Poached eggs with shiitake mushrooms, wilted arugula and white truffle cream

Mushrooms. This is what comes to mind when I think about my beloved friend Sky Pape.

Mushrooms. That’s what Sky orders whenever we manage to steal a little time away from our hectic lives to have dinner together. Whether it be roasted portobello mushrooms tossed in a salad, porcini mingling with fresh pasta, or flatbreads adorned with wild mushrooms and aged cheeses, if mushrooms are on the menu, I know that’s what she’s ordering.

Sky is an extraordinary artist. For her latest drawings, Water Works: Surface Tension, she worked on the floor and blew ink through tubes and funnels onto handmade papers from Japan, Korea and Nepal. Sky “breathes life” into each drawing to create “forms and lines that divulge our connectedness with nature, a reminder of our shared fragility.”

Today, her new drawings are being unveiled at the June Kelly Gallery in New York City. They will be on exhibit there until March 9. Then Sky packs up her bags and boards a plane to begin a month-long residency at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center in Italy.

To congratulate her for her abundant achievements still so near to the dawn of 2010, I could present Sky with a huge bouquet of roses. But I’d much rather create a dish for her.

Mushrooms. Let’s start with plump shiitake mushrooms, pan-roasted in a pat of butter. Let’s serve them with wilted arugula and crispy slices of sourdough bread. Let’s crown them with farm-fresh poached eggs. And, as a last touch, let’s drizzle the whole thing with a white truffle cream made with Gourmet Attitude’s deep and intensely flavorful Tartufata.

It’s a tall order, but I hope I was able to “blow life” into this recipe! One thing’s for sure, though: I certainly blew love into it! The mere thought of this dish makes me smile and celebrate the beauty of Sky’s spirit, the exquisiteness of her work and her penchant for those irresistible fungi: mushrooms!

Note: To purchase the Tartufata, visit GourmetAttitude.com (Disclosure: I received unsolicited free samples from Gourmet Attitude — but would not have featured them here if I didn’t think their products were outstanding.)

Bonny Doon Vineyard – Ca’ Del Solo Dolcetto 2007 ($22)

Last week, I received my D.E.W.N. box, the precious package that Bonny Doon Vineyard ships to its club members several times a year. As I read the winemaker’s (aka the relentlessly creative Randall Grahm’s) note for the two new wines I received, it immediately occurred to me that the 2007 Ca’ Del Solo Dolcetto would be the perfect match for today’s recipe. That night, I decanted a bottle as recommended and served it with the poached eggs.

The wine was all that I wanted it to be! Ruby red, delicately complex, with juicy fruit notes and earthy tones, the 2007 Dolcetto was light enough not to overpower the dish and yet picked up on the flavor of the mushrooms and truffles. A perfect and harmonious marriage, and a wine we continued to sip long after our plates had been licked clean!

Poached Eggs with Shiitake Mushrooms, Wilted Arugula and White Truffle Cream

This dish is an obvious choice for brunch, but I also love to serve it for a light dinner with baby potatoes pan-roasted in a little brown butter and olive oil, and a crisp mesclun salad. The only problem is, we always want seconds!

serves 4

For the white truffle cream
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon Tartufata or white truffle cream

For the balance of the ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 large shiitake mushrooms – stemmed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 oz baby arugula
4 large eggs
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 – 1/2” thick slices whole grain or regular sourdough country bread – cut in 3” rounds with a cookie cutter

Step 1: Place the stock, cream and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir well and heat over medium-high heat. Once the mixture reaches boiling point, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes until the mixture has reduced by 2/3rds and has slightly thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in the Tartufata/white truffle cream until well blended. Transfer to a bowl, set aside and cool.
Cook’s note: The sauce can be made up to one day ahead and refrigerated (after one day, the truffle cream starts losing its flavor). Bring to room temperature before serving. The sauce doesn’t need to be reheated before serving.
Step 2: Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the butter. Once the butter has melted, reduce heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms gill-side down. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until golden-brown while applying a little pressure to the mushrooms with a fork or small spatula as they cook (this is to ensure even browning). Flip the mushrooms and sauté until golden-brown on the other side, continuing to apply a little pressure. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3: Return the pan to the heat. Add the olive oil and the arugula. Toss well and quickly toss the arugula for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until barely wilted. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4: Fill a wide saucepan with 4” of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the vinegar. Break an egg into a small bowl and tip it on itself into the boiling water. Repeat with the balance of the eggs, working as quickly as you can. Boil the eggs for 1 1/2 minutes to 2 minutes, depending on how done you like your eggs (at 1 1/2 minutes, the whites of the eggs will still be a bit wobbly. At 2 minutes, the whites will be more firm, but the yolks will still be runny). As soon as the eggs are done, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels (you can trim the uneven edges of the egg to make a clean shape if you’d like, but I must say I don’t do this because I don’t like to waste any part of my beautiful eggs!).
Step 5: To assemble the dish — Quickly toast the bread under a broiler until golden-brown on both sides. Place each slice in the center of a plate. Top with a spoonful of the wilted arugula, a mushroom cap (gill-side up) and a poached egg. Drizzle the white truffle cream on top of the eggs and around the plates. Sprinkle with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

© 2010 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

“Eat the Music” food series: Avocado and mango salad with Tequila-lime vinaigrette

There are times in midwinter when I simply crave the glorious light, the warm breeze, the blue skies and the exotic flavors of my little birth island. I am a tropical creature who has adapted the best she can to the endless frigid months of the northeastern United Sates, but there are days that are very hard to bear.

Luckily, summer is in full swing on the other side of the globe, and the fruits and veggies that abound there at this time of the year make a welcome appearance on our market shelves.

So when I see ripe avocados and mangoes piled high at my local grocery store, I am relieved and happy for the little bit of sunshine they bring with them!

And then I let that sun shine right through the dishes I prepare with them, like this simple but flavorful salad. The avocado and mango slices are tucked in a delicious hug, while the arugula provides a crunchy, spicy bed. The Tequila-lime vinaigrette begs to be drizzled over the whole thing and the crispy tortilla strips add a touch of playfulness — a little something your teeth will be happy to wrestle with.

This salad never fails to chase my winter blues away!

I can only hope it does the same for you — and even makes you swing from side to side, singing your heart out, like Kate Bush does in Eat the Music.

Sokol Blosser — Evolution #9, Lucky Edition ($15)

“Nine perfect grapes, all dancing in tune together to make a great white wine” is how the Evolution, Lucky Edition is introduced on the Sokol Blosser’s website. You can imagine how that statement intrigued me! Then there’s the promise that it is “extraordinarily food-friendly and will stand up to just about any food pairing you dare to serve it with.” Now I couldn’t wait to pop that cork! Since the wine promised to be so exotic and friendly at the same time, I thought it would be a perfect match to my tropicalesque salad.

Indeed, the wine didn’t disappoint.

