Posh Nosh - Lobster Mac & Cheese

Normally, I snub my nose at Seafood with Cheese.  I like to TASTE my seafood and cheese tends to be a little to overpowering for the subtlety of things like Lobster and Crab.

That being said, I have found exceptions to this basic "rule".  One of these is Lobster Mac & Cheese.  As long as the cheese is a mild and subtle one, it can be one of the most delectably decadent dishes you will ever consume.

Danish Fontina is my go to cheese for this application.  This mild, subtly nutty cheese is smooth melting as well, which makes for a perfect sauce addition.    I based this "sauce" loosely on "Lobster Newburg", so it's loaded with cream, in 3 different forms.  The Fontina cheese replaces the egg yolks, but I could not leave out the "kick".  Thus, I tossed in some Tabasco, instead of Cayenne, and left the Cognac in to kind of pull everything together and smooth out any rough edges. (it's a miracle liquor in cooking)

The "Lobster" I chose is the smaller Squat Lobster.. which is what is usually used in restaurants for such applications as this. It's usually referred to as Langostine or Langostino in the United States, but could even be sold as "scampi", because the seafood naming conventions in the U.S. are REALLY wishy washy...  Don't get me started on "Colossal Shrimp" that are really prawns (cause there is a difference between a prawn and a shrimp).

Lobster Mac & Cheese

4 oz Unsalted Butter
1 Shallot, minced fine
3 TB AP Flour
1 cup Heavy Cream
6 oz Mascarpone
4 oz Crème Fraîche
1 TB Tabasco
3 TB Cognac
12 oz Danish Fontina
1/4 tsp White Pepper
16 oz Medium Shells
12 oz Langostine (Previously Cooked)
~optional - Black Truffle oil

Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded
Panko

Corning Ware A-3-B or P-2 1/2-B
Corning Ware A-5-B
Corning Ware P-332 OR 6 of the French White F-16 ramekins OR 6 of the P-14-B Casser-ettes from the Heat n' Eat line (Grab-its)

Fill your A-5-B with 4 quarts of water... Add about 1 1/2 TB of sea salt and place over High flame.

Place your A-3-B (P-2 1/2-B) over Medium-Low flame and add the butter to the saucepan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
When the foaming subsides, add the shallot and saute until soft.

Whisk in the Flour and cook the resulting roux until bubbly and begins to smell nutty.

Add the Heavy Cream and bring to a simmer.

Add Mascarpone and stir until melted and smooth.

Whisk in the Crème Fraîche and bring back to a simmer again.

Add the Tobasco,

then the Cognac.

and cook everything until it begins to thicken slightly....

By now you should be able to drop your pasta into salted boiling water and cook for 3/4 the time listed on the package.

Begin adding the shredded Fontina to the simmering sauce, a little at a time, whisking until completely melted before adding the next handful.

When melted and smooth, whisk in 1/4 tsp White Pepper.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and add the Langostine, then toss it all together to coat the shells well.

Now, you can either pour the resulting deliciousness into a P-332 (like I did this time)

OR.....
Divide the pasta between 6 of the Casser-ettes (P-14-B) from the Heat n' Eat line (which is what I did the last time)

OR.....
Divide the pasta between 6 French White F-16 Ramekins in the same manner... It all depends on how you want to present the dish.

If you are going that "little bit extra" now is the time to lightly drizzle with Black Truffle Oil.

Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano lightly over the top (just a little bit, don't over do it) and sprinkle with Panko.

Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes for the Ramekins/Casser-ettes or 15 minutes for the P-332.

Turn on the broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes... just enough to color the top.

mmmm Lobster Newburg goodness in pasta form.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Looks Like Fine Crockery... Acts Like Corning Ware - French Bisque Collection Complete

It was April of last year when I first posted pictures of my French Bisque set.   I had originally thought the set was complete, until I discovered there were F-16 ramekins as well.   Evidently, these were sold with larger sets of the pattern.    It has taken almost a year, but I FINALLY got my hands on some...  Thanks to a friend in one of the Corning Ware groups on Facebook and a little help from Classic Kitchens & More....  

Finally, after all these years...  the entire French Bisque collection is ready for a family portrait.

