roast chicken for Christmas

a whole chicken (preferably farmer chicken)
a whole lot of black olives (the greek kind)
8 apples
a handfull of lingonberries - or cranberries
a bowlfull or more of cooked snowpeas
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stuff the chicken full of black olives
rub some olive oil, some salt and pepper all over it (this time I used duck fat since I had some from the foie gras)
peel, core and cut the apples into 8's
rub some oil into a baking dish, lay the apples at the bottom
lay a layer of snow peas on top
and spread the berries across
sprinkle some salt and pepper
lay the chicken on top

bake at about 200°C until the chicken is crispy golden (this one took about an hour)

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I served this with pumpkin, which I just peeled and diced, and then cooked on low heat with some butter and water.  Then sprinkled some chopped fresh parsley on top.

Of course, since this was for Christmas, we had a really good red wine with it :)
and, for once I have a photograph!!

baked fish - slightly sweetish

Today was a spur of the moment recipe invention :

I had a filet of fish in the fridge (this was cabillaud - white ordinary fish) and had to make lunch for 3.

So :
I cut about 7 carrots in 3-4mm slices, rubbed some olive oil, some curcuma, some coriander powder and some salt on them
baked them in the oven until they looked slightly golden on top (my guess is about 20 minutes at 180°C)

then I mixed in some chopped ginger, a bowl of pomegranate seeds, 2 chopped up pickled lemons (the kind used for moroccan cooking) , a fistfull of frozen raspberries and some chopped green coriander leaves and a dash of balsamique vinaigre.

I rubbed olive oil on the fish filet and rubbed in some salt, curcuma and a bit of 'tajine spice mix' on both sides. and sprinkled some red chilli powder on top.

I laid the fish on top of the veg / fruit mix and baked in the oven at 200° until the fish was cooked.

Served with boiled potatoes and white wine.

The 'guests' loved it!

so I have to remember it, hence this post :)

fried carrots

carrots (atleast 3-4 per person)
fresh parsley and garlic finely chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
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peel the carrots, chop them into fine-ish rings (approx 3-4mm)
heat oilve oil in a large non stick pan
cook the carrots until the are soft and slightly caramelised (I usually fry them until they start smelling sweetish, then cover them, add some salt and let them cook on a low flame until they become cooked through - and then open the pan and let them fry some more)
before serving add the finely chopped parsley and garlic (and pepper if you want)

champignons au four / stuffed roast mushrooms

large paris mushrooms (atleast 2 per person)
echalotte
lardon
boursin cheese
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wash the mushrooms
break the stalks and keep them aside
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fry the lardon
add finely chopped echallotte
then add the mushroom stalked finely chopped
when it is all golden fried, turn off the heat and mix in the boursin cheese (add pepper if you like)
fill the mushrooms with the stuffing
and bake in a pan at approx 200°
I keep checking on them and when the mushroom starts collapsing on itself it means it's cooked

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serve with green salad, or with a gratin of courgettes (or basically some vegetable)

roti de dinde à la cocotte minute (pressure cooker turkey)

a 'roti' of turkey (I usually calculate abour 150gm / person) - also I take a 'roti' bardé (which is strung with lard)
garlic
white wine
thyme
cream
mustard
chicken cube (bouillon cube de poulet)
curry powder
butter and olive to cook
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in the pressure cooker, heat a mix of oil and butter and brown the turket 'roti' on all sides
remove and chuck the oil butter mix
rub some curry powder on the 'roti' and place it back in the pressure cooker
melt the chicken cube in a glass of warm water, add that into the pressure cooker, add white wine (I usually go to about halfway up the 'roti' with liquid)
add quite a bit of garlic cloves crushed (I would say approx 8 cloves for 4 people)
add the thyme (I think it tastes better with thyme branches)
cover the pressure cooker and bring to a boil
when the steam starts 'phssshting' put the weight on, reduce to low flame and let it cook for 40 minutes

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then release the pressure, remove the 'roti' into a deep serving dish - cut the strings and remove the lard and strings
strain the sauce into a pan, heat on low flame, add cream and mustard and let it thicken slightly (add pepper to taste - DON'T add salt, the chicken cube and mustard are salty enough!!)
cut the 'roti' into thickish slices and pour the sauce on top
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serve with rice or bread, and I love it with fried carrots

Iny's Cheri Dinde

- Dinde ( turkey / or chicken) cut into 1/2inch cubes
- equal volume of onions (white onions are better)
- 1/2 volume of canned pineapple
- fresh garlic finely sliced
- Cheri! (sherry, rivesaltes, maury - or any other sweetish dry wine - about 16% alcohol)
- salty soya sauce
- a little bit of sambal olek (salted chilli sauce)

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- rub flour onto the turkey and stir fry until browned
- add the onions and stir until transparent
- add the pineapple
- add the garlic
- add the Cheri and soya sauce until the turkey and onions are covered (approx 2 volumes of cheri to 1 volume of Soya sauce)
 - cover and cook until the sauce thickens - stir occasionally so it doesn't stick
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you can add some flour to thicken the sauce
you can use the juice from the canned pineapple to sweeten the sauce as desired

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serve with basmati rice

Iny's potato camembert

Dinde (turkey / or chicken) in 1/2 inch cubes - rubbed with flour, some salt and pepper - stir fry until brown and keep aside
Diced potatoes risoléed (stir fried) in butter - the butter has to be Hot before adding the potatoes

Once the potatoes are half cooked through, add diced red bell pepper, and pois gourmand (snow peas).

Stir continuously so the snow peas don't burn

Once the potatoes are cooked, add the precooked turkey and stir.

Cut a 'round' of camembert (not too old, so the crust is still soft) - into thin slices

spread the camembert slices over the mixture and turn off the heat.

Allow the camembert to melt and serve.

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I would think any easily 'meltable' and un-sticky cheese would work too

I ate this with Ini's cucumber délice, and it was really really good!

But a green salad to offset the 'heaviness' would be good

Iny's cucumber délice!

2 cucumbers
5 échalottes
Salt
Powdered (icing?) sugar
White wine vinegar
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finely slice cucumbers
finely chop the échalottes
rub in some salt and sugar to taste
in a large bowl cover this mixture with vinegar
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the lovely thing about this - other than the taste, is that it it KEEPS for a long time and as you eat up the salad, you can just keep adding into the vinegar.
Note : it's important that the salad is covered in vinegar so that it doesn't spoil!