Je cherche tes idées! (I want your ideas!)

On me démande souvent de blogger mon menu pour un diner de fête. Je serais très contente de le partager avec vous mais...avant...je VOUS démande, qu'est-ce que vous aimez manger la plus, quand vous fêtez? Je vous remercie de me laisser savoir.

I'm asked frequently to blog my menu for a dinner party. I'm happy to share it with you, but firstly I'm asking YOU, what do you like to eat most, when you're celebrating? Please let me know.

Recette 6: Soupe à l'oignon (French Onion Soup)

La soupe à l'oignon est la recette la plus demandée. Bon appétit!

“French” onion soup is the recipe I'm asked for most often. Bon appétit!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

100g of salted butter

5 medium onions, peeled and sliced finely

1 apple (Granny Smith works well), peeled and sliced finely

1 bay leaf

1 litre of weak chicken stock

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

Salt (to taste)

Equipment:

Chopping board

Chopping knife

Deep heavy bottomed pan with lid

Wooden spatula

Tongs

Hob (gas or electric)

To serve:

Ladle or deep serving spoon

Bread knife

Grill

Grater (optional)

A day old baguette

Comté (optional)

Method:

1. Place the pan on the hob and turn the heat to medium. Add the olive oil, butter and onions. Combine the mixture gently with the wooden spatula and sauté gently, turning occasionally with the spatula, until the onions start to turn brown.

2. Add the apple, combine it with the onion and leave to sauté until the onion is crisp.

3. Sprinkle the dried thyme over the apple and onion mixture, add the bay leaf and then pour over the stock. Add the lid to the pan.

4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. While the soup is cooking, slice the baguette thinly and pre-heat the grill to medium.

6. Remove the lid from the pan and use the tongs to take out the bay leaf. Stir the remaining contents of the pan with the wooden spatula, making sure that any onion stuck to the bottom of the inside of the pan is mixed into the soup. Taste the cooked soup and, if desired, add a little salt (I use fleur de sel).

7. Check that the onions in the soup are soft. If they are not, add the lid to the pan and simmer the soup for a further 5 minutes.

8. Put the slices of baguette under the grill and brown each side.

9. The soup is now ready to serve!

10. (Optional) If you wish, grate a little Comté onto the surface of each bowl of soup before serving.

xx

Cuisine Au Lit - pour ce qui ont les petites oreilles...

Recette 5: Soupe de cresson (Watercress Soup)

La soupe de cresson est mon dejeuner prefere pendant l'ete, alors “Cuisine Au Lit” (ou “Cuisine Holly”) partage la recette avec vous et j'espere que vous l'aimerez aussi. Vous pouvez manger la soupe chauffee ou froide.

Watercress soup is my favourite lunch in summertime, so "Cuisine Au Lit" (or "Cuisine Holly") is sharing the recipe with you and I hope that you will enjoy it too. You can eat this soup heated or cold.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 shallots

250g celeriac

1 litre of weak chicken stock (or weak vegetable stock if the soup is for vegetarians)

Freshly ground black pepper

175g watercress

Salt to taste

Single cream (optional – for serving chilled)

Equipment:

Container for the stock

Chopping board

Chopping knife

Deep non-stick pan with lid

Tablespoon

Wooden spatula

Small plate

Hob (gas or electric)

Heatproof surface

Hand-held blender (optional – can replace with kitchen scissors and a potato masher)

Method:

1. Finely chop the shallots and chop the celeriac into 2 centimetre cubes.

2. Place the pan on the hob and turn the heat to medium. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the shallots. Brown the shallots until they are soft, then empty them from the pan onto the small plate.

3. Return the pan to the hob on a medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and the celeriac. Use the wooden spatula to turn the celeriac and ensure that it is evenly browned. This should take approximately 3 minutes.

4. Add the cooked shallots back to the pan of celeriac, then the stock. Add the lid to the pan and reduce the heat to low.

5. Simmer for 15 minutes then check whether the celeriac is all soft (if not, keep simmering until it is).

6. If you do not have a hand-held blender, while the stock mixture is simmering, remove the toughest, thickest stems from the watercress, then use kitchen scissors to cut up the rest as finely as possible.

7. Remove the pan from the heat. Leave to cool for up to 5 minutes. Then add a generous seasoning of freshly ground black pepper.

8(a) If you do not have a hand-held blender, use a potato masher to mash the stock mixture in the pan and get rid of any lumps. Then add the cut watercress and mix in gently with a tablespoon.

8(b) If you do have a hand-held blender, add the uncut watercress to the pan, submerge it gently in the stock mixture and blend the mixture until it is smooth.

9. Taste the finished soup. If desired, add a little more freshly ground black pepper and or salt to improve the flavour. Then serve!

10. If you prefer to serve the soup chilled, leave it to cool completely, then refrigerate it for up to 48 hours then take it out 30 minutes before serving. You may wish to swirl a little chilled single cream into each portion of soup before serving it cold.

xx

Cuisine Au Lit - pour ce qui ont les petites oreilles...

