French Food Recipes

Brie Cheese Appetizer

2010-04-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(Servig for 8)
* 1 (8 ounce) wheel Brie cheese
* 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
* 1/2 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
* 1 egg white

Directions :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Slice one wheel of Brie cheese in half so you have 2 circles of cheese.
Spread apricot or peach preserves on (the cut side) half of one circle of brie.
Make sandwich out of the two halves of Brie, so that the preserves are in the center of both halves.
Wrap the entire wheel of Brie with one sheet of puffed pastry and flip the entire concoction onto the prepared cooking sheet so the seam is on bottom.
Brush the puffed pastry with the egg white.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry in golden brown. Serve immediately.

Fresh spaghetti with green olives

2010-04-01T19:02:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Fresh spaghetti with green olives - for 4 persons
500 g grams of fresh spaghetti
100 g of stoned/pitted small green olives
50 g of dried preserved tomatoes
30 g of anchovy filets preserved in oil
10 g of capers
a few leaves of basil
8 centiliters of olive oil
table salt and freshly ground black pepper

Direction :
Make 5 liters of water boiling
While water is heating, heat the olive oil in a pan, add the olives, the anchovy filet cut in 2 parts, the dried tomatoes cut in big dice and the capers
Let them sweat in the covered pan during 5 minutes
When the water is boiling, salt it and pour the spaghetti making them standing up, then stir with a fork and count 2 minutes of cooking after water is boiling again
Quickly drain the spaghetti and add the foodstuff prepared in the pan, blend quickly with a wooden spoon, add (very few) table salt and some black pepper
Place the spaghetti very hot in a large hollow dish with minced basil leaves and eat it with a good Bandol (rosé wine from the Provence area) this nice beautiful and friendly dish

Cream of Avocado and Smoked Salmon

2010-03-29T07:43:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :
cream of avocado and smoked salmon recipe for 6 people :
2 ripe avocados
20cl double cream
1 Tbs French mustard
3 slices smoked salmon
1 tsp lemon juice
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 Tsp capers
some fresh chervil

Direction :
This recipe is very simple to realize.
1) Open your avocados, get rid off the stone and take the flesh out with a spoon. Put it in your food processor along with the lemon juice, one slice of smoked salmon, the mustard, the cream and the cayenne pepper. Blitz the lot and set aside in a bowl in the fridge for 2 hours.

Arrangements
Pipe some of the avocado mousse in some shot glass or cocktail glasses up to half way. Then, cut your smoked salmon left over in six slices of the same size that you will carefully place around the side of the avocado mousse. Place few capers on the top of it and place a small sprig of chervil over the lot.
If you are not too confident with a piping bag, just use a tablespoon.

Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese

2010-03-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(serving for 12)
* 1 stick butter, softened
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley
* 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions :
Mix together the butter, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, dill, basil, and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined. Chill in refrigerator overnight or 8 hours. This can be frozen for long-term storage.

Alsatian's sauerkraut

2010-03-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(For 8 guests)
2 kg of uncooked sauerkraut
2 onions
3 cloves of garlic
200 gr goose fat
½ litre Riesling wine
1 litre water

Bouquet garni in a muslin made with:
2 cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of thyme, 6 juniper berries and 12 pepper corn.
Garnish :
1 smoked pork shoulder
1 Pork knuckle,slightly cured
1 rack of pork
400 gr smoked pork belly
8 Strasbourg sausages

Direction :
Wash off the uncooked sauerkraut several times, then drain excess water by pressing carefully.
Melt the goose fat in a large pot and sweat off the onions until soft. Add the wine and the water and bring to the boil. Next add the smoked shoulder, the pork knuckle, the rack of pork and the pork belly as well as the small bag of spices and the sauerkraut. Salt lightly; cover with greaseproof paper and a lid. Cook in the oven during 1 ½ hours at 350°F (180°C or th6).

Meanwhile, cook the Strasbourg sausages in simmering water for 10 minutes.

Remove the meat from the pot, slice it and arrange it on a tray around the sauerkraut. Add the sausages and some steamed potatoes if you wish.

Sauerkraut can also be used in other recipes, in accopaniement of a grilled salmon steak, roasted monkfish or filets of guinea fowl or pheasant, etc.

My personal "tip" is that sauerkraut tastes really good if it is served with apples. You may for example braise some pork filets, deglazing them with some cider vinegar, some cream or some bouillon. Then you can coat the pork filets with this sauce and serve some sauerkraut, in which you would have added some dices of RAW apple, to the side.
The flavour and the texture of this dish will take you to new tasting heights...

