Brunch Clafouti: The Pop Quiz

For the following quiz, use a No. 2 pencil and a soft eraser. Do not use a pen or mechanical pencil. An essay written in pen will not scan and receives a score of zero. Cell phone use is prohibited.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

According to recipe source Serious Eats (who got the idea from Nicole Rees’ Baking Unplugged), clafouti is:

A) a fruit-studded baked custard typically eaten as a dessert
B) a new Kanye West song, featuring Ne-Yo and Wayne Newton
C) a lovely, albeit humid region of Morocco
D) a pancreatic ailment

The most hilarious alternate name for Brunch Clafouti is:

A) Brunch Dougflutie
B) Brunch Nicebooty
C) Flunch Majooti
D) Egg and Fruit Thing

The following can be used in Brunch Clafouti, according to your personal taste:

A) Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries
B) Lamb shanks, pig tails, or cow fangs
C) Motor oil, coffee grounds, or road tar
D) Lions, tigers, or bears (oh my)


TRUE OR FALSE

You should use an oven-safe pan to make Brunch Clafouti.

A) TRUE. That’s highly logical.
B) FALSE. I love melting stuff.

Thanks to the addition of liquor (Amaretto, Grand Marnier, etc.), you will get totally wasted off Brunch Clafouti, causing you to wander the mean streets of Brooklyn sans pants, until a homeless man is forced to take you under his wing, except “under his wing” means “into a secret band of elite assassins posing as homeless people to get a better scope of the area,” where you’ll spend several years becoming a top-notch internationally-renowned killer, until the clafouti buzz eventually wears off and you slink back home in a cat crate in the luggage compartment of an airplane to Cleveland.

A) TRUE. Sounds like fun.
B) FALSE. The alcohol cooks off, leaving nothing but flava behind.

Apropos of nothing, when you’re done reading this post, you should head over to Serious Eats, where my Monday column features a tasty, frugal CHG reader suggestion: Curried Cauliflower Soup with Honey.

A) TRUE. Ooo! Soup!
B) FALSE. Ew! Soup!
C) UNDECIDED. Woo? Soup?


FILL IN THE BLANK

Making Brunch Clafouti is kind of like making _______.

A) a frittata
B) a replica of Excalibur out of discarded drinking straws and adobe
C) whoopee
D) I have to go to the bathroom.

Substituting three egg whites for two whole eggs (called for in the original recipe) cuts about ten grams of _____.

A) fat
B) crack-cocaine
C) DELIGHT
D) No, seriously. I have to go. I had two cups of coffee this morning.

George Clooney is _____.

A) A lover of Brunch Clafoutis the world over
B) Handsome, but getting a little long in the tooth.
C) Handsome and ageless. Choice B obviously doesn’t know what it’s talking about.
D) Time to hit the ladies room.

Thank you for completing this test. The answer to every question was D.


Brunch Clafouti
Adapted from Serious Eats
Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar, divided (if using cranberries, double the sugar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 large egg whites
1 cup (scant) 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups fresh fruit, such as pitted cherries or raspberries (I used blueberries – Kris)
3 tablespoons brandy, amaretto, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau—whatever you have on hand
Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 425°F.

2) In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Whisk together. Once mixed, slowly whisk eggs in. Everything should be smooth when you're finished. Add milk and extracts. Whisk again until smooth. 

3) Heat a medium oven-safe skillet over medium heat. After about 2 minutes, add butter. Melt, "swirling to coat evenly." Add remaining sugar. Add fruit. Jack heat up to medium high. Cook until fruit makes a syrup, around 3 minutes, shaking frequently. (Note: SE says the syrup process will be longer for cranberries.)

4) Kill heat and remove pan from burner. Pour in brandy. Shake the pan to coat the fruit with the brandy. Add egg mixture. Bake 10 to 12 minutes "in the upper third of the oven." The clafouti should be puffy and totally cooked when you pull it. (Check the center with a toothpick or knife to see.) Remove from oven, dust with sugar, and serve right away.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
247 calories, 5.6 g fat, $0.95

Calculations
1/2 cup all-purpose flour: 228 calories, 0.6 g fat, $0.05
1/4 cup sugar, divided: 194 calories, 0 g fat, $0.08
1/4 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 large egg: 74 calories, 5 g fat, $0.13
3 large egg whites: 51 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.38
1 cup (scant) 2% milk: 123 calories, 4.9 g fat, $0.24
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, $0.06
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional): negligible calories and fat, $0.10
1 tablespoon unsalted butter: 101 calories, 11.3 g fat, $0.06
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups fresh fruit (blueberries, here): 103 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.99
3 tablespoons brandy, amaretto, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau: 114 calories, 0 g fat, $0.71
TOTAL: 989 calories, 22.5 g fat, $3.81
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 247 calories, 5.6 g fat, $0.95

Spinach Rice Casserole: Play With Your Food

Occasionally, I find a dish I mostly like, but doesn’t completely sell me. Inevitably, it'll be moderately tasty, but there are one or two elements that knock it from a solid A to a less-impressive B-minus. And then, the demands of blogging / working (/ showering / sleeping / listening to hours of Heart videos / drooling) prevent me from trying it again. It’s a bummer, but thus is life.

Then, along came Spinach Rice Casserole from Tammy’s Recipes. The first time I made it, I followed the recipe to the letter. And the inaugural bite elicited the following reaction:

“Wow. This exceeds all my expectations. I really like how the fresh spinach plays off the cheddar, while the rice lends it some heft beyond a quiche, making it more suitable for dinner. Also, I think the … FOR THE LOVE OF BEA ARTHUR, HOW MUCH SALT IS IN THIS THING?”

It took a minute, but once the salt and Worcestershire sauce hit the tongue, they overwhelmed the other flavors. Not so much that the casserole was inedible, but enough to make me want a glass of water, stat.

Still, beyond that relatively minor issue, the dish had crazy potential. So, a few nights later, I took another shot, and changed a few things around for health/to my taste. I:

• substituted two egg whites for one of the eggs
• swapped 2% cheese in for full-fat cheese
• switched in brown rice for white rice
• halved the salt (though you could go even lower)
• halved the Worcestershire sauce

And? MAN it was good. Those minor tweaks catapulted the casserole from Merely Acceptable to Rotation Worthy. Which lead me to this sweeping, giant, somewhat hastily-considered decision about all recipes, everywhere: if you’re 75% on a meal, play around. Odds are you can get it to at least 90%, which in my book merits an A-minus / moderate college scholarship .

If you decide to go ahead here, a few things to know:

1) In a pinch, I’m pretty sure frozen spinach would work in this, but it wouldn’t be nearly as good. Fresh wilted leaves add just as much texture as flavor, and the frozen stuff, being much mushier, will compromise the bite.

2) Buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. It’s worth it. Trust me.

3) You’re gonna need a side dish. The casserole is substantial, but needs an addition to make it a full meal. We used bananas, because – why not?

And with that, happy weekend, everybody!

Spinach Rice Casserole
Adapted from Tammy’s Recipes
4 servings

9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons of fresh, minced onion
1 cup cooked brown rice (measurement is after cooking, not before)
1 cup (4 ounces) 2% sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup 2% milk
1 egg, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cooking spray

1) Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

2) Heat a large pan or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add spinach and water. Cover. Cook a few minutes, until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.

3) "In a large mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients." Stir. Add spinach. Stir again. Pour everything into the baking dish.

4) Bake 35-40 minutes, until top looks golden brown and it's not mushy in the middle. You can test this with a knife, fork, or toothpick.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
200 calories, 11.4 g fat, $0.94

Calculations
9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves: 65 calories, 1.1 g fat, $1.99
1 tablespoon water: negligible calories and fat, free
2 tablespoons of fresh, minced onion: 8 calories, 0 g fat, $0.06
1 cup cooked brown rice (measurement is after cooking, not before): 216 calories, 1.8 g fat, $0.11
1 cup (4 ounces) 2% sharp cheddar cheese, shredded: 360 calories, 36 g fat, $1.00
1/3 cup 2% milk: 41 calories, 1.6 g fat, $0.08
1 egg, beaten: 74 calories, 5 g fat, $0.13
2 egg whites, beaten: 34 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.25
1/2 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce: 3 calories, 0 g fat, $0.11
TOTAL: 801 calories, 45.6 g fat, $3.74
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 200 calories, 11.4 g fat, $0.94

CHG Favorites of the Week

Food Blog of the Week
Sustainable Pantry
Super neat site run by cooking aficionados Alexa and Matt, who’ve written their own mission statement: “SustainablePantry.com chronicles the everyday cooking of a newly married couple living in Queens who together strive to prepare all of their meals themselves. The food is whole, fresh and seasonal, cooked simply, and supported by a well stocked pantry (click here to see the items in our pantry). SustainablePantry.com will show you how to cook simple, budget-friendly and delicious food with whatever ingredients you have on hand.” Sweet.

