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3 bdrm - 2 bath - sleeps 9

Simple recipes from South West France

The Perfect Vacation

To be enjoyed without moderation!

Ingredients:
  • 100 grams of good humor
  • 50 grams of relaxation
  • 25 cl of rest
  • 200 grams of sun
  • 2 large teaspoons of laughter
  • 1 pinch of exoticism

Simmer for 1 week at or above 30°C (86°F).  

Garden Plum Jam

This recipe was provided by one of our guests who sheepishly admitted that during her stay, she had "stolen" some of our prunes to make jam.  We were not offended and loved the idea that she had taken a bit of the Gascon sunshine back with her to Paris.  Did I mention that we have almost 2,000 hours of sunshine a year?

Ingredients:
  • 1.3 kg of greengages plums from the garden (Reine Claudes plums)
  • 1 kg of granulated sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Step 1: Wash the fruit, pit and cut into four; about 1.3 kg of fruit

Step 2: Mix the fruit and sugar in the container to be used for cooking.

Step 3: Marinate fruit and sugar for 1 or 2 hours.  Add the juice of the lemon juice.

Step 4: Put on the fire. Caution; never step away from the fire when the pan is on burner.

  1. The first step is the evaporation of water from the natural fruit
  2. The 2nd is that the actual cooking.

Bring to a boil. Warning!  There will be a rise of foam, so stir regularly.

Maintain high heat but turn down if necessary so that it does not overflow.  Try to maintain a constant simmer.

It is always difficult to give a cooking time, depending on conditions, sugar, fruit, and heat.  About 20 to 30 minutes for the first part

Step 5: When the steam released during the first part has finished, simmering will continue as small tight bubbles.

This second part is shorter than the first.

It requires careful monitoring to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom and it is not overcooked.

Max 20 minutes for the second part.

To know if it's cooked, put a few drops of jam on a cold plate and put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. When you take it out and it does not run, it's cooked.

Step 6:  Fill a jar of jam and close it immediately (before the pot gets too hot) and turn it over immediately, then move on to the next jar.

Prunes in Armagnac

Serve this as an after dinner surprise. Each guest gets a tiny glass with one prune and a good pour of the Armagnac the prunes have been soaking in. 

The prunes and the Armagnac in the jar make great additions to your desserts. A slice of simple butter pound cake is made super special with a prune and a generous douse of the Armagnac.  Vanilla ice-cream will do too.  I can go on, but I think I’ll just leave you with your imagination.  Have fun.

Ingredients:
  • 500g dried prunes from Agen, the "capital of prunes", in South West France, 
  • 200g (1 cup) sugar
  • 1/4l (1 cup) water
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 pod of vanilla
  • 1 bottle of good Armagnac

In a small sauce pan, add the sugar and water and heat until boiling. Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to peel strips of skin from the lemon, add them to the pot. Slice the vanilla bean in half, and drop them into the pot.

When the pot comes to a boil, let it continue boiling for two minutes. Then, put the prunes in a medium bowl and pour the boiling liquid over it. Let the ingredients steep for 12 hours.

After 12 hours, remove the lemon peel and vanilla pod. Spoon the prunes into a large mason jar. Pour the Armagnac into the remaining liquid in the bowl, mix well. Pour the content of the bowl through a sieve into the mason jar. Close the jar tightly and let stand for at least two weeks, or preferably one month, before use.

Axoa of Veal

This dish utilizes a special pepper grown only in the Basque region.   The Espelette pepper has been cultivated there since 1650 after it was brought back from Mexico.  When Navarre was an independent kingdom under Henry IV (The Good King), the Basque and Gascon provinces were ruled as one.  We're practically cousins.  

Ingredients (serves 6):
  • 1 kg of veal shoulder
  • 1 onion
  • 1 red pepper
  • 8 mild green chilies
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • oil
  • laurel
  • parsley
  • thyme
  • salt
  • Espelette pepper (preferred since it is what gives this recipe its originality)

Preparation of the recipe:
  • Mince the onion and garlic.
  • Remove seeds from peppers and peppers and cut into small cubes.
  • Sauté in oil pan ten minutes then add the chopped meat, herbs, salt and pepper.
  • Sauté then moisten with a glass of water or broth.

Simmer covered 45 or 60 min.

Ten minutes before the end of cooking remove the lid so that the accumulated juice evaporates.

Serve this dish with baked or boiled potatoes.

Garbure Gersoise

This traditional stew from the Gers uses all the ingredients the region is famous for; duck confit and white beans from Tarbes.

Basque Cake with Red Fruits

You'll find this desert in every boulangerie and patisserie in the south west of France. The traditional Sunday lunch with the family is incomplete without it. 

Fresh Figs, Walnuts & Rosemary Cake

In the garden at CAP de BOUEOU, you'll find a fig tree, a walnut tree and fresh rosemary growing under the kitchen windows.
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