Coeur a la Crème made with Labneh

Sometimes, when I do not have much time to make a dessert I prepare something very simple…below, savoiardi with rose liqueur and whipped ricotta (ricotta , honey, vanilla  and cream).

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for example something layered and made with savoiardi soaked in liqueur and crème anglaise or whipped ricotta (the real thing or a take on Zuppa Inglese and Cassata, like the deconstructed cassata below).

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Most times, I like something wet, like  poached fruit (nearly always poached with some sort alcohol) and present it with homemade mascarpone.( Stuffed peaches with amaretti with homemade mascarpone).

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These may be easy desserts but they are always enjoyed. (See links below for  some recipes)

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Another easy dessert is Coeur a la Crème (French for heart of cream) either made with cream cheese or with Labneh, an ingredient which over time has become a staple in my fridge. Labneh is a fresh cheese with the consistency of a cream cheese popular in the Middle East made by straining yoghurt.

Ten years ago I would have said that Italians would not have known about Labneh, but food culture evolves and some Italians are familiar with it. However, the Italian recipes that I have seen primarily suggest using Labneh as a savory dish dressed with extra virgin olive oil and herbs or spices such as fennel seeds, parsley, mint or paprika. In Australia because of our multi-cultural population we are more familiar with Labneh and with the spices we use.

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To make Labneh I use Greek yoghurt and the tubs of yoghurt I buy are sold in 1k containers.
I always buy what I consider to be good quality yoghurt without flavouring or added sugar and with descriptors such as: pot set, no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, live and active cultures, biodynamic, organic…. the more of these the better the yoghurt.

1 tub full-fat Greek-style yoghurt and a colander with one layer of muslin.

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Line a colander with one layer of muslin and place the colander on top of a bowl so that the whey of the yogurt can drain. Empty the carton of yogurt into the lined colander and leave to drain 6-8 hours or longer. I usually place mine (covered) to drain in the fridge. You can use the drained yoghurt then or you can store the yoghurt in the muslin in a container in the fridge – it will keep for about 1 week and you may be surprised that wrapped in the muslin it will keep on draining.

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Different types of yoghurt will drain more liquid than others depending on their water content.  I weighed my last batch of Labneh and 1 kilo was reduced to 820g.

Coeur a la crème

Labneh 700g
250 gm cream cheese or ricotta or 200 ml double cream.
100 gm pure icing sugar or honey (to taste)
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped or pure vanilla essence or concentrate
grated lemon rind from 1lemon

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Coeur a la crème is made in a heart shaped special mold with a perforated bottom that allows the mixture to drain and compact properly.

A heart shaped baking tin lined with muslin will also keep draining but you will need to remove the liquid more often.

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Place all of the above ingredients in a bowl, incorporate the ingredients by hand before using an electric mixer to blend it till smooth (it will not take long). Taste it to see if you prefer it sweeter and adjust accordingly.
Line heart shaped mold with muslin and spoon the creamy mixture into the mold.  Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and place the mold into a container – it will drain some more. I usually place my mold in a large container with a lid so that I do not need to use plastic wrap.
Chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
Unwrap mold, invert onto a serving plate.
Surround it fruit of your choice and serve (fresh and macerated with a liqueur or poached fruit).
On this occasion I presented it with blood oranges (they have been in season)

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4 blood oranges
3 tbs honey
2- 4 tbs orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Work over a bowl to reserve any juice,  use a sharp knife to remove peel and as much pith as possible. Cut the top and bottom of the orange, slide your knife between the membrane and the segment, and then cut the segment out. Repeat with each segment and each orange.
In a saucepan, combine honey with 1tbsp of water and boil it vigorously till it looks caramelized.
Add oranges and reserved juice and cook (low heat for about 4-5 minutes). Add orange liqueur, and cool/ chill.

Garnish with mint sprigs (optional).

Other recipes:

CASSATA DECONSTRUCTED

ZUPPA INGLESE, a Famous Italian dessert

LABNEH and Watermelon salad

HOME MADE MASCARPONE

IL MIO FRUTTIVENDOLO, my fruit and vegetable stall at The Queen Victoria Market

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Carmel and Gus are my greengrocers. They are my fruttivendoli (plural as there are two of them). Frutti+ vendelo= fruit+ seller = fruttivendolo. Below are the grapes I bought from them.

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I have been shopping at their stall in The Queen Victoria Market throughout the thirteen years that I have been residing in Melbourne. Before that I lived close to the Adelaide Market.

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As you can see in the photos the range and quality of the vegetables and fruit is vast and I am able to purchase some produce that is not available anywhere else in the market. I love  Fichi d’India (prickly pears).

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My Fruttivendolo is open on Thursday to Saturday.

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Here are some of the dishes I have prepared with their produce:

Fichi d’india (prickly pears in a salad with pumpkin, purslane, labneh and black tahini).

Entry with Fici d%22india & pumpkin #2

Fig tart. I cannot resist figs. A layer of short sweet pastry, mascarpone and fresh figs with a drizzle of orange and dates whipped together with a little Cointreau .

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Salad of watercress, black grapes, beetroot etc.

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Prickly pears have prickles and need to be handled carefully. For how to peel prickly pears, see:

Prickly Pears Fichi D’india and A Paste Called Mostarda

Mascarpone:

Mascarpone and Its Many Uses. How to Make It at Home

Labneh:

WATERMELON, LABNEH and DUKKAH salad

 

SIMPLE SUMMER MEALS

Especially in summer, I like to prepare a number of small courses and always made with in season ingredients.

These were recent meals:

Feature Photo fried zucchini with roasted garlic.

Roasted baby tomatoes – very fragrant.

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Whole figs stuffed with walnuts and feta and topped with a sprig of mint – then the figs are cut in half.

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This was  followed by roasted summer vegetables (zucchini, eggplants, peppers, onion, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and rosemary) and topped with a layer of fresh breadcrumbs and a little grated Parmigiano added in the last 5-7 minutes of baking).  This dish is eaten cold.

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The roasted vegetable course was followed by a salad of lightly poached green prawns mixed with watercress, fresh peaches and a light dressing of homemade egg mayonnaise, a dash of fresh cream,  pepper and fresh, French tarragon.

Dessert is always simple in summer. I have an ice cream machine and this comes in handy.  Another constant old favourite is Zuppa Inglese; it is always appreciated especially if in summer it is topped with berries lightly marinaded with some Alchermes.

LONG LIVE ZUPPA INGLESE and its sisters

ZUPPA INGLESE, a famous, Italian dessert

ALCHERMES/ALKERMES (The liqueur used to make Zuppa Inglese)

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Another simple dessert that I enjoy making is a Coeur a la creme (cream cheese, crème fraîche). I bought two of these heart shaped, ceramic moulds in San Francisco. I top the heart (s) with fresh berries or fresh figs . Unfortunately I have not snapped a photo of this dessert.

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The last Cour  a la creme I made was with drained yogurt (Labneh) mixed with a little honey and topped with slices of mango.

Labna
500 ml full-fat Greek-style yoghurt

Line a colander with one layer of muslin and place the colander on top of a bowl so that the whey of the yogurt can drain off naturally. Leave the yoghurt to drain about 8 hours or longer. I usually place mine (covered) to drain in the fridge.
See  Watermelon, Labneh and Dukkah salad
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Poaching liquid for green prawns:

There must be sufficient liquid to cover the shelled green prawns.

Combine these ingredients to make a poaching liquid: a mixture of water, wine (more water 2/3 than wine 1/3), a few peppercorns, a little salt, fresh bay leaves, soft fresh celery leaves and fresh herbs  – usually thyme.

Bring the poaching liquid to below boiling and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the ingredients infuse for at least 20 minutes.

Bring  the poaching liquid to the boil, add the green prawns and make sure that they are covered by the liquid. Wait for a few minutes until the temperature of the poaching liquid is just below boiling. Turn off the the heat and leave the prawns to steep until they will change colour (to coral- orange) and are no longer translucent – this happens within minutes.

Drain the prawns and cool the quickly – I spread them out on a cold surface. Use the poaching liquid (stock) for another fish based dish (for example a risotto) or to poach your next batch of prawns or fish. Keep this stock in the freezer till you are ready to use it again.

Dress with one of your favourite dressings. How about ZOGGHIU (Sicilian pesto/dressing made with garlic, parsley and mint)..also good with grilled fish or squid.

 

Recipes:

Long Live Zuppa Inglese

Zuppa Inglese, A Famous, Italian Dessert

ALCHERMES/ALKERMES (The liqueur used to make Zuppa Inglese)

LEFTOVERS: from Duck and Dried Sour Cherries to New Dishes

Some of the best flavours come from recycling leftovers. Take duck breasts pan-fried with sour dried cherries, for example. In this posti write about how I enjoyed using leftovers to new dishes with minimal effort.

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Cooking with leftovers isn’t about skimping and it’s about using the opportunity to innovate. It’s about creativity, resourcefulness, and feeling a bit saintly when you know you’re not throwing food away.

For example when I cook duck breasts with dried sour cherries (first steeped in red wine and a splash of vin cotto – a sweet, slightly syrupy vinegar – it’s not just about enjoying the one dish of duck meat and rich sauce.  It is also about “waste not, want not” –  what can do with the leftovers? Leftovers can be the building blocks for something new made more delicious by what is left over from that one dish.

Leftovers, by definition, are things we don’t “need,” things that seem unnecessary or redundant. In my kitchen, those “unneeded” ingredients can transform one meal into many.

It does not mean that I never cook something entirely with fresh ingredients, but I welcome using up something from a previous meal to convert into something new. It allows me to be creative and I feel saintly about not wasting food.

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Pan fried duck with dried sour cherries

The duck has dried sour cherries that I steeped in some red wine and a dash of vin cotto (slightly sweet), this is for the sauce. If I did not have cherries, I may have used some green or black olives and some capers with perhaps a little dry marsala or white wine to deglaze the pan .

Prepare the Duck
Score the skin of the duck breasts in a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and let them sit for about 20 minutes. This helps to draw out excess moisture and ensures crisp skin.

Cook the Duck
Heat a large pan over gentle-medium heat. Add the duck breasts, skin side down, along with a couple of spring onions and a few bay leaves for flavor. Let the duck cook slowly, turning the breasts occasionally to allow the fat to render. Once the fat begins to melt, increase the heat to medium-high to achieve a golden, crispy skin. This whole process should take around 12–15 minutes, depending on the size of your duck breasts and how crispy you like the skin.

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Rest the Duck
Once the duck is cooked to your liking, remove it from the pan and cover it loosely with foil or a plate to keep it warm. Let it rest while you finish the sauce.

Make the Cherry Sauce
Pour off most of the duck fat from the pan, leaving behind any brown bits and flavorful juices. Add the dried sour cherries and their soaking liquid (red wine and vin cotto or whatever substitute you’ve used) to the pan to deglaze. Stir, scraping up any caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid simmer for a few minutes, reducing slightly and allowing the cherries to plump up.

Finish the Dish
Return the duck breasts to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Spoon the cherry sauce over the duck and heat everything through for another minute or two, ensuring the flavors meld together.

 To Serve 
Slice the duck against the grain and drizzle the cherry sauce over the top. Serve immediately with your favorite sides and enjoy the rich, savory-sweet combination.

Notes:

Don’t throw away the leftover duck fat! It can be used for sautéing vegetables or adding a rich flavour to other dishes. Also save any leftover gravy. I used both of these ingredients to make a minestrone.

From Duck Breasts to New Creations 

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A Duck Breast Salad

After enjoying the pan-seared duck breasts with cherries, I was left with one breast—a perfect opportunity to transform it into something new the following night- a duck salad.

To build the salad, I sliced the leftover duck breast thinly, along with any remaining cherries that had been drained from the sauce. These went on a bed of fresh, crisp vegetables: thinly sliced fennel, spring onions, and a handful of Batavia lettuce. I also added some shaved kohlrabi, roasted pumpkin and potatoes (which I had made as sides for the duck), and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for crunch.

For the dressing, I used some homemade parsley oil that I had in the fridge. I added a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper and turned it into a dressing for the salad. I could also add this to some labneh and make a perfect accompaniment to boiled new potatoes, roasted vegetables, or as part of a Middle Eastern-inspired meal.

Parsley Oil

Most recipes for parsley oil suggest blanching the parsley (stems and all) in boiling water for about 10 seconds, then cooling it in ice water to preserve the colour. But frankly, I prefer a simpler, more direct approach. Blanching can strip away some of the vitamins, and I find it’s unnecessary to achieve the vibrant flavour I’m after.

Here’s how I make parsley oil:

Ingredients:

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (stems included)

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

A pinch of salt

Instructions:

Place the parsley (whole, no need to chop) and olive oil into a food processor. Add a pinch of salt.

Blend until completely smooth. The sharper your food processor blades, the better the result, as this helps prevent the oil from tasting too “grassy,” which can sometimes happen when parsley is over-processed.

Pour the mixture into a clean glass jar. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The paste will settle at the bottom, and the oil will rise to the top.

The next day, line a funnel with muslin (or a fine cheesecloth) and place it over a clean jar.

Carefully pour the parsley oil through the muslin to filter out the paste, then seal the jar and store in the fridge.

This parsley oil is vibrant, with a fresh herbal taste. It is green in colour perfect for a variety of dishes.

I particularly like to stir parsley oil into thick yogurt (labneh) for a tangy, herby alternative to mayonnaise and adds a zesty twist to many dishes – boiled new potatoes, roasted vegetables, or as part of a Middle Eastern-inspired meal.

A sprinkling of ground pink peppercorns can make it even more visually appealing!

Labneh with Parsley Oil

Making labneh at home is incredibly simple, and all you need is Greek yogurt, a cheesecloth (or any fine cloth), and a bit of patience. Here’s a streamlined process for making your own labneh.

