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of making reservations, make an occasion of dinner together "a deux."
This is an opportunity to cook together, in the kitchen, that is. And
then dine leisurely! Since I studied and trained at the Cordon Bleu, oh
so long ago, I wanted to share a Cordon Bleu style of dinner - but of
course low-fat! By organizing your ingredients and equipment ahead of
time the cooking tempo will be smoother and fun. Read the cooking plan
over together and decide who will prepare which dish. Turn on some rock
and roll and take a moment for a hug or two while cooking! Food should
not be a threat to your figure or your romance!
A TASTE OF NORMANDY FRANCE
Apples and dairy products are plentiful in the French province of
Normandy. Veal Normande features a sauce of Calvados (Apple Jack Brandy),
sliced apples and sour cream, the fat free kind! The salad takes advantage
of vine ripened or hot house tomatoes and English cucumbers. I found
some gold tomatoes just last night or grow your own and have fun digging
in the earth together. Add lemon and lime zest to the rice for a piquant
counterpoint of flavor. The added zip of ginger is an additional
secret ingredient that adds a special tang!
VEAL NORMANDE
LEMON LIME RICE WITH ALMONDS
TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD WITH HERB DRESSING
COCONUT GINGER CREAM CUBES
Wine Suggestion: Gamay Beaujolais
COOKING PLAN:
- Assemble all ingredients
and cooking equipment
- Start rice
- Wash and slice vegetables
for salad; assemble. Make dressing
- Mince parsley and slice
apples for veal; measure other ingredients.
- Pound and coat veal.
- Preheat oven to 200F.
and saute veal.
- While veal cooks, saute
almonds for rice.
- Remove and prepare
sauce.
- Make dessert ahead
of time.
To serve: Mix rice and almonds:
serve salads. Top veal with a bit of the sauce and serve remainder separately.
Garnish veal. Pour dressing over salads. Pour the wine or designer waters.
VEAL NORMANDY
Boneless chicken breasts or turkey breast slices, pounded to a thickness
of 1/4 inch, may be substituted for the more expensive veal. And for
you vegetarians use a slab of tofu or tempeh!
- 1-1/2 lbs. boneless
veal slices (1/4-in. thick)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp. VIVA Late Harvest
Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp. butter
- 1/4 cup Calvados, brandy
or dry white wine
- 2 tart green apples,
cored and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup nonfat sour
cream
- 1 tsp. Each fresh green
ginger puree & shredded sweet ginger
- Minced parsley (for
garnish)
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Place
veal between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to a thickness of 1/8th
inch. Coat with flour. Shake it baby, to remove any excess.
Warm serving platter in 200F. oven. Melt butter with oil in a wide
nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add veal and saute until lightly
browned but still pale pink inside (about 2 minutes per side). Remove
to warm platter.
Add Calvados, scraping bottom of pan to free browned bits. Flambee
if desired (turn down the light first -- whee!) Add apple slices and
saute 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat, stir in sour cream and simmer until
warm. Serve veal topped with apple slices and sauce, and garnished with
parsley.
RICE WITH ALMONDS
Try with half brown and half white rice, risotto, cous cous, quinoa
etc for a change, or change the nuts to filberts, pecans or walnuts.
Just anything for textural crunch!
- 2 cups water (may add
vegetarian vegetable or chicken broth)
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup white or mixed
white and brown rice
- 1 bag (2 1/2 oz.) sliced
almonds
- Lemon and lime zest
to taste
- 1-2 tsp. fresh green
ginger puree and diced sweet ginger
- 3-4 Tbsp. minced parsley
for color
Bring water, salt and rice
to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until all water is absorbed (20
minutes).
Place almonds on microwaveable plate and give it some radar love
1 minute at a time until golden brown. Stir nuts and zest into rice
before serving.
TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD WITH HERB DRESSING
For an attractive presentation, take a few minutes to arrange each
salad individually, perhaps in a pinwheel effect. Include slices of
avocado, radish, turnip, or jicama if you wish. Simply experiment and
use your imaginationS erve at room temperature for fullest flavor. Feed
each other a slice as you cut and slice!
- 4 medium tomatoes,
sliced
- Half a cucumber, peeled
in alternate strips and thinly sliced
- 1 small red or yellow
onion, thinly sliced and separated to rings
- Watercress sprigs for
garnish
HERB DRESSING
- 3 Tbsp. VIVA Early
Harvest Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp. chicken or vegetable
broth
- 2-3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Pommeroy or
Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. minced fresh
tarragon and thyme or mix of herbs of your choice.
Thoroughly combine oil, broth,
lemon juice, mustard and herbs. Whip it good!
Arrange salad prettily in a pinwheel. Garnish center with watercress
sprigs.
Pour herb dressing over salads.
Experiment! |
COCONUT
GINGER CREAM CUBES; Serves 6
This concept came to me after tasting a creamy but bland gelatin
cube on a huge dessert buffet at the past Masters Cooking series in
Brisbane's Hilton Hotel. When combined with the toasty textural crunch
of coconut and the zing of ginger it was much richer in flavor and still
a palate cleansing finish.
- 350 ml light coconut
cream
- 150 ml water
- 2 envelopes gelatin
- 2 oz toasted coconut
- 1-2 oz. Sugar
- 1 Tbs. Ea. Buderim
Ginger Sweet Shredded & Pulp
- 1 Tbs. Buderim
Green Puree Or Grated Ginger, rinsed and drained
- 1 Tbs. Ea. lemon &
lime juice
Garnish:
- Toasted coconut
- Buderim
Pickled Ginger
- or
- Buderim
Ginger Sweet Shredded
TO PREP:
Measure and prep all ingredients
TO COOK:
Heat 250 ml of the cream. Add gelatin to the hot liquid and stir
briskly with a fork until dissolved. Add the gelatin solution to the
remainder or the liquids and mix. Chill on ice until slightly thickened.
Gently stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into serving glasses
and refrigerate until firm.
TO SERVE:
Top parfaits with toasted coconut, Buderim
Pickled Ginger and Buderim
Ginger Garnish (red straws)
GINGER ORANGE TEA
Huge canisters for tea -- self-serve, paper cups; Serves 4-6
Rocket fuel comes to mind with the nutri-pharmeceutical qualities
of ginger. This rejuvenating and healing beverage will help you wend
your way!
- 2 Tbs. Buderim
Ginger Sweet Shredded
- 1 Tbs. Buderim
Ginger Pulp
- 2 tsp. Buderim
Green Ginger Puree Or Grated Ginger, rinsed and drained
- 1 whole orange, peel
only (no pith)
- 2-tsp. lemon or lime
juice
- Boiling water, as needed
TO PREP:
Measure and place all ingredients in teapot.
Pour over boiling water.
TO SERVE:
After steeping 3-5 minutes, serve to thin china teacups
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