yes, I had mild complications from the tooth extraction and for two weeks I was barely able to finish a bowl of soup. I would make Bill a meal and send mine through the blender. Eating was problematic so I would set out a my soup and eat a few spoonfuls at a time throughout the day.

Last Sunday I was finally able to eat my first solid meal. Little bites at a time. I have nothing against soups, I love them, and I became quite creative with mine but I am a chewer so it was getting old! Since we had friends coming over for dinner that Monday and my brain started going crazy happy on the meal planning!

I spent the day in the kitchen chopping, cooking, tasting, anticipating like a child the moment when we would all sit down and share a meal. A good meal. Imperfect, bountiful, mismatched, seasonal. With friends who made me laugh until I was about to burst.

I had prepared dessert thinking we'd be too full for it but I had forgotten about the crew at the table. Gourmands, epicureans, bon vivants. They would not pass on dessert. Especially Rhubarb and Strawberry Crisp. True Summer in a cup. I served them with a creme fraiche ice cream I must make again and blog about soon. Unfortunately there was none left for the photoshoot. That good.

We had the leftover crisps with a little heavy cream whisked just until it gets thick, no whipped and it was just as perfect. Every bit of sunshine on a spoon.

Rhubarb & Strawberry Crisps:

Makes enough for 6 to 8 depending on your ramekins

Ingredients:
For the topping:
1 cup sugar, divided (1/2 and 1/2)
1/2 cup all purpose flour or gluten free flour of your choice (I used millet flour here)
1/2 cup gluten free oats or quinoa flakes
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

For the filling:
juice of one lemon
3 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups chopped strawberries
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons kirsch or brandy

Crème fraîche, thick cream or ice cream, to serve with (if desired)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the middle. Lightly butter the inside of 6-8 ramekins and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of the sugar, flour, oats, brown sugar, lemon zest, salt and the cardamom. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until crumbly. Cover the cover and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
In a large bowl, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice with the chopped rhubarb and strawberries. Add the cornstarch and liqueur and fold well with a wooden spatula.
Divide the fruit mixture in between the prepared ramekins. Divide the crisps topping equally over each portion. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the topping is browned. Top each crisp with a dollop of crème fraîche, thick cream of ice cream if desired.

Save The Date: A Food Styling & Photography Workshop in Northern Ireland!!

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:02:00 +0000

UPDATE: The registration page will go live Monday April 16th at 10am BST (British Summer Time). I will put a link here on this blog at 10am BST for everyone interested. Thank you!

Hope to see you in Ireland!

You have no idea how excited I am to bring you another workshop I will be teaching this July. Over the past few weeks I have been working with the amazing Corrie Cadden, Chef and head tutor of the Belle-Isle Cookery School to offer you a 4-night/3-day cooking and food photography workshop at the Belle Isle Castle and Cookery School in gorgeous and magical Ireland.

Corrie is opening the doors of the state-of-the-art cookery school wide open so we will be teaming up to teach 12 participants hands on cooking lessons in the morning. After a delicious lunch provided by the estate, I will guide students to work light, styling, compositions and camera basics using the dishes prepared earlier in the morning in the photography part of the workshop.

We are still finalizing some more fun ideas but it will be 3 days of cooking, tasting, visual story telling, picnics, sightseeing about town, as well as boat rides and fishing on the grounds of this magical 17th century castle.

We will open registration on Monday April 16th and I will post the link to the registration page as soon as it goes live. Space is limited but the learning sharing is not!!

In the meantime, here are the details…

When: July 19th – 23rd

Where: Belle-Isle Estate & Belle-Isle Cookery School.

What is included:
- Meet and greet welcome gathering on the evening of Thursday July 19th
- 3 full days of instructions on food styling and photography
- 2 hands on cooking classes in the state of the art kitchen of the Belle Isle Cookery School
- 4 nights accommodation at The Belle Isle Cottages on the grounds of the castle (shared cottages)
- breakfasts, lunches, dinners and refreshments during the workshop.
- Sightseeing, picnics, boat rides, fishing and more on the estate and surroundings
- all levels welcome

Limited to 12 participants

Participant cost: £995.00 ($1600)

Vegetable Couscous For Food & Wine & Winner of "Where Women Cook: Celebrate!" Book

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Before I talk about this comforting and tasty Vegetable Couscous, I would like to announce the annouce the winner of the "Where Women Cook: Celebrate!" book giveaway. Folks! Congratulations to Heather from La Tarte Tatin all the way in Seattle!
Heather, please email your snail mail address to mytartelette AT gmail DOT com and I will put the book in the mail first thing Monday morning!

Now back to the Vegetable Couscous....

Earlier this year, Food & Wine Magazine assigned recipes to food bloggers and photographers for images for their site. I had a blast shooting the ones they gave me. Less than 48 hours after I had submitted my images, I got another email saying that they loved my images and could I shoot another ten. They were afraid timing was tight before the holidays. Little did they know my schedule! As a photographer, there is little room for normalcy! Weekends, holidays... we follow the food.

And I would follow that bowl of Vegetable Couscous everywhere. And I did. It was one of the favorites from the shoot. Reminded me of my childhood. The couscous dish my grandmother used to make, just a bit lighter. We eat everything, with fish and vegetarian dinners being the majority so this was perfectly fit for a light dinner al fresco. Paired with a tomato salad and a glass of rosé, it turned out to be all we needed to satisfy our hunger and enjoy the evening.

Hope you enjoy the recipe! Have a wonderful weekend!