As soon as I stuck my nose in the glass, lovely floral aromas filled my nostrils. “Peach blossoms” are the first words that came out of my mouth! Just lovely. Then I took a sip. I looked at Marc (my husband) as he took a first sip. “I love this wine,” he exclaimed with a big smile on his face! (If I want any more than that I really have to probe him, but I will say that it’s very rare for him to spontaneously declare his love for a white wine!)

What I could taste, right off the bat, were lovely tropical fruit notes and a hint of citrus. On second sip, I started appreciating the wine’s smoothness and balanced acidity. This wine was going to love my salad!

So “Eat the Music,” and “Drink the Music” too… and for a little bit of fun, watch this video. It might make you feel very, very lucky!

Avocado and Mango Salad with Tequila-Lime Vinaigrette

serves 4

For the vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest (use a microplane grater)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (use a microplane grater)
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Gold or Reposado Tequila
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco to taste
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

For the tortilla strips
1 large flour tortilla – cut in 1/8” x 2” strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
large pinch sea salt

For the salad
2 bunches arugula – root ends trimmed, rinsed and spun dry
1 large ripe mango – peeled, cheeks cut in 1/8” slices
1 firm, ripe avocado – peeled and cut in 1/8” slices

Step 1: To make the vinaigrette – place the zests, juice, Tequila, vinegar, oil, Tabasco and salt in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
Step 2: To make the tortilla strips – heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the tortilla strips. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until golden on all sides and crispy, tossing from time to time. Remove from heat, transfer to a plate, sprinkle with salt and cool to room temperature.
Cook’s note: Once cooled, the tortilla strips can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Step 3: To serve, place a few leaves of arugula in the center of each plate. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette. Top with slices of avocado and mangoes, alternating them and slightly overlapping the slices. Drizzle with the balance of the vinaigrette. Garnish with the tortilla strips and serve immediately.

© 2010 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Mac and cheese with braised leeks, asiago and parmesan breadcrumbs

The first time I tasted macaroni and cheese, I was well into my twenties. The experience was entirely new — and entirely pleasing. How could it not be? After all, pasta and cheese is one of those superb pairings that delight just about everyone, regardless of their age, gender or background.

But if you were raised in a French household like I was, your only experience of pasta (“les nouilles”), would have been of limp, overcooked noodles tossed with a little butter and served alongside a steak — a far cry from the luscious mixture of creamy cheeses and macaroni that Kraft turned into an icon in 1937 with the “Kraft Dinner.”

Needless to say, I was eager to adopt my new homeland’s favorite comfort food as my own. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I adore all cheeses, regardless of how stinky, how aged or how moldy they might be!

So when the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board asked me if I would create a mac & cheese recipe featuring Wisconsin cheese to celebrate National Cheese Lover’s Day, it was an offer I simply couldn’t refuse.

As I worked on the concept for my recipe, I thought it would be fun to bring in a bit of my French background. Since the recipe would be released in the winter months, I decided to feature a winter vegetable that’s very prominent in French cooking and certainly one of my favorites — the leek.

When braised (first sautéed over high heat to caramelize the leeks, then gently simmered with a little white wine), leeks lose their spunk and turn mellow and sweet. Pair them with a sweet and slightly tangy Asiago and you have a mac & cheese that will make you come back for seconds even if your stomach screams it’s full.

I must say that I can’t think of a better way to celebrate National Cheese Lover’s day!

Note: I was one of several bloggers who were asked to submit recipes. If you’d like to see all the recipes click here…

Mac & Cheese with Braised Leeks, Asiago and Parmesan Breadcrumbs

serves 8

For the leeks
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 leeks – 4” of tops and roots trimmed (about 1 1/2 lbs), cut in half lengthwise, thoroughly washed and cut in 1/4” slices
4 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup white wine

For the béchamel
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons unbleached white flour
6 cups milk – warmed
1 cup heavy cream
freshly ground nutmeg to taste (use microplane grater)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 oz Wisconsin Asiago – coarsely grated (2 cups)

For the bread crumbs
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely grated Wisconsin Parmesan
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the pasta
1 lb pennette lisce or macaroni
1 tablespoon sea salt (for the pasta water)

1 medium ceramic or glass baking dish – buttered

Step 1: To braise the leeks – Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and leeks. Toss well and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until leeks have wilted and just begin to take on a golden color, tossing from time to time. Add the garlic, chili pepper flakes, salt, black pepper and wine. Quickly toss, reduce heat to medium-low and cover pan. Braise leeks for 25 minutes until very tender and all the juices have evaporated (if there is still some liquid in the pan after braising the leeks for 25 minutes, sauté at high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until all juices have evaporated). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Step 2: To make the béchamel – Place the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. As soon as the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and the flour becomes golden, but not brown. Quickly whisk in the warm milk and cream. While constantly whisking, bring back to a boil. As soon as it reaches boiling point, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until the béchamel has slightly thickened, still whisking constantly. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and grated cheese. Whisk until the cheese has melted and remove from heat.
Step 3: Place the breadcrumbs and parmesan in a small bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and mix well. Set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
Step 4: Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the salt and the pasta. Cook the pasta about 2 minutes less than the package instructions so that it’s not cooked all the way through (see picture below). Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Add the leeks and béchamel to the pasta and stir until well blended. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly on the sides and golden. Remove from oven and heat the broiler on high. Place the mac & cheese under the broiler for a few seconds to brown the breadcrumbs. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Cook’s note: The mac & cheese is best eaten as soon as it’s made. Reheating will make it stodgy. The braised leeks can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. The béchamel can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Gently reheat it over medium-low heat and thin with a little milk before using in the recipe. Boil the pasta, assemble and bake the mac & cheese just before serving.

To braise the leeks

Trim root ends and 4″ of the tops. Cut leeks in half lengthwise.

Thoroughly rinse the leek halves under cold running water, to remove the dirt lodged between the leaves. Blot dry with paper towels.

Cut leeks crosswise in 1/4″ slices.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and leeks. Toss well…

… and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until leeks have wilted and just begin to take on a golden color, tossing from time to time.

Add the garlic, chili pepper flakes, salt, black pepper and wine. Quickly toss…

… reduce heat to medium-low and cover pan. Braise leeks for 25 minutes…

… until very tender and all the juices have evaporated (if there is still some liquid in the pan after braising the leeks for 25 minutes, sauté at high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until all juices have evaporated). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

To make the béchamel:

Place the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.

As soon as the butter is melted, add the flour…

… and cook, whisking constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and the flour becomes golden, but not brown.

This is the deep golden color your roux should have. This will happen very quickly so be vigilant and ready with the warm milk.

Quickly whisk in the warm milk and cream. While constantly whisking, bring back to a boil. As soon as it reaches boiling point, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until the béchamel has slightly thickened, still whisking constantly.

Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper (I like to use a microplane grater to grate the nutmeg, it makes the job so easy!)…

… and the grated cheese.

Whisk until the cheese has melted and remove from heat.

