Les Recettes françaises

Crêpes

1 + 2/3 cups of flour

4 eggs

2 pinches of salt

2 tablespoons of oil

2 cups of milk

Potato

Put the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the 4 eggs into the bowl and stir completely. Next add the salt, oil, and milk and stir this thoroughly. When finished stirring let the batter sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Now prepare to cook the crepes. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a small bowl. Cut the potato in half and remove the skin around the flat end. Stick the fork into the round end of the potato and dip it into the oil. Lightly grease the pan with the flat end of the potato each time you cook a crepe. The fork will help prevent any accidental burns from the pan.

Before cooking remember that the crepes should be as thin as possible in the pan. Be careful though because this will cause it to cook very quickly. Immediately after putting the crepe mixture in the pan twist and turn the pan to cover the surface. The crepe should be lightly browned on both sides. It is recommended that you cook as many crepes as possible and refrigerate the leftovers.

"Les Halles" Onion Soup

6 large onions

2 tbls. Groundnut oil

2 liters of water

1/2 liter of dry white wine

1 tbls. Flour

16 slices of stale bread

100 g grated cheese, Gruyere

Salt and pepper

Peel and finely chop the onions. Fry them in oil in a large saucepan, stirring frequently to prevent them from burning. When the onions are soft and golden, add the flour then pour in the wine. Add the water and the season. Bring to boil, stirring continuously, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes.

Grill the slices of stale bread until golden. Pour the soup into individual bowls. Put in each some of the slices of bread and sprinkle with grated cheese. Put in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until the cheese browns. Serve hot. (Serves 4)

Blanquette of Lamb

800 g shoulder of lamb

50 g flour

50 cl double crème (or crème fraîche)

2-3 tablespoons groundnut oil

1 sprig of thyme

Salt, pepper

Cut the meat into pieces. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the meat with the sprig of thyme until golden. Sprinkle with the flour and stir for a few minutes with a wooden spoon, then add water to cover the meat. Season. Cover the pan. Cook for 1 hour over a medium heat adding more water if necessary.

When the pieces of meat are cooked, remove them from the pan, put them on a serving dish and keep warm. Reduce the cooking juices, remove from the heat and add the cream. Stir well and pour over the meat. Serve.

Coq au Vin

1 chicken cut into pieces

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 liter of red wine

40 g flour

1-cup brandy

100 g sliced bacon

3 tbls of groundnut oil

1 bouquet garni

Salt, pepper

Peel the onion and the garlic. Cut the chicken into pieces, remove the liver and keep to one side.

Heat the oil in a pot and fry the pieces of chicken. When they are golden all over add the garlic, onion, and diced bacon and then pour in the cup of brandy. Flambé.

When the flame goes out, sprinkle the flour over the pieces of chicken, stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, season, and add the bouquet garni. Cover the pan and cook for 2 hours.

Remove the pieces of chicken when they are tender, arrange on a serving dish and keep warm. Reduce the stock and remove the bouquet garni.

Wash and chop the liver and add to the pot. Cook for another 10 minutes over a low heat. Pour the sauce over the pieces of chicken. Serve hot.

Boeuf Bourguignon

1 kg chuck steak

2 onions

40 g flour

1 liter red wine

I bouquet garni

4 tablespoons groundnut oil

Salt and pepper

Cut the chuck steak into large cubes. Peel the onions and chop finely. Heat the oil in a high-sided frying pan and fry the onions. Remove them from the pan when they are soft and golden.

Now fry the pieces of meat in the pan. When they are brown on all sides, sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously with a wooden spoon. Add the onions, and then pour in the wine. Stir again, season and add the bouquet garni. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 3 hours. When the meat is tender, remove the bouquet garni. Arrange the meat in a serving dish and serve hot.

Gâteau de Saumon

1/4 pound of salmon, boiled

3 slices of sandwich bread

2 eggs

2 cups of milk

Salt and pepper

Thyme

1 round oven pan (about 9-inches in diameter, 3-inches deep)

Separate the egg yolks and egg whites. Boil the salmon with water and a teaspoon of salt. In a large small bowl soak the bread slices in milk for a few seconds or until they are saturated. In a large bowl mix the bread and the salmon (which will be very mushy). Add the two egg yolks to the bread and salmon mixture. Stir well and add the salt, pepper and thyme.

In a separate bowl whip the eggs whites until firm. Add the egg whites very slowly into the salmon mixture trying not to break them.

Now you will need the round oven pan. We try to have about 1.5 - 2 inches of salmon mixture covering the pan. Grease the pan with butter or shortening. Pour the salmon mixture into the pan and smooth it out to the sides. Cook in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. (Test readiness by inserting a knife into the pan. If the knife is relatively clean upon removal then the salmon cake is ready.)

Taboulé

300 g medium-grain couscous

50 g raisins

500 g ripe tomatoes

2 white onions

1 cucumber

2 red peppers

2 green peppers

Parsley

1 bunch of fresh mint

The juice of 2 lemons

4 tbls. of olive oil

1 teas. Salt

1 turn of the peppermill

Pour the couscous into a large bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for twenty minutes. Then pour the water away.

Boil the raisins in a small saucepan of water. Cook for 15 min. so that they swell.

