Category Archives: Beef

The best of burgers

October 17, 2018 needarecipe Leave a comment

We could debate forever about grilled versus griddled burgers. And, while we’re at it, about charcoal versus gas grills. But let’s say you don’t have a grill. Or mabe it’s below-freezing outside. How do you make a great burger without leaving your kitchen?

Beef Burger First, I need to explain the difference between English-English and American-English. In American-English, grilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above or below. Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat and vegetables quickly. Food to be grilled is cooked on a grill, a grill pan, or griddle. Broiling is like grilling, only turned on its head. Broiling is when the heat is applied from above the food. In English-English, grilling is like American broiling. It’s also used for barbeques etcetera when the food rests on a metal grill. The other stuff is ‘pan fried’ or simply ‘fried’. So far; so complicated. So I shall try and explain as I go.

It seems to me that there are three basic cooking methods you can adopt to cook a burger indoors. The first is to broil your burger under the oven grill (that’s grilling in English-English). The second is to ‘grill’ it in a ridged grill pan (that’s pan-fried in English-English). And the third is on the stove top in a flat-bottomed skillet or frying pan (that’s also pan-fried in English-English).

The good news is that all three methods produce tasty burgers. But there are some tips and tricks that apply to every method. In other words, whether you want to griddle or broil is your call. Just don’t forget to follow these rules for success.

1. Don’t skimp on the fat.

Ground beef (minced beef) is classified according to its fat content. This is important in all ground beef recipes, from meatloaf to meatballs, but especially so when it comes to burgers. My own preference is for a burger with 20 percent fat and 80% meat. That may sound like a lot of fat, but if you’re making burgers, make them right! This fat content yields a juicy, full-flavoured result. Leaner options flirt with blandness and dryness. And a higher fat content risks a greasy burger.

2. Season immediately before cooking.

After you form the burger patty and you are ready to cook it, season the heck out of it with kosher salt (or rock salt) and freshly ground black pepper. But don’t season it before you’re ready to cook. Mixing the ground beef with salt (like you would with meatloaf or meatballs) affects the texture of the meat, making it tougher. By seasoning the outside just before you cook, you get a fabulous, full-flavour, super-tender beef patty.

3. Get the pan (or broiler) crazy hot.

What’s so great about grilling burgers? The smoky char you get from a blazing-hot grill. So by fully heating your pan or broiler, you’re treating your burger to the intense heat it deserves. That’s what creates the crustiest crust, which is as much about textural contrast as it is about big-time flavour. For bonus points, you can heat your pan under the broiler before adding the burger to the pan. That allows you to have a rare burger with a deep rich crust.

For a burger with a difference, why not try Italian Style Burger? The addition of a little Pecorino Romano to the burger mix and then the melted Provolone cheese on top really does make it feel like Tuscany on a sunny day.

Beef, Daube Provençale, Full English Breakfast, Isle of Man, Isle of Man TT

Daube for the bikers

June 7, 2018 needarecipe Leave a comment

Each year, on the Isle of Man, we host a few bikers who come over for the Isle of Man TT or the Manx Classic. The TT takes place in May-June and the Classic in August-September. The population of the Isle of Man is 80,000 but during the TT that figure is increased by 40,000 or more as enthusiasts arrive from all over the world for the races. So you can imagine that the island buzzes. But where to put 40,000 bikers (twice a year) when the hotels and camping sites are full? The answer has proved to be by encouraging ordinary residents to throw open their doors and provide Homestay. It’s a bit like Bed and Breakfast except that you are welcoming people in to your home as (paying) friends. For us, this has worked well for the four years that we have done it, and our guests now return year after year.