To assemble the dish:

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the salt and the pasta. Cook the pasta about 2 minutes less than the package instructions so that it’s not cooked all the way through. Drain well.

The pasta should still have a little white ring in the center, indicating that it is not cooked all the way through.

Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add the leeks and béchamel and stir until well blended.

Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs… Your dish is ready to bake!

© 2010 Viviane Bauquet Farre – food & style NY LLC

Creamy butternut squash polenta with spicy wilted spinach

I love creating recipes that are both healthy and super-flavorful. And if they’re quick and easy to make as well, then I know I have a winner on my hands!

Today’s dish is just that: a winner!

It’s healthy for sure: the butternut squash, corn and spinach are packed with good-for-you vitamins and minerals as well as being low in calories.

It’s loaded with flavor: the butternut squash is sweet and pleasing, the corn is wonderfully nutty, and the spinach, wilted with both hot and sweet Hungarian paprika, delivers shots of spice and earth in each little mouthful.

And it’s quick and easy to make, to boot! If you have the butternut squash purée made ahead of time (or use a good brand of organic pumpkin or squash purée), the dish comes together in 20 minutes — all right, 25 minutes tops!

As a last touch, I drizzle the whole thing with toasted pumpkin seed oil. It’s one of my favorite flavor boosters for winter recipes. It’s dense, inky-green and fabulously nutty…. A little goes a very, very long way.

Paired with an equally flavorful and spunky wine, this butternut squash polenta is a dish I could eat once a week, all winter long!

Note: You can purchase roasted pumpkin seed oil in gourmet food stores, Whole Foods Markets or online at igourmet.com

Elvio Cogno – Dolcetto d’Alba, Vigna del Mandorlo DOC

Dolcetto d’Alba grows in the northwestern Italian region of Piedmont; “dolcetto” means “little sweet one,” although I can assure you there’s absolutely nothing sweet about the wine this grape produces! Elvio Cognos’ Dolcetto d’Alba is a bit more aggressive than the average Dolcetto. It’s chewy and dry, with good tannins and grilled, smoky wild berry notes. All in all, it pairs beautifully with the sweetness and creaminess of the butternut squash polenta, while picking up on the spiciness and earthiness of the spinach. And it does all that without overwhelming the dish! A beautiful thing indeed…

Creamy butternut squash polenta with spicy wilted spinach

serves 4

For the polenta
3 cups spring water
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or stock
1 cup corn grits for polenta
1 cup butternut squash purée
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the wilted spinach
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
8 oz baby spinach – rinsed and spun dry
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

toasted pumpkin seed oil as garnish

Step 1: Bring the water and broth to a boil in a heavy-bottom saucepan. As soon as the mixture boils, add the corn grits. Whisk vigorously until the mixture starts to thicken. Reduce the heat to medium and gently simmer the polenta, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes until it is thick and al dente. Add the salt, butternut squash puree, parmesan, crème fraîche, salt and black pepper. Stir well until well incorporated. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Step 2: Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Add the oil, garlic and both paprikas. Sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the garlic softens, but doesn’t brown. Add the spinach and salt and toss until just wilted. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
Step 3: Spoon the polenta into bowls. Top with the wilted spinach and spoonful of the juices. Drizzle with the pumpkin seed oil and serve immediately.

© 2010 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Parmesan-crusted fennel fritters with Meyer lemon dip

Come winter, I start craving fresh, crunchy textures. Root vegetables, squashes and leafy greens have been on the menu for a while now and my palate yearns for something new.

That’s when I’m especially grateful for fennel. Although grown all year long, the tender, voluptuous bulbs are at their sweetest and crunchiest in the winter months.

Florence fennel or finocchio is the fennel that we’re all used to seeing at the market. The female plant produces a large round bulb with a delicate anise flavor that lends itself perfectly to being eaten raw. I love to shave paper-thin slices of raw fennel and toss them in salads like this Arugula Salad with Fennel, Blood Oranges, Clementines and Olive Vinaigrette.

Of course, I also love to cook fennel in many other ways: braised, roasted, puréed in soups or custards, topped with a cheesy béchamel and browned in the oven…

But lately, I’ve been wanting to make something a bit different with them. So I decided to try fennel fritters… and I’m so glad I did!

First I blanched the fennel slices until tender but still a bit crunchy. Then I dipped them in eggs and coated them with Parmesan breadcrumbs. And finally, to highlight the fennel’s delicate anise flavor, I crushed a few fennel seeds in a mortar and added them to the crumb mixture.

Pan-fried in a little olive oil, the fennel fritters came out tender on the inside and delightfully crunchy on the outside. Served with a fragrant Meyer lemon dip, these fritters were irresistible – just what I’d hoped for!

One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is how much vegetables have to offer. They are to me what colors are to a painter: a rich palette of flavors and textures. And coaxing it all out of them is truly my passion.

So here’s to fennel and all that it so willingly and generously brings forth…

Gentilini, Robola of Cephalonia 2008

When I opened the Gentilini Robola 2008, I had no idea what to expect. It was my very first time tasting Robola, a native grape of Greece, mostly grown in Cephalonia. At first sniff, lovely floral and citrus aromas greet you. At first sip, creamy and mellow lemon notes explode in your mouth. The wine’s smooth texture, balanced acidity and long finish make you really savor the whole experience. So it’s no surprise that I thought of pairing it with the fennel fritters. The lemon notes in both the wine and the dip were completely harmonious, while the acidity of the wine cut through the richness of the fritters without overwhelming their delicate flavor.

A delightful wine, which I thank Markus Stolz for. After moving to Greece in 2003, Markus became a passionate spokesperson for Greek wines. You can visit his informative and engaging blog at Elloinos. Thank you, Markus, for introducing me to Gentilini and other talented Greek winemakers.

Gentilini, Robola of Cephalonia 2008 ($16) can be purchased in the US at Astor Wines.

Parmesan-Crusted Fennel Fritters with Meyer Lemon Dip

makes 16 to 20 fritters or 4 servings

For the fennel
1 large fennel bulb
1 teaspoon sea salt for the blanching water

For the breadcrumbs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds – finely ground in a mortar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

For the dip
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest (or regular lemon zest)
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice (or 1 1/2 teaspoons regular lemon juice)

2 large eggs – lightly beaten
olive oil (or canola oil) for pan-frying
fennel greens as garnish