Rich and Simple French Onion Soup

2010-03-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 cups sliced onions
* 4 (10.5 ounce) cans beef broth
* 2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional)
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* salt and pepper to taste
* 4 slices French bread
* 4 slices provolone cheese
* 2 slices Swiss cheese, diced
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
(serving for 4)

Directions :
Melt butter with olive oil in an 8 quart stock pot on medium heat. Add onions and continually stir until tender and translucent. Do not brown the onions.
Add beef broth, sherry and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven broiler.
Ladle soup into oven safe serving bowls and place one slice of bread on top of each (bread may be broken into pieces if you prefer). Layer each slice of bread with a slice of provolone, 1/2 slice diced Swiss and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Place bowls on cookie sheet and broil in the preheated oven until cheese bubbles and browns slightly.

French Onion Soup Gratinee

2010-03-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(serving for 4)
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 large red onions, thinly sliced
* 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
* 1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
* 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
* 1/2 cup red wine

* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 2 sprigs fresh parsley
* 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 4 thick slices French or Italian bread
* 8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature
* 1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature
* 4 pinches paprika

Directions :
Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.
Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.
Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.
Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!

Black Truffle Coulis

2010-03-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Recipe for 1/2 (1 pt) of black truffle coulis:
1/2 veal stock
20 cl white port
100g black truffle (tuber melanosporum)trimmings
2 dl double cream
salt and pepper

Ingredients :
Recipe for 1/2 (1 pt) of black truffle coulis:

1/2 veal stock
20 cl white port
100g black truffle (tuber melanosporum)trimmings
2 dl double cream
salt and pepper

Veal Stock

2010-03-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
There is the original veal stock recipe. Despite the fact that nowadays powdered veal stock has become widely available, nothing comes close to fresh homemade stock. To make this recipe worth while, it is better to make 2 litres of stock. Then take what you need on the day and put the rest in the freezer in small containers such has ice cube bags, yoghurt pot, etc.

For 2 litres of veal stock sauce:
2 kg (4 lb) veal bones
2 carrots
3 onions
3 cloves
4g (2 tea spoons) cracked pepper

Direction :
Ask your butcher for 2 kg of veal bones, put then on a rosting tray, then add two carrots as well as two onions cut into a mirepoix (big cubes). Roast them for 1/2 hour at 220 degrees (gas mark 7, 430F).
Meanwhile, in a large pot bring 6 litres (14 pt) of water as well as a bouquet garni, the last of the onion with the cloves pricked into it and the cracked pepper to the boil. Make sur not to put any salt at this stage.
Take your bones out the oven: the bones and the mirepoix must be roasted. With a skimmer, put them into the bouillon.
Take your roasting tray, carefuly get rid off the fat and with a bit of bouillon, scrap the bottom of the tray to disolve the meat juices. Pour this liquid into the pot.
Gently simmer your stock for 4 hours, skimming it regularly. Strain your stock and set it aside.
If you wish to have a concentrated stock, called demi-glaze, reduce your stock by 1/2.

Garlic butter for snails

2010-03-29T07:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
250g butter
12g salt
3g ground white pepper
2 cloves of garlic, cored, crushed and finely chopped
1 shallot finely chopped
25g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Direction :
Leave your butter at room temperature until soft. Then in a salad bowl mix well all your ingredients until an homogeneous paste.
I advise you to make small tubes with some cling film and keep them in the freezer (-18) for few month. That way, you will be able to use them little by little as you need it not only to cook snail, as it can be used for a lot of other preparations such as sautéed potatoes, garlic mushrooms, tomatoes, etc.

2010-03-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Recipe for a forgotten vegetable:
They are often found on market stall, but no one knows how to cook them. There is a lovely way to cook chinese crosnes as a side dish.

Direction :
To peel them, just put them in a clean kitchen cloth with some rock salt and shake them and roll them well against each other. There you go, it is done!

Steam them, boil them in salted water for 10 minutes or simply blanch them.
If you wish you could even cook them, after being blanched, for ten minutes in some veal stock.

