Tag Archives: Recipes

Vegan Farandole for the New Year!

December 29, 2008 dragonlife 2 Comments

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Last Sunday, not the New Year I must admit, I had to cook dinner for my other half, and I just happened to be litterally submerged with vegetables.
Why not create something vegeterian, or even better, something vegan, at least to justify my omnivorous preferences? I thought.
Well, I came with a simple idea that can expanded at infinitum. It has the merit of making use of very healthy ingredients and help the system take a much needed rest! LOL

I utilized three different oils from three different countries to add a little inernationalization: Olive oil from Italy, Walnut oil from France and Argan oil from Morocco!

In the centre of the plate I arranged a “circle” of boiled potatoes mixed in “brandade style” with plenty of olive oil, avocado, black olives, lemon juice, a minimum of salt, chopped fresh garlic, pepper, nutmeg, thyme and yuzu chili pepper. Indian friends would probably add plenty more spices.
I surrounded it with a thin crown of boiled diced brocoli stems and shiso/perilla shoots/mini leaves.

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I then added plenty of dressing around the lot. The dressing was made with walnut oil, taragon white wine vinegar, soft Dijon mustard (with seeds), lemon juice, a little salt, pepper and a large amount of very finely chopped fresh parsley and basil. It was very consistent and easy to spread without “leaking” everywhere.
Around the whole, I arranged boiled green brocoli, white cauliflower and yellow cauliflower (beautiful and very tasty) all grown in Shizuoka Prefecture.
I decorated the potato core with plum tomato wedges, and sprinkled both the cauliflower(s) and tomatoes with a little dash of argan oil (take it easy with this particular oil as it is particularly fragrant!).

I hope this will give ideas to my vegan and vegetarian friends for the New Year repast!　By the way, “Farandole is a dance!

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Open Quiche (with Leek, Bacon and Potato)

December 27, 2008 dragonlife 11 Comments

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Some people, sometimes rightly, complain that quiches, for all their quality, are a bit heavy because of the pastry. I sometimes cook them without pastry, calling them “open Quiche”. They are simple to make and are welcome by foodies with an allergy to flour.

Here is the simple one I made for the Missus last night a very cold night!)

Ingredients (for 2 to 4 people):
-Eggs: 3 large
-Fresh Cream: 400 cc (2 cups)
-Fresh leek: one large, chopped.
-Potato: 1 medium-large
-Bacon: 2 large rashers, cut in 1 cm-thin strips
-Lemon juice: 1 teaspoon
-Grated parmesan cheese: 1 large tablespoon
-Butter: 50 g for frying vegetables + enough to coat inside of oven dish
-Salt ( as little as possible), pepper, nutmeg, thyme, laurel and anything else you wish according to your preferences.

Recipe:
-Bring a pan full of salted water to boil, drop all the chopped leek in and boil for a couple of minutes. Take out and plunge the leek into cold water. Let cool, then drain, and put them aside in draining dish to allow any excess water to go away. This will take care of the leek’s astringency and make it softer. If too wet, press water out before adding them to the quiche.
-Boil potato to 80%, plunge in cold water (this way, it will not break or disappear inside the quiche), peel and cut into 1 cm square cubes. Put aside.
-Dry-fry (that is, do not add any oil) bacon until the colour has changed. Put aside.
-In same fry-pan, to preserve the juices left by the bacon, drop 50 g of butter and lightly sautee the leeks and potato for a couple of minutes. Put aside.
-Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (about 360 degrees F).
-In a bowl drop the leek, bacon and potato, season with lemon juice, a little salt, plenty of pepper and spices and mix well.
-In another bowl break the eggs and beat them into an omelette. Add fresh cream and mix well. Add a little salt, pepper and spices according to taste. Last parmesan cheese. Mix and check taste.
-Butter the inside of a large shallow oven dish (glass is best as you can see the inside cooking). Spread the bacon, potato and leek mix over the bottom. Pour in the omelette over the whole. Check and arrange the heavier food inside the omelette with a fork for more evenness.
-Cook for about 40 minutes

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Serve hot. You should be able to cut it and transfer it easily if you have buttered the dish properly. Serve with a fresh salad and a light red wine or real ale!
Enjoy!

