Redcurrant Jelly with Rosé and Piment D'Espelette

Each week brings a new bounty to the farmer's market. Our local market has music, artisans, cheese makers, beekeepers, bakers and more as well as farmer's with their fresh pickings. My friend, Babby sells her redcurrants there every year. We thought last year would have been her final year at the market with her sweet and tart berries, but thankfully she had her table set up again this season. Last year I made Summer Pudding with her redcurrants and thought I'd try a jelly this year. I prefer jams to jellies, but after cooking down, redcurrants have seeds that become too predominant and not appealing. Since I love, love pepper and had some piment d'espelette from a Paris food market, I added that, but you could use your favorite pepper. I like piment d'espette for it's full round flavor and and mild hotness. We are still in rosé wine season, so I substituted rosé for the water that added a certain je ne sais quoi. Removing these small berries from their stems can be tedious, but by placing the stem between the tines of a fork, it goes quickly. It is meditative work that made me reflect upon Babby and her garden as the berries fell from their tiny stems through the fork tines. Her late husband Bill, always played his accordion after our Thanksgiving meal and shot off his miniature handmade canon during the 4th of July. His ancestors go back centuries in my historical town. Knowing where your food comes from and how it's grown connects you to it's essence. It's not just a blind date.
This jelly is a sweet addition to a cheese board or goes well with a grainy bread and creamy butter.

Redcurrant Jelly with Rosé and Piment D'Espelette

1 1/4 redcurrants, rinsed and stems removed
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup rosé wine or water
2 teaspoons piment d'espelette*
*cayenne pepper or another pepper may be substituted, but reduce amounts according to their hotness.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the redcurrants, sugar and rosé (or water). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle boil. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the mixture starts to set and thicken. Test by putting a spoonful on a chilled plate, it should be slightly thick. The jelly will thicken more as it cools, but will not be firm. Remove from the stove and put the mixture through a food mill or sieve to remove the seeds. Stir the piment d'espelette into the strained mixture.

Pour into 2 sterilized 4 ounce jars or 1-8 ounce jar.

Makes 1 cup.

Crab Cakes With Piment D'espelette Alioi

Gingerbread, sugar cookies, truffles, scones slathered in butter and jam...oh my! I want seafood now. And the only cake I want is a crab cake :-) I think they'll be a perfect way to ring in 2010. I actually can't believe we are entering a new decade in what still seems like a new century. 2010 sounds too much like a year that you would enter in a time machine and not with the clink of Champagne glasses. Alas, the future is now and there is no time like the present to celebrate the day. These crab cakes are great as appetizers, a light meal or for brunch. I prefer mine to be made with top quality crab, with as little filler as possible so that the true star shines through. I was able to get some really fresh crab meat from Whole Foods, but fresh crab meat is available in large food stores in most areas. My favorite recipe comes from Tyler Florence who I have a huge foodie crush on. He just knows how to take a dish and give it his own flavor. His version is simply made and goes perfectly with a Champagne toast. I made an Piment D'espelette Alioi that I created with some experimentation. I used the piment d'espelette that I bought at a Paris food market this fall. To make the sauce quickly, I used prepared olive oil mayonnaise (for ease and also to not use raw egg yolks), piment d'espelette*, garlic, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. This comes together in a snap and any leftover is good on just about anything! For an Asian sauce, I also want to try some chili sauces that Ju, at The Little Teochew and Zurin, from Cherry on a Cake have brought to us. Take a peek at their posts, I'm sure you'll be delighted.

However you ring in the New Year, whether it is quietly at home or at a large party celebration, I wish you the very best for a safe, happy and healthy 2010. Happy New Year! Ching-Ching!!
Crab Cakes
(Adapted from "Tyler's Ultimate", by Tyler Florence)

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (made from 3 or 4 slices of white bread with the crusts removed)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 large egg white
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole leaves for garnish
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Over medium heat, lightly cover the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the onion gets somewhat caramelized. Put that into a bowl and fold in the crab meat, bread crumbs,mayonnaise,egg white, lime juice, and cilantro, mixing until just well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 6 fat crab cakes. Put them on a plate and put them into the refrigerator to chill.

In a large sautè pan, just cover the bottom with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until they are nice and crisp. Loosely cover if they need more time to cook in the center.
Piment D'espelette Alioi

1 cup good quality olive oil mayonnaise
1 teaspoon, or more to taste, piment d'espelette**
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
olive oil
*piment d'espelette is a mild chili pepper from the French Basque area of France. It has a mildly hot and slightly sweet round flavor.
**Ground cayenne pepper may be substituted, just use about half of the amount.

Into the mayonnaise, mix the pepper, lemon juice, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard. Stir to mix well. Drizzle in a small amount of olive oil to reach the consistency you prefer. Refrigerate until serving.

Makes one cup.

Piment D'espelette Aioli recipe click here.
Crab Cake recipe click here.