Provence style Tomatoes

2010-03-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Here is the mythical recipe of the tomatoes 'à la Provençale' (Provence style tomatoes - note of the translator : Provence is a famous region of the south of France), source of numerous culinary 'litigations' ; this is a very good one.
Provence style tomatoes for 4 persons :

8 nice round well ripe tomatoes
1/10 liter (3 fl oz) olive oil
3 tablespoonfuls chopped fresh parsley
4 cloves of garlic, degermed, crushed and chopped
3 tablespoonfuls breadcrumbs
6 grams (1/5 oz) table salt blended with 2 grams caster sugar
freshly ground black pepper
2 grams oregano + 2 grams dry sweet marjoram

Direction :
Get rid of the scapes of the tomatoes, then cut the tomatoes in 2 halves (horizontaly), take the seeds off, season them with sugar and table salt mix and with black pepper
Pour half the olive oil into a large frying pan, heat it and brown the half tomatoes during 3 minutes first on the pulp side then during 2 minutes on the other side
Pre-heat the oven at 240°C (464°F)
In a salad bowl, blend garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs and dry herbs
Put the tomatoes onto a cooking dish (clay, china) and distribute the garlic mixture on each tomatoe, sprinkle some black pepper on them, distribute the remaining olive oil on them and put into the oven for 15 minutes.
Here it is : you have got a marvellous side food to be served with a roasted lamb leg, small kebabs, bake red mullets, fried pan meat etc ...
Guy Gedda, the famous (now retired) 'Provençal' cook considered by all cooks as one of the greatest 'provençal' cooking specialists likes among all to taste those tomatoes with a sunny side up egg topped on them. It is now to you to prepare this simple but great recipe

Aligot

2010-03-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Recipe from the cooperative of Laguiole
Serves 6 :
1 kg of floury potatoes
100 g of butter
250 g of creme fraiche
400 g of tome de Savoie (moulded raw cheese)
Salt, pepper and a clove of garlic

Direction :
Prepare a classic mash potatoes, add to this purée the butter and the creme fraiche. Season with salt peppers and a hint of garlic.
Heat up the mash and add the cheese cut in small strips, then stir slowly with a wooden spoon.
When the mixture becomes stringy the Aligot is cooked.
Tome of Aubrac (cheese) is made in Laguiole in the heart of the region where Aligot is the traditional dish.
Serve your aligot with a roast sausage or a free range pork roast, or you could even try it with seafood (lobster, Dublin bay prawns) or pan-fried medallions of monkfish in olive oil�

Aubergine Gateau

2010-03-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
This a very old recipe from the south of France
Aubergine gateau recipe for 6 people :
3 Aubergines (eggplants)
1 thick slice of bread
3 cloves of garlic, peeled, cored, crushed and finely chopped
1 small bundle parsley

some milk
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
4 Tbs olive oil
4 fillets of anchovies in olive oil
Direction :
Trim each ends of the aubergines and slice them in pieces about 2 cm thick in the length. Then, cut each slices in their width into pieces 2 cm wide. Sprinkle some table salt over them and set aside for 15 minutes.
Dry the aubergines cubes with some kitchen paper.
Heat up 3 spoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and pan fry the aubergine pieces until golden brown. Season with some pepper (no salt though!). Set aside on some kitchen paper.
Start your oven at 200'c (392'F).
Place your bread onto a shallow plate and pour some milk over it and wait until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Place your aubergines, garlic, soaked bread parsley and the anchovies onto a chopping board. Then, using a large chopping knife chop the lot until you get a homogeneous paste.
Pour the aubergine paste into a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir in the egg yolks.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the eggplant mixture.
Line a nice ceramic dish with some olive oil and pour the aubergine mixture in it. Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve this aubergine gateau with a nice mixed salad or a nice roast of lamb and a slightly spiced tomato sauce. Accompany this meal with a glass of fresh Bandol rose wine.

Curry Tiger Prawns

2010-03-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Curry Tiger Prawns for 4 persons :
12 large raw tiger prawns
3 soya sauce soupspoonfuls
1 dry basil soupspoonful
2 curry soupspoonfuls
3 minced yolks of hard boiled eggs (keep the whites, also minced for the salad)
1 lemon

For the soya bean salad :
200 grams (half a pound) bleached (1 minute in boiling water fresh soya beans
20 grams (2/3 oz) fresh peeled ginger cut into very small cubes
2 cider vinegar soupspoonfuls
1 soya sauce soupspoonful
a little chive

Direction :
Carefully shell the tail of each prawn that must still stick to the head, open then in 2 by the lenght from the tail on its 3/4 and get rid of the instestine
In a bowl, blend with a whip the soya sauce, curry, hard boiled eggs yolks and basil to get a paste
Pre-heat your oven at 356°F on the grill position
Brush a little olive oil on the bottom of a cooking dish, lay down the opened prawns and slightly coat them with the curry paste and put into the oven at half eight during 12 minutes (6 minutes on each side
During the prawns cooking, prepare the salad : in a sald bowl, prepare the dressing with the vinegar, soya sauce, minced hard boiled eggs whites, then ginger and soya beans, mix quicky with spoons and present the salad on 4 service dishes, topped with chopped chives
Take the browned prawns out of the oven, sprinkle a little lemon juice on them and put 3 prawns around the salad in each dish and enjoy while the prawns are still warm