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Japanese Sushi: Gunkan/Mothership

December 19, 2008 dragonlife 2 Comments

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Intestingly enough, for all the fame of sushi and (California) rolls (maki), a very popular form of Sushi in Japan is almost ignored abroad.
Gunkan or “Mothership” in Japanese is a typically Japanese way of serving ingredients which would be difficult to serve on top of a nigiri.
They are usually made by wrapping a piece of “nori”/dry seaweed around a ball of rice/shari with plenty of space left on top to fill.
The advantages are multiple. The nori/seaweed is crisp. You eat the whole in one go with your fingers (clean your hand first!). And they make for beautiful decoration!
Some people do not appreciate the “nori”, but it could be replaced with very thin strips of daikon, cucumber, zucchuni and so on.

Here are some samples of “gunkan” I have eaten over the years:

Ikura/Salmon roe Kani Salada/Crab salad Kanitsume/Crab pincers

Kobashira/Round Clam round twin muscles Mizuna/A Japanese thin leaf vegetable + quail egg Negitoro/finely chopped tuna and thin leeks

Shirako/Whiting-male cod sperm sacs Takuan/Pickled Japanese daikon + cucumber

“Shirako” (Cod Whiting) for a repeat.

“Benisuwaigani” (Red Suwai Crab), “Mikkuriebi” (Mikkuri Shrimp, a variety of sweet shrimp, delicious in spite of the colour!), “Kobashira” (Muscle from the “Bakagai” Shellfish), “Nama Karasumi” (raw mullet roe)

“Ooenkogani” (Ooenko Crab, featuring body flesh, red brins and pincers flesh!), “Akahada Tsurutsuru”, a seaweed gunkan! It is a red seaweed variety), “Sakura ebi” (Sakura Shrimp, the pride of Shizuoka Prefecture!), “Nama Shirasu/Umeiwashi” (raw whitebait from “Ume” sardines)

“Gunkan” can be presented on individual plates for better effect!

The three above are varieties of sea urchins: “Bafun uni” and Murasaki Uni”, whereas the last last show both gunkan and nigiri.

Above are three types of crabs: “Egani”, Ibaraganimodoki” and Matsubagani”

Three shellfish varieties: “Kagabai”, Nejinakubai” and “Sazae” (Turbo Shell)

We go to fish varieties: “Hoteiuo” roe, “Konago”, and “Muroaji” (horse mackerel variety)

“Noresore” (baby conger eels), and two shrimp varieties: “Shiraebi” (white shrimp) and “sunaebi” (sand shrimp)

We were fortunate enough to find those “botan ebi/large sweet prawns” fresh with their eggs. Two provided enough eggs for a single “botan ebi ko gunkan”.Not an easy treat to find, as it must absolutely be fresh. The eggs were sweet with not any disagreeable “fishy” background. By the way, this is the only sushi featuring the colour “blue” that comes to my mind!

For more about sushi check Shizuoka Sushi!

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Salmon Trout Pie

December 18, 2008 dragonlife 10 Comments

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With cold weather prevailing, one expects a hearty hot meal back home from a long work day.
I personally cook dinner twice or three times a week at the most, but I can guarantee you that the Missus does expect a proper meal if I happen to be back home for her!
The problem is that I tend to cook too much, and I consequently end up finishing both plate to the detriment of my waistline! LOL.
In winter reasonably-priced salmon trout is readily available, and taking in account my partner’s inordinate love for salon, it is easy enough to please her!
Here is what I concocted for her last week Friday:

INGREDIENTS (for 2 to 4 persons depending on your appetite!)
-Salmon trout: a large (~15 cm long) piece/filet. Cut the ends square if needed. The small bits can be put on top wherever to adjust the level of the contents. Pare off all the excess fat as it tends to sog the pie. In any case cooked fish fat is not appealing either in shape or taste!
-Frozen pie sheets: 2 large enugh to leave necessary margin around the fish.
-Lemon juice: 1 large lemon juice squeezed into a small glass.
-Fresh basil: 20 leaves, finely chopped/cut.
-Fresh Italian parsley: 10 sprigs, finely chopped/cut.
-White mushrooms (other varieties are fine),: 4 large, finely chopped.
-Fresh shiso/perilla leaves: 12 large. If not available, use 24 salad spinach leaves. Boil them in salted water for 15 seconds. Spread on kitchen paper to suck off as much water as possible.
-Scallops: 4 large, sliced in two.
-Egg: 1 large, beaten.
-Shallot/Echalotte: 1, large, finely chopped.
-Garlic: 2 cloves, finely chopped.
-White wine: 50cc/one quarter cup.
-Olive oil: 2 large tablespoons.
-Salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste. You may add (or do without) spices according to taste and tradition.

RECIPE:
-Pour oil in a non-stick fryig pan. Drop in chopped shallots and garlic. On a medium fire, when shallts are becoming transparent, add half of the lemon juice and all the wine. Stir. Lower the fire to gentle, drop in chpped mushrooms, a little sale, pepper, nutmeg and spices. Slowly fry until there is almost no juices left. Take off fire, pour the lot on a flat plate and let cool off.
-Preheat oven to 210 degrees C. (about 420 Degrees F)
-Spread one pie sheet onto a large piece of cooking paper laid over the oven plate.
-Cut salmon trout into 3 equal “sheets/layers” with a large sharp knife. Spread bottom slice on pie sheet. Brush it lightly with lemon juice. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper.

-Spread chopped basil and Italian parsley on top. Then spread fried vegetables, taking care to include as little juice as possible.

-Spread second slice of salmon trout on top. Brush with a little lemon juice and sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Spread half of the perilla leaves (or spinach) on top. Spread the sliced scallops on top. Brush with a little lemon juice. Spread the remaining leaves over the scallops.

-Spread the last slice of salmon trout over the top. Brush with a little lemon juice and sprinkle a littlle salt and pepper.

-Brush beaten egg over th uncovered parts of the pie sheet.
Spread the second pie sheet over the whole, strching it carefully as to fall eaqually onto the bottom pie sheet. Press “margins” (I do it with a fork) and roll them so as to “close” the pie.
Brush the whole surface with beaten egg (the more, the better!).

Cook at 210 degrees for 15minutes, then lower to 160 degrees (about 290 degrees F) for 15 more minutes. Cook a little while longer if you are not satisfied with the colour of the pie.

Served with cream dressing and a tossed salad, it should satisfy any appetite.
Serve with white wine or sparkling wine!
Enjoy!

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Mussles in Curry Cream Sauce

December 15, 2008 dragonlife 4 Comments

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Mussles are ever becoming popular all over the World and become more acaailable, fresh or frozen.
Last Friday night, my usual night out (alone) which had to be postponed because of my numerous commitments the week after, ended in my cooking dinner for the Missus. As soon as I reached Shizuoka JR Station back from University I visited JR Station Parche Big Supermarket in search for fresh oysters. Apparently they were sold out and had to rethink our dinner, when I found some Japanese grown fresh mussles which gave me a good idea.

Incidentally, keep in mind that contrary to oysters, wild mussles should be avoided!

Mussles in Curry Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

-Mussles: 3~4 dozens (wash and brush them first under running water and pull “roots” out)

-Shallot (echalotte): 1, finely chopped
-Garlic: 3~5 cloves, finely chopped
-Ciboulette (very thin chives): a “bunch (see above pic)
-Basil: a “fistful”
-Lean Bacon: a slice, cut into small pieces

-Sour cream: a glass (Half a cup), 120g

-Noilly: a glass (half a cup). If unavailable, any sweet wine will do.