So here is the breakdown of French Bisque, produced from 1982-1985 and sporting the original Pyrex Fireside tinted lids. (OK, 1 lid that is not original)

Top to Bottom:  F-5-B (G-5-C lid) - 1 1/5 quart Souffle, F-1-B (G-1-C lid) - 2 1/2 quart Souffle, F-3-B - 10 inch Quiche

Top to Bottom:  F-16 - 16 oz Ramekins, F-21 - 4.5 liter Open Roaster

Top to Bottom:  F-12-B (F-12-C lid) - 1 1/2 quart Casserole, F-4-B - 2 1/2 quart Open Roaster (The F-14-C lid is not original to the piece)

Top to Bottom:  F-6-B - 1 1/2 quart Open Roaster, F-2-B (DC-1 1/2-C lid) - 2 1/2 quart Casserole

(The DC-1 1/2-C lid will also fit on the F-6-B roaster if needed)

And there you have it ALL 8 pieces of the French Bisque Collection..  Why there were substantially more pieces made in the French Bisque pattern than there were of either the French Bleu or the Classic Black is anybody's guess.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Magick Blog - Vintage French White Surprise

I am beginning to think this blog is magick.  Here I just wrote that I never see the F-24-B (24oz) or the 7oz Ramekins in Pyroceram, they always seem to be in stoneware...

Well, I swung into the Goodwill to return a lid that was the wrong size for one of my pieces when I was greeted by an F-24-B... Complete with vented microwave lid.  I was extremely excited and thought myself extremely lucky to have just "happened" across this find....

It gets better though... I thought the lid might be damaged because it was bulging slightly, so I removed the lid to check it out and.... Magick Bananas!

I was triple blessed, for hiding inside, was a 7 oz pyroceram ramekin!   But it doesn't end there either.  The use and care instructions for the F-24-B were underneath the 7 oz ramekin!  Joy and Rapture!  Evidently, these were not known as "French White" per se, but as Pop-ins.

Sadly, the 7 oz ramekin is similar to the 4 oz in that there is no "F" model number on the bottom... Just a "7oz - 200ml" and a "Made in the USA" (And even that is really hard to see, since it's not embossed well)

Regardless of the lacking model number, I am ecstatic.  I now have, I think, examples of ALL the French White ramekins... (4oz, 7oz, F-16-B "16oz", and F-24-B "24oz")

Here is a family portrait of the with 1.5 liter (F-5-B) & 2.5 liter (F-1-B) parents thrown in.

Next up... The Ovals....

Ya know, maybe if I mention some of the other pieces I "never" see, they will show up too...

Wheat pattern in just about anything.....  Platinum Starburst Stove top Percolator (without the chrome spout)....  Electromatic Food Warming Tray.

Let's see if it works.  ;-)

Where is your Corningware??
~~

Avoiding Identity Theft - The French White Doppelgänger

I have been receiving a lot of inquiries regarding French White, and how to tell the difference between the original pyroceramic version vs. the newer stoneware versions.  I can understand the confusion, since the French White was never discontinued and merely had it's constitution changed.  Cornflower, Spice of Life, Wild Flower and Floral Bouquet on the other hand, were discontinued and never produced in stoneware.  Thus when you find pieced in Thrift Stores, you are pretty much guaranteed that they are constructed of Pyroceramic glass and safe to use on the stove top.

So, I am going to try and pictorially show the differences between the two versions of French White.

Here they are, side by side.  French White 16oz (500ml) or (473ml) Ramekins. The pyroceramic French White piece is on the Left, and the new stoneware French White imposter is on the right.

As you can see, they do look slightly different.  The color of the stoneware is a little more of a cream color instead of the true white of pyroceramic glass.  The lines of the pyroceram version are a little cleaner and crisper, giving it a more "faceted" appearance,

while the stoneware version has softer detailing that give is a more "fluted" look.

But when all is said and done, it is the bottom that give the most information.

Pyroceramic glass pieces are smooth on the bottom.

Stoneware pieces have a firing ring where they sat in the kiln.

That's this ring right here.  It is unglazed and will feel kind of rough. 

If your piece has this ring, then it is not safe to use on the stove top nor under the broiler.  In the US, they are clearly marked as not being safe for stove top or  broiler. They also are printed with their country of manufacture, in this case China, along with standard 16oz and metrics 473ml marked on it.

Pyroceramic glass is made in either the USA or France (I think the German factory only made Borosilicate Pyrex) and will be marked on the bottom with an F-16-B along with a 500ml mark which is actually slightly more than 16oz.

I hope this information helps the next time you are scoping out some French White pieces in the thrift store.  Good Luck in your hunting!

