Tactical recipes are the answer to a particular dilemma. This time of year, with Western New York’s finest fruit peaking, you need to know about clafoutis.
Say cla-foutie like the French do and voila, you have the answer to a pile of ripe fruit about to go into the compost heap. Despite your earnest efforts to get more local produce into your diet, the impulse buy of a basket of nectarines ran afoul of the reality of your life.
Don’t chuck them. Whip up a quick batter, slip them in the oven, and any meal, day or night, will be bettered by clafoutis.
The riper the better. More fruit nectar to drain into the thickening custard.
Any stone fruit seems to work – and Concord grapes, too. Just wash them, toss them into a buttered baking dish. Then whip, pour, bake, dollop, and away you go. Do wash and remove pits from peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, and cherries, though.
The French like to leave the pits in, arguing that it adds more flavor. They are correct. They also have free dental coverage.
Classic clafoutis adds a dash of flavored spirits to amp up the flavor – kirsch for cherry clafoutis, for example. Mine leaves it out, for simplicity, and there have never been leftovers.
More fruit? More batter, and a wider pan. A single batch fits nicely in a 9-inch pie dish, a double in an 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Plan with leftovers in mind, as clafoutis reheats nicely, and can ably serveI’m breakfast needs as well as dinner dessert.
If you can melt butter, turn on an oven, and whisk batter, you got this.
Tactical clafoutis
Inspired by Daniel Gritzer’s Serious Eats version
Ingredients
½ cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound fruit, more or less
Instructions
Set oven to 350 degrees.
Butter baking dish. Arrange fruit evenly.
Dump flour and sugar in a big mixing bowl. Add eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter.
Whisk until smooth. Pour over fruit. Put dish in oven.
Check at 45 minutes. Decide if it’s browned enough. Pull it out to cool if you prefer it on the pale, custardy side.
Bake until firm and brown as you like, then remove to cool.
Powdered sugar and whipped cream can add to the party, but aren’t necessary for the music to get you moving.
REVIEW: In her new spot in Cheektowaga by the airport, Palestinian grandmother Amira Khalil keeps the rotisserie chicken and beef kofta kabobs coming. Amira’s Kitchen has a robust selection of vegan dishes as well, making it a splendid candidate for a family meal or diverse group of appetites. (For patrons, later this week.)
BILLS FANS GET SOUTHERN JUNCTION: Among the new food options at Highmark Stadium is Southern Junction, the Texas-BBQ-by-way-of-Mumbai restaurant so good the James Beard Awards people asked his team to cook for their awards banquet.
WAXLIGHT ONSITE: The other Beard-caliber restaurant in town, Waxlight Bar a Vin, offers the ultimate farm-to-table experience in Alden Sept. 9. Once a year, the cooks go to the farmers, and make dinner. If you’re into al fresco dining, this is a topflight opportunity.
“Waxlight and the Oles family have a longstanding relationship,” Waxlight posted. “Our last popup before we opened our doors was at Oles Family Farm and we’ve been featuring their beautiful produce on our menus since Day 1.
Starting at 2 p.m., enjoy snacks and a welcome cocktail, followed by a farm tour with the Oles. The day will culminate in a shared feast for the ages, with friends, family and strangers alike. Tickets include dinner and drinks, of course, and a portion of every ticket sold will go directly to the Oles family.” Get tickets, $180, here.
ASK THE CRITIC
Q: Is Sahar Bakery, the Afghani place on Sheridan Drive in Tonawanda, closed or something? I went in because the door was open, but there was no one there, so I left.
— M. James, Amherst, via email
A: Fortunately, Sahar Bakery remains open, offering barbari loaves like those above at two for $5, often still warm from the oven.
The thing is, sometimes it’s just Medhi Attai, the bakery owner. There’s a buzzer or something that signals him when the door opens. But if he’s elbows-deep in dough, it might take a minute to clean up somewhat and come to the front of the bakery. I can assure you that good things come to those who wait.
More local food and restaurant stories compiled by Michael Chelus of Nittany Epicurean:
- Mr. Galarneau wrote about the local restaurant that has Buffalo’s “deepest-cuts Chinese menu” – China Taste [Four Bites]
- Andrew also wrote about a gem in the Elmwood Village – the Farm Shop [Four Bites]
- Jim wrote about the newly reopened Santasiero’s [Buffalo Rising]
- Brett took us to Lilyhouse, the new restaurant and bar inside the newly renovated Marriott in Amherst [Step Out Buffalo]
- Brian’s Buffalo Beer Buzz told us about the return of Bills-themed beers, this year’s Borderland can from 42 North and more [Buffalo Beer League]
- La Flor Bakery opened a new restaurant and there’s more to come [Buffalo News]
- AFAR magazine delved into the Buffalo food scene and argued that its one of the best in the nation [Buffalo News]
- Celebrate with Hombre y Lobo before they close in October [Buffalo Rising]
- Jamie’s been cooking meals inspired by the local produce she found at the North Tonawanda City Market [Open till Four]
- RocketCup Coffee will have a new café inside the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship [Buffalo Rising]
- Inspired by Mr. Galarneau, Jessican was impressed by the depth of cuisine she found in my local places like OG Dumpling House, India Star and more [Buffalo Rising]
- Have a look at the Eden Corn Festival [Buffalo News]
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