Giant Puffball and Radiccio

In a garden in the Val d'Orcia this summer I had a plate of chicken livers that reminded me that the simplest, humblest of rural foods can be quite the greatest delicacy.  And, as one seems to compose a map of the world according to what was eaten and where, I shall here recall another meal that took place about fifteen years previously: A salad of chicken livers and other gesiers in a hilltop restaurant somewhere in the Cevennes - as we ate a storm blew up and we sat in wavering candlelight watching as bolts of lightning illuminated the valleys below.

The Tuscan Chicken Livers were served hot on some radiccio leaves, which wilted in the livers' warmth, and with toast and olive oil.  So, when we came across a multitude of Giant Puffballs last week, I decided the buttery truffley marshmallowey richness would do well against bitter red Radiccio leaves.  The Puffball was sliced and fried in butter and garlic, seasoned and placed on a bed of Radiccio.  These were eaten with a homemade Baguette, Butter and a grating of Parmesan.

A Winter's Quiche - Roasted Pumpkin and Onion Tart with Cumin Pastry

On a winter’s night: a Quiche.

Whether to call these creations that are not Quiche Lorraine, Quiches, or as perhaps the French would:  Tartes. Or indeed, as Elizabeth David denominates:  Galettes, Fiouses, Tourtes, Flons, Flans to describe "a flat open tart".  Whether one term demands Lardons, another Gruyère, one Pâte Feuilletée another Pâte Brisée, I’m unsure.  Mrs David seems to suggest that the variations are likely regional. (French Provincial Cooking, Elizabeth David).  

Either way, this one is something of a Roasted Pumpkin and Onion Tart, with Cumin Pastry.

Pastry:  Wholemeal Wheat and Spelt, 2 tsp ground Cumin, 2tsp whole Cumin, 50g Butter, 1 Egg, a splash of cold water.  Left for twenty minutes in the cool, then rolled out.

Meanwhile roasting in the oven;  Pumpkin chunks, added to these, an Onion, cut large, a sprinkling of Paprika.  When just roast, these are laid in the pastry with some cloves of garlic, and Oven-Dried Norfolk Tomatoes, stored in Olive Oil, ‘til the depths of winter.  Need I say ‘tis a joy to have these sweet salty tomatoes at this time of year.

The Egg Mix, on this occasion, was made of: six Eggs, 1 tbsp Yogurt, 100ml Milk, Salt, Pepper.  Poured over the veg until near reaching the rim of the pastry.  The pastry was folded over the top (Is it then a Pie?)

Then cooked in the oven at about 180C for 40 mins until browning and rising.  Eaten with a Winter Slaw and steamed Purple Sprouting Brocolli doused in Lemon Juice.

Winter Slaw:  Red Cabbage, Endive, Lacto-Fermented Cucumber, Lacto-Fermented Radish, Pickled Beetroot.  Vinaigrette:  Apple Juice, Cider Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, grated Ginger, Garlic

I ate this one winter’s eve when a sudden bout of eggs were sent my way.  It’s also makes a nice low key Sunday meal, fitting between pruning of the Apple Trees, the turning of the compost, the planting out of Broad Beans…

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Other seasonal Quiches might include:  Leeks, Sea-Beet, Brassicas, Sorrel, Salsify, Jerusalem Artichokes.  If there are enough Nettles around you could try this Quiche: Turkey Egg and Nettle Quiche. If you fancy something slightly extravagant: Endive, Blue Cheese and Walnut is a delicious combination, especially with a few slices of Pear.  That or Boudin noir, Apple and Chestnut for something sustaining, French and all the more extravagant.

Une Tarte des Demoiselles Tatin

This Summer, ‘midst Apple natter, the Lord and Master of Sparham House was, it seems, imbued with an idea.  From the mists of the past appeared to him a Tarte Tatin as eaten once-upon-a-time at Les Augères, Vernou-en-Sologne.  The idea was to emulate said Tarte in Sparham House.

Before long, a handwritten note: 

“Tarte Tatin, Recipe from Jacqueline, as cooked at Les Augères.

“Apples:  Reine de Reinettes, Reinette du Canada, Golden Delicious.  [Bramley was suggested as a possible alternative].

“200g Butter spread in medium-sized saucepan, then same thickness of sugar.  Cut the apples in half, and stand them upright all the way round.  When cooked underneath, turn the apples.  Do this for at least an hour, continually making the caramel.  Then cover with pastry and cook for about a quarter of an hour.”

On the back, in postscript:

“The original is said to have been an accident-made-good in the kitchen of the Demoiselles Tatin, who ran an hotel in Lamotte-Beuvron.”

