The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz

Author:David Lebovitz [Lebovitz, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7679-3212-7
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2009-05-08T16:00:00+00:00

CAKE AUX LARDONS ET FROMAGE BLEU

BACON AND BLUE CHEESE CAKE

ONE 9-INCH (23-CM) LOAF CAKE

In my opinion, the French don’t do “cuisine branchée,” or trendy food, very well. For some reason, most of the experimental cuisine I’ve had in Paris comes off as precious or contrived. And don’t get me started on the subject of square plates with a line of sauce in one corner and a dusting of ground cumin on the other.

One trend I do like, though, is le cake (pronounced “kek”). A departure from their sweet American counterparts, these savory quick breads are welcome served as an hors d’oeuvre before dinner, thinly sliced, with glasses of cool Muscadet or a snappy Sauvignon Blanc. Midafternoon, I hack off a slice or two for le snack. At that hour, unless you live in Paris, a glass of wine is optional. But for me, after a long day, it’s sometimes obligatoire.

Two hints: To make the blue cheese easier to crumble, leave it unwrapped on a plate in the refrigerator to dry a bit a day ahead. The second tip is to reserve the bacon fat and use that to grease the pan, which will add aromatic smokiness to the cake.

Butter or bacon fat for preparing the pan

1½ cups (210 g) flour

2 teaspoons baking powder (preferably aluminum-free)

1 teaspoon chile powder

½ teaspoon coarse salt

4 large eggs, at room temperature

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil (if possible, use one that’s very fruity)

½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

½ small bunch chives, finely chopped (about ¼ cup) or scallions

5 ounces (140 g) blue cheese or Roquefort, well crumbled

2 ounces (60 g) grated Parmesan

8 strips of bacon (about 5 ounces/150 g), cooked until crisp, then crumbled into pea-sized pieces

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