Irish Cream Mousse

If you are in France, no matter which region, no matter where you eat, you will most likely be offered the divine French dessert Mousse au Chocolat. "Mousse" is the French word for "foam". You can find hundreds of different versions of the original recipe for this chocolate delight in cookbooks everywhere. Some boast fancy ingredients like alcohol, peppermint, oranges or even marshmallows. Some are made with complicated directions that use 3 or 4 different bowls. I always play around with recipes so here’s what I’ve come up with:

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup sifted cocoa

2 tbsp “Baileys” Irish Cream or similar

2 cups heavy whipping cream

¼  tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until blended thoroughly. Then beat in the cocoa and Irish Cream. (If you‘re concerned about illness caused by consuming raw eggs, I suggest putting the mixture in a “bain Marie” and heating for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.)

In a different bowl, whip cream and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks.

Carpaccio

Some chefs have taken to naming any dish of thinly sliced protein 'Carpaccio', but the dish was originally made with raw beef. It was first served in “Harry’s Bar” in Venice, Italy. Harry’s Bar??  Yes, a strange name for a Venetian bar.  As the story goes, Harry a heavy drinker and son of some rich guy from Boston borrowed money from a bartender. He paid the bartender off some years later tenfold…Enough for the bartender to open his own establishment in 1931 which he called Harry’s Bar.

Harry's Bar has been frequented by loads of famous people, Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Orson Welles, and Woody Allen to name but a few...In 1950 the countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo ordered raw meat (apparently the doctor’s orders) and the dish was named Carpaccio by Cipriani the owner, in reference to the Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio, because the colors of the raw meat and mustard sauce reminded him of paintings by Carpaccio.

8 to 10 ounces beef tenderloin from the tip end of the roast

Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

Shaved Parmesan

Fresh raw button mushrooms (optional)

Capers

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Extra virgin olive oil

Roll your meat in plastic cling film, make it round or rectangular...you are the chef. Pop it in the freezer and freeze the beef until almost frozen, about 1 1/2 hours (this makes it easier to cut into very thin slices). Using a large sharp carving knife, or a slicer, slice the beef as thinly as possible. Arrange the beef slices on a serving platter, or directly onto the individual plates. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, the capers and the parmesan shavings. Most chefs serve a small rocket (Arugula) salad or fries with this.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a cold Spanish tomato-based raw vegetable soup, originating in the southern region of Andalusia. It is widely consumed throughout Spain and neighboring Portugal and parts of Latin America. Gazpacho is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its cold temperature and acidic bite. This soup has ancient roots. There are a number of theories of its origin, including as an Arab soup of bread, olive oil, water and garlic that arrived in Spain with the Moors. Once in Spain it became a part of Andalusia cuisine, using stale bread, garlic, olive oil, salt, and vinegar. Gazpacho remained popular with field hands as a way to cool off during the summer and to use these available ingredients. There are many modern variations of gazpacho, often in different colors and omitting the tomatoes and bread in favor of avocados, cucumbers, parsley, watermelon, grapes, meat stock, seafood, and other ingredients. It’s so easy to add and taste, and basically play around with the different flavors, so the following is a typical method of preparing gazpacho and as I always say, you are the chef!  Traditionally, gazpacho is made by pounding the vegetables using a mortar and pestle. This method is only for people who are cave-men or who don’t have a blender.

The vegetables are washed and the tomatoes, garlic and onions are peeled.

All the vegetables and herbs are chopped and puréed in a blender or food processor until liquid, or pounded with a mortar (for the cave-men) depending on the desired consistency.

The soaked bread is then added, you can also use breadcrumbs.

Chilled water, olive oil, Balsamic vinegar and salt are then added to taste.

Garnishes may be made with fresh bell pepper slices, diced tomatoes and cucumber, a sprig of fresh basil or other fresh ingredients. Enjoy, it’s burstin’ with flavor and vitamins!

Delias  Scones

The word scone may derive from the Gaelic term "sgonn" meaning a shapeless mass or large mouthful. The German term "Schönbrot" meaning fine bread may also have played a role in the origin of this word. Or, perhaps, the word is based on the town of Scone in Scotland. The pronunciation of the word varies. According to one academic study, two-thirds of the British population pronounce it rhyming with "con" and "John", the rest pronounce it rhyming with "cone" and "Joan". The difference in pronunciation is is alluded to in this poem:

 “ I asked the maid in dulcet tone

   To order me a buttered scone

   The silly girl has been and gone

   And ordered me a buttered scone”

This is my mothers recipe…she is the worlds best scone maker!

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk (my mam always uses buttermilk)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F  and lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. The less you touch the lighter your scones will be. Roll dough out about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into rounds using a glass, or a cup, and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until slightly browned. Serve warm, buttered, and with raspberry jam and whipped cream…They are frickin delish…You are a chef.

Butternut Squash Velouté

Butternut squash also known in Australia and New Zealand as Butternut pumpkin is a type of winter squash. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. It grows on a vine. The most popular variety, the Waltham Butternut, originated in Waltham, Massachusetts.

It is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, and potassium. It is also an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin E.

This recipe is so easy you’ll laugh !

   * 1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded

    * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil

    * 1 medium onion, chopped

    * 6 cups chicken stock

    * Nutmeg (a pinch)

    * Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In a large pot melt butter or olive oil.  Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the squash and the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Place in a blender and puree. Taste. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. You are a chef.

Butternut Squash Velouté

The cartoon character Popeye is portrayed as having a strong affinity for spinach, becoming physically stronger after consuming it. A frequently circulated story claims that this portrayal was based on faulty calculations of the iron content. In the story, German scientist Emil von Wolff misplaced a decimal point in an 1870 measurement of spinach's iron content, leading to an iron value 10 times higher than it should have been and this faulty measurement was not noticed until the 1930s.

