Saturday, August 7, 2010

Fig & Blueberry Clafouti

I don't usually find fresh figs where I live. They're so sweet -- what a treat! I love this week's recipe, but first --



Congratulations to Cleo on the releaseRoast Mortem of her new book Roast Mortem!

The national bestselling author brews up another mystery-and this time, it's New York's Bravest that get burned.


For online ordering, just click here!



I feel so Ina Garten today. This is the kind of simple recipe she would serve to guests at an outdoor dinner party, surrounded by fields, flowers, and candles. Rustic, yet elegant.



Sophisticated flavors, perfect for impressing foodie friends, or a future mother-in-law. Shh, we won't tell how easy this is!

The last clafouti I made was a huge disappointment. Usually made with cherries, a clafouti is baked with sort of a custard/pancake batter. So this time around, I searched for alternatives and based this recipe on one from The Best of Gourmet 1988. Specifically, I was inspired by the use of ground almonds as a substitute for most of the flour. The resulting dish almost melts in your mouth.



Fig & Blueberry Clafouti


9 fresh figs
1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup blanched almonds
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
dash of salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk (I used nonfat)
splash of orange liquor (1/2 teaspoon-ish)


1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400.

2. Slice the figs lengthwise and arrange in a baking dish or pie pan. Scatter the blueberries in between the figs.

3. In a food processor, pulse the almonds until fine. Add the sugar, flour, salt, and whirl. Add the two eggs and the milk, and whirl into a batter. Pour over the fruit.

4. Cut the butter into tiny bits and scatter over top of the batter. Sprinkle with the two remaining tablespoons of sugar.

5. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden in color and set. Cool briefly, but serve warm. You can serve it plain, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or with a dollop of whipped cream.


Enjoy!

14 comments:

  1. My culinary non-expertise is showing this morning. I've never heard of a clafouti, but I have to tell you, Krista, the photo above makes me realize I should! Figs and blueberries, ooh, yum!!

    Thanks for teaching me something new this morning!

    Julie

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  2. Apparently it's a French dish. Very easy to make. Melt in your mouth good!

    ~ Krista

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  3. Oh, wow, does this look absolutely delicious and so easy. Krista, you really are the embodiment of your domestic diva!

    ~Avery

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  4. This looks delicious and not a lot of work.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  5. You're so funny, Avery! LOL! There's something about figs that makes me feel very diva-ish, though. : )

    Mason, it isn't a lot of work. Thank goodness for food processors!

    ~ Krista

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  6. Love this recipe, Krista. Just beautiful. IMO - fresh figs are to die for. (And I know Sophie knows a thing or two about untimely deaths, as well.)

    Also must add a big thank you for the very kind shout-out about my new release. Now we'll have have to start counting down to the release of THE DIVA COOKS A GOOSE!

    Enjoy this beautiful summer Saturday,
    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  7. Krista,

    Can I come over for some clafouti? Seriously,
    as I read the recipe and studied the pics my
    eyes glazed and a little drool came out of the corner of my mouth. FANTASTIC!

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  8. Thanks, Cleo! We're all wishing you a wonderful book launch.

    Jenn, come on over! I have napkins . . .

    ~ Krista

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  9. Hmm, a friend's father has a prolific fig tree. Looks delicious!

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  10. I love fresh figs! They are such showoffs, it doesn't take much to highlight their delicious elegance, and this dish looks like it will do just that. Can't wait to taste the combination of figs and blueberries--thanks, Krista!

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  11. Oh yum! I'm not sure I've ever seen a fresh fig. Wonder if Sprouts carries them....I'll check tomorrow.

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  12. I used to have fig trees in my yard growing up (and my grandmother had them, too), and we just LOVED the fruit. This is a delicious, simple way to prepare them--and introduce them to my kids, who haven't had any! Thanks. :)

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  13. I have a fig tree in the back yard that supplies a bountiful crop--but I'm lucky to get six or eight figs, even though I check daily. The squirrels eat them when they're still hard green nubs. When I look at the grocery store prices, I realize the squirrels have eaten pure gold!

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  14. Judy, hang some old (or new) CDs from the branches with thin wire so they twist in the sunlight. That worked for the peach tree I used to have.

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