MEAT BALLS

 

Not much to say today except that this meat balls recipe is sOoo easy to make and sOoo tasty it's a pleasure to cook them. You just have to mix all ingredients together and grill them. You can use any herbs you like. (I personnaly have a thing for mint). No fat added. 

I am usually not a huge meat eater and no meat balls can compete with my grandma's recipe but in a very different way this are earning there way into the selective world of "often made" recipes. Maybe they will enter your world as well...

iNGREDiENTS:
-make 15 to 20 balls-

• 600 gr ground beef
• 1 egg
• 2 garlic cloves
• half a cup of chopped: mint + basil + parsley + chives
• a pinch of chili pepper flakes
• salt & pepper

RECiPE:

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl : ground meat + egg + chopped garlic + herbs + chili pepper flakes + salt & pepper.
• With an icecream scoop or by hand, form little balls (about the size of a golf ball).
• Heat grill pan over medium high eat (wait for the grill to be very hot) and cook meat balls about 4-5 minutes on each side.
• Serve right away!
• Et VOiLA !

TABBOULEH

I wanted to make a video recipe but Tabbouleh is so easy to make I realised it wouln't bring anything to the table. (and I'm not trying to play with words here). Basically you just have to mix all ingredients together. This couscous salad is fresh, light, healthy, fast, easy and delicious. (yeah just that!) Mint is the key to succes. I also like to add dry figs and avocado but you can drop those and add cucumber instead if you are more of a purist.

iNGREDiENTS:

• 200 gr whole weat couscous
• 10 small cherry tomatoes
• 1 small avocado
• 1 red peper (peeled)
• 2 spring onions
• juice of 2 big lemons
• 2 dry figs (or 4 apricots) cut in pieces
• a big handful of dry raisins
• a handfull of sliced mint leaves
• a pinch of sliced chives
• 6 sliced basil leaves
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper

RECiPE:

• Stir couscous in a large bowl with one teaspoon of olive oil.
• Add salty boiling water (about 1 + 1/2 cup) or until the couscous is fully covered with water.
• Cover bowl with a plate and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Then remove plate and fluff with a fork. (This is usualy the simplest method but check the package instructions to be sure it works with the brand you bought)
• Mix all ingredients together: tomatoes + avocado + red peper + onions (all choped in small cubes) + chives + basil + mint + lemon juice + the rest of the olive oil + dry raisins + dry figs + salt and pepper. Stir well.
• Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
• ET VOiLA !

LEEK & ONiON TART

 

 

No time for a video recipe this week but i'm sure you'll manage to make this leek & onion tart anyways. If not, don't hesitate to complain and i'll shoot it right away! I love tarts. It's a tasty way to eat vegetables instead of classic sad boiled ones. And it's great for a picnic or a party where you have to bring food easy to eat with fingers. I think leeks are unappreciated and it's a shame. So go get some lonely forgotten leeks and try this recipe! (and leave me some comments ;))

iNGREDiENTS:

• one pie dough (recipe over here) just substitute sugar with chives, oregano or any herb you want.
• 4 leeks (white and pale green parts only), cleaned and chopped.
• 1 big onion, chopped
• chives or dried thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• a pinch of ground nutmeg
• 3 eggs
• 300ml (1+1/4 cup) cream (i'm sure buttermilk works as well)
• a handful of grated gruyère cheese (optional)
• salt & pepper

RECiPE:

• Prepare your pie dough and leave to rest for a bit.
• Preheat your oven at 175°C (350°F).
• Over medium high heat, cook onions for 2-3 mintues in olive oil.
• Add leeks and chives (or thyme). Add salt and pepper. Cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, about 12-15 minutes, stirring often.
• Remove from heat and leave to cool.
• Roll out your dough in your round bakingpan. Butter pan before or use parchement paper (much easier to take the tart out afterwards)
• In a bowl, whisk together: cream + eggs + cheese (if using) + nutmeg.
• Mix in cooled leek and onion mixture.
• Pour into rolled out pie dough.
• Bake the tart for 30 minutes, checking after 15 it's not getting to dark. If it is, lower oven temperature. A knife inserted in the middle should help you know if it's cooked.
• Transfer to rack and cool for a few minutes.
• ET VOiLA !

DiM SUM

I first made those dumplings during a summer holiday in the south of France. I basically spent my mornings cooking for my family. And I have to say those made a great impression. They are so easy to make (easier if you have a steam cooker I admit) and very delicate. They will make a very pretty and tasty original entrée.

iNGREDiENTS:
 - make 10 -

• 10 pieces of rice paper (you can easily find them in a Chinese store. Just as the rest of the ingredients)
• 200 gr raw shrimp (I used frozen shrimps)
• A handful of bamboo
• 2 chinese mushrooms
• 1/2 shallot
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp of ginger
• chives
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp corn flour
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• a few salad leaves

RECiPE:

• Start by preparing all your ingredients.
• Take the shell of the raw shrimps and cut them in 4 pieces each.
• Cut the bamboo and mushrooms in small pieces.
• Finely chopped shallot, garlic clove and ginger (peel the ginger before chopping it!!)
• Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add: shallot + garlic + ginger + chopped chives (save some for later) and cook for 1 minutes.
• Add : mushrooms + bamboo + shrimps + soya sauce + 1 tsp corn flour (keep the 2nd one for later) and Stir.
• Cook for 4/5 minutes. Add the last tsp of cornflour and put aside.
• Before filing each rice sheet with the shrimp mixture, put them one after the other into a bowl of water so they will hydrate and get soft.
• Spread out a rice sheet in your work surface and fill with a tsp of the shrimp mixture.
• Bring the corners of the rice sheet together and tie with the chives.
• Repeat this with a new rice paper until you don't have any shrimp mixture left. (you will make about 10).
• (If that's not clear enough you might wanna check the video recipe)
• Cook with steam for 15 minutes, over a salad leaf. Don't forget the salad or the dim sum will stick and break down.
• Serve right away.
• ET VOiLÀ!

LENTiL SALAD

 

 

iNGREDiENTS:
- serve 5 -

• 250 gr of lentils
• 2 small carrots
• 1 big onion
• 1 tbsp chives (plus some more for decoration if you want)
• one bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp sage
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp vinegar
• juice of one small lemon
• salt & pepper

RECiPE:

• Start by peeling the carrots and chop them in small pieces, like for a "brunoise": first into long thin strips and then turned a quarter turn and cut into small blocks again, producing cubes of about 3 mm or less on each side, or 1/8-inch dice.
• Peel and chop the onion.
• Rinse the lentils.
• Put one tablespoon of olive oil into a saucepan over medium hight heat.
• Add onions and carrots. Let them cook for 5 minutes.

• Add: bay leaf + thyme + sage + lentils + salt & pepper.
• Stir well and add a quantity of water equivalent to twice the high of the lentils. (about 2/3 cups of water)
• Bring to a boil and cook for 25 to 35 minutes.

• While it cooks, prepare the vinaigrette, with the olive oil + vinegar + lemon juice.

• When lentils are done cooking, drain them in a colander and leave them to cool completely.
• In a salad bol, mix: cold lentils + vinaigrette + sliced chives and salt & pepper if needed.
 
• Stir
• ET VOiLA !