Recette 5: Soupe de cresson (Watercress Soup)

La soupe de cresson est mon dejeuner prefere pendant l'ete, alors “Cuisine Au Lit” (ou “Cuisine Holly”) partage la recette avec vous et j'espere que vous l'aimerez aussi. Vous pouvez manger la soupe chauffee ou froide.

Watercress soup is my favourite lunch in summertime, so "Cuisine Au Lit" (or "Cuisine Holly") is sharing the recipe with you and I hope that you will enjoy it too. You can eat this soup heated or cold.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 shallots

250g celeriac

1 litre of weak chicken stock (or weak vegetable stock if the soup is for vegetarians)

Freshly ground black pepper

175g watercress

Salt to taste

Single cream (optional – for serving chilled)

Equipment:

Container for the stock

Chopping board

Chopping knife

Deep non-stick pan with lid

Tablespoon

Wooden spatula

Small plate

Hob (gas or electric)

Heatproof surface

Hand-held blender (optional – can replace with kitchen scissors and a potato masher)

Method:

1. Finely chop the shallots and chop the celeriac into 2 centimetre cubes.

2. Place the pan on the hob and turn the heat to medium. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the shallots. Brown the shallots until they are soft, then empty them from the pan onto the small plate.

3. Return the pan to the hob on a medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and the celeriac. Use the wooden spatula to turn the celeriac and ensure that it is evenly browned. This should take approximately 3 minutes.

4. Add the cooked shallots back to the pan of celeriac, then the stock. Add the lid to the pan and reduce the heat to low.

5. Simmer for 15 minutes then check whether the celeriac is all soft (if not, keep simmering until it is).

6. If you do not have a hand-held blender, while the stock mixture is simmering, remove the toughest, thickest stems from the watercress, then use kitchen scissors to cut up the rest as finely as possible.

7. Remove the pan from the heat. Leave to cool for up to 5 minutes. Then add a generous seasoning of freshly ground black pepper.

8(a) If you do not have a hand-held blender, use a potato masher to mash the stock mixture in the pan and get rid of any lumps. Then add the cut watercress and mix in gently with a tablespoon.

8(b) If you do have a hand-held blender, add the uncut watercress to the pan, submerge it gently in the stock mixture and blend the mixture until it is smooth.

9. Taste the finished soup. If desired, add a little more freshly ground black pepper and or salt to improve the flavour. Then serve!

10. If you prefer to serve the soup chilled, leave it to cool completely, then refrigerate it for up to 48 hours then take it out 30 minutes before serving. You may wish to swirl a little chilled single cream into each portion of soup before serving it cold.

xx

Cuisine Au Lit - pour ce qui ont les petites oreilles...

Recette 4: Charlotte aux mandarines (Mandarin Orange Charlotte)

Je suis vraiment desolee de n'avoir pas publie en ligne une recette depuis quelques semaines. Alors, maintenant, un dessert delicieux pour vous de "Cuisine Au Lit" (ou "Cuisine Holly") - une charlotte aux mandarines.

I'm sorry not to have posted a recipe for a few weeks. So, now a delicious dessert for you from "Cuisine Au Lit" (or "Cuisine Holly") – a mandarin orange charlotte.

Ingredients:

1 litre tin of mandarin oranges in syrup

1,5 litres of fromage blanc

35-40 sponge finger (“ladyfinger”) biscuits

This will serve 6-8 people.

Equipment:

Tin opener

Milk pan or other very small saucepan

Clingfilm

Tablespoon

Plate (diameter wider than the top of the saucepan)

Refrigerator

To serve:

Large plate

Sharp knife

Kitchen paper

Method:

1. Line the small saucepan with clingfilm

2. Place the sponge fingers, standing upright, around the sides of the pan, with the sugar coated sides of the biscuits facing outwards (touching the clingfilm)

3. Cover the bottom of the pan with sponge fingers – you will need to cut them

4. Add 1 third of the fromage blanc, then 1 third of the mandarins in a layer and drizzle one tablespoon of the mandarin syrup over the top

5. Add a horizontal layer of sponge fingers on top

6. Make another layer of fromage blanc, mandarins and mandarin syrup, then sponge fingers, then fromage blanc, mandarins and mandarin syrup, then sponge fingers

7. Drizzle two tablespoons of the mandarin syrup onto the sponge fingers lining the edge of the pan

8. Cover the top of the pan with clingfilm, then place a plate on top, pressing down lightly on the charlotte

9. Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 10 hours or, preferably, overnight

10. To serve the charlotte, remove the pan from the refrigerator, remove the plate and clingfilm on top of the pan, hold the serving plate, upside down, securely over the top of the pan and up-end the whole thing. Lift off the pan and carefully remove the clingfilm. If any liquid has not been absorbed by the sponge fingers, soak it up with kitchen paper before serving. Use a sharp knife to cut the charlotte like a cake.

xx

Cuisine Au Lit - pour ce qui ont les petites oreilles...

