Pluot Galette

Galette is a French Pastry,which I think is more like a pie made without a pie pan.Its flaky crust is achieved by using good amount of saturated fat(here I use only the best kind) and not over mixing the dough.Any kind of fresh tart fruit makes an ideal filling.

Pluots(a cross between plums and apricots) are still in season before the pumpkins invade,I thought why not make a simple dessert requiring not much effort.Really needed only few minutes to put together and the oven does rest of the work.This is lightly sweetened like most of my desserts,the almonds and semolina form the delicious layer over the dough to soak in all the fruity juices,a very unique idea I borrowed from roopa's recipe.

Recipe : Pluot Galette
Serves 3
Ingredients
3 medium ripe pluots or plums or apricots,pitted and sliced
1/2 cup almond meal or fine ground raw almonds
1 tablespoon semolina
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 tablespoon Organic butter(cut in cubes) or pure green or virgin pressed coconut oil
3 tablespoon cold water
1/8 teaspoon salt

Method
To make the pastry dough ,sift together the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.Add the butter or ghee or coconut oil to the flour mixture,combine well using hands or use a processor,add water and mix until the mixture comes together.Cover and set in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Mix the almond meal ,sugar and semolina in a small bowl and keep aside.
Unwrap and start rolling on lightly floured work surface,when about 10-12 inches wide along the diameter,spread the almond mixture leaving 2 inches near the edges clean.Now place the sliced pluot slices in a flower pattern and fold the edges,sprinkle with granulated sugar if desired.Transfer on to a baking sheet.
Bake in 375F oven for 25-30 minutes until edges are golden brown and fruit is tender.
Cool few minutes,slice and serve with more fresh fruit and dollop of low fat chocolate ice cream.


The galette is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #253 ,hosted this week by Simona from Briciole

Daring Bakers : Chocolate Berry Pièce montée(Croquembouche) with Mango Cream

Never in the deepest dreams did I think of putting together a spectacular French wedding cake.Thanks to daring bakers club for making the seemingly impossible bakes,possible.Every daring bake(17 so far) has indeed been a challenge,needs lot of planning ahead,thoroughly understanding the recipe before making any changes to it,allotting good amount of time for implementing the task,that could fail at first attempt but striving till succeeding should be the motto of a daring baker.The posting day is sure excitement in anticipation of fellow daring bakers creative takes on the challenge.I for one ,try not to deviate too much from the given original recipe while giving it a healthy make over,which is the best part of these challenges.

The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.



A sure delightful dessert,cannot be reserved exclusively for special occasions,the following recipe has been changed enough to make it often.The Croquembouche,also known as Pièce montée, recipe has 3 main components: the pâte à choux(the puff pastry), the crème patissiere(pastry filling), and the glaze(Sugar or chocolate) used to mount/decorate it.The main building block of the centerpiece are cream filled pate a choux ,mounted in to a conical shape using hot sugar or chocolate glaze as glue.I choose pure dark chocolate for its good benefits and filling is a luscious cream with one of my favorite fruits.And for the decoration,the berries were a fitting juicy garnish.Goes without saying,we loved every bite of this dessert,devoured it all for a dessert course of meal.
Recipe : Dark Chocolate Berry Pièce montée(Croquembouche) with Low fat Mango Cream

The recipe makes a medium piece montee,double the quantities proportionately for a taller piece.

Ingredients

For low fat Mango Crème Patissiere
1 cup reduced fat milk or soy milk or almond milk
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup unsweetened mango puree or 1 large mango,peeled and pureed

Method
Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup of milk. Combine the remaining milk with the sugar in a saucepan; bring to boil; remove from heat.Mix in the mango puree until combined,chill before filling in the choux buns.

For Pate a Choux (Yield: About 18)
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 large Organic or free range eggs
1/3 cup water
3 Tablespoon Organic unsalted butter
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Method
Pre-heat oven to 425◦F/220◦C degrees. Line a big baking sheets with parchment paper.

Preparing batter:
Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely.

Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly.Add 1 egg. The batter will appear loose and shiny. As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes. It is at this point that you will add in the next egg.

