Tartelette

Fennel & Celery Salad and Roasted Vegetable Salad With Blood Orange Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 02:09:00 +0000

Thank you to all who have inquired about the latest workshop I posted. It is the last before Fall for Chef Ondo and myself as Charleston gets unbearebly hot after May. We are excited to have you join us and spent one on one quality time with you and sharing everything we can! And yes, there are still spots available! May is so gorgeous this time of year and hopefully the water will be warm enough for a couple of dips in the ocean (although there is a pool at the beach house!) It feels like every where I turn these days, where it to be Instagram, Pinterest or blogs, everyone has Spring fever. And rightly so. Except for us here in SC,

It feels like we had two weeks of winter in between Spring and Spring. Fall? I have no idea what that is around here! We've had a mere couple of weeks of winter it seems and now it already feels like summer. My socks have been relegating to the bottom of the drawer and the box of summer clothes is about to cramp up our bedroom space soon.

I feel torn about it - I like the milder temperatures that our winter brings. I like the ability to layer, put on a hat, wrap myself in a warm blanket or a comfy scarf. I like the long simmered stews that screams winter comfort to me. On the other hand, I can't wait for Spring and Summer produce, long dinners al fresco with our friends, juicy peaches and nectarines, and colorful fresh salads.

I am about to embark on a short trip to Kentucky to wrap up a cookbook shoot and while I try to stick to good eating habits while on the road, between the crazy schedule and the fatigue elements, I am never sure of what the days will be like food wise. It seems like wine always find a way to make it to dinner though... Joke aside, I have been filling up on lots of veggies and greens over the last couple of weeks in between editorial and cookbook shoots. I am happy to share with you two of my go-to salads. Easy to prep, shock full of flavors and they can easily accommodate the addition of a protein if you feel like it.

I often make the Fennel and Celery Salad as a quick lunch with a soft or hard boiled egg to go along but it would be great with a side of chicken or fish. The more robust Roasted Root Veggie Salad is loaded with beets, turnips, carrots, farro and chopped carrot green (tops). It's a favorite alone but the cumin blood orange vinaigrette makes it a flavorful side for grilled fish or pork chops. Pomegranate seeds are now available pretty much all year long thanks to nifty little packaged cups while the blood oranges in the vinaigrette can easily be subbed for part lemon, part oranges (half and half) making it easy to have year long.

Fennel And Celery Salad

Serves 2 to 4

1 fennel bulb

4 celery ribs with leaves

2 big handfuls watercress

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

2 to 4 soft or had boiled eggs

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

juice of a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Cut the fennel bulb in half (save the fronds for the salad or vegetable stock). Thinly slice the fennel and put in a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice the celery and leave and add the the fennel. Toss in the watercress and pomegranate seeds, In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper. When ready to serve, drizzle the vinaigrette over the fennel salad and adjust seasoning if necessary. Top with a hard boiled egg if desired.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Serves 4

1 cup farro

2 cups vegetable stock or water

4 beets

1 bunch baby carrots

1 bunch baby turnip

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

juice and zest of blood orange (or any good juicy orange)

3 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Cook the farro by bringing the stock or water to a boil. Add the farro, turn the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until tender (about 20 minutes).

Drain and set aside.

Place the beets in a 8x8 pan, add a little water (about 1/4 cup water), cover with foil and roast until tender (about 30 to 45 minutes). Let cool. Peel by rubbing the skin with a kitchen towel (yes, you'll have to sacrifice it but at least your fingers won't turn red). Cut into quarters and set aside.

Cut the tops of the carrots off but set aside for the topping. Trim the turnips the same way. Cut them in half lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 20-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside. Roughly chop the carrot tops and set aside.

Whisk the orange juice and zest with the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, toss the farro, roasted beets, carrots, turnips, pomegranate seeds and vinaigrette. Top with the chopped carrot greens and serve.

Food Styling, Photography & Cooking Workshop In Charleston SC, May 16th-20th 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 01:50:00 +0000

Super happy to announce that I will be teaming up with Chef John Ondo for a food styling, photography & cooking workshop in Charleston SC, in a beautiful beach home located on the Isle of Palms, May 16th-20th 2016. The 3 day workshop will be geared toward food, prop styling, photography, cooking demos and lots of hands on practice.

I will focus on my photo, composition and styling processes, from basics natural light manipulations to more advanced ones. Cooking sessions with Chef Ondo will punctuate the mornings and afternoons where he will share his love of Mediterranean cuisine and creativity cooking with locally sourced ingredients.

Together, we will guide you to create an edible narrative with your photos, and share current food styling and propping trends, etc... Nothing is off limits with questions, from how to pick ingredients, how to cook them, how to manage your cooking/photo time efficiently, knowing about photography for blogging or professional work, cooking for photography, photo as a hobby or how to get started in the business.

All this right by the ocean.

The workshop will start by a casual meet & greet at the beach home, followed by dinner prepared by Chef Ondo. Three days of photography and cooking follow.

Attendees will have a morning free to wander about Charleston get some personal work done or just chill. A trip to the docks to get fresh fish and a visit to a favorite antique store are also on the itinerary.

The workshop includes:

3 days of photography, composition, food styling and cooking sessions

4 nights accommodations

One on one photo sessions with Helene

Cooking demos with Chef Ondo

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners

Refreshments and snacks

Most rooms are shared - there is opportunity for single rooms on a first sign up basis

To register, please go HERE.

Workshop is limited to 8 people.

Fee is $1850 (does not include travel fares to and from workshop)

There will be no refunds for this workshop – please know you can attend before registering. Full payment due at time of registration, no deposit required.

Salmon Tacos With Avocado Cilantro Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 20:01:00 +0000

Lunches are most often not that elaborate at the house during the week and they most often turn into brunch during the weekends. I am more of a nosher from morning til dinner if left to my own devices but Mama Ruth isn't. Though not complicated or demanding, she can't graze all day long. It's mostly soups and big salad with a little protein. A big plate of crudites and some hummus while editing pictures or responding to emails. Always good but nothing that requires multi pans preparation.

However, once in a while, I get a wild hair and make us something special. Especially if she saw something in a magazine and found it "inte-resting". She pauses on the word like so when she clearly thinks "unusual" or "weird". It makes me smile everytime. It's like the challenge is on for me to make her discover new things.

I got to say most of said interesting dishes were received with lots of "hmmm this is good". Thai green curry, Char Sui, ramen noodle soups, bouillabaisse, ratatouille, etc... Tacos are still on the undecided camp, mostly because they are not as easy to eat. Food falls, liquids end up all over your hands. They're messy. So while we roll them up, she eats them open faced. Still with a smile of satisfaction.

These Salmon Tacos with Avocado Cream were very warmly received albeit for the "it's messy, isn't it?" comment. At least not a crumb was left and they are now on rotation at the house so I must be doing something good!

Salmon Tacos With Cilantro Avocado Cream

Makes 4 tacos:

Ingredients:

For the salmon tacos:

4 corn tortillas
2 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound fresh salmon, skin on (fillets or one 1-lb piece)

4 large or 8 small Bibb lettuce leaves

1/2 medium red onion, sliced

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup cotija cheese
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1/2 avocado cut up in small cubes

fresh cilantro to garnish

For the avocado cilantro cream:

1 ripe avocado, pitted and skinned

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1 jalapeno, cut in half, stems and seeds removed

juice and zest of 1/2 a lime

1/2 cup creme fraiche

2 Tb to 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

On a grill or in a skillet place on the stove on medium high heat, grill the tortillas until warm and just blistered on both sides. Remove from the heat, cover with foil and keep warm.

In a the olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat, add salmon fillet, skin down and let it get crispy for about 5 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook until the fish is cooked through about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness.

Drain on paper towels. Remove the skin and discard. Flake the fish with your fingertips in medium large pieces. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

In a food processor, place the avocado, garlic. cilantro jalapeno, lime zest and juice and process until smooth. Remove from food processor and place in a large bowl. Add the creme fraiche or sour cream and stir with a spoon. Add enough light cream or half&half to make it a drizzle consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble the tacos by layering one tortilla with one large or a couple of smaller Bibb lettuce leaves, a few pieces of salmon, cotija cheese, red onion slices, avocado, jalapeno slices, fresh cilantro and the avocado-cilantro cream.

