One day I was challenged and told that I am incapable to do simple things, all I do is complicated (maybe that matches my complicated mind as well, since I am known to be une fille assez compliquée!) so I did not like that statement too much and decided to make something simple that I don’t really eat, because I am staying away from meat and lots of white bread, so I prepared it for some friends who came to visit…who are quite traditional and quite French, and of course meat eaters. Vous voulez du simple? hein? ben voilà des sandwiches!!!

When I cook for the French, I don’t have to worry about the health issue, they have a tendency to lean towards heavier meals. I just want to clarify maybe one misconception about the French, they don’t eat light food, well my friends don’t and most French I know don’t (overweight problem in France is becoming an issue)….and the Friday night steak and Fries with extra fries and extra sauce at Café Bastille is the living proof of my statement! Now I know there IS a new generation of people, foodies and chefs promoting a new cuisine using less grease and more fresh ingredients, emphasizing of natural flavors and preservation of nutriments. But overall people tend to be quite traditional in their eating habits.

There is a new sandwich place in San Francisco called Ike’s Place, and I have been driving by almost every day, the line of people on the sidewalk waiting to get served is insane, never seen something like that here, feels like Russia during the bad years. I am just wondering how this could be possible, waiting one hour in line for a sandwich? I never wait for an hour not even not even for my favorite restaurant, so it seems like sandwiches are more popular than ever…well Ike’s Place for sure is.

If you are in the mood for some fancy and delightful chicken sandwich try this one…the patties are mixed with herbs and spices topped with melting cheese, peppery arugula and an avocado sauce! Watch out Ike! I might be complicated but I make great sandwiches!

Ingredients for 4 sandwiches

• Flat bread or also called “pain rustique”, or herb focaccia

For the spread

• ½ tsp curry powder
• juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbs red onion finely chopped
• 1/3 tsp. chili flakes
• salt and pepper

Sandwich ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 16 slices pancetta
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 2 tsp parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tsp oregano, finely chopped
• 2 tsp basil, finely chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp capers
• 12 garlic stuffed green olives
• 4 jalapeno peppers, sliced
• 2 heirloom tomato, sliced
• 2 cups arugula
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the spread: Peel avocado and remove the kernel. Crush avocado with a potato masher.  Add curry powder, lemon juice, onions, chili, salt and pepper. Mix well and place in the refrigerator until use.
For the patties:  In a mixing container, mix ground chicken with garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, lemon zest, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well to obtain a smooth consistency paste. Make 2.3 oz (or 6 cm) diameter patties and 0.4 inches thick.
Grill pancetta until golden brown on both sides.
Grill on a grill pan for about five minutes on both sides. Two minutes before removing from grill add Fontina cheese and cover with a lid to enable the cheese to melt. Remove when the cheese has melted but before it starts liquefying.
Grill bread on both sides on a grill pan, or regular grill. Add 1 tbs avocado spread on each slice of bread. Add arugula, tomatoes then add patties. Top with  jalapeno peppers, sliced garlic green olives and capers.

I  don’t cook with sumac very often but when I do, I make this dish and it’s been quite popular among chicken lovers. Sumac is a wonderful Middle Eastern spice, it enhances the flavor of the dish without altering its taste. Sumac is a little tree whose leaves turn red in fall somehow like maple trees and produces little round balls which contains little brownish grains.

I usually serve it with curried Israeli couscous and it makes an excellent combination with Middle Eastern flavors. Sumac is very used in Middle Eastern cuisine, it has a tangy flavor and is used somehow like lemon. If you are vegetarian, chicken can be replaced with white fish and it works beautifully too on light flavored fishes. This spice is one of the most delicate spice I know because of it’s subtle flavor, it will not overpower your dish like curry or cumin would but give it a very fresh and elegant after taste.

Ingredients for 4

• 1.5 lb chicken tenders or breasts cut in strips
• 2 tsp sumac
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• cayenne pepper
• 3 tbs mint
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Cut chicken in small strips. Add sumac, cumin powder, cayenne, salt and pepper and let it marinate for about one hour or so.

In a small mixing bowl, mix lemon juice and olive oil.

Grill chicken in a grill pan. When grilled on the outside and still juicy in the middle, remove from pan, add olive oil/lemon juice mixture. Coat well. Sprinkle with mint and serve hot.