Spinach first appeared in England and France in the 14th century, probably via Spain, and it gained quick popularity because it appeared in early spring, when other vegetables were scarce and when Lenten dietary restrictions discouraged consumption of other foods.

In 1533, Catherine De'Medici became queen of France and she fancied spinach so much that she insisted it be served at every meal. To this day, dishes made with spinach are known as "Florentine," reflecting Catherine's birth in Florence.

 1 1/4 cups torn spinach leaves (frozen spinach works well too, but make sure to drain it well)

2 tablespoons water

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Combine spinach and water in a saucepan. Cover, and cook till spinach is very tender. Cool slightly. Place the spinach and liquid in your blender. Add the egg and salt. Cover, and blend till smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute.

A pasta machine is the pasta maker's BFF. Just follow these tips for a perfect  dough: Use the machine for the final kneading. Run the dough through the widest setting on the machine, fold into thirds, and roll again. Continue this process until the dough is shiny and elastic. Work the dough through the settings of the machine until the desired thickness is reached. You are a chef!

Croque-Monsieur

A croque-monsieur is a hot ham and cheese grilled sandwich. It originated in France as a fast-food snack served in cafés and bars. The cheese is typically emmental or gruyere and it’s coated in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce. The name is based on the verb croquer ("to crunch or bite") and the word monsieur ("mister")—the reason behind the combination of the two words is unknown—and it is commonly shortened to croque. While the origins of the croque-monsieur are unknown, there are many speculations on how it was first created. The croque-monsieur's first recorded appearance on a Parisian café menu was in 1910. Its earliest mention in literature appears to be in volume two of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past in 1918. (À la recherche du temps perdu)

The croque madame (also known as the croque-cheval), is  served with a fried or poached egg on top. The croque provençal, with fresh tomato slices. The croque auvergnat, with bleu d'Auvergne cheese instead of Gruyère. And you can imagine lots of other “croques”..after all you are the chef !

   * 2 tablespoons butter

    * 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

    * 1 cup whole milk

    * Pinch of ground nutmeg

    * 4 slices firm white sandwich bread

    * 4 ounces thinly sliced ham

    * 4 slices of Gruyère cheese

    * 1 tablespoon melted butter

    * 1/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Add nutmeg. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until sauce thickens, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Congrats…You have just made a Béchamel sauce.

Preheat broiler. Place 2 bread slices on work surface. Top each with half of ham a spoonful of sauce and a slice of Gruyère. Top with remaining bread. Heat a heavy frying pan over a low heat. Brush sandwiches with melted butter. Add to the pan and cook until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to small baking sheet. Spoon on the rest of the sauce, and then the grated cheese over sandwiches. Broil until cheese begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Yummy.

Stuffed Tomatoes Provençale

It is sometimes claimed that the ancient Roman, as well as medieval cooks stuffed animals with other animals. An anonymous Andalusian cookbook from the 13th century includes a recipe for a ram stuffed with small birds; And a similar recipe for a camel stuffed with sheep stuffed with bustards stuffed with carp stuffed with eggs….!

British celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has championed the ten-bird roast, calling it "one of the most spectacular and delicious roasts you can lay before your loved ones at Yuletide". A large turkey is stuffed with a goose, duck, mallard, guinea fowl, chicken, pheasant, partridge, pigeon and woodcock. The roast feeds around 30 people, and as well as the ten birds, also includes stuffing made from two pounds of sausage meat and half a pound of streaky bacon along with sage, port and red wine!

 Today I’m keeping it simple…we’ll just use a pound of meat and some tomatoes

6 big ripe beef  tomatoes (or 3 and 3 green bell peppers )

1/2 pound Italian pork sausage meat

1/2 pound lean ground beef

 3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

1/4 cup thinly sliced basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 325°. Cut across the tomatoes horizontally, leaving the top half slighter smaller than the bottom to create a lid. Set a strainer over a medium bowl. Scoop the tomato seeds into the strainer; press on the seeds to extract the juice. Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the center of the tomatoes and coarsely chop them. Add the chopped centers to the juice in the bowl. Add the sausage, beef, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and 2 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil and knead to combine.

Set the tomatoes in a large baking dish and season with salt. Spoon the filling into the tomatoes, cover with the lids and drizzle with the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft.

You are a chef !

Lamb Shanks

6 lamb shanks

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, chopped

3 large carrots, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

1 liter red wine( that’s like a bottle and a glass)

A large tin of crushed tomatoes with juice

1 pint of chicken broth

Bouquet Garni

 Season shanks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy assed large saucepan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the shanks until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Then set shanks aside to a plate.

Add onions, carrots and garlic to the pot and saute until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the wine, bouquet garni, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Return shanks to pot, pressing down to submerge. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 3 hours.

Serve with the veggies of your choice. You are the chef!

Mashed Potatoes

In my opinion the best mashed potatoes are made with "floury" types of potato (like russet), although "waxy" potatoes are sometimes used for a different texture. Butter, olive oil, milk or cream is usually added to improve flavor and texture, and the potatoes are seasoned with salt and pepper, and any other desired herbs and spices. Popular ingredients and seasonings include: garlic, cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, crisp onion or spring onion, mustard, spices such as nutmeg, chopped herbs such as parsley or rosemary, or fresh thyme. A French variation adds egg yolk for pommes duchesse; piped through a pastry tube into wavy ribbons and rosettes, brushed with butter and lightly browned. In low-calorie or non-dairy variations, milk, cream, and butter may be replaced by soup stock or broth, as in this recipe where I use the water used to boil the spuds and then a little butter.

6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup butter (you use in fact as much or as little as you like)

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain, but don’t discard the water. Add butter, and salt and pepper. Mash adding some of the water until light and fluffy, or to the consistency you want. You are the chef.

