Mediterranean Lamb

I love lamb, but I always seem to be at a loss at what to do with it. I am unfamiliar with it's cooking possibilities, so I have decided to train myself to become familiar with this gorgeous meat.

Here's a recipe from Baco for Mediterranean Lamb that I tried last night. T'was delicious.

Ingredients

Sheet of Kitchen Foil
1 (400g) tin chopped tomatoes
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tsps capers, rinsed
1 tsp chopped oregano
1 tsp chilli flakes or chopped chillis
½ level tsp of sugar
4 lamb chump chops
1 tblsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Method

1. Drain some of excess liquid from the tomatoes.
2. Mix the onion, tomatoes, garlic, capers, oregano, chilli flakes and sugar together in a bowl.
3. In a frying pan heat the oil and brown the chops all over.
4. Season the chops with salt and pepper.
5. Place the piece of foil on a baking tin and put half the tomato mixture in the centre of the foil and lay the browned chops on it.
6. Top them with the remaining mixture.
7. Fold up the sides of the foil over the chops.
8. Bring the ends up to overlap by about 2" forming a loose parcel.
9. Press the edges of the foil together to prevent the parcel from opening.
10. Bake in the upper part of the oven for 20 minutes at 220°C/Gas 7.

Serves : 4
Preparation Time : 5 mins
Cooking Time : 25 mins

Bagel....My Long Lost Friend

I don't know why but since moving to France I'd almost completely forgotten about bagels. I suppose it's because they aren't widely available over here. I rediscovered them in the UK last week. This little bread with a hole in the middle is so versatile. The following have definitely given me some great ideas, from filling them to burst or even just mini pizzas, bagels have been put on my next food shop list and I will be getting the creative juices flowing.

Classic Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese

Bacon, Goat's Cheese & Pine Nuts

Peppered Ham, Tomato, Red Onion & Lettuce

Grilled Vegetables & Cheese

Turkey, Avocado & Bean Sprouts

Bacon & Egg

Garlic Prawns, Egg & Cherry Tomatoes

Ham & Olive Bagel Pizza

Roasted Vegetable Bagel Pizza

Puff Pastry Meat Rolls

I love minced meat but sometimes I get a bored of the Spaghetti Bolognaise, Chilli con Carne etc. I had two blocks of puff pastry in the fridge so I got the mixing bowl out and got my inventive cap on.

Ingredients

2 blocks of puff pastry
500g/1lb 4oz minced beef/pork/lamb
1 onion, choped
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp basil
2 tsp parsley
2 tblsp Worchestershire sauce
200ml / 1/4 pint tomato passata/ketchup
1 tblsp olive oil
1 egg, beaten

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl mix all the ingredients together
2. Roll the mix into 8 sausage shapes
3. Roll out the blocks of pastry and glaze with beaten egg
4. Cut each pastry block into 4
5. Place the sausage shape roll 2cm from the end of each cut out
6. Roll up the mix into the pastry and cut slits into the top
7. Glaze with beaten egg
8. Bake in the oven at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 20-25 mins until golden brown

Makes : 8 rolls
Preparation Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 25 mins

Toad in the Hole

After getting laughed at once again by my other half for wierd English names for things, I must admit translating literally Toad in the Hole into French suddenly struck me as a ridiculous name for food! So as we all do nowadays, I googled it and many answers came up but I like this one the best!

From World of Vince.com 

"It's TURD in the hole....not TOAD! My ancestors in Yorkshire were peasant farming stock and have passed the recipe down through our family for generations and I have it in black and white!

The dish originated as absolutely anything that could be cooked in a cheep batter pudding when times wher hard. Nobody can eat a toad, they are poisionous! It's a Yorkshire farming joke to ncall it Toad, not Turd and became popular with sausages because they are cheap and the tasty fat is absorbed into the batter.

One of the county's leading experts on strange names for national dishes is Glenn Croft in Essex and I recommend any doubters contact him."

Anyhoo, to prove to him that it was actually a delicious, tummy stuffing meal, I got cooking.

