Raspberries Puff Pastry

This simple gourmet dessert looks heavy but it is actually light because it is filled with airy pockets that feel like a whisper when you bite into it. Lukewarm puff pastry with raspberries and a raspberry sauce is layer after layer of pure rapture. The crisp shells with soft interiors and creamy custard with warm raspberries and a thick yummy and tangy sauce make this almost uniquely French treat dessert spectacular. This recipe takes some time to practice and perfect so try it twice or three times before serving it to impress guests.

Make the puff pastry a day before you make this dessert, otherwise, you can buy it in the market. To test, a well made puff pastry is flaky, rich and buttery without being heavy. It is not really difficult to make. The basic principle is to create layers of butter and dough, fold the two and turn them in together. It is important to work as quickly as possible on a cold surface, careful that the butter should not melt and incorporate in the dough while you are working on it. To make this possible, ice water is needed when making the flour and butter mixture, the butter will remain in its mold while the flour will not be completely moistened. The dough and the butter must be evenly layered and rolled in the same thickness. This takes some time of practice to master. A well-made puff pastry is essential in a French kitchen because you can make many wonderful desserts with it.

Ingredients

21 oz. puff pastry dough

12.8 oz. creme patissiere (custard filling for pastries and cakes)

0.55 lbs. (8.8 oz. or about 1 cup) raspberries

1/4 cup raspberry sauce

1 oz. light yogurt

3.5 oz. (7 tablespoons) vanilla sugar

6 mint leaves

1. Using some flour so that the dough does not stick on the rolling pin, roll the pastry to about 3 to 4 millimeters in thickness. Prick the dough all over so it doesn’t rise too much while cooking. Place on a baking sheet and cook in a 180-200 degree oven. Sprinkle icing sugar on top of the dough when it is about half-cooked. Before it begins to caramelize on the surface, remove from oven.

2. Cut eight-centimeter-circles from the cooked pastry and place the raspberry in rings around the pastry. Use a piping bag to fill the middle with custard. Make two layers of pastry with the raspberry and custard, heaping one set on another and covering the top with another circle of pastry.

3. Bake in a 180 degree oven for three to four minutes. Sprinkle with icing sugar.

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4. With raspberry sauce, decorate plate and to make a spider web, line with yogurt. Place the raspberry pastry beside it. Serve.

Vegetable Caviar

When you say “caviar,” the image that comes to mind is the luxurious fish roe. But in this recipe by Chef Bernard Loiseau of the La cote d'or restaurant, the aforementioned “caviar” refers to the aubergine or eggplant, which is as precious and as sublime as the original name of a uniquely French treat.

In Provence, France, the eggplant caviar is a favorite gourmet recipe dip with grilled French bread. The chef prefers French aubergine, plump and purple—perfect for this fantastic appetizer. Chef Loiseau’s eggplant caviar is very easy to make. It’s also definitely less-rich and less salty than the real caviar (not that is has any intention in being a faux caviar).

This recipe is a smoky tasting eggplant puree with tomato sauce. All you need to do is to roast the aubergine in the oven so that the texture becomes mushy and caviar-like. The flesh is removed then mashed to make it thick and smooth. The skin is not thrown out—it is chopped finely and thrown into the caviar to give it a smoky and flavorful character.

Season the eggplant caviar with thyme, basil, salt and pepper according to your preference then arrange the eggplant caviar with the tomato sauce as its accompaniment. The eggplant caviar may also be served with meats and fish as well as breaded chicken. If you like eggplant, this recipe is a must try. Prepare some in advance so you will always have some in the fridge. Keep it in a sterile glass jar with a film of olive oil on top, and it should be fine for several days.

Ingredients

4 medium eggplants

8 tomatoes

1 onion

thyme

8 green basil leaves

8 violet basil leaves

olive oil

Xeres vinegar

salt, pepper

1. Wash the eggplants and cut them in half, following their length. Place them on an ovenproof dish. Wash and mince 2 tomatoes. Peel and mince the onion. Sprinkle the tomato and onion over the eggplants. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour olive oil over the eggplants. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 75 to 90 minutes.

2. Once the eggplants are cooked through, use a spoon to remove the meat. Mix the meat with the onion and tomatoes, then puree by hand or by machine. Dice the eggplant skin. Incorporate into the eggplant caviar. Adjust the seasoning and refrigerate.

3. For the tomato sauce preparation, place 6 tomatoes into boiling water for 1 minute, Peel off their skins. Cut them in half and remove the seeds. Place the tomatoes in a food processor for about 2 minutes. Strain. Season with salt, pepper, and some drops of Xeres vinegar. Refrigerate.

4. Place the eggplant caviar in a circle in the middle of each of four dishes. Pour the tomato sauce around this. Place the green and violet basil leaves on the caviar. 

Honey and Lavender Ice-Cream

If you are lucky enough to get fresh honey with the hive intact, it’s a brilliant idea to keep the hive and use it to serve honey lavender ice cream to your guests.  This gourmet ice cream recipe is healthier than your regular ice cream because it uses honey instead of sugar, making it a perfect dessert option for sugar-conscious moms who crave for sweets. Lavender honey ice cream is a uniquely French treat that is rarely commercially available so it makes a great homemade experiment to impress your guests with something new that they haven’t tried before. 

