Flammekueche

YOU WILL NEED (TO MAKE ENOUGH FOR TWO):

- Puff pastry
- One onion
- One packet of diced pancetta
- Mushrooms (optional)
- Emmental cheese (optional)
- Fromage blanc or créme fraîche
- Salt and pepper
- Nutmeg

Flammekueche, otherwise known in France as tarte flambée is a quick and easy dish to make. Actually depending on the region it can have a variety of names, including Flammekueche, Flàmmeküeche, Flammekuechle in Alsatian and Flammkuchen in German which literally translates to a "flame cake" or in french a tarte flambée which translates to "pie baked in the flames" which can be very misleading.

This has to be one of my all-time favourite dishes for many reasons. First of all, it is an Alsatian speciality which is a typical dish from the region where I was born - Strasbourg. Secondly, it just bring backs loads of memories going back there and always having as many tarte flambées as I could possibly eat. Thirdly, it is such a simple yet delicate and delicious dish, as well as having as many varieties possible - including sweet versions.

The dish is composed of bread dough that is very thinly rolled out. Unlike pizzas a Flammekueche is rectangle. The dough is covered with fromage blanc (or crème fraîche), thinly slices onions and little bacon or pancetta pieces.

1. Preheat the over at 200C and roll out the pastry onto a baking sheet
2. In a pan cook the bacon pieces (don't let them get too crispy as they will continue to cook in the oven), remove and drain.
3. Remove nearly all of the bacon fat from the pan but leave about 1 tbsp then sauté the onion pieces until they starts to brown (they will continue to cook in the over as well) and set aside.
4. Finally put your mushrooms in a pan with some butter and cook until golden and set aside.
5. In a bowl mix together the sour cream and the fromage frais, then stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper.
6. Spread the dough with a thin layer of the sour cream/fromage frais mix leaving 1cm from the edge with not mixture - this will allow for the dough to rise and create an edge. Then sprinkle the bacon and onions (and any other ingredient) on top.
7. Place your tarte flambée into the oven - mid-level for 15 minutes until the edges are puffed up and golden.

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Creamy Potato Salad

When you start making potato salads you know summer is very close. A great side dish for the BBQ season - think meats such as Salmon, chicken, sausages... or simply a great stand-alone salad.

This recipe is quick and easy and allows for various variations by adding (or even taking out if you insist) ingredients such as the cucumber or spring onion. You could add tomatoes, green beans, corn...

You will need the following ingredients (enough for four):

- 500g of baby (nor new) potatoes
- Two tablespoons of crème fraîche
- One tablespoon of mayonnaise
- One full red onion, finely chopped
- A quarter of a cucumber (or any other greens)
- Four spring onions
- One tablespoon lemon juice
- Two tablespoons of finely chopped fresh chives
- Salt and pepper to desired taste

1. Boil the new potatoes in a pan of lightly salted and boiling water. Leave potatoes to boil for approximately 15 minutes. You will know they are ready when the potatoes slide of the fork once pricked.

2. While you potatoes are cooking finely chop all the remaining ingredients - cucumber, onion, spring onion, chives - and mix together.

3. Gently mix in the crème fraîche and the mayonnaise,

4. When potatoes are ready, drain them and allow to cool. Then carefully stir in the potatoes to the mix. Season to taste and enjoy.

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Foodsterbox December

Foodsterbox decembre

ph/ me

I was really looking forward to my Foodsterbox of December - The Christmas Edition. And I can tell you, I wasn't disappointed. It was full of Christmas essentials and goodness. I was even able to use some of the products for our Christmas Dinner. The Christmas sugar from Terre Exotiquewas perfect to glaze the turkey or add some Christmas flavour to the warm apple juice. The Blini preparation from Marlette was super easy to cook - and when I say 'super easy' I mean I could do it with my eyes shut. They were perfect to serve the salmon and the foie gras on. I coated the foie gras blinis with the onion and salted caramel from Aix&terra, which was so good I had to stop myself from eating the stuff directly from the pot. xxx Finally, the MaisonDandoyspeculoos were perfect with our US original cheesecake and was a great way to finish the day.

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