Mid-Week Winter Dinner: With Help from a Few New Friends

While reading Molly Wizenburg's blog Orangette last month, I learned about Megan Gordon, the Seattle purveyor of Marge Granola and blog mistress of A Sweet Spoonful.

Gordon is also now a cookbook author and a damn good one too. Her new book is Whole Grain Mornings: New Breakfast Recipes to Span the Seasons. I bought it on pre-order sight unseen and am not disappointed.

Last night I made dinner from one of her savory breakfast entrees - Pearl Barley with Mushroom and Parmesan. I added a few peas for color and to get an extra veggie into the meal - I liked the texture change and the slight sweetness they added.

I fried up a couple of eggs and laid them on top for protein and served it with a green salad, crusty bread and white wine.

Definitely a great addition to my winter meal selection. It's certainly not a meal to make in 30 minutes or less. The prep is easy but the barley takes 60 minutes to cook. It's worth the wait.

David got a phone call right before he left his office for the gym at the end of the day. A project they'd proposed last month came through. So that means a new contract for him and a ride along to Sonoma when he does site visits for me. I'm excited. Nothing like visiting the wine country on your husband's business trip.

So to celebrate his added income and professional success, I made a french yogurt cake that seems to make its way into every "American Foodie in France" book I've read. This one I took from Elizabeth Bard's Paris for Lunch although I could have gotten it in any number of other books. (Remind me to tell you about the amazing chocolate cake that they also all seem to know.)

The picture isn't particularly stunning - I made it in a loaf pan since I cut the recipe in half and didn't have a small enough round cake pan. I also added apples that I'd chopped and coated with cinnamon and a little brown sugar.  Although the apples went on top, they sunk to the bottom (you can see them down there in the picture.)

This cake a extremely moist and with a firm crumb. You'd think it was soaked in oil, but it must just be the yogurt doing its thing. It didn't call for a lot of oil and no butter at all. Don't leave the lemon zest out.

Delicious sliced with my afternoon tea - or morning tea too for that matter. Okay let's just say its good anytime. It would also be great with little chantilly (whipped cream) or a tiny scoop of good ice cream. Here is the recipe as re-told by me from Paris for Lunch.
 

1 c plain yogurt ( used Greek and it turned out fine)
1 c sugar
A large pinch of salt
1 t vanilla extract
1/3 c vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1-1/2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
Zest of 1 lemon

A handful of chopped apples, berries or other fruit. Nuts might also be good.


Preheat the oven to 350 (f). Lightly oil a 10-inch round cake pan. (I used pan spray and it worked great. Bard's recipe has you using parchment paper and oil etc. but I just find it messy.)

In a medium bowl combine the yogurt, sugar, salt and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add the oil in a steady stream and whisk to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking to incorporate after each addition.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and add to the yogurt mixture; whisk to combine - don't over mix though. Stir in the lemon zest.

Transfer the batter to the cake pan and top with fruit or nuts. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes, untio golden brown and slightly risen. Do the toothpick test to be sure. Cool slightly and then de-pan it to a rack for further cooling. Can be served at room temperature or warm.

To store, wrap it in foil. It gets better with age. Do not store in an airtight container or plastic bag or it will get soggy.

Bon Appetit!