By The Lazy Tigers
If we needed any proof that the summer is running away from us, it is the fact that the Rota do Petisco starts on 10 September. The famous snack route is back and is encouraging everyone to dine out round the Algarve, tasting small plates at as many restaurants and cafes as possible.
This should mean Lazy Girls have even less reason to get into the kitchen on a hot September day, but a visit from an old colleague from France recently has encouraged us to put together a trio of Gallic goodies. These are all easy classics that shouldn’t mean spending too much time indoors on preparation; string them together for an impromptu supper.
GARLIC PRAWNS
To serve 4:
- 1 kilo of peeled, large raw prawns
- 150 grams of butter
- 5 cloves of garlic thinly sliced (you can double that quantity if you love it)
- 150 ml of any old dry white wine (one you like to drink)
- Salt and pepper
- A big handful of parsley
- Something like a few baguettes to serve
De-vein the prawns if you like. Melt half the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and sauté till they turn pink (about three minutes), then put on a large, warmed plate.
Put the garlic in the pan and sauté for a minute, add the wine and cook for two minutes, then stir in the salt and pepper to taste. Then add the rest of the butter a bit at a time, constantly whisking until it thickens. Throw the prawns back in and add parsley to taste. Serve with the baguettes.
The cake we are suggesting is a French housewife’s classic. It is called Quatro Quart, which means four quarters. The original recipe involved weighing your eggs, then using exactly the same weight of sugar, flour, and butter. You can still do that to give you that French farmhouse feel, but the quantities below should work fine.
QUATRE QUART
To make 8 good slices:
- 5 medium eggs
- 250 grams of sugar
- 250 grams of plain flour
- 2 tsps of baking powder
- 250 grams of melted butter
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4, and either butter and flour or line with baking paper, a cake tin. You can use a standard loaf tin, a 24 cm round tin, or our favourite, a Bundt pan, so that you can fill the hollow when decorating.
Whisk together the eggs and sugar till they are pale and fluffy, then whisk in the flour and baking powder, then the melted butter.
Put the mixture in the tin, and bake for about 45 minutes, then test with a skewer to make sure it is cooked through, especially if using an unusual tin.
Serve with any soft fruit or jam or cream or anything you want. You can fancy it up for pudding or eat a slice plain with a cup of tea.
Now what you need to complete the French effect is a cocktail from the jazz age. Something which screams bright young things and Gay Paree! Invented by an American captain in Paris at the end of World War 1 and named after his choice of vehicle – this really packs a punch.
SIDECAR
To make 1:
- 50ml of brandy or cognac
- 25ml of triple sec (Cointreau for style)
- 25ml of lemon juice
- A handful of ice
- A dash of bitters is optional
Chill a martini glass while you tip all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Give it a good old shake (till the outside feels cold) and then put in the chilled glass. Add bitters to taste.
As always, we wish you a lovely September from the Lazy Girls at London Tiger Coffee. If you too are lazy, pop in and see us in the old town, and get us to mix your cocktails and serve you homemade cake.
