Rhubarb Galette

Okay, so I found the secret to make an ultradelicious crust

that secret has a name, and that name is: Cornmeal. 

Oh yeah, by adding cornmeal to your pastry you'll be adding more than just flour... you're adding

deliciousness. 

I promise.

Rhubarb is pretty hard to find, some of you may remember my last post using Rhubarb was some time ago. And well, the reason for that is that it's too hard to find sometimes. You have to know where to look, and isn't it great that I now know? 

I'll be making a post of my every once in a while visits to Mexico's food jackpot. 

El Mercado de San Juan. 

You'll find everything there, from all sorts of meat to Rhubarb! Or Butternut squash! And this really really exquisite parmaham tortitas...

You know, the sort of things you don't get from your regular supermarket. 

Okay Okay enough talk, lets head to the recipe!

Rhubarb Galette. 

First you need to make your Cornmeal Pate Brisee (which is just fancy words for Ultradelicious crust!)

2 cups of all-purpose flour. 

1/2 cup of cornmeal. 

1 teaspoon of salt. 

about three tablespoons of sugar.

2 sticks of unsalted butter. 

1/4 to 1/2 of ice water. 

Okay so put the flour, the cornmeal, salt and sugar in and mix until combined. 

Add the butter and mix it until it resembles a coarse meal. 

With your mixing machine running add the ice water just until the dough holds.

Turn the dough in a clean surface and wrap the dough with cling film. Flatten them to form a disk. 

Refrigerate for an hour up to a day before you use them. 

Rhubarb Galette. 

1/4 cup of all purpose flour, plus more for work surface. 

1/2 recipe Cornmeal Pate Brisee

1 pound of Rhubarb, sliced. 

Juice of half a lemon. 

1/4 cup granulated sugar. 

Pinch of salt. 

Pinch of Ground Cinnamon. 

One freshly ground nutmeg. 

Preheat oven to 375 degree. 

In a lightly floured surface roll the dough into a disk. 

Next work the Rhubarb... 

Place it a bowl the rhubarb and add the lemon juice and toss to combine. 

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined. 

Add the sugar mixture to the rhubarb and toss until well coated. 

Then add the Rhubarb to the pastry, place it right in the middle. Remember the Galette is a really rustic kind of pie/tart so don't worry if it doesn't look stylish. 

Once you place the Rhubarb in the middle of the pastry fold fold the borders, overlapping when necessary. 

Transfer to fridge for 20 minutes. 

Bake for 60-55 minutes. 

Happy New Year! 2011

Well, first of all... 

Happy New Year!

YAY

Let us welcome this 2011 with this awesome post I got for you people. 

I can honestly say that the meal I got to enjoy this 31/01 was the best I had in 2010 and possibly the best I'll have this 2011. 

The concept was all posh bistro, which I loved. 

Even when the amount of food that was served was minimal it was absolutely breathtaking, both in presentation as in flavour. 

Estación Comida de Mercado located in CityCenter Zona Esmeralda, was the superb location for our delicious dinner. A very contemporary spot I'll say... breaking through the "concept" one would expect in a Mexican Cuisine Restaurant. 

Just picture a wide room with dark walls and a very high ceiling from which, dozens of small light bulbs hang all set at different heights scattering a dim yellow light bellow the expectant visitors. 

Instrumental Mexican music floods the room as from the high dark wooden shelves filled with; wines, beers, glasses, plates and basically everything you can find on your table, you can see the well lit space confined as the kitchen, where the Chef and his group began to prepare themselves for what would be a busy but glorious night.  

Set on what once was a hill, the wind blows as cold and hard as it always does on winter nights. 

Separating the outside of the plaza from the restaurant are the glass doors that had in front of them a heater set at is pick. 

The kitchen noises are eclipsed by the scattered chat among the few tables set for the event. The smallest of which me and my family are sitting. Our table has been decorated with white linens as well as for the cups we'll be using to taste different wines with our food and a beautiful centerpiece  with sliver spheres and peach blossoms. 

   

And so the dinner begun: 

First we were served this delicious salad that exceeded all possible expectations. 

The sweetness of the beetroot with the acid from the clementines was above all...divine. 

Then came the Romeritos, 

The Romeritos were served with Mole and a really really delicious shrimp. 

Exquisite!

The Highlight of my night was the delicious Elote Cream with Cuitlacoche Cream. 

There are no words to describe the deliciousness. 

Then followed, The Huachinango a la Veracruzana. A little spicy but ultimately delicious. 

  

We received this 2011 while eating this:

I had never tried duck before and my oh my was this an awakening! 

The Sweet Potato Pure was delish, not the mention the way the flavours seemed to grow with every sip of the delicious wine they served us. 

The end of the year had passed us by and so we were nearing the end of the meal. 

And what better way to say hello to a new year than by cleansing our palates with a berry sorbet?

And so... dessert...

What can I say about dessert? 

It was mind-blowing and utterly outstanding.

The best combination that pleases two important senses, both the eyes and the mouth. 

Beautiful on the eyes. 

Yummylicious in the mouth. 

And so, three things came to an end... 2010, dinner and this post. 

Christmas!

I said I'd show you more recipes right? 

Well I am just glad to say I won't disappoint.