Fish Kebabs

2010-03-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
There are an infinity of possibilities when making fish kebabs.There are few examples. We advise you to marinade the fish for few hours prior cooking them. You could use all sorts of very different marinades. For example you could place your fish in some olive oil along with some lime or lemon juice, then let your imagination do the rest. You could either, add some fresh herbs or dried garlic and some spices, vanilla or peppercorns.
There are few ideas to make your fish kebabs:

Direction :
- Tuna, chorizo, yellow pepper
- Bonito, smoked pork belly, sweet baby onions
- Fresh salmon, confit lemons, cherry tomatoes
- Filets of black sole, button mushrooms, dices of pork belly
(Use the same garnishes for seabass, sardines, grenadier, seabream or red snapper kebabs)
- Grouper, red and yellow pepper
- Scallops, pork belly, green and black olives (make sure to make a small incision into the coral (the orange bit))
- Tiger prawns, pineapple, bacon
- Grilled Dublin bay prawns (2 minutes on each side) with some sechuan pepper

To finish, another little idea: take some empty scallop shells place a couple of scallops in them, a bit of freshly ground pepper and a nob of good salted butter. Close them up and place them on the barbeque for 6 minutes, it is devine!!!

Andouillette

2010-03-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
The andouillette is spicy sausage from the Troyes region, just 150 Km southeast of Paris, in the Champagne Region. It is made of pig colon and stomach, cured and spiced. Its quality is garantied by the AAAAA, l'Association Amical des Amateurs d'Authentiques Andouillettes (friendly association of real andouillettes connoisseurs).
This andouillette recipe is a traditional recipe from the Lyon region where it is traditionaly made with veal honeycomb and pig stomach.
Andouillette Lyonnaise style for 2 :

2 Andouillettes
1 large spanish onion
A nob of butter
A tablespoon of lard
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

Direction :
Prick your sausage with a fork on all their lenght.
In a frying pan melt down the butter add the onion finely sliced. Season well and allow to cook gently. Do not let them take any color.
Panfry your sausages until they reach a nice golden color all over. Then add the onions and 3 minutes later the vinegar (some would add a drop of white wine too).

Serve your andouillettes piping hot with a sprinkle of finely chopped flat parsley.
I suggest you serve some nice boulangere potatoe, alongside your andouillettes.

Chicken Kebabs

2010-03-29T06:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Procedure to make chicken kebabs,
The best way to make chicken kebabs is to cut some chicken breasts into cubes 3/4 of an inch thick.

The ideal is to marinade your chicken pieces for 24 hours before cooking them.
To do this there are some examples of marinades: soy sauce, honey, curcuma, salt, pepper and grappes seed oil.
Before grilling them, you can alternate your chicken dices with for example:

Direction :
- Chicken, red peppers, onions, courgettes (zucchini)
- Chicken, babycorn, cocktail sausages, pitted black olives
- Chicken button mushrooms, smoked pork belly, cherry tomatoes
- Chicken, candied lemons, dices of courgettes (zucchinis)

Note that these kebabs can be made with guinea fowl meat (cook a little less) or diced breast of turkey.

Glazed Loin of Lamb

2010-03-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Loin of lamb, glazed with red Martini. Recipe for 8 people:
8 pieces of loin of lamb of about 120g each (about 4.5 Oz)
For the vegetable stock:
1 leek, thoroughly washed.
200g carrots peeled and roughly chopped.
200g onions, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
a small bunch of thyme
1 baie leaf
4g cracked pepper
7g rock salt

Accompaniments:
500g of ceps (fresh, tinned or frozen)
400g Jerusalem artichokes, cut in small dices
2 finely chopped shallots
3 egg yolks
10 cc double cream
Salt, freshly ground pepper
Red Martini caramel:
20g caster sugar
5 cc red wine vinegar
10 cc red Martini
10g butter
1/2l veal stock

