Curried Coconut Mussels

YIELD: 4 servings

• 2 lbs. fresh mussels
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp. curry powder
• 3 large tomatoes, chopped
• 398 ml. can light coconut milk
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ cup of cilantro
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms

Rinse mussels. If any are open, firmly tap them on the counter. If they do not close, discard them. Heat a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the oil and  the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, coconut milk, mushrooms and salt. Increase heat and bring to a boil, stirring often.

Add mussels. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until they open, 7 to 9 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open, then stir in the cilantro. Serve mussels in large deep bowls with crusty bread for dipping.

Moroccan Veggie Couscous

• 1 kg. couscous
• 1 kg. lamb shoulder (or 1 kg. of beef)
• 150 g. chickpeas
• 250 g. turnip
• 500 g. carrots
• 500 g. squash
• 250 g. zuchinni
• 250 g. sweet potatoes
• 2 medium sized eggplants
• 1/2 cabbage
• 2 onions
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red pepper
• 1 cup oil
• 2 tbsp.concentrated tomatoe paste
• 1 tsp.  saffron
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 bunch coriander
• Salt and pepper

A couscous maker is necessary.

Cut meat into small pieces and put in lower part of couscous maker.  Add the diced onions and tomatoes.  Add coriander, oil and all spices. Pour one liter of boiled water over the top. 

Add in the following order; carrots peeled and cut into four, cabbage and turnips chopped  in large pieces, eggplant cut in four and  tomato paste.  Add chickpeas, pepper  and salt.  Let simmer.

Pour couscous into a large bowl and sprinkle with cold water (do not use too much water, only a small amount is necessary). Hand mix for 5 minutes to seperate the grains.

Place couscous in the upper part of  the couscous maker. Wait for the steam to rise to the upper part of the couscous maker. Pour the couscous on a plate in one single movement and aerate lightly with a laddle. Sprinkle water and hand mix again for 5 minutes and place in the upper part of coucous maker until the steam rises  (approximately 10 minutes). Add salt and repeat action (pour into a bowl, hand mix with water, return to couscous maker).

Add zuchinnis, squash and sweet potatoes to the bottom part of the couscous maker.

Place the couscous in the top part and let the steam rise again.  Pour on plate and hand mix with oil.

For serving, make a hole in the center of the couscous and place the vegetables and the meat in the middle of the couscous.  Sprinkle with broth.

The broth can also be served apart in a soup tureen, if desired.

Quinoa Soup

Basquaise Cumin Chicken

• 2 chicken drumsticks with thighs (or a small chicken of 600g "en crapaudine")
• 2 chopped onions
• 1 green pepper chopped in large pieces
• 4 crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. of olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
• 1 or 2 portions vermicelle rice

Season chicken with salt and pepper and sauté with oil in a small pan. Add vegetables and bay leaves  bringing  to boil for 15 to 20 minutes at low temperature. In mortar, crush cumin seeds and garlic. Add this mixture to chicken and boil for another 3 to 4 minutes. Cook vermicelle rice in boiling water for 3 minutes, cover. Serve chicken on top of vermicelle. 

Chicken Cilantro

• 2 minced onions
• 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper or ¼ Teaspoon of Sambal Oelek
• ¾ teaspoon of ground Cumin
• ¾ teaspoon of ground Turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon of Ginger powder
• 800g of diced chicken
• ½ Cup of Beef broth
• 2 teaspoons of tomato paste
• 200 mL of Coconut milk
• Salt to taste
• 1 bunch of coriander (cilantro)

In a pan, sautée the onions with the oil then add the spices. Add the diced chicken pieces and stir-fry about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the coriander, tomato paste and coconut milk and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Serve with steamed rice or Basmati rice.
 

General Tao tofu

• 8 oz  firm tofu
• 1 beaten egg
• ¼ cup  corn starch
• 1 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 tbsp.  sesame oil
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 3 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp.  grated ginger
• 5 tbps.  water
• 4 tbps.  sugar
• 2 tbsp.  white vinegar
• 1 tbsp.  low salt soya sauce
• 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp. ketchup
• ¼ tsp. sambal oelek or hot pepper powder

Cut tofu into ¾ inche cubes. Dip tofu in beaten egg and roll in cornstarch.