UPDATED LINKS: A 3 day Workshop in Gordes, Provence May 20th-24th 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 03:49:00 +0000

Please find updated links below to the house we will be staying at and a link to the registration deposit page. I hope to see you there! I was so psyched about it that I forgot some links...! Sorry about that!

I am so psyched about this upcoming workshop! It took some time planning but I am excited to going home to Provence!

Chef John Ondo and I are teaming up for a food styling &photo workshop in Provence, France, in a Provencal estate located on the picturesque town of Gordes May 20th-24th 2016. We are bringing on to the team our good friend and chef Kim Somauroo.

It's a return to my roots as Provence is where I grew up and she is thrilled to share my love of the area with the attendees. Its light, colors, beautiful landscape, delectable foods and generous people.

During the 3 day workshop, we will guide you on several photo assignments where we'll share all our tips and techniques. Whether you have a blog, write for a local or national magazine, work with brands and need to supply food photography, want to establish a career in the world of food styling and/or food photography, etc... this workshop is for you.

We'll share the tools and philosophy we use in our daily workflow: defining mood & feel working, sourcing ingredients and styling, choosing the best props to showcase the food, composition through lighting, best camera angles and lenses for different situations, editing and post processing.,etc..

Cooking sessions with Chef Ondo will punctuate the mornings and afternoons where he will share his love of Mediterranean cuisine cooking with locally sourced ingredients.

All this right in Provence, at a gorgeous estate in Gordes.

The workshop will start by a casual meet & greet at the estate, followed by dinner prepared by Chef Ondo. Three days of photography and cooking follow. Markets visits, strolling through the town of Gordes and picnics will be part of our activities.

The workshop includes:

3 days of photography, composition, food styling and cooking sessions

4 nights accommodations in a beautiful private estate in Gordes, Provence.

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners Refreshments and snacks

We will send information on supplies to bring after registration.

Workshop is limited to 12 people.

Fee is $2175 for double occupancy and $2375 for single occupancy

A deposit of $1175 is required to secure booking and the remainder due 30 days before the workshop starts. (does not include travel fares to and from workshop)
To make a registration deposit, please head over HERE

There will be no refunds for this workshop – please know you can attend before registering.

Registration and info HERE (full registration details) and HERE (deposit)

Pear & Nutella Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 23:58:00 +0000

I sympathized with everyone going through the blizzard and snowstorm that hit the East coast by making a few baked goods and giants pots of soup. Sure our temperatures dropped a little but nothing like people up North felt it. No snow here. I lived vicariously through friends posting on social media and the news reports. Winter here is touch and go. It was 70F yesterday. I think I wore a coat 4 times so far. I am not complaining. I know that being freezing cold and shoveling mountains of snow feels old really fast.

Nostalgia kicked in though. During the winter months back home, we would drive up to the mountains near Italy where my family has a chalet and spend two good solid weeks skiing to our hearts' content. I miss those days. I love and miss the silence right after a fresh snow fall. The pure air of the mountains and the cozy feel of a warm cup of soup by the fire.

It also made me crave Nutella. Our favorite snack after a long day on the slopes. And tart. A good tart with Nutella would be perfect to indulge in my nostalgic moment. If you know me or have read this blog for a while, you know that I have a hard time with chocolate and fruit pairing. I simply do not like chocolate and fruit in anything. Especially berries and fruit. Give me nuts, caramel and chocolate any day and I am a happy girl. But a chocolate cake with raspberry coulis and I will pass. Except when it comes to pears and chocolate. Somewhat I am better than good with that association!

I had leftover puff pastry dough that I had used for Galette des Rois during Epiphany so I decided to use it for this Pear & Nutella tarte. I knew it wouldn't puff as much being re-used but that was just fine this way. The filling is a basic custard with a good amount of Nutella in it. Choose pears that are on the ripe side rather than firm and just harvested.

Pear Nutella Tart:

Serves 8

For the crust:
You can either make fresh puff pastry (this recipe is my go-to) or use some leftover one or use this recipe.

For the filling:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3-4 pears depending on size, peeled, cored and sliced

Line the bottom of a tart pan (rectangular or 8-inch round) with the tart crust. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the Nutella until smooth. Add the milk and cream and whisk again until smooth. No need to add sugar as the Nutella is already pretty sweet.
Pour the cream into the pastry crust. Do not fill to the top! Leave about 2 inches because once you add the pears, the level of the custard will rise from their addition.
If you have leftover, no worries. Pour them into ramekins and bake them separately in a large pan filled with water (like making custards!).
Add the pear slices to the custard and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the custard is just set.
Let cool and enjoy!

Watercress, Pancetta & Goat Cheese Spaghetti

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 21:14:00 +0000

If you are reading the blog on your computer, you might notice that it has a brand new look. Nothing drastic but I wanted this page to reflect more of how I currently saw things in my head. Once again, I got in touch with Ana at Blog Milk to install a new theme for me and she did a wonderful job tweaking it to my specs. I love Blog Milk! Not going to lie. Affordable templates, small installation fee if you don't want to bother with it and great communication. Ana...thank you for keeping on creating!

Creating. It's always something I keep in mind even for the most mundane everyday tasks. Like cooking dinner. I am fortunate enough to have a husband who enjoys everything I cook, whatever cuisine, whatever season. My mother in law is a traditional southern cook but she has surprised me more than once in the last month by having seconds of lunch salads and soups I wasn't sure she'd go for.

But heck...sometimes I am not that inspired comes dinner time. You would think that with the number of recipes I shoot for a living that would never have a problem picking one to make for dinner, wouldn't you? Well, it's like having "chefs disease"...you graze but rarely cook a meal for yourself. I see so many meals throughout the week that my brain kind of shuts down from time to time, a bit overwhelmed by the choices.

That's when the tried and true dishes and their multitude of variations come into play and make me look like I have awesome creating superpowers. I am all about superpowers. Mine is to usually make food disappear off my plate :) What's yours?

One of those dishes is a simple pasta from Cooking Light with plenty of pancetta, lots of garlic, goat cheese and a big handful of watercress. It is actually a blank canvas to let your inspiration run wild. Pancetta is sometimes replaced with proscuitto, garlic gives way to shallots, burrata or feta sometimes eclipse the goat cheese and watercress disappears in favor of sorrel or arugula. I might thrown in some leftover smoked salmon, some fresh shrimp with a bit of chilies. Leftover roasted chicken has also been known to make an appearance from time to time. Spaghetti might give way to orecchiette or fettuccine.

Watercress, Pancetta & Goat Cheese Spaghetti (adapted from Cooking Light):

Serves 4

10 ounce dried or fresh spaghetti (gluten free or regular)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 oz pancetta, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup (4oz) ounces soft goat cheese, divided

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

4-5 cups trimmed watercress

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander over a large bowl so you can reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pancetta and sauté until crisp. Drain on a paper towel. Add red pepper to the pan, cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add reserved cooking liquid to pan and bring to a boil. Add 3 ounces goat cheese and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in grated lemon zest, season with salt and pepper. Add pasta and toss gently to coat. Add watercress and pancetta and toss to mix it with the pasta. Serve immediately and sprinkle the remaining goat cheese over pasta.

Happy New Year! 2016 Starts With An Olive Oil and Walnut Cake!

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 22:25:00 +0000

Happy New Year! I hope that 2016 is truly filled with all your wildest dreams coming true! While we learn from our experiences, I am not one do dwell on the past much. What is done is done and tomorrow is not guaranteed, so the present is where it's at. Pretty much. Last year tested me and also enabled me to stretch my wings. There were moments of 2015 I wanted to throat punch with a vengeance and others I wanted to relive in all their deliciousness. It's what makes a year I guess!

Every year I follow Susannah Conway's "Find Your Word" online course. I admit, I severely crush on the girl... beauty, intelligence and soul. She's the whole package. Her Instagram #decemberreflections photo challenge was a complete stretch for me but I am glad I did! I am not one to stay still long enough to retrospect or reflect so this month long challenge was definitely an exploration in sharing thoughts through the lens. Five day into it, I knew my word for 2016. Explore.

