Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

My friend Penny of The Comforts of Home and From Harvest to Table is a multi-talented lady.  Not only has she turned her new home into a beautiful place to live by painting, sewing, digging in the dirt and creative decorating, but she is also an accomplished and creative cook.  This past weekend David and I had the pleasure of dining with Penny and her hubby.  The menu was posted in her kitchen.

We were seated in her cozy kitchen nook and enjoyed the crostini and brushetta while she stirred the risotto and we all had a chance to chat. It is fun to watch the hostess put the finishing touches on a meal.  It is smart though to have a place for your guests to sit well out of the way of the action.  Sometimes it is easy to get distracted when people are leaning over your shoulder and messing in your space.  Penny has the perfect set up.

Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of the appetizers.  But they were just perfect with a glass of crisp white wine.

I cannot say enough about the Creamy Corn Risotto with grilled shrimp and truffle oil.  This is a perfect summer dish.  All of the flavors of fresh corn are extracted from the ears.  The cobs are used to make a stock and the corn kernels are used in both a puree and a saute.  The risotto is creamy and full of the flavor of corn.  The shrimp with truffle oil is just simply the perfect embellishment to the dish.  I can see why Penny said “there were a lot of mmms going on from her friends” when she first made this because we were doing it too.  We all ate our dishes with a big spoon and I scraped my bowl clean.

Ah, Poached Pears in Marsala wine with English Stilton Cheese.  This was such an elegant dish and believe it our not it was made in a crock pot.  Simple elegance.  Penny and I both have The French Slow Cooker cookbook by Michele Scicolone which we love.  But she also bought the Italian Slow Cooker and this recipe came from that book.  It is a no fail easy way to poach pears and the rich sauce and bleu cheese complemented it perfectly.  I have a feeling Penny will have the recipe on her From Harvest to Table website soon so be sure to go over there to view it.  Here is her recipe for the risotto.  It might seem long but it can be done in stages and each component held in the fridge until the final cooking of the risotto.

This is a perfect dinner party menu.  I hope you give it a try.  Thanks Penny.

 

CREAMY CORN RISOTTO WITH GRILLED SHRIMP AND TRUFFLE OIL

RECIPE (serves 6)

Corn Stock

• 6 ears corn, husked
• 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise
• 1 leek (white and light green part only), cut into 1-inch pieces

 

Corn Purée and Sauté

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs

 

Risotto

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Sartori Stravecchio cheese (or another domestic Parmesan  cheese)

Shrimp

• 24 peeled and de-veined shrimp
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon truffle oil
• 2 medium summer truffles, very thinly sliced (optional)

Make the Corn Stock

Using a large chef’s knife, cut the corn kernels off the cobs and set aside.  Place the cobs in a large stockpot along with the onion, celery, and chopped  leek. Add 10 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat  and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain the corn stock through a fine-mesh  strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids. You should have at least 6 cups of  stock.

Make the Corn Purée

Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over  medium heat until the butter begins to foam. Add the onion and garlic and sauté  until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the reserved corn  kernels, season to taste with salt and pepper, and continue to cook over low  heat, stirring constantly, until the kernels begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the cream, thyme, and 1 cup of the corn stock and continue to simmer over  low heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the thyme  and purée the mixture in a blender until smooth.

Sauté the Corn

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sauté pan over  medium-high heat. Add the remaining corn kernels and sauté until the corn is  tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the Risotto

Heat the olive oil in a large wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion  and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir  to coat with the oil. Add the wine and reduce the heat to a simmer until most of  the wine has evaporated. Add 1 cup of the corn stock to the pan and continue to  cook, stirring constantly, until most of the stock is absorbed. Repeat the  process with the remaining 4 cups of corn stock, making sure the stock has been  fully incorporated after each addition before adding more. Once the rice is  tender yet firm to the bite, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the corn  purée, sautéed corn, and grated cheese and season to taste with salt and  pepper.

Prepare The Shrimp

Preheat a gas grill to high.  Lightly brush the peeled and de-veined shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.  Place on grill and cook until pink, about 2 minutes per side.