Direction :
Take a cast iron pot, place all the ingredients for the vegetable stock in, cover with some cold water. Bring to the boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Place your pieces of loin of lamb into the stock. Make sure that they remain covered at all time. If necessary add in a little bit of water. Cover and cook gently for 20 to 25 minutes. When done Take the lamb out and set aside on a rack.
Heat up a frying pan with a bit of cooking oil (duck fat, would be even better). Stir-fry the ceps (cut in medium size dices) until they reach a nice golden color. Season well, then add the shallots. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then strain the mushrooms and set aside.
Cook the Jerusalem artichoke in the same way.
In a salad bowl, mix the egg yolks and the cream together with some salt and pepper (you could add a little bit of cooked foie gras if you happen to have some in your fridge. It would be divine!).
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees Centigrade (gas mark6 or 350F)
Take 8 medium size, individual, oven dishes and pour a bit of the egg-cream mixture. Put a layer of cooked cep, then a layer of cooked Jerusalem artichokes. Repeat the operation until te dishes are 2/3 full. Then, top up with more egg mix. Cook in the oven in a bain-marie (double boiler) for 25 minutes at a constant temperature.
Lets prepare our red Martini caramel. In a pot, place the sugar and the vinegar. Cook this mixture until it reaches the point of caramelization (until it starts to become slightly golden). Then, add in the Martini, reduce down for 2 minutes. Add the veal stock and allow to reduce for a further 2 minutes. Take your pot off the heat and whick in the butter in parcels. Keep warm in a double boiler.
Place your cooked pieces of lamb and put them on an oven tray. Increase the temperature of your oven to 210 degrees centigrade (gas mark7, 410F).
Using a small ladle, coat each pieces of lamb with a little bit of the caramel sauce. Put in the oven. Repeat the coating operation every 5 minutes for another 30 minutes. You will be able to see the lamb gradualy take a nice caramel like coloration. Note that you should have about half of the caramel sauce left over at the end of the glazing operations.
Arrangement: Take 8 nice plates (preferably white) and place one piece of glazed lamb to one side. Then, take out of its mold a cep and Jerusalem artichoke "gateau" and place it on the opposite side of the plate, put a small sprig of tarragon on the top of it. Pour a ribbon of the caramel sauce all around the inside of each plattes.
Serve with a steak knife, sit and listen to the silence in the room as everybody enjoy their red Martini glazed loin of lamb...

Note that you can cook everything the day before and have it ready "in two shakes of a lamb's tail" on the day of your party . You will just have to re-heat the lamb for 20 minutes at 180 degrees centigrade (gas mark6, 350F) covered in a cast iron pot, in the same oven put the mushroom and Jerusalem "gateaux" left in their dishes in a bain-marie for 10 minutes this time. As for the sauce, heat it up just before serving your main course or you can keep it in a double boiler until serving time.

Beef Kebab

2010-03-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
To realise these kebabs, it is preferable to choose pieces of striploin. Dice them up and leave them to marinade for several hours before grilling them.

There are some examples of marinade for the beef:
- Red wine, red wine vinegar, chopped shallots, thyme, salt and pepper.
- White wine, cracked pepper, tarragon, bay leaf and salt.
- Grappe seed oil, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, espelette chili and salt.
- Soy sauce, red wine vinegar, coriander, sugar, honey, salt and pepper.

Then, make your kebabs alternating the following ingredients on your skewers (to choose from):

Direction :
- Beef, button mushroom, sweet onions, green and red pepper.
- Beef, chorizo, sweet onion, yellow pepper.
- Beef, onion, cocktail white pudding, green pepper.
- Beef, dice of courgette (zucchini), onion, pitted black olive.
- Beef, red onion, smoked pork belly, bay leaf.

Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with a Blue Cheese and Olive Stuffing

2010-03-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(Serving for 8)
* 3 pounds whole pork tenderloins
* Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
* 1 cup prepared olive tapenade
* 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
* 3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
* 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 shallots, minced
* 1 cup dry white wine
* 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 2 tablespoons minced parsley

Directions :
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Make a lengthwise cut in each pork tenderloin about 3/4 of the way through. Open each tenderloin, creating a rectangular shape, and place each between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound each tenderloin into a thin rectangle, about 1/2 to 1/2-inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap, and season each tenderloin to taste with salt and pepper on both sides.
Spread tapenade on 2/3 of each tenderloin sheet, leaving about 1/2 inch of space on the edges. Sprinkle blue cheese and thyme over the tapenade. Starting from the side with the stuffing, roll the meat firmly towards the side without stuffing, being careful not to roll so tightly that you squeeze the stuffing out. Use toothpicks or butcher's twine to secure each roll.
Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Lightly dredge each tenderloin roll in flour, and shake off excess. Sear the tenderloins in hot oil until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes.
Roast in preheated oven to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), 20 to 22 minutes. Remove the pork from the skillet, and set aside to rest in a warm place.
Return skillet to stove over medium-high heat. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil, then stir in shallots and cook until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in white wine, and boil until reduced by half, scraping the caramelized bits off of the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, honey, and lemon juice until smooth. Remove pan from the heat, and rapidly whisk in butter cubes until dissolved. Stir in minced parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, remove toothpicks or twine from the pork, and slice into 1/2-inch medallions. Serve the pork slices ladled with sauce.