-Curry paste (possibly Garam Masala): 1 large tablespoon
-Olive oil: 2 large tablespoons
-Pepper: to taste.

N.B.: No need for salt as there is already plenty in the bacon and curry paste!

Recipe:

In a deep large deep pan pour the oil and heat over medium fire. Drop in shallots and garlic and fry until shallots turn transparent. Pour in Noilly, curry past and pepper. Mix well. Drop in all the mussles. Cover with a glass lid.
When all the mussles have opened (discard the ones that haven’t later), drop in the sour cream and mix well. Let cook for a minute, then add ciboulette and basil. Stir. Serve at once.

Make sure you have prepared a dish for the dicarded shells. They are more easily eaten with your fingers, so keep a finger bowl or wet towel handy.

Now, you will be left with a lot of good sauce which would be a shame to throw away. Last Friday I prepared spaghetti for my pasta-crazy Missus and mixed them into the sauce with a little olive oil. My personal choice would have been the sauce poured over boiled potatoes (instead of fried potatoes usually served back home). Otherwise it could become the base for a soup. If you find the sauce a bit too strong, mix in some yoghurt.

Bon appetit!

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French Cake: Nectarines Tart

December 8, 2008 dragonlife 7 Comments

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Nectarines being smaller and a lot firmer than peaches, they make for a great fruit in tarts.
Here is a simple enough recipe you could apply for other fruit such as apricots, apples and even mangoes, fresh or in Syrup (the latter would have to drained out, though)!

Ingredients (for 6 people):
Pastry: flour: 200g
butter: 75g
egg: 1
powdered sugar: 50g
water
salt
Filling: nectarines: 750g
butter: 100g
powdered sugar
almond powder: 125g
eggs: 2
rum: 1 tablespoon
minced pistachio: 1 tablespoon
glazing sugar: 2 tablespoons

Recipe:

A) Pastry:
In an all-purpose bowl mix eggs with sugar until smooth. Then mix in butter (softened) until smooth. Add a pinch of salt. Then mix in flour little by little to obtain a homogeneous paste. Mix in water little by little until pastry is “as soft as your earlobe”. Wrap in cellophane and leave in refrigerator for an hour.
B) Take pastry out of refrigerator and knead a little until soft enough to spread.
Spread inside tart dish and punch a few holes with a fork.
C) Preheat oven to 6 (180 degrees Ceslius). Melt the butter and pour it in an electric blender (if you do not have one, use some elbow power and mix in all-purpose bowl), add almond powder, sugar, whole eggs and rum. Blend until smooth and pour on pastry.
D) Clean nectarines in cold water. Wipe and cut them in thin slices. Put them onto almond paste pushing them each a little onto the paste so as to make a nice regular pattern for better impression and easier cutting. Sprinkle with glazing sugar. Cook for 50 minutes.
Take out of the oven and out of its mold onto a dish or cake grill. Let it cool. Sprinkle with minced pistachio before serving.

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Vegetarian French Cuisine: Cream Mushrooms

December 6, 2008 dragonlife 4 Comments

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We are still in mushrooms season, wild ones or cultivated species, fresh, dehydrated or frozen. Mushrooms are low in calories, but high in quality, whether it concerns taste or nutrients.
Some people have told that mushrooms cannot be frozen. This is a fallacy. Full stop.
I personally receive frozen chanterelles, trompettes and what else from the internet and I can assure they are delicious.

Here is the recipe of a dish my father (83) cooked for us last time I came back home in Burgogne, France. It was made with exclusively frozen mushrooms! It can accompany any meat, especially white-flesh meat, or can be appreciated on its own as accompaniment with a solid white wine or heady Japanese sake.
Great for vegetarians! Vegans can accomodate it witheir own substitutes, too.