Blue Cheese Sauce

Blue cheese is a general classification of cow's milk, sheep's milk, or goat's milk cheeses that have had cultures of the mold Penicillium added so that the final product is spotted or veined throughout with blue, blue-gray or blue-green mold, and carries a distinct smell. Some blue cheeses are injected with spores before the curds form and others have spores mixed in with the curds after they form. Blue cheeses are typically aged in a temperature-controlled environment such as a cave. In the European Union many blue cheeses such as Roquefort (France), Gorgonzola (Italy) and Stilton (England) carry a protected designation of origin, meaning they can bear the name only if they have been made in a particular region in a certain country.

The characteristic flavor of blue cheeses tends to be sharp and a bit salty. The smell of this cheese is both due to the mold, and types of bacteria encouraged to grow on the cheese. I think the more stinky the cheese, the more tasty the sauce…

8 ounces good blue cheese, crumbled (I use one from Wisconsin and its great but you can use any kind)

1 -2 shallots, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Brandy or Cognac

1 good pinch of fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon flour

3/4 cup heavy cream

Heat the butter in a pan over a medium heat and cook the shallots until they’re lightly colored. Add the flour and stir, then throw in the Brandy and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Add the crumbled blue cheese. Whisk constantly. Add the pepper. You are a chef! Make a big batch and freeze in small portions.

Paella

There are three widely known types of paella: Valencian paella, seafood paella and mixed paella. Valencian paella consists of white rice, green vegetables, meat (rabbit, chicken, and duck), land snails, beans and seasoning. Seafood paella replaces meat and snails with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables. Mixed paella is a free-style combination of meat, seafood, and vegetables. Other key ingredients include saffron and olive oil.

You can use a big frying pan for this dish, I have one I put directly on the BBQ so I can be with my guests and have a drink with them while preparing dinner….

10 pieces Split Chicken Wings

½ Lb Shrimp

1 Lb Assorted Mussels and Clams

1 can of peeled Tomatoes

4 Cloves Garlic chopped

3-6 bell Peppers diced plus a handful of strips reserved to use as garnish

½ cup frozen Peas

1 tsp. Saffron Threads

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cups Paella Rice

4-6 cups fish bouillon.

Salt to taste

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a paellera. Sear the red bell pepper strips for the garnish and set aside. Sear the shrimp and set aside. Season the wings lightly with salt and sauté until golden brown. Add onions, garlic and the diced bell peppers. Sauté until vegetables are tender. Add the canned tomatoes, smash ‘em and sauté. This mixture is called the sofrito. Add rice. Braise rice until covered with sofrito. Add broth. Taste and add salt if necessary. Add saffron and mix well. Simmer until rice is almost cooked. Top with the shellfish and the peas. Continue simmering until rice and crustaceans are finished cooking. Garnish with the seared red bell pepper strips. You are a chef.

Quiche Lorraine

In French cuisine, a quiche is an oven-baked dish made with eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust. Other ingredients such as cooked chopped meat, vegetables, or cheese are often added to the egg mixture before the quiche is baked. The well-known 'quiche Lorraine' is an open pie with a filling consisting of an egg and cream custard, which is called "migaine" in Lorraine, with smoked bacon or “lardons”. The addition of Gruyère cheese makes a quiche au Gruyère or a quiche Vosgienne. The 'quiche Alsacienne' is similar to the 'quiche Lorraine', though onions are added to the recipe. Quiche became popular in England sometime after the Second World War, and in the U.S. during the 1950s.Today, you can find lots varieties of quiche, from the original quiche Lorraine, to ones with leeks, broccoli, mushrooms, ham and/or seafood (usually shellfish). Quiche can be served @ any meal or as a snack. You’ll need…

A 9 inch pie crust

12 slices bacon, fried crisp and chopped

A good handful of shredded Swiss cheese

4 eggs

2 cups of half and half

Salt & pepper

A pinch of nutmeg

Heat your oven @ 425

 Sprinkle the bacon, and cheese into the pastry lined pie ovenware. If you like you can add onion also, you are the chef!. In a mixing bowl beat the eggs slightly and beat in the remaining ingredients. Pour this mixture into the pie plate. Cook uncovered at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Cook uncovered until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with a salad of fresh greens and a light vinaigrette…YUM

Laughing Cow Zucchini Soup

This soup is amazing. Light, velvety, creamy. You will love it. Zucchini is the star of this soup, and it definitely changes from the usual way we cook it. It is so simple!

In France, “La Vache Qui Rit” is very popular. They even sell it in a mini cube version, to be served as an aperitif. They're called apericubes. The flavors of apericubes range from blue cheese, to goat cheese and rosemary, olive, tomato or ham. I love them!

1 onion coarsely chopped

2 shallots sliced

4 big zucchinis, peeled and sliced

1 or 2 tbsp of olive oil

Thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

2 pints of water

A cube of chicken stock (optional)

4 portions of Laughing Cow cheese

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan & brown the onions and shallots on high heat. Then add the zucchini and water; chicken stock if you are using it (you are the chef) the thyme and of course the cheese… boil for about 15 minutes, on medium heat. Stir often.

Transfer everything to the blender. Taste …add salt and pepper, maybe a little more olive oil.

Serve and enjoy!

Mushrooms Provence

Pharaohs ate mushrooms as a delicacy, Greeks believed them to be a source of strength and Chinese regarded them as health food. There are over 14,000 types of mushrooms in the world, out of which about 3,000 are edible, about 700 have known medicinal properties and around 1400 have been recognized as poisonous. Today, mushrooms are eaten by people, for their flavor and texture as well as for the health benefits they accord.

Some mushroom materials, including polysaccharides, glycoproteins and proteoglycans, modulate the immune system responses and inhibit tumor growth. Some medicinal mushroom isolates that have been identified also show promising cardiovascular, antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties. Currently, several extracts have widespread use in Japan, Korea and China, as adjuncts to radiation treatments and chemotherapy. Dietary mushrooms are a good source of nutrients, especially protein and fiber. They are also rich in mineral content and the fat or “lipid content” is very low.

