Cannellette

It has been too hot for any “real” cooking the past week, which explains the lack of posting. We have been eating easy dishes, reheating leftovers or freezer stock or went for takeout. This was actually our dinner from last Sunday: retro shrimp salad! Easy as anything. The recipe is my mother in law’s and has been in the family for ages. 

Retro Shrimp Salad
for 4 people

Ingredients
500 gr of small cooked shrimps, Crangon Crangon they are called, so Wikipedia tells me.
2,5 tablespoons of mayonnaise (I use yoghurt mayonnaise, it is lighter, you can mix 2 tbsp of mayonnaise with half a tbsp of yoghurt for the same effect)
lemon juice, a squeeze to taste
freshly chopped chives, to taste but I like LOTS of it
a pinch of dried garlic powder or a bit of finely chopped fresh garlic
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

To serve: little gem lettuce and slices of toasted bread

Method
1. Mix the mayonnaise with the salt and pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice and chives, taste to check the seasoning and stir in the prawns.

2. Serve with toasted bread and little gem lettuce. 

Fuss free cooking - ideal for hot weather. 

One of my favourite foods is quiche. It is filling, easy to make, easy to take somewhere (for a picknick or a party) and - very important - easy to keep (and it gets even better when it’s kept in the fridge for a day or so). This is a lighter version, not because I am such a health freak, but because this version just tastes better, in my opinion. I never had a lot of quiche in my life. It was not something my mother made often. My first memory after a long time without quiche was during the first sailing trip I took with my boyfriend and his family. My sister in law, an excellent cook, made a quiche and some other things for a nice picknick on the water. It was a lovely thing to eat on the water with the wind blowing through my hair.

Quiche Lorrainne

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Ready-made pastry or use this recipe from Rachel allen:

1. Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor and process briefly.
2. Add half the beaten egg and continue to process. (You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together.) If making the pastry by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring it together.
3. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough until it is about 2cm thick, then wrap it in cling film or place it in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10–15 minutes, before using.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
5. Line a 19cm high-sided tart tin with the shortcrust pastry and cover the base with baking parchment. Fill the tin with baking beans and bake blind for 10-15 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment for the last five minutes of baking for a golden crust.

Filling

175 g bacon
50 g Cheddar (crumbled)
50 g Gruyere (grated)
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped chives
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 eggs
250 g sour cream
some oil to cook the bacon and sweat the onion
nutmeg, freshly ground black pepper and salt for seasoning

Method

1. First cook the bacon in a little oil until crisp. Drain it and set it aside.
2. Gently sweat the onions in the same oil until softened and also set aside.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the three eggs in a bowl, add the cream, herbs, cheeses, bacon and onions. Mix well and season with salt, nutmeg and black pepper.
4. Pour the filling into the pastry base and return to the oven to bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the centre has set.

Since I first made this recipe last year I adapted it a bit, here are some nice variations and tips:

• use 1 leek and 1 onion for more varied veggies. This next bit of information made my life a lot easier: to clean the leek, chop it in half and then carve those pieces lengthwise so you can fold them open, this way you can wash them more easily and you’ll also clean inside.
• add some diced cherry tomatoes
• use little cubes of ham (boiled) for a lighter and less salty version (lovely combined with the leek)
• add a pinch of curry powder (or more to taste)
• add some (smoked mild) paprika powder or some grated chilli flakes for a kick
• make it the day before you want to eat it, it firms up a bit and the flavours enhance - it tastes even better the day after!