The Beef "Carbonade"

http://www.onlinerecipeguide.com/

Servings: 6 people

Ingredients:

3 - 3.5 lbs. of stew beef, cut in 2" cubes
4 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons of flour
3 large onions
1 Tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon of wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of tarragon
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of honey
3 cups of beer
2 cups of boiling water (approximately)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the butter on high.
Sauté the meat until brown.
Sprinkle the flour on the meat and cook while stirring for 1 to 2 minutes.

In a Dutch oven:

Place half of the meat in the bottom,

Add herbs (cumin, tarragon and parsley), onions (cut in fine slices),

Place remainder of the meat on top,

Pour beer over the meat and add enough boiling water just to cover.

Salt and pepper to taste and add thyme and bay leaf,

Cook until boiling.

Mix the vinegar and Honey and add into the dish.

Place lid on Dutch oven and put in oven heated to 300 degrees F.

Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours

Serve with potatoes or gnocchi.

Potage de poireaux et pommes de terre

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Servings: 4 people

Ingredients:

- 250 gr [1/2 lb] potatoes (=2 large ones)
- 250 gr [1/2 lb] leaks (=2 large ones)
- 2 brown onions
- 100 gr [3 oz] butter
- 10 cl [3.5 fl oz] milk
- 3 Tbspoons olive oil
- 2 Tbspoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 liter [1 pint] warm water
- salt, pepper & nutmeg

Directions:

1-Peel and cube the potatoes ; peel and mince the onions ; prepare the leaks (wash them and take the 2/3 top leaves off) and slice them.

2- In a saucepan, heat the oil and gently brown onions and leaks. Cover with a lid and braise on a gentle flame for about 10 minutes.

3- Add the cubed potatoes, salt & pepper, and 1 or 2 pinches of nutmeg ; add the water and milk. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.

4- Adjust salt & pepper, and serve soup in each tureen sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Navarin d'Agneau (a French Lamb Stew)

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Servings: 4 people

Ingredients:

3 lbs. of boneless lamb for stew cut in about 1" squares
2 onions sliced
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon flour
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Teaspoon sea salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
4 lbs. potatoes
2 turnips
Optional (but advised):
3 bay leaves
2 pinches of thyme
2 pinches of cumin

Directions:

Melt butter into a large sauce pan and brown the pieces of lamb.

Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pieces of meat but leave the gravy in the sauce pan.

Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with the flour, add olive oil and tomato paste.

Cook over low heat for 3 minutes stirring all the time.

Put the pieces of lamb back into the sauce pan and add enough water to cover the meat.

Add salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme and cumin and stir the whole mixture.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Cut raw turnips and potatoes into cubes and add them to the sauce pan.

Cook covered over medium heat for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

French Duck Breasts in Green Peppercorn Sauce

http://www.onlinerecipeguide.com/

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients:

4 boneless duck breasts
1 cup French white wine (Vouvray, Merlaut, Muscadet or Sancerre for example)
2 Tbs whole green peppercorns
1 oz butter
1/4 cup Cognac
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 pinch salt

Directions:

Marinate the pieces of duck in the white wine with one Tb of peppercorns overnight.

Drain the breasts.

In frying pan, melt butter and add the pieces of duck. Add salt.

Cook both sides of the duck breasts over high heat (3 minutes for each side should be enough). Duck should be cooked medium rare.

Remove from heat and keep the duck breasts warm in a dish.

Pour Cognac, 1/2 cup of white wine used for the marinade, whipping cream and one Tb of peppercorns into the frying pan with remaining gravy.

Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the mixture on the duck breasts and serve immediately.

Serve with potatoes or green beans.

Flammenküche

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Servings: 4 people

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups flour
6 oz butter
4 large onions
4 oz bacon
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 oz shredded swiss cheese
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust, mix the flour, 4 oz of butter and water with a pinch of salt.

Roll out crust and place in a 9 inch greased pie pan.

Peel onions and cut into thin slices.

Melt 2 oz of butter in large frying pan with the onion slices.

Cut bacon into small cubes and add to pan.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add Swiss cheese, whiping cream and half the nutmeg (nutmeg is optional).

Remove from heat.

Pour mixture into crust.