Vegetable Couscous, with slight modifications, from Food&Wine:

Note: you can make this gluten free by using gluten free couscous instead of regular one. For the sake of making the recipe as per the requirements of the photo shoot, I used regular couscous.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, cut into thin slices
4 carrots, cut into thin slices
1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small eggplant cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, including seeds and ribs, cut diagonally into thin slices
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
5 1/2 cups water
1 2/3 cups drained and rinsed chickpeas (one 15-ounce can)
1 1/3 cups couscous

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion, carrots, fennel, eggplant, garlic, and jalapeño. Cook, covered, until the vegetables get soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, coriander, caraway seeds, 1 teaspoon of the
salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring once or twice for another minute.
Add 3 1/2 cups of the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Add the chickpeas, stir and cook another 2 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the couscous: in a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the
couscous. Cover ad take the pot off the heat. Let stand for 5 to 8 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Spoon some couscous in individual bowls and spoon some of the vegetable stew and broth over it.

Rhubarb & Strawberry Lemonade

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Hello Summer! Yep, our Spring is already over here in South Carolina. Was nice to have it for about three weeks. But we have already moved on to going for late afternoon jumps in the ocean to wind down. It will never cease to surprise and amaze me. It never deters me from braising and roasting every once in a while though. That's because air conditioning always leave me as cold as a cup of ice cream.

With the gorgeous produce falling out of farm stands everywhere, rhubarb and strawberries have been among my top choices for first lately. Crumbles, tarts, ice cream, panna cotta, etc... We just can't get enough. As my dear husband pointed out, we are running low on my homemade strawberry jam so I guess a trip to the U-pick plantation is in order for next weekend!

It's been a while that I have had in my head to make concoct a drink with both fruits. I am fond of mixology and cocktail developing on the weekend but this time I wanted something refreshing that we could drink during the day while working over the weekend. I was craving a nice cold homemade lemonade so the idea of making a Rhubarb & Strawberry lemonade naturally came about.

Later in the afternoon I gathered some drinks, some cookies and headed outside with the husband. We sat down just long enough to take a breather and feel refreshed from such a simple but tasty treat. A little stolen moment in between two assignments.

This drink is a great base to add a little seltzer water or ginger ale to have a little fizz going on. It is also a great starter to refreshing fruity cocktails and mocktails for a nice gathering with friends.

Rhubarb And Strawberry Lemonade:

Makes enough to fill a large carafe (sorry I did not measure. We were thirsty!)

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups water
1 pound rhubarb, cut into roughly 1-inch dices
1/3 cup honey or agave (which is what I used)
zest of 2 lemons
3 cups of strawberries, halved
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil along with the rhubarb, honey or agave and lemon zest. Reduce the heat down and let everything simmer, covered for about 15 minutes. Add the strawberries and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the stove and let cool completely. Place the mixture in a blender with the lemon juice and puree until completely smooth.
Refrigerate until completely cold.

Citrus Mint Salad & A Cookbook Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:47:00 +0000

Thank you everyone for your get well wishes. It was a slow cooking/blogging week. Perfect opportunity to tell you about a project I was thrilled to be part of earlier last year. Along with some pretty awesome authors, photographers, bloggers, crafters, I was asked by the magazine Where Women Cook, to be part of their book project, "Where Women Cook: Celebrate!". The book is a collection of women's stories on how they celebrate and gather the people they love around them.

The instant I read the first lines of the project, I knew I wanted to tell the story of how my grandmother used to celebrate. Above all the traits I inherited from her, this is by far the strongest one. The project was easy: tell with pictures and a few recipes your favorite way to celebrate, how you gather the people you love ad create lasting memories.

Tthe theme I chose to feature and photograph was the same one my grandmother would pick for family gathering: a Berber Couscous with merguez sausages, stewed veggies, chicken and mutton. Plenty of couscous and harissa to go around too. Both my grandparents were in Morocco for a extensive period of time, ten years apart, both my parents were born there, ten years apart. Moroccan cuisine is very much part of my family coding. It's celebration food for us.

My friend John at Lana Restaurant provided all the bistro bowls, silverware and napkins I needed. We set out a pretty table with flowers in mason jars and lots of natural twine.

We strung some lights across the trees and all over the yard.

The girls got busy making pretty flower arrangements while I was finishing cooking and John was grilling. The other guys in the group got busy with quality control and opening wine bottles.

We sat down by the water and cheered, laughed, ate well, raised our glasses and polished off many servings of couscous. My grandmother would have been proud of us!

We took a break, played some silly games and found some room for Honey Saffron Ice Cream and Cardamon Shortbread Cookies.

Fanny and Patrick from Bin 152 provided much of the wines and we lingered at the dinner table and watched the sun set over the water. We talked for hours and I completely forgot to serve a family favorite palate cleanser, a Citrus Mint Salad.

So here it is. The one recipe that never made it into the cookbook, my grandmother's super easy refreshing Citrus Mint Salad (check at the end of the post).

For the Berber Couscous and the Honey Saffron Ice Cream & Cardamom Cookies recipes, I encourage you to check out the book, "Where Woman Cook: Celebrate!". You will also be able to discover some of the amazing women who participated in the project such as Ree of Pioneer Woman, Angie of Bakerella, and Molly of Orangette.

