CLOUDS LIKE MERINGUE

Once again, this entire week was glum, grey, cold, uninteresting and rainy. Last week's joy and happiness had been washed away, thus leaving us with a depressing feeling induced by the crappy weather we had to go through...

Thankfully, today seems to be more promising and now, I might be able to enjoy some fat, puffy and fluffy clouds and to admire azure horizons as well as to profit of the healing brightness ever so typical of sunny days!

Have fun looking at my cloud pictures (click on the photos to enlarge)...

FLUFFY RHUBARB & QUARK CLAFOUTIS

When spring arrives, I am always very impatient and excited at the prospect of, once again, being able to eat rhubarb. This vegetable is so unique that it is impossible for me not to love it's singular flavor, luscious tanginess and beautiful color...

Rhubarb is a multifaceted delicacy and a gift of nature which is delicious when used to make exquisite desserts, but also to prepare certain savory dishes. Unfortunately, it is only available from April 'til June, so there is no time to lose!

This plant originates from China. It's name was mentioned for the very first time in a 5000 year old book about plants and medicinal herbs. In the 16th century, it was imported into Europe from Asia via Russia. Rome nourished an undeniable interest for rhubarb, but England was the very first country to actually cultivate it widely and massively. In the 19th century, it is said that a gardener from Hamburg brought some plants back from one of the trips to England and that's how it appeared on our latitudes. From this time on, rhubarb has never ceased to grace our gardens and to hold a special place in our hearts as it one of our favorite garden plants.

There are three varieties of rhubarb:

• One with green stems, green flesh and a lot of acidity.
• One with reddish pink stems, green flesh and less acidity (the favorite kind).
• One with reddish pink stems, red flesh and a sweet taste of strawberries (the most sought for).

Rhubarb is good for the health and is a precious source of potassium, calcium, phosphor, iron and many other important mineral substances. It is also rich in vitamine C, E, K and B. Rhubarb is poor in calories as it's mainly composed of water (95%). On the other side, this plant contains oxalic acid, therefore it is better to avoid eating it raw.

Apart from making tarts with rhubarb, one of the best ways to prepare it is to make clafoutis. So, today, I decided to blog about my "Fluffy Rhubarb & Quark Clafoutis" which I have invented on the spur of the moment, using what I had on stock in my fridge and cupboards.

This "free jazz creation" is very similar to a traditional clafoutis, but it is also quite close to a omelet texture-wise as it is somehow fluffy and light. It combines perfectly the sweetness of the batter together with the tartness of the rhubarb, and it is delicately spicy and fragrant thanks to the interesting combination of ginger, cinnamon and long pepper. In one word, this pseudo clafoutis is very pleasant and highly enjoyable!

I hope that you'll like that recipe as much as me and my personal tester did...

~ Fluffy Rhubarb & Quark Clafoutis ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:
500g Rhubarb, sliced into 2.5cm (1 inch) piece/cubes
1 Cup (128g) Plain white flour (unbleached all-purpose flour)
1/4 (37g) Cup Cornmeal
1/2 Tsp Baking powder
3/4 Cup (180g) Light brown sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Large eggs (~53g)
1 Cup (250g) Quark (0% fat)
1 1/4 Cups (300g/ml) Milk
1 Tbs Butter, melted
1 Tbs Porto (Port Wine)
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 Tsp Ground long pepper
1/2 Tsp Ground ginger
3/4 Tsp Ground cinnamon
3 Tbs Light runny honey (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Thouroughly butter a 25-28cm (10-11 inches) round pan or ovenproof skillet and cover the bottom of the pan with the rhubarb pieces.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt.
4. In a separate small bowl or large mixing cup, combine the eggs, quark, milk, melted butter, Porto, vanilla extract and spices. Whisk well.

5. Beat until thouroughly combined, then whisk into the flour mixture, smoothing out the lumps.
6. Pour the batter over the fruit in the prepared baking pan.
7. Bake for 35 minutes, then brush the top with the runny honey and continue baking for about 10 more minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the clafoutis is puffy looking.
8. Serve.

