Icewine-Braised Pears With Marmalade Creme Patissierie

Icewine-Braised Pears With Marmalade Creme Patisserie

Cooked in parchment and tied with string, these braised pears can be unwrapped at the table to reveal warm soft fruit and a decadent icewine sauce. A spoonful of marmalade-flavored custard alongside practically guarantees appreciation.  Serves 2 

Ingredients:

Marmalade Creme Patissierie
2 egg yolks 
2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar 
1 tbsp (15 mL) flour 
1 tbsp (15 mL) plus 1 tsp (5 mL) cornstarch 
¾ cup (175 mL) half & half cream 
¼ cup (60 mL) marmalade 
1 tbsp (15 mL) Grand Marnier or brandy 
Icewine-Braised Pears
2 firm but ripe Bosc pears
½ lemon
1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise
2 pieces parchment, cut into circles 13 inches (32 cm) in diameter
¼ cup (60 mL) icewine
2 tsp (10 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
In a medium-size heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornstarch until smooth.    

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine half & half cream, marmalade and Grand Marnier. Bring to a boil. Whisk to break up and dissolve marmalade; remove from heat. Pour into egg mixture in a slow and steady stream down the side of the bowl, whisking constantly. Scrape mixture back into saucepan and return to low heat, continuing to whisk until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook for an additional minute; remove from heat. Pour into a small bowl, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 3 hours. (Crème patissière can be made up to 2 days in advance.) 

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).

Peel pears, but leave stems intact. Rub cut side of the lemon over pears, squeezing lemon to release juice. Working from the bottom of each, cut out cores with a sharp knife, scraping to remove seeds if necessary. Tuck one half vanilla bean into each pear, folding to fit.

Using two 1-cup (250-mL) ramekins (or 2 small cereal bowls), centre 1 piece of parchment over each. Gently lower pears into ramekins, causing parchment to cup pears. Divide icewine and butter between pears. Gather parchment around stems and tie each snugly with kitchen twine into a shoelace-style knot.6 Bake in ramekins (if using cereal bowls to shape, remove from bowls and place packages directly on a cookie sheet) for 60 to 75 minutes, or until soft and tender when gently squeezed through parchment. Remove packages from ramekins (if using) and serve warm on individual dessert plates with a spoonful ofMarmalade Crème Patissière.

La Madeleine's Tomato Soup

 

La Madeleine's Tomato Soup

In 1983 patrick Esquerre sat on the sidewalk in front of what would be the first La Madeleine Restaurant & Bakery and Restaurant in Dallas Texas.  Patrick called his mother Monique living in France for her guidance.  Today there are 86 restaurants and bakeries with a guaranteed wait to be seated but worth the wait. A bowl of their signature soup will explain it all..

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh tomatoes, cored, peeled, and chopped (8-10) or 4 cups canned whole tomatoes, crushed
4 cups tomato juice (or part vegetable or part chicken stock)
12 -14 basil leaves, washed fresh
1 cup heavy cream* (1/2 & 1/2 suggested to decrease fats)
1⁄4 lb sweet unsalted butter
salt
1⁄4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
lemon juice (optional)

Directions                                                                                           Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan.  Simmer 30 minutes.

Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan). 

Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. 

Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.  Serves 8.

Mushroom Soup ~ Jimmy's Gotcha

Mushroom Soup  ~  Jimmy's Gotcha

Jimmy's Gotcha was a restaurant in Marblehead Ohio. One rainy cold day when we were in that area closing our summer home and winterizing the boat, we stopped by for lunch. The daily special was a delicious Mushroom Soup. Jimmy shared his tasty recipe with me.
Ingredients:

Saute in butter;

onion

Sliced or diced mushrooms

add flour to make a roux

Add chicken broth and 1/2 & 1/2

Season with

thyme, 

tiny pinch

dry mustard, 

tiny pinch Garlic salt or a whole garlic clove  

salt

white pepper

Directions:

Saute in butter onion till translucent, then add mushrooms,   When mushrooms have sautéed and the liquid is evaporated add flour to make a roux and stir in gradually the chicken broth to make the roux smooth.  Add chicken broth and 1/2 & 1/2.  Season with thyme, dry mustard and whole garlic clove or garlic salt and white pepper.

TIP...By using a whole garlic clove the flavor is more sweet and not strong.