Ingredients (3~4 people):
Mixed mushrooms of your choice, fresh or frozen (if frozen, let them thaw slowly inside refrigerator for a few hours and get rid of excess water): 500g
Shallots (echalottes): 2 finely chopped
Garlic: 2~3 cloves finely chopped (crush garlic before chopping it. Do not forget to discard core!)
Parsley or Italian flat parsley: half a cup finely chopped
Fresh cream: 200cc
Madeira wine: 50cc (yellow port is fine, too, as well as sweet sherry)
Olive oil and unsalted butter: about 2 large spoons of each
Salt, pepper, nutmeg (to taste)

Recipe:
On a medium fire in large frypan melt an equal quantity of olive oil and unsalted butter (some people prefer more, some less. Experiment!). Throw in the shallots and garlic and slowly fry until shallots turn transparent. Throw in all the mushrooms and fry untilthey give back enough water. Add Madeira wine. Stir well. Next add fresh cream and stir until cream is perfectly blended. Add salt, peeper and nutmeg last, stir. Check taste and add more spices if needed.
Pour the whole in a large dish and sprinkle parsley over the mushrooms before serving.
Eat hot.

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Hot Asparagus Pudding/Flan chaud d’Asperges

December 4, 2008 dragonlife 2 Comments

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Fresh asparaguses are becoming available all year roun here in Shizuoka Prefecture, a region famous for its Winter-cultivated vegetables.
Here a traditional French recipe for the green ones. It is not as difficult as the title might suggest!
When you choose your asparaguses, check the cut part at the bottom of the stems. The more moisture, the less peeling needed!

Vegans and vegetarians seeking substitutes for milk, butter and eggs should check with Miss V’s excellent suggestions!

INGREDIENTS (4 people):
Green Asparaguses: 1.25 kg
Eggs: 5
Milk: 250cc
Butter: 50g
Trefoil or Italian Parsley (optional): 4 sprigs for decoration
Thyme, laurel & nutmeg (optional & varying to taste)
Salt
White Pepper

RECIPE:

Peel asparaguses from top, cut out the bottom fibery part. Cut the tips and keep them aside.
Cut the stems in 1 cm-thick slices and put them in a pot. pour in milk, salt, white pepper and spices to taste. Let cook for 15 minutes. Take away from fire and transfer to food processor.
Add a few leaves of trefoil or Italian parsley and process to a fine mash.
Preheat oven to 6 (180 degrees Celsius) and put a large dish with water in it to be ready as a bain-marie.
Break the eggs in a large bowl, beat slightly, pour in the asparagus puree and mix.
Butter the inside of 4 small oven dishes (ramequin-style), pour in the mixture and cook in bain-marie for 20 minutes.
During that time put the asparagus tips in a frying pan, add the rest of the butter, 200cc of water, some salt and let cook for 20 minutes stirring from time to time until there is no more liquid left.
When the puddings are cooked, unmold them onto individual plates and decorate with asparagus tips and some trefoil or Italian parsley.
Serve at once.

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Zucchini Gratin

December 2, 2008 dragonlife 4 Comments

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There are many recipes I have learnt back home like any good son in any part of the world.
I come from a family where does and can cook!
This particular dish is a specialty cooked by my father Andre (83!)
The Missus still raves about it!
It is very simple!

Ingredients:
for 2~4 people
3~4 medium-size zucchini (courgettes)
3 eggs
1 cup of fresh cream
Breadcrumbs
Salt, pepper, nutmeg (other spices according to preference)

Clean and cut zucchini into large chunks. Do not peel skin.
Grind into robot or cut/grate very finely. Mix in some salt and pepper.
In a large saucepan drop some butter and olive oil and cook zucchini on medium fire until very soft. Switch off fire and let completely cool down.
In a bowl beat the eggs into an omelette. Pour in and mix fresh cream. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Add mashed zucchini and stir well.
Coat an oven dish with butter and pour all the zucchini paste. sprinkle with plenty of very fine breadcrumbs. Add parmeggiano cheese on top if you like it (I do!).
Cook in oven at 180 Celsius degrees until top has turned a nice brown colour.
Can be served hot, lukewarm or cold.