Isle of Man TT races And so it was this year with John, Bob, Phil and Lee who came back for their third consecutive year. Four lovely guys from Yorkshire with accents strong enough to melt pig iron. Here to see the most dangerous road race on the planet. The Isle of Man TT race (Tourist Trophy) is arguably the most famous in the history of motorcycle racing. The race is run through the streets and narrow roads of the island yet the bikes hit speeds in excess of 200 mph (320 km/h). In fact, the average for the whole 37.73 twisting miles of the course (60.72 km) stands at 132 mph (212 km/h). Mistakes can be disastrous, and watching racers hug the walls of the locals’ front yards is exhilarating. You can’t love the death, you can’t love the loss. But you can’t love the excitement and the thrill without knowing that that’s part of it

Full English Breakfast Anyway, back to the food… Every morning our four fine lads get a big fry-up to set them on course for a good day. So we’re talking two pork Cumberland sausages, 3 rashers of prime back bacon, 2 fried eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, toast, juice, tea and coffee. And if there’s any sausage or bacon left, Lee usually makes ‘pigs in blankets’ from it and takes it out for his lunch!

Each year, we invite out house guests to share an evening meal with us. Last year (2017) we did Confit de Canard which they all seemed to love. This year, Marie-Danielle made one of her famous Daube Provençale a delicious stew (though my wife would disagree with the use of that word). In fact, if the dish is made properly, in the traditional way, Daube Provençale is tender and carries the exquisite taste and aromas of the Mediterranean. It’s a lot more than just a stew – in fact it should not be mentioned in the same breath as a stew – it holds a much more exalted position than that in our kitchen with good reason. We always serve it simply with Creamed Potatoes or Boiled Potatoes. We also always make much more Daube Provençale than we need! It freezes well and the more this dish is reheated, the better it becomes! Eat it accompanied by a full bodied red wine like a Côtes du Rhône.

So, as the TT comes to an end for 2018, we look forward to seeing our guests again in 2019 – they have already booked! Life can be fun.

Beef, Lamb, Vegetables

Which pie is which?

May 23, 2018 needarecipe Leave a comment

There are four recipes on the ‘NeedARecipe.com’ website which seem to confuse people, so let me try and explain.

Shepherd's Pie Shepherd’s Pie is what most people tend to call any variation, but the original Shepherd’s Pie was made just with onions, lean minced (ground) lamb, and topped with mashed potato. Shepherd’s Pie is an original English recipe that is inexpensive and ideal for a hungry family. Great with a glass of beer or cider.

Shepherd’s Pie is the sort of food that brings a smile to everyone’s face! That saucy, full-of-flavour filling, that creamy potato topping, and that awesome golden potato crust. This is a timeless classic – make this once and you’ll make it over and over again.

Cottage Pie is similar BUT it’s made with beef and not lamb. The Brits have a national fascination with minced meat pies and, when they combined it with mashed potatoes, the Cottage Pie was born. In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.

This classic favourite makes a comforting meal, especially on a cold day. Lean minced beef is a healthy filling that takes minutes to cook, and the topping is quickly browned under the grill. Serve with peas or seasonal greens. Delicious!

Duck Pie (Parmentier de Canard) is similar again BUT it’s made with confit de canard – duck confit. This simple recipe will give you a different take on Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie. It’s a duck version that will delight your family and your guests alike. The only drawback is that you may not find it easy to get hold of Confit de Canard. We’re lucky, living as we do for six months of the year in France. But you can order Confit de Canard online from Godard the best producers in France.

Vegetable Shepherd's Pie Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie meets the needs of an increasingly vegetarian population. The meat is replaced by vegetables and a rich gravy is produced with a combination of wine and vegetable stock. And it’s this last one that had me scratching my head.

To be honest, I do love a my meat. And by meat, I mean beef, lamb, pork, chicken, duck, whatever. I’m a damned carnivore! But I also really like vegetables, when they are good quality and properly cooked

And the vegetables in Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie taste good … REALLY good. Served up in a red wine gravy and baked under a layer of creamy mashed potatoes – they are THAT good!

I suggest you add full fat Greek yogurt to your mashed potatoes to get that extra creamy-tangy taste. That red wine, garlic, olive oil, rosemary… it’s my version of aromatherapy.

If you’re using up leftover mashed potatoes, they usually need a little help since they can be a bit dry out of the fridge. Just cover with clingfilm and pop them in the microwave. As they heat up, they will become creamy again. Then spread that magic on top of your silky, veg-packed mushroomy gravy. Yummmmm!

