texture

Snails And Gnocchi In White Wine, Pernod & Mustard Cream

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Snails and Gnocchi, what a wonderful combination.
Add Pernod Ricard, wine, and whole grain mustard, and you have a heavenly dish that is super easy to prepare, looks like a million and tastes like 2 million 🙂
I have created this dish decades ago, and have served it in many restaurants around the World since.
Good, simple food never get’s old 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Gnocchi Recipe:
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Ingredients:
1 lb Russet potatoes,   cooked, peeled, mashed
A/P flour,   sifted – as needed
2 Eggs,  whole, whisked
Kosher salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 0z Butter
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Method:
Add eggs, seasoning and flour to potatoes, mix lightly until smooth.
Shape into gnocchi.
Make light indentations with a fork.
Cook a sample in simmering salted water. If too soft, add flour. If too dense, add egg.
Cook gnocchi in simmering water until gnocchi float. Remove with slotted spoon into a strainer. Saute in melted butter.
Serves four.
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P.S.
If you are squirmish about snails, replace them with large scallops. This will give you a different, but equally wonderful dish 🙂
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Snails And Gnocchi In White Wine, Pernod & Mustard Cream

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: marinate overnight 4,5 oz drained and rinsed snails in 1/2 cup white wine ( I used Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse 2015), but of course you can use any white wine of your choice) If the snails are very large, cut in half

: saute 1/2 med size onion in 1 tsp olive oil until translucent

: add 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup Pouilly-Fuisse and the drained snails (discard the wine marinade), simmer until the cream has the texture “Nappé”

: add 1 jigger of Pernod, 1 heaping tblsp whole grain dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, 12 ea grape tomatoes. 1 tblsp chopped parsley and kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, stir

: add 4 cups fresh cooked Gnocchi, check/adjust the seasoning; serves 6 appetizer or 2 main course

: Snails And Gnocchi In White Wine, Pernod & Mustard Cream

: Snails And Gnocchi In White Wine, Pernod & Mustard Cream

: Snails And Gnocchi In White Wine, Pernod & Mustard Cream

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Buttermilk Pancake With Merlot-Poached Pears And Merlot Cream

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While I have used the traditional ingredients for this pancake, I have changed the ratio of eggs to flour considerably. This resulted in what I think is a “real” pancake, by which I mean it is a cake, baked in a pan 🙂 If you look at the close-up of the cut pancake, you can clearly see the texture of a cake, not a traditional pancake, which is much lighter and fluffier in texture and therefore tends to deflate very quickly after being removed from the heat. This one you see here did not deflate and maintained the same light texture after it had cooled down and spent the night (half-eaten) in the fridge.
Makes you wonder why one goes through the trouble of making a complicated cake………. 🙂 ?
I know, I know, many folks enjoy baking and love to prepare cake in any form, shape, and taste – but if you don’t, (me), this easy recipe might just be the solution you’ve been looking for to have your ~~pancake~~ cake and eat it too 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Buttermilk Pancake With Merlot-Poached Pears And Merlot Cream

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: peel 6 ea medium size pears

: poach the pears in 1 qt merlot, 2 ea whole cinnamon sticks, 3 ea star anis, 4 cloves and 1 cup sugar until cooked through but still firm, let cool in the wine

: when cool, remove the pears and pat dry, cut off the top and buttom, then around the core into 4 pieces, discard the top, bottom and core, cut the pears into 1 inch dice

: simmer the wine until reduced to 2 cups

: add 1/3 cup heavy cream, reserve in a warm place

: mix one cup of a/p flour with 5 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs and enough buttermilk to form a smooth, thick batter

: whisk 3 egg whites until stiff peaks, fold into batter

: melt 3 tblsp whole butter in a cast iron pan

: add the pancake batter to the med-hot pan, bake in a 375F preheated oven until the top has slightly solidified

: add the diced pears, return to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes

: insert a toothpick into the pancake and remove – if nothing sticks to the toothpick, the pancake is done; remove from oven, place a serving plate upside down on top of the pan, turn pan and plate upside down so the pancake sits on plate

