Rabbit à la moutarde

 

Rabbit is a very lean meat and also very versatile, it can be made with prunes, Mediterranean style, baked or with red wine... Here is my version of the famous Lapin à la Moutarde. It's delicious even the next day if there's any left as everyone asks for seconds 😀

 

Ingredients:

• 1 rabbit (ask the butcher to cut it into pieces
• 3/4 bottle of white wine
  
• 200g Dijon mustard
  
• 200g button mushrooms, roughly chopped
  
• 2 carrots, finely sliced
  
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1/2 leek finely chopped
• 2 t yummy spice
  
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• A bouquet garni
  
• Crème fraîche & chopped parsley
  

Method:

Slather each piece of rabbit with a generous coat of mustard. Heat a large cast iron pot with a little cooking oil then add the pieces of rabbit one by one. Lightly brown the rabbit, add the onion and leeks. Wet with some wine if the pieces stick to the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle in the yummy spice. Once the onions & leeks have softened, add the carrots, mushrooms, garlic and bouquet garni. Pour in the rest of the wine, cover and leave to simmer for about an hour or more. The rabbit and vegetables must be thoroughly softened. 

 

 

Before serving add a few dollops of crème fraîche. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with rice, mashed potatoes or tagliatelles.

Can be made the day before and re-heated, adding the crème fraîche and parsley just before serving. 

                        Bon appétit!

Duck Parmentier

A well known French recipe named after the famous Antoine Parmentier who brought the potato to France and persevered it's cultivation in France. The recipe is usually made with minced beef, known as "hachis Parmentier", but the recipe has evolved and modernised with a range of ingredients from sweet potatoes to fish. Today, I'm making a version with duck fillets, known as magret de canard. Most of the recipes using duck in Parmentier are made with "confit de canard" My recipe is adapted from a few recipes, it's easy to make and serves 4. 

Ingredients:

• 1 kg potatoes (for purée)
• 3 to 4 duck fillets
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2T tomato concentrate
• 1/2 bouquet of chives
• 100g of grated comté cheese (can be replaced with cheddar or emmental)
• Breadcrumbs for the topping
  
• Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method:

Wash and cut the potatoes into small pieces and boil until soft (you can add some bouillon for a little twist).

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the duck fillets. Remove the fat and skin and place in a pan to melt on medium heat, turning as needed. While the fat is melting, with a sharp knife cut the duck fillets into small cubes or mince with a food processor.

 

 

In a bowl, mix the fillets with the minced garlic, the tomato paste, the finely chopped chives and the melted fat. 

Preheat the oven to 170°C

To assemble: 

Mash the potatoes with a little milk and fresh cream. Add the pepper. Set aside.

Place the meat mixture in individual ramekins and cover with the purée. 

 

Sprinkle with the grated cheese and some breadcrumbs. 

Place in the hot oven and allow to slowly bake for 40 minutes.

Enjoy! 😋

 

Creamy chicken with basil

An all time family favourite, easy to make and delicious. Cook a pot of rice whilst preparing the chicken and in about 20 minutes the meal is ready to be served 😋 Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 800g chicken fillets 
• 200ml fresh cream
• A bouquet of basil
• Freshly ground black & red pepper

Method:

Prepare the fillets, cut into chunks . Heat a very small amount cooking oil in a non stick pan and brown the chicken pieces. Once nicely coloured, add the cream, pepper and finely chopped basil. Allow to infuse for about 5 minutes.

Serve as is with rice.

Chicken Fajitas

A must for a quick lunch or dinner. Fajita is often served wrapped in tortilla flatbreads (not to be confused with the Spanish tortilla). A fine way to use leftover chicken breasts!

 

Ingredients:

• 400g chicken
• 1 small red or yellow pepper
• 1 small green pepper
  
• 1 large onion
• 2T lemon juice
  
• 2T Yummy spice mix
  
• 1t cumin
• Chopped parsley
  
• 4 tortillas (optional)
  

Method:
Thinly slice the peppers and onion. First fry the onions on medium heat for about 5min, then add the peppers. Set aside on a plate. 

 

Meanwhile, cut the chicken into strips and fry on high heat in the same pan. If using left over chicken, shred into strips with fingertips (cutting with a knife toughens the cooked breasts). 

 

 

Once grilled on the surface, add the spices, stir then add peppers and onion, lemon juice.  Stir well and set down to low heat (add a little water if too dry).
 

Serve as is or in a warmed tortilla slathered with a bit of crème fraîche. 

