Happy Days !!

Merci les filles.....for being our first residential 3-day program guinea pigs.....Apart from some minor hiccups where EDF and their strike policy are concerned, things went very smoothly.....oh, and Janine's 'verrine' ......

Done and dusted!

We have now officially opened our holiday accomodation....We're exhausted and yet thrilled with the final result, and at the prospect of offering lots more here at La Blonderie....

Many thanks to our first clients who drove all the way here from Amsterdam - Andrea, Jacklyn and Glenn.....

Check it out at

http://www.wildegites.net/

A bientôt,

Sinéad

P.S More to come soon with the opening of 'La Chambre de Bonne' (what used to be the maid's quarters !!!!!!)

P.P.S We're not quite ready for the bicycle rentals as yet!!!

Cherry and Almond Tart

Fancy a real french tart? Check out this one!

One 23cm (9inch) fluted tart tin with removable base (buttered)
The pastry
125g (4oz) butter, melted and cooled
100g (3 1/2ozs) sugar
Pinch salt
Almond extract
Vanilla extract
2 tablsp. ground almonds
Flour

The filling:
5 tablespoons double cream
1 egg, beaten
Almond extract
Vanilla extract
60g (2ozs sugar)
1 tablsp. Flour
4 tablsp. Ground almonds
1 tablsp. Cherry eau-de-vie/Kirsch
500g/1lb cherries, stoned

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4
Mix together butter, sugar, salt, extracts, and almonds. Stir to blend. Incorporate enough flour, to form a smooth dough. (like biscuit dough)
Place dough in centre of tin and push out with a small spoon to cover bottom and sides of tin.
Bake ‘blind’ (10 minutes)
Meanwhile combine all filling ingredients and whisk to blend.
Sprinkle a little ground almond on pastry base. Place cherries on top and pour over filling. Sprinkle with a little more ground almonds.
Place in centre of oven and bake until golden-brown, about 45 minutes.
Sprinkle with icing sugar just before serving.

I was on the telly!

http://www.5050.tv/au-quotidien/lexpatriation-made-in-france

Prawns in Garlic Butter

For the garlic butter:

• 1 bulb of garlic, peeled
  


• loads of chopped parsley ( buy it frozen to save time, if you like)



• 125g butter, at room temp.



• a tiny drop of red wine



• a drop of olive oil



• salt and pepper

Whiz all together in a food processor. Spoon onto some film and roll into a 'sausage'. Freeze until needed. It's dead handy to have in the freezer and can be used in loads of recipés. ( I use it for my prawns in garlic butter or sliced, from frozen, over beef cooked on the bone over the barbeque/open fire)
Peel 1 kilo of (cooked) prawns and heat a large pan. Melt some garlic butter and add prawns. Heat quickly, add a little more butter, some freshly-ground pepper and a little freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Sprinkle some chopped flat-leaf parsley on top. Serve with lots of crusty bread and some dry white wine (Muscadet is perfect) as a starter/light lunch.

Alternatively, place 6/12 prawns in escargot dishes (1 in each hole) put a little garlic butter on top. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs/parmesan cheese on top and bake in a hot oven until bubbling.

Bon appétit Britt......enjoy!

Mousse au Chocolat

If you crave chocolate and love a chocolate and orange combination, check out this one .......

For 6 people
Preparation Time : 15 mins.
Setting Time: 3 hours



200g/8 ozs. Nestlé/other good quality dark chocolate
6 eggs
pinch of salt
3 tablsp. Grand Marnier/Cointreau/Orange Juice
Grated rind of one orange.


Melt the chocolate in a microwave (for one minute on high) with 4 tablsp. orange juice ( or Cointreau/Grand Marnier) Whisk thoroughly.
Separate the eggs and whisk the whites with the salt until stiff.
Whisk the melted chocolate gradually into the egg yolks.
Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mix very gently, so as to prevent the whites from flopping!
Add the grated rind of one orange and leave to set in a fridge for at least 3 hours.


Bon Appétit

Snow sculptors à la nature...et à la Ellen.....