Beef Bourguignon

This classic french dish "boeuf bourguignon" It tasted better after 1 day in the fridge, and is one of my whole family favorite dish is perfect for weekend meal.
Ingredients:
3 lbs beef meat, chunk or cut into cubes
1 bottle Bordeaux red wine
200g chopped leeks
1 medium size carrot, chopped diced
15 pcs white button mushrooms
2 medium size of yellow onions, cut into quarter
1 beef cube
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sugar
125g sliced bacon
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tsp cognac
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
extra virgin of olive oil
garni: mixed of spring sage, parsley, 2 bay leaves wrapped in leek leave
salt and pepper
Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the copper casserole or Dutch oven at medium heat, add the butter and 2 tbsp olive oil. Fry the beef and working with batches into pan without over crowding, and brown on all both sides. Transfer into a plate and fry the remaining beef and set aside.

2. Add the bacon, fry and until crisp. Remove into a paper towel, set aside.

3. At the same casserole, saute the leek, carrot, then add the tomato paste, flour, cognac and stir to combine.

4. Add the beef back into the casserole.

5. Pour the whole bottle of wine into pot.

6. Then stir with the beef cube.

7. Add the fried bacon, stir everything together. Cover with the lid bring to a boil.

8. Meanwhile, In a small skillet, over medium heat, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and onion, cook until start to brown. When the mushroom and onion heated through. Add the sauteed mushrooms and onion into the pot. Stir with the dried thyme and sugar(if desire) to balance the flavor of wine. Season with salt and pepper then stir well. Add the bouquet of garni, cover with a lid and bring into a gentle simmer. When its start boiling turn off the gas.

9. Place in preheated oven . Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Note that I am braising my beef stew in a Mauviel copper casserole that I can cook than a normal cooking time (3-4 hours in the oven). When the beef is done. Remove the garni and strain some fat oil on the button side of the pot. Stir in fresh chopped parsley. If necessary season with salt again according to your liking.

10. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy with mashed potato. Bon appetit!

Orange Soufflé Served With Crème Anglais

Since its Easter Sunday or Domingo de Pascua, I thought it would be a fun and perfect recipe for the sweet treats is to cracked some eggs in the kitchen. I decided that I’d make a soufflés for Easter Sunday lunch. I'm gonna be honest it is my first time to make this luscious soft and airy dessert. I am so wary of attempting soufflés, which have the reputation of being difficult and temperamental it required techniques. I remember I pay for this souffle💰in expensive french restaurant in Taipei. And I'm so glad I did, I proved to myself that I could do it and say yes I can cooked French! Wasn't  difficult! The reality is that they are relatively easy to make is like your making a Salzburger nockerl. While I am peeking in the glass window of the oven. I’m pleased as they rose up perfectly, I was so excited. This souffle recipe is so easy, If I can do it so you can, just involves dedication on cooking.

Ingredients:

2 oranges, juice and zest

3 tbsp cognac

2 organic egg yolks

4 organic egg whites

3 tsp corn flour

1 tbsp plain flour

100ml whip cream 

100ml whole milk

6 tbsp caster sugar

pinch of salt

melted butter for greasing

refine white sugar

icing sugar for dusting
cream vanilla sauce

Preparation:

1. Take 4 ramekins and brush them completely with softened butter. Sprinkle some refine granulated sugar to each ramekins and turn them to coat the sides and bottom. So the soufflé doesn't stick to the dish. Shaking out any excess, set aside to chill in the fridge.

2. Put the cream, salt, plain flour and cornflour into a  saucepan and whisk to a smooth paste.

 3. Heat the milk in the microwave, but do not let it boil just steam. If you don't like using the microwave, just heat it up on the stove. Warm the milk in a saucepan over a medium heat until just boiling, remove from the heat. Mix the hot milk into the cream flour mixture with the wooden spoon, spatula or balloon whisk. Add a little a time and mix well until the mixture is smooth like really thick cream. Press if any lumps to the side, then add and strain the orange juice, orange extract and cognac then whisk.

4.  Add the egg yolks whisking occasionally. Put the saucepan back on the stove to thicken again. Whisking constantly to a velvety texture. Transfer the custard mixture into a mixing bowl if you prefer. Let it cool into a body temperature. While cooling the custard mixture, preheat oven into 180°C.

5. When the custard mixture in the mixing bowl has cooled. It's time to whip or beat the egg whites. Place the egg whites in a large bowl using a hand whisk or electric mixer. Whisk and add the sugar as you are mixing, one spoonful at the time.

6. Keep whisking to give stiff, firm peaks to give volume to the meringue.

7. Add one large spoonful of the egg whites and mix well with the whisk or spatula to make the mixture less stiff. Add the orange zest and carefully fold in the remaining egg whites until well mixed.