Lavender honey can be naturally made by bees that collect only lavender nectar and are housed near fields of lavender flowers.  You can’t always get it and if it is available, is quite expensive. A more convenient and less expensive alternative is to make lavender-infused honey.  It is as simple as cooking lavender flowers in honey and putting it in a jar then leaving it for a few days until the flavor of the lavender flowers blends in with the honey. Thereafter, the lavender flowers are strained to make this delicious dessert. 

Honey lavender ice cream is best enjoyed with some cookies or a light pastry. For this recipe, Chef Jany Gleize combines the ice cream with a cigarette pastry made with eggs, sugar and flour.  He makes use of the hive as a bed for the golden yellow ice cream with flecks of purple lavender buds to make the plate look even more delectable and make the dessert taste and smell sweeter. Chef Glaize notes that it is very important to get fine quality lavender when making dessert, not hybrid lavender which is okay if you’re making soup.

Ingredients

250 g of lavender

honey 4 egg yolks

250 g of milk

125 g of cream small flower

400 g of dough to cigarette

7 g of lavender flower

1. The honey lavender infusion must be prepared several days before making the ice cream so that the lavender can sit in the honey and produce a more distinct flavor. Cook lavender flowers and buds in honey and store in a jar.

2. To make the ice cream, heat the milk, cream, lavender honey and eggs and stir until they are thoroughly combined and dissolved together. Let cool and put in the freezer for a few hours until they crystallize. Process the frozen ingredients in the ice cream maker and store ice cream in the fridge.

3. To make the cigarette pastry, combine sugar, flour, lavender seeds, and egg whites and mix together until it forms a creamy and even texture. Spread the cream on phyllo sheets cut in rectangular shapes place on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in a 180 degree oven for a few minutes until it browns. Once cooked, allow to cool for awhile and fold into a cylindrical shape with the aid of a rolling pin.

4. To serve, cut the hive into a rounded shape and place at the center of the plate. Scoop the ice cream and place on top of hive. Place cigarette pastry on the side and decorate with lavender flowers. Add lavender or chocolate syrup if you wish.

Eating Vegan Foods

It never ceases to amaze me how those who eat a typical western diet, high saturated fat in their favorite gourmet recipe, do not know what vegans eat. Some don't even know what vegetarians eat, and they eat plenty of different foods.

But when it comes to the vegan diet most meat eaters can never think of a simple gourmet recipe that doesn't contain animal flesh, dairy or eggs. Yet many have eaten the humble baked beans on toast meal without ever realizing that it was probably vegan. Or how about a baked potato with salad? Again, it's a well-known meal yet few realize it's vegan.

The other concern about the vegan diet is protein. Many people wrongly believe that a vegan diet lacks protein. But it doesn't. Because vegans eat a bigger variety of foods, they get all the protein they need. And although we need to consume protein every day, we only need around 30% of our diet to be protein. And most foods contain protein. Even the humble potato has protein in it.

So what do vegans eat? Anything that doesn't contain meat, eggs or dairy. You might think that it doesn't leave much choice of what to eat, but you'd be surprised.

Here is just a short list of vegan foods:

Pizza

Chilli

Salad

Stew

Pasta

Falafel

Pancakes

Casserole

Stir fry

Pies

Pasties

Wraps

Noodles

Rice dishes

And there are so many variations of each one. For instance you can have 'cheezy' pasta, tomato pasta, vegetable pasta or pasta and pesto. And the types of wraps, casseroles salads and pies are so varied that there isn't room to list them all here.

And yes, pizzas can be vegan if you sprinkle it with vegetables, grains and beans and leave out the cheese. Covering pizzas with cheese was actually an American idea. Originally, Italians ate them without cheese. Pizzas were simply a way to use up uneaten bread and other leftovers from the fridge.

There is much more information around now about living a vegan lifestyle and search engines like Google make it easy to find out as much as you want and to find recipes. When you start looking into a vegan diet you'll find the ideas for meals are limitless. You can just take what you have in the pantry and fridge and throw a simple meal together. Or, if you prefer, there are plenty of 'meat' substitutes available too.

Goat Cheese Pie

Pies are usually made from nuts, custards, and even ice cream. In this recipe, the main ingredient is the fresh and tangy goat cheese. It is made into a tart with pine nuts for texture and a sauce of limoncello and lemon liqueur to bring out the natural bright flavors of the creamy goat cheese. It’s a beautiful contrast of delicate softness and acidic sharpness to end the meal with.

Making the goat cheese pie entails three procedures that must be made chronologically to ensure the success of the one of the best Gourmandia recipe. First is the making of the pastry, then cheese-based filling, and finally the lemon sauce. Unlike the usual pate brisee, the special pastry kind of pastry used for the goat cheese tart is called “fleur pastry.” It’s a pastry typically used to make sweet flans such as apricot and peach. It also serves as a base for quiche or as a short-crust pastry.

Source your goat cheese from the farmer’s market, specialty cheese shops and bigger supermarkets with a well stocked cheese counter. While it is ideal to use all goat cheese for the filling, you can also experiment creativity by using half goat cheese and another kind of cheese. For sharper flavors, add cheddar or bleu cheese to the goat cheese mixture. On the other hand, if you prefer a milder flavor, you can use a mild cheese like Emmental.

Make the lemon sauce out of the limoncello last. The latter is a special type of lemon liqueur produced in Southern Italy. Limoncello is made from the zest of Sorrento lemons or Femminello St. Teresa lemons, giving them that very distinct flavor. Lemon liqueur is typically made with sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 5% vodka. It has a bright lemon yellow color and tastes both sweet and sour. When these two are combined, imagine the potent but pleasing contrast to the rest of the goat cheese pie.

