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

Matcha Chewy Cookies + BIG Feastival

I would say again, how time really flies so fast. It's July already! And today, I am giving myself a chance to welcome the month by posting my sweet recipe for the 4th day of July celebration and to congratulate my dear idol for his recent successful event which is "The Big Feastival" that happened in London from July 1-3! Let me share you some interesting photos from the event that I have spied on.

Amazingly done that's the only thing I can say how Jamie put all things together creatively. I was a silent watcher and observer when Jamie and Danny tweeted about the updates during the big event. It gives me a nostalgic feeling of my childhood as I write this blog. The fun rides, ice cream, story-telling, entertaining numbers and of course cooking demo and a whole lot more are the things that what this event is all about. All these people convene to experience a very unforgettable event that was all made possible by Jamie Oliver! I hope you guys wouldn't wonder why I admire this big man with all my big love and support.


Since time flies so fast, I am scheduled to fly again to Bangkok for another business trip. I am going to have another post production for an upcoming TVC project which is very very soon this July. So I am grabbing this opportunity to doodle some words and tell a few stories just before July slips away again. August is just beside the corner then it will be September! I have so many things in mind to accomplish before the first of September comes. And I just hope I will get it all done on time. Meanwhile, let me just share you today another attempt of the chewy cookies I did recently.

MATCHA CHEWY COOKIES

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Matcha Powder
• 1 cup flour
• 3 Eggs
• 100 grams chopped Almonds
• 1/2 cup Condensed Milk
• 1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Raisin
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tbsp Vanilla Syrup
• Butter (of course)

Procedure:

Melt butter and beat the eggs then set aside. Get a mixing bowl and put flour, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla syrup, almonds and raisins. Mix them all together then add the egg and whisk it. Add condensed milk and melted butter after wards. Fold the mixture. Preheat the oven at 150 degrees celsius. Put was paper on the baking tray then scoop in the mixture on top of the baking sheet. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes. reduce the temperature after 15 minutes to 100 degrees celsius. Remove from the oven after baking, cool it down and serve it as chewy as you want it to be.

This is it for now mates. I look forward to post more blog this month of July! :D

big hug,
joanie xxx