Mushrooms are a low-calorie food appropriate for low-calorie dieting, usually cooked raw or with oil to provide a healthy and light starter. Here’s one that’s easy and delicious.

1 lb small button mushrooms

A bunch of spring onions

The juice of two lemons

1 clove of garlic, cored and crushed

A handful of golden raisins, soaked for an hour

Fresh thyme

Fresh rosemary

A glass of white wine

1 tsp cracked pepper

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Trim and wash the mushrooms thoroughly.

In a thick assed pot heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook your mushrooms for about 3 minutes or until all the cooking juices have evaporated.

Meanwhile, in a separate sauce pan, pour the wine, 1 tablespoon of water, half of the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the cracked pepper, the herbs, the finely chopped garlic, raisins and white onions. Season with some salt and bring to the boil. Cook for about 15 minutes and then add the mushrooms. Turn the heat up and cook until the liquid reduces by 3/4 of its starting volume.

When done, pour the cooked mushrooms into a bowl and allow to cool down before refrigerating.

Just before serving your mushrooms add the left over lemon juice and give’em a good stir.

This recipe makes a great refreshing appetizer on a hot sunny day...you are a chef!

Ratatouille

Ratatouille (pronounced rat-tat-too-e) is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. The full name of the dish is ratatouille Niçoise.

The French “touiller” means to toss food. Ratatouille is usually served as a side dish, but also may be served as a meal on its own or accompanied by pasta, rice or bread. Tomatoes are a key ingredient, with garlic, onions, courgettes (zucchini), aubergine (eggplant), poivron (bell peppers), carrot, and bouquet garni or herbs like herbes de Provence. There is much debate on how to make a traditional ratatouille. My method is to simply sauté all of the vegetables together. Some cooks, including Julia Child, insist on a layering approach, where the aubergine and the courgettes are sautéed separately, while the tomatoes, onion, garlic and bell peppers are made into a sauce. The ratatouille is then layered in a casserole – aubergine, courgettes, tomato/pepper mixture – then baked in an oven.

When ratatouille is used as a filling for savory crêpes or to fill an omelette, (last week’s recipe) the pieces are sometimes cut smaller. Also, unnecessary moisture is reduced by straining the liquid with a colander into a bowl, reducing it in a hot pan, then adding one or two tablespoons of reduced liquid back into the vegetables.

    * 2 big onions, diced

    * 1/2 cup olive oil

    * 6 cloves garlic, finely sliced

    * Salt and freshly ground pepper

    *a bouquet garni or Herbs de Provence

    * 1 large eggplant, diced coarsely

    * 2 zucchini, diced coarsely

    * 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced

    * 2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and diced

    * 5 or 6 big tomatoes, diced

Heat a heavy assed sauce pan with some olive oil. Brown the onions & garlic, and then add the eggplant and brown. Add the peppers, the zucchinis, and the tomatoes with the bouquet garni let them cook for at least 35 minutes…. Stir often.

You can eat it hot or cold. You are the chef. If you eat it with a roasted leg of lamb, and a Rose wine from Provence, you won’t  be far from smelling the fragrances of the old flower market in Nice...

Tarte Tatin

This famous dessert was invented at the beginning of the 20th century by the “Demoiselles Tatin”, in their restaurant at La Motte-Beuvron on the Loire River in France. It is caramelized sliced apples oven-baked in a skillet with the pastry on top; when done, it is turned upside-down so the crust is on the bottom and the apple slices – wonderfully brown, buttery, and glazed with caramel – remain in a design on top. It acquired its outstanding success because it was added to the list of desserts @ Maxim's, one of the most famous Parisian restaurants at that time.

Shortcrust pastry

2 pounds of apples

Half a cup of caster sugar

A good knob of butter (half a stick)

Pre-heat your oven at 450°

Peel the apples, open them into 2 parts, take away the core and the seeds with a spoon and cut each half into 3 segments.

Pour half of the sugar into a Teflon round mould of about 8 inches diameter. Place the apple segments nicely arranged on the sugar. Pour melted butter on the apple segments and then add the other half of the sugar.

Put the mould on the stove top on a heat  medium to hot. Be careful not to burn the apples.

Cut a raw pastry circle slighty larger than the mould and make holes with a fork in several places of the pastry. Take the mould off the hob. Place the pastry disc on top of the apple segments and using a rolling pin (larger than the mould), tuck in the part of the pastry exceeding the diameter of the mould. Put the mould into the heated oven for about  35 minutes. Take the mould out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, then use a small sharp knife around the vertical internal side of the mould. Place your serving dish up side down on the mould and turn over…serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream….you are a chef !

Pork chops Canadian-style

Aboriginal peoples living in the northeastern part of North America were the first people known to have produced maple syrup and maple sugar. According to their oral traditions, as well as archaeological evidence, maple tree sap, which they called "sweet water" or "Sinzibuckwud" (drawn from trees) was being processed for its sugar content long before Europeans arrived in the region. There are no authenticated accounts of maple syrup production and consumption among early aboriginal groups. Various legends exist as to the origins of maple syrup production; one of the most popular involves maple sap being used to cook venison served to a chief.  Many aboriginal dishes replaced the salt traditional in Europe with maple sugar or syrup. This is a traditional Canadian recipe.

6 thick cut pork chops

3 golden apples

3 tablespoons of Canadian maple syrup

3 tablespoons heavy cream

A handful of sultanas

Salt and pepper

A pinch of nutmeg

Vegetable oil and butter

About half an hour before cooking your chops, take them out of the fridge and season them well. Heat the oven @ 400F. In a cast iron pot, heat up a knob of butter along with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. When it becomes a nice golden color, sear your chops for 3 minutes, on both sides.