Step1: To trim the fennel bulb – cut the stalks off where they meet the bulb. Cut the bulb in quarters, right through the root end. Then cut each quarter in 4 to 5, 1/4” slices, making sure to cut right through the root end again so the slices stay attached together. (The fennel slices can be blanched right away or placed in a bowl and submerged with cold water. They can be stored this way and refrigerated for several hours. This will keep them crisp and prevent them from discoloring.)
Step 2: Fill a medium bowl with cold water and several ice cubes, set aside. Fill a medium heavy bottom pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and fennel slices. Blanch for 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water bath until cool. Drain on kitchen towels or paper towels and pat-dry.
Step 3: For the breadcrumbs – mix breadcrumbs, cheese, ground fennel seeds, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread on a plate and set aside.
Step 4: Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dip each fennel slice in the egg and then turn them in the breadcrumb mixture. Place on a plate large enough to hold all the slices in a single layer.
Cook’s note: The fennel fritters can be prepared to this point up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to pan-fry them.
Step 5: To make the dip — place the sour cream in a bowl. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk until well incorporated and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Step 6: When you are ready to make the fritters and serve them – heat a large heavy-bottom skillet over high heat. Add enough oil to the pan to come 1/8” up the sides. When the oil is hot add the fennel slice to the pan so they are in a single layer, without overcrowding them. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until golden-brown. Flip the slices and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes until golden-brown. Remove from pan with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.
Step 7: To serve, overlap 4 to 5 fritters in the center of each plate. Place a spoonful of the dip next to them. Garnish with fennel greens and serve immediately. Alternatively, serve as an hors d’oeuvres and place the fritters on a large platter and the dip in a medium bowl.
Cook’s note: Serve the fritters piping hot, as they become soggy as they cool.

Cut the bulb in quarters, right through the root end.

Then cut each quarter in 4 to 5, 1/4” slices, making sure to cut right through the root end again so the slices stay attached together.

Here are the slices when they are all cut.

Fill a medium heavy bottom pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and fennel slices. Blanch for 6 minutes, until tender but still firm.

Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water bath until cool.

Drain on kitchen towels or paper towels and pat-dry.

Grind the fennel seed in a mortar until finely ground.

Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, ground fennel seeds, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread on a plate and set aside.

Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dip each fennel slice in the egg…

… and then turn them in the breadcrumb mixture.

Place on a plate large enough to hold all the slices in a single layer.

Heat a large heavy-bottom skillet over high heat. Add enough oil to the pan to come 1/8” up the sides. When the oil is hot add the fennel slice to the pan so they are in a single layer, without overcrowding them. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until golden-brown.

Flip the slices and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes until golden-brown.

Remove from pan with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

For the Meyer lemon dip:

Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon, making sure not to grate any of the bitter white pith.

Place the sour cream in a bowl. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.

Whisk until well incorporated… Voilà! This dip is as easy as 1, 2 3!

© 2010 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Scotch fizz

What is it about bubbles? They’re fun, they’re ephemeral, they’re captivating and, when allowed to emerge in wine, they’re delicious beyond belief.

How grateful I am to Veuve Clicquot for having figured out how to trap those tantalizing bubbles in a bottle! It is Madame Clicquot herself who, in the early 1800s, pioneered the méthode champenoise and crafted the first “modern” Champagne.

Champagne. The name alone conjures festivities and moments to be treasured.

At first glance, the constant rise of the bubbles in a glass, seemingly from nowhere, can make you forget time and place and get lost in their magical show.

At first sip, the surprising, delicious sensation caused by the explosion of hundreds of tiny bubbles in the mouth makes your eyes twinkle and your taste buds ache for second sip…

If you haven’t guessed it yet, I’m completely wild about bubbles! And, although it’s hard to top the Zen-like high of experiencing a tall flute of brut, ice-cold Champagne, I do enjoy creating cocktails with a bit of that fizz in them.

So on New Year’s Eve, I love to serve a cocktail inspired by the classic French 75 (a concoction with a surprising bit of history: watch the video for the full tale!). But instead of using brandy or gin as in the original mix, I use a single malt Scotch. Scotch is not only loaded with flavor, it pairs brilliantly with Champagne. Add a dash of Cointreau for a touch of sweetness and to round off the flavors, and you have a cocktail that’s worthy of an end-of-the-year bash.

Here’s wishing you a very bubbly New Year!

I dedicate this post to my very dear friend, and extraordinary artist, Sky Pape. Sky has been working on a study of “bubbles,” and I was very privileged to see her first drawings. Thank you for the inspiration, Sky. Your bubbles are to the eyes and soul what Champagne is to taste buds!

Scotch Fizz

serves 4

2 oz single malt Scotch
3/4 oz Cointreau
12 oz Champagne or sparkling wine

4 large lemon peels

Shake Scotch and Cointreau with ice cubes until shaker is frosted. Divide into 4 chilled champagne flutes. Top with the Champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with the lemon peel and serve.

Cardoon velouté with black truffle carpaccio

A few weeks ago, I received samples of some of the most beautiful truffle products from Gourmet Attitude, a truffle importer founded by the dynamic and gourmet-obsessed Céline Labaune. From our very first email exchange it was clear that Céline was passionate about truffles.

I’ve often told my husband Marc that I prefer truffles to diamonds, and I do mean that literally. He would never dare to buy jewelry for me, but truffles? There’s no limit to how many he could lavish on me! So needless to say my connection to Céline was immediate.

As I opened Céline’s package and held her gorgeous little jars in my hand, I had to resist the temptation of opening them right away just to have a taste. So I set them on my desk where they remained for several weeks. I never brought them near the kitchen for fear that I wouldn’t be able to restrain myself.

Every time I sat down to work, I would stare at my little truffle jars. Before long, I realized I needed to create recipes with them that were a little out of the ordinary — recipes that would not only highlight the magnificent taste of the truffles, but also offer a new experience to the taste buds.

So when I happily stumbled upon a few bunches of cardoons at my local supermarket a few weeks ago (click here to read about this lucky find), I knew right away that my first recipe would be a cardoon velouté, adorned with Gourmet Attitude’s “black truffle carpaccio.”

Just before serving the soup I opened the precious jar. Immediately, the sublime scent of the truffles permeated the kitchen. And when we tried the first spoonful of the velouté, Marc and I fell silent and closed our eyes. The delicate taste of the cardoons was perfectly balanced with the earthy flavor of the truffles, and the smoothness of the soup was superbly contrasted by their slight crunch.

It was heaven on a spoon!

Note: To purchase the Black Truffle Carpaccio, visit GourmetAttitude.com (Disclosure: I received unsolicited free samples from Gourmet Attitude — but would not have featured them here if I didn’t think their products were outstanding.)

For instructions on how to prep and blanch cardoons, click on the link below, or here.  If you cannot find cardoons in your local store or farmers’ market, don’t despair! The velouté can be made with frozen artichoke hearts and tastes very similar. See cook’s note for the instructions.

J Vineyards, Pinot Gris 2006

To balance the creaminess of the soup, the earthiness of the truffles and the delicate flavor of the cardoons, I needed a wine with good structure, no oak and not too much acidity or minerality. The J Vineyards Pinot Gris 2006 turned out to be all of this and so much more! The first thing that greets you is its pleasing and delicate floral aroma. At first sip, a totally different experience takes place. Beautiful notes of nectarine, pear and honey explode in the mouth, all enveloped in the most luscious texture. When sipped in between spoonfuls of the cardoon velouté, you’d think that the soup and the wine had been made for each other!