Peel the tomatoes and chop into small pieces discarding the seeds. Peel the cucumber and cut it and the peppers into small cubes. Wash the onions and chop finely. Choose the best leaves from the bunch of mint and chop them in the mincer.

Put the couscous, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, raisins and mint together in a large bowl, then add the peppers and the parsley. Pour in the oil and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.

Les Recettes de l'Afrique

Cooked Eggplant Appetizer (Nigeria)

1 large eggplant

1 tsp. mashed sesame seeds

1/2 tsp. salt

1 clove of garlic, mashed

4 tbls. Lemon juice

2 tbls. Parsley

Peel eggplant and bake or steam until tender (about 15 - 20 minutes). Mash with a wooden spoon. Add the sesame paste, salt, garlic, and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. Mound on a shallow dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with a piece of flat, round Arabian bread. Serves 4.

Vegetarian Tunisian Sahel

3/4 pound Swiss chard leaves, stemmed, rinsed and torn into large pieces

2 large cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 teas. Coarse salt

1 teas. Ground coriander

1 small dried red chile

2 tbl. Olive oil

1/2 cup minced onion

2 teas. Tomato paste

1-cup basic cooked garbanzos, with 3/4 cup cooking liquid

1 lemon cut in wedges (optional)

In a pot, steam, parboil or microwave chard leaves until tender, about 5 Set leaves in colander to drain. Squeeze out excess moisture and shred coarsely. Crush garlic in a mortar with salt, coriander and chile until thick, crumbly paste forms.

Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet and sauté onion until pale-golden. Add garlic paste and tomato paste and stir into oil until sizzling. Add chard, garbanzos, and cooking liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand until ready to serve. (Contents of skillet should be very moist but not soupy. For looser texture, stir in more garbanzo cooking liquid.) Serve warm, at room temperature or cold with lemon wedges.

Ourite Au Fine Champagne (Mauritian)

1 kg d’ouvrite

sel, poivre

1 morceau de cannelle

4 clous de girofle

1 cuil. à café d’herbe de Provence

2 cuil. à soupe de cognac ou 1 bon rhum parfumé de La Réunion

1 petite boite de crème fraîche

2 petit oignons

4 cuil. à soupe de beurre

Nettoyez et lavez l’ourite. Mettez dans une cocotte à vapeur (surtout ne pas mettre d’eau). Ajoutez sel, poivre, cannelle, girofle, herbes de Provence au premier coup de sifflet. Baisser le feu au strict minimum et laisser cuire pendant 30 minutes.

Retirez l’ourite et coupez-le en petits morceaux tout en préservant l’eau rendue par l’ourite Dans un poêlon, faites revenir l’oignon dans le beurre. Ajoutez l’ourite et laisser cuire quelques minutes en ajoutant le jus de cuisson.

Quand le jus de cuisson est réduit, ajoutez le cognac et flambez, rajoutez la crème fraîche et laisser cuire quelques minutes. Servez avec des Tagliatelles vertes cuites à l’eau.

Sweet Oranges Congo

Peel 4 California Oranges (thick skinned), cut into 1 inch slices then in 1/2 inch squares

Add: 1 cup chopped dates 1/2 cup chopped peanuts 1/3 cup apricot brandy or Curacao

Blend all together

Divide 1 cup of moist shredded coconut into 8 dessert sauce dishes (2tbs. or 1 oz. each)

Make a hole in the center of the coconut so that it forms a rim.

Fill centers with orange Congo, dividing above mixture evenly. Add more brandy or orange juice if the mixture is not moist enough.

If you need a dessert in a hurry, prepare this dessert with canned mandarin oranges.

Baked Bananas Gabon

Cut 8 bananas in three uniformly diagonal pieces. Beat 1 egg lightly with 2 tbls orange juice. Dip bananas in egg mixture, then in 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs.

Heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a sauté pan. Sauté the bananas only until they begin to brown lightly.

Place on a cookie sheet with a spatula and bake at 350 for 5 minutes.

Serve 1 banana per guest in compote dishes topping each with: 3 tbls. sour cream, sprinkled with 1 tbls. of brown sugar

Orange-Chocolate Parfait "L'Afrique"

In a whiskey-sour glass:

Place 2 tbs chocolate sauce, 1 scoop of chocolate ice cream, 1 scoop of raspberry sherbet, 1 scoop of orange sherbet.

Add 2 tbs chocolate sauce.

Top with whipped cream and 2 mandarin orange slices

Les Recettes de l'Asie

Vegetable Salad

1 c Cubed, firm tofu

2 Stalks celery, cut into julienne strips

2 Carrots, shredded

2 Italian plum tomatoes cut into thin wedges

1/2 Cucumber, thinly sliced

1 c Fresh bean sprouts

1 c Broccoli florets

1/2 c Szechuwan Peanut Dressing Garnish (raisins, toasted sesame seeds, watercress sprigs, unsalted peanuts - optional)

1/3 c Peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

1/2 c hot vegetable stock or hot water

1 tsp Soy sauce

2 tbs Rice vinegar

2 tbs Safflower oil

2 Cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teas Dry crushed red pepper

In a large bowl gently toss together salad ingredients. In a small bowl combine dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss again. Top with garnish.

Les Liens

http://www.cooking-french.com/recipes/

http://www.montelis.com/satya/backissue/dec97/african_recipes.html

http://www.asiarecipe.com