Today before we go to our menu, let's take a look at a very important principle of cooking called La mise en place translates simply as having everything in place before starting.
A mise en place is just doing your prep work, having everything you need for the dish; equipments, utensils and ingredients all cleaned, prepared, cut, and measured ready to cook.
There are recipes that allow you to prepare things as you go along, but for most recipes there is no time for preparation once you start.
However whether the recipe allows you time or not, it's important to practice the mise en place. It's the habit of all great cooks, it helps you save time.
When you have everything ready ahead of time, you cannot missed anything , so you're sure that you have all the ingredients on the list, nor would you have to stop to look for something that you could be out of. The mise en place allows you to move freely and have control of your work as well.
It's a great state of mind that relieves you of all stress so you can enjoy your cooking and make the most exquisite dish possible.
Sunday Dinner Menu
Tornadoes with pepper sauce
Frites
Stuffed Mirlitons
Paella
Cherimoya juice
Coffee
Creme brulee
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Haitian Traditional Sunday Dinners
Coq au vin is one of the most famous French chicken dishes, and it's popular in Haiti as well. Over the years it has lost its popularity for many reasons. But it's still a very delicious dish to be on the Sunday dinner table
Sunday dinner menu
Coq au vin
Potato Duchess
Green salad
Rice with sweet peas
Acerola juice ( Caribbean cherries )
Cafe
Mango mouse
Haitian Coq au vin
Traditionally a rooster was used for this dish, but today it's made with any type of chicken
1 5-7 lbs cleaned chicken
1/2 lbs salted pork fat
Juice of 1 sour orange or 2 limes ( reserve pulps)
2 scallions
3 garlic cloves
2 springs of parsley
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 of a scotch bonnet pepper or to taste
Dash of ground cloves
2 cubes of bouillon cubes
2 tabs of water
2 tabs of tomato paste
1 bouquet garni* ( made of 3 sprigs of parsley, 2 thyme ,1 bay leaf)
1 tab beurre manie*( 1 tab of butter ,1 tab of flour)
2 tabs of butter
6 shallots diced
2 sticks of celery diced
1 leek diced
1 red bell pepper diced
2 medium carrots diced
12 whole baby onions cleaned and trimmed bulbs only
1/4 cup of rum or cognac
2 cups of dry red wine
Cut the salt pork into 1 inch piece squares rinse well and soak in water for 1 hour, drain
and put aside. Cut the chicken into 12 pieces, rub with the citrus pulps and rinse, pat dry.
Make a marinade by reducing to paste the 9 top ingredients and one bouillon cube . Place the chicken in a bowl with the lardons (the squares of salted pork fat) and cover with the marinade . Let marinade at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove lardons from the marinade. In a heavy bottom pan over medium heat add the lardons with the 2 tabs of water and let cook until the evaporation of all the water then the lardons will start rendering their fat. When they are brown and crispy, remove and save.
Remove the pieces of chicken from the marinade and pat dry, brown them well on all sides in the remaining fat. When all the pieces are browned , drain all the fat off.
Pour the rum or cognac over the chicken and ignite to flambee, when flames have died cover and reserve .
In another smaller pan melt the butter add the diced vegetables, the small onions the other bouillon cubes and cook until vegetables are soft about 15 minutes.
Add cooked vegetables to chicken, tomato paste, lardons, wine and bouquet garni*,
bring to full boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes, add beurre manie, cook another fifteen minutes. Serve in about 30 minutes later.
Coq au vin can be prepared ahead of time, it improves with time.
Enjoy
* Beurre manie is an equal part of butter and flour mixed together to thicken sauces
* Bouquet garni is a small bundle of herbs tied together used to flavor soups stews, sauces and removed after cooking
* Lardons are small pieces of salted pork fat or Bacon used to flavor or decorate foods
Sunday dinner menu
Coq au vin
Potato Duchess
Green salad
Rice with sweet peas
Acerola juice ( Caribbean cherries )
Cafe
Mango mouse
Haitian Coq au vin
Traditionally a rooster was used for this dish, but today it's made with any type of chicken
1 5-7 lbs cleaned chicken
1/2 lbs salted pork fat
Juice of 1 sour orange or 2 limes ( reserve pulps)
2 scallions
3 garlic cloves
2 springs of parsley
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 of a scotch bonnet pepper or to taste
Dash of ground cloves
2 cubes of bouillon cubes
2 tabs of water
2 tabs of tomato paste
1 bouquet garni* ( made of 3 sprigs of parsley, 2 thyme ,1 bay leaf)
1 tab beurre manie*( 1 tab of butter ,1 tab of flour)
2 tabs of butter
6 shallots diced
2 sticks of celery diced
1 leek diced
1 red bell pepper diced
2 medium carrots diced
12 whole baby onions cleaned and trimmed bulbs only
1/4 cup of rum or cognac
2 cups of dry red wine
Cut the salt pork into 1 inch piece squares rinse well and soak in water for 1 hour, drain
and put aside. Cut the chicken into 12 pieces, rub with the citrus pulps and rinse, pat dry.