Since I don’t really eat meat, I know my blog lacks meat recipes, I figured that when I cook for some non-vegetarian people who do eat meat, I take the opportunity for putting up the recipe on the blog. I look at those chicken thighs and it reminds me of my cute and sweet parakeet and I really have to think about something else or I won’t be able to cook them. Sometimes, I have to detach myself from things that bother me, or I won’t be able to do anything.

I love fresh herbs, all of them! When I first moved to California, I was amazed to see tons of houses with bushes of rosemary as a decoration plant. I thought that was funny, I was wondering if people used it for cooking or if it was just as a decoration…and still I have no answer to that. I used to live on a street where almost all houses had huge rosemary plants bordering them and coming all the way on the sidewalk. Sometimes, when I was out of rosemary, I would help myself. I know it’s not very appropriate but at the time, I thought it was not a big deal especially considering the size of the rosemary spreading in a public zone.

This chicken is very flavorful and mainly due to the tons of herbs I use in it. Sometimes I marinate it overnight so it gets infused with herbs and you get a wonderful roasted chicken. You can also use pearl onions instead of yellow onions.

Squash being in season, I figured I would use it, but some other vegetables like potatoes, carrots, turnips, etc…would work as well. If you have guests over, and want to spend time with them rather in your kitchen, roasted chicken is the key, you just need to baste it once in a while and that’s it. It’s like the kid that doesn’t need any attention, you just give him a toy and he keeps himself busy.

You might need to cover the dish with some aluminum foil for about 20-30 minutes, depending on how your oven cooks, then removing the foil to let the chicken brown. I am still trying to figure out how my oven works with the circular heat.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 4 chicken legs
• 1 whole butternut squash, cut in large pieces
• 2 tbs green olives
• 1 tbs strong Dijon mustard
• 3 rosemary sprigs and chopped
• 3 thyme, sprigs and chopped
• 3 tarragon sprigs and chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 5 lemon slices
• 4 tbs chicken broth
• chili flakes
• salt and pepper

Preparation

You can marinated the chicken overnight with herbs, garlic, mustard and onion, but it’s optional. You can get a fragrant chicken even if you don’t marinate it.

Keep some herb sprigs, chop some of it. Mix all ingredients together in a mixing container except chicken broth and mustard. Place chicken in a oven tray, add herb mixture on top of chicken and coat chicken with it. Spread mustard on both sides of legs.

Cook in a pre-heated oven at 370F for about 30 min, then add broth and regularly baste chicken with it.

Add squash, salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is well roasted and squash tender.

]]> http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2009/11/no-i-did-not-miss-you-roasted-chicken-thighs-with-lemon-herbs-olives-and-sunburst-squash/feed/ 13 http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2009/06/just-a-little-plate-and-thats-it-spicy-chicken-balls-in-curry-coconut-milk-and-minty-green-beans-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=just-a-little-plate-and-thats-it-spicy-chicken-balls-in-curry-coconut-milk-and-minty-green-beans-2 http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2009/06/just-a-little-plate-and-thats-it-spicy-chicken-balls-in-curry-coconut-milk-and-minty-green-beans-2/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:06:34 +0000 silvia http://www.citronetvanille.com/blog/?p=2495 Un petit plat et c’est tout! – boulettes de poulet épicées au lait de coco et curry, haricots verts à la menthe

In France we say that to stay thin, you cannot have more than one serving and we believe that if you can resist temptation, and only go for the first round, you will stay thin and healthy. On ne se sert qu’une fois (you only get served once). This dish is a part of a lose weight program and the one dish meal with one serving.

Chicken balls are part of the big meatball family, every country has its own traditional recipes of meatballs.  You can make them flat, roll them in flour, in breadcrumbs, in nuts or any way you like.  Instead of serving those with rice, I serve them with green beans, you can add rice on the side if you want or rice noodles, but if you are on a non-carb evening diet, green beans are a perfect as accompaniment. 

Those chicken balls have somehow a exotic flavor and bright yellow color that matches the green of the beans. I think food is like clothes, they need to have a matching color and look pretty in a plate. 

The green beans are dressed with a lemon-mint-garlic vinaigrette, are very refreshing and deliciously tangy. 

Ingredients for 2

• 1 large chicken breast or 2 small ones
• 2 tbs cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 4 tbs light coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp mild curry powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbs mint, chopped
• 1/2 lb green beans
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs sliced almonds

Preparation

Ground the chicken breasts in a mixer. Add cilantro, cumin powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. using the palm of your hands, make little round balls, the size of a walnut. 