You could also...enter a giveaway to win a copy of the book, right?! Well, here it is! I am indeed giving away one copy of "Where Women Cook: Celebrate!". All you have to do to enter is leave a comment to this post, between Friday March 30th and Monday April 2nd, midnight Eastern Standard time when a winner will be picked at random. And yes, I will ship overseas.
Just a few guidelines: no anonymous comments, one comment per person and prize must be claimed within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

Citrus And Mint Salad:

Serves 4

1 pink grapefruit
1 white grapefruit
1 large orange
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
3 tablespoons honey

Supreme the pink and white grapefruit as well as the orange. (here are great instructions on how to supreme citrus)
Place the fruit segments with the mint and honey in a non reactive bowl and let sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Divide among bowls or ramekins, adding some of the natural juices over the fruit.

Roasted Tomato Soup & Tomato Parmesan Croutons

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:50:00 +0000

One of the things I always try to have on hand is a batch of soup. Does not matter the kind, but there is always one in the freezer, or one in the refrigerator or one simmering on the stove. This is my cure for everything. From being homesick to missing tooth.

The latter is me today. After a painful molar extraction yesterday, the only thing I wanted to eat last night was soup. Smooth tomato soup. I was too drugged up to even want to thaw the batch I had in the freezer so my dear honey brought me some home from the local eatery.

Today, in between two rounds of painkillers, I am putting this Roasted Tomato Soup on the stove. It is my drug of choice to nourish me while I can't have solid foods and to calm down the sounds coming from my stomach. A girl's got to eat and even beaten to a pulp, I will try to make something tasty.

I am really honored to be sharing this recipe with the reader of Joanna at Cup Of Jo today in her "Best Simple Recipes" series, here. I also wrote a bit of my long love story with soup for her readers.

Thank you Joanna for having me!

Roasted Tomato Soup With Tomato Parmesan Croutons
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh tomatoes
4 garlic cloves (skin on)
4 small Vidalia onions, cut in half (or 2 regular onions)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil
2-4 cups water (depending on how thin/thick you like your soup)
Salt and pepper to taste

For the tomato parmesan croutons:
8 to 12 large cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon grated parmesan
Fresh oregano to garnish

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Slice the tomatoes in halves and place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Place the garlic cloves and onion halves on a separate baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast the vegetables until soft, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool.
Peel the skin off the garlic cloves and place with the rest of the vegetables, in a food processor. Add about 2 cups of water and puree until smooth. Add more water to reach your preferred consistency. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.

For the tomato parmesan croutons:
Turn your oven broiler on high.
Thinly slice the cherry tomatoes (I usually get 3 slices per tomato) and layer on a baking sheet line with parchment paper. Sprinkle evenly with the dried oregano and parmesan. Broil for about 1 minute or until the parmesan starts to get golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
To serve, place the soup in a large saucepan and re-heat quickly over medium heat right before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the tomato parmesan croutons. Enjoy!

Registration Now Open For Our 3-Day Workshop in Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:00:00 +0000

The workshop is officially sold out! Thank you to everyone who registered so fast (30 minutes - boom - y'all are amazing!). We are looking forward to meeting you all in Seattle!
-----------------------------------------------------

Registration is now officially open for the 3-day food styling & photography workshop I am teaching with Clare Barboza and Becky Selengut in Seattle
The workshop will take place August 10th-12th and is limited to 10 participants.

For more information and to register, please head over here.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Save The Date: A Three Day Food Styling & Photography Workshop in Seattle, Washington

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:49:00 +0000

I am really excited to announce another multi-day workshop that I will teaching with two of my favorite people

Save the date for an amazing three day workshop in Seattle, Washington! Here are the details:

Join photographers Clare Barboza, Helene Dujardin and chef & cookbook author Becky Selengut for a 3 day workshop full of photography, styling, and delicious food in Seattle, Washington!

When: August 10th, 11th, and 12th 2012

Where: Clare Barboza's studio, as well as other locations out and about in Seattle.

What: This is a 3-day hands-on workshop. Over the course of three days, students will learn about natural light, composition, exposure, utilizing props, and food styling from the perspectives of both the photographer and the chef. They will practice their photography skills in a studio setting, in the busy kitchen of Poppy Restaurant, as well as an outdoor setting.
Additionally, Clare and Helene will share their processes with post-production and workflow in both Photoshop and Lightroom.
There will be delicious food prepared by Becky each day, and a dinner party for the entire group on the third night.

How much: $1250, which includes 3 days of instruction, lunch each day, and a dinner party with wine pairings from sommelier April Pogue on Sunday night.

How to register: Tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 26 at 8am PST/11am Eastern.
Space is limited to 10 attendees.

Heirloom Tomato Galette & Feeling At Home

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:27:00 +0000

I was going to start this by saying that I had not married into a typical Southern family but to tell you the truth, I can't think of one typical Southern home. Here in the South you can be from the Lowcountry, the Midlands or the Mountains. Three different ways of life, three different Southern twang lingering after each word. Three different ways of seeing the sun shine bright and to make a tomato pie.

I married into a Southern family with history and well, more history. My family is nomad in comparison with a history of adaptation, made colorful by the people in it and the countries we come from. I married a guy with a keen ability to retain only the goodness of the past to move into the present. He understands that I will adapt both our traditions to keep connected to my family and call his, my home. The Lowcountry does feel like home to me now. I have embraced its food, its ingredients, the seasons (sort of) that bring picnics at the beach in December and ripe juicy tomatoes in March. And tomato pies.

I had never had a tomato pie until I met my mother in law. Actually, I met the pie first. Bill brought it to a picnic date and I also fell in love with my future family that day. If she wanted to tie me up to South Carolina through its culinary traditions, she had me at "another slice honey?" Juicy tomato slices in a buttery crust, happily nested in a creamy filling with plenty of basil, garlic and topped with a generous handful of sharp cheddar.

