Gougere

Gougere

This beautiful, savory, French pastry smells heavenly while it's baking.  It is simple elegance when served as a first course with a glass of champagne, and is something your guests won't forget.  But perhaps the best thing about a Gougere, and one thing that many cooks don't realize,  it's super easy to make and can be prepared in the morning, refrigerated, and baked just before serving.  

1 C milk

1/2 C (one stick) butter

1 tsp. salt

1 C flour

5 eggs

1 TBSP prepared Dijon style mustard

1 TBSP chopped fresh herbs (optional)  I like to use tarragon and chives if I have them.

1 C grated Gruyere cheese

1/2 C grated fresh Parmesan cheese (plus an optional two tablespoons to top the puff) 

Combine milk, butter, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove pan from heat and immediately dump in all the flour.  Stir vigorously for one minute with a wooden spoon until the mixture leaves the side of the pan and forms a mass in the middle.  Let rest for 5 minutes.  Put mixture in food processor, and process with steel blade adding the 5 eggs, one at a time.  Add prepared mustard and optional herbs and pulse a few times to incorporate.  Add both cheeses and pulse until just just mixed.  

On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, and with a large spoon, plop spoonfuls down in a wreath-like shape, see below.  Sprinkle with optional 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese and a few chopped fresh herbs if desired. 

At this point you can loosely cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.  About one hour before serving, take out of the refrigerator to get to room temperature.  To bake, put in center rack of preheated 375F oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.  Immediately slice into wedges and serve with a fork.  Serves 6-8 as an appetizer or first course.   It's particularly memorable when served with champagne.

If you have a crowd for cocktails, gougere can also be made into little puffs making it easier to serve.
 

Speedy Cheese Souffle

Speedy Cheese Souffle

Freelance writer Casey Ellis likes to serve this dish with a large green salad that includes some bitter greens to play against the souffle's slightly sweet undertone. She uses a 13- by 9-inch ceramic oval dish, but any shallow dish will work as long as the souffle batter fills it no more than 1-inch deep.

INGREDIENTS:

Butter for greasing baking dish
Fine-grated Parmesan cheese for coating baking dish
6 ounces cream cheese, preferably at room temperature
2/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons honey
Salt to taste
3 egg yolks
4 egg whites

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°. Generously butter a 10-cup baking dish and coat it with a thin layer of the grated Parmesan. Put the dish in the refrigerator while you prepare the souffle mixture. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, honey and a pinch of salt. Add the egg yolks and beat until mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add another pinch of salt and continue beating until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Do not over-beat. Stir about a third of the beaten egg whites into the cream cheese mixture and then gently, but thoroughly, fold in the rest. Ease this mixture into the prepared baking dish, set the dish in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350°. Bake 17-20 minutes, until the souffle is puffed, set and golden brown on top. Serve immediately.

Country Brunch

Country Brunch

12 eggs, beaten

9 slices bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2 inch squares

4 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes

2 1/2 cups milk

6 scallions, chopped, including green tops

1/2 bell pepper, chopped fine

2 pounds pork sausage, browned, drained and crumbled

2 C grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Combine above ingredients and pour into a buttered 9x13" casserole dish.   Refrigerate covered overnight.  In the morning, bake uncovered at 325 degrees F. for 1 hour and 20 minutes.  Leftovers are great reheated!

This is our traditional family breakfast every Thanksgiving morning and Christmas morning.  With all the hustle and bustle going on for the holiday meal, it's nice to have at least breakfast done in advance!

Harvest Tomato and Onion Tart

The tomato and onion tart was part of this beautiful harvest buffet table.

The stunning Tomato Tart...recipe below.

I love this tart recipe as it calls for no egg or cream 

and tastes as good as it looks.

(Source, a vintage Gourmet Magazine)

 Tomato and Onion Tart

2 large onions, thinly sliced
salt to taste

2 T olive oil

butter pastry dough for a single 12 inch tart

1/2 pound dry Jack or Gruyere cheese, shredded, about 2 C

1/2 pound plum tomatoes cut into 1/2 inch wedges

1/2 pound medium yellow tomatoes, about 2, or 1/2 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2" wedges

1/4 C Nicoise olives, pitted

Cook onions in olive oil with salt to taste, covered over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove lid and cook inions, stirring occasionaly, until golden and any liquid evaporates.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Using a 12 inch removable bottom tart pan, partially bake your pastry crust (prick the bottom to prevent bubbling).  Spread onion mixture over dough and top with cheese.  Arrange tomato wedges and olives in concentric circles and season with salt and pepper.  Bake tart in middle of oven for 1 hour, or until pastry is golden.  Cool on a rack and serve warm or room temperature.  Serves 12-16 as part of a buffet.

Original post of the beautiful harvest brunch is here.

Knitionary