Ingredients

1 pack of pork/beef sausages
1 large onion, chopped
4 tblsp olive oil
500ml/1/2 pint milk
2 eggs
110g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
2. In a large oven proof dish heat the oil in the oven
3. Add the sausages and onions, covering them completely with the hot oil
4. Bake for 15 mins

Meanwhile make the batter

4. Sift flour and salt into a bowl
5. Make a well in the centre and into it break the eggs
6. Beat the eggs with a wooden spoon, gradually drawing the flour into the centre
7. Beat in the milk little by little until the batter is smooth
OR bung it all in a mixer and whizz, leave to stand for 10-15mins
8. Pour the batter over the sausages
9. Bake for 15 mins , until risen and golden brown

Serve with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes.

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 20 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins

Baguettines

This is a great little side dish. They sell these in nearly all the Boulangeries in France and I often whip them in the oven to make a change from pasta, rice etc.

Ingredients

1 whole French baguette, cut into quarters then slice the quarters (see photo above)
4 tomatoes sliced
200g grated cheese (emmental, gruyere for example)
Spreadable cheese (any kind)

Method

1. Spread the bread with the spreadable cheese
2. Place the tomatoes in a line down the bread
3. Sprinkle generously with the grated cheese
4. Bake in the oven at 200C for 5 - 10 mins of until the cheese is melted and bubbly

You can really add anything you want to these, be creative!

Serves : 4
Preparation Time : 5 mins
Cooking Time : 10 mins

Quick Thai Chicken Crurry

Ok, so 6 chicken breasts defrosted and no idea what to do with them. So I did what I do best. Did a Google search for a chicken breast recipe, found Quick Thai Curry from All Recipes, copied and pasted it into notepad, printed it out and went into the kitchen to see what I had from the ingredients list and got inventing! Some of the best meals I've ever made have been born from this process and this was one of those beautiful births.

Here's the original recipe : -

400ml reduced-fat coconut milk

200ml chicken stock
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
4 skinless chicken breast fillets, 600g in total, cut into thin strips
350g new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
6 spring onions, sliced diagonally
2 tbsp lime juice
125g shelled fresh or frozen peas
8 baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1. Place the coconut milk, stock and Thai curry paste in a wok or large frying pan and heat until boiling. Stir in the chicken and potatoes, then bring back to the boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until the chicken and potatoes are just tender.
3. Stir in the spring onions, lime juice, peas and tomatoes and simmer for a further 3–4 minutes. Stir in the coriander and season to taste.

Here's what I did with what I had in the cupboard : -

Photo from BBC Good Food 

(camera has run out of battery, but it did look a bit like this only yellower!)

Ingredients

200ml/1/4 pint coconut milk
1L/2 pints chicken stock
2 tblsp red curry paste
6 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
3 small onions, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tin of sweetcorn (optional)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
2 plum tomatoes, chopped into chunks
3 sprigs of flat leaf parsley
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tblsp olive oil
salt

Method

1. In a large saucepan heat the olive oil
2. Add the onion and fry until softened
3. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk and curry paste
4. Bring to the boil
5. Reduce the heat
6. Add all the other ingredients and stir together
7. Simmer over a low heat for 15 -20 mins until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through

Just as quick and easy and might I add delicious!

I served with pasta (just to be crazy, and to be honest I am all riced out at the moment, living with an African will do that do you!) and a little homemade mint yoghurt.

Serves : 6
Preparation Time : 5 mins
Cooking Time : 30 mins

Cream Crackered

After two gruelling days of putting posters up everywhere to advertise our new market adventure, I'm just too tired to cook. So my fantastic friend Natacha came to my rescue and cooked us one of her famous pies. Tonight's was a tomato and mozzerella delice.



I've featured her recipe before, Easy as Pie. Have a go, it's fool proof and wonderfully delicious.

Happy scoffing!

Frying Up a Storm

Remember I told you about my great butcher's buy. Well yesterday I got the sirloin steaks out of the freezer and could hardly contain my excitement until this evening when I could finally get my teeth into them.

Look at these babies

The smells were heavenly

Some healthy oven cooked chips

Fried onions

 and an assortment of chicken sausages to go with.

The End Result

A bit grilled, but they were still delicious

And a beautiful pepper sauce for that extra je ne sais quoi.

Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

30g green/black peppers grains

100ml cognac

300ml beef/lamb/veal stock

100ml creme fraiche

Method

1. In a hot pan, add the pepper grains.

2. Heat for 1-2 mins until the grains start to dry out.

3. Crush the pepper grains roughly.

4. Add the cognac and bring to the boil.

5. Let the cognac evaporate for 1-2 mins.

6. Add the stock and cook for a further 5 mins.

7. Add the creme fraiche and reduce the sauce until nice and creamy.

Preparation : 0 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Serves : 4

Isn't That Clever?

It's that time again to take my hat off to some fantabulous inventions in the culinary world. Last night I watched Gordon Ramsay's Great Escape to India. It was a fantastic programme and it was great to see Ramsay's passion for food really coming out, instead of him just screaming f**k at everyone.

Gordon stuffing a goat with a chicken stuffed with a quail stuffed with an egg!

Cooking up a storm with the natives in the Mumbai food market

The Chilli Woman. 

She ate 39 of the hottest chillis in the world in one go then went on to rub 30 into her eyes! Utter nutter, but had to admit she had some balls!

But as all great food programmes tend to do to me, is make me crave whatever they're cooking. But living in France, unlike Britain, there isn't a curry house on every corner. So as I did the weekly shop this afternoon, I fell across Knorr's Roasters Bag.

Bascially you stick your chicken, whole, breasts or drumsticks in the bag, shake it up with the seasoning provided and bung it in the oven. I was sceptical about the bag burning when I first saw the advert but I did it once with chicken drumsticks and the chicken was so tender and juicy I fell in love with this handy little bag.

And guess what I found, yeah you guessed right an Indian Chicken one! Surely it was fate. So I snatched it greadily off the shelf and rushed the rest of the shop to get home and get that baby in the oven. I was not disappointed. The most succulent chicken I've had in a long time and the Indian spice mix just made it all that more heavenly.

Here's the result ...

Accompanied with a beautiful fresh salad, new potatoes and a bottle of Chianti

All went down very nicely, so hats off to Knorr and thank you for a wonderful supper.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

The world never ceases to amaze me. I watched a programme the other day about the Giant Omlette Celebration that takes place every year in Louisiana. The history of the giant omelette dates back to Napolean who once order the small town of Bessieres to produce a giant omelette to feed his troops. The little French town upheld the tradition after the troops had departed, making a giant omelette every easter to feed the poor.

I'm not a big fan of omelettes, too eggy for my liking. But done properly and filled to burst with ingredients I can be pursuaded to eat a plateful or two. So this idea of throwing everything but the kitchen sink in greatly appealed to me.

Ingredients

6 eggs

6 tblsp milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

100g cubed cooked ham

1 green bell pepper, chopped

100g chopped mushrooms

1 onion, chopped

2 slices crisp bacon, crumbled

200g grated Swiss cheese

3 tblsp butter

Method

1.In a mixing bowl beat together the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper until smooth and foamy

2.In a separate mixing bowl combine the ham, pepper, mushrooms, onion, bacon and cheese, mixing throughly

3.In a large frying pan melt the butter

4.Pour the egg mixture into the pan and reduce to a medium heat

5.As the eggs begin to set left the edges with a spatula and let the uncooked egg flow to the bottom of the pan

6.Spoon the ham mixture into the centre of the omelette

7.When the eggs are set but still moist, loosen the edges of the omelette and fold over

8.Slide the omelette onto a plate

Serves : 2

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 10 - 15 mins

Sloppy Joes, really?

I have heard Americans order this countless times on TV shows but I must admit I've never really been sure what they were, until today. A French TV cook made them, not often that the French look to the anglophiles for inspiration but it certainly got my mouth watering, so I gave them a try. Not the easiest thing to eat, but oh so worth the mess!

