Marketing #1

The organic food market of “Les Batignolles” in Paris or Marché biologique des Batignolles is a glory hole. In July it made me think of things to do with apricots, nectarines, peaches and big fat juicy tomatoes:

A poshed up pain perdu: Apricot, Nectarine and Almond Pain Perdu and then on to London although still a la Francaise, chez Caroline: Two out of One: Couscous & Yellow Split Pea Stuffed Tomatoes and Couscous and Yellow Pea “Falafel”

Apricot, Nectarine and Almond Pain Perdu

stale bread and croissants get the “ooh-la-la” treatment

This recipe has the double smarts. First to use up left over bread, croissants and wrinkly fruit and second to create a tart without the bother of making pastry. For when you butter the bread and press it outwards in and up the tin it creates a delicious crisp crust. Finally it gets zazzed up by a large slosh of Amaretto .”Voila” – something out of nothing magic.

Ingredients & Gizmos

The quantities are “approximate” – leftovers are. Here is what we had and what worked in a 23cm spring cake form. Allow for tidbits for the helper.

  • Softened butter – I probably used a generous 100g
  • Half a stale baguette, 3 croissants, 1 pain aux raisins
  •  2 eggs
  • 500- 750ml creme legere plus some Greek yogurt (I might not use the yoghurt again as a tad too acidic and prone to curdling) or milk
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • Quite a lot of apricots and nectarines just past their “eat fresh” days
  • Generous slug of Amaretto (optional – almond essence would also work)
  • sugar for dusting
  • Chopped almonds

 How To

  • Break the bread and croissant into chunks and butter pieces individually
  • Place each piece butter side down in the tin, smearing the butter around the tin as you go so as to create a lined tin. Pack the pieces in quite tightly. Now fill with a second layer so the tin is roughly 2/3 full
  • Annoint the bread ensemble with the Amaretto as if making a sherry trifle
  • In a bowl loosely mix the eggs together with the cream or milk and sugar. Pour 2/3 of the custard mixture over the bread and allow it to soak it up.
  • Halve the apricots and nectarines and build up a circle starting with the outer circle of apricot pieces on top of the bread. Make a second and central circle until covered.
  • Pour over the remaining custard mixture
  • Bake at 180C for 35-45 minutes until the fruit is softly baked and the crust is golden
  • Sprinkle a little sugar over when warm and the chopped almonds

Serve warm with creme fraiche, a dreamy garden and a best mate.

Two out of One: Couscous & Yellow Split Pea Stuffed Tomatoes and Couscous and Yellow Pea “Falafel”

Splendid, fat, juicy and sweet – served on a summer evening with a green salad only a dollop of thick creamy Turkish yoghurt is needed.

First we make Veggie Stuffed Tomatoes and here I used couscous so no need to pre-cook and yellow split peas – which I did pre-cook. As I had stopped off at the Turkish store on the way to Caroline’s “petite cuisine” things took a  Turkish turn… some sumac, mint and allspice went in the mix.

As the mix was made with couscous, or perhaps as I was over enthusiastic there was quite a lot of stuffing left over and so to…

Couscous and Yellow Pea Falafel

 

Delicious little fried or baked patties ..

Here we added lots of extra things to give flavour to the  couscous and yellow peas . So for this they are great for little bits and pieces lurking around the fridge awaiting a recipe home.  We found chopped black olives, garlic, lots of parsley, more herbs some salt and pepper and bound the lot together with an egg.  If the mixture is too crumbly then more egg and more water may be needed.  It should stick together when you hold it in a clenched fist. 

We grilled some and we fried some – with extra spring onions and little tomatoes – for a great light lunch.  Make them as small balls or as flattened mini burgers and serve with a green salad or inside a wrap with a yoghurt or tahini sauce or just  box them up and take to work/ school as a healthy snack.