8. Carefully spoon the mixture into prepared ramekins.

9. Run a thumb nail around the inside of the ramekins, this will help them to rise evenly.

10. Place the ramekins on the baking tray in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes until risen and turning golden Don’t open the oven during cooking just watched them through the glass until they were done (The soufflés should be evenly risen and soft-pillowy inside..)

11. Take them out from the oven as soon as they’ve risen. Be careful, the ramekins are very hot. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately with cream vanilla sauce.

12. I loved to  make a small slit in the middle of soufflé and fill it with cream vanilla sauce.

Crème Anglaise

Ingredients:
500ml whole milk but preferred low fat milk
6 organic egg yolks
1 vanilla pod, scrape
1 cup white granulated sugar
a dash of salt
Preparation:

1. In small pan simmer the milk until hot but not boiling. Combine sugar, egg yolks vanilla seeds and a dash of salt to bring out the flavor. Stir until evenly mixed, then add the vanilla pod or skin.

2. Place on top of the hob at low heat. Gently add the milk stirring constantly with balloon whisk until sauce thickens and creamy.

3. Immediately pour sauce through a fine sieve. 

4. If is not thick enough on your linking. Put back in the pan add 1 tbsp cornstarch, then gradually whisk until lightly creamy custard.

5. Pour into a container, drizzle over the cake.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:
3 large yellow onion, shredded
8 cups beef stock
2 cups red wine burgundy
2 tbsp olive oil
shredded cheese
loaf French bread
3 bay leaves
dash of thyme
dash of nutmeg powder
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:

1. Remove skin from onion, rinse well and shred. Heat the large heavy based sauce pan, saute the oil and onion and stir until browned.

2. Add flour and stir until well mixed. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

3. Pour the stock and wine, add bay leaves and thyme. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low cook until the sweet flavor of onion is released and onion is soft. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves.

4. Ladle the soup into the oven proof soup bowl. Slice the bread sprinkle each slice with shredded cheese, use cover top onion soup. Bake in heat element at 200°C until the cheese bubbles and richly golden.

5. And serve immediately.

Volaille Cordon Blue (Chicken Cordon Blue)

A simple "Chicken Cordon Blue" take on a classic french dish. In this version, should have a coating that puffs up itself which add a little more depth to the dish. The key to a good chicken cordon blue or schnitzel is the crispiness of the breading and deliciousness of the sauce. Its also fairly quick and easy. 
Ingredients:
4 pcs large half chicken breast, boneless and skinless
4 sliced le jambon superieur  (ham)
4 sliced gruyère de comté (gruyere cheese)
8 yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
For The Sauce:
1 fresh squeeze of orange
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup white wine
10 tbsp demi glace
5 shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped
1-2 tbsp unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Coating:
1½ - 2 cups breadcrumbs
1½ cup plain flour
2 eggs, beaten then mix with 1 tbsp of milk
15g of fresh mixed herbs; parsley, thyme, marjoram and rosemary (fresh tarragon if available)
½ tbsp dry tarragon
grapeseed oil or olive oil for deep frying
pinch of salt and ground black pepper
Preparation:

1. Before you start cooking, you ought to prepare the ingredients with a list of needed ingredients and step by step instructions to prepare the chicken dish. It may not be difficult for you to cook this dish. In order to do that and for the magical part. Chop the herbs coarsely but very finely.

2. Spread and mix the herb mixture and dry tarragon into the breadcrumbs with pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter then add the shallots, saute until shallots are translucent.

4. Add liquid ingredients at a time, simmer and reduce until it's almost evaporated.

5. Season with salt and pepper, then add the marjoram into the sauce. 

6. Then slowly stir the sauce until well blended and resembles loose gravy. Turn off the heat and transfer to a gravy boat and set aside in a warm temperature.

7. In nonstick stainless steel frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the potatoes, reduce and stir-fry potatoes slowly over low heat. Cover with lid and cook, stirring occasionally until potatoes are golden brown but tender. Sprinkle the chopped parsley then season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

8. Slice each piece of meat into even halves. Cover the chicken breast with a piece of plastic or paper wrap and flatten the chicken breast with a meat mallet until thin but do not flatten them too much. The chicken piece should almost double in size but still hold together.

9. Distribute the cheese around the breast and place the ham on top then roll tightly.  

10. Heat the frying pan and fill a third full with oil. Dredge the chicken breast first in flour making sure to shake off all the excess.

11. Dip each chicken breast into egg mixture to coat completely.

12. Then dredge in herb and breadcrumb mixture, patting it on to help it stick.

13. Fry the chicken breast until fully done and golden brown on both sides.

14. Transfer to platter with wire rack to drained out the excess oil or drain on paper towels.

15. Place a stuffed chicken on each plate, serve next to potato fries. Divide the sauce among the plates, drizzle over chicken or on the side as a dip. Serve and enjoy!