Remarks:
You can easily replace the rhubarb by any other seasonal fruit of your choice.
I used a 0% fat Quark, but you can use a less light version or the same quantity of cream cheese.

Serving suggestions:
Eat warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with extra sugar or with some whipped cream, condensed milk, marple syrup or a ball of the ice cream of your choice (vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, orange, pecan nut, marple, etc...).

***************

~ Clafoutis Léger A La Rhubarbe Et Au Séré ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Pour 3 à 4 personnes.

Ingrédients:
500g de Rhubarbe, coupée en dés de 2.5cm
1 Tasse (128g) de Farine blanche/fleur
1/4 Tasse (37g) de Semoule de maïs fine
1/2 CC de Poudre à pâte/lever
3/4 Tasse de Sucre brun clair
1/2 CC de Sel
3 Oeufs larges (~53g)
1 Tasse (250g) de Quark/séré (0% de matières grasses)
1 1/4 de Tasses (300g/ml) de Lait
1 CS de Beurre non-salé, fondu
1 CS de Porto
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille
1/4 de CC de Poivre long moulu
1/2 CC de Gingembre en poudre
3/4 de CC de Cannelle en poudre
3 CS de Miel clair liquide (en option)

Méthode:
1. Préchauffer le four à 190°C.
2. Beurrer un moule rond de 25-28cm de diamètre ou un plat à gratin de dimension similaire et couvrir le fond de dés de rhubarbe.
3. Dans un grand bol, mélanger ensemble la farine, la semoule de maïs, la poudre à lever/pâte, le sucre et le sel.
4. Dans un bol moyen, battre/fouetter ensemble les oeufs, le quark/séré, le lait, le beurre fondu, le Porto, l'extrait de vanille et les épices.

5. Bien mélanger jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit homogène et qu'il ne reste plus de grumeaux.
6. Verser ce mélange sur la rhubarbe, dans le moule/plat à gratin.
7. Cuire pendant 35 minutes, puis sortir du four et bien répartir le miel (sur tout la surface du clafoutis) à l'aide d'un pinceau et remettre au four pour 10 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que la pointe d'un couteau insérée au milieu du clafoutis en ressorte nette de toute trace et que le clafoutis ait gonflé tel un soufflé.
8. Servir.

Remarques:
Vous pouvez tout à fait remplacer la rhubarbe par n'importe quel fruit de saison de votre choix.
J'ai utilisé du Quark/séré à 0%, mais vous pouvez très bien utiliser une version moins light ou du Cream Cheese/fromage frais.

Idées de présentation:
Mangez ce clafoutis chaud ou à température ambiante, saupoudrer de sucre ou accompagné de crème fouettée, de lait condensé non-sucré, de sirop d'érable ou de la glace de votre choix (vanille, fraise, framboise, orange, noix de pécan, sirop d'érable, etc...).

PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH ME...

Due to a last-minute contretemps (work), I will not be able to blog on Monday... So, my recipe will be posted on Wednesday morning. Anyway, I invite you to browse through my recipes (see blogroll).

I'm sorry for that!

A cause d'un contretemps de dernière minute (travail), je ne pourrais pas bloguer ce lundi... De ce fait, ma recette sera en ligne seulement mercredi matin. Je vous invite donc à surfer sur mon blog et à jetter un coup d'oeil à mes recettes passées (voir marge).

Je suis désolée!

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #154

This time, Weekend Cat Blogging #154 is being hosted by "Chey's Place" (USA) ...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.

If I could describe Fridolin's attitude at the moment, I would say that he is like a hormone-fuelled bad little monster kitty.
In one word, he is terribly irritating!
This cat is extremely "evil" and "stupid" and can't stop looking for problems.
He constantly attacks Maruschka with whom he fights on a daily basis...
Aaarrrggghhh!!!!!!!!!

