December 19, 2005

French Cooking

Last Thursday my sisters and I made a homecooked French dinner for my parents. The menu consisted of: french baguette, Chicken Provencale, Sautéed Shrimp with Fried Garlic and Baked Tomato, and Gratin Dauphinois. Although parts of the chicekn were a bit overcooked, the whole meal turned out pretty nice :) And for dessert I made a yummy Tapioca Sago (not French :P) using a recipe I found at Bulk Barn.

Continue reading for the recipes...

    



Chicken Provencale

For Vegetables:
2 cups cubed peeled eggplant
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium green sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup red or dry white wine, or chicken broth
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

For Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound total)
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt

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FOR VEGETABLE: In a large saucepan combine the eggplant, tomatoes, onion, red and green sweet peppers, wine or chicken broth, basil, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 5 minutes more, or till vegetables are tender and nearly all of the liquid is evaporated.

FOR CHICKEN: Rinse chicken; pat dry. Place each breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the edges, pound chicken lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to a 1/4-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle chicken lightly with salt.

In a large skillet heat the oil and paprika over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or till tender and no pink remains, turning once.

TO SERVE: Spoon vegetables on plates and top with chicken.

Makes 4 servings.




Sauteed Shrimp with Fried Garlic and Baked Tomato

4 tomatoes, about 1 1/2 lb total weight
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper


1. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Cut the tomatoes in half and place them, cut side up, in a shallow baking dish. Season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the tops. Bake until cooked through but still firm, about 15 minutes.

3. About 3 minutes before the tomatoes are done, in a sauté pan over high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the shrimp and salt and pepper to taste and sauté until pink and firm, 2-3 minutes.

4. Transfer the baked tomatoes to individual serving dishes. Place the sautéed shrimp on top of the tomatoes, dividing them evenly.

5. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the garlic and the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and sauté until the garlic turns golden brown, about 1 minute.

6. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan by stirring to dislodge any browned bits from the pan bottom, about 30 seconds. Immediately pour the contents of the saucepan equally over each serving. Sprinkle with the parsley and cayenne. Serve at once.

NOTE: Tomatoes can be replaced with a bed of steamed spinach.

Makes 4 servings.




Gratin Dauphinois

3 pounds (1.5 kg) baking potatoes, such as russets, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 cups (50 cl) whole milk
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 bay leaves
1 cup (25 cl) creme fraiche or heavy cream
2 cups (about 5 ounces; 160 g) freshly grated Gruyére or Chedder cheese
Freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with the milk and 2 cups (50 cl) of water. Add the garlic, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so that the potatoes do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring from time to time, until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the potatoes to a large, 14- by 9- by 2-inch (35.5 by 23 by 5 cm) gratin dish. Sprinkle with the nutmeg, pepper, half the creme fraiche, and half the cheese. Cover with the remaining potatoes, and sprinkle again with nutmeg, pepper, and the remaining creme fraiche and cheese.

4. Bake, uncovered, until the gratin is crisp and golden on top, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.




Tapioca Sago

1/4 cup small sago
2 1/4 cup milk (or coconut milk)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt

1. Soak sago in cold water for 2 hours, drain, then add milk. Cook in double boiler until clear.

2. Beat 2 eggs slightly. Add sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Mix in the cooked sago.

3. Pour into 7"-9" greased casserole dish. Place casserole in a pan of hot water and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

4. Serve with fruits or sauces.

Posted by mich at December 19, 2005 10:04 PM
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