Coq au Vin

Tried the Guardian "How to make the perfect..." recipe, I used a jointed 2kg chicken as I couldn't get a cock. I probably reduced the wine a bit more than recommended but we have a very heavy pot with a very tight lid and I left it on for the final stage. Pronounced a triumph by Evie and Véro.

Beetroot and Sweet Potato Salad

I think the cooking times are on the raw side of al dente and roasting my rather large beets took some time but worth the wait. It's a Guardian "midweek supper" from Angela Hartnett.

Pork Fillet with Mustard Sauce

My effort is not exactly a picture on a plate but a great straightforward recipe, but all hail Gerard Depardieu's recipe book a great present from Basil.

From Recipes

Chicken Cooked in a Salt Crust

Mix 1kg plain flour and 1 kg of course salt add cold water slowly until you have a pastry you can roll. In your chicken add the liver of 3 chickens, salt and pepper, a branch of rosemary and a bay leaf. Wrap the chicken in the pastry and bake in oven (180 degrees centigrade) for an hour and a half for a small chicken or two and a half hours for a larger bird. Unfortunately I got it wrong and only went for two hours and had to reinsert in oven embalmed in foil (note to self don't always trust Larousse) . Serve with simple salad dressed in nut oil. This is a lovely moist "chickeny" meal and the liver is a lovely touch.

Scallops, Black Pudding and Apple

This is pretty straight forward, peel and slice some Granny Smiths into bite size chunks, fry gently in butter with a little sugar but aim not to caramelise. "Peel" some black pudding and cook in a frying pan for 5-6 minutes, layer in glass with the apple and set aside, simply season and griddle some scallops re-heat glasses in microwave, cut scallops into smaller pieces and put on top of warm black pudding and apple. Not sure this is the best way to combine these ingredients but if you have guests to look after the pre-preparation is easier than cooking the three elents at the same time.

Salmon Tartare, Petit Sale and Poached Pears

The recipe for the Salmon was from an old Sainbury's magazine and there is a sauce in which Wasabi is added to Ceme fraiche.
The Petit Salé recipe is my own adaption of a classic based on some other recipes I know where a little chilli is added to lentils.

Petit salé with red wine,

rosemary and lentils

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

600g Puy lentils

1.5 kg petit salé

3-9 tbsp olive oil

½ Bottle of red wine

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 sticks of celery diced

1 Large Onions finely chopped

3 small carrots diced

15-20 Shallots or Small Onions

3 Bay leaves

Small bunch Thyme

leaves from 3 sprigs of rosemary

small bunch of small sage leaves pick off half leaves and chop

2 small red chillis, seeded and chopped

10 pieces sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and cut across into thin

strips

0.25 l chicken stock

3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley and a small bunch

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

1. Peel shallots/small onions and set aside.

2. Wash lentils and leave to soak in water.

3. Cover pork in water in large pan bring slowly to boil and simmer for 5 minutes, drain and wash in cold water, dry thoroughly.

4. Put oil in a heavy pan or casserole and sear meat, remove add wine and reduce until you have reduced by two thirds pour into bowl and set aside

5. Add the remaining oil to the pan and add the garlic, chopped onion, carrots, celery and chilli. Fry over a medium-high heat until the shallots are soft and lightly browned.

6. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, lentils, red wine reduction, petit sale, chicken stock, shallots/small onions, half the parsley and other herbs tied and pepper add water until just covered and leave to simmer gently covered for 2 hours until the liquid has reduced slightly and the lentils are tender. Check the dish does not dry completely and that the meat is cooking.

Stir the remaining chopped parsley into the lentils and spoon them into a warmed shallow serving dish. Put the carved petit sale on top and serve.

The Pears are an old favourite but I had no thick cream and I'm afraid I over thickened the sauce with cornflour.

CHILLI PEARS WITH SPICED TOFFEE SAUCE

Pears poached with chilli and ginger and served with an Asian-spiced sauce are lighter than plum pud and more fun to eat

4 brown-skinned pears

750ml/112 pints sparkling wine

250g/9oz caster sugar

2 small red chillies

1 slice of fresh ginger

For the sauce:

150g/5oz soft brown sugar

150ml/5fl oz thickened cream

2 cardamom pods

4 each whole star anise and cinnamon sticks

2 tablespoons butter

To make the sauce, put all the ingredients in a pan, bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for five minutes. You can do this stage beforehand.