In a pan heat olive oil, add onions, ginger and garlic. Mix well and cook for about 3 minutes. Keep stirring so it does not stick to the pan. Add curry powder, coriander powder, cumin powder salt and pepper. Mix well all the spice mixture. Add chicken balls and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, stir for 5-7 minutes, then add coconut milk. Cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through and until the sauce has reduced and has thickened.

For the green beans vinaigrette, mix 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs mint, 1 garlic clove chopped, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Bring water to a boil, add salt and green beans. Do not overcook the beans. Drain beans and pour mint vinaigrette on top.

Serve with green beans topped with 4 chicken balls, sprinkled with sliced almonds and chopped cilantro.

I haven’t posted anything lately…I was tired and sick for about a week, let’s not pretend the San Francisco summer weather has nothing to do with it. It’s been muggy, foggy and obviously very gloomy, and that really does not help with the low energy level. But that’s enough, I will not let anything come in between me and my cooking experiments, and let’s not dwell on the weather…but still when I think that in the South Bay, starting from the San Francisco airport, they get the sun and a real summer, it makes you wonder that maybe life in the suburb is not that bad.

So for those gloomy San Francisco days, you need something fresh, flavorful and exciting to keep your spirit up.

Since I bought silicon molds last time I went to France, I fell in love with them. They’re wonderful in all their aspects. Whatever you make in them cooks very quickly, they’re so easy to use and even go in the dishwasher and they don’t take much space. So if you don’t yet have silicon molds, go and buy some. You’ll love them and become addicted to cooking with them.

Lately I have been in the mood for green vegetables, probably to color my days, and I realized that if it’s not green, it will not be eaten. It needs to be green, delicious and healthy.

I never made asparagus flan before, I did not add too many spices, I wanted them to keep their natural and delicate flavor. I think asparagus have this very special and refined taste that it’s a pity to kill it with spices. The flan is enhanced with a fragrant herb coulis. 

You can serve those flans with chicken but with white fish also, they go perfectly well with any fish or white meat.

Ingredients for 6

For the asparagus flans

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbs heavy cream
• salt and pepper

For the chicken

• 4 chicken breasts, cut in large cubes
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 tbs sesame seeds
• 2 tbs fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• salt and pepper

For the herb coulis

• 1/2 bunch flat parsley
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 bouillon cube

For the side dishes

• 4 asparagus
• 4 tomatoes, peeled, seedless and diced
• Rock salt

Preparation

For the flans

Wash asparagus, set 4 whole asparagus aside to use later. Cut the tips of the other asparagus and cook in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl with cold water to keep their green color. In the same water, cook the rest of the asparagus, cut in pieces. Cook for about 5-10 minutes until soft. Mix in a blender to produce a purée. Add cream and eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add tips of asparagus at the end, and mix carefully not to break them.

Place the mixture in silicon molds and cook in the oven for about 25 minutes at 375F. If you don’t have silicon molds use other ceramic molds but they need to be buttered or the flan will stick at the bottom.

Slice the 4 asparagus left aside with a potato peeler, making thin slices of asparagus. Cook in boiling water for one minute and place in a bowl of cold water to keep the green color. Pat dry before serving on the plate.

For the chicken

Cut chicken in squares about 2 x2 inches. Add salt and pepper on all sides. Dip in flour, then in egg, then in the mixture made of breadcrumbs, thyme, sesame seeds, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Cook in the oven on broiler mode, do not place chicken too close to broiler or it will burn, place mid oven.

For the herb coulis

In a small pot dilute bouillon cube with 1/3 cup water, bring to a boil. In a blender, mix herbs, olive oil and some of the broth you made with bouillon cube. Blend for a while to get a nice green mixture. Add lemon juice and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. The bouillon cube has salt in it, so you might want to check to taste if it needs additional salt.

Serve with a flan, add some sliced asparagus on the side, two pieces of chicken, add one tbs of tomatoes topped with rock salt, and drizzle with herb coulis.

I somehow like the combination of beef and carrots, the sweetness of the carrots blends quite well with the beef nutty taste, not that I am a big fan of beef nor any other meats but I don’t want to limit myself to cook only vegetarian food. I could but I like variety.

This beef has been marinated overnight with many spices and it’s now sauteed with carrots. You could use green beans as well, or any other vegetable that can remain crunchy. 

