Tagliatelle with Gorgonzola Sauce

 

                    Gorgonzola is a creamy Italian blue cheese. As an alternative you could use Danish blue or Pipo creme.

4 servings

• 25 gr butter, plus extra for tossing the pasta
• 225 gr Gorgonzola cheese
• 150 ml 35% cream (heavy)
• 30 ml dry vermouth
• 5 ml cornstarch
• 15 ml chopped fresh sage
• Salt and pepper
• 450 gr taglatelle

1. Melt 25 gr butter in a heavy saucepan (it needs to be thick-based to prevent the cheese from burning).
2. Stir in 175 gr crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and stir over a very gentle heat for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted.
3. Pour the cream, vermouth and cornstarch, whisking well to amalgamate ; stir in chopped sage, then taste and season.
4. Cook, whisking all the time, until the sauce boils and thickens ; set aside.
5. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the manufacture's instructions ; drain well and toss with a little butter.
6. Reheat the sauce gently, whisking well.
7. Divide the pasta between 4 serving bowls, top with the sauce and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
8. Serve immediately.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Pain Perdu au Lait de Coco et à la Banane

 

                    Découvrez un dessert ultra-régressif qui associe le moelleux du pain perdu et la saveur de la banane flambée.

Pour 4 portions

• 2 oeufs
• 45 ml lait 
• 200 ml lait de coco
• 110 gr sucre de coco
• 4 tranches épaisses de pain de mie brioché ou de campagne rassis
• 4 bananes
• 60 gr beurre
• 15 ml huile végétale
• 30 gr noix de coco râpée + 10 gr pour la présentation
• 50 gr sucre glace

1. Casser les oeufs dans une grande assiette creuse, ajouter le lait et le lait de coco, puis fouetter à la fourchette ; ajouter la moitié du sucre et mélanger à nouveau.
2. Tremper chaque tranche de pain dans le mélange oeufs-lait et laisser-les s'imbiber 1 minutes de chaque côté.
3. Couper les bananes en deux dans la longueur.
4. Dans une poêle, faire fondre la moitié du beurre et déposer les bananes ainsi que le sucre restant ; laisser les bananes caraméliser à feu doux pendant 4 minutes environ.
5. Dans une autre poêle, faire fondre le beurre restant avec l'huile ; déposer les tranches de pain imbibées et laisser-les dorer à feu doux 2 minutes de chaque côté environ.
6. Verser la noix de coco râpée dans une assiette creuse et déposer les tranches de pain dorées par-dessus ; imprégner-les sur toute la surface et des deux côtés.
7. Déposer chaque tranche de pain dans une assiette à dessert avec une banane caramélisée par dessus ; saupoudrer de sucre glace et de noix de coco râpée.
8. Servir aussitôt.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Potato Bread

 

                    Using the potato cooking water in the dough increases the potato flavor. To make a heartier potato bread, replace half the flour with whole wheat flour.

2 small loaves

• 400 gr baking (floury) potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
• 750 gr (5½ cups) strong flour, plus extra for kneading
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons dried yeast
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• Oil, for greasing

1. Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 15 minutes, or until tender.
2. Drain, reserving 300 ml of the cooking water.
3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them, mash until smooth, then leave to cool.
4. Sift 4½ cupsof the flour into a large bowl with the salt ; rub in the mashed potatoes with your fingertips until well blended, then mix the yeast in well.
5. Stir the molasses into the reserved potato cooking water, add to the flour mixture and mix well with your hands ; work in as much ofthe remaining flour as needed to give a soft but not sticky dough.
6. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic ; place in a large oiled bowl, cover with a clean dish towel and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes, or until well risen.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface ; gently punch the dough down, then knead for about 3 minutes.
8. Divide in half and shape each piece into a small loaf ; place in two well-greased 500 gr (1 lb) loaf tins, then cover and leave to rise again for 20 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
10. Bake the loaves for 40-45 minutes, until the are well risen and brown, and sound hollow when tipped out of their pans and tapped on the base.
11. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

More ideas : Add 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary to the potato dough, plus 1 finely chopped red onion sauté in olive oil for 5 minutes.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Seafood Hotpot with Saffron and Vegetables