Variant: One could use zucchini of different colours for effect. Adding a few finely chopped herbs would be a good idea, too!

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Seafood Souffle

December 1, 2008 dragonlife 3 Comments

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I decided to re-post this particular recipe as it appears that souffle are so popular with friends at Foodbuzz!

As explained before, souffle is not that complicated.
There are simple rules to follow though:
-Get all your ingredients ready within reach first.
-Souffle must be savoured as soon as it comes out of the oven. As the adage says, “The guests wait for the souffle; the souffle does not wait for the guests!”.
It is another way to eat seafod in season and it’s a favourite when Spring and Autumn nights are still cool or cold. Of course it is a great dish in winter as it will warm up your guests or family!
Ingredients can be easy replaced according to season or supply. The spices indicated are basic and also open to imagination!

Ingredients (large portions for 2 persons)
-Eggs:5
Separate yolks from whites. Keep yolks in a small dish. Pour the whites into a large bowl with a pinch of salt.
-Milk: 1 cup/200 cc
-Butter: 50 grams
-Flour: 70 grams/2 large tablespoons
-Salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme (powder) to taste.
-Olive oil: 1 large tablespoon
-Oysters: 12 out of their shells in a small strainer to allow excess water out.
-Mussles: 24 large shells bushed and cleaned under running water.
-Crab: 1 small tin. If fresh, a “fistful” slightly boiled or steamed).
-Shallots: 1 large, thinly chopped
-Garlic: 1 clove, thinly chopped
-Noilly or sweet white wine: 1 glass/50cc/a quarter cup
-Thinly chopped fresh herbs (Italian parsley, basil, etc.): 1 “fistful”.

Recipe:
1) Pour oil into a deep non-stick frypan over a medium high fire. Cook shallots and garic until shallots turn transparent. Take care that garlic does not darken.
2) Drop the mussles in. Close with glass lid.
3) When mussles are all open switch off fire and take them out shaking all vegetables and juice out. Delicately separate mussles from their shells. Put aside in a small dish. Discard shells.
4) Switch on ffire again to medium and drop oysters in.
Cook them just long enough for them to stay tender. Switch off fire and take oysters out delicately. Put aside in a small dish.
5) Take crab out of the tin and squeeze out juices into the frying pan.
Put aside in a small dish.
6) Switch on fire again and reduce sauce at least to half. Switch off fire and strain the sauce into a cup. Put aside for white sauce.
7) White sauce:
On a medium fire, in a large deep pot melt butter completely. Drop in all the flour and whisk until smooth. Pour in milk little by little, whiking all the time to attain a smooth sauce. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and thyme, and cup of reduced juices. Mix. Keep stirring gently until sauce is very thick and adheres to the whisker.
8) Switch off fire. Mix in the yolks with whisker until smooth. Drop in fresh herbs and mix well.
Beat the egg whites until very firm
Fold whites into sauce one third at a time with a spatula (if you mix with a whisker, the souffle will not rise. If you pour all the whites at once you will end up with white “blobs” and uncooked liquid yellow sauce).

9) Butter the inside of 2 (or more, reducing the size of each) oven dishes/ramequins about 12 cm across and 7 cm high.
Pour in one layer of sauce on the bottom of each dish.
Place half of the oysters in each dish and cover with one more layer of sauce.
Place half of the mussles on top and cover with one more layer of sauce.
Spread half of the crab in each dish on top of the last layer of sauce and cover the lot with the rest of the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Cook for 35~45 minutes depending on your oven.
Check if souffle is ready with a thin stick. It should come out with no sauce attached to it.
Serve immediately!