Ingredients

1 tblsp olive oil

500g/1 lb minced beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tblsp mustard

1 tblsp brown sugar

5 tblsp ketchup

1/2 tsp salt

6 hamburger buns

Method

1.In a large frying pan heat the oil

2.Add the onion, pepper and beef

3.Stir until the beef browns

4.Drain off the excess fat

5.Add the ketchup, mustard, sugar and salt

6.Simmer for 20 -30 mins or until most of the moisture is absorbed

7.Spoon the mixture into the burger buns

Serves : 6 or 3 if 2 each

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Snow Snow and more Snow

I'm currently snowed it. If you have been watching the international news you will have seen how the Paris region became totally paralysed by heavy snowfall within a couple of hours on Thursday afternoon. In my little hamlet in the Parisien countryside the roads are undrivable. So my making-do with what's left in the cupboard is being stretched to it's limits. However, a lonely tin of corned beef and a bag of potatoes came to my rescue yesterday evening, the great British favourite, so easy and oh so tasty

Corned Beef Hash

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup/57g of butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 tin corned beef, chopped

1/4 tsp black pepper

Method

1.In a large saucepan cook the potatoes in boiling water until slightly soft but still firm

2.Drain and set aside

3.In a large frying pan melt the butter

4.Add the onion and sauté for 1-2 mins

5.Add the corned beef and potatoes, season with the black pepper

6.Cook until the bottom begins to brown, turn occasionally so not to burn

Serves : 6

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 5 - 10 mins

Mac and Cheese with Bacon Bits

I stumbled across a lonely tin of Heinz macaroni and cheese whilst doing a spot of cleaning in my cupboards. (note to self, really should do that more often!). The last time I had this was when I was about 15, how time flies, and I distinctly remember it not being very nice! Anyway, a few tweaks here and there and I created my own version of this children's favourite.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped
1 pack of lardons, or 4 slices of bacon diced
5 tblsp crème fraîche
150g grated cheddar cheese
150g grated emmental/gruyere cheese
50g soft cheese (philidelphia for example)
300g macaroni pasta
salt & pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
25g butter/margarine

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
2. In a large saucepan cook the macaroni until al dente (5mins max), drain and set aside
3. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter
4. Add the onions and lardons/bacon
5. Stir constantly for a few minutes
6. Add the soft cheese, grated cheddar, crème fraîche, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt & pepper to taste
7. Simmer gently for 5-10 mins, until a the sauce is smooth and creamy (add a little milk if needed)
8. Mix the macaroni and pasta well together
9. Spoon into an oven proof dish
10. Sprinkle over the emmental/gruyere cheese
11. Bake in the oven until cheese starts to bubble nicely

Serve with warm bread and a light salad

Serves : 4
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins

Burritos Baby!

(As I have already visited America and tried to tackle their humongous portions, I can well believe that these are indeed as big as your head! But don't worry mine are realisticly edible sizes!)

Where I work in Disney there is a Dinner Show called the Wild West Show with real cowboys and indians! One of the indians who works there makes the most fantastic (and HUGE!) burritos and sells them for only 5€ but the other day as I strolled over for a burrito fix I discovered much to my disappointment he is on holiday for a month. So I thought if he can do it so can I. So here’s my burrito recipe.

Ingredients

6 tortilla wraps
6 tblsp creme fraiche
200g grated cheese
500g minced beef/lamb/pork
1 small tin of tomato purée with meat
1 red pepper, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small tin of sweetcorn
1 large onion
2 tsps cayenne pepper
1 tsp chilli purée or chopped chilli
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
2 tsps worchestershire sauce
1 tblsp olive oil

Method

1. Before starting the burritos, par boil* the carrots, drain and set to one side
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C
3. In a large shallow pan heat the olive oil
4. Add the onion, chilli and red pepper
5. Stir until the onions and peppers start to soften
6. Add the minced meat, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt
7. Stir constantly until the meat is beginning to brown
8. Add the tomato purée, carrots, sweetcorn and worchestershire sauce
9. Mix well together and leave to simmer for 5-10 mins
10. Meanwhile, lightly heat the tortilla wraps in the oven (see instructions on the packet as these may vary)
11. Once the tortilla are warmed, spread a tblsp of creme fraiche onto each
12. Fill the tortillas with the meat sauce, sprinkle over the grated cheese and wrap up!

Tip : You can wrap the bottoms in tin foil just to keep them together during consumption!!

I served with rice and a green salad.

* To cook partially by boiling for a brief period

Serves : 6 (or 3 if 2 each!)
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

Barbecue Chicken and Spinach Wraps

It’s hot again. So yesterday I made Chicken Spinach Wraps. Quick and easy and doesn’t require too much time in front of the stove.