Peel, core and half your apples. Brush them with some lemon juice (to avoid that they oxidize)

Place an apple half on each pork chop and coat them with maple syrup.

Pour the cream around the chops and sprinkle with the sultanas. Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Cook in the oven for 40 minutes. That’s it! You are a chef.

Pilau

Pilau became standard fare in the Middle East over the years with variations and innovation by the Arabs, Turks and Armenians. It was introduced to Israel by Bukharian and Persian Jews.

In Italian cuisine "pilaf" is a rice pre-cooking style that allows chefs in busy restaurants to cut down time in risotto preparation. Usually a large tray of rice will be boiled for 7 minutes with a large onion and a carrot, in water. Once cooled it will be kept in the fridge and used ad hoc to prepare risotti in a shorter time: 7 to 10 minutes depending on the "al dente" texture that the chef wants to achieve, rather than the usual 16 to 20 minutes.

In Greek cuisine, piláfi is the fluffy and soft, but neither soupy nor sticky, rice that has been boiled in a meat stock or bouillon broth. In Northern Greece it is considered poor form to prepare piláfi on a stovetop; the pot is properly placed in the oven. Gamopílafo ("wedding pilaf") is the prized pilaf served traditionally in weddings and major celebrations in Crete: rice is boiled in chicken broth, then finished with lemon juice and melted staka butter.

For a more authentic flavor and texture it is best not to use easy-cook rice; however, it will still work and be very tasty if you do

1lb basmati rice or long grain rice

1 onion, finely chopped

1 bouquet garni

About 5 oz of butter

10 oz of veal stock or “demi glace”

salt and white pepper

Turn on the oven to a temperature of 360°

In a small ovenproof saucepan, melt approximately 2 oz of butter and gently cook the onions and the bouquet garni, without letting them brown. Add the rice. When the rice  becomes transparent, pour in the veal stock. Bring everything to a boil and season it (be careful not to use to much salt)

Cover with some waxed paper and with the saucepan's lid.

Cook in the oven for 17 min.

Once you have removed the rice from the oven, leave it covered for another 15 min.

Remove the bouquet garni and separate the grains of rice with a good knob of butter, using a fork.

Of course, those of you who can afford it can also add some truffles, cut into thin strips and several slices of foie gras. This will take you to unexpected culinary heights. You are the chef.

Iced Cream of Spring Pea Soup

In early times, peas were grown mostly for their dry seeds. In modern times, however, peas are usually boiled or steamed, which breaks down the cell walls and makes the taste sweeter and the nutrients more bio-available. Along with broad beans and lentils, these formed an important part of the diet of most people in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe during the Middle Ages. By the 17th and 18th centuries it had become popular to eat peas "green", that is, while they are immature and right after they are picked. This was especially true in France and England, where the eating of green peas was said to be "both a fashion and a madness". The popularity of green peas spread to North America. Thomas Jefferson grew more than 30 cultivars of peas on his estate. With the invention of canning and freezing of foods, green peas became available year-round, and not just in the spring as before.

2 lbs fresh or frozen garden peas

A good dash of olive oil

1 pint chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

 Smokey bacon

6 mint leaves

Heat up the olive oil in a pot. Add the peas and sweat them off, covered, for 6 minutes (save a good cup full for the garnish). Then, add the chicken stock and the cream, season , and simmer for about 10 minutes. Blend and allow to cool a little before putting it into the fridge.

Pan fry or microwave (you are the chef) the smokey bacon until its crispy. Set that aside on some kitchen paper.

“Blanch” the rest of the peas.( Put them in a pot of boiling water for 15 seconds and then put them in a bowl of ice and cold water.) Finally, strain them when they are cold.

 Just before serving, whiz your iced cold cream of pea for a minute or so in your food processer and pour in into 6 martini glasses . Then, garnish with the blanched peas, crispy bacon and the finely chopped mint leaves.

This recipe offers a nice mixture of texture and taste. The velvety texture of the cream of pea soup, the crispy smoked bacon and the crunch of the whole peas give this soup a strong personality. It also looks sooo sexy in that martini glass!!

Peach Melba

4 fresh ripe peaches

1/2 lb fresh (or frozen) raspberries (or jam)

4 oz caster sugar

1 pint creamy vanilla ice cream

2 soup spoons of dry cherry brandy

1 oz thin slices of roasted  almonds

Dip the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, rinse and cool down in chilled water, cut in 2 halfs, core and peel them carefully and put them face down on a plate.

Make a light syrup with the 2/3 of the sugar and the quantity of water necessary to cover the peaches : heat the sugared water and let it boil for 3 minutes.

Pour the cherry brandy into the syrup, carefully put the peaches into it and poach them gently for 5 to 10 minutes according to the degree of maturity of the fruit. Take the fruit out of the syrup and put them flat side down on drain until they come to room temperature.

Mash the raspberries together with the remaining 1/3 of the sugar, using a fork.(or just use raspberry jam)

Put the raspberry purée, the half peaches and 4 empty service cups into the fridge.

When time for dessert comes, put into each cup : first a scoop of ice cream, then 2 halves of poached peaches topped with some raspberry purée & a few almond slices on top and serve quickly. You can also top with whipped cream, you are the chef.

Bon Appétit !

KIR

Kir is a popular French cocktail made with a measure of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) topped up with white wine.

In France it is usually drunk as an apéritif before a meal or snack. Originally the wine used was Bourgogne Aligoté, a lesser white wine of Burgundy. Nowadays, various white wines are used throughout France, according to the region and the whim of the barkeeper. Many prefer a white Chardonnay-based Burgundy, such as Chablis.

