Sardines in mustard sauce with Egg and Toast Points
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Cooking time: 2 hours cooking time for menu Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
Sardines in Mustard Sauce with Egg and Toast Points Time: 30 minutes
1 can sardines in mustard sauce, 3.75 oz (120gr tin) I keep forgetting about these - they are tasty and incredibly good for us. Try it!
2 slice whole or multi-grain bread
2 eggs, hard boiled
Hard boil eggs. Open sardines. Remove from tin. Scrape off the outer skin with a spoon - don't be too fussy. Then split open and remove main backbone. Don't bother removing the small bones; they are edible and loaded with calcium. Arrange on plates and spoon mustard sauce (from tin) over. Toast bread, then slice into quarters (you can butter if you like) and arrange on plates. When eggs are done, peel and quarter. Arrange on plates and serve. Some fresh pepper and a few olives would be nice.
Coq au Vin Time: 2 hours plus 10 minutes
another slow-cooking winter dish. I try to get similar wines for this meal - a
cheaper one for the pot - but still drinkable. One of my rules - never cook with
something you can't drink!
1 chicken, cut up If you can't get a whole, cut-up chicken you can buy whatever your favorite parts are
1 onion
1 carrot
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bouquet garni - or 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp parsley
1 bottle red wine preferably a Bourguignon
2 tbs olive oil
3 slices bacon
4 oz mushrooms
8 shallots (the recipe calls for pearl onions but I normally have to buy a huge bag to get the few I
want so I use shallots...plus I like the taste better)
1 chicken stock cube or 1 tsp granular or paste chicken base
pinch of nutmeg
1 tbs cocoa this is, I recently discovered, the key to the rich sauce
2 tbs cornstarch dissolved in equivalent amount of water (you may not use it all)
I remove the skin from the breasts - it is entirely optional (the French would be abhorred at the thought!) but I think it makes the white meat moister. Roughly chop the onion and carrot. Smash the garlic lightly. Put the chicken, onion, carrot, garlic and bouquet garni in a deep bowl. Pour the wine over and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade and drain well (over marinade). Reserve marinade. Heat oil in heavy, deep pot over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on all sides, a few pieces at time, about 10 minutes. Return all chicken to pan and pour over reserved marinade and vegetables. Add nutmeg and chicken base. Cover, bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer for an hour and a half. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Strain sauce, discarding solids. Return sauce to pan removing 1/2 cup. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat. Put cocoa into a small bowl. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup reserved sauce. Slowly whisk cocoa mixture into simmering sauce. Continue whisking until it returns to a boil. Continue to cook sauce at a hard simmer for another 15 minutes, until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups.
Clean mushrooms and shallots, leaving both whole. In nonstick skillet sauté bacon until crisp. Remove and crumble (don't eat!) Add mushrooms and shallots to skillet and sauté over medium heat until nicely browned on all sides, about 15 minutes.
When sauce has reduced, dissolve cornstarch in water. Use to thicken sauce to desired consistency if needed. (The cocoa will thicken it slightly.)
I used about half - the sauce is supposed to be a bit thick but not gluey. Return chicken to pan along with mushrooms, shallots and bacon. Simmer, over low heat, 10 - 15 minutes. Arrange chicken, mushrooms and shallots on a small platter. Spoon some sauce over and serve the rest on the side. Leftovers on Monday
Mashed Cauliflower & Potato Medley Time: 30 minutes
1/2 head cauliflower
2 medium potatoes
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
1 tbs butter
1 shallot
1 tbs parsley
Cut cauliflower into florets. Peel and roughly chop shallot. Cook shallot and cauliflower together in boiling, salted (1/4 tsp) water for 15 - 20 minutes, until very tender. Peel and cut potatoes into cubes. Also cook in boiling, salted (1/4 tsp) water for 15 - 20 minutes, until very tender. When done, drain cauliflower and shallot. Put into a blender or food processor. Add the butter, 1/4 cup of the milk and puree. It should be very thick. Add more milk if needed. Drain potatoes and mash with potato masher or fork. Add cauliflower puree and mash together. If too stiff add more milk. Add parsley, mix well and serve. Leftovers on Monday.
Cooking Schedule: 2 hours plus 10 minutes Okay, back to work: |
Cut cauliflower, start to cook with chopped shallot |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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