Ingredients

6 medium tortilla wraps
500g Spinach leaves
4 chicken filets, sliced into long pieces
4 tblsp barbecue sauce
100ml crème fraîche
2 medium tomatoes, chopped finely
1 red peppers, sliced into long pieces
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, sliced into long pieces
2 tsp honey
50g mozzarella, sliced thinly OR 200g grated cheese (emmental, gruyere, cheddar)
1 tblsp olive oil
10g butter

Method
Before you start chopping the vegetables, in a mixing bowl mix the chicken with the barbecue sauce, leave in the fridge for about 30 mins.

1.In a large frying pan/wok heat the oil add the onion and garlic, stir until the onions have absorbed all of the oil.
2.Add the chicken, stir until the chicken just starts to cook.
3.Add the peppers, stir to mix everything together, leave on a low heat until the chicken is cooked through.
4.Meanwhile, in a shallow pan melt the butter
5.Add the spinach and leave to cook gently for 4-5mins
6.Add the spinach to the chicken, mix together
7.Mix the crème fraîche, honey and chopped tomatoes together
8.Spread the mixture thinly and evenly onto the wraps
9.Dish out the chicken and spinach evenly onto the wraps.
10.Add the cheese and wrap up the wraps!

I served with boiled red potatoes and French beans.

Serves : 6 (or 3 if 2 each!)

Preparation : 10 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Homemade Burgers

Using the same ingredients as for the meatballs instead of rolling into balls I flattened into burgers.

Ingredients

For the burgers

700g mince(d) beef
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
3 tablespoons herbes de provence
1 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon chilli purée (optional)

8 burger buns/16 slices of bread
4 tblsp ketchup
4 tblsp mayonnaise
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 large onions, sliced into half rings
1 tblsp olive oil

Method

1.In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients
2.Mix together thoroughly
3.Roll the mixture into a big ball
4.Divide the mixture into eight
5.Roll each 8th into a ball
6.Using a small saucer mould the ball into a patty, about 2 – 3 cm thick
7.In a large griddle pan on a high heat cook the burgers
well done – 10 mins each side
medium – 6 mins each side
rare - 3 mins each side

While the burgers are cooking

1.Mix the ketchup and mayonnaise together, spread onto the top sides of the burger buns.
2.In a small frying pan heat the olive oil
3.Add the onions and cook until just softening

Make up your burgers with the onions and tomatoes et voilà. Add lettuce, gherkins and cheese if you want a mega burger feast.

I served with a light salad, but you could always go for the whole burger dinner and serve with french fries.

Serves : 8 burgers
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 10 - 20 mins

Spaghetti Bolognaise

This is my quick and easy recipe for this Italian favourite.

Ingredients

500g spaghetti
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tblsp olive oil
500g minced beef/lamb
1 litre passata/chopped tomatoes (use a good brand otherwise the sauce will taste watery)
1 small tin of chopped tomatoes and meat
3 tsps salt
3 tsps basil
3 tsps parsley
10cl orange juice

Method

1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook the pasta
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil gently
3. Add onions and garlic, stir constantly for 1-2 mins
4. Add the mince meat, salt, 2 tsps basil and 2 tsps parsley
5. Stir constantly until the meat starts to brown
6. Add the tin of tomato & meat and the passata
7. Add the rest of the herbs and orange juice
8. Stir until well mixed
9. Simmer over a low heat for 5-10 mins

Hey presto! Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread.

Serves : 4
Preparation : 5 mins
Cooking time : 15 mins

Fajitas

Another great favourite. I've tried the Old El Paso kits and found them a tad disappointing, so with a bit of experimenting a came up with this recipe, that has never failed to be a hit.

Ingredients

For the chicken

4 chicken breasts, chopped into medium cubes
2 tsps chilli purée
1 tblsp olive oil
2 tsps salt

For the vegetables

1 large tomato, chopped roughly
1 large red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped into chunks
1 large onion, peeled, quartered and stripped
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coarse sea salt

For the sauce

2 tbslp mayonnaise
2 tblsp ketchup
1 tsp chilli sauce

2 pack of 8 large tortilla wraps

Method

1. Add the vegetables, olive oil, salt and spices to a large shallow roasting tin
2. Mix together until the oil coats all the vegetables
3. Place in the oven at 180°C

Meanwhile prepare the chicken

1. In a large shallow pan, heat the oil gently
2. Add the chicken, salt and chilli
3. Stir constantly over a medium heat until the chilli coats all the chicken
4. Remove from the heat when the chicken just starts to whiten
5. Add the chicken to the vegetables (juices in the pan included)
6. Return to the oven for 5-10 mins, stirring occasionally

Meanwhile mix the ketchup, mayonnaise and chilli sauce together in a small bowl

Once the vegetables and chicken are well roasted (not browned) remove from the oven and place to cool.