Piping:
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip or use a ziploc and snip off the tip. Pipe choux about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets. Choux should be about 1 inch high about 1 inch wide.

Using a clean finger dipped in hot water, gently press down on any tips that have formed on the top of choux when piping. You want them to retain their ball shape, but be smoothly curved on top.

Baking:
Bake the choux at 425◦F/220◦C degrees until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 350◦F/180◦C degrees and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more. Remove to a rack and cool.

Can be stored in a airtight box overnight.

Filling:
When you are ready to assemble your piece montée, using a plain pastry tip, pierce the bottom of each choux. Fill the choux with pastry cream using either the same tip or a star tip, and place on a paper-lined sheet. Choux can be refrigerated briefly at this point while you make your glaze.


For Chocolate Glaze:
4 ounces/100 g. finely chopped best quality Dark chocolate(with at least 60% cocoa)
Method
Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Stir at regular intervals to avoid burning. Use the best quality chocolate you can afford. Use immediately.

For decoration
Fresh berries of choice


To assembly of your Piece Montée:
You may want to lay out your unfilled, unglazed choux in a practice design to get a feel for how to assemble the final dessert. For example, if making a conical shape, trace a circle (no bigger than 8 inches) on a piece of parchment to use as a pattern. Then take some of the larger choux and assemble them in the circle for the bottom layer. Practice seeing which pieces fit together best.

Once you are ready to assemble your piece montée, dip the top of each choux in your glaze and start assembling on your cake board/plate/sheet. Continue dipping and adding choux in levels using the glaze to hold them together as you build up.
When you have finished the design of your piece montée,dip the berries in chocolate and fill in along the gaps, you may drizzle with remaining glaze and use ribbons,almonds, flowers, etc. to decorate.



Explore more Pièce montée at Daring baker's blog roll.

Classic Ratatouille

Ratatouille(pronounced RAT-EH-TOO-EY and literally meaning "Chunky stew to stir") is a Classic French-Provençal dish with earthy flavors of abundantly fresh veggies.Dated back to 18th century France,the dish was poor farmer's nutrient rich meal.

I was introduced to this vintage recipe from the Disney-Pixar's Comedy "Ratatouille".The vibrant recipe at smitten kitchen inspired by the Movie itself was very impressive ,then I was thinking an easier method like the chop and toss method used in the Ratatouille pasta.

A really good ratatouille is not one of the quicker dishes to make,as each element is cooked separately before it is arranged in the casserole to partake of a brief communal simmer.This recipe is the only one we know of which produces a ratatouille in which each vegetable retains its own shape and character.~ Julia Child
More recently while browsing through Master Chef Julia Child's Classics found really good ratatouille recipe that undoubtedly seemed the best to bring out the flavors for an ultimate,delicate and crisp ratatouille.

The recipe here is adapted from both the tried and tasted recipes.One can layer vegetables,alternating or just top one layer of vegetable over the other.More importantly use fresh ingredients and avoid any canned vegetables for a flavorsome ratatouille.


Serves 3-4
Ingredients
2 medium Italian or Japanese eggplants or 4 medium Indian eggplants,thinly sliced(with Skin on))
2 yellow squash,thinly sliced
2 Zucchini,thinly sliced
1 small red ,green or yellow Bell pepper,seeded and sliced
2 cloves Garlic,chopped
2 medium Vine Ripe tomatoes,sliced
4 medium ripe red tomatoes,steamed,peeled,seeded and juiced
Few springs fresh herbs,basil or flat leaf parsley,chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper,freshly ground
2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method
In large mixing bowl,toss all the sliced vegetables(eggplant,zucchini and squash) with a teaspoon of salt ,let sit for 15-20 minutes.
In a large pan heat the oil on medium-high heat.Saute the salted vegetables in a single layer ,about a minute on each side until slightly brown.Keep aside.
In the same pan,add the onions and saute onions about 3-4 minutes ,add the garlic and saute another minute before adding the peppers.Cook another 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
Add the tomato pulp ,cover and cook until juice has mostly evaporated.Season with salt and pepper.