Nothing that my doctor would be thrilled about. Nothing that my brain, deeply anchored in its own culinary ways, could compute. Nothing that I would admit craving as soon as Spring rolls around. And yet, I could not control my will power and had another generous slice. I felt completely and utterly happy, satisfied and calm. Giddy from my brain to my toes. From a tomato pie. Alright...and from the man before me.

That very same day, I vowed to do something my grandmother and mother had advised years before: never ever, under any circumstance try to replicate that pie. I had now entered the potential "it's not quite like when my mom makes it" territory. I ain't no fool...Instead I decided to create my own version. The one adapting ingredients we have here to flavors and tastes from back home. A different approach to the same theme. A Tomato galette with homemade ricotta and plenty of oregano. A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of parmesan.

Heirloom Tomato Galette:

Serves 4 to 6:

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 1/4 cup Jeanne's all purpose gluten free flour mix (or regular all purpose flour if not gluten free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
110 gr cold butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup icy cold water

For the ricotta filling:
1 cup ricotta (I use this recipe to make homemade ricotta)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano

Topping:
3 to 4 heirloom tomatoes
1 tablespoon parmesan
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:
Prepare the crust:
In the bowl of a food processor, (or follow the same instructions if doing by hand), pulse together the flour, salt and oregano until incorporated. Add the butter and pulse until the butter resembles small peas and is evenly incorporated. Gradually, stream in the cold water until the flour just comes together. Turn the mixture out onto your work surface and form into a 2-inch thick, round disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or overnight) before rolling out.

Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the center.

Prepare the filling:
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Slice the tomatoes and spread them out on layers of paper towels to drain some of their moisture out while you roll out the pastry.

On a large surface area, well floured, roll out the pastry dough to a 10-inch circle, spread the ricotta filling but not all the way to the edge. Leave a 2-inch border of pastry all around. Layer the tomatoes on top. Gather the edges of the pastry dough, pleating as you go with your fingertips (don't worry about being even - these are free form. Imperfections are wonderful anyways...). Sprinkle the tomatoes with parmesan. Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly, drizzle with the olive oil, some more oregano and serve.

Lemon, Chicken and Orzo Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:30:00 +0000

It looks like the bout of bronchitis going around town has find a way to sneak into our house and beat me to pulp. Or at least it feels like it. I can't complain though. We each get sick about once a year and thankfully not at the same time. That would be miserable for everyone around us...and we would drive each other crazy.

While B. tends to crave fruits and juice when he is sick, I tune in to hot, energizing, shock-full-of-good-for-you ingredients soups. As soon as I feel I am about to get sick, and it always settles on my throat and chest, I make a huge pot of chicken broth and creates a couple of soups to have on hand. I may feel like a lion is coughing up a storm in my bronchi but at least, I have hot and nutritious liquids to navigate through it.

And it's good for the soul too. Which always makes one heal faster.

Taking the next couple of days off and staying under the cover to get better.

Lemon, Chicken & Orzo Soup:

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks (or diced)
1 small celery stalk, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh spinach
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 cup gluten free orzo
salt and pepper
8 cups chicken broth (or water if you prefer)
Zest and juice of a lemon

Directions:
In a large pot (4 quart or more), heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the carrot, celery and onion pieces. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken breast, the spinach, oregano, orzo, broth and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, half covered for about 30 minutes or until the orzo is al dented.
Remove the chicken breast from the soup. Let cool enough to handle and shred it into pieces. Return the shredded meat to the pot. Add the lemon juice and zest, stir and serve.

Berries Sorbet & Lavender Shortbread Cookies Sorbet Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Since Winter never really got here, we are and have been in Spring like mode for quite a few weeks over here. Local seasonal produce has been changing rapidly. Peas are sprouting, winter squash are disappearing. Asparagus are in, wild blackberries and raspberries are popping out in by the marsh behind our house. Strawberries are just a couple of weeks away.

Along with the produce, my whole being makes a little switch. In that time in between mosquitoes and scalding heat, I wake up and immediately open up the windows, I go to bed without pulling the mosquito screens. I continuously check for the progress of the seedlings I planted. Impatiently.

You can feel a natural tingling in the air, to everything and everyone at Spring is approaching. It always gives me inspiration and energy. At home, it means a thorough clean out of the studio and re-organizing equipment and files. Recycling, giving, de-cluttering. Making a space that allows my thoughts to grow even wilder.

In the kitchen, recipes change less than the ingredients they use but soups tend to get lighter and colder, salads take on many more fresh herbs and sprouts. Cakes, cupcakes and such make ways for lots more custards, creams and sorbets. A lot more berries are popping in desserts and sometimes in salads lately.

This time of year always make me long for home. The valleys and mountains of Provence and the Hautes Alpes where I grew up. Lavender, thistle, thyme, rosemary. Picking blackberries and raspberries on the side of the roads with my parents. Making lots and lots of blackberry tarts for my dad. Watching my mom stir a long wooden spoon in a heavy copper jam pot. Watching her pull out her sorbetiere to churn homemade treats.

I picked enough blackberries the other day to have enough for a cobbler or a tart but I was really craving sorbet instead. With raspberries and blueberries left over from a shoot the other day, I had plenty to make that sorbet I so desired. I made two small batches, one I left with nice bits of fruits in it and one I pureed smooth to sandwich with lavender shortbread cookies.

