Gougères, aka Cheese Puffs

Cream Puffs, filled with sweetened whipped cream and topped with chocolate, are delectable. A friend of mine makes the best ones and always has them in her freezer, ready to pull out at a moment's notice. But did you know that you can use the same dough - pâte à choux - to make savory puffs as well? Adding cheese and herbs to the dough gives the puffs new taste. They are delicious as appetizers, and can be frozen, then reheated in the oven before serving. I've used chives and oregano in this recipe, but other herbs could easily be substituted.

Gougères with Oregano, Chives and Swiss Cheese

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 cup finely grated Swiss cheese (or substitute any flavor cheese)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano (2 teaspoons dried)
1 Tablespoon minced fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

In medium saucepan, bring water and butter to the boil. Add salt and flour, all at once, stirring vigorously. The mixture will look lumpy at first, then smooth out to a doughy paste. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and herbs. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously (this takes some work) until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one.

Drop by small spoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Remove to a rack to cool. Serve warm. 

Makes about 3 dozen small puffs.

 

Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread

The herb garden is doing well. I love going out to clip a handful - chives, oregano, thyme, parsley, and adding them to salads or soups.

This spread, which could also be used as a dip, uses nothing but fresh ingredients. It tastes better if the flavours have some time to get to know each other in the fridge before serving. Equally good spread on toasted baguettes, crackers, or with fresh vegetables, it's a summery staple that comes together easily.

Note: I used 1% cottage cheese and light sour cream. Feel free to use the fuller fat varieties - you'll probably land up with a creamier taste.

Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread

2 cups cottage cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh chives, snipped
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 green onions, green parts thinly sliced and the white parts minced

To chop the fresh herbs, I like to give them a good rinse, dry them well, then place them all in a heap on the cutting board, along with the garlic cloves, and run my chef's knife through them until they are a fragrant heap of green and white on the board.

Combine the cottage cheese, the sour cream, the salt and lemon in a blender or food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Stir in the chopped herbs. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Chicken Marinade

I love barbecued chicken breasts. But they can become too dry if not watched carefully. A friend gave me this recipe for a chicken marinade that results in juicy and flavourful chicken.

I like to purchase a big package of chicken breasts, then freeze them in smaller portions. Last summer I tried making the marinade and putting it on the chicken in the ziploc bag before freezing. Take a bag out of the freezer and the meat marinades beautifully while it thaws. Father's Day was the day after I returned from a trip to Europe with my mom and my sister. I knew I wouldn't be in any frame of mind to cook or even think about a menu, so I suggested to my daughters that I would prepare the marinade and chicken before I left on my trip, and they could take care of the rest of the menu. I felt so organized!

We had a wonderful barbecue on our son and daughter-in-law's new deck. The girls made yummy salads and dessert, and I contributed my bag of chicken. I was feeling a little punch-drunk with just 6 hours sleep in 36 hours.

Chicken Marinade

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Mix it all up, pour over chicken pieces and marinade for several hours, or freeze. Grill chicken until done.