Farro Salad

The Gourmandise School   of Sweets and Savories

Bridging the seasons. Sometimes you want to curl up by the fireplace and slurp a good, hot bowl of soup. Other days, you dream of long, bright days with fresh, zesty lunches and the sweet flavors that sunshine brings. And then there's pre-Spring. Here in SoCal (Cue string, East Coast readers. Try not to hate us too much), we've got this lovely purgatory of chilly mornings, hot noons and early sundowns. I want my hot oatmeal in the morning and crave ripe peaches by noon. It's a cruel trick, since stone fruits are 4 months away, and pears are bowing out, so... we've got what we have had all winter. Citrus. We love citrus, for it breaks up the winter trifecta of persimmons, pears and apples (chocolate doesn't count, as it forms a year-round food group) that we rework from late October until the first sweet Apricots hail the start of summer. Meyer lemons, blood oranges, sweet limes- all are used nearly every day to make these warm and bright whole grain salads. We use farro, barley, wheat berries- you name it, try it. Send us your favorite combination of herbs, grains and citrus! Far-out Farro Salad Serves 6, warm or cold. Today or tomorrow.  1 basket small cherry tomatoes, roasted in the oven at 350 with a touch of olive oil until they burst 2 Tbsps olive oil   1 cup farro 1 quart vegetable stock 1 diced shallot 1 cup fresh shelling peas *, shelled 1 bunch kale or chard, stemmed and finely chopped 3 Tbsps fresh lemon juice, Meyer if possible 2 Tbsps cup olive oil 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1/2 cup fresh Feta or ricotta salt and pepper, to taste fresh herbs, finely chopped, to taste   1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepot (we love using a Dutch oven) and cook the shallots for 3-4 minutes.  2. Deglaze the pan with the stock and add the farro and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down, covering the pot and cooking the grains for 30 minutes. 3. While the farro is cooking, make your dressing by whisking together the lemon juice and mustard in a large bowl. Slowly add the olive oil. Toss your kale in the dressing. 4. Add the warm farro (drained if necessary) to the dressing and toss. Add in your peas, if cooked separately and the tomatoes. 5. Serve with fresh feta or ricotta and herbs, to taste. * The shelling pea season is still new, and some of them are a little bitter. If they feel tough and not too tender, add the peas when deglazing the pan with the stock and cook with the farro. Wishing you a delicious day,  Clémence and Hadley

another easy vegan meal

Roasted Veggies fresh spinach and home made vegan sausages

Mango Curry roasted butternut squash

Maison Cote  

Mango Curry dip

Roasted Butternut Squash

This is a wonderful little side dish to any meal

  yum 

2 1/2 to 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons Maison Cote mango curry power(if not madras curry powder and some mango)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange butternut cubes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle the cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, mango curry powder and maple syrup. Using your hands, toss it all together, getting all of the cubes coated.

Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender.

Vegan lemon olive oil cake

Ingredients

1. 2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 teaspoon baking soda
3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
4. ½ teaspoon salt
5. ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
6. ¾ cup agave
7. ¾ cup water
8. ¼ cup lemon juice
9. 2 tablespoons lemon zest
10. 1 tablespoon lemon extract
11. Powdered sugar, for garnish

Procedure

To make the Lemon Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, agave, water, lemon juice and zest, and lemon extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not over mix.

Fill the prepared Bundt pan evenly with batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean with a few crumbs clinging to it. Be sure to rotate halfway through the baking time. Cool the cake completely before un-molding.

To serve

Plate a slice of cake and sift powdered sugar over the top. Serve with a fresh fruits

Green Hummus

Green Hummus

So easy as a base for sandwich, to top on stir-fry or eggs…

this is a great and easy base for a vegetal protein

Green hummus

yield : 5 cups

Ingredients

 2 x cup spinach

1 x cup arugula

1/4 cup cilantro or basil

1/4 green onion

2   garlic mince

4 cups garbanzo beans

1x cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

Sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Add to a food processor spinach, arugula, cilantro, green onion & garlic, pulse couples time then let run the processor to a medium speed add the olive oil and the drain beans finish with lemon juice and salt and pepper.

This is a base you could add or change some ingredients to make it your own 

you like garlic well go crazy, caramel shallots, basil, steam kale…

Create your own and enjoy

Start from scratch

The Gourmandise School   of Sweets and Savories

Start from Scratch. What would it take for you to cook more? A chef in your kitchen? A personal shopper? Recipe tester? A new gadget? Nope.  With all the noise around food, new cuisines and endless blogs telling you what you should eat, where you should shop and what your food should look like on Instagram, here are a few sage pearls of wisdom from our staff (and a few classes to teach you how to make it ahead and shop at the farmers markets- look right): 1. Don't go big. Start with one new dish a week. Make sure it includes as least two ingredients you already have and flavors you're already familiar with, only with a twist or two. 2. Clear the air. You know what clutters my mind more than anything? Stuff on the counter. Move as much as you can off your counter. If you don't use something every day, find a home for it. A clear space allows you to organize your thoughts and prep. 3. Mise en place. It's a French kitchen terms for putting everything in its place. You won't have to run to the store mid-recipe to get a missing ingredient if you spend 5 minutes pre-measuring what you need and placing it near your workstation. This allows you to let go of the recipe and focus on the technique.  4. Stop spending. Cooking should require only a few things; some pots, a wooden spoon or two, a whisk and big skillet. Egg separator? That's what your hands are for. Bain marie? Stick a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Use those hard earned funds on great ingredients, not on fancy kitchenware. 5. Ask a farmer. Take an hour, even twice a month, to shop at a farmers market. Ask the farmer how he makes his yams. Ask how long his blood oranges are in season, or how best to use them in a marinade or a dressing. She's got acres of them, and you can bet they've made their way into a dish or two. Consulting recipes is one thing, learning a simple technique is another. 6. Your bible. It shouldn't be a recipe book, but a collection of techniques you pick up. Sit at the restaurant counter and watch the chefs- how are they cutting their onions? Are they stirring their pans often (they aren't), are they using high heat for a short amount or letting things simmer? When are the burger flipped, steaks seasoned and salads tossed? Take a class and ask your chef instructor how adjust the recipes once squash is out of season or basil is gone. 7. Use us. Our hotline is open every day from 11am-7pm. Call us! We can help you source ingredients, email recipes and answer your cooking 911 questions. Wishing you a delicious day,  Clémence and Hadley

Back From Los Angeles

I love L.A.  it is for me my little paradise, perfect weather and so much to do  

Just love California