Tea-Smoked Duck

Getting back into the kitchen after 'vacation' has been pretty easy. Grocery shopping, however, proved to be a learning experience. I headed off, list in hand, to my local Auchan. Enjoyed touring up and down and left with sacks of groceries totaling 150euro. You realize that there are just two people in the house now. I'm not sure who I thought I was buying for, but when I head back again, I'll really use my brain cell(s) instead of just picking up items and throwing them in the cart! I'm not sure what army I was going to feed!

My first cooking class is coming up. I'm doing a Grilling/Smoking Class. Many times when trying to create an interesting class, I pick out some recipes that sound good to me, I enjoy predicting a new trend or new method of cooking. Then, I start the testing/tasting process long after the description of the class goes to print! Now is the time to get started cooking!

I love this part of giving a class. Developing, testing and re-testing, then, writing up the recipe.
Right now, I'm working on the Tea-Smoked Duck. I used a Citrus Tea to infuse a 'smokey flavor'. The result was good, but I think I can do better!

I will retest this recipe using another tea. I just found a wonderful smelling 'orange' tea from Hediard. I think this combo will be a winner!

I decided to pair the duck with a fresh salsa. Avocado, melon, jalapeno, cilantro, onions & lime juice. A teeny tiny but oh-so-spicy red chili was thrown in the mix. Fresh & delicious. The recipe I'm using smokes the duck first, then you crisp the skin up before serving. The duck was served 'rosy' in the traditional way. Too rare for you?.......Just cook a little longer when crisping up the skin. I'll let you know what happens with the re-test this weekend.

Convenience Cooking in France

Yes, I'm back home in the suburbs of Paris. When I boarded the plane I had this nagging feeling, like I was forgetting something.
Oh yeah, my son!
He is safe and sound in college, with all the little items that Bed Bath & Beyond had on it's shelf for a college kid! Now I'm dealing with the empty nest and learning how to make conversation with my husband again! Not to worry, so far it is going ok!

While we were in the UK, I got a chance to eat at a place I've been dying to try! Wagamama! I wanted to eat there just because I like to say the name! Try it, you can't say it without smiling!
I was able to pick up their cookbooks (they have two out) and have cooked 3 great recipes!
This one is an Oven Steamed Moules recipe.

Remember, I just got back from the states, the land of Convenience! And trust me, I ate my share of fast food.......and have the surplus weight to prove it.
I had Chicken Fried Steak from the Black Eyed Pea. I ate at Taco Bueno......oh yum! Dunkin Doughnuts, Pizza Uno, for the Pizza Bianco.....the list goes on! (my trainer moved back to the U.S., so there is no body to scold me, but me!) Can you Bloggers and Foodies ever forgive me for eating this way??

Below is a French item of Convenience.......Ready to Cook Moules! Just rinse, season and cook. Vacuum packed, all mussels closed and alive!

Really, they were not bad.

Since I already had the Sake and light Soy Sauce & ginger, I was just about ready to go. A quick trip for a carrot and a couple of leek and a fresh bulb of garlic and dinner was on its way!
I usually steam my moules on the cook top, so this recipe not only intrigued me because of the amount of vegetables it used, but because you cooked them in the oven.

Look at the results, perfectly cooked and still juicy. The vegetables were tender crisp, and lots of sauce to mop up with bread!

Check out their cookbook......I've prepared a Pork breaded with Panko and served with some delicious vegetables and a wonderful dipping sauce. I also made the Yaki Soba, easy and tasty!
I can't wait to try the Gyoza.
I've become such a fan of Wagamama!

Lessons, Part Deux

Yesterday was Crepes Day at our house! Clay changed the menu to Chicken Divan Crepes instead of seafood! I thought long and hard about how a teenager in a dorm room would do Crepes!
There is a kitchen on his floor, but do they have a scale (to scale the flour), do they even have flour? butter? milk? Who knows!
I decided what a Freshman College Male (who wants to do a little cooking) might benefit from packaged items. When he gets his own place, then I'll teach a 'white sauce' and the joys of poaching a chicken breast etc.

Just some of the packaged items and the traveling Tefal Crepe Pan! (this can be used for grilled cheese, omelets! A good buy!)

A simple matter of measuring out some milk and giving a nice whisk!


Then learning the 'all important' Flipping Action!


Next he made the filling with some Grape-Vine Smoked Chicken, steamed broccoli and sliced mushrooms. He prepared the package of Bechamel Sauce (it really didn't taste bad) which he enriched with some Cheddar. I suggested he go the the salad bar at the local grocery and buy some of the vegetables already prepared and cleaned. He can also buy a deli-chicken. I'm trying to teach 'easy' but 'fresh' are important!!

Again, the kid enjoyed the experience of cooking! Perhaps I should have suggested Culinary School instead!

My next post in a few weeks should be all about cooking for 2 lonely parents.

Last Minute Lessons!

This week is packing up for college week for my son. I admit to being a bit, hmmmm, tense! Tension combined with a pending sense of loss....Couple that with excitement (for him) and fear (did I teach him everything he needs to know?)......well you get the picture! Walk on eggshells, please!

Yesterday the 'bearded baby' clomped down the stairs, cookbooks in hand. A few years back we visited the Librairie Gourmand on rue Dante and Clay picked up a nice selection of cookbooks in French! He asked me if I could teach him a few recipes before he left for college. Of course I said yes, lets make a list! I was so touched that he wanted to learn! I guess it is because I told him once that girls love a guy that can cook!!
He picked out a Fruit de Mer Crepe recipe and a lovely Poulet Stroganoff to try.

I remember my friend/mentor told a story that her daughter while in college in the states became the Crepe Diva of her dorm! Food, it is always a great reason to gather! I thought about giving Clay my 'black steel' but it really isn't seasoned perfectly yet, I thought again....good 'ol Teflon. Off to BHV so he can pack up a pan to take to college with him!

Tonight he prepared the Chicken and it was lovely! This was a simple recipe, but he learned the important lesson of Mise en Place! Once he had all the items washed, chopped and measured...he was good to go! Rice and salad to accompany! Dinner al fresco!

I'm proud of that kid! Tomorrow, Crepes!

At least Max is calm and cool! And very polite with his crossed legs!

Chillin' with Fruit Soup

Paris is HOT right now. I know you think you are suffering in the U.S., but you can shuffle from AC unit to AC unit. My car has AC and the living room has a little room unit. The rest of our house you can fry eggs on most surfaces! Even poor Max is too hot to wiggle his tail.

Thinking about dinner in this kind of heat needs special inspiration. I was checking out the internet in the cool air of the morning and found a post in the Chicago Sun Times. The article that caught my eye was called, Keeping Cool. Yes, I clicked on the link. Nectarine-cantaloupe Soup. Wow......this sounded delicious!

I was just at the Ferme de Gally and bought some huge nectarines, and last Sunday I bought some of this fantastic honey from the Galleries Gourmand. So far, so good. Cinnamon, nutmeg & vanilla!

I have to tell you that when I told the hubby what I was making Fruit Soup, he scrunched up his nose and said, 'Sounds like dessert, not soup'.......I just told him he was going to like it!
Fresh melon chunks, freshly squeezed OJ.....whizz up and chill.

Garnished with blueberries and mint and served super cold, this is a real winner! I'm also thinking of taking the leftovers and throwing it into my ice cream maker, I think this will make some dynamite sorbet.

Stay Cool!