Lavender, berries, cookies, sorbet. A fabulous trip down memory lane. And lots of nice treats to share with our neighbors.

Before I leave you, I wanted to share with you two little big things that I had the privilege to do this past month. One was to have some of my photographs used as a backdrop during a Donna Karan's event for her non profit foundation, Urban Zen. I was in good company with fellow photographers Matt Armendariz and Lindsay Morris. You can see pictures of the event by clicking here and a recap of the foundation's event here.

I am also extremely honored to have been asked by Heirloom Book Bo. to have my photography on exhibit for the next couple of months. The opening reception took place recently and it was an awesome thing to share with friends. You can find pictures and more info about the exhibit here and here. None of this, work and accolades, would be possible without your constant support and appreciation. Thank you!

Berries Sorbet and Lavender Cookies:

Makes 4 cups (sorbet) and about 1 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups water
zest and juice of one lemon

Directions:
In a medium saucepan set over medium high heat, place the berries and the rest of the ingredients and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Puree until smooth in a blender or food processor and then strain through a fine mesh chinois (strainer). Process in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.
You can also let the mixture cool completely and churn without pureeing it smooth. It will give you a chunkier sorbet.

Lavender Shortbread Cookies:

Makes 12 cookies for sandwiches

1& 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or Jeanne's Gluten Free All Purpose Mix
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons fresh edible lavender
3 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Position a rack in the middle.
In a bowl stir together flour, sugar, and cornmeal. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in lavender. Add milk. Stir with fork to combine and form into ball. Knead until smooth and divide in half.
On lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2-inch square cookie cutter, cut out dough.
Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire rack. Cool.
To store: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature up to 3 days. Or freeze unfilled cookies up to 3 months.

To make sorbet sandwiches:
Spread about 2 cups of the sorbet in a 8x8 square pan and freeze until firm. With the same cookie cutter used for the lavender shortbread, cut out square of sorbet. Sandwich between two lavender cookies and freeze again until firm.

Tomato Goodness & Giveaway Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:19:00 +0000

The skies above the creek are getting black and threatening. On a Friday. It's warm. It's just getting pitch black and on the eve of a busy weekend, I am hoping to counteract the atmosphere with some sunshine on our plates!

Let's me start with a good dose of bonne humeur (good spirit) by announcing the lucky winners of Beatrice's cookbook, La Tartine Gourmande - Recipe For An Inspired Life:
Congratulations Melissa at I breathe...I am hungry and Heather at DIY Du Jour. Please send me your email your mailing address at mytartelette AT gmail DOT com and I will notify Bea's publisher.

I don't have a "real" recipe today, more a little something I put together for lunch the other day. Layers of ricotta seasoned with chopped oregano, salt and pepper and yellow tomatoes. It was refreshing and filling. You can make the layers as tall or as thin as you want. In retrospect I would have let the ricotta drain a little in between layers of cheesecloth to make it a bit firmer. But for an impromptu lunch with my husband, it worked like a charm as it was.

It's already tomato and asparagus season here. It's been warm and humid. Perfect to let things grow in the gardens around. We have wild blackberries growing in the marsh behind our house already. A month early...I'm not complaining though. That means refreshing tomato salad and blackberry pies a month early too!

I think my favorite way to enjoy the tiny heirloom tomatoes from our neighbors' garden is simply with some oregano (again...one of my favorites), salt and pepper and a drizzle of really pungent olive oil. Make a little, make a lot...

But always eat with pleasure and joy. Tomatoes this good always bring sunshine on a rainy day!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Chocolate Financiers, "La Tartine Gourmande, Recipes For An Inspired Life" & A Cookbook Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

It's always excited to see someone realize their dreams. Pick up their courage, their doubts, their talent and creativity and just go for it. I got excited when Beatrice announced she was writing a cookbook and I got even more excited when I finally held in my hands. "La Tartine Gourmande, Recipes For An Inspired Life" was no doubt a labor of love for Beatrice. It shows. From the colorful imagery to the detailed recipes, one can tell she did put a lot of care and perfectionism into her first cookbook.

I have Bea met once before on a press trip and it was a delight to see that the book matches the person in real life. Deeply French, but also very much in love with the flavors and aesthetics of other countries she visited. The book achieves what I look for most times in cookbooks: it reads like a novel with prose and anecdotes and at the same time it serves the purpose at hand, giving you plenty of recipes and creative ideas for casual to sophisticated plates.

The book is divided in two major parts; one where Bea goes through core recipes used in various chapters, as well as covering the flours, sugars and utensils she favors. The other parts covers all the recipes, from breakfasts to picnic, to casual lunches with friends, to sophisticated or simple dinners. One thing I really appreciated in Bea's writing is the fluidity of the recipe writing as well as the simple yet to the point style of the headnotes.

If you are familiar with Bea's blog, the book is indeed, its perfect extension. Recipes that are simple to make, full or flavors and leaving you inspired to go create more of your own. I made 3 batches of these Chocolate Financiers in the span of a week. They disappeared as fast as I was pulling them out of the oven. (Recipe for the financiers after the jump)

Bea was kind enough to answer a little fun interview I prepared so you could get to know her better. For more descriptions and excerpts from her book, you can check her amazon author page, here.

1/ Which person in your life influenced your cooking the most?

My mother. No doubt. I learned by her side. But in many ways too, it's my upbringing in France. And the fact that I come from a family where there's always been a clear passion for food, home cooking, and making someone happy with a meal. My brother and sister-in-law whom I am very close to love to cook and eat--like my mother, they keep an amazing vegetable garden to feed our crave for homegrown foods. Whenever I am in France, we spend a lot of time cooking together. Talking about food. So I know that it's really us all, as a family, that rooted this love for food inside me. And the way I cook.

