What are we eating ? | Recipes for cooking apples

Just before the weekend, all readers who cook ask themselves this eternal question: what are we going to eat? In order to inspire you, The Press suggests some suggestions for seasonal recipes that will make your mouth water.

Snacks: apple and carrot muffins

Makes 24 muffins

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) peeled, cored and grated apples
• 250 ml (1 cup) flour
• 250 ml (1 cup) wheat bran
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 C. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) brown sugar
• 1 C. vanilla
• 250 ml (1 cup) grated carrots
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) currants
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) unsweetened coconut flakes
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) pumpkin seeds
• 250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk

Preparation

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• 2. Line 24 muffin cups.
• 3. Place the grated apples in a colander.
• 4. In a bowl, combine flour, wheat bran, baking soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Book.
• 5. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs, oil, brown sugar and vanilla until the mixture whitens (4 minutes).
• 6. Using a wooden spoon, stir in grated apples, carrots, raisins, coconut flakes and pumpkin seeds.
• 7. While mixing, add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk.
• 8. Fill the molds three-quarters full.
• 9. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 25 minutes.

Source: recipe from the book Apples, strudel soup by Louis-Francois Marcotte.

Posted in The Press+ on August 27, 2016.

Quickly done well: yogurt parfait, apple and vanilla compote and hazelnut crumble

I hesitated to give my recipe the name “perfect”. I find that there is something obsolete in this culinary term there. It’s like from another era, just like the crowns of shrimp mousse, the aspics or the fruit salads in the Jell-O! But we must admit that the parfait – which I prefer to eat for breakfast or as a snack – is aptly named. Perfect for enjoying seasonal fruits. Perfect for busy people. Perfect for satisfying yourself without abusing the good things too much.

A little nothing is enough to make it more interesting. Settle for being perfect, very little for him. Vanilla seeds in an apple compote, which could also be sweetened with maple, and a homemade hazelnut crumble rather than store-bought granola, and the parfait becomes irresistible. Perfect. Interesting. Irresistible. And ready to charm four people in record time!

For 4 people

Ingredients for the compote

• 4 large Cortland, McIntosh or Lobo apples (about 750 g or 12/3 lb), washed, peeled, cored and diced
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 C. heaped tablespoon of butter
• The seeds of a vanilla pod

Ingredients for the crumble

• 31 g (1/4 cup) whole hazelnuts (without shell), coarsely ground
• 31 g (1/4 cup) flour (all purpose, whole wheat or buckwheat…)
• 3 tbsp. tablespoons quick-cooking rolled oats (oatmeal)
• 2 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1 pinch of salt

To serve

Plain (slightly sweetened, if desired) or vanilla Greek yogurt

Preparation

• 1. Prepare the compote: in a saucepan, over medium-low heat, cook the diced apples with the sugar, butter, vanilla pod seeds and 125 ml (1/2 cup) of water for 25 minutes , stirring occasionally, or until mixture is thickened. Add a little water if needed if the compote sticks to the bottom of the pan. Let cool.
• 2. Prepare the crumble: preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). In a bowl, mix the coarsely ground hazelnuts, flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, butter and salt, until large homogeneous crumble pieces form.
• 3. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the pieces in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the mixture halfway through cooking, or until the crumble is golden brown. Leave to cool on the sheet. The crumble will become crispy as it cools.
• 4. Assemble the parfaits: in the bottom of a glass or verrine, place a few spoonfuls of yogurt, add the vanilla apple compote and sprinkle with crumble pieces. Repeat for the other parfaits and serve immediately.

Source: Christelle Tanielian, author of the gourmet blog christelleisflabbergasting.com

Posted in The Press+ on January 30, 2016.

Call me boss! : goose, crabapples and onions

For 2 to 4 people, depending on appetite

A goose breast will easily feed two people, maybe even three or four, if there are other services or accompaniments. Double the recipe if you have two breasts (and many people at the table). You can also carefully wrap the breasts and place them in the freezer to cook later. Chef John Winter Russell suggests using the barbecue one last time before putting it away for the winter. If you use charcoal, keep it indoors. It will light up more easily.