Explore the obvious like new places, new projects, new recipes, but also explore my own hesitations, new techniques like calligraphy and video. Explore the senses and the unexpected. I am true Taurus after all and I am looking forward to where it takes me. It's ok for your word to change. Last year I started with Nourish and mid-way through it, that word evolved into "Let Go". Both fit at the time. But there are so 2015 now...! Time to Explore!

And I need some sustenance for all that exploring that is about to happen. Olive Oil & Walnut Cake seems like a good place to start...

One last thing... There is ONE spot left in the workshop I posted the other day!

Olive Oil & Walnut Cake

Note: I used dark brown sugar for the cake instead of granulated sugar and it made for a pudding like consistency almost. I expected it but don't be surprised. If you'd rather have a firmer crumb, use granulated sugar instead.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1 cup dark brown or granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Greek yogurt
zest of an orange and juice of 1/2
2 cups all purpose flour (or cup for cup gf flour mix)
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour a 6 to 8 inch cake pan.
In a large bowl whisk the oil, sugar, eggs and yogurt for a couple of minutes or until they look a little creamy. Add orange zest and juice. Add the flour, salt and baking powder, whisk for another minute.
Pour in the prepared pan and bake 60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. You may need to cover it with a piece of foil, halfway through baking time to prevent it from browning too much. Cool to room temperature and unmold.

Food Styling & Photo Workshop February 2nd - 6th 2016!

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 15:00:00 +0000

Registration is now OPEN for the workshop I am teaching in Charleston, SC next month! All info can be found HERE.

Announcing A 3 Day Food Styling & Photography Workshop February 2nd - 6th 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 16:22:00 +0000

I am thrilled to announce a brand new 3 day workshop for February 2016 with two of my favorite people, food stylist Tami Hardeman and chef John Ondo!

We'll share the tools and philosophy we use in our daily workflow: defining a mood and feel, working with mood boards and sketches, sourcing ingredients and styling, choosing the best props to showcase the food, composition through lighting, best camera angles and tools for the task at hand, editing and post processing.,etc...

Cooking sessions with Chef Ondo will punctuate the mornings and afternoons where he will share his love of Mediterranean cuisine cooking with locally sourced ingredients.

All this right by the ocean.

The workshop will start by a casual meet & greet at the beach home, followed by dinner prepared by Chef Ondo. Three days of photography and cooking follow. Attendees will have a morning free to wander about and visit Charleston, get some personal work done or just chill.

The workshop includes:

3 days of photography, composition, food styling and cooking sessions

4 nights accommodations on the beach at Aerie House (more info here)

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners

Refreshments and snacks

Fee is $1875 (does not include travel fares to and from workshop)

Registration open January 2nd. More details HERE.

Pear and Frangipane Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 21:16:00 +0000

I have to admit that I haven't done any Christmas baking this yet. And it probably won't happen until Christmas. Wait, that's not true. There will be my mom's Swedish cinnamon buns on Christmas Day and snickerdoodles over the weekend. Usually I am the poster child for Santa's bakery, if there ever was one. I'll be cooking Christmas dinner (well late lunch for us) and will be making a sticky toffee pudding cake (F&W Dec 15 issue). Probably because I like saying sticky toffee pudding with the voice of Kermit The Frog or Gollum.

I did bake a few things despite my lack of holiday baking. Mostly cakes and pies that were devoured as fast as they were coming out of the oven. Almost. During our last workshop a couple of weeks ago, it seemed that I could not turn galettes fast enough for dessert for the attendees! I've had a hard time resisting fall and winter fruits at the market. Apples, seckel and forelle pears, kumquats, cranberries. They all ended in my basket at some point.

It's no secret that I do love making (and eating) tarts. I grew up watching my grandmother making loads of them on a regular basis and even more around Christmas time. Her tart fillings were simple and straightforward, always letting the fruit take center stage. Sometimes, there was a supporting actor such as a custard base, lemon curd or frangipane. If I had to choose which one I favor the most, I honestly could not. I love the pillowy softness of a vanilla custard, the acidulous tickle of a lemon curd and the tantalizing taste of an almond filling.

Pears and frangipane go hand in hand like good company and a good meal. They never outplay each other. A classic combination that everyone in my family enjoys. A bit of vanilla bean added to the frangipane never hurts either.

I hope the holidays treat you well and are a source of comforting meals with friends and family.

It's never easy to find balance this time of year but a slice of pear frangipane tart and a glass of wine might just do that!

Pear & Frangipane Tart

Serves 8

For the tart dough:
1 1/2 cup Jeanne's all purpose gluten free flour mix (or same amount of all purpose flour if not gluten free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
110 gr cold butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup cold milk beaten with 1 egg yolk

For the frangipane:
1 stick (115 gr) butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
1 cup (100 gr) ground almonds (blanched, slivered, whole, your call)
2 eggs
1/3 cup (60gr) heavy cream

6 to 8 seckel pears, peeled and sliced kept in a large bowl filled with cold water and juice of two lemons
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

For the crust:

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, and salt on medium speed until well-combined. Slowly add sugar and flour and mix well. Add the egg yolk /milk mixture and mix until incorporated. Shape dough into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or overnight.
Place the dough in between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick round.
Place in an 8 or 9-inch tart pan, trim the edges. Prick the dough with a fork and refrigerate 30 minutes up to 2 hours. (you can even freeze the dough in the tart pan at this point and let thaw in the fridge overnight when you are ready).

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

Prepare the frangipane:
Place the butter, honey, ground almonds, and the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until smooth (can also be done in a food processor). Add the cream and stir in it instead of whisking not to emulsify it or it will rise while baking.

Drain the pear slices on a couple of sheets of paper towels. Pour the frangipane over the tart shell, arrange the pear slices on top, sprinkle with the tablespoon of sugar and bake 40 to 45 minutes.

Curry Carrot Soup With Toasted Quinoa Topping

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 22:50:00 +0000

Being away from Charleston the last three years, I had almost forgotten how much longer the temperatures stay above normal this time of year. I should know better though given that we are in a sub tropical climate... Nevertheless, I was getting antsy to get a bit of a hint that December was upon us. And just like that, a good rain and the temperatures dropped. The air became crisper, the sun shining with a different luminosity, the sky finally wearing that winter blue I love and missed. All prompted me to head to the kitchen to make a few batches of soups.

My latest love is for a velvety curry carrot soup I made the other day. Vadouvan, turmeric, sumac were my spices of choices, giving depth to the soup. The humble carrot took another dimension and we all went back for seconds. I wanted a crunchy bit in there somewhere so I topped it off with a blend of toasted quinoa, parsley, toasted almond and lemon zest.

With my studio adjacent to the house, it's really easy to put a pot of soup on, get to work, and come back in around noon to have lunch with my mother-in-law when the husband is teaching. I've come rather fond of our lunch breaks together. Sometimes, we sit quietly at the table and listen to the news. Sometimes, I prompt her to tell for the gazillion time how she met my father-in-law, the story of how they were wed in New Orleans during the war. I love listening to her. We talk about my family, when my parents will come visit next or what we are going to cook for Christmas. Sometimes, we are both deep in our thoughts and appreciate the silence.

Lunch is often time a cup of soup and a tartine or a big salad and a croque monsieur. Mama Ruth had never had those before but now I feel like I have creating a monster! When I head to the kitchen and says "lunch in 20 minutes!", she often replies from wherever she is "are we having those nice cheese and ham sandwiches you made the other day? You know, those French sandwiches with all that good melty cheese?" Well yes, I guess we are...!

Bailey the older of the two pups usually stays in the house by her side and keeps her company (read sleeps soundly while Turner Classic Movies is on). Tiggy, the younger pup comes with me to the studio and finds a warm spot in the sunlight streaming in. She loves to be there with me, keeping watch over the food on set, getting petted by clients or just watching the squirrels passing by. We have all started to find our comfort zone, our rhythm. It's nice. It's really nice.

Sure we have our moments. We don't always all agree on politics or family stuff but heck, which family doesn't?! Nothing that a good pipping hot cup of soup and a croque monsieur can't fix!

Curry Carrot Soup

Makes enough for 8

For the soup:

2 teaspoons olive oil

8 cups chopped carrots

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons vadouvan

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon sumac

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups vegetable broth or water

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and sautee until they start to brown (about 15 minutes). Add the spices, salt and pepper and sautee another couple of minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. When the soup starts boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer, place a lid askew over the pot and continue cooking for another 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Remove from the heat, let cook for about 10 minutes before putting the soup in a blender and pureeing until smooth. (I have a Blendtec that I love and makes ultra smooth soups). Check for salt and pepper and adjust according to your taste.

