Alain Giraud is the chef/owner of Anisette Brasserie, 225 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica. This week he is shopping for fresh cherries to make a cherry clafouti. A clafouti is basically a batter that is baked in the oven. Alain tops his with Kendall Farms creme fraiche but ice cream works great too.
Cherry Clafouti (from Bon Appetit magazine)
18 oz fresh cherries, pitted (or leave them whole like Alain Giraud does)
1 Tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup almonds, toasted
4 large eggs
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
Powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter shallow 1 1/2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Combine cherries, 1 tablespoon sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl; toss to coat. Arrange cherries in bottom of prepared dish. Blend flour and almonds in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Whisk eggs, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Whisk in flour mixture. Add milk, butter, lemon peel, and vanilla and almond extracts; whisk until smooth. Pour custard over cherries.
Bake clafoutis until set in center and golden on top, about 55 minutes. Cool slightly. Sprinkle powdered sugar over and serve warm.
La Nogalera Walnut Oil has a new pressing of its oil. The nuts come from Payne walnut trees from very old trees. The oil should be refrigerated and can last longer than a year. Walnut oil has a burn rate of about 400 degrees and is great for stir-fries and sautees. The La Nogalera oil is pressed from a combination of roasted and raw walnuts giving it a true walnut flavor.
Laura also caught up with Michael Cimarusti of Providence who is shopping for Porcini mushrooms:
Music Break: Caught On The Hop by J-Walk