In a pan, heat oil and brown tofu cubes.  Put aside.

Heat sesame oil in another pan and sauté onions, ginger and garlic. Add water, sugar and vinegar.  Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add soya sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup and hot pepper powder.  Simmer for a couple of minutes  until sauce thickens.  Incorporate tofu cubes with sauce and mix together.  Heat the tofu.  Do not overheat.

Serve with jasmin rice and sautéed chinese vegetables.

Lemongrass chicken

• 2 boneless chicken breasts cut in cubes
• Juice of one lime
• 1 small chopped onion
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 bird pepper chopped or ¼ to ½ tsp. of sambal oelek (chili based sauce)
• 2 tbsp. of finely chopped lemongrass
• 1 tbsp. of oil
• ¼ cup of coconut milk

Marinate the chicken in lime juice and leave in refrigerator 45 minutes.

Heat oil and sauté onion, pepper, garlic and lemongrass for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add chicken cubes with marinade and cook for a couple of minutes. Add coconut milk, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with bulgur or rice with vegetables.

40 Clove Chicken

• 3-4 pounds chicken
• 40 garlic cloves with skin on (no more or less)
• 1 carrot cut in 2 inche pieces
• 2 celery stalks cut in 3 inche pieces
• 4 parsley branches
• 2 branches of fresh thyme
• 1/3 Cup Olive oil
• ½ Cup Chicken broth
• Salt and pepper (cayenne pepper preferably)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add salt and pepper to the inside and the outside of the chicken. Stuff the inside with the carrot, 1 celery stalk, 2 parsley branches and fresh thyme. Place the 40 cloves at the bottom of an enamelled cast iron pot, not peeled (cut only the tip of one of these garlic cloves). Pour on the oil and the broth. Mix. Lay the chicken on the bed of garlic. Add the rest of celery and parsley around the chicken. Cover and cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours (according to the size of the chicken). It is normal for the skin not to roast. To make it crispy and roasted, remove the lid 20 minutes before the end of the cooking. Serve the chicken with roasted bread and the candied garlic pieces. This chicken is the juiciest ever!

Meatballs in white sauce

In a bowl, mix the meat, chopped vegetables, egg, stuffing, half the cream of mushrooms, salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Roll into small balls and place on an ovenproof cooking plate slightly greased or covered with a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes turning the meatballs after 15 minutes. For immediate use, mix the remaining cream of mushroom with the sour cream in a saucepan, and bring to boil. If it is too thick, you may want to add a little bit of milk, until a homogeneous texture is obtained. If you wish, you could add aromatic herbs at this point, like basil or thyme. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer on low heat for a few minutes. Meatballs could also be frozen for an ulterior use. If needed, unfreeze the meatballs in the refrigerator, reheat in the micro-waves and prepare your sauce as mentioned above.
 

Lentils and eggplant grating

• 1 can of green lentils, rinced and drained
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 minced onion
• 1 medium eggplant diced
• 5 italian tomatoes diced
• Olive Oil to taste
• Mozarella cheese and Parmesan to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Dried thyme or basil if you feel inspired!

In a large pan, put a little bit of Olive Oil and sautée the onion and garlic. Add the diced tomatoes and eggplant and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the lentils and season to taste. In a bowl, mix together the two cheeses. Using a large baking dish of about 9X13 inches, layout the lentils mixture and cover with the cheeses.

Bake at 350 ° F, or until the cheese mixture is slightly brown.

Boiled Capon with Orenges and Lemmons

In a large dutch oven, heat the oil and butter together until hot. Season the chicken or capon pieces with salt and pepper and place in pan. Brown well on all sides. Add the chicken stock, rosewater, and wine and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the fruits, salt, and mace. Place the peppercorns and cloves in a cheesecloth bag and add to the stock (the cheesecloth isn't strictly necessary, but biting unsuspected into a peppercorn or clove can be an unsettling experience). Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Remove the cheesecloth bag containing the peppercorns and cloves. Serve in a large bowl with strips of fried bread.