SPRING'S MATCHLESS INTENSITY

Spring, with autumn, is one of my favorite seasons as everything looks so fresh, green and joyful. Nature is just awakening from it's long sleep and we, humans, are also getting less lethargic and more lively...

It that time of the year during which you start positivizing, making plans, you want to enjoy life, be on the move and see things. I always tend to feel extremely twittery, active and bursting with energy like the birds outside!

The following pictures (click to enlarge) translate very well the way I feel...

BALCONY DELICACIES - DÉLICES DE BALCON

Around the same time last year, I made a "Coffee Ice Cream" as accompaniment to my "Coconut Custard Squares" and arranged them prettily on a plate in order for my dessert to look "classy" (one of those days when you feel like playing around)...

Isn't it posh to enjoy some homemade afternoon delights while sitting on the balcony and facing the verdant green Salève mountain? Life can be beautiful. It doesn't always have to be insipid, ungratifying and tiring... Sometimes, you just have to know how to find pleasure in the simple things that are offered to us!

I don't remember the recipe for the "Coffee Ice Cream" I made, because I invented it and didn't take notes, but I do recall that it was made using the classic (custard) method.

Here are some recipes and links which might be useful if you want to make a "Coffee Ice Cream" like mine:

• Coffee Ice Cream I (see recipe)
• Coffee Ice Cream II (see recipe)
• Ice Cream Recipes (see link)

I took the "Coconut Custard Squares" recipe from Tish Boyle's great cookbook "The Good Cookie" (one of my favorite baking books).

Those bars were delicious and had a wonderfully tropical flavor. The coconut custard was creamy and smooth, the crust was gorgeously buttery, tender as well as rich and the cashew chunks added an extremely pleasant crunch to that delightful goodness.

~ Coconut Custard Squares ~
Recipe by Tish Boyle "The Good Cookie" and slightly adapted by Rosa's Yummy Yums

Ingredients for the "Sweet Pastry Crust":
1 1/3 Cups All-purpose flour
1/3 Cup Granulated sugar
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup (1 stick) Cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Large egg yolk
2 Tsp Cold water
3/4 Tsp Vanilla extract

Method for the "Sweet Pastry Crust":
1. Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).
2. Grease the bottom and sides of a 22cm (9-inch) square baking pan.
3. Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until blended.
4. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 6 seconds.
5. In a small bowl or cup, whisk together the egg yolk, water and vanilla extract.
6. With the food processor running, add the yolk mixture through the feed tube and process just until the dough begins to come together in large clumps, 15 to 20 seconds.
7. Scrape the dough into prepared pan and, using your fingers, pat it evenly into the bottom of the pan.
8. Bake the crust until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
9. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool while you prepare the topping.

Ingredients for the "Coconut Filling":
2 Large eggs (~53g)
1 Large egg yolk
3/4 Cup Granulated sugar
1 Cup Coconut milk
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Dark rum
1 Tbsp All-purpose flour
A pinch of salt
1 Cup Sweetened shredded coconut
Ingredients for the "Topping":
3/4 Cup Coarsely chopped unsalted cashews
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Method for the "Filling" and "Topping":
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk and granulated sugar until blended.
2. Slowly whisk in the coconut milk.
3. Whisk in the vanilla extract, rum, flour and salt.
4. Sprinkle the coconut evenly over the cooled crust.
5. Pour the filling through a fine sieve over the coconut, covering the crust completely.
6. sprinkle the chopped cashews over the top.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 180° C (350° F), until the filling is set and the edges are golden brown.
8. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
9. Sprinkle the bars lightly with sifted confectioners' sugar.
10. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares.

Remarks:
Use only good quality coconut milk (thickish).
Instead of Dark Rum, you can use Malibu, Whisky or Cognac, but they might give a slightly different taste to the filling.
Other nut can be used (macadamia, Brazil nuts, etc..).
If you don't have sweetened shredded coconut, then use normal grated coconut.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serving suggestions:
Eat those squares with some ice cream (vanilla, coffee, pecan nut, walnut, caramel, etc...) or alone.