Accompany it with a solid white wine!

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Healthy Hamburger: Tuna Burger!

November 29, 2008 dragonlife 3 Comments

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Somew time ago I had the occasion to taste again Maguroya Izakaya’s fine Tuna Burger in spite of my worse half’s interference!

It is actually an original creation of their Izakaya, in downtown Shizuoka City, which specializes in anything about Tuna/Maguro.
Americans and all expats ought to try it. The price is ridiculous when you compare to some notorious chain junk food restaurants. And the taste is simply an experience. I’m sure you will get hooked!
For people who prefer to make them at home, it is pretty simple:
Buy some tuna already ground for “negitoro”, make a ball of the wanted size, dip in flour and then beaten egg and very fine breadcrums or “karaagekona”/powder for deep-fried food and deep-fry!
Of course you will be responsible for a perfectly grilled bread, nice vegetables and tartare sauce!

Maguroya
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 1-11-9, 2F
Tel.: 054-2514101
Open: 17:30~24:00
Closed on Sundays

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Tuna Trio Hors d’oeuvre

November 29, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

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Here what my better (worse?) half came up last night as a starter after she found a good bargain at our nearby Coop Supermarket. Plenty for two, the fish costing only 440 yen (US$ 4.50)!

From top left around the clock:

-Maguro akami (lean part of the tuna) thin sashimi topped with homemade pickled wasabi plant and Shizauok wasabi dressing.
-Maguro akami/maguro zuke (lean part of the tuna marinated Japanese style) topped with “shigeki rayu” (Chinese style hot sesame oil) dressing from Ishigaki Island, Okinawa.
-Negitoro (minced tuna semi-fat part, but without the usual chopped leeks) topped with “kizami tamanegi” (onion cream) dressing

The whole on a bed of fresh cress grown in our Prefecture. The perfect starter for her wine and my sake (I mean the drink!)

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Shrimp Snack

November 28, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

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Here is a simple snack recipe which my better (worse half?) came up with the other night:

Ingredients (2 people):
20 small shrimps
10 chickory/endive leaves
Mayonnaise
Thai Chili Sauce
Spices to taste
Deep fry powder
Oil (for frying/deep frying)

Use frozen or fresh shrimps. Take off any water by laying the shrimps between two sheets of kitchen absorbing paper.
In a bowl prepare a mixture of mayonnaise, Thai chili sauce, pepper and any spices you wish to add. Taste before using.
Drop all the shrimps in the bowl and mix with hot mayonnaise mixture.
Heat oil to 180 degrees Celsius.
Place chickory/endive leaves in two long dishes as in picture above.
Take two shrimps at a time and roll them together quickly in deep fry powder and drop them in deepfry oil.
Deep-fry for a minute and leave shrimps on an oil absorbing paper to take excess oil off.
Place them inside chickory leaves (see pic) and serve at once.

Dead simple and great with beer any time of the year!
I’m sure the Good Beer and Country Boys will agree with me!

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Roasted Potatoes and Bacon with fine Ratatouille

November 27, 2008 dragonlife 8 Comments

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I’ve always been a “keep everything simple” fan when it comes to cooking,
After all, one can attain any heights with a lot of money and time on hand.
That is the work of epicurean specialists! “Little people” like I, will find more pleasure cooking something simple but with character for cherished company.
Here is very simple dish I recently concocted for fun!

Ingredients (for 2 people):
Small turnips: 6
Small potatoes: 6
Wide rashers of bacon: 6
Fresh rosemary (to taste)
Salt, white pepper (to taste)

Fine Ratatouille:
Medium-large onion: 1
Shallot: 1 large
Garlic: 2 cloves
Aubergine/egg plant: 1
Courgette/zucchini: 1
Red sweet pimento: 1
Yellow sweet pimento: 1
Olive oil: 50cc (a quarter of a cup)
1 lemon juice
Fresh herbs (finely chopped): basil, Italian parsley (to taste)
White wine or Noilly Prat: 50cc (a quarter of a cup)
Pastis/Ricard/Pernod: a “bottle cap”
Salt, pepper, nutmeg (to taste). Add chili pepper or other spices if you wish!