: dust the pancake with castor sugar, decorate to your preference

: Buttermilk Pancake With Merlot-Poached Pears And Merlot Cream

: Buttermilk Pancake With Merlot-Poached Pears And Merlot Cream

: Buttermilk Pancake With Merlot-Poached Pears And Merlot Cream

: Buttermilk Pancake With Merlot-Poached Pears And Merlot Cream

: Buttermilk Pancake With Merlot-Poached Pears And Merlot Cream

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Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

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Seems like everybody loves fried camembert, yet few folks actually prepare it at home. Which is a mystery to me, since it is really quick and easy to prepare and it is versatile – it can be served as an appetizer, a main course or as a snack. Best of all, it is very economical. (After all, I am a poor retiree 😦 ).
In olden times, we used just one coat of simple breading. However, nowadays I like to use panko crumbs, which requires double breading. The texture is of course very different so you might want to experiment which one of the two versions you prefer. They are both great, it’s just a matter of personal preference.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: chop 1 lbs tomatillos

: to the tomatillos, add 1 med size chopped onion, 4 cloves garlic, 4 tblsp cilantro, 1 tblsp seeded jalapenos, kosher salt to taste (if you prefer your salsa verde creamy, add 1/2 avocado

: blend until smooth, check / adjust the seasoning

: salsa verde

: dice 1 ea avocado, 1/2 red pepper and 1/2 yellow pepper, add 1 tblsp lime juice, 2 tblsp olive oil, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: the good stuff……….

: to 2 whole eggs add 1 tblsp sriracha, kosher salt to taste

: cut 10 oz chilled french camembert into cubes or slices, bread twice with flour, egg mixture and panko bread crumbs (press the first coating of panko onto the cheese, lightly dip the camembert into the crumbs for the second coating) (replace the camembert with brie for a creamier texture)

: fry the cheese at 375F until crisp and golden, serve with the salsa, avocado and vinaigrette dressed romaine; serves 4 appetizer or snacks, 2 main course

: Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

: Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

: Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

: Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

: Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

: Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

: Fried Camembert With Avocado Salad, Salsa Verde, And Crisp Romaine Leaves

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Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava)

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There is not much one can say about Plasas – essentially, it is a simple chicken stew. On the other hand, it is without a doubt one of the most delicious chicken dishes anywhere.
Plasas will go well with any starch, but in my opinion, it goes especially well with this version of foo foo, which is my absolute favorite:
Pounded or riced cassava, cayenne, salt, garlic and a sinful amount of butter (no liquid added here)
This fat /calorie bomb is of course not the most healthy dish if consumed in large quantities or if consumed often, but once in a while, a moderate quantity of foo foo will surely make you strong and pretty ………… 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here to read all about Foo Foo
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Click here to read all about Plasas
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Click here to read all about the many names, cooking methods and recipes for Cassava, also called Yam, Maniok, Tarul, Tapioka, Ube, Chupri Alu, and many others, ( but NOT the American kind called “Yam”, which is a sweet potato, unrelated to Cassava)
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Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava)

Foo Foo

Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava)

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: scrubb 2 medium size cassava, cut in half

: cover with lightly salted water, simmer slowly until the flesh feels tender when pierced with a small knife

: remove from water, peel, remove the center string

: to a bowl, add as much butter as you think you can handle, between 3 and 8 ounces (if the foo foo is too dry because of a lack of butter, you can add some chicken stock or water, but pls don’t serve that to me)

: rise the cassava to the butter, season with garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, stir well until smooth, the texture should be a bit firmer than mashed potatoes

: foo foo – this amount will serve 4-6

: season 4 lbs chicken parts of your choice with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: saute the chicken in 2 tblsp peanut oil until golden on all sides

: remove the chicken from the pan

: to the same pan, add 2 ea medium size diced onions, saute until translucent

: add 10 oz diced tomatoes, 10 oz tomato puree, 1/3 cup peanut butter, hot chillies to taste (Optional)1 tblsp garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, saute for 3 minutes until bubbly

: add 1 qt chicken stock

: return the chicken to the pan

: simmer the chicken until cooked through, about 40 minutes

: add 10 oz raw spinach, simmer 1 minute, check/adjust seasoning

: Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava) <

: Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava)

: Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava)

: Foo Foo

: Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava)

: Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava)

: Plasas & Foo Foo (West African Chicken, Spinach, Tomato and Peanut Stew With Cassava)

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Roast Cornish Hen With Caramelized Onions And Potatoes (Best Potatoes EVER?)