When you pull this out of the oven and the sauce is bubbling up around the sides under the gently-golden potatoes, you’ll be delighted you gave this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie recipe a try. This is total comfort food and you’re best to attack it when hungry as hell with a big appetite.

Beef, Desserts, Lamb, Salads, Shellfish, Slow Cooking

Top Five Recipes for 2017

December 31, 2017 needarecipe Leave a comment

This post actually isn’t going to be the top five things I’m grateful for. That would turn into a top 150 list and it would be annoyingly long. Instead, this post is the top five most viewed recipes on Need A Recipe in the last year!

Which, I guess, actually leads me to talk about something I’m thankful for. I’m really, really, thankful that you read this blog! Or even just scan through the pictures. Seriously, I wish I could serve you the recipe of your choice through the computer screen every time you visit the site and browse around.

Building the Need A Recipe list of good things to eat, and blogging like this is fun because of the interactions that I get with other people, and those other people are you! Thanks for keeping it fun for me and helping Need A Recipe grow in leaps and bounds in this last year.

Now, let’s eat! The Top Five Need A Recipe recipes for this year are:

Julie’s Salmon & Prawn with Lime is dedicated to Terry and Julie, our neighbours on The Isle of Man, who served us the most stunning starter in the field of human culinary endeavours! I promise you – you eat this and no starter will ever seem the same again. M-D and I were transported to a place that few ever get to see… the pinnacle of goodness and taste and salivating cherubs floating on clouds of… er, yeah, okay, I got a bit carried away there. But so will you when you try Julie’s Salmon & Prawn with Lime Julie's Salmon & Prawn with Lime

A Trio of Scallops is a simple and very effective starter course or, as you will see when you follow the recipe below, you can extend the choice to make it a “quad” of scallops. This lovely dish is perfect for serving when entertaining since it can mostly be prepared beforehand and then will take only four or five minutes to finish and serve.

The most effective way to serve a Trio of Scallops is in long individual dishes that are separated into three sections. If you cannot find these, you can use Chinese soup spoons (the ones that have a flat bottom so stand up on their own) with one scallop per spoon. And failing that, just use scallop shells (one scallop per shell). The finished scallops should be placed in the correct order on the plate and eaten from left to right. No – this is not food snobbery, it’s simply that the taste begins gently and builds to a crescendo.

Beef Wellington – oh beloved food for an evening with friends (or your partner’s boss who you are supposed to impress!). Just occasionally, I get an inkling to make Beef Wellington – the tenderest of Angus beef smeared in mustard or horseradish, smothered with mushroom duxelles, wrapped in Parma ham and put to bed in a cover of golden puff pastry. Traditionally, Beef Wellington was coddled in a layer of pâté, but I prefer the mushrooms and Parma ham version. It’s actually a lot easier to make than it looks, and the result is fantastic. A great idea for all beef-lovers (and partner’s bosses who need to be impressed!).

Some people use thin pancakes to wrap around their beef. The idea is to stop the pastry getting wet. However, I’ve always found that overlapping prosciutto works just as well, and tastes 100 times better. Beef Wellington

Lamb Shanks in Deep Rich Gravy gained an easy fourth place. It’s a magical recipe, especially if you want to have your guests guessing at the secret ingedients. Even though the recipe uses anchovies (a very salty fish) you can’t taste it in the finished dish but it totally transforms the meat and gravy, bringing out the delicious flavours.

Incidentally, 3lb (1½kg) of shanks is usually about 2 or even 3 shanks. If your butcher offers you one large one, reject it – at that size, it’s probably old mutton! If you have any problems, simply use a leg of lamb instead. I often do that. Lamb Shanks in Deep Rich Gravy

Double-Take Apple Flan is so called because there are two ‘stages’ to the cooking and also because it tastes so good, there’s no way you won’t go back for another helping. “Double-Take” Apple Flan is a winner, no matter what the occasion, and the extra little trouble in preparation and cooking is well, well worth the effort. Your guests will love you for it. Double-Take Apple Fla

Beef, Food Facts

Beef – for or against?