Bobotie

A typical South African dish, mingling Cape Malay spices with the sweet flavours of dried fruits and left over Sunday roast... tales from the past say that the slaves working in the Boer kitchens developed the recipe to  accommodate the left overs roast lamb from the previous Sunday lunch. Today the recipe has been adapted to use minced beef or lamb. There is also a fish version and I now replace the minced meat with green lentils, TVP or ground seitan for a delicious vegetarian version. Don't hesitate to play around with the spices to accommodate your palate. 

Ingredients:

• 1kg minced meat or 4 cups uncooked lentils
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 1 slice of bread
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  
• 125g raisins
• 125g slivered almonds
• 3t apricot jam
• 2T spicy chutney
• 2T tomato paste
  
• 1t mixed herbs
• 2t ground coriander 
• 1t turmeric
• 2T Madras curry powder
• 3 eggs
• 250ml milk
  
• 4/5 bay leaves
• a little nutmeg
  

Method:

 

Lightly fry onion in a large non-stick pan. Add the lentils (or TVP or meat) Soak bread in 125ml of the milk; squeeze dry and add to lentils (or TVP, meat). Add the spices and sweat for a few minutes. Mix in all other ingredients except remaining milk, eggs and bay leaves. Simmer for about 20 minutes, the time for all the flavours to infuse. Preheat your oven to 180°C.

In the meantime, prepare the "custard", beat or place in a blender, the eggs, milk and a little nutmeg.

Grease an ovenproof dish, scoop in all the mixture from the pan and pour over the custard. Decorate with the bay leaves. Bake at 180°C for at least 30 minutes or until set.

Serve with Basmati rice and chutney.

 

 

Spicy chicken lentil soup

This recipe is adapted from a chicken coconut lentil recipe that I read some years back on the net. I adapted it for my family (4 kids) to make 2 separate meals. I first cook the chicken with lots of delicious winter veggies, carrots, leeks, turnips, celery - this is up to you and your family tastes. I make a really big pot as to have plenty of soup/stock.

The first evening I serve the vegetables and stock as a soup, you may add vermicelle (angel's hair) or any tiny pasta as well as fresh herbs to spunk up the soup.
That same evening, I remove all the flesh from the cooked chicken. The bones can be used again to make more stock for freezing. The following day, make the chicken lentil soup as follows:

Ingredients:

• 1 cooked chicken de-boned and torn into bite-sized pieces or you may replace with cooked chicken breasts for quicker preparation
  
• 3 cups cooked lentils
• 1 red onion finely chopped
  
• 3 to 5 cloves of garlic (according to taste)
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock 
• 1 cup coconut cream
  
• 1T Madras curry (or any good quality Indian curry)
  
• 1t turmeric 
• 1t ground coriander
• 1t ginger
• 1t garam masala
• 1t cayenne pepper or chilli powder or fresh chillies
  
• Oil for frying
• 1 bouquet of fresh coriander for serving
  

Method:

Lightly fry the onion in a little rice bran or sunflower oil, add the minced garlic and all the spices. If using fresh chilli, add at this point. Spoon in a little stock if the pot becomes too dry and the mixture sticks. 

After about 5 minutes, stir in the shredded chicken, then throw in the lentils. Stir around for a few minutes for the spicy mixture to coat the chicken & lentils.

Then pour in the coconut cream, stir well and then gradually pour in the stock until the consistency of a creamy soup.

Simmer for about 20 minutes, the time that all the flavours mingle, then serve with fresh coriander.

 

 

Chinese dumplings

For 40 dumplings.

Ingredients:

• 250g rice wrappers or home made
  
• 250g shrimp
• 250g chicken fillet
• 60g bamboo shoots
• 60g peas
  
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 t sugar
• 1 t salt
• 1 t maizena

Method:

Mince the shrimp and chicken. Chop and fry the bamboo shoots. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until thick. Wrap them and stem them.

Quails Asian style

Serves 4.

This a a recipe using a marinade which I use for a number of dishes, adapting according to the main ingredient. Black rice in France is known as Riz Venere. Use the marinade as a separate sauce to serve over the quails and the rice.

Ingredients:

• 4 Quails
• 2 lemons (zest + juice)
• 50 ml low sodium soya sauce
• 4-5 large cloves of garlic
• 1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
• 1T balsamic vinegar
• 1 small bouquet of fresh coriander

Method:

Wash quails and pat dry.
Mince or cut into tiny cubes the garlic and ginger.
Zest the lemons, then squeeze the juice.
Mix all the ingredients in an ovenproof dish, add the quails and marinate overnight in the fridge, covered, turning the quails once or twice.
Bake in a hot oven (200°) covered with a sheet of foil until thoroughly cooked.
Just before serving, remove foil and bake for a few more minutes to brown.
Serve with black rice and stir fried vegetables.

