11 February 2013

Random Recipe - Stohrer's Cake aux Olives et Jambon



I recently ordered a few used cook books through alibris.com and thinking about Dom's 'do it your way' option for this month's Random Recipe, I decided that I would make the first recipe in whichever book arrived first. Well, today's morning mail offered up Linda Dannenberg's Paris Boulangerie et Pâtisserie .






The first recipe comes from the oldest pâtisserie in Paris, Stohrer. This bakery has been in operation since 1730, when Chef Stohrer left the employ of King Louis XV and Queen Marie at Versailles and opened a small magasin on the cobbled rue Montorgueil. It still stands there today and can be seen at this link . This savory cake recipe is the work of Chef Claude Moreau and is very popular with the Paris folk on weekends ... warm, it is a perfect lunch with a small salad and a glass of red wine. Cold, it could sit nicely beside a pot of tea and slices of pear or apple.






I completely lucked out here, folks! This is the very best savory quick bread that I have EVER had. I really can't urge you enough to try it. It's so very different from any that I've ever had, as it is made with eggs, white wines, and olive oil. Flour and baking powder are the only dry ingredients. The savory element comes from tiny cubes of ham, minced green Spanish Arbequina olives, and an apple-smoked Gruyère cheese. Oh my God, this is a combination that is just so very good!

The batter resembled pancake batter to me but it transformed into a high golden loaf with a shiny golden crust that crunches when you cut it and the moistest cheesiest crumb that almost falls apart when you slice it while still warm from the oven. Stohrer suggests that the cake be eaten cold or warm ... I really recommend warm with a glass of red wine. It was the perfect light lunch for us!




The crust is just so wonderfully crunchy and the cheese makes the crumb soft and incredibly moist.





Make this cake ...I mean it. You will not be disappointed. Really!


Gâteau aux Olives et Jambon


Ingredients:

2 c. less 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ c. dry white wine (Sauvignon blanc worked well)
½ c. dry Vermouth
4 large eggs, beaten
about 7 oz. light, mild flavoured olive oil
1 ½ c. finely cubed cooked ham
1 ½ c. grated Gruyère cheese (smoked was fantastic)
1 ¼ c. green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

Making the Cake:

  1. Prepare all the savory elements of the bread and have them at the work station.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.
  3. Measure the flour and baking powder into a deep mixing bowl and whisk together.
  4. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wines and beaten eggs.
  5. Mix gently to form a lumpy batter.
  6. Slowly add the olive oil, a few tablespoons at a time until you have beat the batter smooth and lump free.
  7. Fold in the cheese, olives, and ham and mix just until incorporated.
  8. Quickly turn into the prepared pan, place the pan on a larger cookie sheet. Place in the middle of the preheated oven.
  9. Bake for 55 minutes or until the bread is golden and crisped and a cake tester comes clean when inserted at the middle of the loaf.
  10. Let the baked cake sit in the pan for about ten minutes and then turn out onto a sheet of parchment paper, tie loosely to guard tea towels from the olive oil rich bread.
  11. Slice with a serrated knife and serve warm with a glass of wine and a small salad.
  12. To store, tie the parchment paper around the loaf and store loosely covered so that the bread does not go soggy in the crust.


9 comments:

  1. ooooh, at first it looks like it will be sweet but then you cut into it and those ham cubes... how absolutely divine... and look at that colour... what a divine loaf and an absolutely amazing entry for random recipes x

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  2. Mmmm, so unusual and so delicious looking. I think I would love this savory cake. Olives, ham and cheese, YUM!!!

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  3. I wish I had a slice of this bread right now! It looks wonderful.

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  4. That's a great random selection. I'm feeling an aperitif coming on - if only I had a slice of the cake right now.

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  5. This looks great. I can't wait to try it!

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    1. Use really good olives, Kate! Sooo utterly wonderful! The wine flavours mixed with the smoked Gruyere were just wonderful with those salty bits of ham and olive ... how much more can I gush?

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  6. As luck would have it I have some ham (leftover from Christmas) in the freezer - I have been looking for creative ways to use it up. This looks perfect.

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  7. Hi, this seems to be an awesome recipe.... But, I would like to know if there is an alternate to the wines used? Can I switch with some milk(whole fat)? Or if there is any other substitute for the wines, can you please let me know? And the quantity....

    I already bought the ham and the gruyere cheese and the green olives. So, can you please help me?

    Thank you...

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    Replies
    1. I honestly would not alter any of the wines, as they are what give this bread its distinctive flavour. The recipe is the original to the French bakery and wold be a completely different product should you change up ingredients - that being said, you might go with a skim milk, keeping the liquid very light (as are the wines). If you make this switch and it works, please let me know.

      Also, if you are worried about the alcohol content in the bread, one hour of baking/cooking removes about 75% of the alcohol content, but leaves the flavour and that 25% of any alcohol that is in the wine/bread.

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