Jenny Carenco - Bébé Gourmet

These are your pantry essentials, the items that you use regularly and should always have on hand. Keep stock of them to make sure you never run out. A bimonthly purchase should do it.

• honey
• sugar
• brown sugar
• flour
• crunchy or plain muesli
• raisins
• ground cumin, ginger, allspice, cinnamon
• baking powder
• couscous and polenta
• apricots or prunes
• olive oil
• pasta
• Basmati and Arborio (round Italian) rice

These are your frozen friends, the fresh items youve frozen ahead of time to simplify your life. They will keep for a long time, yet still retain the flavor and nutritional value present in fresh-picked fruits and vegetables.

• aromatic fresh herbs (basil, chives, tarragon, thyme, and cilantro) and chopped shallots and garlic
• fish fillets (cod, salmon, tuna) and white chicken meat
• summer berries and exotic fruits: mangos, lychees, pineapple...
• green vegetables: peas, broccoli, fava beans, green beans, spinach

This is your must-have basket, the list of things you should get in the habit of buying every time you go to the supermarket. Theyll become instinctive purchases.

• soft cheese, such as Laughing Cow
• grated Parmesan
• fromage blanc or plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
• milk
• crme frache (or cream cheese will do in a pinch)
• butter

Heres your ticket to healthy pleasure. Keep these treasures on hand in small quantities in your crisper drawer for meals that are rich in taste. Replenish your supply weekly.

• oranges and clementines
• tomatoes: regular and cherry
• apples
• bananas
• zucchini
• potatoes
• carrots
• dont forget seasonal berries!

peach compote

compote de pches

Makes five 3-ounce (100 g) servings

12 yellow peaches, about 1 pounds (600 g)

1. Wash the peaches, remove the pits, and slice the fruit.
2. Put the peaches into a saucepan, cover the fruit one third of the way with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. When done, 3 to 4 tablespoons of liquid should remain.
3. Blend to obtain a smooth compote.

yummy tips

You can add 1 or 2 fresh mint leaves to the compote when its finished cooking.

Peaches render a lot of water. If theres too much liquid left in the saucepan, set it aside. It makes a sweet all-natural syrup you can use instead of sugar as a dessert topping for yogurt or cottage cheese.

apple compote

compote de pommes

Makes five 3-ounce (100 g) servings

5 to 6 sweet apples (McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Fuji), about 1 pounds (600 g)

1. Wash and peel the apples, remove the cores and any spare seeds, then cut the fruit into cubes.
2. Put the apples into a saucepan, cover the fruit halfway with water, and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 minutes. When done, 3 or 4 tablespoons of liquid should remain.
3. Make sure the apples are well cooked before blending them to obtain a smooth compote.

yummy tips

To change things up, you can add teaspoon of cinnamon to the apples while theyre cooking. My children also love when I add bananas to the apples in this recipe. To do this, replace 2 apples with 2 peeled bananas. Cut the bananas into small slices. Follow the same cooking guidelines and blend. Delicious!

pear compote

compote de poires

Makes five 3-ounce (100 g) servings

6 big pears (Bosc, Bartlett, Williams), about 1 pounds (600 g)

1. Wash and peel the pears, remove the cores and any spare seeds, then cut the fruit into cubes.
2. Put the pears into a saucepan, cover the fruit halfway with water, and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 minutes. When done, 3 or 4 tablespoons of liquid should remain.
3. Make sure the pears are well cooked before blending them to obtain a smooth compote.

yummy tips

This pure tastes even better if you add a vanilla bean while the pears are cooking. With a knife, open 1 vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape it to remove the seeds. Throw the seeds into the saucepan along with the open bean. Before blending, remove the bean. For a caramelized flavor for babies twelve months and up, add 4 tablespoons of honey 2 or 3 minutes before removing the pears from the heat. Stir the honey well once added so it doesnt stick to the saucepan. Blend as described above.

apricot compote

compote dabricots

Makes five 3-ounce (100 g) servings

15 apricots, about 1 pounds (600 g)

1. Wash and peel the apricots, remove the seeds, then cut the flesh into pieces.
2. Put the apricots into a saucepan, cover the fruit halfway with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook the apricots over medium heat for 15 minutes. When done, 3 or 4 tablespoons of liquid should remain.
3. Blend until you have a smooth compote.

yummy tips

Apricots go very well with vanilla. With a knife, open 1 vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape it to remove the seeds. Throw the seeds into the saucepan along with the open bean. Before blending, remove the bean.

Another option: Add 2 basil leaves before blending. Try this variation for yourself as an accompaniment to grilled meat or served with goat cheese.