Monsieur Félix Kir (born in 1876 in Côte d'Or, in the heart of Burgundy) was a canon, ordained as a catholic priest in 1901.He used to be a major Resistance fighter against the German occupation during WW 2 and got the French Legion of Honor Cross in 1946.That same year, he became a member of French Parliament as a "député" and mayor of Dijon, the most important city of Burgundy.

It was during this time that he started serving, for all public event parties in Dijon, an apéritif most French people already knew under the "blanc-cassis" name (white wine & blackcurrant).

And now the original proportions of a true “KIR”

1/3 blackcurrant cream from Dijon

2/3 white Burgundy wine (Aligoté grapes)

However, in most bars and "cafés” Kir is now made with these proportions:

1/5 blackcurrant cream from Dijon

4/5 white wine (dry is best)

You can make many variations of this recipe, with raspberry, blackberry ( my personal favorite) or peach cream, Champagne (makes a royal Kir) or other sparkling wines, you are the chef!

I must pay a tribute to the clairvoyance of Mayor Kir, who died in 1968 at the age of 92, who allowed this small regional drink to become, today, the most preferred apéritif in the world.

So lift your glasses & Cheers, Santé, Sláinte, Salud….whatever your language I hope you have very happy holidays !!

Simple Cream of Asparagus Soup

Asparagus has been used from early times as a vegetable and medicine, owing to its delicate flavor and diuretic properties. There is a recipe for cooking asparagus in the oldest surviving book of recipes. It was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, who ate it fresh when in season and dried it for use in winter. Asparagus is pictured on an Egyptian frieze dating to 3000 B.C.  and France’s Louis XIV had special greenhouses built for growing it. Asparagus is low in calories and is very low in sodium. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, C, E, and K, and then thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium, as well as chromium,( whew !!) this is  a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells. So what I’m sayin’ is ,VERY HEALTHY !

The shoots are prepared and served in a number of ways around the world, typically as an appetizer or vegetable side dish. In Asian-style cooking, asparagus is often stir-fried. Cantonese restaurants in the United States often serve asparagus stir-fried with chicken, shrimp, or beef, and also wrapped in bacon. Asparagus may also be quickly grilled over charcoal or hardwood embers. It is also used as an ingredient in stews and soups. In the French style, it is often boiled or steamed and served with hollandaise sauce, melted butter or olive oil. In recent years, almost as a cycle dating back to early culinary habits, asparagus has regained its popularity eaten raw as a component of a salad.

 So for 6 people you’ll need

1 onion chopped

A dash of extra virgin olive oil

2 lbs of peeled and washed asparagus tips,

1 big potato cut in cubes,

A good splash of fresh cream,

Salt, pepper & paprika.

Directions :

In a good sized saucepan lightly brown the onions at a medium heat. Add the asparagus and the potato, and 2 to 3 pints of water and boil for about 20 minutes. Blend well in a food processer or directly in the pot with an immersion mixer. You are the chef ,so you taste and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of paprika and of course the fresh cream.

Salmon Terrine

This recipe is pretty easy to do. It’s cheap too. It can be served warm or cold. It looks spectacular, especially when you announce you are the chef!

So for 6 people:

1.5 lbs of salmon filet, skin off

3 egg whites

A handful of pitted black olives, coarsely chopped

3 hearts of palms

1 lb Tub of sour cream

2 slices of smoked salmon

1 pinch cayenne pepper

For the cream of parsley:

1 finely chopped shallot

The leaves of a small bundle of parsley

3.5 oz of sour cream

Salt and pepper

Place your diced up salmon, the egg whites, salt and cayenne pepper in a food processor and reduce these ingredients into a fine puree. Put the minced salmon into a bowl and fold in the sour cream. (Save some for the sauce). Then, add the black olives. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Wrap up the hearts of palm with the smoked salmon.( just like you were rolling a cigarette) Set them aside in the fridge. Heat your oven @ 400.

Pour half the salmon mixture into a greased terrine mold (a cake tin will do if it’s Teflon). Then, place the heart of palm rolls lengthways, in the center of the mold and pour the rest of the mixture on the top of them. Level down the mixture with a pallet knife. Remember, you are the chef, so you can replace the hearts of plams with crab meat or scallops for example.

Place your terrine (covered with some tin foil) in a ‘bain-marie’ and into the hot oven for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, “blanch” the parsley. Chop it small, Blend it with the sour cream and the shallot. Set aside in the fridge.

When your terrine is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before taking it out of its mold.

Then you will have two options:

You serve your terrine warm, so carve six nice slices and simply, serve them with a drizzle of parsley cream around them. Or you serve the terrine cold. Then, put it the fridge for 3 hours. Carve 6 slices and serve with a small drizzle of parsley cream around them. As I always say “You are the chef”

Garlic Butter

In Burgundy they eat their snails swimming in delicious garlicky parsley butter, spearing them from their shells with cute two pronged forks made just for that purpose. But beurre d'escargots is not just for snails.  It can be spread on warm crusty bread, a knob can be set to melt on a freshly seared steak, we will then have “beurre Matire D’Hotel”; it can be spread on cod to be baked in papillote, melted over potatoes, and lots more. It keeps for weeks, if you don't find uses for it all at once, and it also freezes very well.

Ingredients :

1 kilo of butter

20 grams coarse sea salt

1 gram of ground black pepper

50 grams crushed garlic (don’t forget to take out the germ in the center, that’s what gives bad breath!)

40 grams finely chopped shallots

100 grams finely chopped parsley

Directions :

Leave your butter at room temperature until soft, ( that’s an easy thing to do here in SoFo.) You can use an electric chopper to get the garlic, shallots and parsley chopped really finely. Then in a salad bowl mix well all your ingredients until you obtain a homogeneous paste.