Ingredients

Fresh mint

For the sugared dough:

1/2 lb. butter

1 oz. honey

2 1/2 oz. sugar

0.88 lbs. flour

1 oz. egg yolk

a pinch of vanillin

a pinch of salt

1 lemon pulp

For the base:

1/2 lb. cheese (50% goat cheese)

3 1/2 oz. eggs

1 vanilla pod

1.8 oz. sugar

1 lemon pulp

For the sauce:

0.44 lbs. wild strawberries

1 1/2 oz. sugar

glass of water

For the garnish:

1 1/2 oz. pine nuts

currants

1. To make the pastry, first, mix the icing sugar, pre-softened butter, some lemon zest, and the egg yolks. After all the ingredients have melded well together, add the flour and some pinch of salt. You should end up with pastry dough with nice and even consistency. Leave in the refrigerator for half an hour before you use it.

2. Make the cheese-based filling. You can use all goat cheese or you can replace the other half with another cheese. Add the egg as required by the recipe and then the caster sugar, the lemon zest and some vanilla seeds. Mix all together. This mixture is used to fill the tarts.

3. Use a rolling pin to flatten the pastry very thinly to about half a centimeter in thickness. Place it in a baking dish or a round mold for making the pie or tart. Put it in the oven at 180 degrees for ten minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes after baking.

4. Fill the bottom of the tart with the cheese based filling. Cover the top with pine nuts. Dust it with icing sugar. Place in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

5. Pour the limoncello sauce on a clean plate and place the tart on the side. Decorate with red currants. Sprinkle on a little icing sugar.

Beef Fillet Sauteed With Reblochon Cheese And Marrow

A rich and lavish dish that makes a very elegant presentation for a very special occasion, Sautéed beef fillet with reblochon cheese and bone marrow accompanied with crisp potato cakes and luscious gravy is sure to make your guests drool. The beef is seared in hot oil and then topped with reblochon cheese and marrow then cooked in the oven until the cheese and the marrow melts on top of the beef. The gravy is made using the beef carcass sautéed with shallots and simmered in white wine. The potatoes are grated and formed into thin cakes and fried until golden and crisp.

This is one of the best gourmandia recipe is high in cholesterol and fat and should be consumed with caution. It is best enjoyed during the holidays where diet restrictions are temporarily suspended. Use beef tenderloin for juicy and flavourful meat that melts-in-your mouth. Sear the meat quickly in medium high heat to seal in the moisture and keep the beef tender and juicy. Flip the fillets only once, searing both sides. The meat will be further cooked in the oven to melt the cheese and marrow and to cook the interior of the meat so you want to sear it quickly so that it does not overcook inside the oven.

Ideally, cut the beef in uniform weight and sizes, about 180 to 200 grams per piece, which is a good portion for serving each guest. Serve the beef fillets with a nice red wine like St. Joseph Rouge or even a Savoie white wine, which goes excellently well with the Reblochon cheese. Originating form the Savoy mountain region of France, Reblochon cheese is made with the rich and creamy milk from the second milking of Abondance and Tarine cows. It is a creamy, supple ad soft cheese with a nutty flavor and a yeasty, almost moldy aroma. You can also use Camembert, Gruyere, or Brie as a substitute for making this recipe.

Ingredients

marrow from 4 bones

4 potatoes

rapeseed oil

salt

pepper

4 beef fillets (about 1/2 lb. each)

2 shallots

3/4 cup white wine

1 glass water

Reblochon cheese (or other soft cheese)

1. Place the deboned marrow in water to remove excess blood, leaving it to soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Peel the potatoes and grate to make julienne or matchstick strips using a sharp knife or potato grater. Season the potato strips with some salt, shape them into a flat cake using your palms, and fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. Place on paper towels to absorb grease.

3. Sear the beef fillets in hot oil, browning both sides. Remove the meat from the pan.

4. To make gravy, sauté waste-parts from the beef with some shallots. Once browned, add some white wine and a glass of water. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.

5. Remove the crust from the reblochon cheese and cut into cubes. Slice the marrow into the same sized cubes. Place the cheese and the marrow on the beef fillet. Place the whole thing in the oven for 5 minutes.

6. Strain the gravy and add a pinch of salt. When the cheese melts on the meat, remove from the oven and add the crispy potato cakes. Serve the gravy in a separate bowl.

Making An Asian Salad

When cooking Asian food, figuring out what to do for a salad can be a challenge. Try this tasty Asian Eggplant Salad for your next Asian meal and you won't regret it. Let Gourmandia.ca help you out. 

Turn oven on to 400 degrees 

- 2 tablespoons canola oil 

- 2 small, firm eggplants, peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch thick lengthwise 

- 1/2 teaspoon salt 

1. Spread the oil on nonstick baking sheets, then coat the eggplant by laying them on the sheets, then turning to coat both sides. 

2. Sprinkle the eggplant with the salt. 

Bake these for 20 minutes or until soft and lightly browned. 