I used a wok for the preparation and it’s the perfect utensil if you want to saute strips of meat, it cooks quickly without drying it and keeps its moisture. Those beef strips remained so tender, they are melting in your mouth. You can serve this dish with sesame rice noodles or coconut rice.

Ingredients for 2

• 1/2 lb sirloin beef, cut in thin strips
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 roma tomato, cut in quarters
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp fennugreek
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger grated
• one pinch chili powder
• 2 scallions
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Cut beef in thin strips, place in a container with all the spices, onion, salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator and marinate overnight or at east for 4 hours.

In  a wok, heat some olive oil, and saute carrots and tomatoes. Mix well and set aside. Do not overcook the tomatoes, or they will get mushy.

Saute beef in small quantities in wok, adding a little olive oil if necessary. Add carrots, mix well and saute for a few more minutes. Add cilantro, and scallions at the end. Stir a little more and serve hot.

Being far away from my family, I wanted to have a traditional Easter lunch party, so as every year I invited some friends to celebrate Easter. Not that I am that religious but I think when you are far away from your country and family you try to get closer to people and try to get back to your roots.

I am not a big meat eater and think I am on the verge of becoming vegetarian but most of my friends are French and as many French people, are big meat eaters. Instead of making a fish or sea food terrine that I found delicious, I figured I would make everyone happy by making a traditional duck terrine. Terrines are very practical, they are made the night before, or even a couple of days ahead so you don’t have to rush the day of the party. They’re great for buffet as well, and very tasty.

This terrine was quite flavorful and lean.  As a little sweet twist, I served it with dried fig chutney, with no sugar addition. Duck and figs are a perfect match and the little sweetness of the chutney enhanced the natural flavor of the duck.

You can find duck at Whole Foods, there is a large selection of duck breasts, legs ad whole ducks.

Ingredients for 8-10 people

For the terrine

• 2 lbs duck meat
• lb pork meat
• 1/2 lb chicken livers
• 3 tbs pistachios
• 3 tbs Cognac
• 1 egg
• 1 shallot
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp all spices
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 2 tbs salt
• pepper

For the fig chutney

• 1 lb dried figs
• a little water

Soak figs in water for about two hours to rehydrate them. Chop them and cook in a little water for about 20 minutes. Cool and place in a air-tight container for future use.

Preparation

Remove duck skin from whole duck or breasts and set aside. Cut all the meats in pieces and grind to a medium consistency. Leave 2 or 3 chicken livers for the end. Place ground meat in a mixing bowl and add all ingredients (except bay leaves and rosemary). Mix well to get a smooth and homogenous mixture.

In a terrine clay dish or a Pyrex dish would work if you don’t have a terrine dish, place half of the meat mixture, add livers in the middle. Add the rest of the mixture. At the end, cover with duck skin, add bay leaves, and rosemary. Cover with lid. If using pyrex dish, cover tightly with aluminim foil not to let any air get in.

Place terrine in a tray filled with water and cook in the oven at 360F for about 2 hours. Let cool and place in the refrigerator for at least two days.  Serve with fig chutney.

I never bought flageolets beans in the US, last time I ate flageolet was in France. Flageolet are kidney beans that are not fully grown, so they have a nice light green color. They go wonderfully with lamb and it somehow it’s traditional accompaniment. So I thought let’s go back to traditions but at the same time, let’s not spend the whole Sunday cooking. The good thing with lamb cutlets is that they just need to be marinated and cook quickly on grill or under broiler. You need to soak the flageolets the night before, but then they cook quickly. One little trick for cooking dry beans the same day if you forgot to soak them the night before, is to add 1 tsp of baking soda to the beans while cooking. Then you will have to change their cooking water a few times, about 3 or 4 times. This way they cook quickly, I think their flavor is better if soaked overnight but still, it’s an emergency trick that will enable you to eat beans the same day you feel like it.

Ingredients for 4

For the lamb and marinade

• 8 lamb shanks 
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbs cumin powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp chili powder or chili flakes
• 3 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper

For the flageolets 

• 1 1/2 cups dry flageolet beans
• 1/2 onion
• 3 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 carrot
• 1 celeri stick
• 2 branches rosemary
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, cut in 3 pieces
• 1 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mix well and spread mixture on all the lamb sides. Add salt and pepper and place in a air-tight container in the refrigerator for about  3 hours.