Make a marinade by reducing to paste the 9 top ingredients and one bouillon cube . Place the chicken in a bowl with the lardons (the squares of salted pork fat) and cover with the marinade . Let marinade at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove lardons from the marinade. In a heavy bottom pan over medium heat add the lardons with the 2 tabs of water and let cook until the evaporation of all the water then the lardons will start rendering their fat. When they are brown and crispy, remove and save.
Remove the pieces of chicken from the marinade and pat dry, brown them well on all sides in the remaining fat. When all the pieces are browned , drain all the fat off.
Pour the rum or cognac over the chicken and ignite to flambee, when flames have died cover and reserve .
In another smaller pan melt the butter add the diced vegetables, the small onions the other bouillon cubes and cook until vegetables are soft about 15 minutes.
Add cooked vegetables to chicken, tomato paste, lardons, wine and bouquet garni*,
bring to full boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes, add beurre manie, cook another fifteen minutes. Serve in about 30 minutes later.
Coq au vin can be prepared ahead of time, it improves with time.
Enjoy
* Beurre manie is an equal part of butter and flour mixed together to thicken sauces
* Bouquet garni is a small bundle of herbs tied together used to flavor soups stews, sauces and removed after cooking
* Lardons are small pieces of salted pork fat or Bacon used to flavor or decorate foods
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Haitian Traditional Sunday Dinners
A Haitian dinner can easily run into five to seven courses, but a traditional Haitian dinner always has a minimum of three courses.
The normal fare is a meat or sea food served with one or more boiled or fried starches like green or yellow plantains, white potatoes or sweet potatoes, breadfruits, yams or some other roots followed by a dish of grains like rice, corn, millet etc... cooked with or without peas or beans.
Appetizers or amuse-gueules, before and after dinner drinks, salads, desserts and side dishes of vegetables are encouraged and appreciated when time and economy permit, but are optional.
The Haitian dinner doesn't end with dessert like some culture but rather with a nice cup of espresso coffee served in the living room.
Dessert is never brought to the dinner table as part of the dinner, but placed on a side table as an after dinner treat
Traditional Haitian Sunday Dinner
Seared fillet of beef
Braised carrots
Fritay ( fried plantains,sweet potatoes, acras)
Haitian black mushroom rice with sweet peas
Papaya juice
Coffee
Beignets
Braised carrots Serve 6
2 lbs of carrots
1/2 stick of butter
1 tab of brown sugar
1 large beef bouillon cube
1/4 tsp of salt
1/8 tsp of ground black pepper
1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
4 cups of water or enough water to cover all the carrots completely
2 tabs of chopped parsley
Peel the carrots and cut them into 2 inch slices. In a heavy bottom pot over high heat, pour the water, place the carrots and the other ingredients except the parsley. Bring to a full boil, then cover and reduced heat to medium, cook until carrots are fork tender about 35 to 45 minutes. Drain if there are more than 2-3 tablespoon of liquid left.
Sprinkle chopped parsley over carrots, mix well, transfer to a serving dish and serve.
Enjoy
The normal fare is a meat or sea food served with one or more boiled or fried starches like green or yellow plantains, white potatoes or sweet potatoes, breadfruits, yams or some other roots followed by a dish of grains like rice, corn, millet etc... cooked with or without peas or beans.
Appetizers or amuse-gueules, before and after dinner drinks, salads, desserts and side dishes of vegetables are encouraged and appreciated when time and economy permit, but are optional.
The Haitian dinner doesn't end with dessert like some culture but rather with a nice cup of espresso coffee served in the living room.