Place in 350 degrees F oven for 45 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Duck à l'Orange

http://www.onlinerecipeguide.com/

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients:

1 fresh duck
salt and pepper
1/2 orange, cut into 4 pieces
1 lemon, cut into 6 pieces
100 ml red wine vinegar
56 g sugar
450 ml dark duck stock or chicken stock
75 ml Grand Marnier
28 g butter
zest of 2 confited oranges
juice of 1/2 orange
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 oranges, peeled and segmented

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 130 degrees. Wash the insides of the duck and season with salt and pepper. Place the 4 orange pieces and the 6 lemon pieces inside the cavity. With kitchen string, truss the duck - legs up tight against the body. Get rid of the wing tips - they scorch.

Place the duck in a roasting pan and cook for 25 minutes at 130 degrees.

In a saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar and bring to the boil. Using a wet pastry brush to keep the sugar from hardening on the sides of the pan, continue to cook until the sugar has completely dissolved and the liquid has the consistency of a light caramel. Remove from the heat and stir in your stock. Do this VERY gradually and carefully. The stock could come up in a boiling foam and scald the living hell out of you if you're not careful.

Simmer the sauce for 45 minutes on low heat.
Discard the excess fat from the roasting pan. Place the now greaseless pan over high heat and add the Grand Marnier. When you've scraped up all that duck goodness, pour it into the simmering sauce.

Simmer until reduced by half, then strain through a fine strainer into a small saucepan.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and bring to boil. Whisk in the butter and add the confited orange zest, orange juice and lemon juice.

Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
Crank up the oven heat to 180 degrees. Place the duck back in the pan, but this time, elevate it from the bottom with a wire rack. Cook in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the skin is crispy and deep, golden brown.
Remove the duck from the oven and allow it to rest.

On the serving platter, arrange the orange segments around the duck, and pour the sauce over and around it. Carve the duck like a chicken, but expect less meeat. One duck will feed two reasonably hungry adults.

Coq au Vin

http://www.onlinerecipeguide.com/

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients:

1/2 lb bacon slices
20 pearl onions, peeled, or 1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 chicken, 4 lb, cut into serving pieces, or 3 lbs chicken parts, excess fat trimmed, skin ON
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups red wine (pinot noir, burgundy, or zinfandel)
2 bay leaves
Several fresh thyme sprigs
Several fresh parsley sprigs
1/2 lb button mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp butter
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:

Blanch the bacon to remove some of its saltiness. Drop the bacon into a saucepan of cold water, covered by a couple of inches. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, drain. Rinse in cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Cut the bacon into 1 inch by 1/4 inch pieces.

Brown bacon on medium high heat in a dutch oven big enough to hold the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon, set aside. Keep the bacon fat in the pan. Add onions and chicken, skin side down. Brown the chicken well, on all sides, about 10 minutes. Halfway through the browning, add the garlic and sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. (Note: it is best to add salt while cooking, not just at the very end. It brings out the flavor of the chicken.)

Spoon off any excess fat. Add the chicken stock, wine, and herbs. Add back the bacon. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken and onions to a separate platter.
Remove the bay leaves, herb sprigs, garlic, and discard.

Add mushrooms to the remaining liquid and turn the heat to high. Boil quickly and reduce the liquid by three fourths until it becomes thick and saucy. Lower the heat, stir in the butter. Return the chicken and onions to the pan to reheat and coat with sauce. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Barbarie Duck stew with Blackcurrant

Chef Patrick Asfaux

Service for: 8 people

Barbarie Duck stew with Blackcurrant and Tagliatelli with walnut butter.
The great thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared the day before, allowing you to stay with your guests.

Ingredients:

8 legs of Barbarie duck, cut in half at the joint between the calf and the thigh.
2 Btles of red wine
1 onion, finely sliced
2 shallots, finely sliced too
1 carrot, sliced in the same way
1 small bunch of thyme
1 baie leaf
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
5g cracked pepper
15g table salt
3 cc red wine vinegar
250g Blackcurrants (fresh, frozen or tinned)
50g lard
60g plain flour
1kg fresh tagliatelli or 800g of dried ones
80g walnuts
100g butter
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1) 24h before cooking your stew, put your duck leg pieces to marinate in this way: In a bowl, place your duck pieces along with the garlic, thyme, baie leaf, shallots, onion, carrot, the red wine, vinegar, salt, cracked pepper and the juice of the blackcurrant (if using fozen or tinned ones), cover with some cling film and put in the fridge for at least 12h.
2) The next day, strain the pieces of duck legs and the vegetables in the marinade (make sure to keep the wine).
3) In a large frying pan, heat up the lard, then color your duck pieces for 5 minutes on each side.
4) In the mean time, take a cast iron pots and slowly sweat of the shallots, onion and carrot from the marinade.
5) Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees Centigrade (Gas mark 6-7, 392F).
6) Add your nicely colored pieces of duck leg, cover and allow to gently cook for another 5 minutes.
7) Stir in the flour, let cook for 3 minutes then add the wine from the marinade. Stir, while bringing the stew to the boil. Finaly, when it starts to simmer, cover and put in the oven for 1h30.
8) Soften the butter, crush the walnuts then bind the two together. Season with salt and pepper. Mix for another 10 seconds, then set aside.
9) Take your stew out of the oven. Delicately remove the cooked pieces of duck.
10) Blitz the sauce for about 20 seconds. Give it a taste, rectify the seasoning if necessary. Then pass the sauce through a fine sieve (chinois), making sure that you collect as much of the liquid as possible.
11) Put the sauce along with the duck pieces, back in the pot (that you would have had cleaned), add the blackcurrants and heat up the lot to a gentle simmer.
12) Cook your pasta as you would always do. Then carefully heat up your walnut butter and gently stir in the pasta.

Arrangement:

On a nice white plate, form a nice turban with some of the pasta at the centre of the plate. Place two pieces of duck leg on each side on the tagliatelli, coat them with some sauce. Place a walnut halve on the top the duck.
Put the rest of the pasta in a dish and the sauce left over in a sauce boat and place them at the centre of the table.

Roasted strips of fat duck breast magret with mirabelle plums

Chef Patrick Asfaux

Service for : 8 people

Ingredients:

5 nice moulard duck magrets
1 pound of mirabelle plums (fresh or deep frozen or even peeled and sliced apples if you cannot find mirabelle plums
600 grams (1 1/3 pounds)of peeled ferm potatoes
1 peeled and cored Granny Smith apple
16 thin slices of smoked duck magret
Butter, table salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sweet and sour sauce ('gastrique' in French) :

1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 soupspoon of liquid honey
1/2 cup of orange juice
1 cup of prepared veal stock
5 grams (1 teaspoon) of allspices

Directions:

1/ Remove a little fat from the magrets and using a sharp knife, make a few crossed incisions (deep bu not all the way through the skin) in the skin of all magrets and remove the small nerve on the flesh side.
2/ In a large frying pan over high heat, cook the magrets (without adding any fat) skin side down and roast them during 8 minutes so that they are well browned then cook them 3 minutes skin side up, season them with salt and pepper.
3/ Remove most of the rendered fat from the pan (keep only a little to sauté the potatoes.
4/ In a casserole dish, out of the heat, place a soup plate bottom up, put the magrets on it and cover with a lid : the magrets will become tender while you continue to make the recipe.
5/ Cut your potatoes in thin slices, then in long and thin sticks then in tiny cubes and pour them into water.
6/ Do the same than in 5/ with the apple and keep it aside separatly.
7/ Prepare the sweet and sour sauce in a saucepan : pour the vinegar and the honey, reduce it and just before getting a caramel, add the orange juice. Make it reduce again (to half quantity), then add the veal stock and the allspices. Cook it very slowly during 7 to 8 minutes.
8/ In the meantime, heat a frying pan with a teaspoon of butter. Thoroughly drain the potatoes and sauté them during 7 to 8 minutes. Add salt and pepper only at the last moment, then add the apple and keep aside the whole (together) out of the heat.
9/ In the same frying pan, add another teaspoon of butter then pour the mirabelle plums (still frozen if you do not use fresh fruit)and let them melt during 4 minutes then add the sweet and sour sauce plus the juice rendered by the duck magrets. The sauce is now ready : keep it hot in a 'bain marie'
10/ In the bottom of 8 small individual 'crème caramel' moulds, put 2 thin slices of smoked magrets as a cross and put the potatoe/apple cubes (well packed).
11/ Heat the magrets during 3 minutes in the oven (390°F) and the moulds, then make quite thin slices with the magrets (cut in their width).
In the middle of each nice service plate, remove from a mould the potatoes/apple topped with the smoked magret slices, put around it the roasted magret slices and top them with the sweet and sour sauce.
And now look at your guest faces ...

You can prepare in advance the moulds and the sauce and you can roast the magrets just before the arrival of your guests. Just before going to eat, you only need to heat the sauce and the potatoes/apple, so that you can spend more time with your guests.