Pearl-fect Barley

When Sue moved to Toronto, I inherited the content of her kitchen cupboard. There were ingredients I had never seen before, Pearl Barley was one of them.

Next time I saw the little pearls they were still snug in their packaging and I wrote an article about buried and forgotten ingredients.

Third time lucky, I was considering to clean the cupboard when I thought it would be much more pleasant to find a recipe which would "get rid of" these pearly things. The complete idiot's guide to vegan cooking came to the rescue with its pearl barley risotto.

This is a story with a happy ending : yes you have guessed it! Sue's packet disappeared only to be replace by a new one, I love this ingredient, its only problem to have stayed away from my taste buds for so long.

Mushroom-Barley Stew

• 300g cup carrot, chopped thinly
• 300g celery, chopped thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 250g crimini mushrooms or other mushroom of choice, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil + 2 TB
• about 20 small mushrooms, chopped
• 150g pearl barley, rinsed
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
• 1/4 cup tamari
• 50g cup barley flour (I used rice flour)
• 2T sherry
• salt
• pepper
• vegetable broth to cover
• 50g chopped fresh parsley

In a large pot combine carrot, celery, onion, 2 teaspoons olive oil, saute and stir for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, herbs, saute for 2 more minutes. Stir in 2 cups of broth, bring to boil. Add barley, cover, reduce to low for 30-40 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining oil, flour, sherry, tamari, salt, pepper, cook over low heat. When the barley is tender, add the mixture, adjust seasoning.

Wishing Every Single One of You, a Sweet 2009

La Tartiflette

If you are going skiing in the Alps this winter, Do Do Do bring back a Reblochon, this might sound like a curious thing to do but there is a very good reason for it.

With a Reblochon, you can make a Tartiflette and that is heaven comfort food on a plate and will remind you of your holidays. Now, if you don't go skiing in the Alps this winter get yourself half a Reblochon from the local cheese shop, only half is what you will need for the Tartiflette, it is quite an expensive cheese. If the credit munch is biting then use a very runny Camembert. It won't be a Tartiflette but still good.

• In a frying pan, melt the butter and fry potatoes, onion, salt and pepper,


• When the potatoes have reached a nice golden colour, place them in an oven dish.


• slice layers of reblochon over the mixture, including the crust which you will place on the top of the layers


• put under the grill until the cheese is nicely melted.

about a pound of potatoes for half a reblochon, but it is entirely up to you.

Further reading: have a look at my version of tartiflette: La Tommiflette

and last but not least, be warned if you are flying back, Reblochon will not get through customs in hand luggage.

Waiting for January's Challenge

Yesterday was the Daring Bakers challenge posting day. The challenge was a French log which should have been easy for me but as he said it is a challenge which separates the bakers from the bonkers. I seem to belong to the latter category as I took one look at the recipe and shrivelled under the sink : The recipe called for the following 6 elements: A Dacquoise (a nut meringue), a mousse with a stabilizing component that will allow it to freeze smoothly, a creme brulee insert, a ganache insert, a praline feuillete insert (a chocolate, praline, and crushed crunchy cookie layer), and icing. Let's cross fingers and wait for January's challenge.

It Is Xmas

Well not just yet but I wanted to wish you a Merry Good Time before flying away to friends and family, so what best picture to use but that of Sue and Michelle's creation. Isn't it just the cuttest ginger bread house ever?

Tea Anybody?

As a Result of entering Jolen's cookies competition, Pebblesoup won a lovely voucher for $5 that is £3. something, to spend at a top tea site http://www.adagio.com/. Sadly it is wasted on me, and I would like to offer it to one of you, all you have to do is email me, this is not a competition, it is just a way to say thank you for reading Pebble Soup.

So the first person who will e-mail me will receive in return the voucher code.

Good luck.

Banana Tarte Tatin

All these bananas sitting pretty and yellow in a bowl pretending to be  a 21st century still life, what do you do with them? Soon they will turn black.

Here is my best answer, a really easy recipe to make

Banana Tarte Tatin

La Flamiche or "White Pizza"

Hopefully, we all have around us people who will help us out of a sticky spot a the drop of a hat, warm generous people and last week-end I found myself in one of these situation: I had written an article which had not met the buyer's approval, wanting to do my best, I called on Ann and Barbara, both ex-teachers, Barbara spotted the issues straight away and helped me no end. Still the person whom the article was for, took a red pen to it, I guess there are people who cannot be satisfied, but I was pleased with the much improved end result and to say thank you ask them both for dinner.

Then came the tricky question of what to cook, since I am currently reviewing "Crust" by Richard Bertinet" I decided on his version of the Flamiche, a hearty, convivial pie from Picardie in the north of France, I'll spare you the legend of how a good farmer's wife came to have the idea for such a dish on her way to the market. Richard refers to it as a "pizza blanche" which is spot on have a look:

Flamiche

Ingredients :
for the dough*500 gms bread dough *
10g fresh yeast
500g strong white flour
10g salt
350g water
a little white flour, for dusting
for the topping
1 tablespoon olive oil
200g lardons or sliced pancetta ( I used bacon)
2 leeks, finely sliced
3 eggs
300g creme fraiche
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
a little grated Gruyere (optional)

To make the base:

• Rub the yeast into the flour using your fingertips, add the salt and the water and mix well, work it as for a bread dough, (personally I use the food processor)
• leave it to rest on the baking tray
• flatten the dough, ridge the edge, using your fingers of a pair of scissor "dimple" the edge.

to make the topping:

• heat the olive oil in a frying pan, put in the lardons and saute until they start to colour. Remove the lardons and then put in the leeks, saute them lightly until they colour a little
• in a bowl mix the eggs, creme fraiche salt pepper, nutmeg, add the cooked ingredients
• top the base with the mixture
• Put the Flamiche into the oven (230) and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy edges, I checked it after a 15 minutes, mine took a little longer.

et voila.
slight adaptation of Richard Bertinet's recipe, map of France from Wikipedia