I’d advise you to transfer it to a zip lock bag and flatten it out and keep it in the freezer, that way you can break off pieces as needed. It should keep for a few months. Then, you will be able to use it little by little, not only to cook “escargots”, as I said before it can be used for a lot of other preparations such as sautéed potatoes, or garlic mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. You are the chef!

Sauce Dijon

Easy recipes are always our favorites - few ingredients, quick preparation and a delicious flavor always make our day. I am giving your this amazing sauce for chicken, veal, red meats and pork. If you’re a vegetarian you can put it on your tofu!! You will salivate as you read this recipe; grab a napkin just in case! :-}

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard OR the old fashioned one with the grains

1 cup of heavy cream

1 shallot chopped small

Salt & pepper

1 glass of dry white wine

A big knob of butter

A heaped teaspoon of flour

Preparation:

In a pot, melt the butter and throw in the shallots & cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and whisk. Throw in the glass of white wine whisking all the time. Then mix in the mustard and the cream on medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mix is completely smooth.  Add salt and pepper, and reduce heat for 3-4 minutes.  Rectify the seasoning to your taste. That’s it! It’s so easy it’s ridiculous. You are a chef!  

Sauce au poivre

Traditional steak au poivre has been served as a pan sauce since at least the mid-19th century. Regardless of the concoction, the same pan should be used to create the sauce as was used to cook the steak. But we are in South Florida, and so the BBQ will probably take the place of the pan…so I’m giving you a simple way to make a delicious sauce, without the smokey pan smells in the kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tin or jar of green peppercorns in brime

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 oz. cognac, brandy, whiskey or bourbon

• 2 small shallots

• 1 small onion

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 1 cup beef or veal stock or ”Demi-glace”

• cup heavy cream

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and sauté the onion which you have chopped small. Get them nice and browned, then add the shallots (cooking quickly over high heat) until transparent for approximately 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of flour, and using a whisk incorporate the booze and the stock. Add the whole green peppercorns…the amount you use is up to you. You are the chef. Now is the time to add the heavy cream. Bring the liquid back to the boil, and cook about 3 to 5 minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring all the time. Taste and adjust seasoning. Some chefs believe heavy cream doesn’t belong in the traditional steak au poivre recipe, though many restaurants and at-home chefs include the cream. It does make the sauce sooo much better. Voila! Use this sauce for steaks, chicken, duck…anything you can grill will go with this sauce!

Potato and Leek Soup with Bouquet Garni

Originally native to the Eastern Mediterranean area and Asia, leeks have been cultivated for more than 3,000 years and have long been popular in Europe.

In 640 A.D., the Welsh wore leeks in their hats to distinguish themselves from the enemy during the battle between King Cadwallader of Wales and the Saxons. The leek became an emblem of pride in Wales, and Welshmen wear the leek to commemorate King Cadwallader's victory on St. David's Day, March 1st. The leek in Hebrew is called karti, which is a pun on another Hebrew word yikartu, meaning "to be cut off." Thus, the Jews eat leeks at Rosh Hashanah to symbolize a wish for enemies to be cut off.

Nero ate leeks with oil regularly, thinking they were good for his singing voice. Perhaps Nero got the notion from Aristotle who claimed the clear cry of the partridge was due to its diet of leeks. Go figure!

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small leeks, about 1 pound

2 tablespoons butter

5 cups chicken stock

1 to 1 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, diced

Salt & pepper

1/2 to 3/4 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream (if liked)

2 tablespoons snipped chives or parsley to garnish

Preparation:

Using a sharp knife, halve the whole leek lengthwise and rinse well under cold running water to rid the leek of any sand. Slice thinly crosswise into one inch pieces and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the chopped leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved bouquet garni, chicken stock, and potatoes, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are falling apart and the soup is very flavorful.

Remove the bouquet garni and, working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender. (Alternately, if you own an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot.) Stir in the crème fraiche and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. You don’t have to use cream, I never do. You are the chef! Serve immediately, with some of the snipped chives or parsley sprinkled over the top of each bowl of soup.

Pumpkin Crepes

Ingredients :

For approximately 40 crepes

1 lb wheat flour

3 whole eggs beaten

half a pint of milk

half a pint of water

2 oz butter 'meunière' (melted and cooked until slightly browned)

2 oz caster sugar

1 pinch of table salt

14 oz peeled pumpkin cut into small cubes

 1 pint milk

3 egg yolks

3.5 oz caster sugar

4 oz sifted flour

1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar

A few tablespoons of icing sugar

Heat up the butter. Prepare the pancake mixture : mix flour with eggs, then add sugar, salt, milk and water and stir well to get rid of any lumps (if you still have some, use a blender) and then, add the butter 'meunière'. Put the mixture aside & cover for at least 2 hours before using it.

Bring the milk to the boil, then add the pumpkin cubes to it and cook for about 4 minutes. Put the yolks into a salad bowl, then add the sugar (the standard caster and the vanilla), stir well and then add the flour and continue stirring. Drain the pumpkin cubes (keep them aside) and add the milk in which the pumpkin has cooked into the salad bowl; stir well and transfer the lot to the saucepan on the stove. Stir well with a whisk for about a minute starting at the boiling point. Take the saucepan off the stove, add the pumpkin cubes and blend in an electric blender. Pour the mixture into a dish and sprinkle some icing sugar on it in order to avoid having a crust when it cools down.Cook the pancakes as usual ; 10 minutes before serving them, pour, on half of each pancake 1 tablespoon of pumpkin cream, fold the pancakes in 2 , put them on a buttered oven tin, spread some icing sugar on them and put them into the oven (heated at 320°F) for 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve the pancakes on a plate, with, for instance, a custard blended with a little apricot jam and some crushed hazelnuts.

Dont tell your guests about the ingredients you have used : they will imagine mango, papaya, apricot, ... Only tell the truth after they told you it was to die for!... A guaranteed success ...