In a baking dish or casserole spread 1/3th of the prepared tomato sauce,arrange the sliced of sauteed vegetable and the extra tomato slices in a single or double layer with sauce in between.Sprinkle the herbs and top any remaining tomato sauce.
Cover and simmer on stove top on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes or bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.Slightly cool.To serve,spread a little sauce leftover in the dish on to the serving plate,place the cooked vegetables and garnish with fresh herbs ,enjoy along side a crusty bread or a bowl of brown rice.Tastes better the next day,gently reheat before serving.

Shot in the setting sun,the click was a pleasant surprise for me.Nabeel was particularly amused by its name for it reminded him of the amuses of the Rat Chef Remy. Mr.HealthNut on the other hand was delighted over the simplicity and flavors in the dish using the plain old baigan and tamatar.

This is now off to two wonderful events paired together - Click and Meeta's Monthly mingle : Heirloom.

bon appétit!

Eggcellent Eggplant recipes:Ratatouille pasta,Kashmiri Baigan, Stuffed Baby Eggplants ,Bagara Baigan and more

Nick named "Baigan Raja"(the king of vegetables),the plump,crowned head Eggplant\Aubergine\Brinjal\Baigan with shiny attractive suit ,never appealed to me as a kid,I didn't care to finish the plate whenever it was served.I still find it challenging to eat unless cooked with lots of spices.It so happened ,hubby dear bought a generous batch of them last week.Since these don't store for more than a week,we had to chow down before they spoil in the fridge.Of all the different shapes and sizes,I personally like the smaller round Asian variety eggplants.Here are the 3 interesting dishes I made all in the same week;and believe me, we were not bored and mostly importantly I finished my plate.

Ratatouille Pasta

Ratatouille is a classic French side dish made with fresh vegetables and herbs,including egg plants,zucchini,squash and tomatoes.Tossed with pasta,the dish makes a wholesome entrée.
Ingredients
1 pound Whole grain pasta,cooked al dente as per the package directions
Half a big or 2 medium or 4 small eggplants,diced
2 medium plum red tomatoes,chopped
2 small zucchini or yellow squash(or use 1 of both),diced
1 big carrot,sliced
1/2 a medium onion,chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or freshly crushed black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh herbs(basil,thyme or rosemary),chopped

Method
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan,add the onions and garlic;saute for 3-4 minutes.Add the eggplants and saute for 2-3 minutes.Now add the chili powder\pepper ,herbs,tomatoes and zucchini\squash and cook until vegetables are tender,5-6 minutes.
Mix in the cooked pasta ,garnish with some more fresh herbs and serve warm.

Food Event Submission
The pasta dish is off to Ruth's Pesto Pasta Nights Event . This week PPN is hosted Amy of Very Culinary

Kashmiri Baigan in yogurt gravy
adapted from recipe at Indianrelish

Originating from the picturesque land of Kashmir(North India),the dish is perfect for hot summers with yogurt and fennel seeds.
4 baby eggplants\brinjals(baigan)
2 cup reduced fat yougurt\curd
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dry ginger powder (sonth)
2 green cardamoms
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
finely chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Method
Rinse the eggplants and cut the stem off ,slit across on both sides.
Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai over medium heat kadai,shallow fry the eggplants until evenly browned and soft.Get the eggplants out and set aside.Add the cumin seeds,cardamoms,fennel seeds and roast for few seconds,then add the turmeric,salt and chili powder.Turn the heat to low,add the yogurt and stir.Let cook on gentle heat ,this is important or the yogurt will curdle and look more like cheese.Add the cooked egg plants and let warm for 5-6 minutes until flavors soak in.Serve with rice or bread.


Stuffed baby Eggplant(Bharwan baigan) with onions and coconut
With coconut and onions,and seasoned with spices,these stuffed eggplant are hard to resist.

Ingredients
4 baby eggplants\brinjals(baigan) .
for stuffing
1 big or 2 small onions,chopped
1/2 cup dried shred coconut
1 big clove garlic,chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder or seeds
2-3 green chillies
4-5 curry leaves or 3-4 sprigs cilantro
1 teaspoon Dry Mango Powder(optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil

Method
Rinse the eggplants and cut the stem off ,slit across on both sides.
Prepare the filling by blending together stuffing ingredients. Stuff the eggplant with this mixture and keep aside.Reserve any remaining stuffing.
Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai on medium heat,place the stuffed eggplant ,let cook for 5 minute before turning.Cooking another 5 minutes,pour the remaining stuffing if any,cover and let cook another 8-10 minutes until soft and cooked through.Serve with rice and Sambar.


