Thanksgiving Dinner

This year, I serve the Turkey with roast vegetables, stuffing made with organic corn bread and crumbled sausages, and a Gratin Dauphinois...
(At Jeremy and Anthony's request, I have made a double portion of stuffing)
The sweet ending is a French pear tart with a dash of rhum...
After this satisfying meal we all have food coma!

Sauteed Tiger Prawns with Oyster Mushrooms and Garlic Noodles

This is one of Jeremy's favorite dish which is so easy and fast to prepare, and it's bursting with flavors!

It's kind of a fusion between Western and Asian ingredients.

After washing, shelling and deveining the prawns, I pat them dry and marinade them with 1/2 tsp each of salt, sugar, white pepper and garlic powder. After heating a little olive oil, I sautee the prawns till just cooked, and remove them and keep them warm. In the same pan, I melt 2 tablesppon butter over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and stir until golden but not brown.  Then I add the oyster mushrooms, some minced green onion and red pepper, and stir fry for a few minutes, then I add the fresh egg noodles, some sweet soy sauce, and when everything is hot, I put the prawns back in, with some grated cheese. and another tablespoon of butter., and gently mix To serve immediately with a sprinkling of green onions.

Tofu with bean sauce and thousand year eggs

This is one of my favorite tofu dish made with soft tofu. I steam the tofu first as it will render a lot of liquid which should be discarded so the tofu remains soft but not too watery. The sauce is prepared with hot bean paste fried with shallots and minced thousand year eggs, and a little soy sauce. To serve I sprinkle some vegetarian floss (made from soybean) and spring onions. It's very flavorful and bursts with different flavors...

Char Siu Low Mien

When we just want to curl up on the sofa and have a "TV Meal", I like to prepare an easy simple dish.

First I marinade the pork meat (for example pork butt is a good cut for this dish) with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, then I put the meat in a preheated over to 350 degrees for about 30 mn, then I turn the pieces over for another 30 mn. Then I set the oven to broil or roast at 500 degrees, and golden brown (about 5 mn). Then the pork is thinly sliced. I like to make char siu at home as it's less greasy and salty than the store bought kind.

In the meantime, I blanch the rinsed and cut green vegetable (pak choy, Chinese broccoli or any green veggies) for about 10 seconds, then I add the egg noodles in the same pot of boiling water for about 10 seconds. Then I drain the noodles and vegetable and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. I add a little oil in the same pan (after wiping it dry), and fry a minced shallot and a minced garlic, I add sliced shitake mushrooms and add a little soy sauce with a sprinkling of brown sugar and sautee for about 3 minutes. Then I add back the noodles and vegetables and stir to heat through.

To serve the noodles with the sliced char siu (roast pork).  It's a popular dish at home and usually everybody gets a second - or third - helping!

Boeuf Bourguignon

Once in a while my friends request me to prepare my Boeuf Bourguignon. It takes a bit of preparation but each morsel is flavorful and almost melts in your mouth... This recipe serves around 4 to 5 people.

First I sautee roughly cut 1 large onion and 1 large carrot in a little oil and butter for about 7 mn, add some flour (about couple teaspoons) and cook for about 2 mn.  Set aside.
Next I sautee sliced unsmoked bacon (lardons) till brown and crisp. Set aside. Pour off the rendered fat and keep about 2 table spoons in the pan. Saute about 2 lbs of cubed beef (I use a mixture of beef for stew and brisket) by batch not to overcrowd the pan and for the beef to brown evenly. Put back the onions, carrots, bacon in the pan. Pour some red wine to almost cover the meat & vegetable mixture, add about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, a little sugar to taste, add some thyme and laurel leaves, mix well and let boil, then cover and reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Stir once in a while.

Meanwhile sautee button mushrooms in butter, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Sautee peeled pearl onions in butter till caramelized, set aside. About 15 mn before dinner time, add the mushrooms and pearl onions into the beef stew, and heat till warm through, about 5 to10 mn.

If you wish, sprinkle with some parsley as garnish before serving piping hot.

This is delicious with warm French bread.

Beef Curry with Condiments

This is a simple beef curry dish served with grated coconut, fried shallots, dried cranberries (or raisins), chutney, diced tomatoes and brown rice.

It's really delicious and satisfying.
First, fry some onions and garlic, add the cubed beef and brown evenly, add a mixture of yellow curry powder and curry paste (available from most supermarkets or Asian food stores), a little beef stock to cover, cook and stir till beef becomes tender (about 1 to 1-1/2 hour), add some coconut milk if you wish, season to taste, and serve with the condiments and brown rice.

Lasagna - Light recipe

My family enjoys eating lasagna cooked the "healthy" way... First we prefer to use wholewheat lasagna pasta, then for cheese we like to use a mixture of light ricotta or cottage cheese (1 container) and shredded skim milk mozarella (1 package), and minced lean turkey instead of beef (2 regular packs from the supermarket)

First cook the lasagna as per package direction (about 8 sheet for this recipe). Drain.

Saute some minced onions and minced garlic, add the minced turkey, a can of cubed tomatoes, add 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar, couple pinches of oregano, season to taste with salt, pepper & brown sugar, simmer for about 30 to 40 mn.

Pour 1/3 of the meat sauce at the bottom of the pan, then spread the light ricotta or cottage cheese, sprinkle the mozarella, then add 1 layer of lasagna sheet (4 sheet), then repeat with 1/3 of meat sauce, cheese, and another layer of lasagna sheet (remaining 4 sheet), then another 1/3 layer of meat sauce, cheese (finish with the shredded mozarella on top). Bake in preheated over to 400 degrees F for about 25 mn till cheese is bubbly and brown at some spots.

Cut with a non stick spoon and serve piping hot with a green salad (you can also sprinkle chili flakes on top).

Sometimes we substitute the minced turkey with sliced vegetable such as spinach, eggplant, assorted mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, basil leaves and artichokes to make a vegetarian lasagna, it's just as delicious!