ASIAN DRESSING 

- 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 

- 1 teaspoon sugar 

- 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil 

- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

- 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 

3. Combine these ingredients in a bowl.

TO FINISH THE SALAD: 

- 8 cups loosely packed watercress, washed and dried 

4. Spread the watercress on a large platter. 

5. Fold the cooled eggplant slices in half and arrange them on the watercress. 

- 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs (optional) 

6. Just before serving, pour on the dressing and sprinkle on the bread crumbs. 

Making Potato Pancakes with Ham and Cheese

This scrumptious recipe considered as the Spanish version of the world-known potato pancakes is accented with cheese and ham to make it a complete meal which can be served as is. It is best served with eggs for breakfast and as a dish on the side to veggies, fish or meats at lunchtime or dinnertime. This can also be served as a snack to satisfy your craving whenever you just want to nibble on something like Michelin recipes. This recipe uses potatoes that are boiled with the use of salted water till a level of tenderness is reached then mashed and mixed with flour, ham, cheese and butter, and pepper and salt are used to season it to create a batter like dough or pancake. The batter after being shaped into patties is fried using a skillet till they are golden brown. 

With the cheese and the ham in every potato patty, a very flavorful dish is thus made. The grated cheddar cheese used in this dish gives it a sharp flavor for an irresistible taste. The cheese not only contributes to its flavor but also its texture helps keep all the ingredients intact and to prevent the shape of the patties from being ruined especially when they are being shaped and already fried in the skillet. Fantastic for breakfast and known as Spanish potato patties, this recipe makes for an appetizing lunch or an appealing dish on the side at dinnertime. You can always prepare it anytime you wish! 

Ingredients 

1 ¼ lb. potatoes, peeled and cubed 

2 tablespoons butter 

¼ cup grated Cheddar cheese 

4 slices ham, chopped 

½ cup all purpose flour 

Spray oil 

Salt 

Freshly ground pepper 

1.Using a saucepan, boil the salted water. 

2.The potatoes then are added and cooked for 10- 15 minutes until they are tender. 

3.Afterwhich the potatoes are drained and then mashed and mixed with the cheese and butter till they are melted. 

4.Add the flour and ham. Stir well. 

5.It must then be seasoned with pepper and salt. 

6.The “dough” must then be divided into 8 and shaped into about ½ in. thick discs. 

7.Add oil to a skillet. 

8.Afterwhich the potato pancakes must be cooked for 4-5 minutes on all sides till they are golden. 

9.Use paper towels to drain them before serving. 

Making Honeydew Soup

During hot summer days to counter the sweltering heat, make and serve this chilled honeydew soup as an appetizer. The sweet and tasty honeydew soup is combined with nonfat yogurt and flavored with white wine vinegar for an invigorating dish. For a salty and savory contrast slices of hard salami are garnished on top. However, you can also use Parma Prosciutto to garnish the soup instead of salami, or bacon bits if that is what you have in the fridge. Garnish the honeydew soup with mint leaves instead if you want a meatless version. 

Especially at the peak of its ripeness, honeydew melon, which is member of the muskmelon family, is the sweetest type of melons. It has a smooth and creamy yellow rind and its flesh is a pale green. It has an extraordinarily sweet, succulent and juicy flesh prized by the Egyptians thousands of years ago. Honeydew which generally has a slightly oval shape can weigh from 4 to 8 pounds. In this healthy recipe, together with the yogurt and other ingredients honeydew is pureed in the blender. No cooking is required to make this soup. It can be done in a few minutes, making it perfect for busy weekdays and for entertaining guests at the last minute. The cool and refreshing soup stimulates the senses and also gives an energy boost. 

Choose honeydew that is ripe and not those picked prematurely. Once it is picked the flesh of this fruit won’t get any sweeter but will become softer and juicier. Perfectly ripe honeydew can be detected by touch as it will have a subtle wrinkling on the skin’s surface. Choose honeydew that feels heavy for its size. Do not buy the melons that are too firm or too soft. Avoid those with dark blemishes on the skin or those with skin that is still green indicating that it is not yet ripe. 

Ingredients 

1 (1 ½ lb.) honeydew melon 

¾ cup plain nonfat yogurt 

1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar 

4 slices hard salami (chopped) 

1. Peel and seed the melon then cut into cubes. Puree with an immersion blender, traditional blender, or a food processor. 

2. Add the yogurt and vinegar. Finish pureeing. Cover. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until thoroughly chilled. 

3. Serve the soup in chilled bowls. Garnish with about 1 tablespoon of the chopped salami. 

Different Kinds of Salad Dressings

It's one of those dishes you can literally throw in a bowl and forget about. Salads are too easy. They are a great way to get creative by blending flavors. I have so many favorite salads! Sweet potato and orange is amazing, but that will have to be a whole other hub. 

In the meantime her are a few of my favorite dressings to spice up your healthy recipes. Most of them have come from a trial and error process and some were just perfect the way they were. I will add salad suggestions for each dressing, but it really is up to you. These selected dressings go great over other dishes too, not just salad. I urge you to try these easy salad dressing recipes for yourself!  

Parsley Dressing 

Best served over chicken salad.

Ingredients: 

2tbs parsley, chopped 

1/3 Cup/80ml oil 

2tbs red wine vineger 

1/2tsp dried basil leaves 

Directions: 

1. Combine all ingredients in a screw top jar and shake well. 

Chili Lime Dressing 

Best served over Thai beef salad. 

Ingredients: 

1/4 Cup/60ml lime juice 

1tbs fish sauce 

1 small fresh red chili, thinly sliced 

1 clove garlic, crushed 

1tbs fresh coriander root, finely chopped 

1tbs white sugar 

1tbs peanut oil 

Directions: 

1. Combine all ingredients in a screw top jar and shake well. 

Cumin Dressing 

Best served over couscous salad. 

