Crème Fraîche and other cream dishes

Turkey or Veal or chicken escalopes in a white wine cream sauce

It was on our recent visit to the Normandy that I remembered when I cooked this dish first. It was on one of our camping holidays quite a few years ago, which we spent in the Loire/Atlantique region in a small market town.

I had bought what I thought were veal escalopes ( it looked exactly like veal) but it turned out later, when I consulted the dictionary that it was actually turkey breast escalopes ("dinde"), well it did not stop us from enjoying it.
The following recipe will taste equally as good either with turkey or veal escalopes or even with chicken breast. If you do use chicken breast though, you do have to flatten it.

As the cows in the Normandy are as lucky as the cows in Ireland, being able to eat fresh green grass,   the quality of their cream and crème fraîche is exceptional, not to mention their array of different types of cheeses, with Camembert being the frontrunner. If you love the aforementioned then the North of France is your kind of paradise ( it is mine!)
When you combine cream or crème fraîche  with a good white wine, preferably a Muscadet  Sèvre et Maine, you get a very delicious tasting meal without having to do a lot. The combination of the wine and the crėme fraîche tenderizes the meat and gives it a beautiful tender  flavour.

Ingredients

1-2 escalopes of turkey breast/or chicken per person

The finished dish (for 4 persons)

200-300 ml crème fraîche

200-300 ml white wine 

salt and pepper

1 chicken stock cube

butter and rapeseed/sunflower oil for frying
Depending of the size of the escalopes you might need to use a little more wine or cream. 

Method

1. Prepare the meat, cutting of any bits you don't like, lightly salt and pepper the escalopes

2. Melt enough  butter and add the oil, so that the bottom of the pan is covered and fry the escalopes at medium heat until they are golden brown.

3. Add the wine and dissolve the chicken stock in the wine.

4. Simmer the scalopes in the wine sauce for approx 30 min.

5. Add the crème fraîche and bring to the boil. Simmer for approx 5 min or until the sauce has thickened.

Serve with creamed potatoes or Pasta if you wish. A simple green salad goes best with it, or Petit Pois if fresh salad is not at hand.

Note: This is a perfect dish for preparing in advance. Once it is done you can just leave it until you want it and simply reheat it gently. If you want to leave it overnight, then you need to refrigerate it.

Note 2 For an extra little kick you can add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard (handy if the wine does not have the right "bite")

Another family favourite and so so simple!!!

Spaghetti à la Carbonara (our family style)

This recipe has really nothing to do with what you might get in an Italian Restaurant or find in a cookery book. My recipe has been tried and tested, it works every time and is a definite runner with children ( and adults too!!!) 

No need for that much parsley!!!!

Ingredients  (for 4 persons)

250 - 300gr smoked bacon/rashers

1/2 l fresh cream 

some oil for frying

A little water

spaghetti for 4 

Method

1. Cut he bacon into small pieces and fry them in the oil

2. Add a little water to loosen all the flavours from the pan

3. Add half the cream and simmer gently

4.When the sauce has thickened turn the heat off and let the sauce stand for 1/2 hr, this is important so that the flavour of the bacon mixes with the cream.

5. Cook the Pasta and while the Pasta is cooking heat the sauce again and add the rest of the cream, simmer gently until you have a nice creamy consistency

Note: Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and freshly grounded black pepper

Note 2: Taste best with a fresh green salad

Warm chicken Salad

Warm Chicken Salad

A firm and long time favourite in the family. I created this particular recipe when a friend shared the recipe for the marinade with me, it was so easy to remember and I had all the ingredients in the house.
The idea of the salad came during exam time, when proper food was called for, but it had to be light, and yet nourishing and it had to be appealing to the eye. Needless to say we eat it now at all times!

Prep. Time: 30 Min

Cooking time: 10 min

Ingredients (for 4 people)

1 head of lettuce or the same equivalent of different salad leaves

1/2 half a red or yellow pepper per person

1 tomato per person

some onion rings/ spring onions per person

cucumber slices(optional) or radishes

2 Tbsp grated carrots per person

fresh button mushrooms thinly sliced (optional)

50 g pine nuts (preferably not grown in China)

1/2 large chicken breast per person
some oil for frying

• Note: I use 3 chicken breast for 4 persons, if  you want to have just a little bit more

• Note 2:  you can vary the vegetables according to season, the peppers are a must.

• Note 3: instead of pine nuts, you can use sunflowers seeds and/or blanched almons

Marinade

1/3 cup   good Rapeseed or Sunflower oil or Olive oil

1/3 cup  Balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup light Soya sauce

1/3 cup Port/Sherry (preferably Port)

Mix all the ingredients together until you have a sirupy consistency

Method

1  Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2-3 (1") cm long

2. Put the chicken into the marinade and leave in the fridge for a minimum of 20 min

3. Prepare vegetables, wash and cut
4. Arrange lettuce/salad leaves on individual plates, garnish with the tomatoes and other vegetables
5. Fry peppers in a little oil, not longer than a minute or two, they should still be crispy
6. Roast the pine nuts ( be careful they brown very quickly)
7. Fry the marinated chicken pieces in a little oil until they are brown
8. Lift the chicken pieces out of the pan, keep warm
9. Add leftover marinade to pain and bring quickly to the boil, take immediately of the heat after boiling up.
10. Arrange chicken and peppers on plate pour the juice from the pan over the meat
11. Sprinkle the pine nuts ( sunflowers seeds etc) over the salad and serve with fresh bread or garlic bread

Extra: If you want to have more salad dressing, simply mix 3 Tbsp of oil of your choice, 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp Portwine, salt and pepper to taste

* Vegetarian version of the salad: Use 150 gr fresh mushrooms per person, cut into quarters, marinade like the chicken pieces and continue as above