Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

I had some Israeli couscous in my pantry and decided to make a salad with it.  Searching the web, I found this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.  I’m so glad that I did.  It has a complex but refreshing taste.  The vinaigrette has maple syrup in it which pairs well with the apples and cranberries in the salad.  Couscous is such a blank canvas when it comes to taste.  Anything that you add to it will become the star.  But Israeli couscous with its large pearly grain makes its presence known.

This is the perfect salad to bring to any Labor Day cook out.  I know that I will be making it again this weekend while the family is here.  It is easy and flavorful.  Enjoy your Labor Day weekend and summer’s last hurrah.

COUSCOUS WITH APPLES, CRANBERRIES AND HERBS  (Adapted from Giada De Lauentiis)

Couscous:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Israeli couscous
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves ( I used chopped chives)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 medium apple, diced
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

For the couscous;  In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat.  Add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned and aromatic, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.  Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool.  Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, apple, dried cranberries and almonds.

For the vinaigrette;  In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil until smooth.  Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

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This will have to be a quick post.  Labor Day Weekend is coming up and we are looking forward to our family being here for the yearly celebration.  It will be a big crowd and I am busy planning meals and getting organized.  One of the “do ahead” appetizers is this savory recipe for homemade cheddar nut wafers.  It is so easy to mix up the ingredients, roll it into logs and put in the fridge for later slicing and baking.

I have been making this recipe for years now.  There are other recipes out there for this kind of thing, Martha Stewart has several, but this is always my fall-back recipe.  The nuts and shallots in the dough give it an unusual texture.

Serve the wafers with a glass of crisp white wine and some red grapes and you will be happy with the world.

CHEDDAR NUT WAFERS

1/2 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/4 cup shallots or onions, minced fine
1 cup flour

In a large bowl mix cheese and butter.  Stir in everything else until well blended.  You may need to use your hands to knead it together.  Make 2 rolls about 1 1/2-inch in diameter.  Wrap each in waxed paper and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.  Slice 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick.  Bake on lightly greased sheets at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.  The rolls keep well for several days in the refrigerated if completely covered so they do not dry out. Slice and bake as needed.

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This is such an easy dessert to serve when you are entertaining.  I knew it would also be delicious because it is an Ina Garten recipe.  Affogato means drowned in Italian and affogatos are espresso coffee based drinks with the addition of vanilla gelato or ice cream.  The espresso partially melts the ice cream.  But leave it to the Barefoot Contessa to turn this Italian drink into a full blown dessert.

With the addition of hazelnut gelato, Kahlua liqueur, whipped cream and chocolate-covered espresso beans – my oh my – You have a decadent ice cream sundae.  The hot espresso added to the bowl melts the vanilla and hazelnut gelato a bit.  The Kahlua just makes it good and the chocolate espresso beans add a bit of crunch.  The whipped cream is just over the top.  But why not?

Believe it or not, I was able to find hazelnut truffle gelato at my local grocery store.  It is made by Ocean Spray.  I was also happy to find chocolate-covered espresso beans in the bulk bins with the nuts and specialty flours.

I think you will agree that this is a special dessert that is unique, easy and impressive.

AFFOGATO SUNDAES ( The Barefoot Contessa)

1 pint hazelnut gelato or hazelnut ice cream
1 pint vanilla gelato or vanilla ice cream
8 tablespoons Tia Maria or Kahlua liqueur
8 tablespoons freshly brewed hot espresso or strong coffee
Sweetened Whipped Cream
Chocolate-covered espresso beans, chopped or whole

Place one scoop each of hazelnut and vanilla gelato in each of 4 dessert or cafe au lait bowls.  Spoon 2 tablespoons of Kahlua and 2 tablespoons of hot espresso over each serving.  Dollop some whipped cream onto each serving and garnish with a handful of chocolate-covered espresso beans.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4.

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A tartine is the French equivalent of the Italian bruschetta.  According to Dorie Greenspan the French verb tartiner means to spread.  So a tartine is a slice of bread that has been spread with some topping or toppings.  We had company for dinner last night.  Penny of The Comforts of Home and From Harvest to Table and her husband were here.  When we had dinner at their house Penny served two kinds of bruschetta so I decided that toasted bread would also be my appetizer.  This inspiration from Dorie Greenspan’s book Around my French Table was one of them.