Ingredients: 

1/4 Cup/60ml lemon juice 

1/4 Cup/60ml olive oil 

1tsp honey

3/4tsp ground cumin

1/2tsp cayenne pepper 

Directions: 

1. Combine all ingredients in a screw top jar and shake well. 

Few Tips to Make Better Salad

Summer salads always arrive on the menu when the sun comes out, the temperatures warm-up, and the days lengthen. With all that renewed activity taking place, it's always more encouraging to eat lighter, fresher and faster like what you see on Gourmet Recipes. 

1. Fresh is best

You can't beat fresh ingredients and the extra flavor they bring to a salad. There's nothing worse than limp lettuce or browned or limp leaves being served up. If your ingredients are fresh from the market all the better but that's not always possible. When composing your salad try to get as many fresh ingredients on there as possible as that's where the most nutrition is. At the end of the day you want your salad to be both tasty and a healthy recipe.

2. Get creative with ingredients

Go wild with veges. How about including some freshly cut green beans, grilled zucchini, avocado, grated beetroot, mushrooms, cherry tomatos, different coloured peppers, or shredded cabbage. Or try something a little different like fennel, snow-peas, asparagus, or artichokes. A scattering of cheese like shaved parmesan or crumbled blue cheese gives a scrummy taste boost. Torn mozzarella or crumbled feta are fab too. How about adding some fruit? Cranberries, fresh blueberries, watermelon, sliced pear, orange or manderin segments all work well and provide a good taste balance to the savory ingredients. 

3. Think outside lettuce

If you're looking for greenery there are hundreds of different types to choose from. OK maybe they're not all available at your local market, but if yours is anything like mine, there are at least six different types of lettuce off the top of my head. Some of my favs are cos, buttercrunch, and deer tongue. How about some fresh rocket or baby spinach? Lettuce is super easy to grow at home, even if you only have a wee balcony.

4. Add some protein

Adding protein can turn your salad from a limp accompaniment to a meal in itself. This is especially important if you're feeding gluten-free or celiac diners who will, quite frankly, be starving within the hour if you're only feeding them a few leaves. It also takes quite a lot of energy to chew through lettuce and it's very disappointing if it's only going to temporarily fill the gap.

There is a wide selection of protein sources you can choose from. You can add chicken, beef, lamb, tuna, salmon, shrimp, beans, lentils , tofu, hard-boiled eggs, quinoa, rice, carrots, corn, or almonds. Just pick one or two from the list and scatter them through the salad.

5. Add seeds, nuts and fresh herbs

The secret to a tasty salad is adding little bursts of unexpected flavor. Seeds, nuts and fresh herbs are the perfect addition. Try seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, sesame or poppy seeds or a combination. Add some walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia, pecans or pinenuts. Toss in some pomegrante seeds which look superb.

6. Let people dress their own salad

Individual tastes dictate a whole raft of preferences for salad dressings. I personally don't like salads swimming in oil, nor am a fan of creamy dressings or mayonnaise. Not dressing your salad also makes it last longer. Any uneaten salad can be popped in a container in the fridge for lunch the next day or the next night's dinner.

7. Serve it at room temperature

A chilled salad just doesn't cut it! It bites on the palate, hides the natural flavours of the ingredients, and quite frankly shows you're not thinking of the diner. OK maybe the cleanliness brigade might disagree on this (but I'm all for letting my immune system naturally do its thing), but I think removing a pre-prepared salad from the fridge 1-2 hours before consuming is perfect. It takes that freezing chill off.

Cabbage Soup from the South

This soup is convenient for those cold nights in winter and can be taken with crusty or corn bread. Furthermore, it is appropriate for picnics or parked lunch and the servings vary depending on your appetite. It is also advisable to select ingredients that are low on salt in order to ensure that the soup comes out low on salt. This healthy recipe has a delicately rich taste because of the many different ingredients that add to the overall flavor of the soup. It is best served as a side dish or as appetizer. 

In some cases, it is served as desert. Due to the presence of pepper, this soup may be too hot and it is advisable to inform any visitors who may have joined in for a meal whether they are fine with hot dishes. This soup, however, is very nutritious. It tastes great and is a five star recipe that can be prepared by anyone who is willing to experiment and enjoys trying out new recipes at Gourmandia.ca. The nutritional composition of this soup per serving of 481g is indicated below: • 251 calories (50 from Fat) • 5.5g Fat • 24.5mg Cholesterol • 1488.4mg Sodium • 31g Carbohydrates • 10.9g Fiber • 8.3g Sugars • 20.1g Protein This dish is high in dietary fiber making a perfect recipe for the whole family.

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced

1 tablespoon butter

1 head of cabbage, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 bay leaf

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 large carrot, shredded or minced

1 large apple, cored, peeled, and shredded or minced

1 cup dry white wine

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of cayenne

2 cups evaporated milk, heated

Freshly ground pepper

1. Put the diary spread on an oven and place over intermediate temperature. 

2. Once the diary spread is melted, add the onion and fry until golden brown. 

3. Add the bay leaf, fennel, salt and cabbage to the pan and cook for approximately 25 minutes while stirring occasionally 

4. Lower the heat and add the stock. Simmer for another 20 minutes. 

5. Add the apple fruit, carrot and wine and cook for another 10 minutes while pan is uncovered. 

6. Remove the pan from the oven and stir contents in the milk, cayenne and nutmeg and add pepper. 

7. Serve while hot. It takes 1 hour to prepare and an hour to cook.

Backwoods Stew

Delicious stew takes long hours of preparation and boiling before you can taste and enjoy a bowl of stew. In this recipe which Gourmandia.ca will help you for hunter stew you don’t need to wait long hours to enjoy a delicious bowl of stew as you can make a delicious melt-in-your mouth stew in less than an hour. This flavorful and scrumptious recipe is made with boiled ham, which is diced into pieces in different sizes, as large or as small as you wish. Hunter stew is a satisfying comfort food. It is flavored with bacon, onions, and tomatoes, enhanced with green beans and corn and seasoned with salt and pepper. This recipe can be done in a jiffy during busy weekdays.