Roast Cornish Hen With Caramelized Onions And Potatoes

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Upon first glance, one’s impression would be that the Cornish Hen is the star of this dish.
While this is certainly the case in the looks-department, when it comes to taste, these potatoes do steal the show. (But of course, the Cornish Hen is awesome as well) 🙂
First, the potatoes and onions are coated in duck fat, seasoned with rosemary sprigs, kosher salt, and fresh-cracked black pepper, then slowly roasted until golden brown. Next, duck stock (or chicken stock) is added, topped with a whole Cornish Hen and roasted for another 45 minutes, during which time all the rendered fat from the Cornish Hen, together with its richly seasoned juices, oozes into the potatoes and combine to produce the best potatoes you will find this side of culinary heaven 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Roast Cornish Hen With Caramelized Onions And Potatoes

Best Potatoes EVER?

Roast Cornish Hen With Caramelized Onions And Potatoes

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: cut 2 medium size peeled potatoes and 1 medium size white onion into medium sized cubes

: coat the onions and potatoes in 2 tblsp duck fat, season with freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt to taste

: roast the potatoes in the oven at 375F , turning the potatoes and onions often; when the potatoes are golden and the onions caramelized, add 2 large rosemary sprigs, cook another 10 minutes, add 1 cup duck stock or chicken stock

: meanwhile, season 2 Cornish Hen’s inside and out with 2 tblsp soy sauce, spanish smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and kosher salt to taste

: place the hen’s on top of the potatoes, roast (braise) the hen’s at 375F until cooked through but still jucy

: at this point, most of the liquid will be evaporated, leaving the potatoes firm on the outside, creamy soft on the inside and tasting heavenly

: divide the potatoes onto 2 serving plates, sprinkle with chopped parsley

: place 1 ea Cornish hen on top of the potatoes; serve with a simple green salad; whole recipe serves 2

: Roast Cornish Hen With Caramelized Onions And Potatoes

: Roast Cornish Hen With Caramelized Onions And Potatoes

: Roast Cornish Hen With Caramelized Onions And Potatoes

: Roast Cornish Hen With Caramelized Onions And Potatoes

: Best Potatoes EVER?

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Who’s Ball’s Are Prettier Than Mine? – Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

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Not all meatballs are created equal. Some are different from others, some are worse than others, and some are better than others.
And then you’ll come across these delicious, juicy, pretty Meatballs here, which are in a class all by themselves. Different? – For sure! Better? – absolutely!
Well, at least that is my opinion, and I’ll stick to it until somebody can prove me wrong 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Balls on ChefsOpinion
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Garlic & Herb Yogurt recipe :
Mix 1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1 ea tsp garlic paste, chopped cilantro, chopped parsley and a chiffonade of mint, season with 1 tsp lime juice, and kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste. This pairs well with most grilled and sauteed proteins and veggies 🙂
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Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: 2 lbs ground pork

: mix pork with 2 whole eggs, 1 tsp granulated garlic, 1 tsp smoked spanish paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 3 tsp sriracha, 1 tblsp ketchup. 1 tblsp dijon mustard, 1 tblsp dried oregano, 1 tblsp chopped cilantro, 1 tblsp sliced chives and 1/2 cup panko, mix well but don’t overwork or the texture will become too dense

: shape into 6 large balls, brown in 2 tblsp EVOO on all sides

: meanwhile, saute 1 tblsp garlic paste in 2 oz EVOO

: add 1 ea 8 oz can of drained diced tomatoes and 7 large basil leaves, saute 1 minute

: add 1 ea 10 0z can of drained garbanzos and 1 ea 10 0z can of drained black beans, 1 cup of chicken-, beef- or veggie-stock, season with cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and kosher salt to taste

: add the meatballs, cover, simmer VERY slowly until cooked through, but NOT dry !!!

: mix-in 2 tblsp of sliced chives, plate the bean stew on a serving dish

: top the beans with the meatballs, top with the garlic/herb yogurt; to serve, plate 1/2 cup steamed rice on a plate, surround the rice with bean stew, top with 1 meatball and spoon some of the garlic/herb yogurt on top; serves 6

: Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

: Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

: Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

: Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

: Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

: Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

: Rice Bowl With Spicy Meatballs, Black Beans & Garbanzo Stew

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Tonkatsu With Cilantro/Pomegranate Rice

Cilantro/Pomegranate Rice

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Mixing freshly steamed rice with cilantro is very common. Mixing cilantro rice with pomegranate seeds not so much, at least I have never seen it before.
But what a treat it is. The combination works very well, and both flavor and texture are outstanding. A great new addition to my standards repertoire 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe on ChefsOpinion
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serve with lemon and scallion (optional)

Tonkatsu With Cilantro/Pomegranate Rice

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: clean 2 ea pork tenderloin from silver skin, cut ea in half

: pound ea fillet between 2 plastic sheets into 1/2 inch thick cutlets

: season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: bread the cutlets in a/p flour, whisked eggs and panko, season all three items with salt and pepper

: cook until golden on both sides, when almost cooked through, add 1/2 stick butter, finish cooking on bothe sides

: serve with lemon and scallion (optional); serves 4

: while the tonkatsu are cooking, mix 4 cups freshly steamed rice with 4 oz butter, 4 tblsp chopped cilantro and 8 oz pomegranate seeds, mix carefully as not to mash-up the rice or the seeds

: Cilantro/Pomegranate Rice

: Tonkatsu With Cilantro/Pomegranate Rice

: Tonkatsu With Cilantro/Pomegranate Rice

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Cauliflower Salad “Madras”

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Before anybody get’s their knickers in a twist about “real” Curries, let me explain something.
Many years ago, whenever we used commercially available, pre-mixed curry powder in Europe, more often than not, the name of the dish included the moniker “Madras”. This made it clear to everyone and all that the dish contained stock, curry powder, cream, some fruit, and flour. There were also salads and cold appetizers using curry powder, which mostly also used to end up being called “Madras”.
Almost nobody had ever tasted a real curry, much less cooked one, so the “classique” French way of preparing “curry sauce”, (sauce au curry à l’indienne) was usually utilized.
Hence – “Madras” or Indian Style. 🙂

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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here to read about Commercial Curry Powder on ChefsOpinion
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Click here to learn how to cook Authentic” Curry Sauce on ChefsOpinion
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Cauliflower Salad “Madras”

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: cook, shock and drain a whole head of cauliflower in lightly salted water until cooked through but still holds it shape

: rest the cauliflower on absorbent paper until dry, about 15 minutes

: prepare a vinaigrette by mixing 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 2/3 cup vegetable oil, 2 tblsp diced cucumber, 2 tblsp diced, seeded tomatoes, 1/2 diced white onion, 3 stalk sliced scallions, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp chopped cilantro and kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: divide the cauliflower into rosettes, add to the vinaigrette, marinade overnight

: marinade overnight

: blend together 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp turmeric, whisk until slightly thickened

: curry cream

: place the cauliflower onto a serving dish

: sprinkle with 12 ea small basil leaves, 2 ea finely sliced jalapenos, put the curry sauce in dollops over the dish; serves 2 main course or 6 appetizer

: Cauliflower Salad “Madras”

: Cauliflower Salad “Madras”

: Cauliflower Salad “Madras”

: Cauliflower Salad “Madras”