Original recipe from The Good Huswife's Handmaide For the Kitchen, 1594
Take Orenges or Lemmons pilled, and cutte them the long way, and if you can keepe your cloves whole and put them into your best broth of Mutton or Capon with prunes and currants and three or fowre dates, and when these have beene well sodden put whole pepper, great mace, a good peece of suger, and some rose water, and either white or claret Wine, and let all these seeth together a while, & so serve it upon soppes with your capon.
 

Roasted Veal Cutlets

In order to succeed this recipe as best as possible, instructions must be rigorously followed.

Remove any bones or fat from the veal and cut into 4 pieces (approximately 3 X 4 inches). With a meat tenderizer or a wine bottle (before you open it), flatten the pieces as flat as possible. Open the wine bottle and have a drink – you’re the cook –you deserve it! Mix the egg yolks, parsley, scallions, thyme and salt to form a paste. Divide the paste in fourths, and spread one fourth onto each piece of veal. Roll up each piece and tie with butcher's string. Take another drink. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Brown the veal slightly on all sides. Lower the heat and continue cooking for about 12 minutes. In the meantime – have another drink. To make the sauce, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for ten minutes. Pour the sauce over the veal and cook for two more minutes. Sit down and eat and finish your bottle. Make sure that you ahve a helper to serve the rest of the meal! Happy holidays.

A Grete Pye

Use just over half the pastry to line a 23-cm/9-inch pie plate. Brush the inside with some of the egg white. Skin the pieces of breast and other meat if necessary and parboil them gently in salted water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and leave to cool. Mix together in a bowl the minced beef, suet, salt and pepper to taste, the egg yolks and half the spice mixture. Add the rest of the spices to the dried fruit in another bowl. Slice the parboiled meat. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the beef stock to the rice flour or corn flour in a small saucepan and cream them together; then add the remaining stock and stir over gentle heat until slightly thickened. Keep aside. Cover the bottom of the pastry case with half the mince mixture. Arrange the sliced meat in a flat layer on top. Scatter the chopped spiced fruit over it and cover with the remaining mince. Pour the thickened stock over the lot. Roll out the remaining pastry into a round to make a lid for the pie. Brush the rim of the case with a little more egg white and cover with the lid. Press the edges to seal, and make escape slits for steam. Decorate with the pastry trimmings and glaze with egg white. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3 and bake for 45-50 minutes longer.

Serves 6 to 8 persons.

Cabbage Rolls from Moldavia

In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Drop the cabbage leaves in the boiling water, remove from heat and blanched for about 8-10 minutes. Drain the salted water, keeping the cooking water for later use. Mix all the filling ingredients together in a large bowl. Using a tablespoon, place a small portion in a cabbage leave and roll tightly. Repeat until you are done with the filling.

The Moldavian cabbage rolls must be small but fully filled. In a deep ovenproof casserole, place in layers, first the cabbage rolls, then some shredded cabbage, tomato sauce and a few tiny leaves of thyme. Repeat. The last layer must be the shredded cabbage. Cover with the rest of the tomato sauce and borscht. Place the uncovered dish in the oven at 200°C for about 4 hours. To taste, add tomato sauce on top before serving and sprinkle with grounded paprika.

We serve this dish with Polenta and it must be accompanied by Red wine; Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir.

Variant: Replace the oil with lard. Before eating the cabbage rolls; drink some plum-brandy and finish the feast with Zantac (medicine for heartburns).

Shrimp noodles with feta

• 5 oz  goat's or lamb's feta cheese, crumbled
• Olive oil
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 4 fresh tomatoes, peeled and drained or canned tomatoes,
  or
• 1/2 to 1/3 tasse tomatoe sauce
• 1 pound  egg noodles
• 3/4 pound frozen shrimp, thawed and peeled
• Cayenne hot pepper or crushed hot pepper (optional)
• Zeste of lemon finely grated

In a plate, sprinkle the cheese, olive oil and add oregano.  Mix and let marinate.