Food Comedy of the Week
Rachael Ray Promo from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
This aired a bunch this last week, leading up to Fallon’s late night debut (which wasn’t terrible, thanks be to Justin Timberlake). Rachael is set aflame!



Food Quotes of the Week
This week, it’s a few from my favorite movie in 3rd grade, Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs:

Dark Helmet: What's the matter, Colonel Sandurz? CHICKEN?

Colonel Sandurz: They must have hyperjets on that thing.
Dark Helmet: And what do we have on this thing? A cuisinart?

Lone Starr: Who hasn't heard of Yogurt!
Princess Vespa: Yogurt the Wise!
Dot Matrix: Yogurt the All-Powerful!
Barf: Yogurt the Magnificent!
Yogurt: Please, please, don't make a fuss. I'm just plain Yogurt.

(Incidentally, my friend L and I had a conversation about Brooks recently. L doesn’t think his movies have aged well. I agreed to an extent. All the Gene Wilder stuff is still hilarious to me, but the other films … not so much. However, I could see an eight-year-old seeing Spaceballs for the first time and laughing his/her little face off. Opinions?)

Food Movie Clip of the Week
“Bella Notte” from Lady and the Tramp
In which two dogs fall in love over spaghetti and musically-inclined Italian stereotypes. (Another reader suggestion from the cookbook giveaway!)

Veggie Might: Cactus (Nopales) Chili - You Must Be This Tall to Cook

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a regular Thursday feature about all things Vegetarian.

Long ago, one summer in a city built atop the swamps of central Florida, there lived a girl who dreamed of being a Broadway star. She spent her evenings chasing a boy who was no good for her and her days shepherding tourists on an outer-space-cartoon-adventure at a popular theme park. Not that one; no, the other one.

To the mostly ignorant bliss of countless Brazilian and British vacationers, there were numerous safety checks in place to prevent injury. As long as everyone played by the rules, no one got hurt.

One day, the girl with Broadway dreams was working “mission control” of her assigned attraction. She gave the usual pre-show spiel, “Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, Captain Yogi has requested your assistance in rescuing Elroy...” Her colleagues in the “spaceship” gave the all clear. Everyone was seated.

“Please raise your arms as the safety bar comes down.” She pushed the button that lowered the bar. “As the bar locks into place, it will tighten slightly. If you are uncomfortable, please alert one of Captain Yogi’s assistants.”

All the lights on the panel turned green as the safety bars locked into place. Except for one red light. Then someone screamed.

She quickly pushed the button that released the bars, and all of Captain Yogi’s assistants rushed to the screaming woman in the front of the spaceship. The woman did not raise her arms as instructed, and when the bars locked into place... ugh.

It still hurts me to tell it. Her arm was broken. In two places, I found out later.

As you may have guessed, I was that starry-eyed girl chasing the bad boy (well, not that bad—he was a theater geek who traveled with juggling balls and a custom set of vampire fangs) and terrorizing tourists. I think of that woman every time I start to ignore safety suggestions for the sake of expedience—or hear the Jetson’s theme song.

Now that it’s March in the Northeast, it finally feels like February again, and I wanted something warm and hearty. I pulled out an old recipe I’ve made many times. But this time I went all out. I used fresh cactus.

I’ve made this recipe several times for potluck gatherings with great success, but I’ve always used cactus from a jar. When I stopped in at my local Mexican grocer over the weekend, the fresh nopales called to me.

Nopal, or prickly pear cactus, is popular in Mexican and Southwestern cooking. Common in salads, grilled dishes, stews, and served with eggs, nopales are rich in vitamins A, B, C, and iron. Their hearty texture makes them a favorite during the Lenten season, which we’re in, when Catholics just say no to meat.

Of course, cooking with cactus is not as dangerous as riding a theme park ride with a musical theater nerd at the helm, but you will want to take some safety precautions to make the experience as painless as possible. You may have heard one of these tips before, but it bears repeating.

