The move is over and we have settled into our temporary new home – temporary because (fingers crossed!) we have plans in the works for bigger, better things. I have not really taken the new kitchen for a spin yet, but I’m looking forward to it. It’s bigger and better laid-out than the kitchen in our last place, which was a galley-style layout that could only accommodate one person and had barely any usable counter space:
Not that I’m knocking small kitchens – I know you can do a lot in them and I’ve survived in an even smaller one – but a little extra space is so nice. One thing I will miss about our old kitchen, however, is the dishwasher: a girl’s best friend, especially if you are a girl who loves to cook and hates to wash dishes. I will also miss the great light that came through the big window in our eating area at one end of the kitchen – wonderful for pictures.
Our new place is a basement suite, and while it is very nice for a basement suite, it has small windows and the kitchen is a bit dim without overhead lighting – we’ll see how wonderful or not that turns out to be for pictures!
During these last few weeks leading up to moving, I had to restrain myself from baking up a storm. At one point when I was surrounded by boxes and piles of belongings and cleaning supplies, I had the greatest urge to “whip up” a batch of notoriously-finicky French macarons, which is a supremely silly thing to contemplate doing in the middle of a move. This strawberry rhubarb skillet clafoutis is the last blog-worthy thing I made in the old kitchen, inspired by Frugal Feeding’s strawberry and Pimms clafoutis. Sometimes a dish just jumps out and screams, “MAKE ME!”, and this was one of those inspiring dishes that also happened to be so simple and easy that I lifted the baking ban to make it (totally worth it!).
The strawberries and rhubarb came from a local farm stand. I’ve been reading about local strawberries on so many other food blogs lately that I was beginning to think our strawberry season would never hit, thanks to this Juneuary that we just had, but finally, summer is here and the local strawberry harvest has begun!
These berries were perfectly ripe and a clafoutis was a great use for them: a crispy-edged, custardy cake studded with jewels of rhubarb and strawberry – a perfect casual summer dessert, and a nice treat for breakfast the next day if there happens to be left-overs!
PS, here’s a tip I picked up from the Pioneer Woman: a teaspoon makes a great strawberry huller!
PPS, we don’t have a proper internet connection at the moment, so things will continue to be kind of sporadic around here for the next little while…
Strawberry Rhubarb Skillet Clafoutis
Adapted from Simply Recipes and Frugal Feeding
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
In a medium bowl, mix together:
1 1/4 cup hulled and halved strawberries (~1/2 pint)
3/4 cup chopped rhubarb (~2 medium stalks)
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 tbsp liqueur of your choice (I used brandy but would recommend an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier)
Let the fruit macerate with the sugar and liqueur while you prepare the batter.
In a large bowl, combine:
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1/8 tsp salt
3 eggs
Whisk together until smooth, then add:
1 cup milk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix until smooth. Set aside.
Butter and flour the inside of a 9” cast iron skillet (or 9” x 13” inch pan or casserole dish). Place the fruit and any accumulated juices in the bottom of the pan, then pour the batter evenly over top.
Bake in the preheated 350˚F oven for 40-50 minutes, until just set in the middle and the whole clafoutis is slightly puffed-up. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dusting of icing sugar.
wendyjv says
The new kitchen actually looks pretty nice, lighting notwithstanding!
frugalfeeding says
I’m so glad you made it – I was wondering, when I saw this, if you had used me as inspiration at all :D. It looks seriously great, Korena!
Korena in the Kitchen says
This time it wasn’t the food telepathy 😉 There was just something about your clafoutis that made me want to try it so badly!
Rhianna says
This looks brilliant. For two seconds while reading my RSS feed, I had thought it was from Smitten Kitchen. Congratulations on a spectacular dish!
Korena in the Kitchen says
That might be the best compliment I’ve ever gotten!
Rhianna says
xo
Bam's Kitchen says
Congratulations on your move. Your skillet cake is well lit in your new surroundings and pictures. I bet it tastes even better.
Korena in the Kitchen says
Thanks Bam, but those pictures were taken before the move. The lighting in our new place is not nearly as good, unfortunately!
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide says
My kitchen has awful lighting. You know for a small kitchen, you have decent counter space. I’ve literally been in ones that had room for the dish rack and that’s it. Beautiful recipe.
Korena in the Kitchen says
You wouldn’t know it from your pictures. That give me some hope, anyway! And yes, the counter space is not bad at all.
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise says
Congrats on the move Korena and best wishes on the coming things too
I love clafoutis but only make it with peaches. It is time I tried new combinations
Korena in the Kitchen says
We have our fingers crossed right now! I’d only really ever heard of cherry clafoutis, but peach sounds delicious.
Sibella says
Korena, your new kitchen looks very nice! I hope the move went well! For me it was always a lot of stress,,, Your recipe sounds great and dessert looks delicious! Best of Luck in your new place! 🙂
Korena in the Kitchen says
Thank you Sibella 🙂 I agree about the stress – I’m so glad it’s over!
Stephanie says
Looks fantastic!
Aswennu says
This was delicious! This is my first time making this type of bake and it turned out wonderful. My bake time was a more than the recipe said, but I did throw in a few blueberries and some extra rhubarb, so likely it was a bit more moist than it was supposed to be. It tasted excellent! I will definitely make it again. My kiddo loved it so much she asked to have it on her birthday.