Cardoon Velouté with Black Truffle Carpaccio

serves 6 (makes 8 cups)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium Vidalia or Spanish onion – skinned, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
8 oz Yukon gold potato (1 large) – peeled and cut in 1/2” cubes
2 1/2 lbs blanched cardoons
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
3 cups spring/filtered water
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 Italian parsley sprigs & 6 thyme sprigs – tied in a bundle with kitchen string
2 tablespoons crème fraîche

1/2 – 2.82 oz jar Black Truffle Carpaccio or truffle oil as garnish
1/4 cup finely chopped chives as garnish

Step 1: Heat a large heavy-bottomed soup pot at medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and onion, stir well and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, until just golden, stirring from time to time. Add the garlic and wine. Stir well and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the wine has reduced to a syrupy sauce and has almost all evaporated. Add the potato cubes, blanched cardoons, stock, water, salt, pepper to taste and herb bundle. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot and slow-simmer for 40 minutes until the cardoons are very tender. Remove the herb bundle and discard.
Step 2: Purée the soup with a stick blender or food processor until very smooth. Strain in a medium sieve and return to the soup pot and gently re-heat at medium heat. Add the crème fraîche and stir until well incorporated. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Step 3: Ladle the soup into soup bowls, put a spoonful of black truffle carpaccio (or a spoonful of truffle oil) in the center, sprinkle with the chives and serve immediately.
Cook’s note: You can replace the cardoons with frozen artichoke hearts. Use two 8z packages of artichoke hearts and reduce the water to 2 1/2 cups. Make the soup and strain exactly as for the cardoon soup.

Viviane’s tip: Even after peeling the cardoons, this vegetable tends to be a bit stringy. So to make a super-smooth velouté, I like to strain the soup before serving it. Make sure to use a medium sieve (the holes are wider and more open than a fine sieve — see below). It would be very difficult and time-consuming to try using a fine sieve to strain this soup.

Pour some of the soup in a medium sieve, 2/3rds of the way.

Force the soup through the sieve with a silicone spatula.

When there is nothing left but a thick paste, discard the paste and pour another batch of soup in the sieve. Repeat until the entire soup has been strained.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Prepping and blanching cardoons

A month ago I was speeding down the vegetable aisle at my local supermarket when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something completely unexpected: cardoons. My cart came to a screeching halt and I turned my head so fast I almost gave myself whiplash!

To my disbelief, I was indeed looking at cardoons, neatly stacked next to the leeks. How could that be? My local supermarket is hardly a gourmet store and yet — there they were. I quickly grabbed two bunches and happily trotted home.

Perhaps you’ll think, How can anyone get excited about a cardoon? I’ll confess that I was not just excited about this find, I was elated! The last time I’d seen cardoons in their plant form (as opposed to on my plate at one of Mario Batali’s restaurants) was a few years ago in Venice, piled high in a crate on the deck of a vegetable vendor’s boat. I remember letting out a sigh, wishing I could find such exotic veggies back home.

You might be wondering, What on earth is a cardoon, anyway? A thistle-like plant, cardoons (also called cardone) grow abundantly in the Mediterranean and are usually in season from November to March. A close relative to the globe artichoke, the cardoon looks a bit like celery on steroids, growing as tall as six feet. It has thorny, silver-grey leaves and pompom-like purple blossoms. It’s not exactly a friendly-looking vegetable and it probably won’t make you salivate at first sight.

Unless, of course, you know what a treasure for the palate lies underneath that protective garb…

Just like with its cousin the artichoke, a little bit of work is needed to get the succulent part of this plant on your plate. But unlike artichokes, it’s not the blossoms we’re after, but the stalks. Their delicate artichoke-like flavor is as refined as it is addictive.

Once you’ve trimmed and peeled the stalks, it’s wise to blanch them in order to remove their sometimes considerable bitterness (see the step-by-step instructions and pictures below). I also find that adding a little lemon juice along with the salt to the blanching water brightens up the cardoons’ delicate flavor.

Cardoons lend themselves to many wonderful dishes: gratins, bagna cauda (a traditional Piedmont dish of barely blanched cardoon stalks served with a garlicky dipping sauce), fritters, stews (gently braised on their own or with other vegetables) and soups (like this cardoon velouté with black truffle carpaccio).

Whichever recipe you decide to explore, I know you’ll discover something precious, even a bit mysterious, in this magical plant.

Note: If you live in Rockland County, NY, or in Bergen County, NJ, you can purchase cardoons at the ShopRite in Northvale and at De Piero’s Farm Market. They are not always in stock but I’ve been buying cardoons at both places for the last four weeks, so hooray to that!

Prepping and Blanching Cardoon

yields 2 1/2 lbs blanched cardoons

juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon sea salt
3 lbs cardoons stalks

Step 1: Fill a large bowl with cold water and add half the lemon juice.
Step 2: Trim both ends of cardoon stalks and all leaves. Using a paring knife, shave the edges off each stalk (they have little spikes on them), and peel off the large protruding ribs (as you would a celery stalk). Cut each stalk crosswise in 1” pieces and immediately place in the lemon water bath.
Step 3: Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes.
Step 4: Fill a large heavy-bottom pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the balance of lemon juice and salt. Drain the cardoon pieces and add them to the boiling water. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes until just tender, but still a bit firm. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water bath until cool. Drain on kitchen towel or paper towel. Once dry, transfer to a bowl and use in your recipe of choice, or place in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Fill a large bowl with cold water and add half the lemon juice.

Trim both ends of cardoon stalks.

Trim all leaves.

Watch out for the tiny spikes along each stalk — they are very prickly!

Using a paring knife, shave the edges of each stalk, making sure to remove those tiny spikes; and peel off the large protruding ribs (as you would a celery stalk).

Cut each stalk crosswise in 1” pieces…

… and immediately place in the lemon water bath.

Fill a large heavy-bottom pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the balance of lemon juice and salt.

Drain the cardoon pieces and add them to the boiling water. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes until just tender, but still a bit firm.

Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water bath until cool.

Drain on kitchen towel or paper towel.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Making vegetable stock

I’ll be the first to admit that, ever since the late 1990s, when commercial stocks made the quantum leap from those wicked, dessicated cubes to liquid packed in cartons, I have kept my pantry shelves filled with them. These newfangled “stock-boxes” might not have been as flavorful or rich as my homemade stocks, but they certainly were good enough to use in even my most delicate recipes, not to mention incredibly convenient.

What freedom! The monthly task of making four quarts of stock, with all the prepping, simmering and straining, was fortunately no longer a necessity — the more so since the appearance of those gourmet stocks on the market shelves happened to coincide with a move to New York City and the inevitable shrinking of my living quarters. (There was no room in my tiny freezer for my monthly stock production: if I wanted fresh stock, I had to make it every single time I cooked.)

So I succumbed; and even after I’d moved into a roomier kitchen, I still reached for that convenient carton every time I needed to cook with a stock.

Then one day, out of the blue, I got an incredible craving to make those four quarts of stock again. It was a deep yearning to smell the rich broth simmering on the stove and filling the house with its comforting aroma.

