Culinary Fool

Gruyère Gougère (Cheese Puffs)

04-Feb-2008

I distinctly remember the first gougère I tasted. It was at one of Kathy Casey’s cocktail classes, that she offers now and then. As the students arrived and seated themselves, small silver-colored buckets lined with parchment and filled with gougère centered each table. The class was a lot of fun with each round of cocktails (most were shared so that we didn’t become intoxicated) accompanied by some creative bite. While all of them were tasty and whimsical, as Kathy’s creations often are, the gougères were the one thing that really fired my imagination.

Soon after, I started making the recipe from that night (also found in Kathy’s cookbook, Dishing with Kathy Casey: Food, Fun, and Cocktails from Seattle’s Culinary Diva) and it has been a winner for me every since. My friends love her recipe and would probably revolt if I held a party and didn’t offer them. And I received the ultimate compliment one evening when Thierry Ratureau, chef/owner of Rover’s and sometimes known as the Chef in the Hat, tried one at a charity event he was judging and nodded his approval as he reached for a second. Hot out of the oven, they are the perfect cheesy, light bite with champagne or a cocktail.

As with many things, Kathy’s recipe is a twist on the original, traditional version of gougère. I had been planning to make the more traditional version for some time and two recent events were just the impetus I needed.

The first was the opening of Quinn’s, Scott Staples gastro-pub on Capitol Hill. On their menu they offer "warm, cheesy, gougères". The twist to their offering is that the gougère is filled with melted cheese – similar to a jelly donut. They were good but I was actually a little disappointed they were filled that way.

The second event was my recent stop at Café Campagne for their Happy Hour. They offer a beautiful version of the original. Adding a bit of extra flair to the little puffs, they pipe them through a star tip so the resulting gougères have swirled ridges decorating the tops. They are quite beautiful. While the gougères were very good, they had not been warmed and eating a warm gougère is, for me, what makes gougères not just good but great!

This past Friday night I had some friends over for dinner and I decided this was the perfect time to make the traditional Gruyère gougère. While all were very similar, my recipe search turned up several variations and so I pulled bits and pieces from three or four recipes and came up with my own version. I was very pleased with the result and so were my guests – the gougère were inhaled in a heartbeat!

Many people are afraid of this sort of recipe and I’m not exactly sure why. I find these very easy to make. You do need to follow the steps without variation – at least until you learn your way around puffs – but it’s a pretty straightforward process.

Gruyère Gougère (Cheese Puffs)

¼ cup water

¾ cup milk

8 Tbsp butter

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1 ½ cups grated Gruyère

Place water, milk and butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir often until mixture boils. Add flour all at once. Stir until dough is smooth and has come together in a ball. Stir one more minute to slightly dry the dough.

Put dough in mixer bowl. Using paddle attachment, mix the dough at medium high speed. Add eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Beat until the dough is smooth and a little glossy. Once all eggs have been incorporated, let dough rest about 5 minutes.

Add ¾ – 1 cup of the Gruyère and mix until incorporated. Let dough rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. (Will keep for up to 3 days.)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line baking trays with parchment. Place dough by rounded teaspoonful on the sheets or use a pastry bag with large tip to create more uniform gougère.

Press a little of the remaining Gruyère on top of each gougère.

Place sheets on upper rack in oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. You may also want to place a second sheet under the first to keep the bottoms from over-browning. The gougère should be golden brown.

Support Pike Place Market Foundation

01-Feb-2008

I probably really shouldn’t tell you about this because it will just mean I’ll have more people bidding against me! But it’s such a great cause I want to spread the word.

Pike Place Market Foundation’s annual online auction event opens today and runs through February 28. Currently there are about fifty items up for auction but more will be added throughout the month. Many of the items are food or Market related but there are also non-food items like holiday packages and a day with the NFL Instant Replay Crew at Qwest Field! There’s something for everyone.

Proceeds from the event support the Market Senior Center, Child Care & Preschool, Medical Clinic and Downtown Food Bank, all great organization worthy of your support.

To find out more about the auction and to participate you can check out the auction home page. Good luck!

Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest

28-Jan-2008

One of the events I love (although you’d have a hard time telling with my lack of recent participation…) is Wine Blogging Wednesday or WBW, as it is more widely known. In my mind it’s the most successful of the blog "events" that occur on a regular basis. I find it interesting, educations and fun to participate in! A couple of years ago a logo was created for the event. But as the event has matured there is a need for the logo to, also. Amazingly enough the 42nd event is now in process! That is success!

So if you think you’d be good at creating a logo for this event you should check out the details here.

The contest runs through March 31.

The Good News and the Bad News

24-Jan-2008

It’s been some time since I raved about the charcuterie available at Salumi Artisan Cured Meats in Pioneer Square. Not because I care about them any less than I did in the past. Mostly just because with their limited hours it’s a bit hard to get in to enjoy all they have to offer.

Well, the good news is that as their popularity has continued to increase and their production facility has gotten larger, they are now able to supply a few places around town with some of their wonderful wares. One of the places that regularly carries some of the Salumi line is DeLaurenti. The selection varies from day to day but they often have several varieties to choose from. So this means that Salumi salamis are available to me much more often – almost any time I want them.

The bad news is that it’s about 50% more expensive here than at Salumi. Still, even more expensive Salumi is better than no Salumi at all! And the good news is that a little goes a long way…

Last weekend while wandering the market I stopped by DeLaurenti and picked up a couple varieties: Winter, which as you may guess, is only available in the winter and is seasoned with lots of peppercorns and garlic; and Mole, a Salumi original seasoned with chocolate, cinnamon, ancho and chipotle peppers. The little bit of heat in both warms the blood on a chilly day.

The Positive Side of Winter in Seattle

21-Jan-2008

Saturday I decided to go to Pike Place Market for a stroll. I didn’t really need anything – I have several events occurring over the next few days that will take care of my dining needs – but just wanted to get out and enjoy one of my favorite places.

I didn’t arrive until noon, yet was able to park 1/2 block away from the main market – unheard of in the summer and even spring and fall weekends! I could freely walk among the stalls only occasionally having to wait for people or to take a detour around groups that had stopped in the middle of the aisles to talk.

I was able to actually look at what was in the cases in Delaurenti’s. I walked right up and bought a bunch of tulips from my favorite grower. I bought one of my favorite lunch time treats, BBQ pork hum bow barely pausing as I walked by the counter.

Was it cold and gray on Saturday? Yes, but a warm jacket and being able to enjoy the vendors and the wide array of offerings made my day.

If you’ve been hiding indoors, now’s the time to get out and take a stroll through the market – no tourists to speak of, plentiful parking and, as always, friendly vendors with interesting wares.

Black Sheep Creamery Benefit

18-Jan-2008

CHEESE FOR A GOOD CAUSE
A Benefit Event for Black Sheep Creamery

February 1, 2008 ::: 6-9PM
721 NW 9th Ave
Ecotrust Building – Billy Frank Jr. Conference Center
Portland, Oregon

JOIN Portland area cheesemongers and cheese enthusiasts for the Cheese for a Good Cause fundraiser, to be held at the Ecotrust Building in Portland, Oregon on February 1st, 2008 from 6-9PM.

Northwest cheese lovers are familiar with Black Sheep Creamery, maker of award winning artisan sheep’s milk cheeses. Brad and Meg Gregory, owners and cheesemakers, suffered substantial damage in the storm that hit the Pacific Northwest in December of 2007, losing most of their flock of 80+ sheep and suffering extensive damage to their farmhouse, cheese room, barn and property.

In response, cheese and food enthusiasts are sponsoring this benefit event, dubbed “Cheese for a Good Cause” to raise funds to help the Gregorys rebuild. For a sliding scale entry fee of $25-50, attendees will be able to enjoy wine and beer from local producers, artisan cheese from the Washington Cheesemaker’s Association, the Oregon Cheese Guild, bites from local restaurants Le Pigeon and Park Kitchen as well as chocolate, cured meats and other international specialties from France, Spain, Italy and England.

To attend, RSVP online here; funds will be collected at the door (cash or check only, please). Funds raised will go directly to the Black Sheep Creamery Benefit Fund at Bank of America set up by Beecher’s Handmade Cheese.

For more information contact Tami at pnwcheese @ yahoo.com. Hope to see you there!

Happy Hour at Cafe Campagne

17-Jan-2008

About the same time that Cafe Campagne started offering take out cassoulet last fall, they also added Happy Hour. With the holidays I hadn’t been able to try it out but finally got to it earlier this week. And boy, do I wish I’d tried it sooner! Then again, maybe it was good I didn’t.

M and I met there at 5:00 on Tuesday. When I arrived, a couple of tables were occupied, one with a group of senior citizens enjoying a late afternoon glass of wine and sharing laughs, another with a retired couple and what can only be presumed to be their grandchild. But before M arrived promptly at 5:00 (I’d arrived a few minutes earlier) they had paid their checks and exited into the crisp winter air leaving the bar quiet except for the staff skittering around preparing for the evening guests.

When I sat down at the bar a tall, thin (truly) French server brought me menus and then took my order for a glass of Grenache-Syrah, an interesting, fruity-at-first, settling into rather lush wine. As the clock approached 5:00 another server turned down the lights, looking at me for approval – was that better? Certainly cozier, warmer feeling but at this time of year when I crave the light I couldn’t quite say it was better – although it was a much more proper feel for a French bistro.

I perused the menu, sipped my wine, made notes of things I needed to do and listened to the pleasant banter of the staff as they enjoyed the quiet.

When M arrived and had ordered her wine – she chose the same thing I had – we decided on a couple of menu items and then relaxed and chatted while waiting for them to arrive. First out was a plate of gougere – a traditional French nibble which is basically a cheese puff. I make these at home quiet often and always try them when out and about to see if I can find an offering that matches what I make. I finally found it on this night. Perfectly light and hollow on the inside; moist and just a bit gooey from the Gruyere cheese. My only wish was that they had warmed them a bit. Still, they were very good and now I am inspired to make more!

Soon after a dish of duck and pork rillettes arived. The rillettes were very good however they were topped with coarse salt and that was a little overpowering. We ended up scraping most of it off so that we could actually taste the meat. Served with slices of baguette, cornichon and mustard it was one of those fun dishes that you can arrange to your own personal liking.

During Happy Hour wine is $6 per glass, and the petits plats are $5. A very good deal indeed!

By the time we left a couple other tables were filled with happily sipping, munching friends but still the tables were mostly empty. This may have been partially due to the snow we’d received overnight the previous night – it did seem as though downtown was much quieter than usual. I think, however, that people have not yet discovered that this tucked away Seattle gem is offering such a great after work deal.

You should get down there before it’s widely known and finding a place to sit becomes impossible!

More Photos

Cafe Campagne

1600 Post Alley

Seattle

206.728.2233

Happy Hour 4:00-7:00, Monday – Friday

Dinner for a Snowy Night

14-Jan-2008

I accidentally picked the perfect meal for tonight. Accidentally, as I actually started preparation yesterday – while I was in a summer frame of mind. Tonight it’s actually snowing and a cold wind has been blowing all day – who’d have thought there would be such a change in the weather from yesterday to today?

I’d had this recipe marked since the February Bon Appetit arrived and I browsed through the pages. The recipe is Coffee-Marinated Bison Short Ribs. I made the basic recipe but used some baby-back ribs I had on hand. I think it would be excellent with bison (buffalo) short ribs – and I’m sure I’ll make this recipe again soon.

I noticed they also have a podcast for this recipe. I haven’t watched it yet but that’s a nice bonus….

I made some garlic sauteed haricots verte and a little pasta with butter and parmesan to go along with the ribs. It was a pretty satisfying meal.

First Signs of Summer?

14-Jan-2008

Okay, that would be really pushing it but the sun was out today. And the temperature did get up to 50°F. It felt like summer!

I opened doors and windows to let fresh air into the house, worked outside and then settled onto the deck steps for a beer and a plate of simple nachos. Fresh guacamole, salsa and sour cream rounded out my lunch.

Saturday Breakfast

12-Jan-2008

It’s a rainy, lazy Saturday morning. At least lazy to start. Soon I’ll be rushing around meeting friends, running errands, housecleaning. Time to take up a minute to fuel up with a tasty, hearty, pretty healthy breakfast.

Start oven roasting baby potatoes – cut them in halves or quarters, toss them with olive oil, an herb of your choice, sea salt and fresh pepper. Put them in a 400°F oven for about 25 minutes. They should be tender when pierced with a fork. Cook them cut side down to get nicely, crispy outsides with tender insides.

While the potatoes are cooking, slice onions, mushrooms and pancetta or bacon. Start by sautéing onions and pancetta (or any sort of bacon) until the pancetta is getting crisp and the onions soft. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are getting tender. Add a big handful of baby spinach and let it cook until wilted.

While that is all sautéing, beat an egg until a little frothy, adding a bit of milk for fluffier scrambled eggs, if you wish.

Once the spinach has wilted pour the egg into the pan. Stir and turn the whole mess until the egg is cooked to your liking. Grate a little cheese (whatever you have on hand) over the scramble and mix it in.

Put the eggs on a plate, add a bit more grated cheese on the top. Serve with the potatoes and a couple slices of toast.