Mustard Herb Glazed Chicken with Herbed Polenta

To save time make the polenta the day before.  From Food and Drink Spring 2000.

6 boneless chicken breasts with skin on
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped chervil
3 tbsp chopped tarragon
3 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped rosemary

POLENTA
5 cups water
2 tsp salt (I usually leave the salt out of most recipes…but the polenta needs it)
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped chives
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped oregano

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Pat dry chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper (here I omit the salt).
2. In a large skillet, heat oil, add chicken and brown on both sides.  Place in baking dish, skin side up.  Mix together remaining ingredients and spread over chicken breasts.  Place in oven and bake 20 minutes or until cooked.
3. For polenta, bring water and salt to a boil in large deep saucepan.
4. Place cornmeal into a jug and add several grindings of pepper.  Lower heat and slowly add cornmeal to boiling water, stirring with a whisk until well mixed.  Polenta will bubble and spit.  Reduce heat to lowest setting and cook, stirring often to prevent skin from forming.  Continue to cook for about 30 to 40 minutes.  The polenta is cooked when it is dense and comes away from the sides of the pan.
5. When cooked, stir in herbs, check seasoning then spread onto a greased cookie sheet about 3/4 inch thick.  Leave to cool.  Refrigerate if not using immediately.
6. Cut into wedges or circles.  Brown polenta in a hot non stick skillet then place on greased baking sheet and place in oven to reheat for 10 minutes before chicken is cooked.
7. Place polenta on serving dish and top with chicken.

Serves 6

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Fresh Basil

This is a really great recipe.  I try to use fresh herbs whenever possible, they are worth the splurge!
Serve this over pasta or with crusty Italian Rolls.  From Food and Drink Winter 2001

MEATBALLS:
500 g lean ground pork
500 g lean ground beef
500 g lean ground chicken or turkey
1 egg
1 cup fresh Italian or French bread crumbs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp finely chopped bresh basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

SAUCE:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 28 oz (796 ml) cans crushed or diced tomatoes
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp dried leaf oregano
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450F.  Grease a large sided baking sheet or coat with cooking spray.  Combine pork, beef and chicken in a large bowl.  Add egg, bread crumbs, water, Parmesan, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.  Work mixture using your hands until thoroughly combined.  Form mixture into small balls about 1 inch in diameter.  Place slightly apart on baking sheet.  Bake in two batches if necessary.  Bake 15 minutes or until meatballs are lightly browned.
2. To make sauce, heat oil in a large pot.  Add garlic.  Saute 2 minutes or until fragrant.  Add tomatoes (including liquid), bay leaf, oregano, sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add meatballs plus juices from baking tray.  Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 1/2 hours or until sauce is thick.  Remove bay leaf and discard.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days or freeze if making ahead.
3. Stir basil, Parmesan and black pepper into hot sauce.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve with pasta or stuff meatballs into crusty Italian Rolls.

Serves 8

Pork Roast with Green Peppercorn Crust

Pork Loin stays juicy and flavourful under this spicy crust.  Serve with oven roasted potatoes and squash.  From Food and Drink 2001

Roast:

1.5 to 2 kg boneless pork loin roast

1/4 cup butter softened

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp mustard seed

2 tbsp dried mustard

2 tbsp coarsely ground green peppercorns

2 tbsp coarsely ground black peppercorns

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp dried leaf thyme

Sauce:

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups apple cider or juice

1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 325F.  Heat a large frying pan over medium heat until hot.  Add roast, fat side down, then sear on all sides.  Place in roasting pan.  Make a paste with butter, flour, mustards, peppercorns, sugar and thyme.  Spread over top and sides of seared meat.  Roast uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 155 to 160 F and juices run clear.
2. Place roast on cutting board.  Skim most of the fat from roasting pan and discard.  Place pan over medium heat and sprinkle in flour.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes.  Whisk in cider, vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt.  Simmer 5 minutes or until thickened.  Serve slices of roast drizzled with sauce.

Serves 8

Corn Chowder with Lobster

My lovely husband helped me with this one as I was working that day and didn't have time to make the stock.  It is absolutely worth it to make this stock…although it is a bit time consuming.  Serve with a nice bread and a green salad. From Food and Drink Winter 2001

750-1kg live lobster
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
1 sprig parsley
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups lobster or fish stock
1 lb (500g) potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups frozen kernel corn
1/4 to 1/22 tsp salt
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place live lobster in a large pot of boiling water.  Cook 8 to 10 minutes then remove lobster.  Ladle 5 cups cooking water into a large saucepan.  Add celery, carrot, parsley and bay leaf.  Remove meat from lobster and discard tomalley and coral.  Add shells to cooking water.  Slice lobster and refrigerate.  Bring cooking liquid to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours.  Reserving broth, strain out and discard solids.  This can be done a day ahead and refrigerated.  Measure out 3 cups for chowder.  Freeze any remaining liquid to use as fish stock in another recipe.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in onion, mustard and paprika.  Cook 2 minutes or until onion has softened.  Sprinkle with flour.  Stir until absorbed.  Slide pan off heat.  Add cool stock in several batches, stirring until smooth before adding more.  Return to heat.