So I got my giant stockpot out of the pantry.

What a revelation! How could I have been so easily fooled by those fancy cartons? The flavor of my homemade stock was so deep, so rich, so nuanced… It simply could not compare to the boxed kind.

Needless to say I’m back to making my own stocks again, and feel a twinge of guilt at having abandoned my practice over those last few years. I can’t say that I’ll never buy stock in cartons again (after all, it’s hard to give up the convenience). But at least, I can confidently say that once a month the house will be filled with the earthy smells of simmering stock.

Viviane’s tips:
- The vegetables should be cut in small pieces  (1/2″ to 1″ pieces) so that they render their flavor more easily.
- The stock should not simmer for more than 45 minutes. In that time the vegetables have given all their flavor to the water. Simmering them longer will only turn the vegetables into mush.
- Whenever you cook, remember to save the stems of flavorful vegetables like mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, artichokes etc… Cut the vegetables scraps in 1″ pieces and freeze them until you are ready to make stock. There’s no need to thaw them before using them.

Vegetable Stock

makes about 4 quarts (16 cups)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large Vidalia, Spanish or red onion – skinned and cut in 1/2” cubes
4 large garlic cloves – skinned and halved
4 medium carrots – peeled and cut in 1/2” slices
2 celery ribs – trimmed and cut in 1/2” slices
1 leek (including green parts) – trimmed, halved lengthwise, thoroughly washed and cut in 1” slices
2 plum tomatoes – cut in 1” pieces
1 medium white potato – peeled and cut in 1/2” cubes
4 cups vegetable scraps cut in 1” pieces (stems of mushrooms, asparagus, chard, kale, broccoli or artichokes; corn cobs, fennel tops etc… )
2 bay leaves
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley
6 thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
5 quarts (20 cups) spring or filtered water

Step 1: Heat a large heavy-bottomed soup pot at medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and onions and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until pale-golden. Add the garlic sauté for an additional 1 minute. Add the balance of the ingredients including the water. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium to medium-low, partially cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
Step 2: Strain stock through a fine sieve. Discard the vegetables and cool stock to room temperature. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

“Sweet Talk”: Five delicious holiday desserts

When Mary Lynn Mitcham, Editor in Chief of Rockland Magazine, asked me if I would write a feature about holiday desserts, she didn’t have time to finish her sentence before I wholeheartedly agreed!

This was last August, mind you, so I had to put my “holiday dessert” head on a little earlier than usual. Mary Lynn wanted me to create a special dessert for each of five different occasions: a brunch, a holiday dinner, a Christmas feast and a New Year’s Eve party, as well as one for holiday gift-giving.

I immediately started working on the concepts, and soon had sent her a list of the desserts I dreamed up. Thankfully, she loved them all. And so my journey began!

Four of the five desserts have been in my repertoire for many years and are all-time favorites. The only one I was apprehensive about was the chocolate layer cake — for the simple reason that I had never made one before. (Why I gave myself such a challenge, when I could easily have picked from more than a dozen other desserts in my repertoire, is beyond me!)

But there was no time to waste: I started testing the infamous chocolate layer cake right after Labor Day. The first attempt, as I describe in the feature, was absolutely ghastly. Not only would I not let anyone taste it, I wouldn’t even let anyone see it!

The next attempt was a significant improvement; my little nieces were my happy tasters, and fortunately, the cake met with their approval! I was starting to feel on better footing with my chocolate layer cake.

Of course, I had to make the cake a couple more times until I was satisfied with not only the texture, moistness and lightness, but also the presentation. Needless to say, in this household, September was the month of sweet indulgences.

To read “Sweet Talk,” click here. I write about the inspiration for each dessert, and give tips and recommendations for where to find  certain ingredients or products (like the bottles and jars for the infused honeys).

For all the recipes, click here... or click on the individual links below:

- Herb-infused honeys & Sienese almond cookies

- Chestnut cake with pan-roasted pears and chestnut honey syrup

- Pumpkin crème brûlée with fresh ginger and cinnamon

- Chocolate layer-mousse cake with cognac and bittersweet chocolate curls

- Raspberry-Champagne fizz

I would like to thank Mary Lynn Mitcham for giving me the opportunity to write and photograph “Sweet Talk” for Rockland Magazine… It has been an honor and a very sweet adventure indeed!

Wishing you a joyous and delicious holiday season!

Raspberry-Champagne fizz

Whenever I think of New Year’s Eve, I think of Champagne… I simply adore the flavor, the bubbles and the festive feeling it conjures up. Every year I shop for a very special bottle well ahead of the festivities and then look forward to the moment, at the last stroke of midnight, when we’ll pop the cork with great joy, and — I must admit — a fair amount of noise!

So it’s not surprising that for New Year’s Eve I was inspired to create a dessert that’s all about Champagne! The idea came to me as I was contemplating the famous French cocktail, the Kir Royal (Champagne with a dash of cassis liqueur). So why not take the concept of the Kir Royal, but give it an American twist and make it an ice cream-champagne float?

The result is simply sublime. Served in a gorgeous martini glass, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of raspberry coulis spiked with Chambord liqueur and a splash of Champagne are transformed into a dazzling dessert — one that will invariably make heads turn and taste buds sing.

Viviane’s tip: I’m always a bit nervous when serving dessert to a large crowd. The revelation here was that I could make dozens of my Raspberry-Champagne Fizzes in minutes, letting me enjoy the festivities and celebrate with my guests instead of scurrying around the kitchen all night. Now that’s a terrific way to ring in the New Year!

Raspberry-Champagne Fizz

serves 12

For the raspberry coulis
10 oz  frozen raspberries — thawed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons organic sugar
2 tablespoons Chambord or Cassis liqueur

For the fizz
1 quart vanilla ice cream
3 pts fresh raspberries, as garnish
1 bottle Champagne or sparkling wine

Step 1: To make the coulis: Place the raspberries, lemon juice, sugar and liqueur in the bowl of a food processor and process at high speed until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and pour into a large squeeze bottle. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook’s note: The raspberry coulis can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Step 2: To serve: Squeeze a little raspberry coulis in a martini glass. Top with one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream, depending on the size of your glasses. Garnish with the raspberries. Top each glass with sparkling wine or Champagne at the table, it makes it more fun for your guests!

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Chocolate layer-mousse cake with cognac and bittersweet chocolate curls

I must confess that, along with Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner is my favorite meal to plan, cook and serve! Why? Because there are very few occasions during the year when I can take time off to cook such a feast for family and friends. I relish every moment of it.

And every year my challenge is to come up with a dessert that is nothing short of stunning! This year I set my sights on creating a chocolate layer cake. A courageous act for sure, since layer cakes and icings are not only totally foreign to me, but very intimidating to boot.

So I decided to start testing recipes early on in the fall. My first attempt was so disastrous that I put the monstrosity I’d created in my spare refrigerator and forgot about it for 5 days… My second attempt was definitely an improvement, but the white-chocolate icing was way too sweet for my taste and the cake itself a bit too heavy… still.

