SC - Clafoutis

[lilinah at grin.net]

In "Re: SC - Socca and food migration", Adamantius wrote:
>but is that cassoulet or clafoutis? (Cuisine of the Rose is
>kinda buried right now or I'd check.)

Brings back more memories.

I don't think i ever ate socca when i lived in Provence, but i already told
my panisse story. Now my clafouti story...

A friend's parents had a week-end retreat, a small remodeled peasanty
farmery cottage with a couple rooms on the ground floor and a couple up
stairs which i didn't see. Nicely done, tasteful, stylish, felt like money,
but not ostentatious. You had to bring in water from the pump to the lovely
artisanal ceramic sink. Once the whole crew of us friends spent a weekend
there. We made clafoutis from plums growing on a tree in the yard, baked in
a not very modern stove. It was easy and delicious. Since i was in Provence
i had assumed clafoutis was regionally local.

- ---------------------

>From "The Cooking of South-West France" by Paula Wolfert.

"Custard and Fresh Fruit Baked in a Skillet"
"Clafouti Poêlé aux Fruits Frais"

[my notes:  (1) title is actually "Skillet Clafouti with Fresh Fruit";
(2) "poele" is writeen p-o-e circumflex-l-e accent aigu -- if you don't get
the special characters i sent]

Serves 4
Made in an 8" skillet

1 lb. small cherries or apricots, or 14 black Italian plums
[my note: these plums grow all over the city of Berkeley CA]
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1-1/2 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 cup milk, heated and kept warm
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons eau de vie, Armagnac, or dark rum
[my note: i'd think Brandy would also be suitable]
Confectioners' sugar [aka powdered sugar]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
2. Wash fruit. Stem and, if desired, pit the cherries, or halve and pit the
apricots or plums. Roll fruit in kitchen towel or paper towels to dry.
3. Butter skillet or baking dish. Arrange fresh fruit in one layer. Plums
or apricots can be slanted and overlapping if desired.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and granulated sugar. Combine
eggs, egg yolks, and milk [in a separate bowl], whisking to blend
thoroughly. Gradually stir into the flour mixture until well blended. Add
flavorings. Strain over the fruit and set skillet in the oven. Bake 40
minutes or until set.
5. Cool on a rack until ready to serve. Do not unmold until lukewarm. Turn
onto a flat sheet, then invert onto a serving platter. Lightly dust with
confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Notes to the Cook:
1. For a 9-1/2 or 10 inch baking dish or skillet, use 1-1/2 times the fruit
and double the remaining ingredients. Bake 5 minutes longer.
2. If substituting juicy red or black plums, do not unmold.
3. One of my favorite combinations in summer is 1/3 cup muscat raisins
soaked in Armagnac mixed with pitted and halved red plums. I mix half the
sugar with the butter ina heavy black skillet, allow the fruit to lightly
caramelize in it, then strain over the custard mixture. I serve the
clafouti directly from the skillet.
[these are Wolfert's notes - i don't like raisins]

- ----------------------

In my ancient recollection, i think we may have used a tiny little bit more
flour - i recall it as more of a soft rich cake, not a custard.

I wonder if there's a way to cook this at a camping event. I assume
clafouti isn't period, but the simplicity of preparation is appealing. I
have a Coleman stove, and the Shire fire-pit isn't usually set-up until
around time to eat...

Anahita


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