Wash the pears, but do not peel them. Use a small, sharp knife to cut out the cores from the bottom and discard. Combine the sparkling wine, caster sugar, chilli and ginger in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring. Place the pears in the syrup and simmer for 30 minutes or more, until tender to the touch. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To serve, reheat the pears in their syrup. When they are hot, gently heat the sauce. Drain the pears well, and place in the centre of four shallow soup plates. Strain the hot sauce over the top so that it coats each pear completely. Pick out the star anise and cinnamon and arrange at the foot of each pear.

Chicken and Leek Pie

If you follow this recipe you will end upwith a very "chickeny" pie!

Pea and Ham Soup

Make friends with the people where you buy your ham, and then if they are as kind as Philippe they give you the bone and you can delicious warming soup!

Butternut Squash Soup with Scallops and Saffron Cream

A great recipe, I used stock cubes and suggest that frozen scallops can be used here without a huge loss of taste and texture.

Lamb Tagine with Prunes

Another superb meal from Khadija!

Fish Finger Sandwich

Whilst this blog is dedicated to cooking and generally we frown upon convenience food, there are some things thast just hit the spot, white bread (OK in France it's pain de mie from the local baker), fish fingers, and Heinz Tomato Ketchup.

Glazed Duck and Jerusalem Artichokes

Tip top recipe although I'd guess many people would prefer to peel rather than scrub the artichokes, also I'd suggest that 20 minutes is a very conservative cooking time and 35 minutes is more realistic. Also if you have some where hot I'd suggst to be bold cooking the duck and let it rest a bit longer. It's by Marcus Wareing and from the Independent.

Honey-glazed duck breasts with Jerusalem artichokes and walnuts

The combination of the caramelised duck breast with the distinct, nutty, flavour of Jerusalem artichokes gives these amazing ingredients what they deserve; the walnuts complement perfectly, with an oily crunch.

Serves 2

For the artichokes

4 medium-sized Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp table salt

For the duck

2 Gressingham duck breasts, skin scored in a criss-cross pattern

1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 tbsp honey

To serve

25g/1oz walnuts, toasted
1/4 bunch parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Place the artichokes in foil with the garlic, olive oil and salt; gather up and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Place a frying pan on a low heat. Season the duck breasts with the salt then place skin-side down in the dry pan. Allow the fat to slowly render off, tipping off the excess a couple of times. Cook until the skin has browned and the majority of the fat has rendered off (this should take around 15 minutes). Pour off the fat, then add the honey to the pan with the duck and allow to brown. Turn the breasts on to the flesh side for around four minutes then remove and set aside to rest for five minutes. Mix the roasted artichokes with the walnuts and parsley and serve with the duck breasts.

Lamb Navarin

Unfortunately the budget didn't stretch to milk-fed spring lamb, ended up with a "normal" shoulder of Lamb so I ended up multiplying the quantities by one and a half, but a great recipe from Gerard Depardieu's book. Top tips use frozen broad beans and peas and you need a really big pot to fit it all in!

Veal Chop with Roasted Shallots and Creamed Spinach

This is an adaption from recipes in the Independent by Mark Hix, couldn't get a Veal T-bone so used chops cooked just over a minute a side on hot griddle pan, then rested for five minutes. Creamed Spinach used the cheaper stuff from the market and left quite a lot of stalk in, I'd suggest putting the cream in the food processor and then reheating in a microwave is easier.

Chez Hager!

A lovely meal and great company.

Fishcakes (Posh)!

This is a belter of a recipe, top tip don't crowd the pan if you fry them they are a bit delicate!

Rabbit Pie

A really good recipe, no spring carrots so just cut some big ones into batons.

Pizza, Beer and Football

Chicken, Lemon and Rocket Risotto

I'd use less chicken breasts than in the recipe.

Calves Liver with Red Wine Vinegar and Tagliatelle

Have a look at the recipe here, but I'd suggest not cutting the liver so thin and if you do three minutes a side would be over-done in my eyes.