Serve with crusty bread, croque monsieur or by itself.

For the topping:

1/2 cup toasted tricolor quinoa (instructions follow) (regular quinoa works too)

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup toasted almond

zest of one lemon

To toast the quinoa, first place it in a large bowl filled with water. Let it stand for a few minutes. Using a fork, swirl the quinoa a couple of times. Strain the quinoa through a fine mesh sieve and rinse with cold water. Set aside to drain well. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and place the quinoa in it. Start moving the quinoa around with a wooden spoon until it starts to dry out and eventually toast to a nutty smell and color. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool before blending it in with the rest of the topping ingredients.

Twisted Cinnamon Brioche Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 19:13:00 +0000

Trust your instinct. That is definitely the moral of this recipe/story. I had a hunkering for soft and buttery brioche rolls and with an afternoon completely to myself I figured why not dive i and put my pastry chef apron back on? Except, instead of digging my true and tried brioche recipe from my days at the restaurant, I went on pinterest, instagram, google, and just about every where else and finally chose a recipe. Method seemed right, measurements seemed off, but I have been surprised more than once shaking my head at a recipe only to be happily surprised by the end result. So why not, maybe they knew something I did not.

While I manage to make the rolls turn out ok, there were a few chosen words and ninja moves to get there. But while the finished product was not uniform, they looked fine and tasted awesome. I inhaled one a few minutes after they came out of the oven, so really...what's the more important? My belly is happy. The family is happy. And of course now I want to do them over again using my restaurant days recipe. The one in that flour dusted binder I keep close by. That same binder filled with killer savory recipes from my mom and comforting sweet ones from my grandmother. I like to revisit it from time to time. Except I keep the family free of a sugar spun kitchen and chocolate towers. Oh well, the holidays are near. Maybe I'll spun or pull some sugar for the heck of muscle memory. Probably not...

While I could lead you to the recipe that worked so-so, I am giving you the brioche recipe I have tried before and rely on when I need to make small batches (instead of brioche for 100 as I have it in my binder!) It is from Bouchon Bakery and never fails. You can make loaves, rolls or get twisted like I did this time.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! I am smoking a turkey and making French-American sides for a little Friensdgiving Wednesday and Thursday will be at my sister in law with the more traditional turkey and accoutrements. While not my holidays, I have happily adopted the tradition...

Twisted Cinnamon Brioche Rolls, dough adapted from Bouchon Bakery:

Makes 8

For the dough:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 package rapid rise yeast
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 stick (115gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces.
3 eggs, whisked, at room temperature

For the filling:
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Egg wash:
1 egg mixed with 2 tablespoons milk

Place the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and whisk on low for a few seconds to mix all the ingredients together. Add the milk and eggs and mix on low until the dough starts to come together. Start adding the butter, a few pieces at a time and let them be fully incorporated into the dough before adding more butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. This can take up to 20 minutes.
Spray and large bowl with cooking spray and keep it close by.
On a lightly flour dusted surface, place the dough and pat it into a rectangle. Take the short side and fold it 2/3 of the way over the right. Do the same thing with the right side over to the left. Repeat the same thing with the top over to the bottom and bottom over to the top. Stretch the dough a little to get there if needed.
Place the dough, seam side down into the prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Keep on portion out and refrigerate the rest, covered with plastic wrap as you work on piece at a time.
On a lightly dusted flour, roll the dough into a 12x15 rectangle. Brush a little melted butter all over the dough, sprinkle with two tablespoons of the sugar-cinnamon mix.
Start rolling the dough from the long edge.
Cut the cylinder in half.
Place one half in front of you and start cutting right through the middle, starting one inch away from the tip.
Twist the two pieces of dough together and and bring the two ends together to form a roll, pressing the two ends together with your fingers. Tuck the ends under if you wish.
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Do the same with the other half of the rolled cylinder.
Repeat the process with all the pieces of dough. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let rise for about 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350F and place a rack in the middle. Brush the rolls with the egg wash and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 20:27:00 +0000

Been a frantic few weeks here since we moved and while it's been a half excuse not to sit down and blog, it has not been an excuse to stop me from eating well while getting the new studio space ready to roll.

First shoot in the new space started with the lovely and awesome Gina Homolka from Skinnytaste for her second cookbook. Had to pinch myself when I was first approached by her agent to do the photography for this NY Times best seller author but had to pinch myself even harder when I was able to create my own dream team to work on it with me. Prop stylist Kim Phillips and food stylist Tami Hardeman, along with Tami's assistant Abby, joined me on this dream of a week. We have a bit more to shoot in March and April and I can't wait!

What's that got to do with eating well amidst busy days? Gina's recipes were all delicious for one, so we did eat very well on our shoot. I have a ton of leftovers from that week in my freezer for two. And third, I've been on a high soup making kick with all the leftover produce in the fridge. And when I was pretty through with those, I turned to a recipe I've been wanting to make for a long time. Taiwanese Beef Soup. The thoughts of soy sauce, chilies, star anise, ginger and beef simmering on the stove for hours was perfect the cold I was starting to develop.

After perusing several recipes online, I turned to a friend on Facebook who directed me to one my favorite authors, Andrea Nguyen and her recipe, itself adapted from another one. I followed his advice and used beef shanks with bone marrow and oxtails. I had to adjust the spiciness for my mother in law a little and added in some sliced red chilies separately into our bowls. Everybody was happy and everybody had seconds!

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup, adapted from Andrea Nguyen and Lorna Yee.

Note: using marrow bones will make the soup a extra rich so I prepare it a day ahead and let the stock refrigerate overnight then the next day I can easily skim off the fat and reheat it for lunch.

Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 pounds bone-in beef shanks with marrow bones still on
1 pound beef oxtails
3 tablespoons canola oil
10 garlic cloves, bruised
one 1 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into 6 slices,
5 scallions, halved crosswise
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
3 star anise
1 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
1 Thai chili, split lengthwise
1/4 cup chile bean sauce
1/3 cup Shaoxing rice wine
8 tablespoons light soy sauce (I used gf tamari soy sauce)
10 cups water
1 pound broccolini, stems halved
1 pound fresh or dried thick Chinese noodles (I used rice noodles because I had them on hand)
cilantro
extra freshly sliced Thai red chili (optional)

In a large stock pot, heat half the oil over high heat. Sear half of the beef shanks and oxtails on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and repeat with the remaining oil and beef pieces.
Add all the remaining soup ingredients, except the broccolini, noodles and cilantro.
Bring to a boil then lower the heat to low, cover with the lid askew and cook for about 3 hours or until the beef is tender and falls off the bone.
Turn off the heat, and remove the beef pieces with a slotted spoon or a pair of tongues. Let the beef cool then shred it off the bones. Discard the bones. Strain the soup into another pot and put the meat into that pot. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, skim the fat that has risen to the top then reheat the soup on low heat.
In the meantime, blanch the broccolini in boiling water for about a minute. Set aside. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Divide the noodles and broccolini among 6 bowls, laddle soup over noodles and garnish with cilantro and extra chili if desired.

Announcing A Winter Styling & Photography Retreat in Charleston, SC December 8th - 12th

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 13:40:00 +0000

Super excited about the focus of this workshop I am putting together with Chef John Ondo. We are teaming up for a winter styling and photography retreat in Charleston SC, in a beautiful beach home located on the Isle of Palms December 8th -12th. The 3 day workshop will be geared toward food, prop styling and photography in low light situations such as winter, rainy and cloudy days.

Helene will focus on her photo and styling processes, from basics natural light manipulations to more advanced ones. Cooking sessions with Chef Ondo will punctuate the mornings and afternoons where he will share his love of Mediterranean cuisine and creativity cooking with locally sourced ingredients.

Together, Helene and John will guide you to create an edible narrative with your photos, and share current food styling and propping trends, etc... Nothing is off limits with questions, from how to pick ingredients and how to cook them, how to manage your cooking/photo time efficiently, knowing about photography for blogging or professional work, cooking for photography, photo as a hobby or how to get started in the business.

