Cooking For Two

I would like to introduce you today to a new recipe I tried years ago in my beloved city, London. I got it from the book “Cooking for two”, published in 1996. What a reasonable title! And what a perfect day to cook, at the end of the week. Imagine yourself tired from the week. You don’t feel like looking at all. May be not a very difficult recipe. You would love some eggs too. Hmmm…ah…there is it…

Souffle omelette with mushroom sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 20 g butter (lovely butter…)

For the mushroom sauce

• 60 g butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 125 g baby mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tsp plain flour
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tsp French mustard
• 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon

Method:

• Whisk egg yolks, water and tarragon in a large bowl until well combined.
• Beat egg whites in a small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form.
• Fold egg whites gently into egg yolk mixture in 2 batches.
• Heat half the butter in the omelette pan. Pour the half egg mixture into pan, cook omelette until lightly browned underneath.
• Place the pan under a hot grill until top of the omelette is just set.
• Slide the omelette onto plate, fold omelette in half, spoon over half the mushrooms sauce.
• Repeat with remaining butter, egg mixture and sauce.
• Mushroom sauce: heat the butter in a pan, add onion, garlic and mushrooms, cook stirring, until onion is soft. Add flour, cook stirring, until combined.
• Remove from heat, gradually stir in combined remaining ingredients, stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens. If you like to ease your work, you can make the sauce a day ahead.

Bon appetite, my love!

 

Something Warm For The Cold Days Of Autumn

I am in the mood of writing today and have the spare time too, so I take advantage to put something here, something about food, as I haven’t done this for quite a while. I know that you don’t mind. 🙂 I just hope you haven’t lost faith of ever seeing a recipe here, after so much poetry and songs. Just you wait, mister! 😉

The recipe that follows is new to me, I have just found it in Marks & Spencer ‘Chicken. Simple and delicious easy-to-make recipes’ from 2005. In case you have the book, try the recipes, they seem nice and easy, if not, take a look in here. I have chosen this one because it has tarragon, which is a favourite spice of mine, so fragrant and in a way, cooling. If you try this out, let me know how you like it, I know I like it from the title. Also, I found this soup perfect for a cold day of autumn, when I would like to warm up, apart from that special one. 🙂

Chicken & Tarragon Soup

Serves 4  

Ingredients:

• 55 g (2 oz) unsalted butter (again, at least 80-82 % fat, please)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 300 g (10 1/2 oz) cooked skinless chicken, shredded finely
• 600 ml (1 pint) chicken stock
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (dried one goes well, if you don’t have fresh, but remember, dry spices are stronger in flavour so use 1 tsp of dried tarragon here)
• 150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream (don’t worry about the fat, you need it for the cold that comes, it won’t stay on your hips or elsewhere but it will be used to keep you warm)
• fresh tarragon leaves, to garnish (or a pinch of dried tarragon)
• deep-fried croutons, to serve

Method:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan and fry the onion for 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken to the pan with 300 ml (1/2 pt) of the chicken stock.
• Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the remainder of the stock and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the chopped tarragon, then transfer the soup to a warm tureen and stir in the cream.
• Serve in bowls garnished with fresh tarragon and croutons.

Bon appetite!

Chicken Veronique

I remember that I have made this recipe for the first and only time in London, when we were waiting for a guest. This chicken Veronique seemed tasty, exquisite and elegant for a party. And it proved it was. I found it in “Good Housekeeping All Colour Party Cookbook” 1992. I really love this recipe. It is fit for a king and I would eat it often. If you really want to make an impression on somebody, try this out for a romantic dinner or not. And prepare your nose and your tongue for an indulgence. Because you’re worth it!

Chicken Veronique

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 50 g (2 oz) butter
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (or 2 tsp dried tarragon)
• finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, skinned and crushed
• 1,5 kg (3 lb) chicken
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) chicken stock (or water, but it won’t taste the same)
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) dry white wine
• 150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream
• 175 g (6 oz) green grapes, halved and seeded
• salt
• freshly ground pepper

Method:

• Soften the butter in a bowl with the tarragon, lemon rind, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Put half the mixture in the cavity of the bird.
• Truss the chicken with the thread or fine string. Spread the remainder of the mixture over the outside of the bird (especially the legs), then stand on a rack in a roasting tin. Pour the chicken stock under the rack.
• Roast the chicken in the oven at 200°C/ 400°F, Gas Mark 6 for about 1 1/4 hours or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Turn the bird and baste every 15 minutes or so during roasting.
• Carve the chicken into neat portions, then arrange on a warmed serving platter, cover and keep warm.
• Make the sauce. Blot off any excess fat from the roasting tin with absorbent  kitchen paper, then place the tin on top of the cooker. Pour the wine, then boil to reduce to about half the original volume, stirring and scraping the tin to dislodge sediment.
• Stir in the cream and continue simmering and stirring until thick, smooth and glossy. Add the grapes and heat through, then taste and adjust seasoning.
• Pour a little of the sauce over the chicken, arranging the grapes as attractively as possible on each portion. Serve immediately, with the remaining sauce and grapes handed separately in a sauceboat, accompanied by crisply cooked mange-touts or French beans and a simple dish of plain boiled rice. Don’t forget about a chilled dry white wine. 🙂

Bon appetite!

Shepherd’s Pie

Everybody knows about Shepherd’s Pie. I hope. 😉 I really like this dish and when I have first eaten it, I didn’t know what to expect. I discovered a very tasty and homey food. It makes me smile just talking about it. That is why I have made it several times and I would do it again, on a freezing winter day. It goes very well with boiled vegetables and a red wine. And a warm heart. 🙂

Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 115 g (4 oz) mushrooms, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500 g (1 1/4 lb) lean chuck steak, minced (ground)
• 150 ml (1/4 pt) red wine
• 150 ml (1/4 pt) beef stock (if you don’t want to use wine, just put 300 ml of beef stock  or water)
• bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
• 675 g (1 1/2 lb) potatoes, boiled
• 25 g (1 oz) butter
• 3 tbsp hot milk
• 5 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• salt
• pepper

Method:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan or big pan, add the onion, carrot,mushrooms  and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Stir the beef into the pan and cook, stirring to break up the lumps, until lightly browned.
• Blend a few spoonfuls of the stock or water with the flour, then stir this mixture into the pan. Stir in the remaining stock or water and wine, and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add the bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, tomato purée (paste), the cover and cook very gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover the pan towards the end of cooking to allow any excess water to evaporate, if necessary.
• Preheat the oven to 190 °C, 375 °F, Gas Mark 5.
• Put the potatoes in a pan with water, to boil, until very tender. Drain then mash with the butter, milk and seasoning.
• Add the tarragon and seasoning to the mince in the pan, then pour into a pie dish or baking dish.Top with a layer of sliced tomatoes, then an even layer of potato. Mark the top with the prongs of a fork.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Bon appetite!