Courgettes Au Gratin (Zucchini)

This is a “hot” vegetarian dish, or a sexy vegetable accompaniment to any poultry, meat or fish dish you like. It’ll make any reluctant “squash” eater a complete fan…I know what I’m talkin’ about, I was one!!! So for 4 servings you’ll need…

2lb Courgettes sliced (that’s about 3 or 4 medium ones, you boys are “size wise”!)

Salt and Pepper

Extra virgin olive oil (about a tablespoon)

1 Onion, chopped small

Bechamel sauce

Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated (a cup)

Place the sliced courgettes in a saucepan and pour in enough water to cover. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the water quickly to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the zucchini is tender but still firm. Drain thoroughly. You can mash ‘em or leave ‘em in slices depending on your energy or humor.

You are the Chef.

Heat the oven to 400F.

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a frying-pan over medium heat, add the onion and fry until golden brown. Add the fried onion to the courgettes , and a little of the grated cheese. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Lightly grease a shallow, flameproof dish. Pour in the courgette mixture combined with the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the surface.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Pommes Boulangeres

I’m Irish, I love potatoes, the French love potatoes, let’s face it everyone loves potatoes. This particular recipe gets its name from a time in France when wood for cooking was in short supply, so the villagers would take their meals in pots along to the local Boulanger (Baker) and have him cook them in the bread oven at the same time as the bread was being baked. The great thing about this recipe is that it’s almost impossible to screw up. It’s very simple and takes less than an hour to cook. The best way to cook this dish is in a wide, shallow baking dish; or a lasagna dish; or a flat cake tin will even do the trick…

 For 6 servings

2 lbs peeled potatoes cut into thin slices

2 medium yellow sweet onions peeled and cut into thin slices

2 pints beef or chicken stock (prepared in advance)

Salted butter

Black pepper, salt and a pinch of grated nutmeg

Pre-heat the oven at 400°F

Heat a frying pan with butter; when the butter is 'meunière' (has become light brown but not burned), pour the onions in, and cook until golden brown. Set aside. Then using the same pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the spuds. After 7 to 8 minutes, put 1/3 of them into your oven dish, add little salt and pepper, cover them with 1/2 of the onions, put 1 pinch of grated nutmeg on them, then cover with more of the potatoes, then with the remaining 1/2 of the onions then with the rest of the potatoes.  (1/2 cup truffle shavings or a few drops of truffle oil will make it completely delectable….after all you’re the chef!)

Pour in the stock gently so that it just comes to the top of the upper potato layer (not more)

Put the dish in the oven and let it bake for approximately 50 minutes (when cooked, no liquid must remain visible because it must have made a bond between potatoes and onions).

 Serve yourself a glass of wine, you deserve it!

This easy recipe is very interesting because you can serve it with almost anything.

Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe made easy

I have been browsing the different recipes proposed to us by various well known cooks or chefs and I’m amazed at the amount of bla di bla goin on...I mean Boeuf Bourguignon in 45 steps ...Would you please gimme a break. So you have to be on vacation or knock the whole day off your weekend to make this dish??.   Moi je dis non non non .  I am giving you my recipe; now a lot of you love it and come in for it again and again. My point being, easy is not bad. You all tell me its delicious so...

For 6 servings you’ll need

3 lbs lean stewing beef

2 big onions

1lb bag of baby carrots

2 cloves garlic smashed

4 slices of smokey bacon  

3 tablespoons of flour

1 bouquet garni

1 bottle of red wine

1 beef stock cube

Choose a thick assed large saucepan or a “Le creuset” dish. Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil and throw in the 2 big onions you have chopped coarsely. Place it on the stove and brown the lot. Scoop out all the browned onions with a slotted spoon and set aside. Throw in the bacon and brown. Again using the slotted spoon scoop ‘em out and set aside with the onions. Brown the meat on all sides and sprinkle with the flour. Pour in the wine. The wine should cover all the meat, open another bottle and add more if necessary. Add the carrots, the crushed garlic cloves, and the bouquet garni. Add the beef stock cube, and plenty of black pepper. Throw in the browned onions and the bacon. Stir it all up with a wooden spoon, rubbing the bottom to get up all the good stuff....yuuumm.

Leave to cook on high heat until it boils. Give it a stir every now and then. You can add a tin of button mushrooms at this stage if you like...as I always say you are the chef. Lower the heat and leave it simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is tender.

Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes or, even better, fresh pasta.

 “bon appétit”!!!

The Bouquet Garni Recipe

The bouquet garni (French for "garnished bouquet") is a bundle or “faggot” of herbs that is usually tied together with string and added to a soup, stew, sauce, or poaching liquid to give flavor. The bouquet is boiled with the other ingredients, but is removed prior to consumption.

There is no generic recipe for bouquet garni, but most recipes include parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Depending on the recipe, the bouquet garni may include basil, burnet, chervil, rosemary, peppercorns, savory and tarragon. Sometimes vegetables such as carrot, celery (leaves or stem), celeriac, leek, onion and parsley root are also included in the bouquet….as I always say “You are the chef!”

Sometimes, the bouquet is not bound with string, and its ingredients are filled into a small sachet, a net, or even a tea strainer. Traditionally, the aromatics are bound within leek leaves, though a coffee filter and butcher twine can be used instead of leek leaves.

Dried bouquets garni are available in gourmet shops, or make your own from fresh herbs or a combination of fresh and dried herbs. Simply bunch a bay leaf, a few springs of thyme and parsley, (I always use rosemary in mine) then secure end with string or tie them up in cheesecloth. Et volia! You’ve got your faggot!

The size of a Bouquet Garni will depend on the size of your dish, in other words the more servings you have the bigger the faggot. That makes sense doesn’t it?

You can use the “bouquet garni” for lots of recipes I’ll be giving you in future issues…example Boeuf Bourguignon in next week’s issue.