Recette 3: Une salade au poulet avec les nouilles de riz (Chicken Noodle Salad)

"Cuisine Au Lit" ("Cuisine Holly") vous invite a l'Asie pour gouter une salade au poulet avec les nouilles de riz.


"Cuisine Au Lit" ("Cuisine Holly") invites you to Asia to sample chicken noodle salad.




Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts
300g fresh rice noodles
1 tablespoon of black peppercorns
10 spring onions (rinsed)
150g mangetout (rinsed)
4 stalks of celery (rinsed)
1/2 a cucumber (rinsed)
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of caster sugar
The juice of 1 lime
Sesame seeds to sprinkle
Salt to taste
Boiling water
Cold water




Equipment:
Large saucepan with lid
Small saucepan with lid
Hob
Kitchen scissors (or use the sharp knife)
Tablespoon
Clean teatowel or kitchen paper
Small cup or bowl
Teaspoon
Tongs or slotted spoon (or your fingers)




To serve:
4 dishes and cutlery or chopsticks




Method:


1. Place the large saucepan on the hob and fill with boiling water.  Never cook bare-footed!  Heat the hob below the pan to medium.  Add the raw chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns and 2 of the spring onions (chopped) to the pan.  Add the lid and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.  Then turn off the heat and remove the pan to a heatproof surface for 50 further minutes.  Keep the lid on.


Meanwhile:


2. Place the small saucepan on the hob, add the mangetout, cover with boiling water and heat the hob below the pan to high.  Add the lid and leave to boil for 3 minutes.  Then turn off the heat, drain the pan, cover the mangetout in cold water to stop them from cooking further, drain the pan again, remove the mangetout, pat them dry with the clean teatowel or kitchen paper and divide them equally between 4 serving dishes.


3. Chop the celery, cucumber and spring onion into bite size lengths.  Divide them equally between the 4 serving dishes containing the mangetout.


4. Squeeze the juice of the lime into the small cup or bowl and use the teaspoon to remove any pips.  It doesn't matter if small pieces of lime flesh are mixed with the juice.  Add the soy sauce and caster sugar to the cup or bowl of lime juice and stir the mixture with the teaspoon.


5. Sprinkle half of the lime juice mixture over the 4 dishes of celery, cucumber, mangetout and spring onion.


6. Return the (empty) small saucepan to the hob, add the fresh rice noodles and cover them with boiling water.  Cook the noodles according to the instructions (usually for a couple of moments).  Then turn off the heat, drain the pan, cover the noodles in cold water to stop them from cooking further, drain the pan again, remove the noodles, pat them dry with the teatowel or kitchen paper and divide them equally between 4 serving dishes, placing them on top of the dressed celery, cucumber, mangetout and spring onion.


You can leave the salad at this stage in the serving dishes while waiting for the chicken to finish cooking.

7. When the chicken has cooked, use the tongs or slotted spoon (or your fingers) to remove it from the pan.  Pat off any excess water with the teatowel or kitchen paper (it doesn't matter if the chicken is a little wet).  Use your fingers to shred the chicken and divide the meat between the 4 serving dishes, placing the shreds on top of the noodles.


8. Pour the remainder of the lime juice, soy sauce and caster sugar mixture over the chicken in each of the 4 serving dishes.


9. You may wish to season the salad with a little salt at this stage.


10. Sprinkle sesame seeds over each of the 4 dishes.  Enjoy your chicken noodle salad!




xx








Cuisine Au Lit -  pour ce qui ont les petites oreilles...

Recette 2: Sauce chocolate (Hot Chocolate Sauce)

"Cuisine Au Lit" (ou "Cuisine Holly") vous propose une sauce chocolat.



"Cuisine Au Lit" (or "Cuisine Holly") gives you hot chocolate sauce.




Ingredients:
75g dark chocolate
125ml double cream
15ml golden syrup
10ml chocolate or coffee liqueur (this can be omitted if serving to children)

Equipment:
Weighing scales
Saucepan
Hob
Wooden spoon
Small metal spoon which fits inside the serving jug

To serve:
Jug


Method:

1. Break up the dark chocolate and place in the saucepan.


2. Add the double cream, golden syrup and chocolate or coffee liqueur to the saucepan.


3. Place the saucepan on the hob at a low heat.


4. Leave to simmer until all of the ingredients have melted.  


5. Combine the contents of the saucepan briefly with the wooden spoon.


6. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a jug.


7. Use the small metal spoon to stir the sauce in the jug well.


8. Serve with brownies (see Recette 1), vanilla ice-cream, nuts or dried fresh, frozen or grilled fruit.  


9. This sauce may also be eaten cold.  It should be left in the jug to cool, then covered and placed in the fridge where it will last a maximum of 36 hours.


10. Enjoy your chocolate sauce and don't forget to share!




xx

Cuisine Au Lit - pour ce qui ont les petites oreilles...