French Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients:
Filling :
- 200 gr [7 oz] lardoons (diced bacon)
- 6 eggs
- 20 cl [7 fl oz] single cream
- 60 gr [2 oz] of thinly semi soft cheese
- 1 tomatoe
- 1 Tbspoon of Dijon mustard
- salt, pepper & grated nutmeg
Shortcrust pastry :
- 200 gr [7oz] plain flour
- 100 gr [31/2 oz] butter (unsalted)
- 5 to 10 cl water [2 to 3 fl oz]
- 1 pinch of salt

If you chose to make your own pastry :
In an electric mixer, put the flour and the salt ; turn mixer on and add the butter cut in small cubes while mixing for another 15 seconds ; still mixing, add the first 3 spoons of water and then one by one slowly until the dough becomes a ball. Stop adding water right away (the ball must not stick). Leave the paste in a salad bowl for at least 30 minutes (with a bit of flour on bottom).

Make the Quiche :
1-Pre-heat oven 200°C/400°C ; butter the pie dishes ; cut the tomatoe into thin slices.
2- Spread directly the pastry in the pie dishes with your fingers (using flour to help, push dough from middle to sides of dishes). Let the pastry stand a bit higher than the dish edge.
3- Bake the pastry for 5 to 10 minutes ; get them out before they shrink, adjust sides if needed.
4- Fry the lardoons in a pan, stirring occasionally, until they get brown and crisp.
5- In the meantime, beat the eggs with a fork in a bowl and add the cream and seasonning.
6- Pour the lardoons in the beaten eggs, leaving the fat from cooking inside the pan ; beat again to mix.
7- For each pie dish, brush the case with the Dijon mustard, cover with sliced cheese, then with sliced toamatoe ; pour the eggs mixture on top (devide equally the lardoons).
8- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes if unitary pie dish ; add 10 minutes if you use a one single large dish.
Serve warm in the individual pie dish, ideally with a lettuce.

Bon Appetit les amis !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gratin Dauphinois

This gratin Dauphinois recipe is the classic potatoes au gratin in France.
This is perfectly serve with some meat or chicken.

Ingredients: 

• 5 cups whole milk
• 2 pounds (1,5 kg) baking potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups crème fraiche (substitute sour cream)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/16 teaspoon (pinch) freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Preparation:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the potatoes and milk to a gentle simmer. Continue simmering the potatoes for 15 minutes, until they just start to turn tender.
Preheat the oven to 350F (180°C). Drain the milk from the pan and add the heavy cream, crème fraiche, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the hot potatoes. Heat the cream-crème fraiche to just under a simmer (a few bubbles are fine) for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender, but not falling apart.
Butter a large baking dish and spread the potato-cream mixture into the dish. Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese over the potatoes and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown on top.
This gratin Dauphinois recipe makes 6 large servings.

Bon Appetit !

Chevre chaud ( Goat cheese in puff pastry )

Preparation: 20 min
Cooking: 15 min


Ingrédients (serves 4):

- 1 goat cheese (5 oz), Bucheron type (cylindric shaped)
- 1 puff pastry
- 1 egg
- basil


Directions:

Cut the cheese in 8 equal slices.

Using a glass, make 16 disks in the puff pastry. Set each slice of cheese on a disk of puff pastry, sprinkle the basilic and cover with the remaining puff pastry. (you can add honey on top of the cheese if you want to  have a mix salted/sweet)

Seal firmly the small pies. Coat the top with the egg yolk before putting them in the oven (15 min at 410°F).

Goes very well with a green salad and glass of white wine

Bon Appetit

Clafoutis aux cerises

Ingredients (for 6 pers):
- 5 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 130 g (5.29109  oz) of powdered sugar + 1 teaspoon
- 80 g (2.82191  oz) flour
- 60 g (2.11643  oz)  butter + 1 teaspoon butter + enough to mold
- 30 cl milk
- 300/500 g (17.6369 oz) of cherries
- Optional: 1 packet of vanilla sugar

 Preheat your oven at gas mark 6 (180 ° C - 356 ºF).
Beat the egg omelette. Add salt, sugar and mix well. The mixture should be fluffy. Add the melted butter, then flour, then dilute it with milk.

Wash and hull the cherries and brown them during 3 -5 min in a pan over low heat with the teaspoon of sugar and butter.

Place the cherries in a well buttered baking dish (earthenware, porcelain ...).

Pour the paste on the cherries and bake in a moderate oven (gas mark 6 / 180 ° C/ 356 ºF) for 25 min. Serve lukewarm.

Enjoy !

Bonne Appetit les ami(e)s

French Hachi Parmentier

Ingredients (for 4 pers):
- 2 onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- butter
- 2 little tomatoes
- 400 g (0.881849 lb or 14.10 oz) minced meat
- flour
- Salt and pepper
- Herbes de provence
- 1 egg yolk
- Parmesan
- mashed potatoes
- Grated cheese

preparation:

Fry the chopped onions and garlic mixed with a good piece of butter. Add the diced tomatoes, ground meat, 1 tablespoon flour, salt, pepper, herbs de provence. When everything is cooked, turn off the heat and add the egg yolk and a little parmesan. Mix well. Spread the mix in the dish bottom.

Prepare the mashed potatoes. Spread over the meat. On top of the mashed potatoes sprinkle with grated cheese and bake to brown like in the picture above (oven around 200°C or 392°F).


Enjoy this delicious recipe and Bonne appetit !

Apples Crumble

Ingredients (for 6 pers):
- 3 big apples (or 3 big ears )
- 150 g (5.29 ounce or 0.331 pound) flour
- 75 g  (2.65 ounce or 0.165pound) butter
- 120 g (4.41 ounce or 0.265 pound ) sugar

Preparation:

Cut apples into cubes.

In a bowl, mix  the flour, sugar and butter. Mix the all with fingers until dough is sandy.

Butter the a big pan (or 6 small pans), arrange sliced ​​apples (or pears) and place dough on top.

Cook for 25 minutes at gas mark 6 (180°C or 359 °F).

Bon Appetit les amis !!!!!

Last week end I tried with strawberries and it was delicious !!

A Classic DESSERT : MOUSSE AU CHOCOLAT

Ingredients ( 4 pers ):
- 3 eggs
- 100 g  (3.527oz = 0.2204 pounds) chocolate (dark or milk)
- 1 packet of vanilla sugar (7.5 g = 0.265 oz = 0.0165 pounds)

Preparation:

Soften the chocolate in a bowl.

pour the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl

Then, beat the egg whites until stiff and gently fold the mixture using a spatula.

Refrigerate 1 hour or 2 minimum.

Bon appetit !!!!!