June 24, 2017 needarecipe Leave a comment

Beef cuts Recently many people seem to be turning against meat, particularly red meat that contains higher amounts of iron than chicken or fish. Beef is the main target. It is categorized as red meat — a term used for the meat of mammals, which contains higher amounts of iron than chicken or fish.

Yet fresh, lean beef is rich in various vitamins and minerals, especially iron and zinc. Therefore, moderate intake of beef can be recommended as part of a healthy diet.

The nutrition facts for a 3½ ounce (100 gram) serving of broiled, ground beef with 10% fat content is:
    Calories: 217
    Water: 61%
    Protein: 26.1 grams
    Carbs: 0 grams
    Sugar: 0 grams
    Fibre: 0 grams
    Fat: 11.8 grams

The protein content of lean, cooked beef is about 26–27%. Animal protein is usually of high quality, containing all nine essential amino acids needed for the growth and maintenance of your body. Red meat is one of the most complete dietary sources of protein, its amino acid profile being almost identical to that of your own muscles.

Beef also contains varying amounts of fat. Apart from adding flavour, fat increases the calorie content of meat considerably. Processed meat products, such as sausages and salami, tend to be high in fat, whereas lean meat is generally about 5–10% fat.

Wagyu Beef Many vitamins and minerals are also abundant in beef. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that is important for blood formation and your brain and nervous system. One of the B vitamins, niacin (vitamin B3) has various important functions in your body. Low niacin intake has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Health benefits of beef are many. Like all types of meat, beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein. It contains all of the essential amino acids and is referred to as a complete protein. Many people, especially older adults, don’t consume enough high-quality protein. Inadequate protein intake may accelerate age-related muscle wasting, increasing your risk of an adverse condition known as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is a serious health issue among older adults but can be prevented or reversed with strength exercises and increased protein intake.

The best dietary sources of protein are animal-derived foods, such as meat, fish, and milk products. In the context of a healthy lifestyle, regular consumption of beef — or other sources of high-quality protein — may help preserve muscle mass, reducing your risk of sarcopenia.

Anemia is a common condition, characterized by a decreased number of red blood cells and reduced ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anemia. The main symptoms are tiredness and weakness. Beef is a rich source of iron — mainly in the form of heme iron. Only found in animal-derived foods, heme iron is often very low in vegetarian — and especially vegan — diets. The human body absorbs heme iron much more efficiently than non-heme iron — the type of iron in plant-derived foods.

Thus, red meat not only contains a highly bioavailable form of iron but also improves the absorption of non-heme iron from plant foods — a mechanism that has not been fully explained and is referred to as the ‘meat factor’.

The nutritional value of meat depends on the feed of the source animal. In the past, most cattle in Western countries were grass-fed. In contrast, most of today’s beef production relies on grain-based feeds.

Grass fed beef Compared to grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef has a higher antioxidant content, fat that is more yellow in color — indicating higher amounts of carotenoid antioxidants, higher amounts of vitamin E — especially when pasture-raised, and lower amounts of fat. Put simply, grass-fed beef is a healthier choice than grain-fed.

The bottom line is that a high consumption of processed meat and overcooked meat has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and cancer. On the other hand, unprocessed and mildly cooked beef is healthy in moderation — especially in the context of a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet. Beef remains one of the most popular types of meat and is exceptionally rich in high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. Therefore, it may improve muscle growth and maintenance, as well as exercise performance. As a rich source of iron, it may also cut your risk of anemia.

Now, pass me the skillet – I’m feeling hungry!

Beef, Personal Stuff, Starters, Wine

Lunch with the cousins

March 31, 2017 needarecipe Leave a comment

Marie-Danielle has a handful of cousins here in France. Some are far away, others a little closer. Two of the closer ones, who live not a million kiometres from EuroDisney, came for lunch (and a long catch-up) yesterday. So, what to serve two people we know well?

For a starter, we decided on Avocado with Grapefruit Chutney and Smoked Salmon because we know it tastes good and we can make the ‘chutney’ the day before. In France, they refer to small starters like this, served in glasses, as ‘verrines’. Verrine glasses are availble from most good cook shops, and also online at places like Amazon.

This particular verrine freshens the palate while delivering a bundle of flavours. With just a touch of bitterness, the grapefruit chutney contrasts the gentle taste and texture of the avocado and is lifted by a hint of ginger. The smoked salmon (or trout) adds the final touch with just a suggestion of saltiness

For our main course, we indulged in a glorious Beef Wellington. It’s a delight that is best enjoyed when everybody eats their meat cooked to the same level and all four of us like it rare – so rare we got! About 40 minutes at 200°C until the middle of the meat was at 48°C then ten minutes to rest, and we all dived in for more. A main course fit to grace any table anywhere

For the starter and the main course, we stuck to a bottle or two of 2011 Chateau l’Eveche Origami from the Bordeaux region. It was fine too, to accompany the cheeses. And then, for the dessert (a fresh, fruity, Cognac-flavoured Pavlova) we moved onto a young Bonnezeaux. The Bonnezeaux appellation lies within a small part of a single commune – Thouarcé – on the right bank of the Layon, across three south-facing slopes.

Two good Wines Bonnezeaux is recognised as a leading appellation. The steep, south- facing slopes and the outstanding thermal properties of the shallow soils encourage early development and over-ripe harvests which gives a sweet white wine. Intensely coloured; soft gold, developing coppery highlights over time. As they age, Bonnezeaux wines develop notes of acacia, verbena and orange peel before reaching an extraordinary level of aromatic complexity with notes of ripe quince, cooked apricot, caramel and tropical fruit and an underlying layer of spice. As an aperitif, with pan-fried foie gras, shellfish, fish in creamy sauces, blue cheese,and desserts with pears or almonds Bonnezeaux is ideal. The bottle we drank was luscious and powerful with a robust, full body, giving a perfect balance of richness and vibrancy. Lovely way to finish the meal.

Beef, Desserts, Duck, Personal Stuff, Wine

Terry’s Secret Treat!

January 6, 2015 needarecipe Leave a comment

I noticed a while back that our neighbour on the Isle of Man, Terry, was due for a birthday on January 3rd. Being a sharp-eyed individual, I also spotted that the 3rd fell on a Saturday this year. What better excuse for a party!! So I quiety contacted Terry’s wife, Julie, and we arranged to hijack his evening with a meal at ours. We also invited Kate and Dominic who are close neighbours. This is the “team” that M-D and I refer to as “The Big Six”… Terry, Julie, Kate, Dominic, M-D and myself! In fact, Julie and Kate were friends when they were young then, just a few years ago, discovered that they were living on opposite sides of the same street! Small world.

What we didn’t know when we planned to hijack Terry’s birthday was that it was Julie’s birthday on 31st December. And what they didn’t know (until M-D told them) was that it’s mine on 6th January. So you can imagine that the aperitif was more alcoholic than normal (and normal is pretty good!). We repeated a little fun presentation that we had done at Christmas by making a sausage wreath out of cocktail sausages and that buttery, flaky, Vienna-style pastry used to make croissants. The bow was a red pepper that underwent M-D’s surgical skills and the bowl in the middle held Dijon mustard for dipping. It seemed to be well appreciated since it disappeared at a rapid rate of knots (is that a nautical term?).

Our starter for the meal was a combination of Millefeuille de Pintade au Foie de Canard and Roulades de Jambon au Foie de Canard en Gelée au Sauternes. We get these (as you can see from the links) from an excellent supplier called Godard in the Perigord region of France. Washed down with a glass of Château Haut-Theulet Monbazillac 2002 (the colour of golden straw), this was a perfect starter for a great meal.

Two Excellent Wines For the main course, we repeated a dish that had served us well at Christmas – Beef Wellington. This time, there were no problems with timing as there were on Christmas Eve. I correctly guessed that our guests would be happy with meat that was less cooked than I had done at Christmas and “the beast” arrived on the table in good time and in good shape and was helped down with a glass or three of Château de Sarenceau Saint-Emilion 2000 which we served right through the rest of the meal. And then came the famous Trou Normand – sorbet with calvados poured over the top – to help our digestion (I think!).