All this right by the ocean.

The workshop will start by a casual meet & greet at the beach home, followed by dinner prepared by Chef Ondo. Three days of photography and cooking follow. Attendees will have a morning free to wander about Charleston with a private tour guide, get some personal work done or just chill.

The workshop includes:

3 days of photography, composition, food styling and cooking sessions

4 nights accommodations on the beach at Aerie House

One on one photo sessions with Helene

Cooking demos with Chef Ondo

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners Refreshments and snacks

Most rooms are shared - there is opportunity for single rooms on a first sign up basis

To register, please go HERE.

Workshop is limited to 8 people.

Fee is $1850 (does not include travel fares to and from workshop)

There will be no refunds for this workshop – please know you can attend before registering. Full payment due at time of registration, no deposit required.

Brussels Sprout Salad with Hot Smoked Salmon & Cherries.

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 20:56:00 +0000

Thank you everyone on your kind words on my last post. You are the best virtual peeps a girl can have. I always know I can come to this space and share without holding back. What you see is what you get... We are not settled in yet, living out of boxes still. Mainly because we are trying to cram three lives into a house and while my mother in law has been nothing but gracious about making this space our own, we are taking small steps towards big transitions.

We came with what we needed, putting the rest in storage, two dogs and a bunch of photography equipment for the new studio. I am so grateful that the office/studio is adjacent to the house so we can help her out and work at the same time.

I am just giddy at the new space I will have to get back to freelancing. My original studio as a freelancer had amazing light but was a bit small. This new space is currently getting new floors, a fresh coat of paint and the dark room is being turned into a prop room. First big book shoot since getting back to being my own boss is happening in less than a month and I can't wait to have the space done and ready!

I have been teaching workshops ever since we left Birmingham and I am finally enjoying a few days of reprieve. That means admin emails and phone calls, trying to figure out where things are and getting reacquainted with my town and its creative pulse. Things I have learned in the three days I have officially moved back in: while my mother in law doesn't cook anymore, her knives are crazy sharp. When she says "I'll do it" that means "I have a system and only I can do it right." Oh and "more wine please!" Now that's me speaking. And you know what? It all works out in the end...

I am in charge of cooking and I love that she is open to everything. Spices, ingredients, cuisines. It's all different for her and she loves good food so we are a good pair. I love being able to share with someone all the bounties surrounding us and having open minded palates, even in her 90s is wonderful. I made this Brussels Sprouts Salad with Hot Smoked Salmon And Cherries last month before I left but I am excited to try it out again with her. While cherries may not be in season anymore, you can easily substitute red grapes or pomegranate seeds for them this Fall.

I am sure we will have more adventures in cooking in the weeks to come but so far so good...Even evenings of cheese plates and nibbles are fine by me! The photo below is one of my new favorite shots that I did with my bestie Tami at the Mixed Conference we taught at this past weekend.

We are all embracing this move and what it means to us. Living, sharing, giving back, holding on, creating new and exciting work.

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Hot Smoked Salmon And Cherries:

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 celery ribs (keep the leaves if possible)
6 oz hot or cold smoked salmon (shredded or sliced)
1/2 cup cherries, pitted and halved
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Chop the stems of each sprout and discard them. Using a sharp paring knife, core the sprouts like you would tomatoes or strawberries. Discard the cores and with your fingers, gently pull away the leaves.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a good pinch of Kosher salt. Add the Brussels sprouts leave to the water and cook for 1 minutes. Drain them, and place in large bowl filled with iced water (or run very cold water over them). Dry in kitchen towels and place in a large serving bowl.
Finely chop the celery ribs (with the leaves) and add to the Brussels sprouts. Toss in the smoked salmon and cherries.
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
Toss as much or as little in with the Brussels sprout salad.

Pork Belly Tacos With Cilantro Avocado Cream & An Announcement!

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 01:07:00 +0000

Three years ago, exactly to the date, I was letting you in on a pretty big move in my life. Both in my immediate geography and career. When I was asked by the creative director of Time Inc Books in Birmingham, Al to come work for them as Senior Photographer three years ago, the timing was perfect. I was ready for a little more time in one place with the possibility to work with dedicated and talented food and prop stylists everyday.

I put my whole heart into it, I learned so much more than I could ever think of. Meant some wonderful people in the world of publishing. Editors, graphic designers, recipe developers and test kitchen professionals who have fed my soul and belly with beautiful pages and great food.

I am so happy that I answered yes to the offer three years ago but now, it is time. We are moving back to Charleston, SC. I resigned from my position and I am going back to being a freelance photographer!

Weeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After my father in law passed away, we made a promise to my mother in law to be present to take care of her. Be present. Be in the present. That has always been the pushing force for us. Charleston, back home, is where we need to be. After two years not being able to find work, my husband got his position back at the College and is a happy fish again. I am excited about the world unfolding before me and already have my head going wild with ideas about collaborations, work, projects. Life is always on the other side of fear.

I am looking forward to more time for workshops, travels, work, work and more work. Because I love what I do and hope to be doing this for a long long time. Thank you all for wishing us well on our new adventures three years ago. Hope you will be excited as I am to follow my new adventures along.

Once again, bear with me as I pack boxes and more boxes and settle into our new life (and new studio space!). In the meantime, it's Friday. That means tacos and drinks in this house! Pork Belly Tacos With Cilantro Avocado Cream to be precise.

Pork Belly Tacos With Cilantro Avocado Cream

Makes 4 tacos:

Ingredients:

4 corn tortillas

8 1/4-inch thick pork belly slices

4 large or 8 small Bibb lettuce leaves

1/2 medium red onion, sliced

1 ripe avocado, pitted and skinned

1 garlic clove

1/4 cilantro, roughly chopped

1 jalapeno, cut in half, stems and seeds removed

juice and zest of 1/2 a lime

1/2 creme fraiche or sour cream

2 Tb to 1/4 cup light cream or half&half

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup cotija cheese

fresh cilantro to garnish

Directions:

On a grill or in a skillet place on the stove on medium high heat, grill the tortillas until warm and just blistered on both sides. Remove from the heat, cover with foil and keep warm.

In a skillet set over medium heat, cook the pork belly slices until crispy like bacon, about 15 minutes, flipping them every so often (just like you would bacon, but will take longer due to their thickness).

Drain on paper towels.

Assemble the tacos by layering one tortilla with one large or a couple of smaller Bibb lettuce leaves, one slice pork belly cut up, cojita cheese, red onion slices, fresh cilantro and the avocado-cilantro cream.

Coconut Yogurt & Passion Fruit Tartlets

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 23:39:00 +0000

I got to say, with my husband in Charleston and me here in Alabama, dinners have been reduced to a strict minimum. Not that I was keen on keen on big productions after a whole day staring at food but still. I almost always have dinner in a bowl. A big salad and some protein, lots of fresh herbs and seasonal vegetables. Roasted, grilled, fresh. It depends on how my feet feel that evening.

You can imagine baking has gone way down too! Heat and solitude combined, it sure feels unnecessary to bake tarts, cakes and cookies. Only if shared with friends though. But there is always that tugging at my heart to bake something, if only to share it later. The scent of lemon and sugar being rubbed together to make pastry dough. Freshly baked cookies coming out of the oven. Vanilla and milk steeping together on the stove for creme brulee. These moments ground me and comfort me.

The urge to make something light and refreshing got the best of me the other day. Small tartlets filled with creamy coconut yogurt and passion fruit, lightly topped with sugar and quickly browned with a blow torch. Mine ran out of gas before I could achieve a deeper color but that allowed for the yogurt not to curdle too much and the yogurt to stay smooth.

I don't recommend browning the tops under the broiler as it will cook the yogurt thus loosing that creamy oozing quality you want when cutting into them. I tried, that's how I know...Still as good, just a different thing. You could try different combination such as lemon yogurt and raspberry mashed up on the bottom, lemon and rhubarb compote, pumpkin filling and vanilla yogurt for the Fall. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination!