1) Fine Ratatouille:
Chop onion, shallot, aubergine and courgette in small cubes. Cruch garlic cloves and chop fine. Heat up the olive oil in a deep pan. Once oil is hot enough drop in all the above chopped vegetables and fry, stirring regularly, until onions become translucent. Turn down fire to low. Drop in chopped pimentos, chopped herbs, lemon juice, wine, Pastis, salt, pepper, nutmeg and whatever spices. Stir the whole, cover with lid and let cook until all vegetables are sufficiently soft.
This can prepared well in advance as reheated ratatouille is even better! Don’t worry if you have made too much of it as this can be used for all kinds of dishes such as omelette garnish, on cold crostini, and so on!

2) Boil potatoes in salted water until they are 80% cooked. Take them out of the water and plunge them in cold water for a while. This is a simple trick to prevent them from breaking up later! Put them on a cloth or kitchen paper to absorb water.

3) Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (level 6/7)
Peel potatoes. If they are new with a very thin skin, do not bother peeling them! Wrap each one in rasher of bacon. Secure the bacon around the potato by skewering them with a thin wooden toothpick. Place them on an oven plate coated with olive oil. Sprinkle a little pepper on them. Salt is not needed as plenty is contained inside bacon! Abundantly sprinkle with rosemary leaves. Bake until bacon has reached a nice crispy state.

4) Peel turnips and cut into four wedges each, leaving a little of the stem for good effect.
Boil them in slighted salted water just long enough for them to get tender. This should not take very long. Bear in mind that over-boiled turnips will get mushy and crumble away!

5) Once the potatoes are cooked, on a large plate you have kept hot either in hot water or inside the oven, first pour a good amount of ratatouille in the middle. Then place turnips around as shown on picture. Last, carefully pull toothpicks out of the potatoes and place the latter above the ratatouille.

Enjoy with a great beer or strong white wine (red wine is fine, too. LOL)

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Oven-baked Stuffed Mussles

November 27, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

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Mussles are plentiful at the big supermarkets in Shizuoka Prefecture, where thay can be bough fresh.
Here a great simple appetizer you can offer any time of the year.
Remember this is only the basic recipe to which you can add your own spices, herbs and vegetables!

INGREDIENTS (for 2 people)
24 large mussles
1 medium-size onion
2 shallots
2 large garlic cloves
a small length of celery
a fistful of fresh basil leaves
hal f a cup (100cc) of tomato puree
Olive oil
1 cup of white wine
Salt, pepper, clove, nutmeg to taste
Breadcrumbs

RECIPE:
1) Clean and brush mussles

2) Pour the wine in a large deep pan and heat over medium fire

3) Cook mussles inside the pot until all mussles are open (discard theones you can’t open)

4) Take mussles out of the pot, drain and extract shellfish. Keep the 8 largest half shells

5) In a fry pan pour some olive oil and cook over medium fire the onions, shallots, celery, garlic and basil, all finely chopped (add any fresh herbs available and of your liking)

6) Stop fire when onions and shallots have become soft and transparent. Pour the lot into a mixing bowl. Add tomato puree, salt, pepper, nutmeg and clove. Mix well. Check taste and adjust.

7) Place 3 mussles in each shell. Cover with with above mixture (the more, the better!) and sprinkle breadcrumbs all over.

8) Cook in oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes at the last moment.

9) On individual plates, cut and place tomatoes and cucumbers (or let you imagination run!) as shown on photograph. Sprinkle with dressing of your choice.
Take mussles out of the oven and place them on plates.

Eat at once!