French – Style Pot Roasted Rock Cornish Game Hens
An incredibly simple dish that looks and tastes extra special. From “The Cooks Encyclopedia of Chicken” – A”must have for every cookbook shelf.
Belgian Endive With Roquefort Dressing
This is from my 365 Ways to Cook Vegetarian cookbook. Posting for ZWT3. “French tradition warrants that this salad be served on Christmas or New Year’s Eve in French homes… The slightly bitter taste of the tear-shaped Belgian endive marries itself well with Roquefort cheese and a strong-flavored vinaigrette. To clean endives, wipe them with a damp cloth. Don’t soak them, since they tend to absorb water.”
Moule Frites (Mussels With Chips)
This is served everywhere you go in France & Belgium, particularly on the coast. However I most recently ate this at ‘La Grande Braderie’ in Lille where it is the specialty dish, it was fantastic! For the chips I have used my own recipe for chips as I a) prefer them and b) they are much healthier! Traditionally the ‘frites’ would be deep fried. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Buche De Noel / Yule Log Cake
A traditional dessert served during the Christmas holidays in France, Belgium, Quebec, Lebanon and several other Christian-populated francophone countries as well as in the UK. As the name indicates, the cake is generally prepared, presented, and garnished so as to look like a log ready for the fire. The traditional bûche is made from a Génoise or other sponge cake, generally baked in a large, shallow Swiss roll pan, frosted, rolled to form a cylinder, and frosted again on the outside. The most common combination is a basic yellow sponge cake, frosted and filled with chocolate buttercream; however, many variations on the traditional recipe exist, possibly including chocolate cakes, ganache and espresso or otherwise-flavored frostings and fillings. Bûches are often served with a portion of one end of the cake cut off and set on top of the cake or protruding from its side to resemble a chopped off branch, and bark-like texture is often produced in the buttercream for further realism. These cakes are often decorated with powdered sugar to resemble snow, tree branches, fresh berries, and mushrooms made of meringue.
An Indoor Camembert Picnic Platter for Parties and Fêtes!
Picnic like the French with a perfectly ripe Camembert, some garlicky sausage and a fresh, crusty baguette – eh voila! No need to go outside for a picnic, if the weather is inclement; enjoy a picnic in your kitchen at the kitchen table, or use the cheese platter as a centrepiece for parties, fêtes, cocktails or social gatherings! Lay a tartan rug on the table and use wicker baskets or a hamper if you wish………..be as “rustique” or as “chic” as you want to be! Great for Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year, as well as for a summer picnics of course!