To Serve

Divide the risotto among 6 warm bowls. Arrange 4 shrimp atop each bowl of risotto. Drizzle with the truffle oil and garnish with sliced summer  truffles, if desired.

After riding the motorcycles a long distance from the Normandy Beaches, through the Loire Valley and the Limousin region, we arrived in the Perigord region of France.  Specifically, we arrived in the town of Sarlat, world renowned for the best foie gras, walnut products and really great duck confit.

 After hauling all of our riding gear over to France, you can imagine that I have very little room in my luggage to bring anything home. But foodie that I am, I bought a one pound can of duck fat.  It will be great for frying potatoes.  We spent two days in Sarlat.  While the guys were off riding in the surrounding hills, we girls spent a morning shopping and having a fabulous lunch.

 My lunch started with a zucchini terrine with tomato coulis and lettuce.  I had several terrines on this trip and plan to start experimenting with them when I get home.  They are so colorful and refreshing.

My entree course was coq au vin with potatoes cooked in duck fat.

For dessert we shared a walnut cake with creme anglaise.  It was delicious-partly cake and partly pie.  I would love to make this at home too.

  They have a wonderful market in Sarlat where all kinds of duck and goose products are sold.

The Sunday market also includes fresh fruits and vegetables.  Cherries are in season right now.

Sarlat is a beautiful city.

It has become hard for me to keep up with all of the wonderful sights and experiences that we have had on this trip.  Riding on a motorcycle gives you a whole new perspective on travel.  The only parts of France that I was familiar with before were Paris and Provence.  Now, from the back of the bike, I have a better appreciation for the variety of landscapes that comprise this beautiful country.  This appreciation has come not only from seeing the sights, but from smelling the flowering plants, hearing the rushing rivers and feeling the cool breezes on our faces.  I feel like we are as one with our surroundings.

Beauty is everywhere.  The city of Dinan on the river Rance is full of history and medieval architecture.   Walking up rue Jerzual is a climb up a steep cobblestone street past picture postcard dwellings.

The blue shutters and door in the above picture are what I have started referring to as “”French Blue”.  I have seen it everywhere.

The picture of the choreographed gals above gives you some perspective on how steep the rue Jerzual actually is.

 Back in St. Malo on the coast of Brittany, David and I celebrated our anniversary by sampling the specialty of this region; Moules Frites.

  They were the best mussels I have ever eaten.  They were fresh from the sea and flavored with white wine and shallots.

 Laurent has been a perfect guide on this trip.  Carol will not be joining us until we reach Loches back in the Loire Valley on our way south into the Limousin and Perigord region.  Au revoir until later.

 The beginning of our trip to France had the potential of being a little rocky because of the French air traffic controllers’ strike and the railway personnel who followed suit.  Our flight was delayed in the US, but it was because of storms there and not because of anything going on in France. We arrived safely and experienced no delays at the airport or at the train station for our trip to Tours.  The above picture was taken after a day of rest at Carol and Laurent’s home as we prepared for the first day of our “Ride in Tours” motorcycle adventure.  Laurent is on the right.  Our friends Tulin and Dave are in the middle.

Before leaving Carol, Tulin and I enjoyed a day of shopping in old downtown Tours.

Carol made delicious meals for us.  There is something about French fruits and vegetables that sets them apart.  The above stuffed peppers and tomatoes were delicious.

Our first stop on the trip was at Camembert.  You would think that a village with the reputation of making such a fine cheese would be large, but after wandering down narrow lanes we found the tiny community nestled in the hills.  Although camembert had its origins here where it was made from unpasteurized cows milk, it is now made with pasteurized milk and is produced in several different places.  We bought a wheel of cheese to enjoy with our evening bottle of wine.

 Our first stop for the evening was in the coastal harbor of Honfleur.  The Normandy architecture was evident along the narrow streets.

The harbor of Honfleur is a popular summer destination for Parisians because it is only an hour and a half away.  Historically it had military significance  as it protected the entrance of the Seine river from any enemies interested in attacking Paris.  Aesthetically, it drew artists to its wonderful light and beautiful surroundings.