****************

~ Carrés Au Flan Et A La Noix De Coco ~
Recette par Tish Boyle "The Good Cookie" et adaptée par Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Ingrédients pour la "Pâte Sucrée":
1 1/3 Tasses de Farine fleur/blanche
1/3 Tasses de Sucre cristallisé
1/4 CC de Sel
1/2 Tasse de Beurre non-salé froid et coupé en petits cubes
1 Gros jaune d'oeuf
2 CC d'Eau glacée
3/4 CC d'Extrait de vanille

Method for the "Sweet Pastry Crust":
1. Positionner une grille de cuisson au milieu du four et préchauffer à 180° C (350° F).
2. Beurrer/graisser le fond et les bords d'un moule carré de 22cm (9-inch).
3. Mettre la farine, le sucre et le sel dans le bol du mixer et mixer jusqu'à ce que ça soit bien homogène.
4. Disperser les cubes de beurre sur le mélange farine/sucre/sel et mixer 6 secondes afin d'obtenir un mélange grossier ressemblant à un appareil à crumble.
5. Dans un petit bol ou une tasse, battre ensemble le jaune d'oeuf, l'eau et l'extrait de vanille.
6. Ajouter ce mélange au "crumble" dans le mixer et pulser pendant 15-20 secondes jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte.
7. Racler cette pâte et la mettre dans le moule, puis, en utilisant vos doigts, bien la presser de manière afin de couvrir le fond du moule de manière égale.
8. Cuire pendant 20 à 25 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit dorée.
9. Sortir le moule du four et le mettre sur une grille afin que la pâte refroidisse pendant que vous préparez l'appareil à la noix de coco.

Ingrédients pour "L'appareil A La Noix De Coco":
2 Gros oeufs (~53g)
1 Gros jaunes d'oeuf
3/4 de Tasse de Sucre cristallisé
1 Tasse de Lait de coco
1 CC d'Extrait de Vanille
2 CS de Rhum ambré
1 CS de Farine fleur/blanche
Une pincée de sel
1 Tasse de Noix de coco sucrée, grossièrement râpée
Ingrédients pour la "Garniture":
3/4 de Tasse de Noix de cajou grossièrement hachées
Sucre en poudre pour saupoudrer

Méthode pour "L'appareil A La Noix De Coco":
1. Dans un bol moyen, battre/fouetter les oeufs, le jaune d'oeuf et le sucre cristallisé jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient bien mélangés.
2. Incorporer le lait de coco tout en fouettant.
3. Ajouter l'extrait de vanille, le rhum, la farine et le sel.
4. Saupoudrer de manière homogène la noix de coco râpée sur la pâte cuite et refroidie.
5. Verser l'appareil sur la noix de coco râpée afin que la pâte soit entièrement recouverte.
6. Saupoudrer avec les noix de cajou hachées.
6. Cuire pendant 25 à 30 minutes à 180° C (350° F), jusqu'à ce que l'appareil ait bien pris et que les bords soient bien dorés.
7. Faire complètement refroidir sur une grille.
8. Saupoudrer de sucre glace.
9. Couper 16 carrés à l'aide d'un couteau bien éguisé.

Remarques:
Conserver au frigo dans une boîte hermétique pendant pas plus de 3 jours.
Utilisez seulement du lait de coco de bonne qualité (épais).
au lieu d'utiliser du rhum ambré, vous pouvez prendre du Malibu, du Whisky ou du Cognac, mais le goût du flan sera légèrement différent.
Vous pouvez utiliser d'autres noix si vous le désirez (macadamia, noix du Brésil, etc..).
Si vous n'avez pas de nouix de coco grossièrement râpée et sucrée, alors prenez de la noix de coco râpée simple.

Idées de présentation:
Vous pouvez servir ces carrés avec une boule de glace (vanille, café, noix de pécan, noix de Grenoble, caramel, etc...), décorée avec des pralines roses ou servis tel quel.