I wasn’t about to give up, though. I wanted not just any chocolate layer cake. I wanted to make the lightest, moistest, most intensely-chocolaty-cake-ever… I wanted a showstopper!

Two more attempts finally delivered the cake I had envisioned. I turned to my French background yet again. A dark chocolate génoise (sponge cake) brushed with a little coffee and Cognac makes the four layers. A milk chocolate mousse hugs the layers together and a white-chocolate mousse gently envelops the whole cake. A last tease: bittersweet chocolate curls dot the cake and add yet another layer of chocolaty flavor.

A holiday feast demands a dazzling dessert – one that tastes as delicious as it looks.

Viviane’s tip: Like all good things, this cake will take some time to bake and assemble. Fortunately, the chocolate génoise can be made one day ahead and the cake assembled 4 to 6 hours before serving. A little bit of planning will be necessary, but it’s well worth the effort… and if I can make this cake, then I would say anybody can, too!

Note: I chose Callebaut chocolates for this cake. They are outstanding baking chocolates with smooth texture and beautiful flavors. Callebaut chocolates are available in bulk at Whole Foods and gourmet food stores. I also recommend Scharffen Berger and Valrhona chocolates. Using a good quality chocolate for this cake is essential.

Chocolate Layer-Mousse Cake with Cognac and Bittersweet Chocolate Curls

makes 1 large cake – serves 12

For the cakes
1 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup Dutch process cocoa – sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 pinch sea salt
8 large eggs – at room temperature
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter – melted and slightly cooled

1 cup strong coffee – cooled to room temperature
1/3 cup Cognac

2 – 9” round non-stick cake molds – lightly buttered and floured

For the milk chocolate mousse
9 oz milk chocolate – coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon chocolate liqueur
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the white chocolate frosting
12 oz white chocolate – coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 oz bittersweet chocolate, as garnish

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Step 1: Place the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Whisk until well blended.
Step 2: Place the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk at high speed until very pale, thick and ribbony (about 2 minutes). Slowly add the sugar and continue whisking at high speed until soft peaks form, another minute.
Step 3: Add half the flour/cocoa mixture to the whipped eggs. Fold in carefully. Add the melted butter and fold in carefully. Fold in the remaining flour/cocoa mixture, taking care not to overmix.
Step 4: Divide the batter equally into the prepared molds. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the cakes have risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature before un-molding.
Cook’s note: The cakes can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead. Cool to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before assembling the cake.
Step 5: To make the milk chocolate mousse: Place the chocolate pieces in a double boiler. Melt the chocolate over simmering water, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool until just warm to the touch.
Step 6: Place the heavy cream, chocolate liqueur and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip at medium speed until thick, taking care not to overbeat or it will turn to butter. Pour the melted milk chocolate into the whipped cream and fold until well blended. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Step 7: To make the white chocolate frosting: Place the white chocolate pieces in a double boiler. Melt the chocolate over simmering water, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool until just warm to the touch.
Step 8: Place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip at medium speed until thick, taking care not to overbeat or it will turn to butter. Pour the melted white chocolate into the whipped cream and fold until well blended. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Step 9: To assemble the cake: Un-mold the chocolate cakes and cut in 4 even layers, about 1″ thick (I use a cake leveler, it makes the job infinitely easier!). Place one layer of cake in the center of a serving platter. Line the rim of the platter with plastic wrap (this will keep the rim clean as you apply the frosting). Using a pastry brush, soak the cake with one quarter of the coffee and Cognac. Top with a third of the milk chocolate mousse and spread it evenly over the whole surface of the cake. Top with another layer of the chocolate cake. Repeat soaking with the coffee and Cognac, and spreading the milk chocolate mousse 2 more times until you have 3 layers. Top with the last layer of chocolate cake and soak with the remaining coffee and Cognac. Finish by applying the white chocolate frosting, first on the top, then on the sides. Save a little frosting for piping if desired: pipe a rim around the top edge. Remove the plastic wrap lining the platter and pipe the remaining frosting around the base of the cake. Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
Step 10: When ready to serve, shave the bittersweet chocolate using a vegetable hand peeler over the cake and around the rim of the platter.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre  – food & style NY LLC

Pumpkin crème brûlée with fresh ginger and cinnamon

Pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger. Those three words conjure up feelings of warmth, festivities and deliciousness. Take those three ingredients and make a crème brûlée with them — and you’ll have a dessert that’s just plain sublime!

Even before the first bite, the sound of the crust cracking with the back of the spoon instantly makes the mouth water in anticipation of the contrast between the crunchy-sweet caramel and the silky-smooth custard. Then each spoonful is pure heaven, best eaten as unhurriedly as one can.

I find crème brûlée to be a perfect dinner party dessert, and I have many different versions for every season of the year. But during the holidays, making them with freshly baked sugar pumpkins is an extraordinary treat. The creaminess of the pumpkin purée only accentuates the inherent smoothness of the custard. The ginger and cinnamon tantalize the taste buds and linger beautifully until you cannot resist and must take another bite.

Simple, elegant and totally scrumptious, this pumpkin crème brûlée is sure to make your holiday dinner party a memorable one.

Viviane’s tip: Contrary to what many people believe, crème brûlée is not hard to make. The custard base is simple to prepare; all you’ll need is to keep an eye on them so they don’t overbake. Crème brûlée can be prepared up to two days ahead — a huge plus when planning a holiday party. The caramel crust, however, needs to be made 15 to 30 minutes before you serve the custards. I highly recommend buying a kitchen torch. It’ll make the job infinitely easier and will yield perfect results.

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée with Fresh Ginger and Cinnamon

serves 6

3/4 cup pumpkin purée
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger root (use a microplane grater)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup organic sugar
pinch sea salt

2 tablespoons organic sugar for the caramelized crust
6 – 4oz ramequins

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Step 1: Place the pumpkin purée, ginger and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk until well blended. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat the cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. When the liquid has reached boiling point remove from heat and set aside.
Step 3: In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg yolks, sugar and salt at high speed, until the mixture is very pale and ribbony, about 2 minutes. Reduce to low speed and slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture. Add the pumpkin purée and whisk until well blended. Skim the air bubbles off the top with a mesh spatula.
Step 4: Pour the custard into the molds, filling them 1/4” from rim. Place the ramequins in a large baking pan and pour enough hot water in the pan to reach about 1/2″ up the side of the ramequins. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The custards should be barely set and wobble when gently shaken. Do not overcook or the crème brûlée will curdle (it would look like scrambled eggs… and if this should happen, unfortunately you’ll have to make a new batch!). Carefully remove the pan from the oven, transfer custards to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the custards for at least 4 hours.
Cook’s note: The custards can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Step 5: Sprinkle each custard with a little sugar. Hold a lit kitchen torch 4 inches from the sugar topping and move the flame evenly over the surface until a caramel crust has formed. Return to the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes before serving. (If the caramel crust is refrigerated for too long, it becomes soggy and loses its crunch!)
Cook’s note: For the recipe to make fresh pumpkin purée, click here.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Sienese almond cookies

The first time I tasted Sienese almond cookies was in Tuscany, in fact not too far from Siena. My husband Marc and I were vacationing at Borgo Pretale, an enchanting hotel tucked away in luscious green hills, surrounded by lavender, vineyards and sunflowers fields — the quintessential Tuscan destination!