It seemed to be an unusual combination, but the flavor was refreshing.  I toasted sourdough baguette slices, spread them with softened goat cheese, topped them with strawberry slices, sprinkled them with pepper and finally drizzled them with a balsamic vinegar and apricot jam reduction.  So if you are looking for an appetizer that is something a little different but packs a big impact, this would be a good choice.

They were also easy.  Unfortunately I did not get a picture of them last night so I made a few more this morning and garnished them with fresh whole strawberries;  just in case you were wondering about the presentation Penny.  LOL. Last night they were served on a tray with some other baguette appetizers.

Next up, an easy dessert that requires no cooking but looks elegant.

STRAWBERRY AND GOAT CHEESE TARTINES  (Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around my French Table)

12 slices of a sourdough baguette, about 1/4 inch thick
Olive oil
4 ounces of goat cheese at room temperature
About 12 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
Coarsely ground black pepper

Balsamic vinegar and apricot jam reduction – Recipe follows

Spread the baguette slices lightly with olive oil.  Toast them briefly in a toaster oven.  Cool slightly.  Spread with the softened cream cheese.  Fan the strawberry slices on top of each.  Sprinkle with pepper and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

BALSAMIC-APRICOT GLAZE (Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay)

2 cups balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons apricot jam

Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup.  Whisk in the apricot jam and let cool slightly.

This is also good on grilled chicken or fish.

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Okay, you all amused me with your guesses as to what I was looking at in the previous post picture.  No one got it right.  I was staring at the Eiffel Tower.  It always grabs my mind and heart with its beauty.  We spent the last four days of our June France trip in Paris.  Four days were not enough to take in all that we wished to do there.  So we tried to concentrate on small pieces of Paris.  There is nothing more romantic than walking along the Seine at night with the glowing silhouette of the Eiffel tower to light the way.

One of the things that we had never done before was actually take the elevator to the top of the tower. On our last trip, I wanted to spend more time in the cafes, bistros, market streets, and small haunts in the Latin Quarter. This time, we played the tourists more and enjoyed the full experience of Paris by Night. We got up early the morning after our night on the town and took the Metro to the Eiffel Tower stop. Even though it was hard to stand in line for an hour and a half, we persevered. The breathtaking view from the top was well worth it.

 The view from the first platform was amazing.  Looking East one can see the Seine winding its way toward the Ile de la Cite.  In the far distance the white beauty of the Sacre-Coeur is visible on its hilltop.

Looking North one can see the Arc de Triomphe and the grand boulevard, Champs-Elysees.

The bridges of the Seine are unique characteristics of Paris.  Each bridge has its own personality.  Viewing them from the top of the Eiffel Tower is a stunning sight.

Gustave Eiffel was an architect and a structural engineer.  He took over the design of the Statue of Liberty, which France gave to the United States, after the original architect died.  Because of this fame he was chosen to build a structure for the World Exposition held in France in 1889.  The fair also commemorated the 100th Anniversary of the French Revolution.  The iron structure that he designed took over two years to complete and employed over 200 men.  There were misgivings about the design from the very beginning and Eiffel ended up financing 80 percent of the cost.  As it turned out he recouped his money in 5 months from the sale of tickets and he continued to profit for the next 20 years as per the agreement with Paris officials.  It was meant to be a temporary structure which suited many Parisians, as they thought it to be a vulgar sight.  But in 1909 when it was to be torn down, it was discovered to be a perfect tower for radio transmissions.  The tower would go on to serve an important part in communications during the First World War.

Gustav Eiffel had an office on the top platform of the tower where he entertained guests such as Thomas Edison.  The above picture shows wax figures of Eiffel and Edison in conversation.

David took the above picture from the top platform with his zoom lens.  Sacre Coeur is eerily beautiful.

On the elevator coming down we marveled at the iron struts and rivets that held the whole structure together.  We were glad that we had taken the time to get a close up view of one of my favorite landmarks.

I have just finished reading Paris by Edward Rutherfurd.  I highly recommend this historical fiction work that gives the history of Paris from the Middle Ages through the Second World War.  It was a fascinating read and the section on the building of the Eiffel Tower was especially interesting.