Borlotti Pottage

Loosely based on a medieval dish. 

1½ cup (280gr) dry Borlotti beans (see NOTE)

3 Tbsps olive oil

3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed (not chopped)

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs oregano, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1lb 8oz (3 cups, or 1x796mL can) tomatoes, diced

3 cups chicken broth (to start)

OPTIONAL: 4 to 6 oz julienned greens

Fruit vinegar (either, red wine, white wine, plum, apple cider, raspberry, etc)

Parmesan

1. Soak beans overnight but do not cook!
2. Next day, sauté garlic in the oil, add oregano and bay leaf, stir in for about a minute more.
3. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper.
4. Add tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. 
5. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 hours, replenishing the stock if necessary. Stir occasionally.
6. When beans are cooked, leave uncovered and cook at a rapid simmer until most of the broth has evaporated. It is at the beginning of this rapid boil that you can add the optional greens.
7. Add the fruit vinegar, serve on plates and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan, fresh ground pepper and chopped fresh oregano. Accompanies well with crusty bread.

NOTE: Can easily substituted with Cranberry beans, Red Mexican beans, Black Turtle beans, or any bean that will remain firm and hold its shape when cooked.

Tartignole aux pommes (apple pancake)

A dish from northern France, from among the "Ch'ti", it's like a Tarte Tatin but as a pancake. I don't know what to say. It's really good! My ancestors may have originated from this area, and over the generations made their way down to central France before making their way West to the coast, and finally over to l'île d'Orléans as early settlers. Knowing that my family are settlers in New France makes me wonder about my own indigeneity, and what wisdom my ancestors can transmit through traditional regional foods.

4 servings

150g flour

3/4 tsp baking powder (1/2 tsp = more custard, 1 tsp=more cake)

Optional, 1 Tbsp sugar

1 pinch salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup water

2 lrg apples, peeled, quartered and sliced thick (300 to 500 g)

40 g BROWN sugar

1 Tbsp calvados, brandy, or 1/2 tsp cinnamon or Poudre Douce)

40 g butter + 10 g

15g white sugar

To serve, plain or drizzle with maple syrup, or yogurt, chocolate, apple butter

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, eggs, water, and salt. Stir the batter very well. Let it rest while preparing the apples.
2. Put the prepared apples in a bowl and mix together with the sugar and flavoring (liquor or spice), to coat.
3. Melt the 40g of butter at medium-high heat. When the butter begins to froth, reduce the temperature to Medium, add the apple mixture, spread evenly across the pan and let it cook for 2 minutes. 
4. Flip the apples to cook the second side. As soon as you've flipped all the pieces, pour the batter over the apple and cook on Low for 5-6 minutes or until the top is almost set. Put a lid on top to make this happen faster.
5. As the first side is cooking and the top is just starting to set, sprinkle the 15g of sugar on top.
6. Meanwhile, grease a dinner plate with the 10g of butter for the next step, reserving any leftover butter to add to the pan for the flip (next step).
7. When the bottom of the pancake is brown, make sure it's loose from the pan, perhaps by running a spatula underneath it. Upturn the plate on top of the pancake, hold firm with your hand, grab the handle of the pan and flip the pancake onto the plate. Remove the pan. The pancake should just drop onto the plate
8. Set the pan back on the stove-top, add the remaining butter to melt in the pan and slide the pancake back in to finish. Cook the second side for about 3 to 4 minutes to get another nice brown crust.