Bon appétit!

Boeuf Bourguignon

A delicious version of the famous French recipe of beef cooked in Burgundy wine from my friend, Arlette whom I met in the Philippines.

Ingredients:

• 1kg beef, cubed
• 1 bottle of Bourgogne wine
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 40g butter
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1 bouquet garni
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 250g mushrooms, sliced
• Lardons or bacon to taste
• 1 T olive oil
• black pepper

Method:

Heat 20g of butter with 1 T oil, and fry the onions and lardons.
Remove onions and lardons, and replace with the meat. Add more oil if necessary.
Once the meat is roughly cooked on all sides, add the onions and lardons again.
Add pepper, wine, carrots, garlic and bouquet garni.
Cover and cook for 2 hours.
Add the mushrooms and tomato paste, and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Cassoulet

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 500g lamb, cubed
• 300g porc belly, cubed
• 150g dried haricot beans, soaked overnight
• 125g smoked sausage, sliced
• 125g breadcrumbs
• 50g fat
• 30g butter
• 15ml flour
• 12.5ml tomato paste
• 3 onions
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 whole clove
• 1 bouquet garni
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley to garnish

Method:

Peel the onions and finely chop two. Stud the remaining one with the clove.
Place beans, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, bouquet garni and porc in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to boil.
Reduce meat and simmer 90 minutes or until beans are tender. Add extra water if necessary.
Fry lamb in fat with chopped onion.
Stir in flour and tomato paste.
Gradually pour in enough water to cover, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.
Transfer porc and lamb to casserole dish, discarding whole onion and bouquet garni.
Add sausage, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and dot with butter.
Bake at 190° C for 20 minutes.
Garnish with parsley.

Poulet au vinaigre

This is a delicious French chicken dish made by my late father in law. He often made it for Sunday luncheons and served it with green beans.

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 glasses of dry white wine
• 6 T wine vinegar
• 2 T tomato sauce
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T crème fraiche
• 2 t Worcester sauce
• olive oil
• mushrooms (optional)

Method:

Cut the chicken into pieces and lightly brown in olive oil.
Add the garlic, mustard, tomato sauce and wine.
Cover and let cook for 30 minutes.
Add vinegar and possibly mushrooms.
Cook for an hour, and place the chicken in a warmed serving dish.
Deglaze the pan with the cream and Worcester sauce and pour over the chicken.

Sichuan chicken and vegetables

Sichuan recipe.

Ingredients:

• 250g chicken breasts
• 1-3 pickled chillies
• 2 spring onions or shallots
• 90g courgettes
• 2 t red wine vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 t ginger, grated
• 3 T chicken stock
• 1 T soya sauce
• 2 t rice wine or dry cherry
• 1 t sugar
• 1 t cornflour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of Sichuan pepper
• 2 T olive oil (for frying)

Method:

Skin and slice the chicken very thinly, then stalk the slices and cut them into fine shreds.
Shred the pickled chillies and spring onions.
Peel the courgette, slice thinly then cut into matchstick pieces and set aside.
Heat the oil and stir fry the chicken until it turns white and then remove and set aside.
Add the chilli, spring onions and courgette sticks and stir fry over moderate heat for about 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry briefly, then return the chicken and add the vinegar.
Stir fry together for a minute over moderate heat, then add the soya sauce, rice wine, sugar, chicken stock, cornflour, salt and Sichuan pepper.
Simmer until thickened and serve hot with rice or noodles.

Oxtail stew

An old time favourite, adapted from a recipe from Your Family magazine.

Ingredients:

• 1 oxtail, cut into joints
• 4 carrots, scraped and sliced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 onions, sliced into rings
• 2 ripe tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
• 300ml beef stock
• 150ml dry red wine
• 25ml tomato paste
• 1 t sugar
• 1 t herbes de provence
• 1 bay leaf
• seasoned flour
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Method:

Trim excess fat off oxtail joints and discard.
Coat joints in seasoned flour.
Heat oil in open pressure-cooker, fry oxtail until nicely browned on all sides. Add garlic and onions, fry a further 4 minutes.
Add carrots, celery and tomatoes. Sprinkle with herbs.
Combine tomato paste, sugar, stock and wine, pour over oxtail (pressure-cooker must never be more than 2/3 full).
Add bay leaf and seasoning.
Cover with lid, lock into position.
Heat until steam escapes, then reduce heat until medium-low.
Cook for 45 minutes until meat is tender.
Remove from the heat, allow the steam to escape.
Transfer to a warmed serving dish.

Serve with rice.