Lemon Meringue Pie III

2010-03-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
* 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 1/3 cup water
* 4 eggs, separated
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons lemon zest
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions :
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water in a heavy saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make a smooth paste. Gradually whisk into boiling sugar mixture. Boil mixture until thick and clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and lemon juice. Gradually whisk egg yolk mixture into hot sugar mixture. Return pan to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in grated lemon rind and butter or margarine. Place mixture in refrigerator and cool until just lukewarm.
In a large glass or metal bowl, combine egg whites and salt. Whip until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar while continuing to whip. Beat until whites form stiff peaks. Stir about 3/4 cup of meringue into lukewarm filling. Spoon filling into baked pastry shell. Cover pie with remaining meringue.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until meringue is slightly brown. Cool on a rack at for at least 1 hour before cutting.

Caramel sauce

2010-03-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
there is what you need to make a caramel sauce:
300g caster sugar
1 lemon juice
10 table spoons of water

Direction :
The first tip is to make sure that you use a pot with a thick bottom to make your caramel. So, in that pot mix your sugar with six table spoons of water, with a wooden spoon making sure not to splash any sugar onto the sides of your pot.
Add the lemon juice and place your pot on the heat.
When the sugar has started to boil do not stir it at all. When, the sugar starts to take a slight brown colour, start giving a rotating motion to your pot to even the colour of your caramel.
When the sugar has reach the golden, brown colour of a caramel, carefully add a couple of table spoons of water and stir your caramel with your wooden spoon. Repeat this last step a second time and quickly transfer your caramel sauce into a different container (avoid plastic).
At this point, your caramel must be quite thin. Let it cool down and preserve it into a glass jar tightly closed in the fridge until needed.

Baked Alaska

2010-03-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
If you were looking for a festive dessert that can be ready well in advance, no need to look any further : There is our recipe for baked Alaska. I have to admit this dessert recipe has been a bit forgotten but it is always very tasty and spectacular, nonetheless. And it can be made well in advance and kept in the freezer until it is needed.
(Below Baked Alaska recipe for 6 to 8 people )

7 whole eggs
250g caster sugar + 1 Tsp vanilla sugar
100g sifted strong flour
30g melted butter
20g potato starch or corn flour
10 cl Grand-Marnier or brandy
½ L vanilla ice-cream or plain ice-cream
some icing sugar
Direction :
Instructions :
Preparing the ice-cream

To do at least 24h before the rest of the recipe :
Buy ½ litre of good vanilla ice-cream. Take it out of its container. Place it into a bowl and allow it to soften for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then, whisk it until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream.
Pour it into the tin that you will use for the making of your baked Alaska and place it in the freezer.

On the day that you are preparing your baked Alaska : Making the sponge

90g caster sugar+1 Tsp vanilla sugar
3 egg yolks
100g sifted, strong flour
30g melted butter
3 egg whites

1) Start your oven at 200°C (392°F)
2) Place your egg yolks into a bowl and add the sugars. Whisk until it becomes creamy.
3) When done, sprinkle the flour and stir it in well. Then mix in the melted butter.
4) Whisk the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold them into the batter with a spatula.
5) Pour the batter into a baking tin (the same size as the one used for the ice-cream) and bake for 30 minutes.
6) Take your sponge out of the tin and allow it to cool down.

Now, we have the ice-cream and the sponge ready, now lets get the meringue going.

Making the meringue

Whisk 4 egg whites until stiff while adding 60g of caster sugar little by little. Mix 2 egg yolks with 13g of corn starch and add them to the stiff egg whites. In this way your meringue will be strong enough to hold while decorating your baked Alaska.

Making the syrup

Place 100g of caster sugar and 10cl of water into a pot and bring to the boil. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Let your syrup cool down and flavour it with some Grand-Marnier or brandy.

Mounting your baked Alaska

1) Slice your sponge lengthwise, in two pieces. Put them onto a board and punch them with your syrup.
2) Take your ice-cream out and slice it the same way as the sponge cake and place one half on each slice of sponge cake.
3) Fill a pipping bag with your meringue and coat one piece of sponge and ice-cream. Place
your second ice-cream-sponge slice on the top of it. Finally, coat the lot with some meringue and decorate the whole log with the rest of the meringue.
Put your baked Alaska into the freezer, making sure that it is not going to be damaged, until the day of your meal.

