Tarte tatin!

If you have this image of tarte tatin as being this complicated French pastry dish that you wouldn’t dare make at home, this recipe will change your mind!

You don’t need any fancy ingredients, although if you have a vanilla pod, throw in the seeds! Cinnamon is optional but I think it gives it that gastronomical edge!

·         200g puff pastry (plus some flour for dusting)

·         4 eating apples

·         A squeeze of lime

·         100g caster sugar

·         100g butter

·         1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 200C. Roll out and cut the puff pastry sheet to match the size of your pan, so that it fits perfectly over the top. Your pan must be suitable for use in the oven, so nothing with a plastic handle!

Peel, core and slice the apples in half. As soon as you’ve done each one, place in a bowl of water and lemon juice so they don’t go brown!

Melt the butter with the sugar in the pan over a low heat, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks! Increase the heat slightly once its blended and simmer for a few minutes until the mixture turns a golden-brown caramel colour but this will remain fairly frothy in consistency.

Very carefully, place the apples in the pan as snugly as possible, as they do shrink! Leave to simmer in the caramel for 15-20 minutes.

Once the apples have shrunk slightly and turned a slightly golden colour, leave to cool for a few minutes. Place the pastry over the top, use a wooden spoon to even out the surface and tuck in the edges! Place in the oven for 20 minutes, or until it looks something like this;

Take out and leave for a couple of minutes before very carefully turning out the tart onto a big plate, preferably with edges so the caramel doesn’t ooze out! Be very careful when doing this and always wear protective gloves and have a tea towel over your arm to prevent splashing! Decorate with icing sugar or some grated nuts!

Et voila!

Gazette, Battersea in under 500 words...

I chose this restaurant for a quiet evening to celebrate my mum’s birthday, even though it was in an inconvenient location, I read some great reviews about the place and thought I should give it a try! Situated within a residential area in Battersea, Gazette offers simple, rustic French food in a relaxed setting.

After spending a great deal of time trying to reach Gazette, we were a little disappointed that our reservation has somehow got ‘lost’ (despite booking a week in advance) but we were reassured very quickly and seated in a cosy area surrounded by quirky little items like old books, bottles and even a rustic accordion! It was an interesting concept, which was further played on by serving all their food in rustic pots and pans and even large slates of wood. The restaurant put a lot of effort into creating that authentic look and I was interested to see whether the food would have that authentic taste. My starter of moules mariniere was a delicious classic combination of white wine, shallots, parsley and mussels served in a huge, steaming pot. I was very impressed with the size of the dish and it took me almost half an hour to polish off! My mum’s starter of duck terrine was also a substantial, hearty portion of a simple but tasty country-style terrine. Our basket of fresh, warm bread and creamy butter was a fantastic addition to both our starters; I particularly enjoyed mopping up my white wine sauce with the crunchy country bread!

Our mains of sea bass were tender and fresh and came on a sharing pan of beautiful steamed vegetables.

The mains were uncomplicated but still full in flavour, and the side of simply-cooked vegetables left me feeling full but healthy, giving me an excuse to indulge in a calorie-packed dessert! I had initially chosen a praline soufflé which was ironically described on the menu as “cooked with patience”. However when it arrived I found it was completely undercooked, a real shame as it looked impressive in size and smelt so delicious! After spending quite some time in getting a waiter’s attention, I replaced my choice with a crème brulee instead. It was less dramatic in appearance but had the classic flavour and texture as expected from a crème brulee.

Overall, the service was pleasant but a little slow. The food was simple but authentic and despite the incident with the soufflé (which is notoriously difficult to get right!) very enjoyable. The other customers were enjoying some of the theatre involved in the presentation of the food, including a sea bream cooked in pastry which was presented to the customer whole before being uncovered by one of the waiters at the table. If Gazette was in a more central location, I would certainly give it another go.  As the menu changes on a daily basis, it would be interesting to see what the chef would serve up next!

 www.gazettebrasserie.co.uk/

Ooh la yum! French Onion Soup!

Ok so I realise I've gone a bit soup mad but bear with me. This French classic is well worth a try, not only is it incredibly cheap to make but its super indulgent! If you're struggling to think of an elegant veggie dish for your ethical friends, this might be the one for you (but remember to substitute the beef stock for vegetable stock and check that the wine you use is suitable for vegetarians!).

This recipe makes enough for two big bowls, so remember to vary your recipe accordingly!

·         4 medium red onions (Obviously you are free to substitute for regular white ones but I find the red onions have a delicate sweetness about them as well as giving the soup that pretty, colourful look.)

·         1 garlic clove (plus extra for rubbing on the bread)

·         200ml red wine

·         1 pint of beef/vegetarian stock

·         50g butter

·         1 tbsp of Demerera/brown sugar

·         Fresh thyme leaves (a small handful)

·         2 bay leaves

·         A medium baguette

·         100g hard cheese i.e gruyere or cheddar

First, wash and peel the onions. Why wash, you ask? It reduces the risk of tears, and makes the chopping you are about to do a lot more bearable! I love variation of texture in my soup, so I choose to cube one onion, coarsely chop another and slice the last two into ring shapes. Making the soup your own is what makes it so special so try experimenting with various shapes and sizes! Put aside the chopped onions and melt the butter in a pan over a low-heat. Once melted and hot, drop in the onions and stir quickly to cover all onions in the butter juice. Crush and chop the garlic and coarsely cut the thyme leaves before adding into the pan along with the bay leaves. Stir for 5 minutes before adding the sugar. Cover with a lid and leave on a low heat to sweat for 20 minutes, stirring very occasionally.

 Warm up a grill (or oven to 220C). Turn up the heat on the hob to medium and pour in the wine and simmer and reduce for 15-20 minutes before adding the stock.

Simmer for a further 5-10 minutes while you grate the cheese, slice the baguette into individual slices, lightly toasting it before rubbing with a crushed garlic clove.

Once the grill/oven is hot enough, top the baguette slices with cheese and cook until crunchy and melted. Serve soup in warm bowls topped with the individual cheese ‘croutons’ and a garnish of fresh parsley.

 Tres Delicious!