In a large pan, and olive oil, enough to cover pan and heat at medium temperature. Saute onion and tomatoe for approximately 10 minutes.  Season.

During this time, in a large casserole with salted boiling water, cook noodles according to instructions of package.  

Add shrimp, hot pepper (if used) and lemon zest  to vegetables and cook for 3 to 5 minutes according to size of shrimp or until shrimp is cooked.  If necessary, add water to cook noodles..

Add drained noodles and stir well.

Serve noodles in a bowl or in individual plates garnished with feta. 

Sprinkle a wisp of olive oil and add pepper. 

Pastilla with almonds and chicken

• 12 sheets of briks
•  1.5 kg chicken
•  200 g butter
•  1 bunch parsley
•  4 onions
•  1 dose of saffron
•  1 table spoon of cinnamon powder
•  1 cup granulated sugar
•  8 eggs
•  250g blanched almonds skinless fried
•  1 cup oil
•  1 table spoon salt
•  ½ table spoon pepper
•  1 tablespoon of orange flower water
•  2 tablespoons icing sugar for decoration

In a pot add the oil and brown the chicken cut into pieces, onions, finely chopped parsley, saffron, cinnamon, salt, pepper, half the sugar. Once all the ingredients begin to cook in the oil, cover with 1 cup water and cook for 20 minutes to 25 minutes.Once the chicken is cooking, remove the pieces in a dish (Once the chicken has cooled remove the flesh and bone it and cut it into small pieces). Reserve.

Return the sauce to the heat and let it reduce until complete evaporation of water, stirring constantly. Add the beaten eggs and stir into the sauce so that they cook in the sauce. Remove from heat and set aside. Fry the almonds until they are golden brown, crush them in a mortar. Mix the ground almonds, cinnamon, sugar and orange flower water. Set aside.

Butter a round dish 30 to 32 cm in diameter (deep pizza dish for example, smooth edge). Preheat oven to 180/190 ° C. On the bottom of the dish, place 5 sheets of bricks well buttered with the melted butter. Placing buttered side up, ensure the sheets are overlapping and overflowing of the metal tray (half of each sheet lining the bottom of the mold and the other half goes beyond the edges on the outside of the tray ). Attach a separate sheet in the bottom to consolidate and arrange the chicken pieces in a thick layer, cover with another pastry sheet on which to spread the egg mixture. Add a new well buttered pastry sheet and end by sprinkling the surface of the preparation dish with almonds reserved. Bring the edges of the bricks protruding from the flat to the center. Press firmly to embrace the preparation of the almonds. Have four new leaves in a rosette on the top with overlapping and tucking in the sides that go beyond to ensure the pastilla is well closed. Brush top with egg and bake at 180 ° C (preheated oven) until golden brown.

Garnish with cinnamon and icing sugar just before serving

Stuffed chicken with noodles

• 1 chicken, 1 kg
•  1/4 cup tea oil
•  2 onions, chopped
•  1/4 teaspoon of the ginger
•  1/4 teaspoon pepper
•  1 packet of Chinese noodles
•  2 cloves garlic, crushed
•  2 tablespoons chopped parsley and cilantro
•  few saffron threads
•  2 tablespoons oil
•  1/4 teaspoon of saffron dye
•  salt and pepper
•  100 g of red olives - lemon confit
•  100g mushroom

Stuffing the chicken:

 Soak the chinese noodles in a bowl of hot water for several minutes, drain and cut. Add the crushed garlic, parsley, cilantro, salt, pepper and two tablespoons of oil and mix well.

 Preparing the chicken:

 Wash the chicken with salt water after preparing. Stuff with the preparation of vermicelli and mend the opening with a wire or string. Ten minutes before cooking, add the olives. Arrange chicken in a pot with oil, salt, chopped onion and garlic. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden elements. Add remaining spices, stir and pour 1.5 liters of water. Cover and cook for about 1 hour.

Serve the chicken stuffed with noodles hot with sauce and garnish with slices of lemon confit.