On the day

1) Start your oven at 240°C (464°F)
2) Take your baked Alaska out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Dust it with some icing sugar and bake it for 3 minutes.
3) Heat up your Grand-Marnier (or other) and flambé your baked Alaska in front of your guests. Finally, slice it...

As always take extreme care when you flambé your baked Alaska: Keep the kids at bay and have a damp cloth nearby if the flames get out of control.

This recipe seems quite long, but it can be made in stages.In this way you will be able to say: This is the one I made earlier...

Buckwheat madeleines

2010-03-29T06:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(for 24 madeleines)
4 very fresh eggs
220 grams (1/2 lb) buckwheat flour + 50 grams (1.5 oz) corn/maize starch, both sieved together
130 grams (4 oz) melt butter
200 grams (nearly ½ lb) caster sugar
8 centiliters (2.7 fl oz) plain full fat milk
A few vanilla extract drops
1 small bag (1/3 oz) baking powder made of corn/maize starch

Direction :
In a salad bowl, pour the flour/starch mixture, make a hole in the middle and pour into it sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla and baking powder. Stir well with a whip and when the mixture is compact, pour the (liquid) melt butter (still keep whipping) untill fully incorporated. Cover with a clean cloth and let the mixture at room temperature during 2 hours.
Pre-heat the oven at 464°F
Butter the inside of madeleine moulds (unless they are soft Teflon coated moulds) and half fill them with the mixture
Cook at 464°F during 6 minutes then at 392°F (without opening the oven) during 4 minutes

Everyone will appreciate those delicious madeleines.

Chocolate Fondant

2010-03-29T06:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
Makes 8 individual cakes
200 g of dark chocolaet, 60%
8 squares of the same chocolate
220 g of butter
160 g of caster sugar
120 g of flour
4 eggs

Direction :
Preheat the oven at a temperature of 425°F (220°or th7)

Melt the chocolate as quickly as possible in a bain marie and add the butter. Remove from heat and leave it to cool.
Whisk together both the eggs and the sugar until the mixture becomes a light yellow coulour. Add the flour and mix it with a spatula. Then fold in the chocolate.
Fill several flexopan or teflon molds halfway.
Place a chocolate square on top of each cake and then fill every mold with the chocolate batter.
Cook for 15 min and then wait another 15 min before unmolding them.

This recipe has one great advantage when compared to other recipes: These cakes may be eaten hot or cold. Therefore, you may cook them in advance and reheat them in a microwave oven when it is time for dessert. You can also make other variations, for example you may buy 8 chocolate truffes and place them in the freezer for 1 hour. You can put these in the cakes instead of the chocolate squares. You may also put white chocolate squares instead, etc�

Just one last comment: All food lovers may thank Michel Bras and his pastry chef for having created this dessert after having made several experiments and given it several tries in their Laguiole restaurant. This dessert has now become a part of France's culinary heritage.

Creole sented Caramelized Pineapple

2010-03-29T05:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(serving for 6)
1 medium size tin of sliced pineapple
300 g of sugar
6 eggs
50 g of brown sugar
Juice of 1 lime
50 g of flour, sieved
10 cl of dark rum

Direction :
This is a simple recipe and a will please every one. If the recipe is intended for children you may leave the rhum out and replace it with vanilla.

Method:
Using a food processor (or a mixer), blend 3/4 of the pineapple slices with their syrup for 10 seconds, Put the mixture in a saucepan with 300 gr of caster sugar and to boil for 5 min.
Add the remaining 1/4 of pineapple slices, diced, and reduce the liquid for another 5 min. Remove from heat and let it cool down until lukewarm.
Separately, using a large mixing bowl, whisk the 50 gr of flour with the lime juice, add 5 cl of rum.
Mix well and add the eggs.
Once everything is well blended, add the pineapple mixture. Keep stirring continuously with a spatula.

For the caramel : put 50 gr of brown sugar, the remaining rum and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and heat. Once it takes a nice golden colour, pour this caramel into a oven dish, making sure to cover the bottom and its side, then let it cool down for half an hour.
Preheat the oven at 325°F (180°C or th6), pour your pineapple mixture into the caramelised dish and cook in a bain-marie for 1h30.
Once cooked, let it set for half an hour before taking it out of their moul.
This creole dessert can be served in thick slices, hot, lukewarm or cold.

Make it and tell me what you think...