We were relaxing on the terrace after a memorable meal when the staff brought us a glass of sinfully-delicious Vin Santo and Sienese almond cookies to nibble on. I still remember the first bite — an intense almond flavor exploded in my mouth. I swooned!

Needless to say, I brought several bags of those delicious treats home, but when they ran out I set about creating my own recipe. These dainty and flavorful cookies have since become a household favorite, especially around the holidays when we are more prone to indulge in a glass of dessert wine — and a cookie — while relaxing in front of a warm fire.

But that’s not the only occasion for which I make these Sienese cookies. Invariably I find myself baking batches of them to give as holiday gifts, along with gorgeous bottles of herb-infused honeys.

On a practical note, since I bake many desserts during the holidays (my pumpkin crème brûlée with ginger, for example), I end up with lots of leftover egg whites. Since I wouldn’t dream of throwing them away (or worse, making egg-white omelets!) I always save them to make these treasured cookies.

My hope is that they’ll make you swoon, too…

Viviane’s tip: The cookies will stay fresh only for up to two weeks so I recommend not making them too far ahead of time. Once the bag is open, though, you can be sure they’ll disappear in the blink of an eye!

Sienese Almonds Cookies

makes 2 dozen

1 3/4 cups almond meal/flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill finely ground almond meal/flour) – see cook’s note
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar – sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch sea salt
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/3 cup powdered sugar – sifted, to roll dough
large jellyroll pan
parchment paper or Silpat

Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Step 1: Place the almond meal/flour, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir until well blended.
Step 2: Place the egg whites and almond extract in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip at high speed until firm peaks form.
Step 3: Add the whipped egg whites to the almond mixture and stir with a silicone spatula until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix or the cookies will be heavy. The dough will be soft and a bit sticky.
Step 4: Sprinkle the powdered sugar on a work surface and on your fingers. Using a teaspoon grab a bit of the dough (about the size of a large olive). Drop the small mound of dough in the powdered sugar and roll it around until well covered with the powdered sugar. Shape into a 2” x 1/2” lozenge and gently flatten the top with the tips of your fingers. Place on a jellyroll pan lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Repeat until you have shaped 24 lozenges. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies have risen and are pale-golden.
Step 5: Remove from oven and let cool for 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool until room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Cook’s note: I purchase the almond meal/flour from Bob’s Red Mill. However, you can make your own by finely grounding the almonds in a food processor. Use blanched almonds and a little bit of flour (1 tablespoon of flour for every cup of almonds: this will prevent the almonds from turning into almond butter!). Process until very finely ground. It is hard to get the almonds as finely ground as the commercial almond meal/flour but it will still be adequate for the recipe. If grounding your own almonds, omit the 2 tablespoons of flour called for in the recipe.

Place the almond meal/flour, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Stir until well blended.

Place the egg whites and almond extract in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip at high speed until firm peaks form.

Add the whipped egg whites to the almond mixture.

Stir with a silicone spatula until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix or the cookies will be heavy. The dough will be soft and a bit sticky.

Sprinkle the powdered sugar on a work surface and on your fingers (this will help with the sticky dough!). Using a teaspoon grab a bit of the dough, about the size of a large olive.

Drop the small mound of dough in the powdered sugar and roll it around until well covered with the powdered sugar.

Shape into a 2” x 1/2” lozenge and gently flatten the top with the tips of your fingers.

Place on a jellyroll pan lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Repeat until you have shaped 24 lozenges.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies have risen and are pale-golden. Remove from oven and let cool for 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool until room temperature.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Making herb-infused honeys

Making cookies, jams, infused honeys or sauces for gift-giving has always been part of my life, but never more so than in 2008 when the downturn in the economy made so many of us re-think what gift-giving really means.

So last year, all my gifts (with very few exceptions) were prepared in my kitchen. It took several days to make all the goodies and package them beautifully, but the result was that long past the holidays, friends and family members would call me to thank me for the gifts they were still enjoying.

This made such an impression on me that I’ve committed to do the same every holiday. It’s not a small commitment — making gifts from your kitchen takes time! — but with a little creativity and planning I find that it’s not only doable, it’s downright enjoyable!

This year, two special treats are on the list: Sienese almond cookies, and honey infused with fresh herbs and spices. Both are easy to make… and incredibly delicious. Both also look absolutely gorgeous, and will be sure to impress your family and friends.

Gifts from your kitchen and your heart – now that’s what the holidays are all about.

Viviane’s tip: I love to use my homegrown herbs to make these honeys, but not everyone has a herb garden. Fortunately, fresh herbs are available in any supermarket. The fresher the herb, the more flavor it will impart to the honey. As for the honey itself, I recommend buying a good-quality local honey for the infusions. The flavor is unsurpassed!

Herb-Infused Honeys

4oz bottles or jars – washed and thoroughly dried
1/2 cup (4oz) good quality orange blossom or clover honey per bottle/jar
Cook’s note: For larger bottles/jars, multiply the amount of honey and herbs needed equally.

Single herb infusions – all measurements are for a 4oz bottle/jar
1 sprig basil (sprig with small leaves are easier to fit in the bottle/jar))
1 tablespoon shaved fresh ginger (use vegetable hand-peeler)
1 tablespoon dried lavender blossoms
2 sprigs lemon balm
1 sprig mint
1 sprig oregano
1 sprig rosemary
2 sprigs summer or winter savory
1 sprig sweet marjoram
1 sprig French tarragon
4 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs lemon thyme

Herb & spice infusions – all measurements are for a 4oz bottle/jar
2 teaspoons anise seeds
1 small sprig basil & 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 small sprig basil & 1 teaspoon anise seeds
2 teaspoons cardamom pods
1 stick cinnamon & 1 sprig sage
1 sprig rosemary & 1 strip orange zest (use vegetable hand-peeler)
4 sprigs fresh thyme & 1 strip lemon zest (use vegetable hand-peeler)

Step 1: Place herb (and/or spice) in bottle/jar.
Step 2: Place honey in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the honey becomes liquidy or until candy thermometer reaches 180ºF, making sure the honey doesn’t come to a boil.
Step 3: Using a funnel, pour the hot honey into each bottle/jar, making sure the herbs are submerged. Place honey bottles on a cooling rack and cool to room temperature. Once cooled, close bottle/jar tightly and store in a cool dark place for 1 week before using.
Cook’s note: Store the infused honey in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC