Category: Fruits

No. 615Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Blueberry Crisp

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Blueberries–dark, mysterious little glistening jewels, precious and sweet–dare I say, perfect for Blueberry Crisp, a simple jewel from the Bijouxs kitchen.

FOOD MEMORIES

It’s funny how cravings happen. A simple thought, conversation, or image can return you to a meal, a taste, a time and a place. Our beautiful Pacific Northwest is a place I have traveled to and enjoyed for many years–eating my fill of huckleberries, wild salmon and peaches to die for, and also…

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen

COASTAL SUMMER

When people California imagine summertime on the Central Coast, they’re probably thinking of blue skies and ocean breezes with perfect surfing waves. In fact, it’s usually about 60+ degrees here and the ocean is a little gnarly, the fog clouds hang like dark stubble out off the coast. But every afternoon we get a prevailing sea breeze and the sun usually shines.

LOCAL BLUEBERRIES

I have been able to pickup nice blueberries grown just north of me along the coast. I’m lucky to be North of LA and nestled in some of best fruit and vegetable agricultural growers. Baskets of bluberries are found at my Farmer’s Markets.

The memory of blueberries baked into a crisp in the Pacific Northwest. I recreated this lovely treat at home and it’s easy to do. Living in the dry, arid environs of Los Angeles area has precluded me from picking up fresh wild blueberries from the market, but I have found solace in the intense natural flavor from local berries, they make a bright, quick crisp.

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

BLUEBERRY CRISP

This recipe is one of the best I have ever encountered, no joke. It came from an vintage Saveur Magazine Numer 51, The California Road Trip. I am so happy I have kept all my Saveur copies for many years I subscribed. My many road trips north to Seattle area have lead me to the most amazing blueberries. This crisp recipe from the Trnindad area is like no other. So simple but the crispy-sweet crust is the winning part of the recipe.

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Blueberry Crisp | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Just a bite of this crisp takes me back, it hopefully will evoke a memory of your own, a comforting time now easily recreated in a dish. Enjoy!

 

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Melon Salad with Nectarines, Tomatoes and Basil

Melon Salad with Nectarines, Tomatoes and Basil | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Layers of juicy melon with sweet nectarines, tomatoes and pecorino cheese are dressed with light lemon juice along with with capers and spice of red chile flakes–Melon Salad with Nectarines, Tomatoes and Basil No.610 in the Recipe Membership Collection.

SUMMER SALADS

Grab the best selections from summer’s bounty of fruits for summer salads. This Melon Salad with Nectarines, Tomatoes and Basil has quickly become a summer favorite. 

MELON SALAD  WITH NECTARINE, TOMATOES AND BASIL

Melon Salad with Nectarines, Tomatoes and Basil | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Sweet fruit combined with salty tomatoes and percorino cheese make a delightful salad combination. For this recipe use the best fruit you can find, ripe melon, nectarines, and cherry tomatoes. Each ingredient is dressed individually with just lemon juice a couple capers and red pepper flakes. Top the salad with shaved pecorino cheese and fresh basil leaves. Bella!

Beautiful and fresh summer salad Melon Salad with Nectarine, Tomatoes and Basil No. 610 from the Membership Collection.

 

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French Strawberry Preserves

French Strawberry Preserves | Bijouxs Little Jewels

More and more, we all wonder as we cruise the vast supermarket aisles, “Where did this food come from and what’s really in it?” Food labels are akin to reading hieroglyphics. Consider this simple, classic everyday beauty, French Strawberry Preserves – just a few ingredients with loads of fresh flavor.

FRENCH PRESERVES

This recipe is adapted from Mes Confitures: The Jams and Jellies of Christine Ferber, real French preserves. The difference I can see is the technique for making the preserves, it is a very easy 3-day procedure, and it produces the best jam I have made thus far.

French Strawberry Preserves | Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen

FRAISES DE BOIS STRAWBERRIES

This variety of smaller, more delicate strawberry is also referred to as Alpine Strawberry in English. I had grown them at my cherished Spanish Bungalow, now so close to the sea, berries are more difficult to grow without ample sun. Lucky they are grown in the drier inland commercial farms near me. I used them here in the French Preserves.

TOAST AND JAM

French Strawberry Preserves | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Always a comfort toast & jam and a cup of tea, savor French Strawberry Preserves No. 602 from the Collection.

 

 

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Mixed Berry Flaugnarde

Mixed Berry Flaurarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Gorgeous fruits are making their appearance everywhere you look, yes, summer is almost here. Mixed Berry Flaugnarde, with a puffy light outer crust with creamy custard filling, could not be simpler – Bijouxs Summer Recipe Collection is here.

SUMMER BERRIES

When summer fruit become the cuisine de rigueur, it’s time for recipes that honor the fruit and are summer easy. These lovely fruits came from the Santa Barbara Farmers Market.

Mixed Berry Flaugnarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

RUSTIC FRENCH DESSERT

A tried and true Bijouxs summer recipe is Mixed Berry Flaugnarde, and the best thing it is easier than pie. Many of you may already be familiar with classic clafouti, the delicate French baked custard dessert traditionally made with cherries, but a clafouti is a very flexible dessert. The simple custard mixture also very lovingly envelops other fruits but then it is referred to as a flaugnarde.

Mixed Berry Flaugnarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels
Simple on-hand batter ingredients such as eggs, sugar, milk and flour make a summer fruit find at the farmers market a great dessert in quick time. An easy traveler, the rustic flaugnarde can make its way with you to an event.

MIXED BERRY FLAUGNARDE

Mixed Berry Flaugnarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Mixed Berry Flaugnarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels
Bake in traditional round tart/pie pan, a small ovenproof skillet or in square/rectangular tart pans. Served carved into little bites or thin slices, then accompany with or without a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fruit sorbet.

Mixed Berry Flaugnarde – a simple summer dessert for summer’s bounty of fruits a new recipe in the Membership Collection. Join for access to all 598 recipes. Cheers.

 

 

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Avocado Olive Cake

Avocado Olive Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Yes, we really do need another avocado oil cake recipe. Avocado Olive Cake, always a Little Jewel.

VENTURA AVOCADOS

As the avocados ripen here along the Coast, it’s time to savor the season. Once they become available locally I have one almost everyday. My neighbor has a stellar tree and I await the brown bag by my door filled with avocados. The groves fill our Ventura hillsides and some of the best avocados are right here in our own town. Many of the roadside fruit stands carry our local fruits. Avocado is a fruit you know. I like to shop local and support our local farmers.

Avocado Oil Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

AVOCADO OIL CAKE

One of my favorite cakes is made with avocado oil, not olive oil. When it comes to avocado oil, it pays to buy the best, purity is a factor. Check the date and ingredients to make sure you are getting PURE avacado oil. There are many brands to sample, I have used this Extra-Virgin one and found it quite good., easy order on Amazon. The cake is best made with a lighter avocado oil then finished with a richer extra-virgin olive oil, either way the cake is wonderful  I enjoy topping this tender cake with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Avocado Olive Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Avocado Olive Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

 

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