Soak flageolets the night before twice their quantity of water.

When soaked, cook flageolets in water with bay leaves, carrot, celeri sticks, 1 rosemary sprig and the onion where cloves have been pinned. Cook for about 30 min or until the beans are cooked but not mushy. 10 min before end they’re done cooking, add salt. 

Let flageolets cool down in their own water. Drain beans keeping a tbs or 2 of their own water.

Heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic clove in 3 pieces, and rosemary sprigs thorn, stir for a while to get the flavors out. Add tomotoes, salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes. Add beans mix well.

Grill the lamb shanks under broiler at high heat 4 minutes or so each sides, until grilled outside but still rosy and moist in the inside.

Chicken and pancetta are good friends…they make wonderful combinations. These delicious roulades are not really related to the Italian saltimbocca. Actually I started with the idea of the saltimbocca, and after thinking and thinking and thinking way too much about rolling some chicken breasts, I ended up with this, but stuffed with olives and herbs and served with a sauce bien relevée à la moutarde, (relevé means enhanced). I like to combine white meats and mustard, it’s the perfect condiment that enhances the flavor of white meats.  I like to serve those roulades with sauteed parsnips and potatoes in olive oil lightly salted with lavender salt. I love parsnips, they’re delicious in soups but sauteed as well. Actually, parsnips are parsley roots, and if you really pay attention to their flavor, you can really taste an after taste of parsley.  They give a wonderful flavor to soups and are low in calories, so they can be easily substitute to potatoes.

Ingredients for 2 (1 chicken breast makes 3 rolls cut in 3 = 9 pieces)

• 1 chicken breast
• 10 slices pancetta (2 for rolling each chicken roll, the rest is for stuffing)
• 1 rosemary sprigs
• 4 sage leaves
• 1 tbs kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• salt and pepper

For the shallot wine sauce

• 1 large shallot
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tarragon sprig
• 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper

For the potatoes and parsnips

• 2 medium sized red potatoes
• 1 large parsnip
• 1 tsp olive oil
• lavender salt
• pepper

Preparation

Take one large chicken breast and with a knife slice the breast crosswise, trying to get 3 thin slices. Pound with a meat pounder to make them as thin as possible. Add salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the chopped rosemary, sage, olives, pancetta, garlic. Mix well and spread the mixture on top of chicken slices. Roll the slices and wrap the remaining pancetta around the chicken roll. With a kitchen thread, tie around each roll so that everything stays in its place.

In a pan, add olive oil and saute the chicken rolls until they get golden color and cooked in the inside but still moist. Remove from pan and keep warm.

In the same pan, add shallots and brown them for about 7-10 min at medium heat. Add wine, vinegar, tarragon, and let reduce. When the sauce is reduced, add the mustard. Stir well.

In the meantime, peel the parsnips, and cut crosswise in slices. Wash and cut the potatoes in slices about the same thickness as parsnips. Saute cut vegetables in olive oil and brown them. At the end, add lavender salt and pepper.

Remove thread from chicken rolls. and cut each roll in 3 pieces. Serve with vegetables and sauce on top.

I love spices and all of them, and chermoula combines all my favorite herbs and spices, it’s an herb and spice mixture quite used in arabic countries mostly in what we call Maghreb which is comprised of Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. Chermoula is often served with fish or grilled meats. There are so many different versions of chermoula as there are regions in the countries of Maghreb. You can use garlic or red onions, parsley, coriander, etc…it just has to do with a good balance of flavors.

Here we have a combination of rice noodles for the Asian touch with a middle eastern addition to it and it’s a quite balanced combination. I like the rice noodle texture, a little chewy and on the sweet side, goes perfectly with the chermoula smooth and herby texture.

Ingredients for 4

• 1 1/2 lb of beef filet (the most tender part) cut in thin slices
• 140 g rice noodles
• 60 g parsley
• 60 g cilantro
• 1 small red onion
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• zest of one lemon
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Put all spices, cilantro and parlsey in a mixer. Mix until all the ingredients are finely chopped. Add to the beef and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Soak rice noodles in cold water for about 30 min.

In a pan, ad olive oil and saute the beef until cooked, but not overcooked. Remove the beef and place in a container.

Add the drained noodles to the pan and stir, cook until the noodles are cooked but still firm and add to the beef . Mix well. Serve hot.