Polly's Piggy Scallops

Sometimes, the worst time to cook is when you are soooo hungry.    Your mind wants to do short cut in every way to get that food into the mouth.    I tried to come up with a way to make my Piggy Scallops.   Well, I didn't think and couldn't wait.   After wrapping my scallops with bacon, I started to sear it in the saute pan.   That didn't work out quite well with the bacon.   It was not getting crispy.   Normally, we bake the Piggy Scallops.   The bacon will brown quite nicely in the oven cooking.   But what if you wanted to use the saute pan?    Well, I had to unwrap the bacons off the scallops.   Then, grilled them in the George Foreman's hamburger maker.    Crisp it up and get rid of some of the extra fat, and rewrap them around the scallops.   The great seafood flavor - UMAMI of the scallops were pleasantly enveloped in the blanket of piggy without the need for additional seasoning. 

 

Melons Confit et Oranges Confit - Candied Melons and Oranges

In preparation to make Calisson (Calisson d'AIX wannabe), I started by making the melons confit.   While I do not have the same type of melons from Cavaillon, France, and with Cantaloupes in quarantine, this summer, I ventured to make the melons confit with honey dew and some watermelon rinds.   The formula is 2-1/4 lb of melons to 1 kilos or 5 Cups of sugar.

 

 Drying

 Crystallization forming

Candied Clementines - "Oranges Confit".    I have never made these candied fruits before.    While doing the research at some of the French websites related to Calisson d'AIX, oranges confit or fruite confit of Apt, France has given me inspiration to try them at home.    These do not look anything like the ones made so beautifully in Apt, France, but I will keep trying, and maybe one day they will look just as good.    But for my purpose to to make the Calisson d'Aix wannabe, these candied oranges and melons .... I think will work out fine.   

Remove from the syrup and air dry on a wire rack for a few days.  If you want to crystallize the sugar, repeat the heating process each day for 3 days by heating the syrup to quick boil for 1 minutes with the clementines in it.     Remove and air dry, and repeat.  Dry for a couple of weeks, then, store in a sterilized Mason jar.

I also made the candied orange peels from the navel orange peels without the pith.

My First Greek Galatomboureko

After learning some Greecian food preparation in my class, I knew exactly what to do with my phyllo leaves that I have in my freezer.   I fell in love with this Galatomboureko.  Never thought that cream of wheat could taste so good by becoming the center of attraction in this sweet creamy custard wrapped in buttery phyllo leaves drizzled with lemon fragranted simple syrup.  So simple and so different from some of the sweet desserts that I have tasted.    I made another one right away for my family and shared one with the neighbor. Learning the Mediterranean Cooking has really opened my pantry to milliards of different spices and possibilities in eating well.