Dear friends, I have just returned from the marshy salt plains of the Camargue; a rugged coastal region in Southern France, famous for its native birdlife and expansive rice fields. I am sorry I have been absent on this page for a little time, but I am back now, and keen to share with you some travel insights, and a delightful, dead-easy recipe for Gâteau de riz de Camargue (also known as old-fashioned rice cake).
But first..
You might have gathered from my earlier post, that we lost our baby girl, Evelyn Violet, who was born sleeping at 23 weeks in early July. Grief and loss can shake us to the very core of our being, and I wasn’t coping at home with our empty rooms and quiet, echoing hallways. So we gathered together the funds from our recent house sale. And we booked our tickets, heading to the places where we had always wanted to travel. We packed no more than our hand luggage requirements and planned no more than a few days in advance, travelling lightly, and not thinking too much as we went..
Here is a picture my husband took in the main street of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, an ancient town in the marshes of the Camargue. We had just stepped out from our hotel, seeking our morning cup of coffee and this group of Gardians de Camargue (Camargue cowboys) cantered along down the main street, shepherding their Taureau de Camargue (Bulls of the Camargue) with them to the local arena. We watched them later that afternoon as they participated in their annual ‘course camarguaise’ which is the Camargue style of bullfighting (but involves no harm inflicted on the bull, it’s more of an excited trot around the arena, but breathtaking (and dangerous) nonetheless).
Eating..
I am astounded (as always) how well you can eat in France, even while travelling on a very meagre budget. And somewhat surprisingly, even the most mainstream supermarkets provide snippets of a glorious treasure trove. I posted a video to my instagram on the many foods that you can only find in a French supermarket, and which sadly, aren’t available back home (think raw butter, fermented sausage, and swiss compte raw milk cheese, yeah?!).
We also loved how well our kids were accommodated for the evening meals. Eating out with children in commonplace in La Camargue, an we simply took them wherever we went (no need for babysitters thank you very much).
Riz de Camargue and native birdlife..
The Camargue region is known for its wide expanses of natural wetlands that attract large quantities of natural wildlife. On our morning walks, we spotted long-legged pink flamingos (that I might add - made similar sounds to angry, croaking wild geese), egrets and white herons.
In hindsight, I would have loved to have returned to the marshlands in winter and seen the wild ducks fossick amongst the rice fields. The local, wild rice of the Camargue has a unique IGP (Indication géographique protégée) status, and accounts for over 5% of the rice production in all of Europe. Every winter, the wild ducks fossick, eat bugs and turn the soil over the rice fields, avoiding the use of pesticides for the farmers, and providing a homely environment for the ducks to shelter during the winter months.
I was astounded by the rich, plump quality of the grains, and traditional rice cakes, known as Gâteau de Riz featured predominantly at the local cafes and food stalls at the morning markets.
RECIPE: Gâteau de Riz de Camargue (also known as old-fashioned rice cake from the Camargue).
This simple cake was enjoyed most mornings as we sipped our coffees, and contemplated the beauty of the streetscape. It has only six ingredients, and is easy to throw together, even in a hurry. Traditional recipes from the Camargue suggest a dash of rum, but I switched this for a splash of marsala (oops!). There’s also an endless variation on the choice of dried fruit, but my kids voted hands-down for the sultana option!
If you are thinking about making this as a Christmas dish, try added a little dried citrus peel and a splash of orange juice. Switch the sultanas for currants, or try a variety of finely chopped dried fruit.
What You Will Need -
1 scant cup of rice (fat, round rice varieties work best, try a white arborio rice if your options are limited).
3 3/4 cups of milk (full cream, non-homogenised milk works best)
3 eggs
1/2 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons marsala
1 cup of sultanas
Sugar Syrup (optional) -
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 tablespoons rapadura or coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon marsala
Combine all ingredients together in a small cup and whisk with a spoon, drizzle over the cake, then drain off excess liquid.
How to Make -
Place the rice in a small saucepan and cover it with boiling water. Put the lid on tight, and then leave it to rest for ten mins. Drain and rinse the rice and set aside.
In a larger cooking pot, place the rice with the sugar, and add two cups of milk. Bring to a gentle simmer on a low heat, and stir every few minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan. Continue to cook as the rice expands, and slowly add more milk as you go so that you use a total of 3 cups to cook the rice.
After 30-40 minutes the rice should become clear and translucent (take a bite - it should be soft) with very little liquid left in the pan. Remove the pan from the stove top and turn off the heat, setting the pan aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and marsala. Pour in the rice and milk mixture together with the sultanas, and then add an additional 1/4 cup of milk. Stir well using a wooden spoon.
Prepare a 20 x 20cm baking tray and grease with butter, or line with baking paper. Pour in the mixture, and place it in a pre-heated 180 degree oven. Cook for 20 minutes, or until mixture becomes firm. Allow to cool, then drizzle on the sugar syrup, and drain off any excess liquid. Serve and enjoy.