 

4 servings (320 caloties per serving)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 clove galic, crushed
• 350 gr unpeeled new potatoes, halved if large
• 1¼ cup vegetable or fish stock, click here for recipe
• 10-12 saffron threads
• 500 gr skinless firm white fish or salmon fillets
• 150 gr green beans, halved
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 125 gr raw prawns, peeled
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, tarragon or thyme
• Crusty bread, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish ; add the carrots, celery and onion, then cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and potatoes and cook, uncovered, for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour in the stock and stir in the saffron ; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables just start to soften.
4. Meanwhile, remove any bones from the fish and cut into 4 cm chunks.
5. Add to the dish with the beans and wine ; add the raw prawns, cover and simmer for a further 7 minutes.
6. Mix the cornstarch into the milk until smooth, then gently stir the mixture into the dish.
7. Allow the sauce to bubble gently and thicken slightly, taking care the fish does not break up and that the prawns are cooked right.
8. Season to taste with the salt and ground black pepper, stir in the herbs and serve with crusty bread.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Fisherman's Stew

 

4 servings (500 calories per serving)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves,crushed
• 2 stalks celery, finely sliced
• ½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1½ cups dry white wine
• 2 (14½ oz) cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 500 gr boiling (waxy) potatoes, peeled and diced
• 600 gr mixed seafood such as skinless white fish (boned and diced), peeled raw prawns, squid, scallops, mussels, clams
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Sauté the onions, garlic and celery until soft but not coloured ; stir in the chili flakes and paprika, ten add the wine and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
3. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves and potatoes and bring to a boil ; reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
4. Add te seafood, pushing it gently into the liquid ; cover and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the seafood is just cooked.
5. Gently stir in the sugar, lemon juice, parsley and some salt and black pepper.
6. Serve with lemon wedges.

BON APPÉÉÉÉTIT

Tex-Mex Shepherd's Pie

 

4 servings (350 calories)

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 300 gr lean ground lamb
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1½ teaspoons ground coriander 
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 (14½ oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 100 ml beef stock, hot
• 1 (14½ oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 750 gr baking (floury) potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over low heat.
3. Add the spring onions and half the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently ; add the green bell pepper, increase the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring until the pepper is tender.
4. Add the lamb and the spices and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to break up te meat, until is no longer pink ; stir in the tomatoes, stock and kidney beans and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.
6. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes with the remaining garlic in a sauce pan of lightly salted boiling water for 10 minutes, or until tender.
7. Drain the potatoes, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid.
8. Return the potatoes and garlic to the pan ith the reserving liquid and mash them roughly using a potato masher or large fork ; stir in the chopped cilantro.
9. Spoon te lamb mixture into a deep pie dish, about 6 cups capacity ; spoon the mashed potatoes over the top.
10. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.
11. Serve hot.

BON APPÉÉÉÉTIT

Baked Potato Quarters with Smoked Salmon

 

4 as a starter, 8 as a snack

• 8 small baking (floury) potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 125 gr smoked salmon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Two-third cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• Small sprigs of fresh dill, to garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
2. Scrub the potatoes and dry them with paper towel.
3. Thread them onto metal skewers, brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle with a little salt ; arrange on a baking tray and bake for 1-1¼ hours or until tender.
4. Remove the potatoes from the skewers and cut them in half lengthwise ; scoop out some of the flesh, leaving a layer of potato next to the skin about 1 cm thick.
5. Cut each piece in half lengthwise again and place, flesh side up, on a large, clean baking tray.
6. Melt the butter with the remaining oil and season with salt and black pepper ; lightly brush this mixture over the flesh side of the potatoes, return to the oven and bake for a further 12-15 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
7. Meanwhile, cut the smoked salmon into thin strips and sprinkle with the lemon juice ; in a bowl, mix together the yogurt, capers and chopped dill, then stir in the salmon.
8. Allow the potato quarters to cool 1-2 minutes, then top each with a little of the salmon and yogurt mixture and garnish with a dill sprig.
9. Serve warm.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉÉTIT