It’s done! After six years to the date in the making the masterpiece has been accomplished. It wasn’t always a piece of cake to be honest – but when I held the elegantly bound book, with it’s crisp clean pages, in my hands earlier this week, a feeling of relief washed over me.
So, if I was feeling relieved imagine what Tom was feeling! It was his baby, his hard work, sweat and diligence – it was his thesis I was holding in my hands. The weight of the world seems to have been lifted off his shoulders as he handed in his dissertation to the university commission this week. If all goes well he will be able to defend it within a few months.
Six years ago we moved to Weimar just for this purpose. Six years later we have managed so much more than just a dissertation. True - things did not always go our way and this year caused us several headaches and heartaches but Weimar held us together.
This is where Tom and I learned that our relationship is resistant and strong enough for a “happily ever after”. We celebrated 10 years by renewing our vows! This is the clean, safe and carefree place that has helped us raise Soeren into a lovely and strong boy. We have so much fun discovering every nook and cranny here and over the years we have found our favorite and cherished spots where we enjoy our moments together. It is also here that we found a few precious friendships that will always be cherished. I am not always the best in keeping in touch and can be fairly moody, stubborn and often appear to be superficial but here I have come to realize that friends look beyond these shortcomings. I am blessed to have found a small but very fine circle of friends.
I am getting sentimental – it’s just that I know that we will one day say goodbye to Weimar. Although our first try did not go as planned the foundation for the next attempt is already being laid!
In the meantime, as you see, we have so much to be thankful for and to celebrate. And that is exactly what we are doing. Celebrating the best way a foodie knows how – with good food, delicious desserts and aromatic wines.
Summer is on it’s last stretch and we’ve been enjoying wonderfully ripe and flavorful vegetables and fruit from our neighbors’ and friends’ gardens. Zucchini and tomatoes have been especially aromatic and appetizing. I love pairing both together in gratins and pasta, however you might have noticed my clafoutis craze of late and what can be done with fruit can also be done with veggies. A savory clafoutis!
This savory clafoutis was very similar to a quiche without the base. Succulent and aromatic cherry tomatoes with delicate young zucchini are perked up with a smattering of tangy goat cheese. Adding a spiced zing is a hint of cumin and coriander powder. It’s perfect as a side for a crowd and even better for a celebration with just two!
Savory Clafoutis: Tomato Zucchini & Goat Cheese Clafoutis
[Printable version of recipe here]
Ingredients
3 eggs, lightly beaten
75 ml milk
75 ml cream
65g all purpose flour
30g cheddar cheese, grated
400g small cherry tomatoes
2 small zucchinis, very thinly sliced – lengthways
1 red onion, halved then thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
130g creamy goat cheese
parsley
chives
olive oil
fleur de sel and fresh cracked pepper
Method
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Lightly coat a baking dish or dishes with some olive oil.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk and cream, then add the flour and continue to whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the grated cheddar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large skillet heat a smidgen of olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic until fragrant. Sprinkle coriander and cumin powder and cook for approx. a minute.
- Add the zucchini slices and cook on both sides for a few minutes until lightly browned, then add the tomatoes. Continue to cook until tomatoes are brown and just beginning to soften.
- Add the herbs and season to taste. Toss mixture.
- Pour the clafoutis batter into the form or forms and arrange the veggies over the top, gently pressing into the batter. Break off pieces of the goat cheese and spread on top.
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the custard is moist but not wiggly.
Food Guide tips:
- Select and store tomatoes
- Everything you need to know about zucchini
<Verdict
The garlic sweltered tomatoes and zucchini with the creamy goat cheese against the fluffy and aromatic custard was an exceptional combination. Sitting out on our terrace enjoying one of the last warm summer evenings, Tom and I loved everything this light and simple dish offered. With a chilled glass of white wine and a green salad this was just the right celebration meal!
Wishing you all a great weekend. To my readers in the US enjoy the long one. Next week many parents will be sending their kids off to start another school year. One thing that always gives many mums the blues are packing healthy lunch boxes. In my recent article at The Daily Tiffin I give a few useful tips and ideas how one can get away from those blues and pack a healthier school lunch box. Hope you enjoy it!