After the cheeses, we served Gâteau Creusois with M-D’s hand made Chocolate Mousse which is actually very simple to make, but very tasty. And another pleasant evening ended with happy campers all round. Cooking is fun, but the joy it brings to others is even better!

Beef, Christmas, Desserts, Isle of Man, Personal Stuff

Christmas on The Isle of Man

December 27, 2014 needarecipe Leave a comment

Having arrived back on The Isle of Man in mid December it was time to consider the Christmas festivities. Though we were on British territory, we opted to continue French tradition and hold a réveillon. A réveillon is a long dinner, and possibly a party, held on the evenings preceding Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. The name of the dinner is based on the word réveil (meaning “waking”), because participation involves staying awake until midnight and beyond. In the United States, the réveillon tradition is still observed in New Orleans due to the city’s strong French heritage, with a number of the city’s restaurants offering special réveillon menus on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eveve Table So, a couple of days before, armed with a a lump of wood and some parcel tape, I prepared the dining table for seven. This took a modicum of engineering skill since we don’t have a large dining room and the table was designed to only seat six! However, it seemed to work OK, because on 24th Marie-Danielle prepared a beautiful table for us while I was locked away in the kitchen!

Our guests were Penny and Sarah who had met us in Paris at Le Procop, Penny’s husband Steve, and Jill and Bruno who are, like us, a French-British couple only the other way round (Bruno is French and Jill is British). We weren’t sure if Christmas Eve in Peel Bruno was going to make it since he had been unwell for some days. However, he made a huge effort and spent the evening with a “cockerel hat” perched on his head (as opposed to Steve, who wore a “reindeer hat”) – yes, it was one of those nights! We are certainly blessed with some wonderful friends.

So, the menu!
First off, since it was Christmas, as part of the apperitifs, we constructed a “Christmas wreath” out of little cocktail sausages and that buttery, flaky, Vienna-style pastry used to make croissants. The bow itself was a red pepper that underwent M-D’s surgical skills and the bowl in the middle held Dijon mustard for dipping. Along with quails eggs, olives, “appericubes” (baby cheese cubes from France), cocktail biscuits and a couple of bottles of chilled Cremant d’Alsace, we passed a pleasant half-hour awaiting the main event. Or should I say that “they” passed a pleasant half-hour awaiting the main event, since I was locked away in the kitchen having all sorts of fun on my own!

As a starter, we had decided on Salade des Gourmets, that wonderful salad with lots of added extras like foie gras, smoked salmon, magret de canard, small cherry tomatoes, fresh scallops and prawns. It makes me salivate just thinking about it!

And then came the awkward bit!!!

We decided to do a Beef Wellington which normally (for a decent size fillet of beef) takes about 35-40 minutes to cook. However, I knew that most of our guests would prefer their meat more cooked than M-D and I normally eat it, so I had to allow extra cooking time. To be sure, I used a cook’s thermometer and aimed to get to 60ºC (140ºF), where normally we go to about 54ºC (130ºF), I had estimated an additional 10 minutes but it took nearer 20 minutes extra. Normally that wouldn’t be too critical since everybody just chats and the time passes. However, Penny had committed to ringing the bells at the cathedral for the midnight service, so had to leave the house at about 11:40pm. Fortunately, we just scraped in and she was able to finish her plate of Beef Wellington, Champ and mixed vegetables before having to leave.

Jill, meanwhile, is not a meat eater (if the beast had more than 2 legs while it was alive) but she does enjoy Confit de Canard, so I made her a “Confit Parmentier” which is sort of French for shepherds pie using duck instead of lamb!! I simply heated and shredded a duck confit, placed it in a ramekin along with a little chicken stock then covered it with mashed potato (which I was making anyway for the champ!).