This easy gourmet food recipes uses convenient ingredients to make the process of making stew almost instant designed for the modern lifestyle. The stew does not need to be simmered for long hours for it to become flavorful because the ham is already cooked in this case. It is the bacon is that gives the dish a savory taste that is similar to the “fond” that develops at the bottom of the pot when making a thick and flavorful stew. Since canned tomatoes, canned beans, and canned corn are used in this recipe, which have already been cooked, there is no need to be heated them to be ready for eating. Simmer them together for some thirty minutes to allow the ingredients to meld together and come in harmony. Cooking them longer will make them too soft and unappetizing.

This dish is best served with some rice or delicious crusty bread. Throw some salad greens together for a lovely feast that feels and tastes like you’ve worked on it for hours. And of course, this is also absolutely delicious with a good bottle of wine or ice cold beer. Hunter stew is also a convenient dish to make for camping and hiking trips, as well as other outdoor activities.

Ingredients

1/4 lb. bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 lb. boiled ham, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (8 oz) green beans

1 can (8 oz.) whole kernel corn

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown bacon pieces in a medium skillet, over medium-high heat.

2. Then transfer bacon to a small soup kettle. Add remaining ingredients. Heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until stew is thick. Serve.

Creme Brulee With Ginger And Basil

The crème brulee is a quintessential French dessert made of delicate, creamy flan with a golden brown crust of caramelized sugar on the top. But in this recipe, Chef Mario d’Orio of Le Mahatma Restaurant takes it a step further by adding ginger and basil leaves for a more exciting and sophisticated take on the dessert. At times fragrant and therapeutic, the ginger and basil provide a contrast to the creamy sweetness of the traditional custard.

Vanilla bean is the primary flavoring of the classic crème brulee and the chefs recipes still includes it. The addition of the ginger, grated or minced finely, is done at the same time as the vanilla bean so that the flavors are cooked into the custard. The basil leaves, which does its best when fresh and with the least amount of cooking, are added during the last stages of the preparation. It is chopped finely, which releases its sweet, herby fragrance. The crème brulee is one of the easiest desserts to prepare if you look at the directions but care must be exercised when cooking the milk and cream into a custard lest it curdles or overcooks. You will have to know when it’s time to take the dessert out of the fire. The egg yolks are added and whisked to make the custard. This recipe can be a stepping stone for further experimentations with flavoring the crème brulee beyond basil and ginger. Should you wish, you can add coffee, chocolate, green tea, liqueur, lemon, pistachio, and orange zest later on to the basic custard.

While crème brulee means “burnt cream,” it is the brown sugar layer which is actually “burnt.” Using a blowtorch, the sugar is caramelized until it forms a crust on top to seal in the rich, creamy and silky custard base. With the basil and ginger, this luxurious dessert becomes invigorating and refreshing to the senses. Serve with a glass of Sauterne.

Ingredients

1 cup milk

1 ¾ tablespoons ginger

1 vanilla pod

¼ lb. sugar

10 egg yolks

1 pint heavy cream

10 basil leaves

brown sugar

1. Peel and cut ginger into thin and small pieces. In a medium saucepan, cook the milk over medium heat. Add the ginger and sugar then stir. Scrape vanilla bean and place the pulp and bean in saucepan. Stir then bring to a boil. Set aside to cool.

2. In a bowl, separate the eggs. Set aside the egg whites for other uses. Whisk egg yolks until rich and smooth. Strain the cream and add to the egg yolks a little at a time, stirring continually until blended. Finely chop the basil and stir into the mixture.

3. Pour in shallow bowls or casserole dish and place in a preheated 100 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or just until the cream is set and trembling in the center.

4. Allow the dish to cool then refrigerate for two hours and up to three days. Before serving, sprinkle sugar and caramelize using a blowtorch. Garnish with thin spirals of ginger.

Creamy Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate rice pudding is a satisfying comfort food that can be enjoyed for breakfast, snack or dessert, made from simple ingredients that are readily available in most pantries. All you need is white rice, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, butter, cocoa, and egg to make this recipe. To make a delicious chocolate rice pudding you can also use left over rice and is a great way to use up extra rice left from a meal. Use high quality rice if you want something more luxurious like basmati, which makes a fragrant dessert, or Arborio, which is often used to make risotto and makes a creamy pudding. For a sumptuous yet inexpensive dessert, however, any short-grain rice will do. For the winter or during cold and chilly weather this is also the perfect comfort food. 

Usually chocolate pudding often starts with custard flavored with chocolate and thickened with a cornstarch or any other thickening agent. In this recipe, is used to thicken the pudding. Rice makes the perfect base for a thick and creamy pudding since rice is naturally glutinous. The vanilla and chocolate give it a depth of flavor and the eggs help make the pudding light and fluffy. Milk breaks down the rice and makes it creamy while the butter also adds silkiness to the pudding, as well as sumptuous flavor. 