Coconut Yogurt & Passion Fruit Tartlets (adpated from Donna Hay)

Makes 6

For the crust:

1 1/2 cup Jeanne's all purpose gluten free flour mix (or same amount of all purpose flour if not gluten free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar

zest of one lemon
110 gr cold butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup cold milk

For the filling:

1/2 cup passion fruit jam (or passion fruit pulp)

2 to 3 cups coconut yogurt (I used Noosa)

2 Tbs sugar

Directions:

For the crust:

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add flour mix and salt on medium speed until well-combined. Slowly add sugar and lemon zest and mix well. Add the butter cut into small dice and mix until the mixture feels sandy. Add the milk and mix until just incorporated. Shape dough into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or overnight.
Place the dough in between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick round.

Cut 6 four-inch rounds to fit into 3-inch tart rings or molds.

Fir the dough disks into the molds and prick with a fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes up to 2 hours.

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

Par bake the crusts for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.

Once cooled, divide the passion fruit filling evenly among the tart shells. Top with even amounts of coconut yogurt (about 1/3 cup per tarts)

Divide sugar on top of the tarts and quickly brown with a blow torch

Comfort In A Bowl Of Wild Mushroom Pasta With Garlic and Parsley.

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 00:16:00 +0000

Comfort food is not only for cold winter nights or rainy autumn days. There is comfort in summer bright tomatoes, juicy ripe peaches and cooking to warm up your heart or ground you in that okay place. I've meaning to update this blog in the last few weeks but didn't have the heart to. We, my husband, his family and mine were battling a fight we could not win. My father in law, my father number 2 and my husband's best friend and band mate of 30+ years passed away from complications of cancer. He fought with dignity up until the very last moments. When I tell people he was 93 years old, the response is "wow, he had a great life!". Yes, he did. He was lucky to meet his life partner 73 years ago and be married for 71 years. Yes, he did so many wonderful things with and for his family. Yes. No, it doesn't diminish the void we all feel. While we rejoiced we were lucky to have him this long, we wished for more. As we, humans, usually do.

I went back to Charleston to be there for my family. I cooked meals, listened to stories. I have been in this dreadful place before and I could anticipate reactions and emotions and offer a listening heart and a warm hand. I got back to Birmingham while my husband stayed in Charleston for a little while longer. It's me and one of the dogs. My days are busy at work with long days of really fun shoots (working on the new Ball canning book right now is pure joy) but evenings can feel a little long at times. Especially toward the end of the week when all the week's pressure and work start to take a toll on my mind and body. Thursdays have started to become my comfort food days.

Slow baked salmon on top of pasta with lots of pesto and tomatoes, roasted veggies to go on top of a farro salad, bright vibrant greens with grilled shrimp, lots of lemon and pepper. And garlic. Always a ton of garlic. That's true comfort to me.

Before I left for Charleston, I had purchased at the farmers market a load of wild mushrooms that I sauteed with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Shitakes, chanterelles, lion's mane, golden and grey oyster mushrooms. Unsure of timing with the family, I froze my concoction for a later meal. I already had it it my head to preserve the integrity of the mushrooms by adding them, as they were now, to a simple dish of pasta with more garlic and lots of parsley. Something that always reminds me of home, simple days, shared meals and comforting food.

Here it is, one of my favorite meals, to eat alone or share (always better) when things don't seem all that great. It will make you sit down and reminisce, bringing a flow of memories you did not expect but will most certainly welcome and indulge. I know I will tonight.

Wild Mushrooms Pasta:

Serves 4

1 pound assorted wild mushrooms (cleaned and trimmed)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 pound dried linguine (I used gf pasta but any kind works)

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup white wine (or vegetable stock)

1 large handful freshly chopped flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan (optional)

At the same time, prepare the mushrooms. In a large skillet set over medium high heat, add the olive oil and when it is hot, add the mushrooms. Sautee for a couple of minutes and then cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for five minutes. Add the garlic ad wine (or broth) and cook, uncovered for a couple of minutes longer. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Add the pasta to the skillet, toss with the mushrooms, remaining one tablespoon of olive oil and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with some grated parmesan if desired.

Chilled Riz Au Lait With Citrus Honey Poached Peaches

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 23:38:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who has inquired about the workshop in Charleston. Yes, it is sold out but we do have a waitlist if you are interested. You can send me an email at helenedujardinphoto[at]gmail[dot com]. It's been a busy May with family here and a busy June but I am ready for summer cooking and summer playing!

The heat is on for sure! We've been grilling a lot and making big salads chock full of all the vegetables we can get at the market. The oven is currently not an option I want to have. Gets the house too hot, takes forever to cool off and with longer days and more light, we just want to sit on the patio and enjoy the refreshing evenings as much as possible.

I have not done much baking, and usually it's been on early weekend mornings before it got too warm. Desserts have been lots and lots of fresh fruits and the occasional cookies and ice cream. Not tremendously exciting (well, except for the couple of new ice cream flavors I have been trying to nail), but when summer rolls around, there are always three desserts I tend to put on rotations at the house. Panna Cotta, clafoutis and riz au lait (rice pudding).

Riz au lait is my comfort food. My grandmother used to make it all the time whenever we needed a little TLC. For me it screams "I love you", "Let me comfort you", "make yourself a bowl and come unload what troubles you" or just "hey, things are wonderful, let's celebrate!" It's all that. A gentle hug, a reminder to slow down. The scent of vanilla infused milk just wafting through the house. Something that requires you to pause and stir. Inhale and exhale. To me it is the essence of cooking and sharing. As soon as I make Riz Au Lait, I want to give a bowl to someone.

Granted, it's usually a dessert I make more often in the fall and winter months but chilled rice pudding adds a nice bite and cold creamy smooth feel. I cook the rice with milk and a bit of vanilla, just to the point of the milk being completely absorbed. I let the rice continue soaking in all that lovely goodness until it is cool. It's soft and unctuous without being liquid. The creaminess will reveal itself in the bite, not the look. Once cooled, I top it off with fruit poached in a citrus and honey syrup. Right now, peaches are ripe and gorgeous, but it could well be rhubarb or strawberries, a mix of different berries, etc...

My extra bit of love comes from a couple of lemon verbena stems I add to the syrup. Vanilla, citrus, honey, lemon verbena. My favorites, all surrounding a comforting bowl of rice pudding. Maybe not like Grandma used to make but she would approve nonetheless. I'm pretty sure of that...

Chilled Riz Au Lait with Citrus Honey Poached Peaches:

Serves 4

For the rice pudding:
2/3 cup medium grain white rice
1/2 cup water
3 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 cup sugar

In a medium saucepan, bring the rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer. Add the milk, vanilla bean paste and sugar and cook over medium heat the milk is just about absorbed. Stir off and on, keeping an eye on the milk to prevent it from boiling over.
Remove from the heat, let cool 5 minutes and put a sheet of plastic wrap over the rice for another 10-15 minutes The milk will continue to get absorbed into the rice. The texture won't be as creamy as freshly warmly made rice pudding but that is what we are looking for here. The creaminess will reveal itself in the bite, not the look.
Divide into 4 bowls and let refrigerate until ready to use.
While the rice cools, prepare the peaches.

Citrus Honey Poached Peaches:
2 peaches, halved and pits removed (I left the skin on, but feel free to peel them before you poach them)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
2 lemon verbena stems

In a tall saucepan, place the peaches, orange juice, water, honey so that the peaches are submerged in the liquid. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Poach the peaches for about 10-12 minutes. Remove the peaches and lemon verbena from the saucepan and let cool completely. Discard the lemon verbena. Continue to cook the syrup until it has the consistency of honey or syrup.
Let cool slightly. Slice the peaches and divide them on top of the rice pudding bowls. Top with syrup and serve.

Announcing a 4 day Food & Lifestyle Photography Workshop In Charleston South Carolina, September 21st- 25th 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 15:24:00 +0000

EDITED: This workshop is SOLD OUT.

I am really excited to announce that I am teaming up again with my dear friend John Ondo, Chef at Lana in Charleston, South Carolina for a 4 day workshop in Charleston, South Carolina, September 21st - 25th 2015, combining food and lifestyle photography, composition and styling with cooking sessions with John.

I have known John for many years and have photographed him and his crew many times. His food, cooking, restaurant are like home to us. He's incredibly talented, down to earth and a great teacher. We had such a great time teaching our last two workshops together that we decided to do another one.

We wanted to bring a retreat/workshop that was not only full of information but relaxing at the same time and we are always thinking the beach is about as relaxing as one can get!