2/ Which culinary traditions or family habits have you kept from France?

The fact that I cannot skip lunch. Ever ;-) I am so French in that way. Lunch is cooked and needs to be a sit down meal during which I leave work and other things I am doing behind--to enjoy my meal. And it does not matter if I will have that meal alone. Everyone deserves that treat. As a family, Lulu, P. and I always eat together. Sharing our meals is a very important time of our day. Lulu is only 3 but she understands and loves it.

When I look at the dishes I make, no doubt, my cooking is French in essence. But I don't perhaps cook what most people think of as French cuisine. I like to reinvent classics, which connects me to my roots and the foods that I loved to eat as a child. And then I personalize them to my taste and the influences my cooking gained from traveling and living in different countries. So in the end, it's French but with a twist and exotic touches. I am curious about food, so I also like to constantly try new ingredients and build recipes around them.

At home, we always cared how food was presented on a plate. And we also always made sure that our meals were balanced in nutrition as well as in texture--hence I will always eat something cooked with something raw (ie there will always be salad that accompanies my meals). I think these definitely explain why I love to play with food the way I do. I like to make a dish pop onto a plate, looking light and colorful. And not overly complicated. I believe that we eat with our eyes first. I believe that what makes a great meal is quality ingredients, attention--and the rest follows naturally. That's the way I was brought up to think about food.

3/ If stranded on a deserted island, which of the following would you miss the most?
- vegetable
- fruit
- spice and/or herb

vegetable: carrots from my mother's garden
fruit: I'd say I'd miss the taste of a wild strawberry. So concentrated. So delicious and unique.
spice: cumin
herbs: parsley, coriander, chervil

4/ What is your favorite meal to cook for a romantic dinner "a deux"?

Not sure. It changes all the time since my creative flow keeps coming. I know there'd be chocolate somewhere during the meal (hello Molten chocolate cakes!). And we'd have a stunning looking refreshing appetizer, most likely a dressed-up salad or a verrine, with tons of zest (grapefruit, orange or lime), avocado and crab meat. As a main, I could easily imagine a creamy red kuri squash risotto finished with truffle oil and served with clams cooked in white wine, garlic and .fresh herbs.

5/ Favorite word? Least favorite word? Favorite color? Two things you can't stop eating lately?

Favorite word: Maman....it's filled with so many meanings and special things for me.
Least favorite words: Dépêche toi! (hurry up!) I hate when I have to rush....
Favorite color: That's a hard one as I love most of them. Right now, I'd say red as I can see myself buying a lot of fabrics, bowls and home textiles with different hues of red on them. I also also love spring green and turquoise blue.
Two things I can't stop eating right now: fine slices of apples enjoyed with pecans and honeycomb; coconut milk tapioca pudding with stewed fruit.

Bea and her publisher were also very kind to share two copies with two readers. To enter the giveaways for a copy of "La Tartine Gourmande, Recipes For An Inspired Life" - all you have to do is leave a comment (no anonymous, one entry per person) on this post between Monday March 5th and Thursday March 8th, midnight EST. You must claim your prize within 48 hours or two other winners will be picked. I know this sounds harsh but many enter, I announce winners and prizes stay unclaimed for months and/or are never claimed which is not fair to the other participants who really do care about a gift.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of the book by the publisher. All images (except the book cover) and opinions are my own.

Chocolate Financiers, slightly modified from La Tartine Gourmande:

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons millet flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
A pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup powdered sugar
4 large egg whites (beaten slightly)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F, position a rack in the middle and line the inside of 10 muffin tins with wrappers.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and cook until it starts to turn brown and smells smells like hazelnuts, between 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the almond meal, millet flour, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar. Mix until blended. On low speed, beat in the egg whites.
Add the butter and vanilla and mix for another 30 seconds.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins and bake the financiers for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Let cool and dust with more cocoa powder if desired.

An Impromptu Picnic: Salmon & Quinoa Salad and Meringues With Creme Fraiche & Berries

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:24:00 +0000

It's been a game of hide and seek in our household for the past month or so. My better half has been playing music jobs left and right, on top of his day job. I, on the other hand, have been buried in the studio either shooting and editing until early evening, hoping for an evening when we can just chill. There have been a lot of "just changing clothes and heading out! I love you!" and "I won't be home for dinner" exchanged.

It's ok. After so many years, we are used to the fact that some months his schedule makes him a passing ghost and some other months, well, it's my turn to hop from plane to plane for work or workshops. On a side note, for an updated workshop schedule, click here. It's a rythm we understand and adapt to happily. His passion for playing music brings him so much that I would be the last one to complain. Same goes the other way. He knows how much I love to travel and share my passion about photography with others and help them as much as I can, and lets me be where I need to be. A happy mate is a happy house...

Well, even with our motto of "doing things independently together", there are those moments when the in passing "love you" needs to turn into a long hug, a conversation. A sit down and a cup of coffee. A date night. Whatever it is that makes it worth it. There are so many nights with a single plate on the table, so many girls night out or in, so many chick flick marathons that one can take before the string starts wearing thin. My best way to fix that is to pack some food, a blanket, our kite and our fishing rods and head to the beach. A picnic. A moment that we create.

I started planning some of our favorites to take along. A Salmon & Quinoa Salad, a big bottle of lemonade, and to finish a cross between a Pavlova and Eton Mess. A Meringue with Creme Fraiche and Berries. Something healthy and light and something completely decadent but just as light to the palate.

