Chicken Cacciatore

After doing the rabbit, now it's time to do the chicken, got the idea from Simply Recipe website. I did a twist to mine with what I could find in my fridge and stew with tomatoes.

Ingredients :
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, julienne
1 tbsp bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 chicken drumstick
1/3 cup white wine
1 can whole tomatoes 800gm
1/2 tsp herbs de provence
1 cup frozen zucchini, defrosted
10 olives

In a pot, place the olive oil and butter, add the onion, bacon and garlic. Stir till the onion is transparent, then add the chicken, cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the white wine, cook for about 5 minutes then add the tomatoes and herbs de provence.  If you don't have herbs de provence, mixed herbs are good enough. I add another cup of water and let it come to a boil, season to taste, then transfer to roasting pan.

Ready for oven

Place in the oven at 160°C for 45 minutes.

After roasting

Remove the chicken and transfer the sauce into the pan, add the zucchini and olive and boil till sauce thickens.  I roast the chicken for about another 10 minutes at 190°C before serving.  Remove the chicken from the oven and place the sauce on top of the roast chicken before serving.  I serve with rice pilaf.

Chicken cacciatore

Braised Ox Tongue in Madeira Sauce

Braised Ox Tongue in Madeira Sauce served with Tagliatelle

French are like Chinese, they eat everything, today I am doing Ox Tongue.

Ingredients :

1 ox tongue (approximately 1.8 kg)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallots, minced
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp tomato paste
6 cups beef stock
3 tbsp madeira
1/2 tsp dried thyme
7 button mushroom, sliced
7 cornichon (gherkins), sliced
salt & pepper to taste

First have to prepare the tongue, trim any extraneous matter on the underneath and large end of the tongue.  To freshen the tongue, and to dissolve any clinging saliva and remove all blood, scrub the tongue with a vegetable brush under warm running water, then let soak 2-3 hours in a sinkful of cold water, add a cup of vinegar.  After soaking, drain.

Ox tongue before cooking

In an enamled bowl, marinate the ox tongue with coarse salt, place a waxed paper on top, and a plate and refrigerate overnight.

Ox tongue after soaking and marinated in salt

Ox tongue ready for refrigerator

The next day, wash of the salt and place the tongue in a pot, boil for at least 2 hours.  Skim off any greyish scum until it ceases to rise.  If the tongue is not salted, add salt.
Drain and let the tongue cool.  When the tongue is cool enough, remove the outer skin.  Trim the fatty parts away, any loose meaty part and any bones. Then make about 1 cm thick slices.
To cook the sauce, place the oil and butter in the pan, then the shallots.  When the shallots are transparent, add the flour, then add the tomato paste, beef stock, madeira, thyme and mushroom.  Bring to boil, then add the sliced ox tongue.  Let it boil for about 5 minutes, then transfer to roasting dish, cover with tin foil and place in the oven at 160°C for an hour.

Ox tongue ready for oven

Remove from oven, and place the ox tongue in a pot, add the cornichon and reduce the sauce.  This may take up to 30 minutes.

Ox tongue ready to serve

Butter Cookies

Butter Cookies

Ingredients :
1 cup butter (227 gm)
3/4 cup sugar (170 gm)
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour (250 gm)

Method :
1.  Cream the butter and sugar.  Since I use salted butter, I did not add any salt.  Add the vanilla essence and the egg yolk.  Continue to beat till smooth.  Then add the flour till a smooth batter.
2.  Roll the batter in a cling film and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Ready for the fridge

3.  Cut the batter into about 3 mm and place them on parchment paper.

Ready for the oven

4.    Preheat the oven to 160°C.  Bake for 16 - 18 minutes.  Remove and cool.