No. 603Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk & Herbs

Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk & Herbs | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Coconut milk creates a savory creamy sauce for Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk & Herbs, the newest Little Jewel from the Collection Membership.

COCONUT MILK

This simple braising method creates tender chicken with a light coconut sauce infused with garlic and herbs. Braising is a cooking method that is not that widely used, but should be revisited in our cooking collection.

Braising is a cooking method that combines both wet and dry heat. Food is first seared at a high temperature, then simmered in a covered pot with a liquid. This method is great for tougher cuts of meat, making them tender. Perfect for these boneless chicken thighs.

FRESH HERBS

The fresh thyme is important to this recipe, adding a woody hint along with the garlic infusing flavor into the rich coconut milk braising liquid.

WEEKNIGHT COOKING

This brown+braise recipe makes an easy a weeknight dinner, the oven cooking portion requires no attention.
Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk & Herbs, another Little Jewel in the Collection Membership.

 

 

No. 602Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

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.

 

 

No. 601Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Heirloom Yellow Oxheart Tomato Salad

Heirloom Yellow Oxheart Tomato Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A simple preparation for the sweet queen of the season, Heirloom Tomatoes. Yellow Oxheart tomatoes are served in all their beauty. Recipe No. 601 from the Membership Collection.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

The farmers markets in the Central Coast of Cali are bursting with the first picks of the season. Since I am in the midst of the agriculture here fruit and vegetables abound. This year the tomatoes were early, after a wet spring, surprising most of us gardeners.

OXHEART HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

It’s lovely to visit the Farmers markets near Santa Barbara, you will find so many varieties. A friend brought me a bag of Yellow Oxheart tomatoes along with some small yellow cherry tomatoes. The Oxheart dates back to 1915 from Virginia.

SIMPLE FOOD

Tomatoes are the one fruit that does not need much adornment. Their sweetness is a perfect complement to the salty nature of the Manchego cheese along with the brightness of parsley.

Savor Heirloom Yellow Oxheart Tomato Salad simple and  new in the Membership Collection.

 

No. 600Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Spring in the garden heralded by my first artichokes. Inspired, a new recipe for the Collection Membership a crispy Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette. Join and as a member access all 600 recipes.

SPRING IN THE GARDEN

As we all know this Spring weather has been a bit wonky everywhere, hard to plan a garden this year. I have held off on planting my lettuce and herbs, the fog has made it dismal here on the CA Coast. However, my tried & true artichokes mananged to squeek out a few artichokes.

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

ARTICHOKE PANINI

The dreary weather has kept me indoors but I happened on a delighful recipe from Joy’s Once Upon a Thyme featured in Diner’s Driveins and Dives. Joy created a crispy artichoke panini served with the best dressing. They are located in beautiful lush Chehalis Washington.

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette | Bijouxs Little Jewels

BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Her salad dressing is so much in demand that they sell bottles of it at the restaurant, really. While I do not have her exact recipe, I have come pretty closed by tinkering with the ingredients. The episode on DDD does tell more about the basil dressing, which she says people want to drink, it’s that good. Photo from website.

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Enjoy this crispy Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette. Cheers.

No. 598Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

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.