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One For The Kid’s # 6 – Banana/Walnut Cake With Figs, Raspberry Jam & Nutella

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“ONE FOR THE KIDS” is a series of Goodies which are wonderful treats for kids of all ages . They are super easy to prepare so you can ask your little ones to give you a helping hand in the production, which will make them proud and add even more happiness to a wonderful treat 🙂
(Here I used a store-bought banana walnut cake, because you don’t want to have the little ones to labor over the elaborate cake preparations).
In my area, there are many grocery chains and bakeries who sell great banana walnut cake. However, if you prefer to make your own, below is a link to a super easy recipe I’ve used in the past and which I found to give excellent results.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !

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Click here for more One For The Kids on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for Walnut Cake Recipe on FoodNetwork
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Click here for more Dishes with Walnuts on ChefsOpinion
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One For The Kid’s # 6 – Banana/Walnut Cake With Figs, Raspberry Jam & Nutella

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: cut a medium size banana/walnut cake lengthwise in half

: spread generousely with nutella

: thoroughly wash, trim and quarter 10 ea medium size figs

: arrange the figs on the nutella as shown

: melt 4 oz of raspberry jam or marmelade, brush the figs evenly

: place the cakes in the fridge for 30 minutes to set the nutella and jam/marmelade

: One For The Kid’s # 6 – Banana/Walnut Cake With Figs, Raspberry Jam & Nutella

: One For The Kid’s # 6 – Banana/Walnut Cake With Figs, Raspberry Jam & Nutella

: One For The Kid’s # 6 – Banana/Walnut Cake With Figs, Raspberry Jam & Nutella

: One For The Kid’s # 6 – Banana/Walnut Cake With Figs, Raspberry Jam & Nutella

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Cheese And Potato Vareniki, With Spinach, Bacon and Tomato

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I have to confess – I cheated when I prepared these Vareniki 😦
Instead of preparing the vareniki/pierogi dough fresh and rolling it into thin sheets before cutting, filling, folding and sealing it, I used 1 lb store-bought fresh pasta sheets and my trusted ravioli/pierogi-mold. Not necessarily because I am lazy (well, sometimes I am), but mainly because my counter space is tiny and making fresh pasta dough and stuffed dumpling always results in a huge mess, with flour everywhere, requiring a lot of time to get the kitchen spick and span again.
(However, I do know how to make the dough fresh. 🙂
I have made it a hundred times and I am therefore not embarrassed to admit to the store-bought sheets and the mold) 🙂
The rest of the dish is as easy and quick as 1-2-3. Cook the pasta, saute everything in butter and done !
Here is the recipe for the filling and the final dish :
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Ingredients and method for filling:

2 oz soft butter
medium small diced onion, sauteed
2 oz greek yoghurt
2 cups cold mashed potatoes
2 oz grated pepper jack cheese
kosher salt & cayenne pepper to taste

Saute onions in butter until translucent.
Stir in the 2 cup mashed potatoes, grated cheese and yogurt, season with salt and cayenne pepper, mix well. Check/adjust seasoning.
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Ingredients and method for the rest of the dish:

Cut the dough sheets into rounds corresponding to the size of your ravioli/pierogi-cutter.
Top each round of dough with 1 tblsp cheese/potato filling, add ea round to the ravioli/pierogi-mold.
Moisten the dough’s edges with water, fold over, and press together to seal.
Repeat procedure with the remaining dough and filling.
Cook in boiling salted water until the dough is done, about 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickest part of the dough.
Remove with a slotted spoon, drain.
Saute 2 oz chopped bacon, 1 tsp garlic paste, julienne of 1/2 onion, 6 oz fresh spinach in 2 oz butter, add 8 oz fresh spinach and 1/3 cup heavy cream, simmer 1 minute, remove from heat, add julienne of one medium size onion, 1 ea seeded and julienned tomato and the freshly cooked vareniki, check/adjust seasoning. to serve, sprinkle with grated pepper-jack.
Serves 4 appetizers or 2 main courses.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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