Batter for Fritters

2010-03-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(recipe for 6-8 people)
250g (1/2 lb) strong flour, sifted.
5g (1/5 oz) table salt.
25 cl beer.
2 whole eggs.
30g (1 1/5 oz) melted butter.
3 egg whites.

Direction :
Description
In a large bowl, place the sifted flour. Make a well, then pour the salt, the beaten eggs, the melted butter and the beer in its centre and stir in the flour, little by little with a wooden spoon.
Whisk the egg whites into a stiff foam. Carefully add them to the batter as you would do to make a soufflé mix.
Cover your bowl with a clean kitchen cloth and let the batter rest for an hour before using it.

Now, let your imagination make the rest. Coat some bananas, apples, grapes for the sweet one. Prawns or shrimps, etc for the savoury ones.

Banana cake

2010-03-29T05:51:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :
(For 6 guests)
200 g ripe bananas
200 g of flour, sieved
200 g of caster sugar
70 g of butter
2 eggs
The juice of half an orange or half a lemon
10 g of baking powder
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 pinch of salt

Direction :
Turn the oven on at a temperature of 350°F (180°C or TH 6-7)
Slowly melt the butter and then leave to cool a bit until it has become warm. Peel and slice the bananas, then crush them in a large bowl using a fork. Add orange juice (or lemon juice), sugar, a pinch of salt, eggs, baking powder, flour, oil and finallly the melted butter.. Whisk everything together.

Grease a cake mold with some butter. Place the mold in the refrigerator in order to allow the butter to set. Pour the batter into the mold. Cook for 40 minutes in the middle part of the oven (at 350°F or 180°C). Check if the cake is done by piercing its middle with a needle, making sure it comes out hot and dry.

Unmold the cake 5 minutes after it has been removed from the oven. This cake may be kept for 5 days, covering it with some plastic film. Experience has it that this dessert will not have such a long life... as its softness and its wonderful taste delight food lovers of all ages.

Lemon Meringue Pie II

2010-03-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
* 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
* 1/2 cup cold water
* 7 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 1/2 cups hot water
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 3 egg yolks, beaten
* 1 lemon, juiced and zested
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 3 egg whites
* 6 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
(serving for 6)

Directions :
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl mix cold water and cornstarch to a thin paste. In a medium saucepan bring hot water and sugar to a boil, then add cornstarch paste. Transfer this mixture to a double boiler. Cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes. Whisk a small amount of this mixture into egg yolks, then whisk egg yolk mixture back into double boiler. Cook everything together for a few minutes longer, continuing to stir. Mix in juice and rind of 1 lemon along with butter. Set custard aside to cool.
In a medium glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites while gradually adding sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. When egg whites hold a stiff peak, beat 1 teaspoon lemon juice into meringue.
Pour filling into baked pie shell. Spread meringue over lemon filling.
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes or until delicately browned.

Lemon Meringue Pie

2010-03-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1/4 cup cold water
(serving for 6)

FILLING:
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 3 egg yolks, beaten
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1/3 cup lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
* 1 teaspoon lemon extract
MERINGUE:
* 3 egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 6 tablespoons sugar

Directions :
In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Line with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5-6 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F.
For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir 1 cup hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter, lemon juice, peel and extract until butter is melted. Cover; set aside and keep hot.
For meringue, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl on medium until foamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Pour hot filling into crust. Spread meringue evenly over filling, sealing edges to crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour; refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Store in the refrigerator.

Deb's Tapenade

2010-03-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
(for 12 servings)
2 (6 ounce) cans sliced black olives, drained
3 tablespoons capers
1/2 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

Directions

Place the olives in a food processor or blender; pulse the olives until slightly chopped; remove to a bowl and set aside.
Combine the capers, onion, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper, and about half of the red bell pepper in the food processor or blender; blend until finely chopped. Add to the olives and mix. Sprinkle remaining red pepper over the mixture.

Cauliflower Cream with Smoked Salmon Caviar

2010-03-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

400 gr of cooked cauliflower
30 cl of dairy cream
15 gr of powdered gelatin
60 gr of smoked salmon eggs salt, freshly ground pepper dill
(for 6 guests)

Direction :
Set aside 6 tiny cauliflower tops.
Mix the gelatin with the cream and put it on slow heat while mixing. Put the cream in a blender, add the cauliflower and som salt and pepper and blend for 1 min.
Important: Pour the warm mixture halfway into nice looking glasses or smal bowls and leave these in the regfrigerator for 2 hours. Next, decorate placing some smoked salmon eggs in the middle of each cauliflower cream and some tiny cauliflower tops on the edges of each glass. Sprinkle with some dill.