1) Use tongs
When choosing the nopales at the store, removing them from the bag, transferring them from the counter to the table, or from the floor back to the table when you forgot and picked one up with your hands and then dropped it, use tongs.

2) Wear gloves
Tongs become impractical when you move to the spine removal stage. You’ll want to wear gloves. Thick dishwashing or gloves work best, but disposable latex/vinyl/rubber food service gloves will be fine if that’s what you have. I used my dishwashing gloves to work on my bicycle last week, so I went with the thinner option and all was well.

3) Keep the gloves on when working with peppers
Chili peppers get their heat from an oily chemical called capsaicin. Once that stuff is on your hands it is hard to get off. It can burn your skin, eyes...anything you touch. I made the mistake of scratching near my eye after cutting jalapeños once. Oh, for the love of Elroy!

Once you have your safety gear on, cleaning nopales is easy (if a little time-consuming).

1. Lay the paddle flat and, with a pairing knife or chef’s knife, cut off the bottom end and trim around the outside edge.
2. With your knife, cut off the spines and any nubs that protrude from the paddle. You don’t have to peel off the entire outer layer. Flip it over and repeat.
3. Wash the paddle of any dirt, stuck on spines, and some of the goo that will have seeped out from the cactus.

(Here are some cleaning instructions with pictures.)

Once that’s done, you’re ready to chop and make chili. Believe me, it’s worth the effort. This dish is hearty, but not heavy. To the original recipe, I added corn and queso fresco (fresh white cheese), to give it a sweet and salty to balance the tangy cactus and spicy chilies.

The fresh cactus took a bit longer to cook than it’s jarred cousin, and it was touch-and-go there at about the 15-minute mark. It was starting to look done, but when I tasted it, it was kind of sour, almost bitter. So I let it keep cooking, and whew. It worked.

After 25 minutes or so, it came out perfectly: tender, but not mushy, and lively with chilies and cilantro. It looks kind of like a pot of green beans when it’s done. This dish is such a crowd-pleaser. Everyone is surprised—and delighted—when they find out they’re eating cactus. And that no one got hurt in production.

Cactus Chili
Adapted from Nopales Chili
Serves 5

2 lb nopales (about 6 cups), cleaned and cubed
1 tbsp neutral oil, like canola
1 large onion, chopped same size as nopales
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced (remove the seeds if you want to avoid the heat)
2 serrano peppers, diced (remove the seeds if you want to avoid the heat)
1 cup corn, fresh, frozen (thawed), or canned
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 oz queso fresco (fresh white cheese), optional

1) Don your kitchen gloves. Clean nopales by slicing off spines with a knife (see above).

2) Keep those gloves on. Chop onions, garlic, and peppers. Go ahead and chop cilantro while you’re at it.

3) Heat oil in large skillet or saucepan. My cast iron skillet was to small; I had to switch to my big 6-qt saucepan. Sauté onion for a couple of minutes.

4) Add nopales to the onions and stir. Sauté for a three to four minutes. Add garlic, chilies, and salt.

5) Cover and simmer until nopales are tender, about 25 minutes. They will look like canned green beans when they are done.

6) After about 20 minutes, add corn and continue to simmer.

7) When nopales are tender, remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Top with queso fresco if desired and serve over rice or tortillas. Dig in and marvel, cactus: delicióso!

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
Per serving: 139.8 calories, 6.9g fat, $1.14

Calculations
2 lb nopales (about 6 cups): 84 calories, 0g fat, $3.00
1 tbsp canola oil: 120 calories, 14g fat, $0.08
1 large onion: 80 calories, .4g fat, $.70
6 cloves garlic: 25.2 calories, 0g fat, $.07
2 jalapeño peppers: 8 calories, 0g fat, $.16
2 serrano peppers: 4 calories, 0g fat, $.16
1 cup corn: 177 calories, 2g fat, $0.45
1/2 cup cilantro: 11 calories, 0g fat, $.18
1 1/2 tsp salt: negligible calories and fat, $.02
3 oz queso fresco: 270 calories, 18g fat, $.88
Totals: 699.2 calories, 34.4g fat, $5.68
Per serving: 139.8 calories, 6.9g fat, $1.14