Today I'll be posting the delicious treats I made for my GiftBaskets which included: 

Vanilla Sugar, A very sweet Pear and Cardamom Mermelade, Vanilla infused Marshmallows with Chocolate fudge, and finally delicious Vanilla bean cupcakes with... wait for it... FONDANT! yeah! I made fondant! Made it, knead it, cut it, coloured it, and used it to decorate my ultra delicious cupcakes. 

Some GiftBasket, right? 

Keep tuned for my exquisite Christmas Dinner at Grandma's house. 

(who by now ya'll know is the best cook alive!)

Check out the preview! 

Oh yeah, Fancy Chocolate Cake, Shrimps AlMojodeAjo, Prawns and of course Turkey a la Jaime! 

But today ah today I am presenting you the gift bags: 

The Mermelade: 

The Marshmallows covered in fudge: 

The Vanilla Sugar: 

And the Fondant cupcakes! 

I know I know, they aren't exactly the most beautiful fondant decorated cupcakes you've seen. 

But give me a break guys! It was the first time I ever worked with fondant and I guess that it went pretty good considering... I am actually quite proud of they ended up. 

Plus the pleasure I get when everyone says yum when they eat them. And frankly that's what's important to me. 

So let us start: 

First the Marshmallows: 

Recipe calls for 4 packages of gelatin. I used 2... but I truly recommend you use 4 since my marshmallows came out a little too softly. Like peeves that have been under the sun for a while. 

1/2 cups of Water. 

2 cups of Sugar.

1 1/2 cups of corn syrup. 

1 tablespoon of Vanilla Essence. 

1 pinch of Salt. 

All right. First sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup of water. Pour the sugar in the remaining water on a saucepan until its warm at touch. 

When warm add the gelatin to the syrup you've just made and stir until gelatine is fully melted. 

Pour the gelatin-syrup mixture into a bowl and with your mixer start mixing and add the corn syrup and vanilla and begin beating at high speed. 

Continue beating until the mixture cools and increases in volume and forms soft peaks. 

Work quickly and transfer the mixture to your mold dusted with icing sugar and place wax paper too so it is easier to unmold it. 

When the mixture has set, unmold it and proceed to cut. 

(you may need more icing sugar since it will be quite sticky. Just rub it on the sides. 

Deliciously Sweet!

I took the recipe from: http://edible-moments.blogspot.com/2010/02/marshmallows.html

amazing blogger! 

Now for the Fudge. 

It's quite easy actually and soo delicious. 

1 cup of heavy cream.

6 tablespoons of butter.

1/2 cup of corn syrup.

12 ounces of chocolate. Recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate but I used milk chocolate because I like it better. Or you could use a bag of chocolate chips. 

Melt cream, butter and corn syrup in a saucepan until barely boiling. When melted, remove from heat and add the chocolate and stir until melted. Cool to lukewarm. 

To make the Marshmallows covered in Chocolate Fudge: Just pour some chocolate over the marshmallows and wait for it to cool. 

Next the Mermelade. 

Pear and Cardamom Mermelade.

Cut some 4 ripe pears in big chunks and place them in a saucepan  with 1 cup of water. Add 4 lightly crushed cardamom pods and let the pears cook until they are translucent. The time depends on how ripe your pears are. 

Next crush the pears with a potato masher ( I used the bean masher mom uses for the beans) and mash the pears you want small bits of pear to remain. Add 1 tablespoon of honey.

Let the mixture simmer for almost 1 hour or until thickened. 

This is gloriously delicious with natural yoghurt and a drizzle of honey. Best breakfast. I must warn you it's quite addictive! 

Now for the Vanilla Sugar!

Scented Sugar is so easy to make. 

Just add some sugar to an bowl or something that has a lid (so you can close it) add a Vanilla sprig (without the beans, use the beans for cupcakes or the marshmallows) and keep the sugar closed for a few weeks. 

And you are done. 

Yeah and now the cupcakes. 

Okay so truth be told I wanted to make a pretty Christmas tree as the decoration for the cupcakes but my green food colourant magically disappeared... I blame it on the Christmas Goblin.

Anyway, 

A few words on Fondant. Oh My God! It is hard as it is (searching for a word...) Addictive-ly fun! 

I had never worked with fondant, I had read about it but I had never ventured to do it until now. 

I thought it would be loads harder and I made a hell of a mess in the kitchen. And to be the first time I work with fondant The result wasn't that bad. 

I did have a small tantrum because of my missing green colourant and the fondant kept sticking on the table... but I made it through and cleaned afterwards which is unheard of. 

Of course I had some help. My awesome baby sister helped me make the ribbons. n.n 

The recipe for the cupcakes was (as always) adapted from the Hummingbird cookbook. 

You need: 

120g of flour. 

170g of sugar.

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder.

A pinch of Salt. 

40g of butter. 

120ml of milk 

1 large egg. 

Beans from a Vanilla sprig 

First put all the dry ingredients plus the butter and beat until the mixture comes together. Add half of the milk and beat until you get a sort of cookie dough. Mix the egg and the milk together and add it a little bit at a time. 

Mix until batter is smooth. Add the vanilla beans and beat until well combined. 

Bake for about 20-25 minutes. 

For the fondant? 

n.n 

How about I tell you that later?

Hope you enjoy the pics n.n