LEMONY BEEF AND NEW POTATO TAJINE

Being a total spice addict, I am very sensible and open to the charms of the North African cuisine. It is so rich in taste, unique, fragrant, refined and ambrosial that I am strongly attracted by it's exceptional dishes...

I am also drawn to anything sweet and savory, so I cannot resist recipes that use this very special and addictive flavor combination which I find absolutely perfect and irresistible.

So, a few days ago, while on my quest for the absolute "Tajine" to cook/test in order to sublimate my beef meat and use my homemade "Moroccan Preserved Lemons", I invented my own recipe in accordance with the traditional ones I came across throughout my Google search/errands.
I must say that the result was exceptionally mind-blowing regarding the fact that I followed my flair to create this recipe and used my palate as well as nose as guides in order to reach the savor of an original "Tajine".

“Tajine (or Tagine)” is the name for a type of a North-African stew, but it is also used to describe the very special heavy based, shallow clay pot with a conical and dome-shaped heavy lid in which that dish is cooked. Three different countries make "Tajines": Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Although they carry the same name, the Morccan/Algerian ones are very dissimilar to the Tunisian one...

"Morrocan Tajine" and Algerian Tajines" are both slow-cooked stews made with less-expensive lamb, chicken or beef meats and sometimes fish, quail, pigeon, root vegetables, vegetables as well as legumes which are combined with a medley of ingredients or seasonings such as olives, quinces, apples, pears, apricots, raisins, prunes, dates, nuts, fresh or preserved lemons, honey, traditonal spices (cinnamon, cumin, fresh or ground ginger, turmeric/curcuma, paprika, saffron, pepper and Ras El Hanout).

The "Tunisian Tajine" is nothing like the Moroccan one. It is quite comparable to a "Kugel", a "quiche" or a "Fritatta".It is generally made from beaten eggs and grated cheese consisting of meat and/or various vegetable fillings, prepared like a large cake and cooked in the oven.

I must confess that, even if I hate boasting about myself and my cooking/baking "skills", I am very proud of my dish as this "Lemony Beef And New Potato Tajine" was a real success and tasted just like it should. Wonderful!

Thanks to the marinading and the slow simmering, the meat is hyper (fork-)tender, juicy and extra tasty. The potatoes are perfectly fondant and lusciously waxy. The honey and raisins add an interesting counterbalancing sweetness to this speciality, the almonds bring some crunch as well as a rich nutty note and the olives give that slight and very pleasant bitterness that couples very well with the overall roundness of the dish. This "Tajine" is well-balanced flavor-wise, gloriously citrousy, pungent, delicately spicy and is magnificently perfumed. A scrumptious combination of flavors and textures...

Eating a "Tajine" is an unforgettable gustatory experience that makes you travel in a matter of seconds, without even leaving the kitchen table. It is soul-transporting, aromatic, intense, yet mellow dish with so much dimension that it is impossible not to be seduced by it's matchlessness!

~ Moroccan Lemony Beef And New Potato Tajine ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Makes a tajine for 3-4 people.

Ingredients for the marinade:
1 Tbs Olive oil
600g Boneless sirloin steak, cut into 2.5cm (1-inch) cubes
1/2 Tsp Ras El Hanout
1 Clove garlic, crushed

Ingredients for the tajine:
3 Tbs Olive oil
The marinaded beef
4 Medium onions, thinly sliced
4 Cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbs Grated fresh ginger
3 Tsps Ras El Hanout
3/4 Tsp Ground cumin
125mg Saffron
2 x 10cm (3.9-inch) Sticks cinnamon
500g New potatoes
1 Chicken broth cube
Enough water to cover
120g Green olives with stones
120g Raisins
130g Whole almonds, roasted
3/8-1/2 Preserved lemon, cut into thin strips
4 Tbs Runny honey
Salt, to taste
Fresh coriander, chopped

Method:
1. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade and keep in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
2. One hour before you start cooking, take the meat out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature.
3. Heat 3 tbs oil in a Dutch oven/tajine over high heat.
2. Add the marinaded meat and sauté it for about 2-3 minutes, making sure that each side has been slightly browned.
3. Lower the temperature to medium high, then add the onions and garlic.
4. Stir-fry until the onions are translucid.
5. Add the ginger, Ras El Hanout, ground cumin, saffron and sticks cinnamon.
6. Stir well and cook for another minute.

7. Add the new potatoes and stir well.
8. Add the chicken broth cube and enough water to cover.
9. Stir well, cover and let simmer at medium temperature for about 35-40 minutes, stirring from time to time.
10. Add the olives and let simmer, covered for another 10 minutes.
11. Add the roasted almonds, the raisins, the lemon strips and the honey.
12. Stir well and let simmer, covered for 30 minutes, until the onions and the preserved lemons have "melted" (desintegrated) and that the sauce has reduced and is thickish.
13. Sprinkle with some chopped fresh coriander.
14. Serve hot.

Remarks:
Instead of beef, you can also use lamb, veal, duck legs or chicken legs.
You can replace the saffron by 1/2 Tsp ground turmeric/curcuma.
If you have no preserved lemons in reach, then you can grate the zest of one lemon and add it to the stew (point 11).
You could also add a few (a handful) dried apricots to this tajine (point 11).
Rectify the (spice) seasoning if needed and add salt to taste. I added no salt at all, because the preserved lemons and the broth gave enough saltiness to the tajine.
The tajine is ready when the onions and lemon strips have totally desintegrated and contributed the the thickness of the sauce.

The sauce should not be too thin nor present in big quantities. If your sauce is too watery, then let cook until the sauce reaches the correct consistancy
This tagine can be made 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

Serving suggestions:
Tagines are made to be eaten alone, but if you wish, you can accompany that dish with some buttered couscous or rice.

***************

~ Tajine Marocain Au Boeuf, Pommes De Terres Nouvelles Et Citron Confit~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Pour 3 à 4 prsonnes.

Ingrédients pour la marinade:
1 CS d'Huile d'olive
600g de Boeuf à braiser (jarret ou bourgignon), coupé en dés de 2.5cm
1/2 CC de Ras El Hanout
1 Gousse d'ail, écrasée

Ingrédients pour le tajine:
3 CS d'Huile d'olive
Le boeuf mariné
4 Oignons moyens, coupés en fines lamelles
4 Gousse d'ail, écrasées
2 CS de Gingembre frais, râpé
3 CC de Ras El Hanout
3/4 de CC de Cumin en poudre
125mg de Safran
2 Bâtonnets de cannelle de 10cm chacuns
500g de Pommes de terres nouvelles
1 Cube de Bouillon de poulet
Assez d'eau pour couvrir
120g d'Olives vertes, non-dénoyautées
120g de Raisins secs clairs
130g d'Amandes entières, grillées
3/8-1/2 Citron confit, coupé en lamelles fines
4 CS de Miel liquide
Sel, à volonté
Coriandre fraîche, hachée grossièrement

Méthode:

1. Dans un bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients pour la marinade et mettre au réfrigérateur. Laisser reposer au moins 2 heures.
2. Une heure avant de commencer à cuire la viande, sortez le bol du frigo et laisser le à température ambiante.
3. Chauffer 3 CS d'huile d'olive dans un cassoton/tajine, à feu haut.
2. Ajouter la viande marinée et la faire rôtir pendant environ 2-3 minutes, en faisant un sorte de bien brunir chaque côté.
3. Baisser la température (feu moyen) et ajouter les oignons ainsi que l'ail.
4. Faire revenir en remuant bien jusqu'à ce que l'oignon soit translucide.
5. Ajouter le gingembre, le Ras El Hanout, le cumin, le safran et les bâtonnets de cannelle.
6. Bien remuer et faire cuire pendant une minute supplémentaire.