Bagara Baigan(Eggplants in spicy peanut tamarind gravy)


Ingredients
6-8 small round eggplants,cut the top and slit across
3/4 cup skinned and roasted peanuts (add other nuts if desired like almonds and cashews)
1/2 a medium onion,finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced ginger and garlic,use fresh not canned if possible
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 tablespoon tamarind ,soaked in cup of water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Method
Heat oil in large deep pan on medium heat,fry the eggplants ,cover and turn occasionally,take about 10-12 minutes until eggplants are softened.
In the same oil add the seeds and onions,saute until lightly brown,add the ginger and garlic and other spices and salt.Let saute another minute,then grind them all together to a paste along with the peanuts,add little water if needed.Transfer the paste back to the pan,turn the heat on and roast for 2-3 minutes until oil starts to leave.Now squeeze the tamarind and get the juices out.Filter the tamarind water without any pulp in to the cooking mixture ,add another 1/2 a cup of water.Simmer then add the fried eggplants,cover and cook another 10-12 minutes until the eggplants soak in the flavors.Serve with vegetable pulov or biryani
Other Egg plant recipes posted :

Gosthu(Spicy medley of eggplant and other vegetables)


BabaGanoush(A lip-smacking dip)


Eggplant Chutney(South Indian Style spicy chutney)


Gingered Eggplant chutney pasta with spring peas.


And these are off to the food event ,Fall in Love :Brinjals at Sanghi's Food Delights.

Eggplant Nutrition:
Eggplant are high in Dietary Fiber & Potassium.And a good source of Folate, Manganese, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin(B1), Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper.And always keep the skin on,it has the potent antioxidants and free radical scavenger called Nasunin.

Asparagus Souffléed Omelet

Although Spring is officially here in North eastern Ohio, the trees are still shy of green leaves and vibrant blossoms.But the signs of budding in the trees and singsong birdies positively assure me,spring will be in full bloom soon.Speaking of which, the succulent asparagus blooming in the stores are also a sure sign of coming of spring.
These tender spears are rich in folate,essential for heart health and to prevent birth defects during pregnancy.Its also rich in potassium ,vitamins and is considered a natural diuretic[a diuretic increases the production and flow of urine from the body, used to remove excess fluid from the body].

Asparagus come in varying thickness,from pencil-thin to nearly an inch.Can be purple ,white or green.For freshest asparagus pick the ones with tight and closed stalk with completely smooth and firm stalk.The bottom woody inch or two of any asparagus should be trimmed and discarded.To keep asparagus for longer,cut off the woody base and let the bunch stand in an inch of water in a container in the refrigerator.Tastes best when steamed or lightly sautéed.


The low-carb Asparagus Souffléed Omelet recipe comes from Sara's Moulton Quick and Easy weeknight meals.Souffléed Omelet is a cross between an omelet and a Soufflé.Make sure you beat the egg whites just to soft peaks;otherwise they won't fold properly in to the egg yolk base.Any left over vegetable such as broccoli or spinach will make a fine filling for this Souffléed Omelet,so consider this a clean-out-the-fridge dish.Serve for any meal of the day with salad greens or toast with fruit spread.

