I ended up finishing this piece on the twenty-fifth anniversary of America’s Day of Horror…9/11. Twenty-five years ago this day, widowed, I was living alone in an apartment in West Los Angeles. As was my custom, I was in the bedroom watching The Today Show as I got dressed. Fetching my jeans, I half-heard Katie Couric say to a woman on the street who’d phoned into the show… “We’re getting reports that an airplane hit the building…” and the woman was describing the smoke…then Matt Lauer added another bit…I got my shirt…went into the kitchen to warm my coffee, when I came back there was speculation about a commuter plane…Katie had more information and her voice was turning shocked as I tugged on my sandals… The rest of the morning taking my walk, it was extraordinary how everyone—strangers on the street–stopped and wanted to talk…to try to parse out what was happening… I’d never had such an experience—never have since.
But I suppose now telling you, my friends in this incomparable country, about a small treat you might enjoy is emblematic of why, twenty-five years after a band of brothers tried to destroy us, they failed…
And, um, why, in fifty-two days, I ask everyone please to vote for the candidates most passionate about retaining our democracy. Kindly forgive the plug, but we cannot let those who died die for naught. Our democracy must not be destroyed from within.
Okay…Saturday, for a dinner welcoming family visiting-from-afar naturally I wanted something special. For the main course I made Ottolenghi’s chicken thighs flavored with rose harissa and chocolate (!!!!)…wild rice blend…mixed green salad…sour dough bread…a fine California sauvignon blanc…
For dessert, one of Jacques Pépin’s’ beautiful creations from Fast Food My Way.*
I’ve been a Pépin devotee since I was a bride and first heard his name mentioned by the editor simultaneously nurturing Julia Child, Jacque Pépin, and me. House Beautiful food editor, Helen McCully, was an angel. Helen said: “Jacques is a huge talent. I’m very excited about him.” I made note of his name and later was happy when I discovered his book, A French Chef Cooks at Home.** Pépin’s gift for simplicity with a memorable touch is for me. (Abe Books has copies of the original 1975 book, although most without covers which showed the boyishly handsome Pépin.) Since then, Pépin has published umpteen books—several on formal technique. He is indeed richly gifted and you can think me a silly to be adapting one of his recipes…
This fruit dessert has many virtues: it can be made the year around with fresh or frozen fruit…is prepared ahead… quick…simple…beautiful…yummy… Finally: This is one dessert that’s not overly-sweet. Just enough luscious sweetness from Mother Nature. Even at this late date it may become my signature dessert. Pépin describes it as “One of my all-time favorite desserts…”
I am of the opinion that part of its celebratory quality is that everyone gets their very own. Don’t you smile when you’re at a dinner party and desserts come out and you’re served your very very own?
Individual baking dishes–porcelain or stoneware, oval or round– are elegant in presentation. With a one-cup (or 6- to 7-ounces) volume, they’re perfect for a side dish—or dinner’s finish. Of course, small shallow baking dishes are made for savory bites, too. Just Google “What savory dishes are small au gratin dishes good for?” Everything from baked eggs to macaroni and cheese to mini pot pies…And gratin dishes can be found at a reasonable price.***
Pépin presents this gratin with all raspberries, fresh or frozen. But shopping yesterday, daughter-in-law Gail and I were overwhelmed by all the luscious berries and stone fruits available (it is late summer, after all) and decided on many fruits. Just keep all pieces around the same thickness. Chunks of plums would be lovely…wish cherries were still in season…wish I had red currants…gooseberries…
One thing more. This dessert is fun and special also because its crunchy topping is a great cookie: Classic Walker’s Shortbread Fingers. The cookies are all-butter, inspiration from a family’s Scottish highland bakery established 1898. Should your market not carry Walker’s, Pepperidge Farm offers Dublin Shortbread cookies. Surely SOMEBODY in your neighborhood has crunchy shortbread cookies… (And you can send for them online, huzzah.)
Actually, there is another thing more: grandson William found Pépin’s suggestion of sour cream not to his taste as the perfect finish for this dessert…wanted sweeter whipped cream. Maybe next time I’ll make or buy crème fraîche, a lighter version of sour cream… But then thinking about it on my walk today I decided maybe just a good slosh of heavy cream would do it. Up to you. (Oh…I also added just a thought of ginger on top…hope Pépin won’t mind…or try cinnamon?)
Pépin’s Quick Delectable Fruit Gratins (á la Thompson)
6 servings
6 8-ounce shallow oval or round baking dishes
6 cups small soft fruit****: whole large raspberries, stemmed quartered large strawberries (or stemmed halved medium or whole small strawberries), blueberries, blackberries, 3/4-inch chunks of peeled peaches…or your choice
About 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, half soft, half firm
1- 150 gm. box Walker’s Shortbread Fingers; you’ll need 6 cookies
Heaping 1/3 cup (6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
Shakes of ground dried ginger or desired spice, highly optional
Serve with 2-3 cups sour cream, crème fraîche, whipped cream, or heavy cream, as desired
Start about two hours before serving so the dessert will be at room temperature.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Have ready a baking sheet large enough to accommodate the dishes.
Turn the fruits into a large bowl and mix gently with your hands.
With your fingers, smear a veil of butter over the inside of each dish. Arrange dishes on the baking sheet.
Arrange 1 cup of the fruit in each dish, smooth evenly.
Now place one cookie in a pint-size sandwich bag and with your rolling pin, give one or two well-placed crushes…you want to render the cookie to half bumps, half crumbs.
Add 1 scant tablespoon sugar to the bag, shake or stir the crumbs and sugar to blend then sprinkle evenly over the fruit
On top, lay 4 half-tablespoon flakes of butter on each dish in a diamond pattern.
If desired, sprinkle lightly with ground ginger or your favorite spice for fruit.
Bake in the center of the oven until nicely brown and fruit is bubbling, 18-20 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature.
To serve, pass a bowl of your favorite creamy topping.
*Pépin, Jacques. Fast Food My Way. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004
**Pépin, Jacques. A French Chef Cooks at Home. NY: Simon & Schuster
***Check Sur la Table online and, of course, Amazon.
****Fresh or best quality frozen. If you have unusual home-grown or local berries and/or ripe fruit, add them—or use them singly. No rules here.
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