Need Help? Contact the Espiya Helpdesk. CLICK HERE


Author Topic: Easy (Sort Of) French Cuisine  (Read 8968 times)

BlueAlphaZero

  • 2009 Cavaliers
  • Active - Top Level
  • *
  • Posts: 3860
  • Karma 213
  • Gender: Male
  • We would like you to know a few things.
Easy (Sort Of) French Cuisine
« on: December 21, 2013, 03:25:53 am »
A couple of weeks ago, I shared the recipe for a basic dessert that makes use of any rum that my Espiya brethren might have stocked up for the holidays. For those who have a surplus of wine rather than rum in their bottle racks or cellars, here are a few recipes that make use of your favorite white and red wines. My fellow Espiyas might wish to try these for your noche buena or your Christmas Day meal.

These recipes are quite basic (you'll find fancier versions in print and online cookbooks) so that you won't have to be slaving in the kitchen instead of enjoying the Yuletide festivities with your loved ones. The ingredients are also available at most major supermarkets.


Warm Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds (about 0.68 kg) new or baby potatoes, washed and scrubbed clean

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 cup virgin olive oil

2 small young onions, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 head fresh lettuce, leaves torn

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:

1. Boil potatoes until just about tender all the way through (around 15 minutes). Drain the potatoes and cut into cubes.

2. Mix white wine, white wine vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add the cubed potatoes and toss gently until coated with the dressing.

3. Arrange torn lettuce leaves on a plate. Spoon potato salad onto the leaves. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top of the salad.

4. Serve and enjoy.


Coq Au Vin

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

4 skinless chicken breast fillets

6 slices of bacon, diced

200g button mushrooms

2 to 3 carrots, thinly sliced

225ml (or a little less than 1 cup) red wine

16 small young onions, peeled

A small handful of chopped fresh parsley

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 chicken cube (Knorr or whatever brand you prefer)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

350ml (a little less than 1 1/2 cup) cold water

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Procedure:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan (a fairly deep frying pan would be best) using medium heat. Saute chicken until lightly browned on both sides (about 15 minutes at most). Just before the chicken is browned, add the bacon.

2. Add the mushrooms, carrots, wine, young onions, parsley, garlic, oregano, thyme, chicken cube, pepper and bay leaf. Let contents reach the boiling point then reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and let the contents simmer until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside (about 25 minutes).

3. Remove chicken, mushrooms, carrots, onions, and any remaining herbs from the pan and place on a serving plate. Set aside and keep warm.

4. In a small bowl, combine flour and water using a whisk. Stir the mixture into the pan where the chicken, vegetables, and herbs came from and cook it until it becomes thick and bubbly (about 10 minutes). Pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.

5. Serve while warm and enjoy.


Beef Burgundy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds (about .68 kilos) beef, cut into cubes

2 cups mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup onions, chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups beef broth (you can makes this using Knorr beef cubes)

Procedure:

1.  In a bowl, toss the beef with the flour and set aside.

2. Melt the butter and add olive oil to pot (any pot with a properly fitting cover will do). Add beef and flour mixture. Brown each side of the beef and season with salt and pepper. Once the beef is browned (you don't need to cook the beef completely at this point), remove it from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.

3. Add onions and mushrooms to the pot and saute them in the beef juices. Once the onions are translucent, remove them along with the mushrooms and add to the browned beef that you set aside.

4. Pour about 1/2 cup of the beef broth into the pan. Use a whisk or ladle to scrape the bottom of the pan. The crust that you scraped off the bottom of the pan will be used to add flavor to and thicken the sauce you're making for the beef.

5. When broth is slightly thickened, put the beef, mushrooms and onions back into the pot. Pour in the remaining beef broth and red wine. Stir and combine.

6. Cover the pot and simmer over medium heat for about one hour, then uncover and stir the contents. Turn heat up slightly to bring the contents of the pot to boiling point. Let the contents boil for about 15 minutes. It should thicken some more while boiling.

7. Serve while warm in a slightly deep dish and enjoy.


Custodite fideliter quod quae credita est fideliter ad vos.

$Money-Talks$

  • Mature (18+)
  • Active - First Star
  • *
  • Posts: 90
  • Karma 15
  • Gender: Male
Re: Easy (Sort Of) French Cuisine
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2013, 11:36:13 am »
Provide pictures for us to know if the food is good.

BlueAlphaZero

  • 2009 Cavaliers
  • Active - Top Level
  • *
  • Posts: 3860
  • Karma 213
  • Gender: Male
  • We would like you to know a few things.
Re: Easy (Sort Of) French Cuisine
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2014, 02:45:20 pm »
Provide pictures for us to know if the food is good.

I'll tell you what: try the recipes, taste the results, and then you'll know whether or not the food is good. That's the best way.
Custodite fideliter quod quae credita est fideliter ad vos.