I was about to put all our victuals in the car when the sky became black and thunder rolled up its big drums. Within minutes, it started pouring. So much for a picnic at the beach. Well...c'est dommage (too bad) but I was not going to let this one day off together slip away. I pushed the furniture in the living room, spread our picnic blanket on the rug and laid out our meal.

We sat there, with the pups sleeping soundly, listening to the sound of the rain and feeling grateful for this one little moment alone. And...grateful to be only steps away from the kitchen to go for seconds...!

And on a final side note: if you are in Charleston or plan to visit soon, the opening reception of my gallery show at Heirloom Book Company will take place Friday March 2nd from 5.30-m til 8pm. The exhibit will run from now through the end of the Spoleto Festival.

Salmon and Quinoa Salad:

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1 sprig oregano
1 garlic clove, smashed
One 6 oz salmon fillet
1 to 2 cups arugula leaves
1/2 cup edamame
6 to 8 medium radishes
olive oil and vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine the quinoa, water and oregano. Ad a pinch of salt and some cracked pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the quinoa is translucid and soft. Remove the oregano and garlic. Let cool.
In a sautee pan heated over medium high heat, add a teaspoon of olive oil and cook the salmon for about 3 minutes on each side (longer if the fillet is thick). Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and let cool.
Assemble the salad by dividing the quinoa arugula, edamame, radishes, and salmon among plates (or cups that you can place a lid on if traveling). Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar to taste.

Meringue With Creme Fraiche and Berries:

Serves 6

Note: Start this dessert the day before you serve it. The meringue needs to sit in the oven overnight (off) and the homemade creme fraiche requires you start it the day before you assemble the dessert. It is so easy, I wonder why I don't make it more often..oh yeah... not as calorie free as it tastes! You can purchase your own creme fraiche if you wish.

Creme fraiche:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon buttermilk

Place the heavy cream in a non reactive bowl. Stir in the buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the countertop overnight. The next day, refrigerate until ready to use.

Meringue:
2 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the middle.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites to a thick foam at medium speed for about 3-4 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat and form circles of meringue with about 1/4 cup of the batter for each. You can make them as thin or fluffly as you wish, smaller or larger. Mine were about 3 inches round.
Place in the oven, turn the oven off and leave them overnight.

For the berries:
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
1 tablespoon honey
juice of one lemon

Mix carefully all the berries together with the honey and lemon juice. Reserve until ready to use.

To assemble:
Place a meringue round on a plate. Whip the cream fraiche for a minute to fluff it up and spoon some on the meringue. Top with the berries and drizzle with some of the juice they gave out while sitting.
You can also, layer the meringue, creme fraiche and berries in glasses and pack them up in your picnic basket.

Root Vegetable Soup & Herbed Goat Cheese Tartines

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:06:00 +0000

To say that it has not really been good "soup weather" around here this winter would be an understatement. We have spent more days in short sleeves and sandals than in sweaters and boots. Granted South Carolina has a sub tropical weather year round and we do joke that we have two seasons, Hot and Hotter also called Humid and More Humid. Yet, February is a month we all look forward to as it usually offers a bit of a chill, a couple of weeks of fireplaces burning, of hoodies and gloves.

Not this year. I can count on both hands the days I wore a sweater and on one those when I put my coat on. And boy do I love Winter. I grew up in an area of Provence where the Mistral wind often blew stronger in the Winter time, giving way to clear and chilly skies. Here the winds unmistakably bring thunderstorms or clear warm days. If I want a Winter mood, it is up to me to create it.

Soup will put me in an instant winter cozy mood. But here obviously, soups cannot be only for cold grey days. I grew up with my mom serving soup every dinner before the rest of the meal but I did not really continue that habit once I moved away on my own. Instead, soups of all kinds became standard lunch fare at the house. Piping hot a few times but mostly warm or room temperature to be able to taste every bit of subtleties in the marriage of the vegetables used and their dance on my palate.

This soup is no exception to my rushing to lunch time every day. I am not much of a breakfast eater and I usually work straight through lunch but comes 2pm and my stomach wants to jump hoops and make loud cavernous noises until I settle it down with a little something. I find the most satisfying lunch to be a big cup of soup and a tartine these days.

I can sit down, catch up on the news around, satisfy my hunger and recharge my internal batteries with the minimum fuss and the most gratifying bowl of goodness. I usually start a big pot of soup while I cook other things for dinner or as soon as I get up and start production on my shoots for the day. The smells wrapping up or kicking off a day at work are tantalizing enough to make me wish for that first spoonful with great anticipation.

This soup has been made three times in the last ten days. We just can't get enough of it. My friend John who is a chef at my favorite restaurant downtown, reminded me that most of the vegetables I used for it were what we call back home "les légumes oubliés" or heirloom vegetables. Vegetables that are finely and firmly coming back on menus and dinner tables all around.

Sunchokes or Jerusalem Artichokes (topinambours), parsnips, turnips. I added Vidalia onions, cauliflower and a bit of rosemary to round up the flavors. Served with a slice of grilled bread smeared a bit or goat cheese mixed with plenty of herbs and topped with a few slices of radishes and it was the perfect lunch.

I am thinking of adding a poached egg to my tartine next time and makes this dinner...