In this recipe the rice is cooked separately and then mixed with the other ingredients and cooked further. In a separate saucepan the milk, sugar, vanilla, butter, cocoa and egg are mixed together before it is added to the cooked rice. To prevent the milk from scorching use a heavy bottomed saucepan when mixing the ingredients. They should be heated on very low heat for these are very delicate ingredients or they will burn or form clumps. Be careful not to scramble the eggs. Mix them only enough until they are all blended together. 

Ingredients 

3/4 cup white rice 

1 1/4 cups water 

1 1/2 cups milk 

1/3 cup white sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon butter 

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 

1 egg 

1. In a pan wash the rice and set aside for 5 minutes. 

2. In a saucepan bring water to a boil and stir in the washed rice. Simmer for about 20 minutes and cover it. 

3. Mix in a separate saucepan, the milk, sugar, vanilla, butter, cocoa, and beaten egg. 

4. Pour this chocolate mixture in it once rice is cooked. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir often. 

5. When the desired consistency is reached rice pudding is finished. Then allow it to cool. Serve in a pudding tray. 

Similar Dish to Italian Polenta

Escaoutoun landais is a dish similar to the Italian polenta, blended with ewe’s-milk cheese and topped with chanterelle mushrooms lightly sautéed in some duck fat. This delectable recipe is an old, traditional dish from the French region called Landes, where Chef Helene Darroze comes from. This regional dish is based on corn flour, which replaced bread a long time ago in the Landes region, a region where there were more cornfields than vines. 

Like polenta, escaoutoun is traditionally a peasant staple food. It was a lot more affordable than bread since corn was more readily available and cheaper than wheat, as in many parts of Europe during that time. Normally, the corn flour is cooked only with water. But in her restaurant, chef Darroze uses chicken or poultry stock to give the dish more flavor. Whether its stock or water you use, the important thing is that the liquid should be cold when it is mixed in with the corn flour so that the mixture does not turn into glue. When it is well cooked, the texture should be like pâte à choux or choux pastry dough, which is a light paste used to make cream puffs. The ideal consistency is similar to stiffed mashed potato. 

This version by Chef Darroze is a bit lighter. She often serves it with wild mushrooms. At times she serves it with black truffles and hazelnut butter, depending on the season. For this recipe, chanterelle mushrooms were used. But other types of mushrooms may also be used such as cepes, oysters, trompettes de mort, porcini or hedgehogs. Peasants often serve this dish with a neck of pig. Other possible toppings include roasted asparagus, grilled sardines, and even fresh chocolates. Whatever the topping, the escaoutoun has to taste good enough to eat plain. Sprinkling a good amount of shredded Basque sheep’s milk cheese will often do the trick. 

Ingredients 

3 tablespoons corn flour 

1 ¼ cups fowl bouillon 

2 tablespoons mascarpone 

8.8 oz. mushrooms 

8.8 oz. Basque sheep cheese 

duck grease 

13 ½ tablespoons fowl gravy 

salt, pepper 

bunch of parsley 

1. Use a saucepan to mix the cool poultry broth and the corn flour and whisk together until fully incorporated. Cook on the stove for about five minutes to get rid of the excess water. Add mascarpone and a little bit of the white sauce base to give it the right texture. Add the grated basque cheese. 

2. With some duck fat fry the chanterelle mushrooms for three or four minutes. The mushrooms should be cooked by then. Season with salt and pepper and sprigs of parsley. 

3. Put the warm escaoutoun on the plate. Top the dish with the sautéed chanterelle mushrooms. Finish off with a drop or two of poultry broth. 

Healthy Tofu

Tofu is a highly nutritious and protein-rich food that is made by curdling soybean milk. From a Chinese origin over 2000 years ago, tofu can now be found in all supermarkets around the world and is available all year round. Tofu is particularly valuable to anyone who is on an exclusively vegetarian diet because of its very high levels of protein. Nowadays however, even the die hard meat-eaters are considering tofu products as a way to improve their diets so as to gain from its variety of health benefits. 

Tofu is primarily available in three textures: firm, soft and silken. Silken is the softer form of tofu that is often used in dips, spreads and dressings. The soft texture is a good substitute for eggs and creamy cheeses like ricotta and cottage cheese. The firm texture is usually cut up into chunks that can be marinated for taste and then either grilled or baked.

The main nutritional health benefits of tofu are the following: 

Heart Health - A normal serving of Tofu contains 15% of the daily requirement of omega-3 fatty acids which is a heart healthy substance that is normally found in fish. This fatty acid has the ability to improve cholesterol, but also to aid in helping blood to clot properly. Tofu also lowers the amount of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) which is the "bad cholesterol", and also the triglyceride levels, both of which are strong indicators of heart diseases. 

Menopause - Estrogens are female reproductive hormones which are secreted by the ovaries. The body's supply of estrogen affects many potential health conditions including osteoporosis and heart diseases. When estrogen levels are low in menopause, isoflavones which are contained in tofu, help maintain hormone levels and regain any estrogen loss. 

Prostate Conditions for Men - The same isoflavones mentioned above that protect women in menopause can also be helpful by preventing prostate cancer in men. Various studies have shown that isoflavones can reduce prostate cancer growth and also protect against enlargement of the prostate gland. Tofu has also high levels of selenium, an antioxidant that reduces free radical damage, protecting the body from prostate cancer but also reducing the possibilities of asthma and arthritis. 

