Fresh French prunes are so delightful – in fact, they can be as sweet as candy.  They can be difficult to find, but Glashoff Farms had some this morning at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.  As soon as I saw them, a clafoutis started to bake inside my head.

Although the clafoutis is traditionally made with cherries, you can use almost any fruit that is in season.  This recipe is really simple and uses ingredients you probably have in your kitchen already.

Ingredients
Butter and sugar for the pan
About 1 pound of fresh French prunes, halved and pitted
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or your favorite liqueur
Pinch of fresh nutmeg
Powdered sugar for the top (optional)

You will also need:
Baking dish (1 1/2 quart size)
Mixing bowl
Whisk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 degrees Celsius.

Rub the pan with the butter and sprinkle the bottom with a thin layer of sugar.  Arrange the fruit in the bottom of the pan.

Using a whisk, whip the milk and the eggs together until well-combined, about 1 minute.  Add the flour and the sugar and stir together briefly.  Add the vanilla (or liqueur) and the nutmeg.

Pour the liquid over the fruit in the pan.

Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until the center is set.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Serves 6-8.

This is one of my favorite ways to bring out even more flavor in vine-ripened tomatoes.  You can either peel the tomatoes first, or leave the skin on – it depends on how you would like to use them.  We typically eat them right away, but I also like to use slow-roasted tomatoes in my Fresh Tomato Tart recipe. 

Ingredients
6-8 medium-sized Early Girl (or your favorite kind) tomatoes or 2-3 dozen cherry tomatoes (peeled or not – depends on the final use)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
1 clove fresh garlic
4 sprigs fresh oregano (can also use fresh basil or thyme)
1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional – this is really only needed if the tomatoes need a little more sweetness)

You will also need:
Large pot
Water
Serrated knife
Cutting board
1 large baking pan (I typically use a 13″x9″x2″ pan)

Instructions
If peeling the tomatoes, fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.  With a serrated knife, make an “x” on the top of each tomato, being careful to slice only through the outer skin. 

Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water for about 2 minutes. 

Remove them from the water and place them onto a cutting board.  The skin should easily peel off. 

Slice each tomato in half and remove the core at the end.  Using your hands, remove the seeds from each half. 

Drizzle the baking dish with enough olive oil to coat the bottom.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Add the sliced garlic and spread out in the pan.   Strip the leaves from the herbs and add them to the pan. 

Place the tomatoes, cut side down, in the pan.  You can put them close together in the pan.  I separated them because I was only using a few tomatoes.  Brush the top with olive oil.  Sprinkle with the sugar, if needed.

Bake at 250 degrees Farhenheit for two hours.  Remove from the oven and let cool. 

Use the tomatoes in a recipe or just enjoy them as is.  Be sure to use the oil and to scrape the goodies from the bottom of the pan.

We make Crepes Suzette every year for dessert for our New Year’s Eve dinner.  They are pretty easy to do.  The secret is to make the crepes and the orange butter ahead of time.

Ingredients
For the crepes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup melted butter
2 Tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup water

1/4 cup melted butter for the pan

For the orange butter:
Zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup sugar
12 Tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
1/3 cup fresh orange juice

For flaming:
4 Tablespoons cognac
4 Tablespoons Cointreau or Grand Marnier

You will also need:
Mixing bowl
Wire whisk
Crepe pan or non-stick fry-pan
Pastry brush
Parchment paper
1/4 cup measuring cup
Plate
Blender
Large saute pan

Instructions
Whisk together the flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar and salt.  Whisk in the water.  Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Prepare the crepes ahead of time to save time.  Set the crepe pan on the stove and turn the heat on to medium-high.  Brush the bottom of the pan with butter.  Whisk the batter well.  Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan.  Turn the heat down to medium.  Tilt the pan and rotate it with your wrist to coat the bottom with the batter.

Cook for about 1 minute until the bottom is browned.  Flip the crepe over and cook on the other side for about 45 seconds.

Turn the crepe out onto a plate.  Put a piece of parchment paper over the crepe (to separate it from the next crepe).  Repeat the process until all of the batter is gone.  This should make about ten crepes.

To store, wrap the entire plate in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

You can also make the orange butter ahead of time.  Put the orange zest, butter and orange juice in the bowl of the blender and process until the mixture comes together.  Gather up the orange butter and roll it into a log.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.

To finish the dish:
In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the orange butter and cook for about 5 minutes.  The butter will bubble up and form a syrup.

Turn the heat down slightly and put one of the crepes into the pan, browned side up.  Working quickly, turn the crepe over to the other side.  Then fold it in half, then in fourths.  Move it to the side of the pan and repeat the process until the crepes have all been folded.

Pour the cognac and the orange liqueur over the crepes.  Tilt the pan into the flame (if you have a gas stove) or use a match to ignite.  (Careful!)

Spoon the flaming sauce over the crepes until the flames start to go out.  Place two or three crepes onto each serving plate.  Spoon any leftover sauce over the top.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-5.

Ingredients
3 pounds potatoes (You can use russets or a yellow waxy potato, such as Yukon Gold).
1 quart whole milk
Freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt to taste
2 T butter
1 c heavy cream
2 c freshly grated Gruyere cheese
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 clove fresh garlic, halved lengthwise

You will also need:
Large saucepan
Medium bowl
Large baking dish
Slotted spoon

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375^oF (190^oC).

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, milk, nutmeg, salt and 1 tablespoon of the butter.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  (You should stir occasionally to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan).  Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Combine ½ cup of the cream and 1 cup of the cheese.  Stir to blend.

Rub the bottom of the baking dish with the garlic and the remaining tablespoon of butter.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the potatoes to the baking dish.  Sprinkle with more nutmeg, pepper, the remaining ½ cup of cream and the remaining cup of cheese.  Cover with the remaining potatoes and sprinkle again with nutmeg and pepper.  Cover with the reserved topping mixture.  Discard the milk.  Place the baking dish in the center of the oven and bake until the potatoes are crisp and golden on top, about an hour.  Serve while hot. 

Note: You can add herbs to the milk during the cooking of the potatoes to give an extra zip to this dish.  Discard the herbs with the milk.  Serves 8. 

Ingredients
6 lamb shanks, split in half cross-wise
Olive oil
Fresh herbs – parsley, thyme, tarragon, etc., chopped
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

1 cup white or red wine
1 large sweet onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
6-8 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
6-8 turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

You will also need:
Large baking dish with a cover (or else aluminum foil as a cover)
Chef’s knife
Chopping board

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425^oF.

Rub the lamb shanks with olive oil and then with the chopped herbs. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Spread the shanks out into a baking dish and roast uncovered for about 30 minutes until browned.

Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 300^oF.

Remove the shanks from the baking pan and deglaze the pan with the wine.  Place the lamb shanks back into the baking pan.  Add the chopped vegetables and cover the pan.  Bake at 300^oF for about 2 hours, turning the shanks about every half hour.  Remove from the oven.  Take out the lamb shanks and place them on a warm platter.  Cover to keep warm.  Cook the vegetables uncovered for another 10-20 minutes to evaporate some of the moisture, if needed.  Remove the vegetables from the oven and season to taste.  Place the cooked vegetables around the lamb shanks on the platter.  Serve immediately.  If desired, deglaze the pan with a little wine and add some lamb or veal demi-glace to make a nice sauce. 

Ingredients
2 T unsalted butter + more for buttering the baking dishes
2 T sugar
2 cups cherries, pitted
1 T Amaretto (optional)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup cream or half-and-half
1 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar

You will also need:
Small skillet
Medium mixing bowl
6 small ramekins or 1 pie dish
Large baking sheet 

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

Butter the ramekins or pie dish and set aside. 

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat on top of the stove.  Add the pitted cherries and 2 T sugar.  When the cherries start to sizzle, reduce the heat and let them cook over a medium flame for about 5 minutes.  Add the amaretto and cook for another 5 minutes until the cherries are tender and a nice syrup is formed in the pan.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Mix together the flour, sugar and salt.  Add the eggs and stir to combine.  Add the cream and the vanilla.  Mix all ingredients well and set aside. 

Divide the cooked cherries among the buttered ramekins or put them into the buttered pie pan.  Pour the egg mixture on top.  Place the ramekins or pie pan onto a large baking sheet.   Bake for about 20 minutes (ramekins) or 30 minutes (pie pan) until set. 

Remove the clafoutis from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Turn on the broiler.  Place the clafoutis under the hot broiler for about 2-3 minutes until browned. 

Serve either warm or cold.   Top with whipped cream or mint, if desired.  Serves 6.

Ingredients
¼ pound strawberries
¼ pound raspberries
3 fresh apricots
1 large fresh peach
½ cup superfine sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
3 T Cognac

6 T. butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar
10 egg yolks, at room temperature
8 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup flour
¾ cup cold milk

You will also need:
Large skillet
Small saucepan
2 large mixing bowls
Shallow baking dish
6 individual soufflé molds or ramekins, 2 ½ or 3 inches in diameter
Colander
Paring knife
Wooden spoon
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Brush
Sugar sifter

Instructions
Wash the fruit and remove the stems. Cut the apricots into 1-inch cubes. Peel the peach. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

In a large skillet, combine the strawberries and raspberries with the sugar and lemon juice and cook briefly over high heat. The berries will render enough juice to dilute the sugar to a think syrup. Add the apricots and peaches and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. When cooled, stir in the Cognac.

Using 2 T of the softened butter, brush the inside of each soufflé mold. Pour ½ cup of the sugar into the first buttered mold, turning it to coat the bottom and sides entirely with sugar. Turn the excess sugar out into the next soufflé dish and turn to coat, continuing until all six molds are coated with sugar. Chill.

Forty minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a non-aluminum saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook over low heat for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add cold milk. Return to heat and bring to aboil for 2 or 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Then turn into a large bowl and mix in the superfine and vanilla sugars.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until well mixed. Add several tablespoons of the sweetened cream sauce to warm the yolks, then add yolks to the sauce, whisking well.

In a third bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir about one-third of the beaten whites into the yolk-cream mixture with a whisk. Then gently fold in the remaining whites, being careful not to deflate them.

Fill each of the chilled molds with the mixture and place them in a large baking dish filled with enough cold water to reach halfway up the sides of the molds. Place over medium-high heat untilt he water begins to boil. Then place in the hot oven and bake for 20 minutes.

About 5 minutes before serving, warm the fruit sauce over medium heat. Divide the sauce among 6 plates.

Remove the soufflés from the oven, unmold one onto each pool of the fruit sauce; or place on the plates in the souffle molds, make an indentation in the top of each soufflé, and spoon the fruit sauce on top. Serve immediately.

I first had this dish in the South of France.  I was hooked on its simplicity.   The flavor of the truffle diminishes at higher temperatures so remove the ramekins from the oven as soon as the bread has toasted. 

Ingredients
6 pieces of stale country bread, cut into thick slices
2-3 truffles, cleaned and sliced
6 tsp. crème fraiche
Port wine
Sea salt and pepper
Olive oil

You will also need:
Small ramekins (3″)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425^oF (218^oC).

Cut circles in the bread that will fit as caps for the ramekins.

Place the truffle slices into a small oven-safe ramekin.  Place a tsp of crème fraiche into each ramekin.  Add a few drops of Port.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place a bread cap over each one.  Brush the bread cap with olive oil.  Place into the oven.  When the bread begins to brown, remove the ramekins from the oven and serve quickly. 

Serves 6. 

Ingredients
1/3 cup (90 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (120g) plus 6 T sugar
1 ½ tsp grated orange zest
6 large apples
juice of 1 lemon
pinch of saffron
¾ cup (190ml) muscat (such as, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise)

You will also need:
Hand mixer or beater
Apple corer or knife
Baking dish

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325^oF (165^oC).  Cream together the butter, ½ cup of the sugar and the lemon zest.  Core the apples.  Peel the top third of each apple and dip the peeled surfaces into the lemon juice.  Stuff the apples with the butter mixture, spreading some on the peeled surfaces, as well. 

Stand the apples up, side by side, in a baking dish.  Sprinkle a little saffron over the peeled surfaces and pour the wine into the bottom of the dish. 

Bake until tender when pierced, basting several times with the pan juices, about 45 minutes.  (Keep adding the butter mixture to the core areas as the filling empties out from the apples.)

Sprinkle the surfaces of the apples with the remaining sugar, raise the oven temperature to 450^oF (230^oC) and watch the apples closely.  As soon as the sugar caramelizes, remove them from the oven.  Serve with a nice glass of muscat. 

Serves 6.

Ingredients
2 T unsalted butter
¾ cup (175ml) whipping cream
2 T chopped truffles
2 lbs (1 kg) yellow waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
½ lb (250g) onions, thinly sliced
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

You will also need:
Saute pan
Saucepan
Gratin dish

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350^oF (180^oC).

In saute pan, melt the butter over low heat.  Add the whipping cream and heat until almost boiling.  Remove from the heat and add the chopped truffles. Salt to taste.  Set aside.

Place the sliced potatoes and onions into a saucepan.  Add enough water to almost cover the potatoes.  Add salt to taste (about 1tsp.).  Bring to a boil and stir gently to keep the potatoes from sticking.  Pour the potatoes into the gratin dish and smooth the surface.  Pour the cream mixture over the top.  (You can also add cheese to this, if desired, but I left it out to better taste the flavor of the truffles.)

Place into the oven and bake until the potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes – 1 hour. 

Garnish with more truffles, if desired.

Serves 6.