During our retreat, I will share with you my photo and styling processes. Anything from camera basics, creating an edible narrative with your photos, styling naturally, working with different light situations, current propping trends, etc...

Attendees will spend time with John in the kitchen learning techniques, basic skills and some fun dishes. Through both our personal guidance, you will develop your own creative process for styling, shooting and editing your photographic stories.

Nothing is off limits with questions, from how to pick ingredients and how to cook them, how to manage your cooking/photo time efficiently, knowing about photography for blogging, cooking for photography, photo as a hobby or how to get started in the business.

All this right by the ocean...

Everyone, all levels of photography or cooking are welcome!

Here are the details:

When: September 21st - 25th 2015

Where: Charleston, South Carolina

Fee is $1,850 and includes:

4 nights accommodation

3 days of practical instruction with cooking, food styling, composition, prop styling and photo sessions.

All meals, snacks and refreshments

Reception cocktails and appetizers on the evening of the 21st.

There will be no refunds for this workshop – please know you attend before registering. Full payment due at time of registration. Fee includes all meals and accommodations. No exceptions.

The workshop is open to 8 people.

Does not include travel fares to and from the workshop.

To register please click here.

Jerusalem Artichokes Pasta & A Kumquat Bourbon Sour

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Wed, 27 May 2015 23:37:00 +0000

It's been a fun filled three weeks over here. We flew to New York to meet my parents coming in from France and toured the city with them before we all went back to Birmingham. My godmother, her brother and husband flew in shortly after for my 40th birthday. We made them discover the best of what Birmingham and Northern Alabama had to offer and we barely made a dent in all the wonderful things we wanted them to see. I think they were quite surprised (as were we when we first got here) at all there is to do and visit down here. I'm telling you, this state is a diamond in the rough, yet to be discovered. They flew back home but my parents are still with us for another two weeks.

After a short visit to our hometown of Charleston for Memorial Day and a quick stay with my in-laws we are all back here enjoying some downtime. I say hometown because even if I am an expat, Charleston had been my home for 16 years prior to moving to Birmingham and it is truly my husband's hometown. There are roots there. Friends, stones, landmarks, a house we build ourselves, cobblestone streets we like to walk, trees we kissed under and waters we navigated.

Home is where we make memories. We have the luxury of being able to do so in two cities. At different paces, we different friends. We love the lush surroundings and neighborhood feel of Birmingham just as we long for the marshland and Spanish moss of the Lowcountry. We love the drive to South Carolina as much as we appreciate coming home to Birmingham. Both towns are ever changing and adapting at different paces and different ways. Friendships remain in one while some are cultivated in the other.

After some weeks traveling to and from, here and there and back again, we like nothing than the normalcy of cooking something simple that most at our dinner table will appreciate. It is still pretty easy to find some fall-ish produce around here. The Spring and Summer produce has had a late start due to the weather although I am noticing things are kicking into full gear finally at the farmers' market. Jerusalem artichokes and kumquats are still available and still spot on tasty. That's a treat for those of us who like them a whole lot!

At the end of a long day spent in a car sightseeing, shopping, meandering about town and state, I like to make a flavorful and easy pasta dish. Something that I can cook while enjoying a cocktail and more conversations with my guests. Enters this rendition of a pasta dish suggested by Nigel Slater in his "Tender" cookbook. Sautee the Jerusalem artichokes in oilve oil and garlic while you boil the pasta, garnish with a squeeze of lemon and parsley and serve. Voila. Easy. Serve with some extra freshly cracked pepper and freshly grated parmesan and your're set.

I did mention to prep this dish while sipping on a cocktail, didn't I?! A while back, when friend and food stylist Nathan came over to play at my home studio, we made a lovely Kumquat Bourbon Sour cocktail that I have been able to replicate during some hot semi-feeling summer days. It couldn't be any easier and any tastier. This ones comes the bar at the Hot & Hot Fish Club here in Birmingham Al. Beware. It is easy to prep and easy to drink!

For us, a home is where we able to have friends come and enjoy a good meal, share their worries and stories. A place where the traveler in miles or life can come and feel welcomed and loved. That's what we hope we are providing for those who cross our paths.

Jerusalem Artichokes & Corkscrew Pasta, adapted from Nigel Slater "Tender".

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 pound gluten free corkscrew pasta (or regular if not gluten sensitive)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed clean and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
a good handful parsley, chopped
salt and freshly cracked pepper
juice of a lemon
grated parmesan

Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the Jerusalem artichokes and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain well.
Bring another large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. In the meantime, in a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat, add the Jerusalem artichokes slices and sautee, stirring off and on for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat.
Boil the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and toss in the Jerusalem artichokes and garlic. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with some grated parmesan.

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Kumquat Bourbon Sour, from Hot & Hot Fish Club via Serious Eats:

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 lemons, juiced
2 limes, juiced
6 kumquats. sliced and seeds removed
5 oz simple syrup
6 oz Bourbon

Directions:
In a blender, whirl together the lemon and lime juice along with the kumquats and simple syrup. Blend until smooth. It should make enough for 4 cocktails.
For each serving, pour 2 oz of the simple syrup citrus mix into a glass, add 1.5 oz of bourbon and add a few cubes of ice. Garnish with a few extra kumquat slices.

Mexican Feast To Be Shared With Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Tue, 05 May 2015 22:02:00 +0000

I rarely think about doing holiday posts, well maybe except for Christmas or New Year and it wasn't until last week that I was editing these pictures that I realized I was going to post close or on Cinco de Mayo. However, holiday aside, this is a feast with friends I would do over in a heartbeat!

Nathan and I got together for another Sunday Play Day in the kitchen and behind the camera. Our idea was to cook and shoot a big feast, a meal that we would both serve to friends or cook with them. I can't recall how we got to the Mexican theme however but sure is pretty fitting now!

Mojo marinated pork skewers in soft corn taco shells, salsa verde, pico de gallo, grilled baby onions, spicy pickled veggies, elote, rice and beans, grilled nopales were on the menu!

What I love about this meal is that each part comes together rather quickly even with its multicomponent aspect. Some elements can be bough ahead of time instead of trying to make them yourselves. For example, the soft tacos that we ended up grilling, as well as the chicharrones, were purchased at a local Mexican market, along with the tortilla chips and spicy pickled vegetables.

We got caught up in the festive mood of our shoot and added a Watermelon Margarita cocktail at the last minute. It was actually really nice to have an afternoon of nibbling and sipping cocktails while shooting and creating images with the light, colors and composition that we wanted. I think all of our play days so far have included a cocktail and we don't plan on changing that!!

Cinco de Mayo or not, this Mexican orientated spread will make an an appearance many times over on my table this summer. Round up the meal with the flourless chocolate cake I posted recently and you are sure to make people belly happy!!

Mojo Pork Tacos:

Serves 4 to 6

Marinade Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp dried oregano

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch pieces

Pico de Gallo Ingredients:

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded, ribs removed and finely chopped

1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

salt to taste

Remaining ingredients:

4 to 6 soft corn or flour tortilla shells

Cilantro

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Place the pork in a zip top bag, pour marinade over and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (do not go over 24 hours)

Mix together pico de gallo ingedients and season to taste.

Light a gas grill over medium- high heat. Remove pork from marinade and thread on metal or soaked bamboo skewers.

Grill pork on lightly greased grill grates for roughly 4-6 minutes on both sides, depending on thickness, making sure there is some char and the pork is cooked through.

Grill the soft tortilla for about a minute on both sides so get some charring also.

Serve pork with tortillas, pico de gallo, cilantro and desired accompaniments.

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Elote (Mexican street corn), slightly adapted from Serious Eats.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder

6 ears shucked corn

3/4 cup finely crumbled cotija

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Light a gas grill over medium high heat. While the gas gets hot, mix together mayo combine mayonnaise, paprika, chili powder, in a large bowl. Stir until well incorporated and set aside.

Pull the husk back on each ear of corn and tie with some kitchen twine. When the grill is ready, place corn directly over and cook, rotating occasionally, until cooked through and charred on all sides, about 8 minutes total.

Transfer the corn to a platter and spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over each ear of corn, making sure to coat all sides. Sprinkle with cheese and serve with lime wedges. Dust with additional ancho chili powder or smoked paprika if desired.