Dessert is never brought to the dinner table as part of the dinner, but placed on a side table as an after dinner treat
Traditional Haitian Sunday Dinner
Seared fillet of beef
Braised carrots
Fritay ( fried plantains,sweet potatoes, acras)
Haitian black mushroom rice with sweet peas
Papaya juice
Coffee
Beignets
Braised carrots Serve 6
2 lbs of carrots
1/2 stick of butter
1 tab of brown sugar
1 large beef bouillon cube
1/4 tsp of salt
1/8 tsp of ground black pepper
1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
4 cups of water or enough water to cover all the carrots completely
2 tabs of chopped parsley
Peel the carrots and cut them into 2 inch slices. In a heavy bottom pot over high heat, pour the water, place the carrots and the other ingredients except the parsley. Bring to a full boil, then cover and reduced heat to medium, cook until carrots are fork tender about 35 to 45 minutes. Drain if there are more than 2-3 tablespoon of liquid left.
Sprinkle chopped parsley over carrots, mix well, transfer to a serving dish and serve.
Enjoy
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Traditional Haitians Sunday Dinners
Everybody's Sunday dinner is special, there is no doubt about it, I know that some people go to great length to accomplish this expected masterpiece by stretching their time , purses, patience and love to experience one more time the smell, look and the taste of a particular dish that is relished by the whole family.
Unfortunately many people are giving up or losing these traditions with great pain , because of modern life, or uncontrollable changes.
However, what matters is not how much you do it's knowing that you are trying to carry on this legacy that our parents and grand-parents left us. Therefore, by practicing a little something , may be just one thing that can fulfill the soul and defines the identity, can bring great satisfaction.
This a suggested menu of our traditional Sunday dinners
Baked or stewed chicken
Sweet peas puree
White rice
Boiled sweet plantain
Lettuce and tomato salad/ vinaigrette dressing
Baked macaroni and cheese
Passion fruit juice
Coconut ice cubes
Every Haitian knows that chicken and sweet peas are The dish par excellence in Haiti on Sundays be it a Sweet peas puree, Sweet peas with rice or Creamed Sweet peas cooked with chicken or other meats, the Sweet peas is a constant in most Haitian Sunday's dinner table.
The preferred meat on Sundays is chicken and other fowls like guinea hens, pigeons, ducks etc, it's also the day for all type of rotis, fillets , et the gratinees
And on that note I am going to give you the Gratinee of all times, The Haitian baked macaroni and cheese.
Haitian baked macaroni and cheese
Bechamel sauce
4 tabs of butter
1 medium onion very finely chopped
1/2 of a red bell pepper finely chopped
2 tbs of flour
1- 14 oz can of Carnation evaporated milk, add enough water to make 2 cups
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1 pinch of nutmeg
In a heavy bottom sauce pan over low heat , melt the butter cook the onion and the pepper whitout browning stir in the flour mix well add salt and pepper, keep mixing add milk stirring constantly until flour is cooked an sauce thickens .Add nutmeg, remove from fire and set aside
4 cups of uncooked large ziti ( 1 pound)
1 tsp salt
2 cups of shredded cheese ( Edam, Gouda, sharp Cheddar, Emmental or Gruyere)
1cup of mayonaise ( yes I did say mayonaise)
1/4 cup of Dijon moutarde ( yes , yes that's what I said mustarde)
2 eggs beaten
In a large pot boil ziti with salt for 7 minutes , drain and pour in a 9"x13" baking dish, add grated cheese, mayo, mustarde, eggs and bechamel sauce, mix well .
Top with this mixture
Topping
1/4 cup of grated cheese
2 tbs of bread crumbs
2 tabs chopped parsley
4 tabs of butter
Mix cheese , bread crumbs and parsley togother and sprinkle over the macaroni and dot with the butter
Bake at 350o in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown
Let rest at least 20 minutes before serving.
Enjoy
Unfortunately many people are giving up or losing these traditions with great pain , because of modern life, or uncontrollable changes.
However, what matters is not how much you do it's knowing that you are trying to carry on this legacy that our parents and grand-parents left us. Therefore, by practicing a little something , may be just one thing that can fulfill the soul and defines the identity, can bring great satisfaction.
This a suggested menu of our traditional Sunday dinners
Baked or stewed chicken
Sweet peas puree
White rice
Boiled sweet plantain
Lettuce and tomato salad/ vinaigrette dressing
Baked macaroni and cheese
Passion fruit juice
Coconut ice cubes
Every Haitian knows that chicken and sweet peas are The dish par excellence in Haiti on Sundays be it a Sweet peas puree, Sweet peas with rice or Creamed Sweet peas cooked with chicken or other meats, the Sweet peas is a constant in most Haitian Sunday's dinner table.
