Risotto With Shrimp

                              Recipe for 6 people

Ingredients

18 to 24 shrimp, shelled, save the shells (and the heads if available)

4 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

3 shallots, minced

1 cup (1/4 liter) of dry white wine

fish trimmings, heads, bones, etc.

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

few peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 thyme sprig
---
1 onion, finely minced
1 oz butter
salt
---
2 oz butter
2 cups arborio rice (also Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
1 cup dry white wine, room temperature
4 cups (hot) shrimp or fish stock
salt

4 tablespoon of finely minced flat parsley


Procedure

1. fish stock

 

In a large pot add fish trimmings, head, bones, 2 onions, chopped, 2 carrots, chopped, few peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 thyme sprig. Cover with water and bring to a simmer.
In a medium size pot with high sides add oil and preheat on medium heat. Add shrimp shells and heads, shallots and stir until well colored (almost brown), about 5 minutes. Lower the heat if it starts to burn. Add the white wine and stir well to scrape the bottom of the pan. When the alcohol has evaporated add some water, bring to the boil then transfer everything in the large pot that you started before. Let simmer for 45 minutes, keep hot for the risotto.

2. precook the shrimp

 

Lightly season the shrimp with salt. In a skillet with a dab of butter cook quickly the shelled shrimp on medium heat. Do not overcook as they will be incorporated in the risotto at the end and will cook a bit more. Save one shrimp per person for garnish, slice the rest in small rounds. Set aside.

3. cook the Rice

Start by melting 2oz of butter in a deep skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent, add a pinch of salt to make the onions sweat. Add the rice, make sure that the grains are well coated with butter. Let cook until the grains are partially translucent and there is a faint smell of nuts. At this point add the cup wine, stir well and let the alcohol evaporate entirely. When the rice starts to look dry lower the heat and start adding the stock, one ladle at the time (through a strainer to avoid adding shells and other solids from the stock). Taste the rice and adjust the seasoning. Keep adding stock until the rice is almost al dente. Use hot water if you run out of stock. At this point take the pan off the heat, add the cooked shrimp and the parsley. Stir and cover for few minutes.
Serve immediately with the saved cooked shrimp on top for garnish.

Note: For a deeper gold color add some saffron powder or threads during the cooking phase.

Duck a L’Orange

Ingredients:

  

                    2 Magret de canard or Duck breasts

                    6 Organic Oranges

                    20  threads Saffron 

                    2    tablespoons Butter 

                    Sugar and Water 

                    Salt and Black Pepper 

                            Method:

Juice:

• Juice 3 of the oranges and reduce their juice with the saffron. 
• Zest the other oranges and make the zest into fine julienne, or thin strips. 
• Blanch these at least one time on boiling water for 10 seconds, then cooling it down in ice-cold water. 
• Then make a simple-syrup (equal parts sugar and water by weight). 
• Bring to the boil and add the blanched Zest and simmer for 30 mins.Reserve on the side. 
• Segment the other oranges making sure there is no pith. When the bubbles of the orange juice start getting bigger and sticky, add the butter and whisk until it is incorporated.

Duck: 

• Remove all silver skin and small filet. 
• Score the Fat-side half way through the skin about 1/2 an inch apart whole length on a bias, and repeat to make the skin look like a grid. 
• Make the skin look like a grid.Season with salt and pepper. 
• Place into a warm / dry pan and cook on one side until skin has reduced in size but about a third and is golden brown. 
• Place duck breasts in a pre-heated oven @ 300 until desired internal temperature. (5-10 mins) 
• Let rest out side the oven for 5 mins.

Slice and serve with sauce:

• To finish the sauce, add just the zest (not the sugar syrup) and the segments to the reduced orange sauce and glaze the duck. 
• Spoon a bit on the plate as well. 
• Enjoy your meal.

Sautéed scallops, chunky leeks with sorrel cream

                                                  Recipe

Step 1: Chunky leeks

• For 6 servings, trim 3 large leeks.  

• Slice small cylinders a touch larger than your scallops, and rinse out grit under cold water.  Drain well.  
• Melt 1 T butter in a medium pot (with a thick base) and add leeks, standing on end.  Crowd together in a single layer. 
• Cover and soften over low heat about 20 minutes with a bay leaf and 4 sprigs fresh thyme, with no stirring (breaks up the shape of the leeks.)  
• Add a couple spoons of water or dry white wine if necessary to keep from burning on pot bottom.  
• Once leeks are tender and cooked, add 2 T. chopped fresh dill, chives or tarragon. (We used chives.)  
• Optionally add 1/4 C cream.  Bring to simmer just before serving, thinning with a little water if necessary.  Season with sea salt. 

Step 2:  Sorrel cream

• Finely mince 1 shallot and place in small pot with 1 T. melted butter.  
• Soften over low heat, covered, 5 minutes with no browning.  
• Add 1 C. heavy cream, 1 bay leaf, and bring to simmer.  
• Meanwhile, slice finely about 20 fresh sorrel leaves and add to cream, simmering 5 minutes.  
• Season and add a sprinkle of water if sauce is too thick.

Step 3:  Sautéed scallops

• Clean and trim the scallops, 3 per person. 

• Heat 1 T. butter in a non-stick pan until foaming stops, but before smoking, and place scallops in pan.  (Be careful to leave space between each scallop to allow for better browning)
• Optionally, toss in the zest from one lemon during last minute of frying.   
• Depending on size, sauté about 3 minutes first side to brown nicely, then 1/2 minute on the other side.  
• Season with coarse sea salt, and a squeeze of lemon, and serve. 

Step 4 : Ready to eat

• Arrange 3 leeks standing up on plate, faced by 3 scallops, and between the two rows, some sorrel cream. 
• We dressed up some lamb's lettuce with olive oil to add some freshness to the plate.

Easter Dinner / Seven-hour Lamb

Slow and steady, soft and succulent

This traditional French way of dealing with mutton or tough lamb is increasingly finding its way into the urban bistros and homes of today, cheered on by a generation reared on fast grills and snappy salads. After two hours, the most wonderful smell starts to waft out of the kitchen. After seven hours, the meat will be so soft that the bone will literally fall out as you gently lift it from the pot. Just make sure that the leg of lamb you buy will fit into your heaviest lidded casserole.
 

Serve the lamb with its carrots, onions and garlic alongside a dish of white beans, puréed potatoes or Potato Gratin.

Ingredients

Serves 6

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 to 7 hours  (5 hours if you have a younger lamb)

1 leg of mature lamb, about 2.5kg
2 whole heads of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
3 medium onions, quartered
8 smallish carrots, peeled
Few sprigs thyme
250ml dry white wine
250ml water
Handful of flatleaf parsley

Method

Heat the oven to 120C. Coat the lamb with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Place in a large, lidded, ovenproof casserole, and scatter with thyme. Add the wine and water, cover tightly, and bake for 4 hours, then remove the casserole carefully from the oven and skim the fat from the broth.

Cut the heads of garlic in half across the cloves. Place the garlic, onions and carrots in with the lamb, and bake for another 3 hours (for younger lamb, cook first for 2 hours, skim and add the vegetables, then cook for a further 3 hours). Gently remove the lamb, and transfer the vegetables to a warm platter.

Strain the juices and bring to the boil in a small pan, skimming. Carve the lamb thickly and serve on warm dinner plates with the vegetables, garlic, parsley and some of the broth.

Very Berry Verinnes

Serves 4

250 grams of fresh Raspberries

250 grams of fresh Strawberries

150 grams of fresh or frozen raspberries

100 grams of sugar

500 grams of Natural yoghurt (or Vanilla Icecream)

Honey to taste

                                       Recipe

          You will need 4 large clear glasses or clear plastic cups

1
.   For the coulis, place frozen raspberries and sugar into a blender and mixer together until you have a smooth thick red juice.

2.    Mix half of the coulis with with 250 grams of the natural yoghurt and keep the rest of the coulis for later.

3.    Place some fresh raspberries and strawberries in the bottom of your glass

4.    Cover the berries with 2 or 3 tablespoons of yoghurt that has been mixed with the coulis.

5.    Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of Natural yoghurt to your glass.

         At each stage you are building up the layers in the glass

6.    Cover the Natural Yogurt with 2 tablespoons of Coulis

7.    Add more berries to fill the glass

8.    And drizzle with Honey to taste.

                                  DID YOU KNOW ?

An individual raspberry weighs about 4 g, on average and is made up of around 100 drupelets , each of which consists of a juicy pulp and a single central seed. Raspberry bushes can yield several hundred berries a year.

Cook'n with Paddy - Delicious Irish Stew

While we're talking about comfort foods, there's nothing more comforting than a nice hearty stew on a cold winters night. I've found that adding ale or Guinness not only makes the meat more tender, but it also gives the gravy a richer taste.

It's a classic British / Irish food that has been passed down for generations, and will continue to be a staple for years to come. It is easy to make, but delicious and very fulfilling.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2 pounds lean beef, cubed. (Generally you would use stewing beef, as the Guinness helps tenderize it).
3 Tablespoons oil (I tend to use plain vegetable oil).
2 Tablespoons flour (to thicken).
Salt and pepper.
2 large chopped onions.
1 large clove garlic crushed.
2 Tablespoons tomato puree combined with 4 tablespoons water (you can replace this with any Tomato Sauce.
1-1/4 cups Guinness.
2 cups chopped carrots. (Note, you can add mushrooms, or any other vegtable you like).
2 cups of chopped potatoes.
add thyme and oregano).

Cooking instructions
Ensure the beef is cubed in 1-1/2 to 2 inch cubes, and has most of the fat cut off.
Mix the flour, salt and pepper together.
In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of oil and stir in the beef all surfaces are filmed with oil.
Place the beef in with the flour and mix so all surfaces are now covered with flour.
Heat the remaining oil on medium-high heat and brown the meat.
Add onions, garlic and tomato and simmer for four to five minutes.
Remove the meat from the frying pan and place in a casserole dish.
Add a little Guinness to the pan and boil so that the juices from the frying pan are not wasted.
Pour the contents of the frying pan, the remaining Guinness, the carrots and the potatoes over the meat.
Cook in an oven at 325 degrees for 2 to 3 hours. (Note this can be simmered on a stove for two to three hours)

Serving Suggestions:
There are many ways you can eat this wonderful stew:
In a bowl with a dollup of Sour Cream.
Mixed with some Egg Noodles.
With Mashed Potatoes.

Anyone for Quiche?

Quiche Lorraine is an all-around French classic that is easy to make and appreciated by all!

Chef Anne-Sophie Pic, the only woman Chef to hold a three-star Michelin rating shares a quick recipe adding mustard to give a delicious hint of acidity.

Fill the shortcrust pastry dough with 100g of thin strips of bacon, 50g of grated Comté or Gruyere cheese, then pour on a mixture of 12.5cl milk, 12.5 Cl cream, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 2 whole eggs and an egg yellow.

Put it in a hot oven at 180° for 35 minutes, then let it rest for 10 minutes out of the oven before tasting.

Small practical trick: Prick the bottom of the pastry dough & then place it in the refrigerator 30 minutes in order to prevent the pastry inflating while cooking; then fill it with the trimming and place in the oven. 

Bon Appetit!