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Homemade Labneh (Greek Yogurt Strain)

Ingredients:

2 cups plain Greek yogurt (full-fat works best for creamy labneh)

Cheesecloth (or a clean kitchen towel or fine mesh strainer)

A bowl (to catch the liquid)

Instructions:

Prepare the Cheesecloth
Place a piece of cheesecloth (or a clean kitchen towel) over a fine mesh strainer or bowl. If using cheesecloth, make sure it’s large enough to fold over the yogurt once it’s in.

Strain the Yogurt
Spoon the yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined strainer or bowl. Fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the yogurt to cover it.

Let it Drain
Place the bowl in the fridge and let the yogurt strain overnight (or up to 24 hours for a thicker consistency). During this time, the excess liquid (whey) will drain away, leaving you with a thick, creamy labneh.

Transfer and Store
After the yogurt has drained to your desired thickness, transfer the labneh to a clean jar or container. You can drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs, or just enjoy it as is.

Note: The longer you let it strain, the thicker your labneh will be.

Using the duck fat and leftover gravy from the duck to make soup

I usually save duck fat to brown cooked potatoes but this time the duck fat I had saved from the pan became the base for sautéing the vegetables in a hearty soup—more flavourful than using olive oil. With the addition of the bit of leftover duck sauce, I made a minestrone. (which by the way means ‘big soup’ because it usually contains pulses and therefore makes it a thick soup).  The sauce added richness and depth to the broth, and I also threw in some cooked borlotti beans—something I always have on hand in my freezer, as I tend to cook extra beans for quick meals. The soup was packed with vegetables: onions, celery, carrots, and even kohlrabi, both the bulb and the tender green tops.

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I did make use of those leftovers!

FIG LEAF INFUSED OIL

DUCK BREAST, ALCOHOL and EMBELLISHMENTS

CUCINA POVERA; REDISCOVERING SOUP

LEFT OVERS, opportunities to be creative

WATERMELON, LABNEH and DUKKAH salad

Sometimes the simplest things can be fabulous especially when revisited. Compliments time after time after time and great for summer! This is what I have presented as a starter – labneh, dukkah and watermelon with a sprinkling of fresh mint and a dressing made mainly with pomegranate molasses.

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It has been a while since I have made dukkah or Labneh (labna, lebnah, labne, labni,). Both are simple to make and are very versatile. I like having things on standby and both keep well in the fridge in a sealed glass container.

Dukkah is a dry spicy mix of sesame seeds, nuts (can be hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts) and spices – mainly cumin and coriander – but variations also include small quantities of black pepper, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Apart from dipping good quality bread into extra virgin olive oil and then into dukkah, I may use it as a topping for cooked vegetables and salads or a crumb coating for meats, fish, cheese or vegetables.

I use a heavy frypan to toast everything. I used a combination of pistachio, walnuts and pine nuts in mine. If you use pine nuts they will need very little toasting – they burn quickly.  I also added pepitas; this seemed appropriate because of the watermelon.

¾ cup sesame seeds
½ cup coriander seeds
1-2 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp salt
1 cup of nuts
some white and black pepper corns
a pinch of or ½ teaspoon cinnamon, cloves and/or nutmeg
Place nuts in a frying pan and over medium-high heat toast them until they begin to colour. Remove from pan and set aside.
Toast coriander seeds and sesame seeds the same way as the nuts and when they are nearly golden add all of the spices, salt and pepper corns.
Let cool. Blend together. On this occasion I blended the nuts separately as I wanted them to be chopped in larger pieces.

Figs, labna & olives 3 _best

Labna is strained yoghurt and can be used in both in savoury and sweet dishes. It is popular in the Middle East and I mostly use Labneh as I do feta, for example to stuff figs or in dips.

Labneh

500 ml full-fat Greek-style yoghurt

Leave the yoghurt to drain about 8 hours or longer. I usually place mine to drain in the fridge.
Line a colander with one layer of muslin and place the colander on top of a bowl so that the whey of the yoghurt can drain off naturally.
Place the drained yoghurt in a bowl.
Coat hands with extra virgin olive oil and shape Labneh into egg shaped balls. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and store in the fridge until ready to use. If you intend to store the Labneh balls for more than a day cover with extra virgin olive oil.
When it is time to serve it, drain it and top with fresh herbs or dukkah.

Dressing for Watermelon, combine together:

3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 lemon: juiced + zest
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and a few drops of sesame oil and of flower or orange water
1 fresh chilli, cut finely (optional)

 

To assemble

As you can see from the photo I assembled the balls of Labneh first on a plate coated with extra virgin olive oil.
I surrounded the watermelon pieces around the Labneh and sprinkled everything with some dukkah, mint leaves and the dressing.