7. Ajouter les pommes de terre nouvelles et bien mélanger.
8. Ajouter le bouillon et assez d'eau afin de recouvrir entièrement le contenu de la casserole.
9. Mélanger, couvrir et laisser mijoter à température moyenne pendant 35-40 minutes, en remuant de temps en temps.
10. Ajouter les olives et laisser mijoter à couvert pendant 10 minutes.
11. Ajouter les amandes, les raisins, les lamelles de citron et le miel.
12. Bien mélanger et faire mijoter (avec le couvercle) pendant encore 30 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les oignons et les lamelles de citron aient "fondu" (se soient désintégrés) et que la sauce soit assez épaisse.
13. Saupoudrer de coriandre grossièrement hachée.
14. Servir chaud.

Remarques:
Au lieu d'utiliser du boeuf, vous pouvez très bien prendre de l'agneau, du veau, des cuisses de canard ou des cuisses de poulet.
Vous pouvez remplacer le safran par 1/2 CC de poudre de curcuma.
Si vous n'avez pas de citrons confits sous la main, vous pouvez alors râper le zeste d'un citron et l'ajouter au plat (voir point 11).
Il est possible d'ajouter une poignée d'abricots séchés à cette recette (voir point 11)
Rectifier l'assaisonement et ajouter du sel, si nécessaire. Je n'ai pas mis de sel car les citrons confits et le bouillon on siffisament salé ce plat.
Ce tajine est prêt à être servi lorsque les oignons et les lamelles de citron confit se sont totalement désintégrés et auront épaissi la sauce.
La sauce ne doit pas être trop liquide ni présente en grande quantités (plutôt concentrée et épaisse). Si votre sauce est trop liquide, je vous conseille de continuer à faire mijoter votre plat jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait la bonne consistance.
Ce tajine peut être fait 1 jour à l'avance et mis au frigo, couvert.

Idées de présentation:
Les tajines sont faits pour être mangés sans accompagnements car ce sont des plats complets. Par contre, si vous pouvez très bien le manger avec du couscous au beurre ou du riz.

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #153

This week, Sher, the beautiful Pumpkin and the terribly cute Laura at "What Did You Eat?" (USA) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #153...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.

Is there really any need to comment?
Not really...
The pictures speak for themselves!

JOY IS BRIGHT YELLOW

If I could translate in one sentence the way I'm feeling since the sun has come back, nature is exploding like crazy and the temperatures are warm (23° - 24° C), I would say that I'm "joyful like a colza/rapseed field"!

The vibrant yellow of this plant's flowers is so incredible that it nearly seems surreal and improbably fluorescent. Their color is so strong that it somehow reverbs the sunlight and irradiates the neighboring landscapes with it's incredibly powerful glowing shine...

I love colza/rapseed fields as they send me positive and good vibrations. I hope that you'll feel the same while looking at my pictures (click on the photos to enlarge).

SIX NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT MYSELF

Some days ago Lydian at "Mirliton" from France has tagged me for meme... Here are some traits of my character which could be labelled as "negative"!

Il y a quelques jours, Lydian de "Mirliton" (France) m'a tagguée... Voici quelques aspects de ma personnalité qui pourraient être considérés comme "négatifs"/des défauts!

~ Violet Kohlrabi ~

1. I am very critical towards myself.
Je suis très critique envers moi-même.
2. I am quite impatient.
Je suis assez impatiente.
3. I am "allergic" to ironing, cleaning, hoovering, etc...
Je suis "allergique" au rapassage, nettoyage, etc...

~ Pumpkin Seed Oil And Yoghurt ~

4. I lack self-assurance and confidence.
Je manque d'assurance et de confiance en moi.
5. I have problems to forgive easily those who have hurt me.
Je n'arrive pas à pardonner facilement à ceux qui m'ont fait du mal.
6. I don't like unannounced things.
Je n'aime pas tout ce qui peut être fait à l'improviste.

~ Ginger Root ~