Place the tortilla wraps two at a time in the warm oven (switched off)for 30 seconds.

Place the bowl of vegetables and sauce on the table for a self service atmosphere, keep warming the tortillas two by two as the cries for more flow! Serve with creme fraiche/sour cream, grated cheese and guacemole (to cut the spiciness)

Serves : 8 (or 4 if 2 each)
Preparation time : 5 -10 mins
Cooking time : 15 - 20 mins

Light Supper

After a few twelve hour days in the land of Mickey Mouse full from popcorn and all things sugary, for my cousin's last supper in Paris I made it simple and light.

Pork Filets with Charlotte Potatoes and Simple Rocket Salad

Ingredients

4 pork filets
250g new/charlotte/rebecca potatoes
250g rocket
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp coarse sea salt

For the vinigrette

2 shallots/1 red onion, peeled and chopped finely
4 tblsp olive oil
4 tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp chilli purée

Method

1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes
2. Coat the filets with the oil (1tsp per filet)
3. Rub in the salt (1tsp per filet) crushing lightly into the oil
4. In a griddle pan, cook the pork (4-5 mins each side)
5. Meanwhile prepare the vinigrette
6. Wash the rocket and pour over the vinigrette

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Serve with fresh bread and condiments

Smile, Say Cheese!

I am a huge fan of cheese. A chap I work with can’t even smell cheese without wanting to throw up, something I cannot comprehend, especially from a French person! My favourites are cheddar (the real stuff not the squeezable stuff you buy in a tube), gorgonzola, edam and generally all stinky cheeses. My sister throws cheese in the bin at the slightest hint of mould forming whereas I scrape it off and keep on munching, the older the better.

So if you’re a cheese lover like me, here are a couple of recipes to satisfy your frommage cravings.

Cheesy Carbonara

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
500g lardoons, uncooked
500g crème fraiche
100g grated emmental
100g grated cheddar
2 large tblsp gorgonzola
2 triangles of Laughing Cow
Salt & pepper
2 tsp basil (dried or fresh chopped)
2 tsp parsley (dried or fresh chopped)
2 tblsp olive oil

Method

1. In a large saucepan heat the oil gently
2. Add onion and garlic, cook on a low heat
3. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, mix together the cheeses and crème fraiche until smooth and creamy
4. When onions start to brown add lardoons, basil and parsley
5. Cook until the fat on the lardoons start to crisp slightly
6. Add cheese and crème fraiche mix, salt & pepper
7. Simmer over a medium heat for 5-7 mins

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Served traditionally with pasta, but as this is a thicker version of the Carbonara sauce it’s great over a baked potato and served with a fresh salad.

Baked Balsamic Tomatoes & Mozzerella

Ingredients

200g buffalo mozzerella, sliced thinly
3 large tomatoes, sliced
3 tblsp balsamic vinegar
5 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp truffle oil (optional but recommended!)
6 fresh basil leaves, shredded
1 small red onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
50g grated parmesan/emmental

Method

1. In a medium sized oven proof dish, line the bottom with half the sliced mozzerella
2. Cover the mozzerella with the sliced tomatoes
3. In a mixing bowl, mix together the olive oil , vinegar, onion, garlic and basil
4. Pour evenly over the tomatoes
5. Cover with the rest of the mozzerella
6. Sprinkle over the parmesan
7. Drizzle over the truffle oil
8. Bake at 180°C for 10 mins

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 10 mins

This is great as a hot hot starter or double the ingredients to serve as a side dish for a main meal. However, the success of this recipe relies wholly on the freshness of your ingredients. So make sure you use juicy tomatoes and fresh basil otherwise all you’ll have is cheesy water!