Mititei (mici) românesti – romanian recipe

• 1 kg of ground beef (twice)
• 8 grams of freshly ground black pepper
• 12 grams of dried thyme, crumbled
• 4 grams of Jamaica pepper powder
• 2 grams of finely chopped cilantro
• 2 grams of ground cumin
• 1 gram of crumbled star anise
• 8 grams of sodium bicarbonate
• 500 ml beef stock
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 head of garlic

Knead the ground beef and add the baking soda. Add the lemon juice which should react with the baking soda. Mix 250 ml beef stock with meat and add slowly and evenly, all other ingredients except the garlic.

Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 12 – 18 hrs. Remove, allow several hours to thaw and once again, knead for half an hour with the other 250 ml of broth at room temperature.

Make a garlic sauce with hot water and leave at room temperature for half an hour. Strain the sauce through a fine strainer, pressing and then add the mixture. Knead again for fifteen minutes and put it all in the fridge overnight.

Three hours before cooking, remove the mixture from the fridge. After three hours, make a "mititei", one finger long and two fingers thick. Brush with oil on all sides and ends and let dry for one hour.

Cook over high heat wood or charcoal, basting with the garlic sauce from time to time to make a crust around. Turn them three times in all. The "mititei" will shrink hence the name "small."

Escalope in Norman Style

•  4 big chicken breast or turkey cutlets
• 1 or 2 shallots
• 250g of white mushrooms
• Butter
• Boursin for cooking (spreadable cheese based with garlic and herbs)
• Cream or sour cream (preference with lots of fat%)
• Chicken broth
• Old style Dijon mustard

Chop the shallot, mushrooms and the meat into small pieces. In the meantime, boil some salted water in a pan for cooking the rice.

Put some butter in a frying pan, add the shallot and mushrooms. Cook for 5 min until the mushrooms are begin to brown. Then add the meat, add some pepper and stir with a little bit of water or chicken broth to make it more tasty and salty. Heat over medium heat until the meat is browned. Once cooked, pour one tea spoon of mustard into the preparation and mix it, then add 2 tablespoons of  Boursin for cooking and 2-3 big tablespoons of cream or sour cream as your taste. Simmer for a few minutes, time to let the cream and the cheese mix up.

Put some cooked rice in a plate and make a hole in it for the presentation, and pour the preparation in it so the cream can soak the rice. Add a touch with some fresh cut chives.

This dish will be ideally served with Normandy cider (NOT a cider from Britain, that would be an offense) or with a little Calvados.

Beef Bourguignon

•  2 onions,
• 1 kg stewing beef
• a few leaves of thyme
• 5 carrots
• red wine (to stay true to the title, one ought to use Bourgogne)
• salt, pepper
• 100g of butter

Cut the beef in 3 centimeters cubes, remove the pieces of fat. Fry onions in butter until cooked. Remove from the stove and put in a big pot. Cook the beef in a pan until all sides are done. Add the beef to the pot. Deglaze the pan with wine and boil, scraping to get the juice.

Pour red wine until it half covers the meat and pour dome water until it is just about covered. Throw carrots and a few spring of thyme. Cover and let simmer for about two hours. The next day, simmer at least 2 hours in batches, add wine or water if necessary.

Serve with boiled potatoes.

Sarmale (stuffed cabbage)

• 1 whole head cabbage, about 4 pounds
• ½ pound ground meat (pork or beef)
• 1 cup of rice
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 6 onions
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 1-2 eggs
• Salt, pepper, dill
• 4 tablespoons oil

In a large skillet, sauté chopped onion. Add meat, rice and bread crumbs. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Add tomato juice, pepper, salt and dill. Stop cooking, add 1 or 2 eggs and mix.

Remove core from cabbage. Cut away the thick center stem from each leaf, without cutting all the way through. Place about 1/2 cup of meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. You will get about 40''cigars''. Store them in a pot that can go in the oven, tighten the cigar so that there is not too much space. Add  water and another cup of tomato juice. Water must cover the last stored of cigars. Put the pot in the oven. It should cook for about 1.5 hours at 350 F. If necessary put some water (1 / 2 cup) so that the cigar is covered by the sauce all the time.
Serve with sour cream over the cigars.