Ingredients

• 1 goose breast, trimmed of excess fat
• 400g crabapples or tart rather than sweet apples (Granny Smith rather than Cortland, for example)
• 1 handful of cranberries or cranberries
• 20 very small onions or pearl onions
• 200g unsalted butter
• Salt
• Sunflower oil
• Cider vinegar

Preparation of the crabapple sauce

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the crabapples or quartered apples in a small ovenproof container. Add a tiny bit of water, cover and steam in the oven until they burst. Pass the crabapples through a mill or potato masher to remove the seeds, then transfer to the blender while they are still hot, with the butter and a pinch of salt. Keep warm.

Preparing the onions

• 2. Wash the onions, cut them in half, coat them with oil and lightly salt. Grill on the barbecue until well marked. Place the onions in a container with a lid and allow to continue steaming for at least 20 minutes. Break the onions into petals. Add a little cider vinegar, salt and keep warm.

Preparation of the goose

• 3. Generously salt the brisket and leave to cool. On a very hot barbecue, cook the breast, starting with the skin side down, for 20 to 30 seconds, with a 20 to 30 second pause between the sears. This will allow the fat to begin to melt. After about ten searings, begin to cook the meat, turning it every 30 to 40 seconds, which will ensure even cooking. For a large goose breast, it can take up to 20 minutes.
• If the barbecue is already stored, the breast can be cooked in a cast iron skillet. Start on the skin side and brown well. Turn the breast over and bake at 200°C (400°F) for about fifteen minutes.

Presentation

• 1. Let the goose rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice it. Place a few good spoonfuls of mashed crabapples at the bottom of the plate. Arrange slices of breast in a fan shape over the sauce.
• 2. Heat the cranberries in a little butter. Cover the breasts with the onions and arrange the cranberries in the petals. Serve immediately.

Source: recipe by John Winter Russell.

Published on lapresse.ca on December 5, 2018.

Guilty Pleasure: Pascade Classic Edgar

To the basic recipe (see below), add 1/2 c. nutmeg, lemon zest and 1 tbsp. pure vanilla. Then prepare applesauce and a pork belly before assembling.

Ingredients for applesauce

• About 10 apples
• 1 C. lemon juice
• 1 C. water

Preparation of applesauce

• 1. Peel the apples and cut them into large cubes.
• 2. Place apple cubes, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and allow to melt gently.
• 3. Remove when the desired cooking point is reached, depending on whether you like large chunks of apples or not.

Ingredients for the braised pork belly with apples

• 1/2 pork belly (about 2 kg)
• 2 L of apple juice
• 1/4 cup of salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Maple syrup

Preparation of braised pork belly with apples

• 1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
• 2. In a large ovenproof container, place the pork belly. Cover with apple juice, salt and sugar.
• 3. Bake the container covered with aluminum foil for 4 to 5 hours. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the side or the oven. To check if the flank is tender, insert a fork and turn in the flesh: if the fiber resists, it’s not ready!
• 4. Remove pork from liquid and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Slice when pork is cool.
• 5. Reserve the rest of the braised flank for another use. It freezes well, too.

Other toppings

• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Strong Cheddar
• Maple syrup
• Ground cherries (decoration!)

Assembly

• 1. Heat the applesauce.
• 2. Sear the pork pieces in a very hot skillet. Finish cooking with a little maple syrup to caramelize.
• 3. Remove the pancake from the cast iron skillet and place it on a plate. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon (to taste), add warm applesauce, chunks of sharp cheddar torn up with your fingers, seared pork belly and maple syrup. Garnish with a ground cherry.

Published on lapresse.ca on April 17, 2019.

Pascade, basic recipe by Marysol Foucault, from the Edgar restaurant

Makes three large pancakes that can feed three people with big appetites or six people if there is something else on the table, as is often the case at Easter!

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Fat of your choice (Marysol prefers duck fat, but butter and coconut oil also work)

Preparation

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Put the cast iron pans (8 inches in diameter) in it so that they are very hot.
• 2. In a container or bowl with high sides, add all the ingredients except the fat. Pass the device to the mixing arm until there are almost no more lumps.
• 3. With a dry cloth or an oven mitt, remove the cast iron pans. Add a large tablespoon of fat and distribute well in the pan in a circular motion. Add a ladle (8 oz) of pancake mixture and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The sides of the pancake will be nicely browned and crispy, the bottom/center still soft.
• 4. You can also bake mini pascades in muffin tins. This recipe will make a dozen small soufflé pancakes.