Where is your Conringware?
~~

Fowl Weather Fare In CorningWare - Pesto Chicken Pot Pie

I promised, now that I have 4 French White Ramekins, that I would give out my Pesto Chicken Pot Pie Recipe.  Though this can be made in the Grab-it bowls (P-150-B), it seems to work better in the Ramekins (F-16-B).  I think this is because the Grab-it Bowls are 550 ml, while the French White Ramekins are 500 ml.

I will admit this recipe will sound a little daunting and it does seem like a lot to take on all at once, however, you can make the filling and the pastry ahead of time and store then in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  

This crust is slightly different than the Pâte Brisée I use for sweet pies (Apple, Lemon Meringue and Cherry).  For starters, it contains Spelt Flour...  I like Spelt in savory applications because it lends a nutty flavor like whole wheat, but without the "sweetness" whole wheat usually imparts.  The Second difference is the lack of sugar... I think that one is a given, but there is also more salt (an extra 1/2 tsp)   The third and final difference, is the amount of butter has changed.  I like more butter with my sweet pies than I do with savory pies, thus this recipe contains 4 TB (2 oz) less.

This is the perfect mean when the weather is foul...

Pesto Chicken Pot Pie

Pesto Chicken Filling:

1.25 lbs Chicken Breasts, Cubed
4 oz Celery, Chopped
4 oz Carrot, Chopped
4 oz Onion, Chopped
Olive Oil
1/2 cup AP Flour
3 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
3 TB Pesto
Kosher Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
3 oz Frozen Peas, Still frozen
Savory Pâte Brisée (see Below)
4 500ml CorningWare French White Ramekins (P-16-B)

Heat oil (about 1 TB) in a large skillet.
Add chicken and brown lightly.

Remove chicken to a bowl.

Add 1-2 TB more Olive oil then add Celery, Carrot and Onion, sauteing the Vegetables until almost tender.

Sprinkle the vegetables with 1/2 cup flour.

Stir until the vegetables are well coated and continue cooking until the flour begins to smell nutty.

Stir in the Chicken Stock and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes. (Until the gravy begins to thicken)

Add the Chicken and continue simmering for an additional 5 minutes.

Stir in the Pesto, season with Kosher Salt and Cracked Pepper, then remove the skillet from the heat.

Allow to cool while you mix up the Pâte Brisée (Don't worry about the Peas yet)

Savory Pâte Brisée:

6 oz Unsalted butter, VERY cold, and cut into very thin slices
2 cups (8.5 oz) (240g) AP Flour
1 cup (3.5 oz) (100g) Cake Flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
Approximately 1/3 - 1/2 cup (3-4 oz) (100-125ml) very cold water

Whisk the Flours and Salt together very lightly.

Add sliced Unsalted Butter and toss briefly to coat them.

Work the butter through the flour with your finger tips, sort of rubbing the flour into the butter or use a pastry cutter.

Add the ice-cold water starting with 1/3 cup (3 oz) (100ml) and mix very fast with your hand just enough that the dough coheres.

If it does not, add more water 1 TB at a time... You want it to just barely hold together.

Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. (Spelt is lower in gluten, so the dough does not need to relax as long as regular Pate Brisee would)

OK, Back to the Filling......

It should be cool now, so go ahead and stir in the frozen peas (this will keep them from getting too mushy when baking)

Back to the Pâte Brisée now.....

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into 4 pieces.

Now the fun part, you are going to divide each piece into 2/3 & 1/3 pieces.  The 1/3 piece is for the top and the 2/3 piece is to line the CorningWare Ramekin.

Place all the "top" pieces back into the refrigerator and begin rolling the dough to line the ramekins.
Roll each "bottom" piece into a 10-11 inch circle.

Fit the dough down into the ramekin making sure to leave the over hang.

Once all the ramekins have been lined, fill them with the cooled filling and preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.

Now roll each of the "tops" into a 6 inch round.

Place on top and begin rolling the dough over and in...

(you want the seam inside the ramekin to ensure there is no spillage while baking)

Crimp the edges....

Cut vent holes.

Place on the bottom rack of the preheated oven and back for 35 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned.

Remove form the oven and place on a rack, allowing to cool for about 15 minutes.

Then, my favorite part, Dig IN!!!   YUM!

The perfect meal when it's cold, wet and dreary outside.

Where is your Corningware?
~~