Strong Muscles and Extra Energy - A small 4 ounce serving of tofu contributes to 18% of an adult's daily requirement of protein and over 30% daily requirement of iron. Protein is crucial for building muscle whereas the iron is used as part of hemoglobin which is found in red blood cells, and is responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to all other tissues of the body. 

Weight Loss - The high levels of protein in tofu help your body feel full for longer periods of time. Tofu delivers the same protein benefits of meat while still being low in saturated fat and sodium. Tofu is packed with so many beneficial nutrients but yet it only has 70-100 calories per serving, making it perfect to include in a weight loss diet and staying healthy at the same time. 

Pumpkin Cappuccino With Cardamom

Fall is the beautiful season of pumpkin—you’ll find them at the farmer’s market or at grocery produce shelves. To celebrate this orange beauty when it is most abundant, Michelin Chef Franck Salein, known for his delicate and flavorful cuisine inspired by fresh local ingredients and traditional French cooking, created this hearty pumpkin appetizer. Particularly in the month of October, many families make all kinds of dishes using pumpkin as the main ingredient, like cakes, gratins, crumbles, and pies. All these dishes are luscious sweet and savory. Perhaps the most popular and most beloved of these dishes is the rich and deliciously creamy pumpkin soup.

The use of cardamom in this recipe adds a touch of spice and aroma to the classic soup. This version is invigorating, even uplifting to the downtrodden spirits. This is a light appetizer so unlike many other pumpkin soup recipes. It is served in a small bowl or wide cappuccino cup to be enjoyed just like a cup of coffee. You can sip this smooth and velvety soup or you may enjoy it bit by bit with a spoon. For a totally indulgent first course, you will enjoy this dish with a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. The wine should not be too bold or carry too much oak so as not to overpower this delicately spicy dish. A creamy and complex white wine like Margaret River chardonnay complements very well the flavors used in this recipe. Pumpkin cappuccino with cardamom will likewise taste particularly spectacular with Fixin wines, which have a full body but delicate texture, and which produce both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The best kind of pumpkin to use for this recipe is the Muscade de Provence. It is not only sweet and musky in flavor but it also has a hint of hazelnut and that combines perfectly well with the aroma and flavor of cardamom. Other ingredients needed to make this recipe include onion, garlic, cardamom, thyme, bay leaf, salt, olive oil, pepper, poultry stock, and powdered milk.

Ingredients

1 lb. pumpkin

3.5 oz. onions

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons olive oil

thyme and laurel

2 tablespoons fowl stock

a few cardamom grains

0.53 oz. (about 1 tablespoon) powdered skim milk

salt, pepper

1. Heat a saucepan with some olive oil. Add sliced onions and a clove of garlic. As soon as the onions turn translucent add the chunks of pumpkin slices. Season this with salt and pepper as you add a touch of cardamom seeds. Pour the poultry stock to add moisture to this recipe. Let it simmer gently without coming to a full boil. Add thyme and bay leaf. Cook for about 20 minutes.

2. When cooked, before pouring the soup in the blender, remove the garlic. Wait till you get a nice and creamy soup before turning off the blender. Let the mixture pass through a sieve to filter and get an extremely smooth consistency.

3. Boil some water and add powdered milk. Using an electric mixer, whip the milk into a chantilee mousse.

4. To serve, pour the pumpkin soup in a bowl. Using a Spoon the frothy milk, place a circle of the frothy milk mixture on top of the soup to decorate and also to flavor the soup.

Berry Muffins

Fresh blueberries and luscious applesauce combine to create moist and tender muffins for a perfect way to start the day. Bursting with wonderful color and irresistible aroma, these delicious muffins, adapted from The Country Art of Blueberry Cookery by Mrs. Clifford Davis Morrison, also make excellent snack or dessert with a cup of tea or coffee. The applesauce adds moisture to the muffins and its sweet and tangy flavor makes a fine contrast to the blueberries. The applesauce should be prepared ahead of time, or it can be bought in the grocery store packaged in a jar. 

You need only a few handful of ingredients to make scrumptious muffins including flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, mace, eggs, applesauce, shortening, and fresh blueberries. Mace is the outer layer that covers the nutmeg spice and is sold either ground or in blades. It has a milder flavor than nutmeg and typically added to sauces, soups, sausages, fish dishes, and pates. Nutmeg and mace have similar aroma and flavor, with nutmeg being slightly sweeter and mace being more delicate. Mace imparts a bright orange tinge or hue that is like saffron to dishes it is added to. If you can’t find mace, you can also use nutmeg to flavor the muffins although in lesser quantity. For guidance check out some recipe videos online. 

For best results, all the ingredients should be at room temperature before making the batter, including the milk, eggs and applesauce. The dry ingredients should first be combined together and blended and the wet ingredients are combined separately. When mixing the dry and wet ingredients, do not over mix until smooth. The batter should be a bit lumpy to incorporate air into the muffins as they are baking and produce a light and airy result as opposed to dense and heavy. The dry and wet ingredients are mixed together just until the dry is completely moistened. The blueberries are folded in last to prevent them from disintegrating. 

Ingredients 

3 cups all-purpose flour 

1 cup granulated sugar 

1 tablespoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

½ teaspoon mace 

2 eggs 

1 cup applesauce 

¼ cup melted shortening 

2 cups fresh blueberries 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin or line the cups with paper and set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, blend together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and mace. 

3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the applesauce and shortening and blend well. Add this applesauce mixture to the flour mixture, blending well. Fold in the blueberries. 

4. Pour the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean. 

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minute. Remove muffins from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack.