Slow cooked beef with garlic, onions and bacon in Belgian beer – served with Dijon mustard croutons…….absolute bliss! I have eaten this many times on visits to Belgium and it remains a firm favourite, especially when eaten with piles of fluffy mashed potatoes and a glass of fine Belgian beer! This recipe serves two hungry people, but it can be increased to serve a crowd, and works beautifully in the crockpot too. (The recipe is courtesy of Cecile Loubaud and the Batham’s Brewery.) NB: Traditionally, the meat should be grilled on a barbecue – hence the name! The word comes from the Italian carbonate (charcoal-grilled).
I love Moules/Mussels, plus they are low in fat and high in minerals, making them very healthy! This is my own version of the Traditional French Moules Mariniere. The vermouth adds a complex and sweet taste to these mussels, and the tarragon compliments the vermouth perfectly. These mussels really are fragrant – the whole kitchen is perfumed with the sweet and aromatic smell whilst they are steaming! Serve with good bread and frites (French fries) for a delicious main meal or luncheon dish.
I adore moules, mussels, and this is the classic French recipe for them. Moules Marinières is also commonly known as Sailor’s mussels or Mariner’s mussels. The dish consists of delicately steamed fresh mussels in a white wine, garlic, parsley, butter, onion and cream sauce. Moules Marinières can be served as an appetising starter or even a light main meal. It is delicious served with fresh crusty bread or with frites (chips/fries). There is nothing more mouth-watering than a huge bowl of artistically presented mussels, yet the fun part is eating them. The best way is to use an empty mussel shell as the “spoon” in which to pick the remaining mussels from their shells and then eat them. It’s a brilliant excuse to use your fingers to eat rather than the usual knife and for – very tactile! A traditional French recipe will use butter, however the butter may be substituted for a few tablespoons of olive oil for a healthier option – I sometimes use a mix of butter and olive oil I hope you find the step-by-step photos helpful, this recipe was used in the September 2008 Cooking School for the TOTM – hopefully, the photos will debunk the myth that mussels are hard to prepare and cook, NOT so! Bon Appétit!
Entrecote Bordelaise is a French classic, impressive yet simple to prepare – it is a very chic way to serve a steak! Here are my easy step by step instructions for a perfect Entrecote Bordelaise! Serve with sauté potatoes or frites and haricots verts……and a good bottle of Saint Emilion, from the little Medieval town just to the east of Bordeaux.
A savory, succulent taste sensation. From the Southwest chapter of the United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947