Ingredients
6-8 asparagus,washed and trimmed
1/2 a medium onion,sliced
1 clove garlic,chopped
1/2 teaspoon each of black pepper and salt
1 tablespoon Extra virgin Olive oil
4 large Organic eggs,White and yolk separated
1 tablespoon fresh herbs(parsley,cilantro ,tarragon or dill)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Method
Preheat oven to 375F.
Cut the asparagus cross wise in to 1/4-inch pieces.
Heat a pan with teaspoon of olive oil,add the onions,saute until lightly caramalized about 3-4 minutes,then add the garlic and asparagus.Cover and cook on low flame until asparagus is crisp-tender.Season with salt and pepper.
In another non-stick pan with heat proof handle or cast-iron pan ,heat the oil just until warm and remove from heat.Whisk egg yolks with flour,1/2 teaspoon salt,and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until mixture is fluffy,about 3 minutes.Beat the egg whites using an electric mixer or a whisk until they hold soft peaks;fold them in to the yolk mixture gently but thoroughly ,and pour the egg mixture in to the skillet,spreading it evenly.
Bake the Omelet in the center of the oven for 10 minutes,or until it is puffed and cooked through.Remove from oven,place the filling in the center and fold using a spatula or for an attractive presentation,cut rounds using cookie cutter and place the filling between them.Sprinkle the herbs.I served it with drizzle of hot and sweet maggi tomato sauce alongside toast and home made mango jam.

Asparagus Souffléed Omelet is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging,hosting this week is Prof. Kitty from The Cabinet of Prof. Kitty.

Almond Pâté

While exploring delectable Tasty Palettes for recipes with my best-loved ingredient,I was excited to have found this savory Almond Pâté recipe. Pâté is French for paste,usually prepared with ground meat and other seasonings.But this Almond Pâté has no meat ,just almonds ,flavored with herbs and spices;makes a perfect quick-fix spread on toasts and sandwiches.Another perfect recipe Tried and Tasted,thanks to Suganya and the host of T&T this month Sweatha of Tasty Curry Leaf
(I made few minor changes to the Original recipe)
Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Roasted Almonds,coarsely processed
1/2 a medium onion,finely chopped
1 small hot pepper\chili,finely chopped(optional)
1 tablespoon Extra virgin Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin
2 tablespoon fresh herbs like parsley,cilantro ,chives or any other,finely chopped
1/2 cup Bread crumbs(for homemade,toast 2 slices whole wheat bread,and coarsely process it)
1 big clove Garlic,minced
2 tablespoon Fat free Mayonnaise or silken tofu
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black Pepper
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed Lemon juice
Parchment paper or plastic wrap for rolling

Method
Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat,saute onions until lightly brown ,about 2-3 minutes,add garlic and cumin,saute another minute.Turn off the heat.Now stir in the almonds,bread crumbs,herbs,season with salt and pepper.Transfer to a mixing bowllet cool for a minute,add in mayonnaise or silken tofu,lemon juice ,and combine well until everything is incorporated and the mixture come together.Make a log by rolling in a Parchment paper or plastic wrap.Slice and serve on toasts or sandwiches with fresh greens and sliced tomato.Can be store in refrigerator for up to a week.

I'm also sending these over to the Let go nuts event,featured nut this month is Almonds at JZ's Tasty Treats

Thanks Rathna!

I was extremely delighted to receive this gift from Rathna of Asvadha for the MEO win.These eco-friendly bags are latest trend here made with 100% recyclable material and reusable.Thanks Rathna for the lovely reward,it sure gives me a vibrant start for the spring:)

Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Cake

Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Cake is pleasurable way to satisfy your coffee and chocolate cravings. I fiddled a little with the David Lebovitz's original recipe by using just Organic eggs which are relatively low in fat, added no extra sugar and used Organic whole milk instead of heavy cream.And I had to use Decaf coffee to make it edible for my little ones.



Ingredients
10 ounces Dark Chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Organic Whole Milk
2 tablespoon Instant espresso powder(I used Decaf), dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water.
4 large Organic eggs, at room temperature
pinch of salt

Method

Preheat Oven to 325F.Lightly grease a cake pan or a spring foam pan with butter and set aside.

Melt the Chopped chocolate along with milk and espresso in a double broiler i.e set a heatproof bowl on pot of simmering water.Stir gently ,when melted remove from heat.

Whisk eggs using an electric mixer or whiskers until soft peaks form about 5 minutes in a electric mixer.Gently fold in half of the whipped eggs in to the melted chocolate mixture, then finish with the remaining eggs.

Transfer this mixture in to the prepared cake pan .Make a water bath by setting the cake pan in another bigger pan like a roasting pan and carefully pour hot water just half way up the pan. Bake for about 40 minutes. Remove from the water bath and let cool on rack. Slicing the delicate cake can be tricky ,for perfect slices David suggests to cut it with a thin, sharp knife dipped in very hot water and wiped clean before making the next slice. To serve,top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream(sugar free if you prefer),sprinkle some silvered almonds and instant coffee granules.

I'd love to share a slice of this luscious mousse cake with Meeta ,the host of Monthly Mingle : Coffee and Tea event.

Learn about positive effects of coffee.

Vegetable Crepes with Cabbage and Spring Onions

Crepes ,the thin French pancakes are surprisingly easy to make with simple everyday ingredients milk, eggs and flour. Make it sweet or savory by stuffing with fruit or vegetables, top with cream ,chocolate or hot sauce,anything appealing to your mood.
I made mine with fresh Cabbage and spring onions, a quick fix lunch.

Ingredients
For Stuffing
2 cups Cabbage,shred
4 Spring Onions,chopped
1/2 cup Red peppers,Sliced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper or chilly powder
1/2 ginger and garlic paste ,or freshly grated
1 table spoon Olive oil

For Crepes
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup All purpose flour
1 spring onions,finely chopped
1 Organic Egg(for egg-less crepes,add extra milk)
Salt and white pepper
1/2 cup reduced fat milk
2 table spoon Olive oil
1/4 cup cold water,little more if needed

Method

Cook the Stuffing
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan,add the chopped green onions,saute for a minute. Add the ginger and garlic,saute another minute. Add the rest of vegetables and spices. Cook on medium high heat until water is all cooked,about 10 minutes,do not cover.
Make Crepes
In a small bowl crack an egg and lightly whisk it . In another bigger bowl sift flour, and salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together and slowly whisk in milk ,chopped spring onions and eggs. If batter is still a little thick, dilute with a bit more milk.
Heat a small saute pan and lightly oil it (or use spray). Place a small amount of batter (about 1/4 cup) and swirl it around in pan to cover bottom. When bottom is cooked, the edges will be a little brown. Remove and flip, then let cool on tray. Make 8 medium crepes.

Assemble and Cook again
Spoon filling mixture into center of each crepe; fold .Add about a table spoon of olive oil in a non stick pan,roast the folded crepes , until lightly crisp on both sides. Serve with a drizzle of hot sauce.

Vegetarian Note
To make eggless crepes add extra quarter cup of milk.

Vegetable crepes is my entry for Lore's Original Recipe Event

Other Crepe Recipes
Savory Crepes with Summer Vegetables



Strawberry Banana Crepes

Pumpkin flan and Chocoholic Award

Pumpkin Flan is another palatable dessert for the season.Baking in individual molds is apt for dessert portion control. Recipe is same as the Rose Flan,Sara in this video is baking in an oven proof dish.I used fresh small pumpkin(pie pumpkin) , its puree is lighter yellow color verses the canned pumpkins which have a the darker orange color .To add more perk to the flan,you can top with the pumpkin seed candy.
I'm sending the recipe off to weekend wokking,this months theme is Pumpkins ,being hosted by Soli Deo Gloria of Heart and Hearth.


Ingredients for custard
2 cups whole milk
1 cup Pumpkin puree,I used fresh pumpkin puree,see how to puree a pumpkin here
2 Organic eggs

For caramel
3 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoon water

6 ramekins\molds or one 8 inch baking pan\oven proof dish.

Method
Same as the Rose flan recipe.


How to make the pumpkin seed candy for topping?

Lay the aluminum foil or parchment paper on a cookie sheet or a plate. Lightly Grease with few drops of oil,Spread about 2 tablespoon of toasted pumpkin seeds. Prepare the caramel just as in this recipe and pour over the seeds.Tilt the sheet a little to spread,don't try to touch, its super hot could burn your fingers. Wait patiently at least 15 minutes before removing from the foil ,use it for topping on custards.

Fall Foliage from a nature reservation very close to our place.

Previous Pumpkin Posts:
Multi Seed Bread
Egg less chocolate Pumpkin pie
Autumn Salad

Nazarina has passed me this Sweet Chocoholic award,Thanks Nazarina.Do Check out her Halloweeny Chocolate creations here.I truly love chocolate,when in my teens I was so indulgent in milk chocolate ,many a times I had developed acne on my face:). But as a responsible adult I'm limiting myself to healthy dark chocolate;)

I'd love to pass this award to following Sweet Bloggers:
Maimoona,Anu Divya,Adlak's Tiny World,Prudy,Clumbsy Cookie,Jersey Girl,Engineer Baker,Natashya,Cherrapeno,Jude,Happy cook,Zlamushka,Sia,Raaji,n33ma,Bharti,Lubna,Armina,Zee,Anjum,Mona,Syeda,Ramya Vijaykumar,Priti,Retno Prihadana,Arfi,Jaishree,Farida,Deeba,Meeso,Curry Leaf,Applemint,Purva,Sireesha,Dershana,Aparna,Sunshinemom,Nidhi,Suma,Divya Vikram,Priya,EasyCrafts,Srikar'sKitchen,SweetBites,Madhavi,Shreya,Sharmila,Sukanya Ramkumar,Deesha,Vandana,Sefa,Cham,Ivy
And to all the bloggers\Viewers who love chocolate:)

Rose Flan

Flan is an easy delectable french custard ,which can be prepared with so many simple exciting and tasty variations. I decided to make it pink for the very pink food blogging event this month called The Boobie Bake-off by Marye of Baking Delights,in support of breast cancer awareness. The best part is, you can vote for your favorite entry by donating a $1 and the proceeds go to Susan G. Komen Foundation research.

Traditionally flan is mainly milk ,eggs and caramel.I used the pink rose syrup to blend in the rosie flavor and pink color .And of course I've excluded the extra yolks and heavy cream added in the traditional flan recipe,to reduce the fat. This custard can be baked or even steamed!,if you don't have an oven.Make this gorgeous looking flan for an unforgettable romantic dinner or a party with your good friends.

(I made the dessert in just 2 molds\ramekins but the recipe following is for 4 molds\ramekins or a pie dish .)
Ingredients for custard
2 cups whole milk
2 Organic eggs
2 tablespoon rose syrup

For caramel
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon water


Prepare the caramel
Grease the mold/ pudding cups/ ramekin cups lightly with butter.
In a small heavy bottom pan mix water and sugar. Turn the heat on to medium high. cook until the bubbles turn lightly brown amber color, swirl the pan and do not stir. Pour the caramel promptly and carefully in the 4 individual flan molds or 1 medium size bowl.
Mix the custard Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs,stir in the milk and rose syrup. Whisk until well blended. Pour in the ramekins with caramel at the bottom


Bake or steam in a water bath
Baking method
Preheat oven to 350F. Water bath helps in evenly cooking the custard, which would otherwise curdle if baked directly. To make the water bath ,keep your baking dish(Roasting pan or a corning ware dish) in the in middle rack of the oven with the molds and the pour some hot water ,halfway up the side of the mold; be careful not get water into the custard. Bake for about 40-45 minutes and cool.
Steaming Method
Use one mold(like a Steel bowl) in this case. Pour the egg mixture in the mold and place the in the pressure cooker or another vessel . Pour water very carefully into the pressure cooker till it is about 2" below the rim of the mold. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes . Take the inner vessel\mold out and then cool.See the same custard steamed custards here and here.

Refrigerate the cooked custard over night or at least 6 hours. To serve , run a knife around the inside of the mold to loosen the flan. Say a little prayer and place the serving dessert plate on top of the flan and invert to pop it out,ta-daa !if flan comes out clean. If not, don't be discouraged ,make it often for a perfect texture of flan.

To be honest my flan did pop out alright but does not have smooth edges, I'm guessing that's because I used less fat or may be more gentle flipping would have helped.Anyways my next flan is with pumpkins, will post the recipe if everything turns out well.

Plum Clafoutis

"That's not a slice of pepperoni pizza" , I had to say that more than once in potluck at my friends yesterday.
I found this french dessert recipe of Cherry clafoutis from Kevin's Closet Cooking. It was tempting and simple to try. I used home grown plums, which are half the size of normal plums and little bigger than cherries. And kept the recipe same as Kevin's just replaced the fruit. The result was very satisfactory and taste was fruity more like a pudding with fruits.

Ingredients needed are
1 pound small Plums or cherries (pitted)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar or 2 tablespoon Pure honey or for a sugar free alternative use 1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the Clafoutis
Preheat Oven to 375F.
Wash and dry your fruits .Halve the Cherry or Plum and remove the seed. For the plums cut in smaller slices.
Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Whisk the eggs in another bowl and add to the flour mixture and stir in the milk and vanilla extract.
Place the fruit (cherry halves or plum slices) on the bottom of a greased 9 inch pie plate or baking dish.Pour the batter over the fruit.
Bake until the clafoutis is puffed and golden brown, about 40-45 minutes. Slice and Serve when cooled.


This is my entry for MBP : Fruit Fare hosted this month by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen

Roasted-Vegetable Filled Crepes with Green Pepper Coulis

Crepes loaded with Vegetables is just the way i like to eat my breakfast or brunch on weekends. A good serving of vegetables surely promise a healthy start of the lazy weekend.

Ingredients
For Stuffing
1/2 zucchini, finely diced
1/2 yellow squash, finely diced
1/2 cup Sliced Carrots
1/2 cup green bell peppers, finely diced
4 Asparagus cut in 3 inches length
1 small jalapeno sliced(optional if you like keep the crepes mild)
1/4 teaspoon chilly powder
2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped parsley\Cilantro leaves
For Crepes
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 organic egg.
Pinch baking powder
Salt and white pepper
1 cup low fat milk

For Green Pepper Coulis(Sauce)
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable broth or plain water
1 roasted green or red bell pepper, seeded and peeled(See this recipe for how to roast a pepper)
1 clove garlic

To make the Vegetable Stuffing
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, coat vegetables with olive oil. Add salt ,chilly powder and chopped garlic. Toss and place on baking sheet. Roast until very golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool. Add chopped parsley or cilantro.
To make Crepes
In a small bowl crack an egg and lightly whisk it . In another bigger bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt and pepper together and slowly whisk in milk and eggs. If batter is still a little thick, dilute with a bit more milk.
Heat a small saute pan and lightly oil it (or use spray). Place a small amount of batter (about 1/4 cup) and swirl it around in pan to cover bottom. When bottom is cooked, the edges will be a little brown. Remove and flip, then let cool on tray. Make 6-8 crepes.

To make the Coulis(Sauce)
Heat Oil in a saucepan and add flour roast for a minute, then broth or water. Add green or red roasted pepper and garlic. Simmer 10 minutes.
Pour hot mixture into blender and blend until smooth to make green or red pepper sauce.

Put together
Spoon filling mixture into center of each crepe; fold . Place crepes on a plate, ladle sauce on top and serve.
This recipe is my entry for latha's WBB-Combi Breakfast

Strawberry Banana Crepes

These fruit filled french pancakes are a wonderful way to start the day.


Ingredients for Crepe Batter
3/4 cup whole wheat flour(fine ground)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 whole egg plus 1 yolk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon Canola oil

For filling
1 tablespoon butter
1 table spoon brown cup sugar
8-10 strawberries washed and sliced
1 banana sliced
To make the Crepes

Combine the flour, egg and egg yolk. Add salt and combine with the milk until the mixture is smooth. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Heat a non-stick medium size pan. Slightly grease the pan with oil and then place a ladle full of the crepe batter into the hot pan moving it around the pan until the mixture sets. Place back onto the heat and wait until small bubbles appear on the surface, then flip the crepe over. Cook for a few seconds on the other side and remove from the pan with a spatula. Repeat the same for the rest of the batter.
Prepare the filling
Heat a saucepan on medium heat add butter ,then add sugar and stir together for couple of minutes. Add the strawberries and combine .
Put together the crepe by placing the strawberry mixture in the center of each crepe ,along with sliced bananas and roll up. Sprinkle with powdered cinnamon and garnish with some more fresh sliced strawberries and bananas.


Savory Crepes with Summer Vegetables