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Showing posts from February, 2010

ORGASMIC CHOC MOUSSE...no eggs

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I love chocolate mousse, dark chocolate mousse. Have friends coming for dinner tomorrow but one of them has an utter aversion to eggs.  So did a bit of research and amongst the really scary recipes suggesting corn or rice flour to 'thicken' I  discovered the most amazing one with just 3 ingredients.  I have just tested and eaten the whole batch myself so jeans are probably going to explode any minute now! Egg Free Chocolate Mousse 200g dark chocolate , melted 200ml pouring cream , whipped into soft peaks ½ cup olive oil Melt chocolate in a bain marie. When choc is melted whip in olive oil. Pour choc/olive oil mixture into whipped cream, stirring well to incorporate evenly. Serve. ps this can not be made ahead of time as olive oil will congeal in fridge.   Impress your guests and make just before eating...serve with fresh berries.

MID-TERM BREAK SUPPERS

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.....when its just you and him. Mid-term break and the children are away. Time to recuperate my sanity. Husband glued to Winter Olympics so can kiss goodbye any idea of going out... Resigned, back to the kitchen. Simple supper for two. Back to a classic....timeless french onion soup. Timeless Onion Soup 4 large onions , chopped into fine rings 1 litre beef stock ( vegetarian option :  I have eaten onion soup made with Miso and it was stunning! ) 1 tablespoon brown sugar 50 gr butter   1 tablespoon quality olive oil 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 2 tablespoons port sprig fresh thyme bay leaf salt black pepper 1/2 cup finely grated Swiss Gryuere Melt butter in pot, add chopped onion, sweat. Add salt and pepper. Sprinkle over sugar. Continue stirring until onion is caramelised. Add vinegar. Stir. Add thyme and bay leaf. Pour over beef stock. Bring to the boil gently, let boil for about 3 minutes then reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins. During simmering process add port ( t

LATE LUNCH TART

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A simple, tasty tart to serve up on Saturdays with mixed salad greens and a great bottle of pinot noir. Winter is on its way out. Time to start serving lighter food to our guests. A late, but simple, Saturday lunch with a couple of friends is the ideal way to call in the spring. This simple zingy tart will keep them smiling. The "zing" comes from the capers...something we don't see enough of. Capers had their place in history not just for their taste delight but also for medicinal purposes. The Greeks still make a herbal tea of the roots and young shoots to fight against rheumatism. Packed full of Rutin, the caper is also a powerful antioxidant bioflavonoid. Caper, Red Onion, Bacon Tart Rectangular tart tin Flakey puff pastry / pate feuillettée 2 tablespoons capers (I use caperberries , love their allure and texture) 1 red onion , chopped into fine rings 4 rashers bacon (if you are in France avoid the round bacon, Herta produce good breakfast bacon. If you

DON'T TELL THEM ITS RAW.................

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On eating raw fish. Late summer in my birthplace, New Zealand.  Have just got off the telephone after hearing about all the good fishing. Salivating. I'm in the need of raw fish. Fish is full of Omegas which all women need and in large quantities. Eating good fish boosts your body's tolerance against arthritis and fatigue. When I dream of my childhood summers in NZ I always go back to my sister's Poisson Cru. Her recipe is simplicity and taste. With Cod/Cabillaud being in season here in France I'm off to the fish market to grab a back fillet of cod/dos de cabillaud to marinate tonight. My children have been eating this Pacific inspired dish for years....they still don't know they are eating raw fish. Dale's Poisson Cru Firm white fish ...dos de cabillaud, cod, snapper, kingfish, loup de mer.. fresh lime juice ( you can use lemon but its not as exciting!) zest of two limes coconut milk fresh coriander fresh chives salt black pepper red pepper/capsicum

MORE ON..... THE CLIENT IS anything but the king!

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BBC News - In Paris, the customer is not always right news.bbc.co.uk   Thrilled to see that this desperate anglo housewife is not the only one to feel the pinch in client service!! Thank you BBC. See Desp Anglo HW posts :  Saturday Shopping and Saturday Shopping Revisited

MID WEEK BANGERS

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Sad curry.... Last week I experienced a really unsatisfactory lunch.   A sausage colombo curry.. NO taste,  NO spice,  and worse, was served tepid with cold potatoes. Yuck! Would the French PLEASE stop trying to cook curry... Tonight we're having a our mid week duck bangers (we have quite a thing going with duck sausages, delicious!) served hot and spicey. Really easy and economical recipe, full of vegetables.  Helps us get over the mid week hump... Mid Week  Duck Sausage Curry 2 large onions 2 carrots , diced 3 large tomatoes , chopped ( you can use tinned if you can't find fresh) 5/6 large potatoes 1 - 2 heaped teaspoons good quality curry powder (should include chilli, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, fenugreek,curcuma, aniseed...try making your own) 6 large devine duck sausages /toulouse sausages Butter ( sorry for health purists who don't like using butter but it is a good fat to "carry" the flavours...Julia Child used masses of the stuff and she l

SATURDAY SHOPPING REVISITED

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..getting paranoid over Saturday shopping again. This is what happend to me today. Went into one of my favourite kitchen/hardware stores.  Looking for pannecotta moulds, looking for old fashioned charlotte moulds, looking for whatever. Smiling, afterall it is Saturday. No? The owner and assistant watch me going up and down the tiny aisles swinging my shopping basket. They smile. I smile. They smile again, I smile back... with eyes this time. Would you like some advice madam?   No, I reply, smiling. Still in Saturday swinging  basket mode mode. Now in the knife section, wowing over ceramic knives, nearly fainting over prices. See the same two looking at me then whispering to themselves. A moustache gets smoothed down ( no not mine!! went to beautician last week!) Begin to feel a little uncomfortable. Are they worried might break their ramekins?  Realisation hits.Oh god they think I'm a shop lifter. Its the basket. Have a major Bridget Jones moment..... Madam is there

ITS "CREPE DAY" IN FRANCE...is there an easy method?

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How does Julia Child deal with crepes....? Easy! Throw all the liquid ingredients into the food processor, pulse, then add the dry and pulse briefly. Set your crepe mix aside 2 hours.. Cook and flavour to your personality type...berries, dark and milk chocolate, maple syrup and toasted pecan, vanilla icecream & caramel sauce, fresh fig with chopped dates and orange zest and lots of vanilla ice cream, simple lemon juice and sugar with large sultanas, orange blossom water with icing sugar and vanilla icecream, caramel jam / confiture de lait  and pan fried granny smith apples topped off and flambĂ© with calvados, heated raspberries and cointreau, apricot jam with toasted macademia nuts and white choc pieces, lavender flowers and pear sorbet, rose petals and love...mmmm!! Easy Crepe Recipe 250 gr sifted premium flour pinch salt 2 eggs 1 cup oil 1/2 litre milk Throw eggs, oil and milk into food processor and pulse briefly...maintain air bubbles Add flour and salt. Pul