Add potatoes.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally or until potatoes are tender.  Add corn and simmer 5 minutes or until hot.  Taste and add salt as needed.  Stir in milk and green onions.  Heat until very hot, but do not boil.  Ladle into warmed soup bowls and top with sliced lobster.  Garnish with black pepper.

Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a starter.

Hazelnut Dacquoise

A fabulous and elegant dessert.  I put chocolate candies on the top instead of the Hazelnuts…but do it they way you prefer.  The meringue is softer than normal because of the addition of cornstarch and the layers are filled with chocolate that is whipped to give it the texture of butter cream but not as sweet.  This is one of those fussy recipes that you need to make a day ahead of time.  I was going to do the rosettes but realized at the last minute that I was out of piping bags….From Food and Drink Autumn 2010.

1 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cornstarch

WHITE CHOCOLATE FILLING
4 oz (125g) white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

DARK CHOCOLATE FILLING
4 oz (125g) dark chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

GARNISH
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
whole toasted hazelnuts

1. Preheat oven to 275F.  Line two 11 x 17 inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.  Draw two 11 x 3 inch rectangles on the first parchment lined baking sheets, and a third rectangle on the second sheet; set aside.
2.  Grind hazelnuts in a food processor until finely chopped.
3. Place egg whites in a bowl with salt and beat until frothy.  Begin adding sugar slowly with mixer on medium speed, this should take about 2 minutes.  Turn mixer to high and beat for 4 minutes longer or until egg whites are thick and glossy.  Gently fold in hazelnuts and cornstarch.
4. Spread one third of the meringue onto each rectangle, leaving plenty of space between rectangles because the meringue will spread during baking.  Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, switching positions of baking sheet half way or until crisp and dried.  Turn off oven and leave for 1 hour to dry out.
5. Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Heat whipping cream and butter in a pot over medium heat.  As soon as cream comes to boil immediately pour over chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.  Repeat process for the Dark Chocolate Filling.  Place both fillings in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until firm.
6. Beat each bowl of chocolate with electric beaters until thickened and still spreadable.
7. Lay 1 layer of meringue on a serving platter and spread with dark chocolate.  Top with a second meringue and spread with white chocolate.  Top with remaining piece of meringue.  Refrigerate overnight, loosely covered with plastic wrap.
8. Using a serrated knife, trim the sides and ends if desired.
9. Combine whipping cream and sugar in a bowl and beat until mixture holds soft peaks.  Transfer to a piping bag and pipe rosettes over the top.  Decorate with whole hazelnuts.

Chicken Yassa From Senegal

I got this recipe from Food and Drink 2011 and liked it quite a bit.  I think it would have been better with skinless chicken breast however.   If you like a hotter dish leave the seeds in the chilies.

MARINADE
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp minced chili pepper, seeded if preferred
6 chicken legs with thighs
5 to 6 cups thinly sliced red onions
Salt and freshly ground pepper…I left out the salt

SAUCE
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chopped fresh red chili, seeded
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced olives
2 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Combine lemon juice and rind, vegetable oil and minced chili.  Place chicken pieces and marinade in a bowl and cover with onions.  Toss the chicken with the onions.  Cover bowl and leave to marinate refrigerated for 4 hours or overnight.  **I just put them in a freezer bag and seal.
2. Preheat oven to 400F.
3. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Add marinade and onions into an ovenproof skillet on medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally for 7 to 20 minutes or until onions are soft and browned.  Add stock, Dijon and chili and stir until combined.  Stir in carrots and olives.  Bring to a boil, boil 1 minute and remove from heat.  Reserve.
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Working in batches, add chicken pieces and cook, turning once for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until lightly golden.  Remove chicken from pan and add, skin side up in the vegetable mixture.
5. Bake chicken for 25 to 30 minutes or until juices run clear.  Serve chicken with the sauce.

Calvados Cup

This is a nice flavoured cocktail….I have substituted Calvados for Cognac…just because that was what I had and I really didn't want to add to my already overflowing liquor collection.

To a wine glass add 1 oz Calvados and 1 oz Chambord.  Add a handful of fresh fruit..I used blueberries. Top with Mountain Dew and stir to mix.