Winter treats - Oolong Chicken Liver Pâté

Oolong Chicken Liver Pâté
(Photo coming soon)

SERVES: 6 TO 8

I adapted this recipe for a large event for Cornelia Bean. The herbs and fragrant tea make this a cozy treat or lovely for entertaining.

This silky-smooth pâté is inexpensive and simple to make. The chicken livers are briefly simmered in Oolong tea with aromatics before they’re blended with butter in a food processor.

1/2 pound chicken livers, well-trimmed
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1/2 tsp. Ground Sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
Kosher salt
1/2 cup Oolong tea (infuse _ tsp in 1 cup boiling water)
1/2 - 2/3 cups butter
2 shots Scotch whiskey
Freshly ground pepper
Toasted baguette slices, for serving

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken livers, onion, garlic, sage, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the Oolong and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the livers are barely pink inside, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the livers, onion and garlic to a food processor; process until coarsely pureed. With the machine on, add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until incorporated. Add the Cognac, season with salt and pepper and process until completely smooth. Scrape the pâté into 2 or 3 large ramekins. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pâté and refrigerate until firm. Serve chilled.

If using gelatin sheets to top the Pâté, Grind 2 tsp. Oolong tea and cook in 1/2 cup water. Add 2-3 Gelatin sheets and melt. Pour over Pâté and chill over night. If using melted butter, make sure that the Pâté is completely covered. This can be enjoyed from the refrigerator for 1 week or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Enjoy!

Guinea Fowl with Port Cherry Sauce

Milk fed Guinea Fowl Breast in pancetta with a port cherry sauce

Certainly a very special treat for an entrée, this very tender and moist fowl is available on request from DeLuca’s. One package was a nice size for two entrées. This recipe includes the cherry port sauce which can be used in a variety of dishes. As this is an expensive delicacy, try the recipe substituting the Guinea Fowl for Duck, Goose or Turkey Breast or rabbit pieces, also available at DeLuca’s. Please note, this recipe is for a boneless piece of meat. If using meat with bones in, please reduce heat and increase cooking time. For the port, try a tawny or ruby variety. I used a De Bortoli 8 year old Tawny Port for this recipe.

1 pkg Milk Fed Guinea Fowl Breast.*
100 grams pancetta slices*
1 tbs butter
1tsp olive oil*
Freshly ground pepper
port to deglaze pan

For the Sauce:
1/2 cup dried sour Okanagan Cherries*
3/4 cup + port
2 shallots, finely chopped*
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 small sprig fresh rosemary, rosemary*

Wrap the Guinea Fowl breast in pancetta and then wrap in plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator for a few hours. When ready to cook, heat skillet on medium high heat and add butter and olive oil. Place pancetta wrapped meat in the centre of the pan and brown. Add freshly ground black pepper to dish. Turn after a few minutes and season with pepper again. When cooked through, add port to pan on top of entrée. Allow to reduce and turn breast again, adding another splash of port. Remove entrée from pan and allow to rest. Plate entrée and spoon some of the cherry sauce on the plate.

Sauce:
Soak the dried cherries in port for at least 30 minutes. Heat a small saucepan on medium heat and add butter and olive oil. When butter has melted, add chopped shallots and chopped rosemary. When softened, add cherries with port and cook to reduce. Add salt and pepper. With an immersion blender or in a blender, puree sauce until smooth. Return to saucepan and add more port if sauce is too thick.

*Available at DeLuca’s
Enjoy!

Kerala Recipes from Maria

(Images from Google Images)
My dear friend Maria from Cochin, Kerala, South India, generously sent me 8 lovely recipes that I'm sharing with you now.
1. Seared Kingfish or Pompfret fish, (Fish masala fry)

2 x 3/4 inch (2cm) cutlets White fish
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1/4 teaspoon ginger paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed make paste with water (always
make paste with a little water)

Put all the ingredients onto a plate in a little pile.
Sprinkle over the vinegar and mix to a paste with the fingers.
Pat the masala evenly over the sides of the fish and marinate for minimum 1/2 an hour and better still for 4-5 hours.

When ready to Fry, Put 2 tablespoons oil in a pan on a high heat. Sprinkle the fish with a little(pinch) salt more on both the sides of fish , reduce the heat and add the fish. Dip fish in oil on one side, turn over onto the other side and back again so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Increase the heat medium flame and cook for 5 minutes on one side, then 5 minutes on the other.

Eat with rice. Thoren


2. Kerala Chicken Masala Fry

2 chicken breasts
Scant 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 level teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon garlic paste (crushed garlic)
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Put all the ingredients together on a plate and mix with the fingers. Rub into the chicken breasts (skin off, but still on the bone and slashed). Marinate for a minimum of 1/2 hour - longer is better.

After each marination, add a bit of salt on both the sides that is a very small pinch ,as the salt that is added earlier will have been soaked in .

Heat some oil in a wok to a medium heat. Dip the pieces of chicken backwards and forwards in the hot oil so they won’t stick and continue to cook. Can be cooked in the oven also.If using in the oven just drip very little oil over the chicken piece.


3. Chicken Masala
Serves 2

4or 5 tablespoons oil
a few small bits of cassia
2 cloves
2 onions, halved and sliced
1 heaped teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 green chilli, slit
1 heaped teaspoon crushed ginger
4 teaspoons corriander powder
Small bunch of corriander leaves
1 semi heaped teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 chicken thighs
2 chicken drumsticks
2 tomatoes, sliced into strips

Ten minutes before cooking, sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon chilli powder pinch of black pepper and a little salt little 1/2 teaspoon wine vinegar over the chicken pieces , and coat well.

Put 4 or5 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot add a couple of small bits of cassia and 2cloves, then add the onions and garlic paste and the green chilli. Stir for a minute or two and lower the flame. (Always lower the flame before adding any powdered spices.)

Add 1 teaspoon turmeric on top of the onions, stir, then increase the heat. (With a dry dish use less turmeric, and with a wet dish use more turmeric). Stir and cook for 5 minutes to cook the garlic. Add 1 well heaped teaspoon of crushed ginger, cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat and add 4 teaspoons of freshly ground corriander powder, stir for a few seconds then raise the flame to fry the corriander powder well so it loses its raw taste. (Chilli powder frys very fast, so only add it at the end.) Lower the flame again and add 1 semi-heaped teaspoon garam masala powder, then stir for a few seconds then raise the
heat, stir again and fry the masala for 1 minute. Lower the flame, add 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder (or 1/2 teaspoon paprika) then 1/2 teaspoon salt on top of the onions. Mix and raise the flame again.

Add the sliced tomatoes and stir. Fry to soften the tomatoes well for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and coat well with the masala and tomato,and a little water 1/4 glass.And cook the chicken covered in medium flame , stir slowly in between when the chicken is cooked add the corriander leaves and just warm up a bit .( If you don’t want the dish to be too spicy, add 1/2 cup of coconut cream at the end.)

(If you want the chicken masala with sauce and not spicy you can add 1 cup of coconut cream in the end instead of 1/2 cup).when ready check the sauce for salt and sourness ,if needed could be added a bit.



4. Garam Masala Powder

50g fennel seeds
5 cardamom pods
6 cloves
4 flat cinnamon (cassia) sticks size of your pointed finger.

Roast in a dry pan on a very low flame. And then blend in a dry blender till powdered well. Use within 1 month. Store in a sealed container.


5. Okra Pepper fry
Serves 2-4

10 okra
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 pinches of salt

Wash, top and tail the okra and make a slit with a knife on three sides. Mix the spices with your hands and toss the okra in the spice mixture and allow to marinade for 10 minutes. Just before serving, fry in a little butter or oil over a medium heat for 2-5 minutes. The okra will be slightly brown. Serve with fried chicken or fish fry and some potato fry.



6. Rice – cooked with spice
Serves 2

1 cup Jeera rice (like Basmati but smaller, wash to remove starch)
2 cups of hot water or a little more 1/4 cup more
4 bits of cassia
4 cardamom pods
5 cloves
1 teaspoon salt


Break the cassia into pieces. Heat a casserole on a high heat and add 1 or two tablespoon of oil . Lower the flame and add the cassia, cardamom and cloves, stir to pop. Add 1/4 teaspoon flat turmeric in very low flame , stir then add the washed and drained rice and raise flame and fry for a few minutes . Add 2 cups of hot water and 1/4 cup more, add a generous
teaspoon salt the water should be salty. Cover and cook for approximately 10 minutes in medium heat or until the rice absorbs all the liquid. Remove the lid, stir, cover and leave to relax for 10 minutes.

with Love,
maria.

Mustard-Rubbed Roast Turkey

1 cup Dijon Mustard
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 15 - 16-pound Turkey
1-2 cups chicken broth

Coarsely purée first 7 ingredients in processor. Reserve 1/2 cup mustard mixture in bowl; cover and chill.

Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast, legs and thighs to loosen skin. Using hand, spread 1 cup mustard mixture unders skin over turkey breast, legs and thighs. Spread remaining mustard mixture inside main cavity. Place turkey on rack in a large roasting pan. Slide pan with turkey into large plastic bag (about 30 gallon capacity). Close bag; refrigerate turkey at least 1 day and up to 2 days.

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat oven to 350ºF. Remove pan with turkey from the bag. If stuffing turkey, psoon stuffing loosely into main cavity. Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together loosley. Spread 1/2 cup cilled mustard mixture all over turkey. Roast at 20 minutes per pound. At 2 hours, baste with 1/2 cup broth. Continue to roast until turkey is brown and thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 180ºF, basting frequently with remaing broth and pan juices. Tent foil over turkey if browning too quickly. Roasting turkey takes less time if unstuffed. Transfer turkey to platter, tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes. Reserve pan juices for gravies.

A very moist turkey indeed!

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Charred Tomato Coulis with Turkey Schnitzel

Charred Tomato Coulis with Turkey Schnitzel in response to the fast food commercial)
(image: Turkey Schnitzel with tomato coulis and mustards)


For the Schnitzel:
1 Turkey Breast (I used a local free range turkey that I cut into parts and the breast was large enough for more than 5 portions)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Panko bread crumbs *
1/4 cup finely milled cornmeal**
1/2 tbs butter

* Panko bread crumbs available at many Asian groceries
** In Winnipeg, organic finely milled cornmeal is available at Tall Grass Prairie Bakery

For the Charred Tomato Coulis:

2-3 medium tomatoes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs olive oil

Charred Tomato Coulis: In a baking dish, bake whole tomatoes (without stems) at 350˚F until tomatoes begin to darken (up to one hour). Let cool. In a food processor or blender mix all ingredients until well blended into a loose paste. Set aside and chill.

Turkey Schnitzel: Cut Turkey breast into small fist size pieces (maybe a child’s fist size). On a cutting board, place turkey breast piece and cover with plastic wrap. With a food hammer or pounder, flatten Turkey breast piece until quite thin. Set each piece aside and then soak in an egg milk mixture. On a plate mix Panko bread crumbs, cornmeal, nutmeg, paprika and salt and pepper. Bread each Turkey piece well and place in a medium high heat pan with butter. Sauté Turkey schnitzel pieces until brown on both sides. Place on plate to rest and DRIZZLE the charred tomato coulis on plate to bring out the natural sweetness of the flavours. A variety of mustards also accent the turkey schnitzel nicely.

Enjoy!