I could have spent days here wandering the streets and shopping in the small boutiques and brocantes.  Maybe another time.

The visit to the American Cemetery on Omaha Beach was the highlight of our next day’s ride.  The magnitude of the experience is hard to describe.  Over 9,000 graves of our fallen soldiers line the ground overlooking the sea.

 Laurent brought an American flag with him on his bike so that we could pose at the memorial with it.  A European tourist said Thank You to us as he passed by.  To this day, Americans are respected in Normandy.  That is all for now.

I have to say that, at the moment, I am a little overwhelmed.  We are leaving for a trip to France this coming Thursday and I am involved in the minutiae of planning.  Leaving home for three weeks is not an easy transition.  For one thing our cottage will be occupied by family and friends for the duration.  That means that all beds need fresh linens, the pantry and refrigerator need to be cleaned, and detailed instructions need to be left so that the rental cottage will be taken care of, and our dog Daisy will be cared for.  It isn’t easy to remember to tell everyone every quirk in the house; like the fact that the doorbell won’t ring and raccoons like to scatter the garbage.  Or the fact that walking outside after midnight might put you in the path of a 250 pound bear.  I hope I remember to pass that fact on.  So right now my mind is swimming in details.

This trip will be a little different.  Pictured above are our French friends Carole and Laurent.  The picture was taken at our place two years ago as they were leaving on the continuation of their year long motorcycle trip from Canada to the tip of South America.  Laurent is starting a Tour de France motorcycle program for anyone interested in touring the backroads and sights in his home country by bike.  We and our intrepid Alaska touring buddies are his first customers.  Here is the general itinerary.

We arrive in Paris at 7:00 A.M. Friday morning.  Unfortunately we will not have time to stop at our favorite bistro, Les Deux Magots, for an omelet.  We will board a TVG train to Tours where Carole and Laurent live.

Tours is Southwest of Paris and is home to grand chateaux and vineyards.  It is on the Loire River, with the River Cher nearby.  The Kings of France built their beautiful castles in this bucolic countryside where they hunted game and engaged in leisure activities.  We spent hours here on our last visit immersed in French history.  After a rest at Carole and Laurent’s home we will start our motorcycle tour.

We will head north and our first destination will be Honfleur on the Normandy coast.  This historic harbor is picturesque and was a favorite of Impressionist painters.

From here we will explore the D Day sites of Omaha Beach, Utah Beach and Sainte Mere Eglise.

From there we will ride through the countryside of Normandy and visit Mont St. Michel before stopping for the night in Saint-Malo in Brittany.  This ancient walled city is known for its crepes and mussels.  After a nights rest we will begin to head South again.

Our destination this day will be Chinon in the Loire Valley.  The village is overlooked by the Medieval Castle built by King Henry II in 1154.

Leaving the Loire Valley we will head South into the Limousin region.  The landscape will become more hilly and we will pass some of the most beautiful villages in France.  We will travel through Loches, Treignac and eventually arrive in Sarlat.

Sarlat is the capital of the Perigord.  It is a beautiful village with cobblestone streets, an active market and well known for walnuts, truffles and foie gras.  We will spend a few days in this area as there is much to see and do.

Our trip will continue across the Millau Viaduct, the world’s largest cable stayed road bridge.  According to Laurent we will now be deep in the heart of France with peaceful villages settled in valleys.  It is the French wild frontier.  We will pass the Tarn’s Gorges and its medieval villages.  The twisty and curvy roads will eventually lead to the ancient city Nimes.

Nimes is known for its Roman ruins and artifacts.  Above is the well preserved Roman Amphitheatre Les Arenes.  It once seated 20,000 people.  Today it is used for concerts and bullfights.

The final two days of our motorcycle tour will be in Avignon and visits to the Provencal villages surrounding it.  We will have a farewell dinner in Old Town Avignon and then board the TVG train for Paris.

We will spend four days in Paris and return home the first part of July.  I hope to be able to blog while on the trip but am not sure of the internet connections we may have.  So Au revoir until later.