Chicken Liver Pâté
INGREDIENTS
4 strips of bacon
1 1/2 cup leek greens, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
500g chicken liver
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp bone broth
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt
METHOD
Brown the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Once cooked, remove the bacon and set it aside for later. Keep the grease in the skillet (remove some if there is too much).
Add the leek and garlic to the hot skillet and briefly sauté them.
Move the greens to the side of the skillet and add the chicken livers. Drizzle over with the olive oil and cook for 4 minutes, or until brown on one side.
Flip the livers over and add the wine & dried herbs. Stir to combine everything. Cover the pan and reduce to a low heat. Let it simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for an additional 1 minute.
In a food processor, blend the liver mixture with the cooked bacon, bone broth, fresh herbs, and salt until it becomes a smooth mixture.
Portion the mixture into 4 small serving cups and chill in the refrigerator until cold. Consume the pâté within 4 days.
Serve the pâté as a delicious snack or light lunch with crackers, toast or crudités, for example, cucumbers, zucchini, apples, and pears.
Bon appétit! Served on my “Piano” canapé plate.
Butterbean Hummus
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 can of butter beans
3/4 cup walnuts
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 fresh limes, juiced
A small bunch of fresh parsley
1 spring onion
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
If the consistency is too thick, add more oil or a splash of water to adjust.
Pour the hummus into a bowl or storage container and store it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
When ready, serve as a snack or light lunch with your choice of warm toast, crackers, or even chips.
Bon appetite! Served on my “La Boheme” canapé plate.
Green Papaya Salad
Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS
Dressing
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 clove of garlic minced
2 tablespoons chopped shallots optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
1 small green papaya
1 large carrot
1 cucumber
1/3 cup fresh mint or coriander leaves, chopped
4 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted
METHOD
Start by combining all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and set it aside.
Using a peeler, peel the outer skin of the papaya.
Cut the papaya in half and grate it using a large grater. Put it in a large bowl.
Peel the carrot, and grate it and the cucumber. Add them to the bowl with the grated papaya.
Mix the grated green papaya, carrots, and cucumber together with the chopped mint or coriander.
Pour in the dressing and toss well to coat the whole salad.
Arrange on plates and serve with your choice of fried tofu or chicken.
Sprinkle with nuts and toasted sesame seeds to garnish before serving.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohéme” soup and pasta plate on top of my “Piano” show plate in black.
Tuna Tapenade
INGREDIENTS
175 g green olives, pitted
4 anchovy fillets
1/2 can of tuna in oil
3 tbsp capers
25 ml extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
Blend all the ingredients together in a blender.
Transfer to a lidded container and place in the fridge to chill for a couple of hours.
Serve with crackers or toast.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” canapé plate.
Zucchini Mint Soup
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
50g unsalted butter
1 leek (white part only), thinly sliced
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 3 cm pieces
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1.5 L chicken broth
800 g zucchini, chopped
1 cup firmly packed baby spinach
A bunch of mint leaves
METHOD
Melt the butter in a saucepan with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the leek, potato, and garlic. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until leek has softened.
Increase heat to high and add the stock, then cover the pan and bring it to a boil. Let it boil covered for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are almost done.
Turn down the heat to medium and add the zucchini and cook for another 3 minutes until the zucchini is soft. Add the spinach and mint to the pan and stir until the spinach wilts.
Use a hand blender to blend the ingredients until smooth.
Divide the soup amongst 2 bowls and garnish with extra mint leaves.
Serve with sliced baguettes and blue cheese or goat cheese.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” soup and pasta plate.
Salad with Beetroot and Goat Cheese
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
8 cups mixed baby salad leaves, rinsed and dried
1 beetroot, thinly sliced
A pinch of dried chilli (optional)
Fresh mint leaves
Soft goat cheese
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Walnuts, chopped
Balsamic glaze
Dressing:
2 tbsp lemon juice
5 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
METHOD
Make the dressing by combining the ingredients together.