While Penny rang her bells (which we could hear since the cathedral is only a couple of hundred yards away) we all finished our main course and took a breather. Well, a sort of breather! In fact we had a “Trou Normand” (literally, a Norman hole) which, traditionally, is Eau-de-vie, especially calvados, served as a middle course in a large meal in the traditional belief it restores appetite. The first time I came across this was a hotel in Normandy where we styayed for a New Year once. In the middle of the meal, the waiter served us all an apple sorbet and then arrived with a teapot!! Tea it was not! Calvados it most certainly was. So, sure enough, we served a sorbet with calvados then sat with contented smiles on our faces waiting for Penny’s return.

Xmas Cake Upon Penny’s return, just before midnight, we all exchanged presents (I did warn you we were doing things French style!). After which, cheese was served, followed by M-D’s famous Chocolate and Walnut Gateau (dutifully decorated with Santa and a snowman!)

And what, you might ask, did we drink with this meal? Well, it may surprise you to know that we stayed with Bordeaux Origami from start right through till finish. It’s made by Famille Capdevielle and is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc so is quite light for a red. For this reason it worked through all four courses. All said, a very pleasant evening with some valued friends. Now we have New Year’s Eve to look forward to!!

Beef, Charcuterie, Cheese, Mushrooms, Raclette, Salads

Melted cheese followed by a left-over lunch

January 26, 2014 needarecipe Leave a comment

Last night we enjoyed the company of our neighbours, Julie and Terry, with their children Esme and Merlin (12 and 7 respectively). Whenever younger people are involved, it’s always best to find something simple that will capture their imaginations, so we decided to do a Raclette, which is a dish created in Switzerland where, originally, cheese was heated in front of a fire then the melted cheese was scraped from the unmelted part of the cheese onto the diners’ plates (the term raclette derives from the French verb racler, meaning “to scrape”). The cheese is accompanied by small firm potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions, and dried meat, such as raw smoked hams and viande des Grisons (beef).

Raclette with all the trimmings Obviously, we didn’t buy a 50kg block of cheese, light a fire and start scraping it – we used a more modern way of serving raclette that involves an electric table-top grill with small pans, known as coupelles, in which to melt slices of cheese. When we do this, we bring the cheese to the table already cut and sliced, along with a plate of charcuterie like Grisons (which is what we used last night) or pastrami or salami or cooked ham (or whatever floats your boat) accompanied by a big dish of boiled or steamed potatoes and a bowl of cornichons (small gherkins).

Diners place a slice of cheese in their coupelle, slide it under the grill to melt and, meanwhile, help themselves to potatoes, meat and cornichons. As soon as the cheese is melted it is simply “poured” over the food on your plate (with a bit of help from small wooden spatulas if necessary). Then you load your coupelle with cheese again and pop it under the grill to melt while you are eating what’s on your plate. It’s like a mini production line, the emphasis being on relaxed and sociable eating and drinking.

And, just for fun, we had brought some purple Vitelotte Potatoes back from France with us, which we mixed with normal white potatoes to create a splash of colour. We had also brought back with us some packs of ready-cut cheese that are specifically intended for raclettes. However, you can use almost any firm cheese (particularly Port Salut – a semi-soft pasteurised cow’s milk cheese from Pays de la Loire, France, with a distinctive orange crust and a mild flavour). As a guide, there were 4 adults and two youngsters last night and we ate 750g (just under 1¾lb) of cheese.

French and other European supermarkets generally stock both the grill apparatus and ready-sliced cheese and charcuterie selections. However, elsewhere in the world you can buy the grills online at places like Amazon (just search under raclette). The other fun aspect of modern raclette grills is that they incorporate a hot stone, so you can have a “cook your own meat” evening too (which we often do). If you buy your cheese as a block, you need to cut and slice it to create pieces roughly 5cm x 7cm x 6mm (2″ x 2¾” x ¼”)

Last night, just for fun, we also put a few uncooked quail’s eggs on the table and some of us played making “omelette on cheese” just for the hell of it (told you it was all about relaxed and sociable eating!). Thought it’s not essential, we also provided little side salads of baby leaves, raw mushrooms, clementines and a vinagrette that used tomato ketchup! We served a Pinot Noir from Alsace that is light enough to complement the somewhat heavy cheese. Afterwards, we indulged in Bruno’s Double Take Apple Flan, which is light and delicious! (Hazard warning!!! Don’t serve ice cream after a raclette; it will solidify the cheese in your stomach and you’ll feel like you’ve eaten a barrow load of lead!)