(Mostly) Root Vegetable Soup & Herbed Goat Cheese Tartines:

Serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients:
1 small head of cauliflower
3 cloves garlic
3 to 4 small Vidalia onions
1 pound sunchokes (peeled and quartered)
4 turnips (peeled and quartered)
3 parsnips (peeled and cut into 1-inch thick rounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 or 2 rosemary sprigs
1/2 to 1 cup water, or veggie or chicken stock

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F and position a rack in the middle.
Trim the outer leaves from the cauliflower head. Cut in quarters, remove the core, and cut the cauliflower into medium size florets. Place on a large baking sheet.
Peel the garlic and place on the baking sheet with the cauliflower.
Trim the white part from the green stalk of the Vidalia onions. Keep the white part and cut into medium sized chunks. Wash well under water and place also on the baking sheet.
Finely add the sunchokes, turnips and parsnips to the same baking sheet.
Drizzle with the oil, salt and pepper. Place the rosemary on top and roast for about 20-25 minutes. Remove the rosemary.
Let cool slightly. Place in a food processor, start running the machine and add enough water to have a creamy soup. Re-season if necessary with salt and pepper. Serve with the herbed goat cheese tartines.

Herb Goat Cheese & Radish Tartines:

Makes 2 tartines per person

8 slices of your favorite bread
8 oz plain goat cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
1 small bunch radishes (about 6 to 8) cut into thin slices

Grill or toast the bread and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese and herbs until well blended.
Spread some of the goat cheese mixture on the tartines, top with some radish slices.

Membrillo & Mascarpone Macarons

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:11:00 +0000

Husband (giddy): yay...macarons! What kind?
Me (matter of fact): they are filled with mascarpone and a bit of membrillo left over from the shoot the other day.
Husband (amused): did you make them for Valentine's Day?
Me (in my best Mrs Patmore impersonation): why on earth would I do that?

Silence...

Me: well you know what I mean. We don't really do Valentine's Day here so I did not make them for that. Specifically. I made them for you. Specifically.

Silence...

Me: dude! It's been 14 years we haven't cared much about that cheesy holiday and "awkward!-I forgot-a-card" day. So why push my buttons about it now?

Silence...

Him: no reason. I just love seeing you scrambling...and I like to push your button. Specifically.

Fast forward to this morning. I did get him a card. And he did give me one. We were both at the grocery store yesterday and stopped by the stationary. I started flipping through the fun card and one made me giggle. So I got it. He did the same. They were fun cards. They made us giggle. And that will be the extent of our Valentine's Day (he's got a gig tonight).

I am not going to be the one whining about all the pink hearts and red cupids. They might burn a whole through my skull today too but I might have gotten softer in the last few years. Indeed, I am pretty sure I don't dislike V-Day. I don't like it either. I hate the pressure it adds for people in new relationships or in rocky ones. I like that it can give someone the wings to make a first step or to get someone out of the dog house.

Why doesn't it phase me more than that? We are happily and giddily married. We don't wait for February 14th to extend a nice gesture, to add a nice words, to exchange a card (I often tuck one in his bag before work). But I dig the idea of an extra hug, an extra "I love you" and a extra kiss. Most of all I like the idea of taking an extra minute to be grateful for my husband's love and generosity towards me and my family.

Similar to Thanksgiving, we don't wait for that day in November to be thankful for the things we have and enjoy, for the people we love and who love us back. Just like on Thanksgiving, today I said an extra "thank you" to Bill for the wonderful person he is to me. I did it yesterday. But I might forget at some point some day next year, next week. And I'd be silly to pass on an extra hug today. Anyday.

It does not have to be a dozen roses, a fancy card or a box of chocolates. Or it might. Whatever makes one feel and be a little extra kind today. I can rally behind that.

An extra bit of kindness had never hurt anyone. It would probably make the world go a little rounder too. So here is my virtual extra hug and "thank you" today for your love and generosity towards this blog and what I share with you.

Membrillo Mascarpone Macarons:

Makes about 30 macarons (depending on size)

Notes: I can't post the exact recipe used for the membrillo (a.k.a quince paste) used to fill these macarons since the recipe is from a book not yet published (next Fall).
But I would direct you to Simply Recipes post on membrillo which I have made several times with great success.

For the macarons shells:
Ingredients:
200 gr powdered sugar
110 gr almonds (slivered, blanched, sliced, whatever you like)
90 gr egg whites (use egg whites that have been preferably left 3-4 days in the fridge in a lidded container)(explanation here)
50 gr granulated sugar

Directions:
Place the powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor and give them a good pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Sift if desired (helps keep the shells smooth in appearance).
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, (think bubble bath foam) gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue (think shaving cream). Do not overbeat your meringue or it will be too dry.
Add the nuts and powdered sugar to the meringue, give it a quick fold to break some of the air and then fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10. Give quick strokes at first to break the mass and slow down. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip (Ateco #807 or #809) with the batter and pipe small rounds onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets. Let the macarons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to dry their shells.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 280F.
Bake the macarons for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool.
Once baked and if you are not using them right away, store the shells in an airtight container out of the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks (longer and the sugar starts to seep out which makes them sticky). Fill the macarons and let them mature in the fridge at least 48 hours prior to eating them.

For the membrillo:
Follow recipe on Simply Recipes.

For the mascarpone filling:
8 oz (210gr) mascarpone, at room temperature (or substitute cream cheese)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Prepare the mascarpone filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together the mascarpone and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and the heavy cream and whisk until all the ingredients are incoporated.

Assemble the macarons:
Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a plain tip and pipe a dollop of cream onto half of the macarons. Top with a square of pate de fruits and another macaron shell.