I bake - Far Breton

I love any custardy dessert. Clafoutis is great with tender summer fruit. When long day and warm weather are replaced with long night and crisp air at night, Far Breton, a classic from Brittany, is more often on my mind. It has the same base as clafoutis (eggs, milk and sugar) but uses liquor soaked dried fruits (prunes being a classic) instead of fresh berries. With the first bite into Far Breton, the refreshed dried fruit and delicate custard gives an unmistakably a autumnal feel, rich and velvety, perfect accompaniment while watching falling yellow leaves.

Far Breton aux Pruneaux
based on recipes by Dorie Greenspan and Richard Bertinet

- 1 cup of dry prunes
- 1/4 cup of amaretto (or Armagnac, rum or brandy)
- 1/4 cup of water
- 2 cups of milk
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- One vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 3 eggs
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of corn starch
- 2 tablespoons of plain flour
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- one 20x20cm square or round tin

The night before making Far Breton, soak the prunes in amaretto and water.

Warm the milk with vanilla pod (or vanilla extract) and sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. As soon as sugar is dissolved, turn the heat off. Let the milk infuse with vanilla while you prepare the rest.

Butter generously your Far Breton container (with 4 tablespoons of butter). Lift out the rehydrated prunes and save the soaking liquid. Arrange the prunes on the bottom of the buttered container. Warm the container in a 200C oven for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix 3 eggs with salt, corn flour and plain flour. Slowly pour in milk while the mixer is running. Mix in the prune soaking liquid. Pour the batter into the heated container.

Turn the oven down to 180C. Bake it for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before serving. I like it at room or at body temperature.

I make - Chicken and bean stew

You will be amazed by the wonderful taste brought by the humble list of ingredients. It goes nicely with coconut rice (a nice twist on red bean rice).

Chicken and bean stew, based on CaribbeanPot recipe

- 6 chicken drum sticks, dusted with Caribbean all-purpose seasoning (or just salt and pinch of cayenne pepper)
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 medium onion, in 1-cm2 dices
- 3-6 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 can of tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- dashes of Worcester sauce
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup
- half thumb size of ginger, minced or grated
- thyme leaves
- ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder (just for color, optional)
- 1 can of kidney beans
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons of coconut cream/milk (optional)

Heat a casserole with a tablespoon of oil. Grill the drum sticks for one minute. Add in green onions and onion dices. Fry the onions until lightly brown. Add in crushed garlic.

Stir in tomatoes, soy sauce, Worcester sauce, ketchup, ginger and thyme. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce the heat to low-medium. Add in black pepper and turmeric powder (if using). Cook the stew for 30 minutes with the lid on. Add splash of water if the mixture becomes dry.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and add in a can of kidney beans. Simmer for another 10-20 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt if necessary. Mix in coconut cream at the end of cooking process if using. Serve with plain or coconut rice (see below).

Coconut rice

- 2 cups of basmati rice, rinsed and soak in water for at least one hour
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons of coconut cream
- 2 cups of hot water
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Heat a pot with 1/4 cup of coconut cream and green onion. When coconut cream almost melts, stir in drained basmati rice. Pour in 2 cups of hot water along with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring the pot back to boil. Put the lid on and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid with the heat on low, spread two tablespoons of coconut cream on top of the rice. The coconut cream should melt almost instantly to the bottom (you should hear the gentle sizzling sound). Use the rubber spatula to fluff the rice once or twice. Put the lid back on for another 5 minutes.

Turn the heat off. Fluff the rice again. Put the lid back to pot but leave a gap for another 10 minutes. You want the steam to escape and not accumulating in the pot. Enjoy the fluffy coconut rice.