French Moutarde Chicken

G'Day mates :-)

I just woke up today and told myself it's a beautiful day isn't it? I don't feel sleepy nor stressed. The past days I was really unwell. Coming from a tiring work in Bangkok and a tiring yet happy about the recent Sunday Off-the-Menu Buffet I did for Geisha Cafe. Little joys in life that I am embracing every time it happens.

Today I double checked my cupboard and realized that I still have plenty of pastas, mustard and jams from France and Italy. Then my mini condiment jars are still filled with my spices. I still have a month and a few days to consume them before I head to Italy. I'm not going to replenish any of those goodies but I plan to do some cooking lesson with this little girl named Alex. She is the daughter of my neighbor Luis. She's such a cute smart little girl that is very enthusiastic about cooking. And our common denominator---we both LOVE Jamie Oliver! To my fascination with this kid, I shared her some of my precious liquorice and the Jamie Oliver button I got when I went to Jamie's Italian Liverpool, England. I wish I knew Jamie when I was her age :)

And last realization today, I haven't posted this mustard chicken I did and it's inspired by the recipe from the 30-minute meals cook book of my beloved James Trevor Oliver! Now I am sharing this to everyone so you can also try how divine this chicken mustard recipe especially when I used this mustard from Paris. Have a try...

FRENCH MOUTARDE CHICKEN

Ingredients:

• Few sprigs of fresh rosemary
• Chicken breasts
• French Moutarde
• baby leeks or 1 large leek
• Cloves of garlic
• White wine
• Cream
• Olive Oil
• Butter (of course)

Procedure:

Turn the heat under the frying pan up to medium. Pick and finely chop the leaves from the rosemary sprigs and sprinkle them into the pack of chicken. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mustard over each breast, then season and put some butter into the frying pan. Massage and rub these flavours all over the meat. Put the chicken breasts in the pan, skin side down. Use a fish slice to press down on the chicken to help it cook. It should take around 18 minutes in total. Quickly trim the leeks and halve lengthways. Wash them under the cold tap, then finely slice them and add to one side of the chicken pan. Crush 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the pan of chicken. Flip the chicken breasts skin side up, then press down on them again. Stir the leeks and add a good swig of white wine. Turn the heat off. Transfer the chicken breasts to a board and slice into uneven pieces. Stir 1 heaped teaspoon of whole grain mustard into the sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spoon the sauce on to a platter and put the sliced chicken on top. Drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil and take straight to the table.

Enjoy this with vegetables or potatoes...

big hug,
joanie xxx

Radicchio & Okra Consomme

It's been raining hard the past days here in Saigon and apparently it's my favorite weather. I would just love to stay in bed then cuddle my pillow and stay lazy as I watch the rain on my window pane. This weather is also the perfect time to make some soup for the hungry tummy. Since I am lessening my intake of carbs, I decided to make my favorite soup concoction on this rainy evening of Bastille day. I marry the slimy texture of okra with the purple radicchio and together I boiled it in beef broth. So the usual tactic, before eating-- I am excited to take photos of my food for my ever dearest blog. I fancied placing my autumn leaves from Paris as part of my food set up. I just remember the day I picked them as I walk around Château de Vincennes in Paris. I just miss France and I want to go back again to probably visit Versailles, Provence and Bordeaux. Soon.

So today, I am happy to have cooked again this consomme dish in commemoration for France independence which they usually call Bastille Day. I also love French dishes so as their taste palette. It's another cuisine that I am opening myself to immerse with in the future. Now, I am a bit sleepy mates and I am taking off another trip to Bangkok tomorrow morning. I hope I can get unfamiliar food trip this time and steal some moments to shop. I promise myself to go back to Bella Napoli.

RADICCHIO & OKRA CONSOMME

Ingredients:

• Onions (minced)
• Radicchio (shredded)
• Okra (sliced)
• Beef Broth
• Salt & Pepper
• Thyme
• Olive Oil
• Butter (of course)

Procedure:

Heat pan in medium temperature with butter and drizzle with some olive oil. Add minced onions and saute until a bit of a golden brown. Add the the radicchio and okra then saute with the onions. Seasoned with salt, pepper & thyme. Add next the beef broth and simmer the mixture for 2-5 minutes and it's done. Serve in a bowl or cup. Bon Appetit!

Happy Bastille Day!!!

big hug,
joanie xxx