The preferred meat on Sundays is chicken and other fowls like guinea hens, pigeons, ducks etc, it's also the day for all type of rotis, fillets , et the gratinees
And on that note I am going to give you the Gratinee of all times, The Haitian baked macaroni and cheese.
Haitian baked macaroni and cheese
Bechamel sauce
4 tabs of butter
1 medium onion very finely chopped
1/2 of a red bell pepper finely chopped
2 tbs of flour
1- 14 oz can of Carnation evaporated milk, add enough water to make 2 cups
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1 pinch of nutmeg
In a heavy bottom sauce pan over low heat , melt the butter cook the onion and the pepper whitout browning stir in the flour mix well add salt and pepper, keep mixing add milk stirring constantly until flour is cooked an sauce thickens .Add nutmeg, remove from fire and set aside
4 cups of uncooked large ziti ( 1 pound)
1 tsp salt
2 cups of shredded cheese ( Edam, Gouda, sharp Cheddar, Emmental or Gruyere)
1cup of mayonaise ( yes I did say mayonaise)
1/4 cup of Dijon moutarde ( yes , yes that's what I said mustarde)
2 eggs beaten
In a large pot boil ziti with salt for 7 minutes , drain and pour in a 9"x13" baking dish, add grated cheese, mayo, mustarde, eggs and bechamel sauce, mix well .
Top with this mixture
Topping
1/4 cup of grated cheese
2 tbs of bread crumbs
2 tabs chopped parsley
4 tabs of butter
Mix cheese , bread crumbs and parsley togother and sprinkle over the macaroni and dot with the butter
Bake at 350o in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown
Let rest at least 20 minutes before serving.
Enjoy
Sunday, September 11, 2011
End of summer
The end of summer is also the end of cookouts, garden parties and many other outdoor activities.
While we can put away patio furniture, barbecue grill and garden tools at the end of the summer, we can also prepare the house for the new season , specially the dining table for a softer and warmer ambiance.
This can be done by dressing the table in a warmer color, some fresh flowers and candles will surely create a welcoming air in the dinning area.
This time of the year pumpkin, eggplant, okra are at their best and at reasonable prices, we can take advantage of this abundance and make a lot of pumpkin soup, tiaka, joumounade, pigeon pea soup, pumpkin polanta and pumpkin risotto among other things.
In Haiti we eat eggplants year around in a variety of ways, but our legumes are the best , with beef or pork or dried cod fish, it's always delicious, as well as our exquisite eggplant with crabs.
Okra is Calalou or Gumbo as it's called in some part of the country is eaten in soups, stews, cooked in rice, with ground corn meal, etc.. but the soul of the southeastern part of Haiti
is Tom-Tom ; it's a smashed okra stew made with meat, chicken or seafood, while the northern part of the country relishes another dish of okra with chicken and Haitian black mushrooms
Pumpkin soup
For the stock
2-3 lb meat with bones (beef short ribs, chunks, neck)
1 Tab of sour orange juice*
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 scallion
1 tab oil
1 medium onion stuck with 5-7 whole cloves
8 cups of water
In a large bowl, season the meat with the spices and let marinate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
In a soup pot, add the oil and let the meat suet until all the water evaporates. Add the 8 cups of water, onion and bring to a full boil , lower the heat to medium , let cook for about 30 minutes then add the followings.
For the soup
Make a bouquet garni* with 4 sprigs of parsley, 2 sprigs of thyme, 4-5 leaves of sorrel tied up in a bundle
3 celery starks cut into 1' pieces
3 larges carrots peeled cut into 1" pieces
1-2 small parsnips peeled cut into 1" pieces
3-4 lbs Cuban pumpkin peeled and into 6-8 pieces or
1- 10 oz frozen pumpkin
2 medium leeks cut into 1/2" pieces
2 small turnips peeled and quartered
2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
1 scotch bonnet pepper
10-12 leaves of cabbage split in two
The starches
1 lb white potatoes peeled and cut into 2" pieces
2 malanga* peeled and cut into 2" pieces
1/4 cup macaroni ( ziti type)
1 cup vermicelli
Add the pumpkin to the pot with all the vegetables except the cabbage and the hot pepper. Cook for another 30 minutes or until meat is tender.
