Homemade Creme de Cassis – Tres Bien!

Our garden has organic black current bushes and this summer they were filled with the black, tart berries.  After making a few jars of black current jelly, I wondered what else I can do with this fruit.  Then I thought, of course, Cassis!  Found this recipe on recipezaar and I have to admit it’s delicious. I’ve been giving my party guests a teeny taste after dinner and they are all impressed at how close it tastes to the authentic French stuff. Add to a dry white wine to make Kir or add to champagne for a Kir Royal.  Sweet dreams of France.

Creme de Cassis

• 1 pound black currents mashed
• 2 1/2 cups red wine
• 4-5 cups sugar
• 2-2 1/2 cups vodka or brandy (I used a medium/good vodka)

Directions

1. Combine the currents and red wine in a ceramic or glass bowl, and leave for at least 24 and up to 48 hours.
2. Purée the mixture in a food processor or blender, and then strain it through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large saucepan.
3. For every cup of liquid, add 1 cup of sugar.
4. Heat gently, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Do not let the liquid come to a simmer, as you don’t want to boil off the alcohol. Then leave at the lowest heat for an hour or more, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced a little and become slightly syrupy.
6. Allow to cool.
7. Mix together 1 part vodka or brandy with 3 parts of the cooled blackcurrant-wine syrup, and funnel into clean, dry bottles. Store in a cool place for at least 2 weeks before drinking.
8. Use whenever a recipe/cocktail calls for creme de cassis.  Add to sparkling water for a refreshing, light cocktail.

Julia Child’s Salade Niçoise

Nora Ephron, director of the Julia Child movie Julie and Julia, has cooked up quite a stir. It seems everyone wants to  be Julia. I’ve made this wonderful Salad Nicoise for years. Every summer during green bean/tomato season I can’t seem to help myself!

Ever wonder what the French have for lunch?

Salade Niçoise
From Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom, by Julia Child.

Of all main-course salads, the Niçoise is my all-time favorite, with its fresh butter-lettuce foundation; its carefully cooked, beautifully green green beans; its colorful contrast of halved hard-boiled eggs, ripe red tomatoes, and black olives; all fortified by chunks of tunafish and freshly opened anchovies. It’s a perfect luncheon dish, to my mind, winter, summer, spring, and fall — an inspired combination that pleases everyone.

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Ingredients:

1 large head Boston-lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 pound green beans, cooked and refreshed
1-1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 to 2/3 cup basic vinaigrette
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 or 4 ripe red tomatoes, cut into wedges (or 10 to 12 cherry tomatoes, halved)
3 or 4 “boiling” potatoes, peeled, sliced, and cooked
Two 3-ounce cans chunk tuna, preferably oil-packed
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1 freshly opened can of flat anchovy fillets
1/3 cup small black Niçoise-type olives
2 to 3 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Instructions:

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter or in a shallow bowl. Shortly before serving, toss the beans with the shallots, spoonfuls of vinaigrette, and salt and pepper. Baste the tomatoes with a spoonful of vinaigrette. Place the potatoes in the center of the platter and arrange a mound of beans at either end, with tomatoes and small mounds of tuna at strategic intervals. Ring the platter with halves of hard-boiled eggs, sunny side up, and curl an anchovy on top of each. Spoon more vinaigrette over all; scatter on olives, capers, and parsley, and serve.

Yield: Serves 6