So we arrived at lunch time today wondering what to eat and decided on a “left-overs” salad of Grisons (left-over), potatoes (left-over), mushrooms (left-over), quail’s eggs (left-over) and spring onions. M-D had her potatoes as a Warm Potato Salad while I just had mine sliced and cold. And we both added a little Thousand Island Dressing to the raw mushrooms… delicious! Tonight will be just soup, I suspect – I rather overdid the cheese last night!

Beef, Christmas, Lamb, Mushrooms, Salads

Another Christmas gone… can’t wait for the next.

December 27, 2013 needarecipe Leave a comment

Well, you know what it’s like… you plan for it, you shop for it, you tear your hair out for it and, at the end of the day, you find it’s December 27th and once again, Christmas is just a memory. But as long as it’s a good memory, who’s worried!

In France the “big dinner” is the evening of December 24th and M-D and I had planned a quiet dinner together since we were heading down to Orleans the following day to have a ‘second Christmas’ with M-D’s daughter and grandaughters. However, the best laid plans etc…. and a few days before, we discovered that a friend would be on his own for Christmas so we invited him over for Christmas Eve dinner with us.

It had to be simple and straightforward, so we opted for foie gras as a starter, Rich Gravy Lamb as the main course, cheese and salad and then we finished on M-D’s (in)famous Citrus Parfait which we always have ready in the freezer.

The Rich Gravy Lamb is an absolute stunner because it is stupidly simple to prepare – lamb (leg or shank), a couple of onions, a bit of stock and red wine, a few simple herbs and a fillet or two of anchovies (yep, you read that right … anchovies. Though you can’t taste them in the finished dish, they totally transform the meat and gravy, bringing out all the delicious flavours). The joy of it is that you shove it in a slow oven and leave it alone until you’re ready to eat it. It also washes down quite well with a 1986 Roc du Breuil, Cotes de Bourg!

The following day, we drove down to Orleans (it’s about 100 miles) and met up with Muriel and the girls (Clélence and Eléonore). They had spent Christmas with Muriel’s half-sister over on the Atlantic coast so they had driven for about 3-4 hours to get home. Nonetheless, along with Muriel’s Grandmother, Rolande (96 going on 25), we made up a happy gang of six.

We started with Julie’s Salmon & Prawn with Lime which has, in just the few months since our neighbour in Peel introduced us to it, become one of our firm favourites. We already had them drooling and we hadn’t even arrived at the pièce de résistance…
The day before, I had prepared a Beef Wellington to the stage that the fillet of beef was wrapped in its coat of mushroom duxelles and Parma ham. So all I had to do at Muriel’s was to add it’s pastry overcoat (two packets of ready-rolled puff pastry), coat with egg yolk, and pop in the oven for about 40 minutes (it was a 2¾lb – 1.25kg fillet). It came out perfectly cooked to suit us all. The ends were medium-well, the centre was rare and in between a beautiful medium rare, so everybody got what they wanted. (In fact we all got we wanted two days later, too …. left-overs. Cold. With Salad. And a few miniature tomatoes. Bliss!). Helped down with a rather splendid 1986 Chateau Moulin a Vent, Lalande de Pomerol, I can highly recommend Beef Wellington, hot or cold!!

And now we’re back home in Acheres planning the next onslaught!!! Today is Friday (for about another hour) and tomorrow we dive to the shops and get what we need for the next few days because M-D’s sister, Christine, is arriving for a week or so. On Sunday we are having a “late Christmas” dinner with Christine and “Tatty Suzanne” (Christine and M-D’s aunt who lives a few miles away on the outskirts of Versailles.). The plan is for Monk Fish in Orange which is a bit of a mixture of two other recipes but, if it works, should be pretty damn good!

I’ll let you know (or not!)

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