Remove pumpkin from pot and puree with 1 to 1 1/2 cup of of the cooking broth then return to the cooking pot. Add 1 to 2 cups of water if needed, add the cabbage, hot pepper, bouquet garni*, and the bouillon cubes. Bring to a full boil , add the starches, cook for another 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.
To finish add
1 tab of butter
1 Tab of lime, lemon or vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 clove of garlic mashed finely
Simmer for another 10-15 minutes . Turn fire off, let rest for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve with buttered toast or hot bread.
Enjoy
While we can put away patio furniture, barbecue grill and garden tools at the end of the summer, we can also prepare the house for the new season , specially the dining table for a softer and warmer ambiance.
This can be done by dressing the table in a warmer color, some fresh flowers and candles will surely create a welcoming air in the dinning area.
This time of the year pumpkin, eggplant, okra are at their best and at reasonable prices, we can take advantage of this abundance and make a lot of pumpkin soup, tiaka, joumounade, pigeon pea soup, pumpkin polanta and pumpkin risotto among other things.
In Haiti we eat eggplants year around in a variety of ways, but our legumes are the best , with beef or pork or dried cod fish, it's always delicious, as well as our exquisite eggplant with crabs.
Okra is Calalou or Gumbo as it's called in some part of the country is eaten in soups, stews, cooked in rice, with ground corn meal, etc.. but the soul of the southeastern part of Haiti
is Tom-Tom ; it's a smashed okra stew made with meat, chicken or seafood, while the northern part of the country relishes another dish of okra with chicken and Haitian black mushrooms
Pumpkin soup
For the stock
2-3 lb meat with bones (beef short ribs, chunks, neck)
1 Tab of sour orange juice*
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 scallion
1 tab oil
1 medium onion stuck with 5-7 whole cloves
8 cups of water
In a large bowl, season the meat with the spices and let marinate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
In a soup pot, add the oil and let the meat suet until all the water evaporates. Add the 8 cups of water, onion and bring to a full boil , lower the heat to medium , let cook for about 30 minutes then add the followings.
For the soup
Make a bouquet garni* with 4 sprigs of parsley, 2 sprigs of thyme, 4-5 leaves of sorrel tied up in a bundle
3 celery starks cut into 1' pieces
3 larges carrots peeled cut into 1" pieces
1-2 small parsnips peeled cut into 1" pieces
3-4 lbs Cuban pumpkin peeled and into 6-8 pieces or
1- 10 oz frozen pumpkin
2 medium leeks cut into 1/2" pieces
2 small turnips peeled and quartered
2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
1 scotch bonnet pepper
10-12 leaves of cabbage split in two
The starches
1 lb white potatoes peeled and cut into 2" pieces
2 malanga* peeled and cut into 2" pieces
1/4 cup macaroni ( ziti type)
1 cup vermicelli
Add the pumpkin to the pot with all the vegetables except the cabbage and the hot pepper. Cook for another 30 minutes or until meat is tender.
Remove pumpkin from pot and puree with 1 to 1 1/2 cup of of the cooking broth then return to the cooking pot. Add 1 to 2 cups of water if needed, add the cabbage, hot pepper, bouquet garni*, and the bouillon cubes. Bring to a full boil , add the starches, cook for another 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.
To finish add
1 tab of butter
1 Tab of lime, lemon or vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 clove of garlic mashed finely
Simmer for another 10-15 minutes . Turn fire off, let rest for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve with buttered toast or hot bread.
Enjoy
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Weekend cook out menu
Appetizers
Fresh fruit salad
Cheese flavored potato croquettes
Boudin/ pickliz
Meats
Grilled suckling pig
Grilled stuffed turkey
Macaroni au gratin
Corn souffle
Salads
roasted tomatoes and onions salad
Mirliton salad
Drinks
Fruit punch
Cherimoya juice
Dessert
Cassava pudding
Guava tartlets
Fresh fruit salad
Cheese flavored potato croquettes
Boudin/ pickliz
Meats
Grilled suckling pig
Grilled stuffed turkey
Macaroni au gratin
Corn souffle
Salads
roasted tomatoes and onions salad
Mirliton salad
Drinks
Fruit punch
Cherimoya juice
Dessert
Cassava pudding
Guava tartlets
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