You might like these tomato dishes from WFLH:
Wild Garlic Pesto & Tomato Tarts | Tuscan Tomato & Bread Soup | Sun-dried Tomato and Purple Basil Pesto |
Daily Tiffin Reading Tip
Middle Eastern House Salad written by Tony
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2009 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Congratulations! I'm starting year three of the doctorate and can't wait to be done, so I can imagine how GREAT it must feel. And what a lovely way to celebrate a wonderful accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteThis works Meeta:-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you guys!
Cannot say enough about your pictures & recipes. So beautiful; & I am liking the flavors here.. all summer .. & dreading the summer going away.
All the very best and congratulations to you guys Meeta ! it is during the storms in our lives we realize the strength of the relationship. I have been waiting for this recipe for sometime now .. here i go to the next weekend party armed with it. As far as moodiness , superficial , stubborn., I hear you fellow gemini !
ReplyDeleteHugs and Have a great weekend !
I cannot access the full post for some reasons (my browser fails to load it)? Anyway I will come back to read it later :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats, congrats. (and i love savory clafoutis.)
ReplyDeleteI am LOVING all of the clafoutis action that has been going on! YUM! I had never thought of a savoury clafoutis, though I don't know why...it seems so obvious now!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to yall!
ReplyDeleteThe clafoutis looks delicious, I have never seen a savory version before. The pictures are so beautiful and warm.
Superb pictures and oh congrats!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Tom, you and Soeren. What a feat!! enjoy the accomplishment.
ReplyDeletecongratulations :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I love this dish already :)
First of all, congratulations to your husband. I know how much hard work goes into a thesis.
ReplyDeleteSometimes life shoews us difficult times, but I've learnt (in retrospect) it makes us stronger.
Hope things work out better this time.
This clafoutis sounds great. I shall try it. Liked the sweet one too, but the gooseberries we get here (amla) tend to be bitter/ sour so I'm not sure how they'll taste.
Absolutely lovely, Meeta! I love savory clafoutis and I so want to try this one. It looks beautiful and sounds so delicious. And congratulations on 10 years of a strong and happy marriage and a wonderful son!
ReplyDelete...and all of these experiences will make you even stronger!!! Well done, guys!!!
ReplyDeleteLovely meal to celebrate!!!
Congratulations to all of you! This is a unique interpretation of a clafoutis and I love the savoury twist.
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed great news , have never had savoury calafoutis, and this just looks so good.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. And this clafoutis looks so delicious...I LOVE goat cheese and I can imagine the blend of flavors going on here!
ReplyDeleteThis is what I call 'The Perfect Summer Dinner!' My husband might ask where the meat & potatoes are, but I'd be perfectly happy with just this!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the thesis- such a relief!
Congrats Meeta...thats a great news!...I see the issue still not fixed!...:(
ReplyDeletecongratulations, well done!
ReplyDeleteand this clafoutis looks wonderful, lovely photos as always, ilove goats cheese and in this recipe must be filled with amazing flavours,
cheers from london,
pity
this looks amazing, meeta... and i am so happy for you and tom to see that chapter closed! xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a great recipe to springboard from. I'm a fan of clafoutis and can never seem to find any here (unless it's from my own kitchen)-I've only done sweet, but I think I may have to play a bit...
ReplyDeletej
Yummy clafoutis! Congrats to you both! A phd isnt that simple and I know how stressful is to write a thesis. I am planning on my phd atleast by next year :-)
ReplyDeleteAwesome pics!
congratz..hope he will be honoured soon..clafoutis look perfect, ur monthly mingle fame brought me here, I would be following u from now on..
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you guys for the achievements! But also for these years of working out your "happily ever after"...heartwarming post Meeta :) And what a delicious sounding savory clafoutis!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Tom!
ReplyDeleteThe clafoutis looks great - does it freeze well? Cause this is something I would enjoy, but no one else would eat and I'd love to premake some of these.
What a simply fantastic idea Meeta! I don't think I have ever seen a savory clafoutis and now I totally need to make one.
ReplyDeleteAs always, you have photographed it lovely.
This is beautiful - a savoury quiche without a crust and with lots of cheese - ticks all my boxes! :)
ReplyDeleteMiri
I tried the savory clafoutis... Big Hit! thanks :)
ReplyDelete