…

Autumn came, the garden, the orchards, the shed and kitchen abrim with Apples.  It was eventually, a pair of Norfolk Beefing in my hands, time to attempt replicating said Tarte.  At same time, Freddie (Cultural Concubine), who had been party to many a conversation regarding the Tarte, happened to be staying.  So it was that, proffering the Apples, I left the preparation of the Tarte to her, and returned to encourage and applaud the later stages of cooking!

La demoiselle in the kitchen at Sparham House

The Apples:  Bramley and Norfolk Beefing
turned and amalgamated with Caramel.

There is, you will notice, no recipe for Pastry included, so dear Freddie rifled through various cookbooks of the French Châteaux until she came across one that seemed suitable.

The Pastry was a mixture of 250g Flour, 25g Butter, 1 tbsp Cream… 

So it was, the Sparham Tarte Tatin was born...

Requiring only inversion onto a plate of appropriate size

In an act of the deftest gymnastics Freddie flipped the Tarte

...and it was black! Gasps of horror from the Demoiselles.  But delight otherwise, for that indeed was the colour of Jacqueline's famed Tarte Tatin.  

Obliged to eat the whole before it turned to solid Caramel, we three gorged on Tarte Tatin washing it down with only the best of French Wines suitable for a Tarte of such preparation, procrastination and stature. 

…

The Tarte Tatin did indeed occur in error chez Les Demoiselles de Tatin.  It is said that one of the spinster sisters forgot to put the pastry in her Tarte aux Pommes, and instead placed the pastry on top and inversed the Tarte after cooking.  The recipe was such a success it hailed the birth of today’s Tarte Tatin.

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I now discover that Freddie has written beautifully on same Tarte Tatin here:  Stuck and Sticky.

 
...and...a note from the Master of the house:
The dark finish is authentic, see the photograph of the tarte Tatin as cooked at La Ferté Saint-Aubin, in Gilles and Bleuzen du Pontavice, La cuisine des châteaux de la Loire, and accompanying commentary.

A Pheasant - Roadkill roast wi' Autumn Fruits

The roads again amok with Pheasants and the like, driving in the country at this time of year is akin to running the gauntlet, obliging severe and intrepid manoeuvring to avoid the creatures.  Last week however, I hit one.  And, as etiquette prevails, fast wrung its neck.  Unwilling to not eat a bird I had unwittingly killed, I took it home.

Sometime, and yet I haven’t the courage this morning, I shall write a treatise detailing my views on wild and reared meat… Here instead, let me simply say, I had never before eaten roadkill pheasant. 

I hung the hen pheasant in the shed for three days.  On Sunday, returned to the cottage and, as dark fell, put a pot of Lentils on the stove, plucked the bird.  I was lucky to have hit it in the neck/head region as the body was undamaged, the bird clean.

Plucking a Pheasant

On Preparing a Pheasant:

Remove all the feathers, pulling in the direction they grow so as not to tear the skin.  Then take off the Feet and the Head, discard, leaving the Neck intact.  Next remove as much length as possible of the Neck – this is a tasty piece of meat ideal for a stock, a stew or soup.  The Crop where the Pheasant momentarily holds its food (often corn) can be slipped out, the Windpipe likewise extracted from the neck end of the Pheasant.  Any yellow lumps of gathered fat should also be removed as these are not pleasant to eat.  The base of the Pheasant is then slit open.  Plunge a hand in and drag out the insides, of this the edible parts are: the Heart, the Liver, the outer layer of the Gizzard. The Gizzard is a delicious Muscle, which to be eaten has to be peeled off the inner part of the muscle where food is ground.   On one occasion, having gutted and spatchcocked a dozen Pheasant for a New Year’s party, I gathered all the Gizzards and prepared them in a Goose Fat Confit as the French might Gésiers de Canard.  These would then be served hot on Salad leaves with Croutes and Goat’s Cheese for a Provençal feel.

Prepared, the Pheasant was stuffed with chopped Apples, Onion, and Quince.  A knob of Butter, some Garlic Cloves, a bunch of Thyme.  Pheasant is a lean meat with very little of its own protective/ cooking fat, so it was covered in Bacon.  A sudden moment of inspiration led us to fill the tray with chunks of Pumpkin, Swede, Marrow, Parsnip, and more Fruit.  The lot was doused in Apple Juice, more Butter, Salt and Pepper and loads of Rosemary.  Put in the oven about 200C for roughly 30 mins, then 150C for 20 or so until cooked. Rested for ten before serving.

Despite the chaotic end to its life, the bird was beautifully tender, no doubt the Fruit and layers of Bacon kept it thus.  Served on a bed of Puy Lentils with the apple-juice-roasted fruits and veg, the meal was a joy, part medieval banquet part reminiscent of the provincial food of French Wayside Inns.