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Watermelon Margarita:

Serve 6 (theoretically...)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups cubed and seeded watermelon

1/2 cup tequila

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon Triple Sec

Directions:

Combine the watermelon and next 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Divide evenly among 6 glasses filled with ice.

Flourless Chocolate Cake With A Twist.

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 23:53:00 +0000

There are times you just want chocolate. Easter Sunday for example. I know it's already bee a couple of weeks since then but I still think about chocolate. And cake.

You say Easter and it generates something of a Pavlov response in me. Easter meant roasted leg of lamb, green beans with lots of garlic, new potatoes and chocolate in my family. It also seemed to be my grandmother's favorite holiday, after Christmas. To this day, I still can remember the decorative chick and chickadees she would put in the middle of the table. The menu very rarely changed one year to the next and everyone would flock my grandparents' house for a long, well wined dinner.

Finding myself away from my family, near and far, this time last weekend left me with the urgency to gather some friends around and do something that would nourish my soul. Day to day routine can be heavy at times, often actually. I like certain routines but lately my husband is on a on and off calendar. His family is going through some pretty serious health issues at the moment and he spends one week with us here in Birmingham and one week back in Charleston. I didn't care much for being alone with one pup on Easter weekend...

Don't get me wrong, I can always find a movie to go see, a new restaurant to try, a recipe I've been meaning to develop or try from a new book or blog. But what could be more fun than doing it with friends? A couple of weekends ago, I gathered a couple of friends and we played in the kitchen pretty much all day. We picked a Mexican themed fiesta with lots and lots of dishes to be shared with friends, alongside a cold beer and a few good stories. Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner after all...

Oh did we cook! Stay tuned for more recipes and photos in the coming weeks!

There are so many fun recipes and shots from that day that I really don't know where to start but I think a little chocolate can do everyone some good. In doubt, always start with dessert... This cake is completely flourless and a snap to make. It is from Martha Stewart and was my go-to recipe in my pastry chef days because it didn't require too many ingredients, thus very easy to remember. Served with salted butter caramel sauce.

Because chocolate and caramel go together like blue skies and sunshine. I added a bit of cinnamon and black pepper (yes) to add some kick to it and end our Mexican night on a lovely note.

We made two cakes, two different recipes, and one wouldn't unmold well so we decided to just dig in. A dollop of creme fraiche (or many), a few spoons and plenty of laughs and we were in business!

Flourless Chocolate Cake, slightly adapted from Martha Stewart.

Props and photos by yours truly, food styling by Nathan Carrabba.

Serves 8

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:Preheat the oven to 275 degrees with a cooking rack in the middle. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9inch springform pan with cooking spray (I brush a little oil instead). Set aside.

Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Melt on low heat, stirring constantly. You could do this in microwave in 30 second increments, but I do not own one (personal choice). each time, until completely melted. Let cool slightly. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper and vanilla. Whisk in egg yolks.

In a large bowl, or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, do not worry about keeping air and volume. You are just trying to loosen up the chocolate mixture with the egg whites at this point.

Now, gently fold in remaining egg whites, in two or three times. Pour batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely. Remove from the pan and serve with caramel sauce or ice cream.

Salted Butter Caramel Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water1 stick (115gr) salted butter at room temperature, cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a heavy saucepan set over low heat, combine the sugar and water. Cook just until the sugar is dissolved. Add the butter. Let it come to a boil and cook until it reaches a golden caramel color. Remove from the heat and add the cream ( it will splatter and get crazy). Whisk to combine and put back on the stove. Let it come to a boil again over low heat and cook 10 minutes.

Vietnamese BBQ Shrimp Noodle Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 00:51:00 +0000

There are days when all I want to do for dinner is throw together a big bowl of something, plop down in front of a good movie and slowly enjoy the rest of the day. I tend to do that most often when my husband is out of town or playing music late. It can be a big salad of farro and roasted veggie with a little salmon on top, fried rice with an egg on top, or a simple kale caesar salad with a tartine.

I often go for Middle Eastern or Asian seasonings and inspiration. Sometimes not. There are no rule, just a little balance of veggies, starch and protein. And always extra veggies and sauce or spices. On the day that food stylist Nathan Carrabba got together and make that sunchoke soup and tartine I posted recently, we also made and shot this incredibly satisfying Vietnamese BBQ Shrimp Noodle Bowl (Bun Tom Heo Nuong). He is my partner in crime in anything Asian and pickled. We both love all the flavors of Vietnamese and Thai cooking in particular.

After a long and fun day shooting, nothing made me happier than diving in this lovely bowl bursting with fresh and comforting flavors.

Vietnamese BBQ Shrimp Noodle Bowl (Bun Tom Heo Nuong)

Serves 4

Note: Nathan combined several recipes found on the internet but this one was the closest to what we made. I want to try this one from Rasia Malaysia next.

Ingredients:

5 ounces uncooked rice vermicelli noodles

1/2 cup lukewarm water

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

5 teaspoons fish sauce (such as Three Crabs)

1 serrano chili, thinly sliced

1 tsp nam prik pao (Thai chili paste)

4 cups shredded romaine or green leaf lettuce

1.5 cups diagonally cut slices seeded hot house cucumber (about 1)

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1/4 cup torn Thai basil leaves

1/4 cup torn mint leaves

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp fish sauce

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1/3 cup (1/4-inch) slices green onions

1/2 cup unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional) (we realized after we wrapped up this shot that we had forgotten them!)

4 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Pickled carrots (optional)

Fried Shallots (optional)

Preparation:

Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain again. Combine 1/2 cup lukewarm water and granulated sugar in a medium bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce, and chiles; set aside.

Mix 2 Tbsp fish sauce and 1 Tbsp brown sugar together. Add shrimp; toss to coat.

Thread shrimp onto bamboo skewers. Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, and swirl to coat. Add half of shrimp; cook for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp are seared. Remove from grill.

Arrange about 1 cup lettuce in each of 4 large bowls, and top each serving with about 1 cup noodles, cucumber, herbs, and 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts. Divide the shrimp evenly among servings, and serve each with 1/4 cup sauce. Serve with pickled carrots and fried shallots.

Kumquat Buttermilk Panna Cotta

noreply@blogger.com (Helene) — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 23:49:00 +0000

If we've hung out together before, you then know that there is not a dessert I do not like. Crunchy, melty, elaborate, simple, fruity, chocolate,...I like desserts. However, I have noticed as I grow older that I have more of a savory tooth than a sweet one while I still love to bake and make ice creams or confections for friends and gift giving. A simple fruit satisfies my sweet tooth. Oh wait. I did do a number on that chocolate bar in the test kitchen at work today. Never mind...!

Still, give me a good piece of cheese and that is my dessert. I do however have a particular affinity for panna cotta. It's creamy, soft, can be flavored or plain, topped or layered. There are so many possibilities on a simple panna cotta recipes as there are recipes for chocolate chip cookies. Variations are as endless as your creativity and desire to play.

I found myself with an abundance of kumquats and not enough days to eat them before they'd go bad. I like to snack on them raw as I edit pictures or catch up on emails after work but I had simply too many on my hands at this point! With my husband out of town, I didn't really feel like baking or doing something complicated with them. A panna cotta seemed like a simple and super satisfying dessert.

Infusing the cream and buttermilk for the panna cotta with pureed kumquats gave a whisper of citrus to the cream while fresh slices of the fruit on top providing that little pucker I was looking for. Perfectly light and creamy. And decadent...

Kumquat Buttermilk Panna Cotta:

Serves 6
Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin (2 sheets gelatin)
1 cup kumquats, halved
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup honey
1 cup full fat buttermilk
1 cup kumquats, sliced.

Directions:
Place the water in small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let sit while you prepare the cream.
Puree the kumquats in a food processor.
In a large heavy bottomed saucepan placed over medium heat, bring the heavy cream and honey to a simmer together with the pureed kumquats. When the cream is hot, remove from the heat and let sit for about 30 minutes. Strain the mixture in a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Discard the pureed kumquats. Add the cream back into the pan together with the buttermilk and heat up again over medium heat until it comes back to simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the reserved gelatin until it is completely dissolved.
Divide the mixture among ramekins, glasses or other vessels. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving to let the cream set properly.
When ready to serve, add a few slices of fresh kumquats to the panna cotta.