In a bowl, mix the salad leaves and mint leaves together and pour the dressing over it. Toss to thoroughly coat all the salad with the dressing.
Arrange the sliced beetroot around 4 plates.
Divide the salad equally and place in the centre of each of the plates.
Sprinkle a bit of dried chilli (optional) on top of the salad.
Top the salad with crumbled goat cheese.
Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze and serve.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” dinner plates.
Green Olive Tapenade
INGREDIENTS
1 jar green olives, pitted
1/2 cup salted almonds
1-2 garlic cloves
Anchovies to taste
Olive oil
Crackers or toast
METHOD
In a blender or mini food processor, blend olives, almonds, garlic and a couple of anchovies to taste. Add some olive oil and blend until the mixture is smooth and spreadable.
Serve on warm toast or crackers as a little snack together with a drink after a long day.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” coasters.
Salad with Mango and Goat Cheese
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
Mixed baby salad leaves
1 mango, peeled and sliced
1 packet of prosciutto slices
A pinch of dried chilli (optional)
Fresh mint leaves
Goat cheese
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Balsamic glaze
2 tbsp lemon juice
5 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
METHOD
Rinse and dry the salad leaves.
Arrange the mixed salad, mint and mangoes on 2 plates.
Top it with the prosciutto slices, dried chilli (optional) and the crumbled goat cheese.
Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a shaker to make the dressing.
Sprinkle the dressing over the assembled salad, and top it with roasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” dinner plate.
Lamb Rillet
INGREDIENTS
1 kg lamb culotte, leg, or shoulder without bone
1 tsp ground allspice
5 whole cloves
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
5 whole black peppercorn
50 g black raisins
1 Christmas beer or any beer
Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Remove any tendons from the lamb and cut the meat into cubes.
Put meat and the rest of the ingredients in a deep pot and cook on low heat until meat is tender - about one hour.
Strain the meat and keep the liquid. Set it aside in a bowl.
In another bowl, fork split the meat or split the meat in a hand mixer.
Taste with salt and pepper and add 1-2 dL of the strained liquid to the meat mixture.
Pour the rillet into a tray or form and cover it with the fat from the liquid.
Cover the form with foil or cling wrap and keep in the fridge.
Serve as a delicious Christmas snack with crackers or toast, pickles, and mustard.
Bon appétit! Served on my “Piano” canapé plates.
Liver Pâté
INGREDIENTS
300 g duck, turkey, or chicken liver
1 tbsp butter
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp marjoram
100g butter
3-4 tbsp cognac
METHOD
Fry the liver in 1 tablespoon butter together with the finely chopped shallot, garlic, marjoram, salt and pepper for only 1 minute. The liver should still be pink inside but not raw.
Turn off the heat and flambé the liver with cognac.
Let the liver cool a bit before blending it in the food processor together with the rest of the butter.
Add more cognac and salt and pepper if needed.
Fill in a deep dish and refrigerate for a couple of hours until cold and firm.
Decorate with almonds as desired.
Serve the pâté with crackers or toast, and pickles as one of my traditional Christmas lunch favourites.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” canapé plates.
Protein Gazpacho Soup
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
4-5 large tomatoes, skinned
1 clove of garlic, peeled
2 small shallots, peeled
1 cucumber
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and halved
1 green bell pepper, deseeded and halved
1 medium jalapeño, deseeded
1 can of butter beans, drained
2 tbsp chia seeds
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt to taste
METHOD
Blend all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor until the consistency is smooth.
Chill for at least 4 hours, then serve.
Top with parsley, garlic croutons, and finely chopped cucumber.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” and “Piano” soup and pasta plates.
Tuna and Bean Salad
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1 can cannellini beans
1 can tuna in oil or brine
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
METHOD
Mix all the ingredients except for the parsley together in a bowl.
Taste the seasoning. Add more lemon if desired.
Toss in the finely chopped parsley and serve.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” dinner plate.